68 – Compromise
The morning after the successful coup.
Marcella was still receiving the authority of the Grand Forest.
Naturally, I was not surprised.
“Allan Maydoff… No, Allan Consul. I’m sorry, but I will report everything I witnessed here to His Majesty.”
The man with distinct features that clearly showed his ruthlessness. It was a message delivered by Grant, one of the Empire’s masters.
He had a serious expression on his face, not befitting a victorious commander.
Now that the operation had succeeded, he had to report to the emperor. The emperor was probably restless by now and unable to sleep.
However, Alan knew that what had come out of Grant’s mouth, “Everything I witnessed,” was more than just a simple report on the situation.
‘He’s probably going to expose the harm of heroin in detail. Perhaps that’s why he’s seeking my understanding.’
Depending on the circumstances, I might find myself in a position where I had to ‘explain’ about heroin.
It wasn’t unfair. I knew it would come to this.
“Yes, Vice Commander. Please report in detail. If you have any questions about heroin, feel free to ask me anything.”
“What…?”
“I know what you’re worried about. If the greatest magician in Dalsurim casually overlooks someone babbling and dying from a sword, it’s rather strange. His Majesty should be aware of this too.”
Grant Jasak, looking puzzled, let out a sigh.
But I was sincere.
The Imperial Army that had flipped Madeline with me this time, though small in number, were all elites.
The ones dispatched from the Imperial Guard Knights were naturally top-tier resources among the knights, and the officers selected from the army were also high-level resources.
They had witnessed only the side effects of heroin, not its pleasure. If they start talking, it will naturally raise awareness.
If the emperor has any sense, he’ll take some action regarding heroin. In a situation where we easily won thanks to heroin, we now have to be cautious of its dangers…
Moreover, I, the one who made it, am not just someone who contributed greatly to the empire’s victory. The emperor’s position would also be awkward.
“Alan Youngsa. You might not receive a fair reward.”
“It’s okay. I expected it to be this much… No, it’s not. …Please honestly report everything you saw and heard here to His Majesty. Even if it puts me in a disadvantageous position, I won’t hold a grudge.”
He said this and lowered his eyes weakly.
Then, Grant, as if relieved, nodded his head.
“Thank you.”
Soon, the emperor would be informed of everything that happened last night.
It was something he had already anticipated, and he had already made a plan on how to handle it. It was essential to act as a loyal subject who silently accepted the unjust criticism.
“But I still need to demand material compensation. That way, the emperor will be more relieved.”
As I pondered how to handle things in the future.
“Human? The Minister of Justice… is calling for you.”
An elf came and called for me.
The Minister of Justice.
Until a few hours ago, it was a position that did not exist in Madeline.
But this time, it was a newly established position by the consensus of the elders. A leader who exercises great power without a set term, in the name of a leader.
Of course, that Minister of Justice was Marcela. The one who executed the Chief Elder and rose to the pinnacle of power at the young age of 190.
**
I headed to Marcela’s new office (originally the Chief Elder’s). I thought we would discuss the armistice treaty.
“Marcela.”
“Come in.”
She had become a person of authority, but Marcela’s attire was even more shabby than an ordinary elf.
Long, disheveled green hair, a sleeveless tunic that revealed her bare sides. Her well-trained physique, like that of a skilled warrior, was fully exposed.
It was fine for her clothing to be a bit unconventional, but the atmosphere in the office was a bit strange.
“Come in, Alan Maydoff. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No.”
There were two struggling elves by Marcela’s side.
One elf stood leaning against the wall, taking deep breaths, while the other lay on the floor, sweating profusely. Both were wrapped in blankets.
It was evident that they were suffering from withdrawal symptoms.
The problem was why they were struggling by Marcela’s side. It couldn’t be because they deliberately quit heroin to seek personal revenge.
“Marcela, may I ask what’s going on?”
“There are many matters to discuss separately.”
“I would appreciate an answer. I’m curious about the circumstances.”
Upon hearing this, Marcela stared at the elves.
“They are my kin. Very close ones.”
“……”
“Despite my warnings about heroin, they ignored me… But when they found out about the uprising, they came seeking help. They said they would stop using heroin if I allowed heroin users to reside in Hoen. Thanks to that, we are in this state now.”
They must be really close relatives if she says so. They might even be cousins or siblings.
I closed my mouth and observed Marcela.
Her face was filled with deep sorrow as she looked at her kin. I noticed that she was wearing a draping garment-like piece on her sleeveless top. Where did she get that from?
“Oh, there it is.”
The draping piece was torn and discarded on the floor.
