episode_0122

At dawn, Violet headed to the Helios Clan with a friend. Due to the memory of the previous attack, they formed a convoy for their journey.

“Depart!”

“Road clear. Advance!”

The convoy consisted of three vehicles, motorcycles, and a powered hang glider. Two pickup trucks led the front and rear.

Their cargo beds were covered with plastic sheets, beneath which an armed Violet lay hidden, holding a machine gun. In an emergency, she intended to tear off the cover, jump out, and unleash a hail of bullets.

In the center was an SUV carrying Irene. Surrounding it, motorcycles typically used for deliveries moved at a distance.

“This should be enough, right?”

Violet 214 confidently sat in the driver’s seat. Unit 2, who was observing the scene by sharing Violet 214’s vision, shook her head.

“Not at all! Have you forgotten the last attack?”

Unit 2 recalled the situation during the attack. A scene unfolded with countless suicide drones flying in. The vivid memory made the Violets shiver.

“Eek! An aerial attack!”

“This is dangerous, isn’t it?”

Violet snapped back to reality. Now that she thought about it, an attack could indeed come from the sky!

Several scenarios popped into her head: suicide drones, jet bikes, helicopters… Though they seemed extravagant, they were entirely possible.

In that case, surveillance from the sky was also necessary.

“Flight squadron, sortie!”

Just before the convoy departed, a hastily assembled powered hang glider soared through the wind.

“This is HQ. We’ve moved about halfway along the planned route. Report.”

“All clear! The sky is clean.”

Somewhere high in the sky, a hang glider that had taken off from the factory slowly followed above the convoy. I thoroughly surveyed the surroundings. Fortunately, nothing happened until they arrived.

“HQ calling. Arriving in 5 minutes!”

The Helios Clan headquarters building, located on the outskirts of the Central Zone, was smaller than expected. It was only about ten stories high.

However, as they got closer, they realized the surrounding facilities and grounds were extensive.

Various armed vehicles and armored cars were parked in the large parking lot and hangars, and on one side, helicopters and small airships equipped with anti-gravity devices were undergoing maintenance.

“Wow, it’s huge! It’d be great to have just one of those helicopters…”

“So spacious, so wide!”

As I admired the surrounding scenery, a question arose in my mind. How could such a thriving clan become so utterly destitute five years later?

“…This is our clan.”

Irene murmured in a restrained tone, tinged with a hint of pride.

I parked the car in front of the building.

Following Irene out, they saw a sign at the entrance that read .

Passing through the revolving door into the entrance, a clean and sophisticated lobby greeted them. Many people were coming and going.

“Do you know what kind of work our clan does?”

“I heard they do security and exploration.”

As far as I knew, clans had several ways to earn profit. Fighting invading demonic beasts was the main job, but few people made money just by killing them.

Usually, it was customary to utilize the byproducts and find lucrative opportunities within dungeons.

What Helios did was similar. However, this clan was more adventurous in nature, as they actively went on expeditions to unconfirmed dungeons and the eroded zone beyond the Wall, hunting down dangerous Awakened ones and excavating resources and relics.

Upon entering, several Hunters on guard duty approached them for inspection.

“Stop, there’ll be a brief inspection… Oh, it’s the young lady. It’s been a while, how’s the academy?”

One man, who had stopped them with an imposing demeanor, was surprised to see Irene.

“Long time no see, Team Leader-nim.”

Judging by the atmosphere, the two seemed to know each other well. Irene chatted amiably with the Team Leader and then passed.

Due to security issues, everyone had to undergo inspection, but since she was Irene’s friend, they treated her kindly.

“That’s Team Leader Land. He’s in charge of security. I used to visit here often for training when I was little.”

Irene briefly explained as they finished the inspection and headed to the first-floor lobby. After that, she greeted and conversed with several other people within the clan. Everyone seemed to know each other well.

“She trained since she was little. Was she educated as a successor?”

“Our friend is an amazing person!”

I followed my friend to the elevator.

Irene’s reason for visiting the Helios headquarters building today was simple.

Currently, Irene’s bank account was frozen. During the last attack, her house exploded, and all the equipment she had stored was lost, and even her spear broke while fighting an Awakened cyborg during the engagement.

So, she had consulted with her father’s secretary, Mr. Cress, who usually acted as her guardian, and had come to retrieve her personal equipment stored here.

I followed Irene to the elevator. We’d part ways here, right?

“Wait a moment, Violet. Can you escort me?”

“Okay! Got it.”

For some reason, Irene kept asking me to escort her. Well, I was curious about what the inside looked like.

Indeed, what would the inside of the Helios building be like?

**

As they rode the elevator up to the eighth floor, Irene began to channel her magical power.

Though she tried her best to act nonchalant next to her friend, she was inwardly nervous. She slowly took a deep breath and concentrated her senses on her surroundings.

‘I hope my prediction is wrong, but…’

Irene recounted the previous attack.

First, the attackers had planted bombs in the penthouse, which only she and her family could enter.

The attackers were not just random thugs either. The non-Awakened mercenaries were well-trained, and they coordinated with Awakened forces. They also used tactics unique to the Helios Clan.

The robot soldier that had pushed her back was also a mystery. The ability to precisely and powerfully manipulate magical power was exclusively that of humans or demonic beasts. A robot that could use magic? By anyone’s standards, it was no ordinary item.

If her prediction was correct, merely entering this place might be dangerous. She had brought Violet just in case, but it wasn’t enough to completely quell her unease.

‘First, let’s meet Mr. Cress and talk. Or maybe the others…’

Irene and Violet went to the office. There were several people she needed to meet before retrieving her stored equipment.

