Benzel closed the files he had spread out and opened a new one.
"As I mentioned earlier, that Zone Security Chief will receive severe punishment. And Jun. If you agree, we would like to spin the incident in our favor a bit."
Benzel proposed to Jun. It was about spreading to the media that a guardian of the Lee Clan, wearing advanced technology developed under the leadership of the United Mining Chairman, had single-handedly resolved this hostage crisis. It was almost true, but Benzel's intention to expand his influence further in this opportunity was also included. And it was also about taking care of the image of the Lee Clan involved in the incident.
At the same time, he suggested to inform the current situation of United Mining to the media, which had been unable to properly control one security situation and had been busy shifting blame, in order to tarnish the image of United Mining. It was to show incompetent people who made a mess of the situation as soon as they left the chairman's hands, causing civilians to be injured.
Benzel's goal was to improve the chairman's image while tarnishing the image of United Mining itself, making the chairman and United Mining perceived as different entities by the public.
"Well... everything sounds good, but what about the emperor's favor?"
"Oh, your emperor? He knows that he didn't do much. He just asked for money. We plan to continue expanding our cooperation, so there should be no complaints."
Jun nodded and asked something else.
"Oh, and there's that East Ocean runner in custody right now, right? If he agrees, it would be good to put his story out to the media too. It's not nice to bury the story of someone who showed honorable sacrifice."
"All right. Let's consider it all agreed and proceed that way, shall we?"
Benzel called Bones to deliver the instructions. And Jun spoke as if he had just remembered.
"Oh right. And Lamar told you to hurry up and repay the debt, Benzel."
"Hmm... His memory is quite good. Thanks for passing that along."
"Excuse me, mister."
*Pouring sound. *
Young Yen grabbed onto Benzel's coat and called out to him. Her older sister and brothers were currently engrossed in a game, but because she was too young to fully enjoy playing, she had ended up wandering over to where the adults were talking, feeling bored.
"Yeah? What's up?"
Benzel asked with a smile. Yen, who had been staring intently at Benzel, opened her small mouth.
"Are you Auntie Remi's boyfriend?"
"Huh? Well, of course! Your auntie and I are meant to be."
"What nonsense. Yen, you can half-listen to that guy's words."
In response to Remi's words, Yen turned her head to Benzel and threw a bombshell.
"Mister, do you like young girls?"
"Cough, cough!"
Thud!
In an instant, the atmosphere changed dramatically. Benzel suddenly started coughing as if he heard a sudden excuse, and Remi, startled, fell back in her chair. Eda and Jun widened their eyes in astonishment.
"Cough, cough. Wh-what are you talking about?"
Benzel, who was the first to regain his composure, asked Yan, who was petite enough for her knees to almost touch her thighs.
"Auntie Remi is much younger than you and is shorter. She looks like a child."
"Ugh. Ye, Yen. I'm someone who values inner qualities more than appearance. Even if Remi was taller and looked more mature, I would have loved her. Moreover, my relationship with your aunt started after she became adults...! I haven't committed any serious crimes approaching a child or anything...!"
"But auntie Remi just told me to half-listen to you. Besides, Auntie said, you started bothering Auntie when she... um... yeah. When she was a minor."
"Ye, Yen! That's a very impolite thing to say."
Belatedly regaining her composure, Eda stopped her innocent daughter.
"I'm sorry, our Yen doesn't know anything..."
Jun also stood up abruptly and apologized to Benzel. Benzel smiled and tried to brush it off.
"Oh, no. Kids can be like that..."
But Yen didn't stop there.
"Oh, and Auntie told me. Mister. She said you kept bothering her so much that she had no choice but to meet you. Is that true?"
"Yen, let's talk with Mom and Dad."
Eda and Jun took Yen to the corner to educate her thoroughly, while Benzel sank into sadness.
"Remi... Is that true? Were you meeting me out of pity...?"
As Remi's joking words came back to haunt her, Remi was bewildered and didn't know what to do.
"W-why would I do that? Do I seem like that kind of person?"
At that moment, the door opened, and Bones walked in cautiously.
"Hey, Chairman. I'm here... What's going on? Why is the atmosphere like this?"
Eda and Jun were speaking to Yen in the corner, Benzel was lying on the desk crying, Remi was comforting him, and the rest of the children were unaware of what was happening, immersed in their game. Bones couldn't even begin to guess what had happened.
/
"Ugh..."
Ken slowly opened his eyes. He saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
"Where am I...?"
Still groggy, Ken struggled to sit up. A intense pain, as if his arm was being pierced by a sharp spear, shot through him, causing his body to involuntarily shrink.
