Chapter 8 Part 1: Commission – Gate Missing

“…Hey, do you really think people will come?”

“What, are you worried?”

“Of course. No matter what, with something like this…”

Haran looked at the paper in her hand with a dissatisfied expression, as if she didn’t like it.

It was the flyer that she had been putting up all over this area until just now. Written in a round font were the address and phone number. And a promotional phrase that she would take revenge for them.

“Hmm…. Should I have put some blood on it after all? I can’t help the font being too round. This body’s default setting is like that. It’s a little late to change it now…”

“No, it’s not about the atmosphere or the blood issue…. Of course, those are issues too, but….”

“Then what is it?”

“Do you think someone who is desperate enough to want to take revenge on someone would see this strange flyer and come all the way here?”

As Haran shook her head as if she couldn’t understand, the paper in her hand scattered together.

Even though I worked hard to make it, she said it was a strange flyer.

I couldn’t really deny it because I didn’t make it very well, but I was a little hurt.

Come to think of it, the relationships I made in Neo City also told me not to touch art.

…Am I that lacking in senses? I think I made it pretty well for a beginner.

“This isn’t just any place, it’s a place that those guys used as a base until a few days ago. They’ll definitely think it’s a trap.”

“It’s okay. They’ll come if we just wait a bit.”

“…Really?”

“Of course.”

Leaving aside that I was hurt, I knew what Haran wanted to say well.

A flyer with childish content. There’s also no consistency because it’s made by hand, literally because there’s no money, so the appearance is slightly different for each flyer.

They might think that some child is playing a prank.

But, that’s the perspective of ordinary people.

The perspective of people who don’t need to take revenge and are continuing their ordinary lives.

“Our customers aren’t ordinary people, are they? They’re people who want to relieve their injustice but don’t have the power.”

It is no exaggeration to say that the customers who will entrust us with requests are corpses who are just living without being able to relieve their resentment.

People who have been wronged and want to relieve that injustice but it’s impossible.

People who have no power to relieve the injustice themselves, no connections, and no power.

Those are our clients.

“Those people have nothing to call hope. They’re just living because they can’t die every day.”

“…That’s right?”

“And, those people usually want to check it out if they see even a small hope. Even if it’s a ridiculous story.”

Why, isn’t there such a saying?

When you fall into the water, you struggle to grab even a straw.

People who have fallen into the lake of despair want to at least hear the story, thinking that maybe, even if it’s a far-fetched story.

The more extreme the person is, the easier it is to believe even a false word.

Literally, they believe and see for the time being, with the feeling of grabbing a straw.

Why do I know that?

You automatically learn it when you infiltrate to take down a few cult leaders.

“I know what you’re saying well, but… Will they really come?”

“Just wait a bit. They’ll be here soon.”

Ding-dong.

As soon as I finished speaking, the bell installed at the entrance of the building that had been converted into an office rang.

“Who is it?”

[I came after seeing the flyer.]

“Ah, I’ll be right out. Please wait a moment.”

They came much faster than I thought.

This world is quite broken too.

I smiled at Haran, who was staring at me blankly as if she was dumbfounded.

“See?”

“No, why is this working….”

“I told you. People who have nowhere to go also come to places like this.”

I patted Haran’s shoulder, who was shaking her head while looking at the flyer as if she couldn’t believe it.

Then, leaving Haran, who started preparing snacks that had been prepared to welcome clients, as if she had come to her senses, I opened the door of the office to welcome the client.

“Hello, client.”

“Ah, hello…. Well, is this the…”

“Let’s go in and talk first. It’ll be uncomfortable to talk standing up.”

I cut off the client’s words somewhat rudely and dragged him in with a slightly coercive attitude.

It was because the client, who saw my appearance, started hesitating as if he had finally come to his senses.

…Tsk, I really hate this body at times like this.

Maybe it’s because it’s a body that the young lady of the wealthy family was going to use, but I often couldn’t be trusted in this way because it was uselessly pretty.

It would have been easier if I had the impression of an ajusshi with a few scars on his face.

“Ugh, what a smell….”

“Ah, I’m sorry. The smell of blood hasn’t gone away yet.”

“Y, yes? Blood?”

“Please understand even if it’s a little uncomfortable. The smell hasn’t gone away yet because there were corpses in units of ten. You’ll have to wait a lot longer for it to go away.”

Originally, I wouldn’t bother to bring up a story that would stimulate the client like this.

But now it was different.

This person might be our store’s first client.

Before word of mouth spreads and trust is built, it was better to act like this.

Because the people who come to seek revenge, I let out an atmosphere that I don’t care about killing people like this.

