episode_0019

Recruitment (2)

(Creak!)

The headhunter arriving on the floor opened the iron door.

(Tadadadada!!)

(Thud!)

As soon as the bullets rained down, he immediately closed the door.

“…”

Then he leaned against the door with a ten-year-tolerant expression.

“Many?”

“Many.”

In response to Asa’s question, Jim nodded.

“The door, please.”

(Creak)

At Asa’s words, Jim opened the door a little.

(Clack, whoosh!)

Then he took out a grenade from his pocket and threw it.

(Creak)

Seeing the grenade thrown, Jim promptly closed the door.

(Bang!!)

“It’s a bit quiet, isn’t it?”

“It’s for killing people. When it explodes, small metal balls scatter everywhere.”

“Where did you get it?”

“It’s military-grade. There were so many monsters in the colony that they dropped these from helicopters as they passed by.”

(Creak)

After the small talk, the headhunter opened the door and entered the corridor.

“Uh uh uh uh”

(Pew! Pew! Pew!)

The headhunter shot the heads of the organization members lying on the floor.

“Ugh!”

Seeing the corpses, Glin covered his mouth with his hand.

“You’re just a kid.”

“No!… I mean…”

Upon Asa’s words, Glin got angry, then covered his mouth again with his hand.

(Thud!)

The headhunter arrived at the CEO’s office and forcefully entered.

“……”

The chubby man sitting in the CEO’s office looked at the headhunter.

“Headhunter… you’ve changed your appearance.”

“Not bad, right?”

The headhunter said, looking over his attire.

“Did the new employer make it for you?”

“Employer? When I tried to hire you, you flatly refused.”

“Haha, I offered very favorable conditions.”

Mad Hatter revealed himself and said.

“Nice to meet you, Boss Rat.”

Asa greeted politely with his unique manner.

(Swish)

Glin appeared behind Asa.

“…”

And glared at the man as if to kill him.

“Mr. CEO, is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

The head of this organization, the CEO, nodded.

“The Monkey Spanner Family didn’t interfere with our business.”

“Do I look like a gangster villain to you?”

“…”

“I’m a more dignified type.”

Asa adjusted his tie and said.

“That’s how you appear. Make a proposal. The Monkey Spanner also received money from me, and you will too.”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t know, but I have a lot of customers ‘ordering’ from me, and the profit that comes out of there is enormous.”

“Hmm…”

“20% of the profit.”

At Arthur’s interested reaction, the boss confidently said, “Half of the former profit of the Monkey Spanner family was my tribute.”

“That’s an appealing proposal,” Arthur said.

The boss’s expression brightened at Arthur’s words. “If only the business’s subject wasn’t human trafficking.”

“…

“Oh, and the target to persuade isn’t just me alone.”

(Swipe)

Arthur put his hand on Grenda’s shoulder and brought her in front of him, saying, “You also need to persuade this little lady.”

“What…?”

As the boss was speaking, he suddenly grabbed his own neck.

“Gasp!”

The breath that had been fine just a moment ago now wouldn’t come.

“I’ll give you 50% of the share.”

“It’s meaningless if you tell me,” Arthur said.

“Now, wait a moment.”

Realizing that the current situation was caused by Grenda standing next to Arthur, the boss looked at Grenda and said, “You, you! Your family… Who… told… someone to kill.”

“!”

(Swipe)

Grenda’s pupils dilated upon hearing the boss’s words, and she lowered her hand.

“Cough! Haha!!”

Then the boss breathed heavily again as if breathing had returned.

“Who are you?”

“If you save me, I’ll tell you.”

“…

“Oh, negotiation.”

Standing between Grenda and the boss, Arthur spoke with an interesting expression, “I’ll tell you who told someone to kill your family, in exchange for saving me.”

“Grenda? What do you think?”

“…

(Swish)

“It must be somewhere around here,” Grenda said, raising her hand.

“Oh, no! There’s no data; I remember everything when I receive orders.”

“…

“I can’t know if I die.”

“Now, Grenda, what’s your choice?”

“Tell me.”

Grenda said, lowering her hand.

“Alright.”

“Well, if it were me, I would have made the information disappear quickly, but this time, Grenda is the subject of the party, right? So let’s do that.”

(Startled)

Arthur’s words sent shivers down the boss’s spine. Because he knew that if she had been the subject of negotiation, she would have really done it.

