The golden age of magical engineering.
An age when magic and civilization were in full bloom.
Even in an era as beautiful as a flower, criminals existed.
And if those criminals could use magic, they became exceptionally troublesome to deal with.
Thus, the Republic gathered talented individuals to catch them.
They were called the ‘Mobile Special Unit,’ or simply the ‘Special Unit.’
“Captain Han Augustus. I have a mission for you. I will grant you two months of leave, so forget about work for a while and get some proper rest.”
Ventman, Director of the Special Unit's Capital Second Headquarters, had summoned Han and said exactly that.
The words he abruptly dropped on him were more than enough to leave Han bewildered.
“Leave, sir?”
“You have been working too hard. Far too hard.”
Ventman tapped a page of the document spread across the table with his index finger. The page contained a record of all the leave and days off Han Augustus had taken thus far.
Then he asked in disbelief.
“Why is it completely blank?”
“I have never submitted a request.”
“How long do you think it has been since you joined this place?”
“As of today, exactly five years.”
“Then you are saying you have not taken a single day off in five years?”
“That would be correct.”
“That is precisely why you need to take a vacation.”
Ventman shrugged and leaned back in his chair. The expression on his face suggested that he had just given a flawless explanation.
Unfortunately, it was not enough of an answer for Han.
“I did not request leave.”
“I know. Your record is so clean that there is not even a drop of ink on it. That is why I called it a mission.”
“……Are you serious, sir?”
“Have you ever seen me summon a captain in an official capacity merely to play a joke?”
Han briefly looked back through his memories.
They did exchange fairly lighthearted jokes from time to time, but now that he thought about it, Ventman had never done so when work was involved.
“However, the Republic has been unsettled internally of late. With manpower already short, I am not sure it is wise for me to take such an extended leave. There is the new drug distribution case, and the Skin Suit case is still…….”
“The Republic has been unsettled for a long time. And do not worry about work. No matter how capable you are, this place is neither so poorly run nor the situation so dire that the absence of one person would cause problems.”
Han was what people commonly called an elite.
He had entered a Special Unit training institute at a young age and had never failed to rank first in any field except one.
The same had remained true after he joined the Special Unit.
Han stood out even among his peers and rose through the ranks quickly. The roster of criminals he had thrown into prison only became more impressive with time.
Still, just as Ventman had said, the Special Unit would not grind to a halt simply because Han was gone. No matter how turbulent things were, this was an age of peace in which the wars had ended.
There were problems involving criminals who used magic, but compared to the past, when wars between nations had been commonplace, many citizens of the Republic even said this.
That an age of peace had finally arrived.
“Take this opportunity to go back to your hometown and at least visit your parents. No matter how important or busy your work may be, should your parents have to forget the face of their proud son?”
“…….”
Han fell silent for a moment.
Unlike those around him, Han had black hair and black eyes. His hometown was so far from the capital that he could rarely visit.
Even aboard the fastest train, it would take fifteen full days just to reach the surrounding area.
“I have already arranged passage for you. Given where your hometown is, traveling by sea should be faster than going overland.”
Ventman pulled a ticket from his drawer. It was a ship ticket bearing the name Han Augustus, and its departure date was that very evening.
At the sheer stubbornness stamped so plainly across the ticket, a faint smile escaped Han's tightly closed lips.
“I did not know you were this thorough in your preparations.”
“Is that so? Then this worked out well. I have used the opportunity to show you just how meticulous your superior is.”
“……Still, I did know that you are someone who treats his subordinates like his own children.”
“Not all of them. Unfortunately, I am not generous enough for that. It is a privilege reserved for admirable subordinates who follow me as they would a father. Of course, you are one of them.”
Ventman looked at Han for a moment, then jerked his chin toward the ticket, telling him to take it already.
Han hesitated before finally accepting it as though he had no other choice.
“I will gratefully follow your order, Director.”
“It is an extended vacation that most people could not take even if they wanted to, so do enjoy it to the fullest. And do not even think about coming back early.”
“I would like to say I will do just that…… but I have one request.”
“What is it?”
Ventman asked the question, but he already had an idea of what Han was about to say.
After all, whenever the subject of ‘that man’ came up, Han's eyes always looked as though he were forcibly suppressing a surge of violent emotion.
“If you obtain any information about that bastard, please contact me. I will come running at once.”
“…….”
Ventman's gaze briefly fell upon Han's left hand protruding from the cuff of his uniform.
At first glance, there was nothing unusual whatsoever about the arm.
In truth, however, it was an Automatic Arm created through magical engineering.
In other words, a prosthetic arm (prosthesis).
Ventman knew the circumstances behind it, so he could not help but nod.
“Very well. I promise.”
“Then Captain Han Augustus will complete his mission safely and return.”
Only after securing Ventman's promise did Han salute him.
***
After returning to his room, Han immediately changed out of his uniform and packed his bag.
He did not have much luggage. Three or four changes of clothes, his identification card, an old wallet, and a notebook were about all he had.
‘Should I take this too?’
Han stared at the palm-sized revolver.
