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The day after Kwon Tae-ho, the returnee from the Celestial Horse bloodline, defeated Kim Beom-su.

“Ugh……. Uhh….”

On the edge of Seoul, the light rail ran on. Lee Ha-yeon, seated in a corner, was dozing off, completely oblivious to the fact that the train had already reached its final stop.

“Student! Wake up! Student?”

“Uhh….”

“Student! We’re already at the end of the line! Student??”

“Ughk!”

Drool dripped down Lee Ha-yeon’s mouth as she jolted awake. An elderly man nearby smiled as if he were looking at his granddaughter and asked,

“The train is about to depart. Do you want to get off?”

“No! I need to get off! Thank you for waking me up!”

As soon as Lee Ha-yeon hurriedly exited, the train doors closed just in time, and it took off. She nearly found herself going back the way she came from, leaving her breathless with a sigh of relief.

“Phew, thank you, ma’am. I owe you my life!”

“It’s nothing. I couldn’t just look away with a grown girl like you sleeping so soundly. But what’s with you in this corner of Seoul so early in the morning? Did you party all night and come in late?”

“Haha, no. It’s just that I got a new job around here.”

“Oh my, so young, and already looking for work. That’s impressive! My grandson should learn from you instead of just staying holed up at home all day.”

The elderly man’s natural charm made him speak to Lee Ha-yeon as if they were long-time neighbors, and they walked together.

Lee Ha-yeon, who was used to dealing with her own grandmothers at home, chatted amiably, responding appropriately to keep the conversation lively.

“Where are you heading, ma’am?”

“To the community center up ahead. We were supposed to play a game of Go Stop yesterday, but it didn’t finish, so we’re continuing today.”

“Is that so? Hehe, I’ll pray you win big!”

“Since it’s a game with friends, even if I win a lot, it’ll all be split, so it’s all pointless~. But still, it feels good.”

As they laughed and chatted, they turned into an alleyway. Coincidentally, their destinations were quite close to each other.

-…!! …!!

However, at that moment, a loud commotion erupted from the alley ahead.

“?? Huh? Is someone fighting in the alley?”

“It’s not a fight. It’s a protest. A protest.”

“A protest…?”

“If you turn that way across the alley, there’s a store where a real rotten scoundrel lives.”

As they neared the source of the noise, the sounds became clearer, and Lee Ha-yeon felt her anxiety grow stronger.

‘A protest? No, it can’t be…? No way…?’

At last, turning into the alley, they reached the front of Kwon Tae-ho’s office.

“Kwon Tae-ho is a criminal!”

“He’s a criminal! A criminal!”

“Violent enforcer, step back!”

“Step back! Step back!”

“Excessive suppression! We oppose!”

“We oppose! We oppose!”

The loudspeakers blared, drowning the air with shouts. Banners and placards flapped, and the crowd’s passionate chants filled the space.

“Oh boy, tsk tsk. Look at this. They’re at it again.”

The old man, unfazed by the scene, sighed and walked into the nearby community center. Yet, Lee Ha-yeon couldn’t tear her eyes away from the display in front of her.

Worry flooded her once more.

Kwon Tae-ho, the enforcer. While there were bad rumors about him, I heard he was undeniably skilled, which is why I chose his office for my internship.

Should I have thought twice about that…?

-Wooow! Wooow!

Just then, Lee Ha-yeon’s phone began to ring, displaying a number she had never seen before.

“Hello…?”

-Lee Ha-yeon?

A cold-sounding woman’s voice came through.

“Y-yes, this is Lee Ha-yeon…”

-Stop dawdling and come up. There’s a protest outside, so come in through the emergency stairs at the back instead of the front. Don’t give yourself away as a staff member; if you mess up, you might get egged.

“W-what? Sure! Okay, I-”

-Click.

The call abruptly ended, leaving Lee Ha-yeon dumbfounded.

‘…She said to go through the back, right?’

Sneaking along the alley as instructed, she found the emergency staircase leading up to the building’s rear parking lot. Moving cautiously to avoid raising suspicions, she reached the office and knocked.

-Knock knock.

-Come in.

Once again, a woman’s voice echoed, sounding much like the one she had heard on the phone.

“Excuse me…….”

As she stepped inside, the office she had seen yesterday greeted her once more. But something had changed.

