Chapter 8 - Recruitment (2)

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* * *

Hyeonyul got off the bus.

Over the past two days, he had caught up on movies, gone grocery shopping, and even cooked himself a meal for the first time in ages. Having enjoyed a life he hadn't been able to lead for years, he wondered whether any job could be more pleasant than this.

And he could keep enjoying it.

He knew he had come to work, but his body felt light.

"Hey."

Someone called out as he approached. He was a large, muscular, middle-aged man. Apart from his wrinkled face, his neat clothes and carefully swept-up hair made him look like a company president who owned a sizable building.

'That's the man I saw before, isn't it?'

Hyeonyul stared blankly at him.

"I'm Yang Dojin, Team Leader of Team Two."

Dojin confidently extended his hand. Hyeonyul's gaze shifted toward it.

"I'm..."

"Join Team Two."

Dojin smiled confidently.

'Do I look particularly recruitable?'

Hyeonyul felt a derisive laugh threatening to escape. Not even a full day had passed since that unusual recruitment attempt with a poisoned business card. Now a team leader from the Black Eagles was making him an offer.

'Why is this team leader making me an offer? I know I'm exactly the kind of talent villains need, but I'm not what the Black Eagles need.'

His gaze sharpened slightly as he looked at Dojin.

'... Is he a spy?'

Why wouldn't there be villains planted within the Black Eagles? Even a team leader could be one.

"Did you not hear me?"

Dojin briefly glanced at the passing bus, wondered whether his voice had been too quiet, and spoke again.

"Become a member of my team, Seo Hyeonyul."

Dojin grinned, showing his teeth, and proudly pointed his thumb at himself.

"I was the first to vote in favor of making you a Black Eagle."

Hyeonyul didn't understand why he was announcing that here, and something felt suspicious. It was as though Dojin was using him to make someone else aware of a certain fact.

Who was he conscious of?

"I remember. I appreciated it at the time."

"I don't know whether Haeryeon explained, but the revote was quite a mess."

A revote had taken place yesterday.

["I'd like to say something before we vote. Please review the details of the mission team member Seo Hyeonyul carried out today before making your decision."]

Haeryeon had spoken confidently before the voting began. The report described feats no new recruit could have accomplished in a million years.

"A revote? I joined legitimately."

"You did. You were perfectly legitimate. The revote happened because the other team leaders were petty as hell. Three in favor. Two against. Two abstentions. We won by one vote."

The muscles around Hyeonyul's eyes twitched.

Two abstentions. Two votes against. Those abstentions couldn't really be considered neutral.

'They're just watching which way the wind blows. In practice, four of them are against me.'

Perhaps they had abstained for now because even while calling for a revote, they couldn't bring themselves to abandon appearances.

'Then they'll find every possible excuse to get me thrown out of here, won't they?'

Hyeonyul forced down the corners of his mouth before they could rise.

'They must be trying this hard because they want to die.'

How strong would a team leader be? He was curious.

"I can protect you."

The words abruptly broke into Hyeonyul's thoughts, and he raised his head. Dojin met his gaze steadily.

"Can you?"

But Hyeonyul didn't believe him. Even though he sensed the sincerity, he didn't believe him.

Dojin laughed heartily at his answer. He himself had narrowly escaped death countless times, and Hyeonyul must have done the same. How could he readily trust someone's words?

"I'm not asking you to decide right now. Take your time thinking it over. There's nothing strange about transferring teams. In the meantime, I'll show you how sincere—"

"Team Leader Dojin!"

A sharp voice suddenly rang out from somewhere. A short woman came running over. Dojin looked at her with an expression that was already annoyed.

'Her eyesight really is something.'

Dojin didn't even move his lips. He knew she would read everything.

"Team Leader, you're saying some rather dangerous things."

"What? What did I say?"

"You know how good my eyesight is, don't you? The moment I saw what you were saying, I ran all the way from the entrance!"

The woman pointed somewhere, and Hyeonyul turned his head.

'That's... where we board the eagles. She saw us from there?'

It was more than fifteen minutes away on foot. He studied the woman with reddish, shoulder-length hair. Just how good was her eyesight?

"Well, you've given me another chance to see just how good your eyes are."

Dojin brushed it off, seemingly accustomed to this situation.

"Team Leader, the recruit belongs to our team. Ours. That was settled, wasn't it?"

'She's on Team Three?'

Only then did Hyeonyul understand why she was intervening. She was his teammate.

