Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Prologue

***

Hero Association.

Located in the center of the continent, this place is adjacent to the 26 cities within Pangea, allowing it to quickly receive and address incidents and accidents occurring within Pangea.

However, the fastest solution is not always the best solution.

“Burying this incident is absurd!”

Ceras, an executive of the Hero Association, immediately sought out the vice president upon hearing the report of the decision made in the meeting she was excluded from.

Given the recent surge in villain activities, she had been tasked with overseeing everything on the ground.

Yet not only was the Villain Alliance’s grand invasion allowed to occur, but the proposed resolution was also unacceptable.

“The decision has already been made.”

“It hasn’t been executed yet, so it can be reversed!”

“Reversed? Do you think changing a decision made by those in charge is that easy!?”

“Yes, which is why decisions should be made carefully, not recklessly like this!!”

Had she been present, she would have fiercely opposed the decision.

Surely, knowing this, they did not call her when the incident occurred, simply tossing the decision at her afterwards, the vice president’s indifferent expression proving it.

“So, you’re saying this incident should be reported widely?”

“Of course…!”

“This terrorist attack is an unprecedented event that would stir Pangea. If we investigate and report every detail, public sentiment will waver, and the government’s position will be jeopardized. Do you honestly think you can handle the ensuing chaos!?”

Revealing the truth of the situation would make the leaders appear incompetent, and apologizing would entail significant responsibility.

The larger the scale, the more crucial it is to avoid revealing the truth. Knowing this inevitable outcome, the vice president and the entire association’s executives decided to bury the incident as much as possible in their reports.

Ceras understood this logically.

Her task was to guide everyone living on this continent, building and protecting ‘order’ for their safety.

“…The incident isn’t over yet.”

But aren’t politicians human too?

“You mean we haven’t eradicated all the villains? You know it would be a waste of manpower and time to chase down the remaining minions, right?”

“I’m not talking about the villains.”

“Then what are you talking about?”

“The people.”

“……”

“Hero Land is a place where civilians are allowed entry and receive the association’s protection. As a result of our promotion, hundreds of people lost their lives that day. Many more lost their families, friends, and neighbors.”

As an individual, she must face the deaths of hundreds. She must hear the pain and screams of even more survivors.

How much would it cost to ignore all those cries and bury the situation? No, even before discussing money, is it something allowed as a human being?

“…It’s less than 1% of the total population. We can easily underreport it.”

“Vice President!”

“Haah…!”

Feeling frustrated, the vice president stood up abruptly.

His flushed face indicated his emotions were tumultuous, but he maintained his composure and turned his back on Ceras.

“Ceras. I know you have a strong sense of justice, being a former hero yourself.”

She might be inexperienced, but she has a stronger sense of justice than anyone else.

She could certainly lead society in the right direction, provided she gains enough experience.

“But… you’ve been in an executive position for three years now. It’s time you realize that a leader must prioritize groups over individuals and statistics over emotions.”

“…”

Ceras tried to say something but clenched her hands that hung by her sides and turned her back.

I understand, I’ll comply…

She couldn’t even bring herself to utter such a formal response.

***

Three years.

It’s enough time to grasp the difference between ideals and reality.

-Knock knock.

Feeling frustrated, I sighed in my private office when someone knocked and entered, approaching Ceras.

A man with grayish-white hair and notable slanted eyes behind glasses. Among heroes, he bore a resemblance to Ronin Blade.

Of course, it was only a superficial resemblance.

Unlike Ronin Blade, who brutally kills villains on the field, the man before her had never participated in hero and villain battles—a ‘civilian.’

“Ah… Mars.”

Mars Ector, Ceras’s secretary.

He approached Ceras, who was buried in paperwork, slowly scribbling in his notebook.

[What’s. the. matter?]

Communicating through writing instead of speaking… It was a natural communication method for him, given his congenital vocal cord issues.

Of course, he had no issues with the assistance and prompt execution required of a secretary.

He was someone for whom Ceras, overwhelmed with executive duties, felt gratitude.

“The same as usual.”

But perhaps because of that?

At times like this, when she was struggling, she tended to rely on him more than necessary.

“Mars, you’ve heard about the Hero Land attack, right?”

“…”

He silently adjusted his glasses and nodded.

Ceras handed Mars the documents she had been looking at.

“The heroes will likely go there to perform for the victims, as always.”

Public sentiment invariably wavers after such incidents.

Sending idols to calm them is a highly effective method.

A grand festival draws people’s attention, and the more lively it is, the more they forget their pain.

From a broad perspective, it is the optimal way to quell chaos.

‘But… promoting such a method ultimately only postpones the issue.’

In the end, the dead are still dead, and those who lost them must live with their loss forever.

The association’s policy was merely to prescribe painkillers to such individuals, not to heal them.

The birth of a villain always began with personal deviation, which further complicates matters.

‘Indeed, being an executive alone isn’t enough.’

Clenching her fists tightly, she heard a knocking sound.

No, the person before her was tapping the desk with a pen.

“Oh, yes, Mars. Go ahead.”

Ceras snapped back to reality and faced Mars.

Mars handed her a note and looked at the pile of documents beside him.