“Then quickly hand over the data.”

(Swiftly, swiftly)

The boss quickly wrote on the paper.

“Here it is.”

The boss handed the paper to Arthur.

“Hmm.”

Arthur read the paper he received.

“Come on, you read it too.”

Arthur handed the paper to Gwenda.

“…”

When Gwenda took the paper, she read the name written on it.

(Cough)

“Now, you have to convince me.”

Arthur turned to look at the company president and said.

“What?”

“My friend’s revenge is one thing, and your business in my territory is another.”

“…70% of the profits for a year, then 50%-”

(Click! Bang!!)

A small gun came out of Arthur’s sleeve, and he pulled the trigger, shooting the president between the eyebrows.

“You failed to persuade me with this.”

Arthur never intended to consider the proposal in the first place.

“……”

Gwenda, who had been reading the name, looked at Arthur.

(Click)

“Come on! Whether revenge is slow or fast, it’s best for life to end as quickly as possible. Let’s handle it quickly.”

Putting the small gun back into his sleeve, Arthur said.

“Excuse me?”

“Of course, they are the customers of the president over there.”

“Why are you helping?”

“Well, why? Is it because I see my younger self in you? Because you need it? Just a whim?”

“…Even you-”

“Arthur.”

Arthur interrupted Gwenda’s words.

“Yes?”

“Call me Arthur.”

“…Has Mr. Arthur also lost his parents?”

“Well… for now, my father is alive. Still, I’ve been through a similar situation.”

“I will repay the debt.”

Gwenda said, looking at Arthur’s face.

“So please help me.”

“Of course, but let’s hurry up and leave. Time is running out.”

“Huh?”

“Jim! How many minutes left?”

“Um, 2 minutes.”

Jim said, looking at his watch.

“Oh!”

(Hurry!)

Upon hearing that there were 2 minutes left, Arthur ran to the window.

(Click, click, clatter)

And he took out a fire extinguisher.

“You go down first.”

“Okay.”

(Clatter!)

At Arthur’s words, Jim went down.

“Come on, let’s go quickly.”

“…With that?”

“Yeah, quickly.”

Arthur said, spreading his arms.

“……”

“What are you doing?”

(Swish)

Gwenda entered Arthur’s embrace.

“Hold on tight.”

(Clatter!)

Using the fire extinguisher, they quickly descended to the first floor.

“Oof!”

(Thud!)

Arthur, who failed to land properly, fell to the ground.

(Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!)

As soon as Arthur and Gwenda arrived on the ground, the building exploded.

(Aaaah!!)

The building was engulfed in flames from the explosion.

“Are you okay?”

Arthur asked Glinda, who had collapsed next to him.

“……”

“Glinda?”

“…I’m okay.”

Glinda, who had her face on the ground, stood up and said,

(Wheeee)

“Hurry, let’s get out of here.”

When they heard the sound of sirens, Arthur ran and said,

“C-Come with me!”

Glinda followed Arthur.

* * * * * * * *

“Ugh, I want to go home from work.”

Inside the situation room where CCTV screens were visible, a staff member looked at the ceiling and said,

(Knock, knock, knock)

“There’s no one coming in?”

(Ding-ding)

At the knock, the staff member opened the door.

“It’s time for shift change, buddy.”

As the door opened, a man in the same uniform as the staff member, wearing glasses, said,

“Already?”

“Yeah, it’s like receiving the divine blessing of leaving work early.”

(Swish)

Arthur smoothly entered the situation room.

“…”

“A kid?”

The staff member saw a young girl following Arthur.

“Come on, quickly go home and rest. You’ll be busy starting tomorrow. Hey! Buddy!”

“Huh?”

The staff member looked puzzled at Arthur’s wrinkled face and covered nose.

“When did you last wash?”

“Do I smell? I showered recently.”

“That won’t do, you should spray something.”

(Swish)

Arthur took out a spray from his pocket.

(Ssshh!)

“Ugh!”

And sprayed it towards the staff member’s face.

“What… is this…”

(Thud!)

Before the staff member could react properly, he collapsed to the ground.

“Have sweet dreams.”

(Swoosh)

Looking at the fallen staff member, Arthur threw the spray to the side and said,

“Come on! Let’s get the job done quickly.”

“…”

(Tap, tap, clatter)

Glinda quietly watched Arthur sitting down, plugging in a USB, tapping on the mouse and keyboard, doing something.