"I know. He's on your team for now. But you should hear the full story of what happened."

"What happened?"

As Dojin's tone softened considerably, the woman's gaze grew gentler too.

"W-wait! Wait a moment!"

A familiar voice reached them.

"Haeryeon. You look rather desperate."

Dojin gave Haeryeon a sly smile.

"... Nayun, would you take Hyeonyul ahead?"

Haeryeon spoke quietly to Nayun.

"Of course."

Nayun looked around and nodded. This situation really wasn't good for a new recruit. Whatever the reason, the mere presence of two team leaders would be terribly intimidating.

'I'll take care of the recruit—'

Nayun stopped for a moment as she looked at Hyeonyul. Despite being the subject of the conversation, he was as calm as though they were discussing someone else.

'... He's frozen with fear, right?'

Nayun blinked, then clenched her fist.

'I'm his senior.'

How long had it been since they'd had a new recruit? She had to protect him, no matter what.

"Let's go."

Despite Nayun's urging, Hyeonyul bowed respectfully to Dojin and Haeryeon.

"I'll excuse myself first."

His impeccable manners prompted them both to return his farewell. Only then did he urge Nayun onward.

Once they were gone, Haeryeon looked at Dojin with a faint smile.

"Good morning, Team Leader Dojin. You have quite a powerful voice. So powerful I could hear everything from all the way back there."

"A good morning indeed, Haeryeon. I imagine you've been sleeping easy lately?"

"Of course. Very easy indeed."

"I didn't know you could move so quickly, Haeryeon."

"You didn't?"

"Making him an offer right there when you went to defuse the bomb with Seo Hyeonyul wasn't enough—you had to announce at the meeting that you were taking him immediately."

"You're mistaken. You never said you wanted Hyeonyul on your team, did you?"

As Haeryeon's smile widened, Dojin laughed heartily.

"Because I'd left to save one of my team members."

"You should save your team members. That's what being a team leader is for."

"I'm glad you're sincere, but don't let your guard down."

"I can handle that my—"

"Keep him safe."

Dojin smiled gently. Haeryeon's eyes widened. Unlike his earlier remarks, these weren't merely idle words.

"What do you mean by that?"

She lowered her voice.

Dojin's gaze briefly shifted elsewhere. Just as Haeryeon was about to follow it, he chuckled and said,

"If you don't want me stealing him, that is."

"Of course I'll keep him safe. He's my team member."

Haeryeon answered while looking at Dojin. Knowing what he was usually like, there was another meaning behind his words.

'... So someone is watching us right now, and he's telling me to find them myself?'

Haeryeon puffed a breath at the hair that had fallen across her face.

'I expected Hyeonyul to have trouble settling in here, but I didn't think something would happen already.'

She found the situation rather amusing. A group that never changed would only die, so Hyeonyul had inadvertently stirred up a breeze.

"Good. See that you do."

"I will."

Haeryeon smiled warmly. She was always grateful for advice like this.

* * *

"... I'm Chu Nayun. I'm on Team Three too."

Nayun introduced herself as they walked. It seemed perfectly natural, but Hyeonyul felt differently. The situation was simply overwhelming. He already felt drained.

"... I'm Seo Hyeonyul."

"Were you surprised I recognized you?"

"Yes."

Nayun giggled at his answer. Was he an honest sort?

"I pestered Sinu to tell me what our new recruit looked like. That's how I recognized you straightaway. I have really good eyesight."

"When did big brother Baek Sinu take a picture of me?"

As Hyeonyul's expression began to turn frosty, Nayun hurriedly held out her phone.

[Baek Sinu (Nutjob): You mean Hyeonyul?]

[Baek Sinu (Nutjob): He has black hair and, how should I put it, a face like he's already seen all there is to life? Anyway, the guy brooding all by himself. That's Hyeonyul.]

Hyeonyul's eyes instantly narrowed at the messages.

"... Am I brooding all by myself?"

"Yes! ... Oh, no. No, you aren't!"

Nayun hastily shook her head, cutting short her agreement. With an awkward laugh, she tried to take an unobtrusive step backward.

"Anyway, isn't the important thing that I recognized you immediately? Some people don't have any presence at all. Having that kind of aura is impressive, isn't it?"

Nayun timidly raised both thumbs as she spoke. But Hyeonyul's furrowed brow didn't relax. Making excuses meant it was true.

