Lieutenant Colonel Han Sung-hyuk was discovered to be housed in Fort Eiyuu in Gray Mountains, western Flares.

Colonel Liu had expressed his deepest apologies for the miscommunication between Ordo and the Otherguards, affirming what she believed: he did not share the details of the temporary redirection site established in Angel Site 3 with the Otherguards. He attempted to pass the blame to his subordinates but Leona ended the topic there, instead diverting to the issue at hand—there was no use crying over spilled milk now. They had to wipe it up.

Because Leona was already on her way to Fort Eiyuu, she had personally volunteered to resolve the miscommunication on the behalf of Ordo. Thus the Colonel had given her the necessary context she needed to enter the conversation with, though she suspected the information would prove to be little valuable. This incident was simply caused by a prideful man feeling slighted and thus exerting his power over the shameful domestics.

Everybody knew of the rivalry between the Otherguards and their domestic counterparts. The stereotypical domestic woke up in their warm bed, enjoyed big and delicious meals, all while complaining about every minor inconvenience. In contrast, the Guards woke up every morning in deserts and tundras, miles deep in the ocean or up in the mountains, having cold rations for supper and forgetting the feeling of modern comfort.

There was some truth to it: as a domestic, you typically expected a higher degree of luxury while Otherguards ventured into more unforgiving environments. At the end of the day, they were both doing the same jobs.

That was how Leona saw it, but who knows, she was a filthy domestic regardless.

A domestic intruding into a liar of lions.

“Name and business, ma’am,” ordered the stationed guard at the front gates. His buddies eyed her once then kept their steady gazes locked on the treacherous cityscape. On their helmets were the Otherguard patch in an unmistakable bright blue.

Scrutiny had warned me, Leona recalled to herself, Fort Eiyuu had been given to the Guards, among other locations, to centralize and consolidate their leadership during the reconstruction.

Leona produced her ID badge containing all pertinent information and gave it to the Guard. “Celestial War Empress, I’m here to speak with one of your commanders: Lieutenant Colonel Han Sung-hyuk.”

The Guard read over the badge, his dim eyes squinting at the text. He locked eyes with one of his friends and cocked his head over. They met up and began to oddly whisper to themselves, and she couldn’t hear what they were saying.

“Is there a problem?” she said, feeling the itch of irritation crawl up her neck.

“No civilians are allowed in without an escort,” said the first Guard. “Or a really good reason.”

So was this what they were whispering about? “I’m no civilian. That ID proves as much.”

“But you’re no Slayer and that's the problem,” the second added. “Unless you’re a non-combatant of some sort, you can’t go in. Not without an escort or a ‘really good reason’ like he says. Like you’re bleeding out in front of us.”

Was this Otherguard protocol then? I guess one of the metrics they use to determine who’s a civilian and who’s a combatant is whether or not they’re enrolled in the System. Because I’m no longer a Slayer, that means by technical definition, I'm harmless. I thought I'd be a non-combatant but who knows. “I’m not planning on getting a knife to the stomach again, but surely I qualify for something. I’m working directly on Seraph’s behalf.”

“Sorry,” the first Guard told her, handing back the ID. “Protocol is protocol. We can’t break it.”

A vein popped in her forehead. “If you won’t budge, then call Colonel Han here—”

“There’s no need,” interrupted a man’s voice from behind, speaking with a Korean accent. His presence was like an explosion: sudden and powerful. Even as a regular human, Leona detected a great deal of energy from the man. It was calm, intense, and she could see it in how he carried himself.

Much like a certain someone she knew, the stranger was tall and had dark hair and was one of the most handsome men in the world, but unlike those silver eyes, he had electric blues coursing with psionic energy. The same energy Kaiya and her [Great Psionic Aura] possessed. He stood with his hands in his jacket, stoic, perfectly aware of his reputation and cognizant of the effect he had on others.

“I’ll be her escort,” Hunter said to the Otherguards, Korea’s No.1 Slayer.

They were defeated and recognized it. The first Guard nodded. “Yessir.”

