episode_0281

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Red heels lightly stepped on the carpet of the hotel hallway.

A luxurious hotel located in the heart of S City, the bustling district.

Olivia, a high commander and member of the European hero organization [Aius], was heading towards the VIP-only upper floors of the hotel.

Two escorts followed her.

And two more people were waiting for her in the space ahead.

A total of four escorts accompanied Olivia on this trip to the country.

Only these four.

“Commander~ so, how long are we staying here?”

“…Lapis, be quiet.”

“But~ I need to know something to plan the schedule~ I want to go sightseeing here and there while we’re here.”

The two escorts followed Olivia.

The young, fresh girls in their early twenties were talking back and forth.

Olivia didn’t even glance at them, continuing down the hallway.

After a while, the two escorts opened a door, revealing a large lounge hall.

Compared to its size, there were few people using the hall, giving it an empty feeling.

Barely, besides the middle-aged master providing service, there were only two people from Olivia’s group.

The remaining two escorts, who had been sipping alcohol and waiting for Olivia, immediately stood up and saluted.

“Good work, Olivia-nim!”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

Olivia nodded for the two, who saluted in loud voices showing their loyalty, to sit back down.

When Olivia went to sit at the table where the two were sitting, the remaining two who had followed her also sat down.

Although no separate orders were placed, the waiting middle-aged master brought each person’s favorite cocktails and drinks, as previously instructed.

Before long, expensive-looking dishes lined the table, creating a luxurious scene.

“Guests, the remaining courses will be delivered sequentially according to the time. At other times, I will be waiting in the room inside, so please ring the call bell or call me directly if you need anything.”

A timer indicating the time for the course meals was placed on the table with a click.

The master said so with the timer and then left.

This was to allow them to talk comfortably.

The hall, which would normally have more staff and customers, was completely chartered by Olivia.

It would continue to be chartered like this while she stayed at the hotel.

Olivia had enough financial power to not care about this.

This was also a countermeasure against eavesdropping.

Rather than fearlessly having secret conversations in a space where someone might be listening, it was Olivia’s style to create a comfortable space for conversation while indulging in luxury.

Olivia took the fact nonchalantly and gestured to the escort who had been waiting here first.

Then the escort quickly straightened her posture and responded to the look.

“There are no problems with eavesdropping. I have checked everything using equipment, and no one else has come here in the meantime.”

Olivia picked up the cocktail glass in front of her and sipped the contents.

When she glanced over, the master seemed to have definitely gone inside the room.

There was no sign of anyone around.

“…Good. Then let’s start the story.”

—Ah, flawless without exception.

Olivia, an extreme perfectionist, was satisfied with the situation where everything was perfect and there were no unexpected events, and only then did she relax her expression and speak.

***

Years ago, before Olivia rose to the position of High Commander.

She, who was then just a regular commander leading a hero team, met a hero from an Eastern country called Korea.

Rahe, the squad leader of the 7th squad of the [Korean Hero Association].

At the time, Rahe, who had just been designated as squad leader, was dispatched to England for about half a year before actually being appointed to the position, to receive training.

Olivia, who had great pride as an Englishwoman, looked down on and underestimated the hero from the remote corner of the East.

When Olivia was assigned to be in charge of the hero from the East who came to receive training, by order of her superiors.

She was a little embarrassed by her excellent appearance and character when she first saw her… but Olivia still looked down on Rahe.

Because she was a human of lowly blood.

Olivia was a person who inherited the blood of a noble British aristocrat, and she was proud of that blood.

On the other hand, the faceless Asians who couldn’t have pride in their bloodline, who had received seeds from who knows who… they deserved to be treated as inferior and lowly slaves.

It couldn’t be helped that Olivia thought that way.

A morbid level of pride.

A morbid level of discrimination.

Excessive self-affirmation.

Excessive arrogance and perfectionism.

These things were Olivia’s identity, and she was producing achievements that no one could complain about her terrible personality.

Wealth in wealth, achievements in achievements.

With power, beauty, intelligence, and luck, she was undoubtedly an all-around beauty, and she, who was doing many external activities and appearing in the mass media, was even called ‘the face of England’ or ‘the pride of England’.

Now that her momentum has waned, her recognition in England is still great.

Even though there were many talented people with more experience than her, the fact that she surpassed all of them and took the position of High Commander, of which there are only three in Aius, clearly shows that she is a great person.

She was perfect.

She was in a position of power so high that she was allowed to be arrogant.

She was great.

Everyone praised her, everyone looked up to her, and she was a person who deserved to be above everyone.

Yes, there was no blemish on her achievements.

Until then.

Until Rahe came.

Until an indelible stain was left on her honor because of Rahe.

Until then, she had been living her life accumulating achievements of perfection, perfection, perfection, and perfection, without ever knowing failure.

Ah.

Ah.

Ah…!!

—I hate Rahe…!!

—I really, really…hate her so much I want to kill her…!

***

A throbbing headache came.

Every time she recalled the events of that time, she got a slight headache, perhaps due to stress.

Using the headache as a switch, Olivia turned her consciousness back out of her own world.

