Office work?

　In the afternoon, I was taken to Olympia, a spacious room with a chic atmosphere in the Imperial Castle. I was told that this room was His Highness General Seven's office.


Yes, sir. In addition to the duties of a Knight Commander of the Kingsguard, the newly appointed General has the duties of a General. Therefore, we would appreciate it if you would conduct your duties in this office from today.

Okay. So what do I do?

"For the time being, I would appreciate it if you could read through this report and other documents and give us your approval or direction as appropriate.

............ Oh.


　Olympia's hands were piled high with three mountains of documents.

　Do you have to go through all of these to give me approval and instructions for every single one of them?　Yeah, ......?　How long would that take?


'We have two days' supply today, so it's a little more than that. From tomorrow, we'll have half this amount.


　Oh, ...... oh no!


"Olympia.

"Ha.

Nato Shaman, please.

...... ha!


　No, I'm hopelessly unsuited to this kind of thing. There's no shame in it. Ask the other general what to do.


"Well, the ...... is it true that you can call me, sir?

　Olympia says something like that, puzzled.

　Oh, right, you think Nato is going to be angry. Well, it's true, I provoked him so much and beat him up, so it's natural to think so.


I don't mind. It's not that I'm not fighting with him or anything, he wouldn't be angry. I know his character.

"!　Are the two of you old friends?

No, the day of the exercise was our first meeting.

So, why do you want to know: ......

'A game is like a serious relationship. And sometimes it's like a childhood game, sometimes it's a hot adolescence, sometimes it's life itself, sometimes it's a book. In his case, it was a comedy. I saw The Nato Shaman Show ten times. I could talk about it for hours to someone in a coffee shop.

......!


　Very high density. Both sides are pulling out all the stops for the game. They give it their all, like it couldn't be more perfect. There's no time to hide their bad experiences and crooked personalities. Everyone is bare-chested, naked and ready to fight. This is something more than just a relationship. I think so.

　In that sense, I can understand Gloria's feelings. She's a bookworm who reads as many books as she can find, and I'm a matchworm who would read as many matches as I could if I could.


I admire you, Olympia!　I'll call for you at once!

　Appreciating my theory like a clap of hands, Olympia turned and headed to call Nato.


　Now, I had called General Nato with the lighthearted intention of getting him to help me, but will he really come?

　Nato is a righteous man. He has a good relationship with people. And he's straightforward. That's how I felt through our matches. Nato is a flexible man who never forgets to learn and improve himself, who never gives up on anything, who listens to others with no pride.

　Yes, that's why he'll come to you.



Excuse me!


　--except for his sentiments.


............

　No, he's so angry!


You're here early.

"His Majesty's orders are for the generals to band together and work together.

Really?

I'm a general and you're a general. But you are newer than me.

......?

'I'm the senior and you're the junior!　It's unheard of for a junior to call out a senior!

Oh.

　So that's it. That's why you were angry.


"I'm sorry, I didn't think about it. I'll be more careful next time.

...... totally. I'm out of tune talking to you.

　But he's here. I knew Nato was as good as I thought he was.


"So, what's the point of mostly not knowing how to process these papers?

You've hit the jackpot.

How far have you made it?

As you can see.

None, I see.


　Nato sighed and began to prepare crisply, dumbfounded.

　He seemed to be writing letters on five sheets of memo paper, and when he placed them evenly spaced on the desk, he opened his mouth.


'Approved, Rejected, Pending, Considered, and Other. I always divide the papers into these five.

'Oh ......?　What's the difference between a hold and consideration?

"The reservations are those on which you wish to spend particular time in making decisions. The consideration shall be of such a serious nature that I shall consult with His Highness the Prime Minister, Mr. Spica, and possibly His Majesty as well.

Okay. What else?

It's not one of the other four. There's a lot of reports and stuff like that.

　Report. That's one of those things.


'Mostly for reports, you should save a lot of space for the rest.

Yes, sir.

　It's the easy way out. I could do it myself.


Nato, you have been a big help. You can tell me if I ever need help again.

...... is fine. Instead.

Instruction. You can always tell me.

"!　Yes, thank you very much.


　He is ambitious and can forget his position for that reason. That's probably one of the best things about Nato.

　I thanked him again as he left the room and saw him off. Nato glances at you, bids you farewell, and leaves.


''Well, let's do this...''

