Quick Eagle and the PC-Talk Resolution
With the Goddess’s solution fresh in her ears, Seoyun shot a skeptical glance toward Elluke. It was perfectly rational skepticism.
It was true that Lerona—Kim Jeong had made a strong impression during the interview. But even so, she was still just a job seeker.
She was only twenty-three. A fresh-faced young man who had only recently been discharged from service.
Assigning someone like him the role of taming a fierce beast like Liam right away seemed like a stretch.
Not to mention that Kim Jeong looked the part of a delinquent and was the very person who had slapped the absurd nickname “Gyojumma” on her. Trust was hard to come by on so many levels.
Yet Elluke didn’t seem to think that way at all.
- Do you think I’ve done something strange, just like Seoyun?
I couldn’t bring myself to say no outright. I opened my mouth, clicked my tongue a couple times, and finally shook my head.
“No, of course not. Compared to everything Your Highness has done so far, this is nothing more than a minor hiccup.”
- …….
At my words, Elluke fell briefly silent. Then she continued in the same confident tone.
- I wasn’t acting on impulse either. Bring me her resume, please.
The voice carried genuine assurance. She hadn’t simply blurted out the first half-baked idea that came to mind.
I quickly grabbed the resume and began reading from the top line by line.
Kim Jeong’s resume lacked the usual sections—career history, qualifications, certifications. Instead, under the “Special Notes” column, she had crammed in a mountain of miscellaneous information.
An ordinary HR manager would have clicked their tongue. But to me, it was music to my ears. This was exactly the kind of “MZ-style” resume I had been hoping for.
Among all the details, the one that caught my eye most was her hobbies.
[Hobbies: Reading]
- I make a point of enjoying every new release and trending title. I read everything—novels, history, philosophy, science, comics, light novels—without discrimination.
Kim Jeong had a refined taste despite the delinquent exterior. She wasn’t the type of young person who skipped reading altogether.
Someone who read a lot would likely have flexible thinking. Maybe that was why she could convince Liam so easily. Did that mean Elluke had decided to trust her after all?
- Elluke, not there. Look at the very bottom.
I thought it sounded plausible, but my guess fell wide of the mark.
I immediately turned the page and scanned the lower section. There, under the heading that must have explained why Elluke had found Kim Jeong so impressive, I read:
[Military Record: Honorably Discharged (Military Dog Handler)]
- I was objectively an outstanding military dog handler. Thanks to raising six dogs since I was a child, I am an expert at caring for canines.
She wasn’t lying. Kim Jeong was clearly good with dogs. And Liam was sometimes… almost like one.
“…Is that it?”
I waited for Elluke’s explanation with a mix of disbelief and hope. It sounded logical, but even so, something still felt off.
- Not quite. Look right below that.
Thankfully, my mistake was corrected.
I leaned in again and found it almost immediately: the motto she had clearly chosen with Elluke in mind.
[Motto: If you hit it hard enough, something will eventually work out.]
It was a phrase I had heard countless times—especially from the very person we were talking to right now.
Elluke laughed brightly and continued.
- She has the same motto as me. Isn’t that funny? That’s why I decided to believe her.
“……”
I instinctively covered my face with both hands.
- This time I’ll take care of it. Just watch and stay out of my way, okay?
“……Yes.”
I answered on autopilot. A moment later I caught Seoyun’s eye and whispered softly.
“I’ve already thought of a backup plan. You don’t have to worry.”
If I had simply handed the job over without any safeguards, it could have turned into a disaster.
***
Liam was soaring through the sky.
While adjusting his speed, he took in the vast expanse of sky and sea below. The view was breathtakingly beautiful.
Admiring the scenery, Liam suddenly furrowed his brow.
“A little farther than I thought.”
America really was a long way away. Flying slowly, conserving mana, had been the right choice. If he had rushed, he might have fallen into the sea halfway.
This world simply had too little mana. Compared to his home world, it was like the difference between the sea and a small lake.
The natural environment must be heavily polluted, he realized. Mana was the purest essence of nature, after all.
In other words, the place was severely tainted. Science or whatever they called it here couldn’t fully cleanse the air and water.
“Should I step in?”
The thought of offering a helping hand rose again. It was the hero’s instinct stirring inside him.
With magic, spirit arts, or holy prayers, he could restore the ruined environment without much effort. Even if it took longer if the damage was severe, the fact that a solution existed was what mattered.
As a devoted follower, cleansing the land for free would improve the church’s reputation enormously.
Liam felt a surge of admiration for his own inspiration. He was even more surprised that he had already begun working on it without anyone telling him to. How long had it been since he felt this eager?
Liam’s unemployed life had dragged on for quite some time. After defeating the Demon King, he had refused every job offer. Almost twenty years had passed.
It was tough on his wife, who worked so hard for the two of them, but there was no choice. A former hero had no use in a world where the Demon King’s army had been wiped out.
All he knew how to do was fight. Without that, he had ended up as a NEET. It was a perfectly reasonable excuse.
Yet Liam was still human. When people stopped working and just lounged around, he could sense their disappointment. That was why he had come flying here. Isn’t it the duty of a NEET to do exactly what his wife asks?
“She’ll praise me, right?”
Since he had started flying the moment she ordered it, she would probably beam with joy and say something like “You’re so quick!” Just imagining her smiling with that still-youthful face made the corners of his mouth lift.
