LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 22
The opportunity to test the equipment would come soon—much sooner than I had anticipated.
The Eun-ha Federation has never taken the initiative to attack until now.
No matter how well you maintain your image, just one mistake can completely shatter the reputation you’ve built up. And once it’s broken, it never comes back. Even if you manage to rebuild, there’s always that label of “it happened before.”
On the other hand, those with a generally poor image can have a surprisingly positive effect from just one good deed. Of course, if time passes, they’ll still be criticized, and that single good act can be undervalued, but in a situation where you have nothing to lose, that doesn’t pose a big problem.
It’s not that the Eun-ha Federation has a completely spotless image, nor is Noir Corporation perceived solely as villains, but for comparison’s sake, that’s how it appears.
Therefore, ideally, the Eun-ha Federation should avoid attacking Noir Corporation, which operates legally in South Korea.
At least, that’s what I thought.
“But it seems like they are ultimately planning to attack,” James told me.
To ‘me.’
“Look at this.”
James manipulated the tablet he was holding.
At the same time, various indicators appeared on the screen of the tablet I was holding.
Satellite images of a building in a certain area.
And pictures of people wandering around nearby.
The building didn’t seem to be in the city center. The surrounding area was barren. From the fact that all the people in the pictures were wearing the same clothes, they seemed to be company employees since they were dressed differently from my combat suit.
“It’s a research complex. It’s quite famous in this area. Many local people got jobs there.”
I didn’t know. Honestly, I hadn’t planned on finding out either.
I had almost no attachment to this company at all. At first, I thought they just needed funding for the orphanage, and when someone offered to scout me, I just went along.
…Though now I was involved in various ways that made it difficult to back out easily.
What good would it do to lament about it now?
“…”
As I stared blankly at the screen, James shrugged.
“This time, we need you to protect this place.”
“It doesn’t seem like it’s in Seoul.”
“Of course. It’s in Gyeonggi-do.”
“……Isn’t it going to take quite a while for round trips?”
I’d go if I had to because of work, but I’m just a student here.
Besides, I live in an orphanage. I had no intention of leaving either of those places. Being kicked out was out of the question.
“There’s no problem with time. The Magical Girls are high school students too. If it’s the Eun-ha Federation, they can’t raid this place while students are in school. They probably aim for the weekend.”
That… makes sense, though.
It’s mentioned in webtoons.
High school students are focused on studying, especially since Korean high school students have the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT), so they only do work that doesn’t interfere with their studies.
A somewhat realistic answer to the question, “What do the Magical Girls do if an alien appears during the listening test?”
By the way, Noir Corporation is aware of this and deliberately causes incidents during that time. Usually, it results in their success being delayed too long, overlapping with the Magical Girls’ school hours, and thus becoming futile.
“So… you’re telling me I should go over the weekend?”
“Correct.”
“What will happen to the orphanage?”
“That won’t be a problem either. We’ll have it sorted.”
When I lifted my head and glared at James, he shrugged.
“It’s not that we called you here; we’re going to say you won a job experience opportunity. We’ve already talked to the school about it.”
“…”
“So you can rest assured.”
Something seems off, but for now, I decided to endure it.
“Is that all for the discussion?”
“Yes, for work-related matters.”
James readily admitted it.
“It sounds like there’s more to the story.”
“That’s right.”
James acknowledged it once again without hesitation.
Maybe the reason for calling me separately was because of that.
Combatants aren’t properly briefed on the operation details. They only receive a very condensed version of the operation upon arriving on site.
If it’s just a ruckus they need, then that’s it. Once you’re in it, whether you get hurt or caught doesn’t matter anymore. You’re responsible for getting back home. But seeing combatants continue to work, it seems that the pay is quite good.
That’s the same for leaders. A leader is just someone who fights decently compared to other combatants. While rumors say they earn several times more, it doesn’t seem like they consider their position to be crucial for the company.
Yet here I am, sitting and listening to this.
Not even a brief summary, but a detailed account with satellite images, straight to an officer.
“What’s the story about?”
“Do you remember when you first started working at this company?”
“……Yes, I remember.”
I don’t know how the scout selects talents, but I caught the eye of that scout.
I had known about crossing into this world for a long time, but I had no specific goals. What was there to aim for in the first place? I just happened to become the childhood friend of a Magical Girl; I was not a Magical Girl myself.
I was just trying to scrape by day by day. If the goal is to graduate and get a job, is that too mundane considering I’ve been isekai’d into a webtoon?
I had thought that was the reason I was isekai’d.
“You’re nothing special.”
The truth I knew even back in the other world, the writer of the webtoon must have wanted to emphasize it more by embedding me into their work.
Maybe the reason I jumped at that offer was because of that too.
If I could start working somewhere quickly, perhaps I could end up in a better position later on. After all, Noir Corporation is a big company.
“Do you remember the scout’s face?”
“There’s no way I would.”
I just got the contact, reached out, and went through an interview to get in. That’s about it.
