While I was bedridden, Talulah steadily built her position as a leader. Her flame Arts were powerful and proved to be a great help in rescuing the Infected.
"Things are going smoothly."
"Indeed. Returning the command authority to me was a huge factor. Thank you."
Currently, Talulah held a position as an executive within the Guerrilla, but she also served as a leader for the Infected in the southern tundra.
While the Guerrilla was purely a military organization, she had established an independent group that, while nominally part of the Guerrilla, was closely tied to the civilian population.
Normally, when the Guerrilla rescued Infected, they would either undergo a year of labor before joining the unit or be sent to an Infected village.
Talulah, however, incorporated any Infected into her organization without question. As a result, in just two months, an organization of significant size had been born.
"How are you sourcing food?"
"For now, I have the Infected gathering wild berries while simultaneously farming wheat."
"Let me know if you run short. We have a surplus of slug meat here. As your organization expands, you're bound to face shortages."
"Thank you for the supplies and the advice."
Working with this woman over the past two months, I realized she was more capable than I had imagined. Of course, she had received an education in politics and various fields from Duke Kashchey, but her talent for personnel management was particularly unrivaled.
The way she used her unique charisma to assign tasks and place people in the right positions was enough to make even me marvel.
To be honest, I had been skeptical about how she would absorb and manage such a large number of Infected, but as expected of the woman destined to be the final boss, she was different from the start.
"However, it's not that I don't have grievances."
"What is it?"
"As you know, my goal doesn't end with the Infected of this tundra. I want to embrace the Infected in the cities as well. To do that, I desperately need troops to occupy those cities. I can't help but think it might have been better to expand my influence within the Guerrilla."
Well... looking at the big picture, she wasn't wrong. It would be hard to find elite troops as capable as the Guerrilla, and they would certainly be a great help in capturing nomadic cities.
"Don't even think about it. Know your place. They might be favorable toward you now, but if my father heard your true objective, he would oppose it immediately."
And for good reason. In the original story, Talulah always faced opposition. In the eyes of Patriot, who knew the Ursus military better than anyone, Talulah appeared as nothing more than a dreamer chasing reckless ideals.
Of course, even in that situation, she eventually succeeded in persuading the entire Guerrilla by showing her sincerity.
"If you really want troops, try to find mercenaries once your internal structure is stable. There should be mercenaries wandering around due to the civil war in Kazdel. Most of them will be Sarkaz, so they'll fit your criteria for an organization of only Infected perfectly."
"That's an excellent idea. I'll keep that in mind."
She should be able to handle things on her own from here. I took a quick look at the wheat fields her group had created and packed my things.
"Oh, leaving already?"
"I only came to monitor how well you were doing. There's no need to meddle in a place that's functioning fine."
"At least stay for lunch."
"I don't have the luxury. I haven't even finished the Guerrilla's morning duties because I came to see you."
"Even if it's apple and cranberry pie?"
...Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients. Apples, in particular, are a rare ingredient in the tundra and are incredibly rich in Vitamin C. They are also incomparably more delicious than slug meat.
"I suppose I can spare some time for lunch. Please lead the way to the dining area."
"It's not far. My house is quite close to here."
After a short walk, we arrived at her house. The log cabin looked somewhat flimsy, but it was sufficient as a residence.
"Talulah? It's a bit early for lunch, isn't it? You arrived quite fast."
"We have a guest today. Please make it even more delicious than usual."
Inside the house, someone was waiting to greet her. It was a woman with long, ash-gray hair. The unique horns protruding from her head indicated that she was an Elafia, a deer-like race.
"A guest? Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Alina."
She was a person of interest to me. After all, Alina was Talulah's best friend and, at the same time, the catalyst for her eventual fall.
"Ah, I am Earth. Nice to meet you."
Of course, I couldn't let my thoughts show, so I responded to her greeting with a full smile.
"Alina's cooking is the best! You'll fall for her once you taste it!"
"Don't worry, that will never happen."
Because I have Yelena. The feelings of love I harbored during my adolescence still slept quietly in my heart, uncooled. I would have to confess someday.
"My, look at you, saying such things to someone you just met. Come to think of it, Earth? That's a name I've heard a lot from Talulah."
"Ah! Wait! Alina, that's enough!"
"...I'm likely the person in those stories. Talulah and I have been involved in many ways."
Oho. So she's been talking about me behind my back to her best friend. Well, I didn't really mind. They say even a king gets cursed when he's not around, so it was only natural for her to badmouth me after I had confronted her to stop her from joining the Guerrilla.
"Hehe. I'll have to make it extra delicious today then."
"Stop talking nonsense and go cook!"
Talulah, her face suddenly flushed, shouted at her. It was my first time seeing Talulah lose her composure like that, so I watched with quite a bit of interest.
"You two get along well."
"Huh? Yeah. Alina and I have a transparent relationship with no secrets. She supports my ideals, and I rely on her quite a bit."
It was just like the original story. Alina was Talulah's strong supporter and, at the same time, her only supporter. Who else would support a reckless proposal to go further south into the tundra and attack nomadic cities?
