Ch.6666. Cybernetic Nest

Kathy’s sudden announcement started the meeting.

Department heads and executives headed to the conference room.

The meeting was originally scheduled to start after lunch.

But Kathy had postponed it.

It was for casual conversation with Amon after lunch.

As a cold-headed businesswoman, she didn’t confuse her priorities between meetings and conversations with Amon.

Of course, there were complaints.

Suddenly postponing the meeting, then suddenly starting it.

Anyone would see it as tyrannical.

But no one could reprimand her.

First, because her power in the company was absolute right now,

And second, because the profit that one Kathy Requetio brought to this company was incomparably greater than what all the meeting participants combined could generate.

She had proven herself in just these few months.

No one in this room could even come close to competing with her performance.

Perhaps she had even greater talent than her father, the president.

Therefore, no one could complain about her tyranny.

Eventually, the meeting proceeded under her leadership.

Performance so far, future plans.

And projects currently in progress.

“We’ve currently assigned a mercenary with a request regarding White Dawn.”

The executives nodded upon hearing this.

The meeting was about to end without objections after that information.

At that moment, one director raised his hand.

“May I ask why we assigned this request to that mercenary?”

Kathy tilted her head.

“Is there a problem?”

“We cannot trust that mercenary.”

Everyone in the meeting room was dumbfounded by the director’s words.

Shit.

What the hell is this guy saying?

But the director maintained his confident attitude despite the stares.

“He’s a mercenary. I think it’s dangerous to keep sharing and assigning such important projects to someone who might betray us at any time. Moreover, this mercenary has rejected all employment offers. I find it difficult to trust someone who isn’t subject to any checks.”

“…What would you like us to do, Director?”

“I think we need to put a leash on him. If not that… at least cut ties.”

The executives in the conference room were shocked.

It happened occasionally.

People who were good at social life but confused about priorities.

The confident director was currently prioritizing the company and family over the individual named Amon.

In other words, he saw Amon as a tool.

This was a normal way of thinking in an ordinary Megacorp.

Individuals were merely tools of the company.

Especially since this director had been recruited from outside after recent internal purges had removed personnel.

It wasn’t strange that he habitually viewed Amon as a tool.

The problem, if there was something the director was mistaken about, was that this company was running as a one-man show of the Requetio family.

That the company’s priorities couldn’t override personal feelings.

Other directors who accurately understood this fact watched Kathy’s reaction carefully.

Kathy’s expression was no different than usual.

Impossible to read her emotions.

Rather, this fact stimulated their fear even more.

The oblivious director, seemingly believing without doubt that he was a loyal subject, suggested to Kathy:

“I believe it’s dangerous to continue sharing company secrets with this young man Amon.”

The director’s statement ended.

Kathy looked at the director with meaningful eyes, then nodded.

“I’ll consider it positively.”

*

That evening.

The director who had offered his loyal advice to Kathy at the meeting stayed late without going home.

He was typing in his office when he checked the clock.

10 o’clock.

A time when most executives had gone home.

He got up from his seat and left his office.

The director entered the elevator and pressed a button.

Not down, but up.

The AI guarding the elevator questioned the director heading upward.

[This floor contains Director Kathy Requetio’s office. Please state your reason for visiting this floor.]

“I have something to report to the director personally.”

[The director has currently left for the day. According to protocol, I recommend reporting tomorrow, but if you wish to leave something at her door, access is permitted.]

It was quite a flexible AI.

But the director shook his head.

“I see. Then I won’t go. I’ll report to the director tomorrow. Is access to the archives possible right now?”

[It is possible.]

The AI granted permission.

The director got off at the floor with the archives.

Inside the archives, he muttered to himself.

“She’s gone home…”

Immediately after, he excitedly pounded on the computer keyboard.

Then he plugged a USB into the computer, looked around several times, and removed the USB again.

He hurriedly left the archives and returned to his office.

Back in his office, he double-locked the door and made a call somewhere.

“Yes, yes. Chairman. If I bring this, you’ll guarantee my safety? Yes. I’ll come right away.”