“……Yes, then I’ll proceed that way. I’ll send the related documents right away. Yes, we’ll be more careful on our end from now on. Thank you again for your cooperation.”

A woman Lee had never seen before was on the phone at one of the desks.

With neatly tied dark blue hair, she gave off an intelligent aura. She was easily taller than Lee Ha-yeon, standing over 170cm. Her skin was as white as porcelain, and her long eyelashes rested gently on her eyelids. There was a mysterious air about her, reminiscent of a goddess one might see in an ancient temple.

Notably, even with her eyes completely shut, she seemed to be able to navigate through various documents while conversing as if she could see.

“Alright, I’ve confirmed that. We’ll exercise more caution from now on. Thank you once again for your cooperation.”

As she wrapped up the call, just as Lee Ha-yeon was about to greet her, the phone rang again.

-Rrrring.

“Ah, hello-”

“Kwon Tae-ho’s office.”

In less than a second, her response was as sharp as a tack. Simultaneously, she waved her hand toward Lee Ha-yeon, signaling her to wait a moment.

“……Yes, is that so? Then please take immediate action. That group is having an illegal assembly without prior notice, right? I look forward to swift action. Goodbye.”

-Click.

Finishing her call, the woman with closed eyes let out a deep sigh. Lee Ha-yeon greeted her again.

“Hello! I’m Lee Ha-yeon, and starting today, I’ll be interning at Kwon Tae-ho’s office! Nice to meet you!”

“……I see, Ha-yeon. It’s nice to meet you too. Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Yoo Seol, an enforcer assistant at Kwon Tae-ho’s office. Yoo is my surname, and Seol is my given name.”

“Nice to meet you! Assistant Yoo Seol…!”

“Likewise. I’m glad to meet you.”

With that, Yoo Seol reached out for a handshake. Surprised, Lee Ha-yeon accepted, her gaze drawn to her closed eyes.

Though still tightly shut, she acted as if she could see perfectly well. It was both mystical and strange.

“Curious about my eyes? There’s a reason for that. I usually keep them closed like this, but I can see well. If I had to quantify my vision, it would be around 8.0. Oh, I was brewing some coffee; would you like to join me?”

“Yes! Please!”

“You’re quick on your feet. Just sit tight for a moment.”

Her voice was cold, but her tone was warm and friendly. Relaxing, Lee Ha-yeon leaned back on the couch and smiled like a puppy.

“Um, Assistant…? What’s the situation with the people protesting outside?”

“It happened after the enforcer subdued the returnee, Kim Beom-su, yesterday. They’re using that as a pretext to protest.”

“But that was just yesterday, right? The victims would need some time to recover. Can they really mobilize so quickly to create banners and come to protest just a day later?”

“You’re right, indeed. I confused my words a bit.”

As Yoo Seol set a cup of coffee in front of Lee Ha-yeon, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Those people aren’t victims from the residential area in Suyu-dong. They’re part of a group called the Kwon Tae-ho Victim Association; they’re basically professional protesters who come running whenever there’s civilian collateral damage during the enforcer’s operations.”

“P-professional protesters? Why are they targeting the enforcer…?”

“Various reasons. They might claim damages due to the incident involving the returnee that Kwon Tae-ho was involved in. Maybe the compensation promised by the management division is delayed. Or simply put, they’ll object because they dislike the way our enforcer operates.”

It’s a classic case of ‘venting your frustrations from one district to another,’ you know.

Yoo Seol spoke nonchalantly while getting to work, completely accustomed to the situation.

“Oh, I’ve already reported it. These folks are protesting illegally without proper notification. The police will come and disperse them soon enough.”

“Oh, is that so? But what if the enforcer…?”

-Bang!

At that moment, the door to the inner office swung open, and Kwon Tae-ho emerged, dripping wet, without a stitch of clothing above his waist.

“Ah!”

Lee Ha-yeon gasped and quickly covered her eyes. Meanwhile, Kwon Tae-ho casually sipped coffee from his desk as if he had stepped into his own home.

“Oh? You’re here. When did you arrive?”

“Just a little while ago. Enforcer, could you please put on some clothes? It’s quite inappropriate.”

“It’s not like seeing me will wear you out. I’m fine, so you don’t need to worry.”

“We’re the ones who are worried. Could you at least think about being considerate towards the women around you? Or would you prefer to be slapped with sexual harassment charges? ‘Violent enforcer Kwon Tae-ho harasses female staff in the office…’? That would surely get plenty of views.”

