"So... this is my first time inside."
Yu Seo-Yeon remarked as she entered the Cheong-Am Center at Alice's invitation.
"Well... it's hardly what you'd call a proper office. It's basically just a rented room..."
While Alice was being modest, Yi Rang quietly slid an empty bag of potato chips under a piece of furniture.
Yu Seo-Yeon caught the whole thing with her Eagle-Eyes. In a rare display of K-social skill, she let it slide.
"It's not about the size! A small, elite Center has its own charm!"
"Um, Gwajang-nim... why're ya lookin' at me like that...?"
Yi Rang asked, looking close to tears.
Yu Seo-Yeon's glare was practically screaming, 'If you were my subordinate, you'd be dead.'
"Anyway, Yu Seo-Yeon Gwajang-nim! Why don't you get some rest first? We've got food in the break room, and sleeping quarters too!"
Alice stepped in and offered her some rest. Yu Seo-Yeon's expression softened.
"Thank you. I'll submit my report first, then get some rest..."
Yu Seo-Yeon brought up a holographic screen and began drafting her report while standing. Then she noticed something strange.
"Wait... I don't see Deputy Yu-Han anywhere. Is he out on a solo assignment?"
At the mention of Yu-Han, Alice's expression soured.
"Haah... That Deputy of ours has actually gone on vacation!!"
"V-VACATION!? At a time like this!? He just abandoned his colleagues and went on vacation!?"
Seeing Yu Seo-Yeon's reaction, Kim Ga-Eun and Yi Rang joined in.
"Exactly! We're out here risking our lives...! It's so unfair!"
"Today's the third day! That damn Deputy bastard! What if he just ran off!?"
Hearing this, Yu Seo-Yeon clenched her fists in fury.
Her Harpy-claws practically itched to punish that irresponsible bastard!
"Sounds like everyone's got a problem with my vacation."
At that moment, a familiar voice came from the entrance.
Yu-Han had just returned.
"Deputy Yu-Han... You took three whole days off? Now, of all times? You'd better have a damn good reason, or I'm not letting this slide."
"Of course there's a deeper meaning to it. Why do you think I took exactly three days off?"
"...Why?"
"Jesus died and came back to life after three days, didn't he? So obviously, my three days of rest are justified."
That finally pushed Yu Seo-Yeon over the edge.
"You rotten bastard!! Is this some kind of joke to you!? Do I look like I'm here to joke around!? Do you have any idea how much trouble I'm going through because of a bastard like you...!?"
Yu Seo-Yeon launched into a rapid-fire lecture, but Yu-Han wasn't listening in the slightest.
"I missed the part where that's my problem."
Yu Seo-Yeon's face turned red all over again.
"Are you saying this is somehow our fault!? You think Seo-An-Dang is a joke!? Want me to show you what happens when you make an enemy of us!? No... I'll teach you some manners myself!"
"Shouldn't I be the one teaching you manners? Good grief. You're awfully noisy for a little bird..."
Yu Seo-Yeon began radiating genuine killing intent.
This was nothing like the atmosphere when she had first come to test Cheong-Am.
Alice wanted to stop them, but the tension between the two made it impossible to intervene.
"That's enough, Yu Gwajang."
Just then, another voice came from the entrance, one Alice had never heard before.
For a moment, she couldn't imagine who would dare step between those two.
Even standing still, the man who had just appeared, seemingly in his late thirties, was imposing.
"B-Bujang-nim... What brings you here...?"
Even Yu Seo-Yeon immediately withdrew her killing intent and bowed her head.
Yu-Han immediately put on a smug look.
"Bujang-nim! This woman has been interfering in another Center's affairs without permission, and now she's seriously trying to kill me... I'm so scared!"
The man sighed and tapped Yu-Han on the back of the head with his index finger.
"Yu-Han. You're the one who kept provoking her. What exactly are you so proud of? I knew this would happen, which is why I went out of my way to stop by."
Her superior's reaction caught Yu Seo-Yeon off guard.
"Wait... Do you two know each other?"
"To some extent. We've worked together before. I'm well acquainted with Deputy Kim Yong-Su, too."
"What!? You already knew each other!? Then why didn't either of you tell me!?"
"I wanted to see how you'd handle things. Besides, it was more entertaining not to tell you."
Yu Seo-Yeon's lips twitched.
She was probably hurling every curse imaginable at her superior inside her head.
"Yu-Han. You'd better stop fooling around, too. Keep teasing my cute subordinate, and... you might find yourself in trouble."
"Why, of course, sir! Wouldn't dream of it!"
Watching Yu-Han suck up to her boss, Yu Seo-Yeon wanted to tear him limb from limb with harpy-magic.
Of course, if people could kill anyone they wanted just by imagining it, society wouldn't last very long...
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Han Ji-Hyeok, Bujang of Seo-An-Dang's Enforcement Division One."
Yu-Han leaned over and whispered to Alice.
"He's no ordinary Bujang. This man is known as none other than... the 'Strongest Euthanasia Sanctioner.'"
"The strongest...!"
Alice's eyes widened in amazement. Han Ji-Hyeok waved the title away.
"The strongest? What a ridiculous title. Who gets called the strongest depends on the circumstances. All that useless nickname has done is earn me more enemies."
Han Ji-Hyeok sighed and turned toward Alice.
"Enough small talk. Let's get down to business. Director Alice, why do you think we're going out of our way to help you for free?"
"I heard it was because you wanted to expand your influence into Old Seoul...?"
"Frankly, why would Seo-An-Dang have any interest in Old Seoul itself? Our main clients are concentrated in New Seoul, and Old Seoul barely turns a profit. Why would we bother?"
"Then why are you helping us?"
"You've seen them already, haven't you? The private soldiers belonging to a man named Nam Cheol... They're Kim Je-Hyeon's direct subordinates."
