Early morning.
Kim Iseo and Park Mina began preparing for dispatch after receiving orders from the Branch Chief. The two emerged from their respective quarters, loaded up on equipment, climbed into a Bureau-issued vehicle, and started the engine.
Vroom.
The smoothly started vehicle exited the Management Bureau's parking lot and merged onto the road. Park Mina briefly gazed at Kim Iseo, who was gripping the steering wheel, then fastened her seatbelt and stared out the window.
The Seoul morning was hectic as always. The streets were packed with office workers commuting, and the roads were filled with cars. During rush hour, the road was better called a slow conveyor belt than a road, with cars sluggishly rolling their wheels.
"......."
It was a speed and scenery that most Koreans would hate. But Park Mina more or less liked these slow mornings. Because they gave her time to think amidst a complicated daily life.
Life at the Management Bureau was harsh as it was, so she couldn't help but welcome this kind of leisure.
But there were always people who were not like that. Park Mina looked at the most representative figure among such people and parted her lips.
"......Hey, Iseo."
"......? What."
She, who had been tapping the steering wheel with her fingers at the stalled traffic, glanced at Park Mina. Mina met her eyes and spoke.
"Why did you suggest we recruit that mage?"
It was a story from several days ago already.
They had already reached a conclusion once in the Branch Chief's office, and now they were on their way to carry out a mission following that conclusion. It wasn't a question she couldn't ask given the situation, but it was still a bit out of the blue.
"All of a sudden?"
"No, just...... I naturally thought you'd suggest we assassinate him. You don't really like Mysteries, after all."
Kim Iseo's past wasn't particularly famous within the Management Bureau. Stories like how she had survived alone inside a cruel fairy tale called Hansel and Gretel and become a Bureau agent were already a dime a dozen.
People like her all hated Mysteries and wanted to execute them.
Kim Iseo's hatred ran a bit deeper than others'. Even if she wasn't blazing with vengeance, the rumor that she personally sought out cruel fairy tales was already well-known even within the Bureau. It wasn't for nothing that the Branch Chief had personally scolded her before.
That such a person would advocate recruiting a mage who directly handled and wielded Mysteries was truly unexpected. Even Park Mina, who thought she knew her fairly well as a colleague, had not seen this coming at all.
"Ah, that."
But to Park Mina's cautious question, Kim Iseo answered with a languid look, as if it were no big deal.
"I hate Mysteries, not the people who handle them. There aren't people who hate entomologists just because they hate bugs. That's all."
"......That's a rather unique analogy?"
"It's not exactly wrong, though."
Kim Iseo put a candy she always bought for quitting smoking into her mouth, and held it between her fingers as if smoking a cigarette. A sweet lemon taste spread thickly across her tongue.
"And, that was all an act we put on. If Senior Yeoul had suggested recruiting him, I probably would have pushed for assassination."
There always had to be multiple options. To attach a reason one could accept to a decision, and also to avoid giving the impression that one was stubbornly pushing a unilaterally decided fact. It was always right to present contrasting arguments. It might be unnecessary work at a normal company, but the Management Bureau was no normal company.
"I was just reading the room so the Branch Chief could choose more easily. Didn't you see me and Senior Yeoul exchanging glances?"
"Ah, really? I didn't see."
"That gentleman Park Hee-su seemed to have seen it. Well, he's a rookie, so of course he wouldn't have noticed."
Kim Iseo rolled the candy around in her mouth and lightly stepped on the accelerator.
"Anyway, that's why we coordinated beforehand and presented two arguments. Honestly, both are perfectly doable."
"......I'm not so sure about recruiting him. Assassination seems doable, though."
"The Management Bureau is certainly full of talented people. If it really doesn't work, we just press the disposable instant-death button. The offering was roughly 50 people, was it?"
Kim Iseo clicked her tongue as she recalled the red chunk of flesh button locked in the isolation room.
"Personally, I don't want to use it. That thing feels disgusting."
"True...... The isolation team guys all hate it too. They say watching it twists their guts."
It wasn't a metaphor—they really meant their guts twisting. There were already a few isolation team members whose organs had twisted like mad until they died.
Kim Iseo pulled the candy from her mouth with a pop, then licked the long strand of silver saliva trailing from it.
"Well, it doesn't matter. We don't need to consider assassination anymore anyway. Do we really need to debate whether it's possible or not?"
As she said that, she rubbed her eyelids, darkened with under-eye circles.
As if there were anything to hide.
The conclusion chosen by the Management Bureau was to follow Kim Iseo's proposal and decide on recruitment.
*
At the same time.
A few days after witnessing Cecilia's pizza inhaling, Ian felt puzzled that the Management Bureau agents still hadn't come looking, but he didn't pay it much mind.