“…”

(Clatter, clatter)

“…Is this how you usually do it?”

“Huh?”

“Do you normally sneak in like this and do the prep work?”

“It’s not usual, but the security here is so high. We have to finish this job quickly.”

“…”

“Do I look uncool?”

Surprisingly, being a villain had a lot in common with being a magician. For a flashy entrance and performance, prepping and accomplices are needed, or diverting attention, or carrying out the show in a spectacular manner.

And in that respect, it seemed like an unexpectedly fitting profession for me.

(Clatter, clatter)

“That’s enough.”

(Tiriri-ri-ri!!)

Strange programs appeared on the computer screen, and then they started running.

“Shall we talk while we wait?”

“Huh?”

(Swish)

Arthur turned his chair to look at Glinda.

“Glinda, tell me.”

“…”

“What will you do when the revenge is over?”

“……”

“You must have had a dream.”

“…I wanted to be an artist, a painter.”

“An artist, that’s a good dream.”

“But I don’t know if I can do it.”

“Dreams are good, they’re a mysterious presence that protects life.”

“What’s the other one?”

“Family.”

“…Then I’ve lost both.”

“…Have you?”

(Rustle)

Arthur suddenly appeared with a teapot and poured tea into the cups.

“Mr. Arthur-”

“Just call me Arthur, or would you prefer ‘oppa’?”

“…What is your dream, Arthur?”

“Well, my dream was… to be a policeman.”

“A policeman? Don’t people usually dream of being heroes?”

“Hahaha.”

“What about family?”

“Suddenly, the conversation has turned to me?”

“Oh, you don’t have to say anything.”

Glinda realized that the person sitting in front of her was the villain and that she was being questioned about the villain’s identity.

“I have a younger sister, a very pretty one. She’s probably around your age.”

“…How old are you?”

“In my twenties.”

“Late twenties or early thirties, I suppose?”

“…You’re unexpectedly sharp?”

“Is there a big age gap between you and your sister?”

“Yeah, because of that, it felt like I raised a daughter rather than a sister.”

“…But why do you call me ‘kid’?”

“Because you’re a kid, that’s why I call you that.”

“I’m not a kid!”

“Sure, kid.”

Considering your past life and your current age, you probably have a child as old as you.

[Installation complete]

Hector’s voice came through the small earpiece in Arthur’s ear.

“Okay, let’s start the party.”

.

.

.

.

.

.

“…”

“…”

The hallway with paintings, security guards holding guns were on duty.

“…Wait a minute.”

One of the guards felt something was off.

“Why am I so tired…”

(Thud!)

“What-”

(Thud! Thud!)

“!!”

“Gas! Gas masks!!”

Some guards who confirmed the fallen guards hastily put on gas masks.

(Pew! Pew! Pew!)

Guards with gas masks aimed their guns at the only entrance.

“…”

“…”

(tiptoeing)

“Hmm? Is there someone awake-”

(tadadadada!!)

“Ugh”

Wearing Mad Hatter’s attire, security guards shot at Arthur as he entered the corridor and Arthur hid behind the wall.

“Hmm~~~♪”

(click, snap!)

Humming, Arthur attached his pistol to a corner shot.

(thud)

Then, he concealed himself with the corner shot and extended the barrel outside.

(zeezeezee)

The corner shot’s camera scanned the corridor.

(beep!)

“Okay”

(vrrrrrr!!)

After the scan, Arthur pulled the trigger of the corner shot.

“Click!!”

(thud! tadadadada!! thud!)

Guided bullets fired from the smart pistol accurately struck down the security guards in the corridor.

“…”

(whoosh)

“Its performance is reliable.”

Having confirmed the smart pistol’s performance, Arthur walked down the corridor.

(tiptoeing)

Avoiding familiarly fallen people and corpses, Arthur walked to the door, followed by Grenda.

“Uh”

“Hmm? Alive? Are you okay?”

Approaching a suffering security guard who hadn’t died, Arthur asked.

“P-please, s-save-”

(bang!)

Arthur immediately shot the guard in the head.

“Remember this, clean up must be thorough to avoid problems,” Arthur said, looking at Grenda.

“…”

“Hmm~~♪”

Having perfectly finished the cleanup, Arthur walked to the thick door and stopped.

(knock knock, knock knock!)

Then, in the corridor where gunshots had just been heard, a cute knocking sound echoed.