I’Ll Protect My Tyrant Dad! [EN]: Chapter 87

Burger and Martin, Recruitment Complete!

As soon as he heard my words, Burger’s eyes widened.

“……What?”

“Didn’t you hear me right? From now on, you’re a prince directly sponsored by Mirmod.”

“Mi, Mirmod’s sponsorship is…….”

“Yeah. It’s the ‘Diamond’ level.”

“……Wh, wh, what did you say?”

Eventually, Burger even opened his mouth wide and pointed his finger. I shrugged and smiled.

Actually, I understood why Burger was so surprised.

The Mirmod family’s ‘Diamond’ level sponsorship is so rare and unusual that even a prince from another country would be surprised.

The Mirmod family had countless talented individuals, as befitting a villainous family. The number of people who came to Mirmod to receive sponsorship directly was enormous. However, Mirmod never sponsored all of them.

Mirmod’s sponsorship levels were divided into three categories.

Gold, Platinum, and Diamond.

Even the lowest Gold level guaranteed housing and financial support, as well as employment in the Mirmod family.

When Duchess Lucella was at the forefront, it was so popular that there was a saying that all the talented people on the continent aimed for Mirmod family sponsorship after getting a job at the Imperial Palace.

Even though Mirmod was a family famous for its evil deeds, it was not so sloppy as to be caught by others. Above all, it was the core of continental power that even the Emperor of the Empire had to be aware of.

Of course, there were many talented people who were afraid of being used and abandoned for Mirmod’s evil deeds.

However, Mirmod was generous to those who were smart and wicked. They valued their skills and invested generously in them.

So, it was obvious that receiving Mirmod’s sponsorship meant a smooth future, just like the existence of the sun.

Moreover, it was the highest ‘Diamond’ level sponsorship.

Although the concept of sponsorship has relatively faded now, Diamond level sponsorship is a different story.

Housing, financial support, and guaranteed employment are, of course, guaranteed, as well as the position of the Duke’s closest aide and a title above the middle nobility.

The title is given by the Emperor, so it would be impossible for other families, but this is Mirmod.

Pressuring the Emperor to grant a title was not a difficult task.

However, there was a significant drawback to ‘Diamond’ level sponsorship. As if recalling that point, Burger immediately opened his mouth.

“……I’m not in a position to receive such great sponsorship. And to do that, more than half of the ducal family’s elders must agree, and…”

“You’re a goose that lays golden eggs, why aren’t you in that position?”

Burger made a dumbfounded expression. But I smiled brightly.

“You’re amazing, Burger.”

I knew the future. In , the blackened Burger was a genius of accounting. He had been committing all sorts of dirty accounting fraud, including window dressing [manipulating financial statements to present a more favorable image] and circular transactions [a form of accounting fraud involving fake sales].

Everyone criticized Burger, but they praised his abilities.

The legendary protagonist who revived hundreds of trading companies. Burger was an unparalleled accounting genius who would appear once in a hundred years.

“I know you think highly of me, but sponsorship is a different matter…….”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll help you.”

The consent of more than half of the elders was, of course, a difficult task.

However, Duchess Lucella and my sister Delphia were on my side, and it was time to drive out the toothless head of the elders anyway, and persuade the elders to be on my side.

“It may be difficult to get ‘Diamond’ level sponsorship right now, but I’ll spread rumors that it’s possible. And soon I’ll make it a reality.”

I quietly tilted my head.

“And I’m going to take Martin with me too. You two hold hands and receive our family’s sponsorship together. Got it?”

A genius of swordsmanship and a genius of accounting.

If Martin, the genius of swordsmanship, doesn’t go to the temple, its power will definitely weaken. Martin, along with Ted, was a symbol of guarding the temple.

Burger, the genius of accounting, would be able to strongly support my trading company.

The image of Mirmod, which will be revived by the influx of numerous talented individuals, was vividly drawn before my eyes.

Then Burger quietly opened his mouth.

“……Okay.”

I smiled brightly as I looked into his trembling eyes.

“It’s the best choice, Burger.”

At that moment, the bell rang, signaling the end of the break.

***

Class ended and it was time to go home.

Normally, Sien would have gone home like a knife [very quickly], saying, ‘I have to go see Dad!’ but today she didn’t.

She was going to gather Acid, Leonhardt, Burger, and Martin in front of the zelkova tree.

Unfortunately, Leonhardt was absent due to an additional swordsmanship sparring class, but roughly three of them gathered.

Sien took in the sight of Acid, Burger, and Martin standing awkwardly in front of her.

Then, she immediately put her hand on her side and called out their names one by one.

“Acid, Burger, Martin.”

Acid replied clearly.

“Yes.”

Burger, who had returned to being a nerd, mumbled absentmindedly while reading a book, as if the brilliance he had shown during the conversation earlier had disappeared.

“Uh-huh.”

Martin, with a somewhat uneasy expression, glanced at Burger and moved his lips.

“……Why did you call us.”

