episode_0111

“The reason why we called an emergency meeting this time is because, as everyone knows, the director was kidnapped by Cheshire.”

Mariela, the director’s faithful assistant, briefly explained the situation to the heads of each department.

“The agenda of the meeting is to rescue the Director. Any method is fine, so if you have any opinions, please submit them.”

As soon as Mariela finished speaking, the muscular woman, who was bigger than the man, raised her hand.

Obviously the head of the security department… . Was it Bailey?

“Where is it? Do you know where it is?”

“No, I don’t know. There was no information about the location in the note Cheshire left. We are analyzing the traces left in the footprints, but I don’t think there will be any meaningful information.”

Bailey clicked her tongue. Even if you want to go rescue them, you don’t know where they are. Moreover, the opponent has the ability to teleport. You can go anywhere you put your mind to it, so narrowing down the scope is impossible.

You might be thinking, Foolishly.

“Marie. Did the Ministry of Intelligence find out anything?”

The next person to raise her hand was a woman with a blunt appearance. If I remember correctly, she was Kyra, the head of human resources.

“Nothing in particular. The Bureau’s information network does not spread to remote areas untouched by humans. For now, we are searching all over the empire… .”

“Cheshire wouldn’t be hiding in such an obvious place.”

Mariela nodded to what Manager Aegwynn added.

Aegwynn remembers it clearly because she saw it often. I like her quite a bit, perhaps because she is a woman who is quite intelligent and has no interest in men other than her husband.

“You don’t even know where it is? So what should I do? Zeke, can you get it?”

A small-sized kid… Finance Director Tanya said with trembling eyes. I guess I can’t control my anxiety, so I bite my nails until they bleed.

“Calm down, Tanya. I’m sure he will come back unharmed. You’re the director.”

Aegwynn stopped Tanya from biting her hand any further.

“But… . Even if it has been done so far, there is no guarantee that it will be able to do so again this time… .”

All the other managers fell silent at Tanya’s point.

Really, it’s a funny skit. The women closest to the director actually don’t know anything about him.

In the end, I guess I have to spoon-feed it.

“Hehehe. It seems like everyone only knows one thing and doesn’t know the other.”

The managers’ eyes were focused on me.

Some people looked like they didn’t understand, some people looked proud, and some people just looked desperate.

“I guess I’m the only one who knows the director’s ‘secret’, right?”

I feel superior. You don’t know anything about the director. I’ll probably never know.

“It’s a secret… . What do you mean, Banshee?”

Mariela reacted sensitively. Even if other managers dismiss what I say as nonsense, you can’t do that.

“I can’t tell you. If I tell you, it won’t be a secret anymore, right? Deputy Director, what you need to think about is not what the secret is, but why he didn’t tell you… Isn’t it?”

In fact, the director never told me. It’s just something I figured out on my own. But the truth doesn’t really matter. What matters is how she takes it.

Mariela is the woman who has been with the Director for the longest time. You probably think you know more about it than anyone else.

But what if there is a secret that not even she knows about? And what if someone other than her knows that secret?

Mariela’s expression distorted. It’s only for a moment, but I can tell.

She must be proud now. You will also feel a sense of shame at the thought that you were not trusted by the director.

If you couldn’t be a lover, you probably wanted to be at least the most trusted subordinate, right? I would have wanted to be the woman who understood him best.

But you can’t even be that.

That place is mine now.

*

*

– Mariela. If you run into any trouble while I’m away, ask Banshee for help. Because my brain and intelligence are useful. Plus, I won’t do any more strange tricks, so there’s no need to be suspicious.

This is what the director said to me not long ago.

Banshee, the Empire’s greatest intelligence dealer. She is the most dangerous pixie after Ariel and Karjen, able to collect information from across the empire despite being isolated.

Even if you check your identity, there are no records at all, and it is unclear how the information is collected. Banshee activity was observed throughout the empire, but the period of time was so short that it seemed like instantaneous movement.

As the name suggests, she is a ghost-like woman. Until I actually saw it, I thought it might be a real ghost.

The director knows about Banshee’s abilities and identity. But for some reason, that information is not shared with other employees or even with me.

Perhaps keeping such information secret may be a way to manage banshees. Because everything he does is geared toward managing Pixie.

In any case, the management method seemed to have been effective, as the director lowered the banshee’s alert level to 1 at once.

This is the same alert level as Ker, where you can go out freely except during the evening hours, and you are friendly with the staff and are loved.

Considering the fact that she was at the highest alert level, level 5, it was quite a drastic change.

What on earth happened between the two? I couldn’t figure it out.

Since the director didn’t tell me, I don’t need to worry about it.

What I have to do is follow the director’s instructions and assist him.

The reason Banshee was included in the emergency meeting was to follow the director’s instructions.

