Raito and Tiana moved through a corridor lined with a dizzying array of doors, the rhythmic clicking of their footsteps echoing against the walls. Seeking to dissolve the lingering tension of their initial meeting, Tiana began to speak, her voice casual yet informative as they navigated the labyrinthine hallway.
She explained that this facility served as the primary European branch of the organization, a sprawling hub of operations. She even spoke with a hint of pride about their technological superiority, specifically mentioning the teleportation devices.
As they walked, Tiana's gaze remained forward, outlining the road ahead for Raito. She informed him that he would be under her direct tutelage before he was ever permitted to step onto the battlefield. Monster incursions, she noted, were fortunately not a daily occurrence. This rarity allowed for a concentrated three-month training period, a duration she deemed more than sufficient to transform a civilian into a capable operative.
Raito, absorbing this information, felt the weight of his redirected life. He shared a fragment of his own story, mentioning that under normal circumstances, this year would have marked his graduation from university. The contract he had signed with the organization had effectively severed his academic path, leaving his degree unfinished and his former life a closed chapter.
Tiana's response was a light, melodic laugh that caught Raito off guard. She explained that compared to the vast resources and esoteric knowledge held by the organization, university teachings were merely foundational. In another world, academic credentials held no currency.
Whether one was a scholar or a laborer, every new recruit began at the same baseline. Complete ignorance of the true nature of the world. Here, everyone underwent a total re-education, stripping away old concept to make room for the harsh realities of their new profession.
Sensing his lingering apprehension, Tiana offered a comforting word, telling him not to worry about the future. Raito nodded in silent agreement, though his mind was already drifting toward the mundane comforts of his new life. He began to envision his living quarters, mentally sketching out floor plans and debating the aesthetics of various interior designs he might implement to make the space his own.
However, those grand architectural dreams were shattered in an instant when they passed a door left slightly ajar. Raito peered inside and saw a cramped, utilitarian room packed with rows of metal cots. Four members were huddled together, eating a sparse meal in the middle of the crowded dormitory. The sight was a cold splash of water to his imagination. His mind, which had been bright with the excitement of a "genius" decorator, slumped into a pure disappointment.
Tiana, noticing the sudden shift in his demeanor, reached out and placed a gentle, reassuring hand on his shoulder. She spoke softly, catching the look of disappointment in his eyes.
"Relax," she said with a knowing smile. "Our squad's quarters aren't anything like that."
"Then what are they like?" Raito asked, his voice laced with a mix of skepticism and desperate hope.
Just as the question left his lips, Tiana reached the very end of the long corridor and pushed open a heavy set of doors. The space that greeted them was vast, a sprawling communal area divided by sleek, modern partitions that created a series of private cubicles.
Tiana led him toward one of the sections to give him a closer look. Raito's eyes widened, and he found he couldn't look away. Having spent his university years crammed into a single room with multiple roommates, this level of privacy was a luxury he hadn't dared to expect. While the individual cubicle wasn't palatial, it was a clean, personal sanctuary with more than enough room for his belongings and a bed of his own.
Tiana pointed further down the row, informing him that his assigned space was cubicle number 14. Raito realized with a start that he had been staring into cubicle number 4, which belonged to someone else. A surge of genuine joy replaced his earlier gloom. He hurried toward the door marked with the number 14, his heart racing with a newfound sense of belonging.
When he finally reached the door and swung it open, he was met with a deafening chorus.
"Surprise!"
A shower of bright, multicolored confetti erupted into the air, swirling around him like a paper storm. The sharp, celebratory blare of party horns filled the room, echoing off the walls. The squad members had gathered inside, their faces beaming with genuine warmth as they welcomed their newest comrade. Tiana stood by the door, watching the scene with a soft, satisfied smile.
For the first time since their meeting in the cold, formal atmosphere of the organization's garden, the stoic, indifferent mask Raito had been wearing finally cracked. He let out a genuine, breathless laugh, overwhelmed by the realization that in this strange new world, he had already found a place where he was truly accepted.
***
Time flowed by with an invisible swiftness, and before long, the lively celebration had drifted toward its quiet conclusion. The air in the room, once thick with laughter and the clinking of glasses, had settled into a peaceful stillness.
Most of the other squad members had succumbed to their exhaustion and were now buried in a deep, heavy sleep. A few were sprawled haphazardly across the plush cushions of the sofas, while others had simply surrendered to gravity and lay curled up on the rug atop the cold floor.
Raito, feeling a slight and pleasant haze of intoxication warming his own head, watched his new companions for a moment before deciding to leave them to their dreams. He navigated his way through the cluttered communal space, stepping carefully around sleeping limbs as he made his way toward the water dispenser.
A few moments after he had finished gulping down a glass of cool water to clear his senses, he was approached by a man who appeared to be in his late thirties. The veteran possessed a solid and muscular build that suggested years of rigorous physical training, yet he was not so bulky as to be intimidating. His facial features were sharp and defined, carrying a natural sternness that was surprisingly balanced by a friendly and approachable aura.
"Hey," the man said, speaking in a voice that was remarkably soft and gentle.
Raito turned his head toward him and raised a hand in a small, polite gesture, signaling that his attention was fully fixed on the man. The veteran stepped closer, his expression warm and inquisitive as he looked at Raito.
"So, are you feeling comfortable here, son?" he asked.
"Son?" Raito repeated, the specific choice of words catching him completely off guard. He answered the question with a look of genuine confusion, as he had not expected to hear such a paternal term in an organization of elite soldiers.
"Oh, please forgive me," the man replied with a light, self-deprecating chuckle. "I have simply brought along the stubborn habits of an old man. You will have to excuse me, as I am fast approaching my fiftieth birthday this year."
Raito fell silent for a moment as he processed that information. Hearing the man's age caused the image of Dr. Michael and his perpetual expression of irritation to flash vividly through his mind. It felt like a strange and sudden sense of deja vu.
"So, does that mean you are around the same age as Dr. Michael?" Raito asked, curious about the connection.
"Indeed I am," the man confirmed with a nod. "In fact, the good doctor is actually my senior in this organization. But wait, do you actually know that incredibly picky man?"
"We met a little earlier today," Raito admitted, tilting his head slightly. "Is he really as fierce and temperamental as he seems?"
"Hahaha, you are a lucky man, my friend," the man laughed heartily, the sound echoing softly in the quiet room.
Confused by the man's amusement, Raito could only remain silent, waiting for an explanation. Seeing the puzzled look on the young man's face, the veteran decided to elaborate on the doctor's reputation.
"That man is famous throughout the branch for refusing to handle patients with his own two hands," he explained. "He almost always insists that his assistants are the ones doing the actual physical work and moving the patients around."
"Oh, I see," Raito murmured, finally understanding the source of the man's laughter. "I almost forgot my manners. My name is Raito. It is a pleasure to meet you."
The man seemed momentarily surprised that Raito did not press him for more details or ask for the specific reasons why Michael acted in such a strange way.
However, he could sense that Raito was not the type of person to pry into the private affairs or eccentricities of others. It aligned perfectly with what Tiana had mentioned previously, Raito was the sort of individual who would not believe a rumor or a story until the person involved told him the truth directly. The man smiled warmly at this realization and spoke in a kind, welcoming tone.
"My name is Hansel Dun," he said, offering a hand in friendship. "But please, just call me Hans."