“Ella. Where should I put the snacks?”

“Ah, put them on the table.”

“Okay.”

I handed cookies and black tea to the client, who was constantly glancing around as if he was anxious.

Was it because he suddenly came to his senses after coming here as if he was possessed?

The client was constantly looking at me.

Tsk. That’s why starting from the bottom is so hard.

There’s no trust, there’s no trust.

It was so easy when everyone knew me just by saying my name.

“So, who do you want me to kill?”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know when you know everything. You saw it, right? The flyer.”

“……”

The client seemed to be lost in thought for a long time.

Is it okay to say this? Wouldn’t it be better to go back now, saying that there was a mistake?

Seeing the client’s appearance, which clearly showed such signs, I subtly caressed the revolver so that the client could see it well.

“E, Ella…?! Y, you shouldn’t threaten, should you?!”

“Threatening, you’re saying something disappointing.”

Haran whispered while watching the scene from the side, and I laughed, ignoring her rebuke.

Threatening, what are you talking about?

I didn’t do anything? I was just caressing the revolver because my hands were a little bored.

I couldn’t force him not to imagine all sorts of things after seeing that.

“..My wife died.”

“Hoo.”

The client, who eventually couldn’t overcome my unspoken pressure to tell the story, said with his eyes tightly closed.

His wife died.

“There are two culprits. One D-grade awakened person, one C-grade awakened person.”

“You even know the culprits?”

“I dug up everything to find out about my wife’s suspicious death. I already know who the culprits are.”

“If you know that much, isn’t it better to report it? If you tell the police…”

“The police are too passive in their investigation! They’re not trying to find out the truth!”

Bang!

The appearance of him hesitating, showing that he didn’t want to talk, was gone, and the client, who was very excited, couldn’t control his anger and slammed the table hard.

The cup that contained black tea fell down with a clattering sound due to the impact, but I didn’t pay attention to that and looked at the client.

Rapidly rising body temperature, trembling hands and feet. Even a pounding heart.

…He’s excited. It seemed that he couldn’t control his anger.

“D-grade awakened people two and, C-grade were mixed in and died in an accident after being attacked by a monster in a small-scale gate? So they couldn’t even find the body? …That’s ridiculous!”

“Haran?”

“That’s… It’s not common for D-grades to die in small-scale gates. The mortality rate increases from E-grade, though.”

“I see. Thanks. …Is there really no possibility of an accident?”

“I investigated everything, literally. About those guys who went into the gate with my wife that day. …Recently, the number of deaths of awakened people who worked with those guys is strangely high.”

“You said three people. Are there other people around them?”

“There were other people inside the gate, but no one witnessed it.”

I habitually stroked my wrist and thought.

The number of deaths of people who worked with the guys that the client thinks are the culprits, which has increased strangely recently.

A D-grade awakened person’s suspicious death that occurred inside the gate……

It’s definitely suspicious.

I felt like I knew why this person was so sure.

“Why aren’t the police investigating?”

“They probably don’t want to bother. Even though it’s not common, it happens often by accident. It’s difficult to collect evidence about what happens inside the gate, so they just want to treat it as an accident.”

“…As you said.”

“Aren’t awakened people precious?”

“That’s only from B-grade. It’s hard to be treated properly until C-grade. They’re not treated as proper combat power, so….”

I see.

I spoke to the client, who was breathing heavily in excitement.

“I understand well. You’re saying that you can kill those guys who are presumed to have killed your wife?”

“…Is it possible?”

“Not now.”

“Why?! You said you could kill them…!”

“It’s a common accident, right? How do I know if those guys are the culprits or not?”

There is enough circumstantial evidence, but that is just a story full of the client’s personal thoughts.

The client wasn’t lying. No matter how good a liar is, they can’t deceive their own body.

He believed that what he said was the definite truth.

But, you didn’t see it directly, did you? It’s doing work carelessly if I kill them when they’re just misunderstanding because of some story.

So I couldn’t go to kill those guys right now.

“Is that so.”

The client, who had been very excited, seemed to have regained his composure in an instant at my words that he couldn’t do it now.

“…You guys were the same after all. You’re probably saying that it’s impossible because they’re awakened people. I shouldn’t have believed in this trashy flyer!”

I didn’t say that I wouldn’t kill them, I just said I can’t do it now? Trashy flyer, you’re going too far. I mean, is it a trashy
“

Just wait leisurely. The moment I think that those guys really killed your wife….”

Flinch.

Seeing the client trembling as he looked at my eyes, which were subtly shining with a red light, I smiled brightly.

“I’ll kill those guys in the same way your wife died.”