The first real workday is drawing near. Which also means December is nearly over.
In the meantime, I'd been diligently adapting to life in a foreign city. Well, living alone in a luxury apartment was a new experience, at least.
What turned out to be unexpectedly useful was the television. I used the news to study vocabulary I was still missing, and more than anything else, the best part was this:
"And now, today's reckless~ challenge~!"
"For today's menu, we're making? First, prepare some sugar, y'all~"
The fact that the OTT service was well-developed was the best part. There weren't many programs, but the lineup was the kind that simply couldn't be boring. Thanks to that, I wasn't lonely all the time.
And I'd made new friends too. If everyone found out, they'd probably faint on the spot.
"Good morning, Jay. The usual."
"Yes, sir. I'll have it ready right away."
In the busy early-morning market, the magpie handed his order to the boy who was already opening the shop door with practiced ease.
By now, my body had become one that couldn't survive without morning training, so I always ate breakfast here before heading out. That was how I'd gotten close to Jay. Honestly, this was the age where just seeing someone every day made you close, and, unexpectedly, we also happened to get along well.
"Yeah. Breaking a body down is a pain in the ass."
"Yes, sir. Still, once you get used to it, it's manageable."
"Ha. Look at you, a real professional. Maybe we'll end up in business together someday."
"If it's cutting, I'd definitely like to ask for your help. The scars on my arms keep increasing."
"That's what makes it cool. It means you put that much care into your work."
"Is... is that so? Then maybe it isn't so bad."
See? Anyone could tell that was a conversation between friends. Right? No? Want me to disassemble you?
"You're thinking something stupid again."
"What, you're here?"
"Am I not allowed to come?"
"No, I guess not. It's not my shop, and it's a friend's place, so I can't exactly throw customers out."
This one was Lin Wuxia. A new friend, and my precious breakfast mate. Also the Rat King's one and only daughter.
"Tsk... I don't know what's so good about that brat..."
"Hm? What was that?"
"His manners toward adults are atrocious... honestly, our Lin's eyes must be broken..."
"What the hell? Are you going to kill me or not?"
"If you don't disappear from my sight right now, before I really do kill you..."
For some reason, the Rat King had once tried to kill me, then muttered something incomprehensible and let me go. Why had he done that?
"Hey, Lin. Come to think of it, I met your father before."
"Huh? R-really? What was he like...?"
"He said he wanted to kill me, but he was letting me off because of you."
"What? Dad really said that?"
"Yeah. What exactly did you say to the Rat King?"
"N-nothing... I just said some good things about you to Dad... just a little..."
"Really? Then what kind of good things did you say for him to stop at murder? Hm?"
"W-wait, you're a little too close...?"
"Don't cover your face. Tell me. Hm? Hm?"
"G-go away!!"
The first thing I learned then was that Lin's slap hurt far more than expected. It hurt enough that Lin could later be promoted into a fighter class instead of a proper tactician caster.
So what had she actually said?
"You don't know that? That's why you're still a kid."
"What, so you know?"
"O-of course I do."
"Then what was it? Say it."
"Obviously, she said she wanted to kill you...!"
"Hm? She wanted to kill me?"
"Yeah, idiot. Covering up the sound coming from her stomach might have seemed considerate to you, but from her side, it could've been a humiliation."
"I-is that so?"
"Of course. And if she's the daughter of a major organization, her pride would be sky-high. The fact that the person who remembered her humiliation was still alive and standing right in front of her—wouldn't that grind her teeth to dust?"
"That... actually makes sense. I'm looking at you differently now."
"Of course. This body is one of the mountain spirits—no, wait, kid, who do you think you are, evaluating me?"
I'd half expected it, but to think that was the reason. I'll have to be more careful from now on.
"Here you go. Eat well."
"Ah, thanks, thanks. Today's an important day, so I need to get properly fired up."
"Then shouldn't you usually eat something special?"
"No, no. Throw away that amateur mindset. The usual thing hits hardest."
"Is that so...?"
"That's how it is."
