CH 11

“That, um, excuse me. Turn around. Right now. Immediately!”

I quickly covered my face with a reddened face.

Dylan wasn’t completely naked, but he was undressing his upper body.

The sight of his wet hair dripping down was lewd.

From his distinct abs to his captivating visuals!

No, let’s think good thoughts.

Pull yourself together, Ishael.

You didn’t see anything….

“I’m fully dressed now.”

Dylan said in a hurry.

I cautiously lowered my fingers and nodded.

“Yes, yes…”

“…Then I’ll head to work first.”

I’m dying of awkwardness.

I thought I would just live as an ordinary housemate.

I never expected something like this to happen on the morning of the next day.

“It’s not bad, but it’s harmful to the heart….”

If this continues, I might die of heart failure.

* * *

I had a simple breakfast, took a shower, and got dressed before heading to work.

And in front of the townhouse garden.

For some reason, I saw Dylan who was having a flower and snow fight.

The harmony between his red eyes and the pure white lilies felt quite decadent.

“It’s oddly enticing….”

I fixed my gaze on him and tightly held onto my round glasses.

“Ah, Ishael.”

He straightened up when he noticed me.

Now that he was properly standing, he looked really imposing.

“The flowers in the garden are beautiful.”

His expression was blunt and cold, with no hint of a smile.

And the flowers.

It was a truly unexpected combination.

But I understood it well enough.

“Ah! Dylan, you must enjoy picking flowers.”

Dylan murmured quietly, hiding his hands behind his back.

“Yes. I enjoy picking… picking them.”

Well, it seemed like Dylan would spend more time with the flowers, and I should start heading to work.

“Enjoy the flowers, and I’ll head to work!”

That’s how I happily took a few steps.

Every time I walked, I heard footsteps behind me.

Just to be sure, I slowed down my pace and the sound of footsteps diminished.

When I walked faster, the sound became faster as well.

“It’s suspicious. Is someone following me?”

I tilted my head and glanced back slightly.

“…Ah.”

It was Dylan.

I chuckled softly and turned my head again.

Dylan was added to the usual dull morning commute.

It felt different.

“My mood is slightly better.”

As soon as I realized that fact, my heart sank.

“What’s wrong? You made a promise not to trust people and yet you’re so easily opening your heart?”

The happier I am now, the colder the vacancy I will feel when Dylan disappears when our one-year contract ends.

I firmly locked the key to my heart that was trying to open, and walked forward, looking straight ahead.

No matter what sounds I heard from behind, I never looked back.

Unlike earlier, the time to leave the townhouse and go to work felt a bit longer.

* * *

And at the same time.

There was someone here who was ready to detonate a bomb.

Emperor, the only family of Dylan.

Inside the office of the Imperial Palace.

Archmage Michael looked perplexed.

“Your Majesty, why are you laughing like that?”

“Really? Am I laughing?”

Michael murmured in confusion.

“Yes, you are. The corners of your mouth have risen more than 45 degrees. I didn’t know a human’s mouth could tear like that. Your Majesty truly is all-knowing and all-powerful.”

“Oh, really? I have planned something interesting again.”

A slight uneasiness flickered in Michael’s mind.

The Emperor was truly unpredictable.

Every time he made a wicked smile, an unsolvable problem arose!

“For about a month, I plan to be away from my office for a few hours on weekdays.”

“…What?”

Michael’s face turned bewildered.

Every minute of the Emperor’s time had to be perfectly planned.

“Why? Can’t it be done?”

“Of course it can’t…”

The Emperor arrogantly lifted his chin.

“It will work, of course.”

The Emperor with that expression was unstoppable.

Yes, it must be for the Empire.

“I humbly ask, where are you planning to go, Your Imperial Majesty?”

“Ah.”

A smile seemed to appear on the Emperor’s lips as if it were drawn.

“Well, Knight Management Team 1.”

He shook a ring firmly clasped in his hand.

Michael trembled, which was unbecoming of an archmage.

So, that ring!

* * *

Satisfied, I entered the Knight Management Office.

But, you see, the atmosphere was a bit strange.

“What’s going on? What’s happening?”

An intense atmosphere surrounded one person.

I was about to go to my seat with a puzzled expression when I stopped.

“What will happen if you mess up work on your first day? Did I give you a difficult task?”

It seemed like a situation where a rookie made a mistake on his first day of work.

“I’m sorry.”

“What? This is so annoying.”

Could it be because I had recently become aware of my past life?

The compassion I possessed back then kept stirring in my heart.

I sighed and approached the center of the fight.

“Just hit the brakes a bit.”

As I approached, I noticed a familiar ring in the hands of a part-time worker.

“What? That ring in his hand!”

A ring with the color peeling off as if it were plated.

There was a faded gem embedded in the center.

It was a peculiar fake gem with a mixture of mysterious amethyst and sapphire colors.

I had seen that ring before I regressed.

It was a disguise ring.

In the future before regressing, that ring became a big hit in the galaxy.

But now?

It’s not the time when high-priced disguise rings are commercialized.

But a regular part-time worker is wearing that ring?

I watched the situation as I swallowed my saliva.

“You can’t do your job properly.”

“Why did you shred the documents? How dare you!”

“Samuel may be a bit extreme, but he didn’t say anything entirely wrong!”

“It’s just that we scold the part-time workers a bit while raising them.”

Wake up, guys.

The newbie part-time worker seems suspicious.

Continuing to apologize with a stammering voice, he looked like an ordinary part-time worker.

But even while apologizing, he didn’t slump his shoulders.

He remained composed even in the face of concentrated hostility towards him.

“Now, I roughly understand the identity of that part-time worker.”

If my suspicions are correct, that part-time worker must be saved.

I approached them and spoke loudly.

“People can make mistakes, you know!”

At least wrap it up.

Everyone, including Henry, looked at me with a bewildered expression.

“Mistake? You’re too naive! You’re too stupid to receive the Emperor’s salary.”

“It’s at a level where you should be fired immediately, right?”

“And since you’re not a mage, we can easily replace you. You’re a replaceable resource.”

No, they showed a complete breakdown in teamwork!

Marilyn, who disliked me because of the rumors of my friendly conversation with Dylan, made a sarcastic remark.

“Then, Ishael, why don’t you take care of that incompetent person?”

“What?”

“Well, don’t you dislike it? I knew it-“

“Yes! I’ll do it!”

“Ishael, why are you suddenly like this? You used to be like air, hardly there.”

I quickly managed my expression.

Why am I doing this, guys?

“Did any of you do well from the beginning?”

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

“Suddenly? I just realized the importance of teamwork.”

Hmm, hmm.

I cleared my throat and looked at the clumsy part-time worker.

“Are you… alright? Did anyone… hurt you?”

It was an impressive performance, but fortunately, it seemed like no one noticed.

My colleagues seemed confused by my sudden rebellion.

On the other hand, the part-time worker seemed surprised by the sudden appearance of a savior.

Their pupils, visible through the glasses, were slightly dilated.

I pretended to be a kind citizen and raised the corners of my mouth in a smile.

“Don’t worry, I know your true identity.”

I trembled with a sinister intention hidden inside.

You are… an X-Man dispatched by the Audit Team, right?

Moreover, you’re intentionally playing the role of a villain to observe the undercurrents of the team?

This is for sure.

They’re trying to manipulate our internal atmosphere using this part-time worker, who was sent from the HR or Audit Team, to conduct a proper evaluation.

“I have to receive plenty of incentives. I have to buy a house in a year.”

So, for now, I have to save him and see!

I can’t let go of my source of income.