While Liam was lost in such pleasant thoughts, a crisp, youthful voice suddenly rang in his mind.
- Good day, Hero-nim.
He had experienced this same phenomenon several times before. Someone else was connecting spirits with him.
But this voice was completely unfamiliar.
“Who the heck are you? What do you mean, you’re connected to my mind?”
He spoke sharply, irritated by the sudden intrusion. It was an automatic reaction.
Liam didn’t like people who tried to get too close. He had no desire to be friendly with anyone who wasn’t family or a colleague.
Other people felt the same. Those who approached the blunt-spoken Liam were extremely rare. Sometimes fear, sometimes dislike. Occasionally even curiosity-driven strangers would chat with him for a minute before quickly losing interest and running away.
- It’s a pleasure to meet you. This may come as a surprise, but I’ve been instructed to help you, Hero-nim.
Unlike an ordinary person, the voice showed no fear, no confusion, no displeasure. It simply continued calmly and steadily.
Elluke had been the last person like this—after her saintly days of staying unflappable no matter how aggressively the hero spoke to her.
Liam found himself replying a little less hot-tempered than usual.
“So who are you?”
- I am Kim Jeong, who will soon be handling external affairs for the Nuset Church. More precisely, I will be taking over the position shortly. I haven’t been officially appointed yet.
External affairs manager.
Elluke had mentioned that someone like that was being considered. She had even conducted interviews. Whatever the job entailed, it sounded important.
Why, then, was this person connected to his mind?
“This is worrying…”
The title “External Affairs Manager” alone made his chest tighten for no reason. Had he made another mistake?
He had felt this uneasy feeling before. Whenever Elluke looked at him coldly even though he had only done something well-intentioned, worry would creep in.
Caught off guard, he asked the question he would never have asked otherwise.
“Did I mess up again?”
Liam first considered whether the problem lay with him. If Elluke had known, she would have cried in relief and joy.
- No, it was merely a misunderstanding.
Kim Jeong’s cheerful reply immediately eased Liam’s tension. He stopped flying in mid-air.
Even while he hovered, the calm voice continued.
- Pope-nim says it’s time to come home. There’s no need to broadcast the breastfeeding on the Tribe anymore.
“Is that so?”
- She also said this.
Kim Jeong paused for a moment, then lowered her voice and whispered.
- She wants you to come back quickly and kiss her. If you arrive soon… well, she won’t be able to speak after that because she’ll be too embarrassed.
“……”
Liam immediately turned around.
“I’m coming back right away.”
He had to return at once. It didn’t matter that his feelings had changed suddenly. Elluke requesting a kiss wasn’t something that happened often. This was only a chance that came once every few months. He couldn’t miss it.
He also wanted to know exactly what embarrassing part she had failed to say. So he turned back toward the path he had come from.
Then.
Flap. Flap.
The sound of wings beating rapidly approached. The speed was extraordinary. The pressure rolling off the newcomer was equally fierce. This was a high-level warrior.
A being of this caliber existed in this world? Liam’s lips curled into a smirk as he looked back.
“Hold on a second.”
Soon the winged figure flew closer and stopped. The person was strikingly unusual. Large wings sprouting from the back, feathers on the arms, a beak-like face. This was unmistakably a returnee. There were no other species in this world.
Yet the perfectly smooth bald head had nothing to do with being a returnee. In this world, even non-pirates walked around bald.
The man then spoke to Liam.
“I am Quick Eagle. If you don’t reveal your origin and name, I will treat your unauthorized intrusion into sovereign airspace as a hostile act.”
The words, transmitted through translation magic, carried clear hostility. It was understandable. He had entered another country without permission.
Liam knew this wasn’t something an ordinary person would do. He didn’t mind, though.
“My name is Clitia Elluke, wife of the hero from Korea.”
“……”
Quick Eagle’s brows furrowed as he glared at him. Then he extended one arm. In his hand gleamed a sharp feather.
“What is your purpose here?”
He was threatening, but he didn’t seem ready to fight. He must have already gauged the power difference. A wise man. There was no point provoking him when he clearly had no intention of fighting.
Liam flashed a bright smile and stated his reason.
“My wife wanted to broadcast her breastfeeding on the Tribe or whatever it’s called, so I came here to try but gave up and was heading back. That’s all.”
“……”
Quick Eagle’s expression turned thoughtful. He looked like he was trying to read between the lines.
“That’s the truth, though.”
As Liam wondered why he was being questioned, a voice suddenly rang in his mind.
- Have you met Quick Eagle?
Kim Jeong, connected through the shared spirit link, spoke as if she had been waiting.
But she was smiling—small, mysterious, almost eerie. It sounded like the laugh of a second-rate villain who still managed to sound perfectly calm.
- Let me give you some advice. It should turn out just fine.
Soon Kim Jeong began to lecture him. Her tone was flawless even as her laughter sounded suspiciously like a villain’s cackle.
Liam, who normally ignored advice from strangers, decided to follow her instructions this time.
“Quick Eagle? That’s your name? Anyway, I do have something to say.”
Liam repeated the words Kim Jeong had relayed, maintaining a stern, dignified expression as instructed.
“I am a supporter of political correctness. I believe every kind of creation should include at least one black person.”
“……”
For a split second, Quick Eagle froze. Then he broke into a wide grin.
“Welcome to America, friend!”
The greeting was far too enthusiastic coming from someone who had just been hostile.