When the Chief asked him to recommend someone, Belloc froze briefly, then fell silent for a few seconds, seemingly hesitant.
After wrestling with himself for several seconds, he finally made up his mind, raised his head, and said:
"I have no suitable candidate to recommend. I leave the decision entirely to you, Chief."
Lynn raised an eyebrow.
This veteran was far too cautious.
He understood what Belloc was worried about. Belloc feared that if he recommended one of his own people, the two deputies would belong to the same faction. When the Chief was away, they could collude and turn the branch into their own territory.
It was not as though Chiefs had never been reduced to figureheads at other academies.
Belloc did not dare take that risk, nor did he want others to think he had a selfish agenda.
But Lynn was not afraid of being sidelined.
The entire Soul Department revolved around its Chief. Ultimately, the deputies were merely his subordinates.
Their positions, authority, and resources all came from him.
They wanted to sideline him?
Unless they grew stronger than him, he could strip them of their positions at any time-or simply crush them outright.
The law of darkness had never been a joke at the Bone Spire.
"I won't force you," Lynn said.
He paid Belloc no further attention and took out the gift register he had received at his appointment ceremony.
He had never examined it closely. Now he opened it and went through it page by page.
The instructors and stewards of the Soul Department had given all sorts of gifts: materials, Wizard Artifacts, and even straight-up magic stones.
He searched through the list before his gaze finally settled on a name.
Ferrari, a steward of the Soul Department, with eight years of service.
His