Solo Swordmaster

Chapter 3: Conscience

"…I thought Swordmasters only appeared in history books."

"Of course. He's a great man, but even in the PAB, he's been relegated to a trivial job."

Officer Kim was confused at Sheriff Hwang's collected explanation.

"Trivial?"

"Yep, they say he's basically been disowned."

"But why? Shouldn't he be highly desired everywhere?"

It was an obvious conclusion to come to.

His past fame aside, his ability to cut down Seo Yongchan's familiar in a single hit was extraordinary. Whether it be a guild or a governmental branch, a man of his caliber would be valuable anywhere.

But Sheriff Hwang was indifferent.

"Have you ever worked in a group project?"

"Of course I have."

"How would it feel to have a group member complaining about everything without actually contributing anything?"

"I'd be pissed."

"And if that group member had a rotten personality and a horrible temper, but you couldn't kick him out because of his history with the company?"

"I'd be really pissed."

"There you go."

"Eh?"

Not understanding his explanation, there was a blank expression on Officer Kim's face.

"That man's a Swordmaster, not a player. He can't enter the dungeon."

"… Ah!"

"Do you get it now? Why everyone avoids him?"

Sheriff Hwang clicked his tongue.

Power wasn't the only reason high-level players were treated so well.

It was also because of the enormous amount of technological and socio-economic benefits the treasures in the dungeon provided.

"Even if he's stronger than high-level players, there's no benefit in keeping him around."

That was precisely why Limon was a pain in the ass.

An anachronistic swordsman that provided no benefits to the world because he couldn't enter the dungeon.

But they couldn't exactly treat him poorly either, when he held the title of a hero in the past.

No one could be as troublesome as him.

"They put up with him because they needed his strength then. But there are Monarchs greater than him now. Who'd want to keep around an old fart that does nothing but complain?"

"…Yeah, I see that now."

"Move on if you get it. There's a lot of cleanup to do."

"Yessir."

Sheriff Hwang sighed as he looked over the roads. They were utterly wrecked from Limon kicking the brass bull across it.

'I feel bad for whoever Limon's subordinates and supervisors are.'

***

A neatly ironed suit, a luxurious watch, a shiny head and a plump belly. Just a glance would tell you that he was an aged, wise man of dignity.

Bang—!

Director Kang Jungsoo slammed his deck.

"Just what the hell did you do?!"

At his outburst, Yoo Na-kyung only blinked with wide eyes and asked,

"Are you talking about confiscating the tea leaves and cake in your secretary's office without permission?"

"No…! Wait, hold on. I've been getting complaints from finance that my refreshment fees have gone up. That was you?!"

"Uhm… Can't we see it as a one-off sustenance irregularity?"

"Are you listening to yourself?!"

"I have a condition where I don't feel well If I don't consume sugar. I'd appreciate it if you gave our team refreshment fees as well."

"You damn—!"

Veins bulged on Kang Jungsoo's forehead, but only for a moment. He pressed on his temples, forcing himself to calm down.

There were more pressing matters at the moment.

"Forget about the snacks. Explain the mess you made yesterday."

"The mess?"

Yoo Na-kyung looked empty-headed.

Kang Jungsoo pointed at the report on his desk in frustration.

"This, I'm talking about this!"

"Oh, yesterday's bull incident?"

"Yes! How could you act without permission and make such a big mess? What are you going to do about the cleanup?"

Kang Jungsoo was frantic.

It would have made any other agent flinch from fear.

In the workplace, it was an unspoken rule to tread lightly to avoid angering your boss. Especially for civil servants.

But Yoo Na-kyung had grown away from such fears thanks to her boss, who was unusual in many ways. Rather, she thought what he was saying was strange.

"Uhm… Director. I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Huh?"

"It's basic protocol for PAB to act first, report second. What do you mean, permission?"

"……"

It was a valid point.

PAB was created to keep malicious players under a tight leash.

Naturally, there were many emergencies where they had to be dispatched urgently. It would be unreasonable to have to request permission from the higher-ups every single time.

"Plus, all we did was prevent human casualties. How's that a big mess?"

"Are you seriously asking that right now?!"