“You’re so uptight…”

Caught off-guard by his tone, which sharply contrasted with how he spoke to Lee Ha-yeon earlier, she had a blank expression.

“Then why do you foolishly come through the front, right where the protesters can see, and get yourself egged? How could you let that happen in the first place? With your reflexes, you should easily dodge any eggs thrown by regular citizens.”

“Would you trust me if I said I was just careless? There was a returnee among the protesters. Quite strong, too. And judging by the way they threw, they must’ve played some baseball back in the day. I never knew eggs could fly straight like that.”

“Such an impressive story you have there.”

Kwon Tae-ho got dressed hastily, tousling his hair in the process.

Even coming fresh out of the shower, his appearance transformed quickly into a disheveled state. Watching him, Yoo Seol sighed heavily.

“Sir. The compensation for the damages caused during the subduing of returnee Kim Beom-su is being handled by the management division. Thankfully, Officer Seo Ye-rim testified favorably. The conclusion seems to be that you didn’t cause any consequential damage during your enforcement operation.”

“Is that so? That’s quite a relief.”

He had worried about possibly being burdened with the compensation for damages, so he sighed in relief.

“Every time there’s an incident, people shout for compensation from the enforcer. How can I get any work done? Just yesterday alone, if it weren’t for me, an entire neighborhood would’ve been wiped off the map. To treat that as a big deal…”

“While that’s true, these days people’s tempers are quite frail. One little mistake, and you might be held liable. Especially for a private enforcer like you.”

“It used to be that just having the title of enforcer was enough to be praised as a hero, whether connected to the government or private sector. Things have changed too much.”

Enforcers dealing with crimes related to returnees are largely divided into two kinds: government-affiliated national enforcers and private enforcers who receive tasks from the government.

The former is comprised of an elite few who endure a rigorous selection process while those who pass the licensing exam become government employees from the start and receive the rank equivalent to a grade 5 bureaucrat. Naturally, even their base salary, once supplemented with add-ons, is considerably high, almost dismissive of the rank itself.

On the other hand, private enforcers are independent and operate personally without partaking in government training after passing the licensing exam.

They are essentially freelancer bureaucrats. Although registered as enforcers with the management division, they do not receive a direct salary.

Instead, they get compensated through commissions contracted by the management division or other agencies. The urgent suppressive measures Kwon Tae-ho took yesterday are a prime example, alongside requests from the police for collaborative investigations regarding returnee-related incidents.

However, such contracts aren’t always steady. Unsurprisingly, private enforcers face potential instability in their revenue. While some manage to gain a level of fame and profitability akin to celebrities, that’s an exceptionally rare occurrence.

In Kwon Tae-ho’s case, he’s among the more fortunate ones, but even that is now bygone. Due to a recent influx of national enforcers, the already limited contracts have decreased even further.

“Well, the fortunate thing is that Kim Beom-su’s case is being handled by Officer Seo Ye-rim, who has a good relationship with you. If the damages were to fall on us, it would be a sure loss even considering the mission fees. We would’ve nearly been bankrupt and kicked out of our office building.”

“Eh, even so, we’re not that poor. You worry too much, Assistant.”

“…….”

In response to Kwon Tae-ho’s question, Yoo Seol merely stared at him silently. Even though her eyes were still closed, Kwon Tae-ho couldn’t help but feel the directness of her gaze.

“……Is it really that serious?”

“……For now, we have no worries about the rent, but if the damages set us back, we’ll be facing thousands of units in loss. If we’ve taken that hit, our small office will immediately go bankrupt.”

“What? We have to do our best to prevent that from happening. But even if a situation were to arise, the management division would step in to help. After all, how many collaborative tasks have I worked on with the management division?”

“……You’ve been so naive about this, Enforcer.”

“What?”

As Kwon Tae-ho frowned in confusion, Yoo Seol responded with a tone laced with disbelief.

“Let’s rephrase that. You’re woefully unaware of the reality of government institutions. You really think the management division wouldn’t give you the cold shoulder over a mere bit of cash? Such institutions are always tightening their budgets over insignificant amounts. They’re not driven by personal interests.”

“Even so, they can’t afford to disregard me. Right now, I’m the only enforcer capable of perfectly handling A-grade or higher ability holders in the Gangbuk area.”

