Chapter 33

Leila and the others sat side by side on the couch and surveyed the office. It wasn’t a fancy space to say the least, but that didn’t mean Dustborn was to be taken lightly.

They knew a thing or two about Kilikia. Even in the most immigrant-friendly city, Kim had come a long way in just two or three months, starting from nothing.

It was never going to be easy.

“Oh, thank you.”

I set out the appropriate drinks and food, and Leila returns the favor. She wrapped her tiny hand around a steaming cup of coffee and sipped. It looked like a tiny animal, and it was hilarious to watch.

After watching for a while, Kim spoke up. There was something that had been bothering her since earlier.

“What’s the point of even asking now, Professor?”

Leila’s face darkened.

“The professor didn’t show up, and he was supposed to have been on a cleanse for a while, but something else came up… and we pushed him.”

“Yeah. You’re struggling.”

Leila asked, reading Kim’s expression.

“Are you disappointed?”

“Huh? That’s right. Is that weird?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s weird… I thought you were uncomfortable with him, because you rarely talked to him before.”

Kim racked his brain, thinking that it might have been.

Clearly, the professor had mixed feelings at the time. It’s funny, he didn’t feel like he was being robbed of his “player” position.

‘Not at the moment.’

I’m actually glad I didn’t become a professor. In retrospect, the professor’s existence was very reliable.

“Leave it alone and it will take care of itself.

Assuming that the professor is a character in the story and does his job well? The professor is a monster worse than any agent.

“You mean you’re just going to break all stages in one hit unless it’s a defeat event?

The Professor, as the scenario’s device, must survive to the end and win many battles. Defeating him would prevent the story from progressing.

Realistically speaking, he was a master of masters. He was much more reliable than a thousand armored horses.

‘I may have twisted the plot, and it may have some effect on him, but at least it’s clear that he’s in command.

It’s something that’s mentioned in the story if it’s forgettable. That’s why Kim was so intrigued by the professor.

Before, I honestly didn’t have high expectations… but I couldn’t be too uptight because my mind would have been in turmoil. I wonder if I’ve come to my senses now.

‘Well, I can’t blame them for not coming.’

I can only look forward to our next meeting, which I suspect won’t be too far off.

“It was a little bit at the time, because what was I supposed to say to a guy who didn’t know who he was and couldn’t walk on his own two feet? I’m sure you were comfortable with me not paying attention to your professor.”

“I can’t deny it.”

Leila smirked, “Ahhhh,” she said. Kim Yi Hyun gulped and changed the subject.

“Let’s talk about me first.”

And then he started to explain.

What’s happened since you and Leila were separated. The events in Kilikia and how they led up to this point.

There was no reason to hide or fake it. The only group of people he could trust at Polaris was the Cellbrox Labs.

Most of all, they’re helpful. It’s better to keep the relationship on good terms.

“-So I looked around to see if there were any guys working behind Asterike’s back, and then I met you guys. That’s the end of the story.”

“I see.”

Leila set her cup down and pondered.

Mafia, Outlaws, Legion. It was too much information. Kim’s experience was far more eventful than she could have ever imagined.

Legion, among others. This time, the Legion executive who crashed was Snowfield.

‘Shadowdoor, then Snowfield…….’

No matter how you look at it, Kim seemed to have some sort of connection to Legion. It was too much of a coincidence. Leila stared at Kim with a searching gaze.

“Chelsea, I’m sorry for hanging out with you.”

“Make sure you pay me overtime.”

“Yeah, I know. Do you want to go home?”

“No, no. I’ll excuse you here again today.”

“When are you going home?”

“Those bastards, they even painted the door? I’ve got a few other games to play thanks to my pick!”

“Just move somewhere safer, just move. You’ve got money saved up.”

“I’ll think about it once I win the big one.”

“You’re going to blow up the house you’re in.”

She couldn’t read anything into the way he was casually chatting with his coworkers. There was only one thing Leila could tell.

Kim Yi-hyun is not in league with the Legion. Whether his actions were accidental or intentional, he has done a great deal of damage to the Legion.

The policy is the same as at Celbrosys Labs. Leila exchanged glances with her coworkers, then spoke up.

“We fought against the Legion in Floria, too, and the other day, the Warden contacted me and I came here.”

“Contact?”

“A Legion uprising has been confirmed in Kilikia and has been successfully suppressed. The ‘Knight’, believed to be Snowfield, a Legion officer, is dead. It appears that a certain high-powered individual played a key role in this…….”

That was enough for Kim to understand the whole situation.

‘I wonder if Kushan’s ears are here, too.

In the game, Lab Director Kushan quickly learns that Kilikia has been eaten by the Legion. There’s no way he hadn’t heard of this before.

The reunion with Leila’s group was no great coincidence.

There’s an element of serendipity in their meeting today, but even if it wasn’t necessarily today, they would have gotten to him sooner or later.

Because we have a contact called Asterisk.

“I’m sorry, I can’t help you with that.”

“What?”

“You mean you’re here to recruit Asterike?”