Members of the Special Unit, who had to deal with criminals, were permitted to carry handguns even during peacetime. Rifles and mini machine guns were out of the question, but weapons classified for personal defense were permitted.
Han considered what to do with it before ultimately packing it.
His gaze then moved to his wallet, which was more heavily stuffed than he had ever seen it.
‘Since he even gave me extra travel money, I should at least bring him back a gift.’
In addition to the transportation expenses provided by the Republic, Ventman had spent his own money to give Han a considerable amount for the journey.
Han had refused it, but in the face of Ventman's stubborn insistence, he had ultimately been forced to accept.
Perhaps that degree of stubbornness and conviction was necessary to rise all the way to the position of Director.
“…….”
While heading toward the docks, Han wondered what sort of gift he should buy before eventually abandoning the thought.
Calling the place his hometown did not make it feel like home to him.
He knew nothing about what local specialties or souvenirs it had. Perhaps he might have known when he was very young, but Han had moved to the capital with his parents at an early age and remembered almost nothing about his hometown.
It had already been five years since he had last gone there.
That was when he had visited to tell his parents that he had joined the Special Unit.
It had been for his parents, who had moved to the capital and lived there before eventually being buried back in their homeland.
“The ship bound for District 10 will depart in thirty minutes!”
People stood in line to board a massive passenger ship.
Having arrived in time, Han took his place at the end of the line.
‘That's an enormous passenger ship.’
Han looked up at the vessel and marveled inwardly.
Even counting the ships he had boarded during missions, it might have been the largest one he had ever set foot on.
Han pulled out his ticket and examined it.
He had not thought much of it when he saw that he had been given a third-class cabin, but now that he looked at the ship, even that cabin must have cost quite a bit.
‘That's the first-class line……. That's the second-class line.’
Han looked over the other lines besides his own.
Even at a glance, there was no mistaking the first-class line.
For one thing, there was hardly a line at all.
The women stood out in dresses supported by crinolines, their skirts puffed out like umbrellas, while the men likewise wore expensive jackets.
Judging by both the passengers and the sheer scale of the ship, lavish parties were certain to be held in its ballroom for several days.
‘Was this part of what he meant when he told me to enjoy myself?’
Han suddenly recalled Ventman's words.
Enjoy yourself to the fullest.
Do not even think about coming back early.
Ventman never spoke idly when work was involved. Given that he had gone out of his way to book Han passage aboard such a luxurious passenger ship, he had most likely had the ballroom in mind.
‘You went to unnecessary trouble, Director.’
However, aside from when a mission required it, Han had never danced or enjoyed himself in a ballroom, nor did he have any interest in doing so.
He had never been on familiar terms with the very idea of having fun. Even when missions had forced him to dance at formal gatherings, it had been an ordeal. He had lost count of how much extra practice he had needed.
‘If I end up with another mission requiring me to infiltrate a ballroom in the future, getting some dancing in wouldn't be a bad idea, but…….’
Han quickly discarded the thought.
Dancing required a partner.
It might have been different if he were traveling with someone he already knew, but he had no desire to match steps with women he had never seen before in his life.
Of course, he was not even sure there would be a woman willing to take the hand of a man holding a third-class ticket.
WHOOOOOSH—!
While Han was lost in those thoughts, a powerful sea breeze swept past.
At the sudden gust, the men grabbed the brims of their silk hats to keep them from flying away, while several women momentarily staggered beneath their voluminous dresses.
The night sky reflected in Han's pitch-black eyes.
And across that night sky sailed a single black silk hat.
Han instinctively reached out and caught it.
Soon afterward, the wind subsided, and a young gentleman approached with his head slightly bowed.
He appeared to be the owner of the hat.
“My apologies. The fickle wind got the better of me.”
“Here you are. It did not touch the ground, so it should not be dirty.”
“Haha, you have excellent reflexes. Thanks to you, I will not have to get dirt on my hands.”
Han handed the hat to the gentleman.
The man accepted it, immediately placed it back on his head, and smiled.
Han watched him briefly before shifting his gaze toward the bag in the gentleman's hands.
“That bag looks rather heavy.”
Han had noticed that the gentleman seemed to struggle somewhat with the bag's weight as he ran over.
That was likely why he had lost his hat in the first place. Both of his hands had been occupied carrying the bag.
“Ah, as you can see, I am rather thin.”
The young gentleman gave a self-deprecating smile.
Han stared at him for a moment before nodding.
The gentleman thanked him lightly once more, then returned to his original place in line.
And so it seemed the moment would pass quietly without anything else happening.
‘Damn.’
Han discreetly glanced at his wristwatch.
Until only moments ago, its hour and minute hands had been perfectly clean.
Now, however, faint lines had appeared across them, so fine that they were barely visible without looking closely.
The watch had been designed to react whenever the person before him possessed mana above a certain threshold.
And there were three lines.
In other words, that indicated an amount of mana on the level of a State-Certified Mage.
The problem was that Han knew the face of every State-Certified Mage in the country.
And he did not recognize this man.
‘Looks like I won't be enjoying a normal vacation after all.’
Han instinctively realized that even while on vacation, he would not be able to rest easily.