Hunter and Leona were allowed through the front gates of Fort Eiyuu, entering the familiar chaotic sprawl she’d seen numerous times before. Once they were out of earshot of those troublesome pair, she spoke in their shared language, [Thank you for that, Slayer-nim. I’m encountering troubles everywhere I go.]

[I could tell,] he responded aloofly, his pupils drifting towards points of commotion. [This many organizations in a single place, they create more problems than solutions. But there’s nothing I can do but navigate this mess. What about you, Celestial War Empress?]

A small smile was formed on her lips. [I didn’t think the Hunter would know about me.]

[I don’t see how I couldn’t,] Hunter said bluntly. [It’s not like you’re an underground Slayer. Considering the role you played during the Disaster, I’d say the world knows you more than they know me.]

Leona’s heart stung knowing her privacy from here on out was non-existent. [I was joking. You don’t have to remind me that I’m an international celebrity.]

[You were joking?] Hunter raised his head slightly then shook it. [Right, you were joking.]

[Do you have any advice for me, then?]

[I’m not a comedian.]

[No, I mean handling your popularity,] she asked, her eyes lingering on him a moment longer, [since you’re the No.1 Slayer.]

Hunter thought about it for a second and answered genuinely, [You deal with it like everything else.]

His words contained little actual advice but Leona didn’t have the courage to press further once she saw his oddly satisfied expression, punctuated by the slightest of smirks. This was the most amount of emotion she’d seen in him. At that moment, the pieces began clicking together in her head and she understood Korea's finest a little better. Everything she knew about him was put into context.

Leona bit down a grin and allowed a smile to seep through in its place. Wanting to convey her appreciation for his sake, she replied cheerily, [Thank you. What’s your business here anyhow?]

His smirk disappeared, his lips returning to their natural form as a rigid line. [Getting more manpower in Dawns. Cheonma has taken a sizable force into an expedition and it’d be safer to fill in the gaps. Do you need help with yours?]

Leona affirmed in the negative, [Not currently. I need to have a boring conversation with a colonel to approve a temporary redirection site. Thank you for asking, though.]

[It’s not an issue for me. I figure I should take the initiative and begin a working relationship with the Baptists early knowing the troubles ahead. Cheonma is already scheming of ways to recruit Conqueror, so I’d be wary of him.]

A scratching pain was felt in her skull. [How is Cheonma anyway? My parents were previously acquainted with his master.]

He shrugged. [Your guess is good as mine. Most of the time we meet, I end up ignoring him because he usually prattles off endless taunts. No offense to your parents, but I find that behavior to be exhaustingly common with Murim-ins.]

[Ha, none taken. Cheonma is probably the most enthusiastic martial I know. Back when I was living in Seoul, every time I met him, he’d try and convince me to join the Demonic Cult.]

[He never passes up an opportunity to recruit.]

[Mhm.] By now, they had made it deep into Fort Eiyuu. While it’d be nice to learn more from an interesting figure like him—likewise, he might’ve had the same thought—they had business to attend as those figures. [We shouldn’t take up each other’s time more than we have to. Do you have my contact information in case you need the Baptists?]

[I don’t think I do,] he said.

[Here.] Leona took out a small notepad and pencil she was carrying around, writing her work number on it then tearing the page. [I appreciate what you did for me earlier. If you need anything from me or Seraph, call.]

Hunter read the note before nodding. [I will. Good luck with the colonel.]

[Good luck with whoever you’re speaking to.]

Finding Colonel Han was simple: she asked around Fort Eiyuu for his whereabouts and luckily he was inside the base. She was pointed to a set of tents near the eastern wall where Otherguards filtered in and out of.

Inside one such open tent, there he was.

She let herself inside and held a receptionist’s smile. “Colonel Han, am I a bother?”

In his small little corner, he leaned back on his folding chair. He raised a finger and continued speaking on the phone for about twenty seconds more, then finished his business and hung up, dropping his phone onto a plastic table. The Colonel leaned forward and swept back his oily navy hair and stared at her similarly to Major Goggs: strict and authoritarian and fearsome.