[These. documents?]

“Oh, those are… the list of victims from the recent incident. It’s a compilation of individuals the association contacted…”

As she explained, Mars picked up the document from the top of the pile.

Was he interested in the name written there?

“Ginger Bread.”

Ceras continued her explanation, mentioning the name written on the document.

“He’s a civilian who helped mitigate the Hero Land attack. Considering his achievements, we thought about recruiting him as an agent. But he said he had no intention of working in the hero industry.”

Of course, he could be forcibly recruited for promotion, but wasn’t he a single father raising a child after losing his wife in an accident?

From an ethical standpoint, forcing him into the spotlight wouldn’t be right.

‘But someone will surely try to recruit him somehow.’

Not only did an E-Class ability user defeat C-Class villains, but he also assisted Spiritas, a hopeful candidate of the next generation, in taking down an A-Class villain.

As an asset for promotion, he was highly desirable to the association.

While they wouldn’t interfere directly, someone might secretly devise a way to bring him into the association.

-Tap tap.

Mars calmly organized the documents, nodding at Ceras.

He was about to enter his role as a secretary.

“Oh, yes. Please organize the documents, Mars.”

Their conversation ended there. Mars, resting his chin in thought, left the office, leaving Ceras behind.

-Click.

The door closed, and the hallway outside the silent office.

Mars, standing alone in the middle, looked through the documents in his hand.

Ginger Bread. Identified as a promotional target related to the Hero Land incident.

However, upon inspection, his hidden Gift was merely E-Class, and there was nothing special about his life or surroundings.

At least for Ginger Bread himself.

[Moa Bread]

The only family member of the promotional target.

A seven-year-old girl, now of appropriate age to enroll in the academy.

-Click.

Mars adjusted his glasses, his gaze fixed on the girl’s name.

***

And then.

About a month after the terrorist incident.

“Bread, look over here.”

In an apartment located in Shells Town.

After spending time in the residence provided by the association, I realized that the day had finally come.

By facing my Boss, who was looking at herself in the mirror.

“Is there anything odd?”

“No, it suits you well.”

The white shirt covered by a blazer and a checkered skirt was the designated uniform for the elementary department of ‘Maris Academy,’ located adjacent to Shells Town.

It was the day of the entrance ceremony, so it was natural to dress her in the uniform. Boss, satisfied with her reflection, placed her hands on her waist.

“Hehe, looking like this, I’m just like a little girl.”

Little girl.

She emphasized those words likely in preparation for the upcoming significant event.

Since the entrance ceremony is an event for children, emphasizing her girlishness was necessary to avoid suspicion.

At least, she needed to pay attention to appearances…

“Oh, Boss. One button is undone.”

Noticing it right away, I reached out to fix Boss’s shirt.

Fastening each button, I then checked for any other discrepancies.

“Speaking of which…”

Seeing me fasten the buttons, Boss began to speak as if recalling something.

“In the past, you used to help me change clothes.”

“Oh, right. I did.”

“Recently, there haven’t been any opportunities for that, which is unfortunate.”

“…Haha.”

Dodging her gaze with a laugh.

Indeed, in the early days, Boss was clumsy at dressing herself.

So, I reluctantly helped her change clothes. But honestly, it still causes some conflict.

Should I watch over Boss, hoping she can handle it herself to experience a human’s daily life, or should someone assist her as we did when she led the organization?

“Now that I think about it, I forgot this.”

While finishing up the outfit, Boss pulled something from her shirt pocket and handed it to me.

A small pink ribbon. It was something Boss had her eye on while shopping.

“I heard girls wear such accessories.”

“Yes, but…”

Trailing off, I focused on the ribbon.

Seeing Boss’s unchanged demeanor, I looked back at her.

“Hehe.”

Boss smiled meaningfully, looking at me with curious eyes.

Guessing her intention, I took the ribbon and attached it to her hair.

Sure, I might not help her change clothes, but this seemed acceptable.

“Then, let’s head out.”

Boss put on her backpack and stood by the entrance.

Before she stepped out, I voiced my concern.

“Are you really okay going to the entrance ceremony alone?”

“I’ll be fine. The entrance ceremony doesn’t require a guardian… Besides, you need to find a job, remember?”

“True, but…”

“Don’t worry.”

Boss adjusted the ribbon on her shoes and looked back at me.

“This place is one of the safest in the continent, isn’t it? Sometimes, the tiger’s lair is the safest if you have tiger stripes.”

She meant that no one would suspect our true identities, so we could move confidently.

But wasn’t Hero Land such a place too?

Such an incident shouldn’t happen again, but there’s no guarantee it won’t.

Surely it’s possible…

“The Hero Association defeated Ouroboros.”

“……”

“Wouldn’t repeating the same mistake twice be a disgrace for a power like that?”

Oh, right.

Despite being enemies, as the leader of the organization, she had a certain respect for those who defeated them.

It wouldn’t make sense for me, her subordinate, not to share that sentiment.

“Ah, Moa!”

Only a moment after stepping out, I heard a lively voice from the side and turned.

The girl who emerged from the neighboring apartment in the same uniform as the Boss.

It was Nella, our neighbor.

End of Chapter