(Thud)
After the brief moment of happiness, the supervisor suddenly realized something. His brows furrowed again, even more deeply than before.
"That sounds like a good plan..." He looked at his subordinate and lowered his voice. "But using That Lord as a tool—are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"How could that be? We're the tools." His capable aide shook his head in disagreement. "It's like setting out tea and snacks when entertaining an honored guest. The guest may not eat them, and we don't have to put them out, but if we do, the effect is better—one can never go wrong with courtesy."
"..." The supervisor was somewhat persuaded. After hesitating for a moment, he said uncertainly, "All right, but don't make a habit of it. Once is fine, but if it happens too often, someone might notice."
"Rest assured." Having solved the immediate problem, the capable aide could not help smiling. "I'll make the arrangements right away."
The supervisor nodded, about to turn to other matters. But then he remembered something and hurried back. "No! I nearly forgot. What will Calvados think about this?"
The capable aide froze. "There shouldn't be any connection between those two things, right? No matter where Calvados stays, he'll eventually be targeted by 'That Lord.' And now that there's a new actor, he's gone from protagonist to supporting character. Isn't that much more comfortable for him? It's a complete win-win. He should be thanking us."
The supervisor: "..."
That really was the logic of it...
Though the thought of cooperating with "that thing" from afar still made his heart pound, and his conscience stung a little. But since things had come to this, he could only say helplessly, "Then let's do it this way for now."
Meanwhile, at the hospital.
After the