In cases like this, it’s safest to stick to what you could learn instantly by grabbing a few people nearby and asking.“Then have you been working here continuously since that time?”“No. I ran into some issues with interpersonal relationships here too, so I quit midway and went traveling for an extended period.”Hogan’s eyes narrowed. Someone who causes trouble wherever they go—at the academy and now at this branch—must have a problem, he seemed to think.Taeui partly agreed with that assessment, but felt wronged when it applied to himself. The first case might have been his fault, but the latter was just because the other party was bad.“You should get along well with those around you. If you go around sulking at every slight, life becomes difficult.”“I’ll remember that.”The word “unfair” rose to his throat, but Taeui swallowed it. No matter how he’d behaved, hearing that from the man who had hired Ilrey—surely with dangerous enemies—felt complicated.“Then why did you come back here? Did a colleague you didn’t get along with leave?”“Yes, that, but also I figured I couldn’t just play around forever. I thought one really ought to live by working.”It was a reply far from the whole truth, but it wasn’t an outright lie.He hadn’t held a proper job for years—though as a wanted man he couldn’t have—so he’d often thought he should do something. Though Ilrey’s brothers had offered no clear answers, at least he had this assignment now. He told himself, Since it’s been so long since I did anything, I’ll take pride in this work.…He regretted telling his uncle that.On the night he arrived, rather than complain uselessly, he sighed lightly and said, “It’s actually nice to be doing real work again after such a long time.”He had been drinking beer from his uncle’s fridge, gazing at the mirror opposite. His uncle, who was sorting papers, glanced over and smiled. Glad to hear you say that, he must have thought.“Now that you mention it, I’ve been feeling heavier in the thighs lately.”Taeui tapped his thigh in the mirror’s reflection. His uncle raised an eyebrow in mild surprise—an odd comment from a young man.“Thighs? Your pants don’t fit?”“No, but I can’t shake the feeling. After you said that, my pants do feel tighter.”“Then buy new ones. Don’t tell me you can’t afford them because you’re not working?”His uncle laughed, and Taeui sighed. Of course not. The card he’d torn out at Tarten Lake in Dresden was still in his wallet. When he’d tried to return it, Ilrey had said without looking, “Use it however you like.” Later he’d joked, “Come to think of it, didn’t you promise to support me?”“It’s not that,” Taeui said.“Then?”“It’s like… I somehow understand how Mr. So-and-so felt, sad that his thighs grew fat during long idleness.”“….”His uncle tapped the papers neatly on the desk and stared at Taeui.“I’m not sure you have as great a mission as Mr. So-and-so, but… hearing that, I feel you won’t gain thigh fat. Must be just in your head.”“Really? I don’t think I’ve gained any.”As Taeui patted his thigh, his uncle stapled the papers and dropped a bomb nonchalantly.“If you’re always dashing about—or dragging others around—where would you find time to grow fat?”“…My uncle has a knack for embarrassing topics, doesn’t he.”His uncle smiled as if pleased by the compliment, and Taeui glared. No point arguing—he’d only bury himself deeper.He should know better. With this man, you never come out ahead by speaking up.He thought of saying he’d rather choke that Hogan fellow, but held his tongue and munched on candy from the table instead.“It must have been hard traveling so long. I don’t know much, but usually it’s financial issues…”Hogan didn’t press the topic. Taeui had braced for further suspicion, but the conversation turned mundane, and he blinked twice.“Yes? Ah, well… it was a bit tougher than most. Things weren’t great.”He recalled those years of enforced flight—searching for his missing brother, hiding from the inevitable pursuit of death.“I see. So you suddenly needed work again.”“Yes, that’s it.”He skirted the full explanation; he lacked the clarity to map every step from then to now.Hogan tapped his knee and glanced up, catching Taeui’s gaze.“Your uncle’s an instructor here and your brother’s a researcher, so getting a position here probably wasn’t too hard.”“Yes, I suppose.”He felt a twinge of injustice—he hadn’t wanted this—but the fact stood. Without his uncle’s position, he wouldn’t be here now.He scratched his head, imagining Hogan storming off to superiors, demanding Taeui’s removal as unfit nepotism. That would be splendid—but it wouldn’t happen.As he drifted into that thought, Hogan, staring quietly at him, finally spoke.“In life, things happen you can’t avoid. Sometimes you must do work you don’t wish to. I understand that.”Taeui masked a flinch and agreed, “Yes, that’s true.”Hogan continued softly, “And if the work doesn’t truly harm anyone and even helps someone, I can’t blame it. Even if it hurts an organization, one or two lost supplies won’t break it.”“….”The atmosphere shifted. Taeui forced a smile and stared at Hogan, who wore the face of a trusted superior.“I don’t know [N O V E L I G H T] your full situation, but if it’s hard, talk to me. I’ve lived longer—I might offer useful advice. Sometimes a change in perspective opens new views.”So he was trying to buy him—through money or connections—and include his uncle and brother as leverage. Subtle, but the conclusion was clear: help me, and you’ll benefit.“Yes… that may be.”He regained composure and smiled innocently.“One shouldn’t live by rigid standards alone. Going with the flow and reading the room makes life more comfortable.”“I agree.”“Yes, but…”That’s not my way.He’d committed much injustice and would continue beside this stain of blood, but he couldn’t accept this man’s bargain.“At least I’ll keep what I must. Even if I do wrong, I won’t self-justify.”“….”Hogan’s smile vanished. Taeui saw the cold gleam in his eyes and mentally clicked his tongue.Perhaps a gentler response would have been better, but too late. Hogan had recognized the reproach—and now saw him as an enemy.“I understand. You’ve made your point.”Hogan fell silent, picked up the newspaper again, and hid his expression.Taeui scratched his head, fidgeted, then signaled he would leave.“I’ll be going in, then.”“Hmm….”

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