LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 30 - Uncomfortable (3)
Chapter 30 – Uncomfortable (3)
“Ah, senior!”
Only then did Namwoo come to his senses and look at the Incubus.
“Oh, our rookie caught the culprit? Well done, rookie!”
The Incubus smiled brightly, patted Namwoo’s shoulder, and looked down at the culprit.
His cold gaze shot up sharply, as if piercing through the culprit, and his horns, which stood like ox horns, appeared even sharper.
“Did you really think you could escape? You’re in the palm of my hand.”
The Incubus lifted his thick boots, as if ready to crush the culprit’s fingers, but stopped at Namwoo’s words.
“Senior.”
“What? Speak quickly. It’s hard to keep my balance.”
“By any chance, do you know someone by the name Sunal…?”
“Sunal? That bastard… Why are you suddenly bringing up that name?”
The Incubus, looking flustered, glanced at Namwoo and lowered his foot—right onto the culprit’s wrist.
“Aaaagh!”
“Shut up!”
At the culprit’s scream, the Incubus twisted his Allure Power, a trait of the Succubus race, and put him to sleep instantly.
“Go on, keep talking.”
“Well, he caught this person….”
“Was he a rough-looking guy, with hair almost white?”
“Yes! That’s him! He was wearing a government employee ID around his neck….”
“Which department?”
“The Interethnic Grievance Resolution….”
“That bastard, he fled there? No wonder we couldn’t find him, he ran off to the last place anyone would think to look.”
The Incubus scoffed, grinding his teeth quietly.
“Wait, why do you keep calling him a bastard? He was actually really nice. He even helped catch the criminal and didn’t pry into things like some others do. He even taught me how to hide my government ID.”
“Because that bastard was an elite of our Special Unit!”
The Incubus shouted irritably.
“Ah, just thinking about it makes me mad again! Because of him… Damn it!”
As the Incubus began to hurl all sorts of curses, Namwoo quietly pulled out his phone, both to file a report and to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.
‘…He’s really cursing him out in a different way, huh?’
* * *
“…So, the Special Unit helped catch the culprit. We worked together for a very brief moment. Anyway, that’s how it happened.”
“The Special Unit? That’s not something you see every day.”
Lee Rang briefly pursed his lips at what Sunal had told him.
It was rare to get involved with the Special Unit like this. They operated in a much shadier area for civil servants.
To calm his startled mind, Lee Rang looked ahead for a moment, then turned back to Sunal, remembering something important he needed to say.
“Sunal.”
“Yes?”
“The Civil Complaints Department sometimes works with the Special Unit. Did the team leader mention that to you?”
“I haven’t been told, but I knew.”
“I haven’t had many experiences with them, but for some reason, I feel like it might be different for you. I get the feeling you’ll get called there often. If the Special Unit asks for a collaboration, you should refuse no matter what, even if it’s in front of another complaint.”
“Why?”
“Well… the process of handling cases is different. The Special Unit deals with some pretty serious crimes, so I understand, but they’re rough. Should I say the field itself is different?”
“Oh, I know about that.”
“You know?”
“By the way, didn’t you ask where I worked before I transferred?”
Lee Rang felt a sense of unease as Sunal spoke.
“I was in the Special Unit.”
“…”
Screech.
Just then, the taxi came to a stop.
“Let’s get out. We’ve arrived.”
Sunal smiled softly.
Lee Rang’s eyes slowly widened.
He quickly covered his mouth and watched Sunal, who opened the taxi door, before calling out to him urgently.
“S-S-Sunal?”
“I know.”
“N-No, I wasn’t cursing at you…”
“Yes, I understand.”
“So, please…”
“Aren’t you getting out?”
When Lee Rang saw Sunal’s sleepy eyes, his body moved reflexively, and he got out of the taxi.
As the taxi drove off with a rumble, for some reason it looked strangely sentimental to Lee Rang, who stared at Sunal’s retreating figure.
