Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

My proud Knight Order has some of the best personnel in Code. The source of their talent comes from the technology that I, Nora, developed to create enhanced humans using the city system’s power. To use this technology, healthy and physically adapted people are essential. The management policy in my area emphasizes on how to bring as many citizens as possible to that minimum level.

The difference between me and my arch nemesis, who focuses on weapons research and development――With Angus Code is that the results of my research are real living people. There are many secrets in my area. Equipment to enhance body functions as much as possible, food to make the body stronger, and supplements. All of these things that the citizens in my area take for granted are the results of my research. And that means the secrets about enhanced human technology are easy to leak.

It is unlikely that the enhanced human technology that has taken years of research can be replicated so easily, but by simply analyzing the diet, supplements, and citizens who were raised by taking those, you could get clues to unraveling the enhanced human technology.

I have put more effort into preventing the leakage of secrets than anywhere else. Finally, the growing number of enhanced knights has made this possible. The reason I eliminated most of the mercenaries who had flowed in from outside was because they were completely untrustworthy.

The checks on anyone entering the area are thorough. Those registered as citizens of my area are given special food, but those who came from outside are not given even a drop of water. We manipulate the food distribution system and if any citizen of the area gives anything, we eliminate it before it leaves the area. Angus Code probably does the same with his weaponry. However, to begin with, it is rare for citizens to move to another area. There is strength in numbers. It is only natural for the Royal Family to try to prevent the number of citizens from decreasing as much as possible as the biggest battle awaits us.

The only time information needs to be concealed is now. If Angus becomes king, all of my research findings will be revealed without any room for hiding. And vice versa is also true. If I become king, all of Angus’ research findings will be available to me and become part of my strength.

When Cry Andrich suddenly entered the area, I thought he had come to ask for another stupid request. But when he said he was just sightseeing, I was so astonished that I didn’t have the energy to get angry. Normally, he wouldn’t be allowed to look around my area. The main facilities used by the citizens of my area are shut off at the entrance, and in some cases, the Knight Order would be sent to investigate when people are suspected of being spies.

The reason I have loosened that principle this time is to make it easier to forge a cooperative relationship with him.

I have been monitoring him ever since he entered the area. And I quickly realized that Cry was not a spy trying to steal my technology. Those who are spies usually have a look on their faces that hides something inside. That is not the case with Cry Andrich. In the first place, there is no reason for Cry, the Spare’s Royal Guard, who is not involved in the battle for the throne, to spy on me.

While Cry was walking through the city with Zaza and the others, I made a lot of concessions. I had no choice but to suppress the error that occurred when Cry tried to recharge his Relics that needed an enormous amount of energy at the charging station, and allowed him to recharge his Relics (The energy that is used to recharge the Relics comes from the area’s resources), and I allowed him to pass through the entrance to the arena, which is normally off-limits to outsiders. I also tacitly allowed Zaza and the others to explain about my area.

However, that man didn’t seem to notice my generosity at all. What’s more, he even left the arena without even watching the big match. It doesn’t matter if he had just come from outside, nor does it matter that he only has an overall rating of 4 points, I don’t even have the energy to be surprised that he hasn’t noticed anything. I feel like I have been made to realize just how excellent the city’s evaluation system is.

The young man, a Knight Royal Guard who is in charge of monitoring Cry frowns and says.

“Apparently this man has no interest in our technology at all. Even though Nora-sama went through the trouble of rearranging the match schedule to put together the best match possible at the arena.” (Royal Guard)

“Hmph………… There is nothing we can do about it. But if he has no interest in our technology, then he is all the more usable.” (Nora)

In preparation for Cry’s visit, I had arranged a match between the two most promising candidates to become the next enhanced knights. I intended to show off my power by displaying the strength of my citizens who regularly train in my area, but if he had no interest in it, there is nothing we can do about it.

Although it is a little annoying to see such indifference to my creation――.

Still, it has been a long time since I have seen the citizens train so hard.

Even children like Zaza and Lulu are competing to receive the enhanced human surgery. This means that the plan I had when I created this city is bearing its fruit. Considering the timing of the battle for the throne, Zaza and Lulu will probably not participate in the battle as enhanced knights, but their powers will surely be useful to me once I ascend to the throne. Seeing this with my own eyes and reaffirming that I, and not Angus, am the one worthy of being king, made it worthwhile for watching Cry’s actions.

Cry is currently moving to where Zaza and the other Class 2 citizens live. In this city, children of similar ages often live together. This is because the more rivals there are, the more they would compete with each other. The large monitor shows Cry with a half-hearted smile on his face, surrounded by children who have higher overall ratings than him.

On the monitor, Cry is operating a virtual terminal.

