Chapter 178: The Red-blooded Dreamer (4)
Reuniting with the Executive Manager of the Information Department was a catastrophe.
In reality, it’s rare to communicate with the Executive Manager for any good reason, but picking up the receiver this time made my breath halt instantly.
— Executive Manager, is everything alright at the Academy?
“Oh, yes.”
His pale complexion and eyes burning with inexplicable fury, along with his swaying body, painted a perfect picture of exhaustion — the very embodiment of overwork itself.
I nearly failed to respond properly upon seeing his tragic and tear-jerking state. Asking if the Academy was fine coming from him, who looked the very opposite of okay, felt like a cruel joke.
‘How on earth did he end up like this?’
Without his glare fixed on me, I probably would have doubled over and sobbed on the floor. I knew his default was to be overworked, but even this was too much!
— Good to hear. What a relief.
As he let out a small sigh of genuine relief, I quietly lowered my gaze.
Seeing someone like that makes one feel both pity and fear. After all, that might just be a glimpse of my future self.
‘No need to show me that.’
His unasked kindness in showing me this terrifying future nearly brought me to tears.
Who knows? Perhaps the Executive Manager learned these harsh lessons in his youth, continuing the legacy of overwork that runs through the Empire…
— If there were issues at the Academy, it would have been quite a headache.
My bizarre musings were thankfully interrupted by a sigh of exhaustion.
“Is it about the North?”
I ventured a guess while noticing the Executive Manager rubbing the back of his neck. If a matter was grave enough to disturb someone of his rank, it could only be about the North, especially with the ongoing turmoil.
And at my words, the Executive Manager nodded quietly.
— It’s wise to prioritize the North over the Red Wave.
I didn’t argue since I felt the same way. It was clear between the troublesome but manageable rebels and the North that nearly jeopardized the Empire—picking between the two was a no-brainer.
My only disappointment was that the Empire, or rather the Ministry of Intelligence, was focusing too much on the North. This made it challenging for me to secure support.
— Thanks to that, we had quite a time deploying the Masked Unit.
“Oh.”
Had he read my thoughts?
His words were flat, yet the underlying meaning was apparent. I hadn’t anticipated the Masked Unit would be dispatched in this situation. I had assumed they would head straight to the North.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
— It’s only natural. Don’t worry about it.
Though he insisted not to worry, we both understood the underlying message: ‘I’ve provided you with support, so resolve this without causing a fuss.’
Of course, I planned on handling everything delicately. Why would I engage in chaos and tire myself for no reason?
Moreover, with three division heads involved, this mission was practically fail-proof.
“I’ll send them back quickly.”
— That’s wonderful to hear.
Finally, the Executive Manager managed to smile for the first time during the conversation.
*
The discovery of a spy by the 2nd Division Head and the dispatch of the Masked Unit by the Ministry of Intelligence marked a rare double celebration.
“Isn’t this overshooting the mark?”
On the other hand, the news of the Masked Unit’s arrival made the 1st Division Head tilt her head. She seemed happy about seeing the 4th Division Head, but still questioned whether deploying the Masked Unit was necessary.
“Do you have any idea how many there are? More power is always better.”
I firmly answered the 1st Division Head. To be honest, just like she mentioned, the Masked Unit was overkill against those Red Wave underlings.
But since the potential danger was unknown, wouldn’t it be better to have more and mightier forces?
“They came during the Third Honor too.”
“That’s true,” she conceded.
Bringing up the precedent made the 1st Division Head agree. Since the Masked Unit had been dispatched during the subjugation of the Third Honor, it wouldn’t be strange for them to act against anyone, really. This is why precedents matter.
“We’ll wrap this up quickly!”
Seeing her smile, I couldn’t help but nod in agreement. It would indeed be over soon.
The Masked Unit had boasted about their fast work since their days in the 4th Division. Plus, they tended to handle troublesome matters with ease.
“We might just end up watching this time too.”
After all, they had managed everything themselves during the Third Honor operation. I simply watched while the 1st Division Head arrived late for the interrogation.
Maybe the Red Wave would get completely crushed by the Masked Unit again. Fingers crossed for that!
“We? You mean, you. Count me out.”
Got caught up in my thought of taking pride in being a skilled salary thief when I heard a tired voice from beside me.
Casting a glance, I saw Charles — no, the 2nd Division Head, scrunching his face in annoyance.
“I’m the only one working myself to the bone here among the three of us—”
“Charles, enough whining. Snatch a cookie instead.”
