A New Case, a New Beginning

“Hello.”
“Yes, you’re here? You’re early today too.”

Starting a new job always brings a certain amount of tension.
But this place…

‘Is there really no office manager?’

No, I need to correct myself.
Is there not even an office manager?
After winning the PC bang case, Won Youngoh formally hired me.
And today, it was still just Won Youngoh.
I had hoped and hoped that the office manager was just on vacation.

‘…Am I even getting paid?’

As I was having such fundamental doubts, Won Youngoh spoke with a composed expression.

“Are you looking for an office manager?”
“…Yes.”
“He quit a while ago. When I was the only lawyer left.”

Hmm.
I let out a small groan inwardly.
I had tried to find my初心 every time, but I had become a little complacent.
I was used to the bustling atmosphere of Justice, which was always crowded with dozens of lawyers and several times as many employees.
It was a strange but new feeling.

“May I ask why?”

Won Youngoh, who now placed a warm mug in front of me as if it were a matter of course, shrugged and continued his explanation.

“Well, it’s a common story. Just as you know my reputation, I’m sure you know yours, and with enemies on all sides, I lost him.”

How many people would refuse a bigger salary, benefits, and working environment offered by a large law firm?
I silently nodded, took a sip of the fragrant coffee, and spoke.

“In that case, how about hiring a new office manager? I know a suitable person.”

[Are you talking about Office Manager Jeong Donghyeok?]

Yeah, he’s perfect, don’t you think?

[Yes, he’s a good person. He has a good eye and a good memory.]

As if surprised by my words, Won Youngoh, in his neat suit, looked at me while holding a mug like a coffee model.
I know he’s handsome.
I raised my cup in response to his pose.

“And my welfare is this coffee. But every day.”
“You’ve gotten better at joking. Yes, I was about to post a notice anyway. Now that you’ve joined us.”

After that, I subtly asked Won Youngoh about the office manager’s salary.
Fortunately, it was higher than that of a public defender’s office manager. Well, even though he had left, the salary and bonuses my senior had received from Justice were not small.

‘Then my salary should be coming in too.’

I found Office Manager Jeong Donghyeok’s number in my contacts, left a message, and left the office with Won Youngoh.

“Let’s go eat.”
“Yes.”

Chime.

This wind chime sound is always so clear no matter when I hear it.

“Does it suit your taste?”
“Yes, it’s delicious.”

It wasn’t empty words, it was really delicious.
Won Youngoh had led me to an old diner that didn’t match his attire, but it was a taste that I couldn’t be confident in eating just one spoonful of.
I wanted to just pick up the bowl and drink it.

‘Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve had a proper meal.’

It was spicy and refreshing, and the seasoning was just right.
And Won Youngoh’s eating habits were very neat.
Quiet, no spilling, and his chopsticks were held upright.
Though I wonder if there’s ever a time when this man is disheveled or dirty.
Won Youngoh took a sip of water and spoke.

“What kind of cases do you want to take on in the future, Lawyer Cha Yohan?”
“This is something I’ve always thought, but it’s a bit embarrassing to say it out loud.”

To be able to have such a conversation so naturally in a restaurant like this.
It was an unimaginable scene just a while ago.

“I want to save the wronged and powerless people.”
“What is the standard for wronged and powerless people?”
“Hmm, people who can become victims of the law.”

At my words, a glint appeared in Won Youngoh’s eyes.
The law can be abused as much as one knows, and it can be used as much as one knows.
It’s not for nothing that people with a little power try to get their hands on the law.
Won Youngoh continued his meal in silence for a long time after I answered.
A hologram appeared in front of my eyes.

[But is a 100% win rate really possible?]

‘I’ll say it again, I’ve never lost a public interest trial. I only defended the wronged people back then too. Corporate cases are a different matter. And now, thanks to the skill, I can even tell guilt from innocence. I just need to do my part.’

[…You were really like a lawyer.]

‘What’s with saying a lawyer is like a lawyer?’

[I mean a good lawyer.]
[There aren’t many, are there? Such lawyers.]

That’s right. Most of them are crazy about success fees.

[I will now settle the skill points you acquired from the ‘Jeong Jiwoon’ client’s trial.]

Oh, the points have increased more than I thought.
I could upgrade ‘Truth of the Lips,’ which detects lies, or buy other skills.

‘Hmm, should I buy something else this time?’

Just knowing whether someone was lying or not changed the situation a lot. I could also avoid unnecessary psychological warfare.

‘But it feels like I’m spending all the time I saved on finding evidence.’

So my decision was already made.

‘I’ll buy <Evidence Before Your Eyes>.’

[Confirmed. You can use the skill immediately.]