　Muttering more breaths, I sit back in my chair with a thud.

　Oh, I wish I could finish before the date changes ...... but I guess I can't do that.



　　* * * *



　I hate Seven.

　I don't change that feeling, though.

　I don't know why, inexplicably, he's a man I can't hate (・・・・).

　That man is clearly the enemy of His Highness Melson. In other words, he should be my enemy.

　But for some reason, I can't hate him. Even though he was so rude to me, I eventually forgave him for being so rude.

　His language is not flattering. The same goes for his behavior. He is always smug and smug, but he is always aloof and joking from a superior point of view. It's clear that he's an idiot, but maybe that's why he's so foolishly honest, even when he's talking to His Majesty. You can't help but be intrigued, as if you are fascinated by it, because it has an air of isolation unlike any other.

　And most of all, that heavenly realm of combat skills. This is the light and the dark at the same time, and it makes every word and action convincing and attractive without limit.

　It's strange. He is indeed a strange man. He is my enemy and I hate him, no doubt, but somehow I feel respect for him at the same time.

　But how is it that I can understand him so well? Oh, I wonder.


'--Nato, where have you been!　I was instructed to have you firm up my guards!

Sorry about that, sir. I left your highness's protection to my troops and went to Seven to coordinate with the generals.


　I hurried back to His Highness Melson, but I was reprimanded.

　His Highness Melson sharpened his eyes at my explanation and continued to speak.


'Seven!　Seven of all people!　You have got to be kidding me!　I'll take a day of your vacation away as punishment!


　I have no choice but to bow my head.

　But His Highness Melson is too lacking in heart these days. What has His Highness been so impatient and afraid of?

　...... No, is the other party obvious? His Highness has just uttered the words.


'With all due respect, Your Highness. Even if I had ten men, Seven would be unstoppable.

!

I'm sure they know that. If they haven't attacked you in spite of that, I don't think you have to worry about them attacking you in the future as well.

'Too optimistic!　He must be looking at the opportunity with an eye on the tiger!

'Your Highness. In any case, neither I, nor the Konoe, nor the shadows can stop the man.

Then what do you want me to do?


　It's disturbing. His Highness Melson has been pushed so hard. He's never been pushed so hard before.

　One man has driven that brave and intelligent man to this point in ten days.

　I hate Seven, after all. I hate him from the bottom of my heart, but I can't help but be in ...... awe.


''Your Highness, take care of yourself. Do not be consumed by fear. Embrace the right fear.

...... Righteous fear, you say?

Yes, sir. Rightly fearing is what you need to do. Fortunately, it doesn't seem that Seven has any intention of making a move on us at the moment. If that's the case, I think we should take all the measures we can now.

...... .......

Your Highness, please calm down. I'm sure Your Highness, being the calm person you are, will be able to come up with a solution.


　When I manage to quiet him down, His Highness finally calms down.

　Huh, he lets out a deep sigh and looks into my eyes.


'...... Nato, you're right. I guess I was a little out of sorts. Thanks to you, I've calmed down.

No, that's exactly why, Your Highness. My beloved sir.

'I'm glad. My knight. Do you have a plan for such a man?

Ha. A couple of things.

Tell me.


　Perhaps His Highness Melson is worried about the current situation where he has become inferior to His Highness Wright in terms of military strength.

　Seven's presence is particularly significant. Seven's power is so immense that he even has the illusion that his life is in danger. To His Highness, Seven would be a distraction and a hindrance to him.

　...... If His Highness used the shadows to assassinate Seven?　Hence the fear of retribution?　If you think about it that way, it makes sense that His Highness is in this state of agitation. I see, then, as I thought--''


The first is to increase the number of shadows that can be used against Seven. Do we win by numbers or by quality? If it's the former, we'll need at least fifteen people. If it's the latter, it would be difficult unless they are so powerful that they are claimed to be the best in the world.

It's a fool's errand. Neither of them are practical.


　Yes, it's just an ideal.

　The main idea is the next one.


''The other - to ask for assistance from His Excellency Cigarone. He is the only person in the Imperial Castle who can stand against Seven.



　　* * *



　The next morning, when Olympia appeared in my office, the first thing I said to her was


"Good morning, knight-in-chief. Today--

Call me Nato.

Huh? ......?

Name-calling!

Yes!


