Chapter 3 :

Episode 3. Shameless Bastards.

 

“…I thought Sword Masters were people who only appeared in history books.”

 

“That makes sense. These days, he’s been pushed into a dead-end position even within the PAB.”

 

At Sergeant Hwang’s matter-of-fact reply, Officer Kim looked puzzled.

 

“A dead-end position?”

 

“Yeah. I heard they practically treat him like an unwanted child.”

 

“But why? Normally, if someone’s a hero like that, organizations would be fighting each other to recruit him.”

 

Officer Kim’s question was only natural.

 

His past fame aside, the sheer skill he had displayed by instantly destroying Seo Yong-chan’s summon was astonishing.

 

Whether it was a guild or a government agency,

 

someone that capable would be highly valued anywhere.

 

Sergeant Hwang indifferently asked him a question in return.

 

“Do you get it now? Why everyone avoids that man?”

 

“You’ve done group projects before, right?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“How did you feel when you had a group member who did nothing but complain that this was bad and that was bad, while contributing absolutely nothing himself?”

 

“It pissed me off.”

 

“Now imagine that group member was broke, had a filthy temper, was older than the professors, and had such a good reputation that you couldn’t even kick him out.”

 

“I’d be fucking pissed.”

 

“It’s basically the same thing.”

 

“What?”

 

Sergeant Hwang clicked his tongue.

 

The reason high-level Players received special treatment was not merely because of their strength.

 

It was because the treasures they brought back from Dungeons generated enormous economic, technological, and social benefits.

 

“What good does it do if he’s stronger than high-level Players? There’s no benefit to keeping him around.”

 

Officer Kim stared blankly, as though he still did not understand.

 

Sergeant Hwang quietly explained.

 

In that respect, Limon was the perfect white elephant.

 

He could not enter Dungeons, so he produced no benefits, and all he knew how to do was cut people down like some anachronistic swordsman.

 

Yet because he was technically a hero from the previous era, they could not openly treat him poorly either.

 

It was difficult to imagine anyone more troublesome to deal with.

 

“That man is a Sword Master, not a Player. He can’t enter Dungeons.”

 

“…Ah!”

 

“Back in the old days, they put up with him because they needed his strength. But now we have those great Monarchs, don’t we? Who would willingly take in an old geezer who does nothing but nag?”

 

“…When you put it that way, I suppose that makes sense.”

 

“If you understand, then get moving. We’ve got a mountain of work ahead of us if we’re going to clean all this up.”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

Looking at the road that had been shattered when Limon kicked the bull into it, Officer Kim sighed.

 

Then he thought to himself.

 

Whoever had Limon as a subordinate must have it rough.

 

“Um… could you perhaps think of it as corruption committed for survival?”

 

“Do you seriously expect me to accept that?!”

 

“I have this condition where my physical state gets worse if I don’t eat sweets. So while we’re on the subject, it would be nice if you could increase our team’s snack budget.”

 

“Y-You…!”

 

Veins bulged on his forehead for a moment.

 

Kang Jeong-su pressed his fingers against his temples and forcibly calmed himself down.

 

There was something more important he needed to question her about first.

 

Bang!

 

“What the hell did you people do?!”

 

A neatly pressed suit.

 

An expensive watch.

 

A gleaming scalp.

 

And a generously protruding belly.

 

At a glance, he was a middle-aged man whose appearance practically radiated seniority and experience.

 

At Director Kang Jeong-su’s furious shout as he slammed his desk, Yu Na-kyung blinked her large eyes and asked back.

 

“Forget the snacks. Explain the incident you caused yesterday.”

 

“Incident?”

 

“This! I’m talking about this!”

 

Yu Na-kyung looked as though she genuinely had no idea what he meant.

 

Unable to endure her attitude any longer, Kang Jeong-su pointed at the report sitting on his desk.

 

“Are you talking about how I requisitioned the tea leaves and cake from the director’s secretary’s office without permission?”

