Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Daniel Hates Ronel
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Central was in the thick of cleaning up after the coup.
They dragged out not only the dead executives but also the corrupt ones who hadn't even attended the event that day.
There was no mercy whatsoever in the process. Colton meticulously weeded out every single one of their underlings, completely overhauling the upper ranks of the Hero Association and the city.
Then he installed people who were uncorrupted and reliable in their place.
The citizens raised voices of concern. With corrupt power gone, they worried that something even worse—a dictatorship—might take its place.
Aselrica felt the same way.
She suspected he might be using the eradication of corruption and the cause of humanity's victory as excuses to crave power just like the previous executives. Colton's track record wasn't entirely spotless, after all.
What if he was planting his own people for some future dictatorship? Aselrica spent days scrutinizing the executives he'd placed in key positions.
But contrary to her fears, most of them had no significant ties to Colton.
Some even disliked his recent actions.
It was a purely merit-based selection, devoid of any ulterior motives.
Several were people Aselrica had quietly thought were decent in the past, so she had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Aselrica, who had maintained a negative stance all along, went straight to Colton and had a long private talk with him.
After confirming his sincere intentions, she stepped out before the citizens and publicly endorsed him.
With Aselrica—who always fought at the forefront—speaking up, it didn't take long for the citizens' concerns to ease.
And so, Central's chaos quickly settled.
And then.
Ronel was sulking.
"What I did in this operation was huge!"
She had tricked the demons and, to avoid clashes with the refugees as much as possible, thrown herself into the mission down to the minute and second even after arriving in Central.
And throughout, she'd kept a tight rein on Han U-sol and the other heroes to prevent any reckless moves.
Pretending to be the captain when it didn't suit her at all had been exhausting enough!
She'd endured all the insults from that kid younger than her, calling her incompetent, just to keep the secret!
And she'd even taken a bullet to the shoulder!
She hadn't expected an executive position or anything.
Just a department head in some Hero Association division... too much?
Vice head? Hmm, she was still young, so maybe section chief... no, assistant manager level.
"Or even just a regular staff position!"
Anything—a position of some sort!
Even a nominal honorary title would do!
But the position the Hero Association assigned Ronel was far from what she'd expected.
Squad leader for the frontline grunts.
It sounded fancy, but in reality, it was a pitiful role leading cannon fodder and doing whatever the higher-ups ordered.
Of course, reaching that rank at twenty was an impressive feat in itself. Especially considering her background.
But Ronel wanted to work in a comfortable, clean office environment.
No more sticking it out in sweltering heat or freezing cold on fieldwork.
She understood Colton's philosophy of placing talent where it could shine best. But she couldn't help feeling resentful.
"...Hmph."
That damn meritocracy.
Ronel felt a twinge of hatred toward Colton.
She even wondered if he was discriminating against her background and discarding her now that she wasn't useful.
Even for a founding contributor like her, this was too much.
Such pointless thoughts lasted only a moment.
Ronel sighed and stood up.
The sun-baked dirt ground was scorching.
Dust swirled in her vision.
"...Sigh. Better get to work."
The magic beasts that fell from the sky had smashed parts of Central's buildings.
The grunts were bustling around to help with reconstruction.
"Hand me a shovel."
"Yes, ma'am."
And Ronel was right in the middle, shoveling with a sullen face.
The blazing sun stung.
The stiff leather uniform, combined with the shade-less midday heat, only amplified her discomfort.
But she didn't stop shoveling.
Say what you will, she was the squad leader.
She outranked everyone here.
No need to slave away with the grunts, and no one would complain if she just sat—but what was the point of idling in this sun?
Better to pitch in and finish faster.
Ronel shoveled in mechanical rhythm.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Um... Squad Leader Ronel."
"Yeees?"
At the grunt's call, Ronel responded, melting in the heat.
The grunt pointed somewhere and said,
"Isn't that guy over there the hero you worked with in Sector W?"
"Hmm?"
Ronel's gaze followed the grunt's finger to the spot.
A boy walking along, oblivious to her presence.
"...Daniel?"
Daniel, walking down the street, turned at the sudden voice calling him.
"Where you headed?"
"Ugh."
This fucking bitch.
Where the hell did she pop out from?
Daniel's face crumpled.
"What's with the face? Am I that gross?"
Her face and clothes were caked in dirt.
She looked like a beggar.
But Daniel wasn't grimacing because of her filthy appearance.
He just hated Ronel.
"You still hate me? You know, right? Back then, it was for the operation—had to keep the secret."
He knew.
He knew her indifference to the refugee crisis.
