Chapter 21
Bang!!
Alpha burst through the back door as if he were trying to tear it off its hinges and rushed into the parking lot. Ian supported Beta, whose leg was injured, as he followed after him.
At dawn, with the moon already waning.
It seemed the patrons who had been inside the club had already left, because the parking lot was completely empty.
The police didn't seem to have arrived yet. All there was was one large black limousine and a woman in a deer mask standing guard beside it.
A neatly tailored suit and a deer mask made of real leather. Wearing that mismatched combination without a care, she folded her hands politely and bowed to the group.
“Customers. Did you enjoy the hunt?”
“...Deer.”
Alpha pulled down his bandanna and called her name. The woman called Deer clicked the limousine door open and stepped aside, as if inviting them in.
“The engine is already running. Please leave quickly.”
She said that. Alpha nodded without the slightest hesitation and got into the limousine. Ian hesitated for a moment, but at the distant sound of sirens, he clicked his tongue and climbed inside.
As soon as all three of them were aboard, Deer followed them in and closed the door. The man at the wheel immediately stepped on the gas.
Vrooom!
The limousine began gliding along the open road. Ian stared at the club growing smaller through the window, then turned to Deer. Just then, Deer, who had been watching him, dipped her head slightly.
“It is an honor to meet you, Wizard. Though only for today, I will do my utmost to serve you.”
“...Are you with the Cartel?”
“Yes. I’m Deer, an employee of Indemnis, the Cartel’s safe transport service for customers. Feel free to call me Deer, Stag, or Deer Head.”
As she said that, she added ice to the glass provided inside the limousine and poured water into it.
Alpha, who had just put a cigar in his mouth, exhaled smoke and gulped down the cold water. Ian followed his lead and took a sip.
As the cold water went down his throat, his head felt clearer. He set the condensation-beaded glass on the table and took a cigarette from his pocket.
“So you were the van hired by the Cartel that the hunter over there mentioned.”
Fssst.
He lit the tip of the cigarette with a lighter. Deer didn't scold the group for smoking right in front of her, and instead bowed her head with a perfectly unconcerned expression.
“That's right. We operate a service that gets our customers off the scene through thoroughly reliable escape routes, making sure they don't get tangled up with the police, the military, or the Bureau.”
“...Sounds expensive. If you're trying to get your hands on our payment or something like that...”
“Ah. You don't need to worry about that. We weren't hired by you, Wizard, but by the vampire hunter. We'll collect the fee from him.”
Deer said that and turned to Beta.
“The service fee comes to a total of $3,000. How would you like to pay?”
“...Hey, can't you see my leg's injured? Can't we talk business later?”
“I'm sorry. Our company policy is to settle money matters clearly and quickly. If possible, I'd like your answer now.”
“...Hah.”
At Deer's unyielding attitude, Beta leaned his head back, cigar between his lips.
“I'll hand it over in cash when dawn breaks. Send only a reasonable number of people to pick it up.”
“Understood. We'll investigate the location ourselves and contact you.”
“Whatever. More importantly, give that wizard his payment.”
“Understood.”
At Beta's words, Deer reached into the passenger seat and took out a small case. She immediately held it out to Ian.
Ian looked down at the case with a sour expression and flicked ash from his cigarette.
“...Why is the payment only going to me? Aren't those two getting anything separately?”
“Ah, today's request wasn't issued by the Cartel. Those two borrowed our name and posted the recruitment notice in our place to gather manpower. So only you can receive the payment, Wizard.”
“...I didn't inspect the request form that carelessly. I'm sure nothing like that was written on it.”
Rather than answer right away, Deer took out the request form and began speaking.
“Do you see the seal at the top of the request form, the one besides our Cartel's insignia? As I just said, that's proof that some highly reliable outside individual borrowed our name and placed the request. Since it's common knowledge, there's no written notice. I'm sorry. I'll pass that feedback on to headquarters, so please wait a few days.”
As Deer said that, she opened the case's latch. Ian nodded as if he understood.
It seemed that just because a Cartel authentication mark was stamped on something didn't mean every request was actually one they had posted. Judging by the fact that Seo-ah hadn't said anything separately, it didn't seem like she knew that detail either. Or maybe she'd simply forgotten to tell him.
Well, it wasn't anything that important. Either way, the payment was the same.
Still, now that he'd learned this, he'd have to scrutinize request forms carefully from now on so this wouldn't happen again.
Thinking that, Ian checked the contents of the case Deer had slowly opened.
Inside the case, which opened with a click, were bundles of cash packed to the brim.
“Exactly 7 million won. I can verify the amount here and now if you'd like.”
“Then check it. Just in case.”
“Understood. Please wait a moment.”
Deer began carefully taking out the bundles of 50,000-won bills one by one and counting them.