"You have no idea how happy I was when I spotted you in the distance. I don't know whether the Team Leader or Sinu told you, but we're always short-staffed. Having a new recruit join us makes me really, really happy!"

The rapid stream of words that followed, and her increasingly bright voice, had a peculiar power that almost made him forget what had just happened. Her deep green eyes, in particular, were so clear and bright that they were overwhelming.

"Is that so...?"

Hyeonyul lowered his gaze slightly. Hearing the same response again, Nayun looked at him for a moment.

'Is he just very shy?'

She chuckled inwardly at the thought. When she walked on, Hyeonyul followed.

"By the way, Hyeonyul, why did you become a Black Eagle?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because we're teammates. For the record, I joined through special recruitment."

Nayun spoke in a low, almost whispering voice.

"Really?"

"Yes. Just like you, right?"

Nayun's smile widened. Looking at Hyeonyul's unchanged expression, she pointed to her eyes.

"It's thanks to these. I studied the villains' wanted posters and reported every one I could. I probably still hold the record for the most reports."

She spoke proudly and resumed walking.

'Is her power concentrated in her eyes?'

Hyeonyul considered it briefly. Even in this world, where most people were born with powers, having that power concentrated in a particular part of the body was clearly unusual.

Hyeonyul was about to answer when he felt eyes on him. He saw White Sparrows moving about. They seemed quite busy, but he could feel them stealing glances at him.

'They said my face would look different, but I'd still clearly appear to be on Team Three, right?'

If they knew he was on Team Three, why go out of their way to look? It seemed the rumors were spreading.

'Shall I see how far the rumors spread?'

Hyeonyul decided to wait. The more tails there were, the more likely the head was to appear in person.

"Oh! Do you want to become a noble, by any chance?"

Nayun looked at Hyeonyul expectantly, her deep green eyes widening into circles.

"How would I become a noble?"

Hyeonyul asked her instead.

Nobles existed in this world. It was simply a form of nobility within a modern society: a rank created to confer benefits, without discrimination based on social status. Though the benefits were enormous, becoming a noble wasn't something just anyone could do. It was more like receiving a medal of honor.

"Black Eagles can become nobles. It isn't written in the recruitment notice, but it's one of the terms the Empire laid out when the Black Eagles were founded. Whoever makes the greatest contribution to wiping out the villains can rise to the nobility. Of course, no one has actually done it yet. There are still villains everywhere, aren't there?"

That was new information.

Nobility? Hyeonyul wasn't interested in the slightest.

"I simply dislike villains."

He answered with a long exhale. There was no need to elaborate.

Nayun immediately held out her phone.

"...?"

Hyeonyul's eyes widened.

"If there's anything you don't know, ask me as much as you like. I'll answer anytime. I—"

"Nayun!"

Someone called to her.

"Oh! Hello!"

Nayun waved both hands in greeting to a manager. Hyeonyul couldn't tell whether she was simply friendly or knew a great many people. Either way, he didn't want to attract attention. He tried to walk past as though he hadn't noticed, only for someone to catch the hem of his clothes.

"Could I have your number?"

Nayun looked at him with sparkling eyes. She seemed ready to keep holding him there if he didn't give it to her.

"Is this standard practice? Mr. Baek Sinu... No, big brother Baek Sinu asked for my number too."

Nayun's eyes shifted briefly, then she grinned.

"Of course. That's how it's normally done."

"Is that so?"

Hyeonyul wasn't convinced, but entered his number for now.

"Since you call Sinu big brother, you can call me big sister too. We're the same age."

"... Pardon?"

"Surprising, isn't it? Baek Sinu just looks older than he is. So, will you call me that?"

"..."

When Hyeonyul couldn't say anything, Nayun stared at him, her eyes full of mischief.

* * *

'... Why does she know so many people?'

Hyeonyul hadn't even gone on a mission yet, and he was already tired. Simply walking with Nayun drew all sorts of attention. At first, he'd thought he was imagining it, but she would take three steps and greet someone passing by. Another three steps, and she would greet another acquaintance. Eventually, Haeryeon even joined them.

How had Nayun managed to befriend other people while disguised like that?

"Would you... like some coffee?"

Haeryeon paused while making coffee and looked at Hyeonyul. He already looked exhausted.

"I'm fine. I've simply learned that there are quite a lot of people here."

At his words, Sinu, who had arrived before them, looked at Haeryeon in surprise.

Team Leader. You put Nayun with him? With Hyeonyul?

