[Side Story] Snacks Party

"You there. Wait a moment."

I talked to James' subordinate, whom I met while walking down the hallway with Ha-rim.

Originally, I was going to pass by without saying a word, but the Cheshire Cat's bell trembled slightly as he passed, so I called him over.

"...What's wrong?"

Because we don't often talk to each other.

An awkward and stiff response comes back.

It doesn't really matter since I don't need to really talk.

I took out my knife and instantly cut off the small insect-like monster that was crawling on his shoulder.

The monster that let out a screeching sound turned into smoke and was absorbed by me.

"Don't be nervous. It's just that there was a strange feeling of gloominess attached to you. Were you in a bad mood today?"

He's so frozen that he can't answer right away.

I guess I should have given a hint in advance.

But if he had been able to react to the slash just now, he might have pointed the gun at me.

"You're right... Is it mental pollution?"

I stopped him because he was trying to inject a suspicious drug into his body.

It's like a medicine that treats mental pollution, but there are many settings in creative works that have side effects if abused.

Just in case, it would be better to stop him.

"Actually, it's not pollution, you know? You just have to remove the main body."

"Ah. Is that so?"

Yes, I see he trusts my words.

Well, I guess he trusts James, who trusts me, rather than myself.

Now then.

"..."

"..."

Since I had nothing to say, I tried to go to the classroom with Ha-rim.

The kids invited us to have a snack party.

I'm sorry for keeping them waiting.

But Ha-rim looked at me and James' subordinates in turn and then said to me.

"It looks very awkward, but I heard that asking each other questions is a good way to become closer. I've been thinking about it for a while, but it seems like they aren't ordinary soldiers, so let's take this opportunity to ask him some questions!"

Ha-rim's eyes sparkled.

She seemed to like the image of soldiers in special clothing that seemed to be full of secrets.

Ha-rim is the head of the Mystery Investigation Club.

It seems like she is very interested in hidden secrets.

Still.

"That's not possible. Ha-rim."

"Huh?"

"These guys are people who operate in secret. If you ask about this or that, the soldiers who are receiving orders from superiors have no choice but to coldly refuse. Then we'll just hurt each other's feelings, right?"

A straightforward argument.

Ha-rim scratched her cheek as if she hadn't thought of that.

"Oh, I see..."

Ha-rim agreed and got lost in her thoughts.

I wonder what this kid is thinking...

I blankly looked at Ha-rim and realized that James' subordinate was looking at me.

"...What is it?"

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to be so thoughtful and considerate."

Adults tend to be surprised when children's thoughts seem even the slightest bit deep.

Actually, even kindergartners know how to be considerate.

If you think about it, you must have heard someone call you mature when you were young before.

In this case, it's not that adults don't know, it's that they have forgotten about it.

I said it feeling awkward to receive praise for something that seemed obvious.

"I wasn't particularly considerate. Hmm. I just thought it was unreasonable to ask when it was obvious it wouldn't work."

Wait a minute, I just looked like a tsundere.

I feel upset.

"Then how about having a snacks party together?"

"So suddenly?"

I inadvertently tackled Ha-rim's unexpected suggestion.

Do you really want to become that friendly with these people?

Anyway, since it was Ha-rim's suggestion, I agreed.

But he couldn't answer easily.

"Hmm..."

Of course.

He's dispatched for a mission, so there's no way he can make an appointment without his boss' consent, saying,

"I'm going to have a snacks party."

"So this guy can't decide anything after all."

"It doesn't matter. Because eating snacks doesn't interfere with the mission. But make sure you are armed to a minimum."

What a surprise!

"James... Where on earth did you come from?"

James answered my question with a shrug.

"Yep! All right!"

"Unless it is truly important and confidential, we allow information to be released to a certain extent. This person is a partner of ours. Don't make the atmosphere stiff for no reason. Keep in mind that this is the field, not inside the institution."

"Yes. I'll keep that in mind."

What is this flow?

It goes smoothly as if it was supposed to be like this.

James, is it okay for you to just skip things like that?

This guy.

In fact, it doesn't matter if it's an institution's secrets or anything like that, right?

Immediately after receiving permission from James.

We had a snack party with James' crew.

A combination of 5 children and many adults.

I didn't think adults would have fun playing with kids.

Even Maria and James didn't attend, so wouldn't it be rather awkward?

But my expectations were wrong

"That was the first time you met Ella, and you were really scared at first?"

"I told you I was sorry back then!"

"Ella is angry."

"I'm not angry..."

People laugh.

The children's innocent jokes and stories made them smile.

Since they were people who had experienced all kinds of dangerous incidents, they liked the gentle atmosphere created by the children.

"When the Mothman attacked, Ella jumped like this and killed the monster!"

Kyeong-min keeps telling heroic stories about me.

This kid too, really.

It makes the people hearing it feel embarrassed.

But he likes me that much.

Feeling better, I smiled brightly and jokingly asked those who were listening.

"I did all that, so you guys aren't going to catch Ella and lock her up as soon as she goes outside, right?"

Ta-da, I'm a better monster than you thought!

James' subordinates burst out laughing at those words

"Hahahaha!!!"

"Hehehehe..."

I burst into laughter, feeling proud that I had scored a hit.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hehehe..."

We keep laughing.

"Haha... Ha..."

"Hehe..."

We keep laughing?

