I Work Even on Holidays.

 

A bright weekday morning.

While team members take a rest, I, as the team leader, work today as well.

First, I headed to Phantom’s room in the mansion.

“Wake up.”

“Mmm. No.”

The room is covered in darkness except for the light from the monitors.

There’s a strange stench mixed with food smells.

“You blocked even the housekeeper from coming in, what kind of state is this?”

“Mmmmm. No.”

This girl still can’t get her act together when it’s almost lunchtime.

“Before I put you in the Black Dolphin prison, get up now!”

“… Black Dolphin? I’m sorry. I’ll get up. Please don’t send me there. I hate that place. I’ll work hard.”

I was just trying to wake her up, but the kid has gone crazy.

No, that’s not it. Since she goes crazy when she meets me in reality anyway, it doesn’t matter.

For reference, Black Dolphin prison is known as a place that gives pain worse than death to inmates, called a legal forced detention facility.

It’s a place where human rights cannot be found, and there’s a saying that it’s better to die than be confined there.

The prison warden owes me a debt, so I could secretly put one person in there.

“If you understand, wash up and come back.”

“I under. Sniff. stand.”

Because her appearance is young, I feel like a bad guy—no, a bad woman—for bullying her.

Ding-

“Ma’am, please clean the corner room on the second floor.”

I’m not her mother, what is this.

“So did you track all the information that came out?”

“Do you think I’m a muscle brain like you? It’s all come out already.”

When I conversed with Phantom remotely for smooth progress, the impertinent little brat popped out again.

Has she forgotten all that disgraceful behavior just now?

Dual personality? Or a self-defense mechanism?

‘I can’t open her head either.’

“If you know, say it quickly. If you don’t want to lose your ability.”

“Shit. It’s in Jagang Province. The information went there. The network there is independent and their firewall is excellent, so it will take time.”

“Alright. Let’s go tomorrow.”

Since Phantom is nominally an employee, I can’t take her out today.

Knowing her appearance alone could make her a target for people looking for her, so I haven’t revealed her identity even to team members.

‘She’s worked hard for 8 years, so I shouldn’t push too much.’

“As part of the team, if you want to move together, live a regular life.”

“It’s a holiday today. You evil, stubborn bitch!”

… Should I just roll her?

I clearly wrote in the contract that there could be contact on holidays.

‘Ah. I didn’t give her a contract.’

I just dragged her here.

But since I’m annoyed, I should eat the cake myself.

“Ah, right. Please organize the investigated content nicely into a paper document.”

“Wait! Why do you need a paper document? My information won’t disappear.”

“My eyes are tired, so I can’t look at screens for long.”

“What the! You’d be fine even if a nuclear bomb went off!”

“A criminal talking back?”

“You bitch! I’ll get revenge someday!”

Try it if you can.

Though that day will be your memorial day.

Second, I headed to the R.A Korean Branch after a long time.

“You want me to handle new recruitment!?”

“I believe Fria will do well.”

I sought out Fria, who conducted interviews with me before, and asked her to handle new recruitment.

In the past, there weren’t many applicants and I didn’t have much to do, so I handled most things myself. But now my recognition has risen a lot, making it impossible to handle alone.

And Fria knows well what criteria I use to select, and the Korean branch also has an HR team.

“I heard the returnees you were managing have integrated well into society.”

“That’s… right.”

It’s not like returnees are popping up everywhere, and even the most recent arrival got a good job at an orchard.

‘Was it an Alraune?’

Currently, the association has no work.

They can definitely help with interviews.

“You’ll do it, right?”

And I am Fria’s superior.

Although our affiliations are different, she can’t refuse a request from me, who is right below the Association President.

“I heard the police have been treating you well these days.”

It’s not like I didn’t help.

“I will do it.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Today, Fria’s complexion looks even more pale.

Is it because she’s a snow woman?

“Then I’ll come back next week.”

“… Thank you for your hard work.”

Detailed discussions should happen on non-holiday days.

Peaceful holiday afternoon.

I’ve finished the urgent tasks, so it’s holiday time from now on.

‘Until 8 PM.’

I have someone else to meet then, so I can only rest until that time.

If it wasn’t someone I owed a favor to, I would have postponed it.

‘Until then, let’s rest comfortably.’

Since I’m out, I headed to a busy district to eat outside today.

Now that there’s no one who doesn’t know my face, I wore a hat and used disguise tools to change my hair and eye color.