Perhaps she had a scuffle with the elves over there. It’s not unusual for things that catch the eye to disappear once withdrawal symptoms begin. It wouldn’t be strange even if they started to glow and complain about not being able to smoke right after declaring they would quit.
“…Alan, by any chance.”
“Speak.”
“……”
“Marcella?”
Despite my urging, Marcella only stared at me intently.
Then, she slowly raised her head, a faint smile crossing her mind.
Just that alone gave me a hint of what Marcella wanted to say but held back.
“Marcella, were you trying to ask if they can quit heroin?”
“It’s not that. I wanted to ask if you could help.”
“Ah.”
“But now that I think about it, you can’t help me. Or you might demand something in return for your assistance… Let’s just pretend I didn’t say anything.”
“……”
Marcella decisively concluded that there was no help to be expected from me.
It’s rather strange to expect goodwill from me when I think about what I did to Madeline. If things had unfolded as originally planned, Marcella would have persistently obstructed the intervention of the saint and ended up being killed by Leon. But that’s not worth mentioning.
However, contrary to Marcella’s thoughts, I had the intention to help her.
“It’s better to handle this situation peacefully.”
Madeline already had Marcella under her control.
We don’t need to trust each other completely, but it would be necessary to break down some barriers. At least to the point where I don’t feel the urge to kill her.
Coincidentally, Marcella’s muttering reached my ears.
“…But still, you’re family. No matter how much I hate you, I can’t abandon you.”
Of course, those words were not meant for me to hear.
That brought about a strange feeling, even though I knew it.
It wasn’t because I admired Marcela’s sincere desire for her family to break free from heroin, but rather because the doubts that had been buried for so long suddenly resurfaced.
It was specifically about my younger sibling.
…
“Is it difficult to abandon family? Could it be the reason for Ye-rin as well?”
Having fought with my father for years and eventually sending him to prison, cutting ties with my mother who interfered to protect him, and even my sibling, who had maintained some level of communication until the end.
There was even a time when I personally resolved the trouble when they got involved with Southeast Asian smugglers.
I helped because problems in that line of work don’t just end with a trip to jail. It was also thanks to that experience that I gained a deeper understanding of dru*gs.
Ye-rin must have been grateful too, as they even gave me an allowance when I was unemployed.
I thought things were going relatively well, but then my younger sibling suddenly betrayed me. The influence of wanting to become a possessed individual played a part as well.
At the time, I couldn’t understand the reason for the betrayal, and honestly, I never tried to delve deep into it. I was too busy adapting to my new life.
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But thanks to Marcela, I had a vague idea of what the reason might be.
“Were they worried about being dragged into it as well?”
Seeing me on the day I fought with my father and got arrested, they must have had a lot on their mind, probably.
Sure, I did what I did with the thought of needing to escape because of my father, even getting hit with a monkey wrench.
But no matter what, the sight of me skillfully performing surgery on my parents using a build wouldn’t have seemed ordinary.
It’s not easy to abandon the blood ties, even if that blood tie has caused trouble for oneself. They might have felt the sense of danger that if they even slightly distanced themselves from me, they would also end up in a dirty situation.
Of course, looking back now, it was a meaningless act.
“But still, it’s better than living in ignorance.”
Lost in my thoughts for a while, Marcela gave me a curious look.
“Allan Maydoff? Why are you acting like that? It’s bothering me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Before negotiating with your royal family, you need to get your words in order. Sit down.”
Marcella’s face regained composure in no time.
We need to get our words in order. But before that, I had something to say to Marcella.
“I’ll help you.”
“What?”
“I mean it. Didn’t you say that all those elves are close relatives? It may be impossible to save someone who has no intention of quitting, but there is a faint possibility for someone who has the will to stop on their own. If you want, I’ll help you.”
“……”
Looking at Marcella’s expression, I felt puzzled about what this guy was thinking.
So I decided to give her a reason to understand.
“No matter who you are, Marcella, it won’t be easy to dominate elven society. In that case, you need to gain the support of your clan members to ensure smooth governance. Your power base needs to be strong for negotiations with the empire to go smoothly.”
“Is that the reason?”
“Yes, that’s why.”
I promised to manage the addiction of two members of her clan.
I could only do it in a cold turkey way, but just by directly managing their body temperature and fluid deficiency, it would minimize the side effects. I could do that much for her.
“Alright.”
Finally, Marcella nodded her head and accepted my help.
There was still suspicion in her gaze as she looked at me.
She might be curious about why I was doing this, but I didn’t bother to explain. Even if I explained in detail, she wouldn’t believe it anyway.
Instilling in her the perception that compromising with me was better was enough.