"..."

"...?"

No, wait a minute.

You guys have something to do other than laugh at this time.

I couldn't bear the silence and shouted in anger.

"Hey you guys! Tell Ella that you won't catch her even if it's empty words!!!"

You're openly advertising that you will catch me! When I shouted loudly, they tried to appease me.

"Ahem... Cough! If you cooperate calmly, the institution will also provide ethical guidance..."

"What?!"

The children were shocked when their cheerful attitude changed.

"El-Ella, are you going to get caught?"

"Ella is a good girl!"

"Urgh..."

In an instant, the warm atmosphere turned into a mess.

These shitty settings from this setting-obsessed developer!

Making Eun-jeong cry?!

"It's a misunderstanding. We do not treat all anomalous objects like prisoners or beasts. We take isolation and protection as our principles of action."

In the meantime, I raised a white flag to those who stubbornly refused to give up their will and asked to change the atmosphere.

"Haa... Okay okay. If I get caught, what level am I? There has to be something like that. Isolation level or danger level."

"I don't know how you know, but the quarantine level is probably Unchained level. This is a rating given to entities where continuous containment is difficult or impossible."

"Unchained..."

It sounds strong for some reason. I like it.

"I have seen you move freely through mirrors and I know that you can summon the mirrors themselves at will."

From their perspective, I seem to have supernatural powers to create portals.

However, there was one thing they misunderstood.

"Unchained... I'm not that strong, right? I have a limited range where I can summon mirrors, so maybe if I make the wall really thick... "

"Oh..."

They seem interested in my answer. Okay, isn't the mood getting better?

I explained step by step.

"Could you please explain a bit more in detail? Like numerical values or something."

To be precise, I tried to explain.

That was until I saw the movements of his hand as he was taking notes sneakily.

"Um, so roughly... Three-hundred... What are you writing down?"

"..."

Let's see, D-888 quarantine rules?

I declared with a bright smile.

"The snack party is over."

Eh, honto?

The internet meme that exists in my brain exclaims.

Damn institution.

This is how it is, right?

Just wait and see, I'll never get caught.

Such useless settings...!

"Please calm down. Umm... Aren't you curious what kind of unit we are?"

"Oh. That's an interesting story."

This time, an interesting story was brought up from the other side.

James' warning in advance not to make the atmosphere stiff seems to have had an effect.

"We are a special forces unit led by Agent James, the Captain. Its nickname is [Four Seasons Deer]. Although its firepower is low, it can respond to a variety of attacks, so it is dispatched when performing missions in unfamiliar areas."

"Hey... Aren't you saying too much when the boss isn't here?"

"I didn't reveal the code name, just the nickname, so I don't think it really matters."

"Hmm..."

"Don't be like that, tell me more. What kind of people are quarantined there?"

If there is an original copy of Mary, wouldn't there also be an original copy of Jangsanbeom or Slenderman?

I want to hear the story of a full-fledged urban fantasy creature.

"I'm sorry, but I think it's hard to talk about this part because it's really confidential."

The steam is gone.

I grumbled at the conversation being blocked again.

"James also told me that you guys had the original Mary... It's a shame. Okay! So what kind of person is James to you? As a bonus, Maria too."

James' subordinates surprisingly brought up Maria's story first.

Normally, humans tended to bring up the story that caused them to worry less first.

"Agent Maria is a kind and strong person. Despite her kind heart and youthful appearance, she is a veteran who has partnered with the captain and participated in many operations. However, since Agent Maria belongs to a different organization, we have not spent much time together."

"Other affiliation?"

"It's a type of religious group. Honestly, if everyone there was like Maria, it would have a good reputation."

It's a concept like a cult.

No, they have a partnership, so it's a little different.

"Then what about James?"

"He is someone we can definitely trust in the organization."

He answered mechanically.

It seems like he had planned in advance to say something like this in this situation.

However, since James was not here, they began to show their true colors one by one.

"...Still, there are many times when I feel restless because the orders from superiors are subtly ignored. It feels like I'm walking a tightrope."

"Exactly..."

"Last time, he didn't listen to orders and got a warning, so he's not on good terms with Dr. Kkondae. Honestly, the captain looks like he strictly follows the rules on the outside, but in reality, he's just like a retired sergeant?"

"Hahaha! Retired sergeant!"

Rattle!

"I am sorry about that. Was the party enjoyable?"

"Ca-captain!"

"What... It was. But you were listening behind the door?"

"It is natural for superiors to monitor them because they may inadvertently reveal truly confidential information. Of course, that won't happen."

Yes.

I guess so.

I knew.

There's no way they're revealing real confidential information.

James just wanted to tease them.

"Uncle James! They want to take Ella! No way? Right?"

"Hahaha."

James laughed at Eun-jeong's question.

"You caught me. It's about protecting."

"Urgh!"

"What are you saying to the kids! Now, this guy was just kidding. Don't worry, they won't capture me."

"Really?"

"Yes, right?"

Maria said while sweating profusely, she can't lie to children.

If they see Maria reacting like that, it's a sure thing that the lie will be revealed.

They seem like patients suffering from confinement fetish.

I wish they were all dead.

"I hope you don't hate it too much."

I couldn't understand what James said.

However, I knew that those words came from James' intuition.

The way he looks at me is the way he looks at a colleague who will be with him in the future.

I felt strange.