CH 38

༺ A Corpse that Defies Fate (1) ༻

Although they were now called the Masked Unit, they used to be the 4th Division of the Prosecutor’s Office. Among the five divisions under the Prosecutor’s Office, they were the ones that were the most specialized in force and combat. It’s also the division that the Minister and I used to belong to. 

Four years ago, the position that the Lord found for me was also in the 4th division. It was a division that focused too much on combat that it was often even deployed in wars. 

‘To begin with, the Lord wouldn’t have arranged a normal position for me.’ 

There’s no way that annoyingly loyal Emperor’s subordinate would’ve gotten me a comfortable place. Why hadn’t I thought of that back then? 

Anyway, the Prosecutor’s Office, especially the 4th Division, is the most tangled and twisted. It’s not something I’m saying because I’m biased; objectively speaking, it has been twisted since its inception. 

Since it was created, the Prosecutor’s Office worked as if they were the hunting dogs of the Emperor. Some even wondered why a team like that was part of the Ministry of Finance instead of the Special Service Agency. 

Although they answered to the Emperor directly, there was a minister in charge of the Special Service Agency. I couldn’t help but wonder what was the point of that. But either way, that was why the Prosecutor’s Office was under the Ministry of Finance. 

The Prosecutor’s Office was created about 100 years ago. Unlike now, the Emperor wasn’t putting huge pressure on the nobles back then. Thanks to this, the nobles were wary of the expansion of the Special Service Agency, which the Emperor treated like his own hands and feet. That was also why the Emperor hid his important weapon under the Ministry of Finance.

‘Also, it was necessary to have a department that could impose sanctions on the budget.’ 

That was the excuse they used to create the Prosecutor’s Office. Everyone agreed that it was necessary, so there were no problems in establishing it. 

And then the Emperor made the Prosecutor’s Office an armed force focused on “sanctioning” rather than “monitoring” the flow of money. 

Only after the Emperor’s hunting dogs hit some nobles did they realize that something had gone wrong. However, eliminating a department was harder than creating one, so the Prosecutor’s Office continued to exist and has been favored as the Emperor’s weapon to this day. 

The Prosecutor’s Office was obviously a department created by the Emperor to crush the nobles, and its nature was specialized in combat.  That’s why the Prosecutor’s Office members were treated as outsiders by others from the Ministry of Finance. After all, a scent of blood came from this department.

Because of that, most Civil Servants that belonged to the Prosecutor’s Office retired after being ascended to the position of Executive Manager. Or some were transferred to other departments. For example, the Special Service Agency, the War Department, or the Army. However, two years ago, that tradition crumbled. Right after the Crown Prince’s enthronement, he appointed the Minister, who was the 4th Manager back then, as the Executive Manager. Then he also appointed me, who was the team leader in the 4th Division, as the 4th Manager. 

Up until that moment, there wasn’t any problem. The Minister was happy that he’d be able to retire after becoming the Prosecutor’s Executive Manager, and I was planning to escape to the military. The Invincible Duke had already told me he’d accept me as his successor when the time came.

‘Crown Prince, that bastard.’

The problem started when the Crown Prince began purging all those supporting the 2nd Prince. In his attempt to control the Ministry of Finance and the Prosecutor’s Office, the Crown Prince tried to place his own men in key positions, and the key positions were the Minister and me.  We ascended again after just 15 days.  

It was an unprecedented fast ascension. Naturally, there was an uproar within the Ministry of Finance’s existing members, as well as within the Prosecutor’s Office. That’s why I spent my entire Civil Service career battling with the Second Prince’s faction on the outside, and the dominant forces within the Ministry of Finance, and the opposition forces within the Prosecutor’s Office.  

In that process, the division I particularly cherished was the 4th Division. It was the division I originally belonged to, but after the incidents in the North, it had almost been wiped out. So, I’d put a lot of effort into re-organizing it, but the 4th Division I raised with so much effort was sent to the Special Service Agency. 

“Fuck.”

Thinking about that made me curse. If he were going to do that, why didn’t he take all of the Prosecutor’s Office? I didn’t know why he only took the 4th Division. I was so frustrated when I heard a year ago that the 4th Division was going to be sold off. The 4th Manager also didn’t like it. She followed me a lot, after all.

As soon as I heard the name “Masked Unit” from the Information Department’s Senior Manager, a vague and miserable memory rushed back to me in an instant. They say sad memories become cherished memories over time, but honestly, this memory was a memory of hardship that I would never want to label as a cherished memory. 

Thankfully, Sir Villar didn’t contact me while I was returning. Fortunately, it seemed that nothing had happened in that short moment. 

“Ah, brother. Are you back already?”

“Yes. Everything okay?” 

As I returned to the booth, I saw Erich passing by while holding a carton of milk, so I patted him on his shoulder and entered the booth. Because we’d spent so much time together in the club, we were able to greet each other naturally.

Sadly, that was it. Well, we spent a few years of awkwardness, so expecting our relationship to improve in an instant would be unreasonable. 