‘Now it’ll look like I’ve been badmouthing his previous department…’
After all the effort he put into not making a mistake and drawing clear boundaries.
Lee Rang was filled with the desire to go back to the Civil Complaints Department immediately.
‘Get a grip.’
Looking at his own shadow that seemed to stretch endlessly, Lee Rang tried to compose himself.
No matter how much he thought about it, Sunal didn’t seem angry.
It felt like it would be better to apologize properly rather than just making a rash apology.
“Lee Rang.”
“…Yes.”
Lee Rang swallowed nervously after answering.
“Don’t think too much about it, and just listen carefully to what I’m about to say. It’s fine to badmouth the Special Unit in front of me. I have no lingering attachment to that place. I’m in the Civil Complaints Department now, so…”
“Then why are you heading that way?”
Lee Rang couldn’t hold back and spoke as he watched the direction Sunal was heading.
Sunal stopped walking and glanced around.
They had gotten out of the taxi at a construction site where an apartment building was being built.
On the soundproof barrier erected to reduce noise during construction, the word “Hanul” was prominently displayed like a pattern.
Apartments stood on both sides of the construction site, and Sunal noticed that a noise-reducing spell was currently active.
However, what caught Sunal’s attention more was the flow of mana. It was unusually thick, as if every safety protocol was being rigorously followed during the construction.
“Isn’t this the right direction?” Sunal asked, puzzled.
“That’s not the main entrance,” Lee Rang replied, looking confused.
“Weren’t we heading for the back entrance?”
How many complaints had piled up this morning?
If they went through the main entrance, it would be packed with people protesting what had happened the day before, just like the other complainants.
“There will be a crowd at the front entrance. It’ll be chaotic, and people will be on edge.”
“That’s why we’re going there.”
Since Lee Rang spoke with such certainty, Sunal listened to what he had to say.
No matter what, Lee Rang had more experience in the Civil Complaints Department.
“Some people might raise their voices, but most of the complainants and those coming in will be gathered at the main entrance. Don’t you think it’s important to show them how quickly the Civil Complaints Department acts?”
“…Why?”
Sunal asked because it was different from the work he was used to, and it felt a bit unfamiliar.
Why bother putting on a show?
“The Civil Complaints Department is a much more visible job than you might think, Sunal. It’s the opposite of the Special Unit. Entering this way could also make negotiations easier.”
“I understand what you mean. Let’s do it that way.”
Sunal readily agreed.
Since he was still in a learning position, he figured it would be quicker to watch from the sidelines.
Sunal and Lee Rang walked towards the main entrance.
Immediately, a large banner caught Sunal’s attention.
“Stop the construction of the apartment building that is not only destroying the mountain but also ruining the local economy!”
“Stop the construction that’s killing off the surrounding apartments!”
‘Seems like there were issues even before,’ Sunal thought, slightly furrowing his brow as he glanced at the banners strung between trees.
Once economics got involved, the situation only became more complicated.
Sunal had no intention of delving deep into the long-standing conflict between the residents and the construction company.
His focus needed to be on the cause and outcome of yesterday’s incident, and more specifically, on the remarks the site manager had made to the citizens.
Were those discriminatory comments towards non-human races directed only at the citizens?
‘That’s why I shouldn’t meddle in the construction company’s conflict.’
It was clearly a sensitive issue.
Sunal had suggested going through the back entrance out of concern for this.
‘Well, there must be a reason for it.’
Unlike the Special Unit, where they always operated as a team, the Civil Complaints Department usually worked solo, so Sunal wasn’t aware of how skilled Lee Rang was.
Curious, he figured this was a good opportunity to see for himself.
As they walked a little further, the sounds of people arguing could already be heard.
‘…I already want to go back.’
The noise made Sunal feel exhausted, and he slowed his pace slightly.
