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In the early dawn, Violet headed to the Helios Clan with her friend. Due to the memories of the last raid, we formed a convoy for our journey.

“Let’s go!”

“Road is clear. Move ahead!”

The convoy consisted of three vehicles, some motorcycles, and one powered hang glider. Two pickup trucks trailed at the front and back.

The cargo area was covered with plastic, beneath which armed Violets were hidden, holding machine guns. In case of emergency, they planned to throw off the cover and unleash a hail of bullets.

In the center was an SUV carrying Irene. Delivery motorcycles circled around it, maintaining distance.

“Is this enough?”

Violet 214 confidently took the driver’s seat, but the Second Clone, who was sharing the view, shook his head.

“Not even close! Have you forgotten the last raid?”

The Second Clone recalled the scene from the attack. Countless self-destructing drones were flying in. The vivid memory made the Violets shudder.

“Look out! We’re being attacked from the sky!”

“This is dangerous!”

Violet snapped back to reality. It dawned on her that they could be attacked from the sky!

Several scenarios popped into her head: self-destructing drones, jet bikes, helicopters… it felt grand, but it was a plausible situation.

Then it became clear; they needed aerial surveillance.

“Flight Squadron, deploy!”

Just before the convoy set off, the hastily assembled powered hang glider soared into the wind.

“This is headquarters. We have moved about halfway along the planned route. Report.”

“All clear! The sky is clear.”

Somewhere high above, a hang glider that had taken off from a factory slowly followed the convoy. I kept a vigilant watch. Fortunately, nothing happened until we arrived.

“Headquarters reports: Arrival expected in 5 minutes!”

The Clan Headquarters building located on the outskirts of the Central District was smaller than expected, only about 10 stories tall.

However, as we got closer, it became clear that the facilities and grounds around the building were extensive.

A spacious parking lot and various types of armed vehicles and armored trucks were parked in the hangar, while helicopters and small airships with anti-gravity devices were being maintained in one corner.

“Wow, it’s huge! I could definitely use just one of those helicopters…”

“It’s so big!”

As I admired the surroundings, a question lingered. How did a clan that was doing so well end up as a beggar in just five years?

“…this is our clan,” Irene muttered in a restrained tone that hinted at a bit of pride.

I parked the car in front of the building.

As I followed Irene out, a sign reading <Helios Frontier Service> greeted us at the entrance.

Once we entered through the revolving door, we were welcomed by a clean and sophisticated lobby bustling with people.

“Do you know what our clan does?”

“I heard they do security and exploration.”

From what I knew, clans had several ways to profit. The main duty was to fend off attacking monsters, but few made a living solely from killing.

Usually, it made more sense to utilize the by-products and find profitable ventures within dungeons.

Helios did similar work. However, this clan had a more adventurous streak, actively undertaking expeditions into unknown dungeons and erosion zones to capture resources and relics, especially dangerous Awakened Ones.

As we entered, several hunters on guard approached us for inspection.

“Stop, we need to conduct a security check… oh, you’re the young lady! It’s been a while, how’s the academy?”

A man, initially imposing, froze in surprise upon recognizing Irene.

“Long time no see, Team Leader.”

The atmosphere suggested that the two were well acquainted. Irene chatted amiably with the Team Leader before moving on.

Even though all inspections had to be cleared for security reasons, they treated her kindly since she was a friend of Irene.

“That’s Team Leader Land. In charge of security. He used to come here often for training as a kid.”

As we finished the inspection and headed to the first-floor lobby, Irene briefly explained. After that, she greeted and conversed with several others in the clan, all seeming to be familiar faces.

‘So she’s known since childhood. Is she receiving successor training?’

‘Our friend sure is someone special!’

I followed my friend toward the elevator.

Today, Irene’s visit to the Helios Headquarters building had a simple reason.

Irene’s bank account had been frozen. During the last raid, their home exploded, destroying all the equipment they had stored, and in the combat with the Awakened Cyborg, even her spear shattered.

So she consulted a person who usually played the role of her guardian, her father’s secretary, to retrieve her personal equipment stored here.

I headed to the elevator after Irene. Would it be time to part ways?

“Wait a moment, Violet. Could you escort me?”

“Of course! Got it.”

For some reason, Irene kept asking for my protection. Curiosity about how things looked inside tensed me.

Just how was the interior of Helios’s building?

**

Riding the elevator up to the 8th floor, Irene summoned her magical power.

I tried to appear calm next to her, but she was inwardly tense. She took slow, deep breaths, focusing her mind on the surroundings.

“I hope my assumptions are wrong, but…”

Irene recalled the previous raid.

First, the attackers had planted a bomb in the penthouse that only she and her family could enter.

The attackers were no ragtag bunch either. Non-Awakened mercenaries were well-trained and coordinated with Awakened forces. They used tactics unique to the Helios Clan.

The robot soldiers that pressed in on her were also a mystery. Their precise and powerful magical control was something only humans or monsters usually possessed. A robot using magic? That was no ordinary item by any means.

If her predictions were correct, entering here might be a dangerous matter. Even though she brought Violet along as a safeguard, it wasn’t enough to completely quell her anxiety.

“First, let’s meet Mr. Kress and see what’s up. Or maybe others…”

Together with Violet, Irene made her way to the office. There were several people she wanted to meet before retrieving her equipment.

