No Leniency. That's How It Should Be.

Dan Chuyeon, awake in the hospital, rushed through his discharge. He rode home in the car Mi Soryeong drove, stepped through the door, and went wide-eyed at a sight he had not expected.

"What."

Dan Miryong was standing on his own two feet in the living room, running a vacuum.

"You... you're better?"

"Yeah. Thanks to Dan Miryu."

"Dad healed you? It didn't work last time."

"And because it failed once, that guarantees it'll fail the next time?"

Dan Miryong was as unruffled as if the wheelchair had been ancient history. Dan Chuyeon felt suddenly awkward.

"I can't make sense of it. Then why didn't it work before..."

"The Stone of Resurrection was probably in a sulk."

"Huh?"

What was that supposed to mean?

Dan Miryong shrugged, as if he had not said a word.

"If you're discharged, go upstairs and clean your room. How long do you plan to dump it on your mother?"

"...It's weird, hearing that from you."

"Hmph. Awfully talkative, for a brat who's never even swallowed muddy water out in the wilds."

Shameless.

Whether he had long since forgotten every memory that put him at a disadvantage, ease showed in the way he moved.

Not that that's a bad thing...

It was far better than drifting about, lifeless as a mummy. His whole air had changed. Nature no longer defined him as something negative.

It was as if he had found a reason to live.

"You planning to stand there all day? Laziest man alive, and he's got the ability best suited to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cleaning. Get lost. You're in the way."

Dan Miryong snapped it while wiping the television spotless with a cloth. Dan Chuyeon made an uneasy face and looked at Mi Soryeong.

"Did something happen?"

"Mm. Mom really couldn't say."

Mi Soryeong smiled, soft and faint. Covering her lips, she looked at Dan Miryong exactly as one looks at a child who has finally done something to be proud of.

"All Mom knows is this. If our boy doesn't want to be compared, he'd better apply himself."

"Mom, you do know comparison is poison during a sensitive adolescence, right?"

"I know. But if it's staring me in the face like that, Mom might just slip and say it out loud by accident."

If Chuyeon actually worked hard around the house, well, that would be another story.

"You have no idea how hard I cleaned when you and Dad weren't home... This is why doing your best never means a thing..."

Dan Chuyeon grumbled and turned away, trudging off.

"Dan Chuyeon."

"Yeah?"

"Dinner is at six. Come down on your own before I have to say it. A minute late, and there's no meal."

"Since when are you my nanny!"

Dan Chuyeon exploded.

Mi Soryeong watched the two of them fall into an easy rhythm, and the tightness eased from her chest.

Good to see. Chuyeon and Miryong both. They don't even seem to bear each other any real grudge.

A stranger looking at the pair might have taken them for friends.

But I must not forget. What Miryong did.

She had heard it from her husband. Miryong had chosen to live, and the price of that choice was that he would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have to answer for the sins he had committed.

She did not know when. Probably, once everything bearing down on them had come to an end, he would take his punishment as his due.

And the Russian living in the house next door was no different.

Maybe I am no different, either.

Mi Soryeong smiled bitterly and tied on her apron.

She was home. It was time to show what she could do.

She was a mother, after all.

"Hmph. Hiring werewolves as hero personnel..."

Hwang Seokgu sat in the seat of honor and pursed his lips.

Before him were Deulkkot, the blue wildflower of the plain, and Dan Miryu.

"We've drawn up a basic framework from what Mr. Phantom proposed. What do you think?"

"What do I think."

Hwang Seokgu set the sheaf of papers down on the table.

"It'll be hard."

"As I expected?"

Dan Miryu took the answer calmly, as if he had seen it coming.

"It's true we're short on people. The heroes in this cramped building have to cover the whole country. But that doesn't mean we can hire werewolves hand over fist. A hero is a champion who devotes himself to society."

A hero's actions came with guaranteed autonomy. On their own judgment they could arrest a villain, request aid from a police station, and demand cooperation from public offices for an investigation.

To criminals, a hero was a grim reaper who walked. Cross one, and you could be beaten down and hauled off on the spot.

Civilians were no different. When a brawl broke out in a bar, it was easier to call a hero than the police. The police could not lay a hand on you. A hero could present you with a pair of silver bracelets.

Authority like that carried a responsibility just as heavy. You had to stay ready at all times, like a military unit on five-minute standby, stake your life against villains, and submit to society's judgment after every outing.

Let property damage occur in the course of a suppression, and a written explanation was waiting. The internet was something you were better off never looking at.

The pay was good... but you gave up your freedom. Why else would hero problems never stop arising, even in the United States, the nation of heroes?

People retired under the stress. People lost their temper and assaulted citizens. People neglected their homes and ended in divorce. People, hounded by hate comments, turned to drugs. And so on.

