{Chapter 72} Simulator! Save Me!
"If I hadn't come to submit my resignation today..."
...A few minutes later, Anna, with a gloomy expression, walked out of the commander's office, followed by Helga and Louise, both wearing awkward smiles, unsure of how to comfort her.
Today was supposed to be a day of relief, the day she resigned, freeing herself from the meager monthly salary of just one gold coin, though the new commander would likely pay the standard wage, probably around five or six gold coins...
But the problem was, just as Anna was about to leave, Bryan had dropped a bombshell:
"If you hadn't resigned, I was planning to recommend you as the next commander..."
"Senpai, don't overthink it..." Louise gently patted Anna's back. "Even if Bryan had recommended you, it doesn't mean you would've definitely become the commander..."
"But the chances would've been higher, right?" Helga, as usual, was blunt.
"...What would the chances have been?" Anna turned to Helga.
"About 80%, especially with the Celestial backing you."
"Now I feel even worse..."
Anna's stomach was churning with regret.
"Really, why did you have to tell her that!" Louise glared at Helga.
"It's not like it's a must-have position. No harm in being honest," Helga shrugged nonchalantly.
"If you really want to be a commander, Anna, I could just give you the position of Knight Commander in my fiefdom."
"...Tch, I forgot you're the Countess of Aurelia," Louise clicked her tongue but didn't say more.
As a landed noble, it was only natural for Helga to have her own knight order.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm just a little regretful, that's all," Anna waved her hand.
"It's not like I resigned just for the money anyway. It doesn't matter."
"See? I don't even care about being a Countess. Being an adventurer is much more fun..."
Listening to Helga, Anna guiltily averted her gaze.
If Anna were a Countess, she would've probably lazed around in her manor, living off taxes, playing cards, and racing birds. There was no way she'd bother being an adventurer...
"Ah! I forgot to tell Bryan something."
Louise suddenly remembered something and quickly returned to the office. She came out moments later.
"...What did you forget to say?"
"I forgot to tell him I'm quitting too," Louise blinked.
"With you resigning, Senpai, there's no point in me staying here alone."
"You could've stayed. I'll take care of Anna. You can just keep earning money outside," Helga hugged Anna while teasing Louise.
"Keep dreaming! You can have your moments with Senpai, but that's it!" Louise stuck her tongue out at Helga, then suddenly leaped into Anna's arms.
"Louise!?"
"Hehe, Senpai, just carry me back like this!"
"...Alright."
It's not like she could say, "You're too heavy, I don't want to carry you," right?
If someone told her she was too heavy, she'd be furious too.
"Hmm... Anna, why don't you carry me back too?"
Helga suddenly pressed herself against Anna's back, whispering into her ear.
Though the warm breath made Anna's cheeks flush, Helga's words left her speechless.
"Do you two want to exhaust me to death?!"
...
After arriving at Louise's home, Anna sat on the sofa, curiosity getting the better of her.
"Louise, is Philsey locked up in the underground prison here?"
"Yes," Louise nodded. "Do you want to see him?"
"Not really. Prisons are all the same," Anna hesitated, shaking her head, but then paused.
"Has Theodore... visited Philsey?"
"Of course he has," Louise nodded. "He's the head of the royal investigation team, after all. It's only natural he'd interrogate Philsey."
"Did they say anything?"
"...They were just chatting about family matters."
"Huh?"
Anna was completely baffled by the term "chatting about family matters."
"Literally, Theodore and Philsey were just discussing noble family lineages," Louise explained. "Nothing useful came out of it."
"...What kind of nonsense is this?" Anna shook her head. "What about Alphonso?"
The adventurer guild branch leader, Alphonso. Though Anna didn't expect him to know much.
"He's a pure-blood faction member, but he knows nothing about Philsey. He only made those magical beasts go berserk for money,"
Louise continued. "But regardless, he's guilty of conspiring to enhance magical beasts, accepting massive bribes, and being an accomplice in your assassination attempt. Those charges alone are enough to keep him locked up for life."
"Alright," Anna sighed. It was within expectations, so she wasn't too disappointed.
"Let's talk more about Theodore... I remember the old butler referred to him as 'Chief Theodore'?"
"...Anna, you don't know?" This time, not just Louise, but even Helga, who was happily munching on sweets, looked at her in surprise.
"Should I know something... Is Theodore that famous?"
"He's not just famous," Louise seemed genuinely shocked.
"Theodore Caolius... He's the Royal Chief of the Treasury and the appointed Grand Almoner."
"...What?" Anna's eyes went blank for a moment. "That's a huge deal!"
Being both the Royal Chief of the Treasury and the Grand Almoner, you might as well call him a Grand Duke!
His status sounded even higher than Louise's father, the Duke Latimir.
And now, such a high-ranking figure was allegedly a pure-blood faction member, chatting with Philsey about trivial family matters. It all reeked of conspiracy...
‘And it probably has something to do with me again?’
At that moment, her intuition, completely unnecessary, kicked in.
"Senpai, your face suddenly turned pale," Louise looked at Anna with concern. "Is something wrong...?"
"No... nothing. I'm probably overthinking it," Anna forced a smile, brushing it off...
However, her vision was soon filled with the long-dormant simulator interface.
Seeing the cooldown timer still had several days left, Anna inwardly groaned, ‘Simulator! When are you coming back? Simulator, save me!’