Before long, by the time the limousine had left the city and entered a narrow alley, her count was finished.
“6.9 million won, 6.95 million won, 7 million won. It's exact. Not a single won off.”
“...Hoo.”
Ian nodded as he exhaled cigarette smoke. Deer closed the case again.
“How would you like to receive the money? There are two options: receive it in cash immediately, or have it sent to your account.”
“...If a huge sum suddenly shows up in my account, couldn't the Bureau trace it?”
“Please don't worry. We have dozens of ways to protect our customers. Not only the country's public authorities, but even the Bureau will take no interest in you. In the same way, you can use our Cartel's shops without any risk at all.”
Deer said that in a voice that was polite yet full of confidence.
Ian looked past her mask.
After staring for a long while at those pitch-black, deer-like eyes, he answered.
“Send it to my account.”
“Confirmed. Please wait a moment.”
Deer started making a call somewhere. Ian looked away from her and at Alpha, whose shoulder was wrapped in bandages.
He skillfully tied the bandage knot, then took off his sunglasses and let out a long breath.
“Feels good... As expected, tearing vampires apart is always fun.”
“Did you become a vampire hunter just for the thrill of it?”
Ian asked. Alpha chuckled and shook his head.
“My family was slaughtered by vampires.”
“...”
“A pretty obvious story, right? For an ordinary person like me, not a wizard like you, to step into this mysterious world, that kind of sacrifice is necessary.”
“...That's unfortunate.”
“Forget it. It's just the tale of some old man driven mad by the most cliché revenge there is. More importantly, is the pay to your liking?”
“Not bad. I feel like I got paid a lot more than the workload was worth.”
Ian said that as a joke.
Alpha chuckled and leaned back against the seat.
“Wizards who can perform like that in real combat aren't exactly common. Looks like you've got some combat experience?”
“Just a few times. Not much.”
“Is that so? Then that's all the more impressive.”
Alpha fell silent after that. Ian didn't bother talking any further either and looked up at the pitch-black night sky.
Unlike the club, where the smell of blood and gunpowder had been everywhere, the world was utterly quiet. Only the faint sound of the car drifted through it. The boundary between the extraordinary and the ordinary was that clear.
The moment he realized that, Ian once again felt that he had stepped into the world of the extraordinary.
Going back to his ignorant old self was probably impossible.
That was fine.
Once his eyes were open, there was no need to go back to being blind.
“...Hoo.”
Ian stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and leaned back against the seat.
It was a peaceful world.
At least, it would be for most people.
*
[Sender: Deer]
[Amount: 7,000,000]
The limousine was parked in a dark alley. The moment Ian got out of the car, the deposit notification arrived, and he turned to Deer.
She followed the others out as if nothing were amiss, and bowed.
“Thank you for using the Cartel's safe transport service. Well then, have a pleasant night, everyone. We look forward to seeing you again.”
“Sure.”
Alpha waved at her. After signaling that the deposit had been confirmed, Ian followed Alpha, who was walking in front. Beta trailed after the two of them, dragging his leg.
Vrooom.
Soon after, the sound of a car came from behind them. It started where the limousine had been parked and gradually faded away.
...
Ian stared at the full moon hanging in the sky for a moment, then shoved his hand into his coat pocket. At that instant, something metallic caught on his fingers.
It was a pistol. He let out an “ah” and returned the borrowed pistol and sunglasses to Beta.
“Used it well.”
“Ah, right. I almost forgot and was about to leave with it.”
Beta took the pistol back and shoved it into his inner coat pocket.
There was nothing else left to take care of. Ian tapped the grimoire tucked at his waist with his finger and walked along under the streetlights.
Before long, they found a hangover soup restaurant that was open even at dawn. The group went in without hesitation.
“Welcome.”
A young owner with dark circles under his eyes greeted them. Alpha ordered three bowls of ox-blood soup and sat at the back corner table. Beta sat beside him, and Ian took the seat across from them.
As he took off his coat and hung it up, he suddenly remembered a question and looked back at Alpha.
“Come to think of it, what was that capsule you threw at the end?”
“It's smoke that wipes away spilled blood. If the police took it and did a DNA test or something, it'd be a pain, so I used it.”
“Ah.”
Ian nodded, as if he understood.
A little later, the soup they'd ordered arrived.
The two Western-looking vampire hunters seasoned the soup to taste and ordered an extra bottle of soju. Ian smiled wryly and sipped the warm broth.
Then, just as Alpha popped the cap off the soju bottle, he casually blurted something out.
“Albert.”
“...?”
“That's my name.”
“I'm Benjamin.”
After Alpha, Beta also introduced his real name. Then he began staring blankly at Ian.
Ian met their gazes with a grin and opened his mouth.
“I'm a wizard.”
“You bastard.”
Albert let out a chuckle-laced curse and downed the soju.