Chapter 785: A clear head [2]

There was one thing I had realised since my head had become clearer.

I really hated being told what to do.

It wasn’t something new. I had simply been too occupied with everything inside my head to properly care about any of that stuff.

There had always been something more important to worry about, so I usually went along with whatever they wanted.

But now...?

"I went out and thought... Wow, my head hurts. Why does my head hurt? I couldn’t understand, so do you know what I did...?"

My good hand struck the table again, making the table shake.

"I went to the doctor!"

If they didn’t know I had gone to the doctor before, they now knew.

Looking back, there wasn’t much reason to do that. My head was clear enough to understand that everyone had heard me the first time.

I still did it.

Not really because the craziness was rubbing off on me, but because I wanted to test the Section Chief. I wanted to see just how much he’d tolerate my nonsense.

’He’s been pretty tame ever since the school incident.’

Very likely, what happened to Claude and the rest had made him wary of me.

I wanted to go along with that.

"...We heard you."

Soran spoke beside me, her gaze briefly moving towards my hand.

"Must’ve been a good doctor."

"An excellent one."

I nodded before reaching for the report in front of her.

"In any case..."

There were several Gates highlighted, presumingly the ones that the Section Chief was trying to obtain. I read through them before looking at the screen, then towards the Section Chief.

"We’re only going for the licenses?"

"That’s what we were discussing before you interrupted."

"And... nothing else?"

"Obviously. That would involve too much risk. If we approach things from this side, we’ll only stand to gain."

I looked at the report again.

"...That seems rather stupid."

"Watch how you speak."

"I am. That’s why I said ’rather.’"

His expression hardened. Around the table, several people stopped writing while a man across from me slowly lowered his pen.

I pointed towards the list.

"We’re already struggling to give our teams enough rest as is. Who’s going to clear these Gates?"

"Naturally, we have enough. Don’t underestimate our members’ ability."

"You say that because you aren’t actually doing much yourself. At the end of the day, all the work falls on me and everyone lower ranked member."

I smacked the paper down.

"I reject this."

"..."

A soft silence followed my rejection before Section Chief Johansberg laughed.

"You reject this? That’s cute, but your rejection matters little to me. We’ve already made the decision."

One of the other Section Chiefs glanced towards the screen.

I stared at them and tilted my head.

"Is that true?"

"....."

They didn’t say anything.

I looked back at Section Chief Johansberg.

"So you’re the one who decided for everyone."

Johansberg’s fingers pressed against the table.

"The major Guilds are watching. Making a move like that could draw their attention. We’re not in a position where we can draw their attention. This isn’t a discussion."

"And so you think the best option is to overwork us even more?"

"You are all getting paid to do a job. This is the bare minimum."

A woman further down the table turned back a page in her report, her brows furrowing slightly upon hearing the Section Chief’s words.

In fact, quite a lot of people seemed displeased by what he was saying.

I knew that not everyone was in agreement with the current plan. I could see it from the dissatisfied faces of several of the people in the room. I wasn’t quite sure why they hadn’t spoken up, but it probably had to do with the fact that the Section Chief currently had too much power.

’Still, I know he’s not the only one competing for the role as Guild Master. Why aren’t they saying anything?’

...Well, whatever.

"Seth."

The Section Chief’s voice lowered.

In fact, it almost sounded threatening.

"You’ve arrived late, interrupted this meeting, and now you’re starting to make decisions on your own. Who the hell gave you the authority to do that? Have a sit or leave."

I looked at him for a moment before settling back into my chair and crossing my arms.

"Who made you the Guild Master?"

"....."

The room went quiet.

Even the woman turning the page stopped, her fingers remaining against the paper.

Johansberg’s gaze settled on me.

"What did you say?"

"You speak as though you’re the one in charge."

I looked around the table.

"And none of you seem particularly bothered. Do you like being told what to do? Is that it? I mean, look at you."

I looked at Section Chief White, Hoarding Department Branch Guild Section Chief.

He had a pretty dark expression.

"I don’t think you like this proposition. Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you that afraid of this guy?"

Several expressions changed.

I could understand accepting the situation if it was the Guild Master who made the decisions, but the Guild Master was dead. For now, there was no one in power.

In theory, everyone held the same amount of power.

They seemed to have forgotten that.

"He’s a Section Chief. Not the Guild Master. What is the worst that he can do to you? Fire you? Well, go to another Guild. Get a pay rise too. At least you won’t be overworked."

"Watch your words."

