# Chapter 12
Even if someone had a grudge against an S-class hero, this was inside the company building. Speaking ill of heroes within an agency that exists for heroes would only be self-destructive.
If a problem arose between a hero and a regular employee, Peace would automatically expel the employee.
Moreover, there didn’t seem to be any particular malice in the footage. It was just a conversation where Ben unilaterally inflicted violence.
“Ah, not me, but Peace.”
My mind full of questions found direction with Ben’s words.
“Peace?”
I unconsciously repeated the name that suddenly came up. He continued in response to my tone that demanded a clear explanation.
“Saying that Peace kidnaps people, that they’re taking bribes, talking recklessly. That’s how this happened.”
The atmosphere around him instantly became cold, likely because he was quite upset. His gaze was so fierce that at first glance, one might think he had lost his reason.
Ben was taking this matter very seriously. I’d never heard that loyalty to Peace could be this high.
But if his words were true, everything made sense. Speaking ill of Peace in front of an S-class hero had nothing to do with the S-class hero himself.
At most, they both just belonged to Peace. People might get upset if someone insulted their workplace, but they wouldn’t resort to violence.
Ben was the exception.
“…It could be true, though.”
With my suspicions, I couldn’t deny his words. Rather, I was leaning toward it being true.
I slightly provoked his feelings to check his reaction as well.
“That’s impossible.”
The response came faster than I expected. As soon as he spoke, Ben’s eyes sank low. His eyes lost focus as if swallowed by an abyss.
His words spoken in a low voice were filled with certainty. A certainty that it couldn’t be true no matter what.
“Peace helping citizens is only natural, so rumors like that couldn’t possibly be true.”
Where did that certainty come from? Was it even acquired in the first place?
Ben’s current appearance felt off. It wasn’t a response driven by reason but by instinct—an attitude that things must be a certain way.
“I see…”
I pretended to accept Ben’s words and lowered my eyes. He needed to be investigated further. Ben’s reaction wasn’t normal. Someone that blindly devoted would likely be deeply involved with Peace.
Perhaps he might even know Alice’s whereabouts. After organizing my thoughts, I raised my gaze again.
“So if you hear any strange rumors, just ignore them right away.”
At that moment, I could meet the eyes of Ben, who was smiling brightly with a completely blank expression. He seemed to have completely forgotten what had just happened.
“I’ll think about it.”
What exactly was he hiding? I gave a vague affirmative answer to move past it.
I strongly felt that I needed to dig deeper into his behavior.
* * *
Hans’s house, where I arrived after finishing the night shift, was different from what I expected. His house, which I thought would have some warmth, was not just neat—it was barren.
The place I originally lived in didn’t feel like a home either, but that was because I didn’t have time to stay there.
But Hans was an ordinary company employee. How could such a person not have even casual clothes? I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at the closet where only suits hung, without even a pair of pajamas.
It was fortunate that I had moved my belongings in advance, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
Wondering if other places were like this too, I looked around the house, but fortunately, basic living necessities existed.
If even these were missing, I wouldn’t have been able to believe that a person named Hans actually existed.
After finishing my inspection of the house, I took a shower. Coming out of the shower and roughly drying myself with a towel, I stared blankly at the phone placed on the bed.
It was the principle of infiltration to report to Boss once a day. However, since this was my first time reporting this way, I couldn’t help feeling nervous.
As time passed, sentences grew longer and then shorter repeatedly. After erasing the text several times, I finally composed a message and pressed send.
[I’m doing well.]
This was a signal between Boss and me. Since I had to treat Boss as an older brother during the mission, I needed to change my way of speaking.
But no matter how I tried to change it, the formality was inevitable. In the end, a message that was strangely different from how one would address an older brother was sent.
Not long after the message was sent, a reply arrived quickly.
[Hyung: I’m still worried though… Nothing’s wrong, right?]
Have you found out anything new?
My hand, about to reply immediately, moved slowly. Boss speaking so kindly like this? It felt awkward, almost like a different person.
Even knowing it was an act, I couldn’t help staring at the message for a long time. I had read the message so many times that it was deeply etched in my mind, as if it could never be erased.
[Ah, come to think of it, one of the surveillance cameras broke down today. I don’t know why. So Tade went to check it, and I was left alone, and that’s when I met Ben.]
