“… It’s been a long time, Commander.”

Not long after arriving at the accommodation, my companions and I could meet the Commander so easily that it was absurd.

Is this right?

Could it be that the higher-ups in this world can normally be met this easily?

Thinking I might be the strange one, I looked around at my companions’ reactions to check.

And I realized. It wasn’t me who was strange.

Everyone had a look of astonishment. They didn’t expect to be able to meet him this easily.

“…Commander?”

“Those kids seem to have a lot of questions. Why don’t we resolve that first before talking?”

As if he knew without being told, he looked at us with a benevolent expression.

Is it because he’s old? His white hair and beard. And the wrinkles on his face created harmony.

Rather than being ugly, it was a look of accumulated years.

The benevolent expression may have made me think that even more.

“…How can we meet you this easily?”

When everyone was hesitating, wondering if it was really okay to speak,

Amelia asked bluntly.

“It’s too strange. If you’re the Commander, you must be a core person here, but there’s no one guarding you.”

Yeah. That was the question everyone had.

This benevolent old man is the commander.

A person in a position to handle people.

Moreover, this is the frontline. Putting aside the powerful magic beasts, there are prisoners here.

Prisoners forcibly placed here due to a shortage of manpower.

Who was it? That villain who killed investigator Ha-Yul’s friend, whom I can’t even remember the face of, had also stayed here.

If I remember correctly, he was trash who escaped from here and went around killing civilians.

…Of course, it’s because of the Author’s setting changes.

Still, the parts the Author didn’t set would follow context, so there’s no way there would only be one or two such people around here.

There would definitely be various noises, and then there’s no way there wouldn’t be people trying to harm the commander.

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine the prisoners quietly listening to the commander’s words.

Unless they were going to behead this old man and escape.

“…Ah. You could think that way too. I didn’t even consider that you might not know. It’s my mistake. I apologize.”

“It’s alright. It’s not that important of a fact.”

Not an important fact?

To us expressing doubt, Ha-Yul smiled and said.

“Because he’s the strongest person here. He’s not at the level to be taken down by mere criminals who were caught and handed over here.”

“…Is he stronger than Dad?”

“Of course. I’m much stronger than your father. If I lose to someone like that, it would be a disgrace.”

“…”

“If I lose to a guy who reads novels about girls running around naked, I’d have to hang myself and die from shame.”

The old man who said that stroked his beard and smiled benevolently.

“If you put it that way, there would be a lot of people who should die… No, that’s not it. But why don’t we know?”

“Hmm?”

“If you’re that strong, there’s no way rumors wouldn’t spread. At least once in the media…”

“This is the frontline. There are many secrets here that can’t be told to people.”

“…”

“You seem to have a lot more questions, but why don’t you rest first?”

The old man, still smiling without changing his expression, suggested.

No, rather than a suggestion, it’s practically an order.

Because no one would really refuse in this situation.

…I thought Amelia might be a little different, but even she didn’t go that far.

As everyone seemed to agree, the commander told us without losing his smile.

“I’m sorry for calling you students to such a remote place. I promise to try to finish the parts where I need your help as quickly as possible.”

“…Understood. Thank you.”

“I’ll tell investigator Lee Ha-Yul the details, so rest in an empty room.”

“B-but he’s the chaperone teacher?”

“I want to chat with my subordinate, whom I haven’t seen in a while. I called someone in advance to replace me, so please forgive me.”

“What? Someone to replace you…?”

-Honk!

At that moment, a horn sounded from outside the building.

“He’s here.”

“B-but…”

“Please go ahead, Dorothy. I’ll see you later.”

“…Okay.”

Hmm, something’s fishy.

I couldn’t help but look at the commander with suspicious eyes.

It’s a cliché for kind-looking people like this to have a black heart.

…Even if I doubt him now, it’s meaningless.

Nothing has happened yet.

The Author might have made changes to the setting.

For now, I decided to follow that person’s words obediently.

Who knows if he’s really a good person?

Even if I ask the Author, I don’t think she’ll answer.

***

“… It’s been a long time. You’ve changed a lot.”