“Hey, can’t you see the sign that says ‘No entry except for authorized personnel’? And for the last time, it didn’t collapse! Just stop it already! It was just a minor mistake!”
The construction staff were flustered, trying to block people from entering.
“How can you say it didn’t collapse when that disaster happened yesterday? That’s why we’re saying we need to check it! How can you stop us from going in? Did anyone die in there?”
The people were desperately trying to get inside.
It seemed this incident had been caused by an accident during unauthorized construction.
Sunal raised his head to look at the apartment under construction, but he didn’t get the impression that it had collapsed.
Instead, he felt a slight smile tugging at his lips.
‘So that’s why the mana has been so thick since earlier….’
“Excuse me.”
Lee Rang confidently walked into the middle of the crowd and raised his voice.
Suddenly, a wave of floral fragrance spread around them, as if flowers were blooming.
The herbs in Lee Rang’s hand were turning to ash and disappearing—it seemed he was using some kind of spiritual magic.
That fragrance must have drawn their attention, as people instinctively turned their heads to look at him.
‘…Ah, so he’s stimulating their sense of smell to capture their attention.’
Sunal pushed his slipping glasses up his nose.
“We’re from the Interethnic Grievance Resolution Special Unit. Could you please step aside for a moment?”
Lee Rang spoke firmly, holding up his government ID as if it were a badge.
The mention of the Civil Complaints Department caused people’s expressions to change in various ways.
Some looked annoyed, others hopeful, and some seemed to have certain expectations.
Watching their expressions shift so rapidly, Sunal found it somewhat fascinating, as though observing from the perspective of a third party.
‘And it’s comfortable.’
Sunal held back a smile, thinking about the best part of this situation.
“Could you tell me who the person in charge is here?”
Lee Rang politely addressed one of the construction workers.
Upon seeing his ID, the worker couldn’t help but show a reluctant expression.
It was clear that an unavoidable presence had arrived.
“Oh, thank goodness! A civil servant! Finally! These police officers showed up and told us there’s nothing they can do. But here we have a civil servant!”
‘So the police were called here already?’
Sunal listened carefully to the conversations while watching Lee Rang.
It made sense that the police couldn’t do much here.
Without any victims, it was just a matter of internal affairs within the construction company. How could the police intervene?
“Civil servants, thank you for coming. Now, please go ahead and arrest those guys! They’ve been incredibly rude, refusing to let us in to take a look inside! I really want to knock them upside the head!”
“We’re the victims here! The constant noise from their construction is echoing through our entire house. We can’t live like this! Please take care of this!”
As the crowd looked at them as if they were saviors, Sunal turned his gaze to Lee Rang.
He wondered how Lee Rang would handle this situation.
“I’m sorry, but the Civil Complaints Department doesn’t handle personal matters. We’re here for another issue, so if you could kindly step aside,” Lee Rang said, smiling. But the smile wasn’t soft; it had the quiet threat of firmness behind it.
Sunal thought avoiding a confrontation was the best way to handle the situation, and he found this approach quite effective.
“Wait a minute! What kind of nonsense is this? Aren’t public servants supposed to help citizens?”
“Right! Do you know how many complaints I’ve filed?”
“I thought you were here to deal with our complaints… Do you even know how much tax I pay?”
As soon as Lee Rang declined their requests, the expressions of the crowd shifted from expectation to irritation and anger.
Despite this, Lee Rang remained unfazed, his smile unwavering.
“We are currently responding to a complaint to assist citizens. Please cooperate.”
“So, you’re not going to listen to us…?”
“We are currently on official duty. For the sake of quick public service, we ask for your understanding.”
At the subtle mention of obstruction of public duties, those who understood the implications began to move.
When one or two people started to move, the others followed suit without even knowing why, quickly making way for Sunal and Lee Rang to pass.
“Shall we, Sunal?” Lee Rang said, flashing a confident smile.
* * *
‘This is awkward.’
Lee Rang rubbed his thigh absentmindedly.
