Rookie Orientation

Basement Level 2, the staff cafeteria.

The moment the elevator doors slid open, a familiar smell punched me in the nose.

Army mess-hall stink mixed with every man's soul food.

Spicy stir-fried pork.

"Hah. I might actually live."

My stomach, which had been scraping by on bread crumbs back in Elise's room, roared like a beast. I grabbed a tray and planted myself in front of the serving line.

Extra meat. Sauce nice and thick.

This right here—this was the true welfare package for a guy pulling five hundred thousand won an hour.

Peace lasted exactly as long as it took me to sit down with my tray.

"Yo, check it out. Fresh meat."

"White name tag? Non-combat staff?"

"Came here to coast, huh."

Whispers drifted over. The class system in Abyss was crystal clear.

Combat staff (red) > Commanders (black) >>> insurmountable wall >>> Support staff (white).

I was basically a walking punching bag.

Ignore them. Food's getting cold.

I scooped up a generous spoonful of spicy pork. The second I brought it toward my mouth—

THUD!

Someone slammed a tray down on my table hard enough to make the broth jump. Red soup splattered all over my precious pork—and left a vivid stain across my white uniform shirt.

"……Ah."

The sigh slipped out on its own. I looked up. A man built like a bear was standing over me. Muscles straining against his prisoner jumpsuit. A knife scar cutting across his face. The name tag read [No. 108 Gu Mansu].

"Hey, rookie. Food going down okay?"

Gu Mansu bared yellow teeth in a greasy grin. Behind him, three or four lounging inmates stood like a folding screen.

"I'm in the middle of eating."

"Ha, look at this punk talking back. Yo, you're F-rank, right?"

Rumors traveled fast. An F-rank assigned to S-rank duty—of course I looked like easy prey.

"Rank badges don't mean shit down here. Strongest fists make you big brother. Got it?"

Gu Mansu jammed his chopsticks straight into my tray. My meat got pulverized.

That crossed the line.

"Gotta put you through the initiation, yeah?"

He grabbed me by the collar and hoisted me clean off the ground. My feet dangled in empty air. The surrounding inmates whooped and cheered. The guards eating nearby looked the other way like they saw nothing. Weak people getting stomped was just another Tuesday around here.

"Listen good. From now on you do all my laundry and cleaning. Or else……"

A low hum. Blue mana coiled around Gu Mansu's fist.

B-rank physical reinforcement type.

One hit from that and an F-rank like me was looking at eight weeks minimum—or a one-way express ticket across the River Styx if luck ran out.

Any normal F-rank would've wet himself. I just stared at him, face blank.

……I'm not even scared?

Maybe because I'd just come from staring down an S-rank witch's hellfire. B-rank mana felt about as threatening as a lighter flame.

And then—

My mental fortitude was steel. Instead of squeezing my eyes shut, I locked gazes with him.

"Put me down."

"What?"

"They say even a dog doesn't mess with a man while he's eating. Grabbing someone by the collar? And you're paying for my spicy pork."

"This crazy bastard—!"

Gu Mansu's face went red, then purple. The instant he cocked his fist to drive it down, instinct took over. I shot my hand out and clamped onto the wrist holding my collar.

Calm down. Please just go to sleep, you muscle pig!

ZZZT—!

"Uh……?"

Gu Mansu's eyes went wide. Starting from the wrist my hand touched, the blue mana wrapping his fist scattered like a lie. Then the muscles that had been coiled tight began to go slack and rubbery.

"Wh-what? My strength……"

The killing intent drained from his face, replaced by a vacant, stupid look. His eyelids grew heavy, like a patient who'd just been hit with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a knockout anesthetic.

This was the same ability that could shut down an S-rank witch's rampage. Putting a measly B-rank reinforcement type's excitement to sleep was easier than blowing out a candle. I'd forcibly flipped his entire nervous system into rest mode.

"Boss? What's wrong? Beat his ass!"

The underlings behind him shouted, clueless. Gu Mansu answered by letting his jaw hang open.

"Ah…… sleepy……"

Thud.

The giant released my collar and toppled flat on his back across the floor. In less than a second, thunderous snoring filled the cafeteria.

Hrrrk— phweeee—

"……"

Dead silence blanketed the room. You couldn't even hear a spoon drop. Hundreds of eyes, painted with shock, flicked back and forth between me and Gu Mansu sprawled on the floor.

"Wh-what the hell was that?"

"He dropped him in one shot?"

"There wasn't even a hit sound. Did he strike a pressure point?"

"Some kind of assassination technique?"

I could hear the misunderstandings stacking up. All I'd done was put the guy to sleep, but to everyone else it looked like I'd knocked him out with a single finger like some martial arts grandmaster.

This…… is gonna be a pain.

Still, it wasn't all bad. If you wanted to survive in a place this bleak, looking like an unknown monster beat looking like easy prey every time.

I straightened my clothes and played it cool. Then I stepped over the collapsed Gu Mansu, picked up my tray, and stood.

"Ruined ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my appetite."

The quiet mutter was enough. The inmates blocking my path parted like the Red Sea. Contempt and mockery were gone from their eyes—only fear and wariness remained.

I casually returned my tray at the disposal window and walked out of the cafeteria. The stares drilling into my back burned, but I kept my shoulders squared.

The second the elevator doors closed, my legs gave out and I sank to the floor.

"Hoo…… almost died there."

Basement Level 1, outside the Penthouse.

I sighed at my reflection in the elevator mirror.

"Ugh. Look at this mess."

Soup-stained shirt, sweat-soaked hair, and the lingering funk of spicy pork vibrating off me. Anyone looking would think I was some mid-level office drone who'd just staggered out of the third round of company drinking, not an S-rank warden.

If I walk in like this she'll try to burn me alive.