Normally, if you suddenly eat something new after always eating the same familiar food, your stomach turns inside out.
"What kind of day is it?"
"It's my official first day on the job."
Right. Today was the day I tied the first knot in the two years of Lungmen life ahead of me.
"Phew... I'm full. What time are you open until today?"
"Mm... We don't stay open long on New Year's. Mr. Dong has something he needs to do."
"Oh... then I can't get a late-night snack."
"Separate from that, even if the shop closes, I'll still be here, so you can come if you want."
"Really? I really was born lucky when it comes to friends, huh? Hm? Then I'll see you later. I'm off~"
"Yes. Take care."
Come to think of it, I never got dinner out of that team leader bastard. How irritating. I'll drag him over later.
"All right. Today's your first day, right?"
"Nice to meet you, Team Leader old man. So what am I supposed to do?"
Am I going to cut people down? Or maybe interrogate someone?
"Here, take this."
"This is... paperwork?"
"We're not always out on deployments. Most of the time, we're buried in administrative work."
"So that means... I have to do that too?"
"Yes. Still, don't worry too much. I won't hand you much of the actual office work. Just some simple errands. I'll definitely take you to the field, so don't worry."
"Got it. That much isn't hard."
Thank goodness. I still take forever to read text. Errands are better than office work.
"That's unexpected. I thought you'd complain about being called in just to do this kind of work."
"Not really. I'm getting paid either way, so if they tell me to do it, what else am I supposed to do?"
"Pragmatic, huh? I like that. Then take these to HR first."
The magpie begins duty!
"HR... human resources... that's over there, right?"
With the Columbia script written underneath, it's easier to read after all.
"Excuse me. I'm from the Serious Crimes Division. I was told to deliver these documents, so I came looking for you."
Unlike the Serious Crimes Division, which had rather heavy faces and a correspondingly heavy atmosphere, HR felt much more relaxed.
"Really? Oh? A child? Are you here for a field trip?"
"Sis, you're mistaking a Durin for... a Liberi? Then he really is a child."
"Let me see. Oh my~ he really is. How old are you?"
"I'm thirteen in Danguk years."
"Thirteen?? Isn't that way too young?"
And there were a lot of older sisters here! Important, so I'll say it twice! There were a lot of older sisters here!
"First of all, I'm not here for a field trip... Ah, the dragon head said I just needed to show this."
The badge issued by the Guard Bureau. When had I gotten this again? Anyway, I remembered bringing it because I'd been told it was my first day.
"Let's see... huh?"
"What is it? Hm? It's a real official badge? And the guarantor is Wei Yenwu...?"
"It is, right? I'm a humble citizen who works and gets a salary too."
"...Wait, isn't this a forgery?"
"Yeah, that's probably it. Kid, forgery is a serious crime, you know?"
"That's not a forgery, though?"
A deep voice came from behind me.
"Oh, dragon head. Got nothing better to do?"
"I came to see you because it was your first day, and you stab me in the chest like that?"
"That's what this was? I thought you were free."
"W-W-Wei Yenwu?! Then this child is...?"
"Allow me to introduce him. This is Baekhyun. He's the Guard Bureau operative I formally selected this time. He'll be working for the next two years, so take good care of him."
"What?! But isn't he far too young?!"
"If you saw the record this child has racked up, you'd probably rather just believe he's a child."
"What nonsense are you spouting? And when exactly did you start spying on my training?"
"Hm? You noticed?"
"When you were fighting Talulah, I felt one more gaze from the building. You said you were going to report, but the one you were reporting to was already watching the scene like a voyeur?"
"Voyeurism? That's a dangerous thing to say. When you rise to a position this high, even the smallest rumor can shake the seat beneath you."
"Then I'd better silence my mouth, huh?"
"Heh. So what do you want?"
"Buy me lunch. With dragon head money, of course."
"...Unexpected. I thought you'd ask for dinner too."
"Ah. I already have someone I'm going to fleece for dinner."
".....No matter how I look at it, you really do have a talent for stripping people bare."
Nice. Lunch money saved today.