The moment the 2nd Division Head began to launch into a lengthy complaint, the 1st Division Head intervened by physically stuffing a cookie into his mouth.
“Well done, right?”
“Good job.”
He seemed to expect praise. So, I gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up. This time, the 1st Division Head truly did well. Just as the mood peaked, he could’ve ruined it all.
However, the tenacious and aggrieved 2nd Division Head chewed a few times on the cookie and swallowed without hesitation.
“I’m the only one working here! Just me!”
Then he thumped the desk in frustration. Admittedly, thumping it looked more like a series of light taps rather than a fierce pound.
“In this line of work, sometimes you roll up your sleeves while others play. You’ve been a civil servant long enough to know that!”
Surprisingly, my indifferent response emerged due to his outburst that didn’t resonate with me whatsoever. Since we have different tasks, when some take a break, others get to work. It’s basic knowledge for anyone who’s been around in public service.
Seeing the 1st Division Head nodding along showed she understood, but the 2nd Division Head ruffled his face in irritation.
“If it were just workload stress, I wouldn’t be freaking out. It’s because of your undercover identity, isn’t it?”
“Because of his cover?”
I was momentarily confused, but then it clicked.
“I heard Charles would return after dinner.”
Days after I pulled the 2nd Division Head away from the lab, I had chatted with Gerhardt.
“Oh, right. The lab doesn’t distinguish day from night, so it’s fine if he returns after dinner.”
“Good to know! I was worried about holding him back from his duties during daytime.”
It seemed assistant teachers were tirelessly working throughout the night too! Although I questioned if they managed to squeeze in any free time or get proper sleep.
All things considered, it appeared the 2nd Division Head was doing acceptably well as an assistant teacher, so I decided to let that slide. He’d have to play that role to make it seem normal for other people, anyway.
‘What could have happened to stress him out to this extent?’
Seeing him boiling with frustration made me curious.
“Come on, you just should stay in the lab. Isn’t that easy?”
While I furrowed my brows in serious concern, the 1st Division Head seemed oblivious to the gravity of the situation and laughed while speaking.
Or perhaps she was aware but chose to downplay it.
“That’s like being in a prison! A prison!”
The 2nd Division Head trembled and finally replied.
But labeling it as prison seemed a bit harsh. How could one even compare a lab to prison?
‘Even prisoners have rights!’
It turned out that students didn’t. In that case, I guess prison wins?
However, I couldn’t utter that thought aloud as I watched the two of them start grappling.
*
With trembling hands, I began unwrapping the bandage from my shoulder.
The injuries sustained in the North were healing at an extraordinarily slow pace. It had to be magic utilized by high-ranking sorcerers.
‘Finally.’
But none of that mattered. The only significant point was that the wounds had fully healed.
My heart raced after confirming no scars were left on my shoulder. Now I could finally go meet him.
— Your injuries are more serious than expected. Rest until you fully recover.
“Understood.”
During the clash in the North, several of us, myself included, had gotten injured. While it wasn’t grave, the healing was bizarrely slow, leading us all back to the base.
Pain was absent, but the unknown sorcery of the North left us puzzled. Thus, it was only sensible to receive treatment at the base given its unpredictable effects. I wanted to take this chance to breathe easy, but—
— It seems we need to find another unit for the Academy mission.
“…What?”
Upon hearing that, I felt anxious. The Academy mission was undoubtedly crucial.
I argued vehemently with the Minister of Intelligence that we should proceed at once, but it was rejected based on the risk of permanent injuries.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the Special Service Agency was too absorbed in the North to find a substitute for the Masked Unit. Ironically, we, still recovering, ended up being the most available personnel.
— Once you recover from your injuries, we’ll send you on the mission. But if it takes too long, we’ll have to look for alternatives.
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
That was enough. The somewhat vague condition of ‘if it takes too long’ already indicated that the Minister had made plans to dispatch the Masked Unit.
Though the recovery took longer than the healer had anticipated, no alternative units materialized. I was relieved to not miss the opportunity to see the Executive Manager.
“Don’t push yourself too hard. It’s most important not to get hurt.”
In that case, the focus needed to be on recovering. The Executive Manager would fret even if we received the smallest scratch.
I remembered his worried gaze and warm touch while he tended to my wounds. That comfort was cherished, but I didn’t want to see those sad eyes again.
‘Executive Manager.’
Gripping the pristine bandage tightly, I lowered my head. I wanted to see his face filled with joy, not worry.
And now, I could. Just as promised by the Minister of Intelligence, I was finally free to move again.
‘…Master.’
I’m on my way to see you.
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