30 – Blanket
The entire code system was established based on a simple principle.
For each alphabet, a combination of one to a maximum of four symbols was assigned.
The length varied according to the frequency of use of each alphabet. Frequently used alphabets had short and simple symbols, while rarely used ones were assigned complex symbols.
For example, E is ·, and Y is ― · ― ―.
In short, it was a simple character system composed of only two symbols.
However, utilizing it in practice was a different story.
Director Lovebrace, while lighting his pipe, spoke.
“A telegrapher? Not just anyone can do it. It’s not just about memorization; your body has to remember it. Moreover, handling urgent messages is frequent in telegraphy, so you have to minimize mistakes. It’s not as easy as it seems.”
I agreed with that opinion as well.
During breaks in my work, I took the time to familiarize myself with the symbols and attempted to interpret the coded messages of the entire knights.
It wasn’t usually a challenging task.
However, it wasn’t entirely meaningless, so I eventually came up with one idea.
In the end, understanding the pattern of the entire knights’ work and mechanically inputting it.
If that’s the case, couldn’t we apply magic to achieve some automation?
I thought that casting magic based on the symbols I had in my mind would ensure an extreme level of accuracy when inputting the codes.
Finding a magician who could realize this at the speed of the entire knights would be rare, but still, it crossed my mind.
Anyway, the opportunity to put this idea into practice hasn’t come yet.
It’s because I’m just a lowly employee.
And because it depends on the energy I can actively put into my work.
“I, solved it!”
Thunk.
An ambitious night.
I finally finished the third math workbook for the entrance exam.
As it fell onto the desk, I glanced at the calendar.
Now, there’s only a month left until the exam.
The eve of the storm.
October 2nd. Slightly cloudy.
Lena had been having incredibly busy days lately.
[Mr. Underbridge]
[Attached is a sum of six hundred pounds. I request an investment in the Eastern Integrated Nation.]
A suddenly arrived letter.
The beginning was modest.
It was the first investment from an anonymous investor into the Eastern Integrated Nation.
Trust and tangible performance, the investment entrusted to Lena, who was still modest in both aspects.
With the determination not to squander a penny of the six hundred pounds, Lena began her work.
Appropriately dividing the six hundred pounds, some went into stocks, and some into investments in Eastern Integrated Nation facilities, and so the seeds sown bore fruit faster than expected.
The stock prices began to rise significantly.
In addition, the rumor spread that Director Lovebrace, at just the right time, utilized the power of his family to attract new investors, further propelling the upward trend of stock prices.
Indeed, the time had come to break the egg and take emergency action.
And today was the day when the Eastern Integrated Nation would spread its wings and take a leap.
The facilities of the Eastern Integrated Nation were still meager compared to the Western Integrated Nation.
On the day when new facilities poured in and some investors personally came to inspect the business site, it was a morning of utmost importance.
Clang!
Due to the piercing metallic sound, Lena’s mind snapped back.
In front of her were Susan and Sally, looking at her with subtle gazes.
“Lena.”
“……Yes?”
“You shouldn’t doze off at the table. You dropped your fork, didn’t you?”
“Ah….”
Only then did Lena realize that the previous noise was because she dropped her fork.
Hastily picking up the fork, she thought to herself.
This is bad.
She couldn’t focus at all.
How many sleepless nights had she endured recently?
Even though it had only been a day or two of staying up late, the accumulated fatigue was starting to affect her daily life.
“I-I’m fine. Just a bit tired, that’s all.”
As she spoke, trying to appear composed, her fork continued to clatter aimlessly against the plate.
Susan’s gaze intensified.
“hahahahaha….”
By now, Lena’s mind was starting to clear.
She raised her head with a forced smile, and her eyes met Eugene’s gaze, who happened to be looking their way.
Lena swallowed hard.
A mix of concern and dissatisfaction reflected in his eyes.
Between the strands of gray hair, his black pupils shone brightly, unmistakably clear.
As someone accustomed to fatigue being a part of daily life, Lena could recognize it.
That was a state of awakening. The gaze of someone pushing through the extremes of exhaustion with sheer willpower.
“….”
In Lena’s chest, a sense of triumph surged instead of weariness.
She didn’t want to appear inferior, especially in front of Eugene.
The sense of triumph manifested as a smile on her lips. After placing the dishes down, Lena grinned subtly.
“Today will be the busiest day. Are you confident?”
Eugene nodded.
And so, the two of them commuted to the Eastern Telecommunications Bureau.
*
“Place the newly arrived full-body machines to the left of the original ones. Oh, a bit more to the left. Yes, thank you.”
“Are you in charge of wire installations? That task is for those employees over there…”
“Anyone with the circuit schedule document?”
It was autumn. Even though a slightly chilly air began to circulate, a bead of sweat trickled down Lena’s cheek.
Busy.
More than expected.
Since the establishment of the Eastern Telecommunications Bureau, today marked the most chaotic atmosphere, affecting Lena deeply.
Originally, Lena focused solely on administrative and consulting duties befitting her title, but today she even temporarily took over the director’s responsibilities, personally overseeing the staff.
Director Lily Lovebrace. Usually, it was routine for her to wander around, enjoying a cigarette, and indulging in being petted like a cat, making trouble a part of daily life.
