Chapter 5: One-Man Army

Necromancer (5)

The monster subjugation operation began, and the next day in the afternoon, Comet, who was resting in her room, was summoned by the Chairwoman.

Arriving at the Disaster Response Committee and looking into the Chairwoman's office, Dan Ga-yeon was talking with the Chairwoman. Comet paused, observing the atmosphere, then knocked and entered the Chairwoman's office.

"You've come at the right time."

Dan Ga-yeon, who seemed to be about to say something, closed her mouth with a displeased expression.

"I gave you work so you wouldn't be bored, but I wonder if I put too much pressure on you."

"Rather than pressure, it was interesting because it was my first time. It's not really my job, so I didn't feel any pressure."

Saying that, Comet looked back and forth between the Chairwoman and the quietly standing Dan Ga-yeon.

"So, what's the situation?"

"The pursuit of the looter group just ended. They missed many targets, and the Necromancer who was a suspect also escaped, I hear."

Comet wondered if it would have been better if the Necromancer had just been shot and killed, then made a regretful expression. It was good news.

"A nasty criminal got away."

The Chairwoman chuckled softly.

"These things happen. That's why I was just telling Officer Dan to end the investigation."

"End the investigation...?"

"Comet! Are you sure that Necromancer is the culprit?"

Dan Ga-yeon, unable to wait any longer, suddenly asked.

Comet only blinked in silence.

"The National Forensic Service results aren't out yet, and there's no physical evidence either?!"

Dan Ga-yeon said that while looking at Comet, then at the end of her sentence, she looked at the Chairwoman.

"Physical evidence. Physical evidence is important. It is important, but..."

The Chairwoman pointed to the semi-transparent partition surrounding the Chairwoman's office. Beyond it, the busy committee could be seen.

"Our situation isn't relaxed enough to waste personnel just to catch one piece of physical evidence. The circumstantial evidence is solid enough. We can put the criminal on the wanted list and catch them slowly."

"But waiting for the National Forensic Service results without ending the investigation isn't difficult."

"How many cases do you think are piled up at the National Forensic Service right now?"

The Chairwoman leaned back deeply in her chair.

"Does it look like we're free enough to move on one murder case with strong circumstantial evidence?"

Dan Ga-yeon hesitated without answering, then turned sharply to look at Comet. Her long black hair swayed.

"Comet! What do you think? Is it right to end the investigation?"

She gave up on the Chairwoman quickly. It seemed she had already exchanged similar questions and answers with the Chairwoman before Comet arrived.

Comet twisted her side hair, gauging the Chairwoman's hidden intentions.

Then, she slowly opened her mouth.

"Well, I don't know much about this field. What do you think, Officer Dan?"

"It's just too much to end it like this..."

"That's just your feeling."

Dan Ga-yeon's shoulders slumped.

Then, before long, she looked back and forth between Comet and the Chairwoman. The change in her eyes seemed to indicate a shift in her thinking. The Chairwoman let out a hollow laugh and took out a cigarette from her pocket. A lighter flickered on.

"Officer Dan, you're dismissed from the investigation, and Comet, thank you for your hard work. You can both leave now."

Comet followed Dan Ga-yeon out of the Chairwoman's office. Dan Ga-yeon blankly led the way, then turned around.

"Have you had dinner?"

"Yes."

"Oh... I haven't eaten yet..."

"I should have eaten slowly. The menu at the small restaurant was good today."

"Then, how about coffee...?"

Comet blinked and looked at Dan Ga-yeon. Dan Ga-yeon smiled awkwardly.

"Coffee sounds good. I don't know if it's okay to drink on an empty stomach, though."

"It's okay even on an empty stomach."

"I see."

Comet followed Dan Ga-yeon and arrived at a coffee shop inside the National Assembly building.

Dan Ga-yeon ordered an iced Americano.

"I'll have a caramel macchiato."

"Something about that doesn't match your appearance."

Dan Ga-yeon paused and muttered.

"I used to stack canned coffee in high school and drink it, so I got hooked on sweet coffee."

Comet deliberately smiled with her eyes. Her red eyes were slightly hidden. Dan Ga-yeon exclaimed softly. Seeing that reaction, Comet smiled slightly.

After that, there was no special conversation while the coffee was being made. Dan Ga-yeon seemed to be hesitating about how to bring up the reason she came to the coffee shop without eating, and Comet watched Dan Ga-yeon, lost in thought.

Dan Ga-yeon, who handed over the coffee, finally opened her mouth.

"Comet, you've been friends with the Chairwoman from the start, right?"

It was quite an abrupt question.

Comet twisted her hair.

"Yes. We were a customer and shop owner during my gaming days. It was difficult to find a fixed alchemy supplier due to NPC reputation issues, so I mainly traded with the Chairwoman."

Dan Ga-yeon swallowed hard. Comet wondered how Dan Ga-yeon would react if she took out a knife right now, but she stopped.