A moment later, she tried to suppress the rising bewilderment within her.

‘Retired? Why?’

She had wondered why she couldn’t reach them, and now she learned they had all left.

Mr. Cress was her father’s secretary. He had acted as her guardian after Irene’s father suffered an irreparable injury and became unconscious.

She had been puzzled by the sudden lack of contact, but she never imagined something like this had happened.

And that wasn’t all.

“Oh, that person? They moved departments recently. Contact information? I’m not sure…”

The people within Helios who usually helped her had quit or moved departments within days. In an instant, everyone who had assisted and supported her had vanished.

She felt like her limbs had been severed. Irene couldn’t find a more appropriate expression.

“Irene, are you okay?”

Feeling Violet, who had been tagging along, looking at her expectantly, Irene nodded slightly.

After pressing the clan’s HR staff for contact information, she intended to collect her equipment and leave.

And then Irene came face to face with a familiar face.

“It’s been a long time seeing you at the clan, Irene. Are you well?”

As she walked down the hallway, a middle-aged man with blond hair appeared. Behind him, three armed Hunters were visible.

Irene raised her head and gazed impassively at the man, who was her paternal uncle.

“Uncle Rigel, I heard you were on a business trip. It’s been a while.”

“Haha, yes. I only returned to Rustrum a few days ago. But more importantly…”

Rigel trailed off, clicking his tongue as he looked at his niece with a sympathetic gaze.

“I heard the news. You were targeted in a terror attack, weren’t you? Truly unfortunate. Still, it’s a relief you weren’t hurt.”

“Yes, fortunately, the Inspection Bureau arrived in time, and I was able to get out safely.”

“That’s good to hear. Whoever it was, the clan won’t let them get away with it.”

Though he seemed concerned on the surface, a slight hint of dissatisfaction was embedded in Rigel’s words. Irene could discern it in the subtle shift of his tone.

More importantly, why was he suddenly bringing up the attack?

A question arose, but Irene maintained an unconcerned expression. There was no need to rashly reveal her emotions. Stay calm.

“By the way, what’s with that equipment? May I ask why you’re suddenly taking the clan’s assets?”

“Some of my equipment was damaged in that attack.”

She demonstratively lifted her bag slightly.

“And strictly speaking, it’s not the clan’s assets. It’s under my name, you see?”

“Hmm, I see. I guess I was mistaken then. Well, there’s nothing to be done.”

Rigel, who had briefly clicked his tongue, suddenly let out a short exclamation of ‘Ah’, as if something had just occurred to him.

“I thought you were broke, you know. There have been some strange rumors about you lately.”

“Rumors?”

“Ah, I’m not blaming you, but there’s talk that you’ve been carousing since you enrolled in the academy.”

Then Rigel showed her his smartphone. Irene’s face twisted as she saw the screen.

“What is this…!”

In the blurry photo, a violet-haired girl was seen carousing amidst an array of liquor bottles. White powder and syringes were also visible on the table.

“This isn’t me. And the time is off too.”

“Right? That’s right. I believe you too. However, whether someone was just playing a prank or not, these crude photos, along with strange rumors, have been circulating within the clan.

There’s even talk that you’ve been involved with gangs. Of course, it’s baseless rumor, isn’t it? Still, it would be wise to be careful with your actions for a while.”

Rigel smiled kindly, but Irene felt a shiver run down her spine.

What Rigel said sounded to her like, “If you don’t want your reputation within the clan to drop further, restrain yourself and keep quiet.”

“I also heard that your account was suspended. That’s unfortunate. Your house burned down, do you have somewhere to stay? I can find you a new room near the academy.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I already have somewhere I’m staying.”

Irene politely refused. Rigel stroked his chin for a moment, thinking, then pointed to the people behind him.

“Don’t you need bodyguards? You can’t feel safe until those who attacked you are caught, can you?”

“I haven’t seen these people before.”

“They’re newly hired employees. Our clan needs new innovations, too, you know.”

The so-called bodyguard standing behind him grinned.

“Thank you for offering your help, Uncle Rigel, but I already have bodyguards.”

“Bodyguards…? Ah, are you talking about the people who fought before the Inspection Bureau forces arrived during the attack?”

Irene’s eyes wavered slightly.

‘I haven’t said a single word about Violet, though?’

Nevertheless, her uncle didn’t seem to have grasped the specific situation.

Irene gained some composure for the first time in this conversation.

‘Let’s mix in a little lie and exaggeration.’

“Yes, they’re a secret armed security unit my father prepared in advance. They’re called the Ariel Group.”

“What? The Ariel Group…?”

Rigel, who had been oscillating between casual ease and subtle arrogance, faltered for the first time, a change Irene didn’t miss.

“They’re said to be an organization formed in secret, gathering only Helios’s most elite members. Even I was honestly surprised when I first saw them.”

“…I see. I never knew my brother had created something like that…”

Rigel muttered with a laugh.

“Perhaps, a way to contact the Ariel Group is…”

“Unfortunately, they wouldn’t tell me. Uncle, may I leave now?”

While her uncle was flustered, Irene quickly walked past Rigel.

Just then, Violet, who had been waiting, ran up, waving her hand.

“Wait, Irene. I’m not finished talking…”

“Irene~ I’m hungry!”

“Alright. What do you want to eat?”

Violet, who had been conversing with Irene, saw Rigel and waved to him.

“Who’s that?”

“That’s Uncle Rigel.”

“Hello! Mr. Rigel. I’m Violet!”

“Ah, is that so?”

Just then, the elevator arrived. Violet and Irene got into the elevator and quickly descended.