“That might not last forever. You’re aware that the number of national enforcers has been increasing over the last few years, right?”

“With a bunch of amateurs gathered, they wouldn’t be able to compare to me.”

“Yes, that’s true. You’re extraordinary.”

Yoo Seol’s sarcastic tone was unmistakable.

“Yeah, I guess I am somewhat exceptional.”

Yoo Seol wanted to protest and correct Kwon Tae-ho’s thinking, but Kwon Tae-ho was not someone who would take it well.

“…….”

Yoo Seol felt like she wanted to punch him.

But she held back. It wasn’t that she believed violence was wrong; it was that hitting Kwon Tae-ho would only cause her pain. No, he’d probably dodge her fist lazily and taunt her instead.

“……But isn’t there at least one enforcer among those ‘amateurs’ who has enough skill to take over your responsibilities in this area? I don’t think there’s not.”

“……So what you mean is, if they assign a national enforcer to replace me, the management division will ditch me, right?”

“They won’t kick you out immediately. But you’ll gradually become less of a priority to them. And then, if a situation arises like this one where the management division needs to help, they might not cooperate as readily. That’s why I always ask you to minimize damages.”

“Better safe than sorry.”

In short, they should prepare for the worst-case scenario. Although Kwon Tae-ho didn’t outright deny her point.

“……I get what you’re saying, Assistant. But minimizing damage isn’t something that can be simply wished for, is it? To put it bluntly, those returnees are walking bombs! No matter how careful I am, if they explode, it’s all over!”

“Well, that’s true. As the enforcer, there are always uncontrollable factors at play…”

“Exactly! That’s precisely my point!”

Indeed, Kwon Tae-ho had no blame in the events surrounding Kim Beom-su. The fallout from that celestial horse’s abilities had the potential to devastate everything around him.

“But we still need to be prepared for the worst. If minimizing damage becomes impossible, at least having some extra funds tucked away isn’t a bad idea, is it?”

“Well, that’s reasonable.”

Of course, everyone wanted to earn money. Who in the world hates money?

“The issue is the lack of work.”

As stated earlier, the functions of private enforcers mainly boiled down to two tasks.

One: suppressing returnees when they initiate violent incidents. Two: investigating and resolving crimes linked to returnees at the request of the police or management division.

However, both avenues were currently dry. Kwon Tae-ho wasn’t just idling around in the office for no reason.

……That said, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any alternatives.

Kwon Tae-ho was a private enforcer, not formally affiliated with the government.

Thus, unlike government enforcers, he could pursue ‘side jobs.’

“Why not start a side business like other private enforcers?”

At Yoo Seol’s suggestion, Lee Ha-yeon, who had been quietly listening, perked up with interest.

“U-um, what kinds of side jobs are you talking about?”

“There are a lot of options. If you utilize the ‘first-type ability usage license’ that comes with the enforcer license, you can do just about anything.”

Currently, South Korea strictly regulates the reckless usage of individuals’ abilities. The term ‘ability’ here encompasses not only the powers of returnees themselves but also the powers or skills gained by non-returnees through interaction with them.

The regulation of abilities is a reasonable measure aimed at preventing societal chaos.

However, it doesn’t mean that convenient ‘ability’ must be summarily rejected. Accordingly, the government has created a systematic licensing system for their usage.

Among them, the first-type license held by enforcers permits the use of abilities in all circumstances except for criminal ones, essentially serving as a versatile access pass.

“Hmm, I’m still not well-informed, so I can’t quite think of specific examples. Could you provide a few?”

“The most common would be bodyguards for corporate tycoons or politicians. An enforcer like Kwon Tae-ho should get quite a few requests for protection due to his reputation for strength and skills. With that kind of job, you could be rolling in cash—not just one-time amounts but regularly.”

“O-oh, like billions…?♡”

Hearing a number that was usually hard to come by in daily life, Lee Ha-yeon’s eyes sparkled. It wasn’t sparkling in a positive way; it was obviously a dangerous glint.

Yoo Seol felt an involuntary chill run down her spine as she glanced at Lee Ha-yeon.

“……Yeah, well, if the bodyguard business gets off the ground, you could use the earnings as capital to start a security company altogether. That way, those minor issues like taxes would be easier to handle.”

“And what else?”

“Other than bodyguards…… the construction industry sounds good too. An enforcer is practically a walking heavy equipment. Once you register with a labor company, they’ll be clamoring to hire you at construction sites nationwide.”