They had been guided into a room, but the silence felt heavy.
The noisy outside from earlier suddenly seemed preferable to this.
“Lee Rang,” Sunal spoke, checking their surroundings.
He cast a spell just in case, which made Lee Rang widen his eyes slightly as the room filled with a glowing light.
“It’s a spell to prevent sound from leaking out,” Sunal explained.
“Why… are you suddenly using magic?” Lee Rang asked.
“Listen carefully.”
“Okay.”
“This apartment is going to collapse soon.”
“…What?” Lee Rang blinked, unsure if he’d heard correctly.
“The building’s structural core—the framework—has already collapsed, and it’s only being held together by magic. The sound I heard yesterday was likely caused by the columns giving way due to the collapsed framework.”
“W-Wait a second. Can you explain that in more detail?”
Having seen workers moving materials and bustling about on their way to the room, Lee Rang’s smile disappeared as the seriousness of the situation sank in.
If the magic holding the framework failed and the columns collapsed, it would lead to a catastrophic accident.
“To be precise, this needs to be properly inspected, but from what I can see, the magic holding the framework isn’t a recent addition. It didn’t collapse yesterday or today.”
“So you’re saying the structural collapse didn’t just happen recently?”
“Correct. I don’t know what kind of conversation took place between the construction company and the Wizards’ Association, but it seems they are forcibly using magic to hold up the collapsed framework and pushing ahead with construction.”
“How do you know all of this?” Lee Rang asked, feeling his jaw drop.
This is why mages were held in such high regard—Lee Rang was reminded of this fact once again.
“The mana is too thick here. It’s unusual for such a large concentration of mana, especially since we’re not at the Wizards’ Association. It’s suspicious.”
Sunal lightly rubbed his chin with his thumb.
“Lee Rang, this is just my personal thought. Want to hear it?”
“Go ahead.”
“The team leader sent the two of us here, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“It seems like he predicted this situation. Honestly… I can’t help but think he’s incredible.”
“That’s a strong possibility,” Lee Rang agreed, keeping his thoughts connected to what Sunal was trying to convey.
He considered what Sunal was about to suggest.
“So, what you’re saying is… we should go to headquarters, right?”
“Exactly. We should contact the team leader and head to headquarters.”
“But wouldn’t it be better to handle this here since the problem occurred at this site?”
“Well, the outcome is obvious.”
“Obvious? How so?”
“Even if we tell them the building is going to collapse, the site managers won’t acknowledge it. And we can’t just cancel the magic holding it up when we know the building will collapse. Going to headquarters might be the fastest way to resolve this.”
The way Sunal spoke so confidently made Lee Rang feel as if he were listening to someone who had already seen the future.
Given what had happened outside, it was entirely possible.
“When it comes to negotiations, it’s always best to deal with the person at the top.”
Sunal lazily glanced behind him.
The manager of the site, who was dressed neatly in a suit, was now approaching them at a leisurely pace.
Apparently, word had reached the Wizards’ Association that public officials were on-site, and the manager had come running, but his arrogance was apparent even from a distance.
Sunal dispelled the sound-blocking magic.
“Ah, thank you for coming all this way,” the manager said, grinning in a way that seemed more like a poorly rehearsed performance, his jawbones clattering.
He was a member of the Skeleton race.
‘That’s a different voice from what I heard on the recording.’
Sunal recalled the voice of the Centaur complainant from the recording they’d provided earlier.
‘Of course, the real manager wouldn’t come out personally.’
This man wasn’t a low-level employee, though. He was someone with a certain degree of authority.
“I’m not sure why you’ve made the trip here, but it’s just a minor internal matter,” the manager said, his fake smile doing little to hide his attempt to downplay the situation.
‘Wow, what an annoying attitude right from the start,’ Sunal thought.
Sunal could sense the manager’s intention to sweep the whole issue under the rug. Looking at him, Sunal smiled slyly.