episode_0230

Chief Leslie Salt felt bored as the sunlight poured through the window.

‘How did it come to this?’

The Central District Employment Agency office was filled with relaxed employees.

One employee chuckled while looking at their smartphone, another was sprawled asleep on their desk.

“Riley, Mark. What are you doing? Aren’t you working?”

When the chief admonished them, an employee replied slowly.

“There’s no work, Chief-nim. Why don’t you rest with us?”

“That’s right. Our salaries come in regularly from upstairs anyway, don’t they? Why do we need to do anything?”

“You’re full of yourselves. Tsk tsk…”

The chief sighed.

He clicked his tongue at his subordinates’ idleness when a female employee dressed as a bartender entered.

“Aina, why aren’t you seeing to customers?”

“There are no customers. You weren’t working either, Chief-nim, right? I bought ice cream, would you like some too?”

The chief silently shook his head and lit a cigarette.

Aina, who used to diligently collect information and work energetically, now behaved like a veteran soldier of the Federal Army nearing discharge.

Everyone became lethargic. Even he himself.

‘I guess it’s because there’s nothing for me to do in the first place.’

In truth, there was no work.

Time passed slowly because there wasn’t much to do.

‘Half a year has passed already.’

Quite some time had passed since he was hired by the girl who called herself Ariel, Violet.

From the office relocation, information gathering, and even the collapse of the Magnabyss Group.

When he tried to pull out, it was too late.

As the situation grew uncontrollably, Leslie and his terrified employees planned to escape outside the Academy City.

“Pack your bags! We need to get out of here right now!”

But that night, Violet’s clone blocked their path.

“Uncle, where are you going?”

“Ah, it’s nothing much, just going for some fresh air. There’s a nice bar nearby, I heard.”

“Really? Your bags look a bit heavy. I’ll carry them for you! Oh, and since you worked hard, I’ll pay for your drinks too!”

“Ahem…”

Now the chief knew. The fact that he was being watched by Violet’s clones anytime, anywhere.

If he resisted or betrayed her, he would vanish without a trace, just like Magnabyss.

‘Who would’ve known that after avoiding gangsters and Cador, I’d end up with a crazy terrorist?’

His employer was as dangerous as a big shot in Serkliff’s underworld.

At first, he just thought she was a wealthy, troubled awakened person, but he never expected her to actually overturn a massive clan.

After that, the world was in an uproar every day.

He was momentarily distracted by the news flowing from the TV. The world, where the giant clans had disappeared, was still turning as if nothing had happened.

[This is RNN, for the fastest news and most accurate breaking reports. Yesterday, in the Parliament, the bill to increase senators’ salaries by 200% was unanimously passed in 5 minutes. In response, the senators stated, ‘No comment’…]

It seemed the politicians were diligently working for the citizens today too. The screen switched, showing the inside of the Parliament.

[Meanwhile, Senator Remar’s 35-match winning streak celebration in the parliamentary duel is causing controversy…]

“Cough, cough!”

Leslie coughed, unable to hold back his laughter as he took a puff from his cigarette.

The situation on screen was ridiculous.

One senator was repeatedly sitting and standing on the head of a fallen fellow senator.

-Chivalry always triumphs!

“Wow, that’s insane. Chief-nim, that’s…”

Other employees muttered in disbelief.

Leslie burst out laughing in disbelief.

‘Good thing I don’t pay taxes.’

Though it was thanks to people like them that people like him could make a living.

[Amidst the ongoing troop reinforcement deployment in the Western Wall area, there are allegations that even disabled individuals and those with mental illnesses are being forcibly mobilized. A spokesperson for the Central Conscription Committee denied this, calling it ‘absurd.’]

Seeing the Federal Army soldiers training, he recalled one of the biggest figures among the many informants he knew.

-Hahahaha! Leslie, I never thought you’d bring in such a big shot. I thought it would just be a power struggle, but to bring in a crazy woman like this. Thanks to her, those Federal pigs are poking around everywhere.

He was recalling the words left by Trist’s foremost arms dealer when the office door opened.

As a girl wearing a wig entered, the employees’ gazes turned to her.

“Good afternoon!” the girl greeted.

“You’re here. What brings you…” Leslie asked.

“Uncle, any news from Armas?”

“None. It seems the federal crackdowns have become more severe. He said it would be difficult to move for a while since a large quantity of federal equipment is being used, and communication has been cut off for a long time.”

“Oh…”

“Do you have another plan?”

“No. Not really!”

“I see…”

Violet grumbled and sat down, then slyly scooped some of the ice cream Aina had bought. The employees merely watched cautiously.

“Oh right, I have a task for you!” Violet clapped her hands.

“It’s not clan-related, is it? The surveillance and vigilance of the giant clans are so strict now that it’s difficult to get information like before.”

The chief asked cautiously.

“Not clans, it’s about wiping out the remaining gang members.”

“Ah, I see. That’s a relief.”

Violet grinned.

“Haha, understood. If you need any help, let me know.”

The chief also gave a wry smile. Refusal was impossible.

They were already in the same boat, after all.

**

These days, I’ve picked up a hobby. It’s gang member hunting.

[It’s a war on crime!]

In truth, if you consider the severity of the crimes committed, we might be more heinous than most gangsters or mobsters.

But this hunt has a legitimate purpose: cleaning up the neighborhood.