“Really?”
“Is that important?”
“It is, in its own way. It’s a big difference between being a talent selected by this company and being someone who filtered in through other means. At least, you’re not a spy sent from somewhere, right?”
“…”
“Also, it’s fortunate for us that your connections are excellent.”
I glanced at James, who spoke in a very pleasant tone.
“And so, I have a proposal.”
“What kind of proposal?”
“How about working here as a full-time employee after graduation?”
“…”
“I’ll continue to donate as a part of community service. And separately, I’ll ensure your salary matches that of other employees at your level.”
I have been scouted by Noir Corporation twice.
“……I’ll think about it.”
I just said that for now.
I don’t know how I should back out yet. If I quit after graduation, I might reveal my identity to Ha-yoon.
But if I continue this way, I’ll eventually be found out. There are eternal secrets, but those are only possible when said secrets are small enough to be handled alone.
“Please consider it positively.”
James replied with a smile.
*
“Job experience?”
Ji-hye reacted with a face of disdain to my words.
“Are you telling me it’s not a trip, but just going far away on a weekend to study? Why on earth did you apply for that?”
“I didn’t apply because I wanted to. They randomly picked because no one else would.”
I sighed heavily as I spoke.
That was quite literally the case. Very few students applied directly; the rest were just randomly selected by the homeroom teachers.
I doubt such a thing would be possible in this day and age, yet when I informed my parents, they actually seemed pleased. They mentioned something about making a good impression on Noir Corporation.
“Take care while you’re relaxing here! See you!”
As Ji-hye waved her hand without even getting up, I poked her side with my toes.
“Ugh!?”
That made a funny sound.
As I prepared to poke her again, Ji-hye covered her side with her hand.
“What are you doing!?”
“You seem to have gained weight.”
“What!?”
“Since it’s winter and you’re just lying around inside, you’re putting on weight.”
After saying that, I immediately turned and dashed towards the door.
In the end, I couldn’t dodge the pillow that came flying at me.
*
Riding the tour bus borrowed from the company and driving for about two hours brought us to a surprisingly large building.
I hadn’t realized it was this big from the satellite images, but looking beyond the car window, it was certainly big enough to be called a ‘complex.’
The building itself was one, but it was so massive that you wouldn’t know how many factories could fit inside.
I might not have felt its scale as much since the pictures I saw on the tablet were quite zoomed in.
Everyone around was unfamiliar. A few were in the same class at school, but we didn’t really know each other well.
Of course, those who rushed to get jobs immediately after graduation lacked the usual backstory of being from a poor neighborhood. They were already worrying about their careers back in high school.
The bus stopped, and the front door opened.
There was a teacher sitting in the front row, but he was just the escort teacher. From here on out, a company employee was going to give us a facility tour.
Students chatted restlessly when the teacher stood up and told them to be quiet. The teacher of my class was not present. The kids on this bus were not only from my class but mixed from the same grade as well.
That teacher was most likely unlucky to be assigned here. In fact, his voice lacked any enthusiasm.
Oh, isn’t that the case with other teachers too?
After waiting a moment, a man walked in.
He was a very pleasant-looking guy. While he had a pleasant face, it wasn’t striking enough that I would remember his face a week later after listening to his explanation.
He looked like one of those faceless models that come up in corporate promotional posters.
He wore the typical gray work jacket often donned by workers. Underneath, he was dressed in a shirt and tie.
“Hello everyone!”
While his face was thin, his voice was very pleasant to listen to. It seemed like I could easily fall asleep if I were in class listening to him.
The man introduced himself, but I didn’t really catch much of it.
“I’ll be guiding you for the next two days, so let’s have a good time. The dormitory will be provided by the company. While you’re in the building, you’ll be treated on the same basis as Noir Corporation employees.”
Upon his words, a hand shot up from the crowd.
“Do you have any questions?”
“Yes.”
A slightly outgoing looking kid awkwardly stood up and asked.
“Is there a curfew or something?”
Snickers came from around him.
“There’s none for employees.”
With that word, the vicinity erupted in cheers.
“But you can’t go outside the building.”
Though the teacher said that, the outside of the building really was desolate. Even if there was a convenience store, it wouldn’t be outside.
…Is that so?
Having no curfew at night likely made it easier for me to move around.
I held back a sigh wanting to escape.
Having only a few friends helps in this case.
I couldn’t imagine thinking it would be a given.
*
Roaming around the complex was more enjoyable than I expected.
Some areas inside the gigantic cuboid building were still under construction, while others were factories making spaceships and places manufacturing semiconductors for in-house use.
Now that I look at it, I can tell how enormous Noir Corporation really is. They are also involved in construction on the outside and own media and entertainment companies as subsidiaries.
It’s like one of those mega corporations that appear in cyberpunk settings, producing everything from toothpicks to missiles—could this really be such a company?
Thinking that several corporations of this galactic scale could be found in places other than Korea, I could understand why the government is keen on collaborating with companies.