It was not a job just anyone could do. Without a sense of mission and a belief in justice, you should not even think of taking it up.

"A hero isn't something you pull off the labor market and put to use. I understand the intent. Even so, it's difficult."

Hwang Seokgu regretted it too. Werewolves of that caliber would steady public order far beyond what it was now...

"If it's heroes you need, we have those as well."

Deulkkot set the documents down as he spoke.

"There are werewolf heroes active in human society?"

"Quite a few. Espers within the clan, and certain chosen others, have earned their hero licenses."

"Is that true?"

"Scrape them together, and it comes to around fifteen."

"Well, now..."

Ten, at the least.

For a Korea where even a single person was precious, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there was no finer high-grade talent than this.

"We secured talent across every field in order to find the King. Heroes were one such field."

"Can all of them come?"

"It is not a matter of whether they can. They must. This is the work of guarding the ground where the King resides. Should any dare voice opposition, I will tear their limbs apart with my own hands."

Deulkkot's expression turned murderous.

Hwang Seokgu broke into a cold sweat.

"Immigration is difficult for heroes..."

"That is a problem I can solve."

Dan Miryu thumped his chest.

"Borrow the name of the nation, and relocating heroes from other countries is a burden we can readily bear."

"Even granting that. A problem still remains."

Hwang Seokgu asked, just in case.

"How is the werewolf immigration proceeding? Don't tell me they truly are all coming."

"What sense would there be in subjects being absent from the place where the King resides?"

"Then how many?"

"In my own heart I wished to bring even the kin who had severed their ties, every last one. But His Majesty gave priority to the clan's free will. Thus we are asking. As of now, roughly eighty thousand have chosen to migrate."

Silence.

An enormous number.

Eighty thousand, and not dropping by for a visit. Immigration, no less.

How many foreigners naturalized in Korea in a year, again?

However many it was, it was not eighty thousand.

And most of those naturalized through marriage. Cases of an entire family choosing to move to Korea were as good as nonexistent.

"Ha ha..."

Dan Miryu let out a dry laugh.

Someone's in for it...

"Eighty thousand coming is a boon, yes, a boon, but it can't be handled overnight. We'll need a gap of several years at the least."

Deulkkot nodded.

"Our side is aware of that circumstance. Fortunately His Majesty commanded us to cooperate well with you, so the clan is obeying the controls without complaint."

Put the other way.

Had there been no order from the King, Korea might have been groaning under a flood of illegal entrants at the worst possible time.

"The manpower problem that worries you, sir, will resolve itself in time, I believe."

"Why is that."

"Because of immigration priority. Even if subjects are coming, better that those of some use to the King should arrive, no? Heroes are one such group."

And so.

"Those who have begun studying to become heroes have increased. By next year, I expect, we will see meaningful results."

"Ho ho..."

Hwang Seokgu could not understand it.

Their loyalty was fanatical. Even people sunk deep in a cult would not show faith this blind.

"So if we just suffer through until next year, we'll be fine."

Hwang Seokgu leaned back against the sofa, picturing a day he could rest easy.

"Elder, I'm sorry, but you won't be resting next year."

"Why?"

"Next year the Temporary Hero Association becomes the official Hero Association. You'll have to lay its early foundations. On top of that, you'll need to prepare to raise Korean heroes. We can't leave all the hero work to the werewolves."

Deulkkot added a word of his own.

"I regret saying this, but we are subjects loyal to the King. We have no sense of ourselves as citizens of Korea."

"Werewolf heroes are a stopgap at best. If we cannot put forward a fundamental solution, Korea will only be marching in place."

"Nngh..."

Hwang Seokgu's head ached. They meant to work an old man his age until the day he died.

Knock, knock.

A knock came from outside the door.

"May I come in?"

"Great Tree? Come in."

Ookami entered.

"Elder, a word in your ear."

They whispered.

"It seems I must take my leave."

"What's happened?"

"They say the turncoats have nearly all been caught."

Hwang Seokgu shot to his feet.

"Is that true?"

"It is true. Will both of you come along?"

Neither man was a stranger to the matter, so both were entitled to sit in while the turncoats were questioned.

"I will follow at once."

Hwang Seokgu's eyes blazed.

"I'll be all right. I still have work left."

"Very well. There is a car outside. Go straight out and get in."

Hwang Seokgu followed Deulkkot out.

In the emptied office of the chairman, Dan Miryu dry-washed his face.

The calendar on the wall caught his eye.

"Winter's nearly here."

Half a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠year had passed since that day. A short time, and so much had changed.

It was the first time Dan Miryu had seen the phantom thief look anything less than sure of himself.

"Haa..."

So this was only the starting line...

Dan Miryu slapped his own cheeks.

"Later problems can wait until later. Focus on what's in front of me."

And the thing that matters now...

"About time I called the Shrine Priest, isn't it?"