The Pinnacle Network thugs who attacked Kalia’s uncle vanished, but their remnants are still scattered in various places.

Although the Osprey Brotherhood was diligently working to protect the neighborhood, they were outnumbered and outmatched, so we had to step in.

So, based on the intelligence Chief Leslie provided, we tracked down the remaining gang members.

I was too busy for a while, but I started again every night.

-Slice!

“Aargh!”

Hunting gang members was quite fun.

These guys would just cough up money if you hit them.

“I, I’ll give it to you! Just spare my life—”

-Bang!

“Yay! This is exciting!”

The criminals were literally golden goblins.

We weren’t fighting to create a perfectly pure society of justice.

However, since the adults had advised that too much slaughter could cause problems, we decided to handle things according to our own standards.

[Let’s adhere to the Geneva Conventions!]

[Long live international law!]

We decided to spare them as long as they didn’t openly cause trouble.

“Greetings!”

For example, a place like this arcade I burst into.

“Aargh! We’re in big trouble, Boss. The Black Hunter is here!”

“Aargh! Everyone, bow your heads!”

Perhaps because my reputation had spread, a sturdy man who seemed to be the boss shouted, raising both hands.

“Now, wait! You’re the famous Black Hunter, right? We’re not from the Pinnacle Network! We absolutely don’t do human trafficking! We don’t deal with drugs either!”

“Really?”

“We’re just people who run an arcade. We don’t deal with dangerous things like that!”

The boss said that and pointed to the gambling arcade machines against the wall.

“Look, these are just game machines. You put in money and it gives you prizes. See?”

That’s right. While gambling isn’t exactly wholesome, there’s no need to bother these quiet self-employed individuals.

“Alright, I’ve confirmed it. Live well!”

In this way, we roamed through the darkness, pursuing the remnants of the Pinnacle Network. From gambling dens and bars to clubs.

-Bang bang bang!

“Yay!”

However, perhaps because it was already a defunct organization, the remaining factions didn’t have much money.

[Not much money even after looting…]

Violet’s squad, who had raided a new gang office that had fled to the south, couldn’t hide their disappointment.

They were trudging through a dark alley with a handful of small change when suddenly, an explosion sound echoed from afar.

[Aargh!]

Unable to resist her curiosity, she approached the location. Suspicious groups surrounded a building. It looked somewhat familiar.

[It’s the Federal Army and Restraid, isn’t it?]

Upon closer inspection, Federal Army soldiers and armored knights were raiding the building, dragging out suspicious individuals.

[Are they drug addicts?]

The eyes of the people being dragged out were all empty.

[Looks like some kind of joint operation.]

For a clan and the Federation to join forces and crack down, she thought they must be truly bad guys.

**

On a bright afternoon, Adela and Violet were chatting in the student council building’s lounge.

“So, like this…”

“Wow, cookies. I’d like to try some.”

Just then, a heavy hum faintly echoed from afar. Both of them looked out the window simultaneously.

“It’s an airship! A huge one.”

Violet clung to the window out of curiosity. The silhouette visible from afar was considerable.

“Indeed, could it be a VIP?”

The two resumed their conversation nonchalantly.

At that moment, a massive airship slowly descended its altitude, approaching the landing pad at Aegis Academy’s airfield.

The gangway opened, and a young man emerged, escorted by heavily armed armored knights.

He was a man with fiery red hair.

He had striking features. A well-groomed, large, and lean physique.

The man strode confidently with the knights towards the student council building.

The enthusiastic screams of female students who recognized him erupted.

“Sebastian Senior-nim is back!”

“Kyaaa!”

“Senior-nim! I love you!”

Sebastian waved, giving a charming smile to the female students who looked up to him.

However, after scanning the group of female students, the smile vanished from his eyes.

‘Hmph, still nothing special. None of them are worthy of my level.’

But he soon shook off his displeasure and headed towards the student council building with a confident stride.

Although he wasn’t pleased, there was only one person in this academy who was his equal.

A short while later, inside the student council building. Sebastian’s eyes landed on the target he wished to meet.

It was Adela, an elegant young lady with golden hair that shimmered like waves.

“Adela, it’s been a while.” Sebastian spoke.

Adela and Violet looked surprised by his sudden appearance.

“I didn’t expect you back so soon.”

Adela replied, not hiding her discomfort.

“You don’t seem very keen. I hope you’re not too uncomfortable. I just came to say hello out of courtesy. You know, we’re among the few in this academy with noble blood…”

“Stop talking nonsense and just state your business.”

Sebastian looked at Adela once more.

Her beautiful appearance was flawless, but she felt stiff to grasp and seemed like she would easily slip away, which displeased him.

Only soft and gentle flowers suited a knight; a wild rose with sharp thorns should never be held in the first place.

‘Indeed, my family’s decision to break off the engagement long ago was not mistaken.’

His gaze shifted to Violet standing beside Adela.

She had a charming and cute appearance, but she looked as foolish as a doll.

‘Anyway, that disgraceful taste of his is still the same.’

Sebastian formed his own conclusion and a mocking smile played on his lips.

“Hmm, Adela. By the way, did you take on a servant? That’s not like you.”

“What did you say?”

Adela frowned, and Violet wore a puzzled expression.

‘A servant?’

Displeasure flickered in Violet’s eyes as she belatedly grasped the situation.