“Nora-sama, it appears that man has received a request from Zaza and his group and is applying for Class 5 enhancement accessory. There is no way that an outsider would be allowed to obtain Nora-sama’s research results――No, in the first place, it is a clear violation for Zaza and his group to ask someone to obtain equipment that is not suitable for their Class……” (Knight Order) �

The knight Royal Guard hurriedly adds Zaza and his group’s violation as if in a panic.

The enhancement accessories are one of my research results, and simply wearing them will allow you to efficiently train your body on a daily basis. By training while wearing them, you can efficiently improve your abilities, but because they use advanced technology, only citizens of Class 5 or above are allowed to apply for them. Although the use itself is not prohibited, Zaza and the others requesting an enhancement accessory is a clear violation of the rules I have set.

Zaza and the others are also quite brave to ask Cry to do it despite knowing it is against the law――. I think for a moment, then look over at Zaza and his group, who are waiting nervously for the tools to arrive, and say.

“Give it to him. Don’t think I know nothing. I’m aware that there are people who have been getting items from higher-class people for a while now.” (Nora)

You have done it a few times, haven’t you? The young knight Royal Guard *daradara* breaks out into a cold sweat as he receives my gaze.

There is nothing that I don’t know about in this area. Although I don’t monitor it myself all the time, the system records who has used which item, and by tracing it back, it is easy to see that violations are quietly rampant. The reason I tolerated this is because it is something that would benefit me, as their goal is to become an enhanced knight, and not to harm me.

“Y-Yes. Your wish is my command――.” (Royal Guard)

Upon receiving my instructions, the enhancement accessory is immediately sent to Cry. The children’s eyes sparkle while Cry has an expression that says that he has no idea what he has done. I check on one of the children, at Zaza who has his eyes wide open, and say with admiration.

“But this child, Zaza is――Very clever. He has good eyes.” (Nora)

He often had a puzzled look on his face when he was showing Cry around during the day――But this child, Zaza, felt that something was off about the unnaturalness of the current situation.

When I turned off the error light at the charging station. When I changed the schedule of the match. In this area, where I can keep an eye on everything, it is impossible for something like that to happen by accident. Although intelligence is not a requirement for receiving enhanced human technology, one must be reasonably intelligent to become one of my knights.

“Nora-sama, that man――He was trying the accessory and had been rejected.” (Royal Guard)

“……………… How foolish. Not everyone can use enhanced human technology. There’s no way that enhancement accessory could be equipped by someone who the system has given an overall rating of 4.” (Nora)

At the very least, Zaza is a hundred times more worthy of being my Royal Guard than Cry, whose only valuable point is to be the 《Lightning Emperor’s (Raitei)》 friend. He said he came to see something interesting, but his actions are far more comical.

Looking dejected, Cry spins around to check on the children who are laughing loudly, and begins operating his terminal.

“!? Th-This…… There are a lot of requests for enhancement accessories. This is like declaring that he is going to give them to someone. I think he is going too far……” (Royal Guard)

…… Truly, this is a man whose every action backfires on him. He probably just doesn’t know the rules, but if he thought about it for a moment he would have realized that his request was unacceptable. He came all the way here with his dirty feet and disturbed the area of another member of the Royal Family, so even a privileged Royal Guard would inevitably be punished severely for this. It would be a different story if Cry had deduced the fact that I am trying to make him one of my collaborators, but it is clear that this man is not thinking about anything at all.

“………… Make it convenient for him.” (Nora)

“!? Are you going to condone this barbarism?” (Royal Guard)

“It doesn’t matter. The battle for the throne will begin soon anyway. Even if that man were to leak information about the enhanced human technology, they wouldn’t be able to reproduce it even if they started researching it now. That’s why Angus has stopped sending spies out recently. What’s more important is getting that man to cooperate.” (Nora)

Now is the time for me to show my magnanimity as a king and ally. Unless he is clearly hostile toward me, I can turn a blind eye to violating the rule to some extent. I narrow my eyes and look at Zaza, who looks confused, and give further instructions.

“Contact this child called Zaza. I will have him keep an eye on Cry so that he doesn’t do any more stupid things and cause any more trouble. I will have him guide Cry’s course of action so that he will fully understand my authority! No, wait――I will contact him myself.” (Nora)

“Hh!? Nora-sama, you will personally contact a child, moreover a Class 2 one――No-Nothing. Your wish is my command!” (Royal Guard)

Normally it would be something that will never happen, for me, a member of the Royal Family, to contact a Class 2 citizen. However, rather than sending a Royal Guard to guide Cry’s actions at this point, it will be much more natural to use a child he already knows.

While the Royal Guard cannot hide his agitation, I *perori* lick my lips and immediately send a message to Zaza.

§

Thanks for reading! Nora, it is not that Cry was under level and was rejected by the equipment, it happened because the equipment is useless for him! Master~ wa kami!

On another note, the Game Award is gonna start soon. Come on FF7 Rebirth, you gotta be the GOTY!