Kim’s face grew serious. Leila immediately threw up her hands in denial.

“Don’t get me wrong, of course, the purpose of our search for Kilikia is to see her for ourselves… but I have no intention of forcing her into anything, especially if she’s a colleague of Mr. Hyun’s.”

“I don’t think you’re going to go out like that either, I’m just saying that for old time’s sake.”

In the middle of a conversation.

“Hyun, there’s a little bit of a catch.”

“What is it?”

“Asterique, I believe you said. We’ve been searching for him, as you say, but that only began today.”

Ghost pointed out in a stern tone.

“We’ve never been to an Asterique game, and we only just realized that they play in the league. We have nothing to do with the suspicious crowd you’re talking about.”

“Yeah. I’ve only been here three days. I’m just dizzy with the city.”

“I know that.”

Rothko’s audience is characterized by a wide range of ages, from 20s to 50s. They don’t fit Leila’s description. The investigation is still stalled.

“I hope it’s not a big deal.

Kim felt an ominous premonition. He glanced at the three people sitting across from him, then opened his mouth.

“What are you guys going to do in Kilikia if you’re not going to take Asterike with you?”

“I see. I was actually hoping to hear more about the battle with the Legion… and since you were there, I guess I’ve pretty much served my purpose.”

“Originally, we were going to search the remnants of the Legion, but it didn’t seem like a comfortable environment for us to operate in.”

“Yes, sir. If I can, I’ll try to get in touch with the Kilikian Council and get back to the lab.”

Kim nodded.

“I can build a bridge with Congress.”

“Mr. Hyun, are you sure?”

“Instead, it’s embarrassing.”

The corners of his mouth turned up in amusement.

“We need you to help us do our job.”

You’ve got a talented workforce.

* * *

The next day.

Before we’ve even begun to investigate. Kavek, a congressional staffer, came to me with some news.

“I have a new assignment for you.”

Before explaining, Kavek sends the data to the Dustborn members’ devices. The files contained the personal information of several citizens.

The range of jobs was diverse.

Common laborer. Former bounty hunters and mercenaries for military companies. There were even former players in the league.

Among the unlikely commonalities, Kim focused on players in the league.

‘Bluebeck. I’ve heard a lot about it.’

Kim’s eyes fell on Chelsea. Chelsea’s face, which had been so calm, was distorted like a demon. The way she glared at the terminal was like she was about to kill someone.

Bluebeck was a no-show who had stolen Chelsea’s credit. The thought of him gave Kim a bad feeling in his gut.

The hunch was spot on.

“What we just sent you is a list of missing persons.”

“…… brings all the nasty stuff.”

“I don’t think it’s a good look, but it means Congress is happy with the way you’re doing your job, so don’t take it personally.”

Kabek, who deftly deflected it, added.

“And it’s not like it’s a big deal. We’re giving you the cases that law enforcement can’t handle in the first place.”

“Isn’t that a good time to go missing?”

“If the case continues, they’ll bring in the riot police, and my guess is that the disappearances themselves will stop temporarily.”

But the truth will never be known. Kavek said as casually as if he had seen the future.

“The riot police are too visible. The name alone is a deterrent because it’s well known, but it doesn’t lend itself to stealthy behavior.”

It wasn’t so different from what I’d heard the other day, so convinced, Kim propped her elbows on the armrests and set her jaw.

“I guess they’ve finalized it as a case.”

“Kilikia is a city where people don’t disappear easily. You have to use the infrastructure to live, and every time you do, there’s a record, and when you have this many people disappear in such a short period of time, you’re bound to notice.”

“What do the missing people have in common?”

“It’s not a sure thing yet, it’s just a prediction, so take it with a grain of salt.”

Kavek’s eyes narrowed.

“All but two unidentified individuals have been identified as having some sort of spell.”

“…….”

Kim made a bitter sound through her mouth and frowned. Apparently, there were some fungi that had their eyes on Asterike.

* * *

“I understand the story, but is it right?”

“Time to talk, shake your bong one more time.”

“Eh, fuck…….”

Pablo waved his wand in frustration. The transparent rod emitted a red glow that resembled Asterique’s spell.

It was the only piece of Asterique merchandise that didn’t have a sponsor yet. And even then, Roscoe had to laboriously commission it from a company. Leila was smiling broadly and waving.

The second division stadium where Asterique plays. Today, I sat in the middle of the crowded stands, because the official’s seats were conspicuous by their absence.

“Ghost. How’s it going around here?”

– Found. A young man and a woman, one each. Two middle-aged men. All four match the information you were told beforehand.

The Ghost is somewhere in the stadium, watching the audience. He’s looking for what Rothko called “suspicious spectators.

– Your friend’s got a great eye.

“What do you mean?”

– It’s a good thing you caught it before it was too late.

A gravelly voice came over the comm.

– No doubt about it, they’re ‘no-face’.

Kim frowned inwardly.

“What the fuck are they doing out here?

That wasn’t the name that would come up at this point.