“Who are you?” he asked in a slight Korean accent.

[Celestial War Empress, sir,] she replied in Korean while offering her ID badge like earlier at the front gate.

He plucked the badge from her fingers, scrutinizing the details on both sides like an art detective analyzing a possibly forged painting. Finding no immediate discrepancy it seemed, he handed it back.

[Angels,] the Colonel said as a flat question.

The badge was tucked comfortably into her pocket. [Dawn Baptists, acting as a direct agent on the behalf of Seraph.]

[What is this about?]

[Site 3.] Leona spotted an empty folding chair and dragged it over, sitting down in front of the Colonel. She had a neat and professional posture she’d used before in interviews and presentations. [You’ve demanded to move the temporary redirection site to Steel Notes Park instead of our Site 3.]

Hearing the purpose of her visit now, the General smirked and chuckled to himself. He adopted a comparatively more relaxed posture and sat back. The chair creaked. [You’ve wasted your time coming here, Empress. I expect everything to be moved without issue and without harassment of my Major.]

[Colonel Liu apologizes for the miscommunication and his grave mistake for not including you in the conversation earlier,] she responded clinically.

[Apologizes?] he said in disbelief, holding a crooked smile. [I can’t say I know Ordoian customs but an apology’s sincerity cannot be conveyed by a third-party. Why are you here instead of him? Why hasn’t he called?]

[Because I wasn’t sent by Colonel Liu and came here on my own volition. Since I was already on my way, he informed me of his mistake. But you’re right: I could’ve told him to fix this…] Leona hesitated to speak knowing she was going to regret it, […I didn’t, because I know better than to trust a man who already made a grievous error once.]

The currency of another man’s reputation was easy to spend. Knowing there was a deep established rivalry (or downright resentment) between the Guards and domestics, it was a simple connection to exploit and thus an easy way to build rapport with Colonel Han; however that meant throwing Liu under the bus. In negotiations like these, however, establishing a sturdy bond was worth its weight in gold.

Seeing how his crooked smile evened out, her plan seemingly worked. [You’re smarter than most people your age, Empress. When were you assigned to Site 3?]

[This morning.]

[I see. Then you don’t know a thing. Colonel Liu has been a thorn in our side since the Barrier fell. He has repeatedly and intentionally neglected to involve the Otherguards in discussions regarding your city’s reconstruction. He’s making rogue decisions without the necessary approval, strong-arming anyone to have it his way and no one else’s. Site 3 is the straw that broke the camel’s back, as they say, and it broke mine.]

Leona was unaware of this information. While he spoke with conviction there was no verifiable evidence to prove anything he was saying. That didn’t matter. The concepts of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ held little worth; in their place was ‘us’ and ‘them’.

She pushed, [But was it necessary for your men to aggressively seize everything and hold Site 3 hostage?]

Gizmo had kept her updated: Major Goggs had Site 3 under lockdown. His men were surrounding the hub and preventing anyone from accessing anything. Things were so tense there between the Ordoians and the Otherguards that he feared a shootout might occur. It wouldn’t. Probably. Hopefully.

[Would you say you’re familiar with this culture?] Colonel Han suddenly asked, interested.

[The Slayers? Through second-hand stories and experiences until a week ago,] she answered truthfully.

[In this world, you respond to power with power. When someone beats you down, beat them back. Liu is physically incapable of understanding the long-term consequences of his actions, so I will be those consequences and so I will not lift my order. I want the site at Steel Notes Park.]

Some people will say you’re a hypocrite, a bully no better than him. [Do you understand the consequences of your actions? We need the redirection site online as soon as possible to avoid potential casualties, and your men are severely delaying its progress if the order isn’t lifted.]

[Nobody here understands anything, Empress. You’re afforded the luxury to take matters into your own hands while I have to contend with my own colleagues and domestics and guilds and all these government and their bureaucracies, all of whom made the continuous error of neglect. Liu isn’t the only man at fault here, and without any repercussions, there won’t be any lessons.]