"...Trust me, I’m being very careful."

Had it been the old me, I would’ve already flipped the table over.

But I was different.

I was in a state where the voices were faint.

At peace.

Yes, I was a man who was at peace.

My gaze briefly moved towards his beard before returning to his eyes.

"I’m telling you right now, I reject this proposal."

I heard the soft scrape of a chair.

Finally, someone raised their hand.

"I’m in favour of Team Leader Thorne’s proposition."

Oh?

I looked at the man who spoke up. He seemed to be the Section Chief of the collection department.

Not bad.

"Ha."

A small laugh escaped Section Chief Johansberg’s lips as he shook his head and mumbled, ’Can’t believe this is what I have to deal with in this meeting. Looks like everyone here has forgotten their position.’

He tried to be subtle, but everyone heard it. He probably meant for everyone to hear it as he looked at me.

"You’re a Team Leader. You seem to have forgotten your own position."

I looked at him.

Then laughed.

"Ha. No, I haven’t."

My arms uncrossed as I leaned forward again.

"I’m not just any Team Leader; I’m a special Team Leader. I’m... a valuable Team Leader."

I nodded to myself.

"A super talented and valuable Team Leader."

His mouth stopped moving.

For several seconds, nobody said anything.

Perhaps they were waiting for me to say something that actually made sense.

I didn’t.

For I was really a super talented and valuable Team Leader.

Johansberg’s expression grew colder.

"You’re not here to say anything productive, are you? If all you do is talk nonsense, then you may as well go out."

"I don’t want to, though. You’ve also said the same words twice, and you’ve yet to kick me out? If you really could’ve kicked me out, you would’ve by now."

His hand stopped against the report, and the tension within the room rose.

I didn’t feel much of it.

"Of course, you can sell me if you really want to push things. Not that the Section Chief would approve."

I looked towards the Section Chief of my department.

He looked at me and yawned.

As usual, he looked tired.

"I’m worth quite a lot, so if you want to sell me, you’re free to do so. But you’re not the Guild Master, and you can’t decide something like this on a whim."

A Guild where people left me alone sounded rather pleasant. I wasn’t certain such a place existed, but I was willing to investigate.

"However..."

I pointed towards Johansberg whilst looking at the other Section Chiefs and Team Leaders.

"You’d be giving him exactly what he wants."

One of the Section Chiefs frowned.

"And what’s that supposed to mean?"

"All the power."

The answer made the room noticeably quieter.

I continued before anyone could interrupt.

"He decides which offers we’re allowed to make. He handles the negotiations. Anything we gain comes through him, and everyone else gets to sit here and help."

Several gazes moved towards the head of the table.

Johansberg didn’t move.

He just sat there in silence.

My finger lowered.

"If the Guild keeps moving forward because of decisions he makes, who do you think everyone will look at when they’re deciding who should lead it?"

Nobody answered.

They didn’t need to.

"And if I agree to do whatever he tells me, then everything I accomplish helps him too."

I leaned back.

"But I don’t."

Soran rested her chin against her hand.

"No. You certainly don’t."

I nodded appreciatively.

"Thank you."

"That doctor of yours, what’s his address?"

"Oh? How do you know I’ve gone to the doctor?"

"You went to the doctor?"

"Indeed I have."

A soft breath escaped somewhere across the table. I could feel the irritation in the breath. However, even as I continued, they did nothing about it.

This confirmed it...

’Right, so they indeed are cautious about me.’

I looked towards the others again.

"I’m the one preventing him from simply taking the position. Sell me, and you’ll have to start saying no yourselves."

This time, nobody seemed inclined to mention my rank.

That didn’t mean they agreed with me. Some looked offended, and one of them had stopped pretending to read entirely.

But they were looking at Johansberg differently.

That was enough.

I brought my hands together.

Clap!

Pain travelled through my wrist.

"...Ah."

I lowered that hand before standing.

"Enough of the serious talk. We’re going for more."

Johansberg stared at me as I pushed the chair back.

"Since you all like to go to the media to annoy me, I’ve taken the liberty of doing the same. Even if you don’t want to follow the words that I’ve said, it’s too late."

Sure enough⎯

Trrr! Trrr! Trrr!

A series of ringing sounds echoed across the rooms as the faces of everyone present changed.

All besides Section Chief Johansberg, who maintained his gaze on me.

I turned towards the door.

But just as I was about to leave, I stopped and turned back.

"Right, did I mention that I went to the doctor today?"

Because I did.