Duck (3)
"Hey!!!! You!!!! Fucking bitch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The section chief's exaggerated roar tore through the interrogation room. The laptop on the desk was swept off by his hand and smashed onto the floor. Before the thud could even fade, the room fell into a suffocating silence.
"S-section chief... I messed up... I really did. I just... I didn't know it was that important... I copied it out of curiosity once... and then I lost it somehow... I never thought it'd turn out like this."
"You fucking cunt!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The nameplate on the desk grazed past the woman's head and crashed into the soundproof wall.
"You... fucking... cunt... Lost it...? A National Intelligence Service agent dropping a USB full of classified intel on the goddamn street? You calling that bullshit an excuse?!"
The woman's face drained of color as she met the section chief's bloodshot eyes. But as the furious curses and physical intimidation dragged on, a strange venom flickered in her terror-filled gaze.
"So what, you're saying I did it on purpose?! And you're cussing me out right now? Even if I screwed up, how can you call a woman a 'fucking bitch' like that?!"
"What...?"
"Everyone makes mistakes sometimes! I wasn't plotting to sell out the country or anything—I just opened some files out of curiosity. Is that a death sentence? I'll take the discipline. Just discipline me, okay!!!!!!"
The woman stood up from where she'd collapsed, straightened her clothes, and added with a mocking sneer.
"You're cussing me out, assaulting me, accusing me of taking bribes without proof... You must think I'm an easy target just 'cause I'm a woman, but even I have my limits. The NIS might be special, but I'm an agent too, and this is Korea. You think human rights violations like this are allowed? Apologize right now. If not, I'll file a formal complaint with the Human Rights Commission and the audit office on my way out."
"Hah... Apologize? Human rights?"
Section Chief Park raked his hair roughly, as if doubting his own ears. The sheer audacity of this traitor—who'd sell out the country for a few bucks—lecturing about human rights made bile rise in his throat.
"You fucking cunt to the end...!!!!"
The chief lunged like a beast about to snap her neck—that was the moment.
"Section Chief Park, that's enough."
The interrogation room door opened with a low, steady voice. The man who entered was the head of the Security Division, overseeing discipline for all NIS agents.
The woman spotted his face and immediately burst into tears again, darting behind him.
"Director... I told him it was just a mistake... but he called me a 'fucking bitch' out of nowhere, threatened to kill me, even threw his nameplate..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Agent Seo. You've been through enough. Go outside and pull yourself together for now."
"Director! Do you even know what this woman's done?! Classified info got leaked!"
The chief bellowed, veins bulging, but the director waved her out casually. Just before Agent Seo slipped through the door, she peeked from behind the director's back and shot the chief a sly smirk.
"Section Chief Park. Since when did you get so rude? Dragging one of my people in here without evidence from another department and turning her into this mess?"
"Evidence? We have the logs! And CCTV of her copying the USB!"
The director didn't even blink at the chief's shout. Instead, he clicked his tongue pityingly and patted Agent Seo's shoulder.
"That's just a workplace error. We'll handle any discipline. You think you operate above the law? Don't cross the line. Right?"
Without waiting for a reply, the director turned and escorted Agent Seo out like he was shoving her along.
"We'll let this rudeness slide this time. Keep that in mind and watch your behavior."
It was a display of utter dismissal. Agent Seo hid behind the director's broad back as they exited, but right before vanishing into the hallway, she glanced back. Their eyes met for a split second, and she flashed a venomous smile, raising her middle finger.
What're you gonna do about it?
Click. The door shut. In the empty room remained only the crashed laptop on the floor, the dented nameplate, and the chief's ragged breaths on the verge of losing it.
"Arrrghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!"
Bang! Bang—! Bang!!
After wreaking havoc and panting furiously, the chief caught his breath at the phone buzzing in his pocket.
"Huff— huff—"
Even in this modern age where mystery had declined, a few magic education institutions survived through word-of-mouth among the elite.
But the only one truly worthy of the name academy was Eldmier.
If the lineage of magic ever fully severed, it would surely be the day Eldmier vanished.
No one could fully fathom the depths of mystery accumulated over more than two thousand years of history.
The last bastion of mystery on this land.
At the top of its chill tower dwelt an ancient guardian.
No intruder dared cause a ruckus within Eldmier—all feared his gaze.
"For a welcome to an old friend you haven't seen in ages, isn't this a bit much, Albi?"
A sharp wave of mana that sliced the air dispersed into nothingness with a casual flick, like brushing off dust.
Yet Wilhelm's voice held not offense, but a peculiar amusement.
He strolled in leisurely, scanning the walls of the headmaster's office lined with ancient tomes as if it were his own bedroom.
Eldmier's headmaster, Albrecht Yustil, watched Wilhelm coldly.
A brief sigh at the unexpected guest—then Albrecht adjusted his glasses, rose slowly, and prepared to greet him.
Still in his usual affable demeanor toward students, staff in hand. But his eyes carried the stern warning of a headmaster guarding the school's peace.
"Billy... You, who usually just shoots off a terse letter for business, what brings you all the way here?"
"Does an old friend need a reason to see your face?"
Instead of a proper answer, Wilhelm sank deep into the sofa.
"Our paths diverged long ago."
Albrecht's gaze sharpened, but Wilhelm's lips curved in easy leisure.
"How hurtful. Our time together still feels vivid to me."
"Ancient history I barely recall. Before you crammed that mad frenzy into some wandering painter's skull."
"Thanks to that, we're alive to greet this new world, aren't we?"
Albrecht gave up prying for the point amid the glib parallel talk.
"Mm—"
Wilhelm slowly lifted his teacup for a sip. Steam rose lazily beyond it, a chill silence settling between them.
Until Wilhelm's cup emptied, only the clink of porcelain on saucer filled the quiet.
"Did you send the admission letter? To that Korean kid I mentioned in my letter."
"Hah—Was that worth coming here in person?"
Albrecht looked baffled at the question breaking the hush.
Wilhelm, the eternal wanderer, was always foisting lost-rooted talents he stumbled upon onto Albrecht.
"Well, not just that, but he left quite an impression."
"It's handled. Now it depends on the boy's will."
"He'll come. I have a feeling."
A rare talent unseen in nearly a century—like the overture to a new era, stirring delight in Wilhelm.
"So that's your business?"
"Come on, isn't the hospitality a bit stingy?"
"Graduation month's coming up. Even an old man like me is swamped lending a hand. No special errand? Then kindly see yourself out."
"You haven't changed a bit... Fine, I have my own business anyway. We'll call it here for today."
At Albrecht's dismissal, Wilhelm rose with mock resignation.
He hadn't come for any grand purpose. Just chasing traces of eyesores, he'd unwittingly drifted near Eldmier.
Visiting an old friend was more truth than jest, all things considered.
"See you next time."
As Wilhelm turned for the door, Albrecht's low voice struck his back.
"Hey, Billy... Is your blood still blue?"
"……"
Wilhelm halted and turned. Their gazes locked heavily in the air.
His indifferent fingers trailed his arm slowly. A wound opened, dark-red liquid dripping to the floor—yet under the dim light, it held a faint blue sheen.
"Who knows... One thing's sure: it's not exactly red."
As he stepped away again, Wilhelm half-turned, as if remembering something.
"Oh, you look younger too. Almost like your old self—suits you. Well, I'm off for real now."