episode_0024

Conference room on the 3rd floor of the office building.

Inside the conference room, a total of six heads of the management bureau, including the four managers, Mariela, and me, are gathered.

When everyone was seated and the brief chat was over, I stood up.

“Okay, then the meeting begins.”

I started to simply organize things with a marker on the huge whiteboard installed on the conference room wall.

“Have you all read the materials? The alliance between the Ruud Zetas and the Liberator, also known as the Underworld Alliance, was formed. Leading the alliance is Roddy, the younger brother of newcomer Pixie Leone. The purpose is to rescue my sister who was quarantined in the management bureau.”

“He will try to start a war. Even if we free Leon, he won’t stop. The intention seems to be something like, “I’m going to hold on to this until the end because I messed with my family.” It’s reckless and emotional, but it’s behavior befitting a subject of the Granat Project.”

“The agenda for this meeting is how to respond to this coalition. As it is difficult to avoid war, opinions related to war are good, and even if it is not, feel free to express your opinion.”

bang-!

As soon as I finished speaking, Security Manager Bailey hit the table harshly.

The combination of her tall height, sturdy muscles, short hair, and androgynous appearance gave off an intense intimidating feeling that did not feel like a woman at all.

“War on the topic of bastards from the underworld? It’s funny. Zeke, I’m going to come and destroy it. Just give me permission.”

Tanya, who was disapproving at Bailey’s behavior from the seat next to her, muttered.

“Why are you hitting the table? If it breaks, it’s not like I’m going to ask for it.”

“What? Is that important now?”

Bailey glared at Tanya fiercely, but Tanya did not shrink at all and instead held her head high.

“Not important. It’s proof that you act without thinking, right? I don’t know the size of the enemy or their base, but I’m going to disperse my troops and go on an expedition. What on earth was going through my head to come up with such an idea?”

“Then, do you have any good ideas?”

“I am the head of finance. All I care about is money and numbers. Do you even know how much it costs you gorillas to go out and about?”

“Ha! Isn’t the reason you guys can play numbers at your desk because we run around like crazy?”

“Something is missing even though it doesn’t depend on it. Ah, I understand that the quality of vocabulary has declined. Is that why you’re so androgynous?”

Wow, I’m tired of the punch line.

“This bastard..!”

Bailey was unable to continue speaking due to Tanya’s harsh words and just trembled.

At this point, I mediated the fight between the two.

“Stop. You’re in a meeting. If you’re going to fight, fight after it’s over.”

“You can’t fight even after it’s over.”

Mariela pointed out in passing.

They’re fighting not for a day or two, but that means they’re on good terms with each other.

I just wish they didn’t disturb the meeting.

“Bailey, it’s good to be motivated, but there are too many variables in an expedition.”

“Chesh… ”

“Still, I think it would be okay to form a separate unit and confuse the attacking enemies.”

After accepting about half of the opinions, Bailey nodded, as if his dissatisfaction had finally subsided.

“Any other opinions?”

Tanya raised her hand.

“Zeek, the budget is tight to restore the facilities that were damaged during the last Karjen incident. If the facilities are damaged again due to this war, it will be financially dangerous.”

“I knew that would happen, so I planned to take the battlefield outside the management bureau.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

Tanya took out an abacus from her pocket, flicked the eggs, and started calculating.

I left her alone and looked around at the others.

“Now, any other opinions?”

Kyra raised her hand.

I wondered why Kaira was here, but when I thought about it, Kaira was a manager in her own right.

As I was always watching Erica and Sophie hanging out and joking around, I forgot that he was the manager.

“Kyra, why?”

“I’m going to go to the bathroom.”

“…You don’t need to get permission for that.”

I roughly waved him by the hand, telling him to come back quickly.

Kyra left the conference room at a leisurely pace.

“Does Aegwynn have something to say?”

I called the head of the management department, Aegwynn, who had been sitting quietly without saying a word.

“Hmm… If war breaks out, the pixies will be mobilized, right?”

“Well, I guess so, right?”

“I see. The hell of documents will begin again.”

The management bureau is clearly a state agency. Of course, a significant level of freedom is guaranteed, but everything still requires procedures and paperwork.