“Executive Manager, since you’re back, can I go out and play around next?”

“Was I playing around?”

I pursed my lips and shook my head at the nonsense that the 1st Manager who sneaked up on me said.

I grabbed her cheeks. What came out of her mouth whenever she opened it was mostly nonsense. Why was it? I wish we could have an awkward relationship.

“Ugh-!”

She grabbed my arm, so I grabbed her cheeks even tighter. It looked like this time, it hurt a bit, so she started to tear up. As expected, the best face of the 1st Manager is when she tears up…

“Oppa, don’t bully her so much. Unnie has been working a lot, so she probably wants to take a short break.”

As the 1st Manager struggled, Louise walked toward us. Even though her cheeks were being pinched, she looked at Louise with moved eyes after seeing she was trying to defend her. Oops, did it get a bit chaotic?

As I let her go, the 1st Manager hid behind Louise. A 25-year-old hiding behind a 17-year-old… How pathetic. As I looked at her in a disapproving way, she pouted at me.

“Executive Manager, you need to value your cute subordinate more.”

I was about to say something but decided not to because Louise was next to her. After seeing my reaction, the 1st Manager patted Louise’s back while smiling.

“See? I told you. The Executive Manager is weak to you.”

“Hehe…”

Louise scratched her cheeks after hearing the 1st Manager’s words. I felt somewhat sorry because it seemed like she was struggling because of us.

“Don’t hide behind someone much younger than you.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Louise, can you leave us alone for a moment?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Huh…?”

Without hesitation, Louise moved from her side and came next to me. The 1st Manager looked while making an expression as if she’d been betrayed.

Who’s Louise closer to? Me or you? It’s your loss for being unable to make such simple calculations.

After overcoming the 3-minute rebellion of the 1st Manager, I decided to give her a bit of free time because of Louise. Yes, if I made her work, I should give her some free time as long as she doesn’t go out of the booth.

“Is there something more pointless than taking a break in your working place?”

Although she complained, she’d sat in the booth’s corner and was about to take a break. It seems like constantly adding unnecessary remarks was another talent of hers.

“But Executive Manager, what did the crow say?”

The 1st Manager asked in a low voice after looking around. ‘Crow’ was a slang term referring to the Information agents operating outside. It’s also one of the many traditions in the Information Department. If I were called ‘crow’ by others, I would have bitten my tongue. 

“You’ll have to work with me tomorrow. I heard the Masked Unit is going to come.”

“Woah, really?”

The expression of the 1st Manager brightened after hearing the name Masked Unit. She was probably happy to see the 4th Division for the first time in a long while. From what I remember, she used to be close to the 4th Manager.

“But why are they coming?”

“Apels Revival Soldiers are going to come tomorrow to the Academy.”

“…Who?”

“Apels Revival Soldiers.”

After hearing the name Apels Revival Soldiers, the 1st Manager made an expression of a graduate student who has just learned that the professor who was supposed to be in charge of her is retiring.   Indeed, it was unbelievable news. The Information’s Executive Manager and I also couldn’t believe it.

As I waited for her to come to her senses, her expression suddenly changed subtly. 

‘Her work instinct has appeared.’

It’s been 200 years since we had last encountered the Apels Revival Soldiers. The 1st Manager had obviously never seen them before, much less tortured one. It was the perfect thing to make her work instinct come out.

“Hehe…”

As she burst into laughter for some reason, I quietly turned my gaze away. 

The first day of the club fair was over. It’s definitely the first day, but I feel like I’ve been mentally exhausted for three or four days already. 

“The 1st Manager was really happy. I feel like she’s going to cause a stir.”

– But the 1st Manager is good at her job, isn’t she? 

“If she didn’t even work well, I wouldn’t have kept her next to me.”

The Masked Unit’s leader was sitting on top of the bed while holding the communication device. I was having a conversation with 4th Manager, talking about what had happened, and exchanged updates. As soon as I got back to my quarters, I received a call. 

“Having you around made things easier. Crazy things happen when you’re gone. The void is too big.” 

– You’re being too kind. 

At my words, the 4th Manager lowered her head. Her long silver hair also poured down softly, following her head.

“Well, let’s talk again tomorrow. Would lunchtime be okay?”

– Feel free to do it when it’s convenient for you. I’ll answer your call at any moment.

“Okay. Ah, the 1st Manager’s also missing you, so contact her if you have some free time.” 

– Understood.

The 1st Manager was the one who was the next saddest person after me when the 4th Manager was sent to the Secret Service Agency. Among the Prosecutor’s Office’s high-ranking Civil Servants, they were the only two women. She was in an uproar, saying that if the 4th Manager left, she’d be the only woman.

– Then, I’ll be looking forward to working with you again. It’s an honor, Executive Manager.

The 4th Manager bowed her head again and cut the call. I miss her more and more as time goes by. It’s hard to find a level-headed and polite kid like her. 

Thinking about the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Managers that were complete messes made me sigh. But thankfully, there were three normal people, so it could be worse.