The course meal had already reached the third course, and a briefing on the situation was continuing along with the meal.

“——That’s what it is… um, Olivia-nim? Are you okay?”

The female escort in charge of reporting the situation asked Olivia as if seeking confirmation.

Olivia, who had been lost in thought, had only vaguely heard what she was talking about, but nodded and cut the shellfish dish in front of her.

“No problem. Continue.”

It didn’t matter if she didn’t hear the content of the story properly.

Because the overall picture was already fully drawn in her mind.

Her plan would not fail.

Everything would flow according to the ‘scenario’ she had set.

It had to.

That was Olivia.

Because she had to be perfect in everything.

“Yes, I will proceed with the ■th plan as is. In addition, regarding the ■■th plan, I have contacted the opposing organization on this part——”

The subordinate’s report continued.

It had only been a day or so since she arrived in this country.

However, her escorts had already arrived here a week ago and completed all the necessary preparations.

Preparations for Olivia’s ‘perfect plan’ were progressing steadily.

‘Rahe.’

‘This time, I’ll wash away the stain of that day.’

Olivia continued to eat in a formal manner and listened to the report, recalling the squad leader of the 7th squad she had seen.

An Asian hero.

Probably no less than herself, a beautiful hero worthy of the word ‘Eastern-style beauty’.

Olivia recalled the strong and charismatic hero in her mind, and burned the gem-like blue eyes with the flames of dark red hatred and anger.

“That’s all. Is there anything that could be a problem?”

“No. Good work, Marine. Excellent.”

“Thank you.”

At Olivia’s compliment, the woman wearing glasses who had just finished the report bowed deeply.

Codename Aquamarine, nickname Marine.

She was one of the talented people in the special facility managed by Olivia, a specialist in information and negotiation.

Her ability as an Awakened was very excellent, but there were shortcomings in many ways compared to the negotiator who was in charge of the negotiation aspect of the previous generation.

However, the previous generation’s negotiator was an unwieldy tool that even Olivia could not handle, so it could not be helped.

In the case of Marine, who had been sent away from the current previous generation agent and newly appointed to the position, she had a special loyalty to Olivia no matter what her ability was, so she could handle her with peace of mind.

It’s good for a subordinate to be used as a tool if he is talented, but what is needed more than that is that he ‘must be easy to handle’.

In that respect, Marine passes.

‘Pearl…she infiltrated here under the name Apple.’

Olivia ordered her to infiltrate the 7th squad.

A long-term mission without a deadline in a faraway land.

In some ways, it looked like a sign of trust, but from a different angle, it could be seen as demotion or even a disposable piece.

And Olivia’s intention was the latter.

The woman who used to be called Pearl and now uses the name Apple clearly had feelings other than loyalty towards Olivia.

Therefore, she was sent away as a disposable piece.

It would be good if she completed the mission as is, and if she failed, she could just die as is.

The subordinate she sent with that thought… and as she had hoped, she failed the mission and her whereabouts became unknown.

Thanks to this, Marine, who had been preparing for a long time, took over the position that Pearl, who didn’t know what she was thinking, had.

That was enough.

That was enough.

‘After all, these kids are just stepping stones and tools for my perfect future.’

‘So, there’s no problem.’

“Well, let’s organize the story a bit.”

Olivia, who had finished Marine’s report and continued the meal for a while, suddenly said so.

The four escorts who were enjoying the meal in their own way, the four loyal subordinates who had all been dispatched from one facility, looked at Olivia and listened to her words.

To the four of them, Olivia said with a soft smile.

“There are two reasons why you and I came to this lowly Eastern land.”

“One is to smash Rahe, who humiliated me in the past… I really, really hate that woman, so I’m going to thoroughly destroy her this opportunity.”

“This is just my personal wish… how about it? Can I use your power for this kind of thing?”

At Olivia’s words, the four subordinates nodded without hesitation.

Olivia chuckled at the dog-like appearance and continued to speak happily.

“And the second purpose. This is for all of us.”

“I’m going to find the 『special thing』 that is only in this country.”

“Something that can fulfill all our wishes, and a thing to usher in a new era.”

“…The annihilation of Rahe and the 7th squad is only the first step in finding that thing. No, is it just an appetizer?”

“After all, I need your help. Will you help me?”

Olivia said this in a pleasant voice as well.

However, the heat contained in that voice was much more gloomy, heavy, and more persistent than when she had talked about humiliating Rahe a little while ago.

The four people here also didn’t hear exactly what Olivia was looking for.

But that was not a problem for these four people.

There was no need for a detailed explanation for the four people to offer their loyalty and burn their bodies.

““““As our Commander wishes.””””

The girls with different personalities each confessed with different voices but with solemnity.

“……Good. Thank you, everyone.”

“Then I’ll go back to my room first, so finish your meal. You can order anything else you want if you want.”

Olivia said so as if she had become a queen ruling over her people, and got up from her seat and returned to her room.

A storm is approaching.

A storm that will plunge everyone into chaos and turn many things upside down.

A special storm to destroy and trample on the temporary peace that has come to this country is about to blow right now….