Leona bit her lip. Colonel Han was an angry, spiteful man but he made his intentions eloquently clear. Site 3 was his way of lashing out at everyone involved in wounding his pride, thinking this incident would reflect poorly on them more than it’d reflect on him. It was not a good idea to convince him of that fact. He wouldn’t listen.

To amend his pride, the solution had to be…

[Colonel Han,] she began, [if I understand you correctly, then you want a personal apology from all parties involved.]

[Yes.] His eyes lit up at the prospect. [Especially from Liu.]

Yes, this is the fastest way to put everything back on track. As long as Colonel Han feels satisfaction from his opponents’ humiliation, then he’ll relent. Leona stood up from her chair. [I’ll speak with him.]

***

“Absolutely not!” Colonel Liu was heard slamming his fist against something hard, the sound of it distorting her phone’s speakers. “I thought you could resolve this issue reasonably, girl! Your best solution is giving into a bully’s demands? This is what a Baptist could come up with? Why not hand humanity on a silver platter to Sirius Aethfell, then?”

Leona listened, and she was frustrated. Reputation was everything in this world. More valuable than dollars or standards, it was the very tender that determined your success—and why why Silverhonor was having difficulties in managing Glory Guild. To an outsider, a simple apology might not be seen as particularly valuable. But to the Otherguards, to the armed forces everywhere and to each individual Slayer, reputation was metaphorical and physical power.

Hunter could walk through the front gates without a single issue because who were you to stop him? Kosmos could demand a meeting with the President of the United States, and he’d have it within the hour of asking.

The more you could move boulders, the more others would let you move mountains. If Colonel Liu personally apologized to Han, it’d be an act of submission and thus crippling his own power.

So what Colonel Han said was most likely true: Liu was engaging in unapproved actions to seem competent. Now it was backfiring.

Leona remained stalwart: “Colonel Liu, it’s the speediest fix to our problem so we can immediately resume—“

“I don’t care for your arguments, find another way! Under no circumstances will I kiss the boot of that bastard!” Liu insisted, yelling in her ears so loudly that she may go deaf.

She wanted to throw her phone against the wall. “Sir—“

“I told you to don’t argue with me, girl! Know your place and do as I say. You don’t have the years as I do or the training or the education. You’re nothing more than a privileged brat masquerading as a Slayer. You’re only here because you were lucky, you and the rest of your team and that Conqueror too.”

Her grip on her phone tightened considerably and her head pounded, and she wished the Colonel was here saying these things in-person.

“Do you understand?” Liu continued. “I don’t care who you represent. Site 3 is under my control and I expect you to unfuck it from Han’s doing.”

To think the hardest thing she’d done was resisting the monstrous urge to not tell him to fuck off and call him every name in the book. Leona held herself back by biting her tongue until it hurt.

Too much time had passed for her to appropriately respond, so the Colonel asked again: “Do you understand, girl?”

She hung up without a word. ‘Right’ and ‘wrong’ didn’t matter in negotiations but Liu was as close to the latter as you could get. But both men were too stuck in their own asses to reconcile, not willingly anyway. Something had to break in either one of them, preferably Liu.

As her mind scrolled through the options and people she’d connected with, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Someone was watching her. Nearby, she found the eavesdropper leaning against a stack of military crates with a cigarette between his fingers, dressed in a dapper white suit that was slightly dirty from the muck in the air.

Their eyes met and he raised his stick to acknowledge her, framing it between his boisterous red eyes. Blonde hair fell onto his shoulders, the fullness matching well with his well-groomed beard. He had a nice smile but it tried too hard to be friendly, to be unassuming to the common people. Because, well, this man had the physique of an athlete being at least double her size.

He snuffed his light out and tossed it aside. [Hey there, pretty lady,] he approached, speaking in native Korean. [Tough day? Believe me, I know how it feels dealing with these idiots. I cope by keeping a positive smile and chain-smoking.]

Leona held her phone at her side, cautious. Something about this man put her on-edge. Was it his slimy air he gave off? Or was it the aura she sensed from him? [Who are you?]