"!!"
"Do you know Assemblyman Kim Je-Hyeon? He'll commit any crime to get to the top... And he intends to establish Old Seoul as his power base."
"But we already made a nonaggression pact with Assemblyman Kim Je-Hyeon during the Shin Man-Su incident..."
Alice's naive remark prompted Yu-Han to step in.
"Alice. Promises are important. But... there's an old saying that you don't have to keep promises to dead people. If Kim Je-Hyeon were to die in some 'unfortunate and entirely accidental' incident, there'd be no promise left to keep!"
"You were planning this from the beginning? Isn't that going too far?"
"Hmph. I bet Kim Je-Hyeon is thinking exactly the same thing."
---
Meanwhile, Kim Je-Hyeon...
He suddenly jolted awake in bed.
"ARGH! How the hell am I supposed to get rid of that Yu-Han bastard without leaving a trace!?"
He checked the clock beside him.
Then went back to sleep.
---
"Anyway... we're not running a charity here. But what would that do to our reputation if we started squeezing money out of a tiny Center like yours?"
"Then what do you want from us?"
"You have two options. One: become part of Seo-An-Dang. Two: don't interfere with our operations in B-4. Under any circumstances."
"We'll need some time to think about something like that..."
"I can give you that much. Now, Yu Gwajang. Continue your assignment here."
Han Ji-Hyeok prepared to leave and ordered Yu Seo-Yeon to open a portal.
Alice stopped him.
"...Isn't there another option besides those two?"
Han Ji-Hyeok stroked his chin for a moment.
"Well... I suppose there's also the option of making an enemy of Seo-An-Dang. I trust you won't choose that one."
As Han Ji-Hyeok disappeared through the portal, Yu Seo-Yeon thought to herself.
'Wait a minute. I'm supposed to keep working with the people at Cheong-Am, aren't I? Why the hell did that bastard of a boss have to put this much pressure on them before leaving?'
Her lips began twitching again as she muttered curses under her breath...
"Gwajang-nim, what will you do now?" Alice asked.
"I'll remain here and protect you from any danger. Until the Stone War is over."
Yu-Han snorted.
"Hmph. You just want to keep an eye on our Center, don't you? You've been following us around lately, haven't you?"
"You knew...!? Just who the hell are you!? Wait... Were you involved in the Shin Man-Su assassination mission, too!?"
"Not very professional of you. This is where you're supposed to say, 'I have no idea what you're talking about. I've never followed anyone.'"
"...Damn it."
Seeing how frustrated Yu Seo-Yeon was, Yu-Han made a suggestion.
"Then instead of watching us from outside, why don't you get some rest in the women's sleeping quarters?"
"What are you plotting...?"
"Just a little kindness. Has everyone you've ever met tried to screw you over?"
Yu Seo-Yeon crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
"You're clearly trying to lower my guard... But a true combatant never lets her guard down, even during rest. I'll remain right here and keep watch without sleeping."
Yi Rang and Kim Ga-Eun paid her no attention and began getting ready for bed.
Alice looked at her with concern.
"Why don't you just get some sleep?"
"Director Alice. There's no need to worry. A true combatant can fight for four days and nights without food or sleep."
Alice decided that this woman was stubborn beyond belief and headed into the sleeping quarters herself.
But Yu-Han didn't leave. He sat down on the sofa instead.
"Hey. Why aren't you leaving?"
"It's my Center. What business is it of yours whether I stay or go? Besides, what if you suddenly turn on us and kill my colleagues in their sleep?"
"Do I look like the kind of person who'd do something that despicable!?"
"Who knows? That's why I have to keep an eye on you."
"...Fair point."
And so, while everyone else slept, the two stayed up all night keeping watch over each other...
Three hours later.
'For a mere human, he's lasting an awfully long time...'
Yu Seo-Yeon struggled to steady her nodding head and keep her heavy eyelids open.
She hadn't moved a single step from where she'd been standing.
Yu-Han hadn't moved from the sofa either, but at least he was sitting somewhere soft.
Yu Seo-Yeon regretted not claiming the sofa first.
"Doesn't standing there get tiring?"
"Hah! A mere human worrying about a harpy?"
But seeing how Yu Seo-Yeon could barely keep her eyes open, Yu-Han came up with an idea.
He fixed a hook to the ceiling and hung a spare wooden stick from it with rope, like a swing.
Yu Seo-Yeon watched the entire process with utmost vigilance.
"What are you doing?"
"You looked uncomfortable standing there. If you're not going to lie down anyway, wouldn't a perch be more comfortable? I heard harpies like perches."
Yu Seo-Yeon frowned.
"Haah... Unbelievable. Do you think our kind will sit on just any old perch? You think a crude contraption made from a random wooden stick is supposed to be comfortable!?"
"Hey, is that any way to treat someone's kindness? At least try sitting on it before you judge!"
"Tch. Fine. I'll sit on it once, out of courtesy. Then I'll tell you exactly how far it falls short of a proper perch!"
Yu Seo-Yeon transformed from her human form into her harpy form.
Then she stomped over and gripped the crude wooden stick with her talons...
Five hours later.
"Um, Yu Seo-Yeon Gwajang-nim? Are you awake?"
"...Mmm!?"
Alice's voice made Yu Seo-Yeon open her eyes.
Somehow, it was already ten in the morning.
"Y-Yu-Han... Where is that man...?"
"When I woke up around seven, he was just leaving. He told me not to wake you because you looked tired. The other two are already up and training, too."
"Ah..."
Overwhelmed with embarrassment, Yu Seo-Yeon buried her bright-red face deep between her wings...
'Maybe I should've just dumped this whole assignment on Kim Ju-Ye Gwajang instead...'