"Yes."

"Y-youuuu!"

Kang Jungsoo was red with anger and blue with shock.

An apology should've come first.

But seeing Yoo Na-kyung's genuine look of confusion, he was at a loss for words.

"You! Just how did you train your subordinates?!"

Kang Jungsoo changed his target. He decided that he'd rather chew out the boss, than continue talking to a brick wall.

Knowing that hounding a boss was as typical as doing it to their subordinates, this was an apparent, even habitual act of his.

But Kang Jungsoo put a hand over his mouth the moment that boss opened his.

"Huh? What do you want?"

He was so worked up that he'd forgotten the reason he couldn't harp at her boss.

The young man with white hair yawned on the sofa, lounging as if the director's office was his living room.

"Did you just say that… to me?

Kang Jungsoo held his breath at Limon's low pitch, and gathered every inch of courage he had to answer sternly.

"'Y-you', you say? How could you address your superior that way…"

"Oi, Jungsoo."

"Oh, Uhm— Come to think of it… I have an urgent meeting to attend. I should be on my way."

"Kang Jungsoo."

"……Yes, sir."

The little bit of courage Kang Jungsoo had mustered immediately dissipated.

Saving face didn't matter. If he didn't change his tone immediately, he would never see the light of day.

That was what his instincts told him when he saw those piercing, gold eyes.

Limon asked the now silent Kang Jungsoo.

"How old are you again?"

"…46, sir."

"Really? You've grown. Feels like just yesterday you pissed yourself from how scared of me you were."

"Pff—!"

"Ahem! Uhm… Sir. Please, not the old stories…"

Seeing Yoo Na-kyung barely hold in her laugh with her hand, Kang Jungsoo finally realized the hole he'd dug himself into.

He should have just turned a blind eye.

What kind of glory was he seeking, trying to reprimand the geezer with a youthful face, only to lose face himself?

"Yeah, whatever… Hey, you remember what your grandfather introduced me to you on that day?"

"…He told me to always remember your grace because you were his savior."

"That's right. I must've saved that guy's life on the battlefield like three times. You wouldn't even have been born if he died."

"B-but that's personal… and this is work…"

"And what'd you say? You referred to me by 'you'! Did your grandpa tell you to talk to me like that? Should I call Deokjin right now and check, huh?"

"I'm sorry! I made a mistake!"

Kang Jungsoo crumbled immediately.

The director of the PAB held the reins for everything player-related. But what could he do to the guy? Even his grandfather, a war hero, would get on his knees for him.

What would happen if Limon told his father, Kang Deokjin, about what happened today?

He didn't think he would still get a beating at this age.

"Tsk, tsk. Kids these days."

***

***

Limon swung his feet onto the table, resting his face on his hand.

"So, what's the problem?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You're flipping your shit first thing in the morning because something went wrong, didn't it?"

"……Yes."

"So what is it? I don't have any guesses."

"Me neither."

Kang Jungsoo started to boil inside once again at Limon's ignorance and at his subordinate's chirpy add-ons.

But they weren't being petty. They truly didn't know the reason.

'No buildings were destroyed this time, right?'

'And we didn't even beat them half to death like last time.'

That's right.

To Limon, partially decimating a building was a piece of cake.

He'd also beat up the culprits he caught.

Compared to that, this incident went rather peacefully. They couldn't understand what the problem was.

Kang Jungsoo would've held back tears if he knew of this—

Was that something to be proud of?

Unaware of their thoughts, Kang Jungsoo finally opened his mouth.

"Sir, did you not destroy Seo Yongchan's familiar yesterday?"

"Who?"

"Y-you know. The drunkard who flew with the bull you kicked yesterday."

"Oh, that little shit?"

Limon shook his head.

Looking back, he faintly remembered some dude stuck under the bull, screaming. He'd just forgotten because the brass bull had such a loud presence.

"And what about that little shit?"

"Mr. Seo Yongchan is demanding compensation for yesterday's damages."

"Huh?"

Limon looked bewildered.

"What bullshit is that? What did I destroy?"

"That's…"

Kang Junsoo held his words.