[A businessman. One that’s going to help you from the kindness of his own heart.] He tested the waters by stepping forward. [I heard what’s going on at Site 3—I have eyes and ears everywhere—and I’d hate for lives to be lost because of some rifles’ egos. You see, I know how to deal with these people. They like their pride a lot, so trying to convince them to give up won’t work. Not without a bullet. A metaphorical bullet, I’m not advocating for an assassination attempt.]

[What are you saying?]

[I’m asking, and what I’m asking you is this: What would make a man forget his pride? For some people, it’s fear. Make them afraid of someone higher in the ladder. Others, it’s sin. Bribe them. Money, property, whores. In this world of swords and rifles, power barks. You just need to bark the right way.] He tapped his head. [Once you dealt with people as long as I have, eventually it becomes instinct.]

Leona had experience in speaking kindly to elites thanks to her parents’ connections. She liked to think her people skills were well-developed, knowing when to kiss ass and when to fight. So it didn’t take more than a couple of seconds for her to arrive at a solution.

The man saw the light in her eyes and smiled, gesturing relaxedly with his hand. [Go ahead and call Colonel Liu again. I’ll be here eavesdropping.]

How much do you know, exactly? she thought to herself before dialing his number.

The Colonel answered promptly, “I thought you quit. Do you have an answer for me—?”

“I apologize for hanging up suddenly but I assure it doesn’t involve you,” Leona lied through her teeth, speaking from a forced mask of hospitality. “I’ve received a message from Rector and he wants to check-up on my work. As much as this issue is important to me, I can’t ignore Rector’s calling.”

Colonel Liu paused, his heavy breaths grating her ears. “...What are you saying?”

“I’m telling you I have to meet with Rector within the hour, but don’t worry. I won’t forget about Colonel Han and Site 3; I’ll ask him for advice. Or, even, I have a better idea.”

“Which is?”

“I could invite you to our meeting and have you explain the conflict between you and the Guard. Since, well, since you’re more knowledgeable about the situation than I am.”

“Y-You want me to speak with Rector?” Colonel Liu stammered.

“It’s the best solution I’ve come up with considering you’re so confident that the Otherguards are the one in the wrong here. But…” Leona paused for effect. “I don’t like driving a wedge between us and our allies. I think it’ll also be best for Colonel Han to come and explain his side of the story. After all, this problem has come about because he supposedly wasn’t involved in the conversation.”

“You want Colonel Han to—?”

“It’s the most peaceful way to resolve this mess, don’t you agree?” Leona’s voice went deeper. “Unless the Colonel is having second thoughts about explaining himself to the Angels Vice Guild Master?”

This was the same method she’d used to drag the RFA inspector to Site 3: using the name of someone higher up in the ladder. This involved plain deception. Plain but effective.

Colonel Liu gulped. He moved around it sounded like. He drank some water, shifted in his chair, wrestled with some papers, doing anything to get his mind off the fake meeting ahead of him.

Leona slid the knife in: “I need an answer, Colonel Liu. Now, would be best.” She heard a whisper from him but couldn’t quite hear it. “Pardon? What was that?”

“N-No,” he whimpered. “I’ll… I’ll speak with Han. There’s no need to drag Rector in as a mediator.”

“You’ll speak with him now?”

Liu said quietly, “Yes…”

“Now? Right now?”

“Yes! Yes… I will.” Without much of a farewell, he ended the call.

The eavesdropping businessman blew a kiss. [I couldn’t have done it better myself, Empress. Sometimes you need to get dirty and tell a little lie, forcing a coward to act using his own hands and stare down God with his own eyes. If you weren’t Angels, I’d offer you a position on the spot.]

It was an easy strategy to make. Colonel Han spoke like his decision was calculated; whether or not it was, his demeanor reflected equanimity. Thus, it’d be harder to make him concede. On the other hand, Colonel Liu was neurotic and resorted to petty insults. He rattled his credentials which meant he valued such things highly. So, what would happen if he faced Rector?