That was exactly what his look said, and only then did Haeryeon appear embarrassed. Dojin had left her too distracted to think. In some ways, Nayun was Hyeonyul's polar opposite.

"Hey, Baek Sinu. Why are you looking at the Team Leader like that? Worried I ate Hyeonyul alive?"

"You only talked a little, right?"

At Sinu's question, Nayun's eyes rolled around.

"... Of course. I kept it short by my standards. It's just that lots of people recognize me."

Her answer stunned Hyeonyul inwardly.

'That... was keeping it short?'

"Hyeonyul. A moment."

The instant Haeryeon saw his expression stiffen, she hastily beckoned to him. Still wearing that stiff expression, he followed her into a room.

"About the information on Shin Daeho you gave me yesterday."

"I'm sorry. I'll fix it."

Startled by his reflexive response, Haeryeon waved both hands.

"... N-no. That's not it."

"Aren't you pointing out an error?"

"We're still cross-checking and analyzing it. How could I point out errors yet? And even if something is wrong, I wouldn't reprimand you over it, so don't worry. I called you in because of the meeting hastily arranged before I left work yesterday."

"You mean the revote?"

"So you heard. Yes, there was a revote. This will absolutely never happen again, so—"

"I'll handle the work related to Shin Daeho."

"What?"

"Even after the revote, didn't they say things about proving I could be trusted and so forth?"

They would say it anyway. Those words wouldn't stop until every last one of them had gone cold. Hyeonyul flexed his fingers, wondering whom he should kill first.

"That's all bullshit, so you don't need to worry about it. The results of this revote will put an end to all that talk."

"I'm sorry, but I don't agree. I know they'll keep talking. In that case, it'll be faster if I show them myself."

Hyeonyul spoke as though this wasn't the first time he'd been subjected to such harassment. Watching him, Haeryeon pressed firmly between her brows, then lowered her hand.

How much must he have endured?

"Hyeonyul."

"Yes."

"Whether they talk or do anything else, I'll handle it."

Haeryeon's deep brown eyes sharpened.

"I'll fuck them up. So focus on yourself. You need to settle in."

Why?

Hyeonyul couldn't readily accept her words or her attitude. He had to deal with his own affairs himself. Nevertheless, he answered with a faint smile. If he couldn't understand something, it was better to smooth it over with a smile.

"Understood. As it happens, I have something to tell you as well. May I?"

"Go ahead."

"Two days ago, a villain came to see me. After you sent me that text, Team Leader."

"... What?"

Haeryeon was startled. A villain had come to him?

"... You didn't move? No, I never told you about that, did I? What was I thinking? I must have lost my mind."

Haeryeon's face twisted. She grabbed her voluminous permed hair with both hands. Most people didn't need to move, but Hyeonyul was different. He had previously worked for companies run by villains. Naturally, they would come to that address.

"I thought they wouldn't come if they knew I'd joined the Black Eagles. Apparently, I was thinking too simply."

"How would a villain know you joined the Black Eagles? That would be an even bigger problem."

"Would it?"

"Of course. Why do you think we have smartwatches enchanted to obscure people's perception of us?"

"Then I think this is a good opportunity to identify any villains who have infiltrated the organization, or any bastards willing to work with them."

Haeryeon was a little surprised by his smile.

'Did he hear what I said to Team Leader Dojin? No.'

He couldn't have heard it. He had definitely been with Nayun.

'If not, could he already have anticipated these strange movements within the organization?'

He was no ordinary man. It made her curious about what position he had held and what work he had done in the past. Intrigued excitement showed in her eyes.

"That's true. It is a good opportunity."

"Organizations that are clean on the inside are quite rare. I can help you."

Hyeonyul wanted to prove his usefulness. Haeryeon was his team leader, and someone who could serve as a shield if necessary. For now, he would put one favor to his credit. He passed over the business card he'd received earlier.

"What is this—"

"Don't touch it. It's coated in poison."

"Poison? ... You said poison?"

"Yes. There's nothing on either side except a number."

"They put poison... on a business card?"

Haeryeon's eyebrow twitched. Where had she seen this before?

'... Ah.'

Those who sought to overthrow the Empire were broadly called "villains," but naturally, there were leaders among them. Each had a nickname.

'It's the Poison King.'

Haeryeon's fingers tensed. One of the major players. That Poison King had made Hyeonyul a recruitment offer.

"The Poison King approached you, Hyeonyul?"

Haeryeon asked, sounding utterly stunned.

How could this possibly make sense?