But today, even Lovebrace’s decadent face was missed.
Asking her for help was impossible.
The director was currently handling one of the most crucial tasks, investor guidance.
“Is this the Eastern Telecommunications Bureau?”
“Hmm. The inside of the hall seems a bit chaotic, doesn’t it?”
“Come on. Let’s step into my room for a moment, have a cup of tea, and chat!”
Lovebrace Director, who had gathered and consoled the uneasy-looking investors, suddenly glanced toward Lena’s room on the second floor.
What could it mean?
A gaze mixed with concern and dissatisfaction.
It resembled the gaze Eugene had in the morning, but Lena couldn’t quite grasp its meaning.
While time passed in this manner,
The situation in the Knights’ section was reported as an emergency.
From Noble mtl dot com
Lena hurriedly descended to the first floor, where the white-haired veteran knight exhaled deeply and explained the situation.
“The communication lines are jammed, right? We’re flooded with messages to the point that four full-body knights are insufficient. It’s beyond our handling capacity. We need more people.”
“…I did post a job opening for new full-body knights.”
“When are they coming in?”
Lena bit her lip.
She couldn’t truthfully answer with “in a few days.” It would practically mean telling the knights to endure this hardship for a few more days.
But that was the truth.
A mistake in schedule management.
However, recruiting is not under my jurisdiction.
Is this my fault?
But.
“Uhh…”
Around that time, Lena realized that she had reached some kind of limit.
Her mind went blank.
She didn’t entertain the thought of her lips trembling.
Her head turned white, and the ambient noise around her faded into the distance.
As if left alone in the world.
Lena, who had been exceptionally composed, had no way of knowing that it was panic. She only trembled in the chill and fear enveloping her whole body.
Moisture welled up in her eyes just before dropping in droplets.
Thud.
Someone tapped Lena’s shoulder and shouted.
“I’ll help you!”
It was Yujin.
In that moment, Lena, with strength returning to her body, grabbed Yujin’s arm and slumped onto a nearby chair.
The sound of voices gradually became indistinct.
―What? You…? Even if Lena’s ordeal brought you here, it’s not like that.
―I memorized all the codes. And I have an idea…
―Magic? Immediate input through [염동(move)]? Does that even make sense?
―Assuming the worst…
―Hmph, fine! See that machine over there? Sit down…
―For the supply of magic…
―Connect the wires…
(Note: [염동(move)] is kept as is, as it’s a symbolic term.)
Feeling as if submerged in water.
Amidst the biting cold that attacked from all sides, the only thing Lena could rely on was the warmth of the hand still connected to someone, somewhere.
—You can rest now.
That was the decisive blow.
Lena closed her eyes in the dimming sight.
*
Tap. Tap.
Amidst the rhythmic noise, consciousness gradually floated to the surface.
Disheveled blond hair tickled Lena’s face.
“What’s wrong? Are you awake?”
“…Commander.”
In a daze. Her consciousness wasn’t quite clear.
So, Lena parted her lips while still half-asleep.
“Don’t pat my head….”
“I don’t want to.”
“It’s not the time for this… I haven’t even compiled the documents yet… There’s still settlement work left…”
“We did it neatly. Thanks to your brother. Our girl, the Torture Mistress, is truly a treasure.”
“Is it over?”
“Yeah. We neatly wrapped it up between us.”
“That’s not allowed… It’s inappropriate…”
Assistant note: Acknowledge that all characters are fictional and above 21 years of age.
“That kid. There’s nothing he can’t say to the director.”
Thunk.
A pain, as if someone had smacked his forehead with a hammer, spread through his head.
“It hurts…”
“I said it hurts, Lena.”
Lena was still in a daze. Because the director’s voice echoed wildly, the content was not clear.
But the dissatisfaction in that language was as clear as day.
“Sometimes, relying on each other isn’t so bad.”
“…”
“Sorry for waking you up from sleep. Well, rest well… Oh, by the way, I perfectly managed the investor guide. Now that I’m a respectable director, don’t ignore me, okay?”
Grinning, Director Lovebrace winked and moved away within the welcome.
Lena closed her eyes again.
Rock, rock.
How many times did the rocking chair go back and forth?
When she opened her eyes again, a gray-haired man was trying to cover her with a blanket.
Still half-asleep, Lena spoke.
“…What is it?”
“No, it’s just.”
“Are you copying him?”
“Huh?”
“The blanket….”
In the midst of the profound darkness, the eyes of the man with gray hair widened slightly.
Finally, she realized. That’s Yu-jin.
Lena spoke as if following the flow.
“Why do you work so hard like this…? You must have been through as much, if not more than me….”
“….”
“Disintegration….”
A droplet trickled down her cheek.
However, the endless flow of tears did not occur. Yu-jin wiped them away with a handkerchief.
There was no response.
Instead, Lena felt buoyancy in her dream.
“Swish.”
She blinked her eyes open, glanced around, and then realized that she was being carried by someone, stepping out of the main gate of the Mansion.
There was no more strength left to respond.
The swaying sensation was oddly comforting.
Lena drifted into sleep.
Bearing weight, feeling the warmth from the broad back.
It was autumn.
On a certain day of autumn, where red and yellow leaves adorned the night path.
November 1st. Rain.
And time flows like an arrow.
Finally, the time has come.