After a brief moment, she struggled to suppress the rising confusion within her.

“They retired? Why?”

She wondered why she hadn’t received contact; it turned out they all had left.

Mr. Kress was her father’s secretary. He was the one who acted as her guardian after Irene’s father fell into a coma due to his grievous injuries.

It was puzzling that she hadn’t been able to contact him, but she never expected something like this had happened.

And it wasn’t just that.

“Oh, that person? He transferred departments a while ago. Contact info? I’m not sure…”

The people in Helios who usually helped her had either quit or transferred in just a few days. In an instant, everyone who supported her had vanished.

Irene couldn’t find a more suitable expression than feeling as if her limbs had been severed.

“Irene, are you okay?”

Violet, who had been nervously following along, noticed her discomfort, and Irene gave a slight nod.

After pestering the HR staff for contact information and gathering her gear, Irene planned to head back.

And then she faced a familiar face.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you at the clan, Irene. Are you doing well?”

A middle-aged man with blonde hair appeared as they walked down the corridor. Behind him were three armed hunters.

Irene lifted her gaze to look expressionlessly at her uncle.

“Uncle Rigel, I heard you were on a business trip. It’s been ages.”

“Haha, I see. It’s only been a few days since I returned to Rustroom. But more importantly…”

As Rigel trailed off, he looked at his niece with a somewhat pitying expression and clicked his tongue.

“I heard about the incident. You were attacked? What a misfortune. At least you weren’t hurt, that’s a relief.”

“Yes, fortunately, the Inspection Bureau arrived in time, and we managed to escape unharmed.”

“That’s good to hear. Whoever did this won’t be left alone by the clan.”

At a glance, his expression seemed to show concern, but there was a slight undertone of dissatisfaction in Rigel’s words. Irene could sense the subtle change in his tone.

Moreover, was it really the right moment to bring up being attacked?

Questions arose, but Irene maintained an expression that conveyed it was of no concern. She needed to stay calm.

“By the way, why are you holding clan assets all of a sudden?”

“Some equipment got damaged in that raid.”

She subtly lifted her bag to show it off.

“And technically, it’s not clan assets. It’s in my name anyway. You see?”

“Hmm, I see. I must have been mistaken. In that case, it’s beyond my control.”

Rigel clicked his tongue slightly, then suddenly seemed to remember something and let out a short exclamation.

“I thought you were out of money. There have been strange rumors about you lately.”

“Rumors?”

“I’m not trying to accuse you, but there’s talk about how you’ve been flitting about carelessly since you entered the academy.”

With that, Rigel showed his smartphone. Irene’s face contorted as she saw the screen.

“What is this…?!”

In a blurry photo, a girl with violet hair was seen having wild fun surrounded by bottles of alcohol. On the table were white powder and syringes.

“This isn’t me! The timing doesn’t match up at all!”

“Right? I believe you. However, someone seems to have played a prank, as strange rumors along with these shoddy photos have been circulating within the clan.

They even say you’re mixed up with a gang. It’s obviously nonsense, right? But it’s better to be cautious for a while.”

Rigel smiled kindly, but Irene felt chills wash over her.

What Rigel meant was clear: “If you don’t want your reputation in the clan to deteriorate further, you should lay low.”

“I heard your account has been frozen. What a pity. Your home burned down. Do you have a place to stay? I can help you find a new room near the academy.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I already have a place to stay.”

Irene politely refused. Rigel thought for a moment, stroking his chin, and gestured to his companions behind him.

“Don’t you need bodyguards? You can’t be too careful until the attackers are caught.”

“I don’t recognize any of them.”

“These are the new hires. Our clan needs some fresh innovation, don’t you think?”

The so-called bodyguards behind him smiled broadly.

“Thank you for your kind offer, Uncle Rigel, but I already have bodyguards.”

“Bodyguards…? Oh, are they the ones who fought before the Inspection Bureau troops came?”

Irene’s pupils flickered slightly.

‘I never said a word about Violet!’

Yet it seemed her uncle didn’t grasp the specifics of the situation at all.

For the first time in this conversation, Irene found herself a bit at ease.

Let’s sprinkle in a bit of fibbing and exaggeration in her reply.

“Yes, my father prepared a secret armed escort unit. It’s called the Ariel Group.”

“What? The Ariel Group…?”

Irene didn’t miss the first sign of Rigel’s shaking confidence as he jumped between ease and subtle arrogance.

“They say it’s an organization made up of Helios’s elite members in secrecy. Honestly, I was surprised the first time I saw it.”

“…Really now. I had no idea my brother set something like that up…”

Rigel chuckled lightly, muttering.

“Is there a way to contact the Ariel Group…?”

“Sadly, they didn’t share that information. Uncle, can I head off now?”

As her uncle became flustered, Irene swiftly walked past Rigel.

Just then, Violet, who had been waiting, waved her hand and ran over.

“Wait, Irene! We weren’t done talking…”

“Irene~ I’m hungry!”

“Alright, what do you want to eat?”

As Violet spoke to Irene, she glanced at Rigel and waved.

“Who is that person?”

“That’s Uncle Rigel.”

“Hello! Mr. Rigel, I’m Violet!”

“Oh, is that so?”

Just in time, the elevator arrived. Violet and Irene hopped in and quickly descended.

 

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