After ending the call, the director gathered his coat.

That’s when it happened.

Crash!

A spear flew through the door.

The director’s magic sigil activated to create a shield in front of the spear, but the spear tore through the shield and headed for the director’s chest.

The director leaned to the side.

But the spear curved toward his chest as if determined not to miss its target.

“!!!”

With his sternum shattered, he felt his heart burst.

The spear that pierced the director’s chest changed direction from horizontal to vertical, skewering the director like a kebab.

The director’s consciousness faded as he hung in midair.

His expensive life support system worked furiously, but it was meaningless with his heart burst open.

As his consciousness gradually faded, Kathy walked in through the broken office door.

“Betrayal probability. 30 percent. I had my suspicions, but they were confirmed.”

Kathy looked up at the director with cold, calm eyes.

She searched the director’s pockets and took out his phone.

The security department’s Bull Tanker and Mute Sniper followed her into the office.

Kathy threw the phone to them.

“Track it.”

They nodded.

The two security department managers sent telepathy toward the outside.

[Clean it up.]

Belatedly, soldiers in suits entered the director’s office.

Some gathered documents, while others approached the director.

At Kathy’s gesture, the spear dropped the director to the ground.

The director’s limp body was placed in a bag.

After watching this with cold eyes, Kathy turned around and left the office.

Bull Tanker and Mute Sniper followed behind her.

They whispered a question to Kathy.

“Should we take care of the family too?”

Kathy shook her head.

“Amon wouldn’t like that.”

The security breach wouldn’t extend to the family anyway.

Other Megacorps might eliminate everyone down to distant relatives just in case, even knowing this fact, but Kathy didn’t.

Solely for her bluebird.

Her colleagues snickered at this.

“You’ve got it bad.”

Kathy retorted just as quickly.

“You two are just as cheesy.”

The Tanker and Sniper, who were naturally holding hands, raised them and wiggled their eyebrows.

Late at night.

They quietly laughed as they prepared to go home.

*

Meanwhile, while Kathy was normalizing the company,

Amon and Sonia returned to their beloved hometown.

When leaving their hometown, they had come by the priest’s car because they didn’t trust the airline.

At that time, Amon was secretly sponsored by the Three Dollar Meat group.

He couldn’t show off as a corporate person, and his luggage was full of expensive equipment and items that might tempt greedy airlines to swallow them up.

They could get them back through litigation, but they didn’t want to create such troublesome situations.

But returning home was different.

Now there was no problem openly showing that a company was backing them.

When they showed the Requetio executive card, the airline treated them with respectful attitudes.

The employee unhesitatingly recommended Premium among Economy-Business-Premium options.

Amon and Sonia gladly accepted.

On the plane, a flight attendant carefully asked Amon:

“We have special in-flight meals and services for newlyweds, would you like that?”

Amon was flustered, but Sonia linked arms with him and nodded.

“Yes, please.”

Afterward, the two received couple menus and foot baths as they returned home.

Upon arriving in their hometown, they headed straight for the orphanage.

“They said we could start dungeon exploration tomorrow.”

Amon naturally linked arms with Sonia as they headed to the orphanage.

While taking a taxi to the orphanage, Sonia chattered excitedly.

But as they got closer to the orphanage, Sonia became less talkative.

Her gaze was fixed on some massive building.

Eventually, the taxi announced their arrival and dropped them off.

Even at a glance, a magnificent 10-story building displayed a brilliant LED sign reading <Perfumerose Orphanage>.

Seeing the building, Sonia exclaimed in dismay:

“Wait, didn’t they say repairs?”

Amon also responded in bewilderment:

“They said repairs and a little interior work…”

“Did you perhaps misunderstand redevelopment as interior design?”

“Really. They said interior work. The accountant sent by the Three Dollar Meat president gave us an estimate!”

“By Megacorp president standards?”

“Ah.”

Within the sparkling LED sign.

The Three Dollar Meat Group’s mascot occasionally appeared, winking and giving a thumbs up.