“What else? What else is there?”

“……I know it doesn’t match your style, but starting an academy is also an option. You’re skilled in martial arts, magic, and all sorts of abilities. You could teach those interested in gaining abilities. Though it’s a bit tough to get an educator license, once you get the academy open, it’s only a matter of time before you’re sitting on a mountain of cash.”

Lee Ha-yeon’s expression was as if she was soaring into heaven while Yoo Seol shared tales of all the ways to earn money available to private enforcers.

By now, Lee Ha-yeon’s mind must be filled with optimistic fantasies about all the potential incomes Yoo Seol had described.

“……Ha-yeon, are you perhaps in need of money?”

“W-what? No! Well, um, actually… yeah, a bit.”

Seeing Lee Ha-yeon flashing a sheepish smile, Yoo Seol felt quite complex about it.

She had thought of her as a cute and quick-witted intern, only to find out she had a substantial interest in money.

‘Getting caught up in trouble is just what Kwon Tae-ho does. But hey, is it a bad thing to be straightforward about one’s desires?’

She wasn’t sure. Didn’t want to think about it. Yoo Seol merely felt overwhelmed by the need to keep up with Kwon Tae-ho’s demands.

“It’s unfortunate, then. If you were at a larger office, they would provide incentives for interns. Sadly, we don’t have the capacity for that. Surprisingly, our enforcer has done absolutely no side jobs.”

“Really? You mean not even one?”

“Yep. Not a single one.”

“Why not?” Lee Ha-yeon glanced at Kwon Tae-ho, as if asking him for the reason. He cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Power should only be used for righteous purposes. It shouldn’t be used for personal gain. Otherwise, we’re no different from those maladaptive criminals we’re facing.”

“Whoa….”

Lee Ha-yeon thought, perhaps in awe, that Kwon Tae-ho was somewhat cool.

“Isn’t caring for the salaries of honest staff a public good rather than a selfish benefit?”

At that moment, Yoo Seol interjected with a sharp comment, dousing the atmosphere.

“……The only advantage to being a private enforcer is that side jobs are possible. Why turn that down? If you’re going to do that, you might as well go for a government position. With your experience and achievements, you could get hired as an internal candidate immediately.”

“No way! I can’t become a dog for the government. I’m a free wolf, Assistant.”

“A free wolf? More like you’ll freeze to death. Starve and die, I say.”

“What?”

Kwon Tae-ho blinked in astonishment at Yoo Seol’s sudden sharp retort, and Lee Ha-yeon was equally taken aback.

“Did I misunderstand you just now?”

“No, you understood perfectly well. I’m worried for you, and here I am giving you advice. If you’re a private enforcer who doesn’t listen to my advice, I think you’d be better off starving to death in this frigid winter.”

“That’s rather harsh to say. You’re worried for me, after all, so I appreciate it.”

“……If you know that, can’t you please take my worries into consideration?”

Yoo Seol’s desperate plea made Kwon Tae-ho chuckle slightly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get some work soon. Jobs have a way of showing up when you least expect them.”

“Those baseless statements provide no comfort—”

-RRRRiiiiing!

Just then, the sole landline at Kwon Tae-ho’s office rang out. Startled, Yoo Seol turned to Kwon Tae-ho with an incredulous expression.

“See? I told you so.”

“…….”

With an annoyed huff, Kwon Tae-ho shrugged his shoulders.

Watching him made her want to punch him. But with his reflexes, he’d clearly dodge any attack, so Yoo Seol repeated “patience” to herself once more.

“……Kwon Tae-ho’s office.”

Yoo Seol answered the call and maintained conversation for about five minutes. Meanwhile, Kwon Tae-ho finished drying his hair and Lee Ha-yeon sat idly, following the patterns on the ceiling tiles.

“……I see. Thank you. I’ll relay that right away. Yes, until next time.”

-Click.

“Was work brought in? Is it a big case?”

“……Fortunately, it’s a very serious case. A direct request for collaborative investigation from the Seoul City Police has come through.”

“See! Even in times of crisis, there’s always an escape route! So? What’s the case about?”

While Kwon Tae-ho appeared eager, Yoo Seol’s demeanor was quite somber.

Given the gravity of the situation, she couldn’t afford to be cheerful.

“……It’s a serial murder case. Specifically targeting criminals who are returnees.”