CH 12

“Why are you suddenly like this?”

“Yeah? You’re always closing yourself off, hiding behind curtains and working alone.”

“Why are you suddenly acting like the champion of justice?”

Damn it, the facts are bone-chilling in their impact.

Meanwhile, the part-time worker remained silent, not even looking in my direction.

As if such a bewildering situation was nothing out of the ordinary.

“That attitude. It’s definitely not the behavior of a young member of society.”

With firm conviction in my mind, I strengthened my resolve and spoke.

“I simply thought it was cruel to overwhelm a new employee on their first day with half-page shredding.”

Arnold, who had been observing the situation while presenting himself as neutral, stepped forward.

“Ishael, if you’re willing to take it over, then fine. There’s no need to get too angry, just leave now.”

“Alright, got it.”

I grabbed the part-time worker’s wrist and gently pulled them along.

“Let’s go to the warehouse together.”

Oh, I was quite forceful just now.

Receiving the highest rating on the performance evaluation, I had enough confidence to receive a proper bonus in my bank account!

I heard murmurs from behind, but I paid no attention.

My focus was solely on the incentive!

Buying my own house!

***

As the Emperor, disguised as a part-time worker, I stared at Ishael, who grabbed my wrist, with a bewildered expression.

Simple labor that required me to work at the Emperor’s fingertips was not fitting.

Thanks to that, he could truly experience the life of a poor person in just half a day.

For now, the superiors were extremely sensitive.

“Why are you wide-eyed like a diamond at someone who can’t even do their job properly?!”

…After working for 48 hours straight, they grabbed me like a mouse.

It was a situation where I was constantly tormented and oppressed, on the verge of exploding.

“People can make mistakes, you know!”

Ishael saved the Emperor with just a few simple words.

Meeting a savior in an unimaginable situation, a strange fondness almost sprouted.

Even the disheveled hair that would have looked like a broom if they had passed by on the street and those ridiculous round glasses seemed oddly decent.

“But I have to handle my emotions properly.”

While trying to brush off the accumulated fondness for Ishael, he hesitated.

“Oh, by the way, I’m Ishael, as you know, an administrative officer in the Management Department.”

I already knew that after conducting background research.

The Emperor nodded as if he had just learned about it, matching his pace with her.

“I see.”

“…I see?”

“…Yes.”

Is the life of a part-time worker usually this rough?

“It’s a really awkward way of addressing me.”

“…Well.”

Did she suspect his true identity?

“It’s hard to believe that someone who’s not involved in this kind of situation would have such a keen intuition. Could she be from a terrorist group?”

It was when the Emperor’s eyebrows narrowed, filled with suspicion.

“I’ll take over the warehouse duties for a while. We’ll help each other with the parts we’re not good at. That’s what they call teamwork, right?”

“…?”

“Why are you looking so surprised?”

…Damn it.

She’s going to take over the tasks?

Momentarily, I couldn’t control my expression.

To be swayed so easily like this, the majesty of the Emperor crumbled.

“I have to judge without personal bias. Why does Dylan like that woman? And does that woman have any suspicious aspects or not?”

In the midst of such thoughts.

Ishael asked the Emperor with a refreshing voice.

“Oh, by any chance, what’s your name?”

“Uh, F-F-F-Ford… it is.”

“Ford?”

“Ford, Ford.”

***

Ford.

The name of my lottery was Ford.

I swallowed my saliva and stared at the part-time worker, Ford, in front of me.

“As expected, he’s not ordinary.”

I inwardly rejoiced at the strange sense of intimidation.

“If you walk a little toward the swordsmanship training area, you’ll find the warehouse where the swords are kept.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll show you the way.”

I have to explain it well and show my skills. For the sake of my performance evaluation!

With a wicked smile, I appeared satisfied.

I felt Ford’s fleeting glance at me, but it didn’t matter.

With a joyful heart, as soon as I saw the sign for “Swordsmanship Training Area,” I slowed down my steps.

“Could Dylan be here?”

…Why do I care if Dylan is here or not?

“Oh, Swordsmanship Training Area, huh?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“There might be some great knights here.”

Ford looked at me with a curious expression.

I kindly spoke to her about the X-Men.