And those ridiculous orders that seemed thoughtless.
All had reasons behind them.
But so what?
Even knowing that, Daniel hated Ronel.
She just rubbed him the wrong way.
"Ah, yeah. I get it."
"Yay, thanks for understanding! So we're good now?"
"Uh... sure."
Ronel grabbed Daniel's hand and shook it vigorously up and down.
Curses rose to the back of his throat, but Daniel swallowed them and kept polite.
Blasting her with insults out of the blue would just make him look crazy.
"Anyway, where you off to? Only intact building around is the Association, but that doesn't seem like a place for an apprentice like our little Daniel."
This fucking bitch.
Was there a law saying apprentices couldn't visit the Association?
Her tone subtly mocking him nearly made him snap, "You've got a real talent for saying the most asshole things. Did you learn it from your mom?"
"........."
Calm down, Daniel.
Remember what Hailey—your one friend who approached a slum kid like you—said.
Don't punch or curse parents just because you don't like someone.
Barely suppressing the impulse, Daniel shook his head to clear it.
"...Meeting someone."
"At the Association?"
"Yeah."
"Aha."
Ronel nodded as if it made sense, then perked up like she'd had a great idea. She brushed the dust off her uniform and said,
"Then let me show you around! I know this place like the back of my hand."
No, I don't need that.
Daniel shot her an irritated glare.
"Why not just say you wanna slack off."
"I wanna slack off~"
Even as Daniel made his annoyance obvious, Ronel brazenly tagged along.
Having escaped the work site with Daniel, Ronel started guiding him through the Hero Association building.
"This is the emergency conference room. This is the magic beast countermeasures office... This is..."
She introduced various offices with endless chatter.
All useless info he didn't care about.
Half-listening to her drone on while staring into the distance, the brief silence passed.
"...Come to think of it, I heard..."
Daniel turned at her words.
"...that you owe her a debt too, Daniel."
"...Who."
"Anis Harper."
Daniel's footsteps halted in the hallway.
But Ronel kept walking.
"It's a shame, isn't it? She was once a comrade, but now we might have to cross swords."
Ronel stopped a few steps ahead of Daniel.
She glanced back and asked,
"Just curious—what do you think? Do you really believe she betrayed us?"
"...Dunno."
That was Daniel's honest feeling.
He hadn't wanted to believe it at first.
Not just because she pulled him from the abyss, but because it seemed impossible for her.
Objectively, she didn't seem the type to betray anyone.
But beyond that vague faith that Anis wouldn't betray them, Daniel knew nothing.
He'd asked Han U-sol, Yoon Na-rin, and Reisi Hearts, but nothing changed.
They'd hem and haw when he asked about Anis or claim they didn't know much.
Were they holding back out of consideration for him, or did they really not know?
Or was there some heavier story behind it all?
Daniel couldn't grasp a single thing.
He wanted to deny it, but he had nothing to deny with.
Even the conviction that she wouldn't had started to waver.
In the end, there was only one way to know.
Join the front lines and meet her himself to judge.
"I see."
Ronel nodded once and resumed chattering about the building.
...Scatterbrain.
Did she have some disease that made her mouth never stop?
Definitely ADHD.
The Association was vast.
Noisy as it was, without Ronel's guidance, he might have gotten lost.
So, swallowing his irritation, Daniel followed her.
"Here we are."
After about fifteen minutes, they reached the destination.
Unlike the offices they'd passed, it resembled lodging.
A room for distinguished guests visiting the Association.
Knock knock.
"It's me."
—Oh, Daniel. You're here. Hold on, I'll open it now.
When Daniel knocked, a familiar elderly voice came from inside. It was Fergus.
Three years ago.
After the city's barrier collapsed and Anis vanished, young Daniel—who headed to Central alone with no one to rely on—was looked after by Fergus.
Daniel had lived with Fergus until enrolling in intermediate academy, and Fergus had treated him like his own grandson.
Likewise, Daniel saw Fergus as a grandfather figure, so he'd come to meet him during his rare visit to the Association.
"Well, I've killed some time... er, guided you, so I'll head out now."
Ronel said, turning to leave.
But before she could, the lock clicked, and the door opened.
"...Huh?"
Ronel's gaze reflexively turned to the door, meeting the eyes of the man who emerged.
After blinking blankly for a moment, Ronel raised her palm in greeting to Fergus.
"...Hello? Mr. Fergus. Long time no see. Remember me?"
"...Hm? You know me? Uh... sorry, I don't quite..."
"It's Ronel."
In that instant, Fergus's expression hardened.