episode_0204

This boss’s situation is quite regrettable.

Of course, as Number 13, I couldn’t simply let the prepared meal and offered prey go to waste, not being a moral person with that much patience. So, I had to take Violet.

However, that’s that, and this is this.

The one who made me do this, and the one who made Violet suffer for two days, is that ‘unidentified opponent.’

The price for this will be high.

That assertion, that resolve, that determination was visible in Number 13.

Recognizing that his feelings weren’t just a simple prank, Dorothy sighed softly.

Dorothy isn’t an original founding member like the other two, but she has spent a significant amount of time with Number 13.

Therefore, she knows how angry he is right now.

What he’s thinking, how he’s preparing himself.

Dorothy feels like she can grasp it all, leaving her with no choice but to resign herself.

In this case, all she can do is listen to Number 13’s wishes, fulfill his requests to the fullest, and devote herself to him.

Even if she usually teases him and calls him an idiot.

In terms of actual rank, Number 13 is her superior.

Dorothy is in a position where she can’t refuse Number 13’s orders.

“…Saying all that, you can’t do anything alone and you’re asking for help, right? Showing off.”

“Exactly. I don’t have a strategist, so you’re the only one I can discuss this with, Dorothy. You’ll help, right?”

“Yes, yes. How could I, a mere subordinate, complain? I must follow my superior’s orders.”

Dorothy, replying to Number 13 as if she couldn’t help it, sipped the barley tea in her beaker and moved quickly to one side of the lab wall.

“First, let’s organize the situation.”

On the wall, which can also be used as a whiteboard, she writes simply with a marker.

In neat, angular letters as if typing on a computer, keywords such as [Unidentified Monster], [Number 13], [Violet], [Spade], and a brief summary of the situation are listed one by one.

“First of all, the top priority is to find out who this [Unidentified Monster] is.”

“And equally important, to find and retrieve the [Strategist] whose whereabouts are currently unknown.”

“[The Boss’s situation] was also on the same level, but fortunately, this part has been resolved without any major problems.”

Dorothy lightly crossed out a certain sentence she had written next to the name [Violet].

So far, this is what Number 13 knows.

And here, Dorothy added new information that she had investigated, information that Number 13 didn’t know.

“This is what I investigated separately to find out the identity of this [Monster].”

“There are some clues. Whether it’s white or black, I need to investigate further.”

Along with Dorothy’s explanation, words and phrases are added to the wall.

Among them, [Lesserat], [Awakening Drug], and several things related to the Hero Association catch Number 13’s eye.

After writing everything down, Dorothy turns back to Number 13.

“That’s about it for now. I’ve organized the information I’ve investigated into a PDF and sent it to you, so check it directly.”

“That’s all for the summary. Then next, what should we do now?”

Saying that, Dorothy circles the words [4th Unit] among the things she wrote.

“…4th Unit?”

“Yes. 4th Unit.”

In response to Number 13’s question, Dorothy nods as if it were obvious.

With a tone and expression that doesn’t allow for argument, she tells Number 13 the conclusion.

“To find out who that [Unidentified Monster] is.”

“We will contact this [4th Unit] here.”

“Fortunately, we have a convenient pipeline to a hero group called ‘7th Unit,’ right?”

“According to my investigation, this [4th Unit] seems to have been investigating this [Monster] for a long time.”

“The target they’ve been investigating might not be the same as the one we’re after.”

“But it’s much more valuable than doing nothing.”

“You can do it, right, Number 13?”

To Dorothy’s words, as if provoking him.

Number 13 nods as if there’s no problem and gets up from his seat.

Not only because of Violet’s situation, but also because he’s worried about the missing strategist, he doesn’t have time to waste right now.

* * *

…………………………

……………

……

“…Yes, yes, I understand. Then I’ll contact you again later.”

Hero Association.

A group of heroes who prevent villain attacks and protect ordinary people from those with supernatural powers.

In the office of Rahe, the leader of the 7th Hero Unit in charge of S City, Rahe was on the phone with someone.

“Rahe~ Rahe~.”

After finishing the call and putting down the receiver, she heard a voice calling her from one corner of the leader’s office.

The not-so-large leader’s office is divided into sections by partitions, with one side being the space where Rahe’s desk is located, and the other side being a reception area with a sofa and table for welcoming important guests.

And now, a guest who has visited this 7th Unit is waiting in that reception area.

“Ra~heee~ What are you doing~? Play with me~.”

“…It’s work hours. Please don’t come here lightly to play, Leader Ashe.”

