Rosmontis's Ambition (Continued)

After distilling and summarizing everything she had experienced over the long years, she arrived at a conclusion that, at least in her own opinion, seemed quite plausible. That conclusion was—

—As a school principal, you must know how to delegate authority.

—For slow-witted students, let attentive teachers guide them. For gifted students, there's not much you can actually teach them. Rather than endless meetings and lectures, the most important thing is to lead by example and set a good example.

Simply put, I'll take the blame, others will do the work. Laymen shouldn't try to boss experts around; a good principal—or rather, a good manager—is someone who can handle things when it matters most.

So, what is a 'critical moment'?

Ah... that is a matter for discussion. But it's not important; complex, important matters are naturally for Persephone to consider. As for the less complex, minor matters—

Miss Surtr turned her gaze to the futuristic sniper operator in front of her, who was leading the way while smiling and introducing the surrounding transportation and geographical environment.

"Aren't there readily available workers here? Since Persephone has already assigned her, it means she's passed the test. Loyalty aside, she's definitely capable."

But--

—Hmm, because of my intervention. So, the most basic character traits of these kids have all changed?

—Without Mephisto's siege and the school riots, Rosa would never have abandoned her aristocratic pride. Grani would just be a simple, capable, and somewhat rebellious girl. Closure would remain an indecisive, artsy, and gentle girl, and Gummy ... well, that's a good thing for Gummy. At least she wouldn't have any psychological trauma and would just be a simple optimist.

—Growth...being forced to grow up is certainly painful. But if this part of growth and the hardships that accompany it are missing, the jewels that have been sculpted and polished to the point of dazzling brilliance will fade into dull, ordinary rough stones—they will never become the lovable children I remember. So, will my appreciation for them remain the same?

The words that were about to be spoken stopped in her throat. Miss Surtr found herself increasingly prone to getting lost in memories of the past.

She remembered similar things happening before—back during the Kazdel Civil War. As the war intensified, Persephone's strategies became increasingly aggressive, while Theresis deployed one experimental technology after another, even immature secret weapons, onto the battlefield. And in a battle where she was supposed to be ambushing, she encountered an elite squad specifically trained to target those like her who wielded powerful 'Originium Arts'.

That squad possessed the bizarre ability to obliterate Originium Arts. And its members were all gladiators and Bladeworks Master equipped with top-tier weaponry—if they could successfully ambush them, perhaps even the world's most powerful sorcerers at the time, the Twin Empresses of Lateran, would be at a disadvantage. However—

—However, even back then, the flames within me came from Laevateinn, from another power system, and were completely unrelated to Originium Arts.

And so, that elite special forces squad was thwarted. Those they considered their trump cards were reduced to ashes by Theresis sword. But just as he was about to kill the last member of the squad, he saw a face that could be easily recognized even in 2D or 3D rendering.

Nightingale, a future Rhodes Island Medical Operator, is like a caged blue bird. Due to the changing war situation, she was originally imprisoned in a secret research facility as a treatment machine, but Theresis unearthed her from a pile of files. This girl, who had been tortured to the point of physical and mental exhaustion by various inhumane experiments, was given a new destiny before her mind collapsed.

He brought her back to Rhodes Island, cured most of her ailments, and repaired the nerves in her lower limbs that were on the verge of collapse—this could have been a happy ending for everyone. But the result...

—And so, the Apostle Organization simply vanished. Although she later met Shining, her relationship with Nearl and Nightingale remained at the level of ordinary colleagues. Not only was there no more beautiful girl to bond with, Liz (Nightingale's real name) also seemed to have become dull and foolish due to a lack of training...

... Damn it, this little girl comes to my room every other day to ask me medical questions. I tell her I don't know, and she just stays there! Do I look like someone who likes to delve into academic knowledge?! Doesn't she know to ask Kal'tsit or Warfarin?

Miss Surtr felt a wave of weariness wash over her.

But exhaustion was also a good thing, because before she knew it, the iconic buildings of Peterheim Middle School had come into view—to her surprise, Persephone did not immediately resume teaching there, but instead began a large-scale expansion.

The public high school, which originally covered several hectares, is now surrounded by a large number of drones, scaffolding, and construction workers working on behalf of the government. Judging from the scale of the new site, the new education center may not even be able to fit within a few square kilometers.

Excellent, the scale of a prestigious university. Persephone, at least, didn't intend to create an academy city.

So she stopped in her tracks.

She stopped, and Natalia, who hadn't yet received the codename "Rosa," stopped as well. Her bright, large eyes looked at her with a hint of confusion.

"Natasha," she said to the noblewoman standing in front of the middle school, "This responsibility of being a guide should have been something you actively sought out."

She saw Natalia's pink lips slightly parted.

"You... you knew?"