 

“Not that! No, wait. The accounting department has been complaining lately that my snack expenses have suddenly increased. Was that because of you?!”

 

“Oh, you mean yesterday’s bull incident?”

 

“Yes! You deployed without authorization and caused a major incident like this! Just how are you planning to clean up this mess?!”

 

Kang Jeong-su raged.

 

If it had been any other agent, merely hearing his shouting would have made them shrink back.

 

It was an unwritten law of the workplace that employees had to watch their superior’s mood even when the boss merely cleared his throat.

 

And civil servants existed at the absolute pinnacle of that law.

 

But thanks to her exceptionally unconventional superior, Yu Na-kyung had long since lost that ordinary workplace instinct.

 

Instead, she merely looked confused.

 

“Besides, all we did after deploying was prevent casualties. How exactly does that count as a major incident?”

 

“You seriously don’t know?!”

 

“No.”

 

“Y-You…!”

 

Kang Jeong-su’s face turned red and blue.

 

Normally, by this point, an apology should have come first.

 

Yet seeing Yu Na-kyung look genuinely curious, as though she truly did not understand, left him so dumbfounded that he was nearly speechless.

 

“Director, I’m sorry, but I really don’t understand what you mean.”

 

“You! Just how did you educate your subordinate for her to turn out like this?!”

 

“Our PAB operates on the principle of act first and report afterward. So what permission are you talking about?”

 

“…”

 

It was a perfectly reasonable point.

 

The PAB was an organization originally created to regulate Players who caused incidents.

 

Given the nature of its work, emergency deployments were common, and it would be impossible to seek authorization from higher-ups every single time.

 

In the end, Kang Jeong-su changed targets.

 

Rather than wasting time arguing with someone impossible to reason with, he decided it would be easier to chew out her superior instead.

 

For someone who understood that berating a superior naturally allowed you to pressure the subordinate as well, it was an utterly natural habit.

 

“What? You?”

 

But the moment that superior opened his mouth,

 

Kang Jeong-su froze and hurriedly covered his own mouth.

 

He had become so agitated that he had only just remembered why he had never dared chew him out before.

 

“You just said that to me, didn’t you?”

 

Kang Jeong-su shoved the courage he had barely summoned right back down.

 

The instant he saw those cold golden eyes,

 

his instincts told him something.

 

If he did not change his tone immediately,

 

he might soon end up in a situation where dignity and reputation would be things he would never have to worry about again.

 

Limon casually asked the now-silent Kang Jeong-su a question.

 

The white-haired young man had been lying on the sofa and yawning as though the director’s office were his own bedroom.

 

At Limon’s quiet question, Kang Jeong-su swallowed dryly.

 

Then, squeezing every last drop of courage from himself, he replied sternly.

 

“How old are you now?”

 

“…Forty-six, by international age.”

 

“Really? You’ve grown a lot. Feels like just yesterday you pissed yourself because you were scared of me.”

 

“Pfft!”

 

“Ahem! Elder, that old story is a little…”

 

“Y-You? How dare you speak to your superior like…”

 

“Jeong-su.”

 

“Uh, hmm. Now that I think about it, I have an urgent meeting. I think I need to leave immediately.”

 

“Kang Jeong-su.”

 

“…Yes, Elder.”

 

Watching Yu Na-kyung cover her mouth behind him while desperately trying not to laugh, Kang Jeong-su sincerely regretted everything.

 

Major incident or not,

 

he should have just pretended he never saw it.

 

Why had he bothered summoning this fossil in a young man’s body just to preserve some meaningless sense of authority, only to end up humiliating himself?

 

“Enough. Anyway, do you remember how your grandfather introduced me when we first met?”

 

“…He said you were his lifesaver, and that I must always remember the debt our family owed you.”

 

“Right. I probably saved that bastard’s life at least three times on that battlefield. If he’d died back then, you wouldn’t even have been born.”