But there was zero time to clean up. She was waiting.

Wearing a face like I was marching to my execution, I swiped my ID card.

Beep.

The door opened and sauna-level heat slammed into me.

"You're late."

Elise sat on the bed, glaring. Heat haze shimmered around her.

"My apologies. The cafeteria line was a bit long."

"Don't make excuses. I'm dying of heat."

She hurled a pillow at me in irritation. I caught it lightly and approached.

"I'll calm you down right away. Your hand, please."

"Wait."

She sniffed the air, then scrunched her face hard.

"Don't come near me. You stink."

"Excuse me?"

"Cheap grease smell plus disgusting male musk…… Did you roll around in a dumpster?"

Wow. Nose like a bloodhound. The scent must have clung to me while I was grappling with Gu Mansu. In the eyes of a germaphobe witch, I probably looked like a walking garbage bag full of leftovers.

"There was a small incident in the cafeteria."

"Incident? An F-rank with enough ability to cause trouble. Color me surprised."

She waved me off with pure contempt in her eyes.

"Go wash. Touch me looking like that and I'll cut your wrist off."

"Understood. I'll use the bathroom."

"Hurry up. You've got one minute."

One minute? Even chemical warfare drills in the army were more generous than this. I bolted into the bathroom without a second to argue.

Shaaaa—

I cranked the cold water and soaped myself like a man possessed. If I wanted to pay off my debts, I had to become the cleanest, most fragrant air conditioner on the planet.

Damn it, where's the shampoo.

Every bottle on the bathroom shelf was labeled in French or Italian. I grabbed something with a rose printed on it and scrubbed my hair. The fragrance hit like a truck.

Rose scent on a guy was a little much, but this was no time to be picky about cold leftovers versus hot ones.

"Hey! Forty seconds are up!"

Elise's shout cut through the door. I roughly towel-dried, shook out my wet hair, and burst out of the bathroom.

"I'm done! Clean!"

I spread both arms to advertise my harmlessness. Elise sat on the bed with her arms crossed, looking me up and down. Her gaze lingered on my damp hair and the rose fragrance seeping through my shirt.

"……Hmph. Now you're somewhat presentable."

She held out her hand. I hurried over and took it.

Hissss.

The moment cool energy flowed through my hand, the deep furrow in her brow melted away. She rubbed my hand against her burning cheek and let out a languid sigh.

"Haa…… Now I can finally breathe."

The temperature in the room began to drop. She leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes. I sat in the chair, still holding her hand, and carefully opened my mouth.

"Um, Prisoner."

"What."

"What should I do about meals going forward? Every time I go to the cafeteria the smell is going to cling to me."

"Don't go."

She answered without even opening her eyes.

"Have it brought to my room. You eat here too."

"Is that allowed? Regulations say……"

"Regulations? I am the law. If you've got a problem, tell the warden to come himself."

Classic S-rank swagger. But from my perspective? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Thank you very much. Eating under her scrutiny here beat going back to that bloodthirsty cafeteria a hundred times over. At least the food here was steak.

"And."

Elise opened her eyes and pointed at my shirt. At the spot where Gu Mansu had grabbed my collar, faint wrinkles and a missing button remained.

"Why does your clothes look like that?"

"Ah—there was a little scuffle in the cafeteria earlier."

"A scuffle?"

Her eyes sharpened. For one stupid second I nursed the delusional hope that she might say something like How dare they touch my air conditioner? and take revenge for me.

Her reaction was nothing like what I'd imagined.

"Idiot."

She clicked her tongue.

"That's what you get for wandering around looking soft when you're only F-rank. Don't go ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠around getting hit. It's embarrassing."

"……Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

"I hate it when my things get scratched."

She flicked the collar area with one finger.

Fwoosh!

"Ow, hot!"

A tiny flame bloomed, and the crumpled wrinkles smoothed out like they'd been ironed. My chest nearly got seared along with them, of course.

"If you break, I'll throw you out. Got it?"

Her words were cold, but her actions were strange. She rummaged through a drawer, pulled something out, and tossed it at me.

"Catch."

"What is this?"

It was a chocolate bar. Top-shelf handmade stuff wrapped in gold foil, no less.

"You look like your blood sugar's crashing. Can't have the air conditioner underperforming."

"……Thank you."

I unwrapped it and popped it in my mouth. Sweet bitterness spread across my tongue. I knew it was just fuel injection, but somehow it didn't feel half bad.

Fine. So what if I'm a tool. At least I landed an owner who maintains me properly.

Elise closed her eyes again and toyed with my hand. Her touch felt a fraction softer than before.

"Hey."

"Yes."

"Make it colder. Harder."

"……Yes, valued customer."

I drew up more mana and cranked the cooling output. A faint smile touched the corner of her mouth.

Extreme job: warden of Abyss. Zero human rights, but the benefits weren't terrible. At least I didn't have to worry about starving or getting beaten to death.

Just one condition—don't piss off this moody owner of mine.

That was when the radio in my pocket crackled to life.

Not the director's voice. A rough, unpleasant male voice.

"Who is this?"

Chief Park. The senior guard who'd looked at me like I was a bug during the hiring orientation.

Elise's brow furrowed again.

"It's loud. Turn it off."

"Ah—my senior's calling. I think I need to go."

"Don't go. It's hot."

"I'll be right back. Really, right back."

I carefully released Elise's hand and stood. She shot me an irritated sidelong glare.

"Ten minutes."

She held up one finger.

"If you're not back by then, I'll burn the security office and everything in it."

"Yes! Ten-minute cut, guaranteed!"

I threw a salute and bolted out of the Penthouse.

One mountain after another, as the saying went. I'd just finished soothing the witch, and now a crusty senior was waiting for me.

My life in Abyss wasn't giving me a single second to breathe.