Reverse Interview (4)
After the interview(?) with the fearsome chairman, she gave me a once-over from head to toe.
"………."
I am an inanimate object. I am a rock. A rock that can't think.
"Hmm. No matter how grand your ambitions, you still need to master the basics first. Team Leader Yu Seo-yeong. Handle the handover for this one. I'll count it as overtime pay, so put some real effort into it."
"Of course."
With that, Chairman Seol wrapped things up and vanished in a flash, just as abruptly as she'd appeared. It felt like a storm had blown through. I stayed perfectly still for the moment. The office worker's secret technique: in any situation, freeze for at least half the time.
"We met briefly this morning, but given the circumstances, I'm only now getting to properly greet you. I'm Yu Seo-yeong. I lead Nebula's 1st Field Team."
"Seo Han-gyeol."
"Yes. Would you prefer Chief Seo, or Secretary Seo?"
"?"
Team Leader Yu naturally guided me toward the fourth floor as she asked. Secretary made sense enough. The recruitment acceptance text had boldly stated my assignment to the Secretary's Office.
But.
"Chief? What do you mean by that?"
"Ah, I suppose I haven't explained properly. A few days ago, Chairman Seol fired the entire existing secretarial staff."
"……."
It was literal. Chief (Chief). The top spot. Number one. 1/1. With me as the only one left in the Secretary's Office, I'd naturally become the chief.
It felt more fantastical than transparent barriers or fireballs. The sheer absurdity chilled my expression into something cold. My tension was finally easing, on the verge of slipping—
But I got some unexpected help. Glancing at me, Yu calmly reassured me.
"I know. It must seem terribly inefficient to you. But the chairman wasn't acting without reason. Evidence surfaced that some secretary's office staff were colluding with the government. We had no idea how far the roots extended, so we had to cut them all out."
"I understand."
"I figured Chief Seo would. The chairman's judgment is as impeccable as ever."
"……."
So my title was locked in as Chief Seo, huh. Ah, no good. If I were some super-elite prodigy, maybe, but I'm just a worthless otaku playacting as a psycho. The pressure squeezed my stomach like a vise.
"Please call me Secretary Seo."
"...Hmm. For blending in with field personnel, Secretary Seo does have a better ring. Understood."
What do you even know.
My heart yearned to moonwalk straight out the door and hop the next train home. But the career woman Yu Seo-yeong had zero insight into Seo Han-gyeol's delicate sensibilities. I meekly trailed behind the unflinching team leader.
Then, stealing a quick glance, I pulled up the NAVA search bar.
The chairman had called me by name herself, and just looking at her, she was the type who couldn't possibly lack popularity. I cautiously typed in Yu Seo-yeong.
And hit search.
>[Hunter Daily: Youngest Female Major in Gate Operations Command! In-Depth on Major Yu Seo-yeong's Life]
>[MAC Gate: Nationally Certified 3rd-Rank Hunter Yu Seo-yeong. Actually 2.5th Rank?]
>[SSB Gate News: Yu Seo-yeong. Post-Discharge Path Leads to Megacorp 'Nebula']
"……."
"Ah, we've arrived. Please step exactly where I step."
"…?"
"The interior is equipped with advanced mana security systems. Detect any incorrect pattern or hostile mana manipulation, and a 5th-rank laser beam fires."
I nodded silently. Just in case, I closed the search window too. I wasn't talking, but there were dozens more articles like that. Not some poser one-trick like me—a genuine powerhouse. I shrank down as small as I could.
The narrow passage opened into a wide space. People in practical, activewear bustled about.
"Team Leader! The SEO-F-B Bukhansan Gate raid schedule's out!"
"Yu Team Leader, when's our coordination meeting with Team 2? Can't remember."
"Yu Team Leader, long time no see~ Let's grab drinks sometime!"
As numerous hunters chatted familiarly with Team Leader Yu, I managed to recover a bit of my mental fortitude. Useless as I was anyway! If things went south, a cotton-candy lightweight like me would shred in seconds. Even after finishing hapkido 3rd dan training, could I put up real resistance? Doubtful. Giving up felt liberating.
