When I returned home after doing the shopping Haruange mentioned, I couldn’t stop thinking about meeting Drask again. It was a brief encounter, but the moment we met and the conversation we had remained vividly in my mind.
While waiting for my girlfriends to return from work, I wondered when they would finish. Before I knew it, the sun had set, and only then did I hear the sound of the front door opening, later than our usual dinner time.
“Everyone worked hard.”
“Brother…”
I held Yubin, who leaned on me with her tired body, and patted her shoulder gently.
I heard that repetitive investigations were being conducted to confirm the consistency of testimonies, even though I hadn’t experienced them myself, just listening made me feel the headache-inducing nature of it.
“Dinner?”
“I ate at headquarters. Did you?”
“I didn’t. It’s fine. I’ll manage on my own, so take it easy today.”
I couldn’t bring myself to ask Yubin to eat alone given her visibly exhausted state.
If I kept talking, I might have continued to prepare dinner nonstop, so I quickly changed the subject.
“Did anything happen while you were being investigated?”
“There wasn’t any major issue, but starting this month, wages will be paid normally.”
“Wow?! That’s great news! It’s really good!”
Money is important. One of the reasons why they struggled so much until now was because they couldn’t receive their normal wages.
Yubin and Yura work part-time, and Hayang was looking into side jobs. The Milky Way was in the same situation, but ever since two people started looking into side jobs, many accidents occurred, making it impossible to consider other options.
There must be a limit to the money they have. It’s fortunate that they can now receive normal wages.
I can help with the immediate shortfall, but even as a partner, considering their personalities, they would likely feel burdened if I insisted they live off my money.
“That’s right. For now, we can relax. Did you have any problems?”
I was speechless at Yubin’s question. Should I mention meeting Endurance’s Drask?
There’s no reason not to. Actually, I think it’s better to let the girls know that I’ve contacted another hyper-human.
“On my way to buy groceries, I met someone named Drask from Endurance.”
The faces of all the girlfriends, which had been weary, changed upon hearing this unexpected story.
They seemed to think he might have exposed their identities as hyper-humans.
Before any misunderstandings could arise, I calmly explained what happened today to the girls.
Initially, they listened with an uneasy expression, but after hearing the whole story, everyone’s expression relaxed.
“He’s a strange person. That Drask.”
“A patrolling hyper-human. He’s a new type I haven’t seen before.”
Yura shared her impression of Drask, and I nodded in agreement.
Although I haven’t battled many hyper-humans in a long time, I haven’t met many either.
From the team HunterKiller before the girlfriends joined, to the current team HunterKiller with the girlfriends, and some hyper-humans from the Seoul branch.
Combined, there aren’t even 20 of them, so I can’t claim to know many hyper-humans, but Drask was definitely a unique individual.
“Let’s avoid him if we meet again.”
Yubin was wary of Drask. Not just Yubin, but the girlfriends seemed to be wary of the Endurance team as well.
From their reactions when I first mentioned meeting Drask, it seems they’re cautious because the team has become the next contender for Team Guerrilla.
I’m not indifferent to the Endurance team either. Recent events like the radio base assault operation and the embezzlement case involving Team Guerrilla show that not all hyper-humans are victims.
“Oh, and.”
Drask’s meeting was such a strong memory that I almost forgot the important thing to say.
“For the time being, it looks like Team 3 won’t be able to confront HunterKiller. An order came down from above, and it seems it will soon be passed to the Earth Defense Union.”
Everyone looked at me with wide eyes without saying a word. They seemed both concerned about not engaging in confrontation and somewhat anticipated the reason behind it.
“So, does that mean we’ll fight against another team instead of Team 3?”
“It seems so.”
The decisive reason why Team HunterKiller and Team 3 won’t confront each other is me. Even if I temporarily suspend activities, they should still be able to compete without me, but the higher-ups seem to be taking special care of internal matters not explicitly communicated.
While I reported our relationship, I didn’t report who specifically knows about it, as it’s not necessary information.
Reporting all personal matters would eventually lead to unnecessary reports. Detailed reports are good, but personal matters don’t need to be reported unnecessarily.
It seems the higher-ups are mindful of not getting involved in personal matters but are ensuring that Team 3 and Team HunterKiller do not engage in confrontation for now.
I don’t think decisions regarding such significant matters would be made lightly; it might be considered as a reward for the successful operation.
“At least it’s a relief. Every time we fought with Team 3, something felt a bit off.”
Contradictory to Yura’s precise shooting with a rifle from the rear, it seemed she also felt uncomfortable battling Team 3.
“And I got a suspension, so I won’t be participating in battles for a while.”
“Does that mean you won’t come to work and stay at home?”
“The suspension is only for battle participation. I’ll probably go to the headquarters for work.”
Though I said that, since I rarely do anything at the headquarters, it’s practically like staying at home.
That was my thought two days ago.