Instead of my trademark suit, I wore a hoodie and jeans, so there’s absolutely no way I’ll be recognized.

‘I’m also famous in a bad way.’

If idols disguise themselves for free time, I disguise myself to avoid meeting people with grudges while passing by.

Even if all criminals are killed, many people like fellow organization members, friends, family, etc., can come looking for me with ill intent.

It has actually happened before.

In the previous world, while walking, my side suddenly felt hot, and when I looked, someone claiming to be the best friend of a guy I killed had stabbed a knife into my side.

So after returning to Earth, except when deliberately leading people to come find me, I always hide my face when going out.

‘When I first came to Korea, it was good.’

Hiding my bitter feelings, I went to a famous tteokbokki restaurant.

Since it’s an all-you-can-eat tteokbokki place, I could choose different sauces.

I chose the mildest flavor.

One might think that I can’t feel spiciness because it’s pain, but that’s a wrong assumption.

They say it’s processed in a different part than the pain we commonly know, so it has nothing to do with having a high pain tolerance.

Instead, I’ve trained to be able to fight even while eating spicy food.

One might ask why I would undergo such training, but in the previous world, I once lost a battle because I couldn’t handle spicy food.

‘That world had all sorts of things.’

While reminiscing about the past, the broth started to boil.

Plop-

Putting in the delicious ingredients I brought and smelling the delicious aroma, listening to the music playing in the store, I definitely feel like I’m taking a break for the first time in a long time.

“It’s ready.”

Just as the tteokbokki was ready and I put one bite in my mouth.

-Die, all of you.

An ominous sound was heard from outside.

… Shit. I just had one bite.

‘Should I solve that incident and come back to eat?’

No. If I hide my identity, I would have to go to the police station.

Even if I did nothing wrong, I would have to go and explain the situation, and they wouldn’t listen if I said I wanted to eat first.

But what if I reveal my identity?

Eating food comfortably would be impossible.

‘Won’t a hero come soon?’

No, what am I thinking? I should go right away.

People are in danger.

Ending the 0.1-second deliberation possible only for a superhuman, I got up from my seat.

“Bye. Bye. My delicious tteokbokki.”

I’ll just catch that one and go somewhere else.

Leaving the store and heading to where the sound came from, I saw a person charging at a young child, gathering ominous mana in their hand.

“People like you!”

‘D-rank.’

[Activate – Almas]

Due to the crowd, I used the method least likely to surprise people, turning the criminal into an ice pillar.

If I kept him in human form, how scared would the children be?

Clang-

As the ice pillar disappeared, nothing remained in its place.

“This is Judge Tia. The incident has been resolved, so you can continue enjoying your daily lives.”

I removed my disguise and stepped in front of the people.

If I just pass by, this would also remain as an incident, so I had no choice.

-Isn’t that the person who was on the news before?

-The one who punishes criminals?

-What happened to that man just now?

-We’re saved.

-She’s really pretty in person.

Perhaps because people’s emotions were heightened by the incident just now, somewhat intense reactions erupted around me.

It’s been a while since I heard compliments up close, so it’s a bit embarrassing, but if it eases people’s anxious hearts.

“Big sister. Thank you. For saving me.”

The child whom the criminal tried to kill approached and expressed gratitude.

There were tear marks, but she didn’t look terrified.

Most children I’ve seen at crime scenes weren’t in good condition, so the child’s thanks feels somewhat special.

“It’s okay. It’s big sister’s job.”

“Are you a hero, big sister?”

“Not a hero, maybe closer to police.”

I’m not wearing a costume and my face isn’t covered, so I’m far from a hero.

Plus, I don’t have a no-kill policy.

“Those are your friends over there, right? Looks like they’re waiting for you.”

“Ah! Friends.”

“There won’t be any more trouble, so you can go play with your friends.”

“Thank you. Big sister.”

After sending the child away, I also left the place.

Camera flashes were bursting quite a bit around.

‘Is there no tteokbokki restaurant nearby?’

I’m hungry, but hopefully another incident won’t break out.

Later, as my photos spread on the internet, I realized I had made a huge mistake.

-Is that red thing on Tia’s mouth seasoning?

-They say they saw someone disappear from a nearby tteokbokki restaurant when the incident happened. The clothes were exactly like in the photo

-Ran out while eating tteokbokki, caught a criminal, and disappeared.

-She’s rich, but eats so ordinarily.

-The food remained untouched at the place she left.

… I’m embarrassed.