Sien clapped her hands to attract attention.

“Burger already heard, but the Mirmod family is thinking of sponsoring Burger and Martin! With ‘Diamond’ level.”

Burger swallowed hard, and Martin made a dumbfounded expression.

“I don’t think that’s something Sien Mirmod, you can act on your own.”

At his words, Sien shrugged with an indifferent expression.

“What if it’s our dad’s decision?”

Sien stared at them intently and thought to herself.

‘Of course, none of our dad’s decisions will work…… but I’ll just make it work.’

As soon as Sien asked back, Martin quickly retorted.

“I still don’t understand. Why are you, a Mirmod, trying to support us like this? What do we have that makes you do this?”

Then, Sien raised her chin arrogantly and said.

“I’m investing in the future. Don’t believe it if you don’t want to. But if I say I’m going to sponsor you, will you accept it?”

Martin and Sien’s eyes met in the center. He couldn’t open his mouth easily, and Sien threw a burning gaze at him, implicitly urging him to answer.

Like that, one second, two seconds, three seconds…….

A silent time continued, with them continuing to look at each other.

Unexpectedly, a positive reply came from someone other than Martin.

“Yeah.”

It was Burger. Sien and Martin were both surprised and looked at him.

Burger raised his eyebrows as if he was even more bewildered by this reaction and asked back.

“Why are you surprised, Sien Mirmod? Didn’t you expect it?”

“……I said it earlier, but I’m still surprised to see you say it directly.”

Burger smiled.

“I don’t have a choice. I’m a forgotten prince. If there’s the best option to show my skills, I have to go.”

Martin, who was listening to those words, stuttered rarely and muttered.

“He speaks…… originally…….”

“Well.”

Sien, who was watching Burger and Martin looking at each other, stepped back.

She thought that all she had to do was wait for the two of them to continue their conversation. Since Burger had already crossed over [agreed to join], she also judged that it was only a matter of time before Martin crossed over.

At that time, Acid took a step closer to Sien and whispered softly.

“I hope Sien doesn’t get seduced by those guys.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know what those guys are up to, but if you get too close…….”

Sien blankly stared at Acid and tilted her head. There was obvious jealousy in Acid’s eyes, but Sien didn’t notice it.

Instead, she stared intently at Acid’s pupils and whispered softly.

“I’m the one seducing those friends. More than that, Acid, your eyes are pretty.”

“……Yes?”

“Just, that’s all. And my favorite friend is Acid! Even if I make a lot of friends, I’ll play with Acid often.”

At those words, Acid blushed. Sien was just smiling and looking at him. It was as if she thought Acid was cute.

Martin, who had finished his short conversation with Burger and was watching the two of them, thought to himself.

‘……Those two kids are doing well.’

He had completely overlooked the fact that he was also a child.

As he stroked his chin and observed the two, Acid glanced at Martin. It was a completely different expression from when he looked at Sien.

He pretended to be quiet in front of Sien, but in fact, Acid was a person with almost no emotional range.

So Martin was even more amazed by Acid.

“A clingy person, completely…….”

Yeah, Sien’s clingy person. That expression seemed to fit perfectly.

A clingy person whose entire mind was focused on Sien. At those words, Sien immediately turned her head.

“What? A clingy person?”

I had never been intimidated by any adult until now, but strangely, when I met Sien’s clear eyes, I flinched.

The light in that child’s eyes looked like a tiger, so to speak. With those tiger-like eyes flashing, Sien opened her mouth and chirped.

“Martin! Did you just call me a clingy person?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Martin flinched for a moment. He knew one way to overcome this situation.

That is…….

“More than that, Acid seems to like you?”

……It was a change of topic.

But that method didn’t seem to work well for Sien. Because Sien even pointed her finger at him and commanded him.

“Wh, what do you like! Why are you suddenly saying that?”

“Um, no…….”

Martin chose his words carefully.

“Just, that’s what I think. Every time he sees you, his face seems to turn really red. It’s like you’re trapped in your own world.”

At those words, Acid’s cheeks turned as red as a furnace in an instant.

‘Acid, if you blush now, it’s like you’re admitting your true feelings!’

I was speechless and looked back and forth between Acid and Martin. At that time, Burger quietly added from the side.

“That’s right.”

……That Burger, he really didn’t seem like a nerd who only knew math. I frowned and shook my head.

“J, ust. It’s because I saved Acid. I’ve saved a lot of people. There’s a kid named Captain, and there are a lot of kids in the orphanage, and I saved our dad too.”

At the words ‘our dad,’ Martin flinched.

“You saved your father? That can’t be. Matthias Mirmod is an evil person…….”

“Huh? Really? No…….”

I decided to talk about my kind dad to Martin, who was asking as if he was wondering.

It was when I started to say that.

A loud voice was heard from afar.

It was such a loud voice that we were all surprised and looked outside.

“Aaaagh!”

I blinked in surprise and stared at the direction where the sound came from.