If they were willing to look the other way and let it go, that was actually better for Ian. Perhaps they were coming a bit later due to preparations or meetings, but regardless, he was free for the moment. Since he hadn't taken any requests until his condition returned, both his body and mind were refreshingly clear.
It was undeniably a pleasant morning. As always, Ian followed his morning routine: light exercise, a shower, and then a meal.
Afterward, he lay on his bed and browsed the community.
As always, there were a few informational posts among shitposts, and relatively recent quality posts shone brightly, packed with upvotes and comments. Ian yawned and skimmed through the topmost posts.
[Master, may this fucking son-of-a-bitch bastard live a long, healthy life.]
[PlzDelete]
(Photo of a cleanly shaved scalp)
Last time I joked about feeling like putting him through the Goryeo-jang, and the Master shaved all my hair off. He said it was his hair loss, but he shaved my head too; wouldn't it be legal even if I pushed him off a cliff?
Fuck, I told you I need to get a boyfriend!
[Upvotes 156] [Downvotes 1]
[Comments]
-StrawberryYogurtSmoothie: hahahahahahahaha
ㄴPlzDelete: Don't shatter. Before I split you apart.
ㄴStrawberryYogurtSmoothie: hahahahahahahahahahahaha
ㄴPlzDelete: You crazy bitch.
-DeepSeaAngler: Why so many upvotes? More than usual.
ㄴThey're using lurker shadow clone jutsu. Total Hokages.
ㄴDeepSeaAngler: You too, right?
ㄴhaha
ㄴyour
ㄴalts
ㄴexposed
ㄴDeepSeaAngler: I'm so scared my gills are trembling right now.
ㄴOh.......
-BugInYourEar: Boyfriend? Are you gay, you bastard?
ㄴPlzDelete: I'm a girl, you son of a bitch.
ㄴBugInYourEar: Number. Photo. Name.
ㄴBugInYourEar: Ah, shaved-head girls excluded. Pass.
ㄴPlzDelete: Are you a crazy bastard or what.
-SweetGrandpa: Disciple. My. Waist. Hurts. Give. Me. A. Massage.
ㄴPlzDelete: Ah. I really feel like putting you through the Goryeo-jang.
"It was just a trivial post."
Ian left just one emoticon in the comments, pondered for a moment, then wrote a post.
[I'm thinking of buying a bike. Does anyone know a lot about them?]
[OP]
Title says it all.
After posting, he put his phone down for a moment.
He'd planned to secure a means of transportation for a while now. He'd wavered between a bike and a passenger car, but in the end hadn't chosen anything and let it fizzle out. But now his mind was firmly made up.
'A bike really is better.'
What triggered the decision was the replica-type bike he'd ridden while escaping the hospital.
Securing a field of vision far easier than in a car. The fact that delicate handling and driving allowed for omnidirectional shooting. And the outstanding convenience compared to a car.
Excluding the danger, it was a far better means of transportation than he'd thought. He'd gotten a license but had never ridden one before, so he didn't know, but trying it during the escape was better than expected. It was more than enough to serve as his primary means of transportation.
Of course, the danger wasn't laughably negligible, but that was something magic could sufficiently mitigate. Just the magic imbued in his coat alone had the effect of absorbing shock like water, so at the very least, he didn't need to worry about suffering serious injuries.
That didn't mean he intended to let his guard down. No matter what, he planned to drive with safety in mind. Driving without that was a perfect way to die regardless of whether it was a car or a bike.
Ian went up to the rooftop, burned through a cigarette, came back, and lay on his bed again to check the post.
Fortunately, there were numerous comments. He replied appropriately and communicated with them.
-Bikes are nice. What do you plan to use it for?
ㄴOP: Just transportation. If I had to specify, probably for resolving requests?
ㄴDo you have a license? If you're a beginner, pick something under 500cc.
ㄴOP: I have a license. Sure thing for now.
-StrawberryYogurtSmoothie: Bikes are dangerous-yo. You should drive a car instead-yo. And take me for a drive-yo.
ㄴOP: I don't want to.
ㄴStrawberryYogurtSmoothie: (Even the gentle mage is angry-yo con)
"This one's the same as always......."
The moment Ian muttered that to himself, a new comment appeared.
-★Daemo: If it's for transportation and for going out to resolve requests, an R-type would be best. I mean a replica. I've written up a whole list of recommended bikes in a post, so please take a look.
It was a reply from someone he completely didn't expect. Ian asked with a slightly surprised expression.
ㄴOP: Do you ride?
ㄴ★Daemo: Yes, ever since I learned the 'Magic That Prevents Accidents,' I've been occasionally riding a bike to resolve requests.
ㄴOP: Unexpected. Didn't really have that image.
ㄴ★Daemo: You don't even know my face, so what image. Anyway, check it and DM me.
Daemo replied thus, hesitated for a moment, then added.
ㄴ★Daemo: If you'd like, I can even cast a spell on your bike.