...Wait, that's me. Dammit.
"That being said, I'm a bit envious. A transparent relationship with no secrets..."
"Don't you have many people like that in the Guerrilla? Especially since Yelena and Mr. Patriot are family."
Family... We weren't related by blood, but as she said, the bond between my father, Yelena, and me was very strong.
"But it's precisely because we're family that I wear a mask more often."
I might be conducting experiments to cure my father's and Yelena's Oripathy, but if it were known that I was using Infected corpses for those experiments, there would be hell to pay.
And... above all, I always had to hide my identity from everyone. I was an anomaly in this world, Terra. I could vaguely predict the flow of history, and Oripathy, which everyone feared, wasn't a problem for me.
What would happen if I revealed my identity? To be honest, it was terrifying. The moment I imagined the people I considered close recoiling in fear, I vowed never to reveal my identity until the day I died.
Would I ever reveal it even to someone I trusted for a lifetime? Given my personality, creating such a person was likely impossible anyway. Even now, I was afraid of being rejected if I confessed to Yelena, whom I harbored romantic feelings for.
"I wear different masks: to avoid causing worry or disappointment to my beloved family, to maintain authority as the Chief of Staff for the Guerrilla, and to prove to the ordinary Infected that I, a non-Infected, mean no harm. That's why I might admire and envy a relationship like yours."
"Couldn't you find someone like that for yourself?"
"Impossible with my personality. If such a person were to exist, it would be someone like you. Someone distant enough from my existing relationships that I wouldn't have to worry about things falling apart, whose interests align with mine, and with whom I share a certain unspoken understanding."
I downed the tea that had been served. The bitter scent of grass roots stimulated my tongue. It was a perfect appetizer for the sweet and sour berry and apple pie.
---------
When I first met this man named Earth, I was extremely displeased.
For some unknown reason, he was desperate to prevent me from joining the Guerrilla. On top of that, he even trampled on and insulted my ideals. There was no way I could view him favorably.
The problem was that he was far more difficult to deal with than I had imagined. I managed to reach the Guerrilla's base by involving Yelena, the leader of the Yeti Squadron, but inquiries revealed that the man was no mere soldier.
He was a commander respected by the Guerrilla members, even the elite Shieldguards. Soon, his true identity was revealed, and it was shocking.
He was the son of Patriot, the leader of the Guerrilla, and had been recognized for his abilities at the age of ten, serving as the Guerrilla's Chief of Staff and Communications Chief.
His achievements were also remarkable. Rescuing Infected, developing new weapons... but the most surprising of all was that he had established a self-sufficient environment in the tundra.
Farming is difficult in the cold and barren tundra. Furthermore, could one even hold out until the planted wheat fully grew? One had to live a nomadic life to avoid terrible Catastrophes that could strike at any time, and to avoid the Ursus overseers who would trample the fields with relentless violence.
Yet this man had solved that problem by taming wild Originium Slugs and building a ranch.
What was I doing at ten? Wasn't I merely being helplessly kidnapped by Duke Kashchey?
I chewed on a deep sense of defeat for a long time. What could I do against such a person? Compared to him, I was just a brat who couldn't stand injustice and ran away from the Duke's manor.
"Isn't it obvious who would be trusted more: an outsider who just arrived as a guest, or the Chief of Staff who has been developing strategies within the Guerrilla?"
It was a natural point. That was why I knelt. I showed a posture of submission. I offered up whatever it was he was concerned about. It was a bit humiliating, but I couldn't do anything without borrowing the Guerrilla's strength. However, I would remember this humiliation and surely pay it back next time.
But he was the one flustered by my attitude. Instead of wearing a smile of victory, the man named Earth seemed confused. And then he asked why I would go as far as to kneel.
I don't know. I don't know why I responded honestly to that question back then. Perhaps I felt I had no more room to retreat since I had already knelt and given up all my command authority.
For some reason, he stood dazed for a moment after hearing my answer. Even though he seemed out of it, when I asked him to look favorably upon me at the meeting, he gave a half-hearted answer and stumbled out of the tent.
And on the day of the decisive meeting, he made a rather hollow exit. He had collapsed from overwork during the meeting. The eyes that had looked ominously toward me until the very end seemed like they hadn't given up, but he eventually fell asleep. Thanks to that, I succeeded in joining much more easily than expected.
When I met him again, it was through a surveillance mission. To my surprise, the executives were taking turns monitoring Earth to make sure he didn't work, and I ended up facing him as part of the surveillance team.
The Earth I met again had changed 180 degrees. He concluded that what happened at the meeting was his defeat and granted all my requests.
"Could it be that he's been moved by you?"
My only close friend and comrade, Alina, was overjoyed after hearing my whole story.
"Moved?"
"Yes. From what you've told me, this man named Earth seems to be someone who cares deeply about the Infected despite being a non-Infected himself. You can tell just by the fact that he's part of the Guerrilla. It seems like he's been moved by your ideals for the future and is siding with you."
