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Chapter 01
I Was Only an Apprentice
There is a novel titled Legacy of the Black Tide.
As you might guess from its gloomy title, the story gives an enormous amount of screen time to its main villain, Calix Arden Blight—better known simply as “Arden.”
In order to seize control of the Empire, Arden establishes La Mar, an intelligence guild disguised as a merchant company.
“H-How can this be! The contract I signed with you clearly stated—!”
“That in exchange for saving your crumbling house, you would hand over your entire fortune to me. Yes, of course I remember.”
“Then why am I being stripped of my title and exiled?!”
“There is nothing wrong with the contract. You simply failed to consider whether the rest of your family would bother protecting a man without a single penny to his name. Wouldn’t you agree?”
With contracts predatory enough to make a demon weep, he ruthlessly stabs people in the back.
“No! I didn’t know anything! I swear I didn’t know!”
“Ignorance, too, is a sin. At the very least, you will come to realize that much today, Baron.”
“Aaargh!”
When things don’t go his way, he doesn’t hesitate to personally “dispose” of anyone who gets on his nerves.
“Why the long face? The son you abandoned has grown up so well and returned to you. Come now, smile a little.”
“Ugh, ngh…”
“Because in a moment, you won’t be able to.”
Going so far as to use even his own family as mere tools, Arden commits every vile atrocity imaginable—until the protagonist finally catches him by the tail. In the finale, after all of his past misdeeds are exposed, Arden meets a gruesome end via a mana overload. Naturally, the employees of La Mar share his fate, paying the price for aiding and abetting him.
The lesson to be learned from this story is simple.
Never even brush sleeves with a villain like that.
“Miss Ilian Grecia.”
And what if you are unfortunate enough to cross paths with him?
Rule number one for survival: Hide your name and identity at all costs so you aren’t found out.
“I heard your introduction quite clearly. You are currently twenty years old, have seven years of experience at the Mason Merchant Company, live nearby, and can start working as early as tomorrow.”
Rule number two: If you do get found out, at least keep your mouth shut.
“I also heard the story about how you single-handedly prevented the so-called ‘Iren Flower Incident.'”
Rule number three: If you fail at that too, at least avoid drawing his attention to yourself.
Unfortunately, I failed at all three.
Because right this second…
“However, if you trail off mid-sentence like this while explaining how you resolved that incident…”
“…Cough.”
“I must warn you that I will have no choice but to doubt the ambitions and credentials you spoke of earlier.”
…I just realized all of this right in the middle of my interview to become the secretary to the head of La Mar!
Of all times, my past life’s memories come back NOW?
A cold sweat broke out down my back. With great effort, I forced my trembling head upward.
[Arden]
Behind the crisp, clear nameplate, Arden’s violet eyes gleamed with a chilling light.
“So. What is your answer?”