 

“Th-That’s true, but public and private matters should still be kept separate…”

 

“And what did you call me? ‘You’? Did your grandfather teach you to speak to me like that? Should I call Kang Deok-jin right now and ask him? Huh?”

 

“I’m sorry! I misspoke!”

 

Limon rested his chin diagonally on one hand and casually asked.

 

Kang Jeong-su immediately crumpled.

 

What good was being the all-powerful Director of the PAB?

 

Even his grandfather, a war hero, had tiptoed around this man.

 

And if Limon told Kang Deok-jin, Kang Jeong-su’s father, about what happened today?

 

He might end up with his legs broken even at his age.

 

“So, what’s the problem?”

 

“What?”

 

“There must be some problem if you’re making this much of a fuss first thing in the morning.”

 

“…Yes. That’s right.”

 

“So what exactly is the problem? Because I can’t think of anything.”

 

“Neither can I.”

 

Watching Limon say that shamelessly while Yu Na-kyung immediately chimed in, Kang Jeong-su felt his insides boiling again.

 

But the two of them were not pretending ignorance.

 

They genuinely did not know.

 

“Tsk, tsk. Young people these days.”

 

‘We didn’t even destroy any buildings this time.’

 

‘And unlike last time, you didn’t beat the suspect half to death before dragging him in either.’

 

After clicking his tongue once,

 

Limon casually planted his feet on the table.

 

That was right.

 

Normally, half-destroying a building was practically routine for Limon.

 

He also had a habit of beating arrested suspects senseless.

 

Compared to those incidents, this case had been resolved rather peacefully.

 

So neither of them could understand what the problem was supposed to be.

 

If Kang Jeong-su had known what they were thinking, he might have shed tears.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately,

 

Kang Jeong-su had no idea what was going through their heads.

 

He reluctantly opened his mouth.

 

“Mr. Seo Yong-chan has demanded compensation from the PAB for yesterday’s incident.”

 

“What?”

 

Limon looked dumbfounded.

 

“What kind of bullshit is that? What did I break?”

 

“Well…”

 

“Didn’t you destroy Mr. Seo Yong-chan’s summon yesterday, Elder?”

 

“Who the hell is that?”

 

“You know, Team Leader. The drunk guy who was riding on top of the bull you kicked yesterday and got sent flying along with it.”

 

“Oh, that bastard?”

 

Limon nodded.

 

The Brass Bull had made such a strong impression that he had forgotten about him.

 

Thinking back, there did seem to have been some guy screaming after being crushed beneath the Brass Bull.

 

Kang Jeong-su trailed off.

 

He had no idea how to explain this.

 

More precisely, he had no idea how to explain it without getting grabbed by the collar by Limon.

 

Fortunately, that dilemma was soon resolved.

 

Before he could even open his mouth,

 

someone who possessed the answer appeared.

 

“So what about that bastard?”

 

“Wait! You can’t go in there right now!”

 

“Shut up! That bastard is in here right now, isn’t he?! Are you planning to cover for him just because you’re both civil servants? Huh?!”

 

“N-No, that’s not…”

 

“Then move, asshole!”

 

Bang!

 

“Mr. Seo Yong-chan, what do you think you’re doing?!”

 

“Why? What’s wrong with sitting on a sofa bought with my tax money?”

 

“That’s not what I’m talking about!”

 

Just as the noise outside grew louder,

 

the door to the director’s office burst open.

 

A young man covered in bandages strode inside after shaking off the secretary trying to stop him.

 

Seo Yong-chan swept a fierce gaze around the director’s office.

 

His eyes passed over the flustered Kang Jeong-su and the blinking Yu Na-kyung,

 

before finally landing on Limon, who wore an indifferent expression.

 

His eyes flashed.

 

Kang Jeong-su’s expression instantly hardened.

 

He might have shrunk back in front of Limon,

 

but that was only because his opponent happened to be Limon.

 

He was still the Director of the PAB.

 

To Players, he was practically the King of Hell.

 

Yet a green youngster like Seo Yong-chan had barged into his office without permission and was acting insolently.