Dan Ga-yeon nodded to herself, then changed to an expression as if she had caused a major accident. It seemed she belatedly realized that the top-down interrogation method was too obvious. A trivial topic hastily followed. The damage control was clumsy.

#

Comet continued her nighttime activities as if she had no qualms. After a few days, she felt like she was being followed.

She changed direction and passed through one district, but the feeling of being hastily followed was still there. She was half-doubtful, but it continued, so she was sure.

Comet circled around one district for no reason. After repeating it a few times, Dan Ga-yeon seemed to have given up and was sitting on a bench, waiting for Comet.

Comet hesitated for a moment, then averted her gaze as if she hadn't seen Dan Ga-yeon and brushed past her. Dan Ga-yeon hurriedly followed.

"Comet!"

"Hello. It's nice to see you here at this hour."

Dan Ga-yeon hesitated and couldn't continue her words. She wanted to ask why she kept circling around one district, but she didn't seem to want to publicize the fact that she had been following her. It didn't matter.

"It's nice to see you at night too. Come to think of it, Officer Dan, you're in charge of other tasks now, right?"

"Ah, yes."

An answer full of nervousness was heard.

Comet hesitated, then turned her steps to a nearby vacant lot.

"You'll be participating in Monster subjugation?"

"That's right."

"Then, let's see your skills."

"Pardon...?"

"I'm worried because someone I'm close to is doing dangerous work. Let's have a sparring match to reassure myself."

"...I only have a lot of hunting experience, though?"

"That's perfect."

Dan Ga-yeon's face turned pale. She seemed afraid of sparring with a major suspect in the middle of the night.

There were piles of material tools in the corner of the vacant lot, as if it was about to become a construction site. Comet kicked an empty can. The can flew with a cheerful sound and collided with another can. A loud noise rang out, and silence fell.

"Haha..."

Dan Ga-yeon smiled awkwardly and looked around. Under the moonlight, in the deserted vacant lot, a knife was being taken out.

Comet slowly supported the knife with one hand, as if telling her to take her time looking, and lifted it up to the moonlight. Spiritual Power filled it, and the blade shone coldly.

Dan Ga-yeon pulled out her sword with trembling hands. Comet grinned and readjusted her grip on the knife. And she pointed at Dan Ga-yeon with her empty hand.

"We need to decide who goes first, right? Come at me first."

"Haha..."

"You don't need to be nervous. I'll focus on defense in the beginning, so try attacking according to your own rhythm. Come on, hurry up."

Dan Ga-yeon, who swallowed hard, readjusted her grip on the sword and took a deep breath, as if to relieve her tension. Comet took a step, taking advantage of the gap in her breathing. A shockwave swept through the vacant lot, and the knife that arrived like a flash was swung.

Incantation omitted.

Soul Severance.

Blade met blade, and Mana and Spiritual Power collided. Apart from losing the initiative, Dan Ga-yeon managed to block the knife. She had quite the sense.

Before Dan Ga-yeon could completely shake off the impact, Comet turned her body and kicked her in the side. Dan Ga-yeon, who flew away, collided with the fence and rolled on the ground. The following knife was plunged down. Dan Ga-yeon, who was hurriedly getting up, twisted her body by force to avoid it, then thrust her sword with a panicked expression.

Comet flicked the sword surface to change its trajectory and dug into her chest. The knife, which had been changed to a grip that was easy to stab with, pierced her stomach. Comet stabbed several times in a fleeting moment, then stepped back with satisfaction.

"Ah...?"

Dan Ga-yeon sat down with dazed eyes. Her soul was escaping from the black wound. Is this her skill level?

Comet grinned and watched it, then roughly grabbed the escaping soul and shoved it back into the wound. After patting it, the black wound disappeared, and she became fine.

Before long, Dan Ga-yeon, whose eyes had returned, still stared at Comet with a dazed face.

"You have quite the combat sense. If you had actively participated in PVP, you would have fought me several times. It's a waste of talent."

Dan Ga-yeon let out a hollow laugh.

"...That's a really kind compliment."

A sigh spread out as if her tension had been relieved.

Comet put her hands behind her back for no reason and smiled with her eyes, then brought up the main topic as if it was nothing.

"But I'm still worried, so can I participate in Monster subjugation as well?"

"Monster subjugation?"

"Yes. I'd be ashamed to just be idle."

Dan Ga-yeon dusted herself off and stood up. And she swept back her long hair, then gave a weak smile. It was a civil servant's smile.

"It would be an honor if Comet participated."

It was a good answer.

"You rolled on the ground, so let's go back now. There's a bar run by an Awakened owner on the way back. Let's have a late-night snack there. I'll pay."

"Alcohol? Sounds good."

As Comet led the way, Dan Ga-yeon followed with tired steps.

"Hoo, please be gentle next time..."

Comet chuckled. There was no next time. She had seen her skills, so she just needed to secretly interfere during Monster subjugation and make her die.

"I'll think about it."

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