To check the training content for February, I went to the headquarters and stood there blankly staring at my empty seat.
Since I wasn’t sitting there, it was natural for it to be empty, but the chair and the computer I usually used were gone.
What’s going on? I turned my head to ask someone nearby, but since no one had come to work, there was no one to ask.
“Was it not a suspension but a dismissal?”
Am I being dishonorably discharged from the Spacystro army?
While pondering future plans, Luche entered the office.
“Team Leader!”
She startled and looked at me when I called her urgently.
“What? When did you get here? If you’re here, say so.”
“Am I being fired now?!”
I remember receiving only a suspension for not participating in battles. Was there a separate “dismissal” item listed below? Hoping for the best, I asked Luche, and she looked at me with a puzzled expression.
“You can’t suddenly get fired. I was preparing to tell you everything. Come with me.”
Luche led the way, and I followed her out of the office.
After descending to the first floor by elevator, we entered the first-floor office.
Following Luche, who walked calmly despite unfamiliar surroundings, I trailed behind.
“Here.”
“…Yes?”
The place she guided me to had my computer and chair. In a corner of the 1st Team office, my desk was placed alone in an empty space.
“Am I being dismissed?”
“No!”
After receiving a suspension from Team 3 and coming to the 1st Team office, was I back to just handling tasks like when I worked on the ship before coming to Seoul?
I felt an uneasy premonition about an unwanted future and asked Luche, who quickly denied it loudly.
“I don’t know when the suspension will be lifted. I wanted to keep you here temporarily, asking for a favor, until it’s lifted. After your senior’s suspension ends, you’ll immediately return to Team 3.”
“I see. But what kind of work?”
Luche had never assigned me any special tasks before. Only once, during the last 10 years, did she give me an order: “Watch over the HunterKiller Team’s Red.”
Other than that, she had never instructed me on specific tasks.
When I asked what kind of work it was, Luche glanced around, seemingly searching for someone.
“She’s not here now. Esmeralda will explain everything when she arrives. It’s not a complicated task, so don’t worry.”
“That’s a relief.”
I worried it might be a demanding task, but fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a complex one.
“When was this decision made?”
“Yesterday’s meeting. Since the suspension is only for battles, we discussed if there were any other tasks I could take on.”
Even though it appeared I had been idle for a long time, I am the type who can’t stand being idle.
Without battles, I’ve been idle, but once I start working, I tend to continue. Although I often focus so intently on work that I neglect my surroundings, I believe I can balance my work and self-reflection now.
“Esmeralda and Angelique are worried. They think it’s not right for seniors to have nothing to do.”
It’s understandable for those two to worry. Sierra probably worries a lot too.
They’ve known me for a long time and have seen me work diligently.
So, it’s understandable that they feel uneasy seeing me without work.
“I should thank them.”
“I’ll go up. Do a good job.”
I waved back at Luche who smiled and greeted me.
Looking at her departing figure, I sat down and turned on the computer.
Why move my seat like this just to assign me a task?
While waiting for the computer to turn on, I turned my head at the smell of cigarette smoke.
“Hello.”
Seeing me turn around, Esmeralda, standing behind me, awkwardly raised her hand in greeting.
“Oh, hello. Esmeralda.”
“I didn’t expect you to come to work today.”
“Yes. I had something to ask and came out. I just received the news.”
“Oh, I see. You have something to ask?”
“I got suspended. What about the February training?”
Even though my seat was moved, my affiliation hasn’t changed. However, given that Esmeralda moved her seat to assign me a task, it’s better to consult her about work-related matters for now.
“I was about to bring it up. Come this way.”
Regarding the training, Esmeralda seemed prepared and headed towards her room. Following her inside, Esmeralda sat in a chair and began bustling around.
She checked something on the computer and printed documents, organizing already prepared files.
“Sorry, I didn’t expect you and haven’t finished organizing yet.”
“It’s okay.”
Although I said it was okay, I couldn’t maintain a good expression seeing the amount of paperwork Esmeralda was preparing.
I wondered if all that paperwork was meant for me, and my sad thoughts were correct.
“Here.”
Esmeralda placed a stack of documents in front of me after sorting them.
With a bad feeling, I looked at the stack and opened the top document.
“Semester training plan?”
Opening the document, which contained exactly what was written, revealed it wasn’t about the current training plan but previous ones and their results.
“Why?”
“We have training in February. I wish A could make the plan.”
“Huh?”
There were about two weeks left until the February training.
No detailed plans were visible.
Seeing nothing in the training plans that team leaders usually handle, I wondered what was happening. The answer came more quickly than expected.
Recent radio base assault operation.
With all the team leaders’ efforts directed towards that, no other tasks could progress.
While the office duties were handled by staff members, the training plans, which the team leaders led, were not progressing.
In short, the snowball I rolled has come back to me in a different form.
“We’ll help and do it together. Don’t worry too much.”
This was hardly reassuring.