Rector was Seraph’s second, but you’d be insane to treat him as lesser. He was as respected and feared as her. Whatever story Liu could spin, Rector would see right through it and Liu was smart enough to see that.

By adding Colonel Han into the mix, his confidence of achieving victory was dashed.

He could either lose a fair amount to the Otherguards or lose completely to Rector. So he cut his losses.

Leona thought to do that smirk and hum that schemers did on TV, but not when she had a suspicious man complimenting her wantonly. [Who are you anyway? You seem familiar but I can’t put a finger on you—]

[Lee Seung-hyun (이승현).] A man had appeared before her, not as a knight in shining armor but as a vicious warrior spotting the enemy. In saying that single name, she sensed a deeper malice that could only be rivaled by Carn.

Hunter. It was Hunter. [What are you doing here?] he asked, his teeth clattering like a rattlesnake’s bell.

The businessman known as Lee Seung-hyun looked like he wanted to break out into a psychotic laugh, stepped forward with his fists tight in his pockets. Then Leona couldn’t breathe. The two men were exerting so much pressure that it felt like an elephant’s foot was pressing on her chest.

Lee Seung-hyun, Lee Seung-hyun…

She recognized the name.

Lee Seung-hyun, retired S-Rank Slayer Seungil (승리) and the president of NC Trading.

Two of the most powerful men in Korea were having a standoff right before her eyes.

[What are you doing here in Ordo?] Hunter asked again, wisps of psionic blue energy burning off of his clothes.

Lee Seung-hyun’s crimson eyes glowed ominously. [For the same reason as you: to aid in its reconstruction. There’s a lot of people that need help, Hunter, and I’m sure you know that.]

[What the hell are you planning here?]

[Nothing. Not unless you count all the housing I’m planning. I’m going to donate billions to ensure these poor saps have a roof over their heads by early April. What are you going to do, No.1? Are you going to play badass and fool around with your girlfriend? What does your sister think—?]

Hunter’s psionic energy bloomed into a soft fire. Leona had backed away from him, almost crumpling onto her knees from the energy exerted between the two high-rankers.

[That’s it!] Lee Seung-hyun exclaimed, baring his teeth. [Now I got you angry! What’re you gonna do now, kid? Do you wanna start a fight here? It doesn’t matter you’re the No.1, this retired sunbae can give you a good lesson!]

[Enough!] Leona shouted, clutching her heart. [Go your separate ways now!]

Her voice, although weak, was enough to snap the two men out of their bloodlust. They glanced her way and mutually realized she was right, and slowly the weight was lifted off her chest. She internally thanked God.

Lee Seung-hyun sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes, snatched one from the carton. He offered one to Hunter but the No.1 refused to even blink, so he rolled his eyes and lit it.

[The pretty woman is right,] he said after a puff. [It’s stupid to fight here. We’d destroy what’s left of Ordo. Next time, don’t pick a fight with random men you see on the street.]

He passed Hunter who maintained a murderous glare and faced Leona. From his jacket, he took out a business card. [Here, Empress, color me interested. I want to do business with whatever you have going on.]

Leona looked warily at the card but took it anyway, knowing it was a poor idea to refuse the president of NC Trading.

He grinned with his cigarette propped between his teeth. [You’ll be expecting a call from me soon or from an associate of mine. Have a good afternoon, sweetheart.]

Lee Seung-hyun left, humming.

[Don’t associate yourself with him—]

[I know,] she replied to Hunter while skimming the card. [I might’ve lived in Seoul for a few years, but I’m more than familiar with the Alliance. I didn’t think you’d be so openly hostile to them.]

[I’m the only one who could show my hostility and live.] Hunter, with his back turned to Leona, looked up at the afternoon sky. [Whatever you and Angels will do next with Conqueror, I hope the Alliance isn’t apart of your plans.]

[They won’t be.]

[Good. Focus on your people here in Ordo. That’s all I have to say. Maybe when it’s time to destroy the Alliance, you’ll be the first ones I call.]