So, there is no need to worry about her remarks, which are likely to have impure intentions.

There is no need to match her fighting spirit.

But since the human mind does not work as intended,

– Why didn’t the director tell you? Maybe not?

I almost lost my cool for a moment. No, I lost it.

And the banshee seemed to have noticed that fact.

Because she was secretly laughing at me earlier.

“Banshee. What is important now is the rescue of the director. Please refrain from saying anything unrelated to this.”

“That’s natural. Oh, did you think what I said had nothing to do with the agenda of the meeting? If that’s the case, I’m a bit disappointed.”

bang-!

“Let’s see. Does this look like a joke now!?”

Bailey slammed the table and stood up.

“Are you kidding? you’re welcome. I’m just trying to help the director.”

“Disrupting the meeting is helping Zeke? Are you out of your mind!?”

“Disturbance? ha… . Really. That big head seems to be a decoration. If you think about it a little, you’ll understand. Our purpose is not rescue.”

“What? What kind of bullshit is that… .”

Grumble –.

When the window suddenly opened, everyone’s attention was focused.

Bir, who entered the conference room through the window, took out the red fox from his arms and placed it on the table.

“The owner is missing, but he is sitting idle. And yet you are servants! Quickly lead me east! My master is there!”

An arrogant voice coming from a small body. The fox’s identity was Karjen.

“Karyen, do you know the director’s location?”

Karjen snorted at my question.

“No. I don’t know the exact location. However, the owner’s presence is felt far to the east.”

“If it is very far, how far is it?”

“I don’t know either. But I’m sure it’s a lot further away than you think. So hurry and lead me east!”

If it’s farther east than I think… .

“To the east. This makes it clear.”

Banshee pointed to a corner of the map placed on the table.

“The place we need to go is the East Continent. And what the director needs is not a rescue team, but a punitive force. It is powerful enough to fight against all the monsters of the Eastern Continent.”

*

*

“I searched all the remote areas and islands of the central continent using my information network. Cheshire’s Wonderland inevitably requires various facilities, but the search did not turn up any artifacts believed to be Cheshire’s. So, the conclusion is that the Director is not in the Central Continent.”

“Wait a minute, you confirmed all that in that short period of time..? Is that possible?”

“It is possible. Have you forgotten who I am, Tanya?”

I smiled brightly at Tanya, who was looking like she couldn’t believe it.

In fact, it is impossible. Not even a few hours had passed since the director was kidnapped. No matter how many clones are spread throughout the empire, it is impossible to search everywhere in that short a time.

However, ever since Belle was kidnapped by Cheshire, I have been regularly searching untouched islands and remote areas.

Cheshire’s wonderland isn’t built overnight. Therefore, if you search periodically, it is normal for some suspicious artifact to be found or for the clone to be killed by Cheshire.

However, no unusual artifacts have been discovered so far, and no self-immolated body has died mysteriously. That means, at least, Cheshire did not set the stage on the central continent or nearby islands.

“If you exclude the central continent, there are only two continents left. Oh, there’s no need to explain why the northern and southern continents are excluded, right?”

The southern continent filled with demonic energy and the frozen northern continent. These two continents are uninhabitable places. Unless Cheshire wants to kill the director, there is no possibility of using these two continents as a stage.

“So, if I were to go to help the director in this situation, would I have to go to the East Continent? Should I go to the West Continent?”

“Eastern Continent… This must be it.”

Only then did Mariela seem to have come to her senses and answered my question.

“I heard that Cheshire often uses monsters from the Eastern Continent, so it is highly likely that he chose the Eastern Continent… . Above all, since Lufia is in the West Continent, there is no need for us to even go to help.”

“Correct answer.”

I applauded for Mariela.

I don’t want to admit it, but Lufia, who takes the position of the director’s lover, is definitely capable of one thing. So, if the director is in the Western Continent, there is no need to worry.

On the other hand, the Eastern Continent is dangerous. There are knights stationed there, but there is no guarantee that they will help you, and it is unclear whether they will be strong enough to achieve your goals.

Therefore, even if the Director is not in the East Continent, the place to go is the East Continent. In the end, all of this is not to rescue the director, but to help him achieve his goal.

‘Don’t worry, Director. I will definitely help you.’

As the only person who knows your special powers and the person who understands you best.

Also, as the person you trust the most and your future wife.

I will do my best to help you choose the future you want.

‘Then where…’ . What tool (fixie) should I bring with me to praise me for doing a good job?’

If you do well, your progress may be significantly reduced as a reward..?

I ended up laughing out loud from the heightened anticipation.

The other managers looked at me with incomprehensible eyes.

okay. Just stay like that without knowing anything.

Because this specialness is mine and mine alone.