 

Naturally, he could not help getting angry.

 

“You’re the bastard who cut down my Colchis Bull?”

 

As though already convinced that this was Limon,

 

Seo Yong-chan did not even wait for an answer.

 

He simply dropped onto the sofa opposite Limon, crossed his legs, and continued speaking casually.

 

“What? Got a problem? If you don’t like it, pay me back first. Huh?”

 

But even while looking at the furious Kang Jeong-su, Seo Yong-chan did not so much as twitch an eyebrow.

 

If anything, he swaggered even more as he challenged him.

 

“Come on, let’s hear it. How exactly are you going to compensate me for my bull?”

 

“That’s…!”

 

“You destroy someone else’s summon however you please, and now you’re getting angry at me instead? You shameless bastards!”

 

“Ghh!”

 

As Kang Jeong-su swallowed his frustration while Seo Yong-chan barked at them like a debt collector demanding repayment,

 

Limon finally opened his mouth with an uncomfortable expression.

 

Seo Yong-chan shook his head as though he were the one who could not believe what he was hearing.

 

Then he glared wide-eyed at Limon and demanded an answer.

 

“Hey, I’m having trouble understanding something…”

 

Normally, Limon would have opened with a dropkick.

 

He was not the kind of man who tolerated someone acting arrogantly in front of him.

 

And yet there was one reason he merely stared blankly at Seo Yong-chan’s outrageous behavior.

 

He was simply too dumbfounded.

 

“Do you even know how much that summon was worth?”

 

“How much?”

 

“More than eighty billion won! Eighty billion! If you destroyed something worth that much, then obviously you have to compensate me. Don’t stand there shamelessly pretending you know nothing!”

 

“Eighty billion… Yeah, that is pretty expensive.”

 

“Wait. Did you seriously come here demanding that I pay you for that bull I wrecked yesterday?”

 

“What do you mean, ‘seriously’? Were you actually planning not to compensate me?”

 

“I definitely wasn’t expecting anyone to demand damages.”

 

“Ha. You’re unbelievable.”

 

Limon slowly nodded.

 

Even for Players who made fortunes from Dungeon loot, that was no small amount of money.

 

An ordinary Player could work for a lifetime and still never earn that much.

 

In that sense, Seo Yong-chan’s fury was somewhat understandable.

 

The problem was that his demand was still absurd.

 

“But why the hell are you demanding that we pay for it?”

 

“What?”

 

“According to the Special Management Act, if someone uses a Skill without authorization, all damages resulting from that use are the responsibility of the person involved. Isn’t that right?”

 

“Special Management Act? Ha, give me a break. You seriously think waving that garbage law around will let you steal my money?”

 

Limon glanced sideways, seeking confirmation that his understanding was correct.

 

Seo Yong-chan sneered as though wondering whether Limon had really been relying on something so trivial.

 

Then he raised his chin and spoke arrogantly.

 

“The Team Leader is correct.”

 

Yu Na-kyung answered immediately.

 

There was nothing to think about.

 

The unexpected reaction came from the other person.

 

“Do you even know who I am?”

 

“Who are you?”

 

“My brother-in-law is Lee Cheon-gi! Lee Cheon-gi! One phone call to my brother-in-law, and he can change that stupid Special Management Act or whatever else as much as he wants!”

 

“In principle, that is true, but…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

At that moment, Limon understood.

 

He understood why Kang Jeong-su had been swallowing his anger instead of exploding.

 

And he understood exactly what this bastard was relying on to act so arrogantly.

 

The name Seo Yong-chan had just mentioned was one of the ten names that even a three-year-old in the modern world would know.

 

Limon looked puzzled.

 

Kang Jeong-su was usually extremely strict when it came to budgets.

 

So Limon had expected him to be the first to agree.

 

Yet instead, Kang Jeong-su wore a troubled expression and avoided answering immediately.

 

“Your brother-in-law is Lee Cheon-gi, the Infinite Monarch?”