"I guessed," Miss Surtr said, smiling at her. "As you walked along, you kept pointing out the buildings, the surrounding environment, and who was in charge of these large projects."

Surtr pointed to the mobile shopping mall 500 meters behind him.

"The manager of that shopping mall is named Olov. You said you had a VIP status there and had done business with the mall owner."

The finger shifted, pointing to a distance of 100 meters.

"The hospital next door is headed by Pushkin. You said you had a private collection of his writings, which even had his autograph."

"Further down the line, many of the clerks in that administration building recognize you. You also handled a small collaborative project and have a good relationship with them."

So she withdrew her finger.

"You've been saying all this, and these aren't entirely due to your family's influence, but rather the results you've achieved by leveraging your own connections—the point is probably to make me pay attention to your abilities and network. While they might not be very useful in a legitimate business battle, they're more than enough resources for a newly established school. Especially since this school, which will soon become a training center, is about to welcome a new, parachuted-in manager."

"You want to be my assistant; you want to seize power from me. Miss Natalia Rostov. Your parents raised you to be a very proper nobleman—you value family honor more than your parents' lives, even though they abandoned you in their escape. And you have a certain sense of the current situation; to ensure the survival of your family and your own life, you will inevitably find a way to prove yourself to the new administrators of this city."

Am I right?

She looked at the Ursus girl before her, watching the girl's face suddenly turn pale, then flush red. She had expected this future operator to be like an ordinary young girl whose thoughts had been exposed, both angry and frightened, only able to scream. But to her surprise, this little bear quickly regained her composure.

"You are absolutely right, Ms. Surtr." She gently pressed her hand to her chest and took a small step back from Miss Surtr. "I long for a job under your tutelage. I need it, to use it as a means of survival in this new era—"

"—You guessed right. After receiving news of the training center, I immediately mobilized all my connections, just to meet the Doctor from Rhodes Island. While Ms. Persephone didn't grant me the honor of a meeting, she did give me the opportunity to meet you before anyone else."

She suddenly knelt down on one knee before Miss Surtr, taking Miss Surtr's hand, which Miss Surtr hadn't immediately pulled away, and placed it on her forehead. Her movements were decisive and swift, clearly showing she had made up her mind. She paid no heed to the commotion from the pedestrians and workers in the distance, nor to the curious glances and pointing eyes of the students.

"You are a warrior, and you are very close to your sword, so I can tell that your strength must be very great. I guess you are unlikely to be dealing with complicated matters at the school for a long time. An assistant who is familiar with the various forces in Chernobog and can freely contact the upper class can save you a lot of time. I am not sure if I am the best one, but I am sure that I am the most proactive one right now."

"... I am willing to pledge my allegiance to you, sworn by my name, my surname, and the blood of my family. I will become your most capable assistant and loyal servant. If only you would give me this opportunity."

Her words were earnest and sincere, yet her voice trembled slightly—this immaturity ironically became a plus, because it proved that she truly had no other way out.

Miss Surtr looked at her with a complicated expression.

—Ah, the tragic story of the Bear Clan was cut short. The altered fate, however, may not be entirely 'good.' For her, who is not yet Rosa, is she better the one who lost everything, whose noble dignity was reduced to dust, who tried to commit suicide several times but couldn't bring herself to do it? Or is she better now, the one who only has dignity and past glory left, single-mindedly seeking to climb the path of power to restore her family's honor?

—I don't know. I can't answer that question. The former isn't necessarily bad, but the latter isn't necessarily good either.

—But perhaps it's precisely because this thought crossed my mind subconsciously that I unconsciously forgot about the Ursus student group. I saw Absinthe and her surviving father just days ago. And if I weren't deceiving myself, how could I possibly forget what Peterheim Middle School even is?

The Flame-haired Girl lowered her gaze, and on the back of her hand, she felt Natalia's forehead transform from the burning heat of excitement to the icy cold of despair.

So she spoke.

"You can go and be the student council president first," she said, and then she immediately felt the coldness on the back of her hand turn into warmth.

"But I have a request."

"Please speak freely." Natalia looked up at her.

"Your student council members shouldn't include too many children of aristocrats that you know. Find someone who can fight, someone who can cook, someone who likes to read. And all sorts of other types—find the best of the best and make them your companions. Then, until the school is turned into a breeding center, it's up to you and your student council to make sure these students don't cause any weird jokes."

"Doing these things is passing. As for how far you can go, that depends on your own performance. Until the training center is completed, I will not interfere in anything at the school—this is the test I'm giving you, and whether you get the opportunity you desire depends on your own ability and talent."

I was planning to update early and go to bed early... but my elderly relative had a bad cold and went to the hospital this afternoon. So I was busy until late at night before I could update. _(:з"∠)_