"Ugh..."
"Oh, hey. Ken!"
From one side of Ken's vision, a familiar face with glasses suddenly appeared. It was his colleague, Pilot Jibin.
"You're alive! I didn't think you'd die from something like this!"
"As long as it's not in the torso or a vital spot, you usually don't die from getting shot in the arm."
"It seems you are fine."
Ken looked around. It was an excessively clean and luxurious hospital room. Compared to the bed he was lying in; the surrounding space was much larger. Everything was white, and there were several large flowerpots, various medical instruments of unknown purpose, a voice-controlled indoor environmental control device, a large monitor, and so on. It was the most luxurious place he had ever seen in his life.
"...Where am I? Have I been lying here for a long time?"
"You ask quickly. It's been a day since you got shot. This is Ironwind General Hospital's VIP single room. Check out the facilities. It's a hundred times better than the orphanage I lived in when I was a kid. I'd gladly accept it even if it meant living here for the rest of my life."
"What?"
Ken tried to sit up abruptly but stopped because of the pain in his arm.
"Hey, stop. No matter how tough you are, you need to rest for about a month. That way, you won't have any lasting effects."
"No, where do we have the money to stay here! We need to get out quickly..."
"It's okay. The United Mining Chairman covered all the medical expenses."
Ken asked Jibin as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"What? The chairman?"
"Yeah. As a token of gratitude for your great sacrifice, he covered all your medical expenses. And he also paid for our vessel parking fees and living expenses while we're here. He said he'll also award you a commendation along with additional compensation once you're fully recovered."
"Something like that happening is just too good to be true..."
"It's real. Here are the hospital bills and other payment receipts."
Jibin showed Ken the tablet screen. As he said, it contained the contents confirming that the United Mining Chairman had covered all the expenses. Ken muttered in disbelief.
"This can't be true. Why would the chairman..."
"I don't know. How can we know what those high-up people are thinking? Hey, aren't you curious about what happened yesterday? Since it made such a big splash in the newspapers, read it."
Jibin manipulated the tablet to display the newspaper. It was Daily Lumen. The hostage crisis article dominated the front page from the top. Ken read the article carefully.
"The advanced technology developed under the leadership of the United Mining Chairman, and used by the East Ocean Lee Clan guardian... Huh, so that was a cloaking technology? Unbelievable."
"Exactly. Oh, and there's someone who wants to meet you."
"Hmm?"
Just as Ken was puzzled, the voice of an AI sounded from the speaker mounted on the wall of the hospital room.
-Mr. Ken and Companion Jibin, you have a visitor."
"Wow, even something like that is installed in the hospital room. Money truly talks. Let them in!"
Ziing.
*Soft footsteps. *
From around the corner, the sound of the door opening gently echoed, followed by cautious footsteps. And shortly after, a woman's face suddenly appeared.
"Mr. Jibin, is Mr. Ken alright... Myria neverlasting!"
Layla, dressed casually, walked in and was startled to see Ken sitting up. A fruit basket fell from her arms.
*Rolling. *
A round, bright red fruit rolled across the room.
/
"Well... So, Ms. Layla is a witch."
"Yes..."
Ken lay on the hospital bed, with Jibin and Layla sitting on either side of him. While Jibin carved the fruit, he asked Layla a question, and she, embarrassed by her outburst, bowed her head deeply.
"Well, it's okay, please raise your head."
Ken said, and Layla cautiously lifted her head. Then she quickly lowered it again.
"I-I'm really sorry. You took a bullet for me, and I just... I'm sorry for being rude."
"Don't worry about it, you don't have to bow your head anymore."
"I wanted to thank you again. I'm really grateful for saving my life."
"I understand, so could you please raise your head?"
Layla tried to express her gratitude as much as possible, and Ken was trying to calm her down when Jibin intervened.
"Hey, want some? It looks delicious. Lady, please eat some of this too."
Jibin sliced the fruit and pushed it into Ken's mouth, then gently persuaded Laila to have some too.
"Oh, I'm fine, really."
"There's too much for just the two of us. She brought so much. Please have some."
"Well, just a little then..."
Crunchy.
As Layla crunched on the fruit, Jibin whispered to Ken.
"Hey, by the way, what were you thinking? I mean, seriously, even so, preparing to take a bullet and protecting others... What kind of courage is that?"
Ken, after chewing and swallowing the fruit, replied softly.
"It's just a habit from the days of guardian training. Nothing special."
"Nothing special, huh. I see."
There was a moment of silence in the hospital room. Then, Jibin spoke up first to Layla.