Before I knew it, we'd reached Team Leader Yu's office.
"Go ahead and enter."
"Yes."
The interior was tidy. Ignoring the walls lined with massive weapons and the monster byproducts displayed between desks, it was your standard office worker's space.
"Tea, or coffee?"
I want tea so I can head home.
"...Coffee, please."
"Yes. I have some beans left over."
Team Leader Yu smoothly pulled beans from a drawer and set them floating in midair.
'?'
Floating in midair. The beans hovered there. Then crunch, craaack! With a brutal grinding noise, they started crumbling viciously.
The article on her I'd skimmed flashed back like lightning. Was this the [Barrier] skill? But this looked way more like telekinesis. Or maybe... propping the beans with a barrier below, then generating barriers from all sides and squeezing?
...Is that even possible?
"Mm. Nice aroma."
Having pulverized the beans midair, Team Leader Yu poured steaming water from the coffee pot over them. It was a mystical sight. The finely crushed beans swirled wildly in the hot water. If that were a person in there instead...
-Chill!
Never mess around. Never.
As I swallowed that resolve inwardly, she slid a filter paper-filtered cup of coffee my way.
"Here."
"Thank you."
-Slurp.
"?!?"
Shockingly good. My mongrel palate devoured anything caffeinated, but this was different. The flavor wrapping around my tongue was pure bliss.
"...Excellent taste."
"Isn't it? Tried a few coffee machines, but none beat this."
Ting.
A clear sound rang out as Team Leader Yu tapped the empty air.
"? Why suddenly sit up straighter?"
"It's more comfortable this way."
My heart feels more at ease.
In front of a human grinder who could pulverize someone like beans in ten seconds flat, slouching comfortably? My heart couldn't take it.
Team Leader Yu nodded. As if she got it, more or less. No clue what she thought she understood, but with her looking convinced, she began the handover.
"First, a quick rundown of the duties the chairman's former secretarial staff handled."
"Yes."
"Primarily, lobbying government officials and regulatory bodies. Nebula leads the world in gate technology, but clueless idiots exist everywhere."
Yu let out a small chuckle at that.
...Was that supposed to be a joke? Military-style humor?
Too chicken to chime in, I sat there blankly as the slightly awkward team leader continued.
"Next: industrial spy detection and elimination, securing new excavation gates, black market management, VIP protection, traitor hunts... and a variety of other tasks besides."
I wanted to plug my ears. Spy detection? Fine. Gotta catch those tech thieves. But elimination? Is that office worker lingo?
And why was the Secretary's Office handling gate securing and black markets?
Questions bubbled up like hot springs in Oncheon, but Team Leader Yu headed toward the massive cabinet she'd eyed intently since we entered.
What now?
The mystery resolved quickly. With veins bulging on her arms, she heaved open the hulking cabinet. Behind it: dozens of weapons and armor radiating mana so thick even a normie like me could sense it.
"From these, take one main weapon, one sub-weapon, one set of upper/lower armor, and one special medicine or throwable."
"Pardon?"
"Ah, wondering if it's mandatory? No need to worry. Nebula doesn't skimp on gear for high-caliber talent like Secretary Seo. All free loans—pick what suits you."
The issue wasn't what suited my hands; most were things I'd never even seen in my life. I forced my stuck lips to move.
"Recommendations, please."
"Hmm. An honor."
After a quick scan, Team Leader Yu unhesitatingly plunked several weapons and armor pieces onto the desk.
"I went for anti-personnel gear over big monster fights—urban combat focus. First, VC-07 Hummingbird. Codename 'Hummingbird': lightweight fatigue-destruction dagger vibrating over 50,000 times per second. Can't handle mid-sized beasts, but slices 7th-rank hides frictionless. Next, sniper rifle SR-Zero Singularity. Short 'Singularity.' Built-in high-capacity mana rounds—perfect for long-range sniping and high-value assassinations."
"………."
"As for this bulletproof vest—"
I do love shopping malls. But not the kind where a dagger that could slice off my forearm if mishandled, or a sniper rifle too massive and gorgeous for any private security outfit, pops out of cabinets.