How was he going to explain this? Or to be exact, how was he going to explain this without getting dragged by Limon?

But to his relief, his worries didn't last long.

"Eh? You can't go in now…!"

"Shut up! The bastard's inside right now, right? Are you taking his side because you're a civil servant too? Huh?"

"N-no, it's not about that…"

"Then move, bitch!"

Slam—!

Right when it got loud outside, the door to the director's office slammed open.

A young man covered in bandages stomped in, shaking off the secretary who was trying to stop him.

Seo Yongchan bitterly looked around the director's office. He scanned over a startled Kang Jungsoo and a blinking Yoo Na-kyung.

When he found an indifferent Limon, his eyes widened.

"Was it you? The guy who cut down my Colchis Bull?

As if he was already certain the man was Limon, Seo Yongchan didn't wait for an answer. He simply plopped down on the sofa across from him, crossed his legs, and continued bluntly.

"Alright, let's hear it. How are you gonna compensate for my bull?"

"Mr. Seo Yongchan, just what are you doing?!"

"What? Is there a problem with me sitting on the sofa bought with my tax money?"

"You know that's not what I'm talking about!"

Kang Jungsoo's face strained immediately.

He may have crumpled under Limon, but that was because he was Limon.

He still held the title of PAB director. To the players, he was the King of the Underworld.

It was natural he'd be infuriated that not only did a neophyte like Seo Yongchan burst into his office, he also had the audacity to act so arrogantly.

"What? Got your panties in a twist? Then compensate me, yeah?"

"That's—!"

But Seo Yongchan didn't even move a muscle in front of Kang Jungsoo. Rather, he got condescending and confronted him.

"You don't even have a conscience! How dare you give me that attitude when you're the ones who fucked up my familiar!"

"Aaargh!"

As Kang Jungsoo nearly boils over at Seo Yongchan behaving like a moneylender demanding his money, Limon begrudgingly opened his mouth.

"Hey, I'm asking just to make sure…"

Normally, Limon wasn't one who'd let a cocky attitude slide. He should've dropkicked Seo Yongchan already.

But this time, he simply observed.

Seo Yongchan was just too ridiculous.

"No way… You came all the way here to make us pay for that cow head I chopped off yesterday?"

"No way? What do you mean, no way?! You weren't even thinking of compensating me?"

"I mean… yeah. I wasn't expecting to hear demands for damage compensation."

"Ha! You're one funny guy."

Seo Yongchan shook his head, as if he was the dumbfounded one, and glared at Limon,

"Do you know how much that familiar was?"

"How much was it?"

"Over eight hundred million. Eight hundred million! if you blew off all that money, of course you should pay up. How dare you shamelessly try to turn a blind eye?!"

"Hmm… That is pretty pricey."

Limon nodded.

Even if it was a player who earned a fortune from the dungeon's treasures, that was still not a meager sum of money. A typical player wouldn't be able to make that much, even in a lifetime.

So Seo Yongchan throwing a fit was somewhat understandable.

"But why are you asking us for it?"

"Excuse me?"

"According to the Special Management Act… when an unauthorized skill is used… the party directly involved is responsible for all damage… Yeah?

Limon glanced around for approval to whether he remembered correctly.

"It is as my team leader said."

Yoo Na-kyung followed up courtly.

But the reaction of the other person surprised Limon.

"In principle, that is correct…"

"Huh?"

Limon looked bemused.

Kang Jungsoo was normally strict about expenditure. Yet here he was, avoiding a direct answer.

Instead of standing with Limon, he looked troubled.

"Special Management Act, my ass. You think you can steal my money with that sort of crap?"

Seo Yongchan laughed at them like he was mocking them for bringing something like that up.

With his chin raised, he spoke with arrogance.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Am I supposed to?"

"My brother-in-law is Lee Chun-gi! Lee Chun-gi! One phone call to him is all it'll take to change the special whatever act!"

Alongside nine others, even a toddler in today's age would've recognized that name.

Limon finally understood why Kang Jungsoo kept his rage within himself, despite the circumstances.

And what gave this son of a bitch the balls to act the way he did.

"Lee Chun-gi, the Infinite Monarch?"

——

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