My mind became complicated. That couldn't be right. This was that Earth. He was a pessimist who dismissed me as an idealist and used reality as an excuse for everything.
...But what if he wasn't? What if he was actually someone who harbored a single ray of idealism in his heart?
Perhaps, as Alina said, he was my first reliable ally. If he, who had shown brilliance with genius strategies since the age of ten, became my ally, wouldn't that be the greatest harvest of all?
"Oh my. What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about that man?"
"What? There's no way."
"I don't know... I don't think I've seen Talulah show this much interest in someone since we came looking for the Guerrilla."
Just as Alina said, I might have harbored a slight expectation toward him.
And he did not betray those expectations.
"Talulah, it's a waste of time for you to just stay inside the Guerrilla."
"What do you mean? Where else are there troops as excellent as the Guerrilla for occupying nomadic cities?"
"As I told you before, the moment you reveal your true purpose, everyone, starting with my father, will turn their backs on you. I'll handle the persuasion of the Guerrilla, so you focus on growing your own organization."
Returning the command authority was all part of his plan. Rather than simply absorbing the Guerrilla, Earth wanted me to establish another organization similar to the Guerrilla and stand on equal footing.
"Simply trying to borrow the Guerrilla's strength is a poor move. You must stand in a position similar to the Guerrilla when you come to the negotiating table so they won't be able to ignore your voice. It's the minimum condition for negotiation."
"Me... like Mr. Patriot? Can I do it?"
"You have sufficient qualities as a leader of a pack. I'll guarantee it."
Through Infected relief efforts, I absorbed the rescued Infected indiscriminately. A massive group, comparable to a village, was under me.
Of course, there were many things to worry about. How to encourage those in despair and disappointment, how to utilize civilians, and how to obtain food to handle the growing number of people.
Even in difficult situations, I somehow managed. I solved problems I truly couldn't handle, like food, with Earth's supplies. Also, when I whined occasionally, he encouraged me and supported my ideals. Earth was... more capable and a more wonderful man than I had imagined.
"At least stay for lunch."
There was no special meaning behind it. This was, well, a bribe. Wasn't it the custom of nobles to give bribes to win the favor of a benefactor who believed in and supported them?
But why is my heart racing like this? Why do I feel sensitive even to Alina's trivial jokes? Watching the conversation between Alina and me, Earth closed his eyes as if lost in thought for a moment.
"I'm a bit envious. A transparent relationship with no secrets..."
It was unexpected. Even if he was adopted, he had a family that loved him and Guerrilla members who respected him.
"If such a person were to exist, it would be someone like you. Someone distant enough from my existing relationships that I wouldn't have to worry about the relationship falling apart, whose interests align with mine, and with whom I share a certain unspoken understanding."
I felt disappointment at those words. Saying he wouldn't have to worry about the relationship falling apart was proof that he didn't have a deep relationship with me yet.
But on the other hand, I also felt a flutter. Because I knew the position of his close friend was still vacant. Just as Earth had approached me, I was filled with expectation that we would become close if I approached him.
"The pie is done. Eat up."
Alina finished the cooking at just the right time. It was a relief. I was worried I might get caught having feelings for him if I accidentally showed my flushed face.
Suddenly, a part of the knowledge Kashchey had taught me came to mind. That a noble's political marriage is literally political. That emotions like love are a mere luxury, and it's like a contract considering only the position of oneself and one's family.
Considering that through a union with him, I could aim for the Guerrilla's joining while simultaneously resolving my own feelings, I was in a pretty good situation compared to many nobles.
"...Hey. Talulah. What are you doing not eating?"
"Huh? It's nothing. I was just thinking about something else."
"I suppose. There must be a lot to think about regarding the organization's work. Have you decided on a name for the organization?"
The matter of the organization's name was very important. Because the easiest way to make members feel pride and a sense of belonging to the group they belonged to was to give it a name.
Suddenly, I thought of an organization of fellow Infected communicating within the cities. The people there appealed to the Infected to join forces and created an organization called Reunion.
It was a word that fit me perfectly as well. If only for the sake of the grandmother and grandfather who took me in when I collapsed from exhaustion while fleeing the Duke's soldiers. Infected had to unite and resist oppression.
And the same applied to the relationship between him and me. It was a very good name to commemorate us, who were once opposing enemies but were now united under an ideal.
"Of course. The name of the organization is Reunion."
"I see. It's a good name. It'll be possible to send a message to the Infected in the sense that they are reuniting."
Earth praised it in passing while munching on the apple pie. My tail flicked involuntarily.
"Leave the position of Chief of Staff vacant. That's my spot."
Truly, those were the words I wanted to hear most. Even if I gained a thousand troops and ten thousand horses, I couldn't be happier than this.
" I'll leave it vacant anytime. There's no talent like you. Just don't make me leave that important position empty for too long."
"Don't worry. It won't take long."
The tundra is a place that is cold all year round, but even there, seasons exist. Right now, here in the tundra, it was the middle of spring.
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