“Well then, that’s it for today.”
At four-thirty. After assigning dorm rooms and explaining the rules, the man concluded.
The students seemed to feel it ended earlier than expected. Everyone was excited. There was a pretty big mart nearby, and it seemed like they were thinking of buying lots of food there.
Meanwhile, I had other matters to attend to.
Now that I noticed, they did pick students randomly, so I ended up alone in a dormitory. The kids glanced at me with mixed expressions of sympathy, but I actually felt more comfortable this way. Since I had to keep coming and going at night.
Entering the dorm room and finally being alone, I let out a sigh and looked under the bed.
…There was indeed a case. I opened it to check the contents and put it back.
“Alright.”
I had heard that there were many combatants in this complex.
Among them, I was responsible for dealing with the Magical Girls directly.
I wasn’t an officer, but I held an important enough role.
…Could James have been serious about that?
Thinking back on James’s words, I pondered, but I decided to stop further consideration since I was not reaching any answers.
*
Still, there were things to be done.
No matter how laid-back I seem, I don’t want things to just happen without doing anything.
Even if I fail in the end, I want to at least hit back properly. If I keep getting hit unilaterally, it’s bound to lead to those thoughts.
The tablet that came with the suitcase contained a 3D map with detailed descriptions of the building’s interior facilities.
It’s impossible to memorize everything given its size. Instead, I focused on the part mentioning the presence of researchers.
There’s no evidence this is the truth. They could have hidden the actual information and intentionally provided this to mislead. If they wanted to confuse the Magical Girls, then that makes sense.
“…Are they attacking from that side?”
I don’t know where they got the information, but seeing them go this far clearly indicates there’s a possibility.
Scratching my head, I shut the tablet screen.
And then I slowly made my way towards the area where the research facility was supposed to be.
The teacher didn’t go on patrol. I passed a few fellow students from my school in the hallway, but just walked past since they were from a different class.
“I see.”
Even though it was labeled ‘Research Institute’ on the tablet, at present, it just looked like an area surrounded by walls.
The innermost depth of the complex. The lowest floor of one of the pillars holding up the building was the ‘Secret Research Institute.’
I didn’t know how to get in. It could be hiding by some alien technology, or they might have just whitewashed the door for this event, or perhaps they simply told me one of the pillars.
What I needed to do was guard that ‘Research Institute.’
I shrugged my shoulders and turned around—
Pok.
I felt a finger poke my cheek.
“…Did you see this in a drama too?”
As I turned my face away from the finger, I asked.
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“Well, I thought it would be there.”
It was Earth Buddy.
Earth Buddy handed me a can of drink.
“Not coffee today.”
“No, there’s no way I’d get drunk before work.”
What Earth Buddy handed me was just soda.
Accepting that, I walked towards a nearby convenience store.
Upon entering, I finally understood why the ‘complex’ is referred to as such. Inside, it felt less like a simple shopping mall and more akin to a ‘small town created inside a massive square dome.’ It was designed so people could constantly work inside.
While the floors were divided, the scale of the upper floors wasn’t large. It was because the center was wide open. Several buildings with floors of varying heights were arranged in that open space.
The place that most resembled something I’ve seen was probably the famous indoor amusement park in Jamshil. The structure is somewhat alike, though it’s considerably larger and shaped like a square building instead of a dome. Not having a dome structure meant that there were many thick and sturdy pillars, possibly to support the structure. One of those is referred to as ‘concealment.’
As soon as Earth Buddy sat down next to me, he started talking about this and that. At least he knew to avoid work talk. Most of it these days revolved around unrelated dramas or movies or comics.
…However, a few of those stories were interesting enough for me to make a mental note of the titles.
*
And then night fell.
The Magical Girls, unable to attack the company directly, were speculated to be planning to infiltrate this time. Instead of a flashy attack, they likely intended to utilize their abilities to stealthily take away key personnel.
That meant we needed to move subtly as well.
While ensuring to keep a close watch, I’d have to lie in wait and observe.
That’s when the black suit came in handy. In fact, the newly received helmet was even matte finished; they might have anticipated this situation somewhat.
I spent the early part of the evening in casual clothes observing the situation until around eight, and after nine, I switched to the suit and hid in a place invisible to others.
Instead of standing on the sidewalk, I was positioned inside a building that only employees could enter, peeking outside. Many buildings are designed so that important equipment inside cannot be seen from the outside, which was convenient.
The Magical Girls didn’t appear until just after midnight.
My eyes were starting to get tired. I wished I had slept a little, when suddenly.
“…Ah.”
I murmured.
I spotted a white dot.
After the security guards making their rounds passed by, a light appeared in mid-air.
The dim light, reduced to a minimum, slowly grew as if it were cautiously observing the surroundings.
…It really is overpowered.
I thought that while watching the abilities of the Magical Girls—consequently, the technology of the Eun-ha Federation.