　Ah, it's an all-nighter after all!　Aww!

　We're only halfway through. I can't take it anymore. I can't do it.



That's why I told you not to call me!

Nat!

!


　To Nato, who came to me in five minutes or so, I cling to him.


'Help me eeee~ ......'

............


　Nato was silent and exhaled slowly and deeply with a hand on his forehead, as if he had a headache.


'Huh. So, what's bothering you?　Say them in order.

Nato!

Just go. We'll be done by breakfast.

Thank God!


　I knew it was Nato!


'First of all, this report is so depressing, I can't stand it. Are you reading this?

Of course.

Oh, come on, man. You can't tell me what to do.　Between you and me, you didn't read it, did you?　Huh?

...... Sometimes it's an oblique reading.

Right?　I seriously don't care who was assigned to where, or who was off sick, or who broke the window glass in my room, I don't care to die.

Well, I'll be honest: ...... lightly skim the content and if it doesn't look important, you can put it down. It takes ten seconds to read it. If you read it for five minutes and enough, you'll be lost to the sun.

Right!

　Nato was feeling depressed too. I'm starting to get excited. That's the thing with all-nighters, isn't it?


　...... For the next thirty minutes, I crunched through the paperwork, taking Nato's sound advice.


I've received a request to cut down some trees to expand the training grounds on the west side, is it okay for me to make this decision?

'Depending on the location, it may be best to get His Majesty's permission to do so. Basically, everything in the Imperial Castle belongs to His Majesty.

I see.

'...... After all this time, shouldn't you be giving me too much of your paperwork?　Even though we are the same general, there are some things you don't want me to know about.

I'm not.

Oh, really?

　Maybe there's some kind of confidentiality thing going on here, but I don't know. It's worse to make me a general.


'Oh, did you spill ...... coffee on this one?

　As I continued to process the documents, I entered the stain zone. A certain liquid stained the lower part of the documents. As a result, there were black stains on more than ten sheets of paper.


Yes, yes, this is it. Some assassin came in the middle of the night, so I tried to fight back, but blood flew out...

Is ......?

'It was a different one from yesterday. It's annoying, totally.

......!


　Nato's eyes widened and he stood up on the spot, knocking over the chair with a clatter.

　What's going on? A sudden urge to have a bowel movement?


Are you saying that he tried to kill you twice?

'No, three times. Well, you don't know.


　I don't think Melson has told you this. There was the wine feast, the incense car assassination, and the all-nighter. A total of three times I was targeted.


Excuse me. ......!

'Oh?　Oh, thanks, okay?


　Nato left the office with some kind of impatient look on his face. Was he shocked that Melson hadn't informed him of my assassination?　Or is it the bathroom?

　I couldn't help but tilt my head back, thanking him for his back.



　　* * * *



"Your Highness!　Please don't do any more dangerous things!


　Nato Shaman, with a desperate look on his face, turns directly to Melson.

　Earlier, he has been heartily bloodied.

　Seven is aware - the person who is planning to assassinate him is Melson.

　Nevertheless, he acted like that in front of Nato, Melson's minion, in front of him.

　It was as if he was not dealing with him. It was the very definition of leisure. 'I can do whatever I want if I want to,' was written on his face.


'It was decided yesterday that the plan was to ask for assistance from His Excellency Cigarone!


　In any case, you can't make Seven "go for it" ...... That's what Nato thought, and he spoke up to stop what could be seen as a provocation by Melson.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.


'Of course I'll do that,'

Bye!

But don't be surprised. I don't think Cigarone can compete with him alone. I don't think Cigarone will be able to seriously assist me. Then I will continue to assassinate as long as I can possibly, increase the number of competent shadows and find the best assassin in the world. I'll do all the measures you mentioned. If I don't, I can't protect the empire: ......!


　However, Melson did not try to stop the assassination.

　The only way to protect the empire is to make himself the next emperor. Because he believes that, he is determined to get rid of Seven. And the only opportunity to do so was now, when somehow Seven had no intention of fighting back.

　Attack is the best defense, Melson told himself.


'Nato, I'm going to have you set up for it. When you have an opening, mix this in with Seven's drink.

Your Highness: "Your Highness: ...... That's it.

Don't say it. Your father has changed. He's too caustic for Cigarone. Wright is still a child. There is no one else. There's no way I, Melson Malvell here, could be the next emperor.