After waiting for about half an hour, Ella finally saw someone return.
“We will revoke the arrest warrant for Zero, and after some time, we will announce the conclusion of the Tai Dingjue case to the public on a limited scale.”
The square-faced man sat down and said, “Tai Dingjue’s charges are illegally harboring a political criminal sentenced to death, and forming factions for personal gain.”
The political criminal sentenced to death referred to Mr. Wesley.
They were still trying to save face, after all—attempting to win over a beautiful, busty girl, only to have her companion smack him to death in return—such things are better left unspoken.
“As for you, Great Hero Rolls has volunteered to be the leader and will be responsible for everything the special squad does from now on.”
“That’s how it should be,” Ella nodded.
“We’re still young, so having an elder as our guardian is actually a good thing.”
Great Hero Rolls—she had heard about him many times before, the mentor of the girls, the one who insisted on forming the Hero Squad despite opposition, and who used all his connections to pull Zero out of the Silent Sanctuary—that old geezer.
That was the entirety of the negotiations.
“That’s wonderful.”
Ella stood up happily.
“I have to quickly tell my companions the good news!”
Friendship and bonds have triumphed over evil once again!
“Miss Ella!”
Maken suddenly called out to her.
“Hmm?”
Ella turned her head, only to see the square-faced man staring at her intently, saying word by word:
“Earlier, when you introduced your companions, I believe they truly are as you described. But you—you’re definitely not as simple as you claim.”
He really saw through her, but so what?
Did he think he was the Demon King, having the final say in his own domain?
“Mr. Maken, perhaps you’ve misunderstood me a bit.”
Ella replied softly, “Fortunately, everyone’s eyes are sharp~”
The square-faced man said nothing more, just silently packed up his things and turned to leave.
She floated out lightly, then ran back with even lighter steps to meet her long-waiting companions:
“Everyone, I’m back~ I have great news! They agreed, they’ve accepted our proposal unconditionally—this is really wonderful~”
Ella beamed sweetly, but why did the girls’ expressions look a bit stiff?
“Eh~ aren’t you happy?” She tilted her head and blinked, “Or is it that you don’t believe it?”
“Ella.”
Celes finally couldn’t hold back and gently suggested, “The way you spoke to them just now was pretty good, there’s no need to be so…”
It made everyone feel a bit numb inside.
Ella fell silent for a moment.
“I just wanted to feel a bit closer when talking to you all, it feels more like the real me… But if you’re not used to it, I’ll just speak normally from now on.”
If you don’t want me to act cutesy, then I won’t.
As long as you know in your hearts that I’m a good girl, that’s enough.
After that, she repeated the final conclusions Maken had given, which were basically no different from unconditional acceptance.
“Little Ella, your negotiation skills are amazing!”
Vina’s eyes sparkled, “How did you think to use identity and age as leverage?”
“…I didn’t think that much.”
Ella smiled innocently, “I just spoke from the heart—heart for heart.”
There’s no such thing as technique, don’t say that, I’m not that kind of scheming bad girl.
“Where do we go next?”
Zero asked cautiously, “Back to the camp?”
Celes shook her head, her gaze drifting up to the spectator’s seats.
“Let’s go see our teacher, let’s all go together.”
***
Rolls had spotted them long ago and, just wanting to chat, took them to the Sanctuary Hall.
“Find your own seats, it’s not your first time here anyway. If you want tea, pour it yourselves.”
As Ella quietly observed the surroundings, she thought the old geezer was actually pretty easygoing.
As for this former Great Hero of the Human Race, the Demon King had certainly heard of him.
Among the older Demon Race, people often lamented that if it hadn’t been for this man, even if the Human Kingdom hadn’t been wiped out, it would at least have been gravely weakened—how wonderful that would have been.
Such a person, with his status, could easily own a mansion spanning a thousand acres, yet now he lived in just a single room in the Sanctuary Hall. Clearly, he was not a vain man.
“Ever since you formed your team, I’ve been watching you all. I know you’ve accomplished many great things. But compared to those achievements, I’m even happier to see how you behaved a few days ago. Even though the situation was extremely dangerous, each of you followed your hearts and stood together…”
The old geezer was giving a speech, so she pretended to listen, but in reality kept observing.
“…Also, about your new member…”
The furnishings in this room were all quite particular.
Oh, there’s even a calligraphy painting on the wall—what does it say?
Law of Conservation of All Things? I’d rather break the rules with source power!
“Ella—Ella—”
Celes tugged at the hem of the pink-haired girl’s clothes, even pulling the heart shape out of place before she came back to her senses.
“Ah, yes, I’m here. You were just talking about…”
“We were talking about you.”
Vina glanced at her.
“Teacher said, as the squad’s new member, he should have talked with you earlier.”
“No problem.”
Ella quickly looked at the white-bearded old grandpa.
“Teacher—Teacher, please guide me.”
That was close, almost slipped up and called him something else.
Rolls didn’t notice anything amiss. His kindly expression didn’t change, but his gaze held a hint of curiosity: “I’ve heard about your experiences.
I’m very glad you managed to escape the Demon King’s Castle. In this incident, it was thanks to you stepping forward several times…
By the way, about that Name List, have you thought about how to handle it?”
Ella hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping, then finally looked at Celes with some difficulty.
The Sword Saint Maiden braced herself and said, “Teacher, we don’t have the Name List.”
“…What do you mean you don’t have it?”
“We just don’t have it. Mr. Wesley didn’t have it, so of course we don’t either.”
Vina shrugged her small shoulders.
“It was a tactic Little Ella came up with in a crisis—a non-existent threat.”
Rolls was silent for a long time, then looked at Ella again, his gaze now more complex: “In that situation, you could think of so much, even planning for follow-up, and today’s negotiation was all part of your plan?”
Ella felt a little embarrassed.
Thinking about it, it was indeed a bit much for an eighteen-year-old girl.
“I was captured by the Demon King and forced to scheme for him. Many times it involved struggles among the upper ranks of the Demon Race, so I have some experience.”
As an ordinary, unremarkable Human girl, it’s only natural for me to have some political wisdom in order to survive under the Demon King.
Rolls took a deep breath and asked hopefully, “When you were with the Demon King, you must have worked very hard and studied a lot, right?”
“No, not at all.”
Ella answered firmly.
“I really hated that stuff. Normally, I wouldn’t touch it at all. I just happen to have a little talent when it’s needed.”
A good girl is pure at heart, with absolutely no desire to get involved in complicated politics.
But for some reason, after hearing this, Rolls’ eyes went dark and he nearly lost his balance.
“Teacher!”
Celes hurried over to support him, only to hear him muttering words like “the fifth one,” “Heroic Rank,” and “Conservation,” half-understood and half-confused.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.