"Um, hey, Ms. Layla?"
"Yes?"
Layla answered, shrinking slightly.
"Well, don't be startled. You said you're a witch, but do you work at Ironwind?"
"Oh, yes. I work... here…"
Layla answered with a deep expression. Jibin whispered to Ken again.
"...Did I say something wrong?"
"I don't know even if you ask me."
Jibin, trying to shake off the awkwardness, asked again.
"You came here during the day on a weekday, so you seem to have some free time...?"
"Oh... Normally, I work 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Right now... I got special permission to take a break for four days because of what happened yesterday."
"What? 16 hours a day, 7 days a week?"
When Jibin exclaimed in disbelief, Layla added as if she had missed something.
"I work 12 hours a day for one day a week."
"Good lumen... How do you work in such an environment? You seem like you should leave right away."
"Well, that's..."
As Layla's words trailed off in response to Jibin's, Ken nudged him.
"Everyone has their own circumstances. Don't be so tactless."
"I can't believe I'm hearing that from you..."
"It's okay."
The atmosphere in the room became awkward. Trying to lighten the mood, Layla turned to the two men.
"Um... Are you and Mr. Ken friends?"
"We're colleagues."
Ken gave a brief response, and Jibin added more details.
"Oh, we're part of the lumen cave exploration team. It's just the two of us here, and we haven't had much success so far, haha..."
"Oh..."
Once again, the room fell into awkward silence. Layla gathered her courage again to speak up.
"So, what brings you here...? Are you here to buy lumen intel?"
"Well, since there seems to be a shortage of exploration with just the two of us, we came to recruit new members. Preferably a witch."
Layla nodded at Jibin's response.
"Oh... You've come at a not-so-good time then."
"What happened? We don't really know what's going on around here."
Layla briefly summarized the situation. She explained that United Mining had recruited witches in preparation for war but ended up unable to engage in conflict due to internal power games, leaving the witches indefinitely idle. This led to heightened sensitivity among people due to the hatred towards witches.
"So, it's understandable why everyone reacted strangely when asked."
Ken nodded in acceptance of her explanation. Jibin hesitated several times, as if trying to say something, before finally making a proposal to Layla.
"Ms. Layla, why don't you come with us?"
"Me?"
Layla was taken aback. Jibin quickly did some mental calculations.
With Ken's injury, they had to stay put for a month, and there was no guarantee they'd find a suitable companion within that time. Considering the atmosphere here, it would be fortunate if they weren't turned away empty-handed. So, proposing to someone who owed them a debt of gratitude, such as Layla, seemed like the best option.
"We need a witch. To runners, a witch is a valuable ally in lumen cave searching. Given that United Mining has already hired you, your minimum capability is already proven, isn't it? We can't guarantee how successful we'll be in the future, but we promise better treatment than here."
"Oh..."
As Layla hesitated and lowered her head, Ken turned to her, perhaps with a glimmer of hope, and looked at her.
"I'm really grateful for the offer, but... I'm sorry. I can't leave."
"Oh..."
Jibin sighed dejectedly, and Ken, resignedly, turned his head back. Layla continued.
"I also want to get out of here right away. Mr. Jibin's offer is really appreciated. But... I can't leave. I'm already too deeply involved with United Mining. If I were to leave, I don't know what punishment I'd face..."
The atmosphere in the hospital room became noticeably heavier than before, and neither Ken nor Jibin could find words to break the silence or offer comfort. It was the speaker on the wall that finally interrupted the silence.
-Mr. Ken and Companion Jibin, you have visitors.
"Visitors? But there's no one expected to come."
Jibin expressed his confusion, prompting Ken to speak up.
"Could there be some mistake?"
-The visitors are indeed here for Mr. Ken and Companion Jibin. Additionally, they would like to see visitor Layla too."
"Me? Are you sure?"
Layla widened her eyes in surprise and disbelief.
"May they come in?"
Ken and Layla nodded in response to Jibin's question.
"Yes, it's fine."
"Yeah, sure."
"Open the door!"
Zzzing.
Creak.
Once again, the sound of the door softly opening from around the corner echoed in the room. The footsteps of two individuals could be heard.
"Well, it didn't take long to see meet again."
"It's you...!"
Ken exclaimed in surprise, sitting up abruptly. Jun, holding a beverage set, met his gaze.
"You... You! #108!"
"..."
Layla stood up abruptly, pointing her finger at Eda, who was carrying Yen. Although Eda still couldn't recognize Layla, hearing #108 and seeing Layla's reaction made her realize that Layla was her accomplice.