IBP Prologue Part 4
by AoiHerod’s attitude towards me remained casual. I didn’t sense any suspicion or wariness. He gripped my shoulder as I inwardly sighed in relief.
“Good work. Go back to your desk now.”
I bowed quickly and headed towards the elevator as if fleeing, but he naturally fell into step beside me. I turned around with a question mark on my forehead, and he smiled again. My gutless heart lurched. Uselessly handsome.
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“I brought you here without asking, so I should at least see you off.”
“No, it’s okay…?”
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“How about stopping by the cafe on the first floor for a cup of coffee on the way? My treat.”
It was too much effort to refuse further. My exhausted body felt limp like half-dried squid. I nodded vaguely and boarded the elevator with him. As soon as the doors closed, Herod spoke in a casual tone.
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“Infiltrate the island…”
“…Excuse me?”
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The subsided suspicion of eavesdropping resurfaced, and my legs trembled. Did he hear? Did he hear?! My mind was in complete turmoil. I racked my brain during that short time, but there was too little information. Besides, stalling any longer… I don’t know.
“Please reconsider. I’m… I’m not suited for that kind of mission.”
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Herod’s reaction was indifferent.
“Oh? Can’t force you if you don’t want to.”
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“…?”
I had anticipated every possible scenario, but this reaction wasn’t one of them. My circuits momentarily short-circuited. He’s giving up this easily? I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, but Herod just smiled reassuringly.
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“I can’t force someone who’s unwilling. Willpower is directly linked to efficiency. I was sincere in my offer, and I’m sincere in not sending you.”
Is this a trap? No, why would this man bother setting a trap for a low-ranking investigator like me? He’s sincere. Looking at his smooth face, I was even more certain.
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Superintendent Herod was famous. Besides being a highly competent parachute appointment who had secured the superintendent position at the youngest age, there were many stories about him. In short, he was a handsome madman.
I had heard the rumors, but I hadn’t experienced it firsthand because I had never interacted with him. I hesitated for a moment, then, just in case, I spoke tentatively,
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“You’ve approached the wrong person in the first place. I’m an office worker. Cases like this should be handled by special investigators.”
“Right. Let’s do that.”
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The elevator stopped at the third basement floor. The doors opened, but no one got on. Someone must have pressed the button and left. In that short pause, Herod asked again,
“Did you choose the Latin on your clavicle yourself?”
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“I did, but I just chose it because it looked pretty. I didn’t know what it meant. Actually, I didn’t even know it was Latin until you told me.”
“You made a wise choice in your ignorance.”
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…Is he mocking me?
I narrowed my eyes, but even if he was, there was nothing I could do. He was the superintendent. If he were just a colleague, I would have smacked him in the back of the head or on the chin.
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“How did you know I have a tattoo on my clavicle, Superintendent?”
He looked at me with a surprised expression.
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“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I thought you’d ask about the meaning of the tattoo.”
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Honestly, I was curious about that too. It’s just that I was more curious about something else. When I spoke honestly, Herod chuckled.
“Was it last year? Do you remember getting completely wasted at the department-wide dinner?”
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Of course, I do. How could I forget the incident that renewed my history of shame… Wait a minute. I looked at Herod with uneasy eyes, suspecting something. His smile deepened, dimples appearing.
“Who do you think carried you to the hotel that night? Take a guess.”
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It looks like I’ll be buying the coffee after all.
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***
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And I really intended to do just that.
But after hearing my opinion, Herod laughed heartily and said, “I’m not such an inconsiderate superior as to extort the meager salary of a low-ranking investigator,” while waving a pitch-black card engraved with Winchester Bank’s VVIP logo between his index and middle fingers. The handsome face looked momentarily less handsome, it was so irritating.
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“Order as much as you want. Or should I just buy the whole cafe for you?”
“Your jokes are superintendent-level, too.”
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“Haha. I was serious, but if you insist.”
He lightly patted my shoulder, then, as if remembering something belatedly, rummaged through his pockets and pulled something out.
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“Here. Take this, too.”
It was a strangely tattered quiz magazine.
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“It’ll be useful when you have some time to kill before the end of your shift.”
And then, before my order arrived, he left without a second thought. Left alone, I opened the magazine. I understood why it was tattered. The inside was already filled with dense pen marks. Every blank space on the pages was filled with answers.
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…Did this bastard just give it to me because he couldn’t be bothered to find a trash can?
I gritted my teeth and was about to fold it up, but there were still some things left. Spot the difference, riddles, and a hidden picture puzzle.
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“Your drinks and three cakes are ready.”
I tucked the magazine under my arm and picked up the hot milk tea and the three cakes. Back at my desk, I put the cakes in the personal refrigerator and, after letting the milk tea cool slightly, drank it all in one go.
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Perhaps due to the aftereffects of the Superintendent’s visit, the office was quiet, and the investigator who had been raising the decibel level was now dozing at his desk, glancing at me nervously after my club comment.
Feeling a little better, I focused on my work. I was able to finish the report in less than 30 minutes. As expected, improving the surrounding environment is essential for increased work efficiency.
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I stretched and checked the time. There were about 30 minutes left until the end of my shift. Should I just browse the internet? There wasn’t anything particular to see. Hmm, I rested my chin in my hand and thought that I should have asked about the meaning of the tattoo.
He seemed like he would have answered, given the atmosphere.
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I thought about searching it up, but his handwriting was so messy that I wasn’t confident I could search it properly.
‘I’ll ask him next time.’
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Time passed awkwardly. My eyes naturally fell on Herod’s tattered magazine, which I had shoved between the files.
‘…What a strange man.’
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Clicking my tongue, I pulled out the magazine and picked up a pen.
The spot-the-difference puzzle was, well, ordinary. It was so easy and simple that I suspected he had left it unsolved on purpose.
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The riddle involved guessing the answer using five hints, but I skipped it because it wasn’t my style. It wasn’t that I couldn’t solve it, absolutely not.
I spent the most time on the hidden picture puzzle. I expected it to be as easy as the spot-the-difference, but I couldn’t find the last one, excluding the answers Herod had already marked.
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How could this be? The picture wasn’t even that big. Damn it, is this a misprint? No matter how bad my eyesight is, how could I not find it after scanning a picture smaller than my palm so thoroughly?
Clicking my tongue, I finally gave up and closed the magazine. I saw familiar handwriting between my fingers. Written in thick pen, filling the back cover, was a (typical) custom-made question.
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[What three things are needed for an egg to hatch?]
…I couldn’t even solve the riddles inside the magazine. Besides, what egg needs three things to hatch? A fertilized egg, the right temperature, and a nest should be enough… Oh, right.
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There are three.
Chuckling, I jotted down the answer below the question and glanced at the clock.
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5:01 PM.
It took me less than 10 seconds to close the magazine and leave the office.
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It was Friday. No matter how tired I was, it felt too early to go straight home.