After damaging the surveillance camera, I planned to stay alone to investigate, but Ben appeared.
After barely regaining my composure, I continued my report. Boss would certainly know about Ben.
[Hyung: Ben as in that S-class? Why was he looking for you?]
Did he come knowing my identity?
As expected, he immediately reacted to Ben. I thought he might find it strange that I hadn’t responded for a while, but fortunately, he didn’t.
It seems Boss hadn’t anticipated Ben either. I typed my response to his quick reply.
[No special reason, he just said he wanted to see the surveillance cameras. That’s all I showed him.]
He didn’t come because of me, but had other business.
That was true at the beginning. What happened afterward was the problem. But I didn’t want to worry Boss any further.
This was an issue I had to resolve myself. It wasn’t something that needed to be handled with his help. Besides, Ben didn’t have hostile intentions, so it should be resolved well.
[Hyung: I see… Contact me again if anything happens.]
Contact me immediately if there’s anything worth reporting.
[Okay.]
Although Tade and Ben had appeared in what I thought would be an uneventful operation, this moment could be a turning point to extract information.
Especially if I used Ben, I might be able to find Alice’s whereabouts, which is what Boss wanted.
Though it was tiring, he could be helpful in finding Alice. For now, I had no choice but to endure.
[Hyung: Then see you on the full moon.]
Boss’s message arrived in the meantime. I quietly stared at the screen where nothing else appeared.
Full moon. Come to think of it, the full moon was three days away? I still couldn’t understand why Boss emphasized the full moon. But somehow, I felt a sense of déjà vu.
It felt like chasing a memory that seemed within grasp but couldn’t be caught. I certainly wouldn’t have done anything but sleep on the full moon.
What day could the full moon possibly be?
* * *
“Do you have time after work today?”
“No.”
I lightly rejected Ben’s now routine question while putting the last bite of bread into my mouth. The sweet taste of cream spread softly in my mouth. Maybe I should try custard flavor next time.
While thinking about unnecessary things, I glanced at Tade’s seat. Since Tade had taken a half-day off, I was alone in the control room today.
They said they would assign one more person, but I declined. When I said I could handle it alone, they let it pass without much comment.
I had thought this would be a good time to thoroughly investigate since I was finally alone. But my eyes naturally frowned at the situation not going as planned.
Unlike me, Ben, who had comfortably taken Tade’s seat, smiled brightly.
“If it’s an appointment, is it with me? We’re on the same wavelength.”
I cut off his brazen words immediately.
“Please don’t interfere with my work and leave.”
It should be training time now. If not that, then he should be out on a mission. So why was Ben here?
Until now, we had only passed by each other and met by chance, but this was our first meeting alone since that day.
Though it was the first time, I had become used to it because he kept talking to me.
Even though I thought I should investigate Ben, I didn’t want to have such impractical conversations.
But no matter how much I expressed my displeasure, it didn’t reach Ben.
“Having me here would be beneficial, not harmful.”
He was timid last time, but seeing his confident appearance now made me dislike him even more. With his eyes curved nicely, he smiled at me.
“Using abilities is prohibited in the company building.”
“I’m special.”
“Then go somewhere more special. Don’t stay in an ordinary place like this.”
I answered half-heartedly while turning my gaze to look at the monitor. I wish he would leave quickly. There was no progress in my work because of Ben.
He might be the key to finding Alice, but he wouldn’t open his mouth willingly. So for now, finding Alice on my own was the priority.
But so far, I only knew that there was something on the 11th basement floor, but couldn’t identify what it was.
I needed to be more cautious and hadn’t told Boss yet, but I couldn’t stay like this forever.
“Don’t be like that, we’ve gotten a bit closer now.”
The main cause of the increasingly tangled plans grabbed my collar. It was like looking at a puppy. At first, I thought he was a person full of composure.
“I think only you feel that way.”
I shook off his hand that was clinging to my collar. I patted my wrinkled clothes.
I needed to drive him away quickly. How should I do it? I moved the mouse around meaninglessly while thinking of a way.
“I don’t have any friends at work… Everyone hates me because of this ability…”
Ben seemed to have changed his approach as his previously clear voice became watery. The slight trembling made him look quite pitiful, but separate from that, I couldn’t understand.
For someone claiming that, he used his ability too well. Wouldn’t someone concerned about that try to hide it instead?