“A~ That’s too much~! I’m a busy person too, and I made time to come all the way here~!”

“And I hate that way of talking~! So stiff~! Talk comfortably~” The guest says, complaining.

It’s a beautiful voice, but the drawn-out way of speaking feels like a waste of that voice.

“Alright, I really can’t help it.”

It was an attitude and way of speaking that wouldn’t suit Rahe, a workaholic who lives under strict rules, but Rahe wore a faint smile that isn’t usually seen and crossed over the partition.

“Ashe, how have you been?”

“H~i hii~.”

Beyond the partition, a beautiful and charming woman called Ashe was leaning on the sofa.

Her wavy hair was tied up in a braid.

She was a woman with narrow, seemingly relaxed eyes.

She wore a thick, ornate white uniform, the same as Rahe.

The woman in the white uniform, the sign of a leader, is Rahe’s contemporary and the leader of the same hero unit as her.

The unit she’s in charge of is the 4th Unit.

She’s in charge of D City, which borders S City, and unlike Rahe, who has a strict and rigid style, she always has a relaxed and laid-back atmosphere and attitude.

She’s sprawled out on the two-person sofa with a languid attitude as drawn-out as her way of speaking, having carelessly taken off her boots.

The sofa isn’t large, but it was enough for her to lie down, as she’s about the average height for an adult woman.

“A~ This sofa is so nice~ We’ll request this one for the next supplies application period too~.”

“Yours is still usable, isn’t it? And I’ve said many times that this was a delivery.”

“That’s right~ When I looked into it, it was really expensive~ It’s a little difficult to buy with my own money~ I wonder if I can do something with public funds~.”

“…Don’t waste too much.”

“It’s to increase the leader’s work motivation~ It’s not a waste, it’s an investment~.”

Ashe, the leader of the 4th Unit, is one of the few people with whom Rahe speaks comfortably.

Rahe and Ashe are contemporaries, and in addition, Mer, the leader of the 3rd Unit, is also their contemporary, the same age as them, and a friend with whom they treat each other comfortably.

Rahe is certainly an excellent talent, but the two people who are her contemporaries are also very capable individuals who are not inferior to her.

Of course, the leader of the 4th Unit, who is sprawled out now, doesn’t even show a glimpse of that competence.

“I’ll get you something to drink. Leader Ashe, coffee as usual?”

“A~ Coffee’s good~ Is Rahe making it~?”

“Yeah. The subordinate who used to make it isn’t here anymore.”

“Heung~ I heard about it~.”

Ashe, who was rolling around on the sofa barefoot, answers. She had taken off her socks at some point.

The incident of a spy among the subordinates of the 7th Unit had caused quite a stir in the Hero Association for a while.

Fortunately, according to the report, the 7th Unit’s surprise operation had succeeded in suppressing Apple and the entire organization without causing significant damage to civilians, and a major incident was avoided.

However, the fact that a villain spy had been allowed to infiltrate the association’s internal affairs became a problem, and they must be busy coming up with countermeasures right now.

Fortunately, those are things for the people at the association headquarters to worry about, so the leaders, who only hear the decisions from above, don’t have to worry.

Anyway, Rahe has to make coffee since there are no subordinates.

Still, the high-end equipment that Apple used is still in this base, so Rahe can make decent coffee.

“Rahe, Rahee~ Wait a moment~.”

“Huh?”

As she was thinking that and about to leave the room to make coffee.

Before Rahe could reach the door of the leader’s office, Ashe called out to her.

Rahe stopped for a moment and turned around.

Right at that moment.

“Come on~ Let’s drink~.”

Along with Ashe’s words.

Rahe saw that two cups of coffee and snacks, along with a tray, were on the table in front of her, out of nowhere.

Steam was rising from the cups filled with dark coffee.

The space, which had only smelled of diffuser scent until just before, was suddenly filled with the aroma of coffee.

Ashe had also changed from her lying position to a seated position with her knees up.

The location of the boots she had carelessly taken off was also different from before.

“…I think you’re wasting your abilities too much.”

“What does it matter? I should use them to the fullest when I can. …But this coffee machine here is hard to use.”

I think it took me about thirty minutes, Ashe said with a grin.

The constellation she received grace from is 【Horologium】. The supernatural ability magic she mainly uses is 【Time Manipulation】.

She who controls time uses her great ability to stop time.

And, swaying her lovely hips, she walks to the pantry, leisurely makes coffee, prepares snacks, and then returns to the leader’s office.

Whether this should be called a waste of ability or a good use of it.

Rahe couldn’t really decide….