Therefore, even when taking out pixies that are subject to the management of the management bureau, there are procedures and documents accordingly.

But it’s not just a simple outing, it’s being mobilized for war?

As Aegwynn said, the hell of documents begins.

Of course, I don’t know how busy it will be since I haven’t processed the documents, but I can roughly guess it by looking at Aegwynn’s lost expression.

‘When this is over, I need to give you some vacation.’

And I also went on vacation…

Oh, I have to go to The Snowy Land with Veronica.

I want to rest in peace.

Afterwards, we exchanged a few opinions, but no particularly meaningful ideas emerged.

There is nothing we can do about it since there are too many variables to begin with.

In fact, the main reason for convening the department heads was simply to inform them of the current situation and future plans.

A real meeting will probably be held during the retry after there is more information.

“Then, finally, I will deliver instructions to each department.”

“First, the security department must maintain combat readiness in the future and maintain vehicles and equipment so that it can quickly move to the designated location at any time.”

“I understand.”

“Next, the Ministry of Finance. Please allocate a budget for war. You won’t need that much.”

“Yes. If I squeeze it somehow, it will come out.”

“Management will inform you of the Pixies that will be mobilized in the future, um… I am prepared.”

“Are you determined? I understand.”

“The Human Resources Department… He hasn’t come yet?”

I think it’s been more than 30 minutes since I left, so I wonder if they made a bathroom and used it.

“Well, I guess I can deliver it separately. Mariela, I have instructions for other departments as well, so come to the director’s office later.”

“Okay.”

“Okay, the meeting is over. Good job everyone, disperse.”

match-

When I announced the end of the meeting with applause,

Everyone gathered their belongings and left the conference room.

Then Bailey sneakily came next to me,

Pangpang–!

He slapped my butt and then put his arm around my shoulder.

“Zeke, straighten your shoulders. You’re not scared, right?”

“I wasn’t scared. There are just some questionable parts.”

“There is something questionable about Zeke of the world. Is it really necessary for me to know?”

“No, it’s not like that. Go and take care of your business.”

“Stupid, bland. Going.”

Bailey patted his shoulder one last time and left the conference room.

Perhaps Tanya was waiting outside, but I could hear their conversation quietly.

“Hey, you said that’s sexual harassment.”

“What can I say, my colleagues can sort things out.”

“Ugh, that’s it. What can I say to you?”

“What? Something the size of a rat bubble keeps causing trouble.”

“Ah! Are you sick? Anyway, if you do something, it gets out of hand first. Is it really a gorilla?”

“… !”

“…!”

The sound of the two fighting gradually became distant and soon became inaudible.

Whatever it is, those two get along really well.

‘It hurts.’

Bailey caressed the spanked buttocks.

I’m sure I hit it lightly, adjusting the force as little as possible, but it still stings.

I felt once again my place in this worldview.

While I was still organizing my thoughts in the empty conference room,

Squeak–

Suddenly, the door to the conference room opened and Kyra came in.

“Huh? Is the meeting over?”

“…Are you sure you just came back from the bathroom?”

“Director, it’s rude to ask a woman that.”

I guess I missed it.

Anyway, I said that everyone except the security and management departments would participate voluntarily.

What kind of sentiment would it be to attend and then skip it?

Kyra came striding over and sat down next to me.

“Director, let’s just say goodbye to this situation.”

“In what context does that happen?”

Besides, you’re already on your way home.

“The Bureau’s regulations state that adequate rest is recommended.”

“I think the meaning of appropriate has been greatly misinterpreted.”

“It’s the fault of the person who made it confusing.”

“Yes, it’s my fault.”

Kaira took out two cans of coffee from her arms and handed one to me.

click-

Then I opened another can and took a light sip.

Without even thinking, I opened the can and took a sip.

“Ugh, why are you writing it like this?”

It was the most bitter of all black coffees.

“Did you choose this knowing that I can’t eat bitter food?”

“You get used to bitter tastes when you eat them. If I just avoided it because it’s bitter, would I live my whole life without knowing the taste of black coffee?”

“I don’t really want to know.”

widely-

Kyra put down the coffee she had taken a sip in front of me.