“As expected, you noticed.”

“Of course. You know my ability well.”

Sighing, the Commander looked at his former subordinate.

How did he end up changing like this?

That innocent and selfless appearance from before has disappeared, and all that’s left now is a worn-out veteran hero.

Seeing people who have become like this isn’t new, but such changes always made his heart ache whenever he sees them.

“You ended up killing.”

“…As expected, you knew.”

“Like I said before, of course I would know.”

‘I knew that ability was cheating.’

He heard him think that.

Everyone thinks that when they stand before his eyes.

There are quite a few inconveniences, you know.

It must be unpleasant to have your thoughts read, so it can’t be helped.

“…So? Are you going to kill me?”

“I’d appreciate it if you stopped saying that when you know what I’m going to say.”

“Of course. I know.”

…Arachne.

The world has changed a lot too.

He thought the troublesome incidents coming in every day had decreased lately, but there was a reason for that.

He had no intention of saying anything about investigator Ha-Yul killing someone.

He still remembers directly comforting him back then, so if he had met him by chance, he thought it would have turned out like that.

“It’s meaningless to ask why you let him out, right?”

“That’s right. It’s the principle.”

“You haven’t changed at all.”

“I’ve changed a lot, you know. I’m afraid my hair might start falling out soon.”

“You’ve finally learned how to joke. Your hair still looks thick.”

“Is that so?”

Even though he knew it was flattery, he laughed heartily as it made him feel good.

Talking with old acquaintances was always enjoyable.

…But he should get to the main point soon.

“Hmm, like I said, all I want is a search. You don’t have to do the rest.”

“Is a search enough? Helping with combat would be…”

“That would certainly be helpful, but it would be a big problem if the students get hurt.”

If those kids get hurt, he could already picture what kind of situation would unfold.

Protests and controversies spreading on the internet.

There aren’t many people who want to mess with them, but it’s not like there are none at all.

Victims of villains who were released according to principles.

Reporters looking for juicy stories.

Groups that hate superhumans.

To avoid giving those bastards an excuse, he had to block off anything that could be a problem as much as possible.

A searcher suddenly fell ill or couldn’t come for personal reasons, so he had no choice but to bring students…

But he can’t give them a bigger excuse.

“Put the boy in charge of searching and have him accompany the other students. The purpose…escort should be enough. Their concern for their friend is admirable.”

“…Understood. I’ll tell them that.”

“Ah, and wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

As Ha-Yul, who heard all the instructions, was about to leave his seat, he hurriedly decided to relay additional information.

“That boy. His name was… Siwoo? Have him share a room with the girl named Arte.”

“What? You’re joking, right?”

“Of course not. I’m serious.”

“…Siwoo is a boy, and Arte is a girl? It’s not like there aren’t any rooms. Didn’t you say there’s a shortage of manpower?”

“There’s a reason it has to be that way. Please.”

“…”

Oh dear.

He left without even answering.

Since he could confirm his acceptance with his ability, it was a trivial act of rebellion, but it still hurt a bit.

Perverted old fart, that’s too much.

He was happy that he trusted him enough to follow absurd words. Still, at the same time, he felt bitter about the strange misunderstanding.

“…Puppets, Author, Protagonist. And another world.”

The old man leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

As expected, he didn’t like his ability.

Everyone envies it, but he ends up knowing all the secrets he doesn’t want to know.

“If I didn’t know, I would have just left them alone, but…”

He couldn’t feel at ease leaving such an unstable child alone.

Even if he’s already a dying old man in a remote room, he is also a superhuman and a hero.

It was hard to watch a child’s heart rot away.

“…But was it too much to put them in the same room after all?”

No, looking at the two’s memories, that should be the right answer.

She seems to feel a great sense of psychological stability around him.

“Heh, it’s a good time. It’s a good time.”

A girl who feels stability hugging someone else’s clothes, and a boy who sneaks into the girl’s locker.

Is that normal these days?

…No, there’s no way.

Two people chosen by a transcendent being.

They’re literally a couple sent from the heavens.