“There are many great knights! Do you know Dylan by any chance?”

“Hmm.”

What’s with this guy? Why did he suddenly sulk?

“He’s a swordsmanship genius. If we’re lucky, we might be able to watch him spar. Would you like to go see it?”

“Let’s… sure, yes.”

***

At that moment, Dylan was coming out of the swordsmanship training area.

He had just finished a swordsmanship duel.

As he silently checked the condition of his sword, he heard a despicable gossip in his ear.

“Crazy, I just went to the Management Department, and it’s amazing.”

“What is it?”

“You know the administrative officer who sometimes comes to the training area to help with training? Her name is Ishael.”

“Oh, the one who wears glasses?”

Dylan continued to maintain his expressionless face while checking his sword.

However, his ears, which stood up like rabbit ears, couldn’t be hidden.

“I heard they had a big fight with a rookie part-time worker.”

“Huh? Really? Was it really that shaggy-haired person wearing glasses?”

“Uh!”

“Uh! Oh, really? They said they’re close, like friends or lovers. They say they suit each other well.”

A moment of silence followed his words.

Dylan clenched his jaw.

It bothered him.

What was this emotion that sought to dominate his calm mind?

“What’s wrong? Why do I suddenly sense it from somewhere?”

“Do you feel it too?”

“Uh…”

He turned his gaze in the direction where he sensed the presence of skilled knights.

And there…

“D-Dylan?”

“Why such an expression…?”

In his red eyes, there was a chilling coldness that was different from usual.

“Everyone seems to have a lot to say, shall we have a duel?”

“Huh?”

“We just did it earlier, didn’t we?”

Dylan inserted his sword into the ground.

The knights froze at Dylan’s seemingly relaxed predator-like appearance.

“Why… all of a sudden?”

“Well, why did you suddenly challenge us to a duel…”

However, they had no room to rectify the situation.

Administrative officers and young ladies passing by the Palace Training Ground during lunchtime had already taken their places.

“Wow, what’s going on?”

“They’re having a duel!”

“Isn’t that Sir Dylan?”

Even if it’s sudden, refusing the duel and sparring would be shameful.

Moreover, there were roughly more than five of them, while there was only one Dylan.

The knights hesitated and asked.

“I-If we do it all at once…”

***

A few minutes later.

Contrary to their foolish belief, the duel disguised as sparring ended easily.

Dylan turned abruptly, looking down coldly at the knights kneeling on the ground.

He felt a sense of relief, escaping from the strange emotion that had captured him earlier.

“I have to reorganize my sword. It’s dirty.”

After cleaning his sword, Dylan put it back into its sheath and gave a short bow to the officials.

Right at that moment.

As if fate, he could see Ishael approaching.

Dylan quickly glanced around, worried that sweat might start dripping from his body after the intense duel.

He couldn’t clean his dirty body, but he had to at least wash his face.

But…

He met her bright smile, shining like the sun.

It was right at that moment when he was about to raise the corner of his awkward smile and laugh.

He saw a man walking beside Ishael, taking long strides with an imposing gait.

“Ahahaha, Mr. Ford. It’s so funny!”

“I’m telling a joke.”

“Are you disappointed? I’m a sewing needle. You know what word office workers love the most? The weekend! That’s too funny. You’re a complete comedy character!”

“Hu… This is an administrative officer’s joke. I heard it and practiced to get a job. To lighten the mood, you know.”

“Wow! An administrative officer’s joke!”

Ishael’s pure white smile was directed towards the man next to her.

He was probably around 190 centimeters tall.

Although his glasses made it hard to see his eyes clearly, they were undoubtedly intense.

His face was like a bear, twisted in a certain way.

He seemed to be the part-time worker the knights had mentioned.

“What is this emotion?”

A subtle wave seemed to be hitting his chest.

For some reason, he wanted to tear that guy, Ford, apart.

It was when Dylan clenched his fists, grinding his teeth with anger.

“Huh?”

Ishael fixed her gaze on the training ground.

“Hello!”

With Ishael’s voice, the unnamed part-time worker’s gaze turned to Dylan.

He stiffened as he saw Dylan.

Dylan instinctively felt certain.

That guy was undoubtedly someone who had a grudge against him.