“Then let’s change it. This is a vanilla latte, so it would be perfect for the director who has a baby’s taste buds.”

“You also chose a vanilla latte.”

“This is just for taste. I was curious what it would taste like.”

We exchanged coffee with each other.

I took a sip of vanilla latte.

As the sweet taste spread in my mouth, it washed away the bitterness that remained in my mouth.

Yes, coffee tastes good only with milk.

Kaira, who was watching me, took a sip of black coffee and said,

He said with a slight smile.

“I usually drink black coffee with a bitter taste, but today it feels sweet.”

“Isn’t it because it’s after having a vanilla latte?”

“Well, that too.”

What else is there besides that?

Did you eat something like chocolate while making a fuss?

After that, we both sipped our coffee in silence,

When I was almost finished drinking, Kaira stood up.

“I’ll go. Director, stop fooling around and do some work.”

“Uh… Yes.”

Kyra walked out of the conference room without even looking back.

It was Kyra who I could never understand.

*

*

A building in a deserted alley in Eli.

“It’s late, Roddy.”

A woman with her face covered with a veil greeted Roddy.

“Sorry. There are a lot of things to handle. So what’s going on, Banshee?”

The banshee lifted her veil to reveal her face.

Similar to Veronica, but a little more mature.

The long straight hair that hung down, exposing the forehead, was light green, and at the same time, the eyes were shining in the same color.

The black dress she was wearing looked neat at first glance, but her chest was exposed and her shoulders were transparent.

“New information has arrived.”

Roddy raised his eyebrows as if he was interested in Banshee’s words.

“This is information related to the management bureau, right?”

“Of course.”

“Yes. Where should we listen?”

Roddy sat down across from Banshee.

Banshee tapped the table and gave Rody a look.

“Oh, it was prepaid.”

Roddy takes out a bundle of bills from his pocket and puts them down.

Banshee scanned the bill with his eyes and said:

“Not enough.”

“This seems like pretty important information, right?”

Roddy had no choice but to take out three more identical bundles and put them down.

“Okay, this should be enough. Please tell me quickly.”

The banshee swept it up and put it in a sack under the table.

Afterwards, I picked up the teacup on the table and quenched my thirst.

“Next Monday. The bureau’s main forces will be away.”

“…Why?”

“To capture a new pixie. I didn’t get any information about that pixie. It’s not that important anyway.”

“Hmm… Is that the end? It’s a little disappointing, isn’t it?”

This time Roddy tapped the table.

Banshee smiled slightly.

“This is not the end. As power is reduced, there are bound to be gaps in surveillance. It seems that the management bureau did not want to create loopholes even if it meant reducing the number of surveillance personnel in each district.”

Banshee placed a small note on the table.

“This is… Is that the direction?”

“Yes. If you go that route, you won’t be caught by surveillance. Our spy was in charge of that area alone.”

Roddy looked at the note and crumpled it.

“…Even if there’s something you don’t like?”

Tuk–

Crumpled paper falling in front of Banshee.

“Banshee, I’m disappointed. Do you still not know me?”

“……”

“I don’t like this kind of thing.”

The banshee swallowed dry saliva.

On the outside, she didn’t have any movement on her face, but her mind was complicated.

Did you get caught?

I became impatient due to the command from the main body, so I used a clumsy move.

I thought he would trust me because of the trust I had built up over the years, but that was a complacent thought.

The banshee slightly lowered her head and closed her eyes.

She had to inform her other alter egos of her failure.

Tuk–

I heard something fall on the table.

The banshee slowly raised her head and checked something.

There was a bundle of money on the table.

“…I already paid for it?”

“No, this is the request fee.”

“Request?”

Roddy pressed the crumpled note with his finger.

“This is a method only cowards choose. What I want is to crush the Management Bureau. It clearly teaches you who has the upper hand.”

Pasasak–

A blue light flashed from Roddy’s fingertips and burned the paper.

“Find out their destination by tomorrow. Because that place will become their grave.”

Banshee let out a laugh and picked up the bundle of money.

It was something like that. Banshee swallowed her words internally.

Then he tapped the table and said.

“Not enough.”

Banshee thought it was a good idea to ask the director for another location just in case.