<Evidence Before Your Eyes> Lv1
Can find the most important evidence for victory.

With this, I had acquired ‘Eye of Truth,’ which can discern a client’s innocence, ‘Truth of the Lips,’ which can detect lies, and ‘Evidence Before Your Eyes,’ which helps in acquiring evidence.
I haven’t taken on a case yet, so I don’t know how the one I just got will work.

“Shall we get up then?”

Won Youngoh, who had been waiting for me to finish my meal, asked.

“Yes. That was delicious. This place is really good.”

I stood up from my seat with a full and satisfied face, but a shout came from the kitchen immediately.

“What are you talking about! And what’s with your appearance! The police keep coming to the restaurant, and you show up after a few days, now…! Your father,”
“Mom!”

If it had been just this, I would have thought it was just a family fight.

Thud!

“Mom! Get a hold of yourself!”

Then the story changes.
Won Youngoh and I quickly passed through the tables and entered the kitchen.
My feet moved as if by instinct.
And I discovered a leg sticking out from beyond the kitchen to the outside.
Next to it, a man who looked like he could collapse at any moment stood frozen. He looked like he had been beaten.

“Lawyer, please call 119.”

I told Won Youngoh and approached the collapsed owner and the man who looked like he was about to collapse.

“Ma’am! Get a hold of yourself, ma’am!”

The ambulance arrived immediately.
The paramedic said that the diner owner had lost consciousness but her life was not in danger, and transported her to the hospital.
Won Youngoh and I, feeling uneasy, had taken the bruised man to the hospital.
And in the emergency room, I asked.

“What happened?”

Does malnutrition make sense in this day and age?
And a man in his twenties?
From the situation, it was clear that he was the son of the restaurant owner from earlier. So it was even more suspicious.
The man, who had been silent all along, still hesitated.

Swish.

I took out my business card holder from my pocket and handed him a card.
It wasn’t a public defender’s card, but a new card with the name of the Dike Law Office on it.

“We are lawyers.”

And I tapped the badge pinned to my jacket collar once.
The man’s vacant eyes slowly followed my fingertips and then went back to the business card.

“I think we can help you.”
“…Help?”

Won Youngoh asked bluntly.

“What happened to those injuries on your body? If it’s a matter that needs to be resolved legally, we’ll help you without a fee. We’ll also maintain our duty of confidentiality.”

Won Youngoh always had a good intuition.
His skills were also like that.
He must have inferred things from the current situation.
That he couldn’t afford a fee, but desperately needed help.

“……”

Leaving the chaotic emergency room behind, another silence fell within the curtain where the three of us were.
After a long time, the man began to speak as if he had made up his mind.

“…I couldn’t find a job, so I was looking for a part-time job. It was a bank call center part-time job, and the pay was high…”

He thought he had found a good job because they had him sign a labor contract right away on his first day.

“It was a company where the employees had a very good sense of unity. Surprisingly so. And they were on good terms with the police officers I sometimes saw. I thought it was a trustworthy place. For a while.”

But that was only for a week.
The man trembled, facing the fear that remained in his instincts.
But he still continued to speak.
His voice was shaky, but I could feel a certain spirit in it.
So we listened more attentively. So as not to miss anything.

“…They said I was familiar with the work now, so it was time to start counseling. They said it was a simple inbound job.”

At those words, I could understand to some extent what had happened.
Won Youngoh seemed to feel the same.

“But I’m not a fool. How can telling someone where to bring the money be a bank job? It’s voice phishing.”
“……”
“I tried to run away right away, but I was caught. They locked me up in the office upstairs and beat me, and beat me again…”

As the man said, there was no part of his body that was unscathed.
His lips were all chapped, his eyes were full of bruises, and his arms were the same. The other parts would be the same.

“My father passed away a few years ago because of voice phishing. So how can I do that?”

The men would threaten him even while beating him.

‘If you’re thinking of going out and reporting this, dream on. You saw the police, right? We’re on really good terms with them.’
‘We already know your address.’
‘Wow, your mother’s cooking skills are no joke. That was the most delicious kimchi jjigae I’ve ever had in my life.’
‘So she should continue her business for a long, long time, don’t you think?’

Han Junyoung trembled with rage, clenching his fists and gripping the thin hospital blanket.

“I was just beaten like that for a few days. Then I managed to escape to the third floor, broke the window, and jumped out…”

Hearing that, I could also understand the numerous scratches on his arm.

“But they knew my house and had been to my mom’s restaurant, so I couldn’t go anywhere. I just wandered around like that for a few days…”

The police came to the restaurant.
The man muttered very softly. It was close to a sob.
I sighed inwardly, in case the man felt intimidated, and stroked my chin.

“They said I was doing voice phishing… I couldn’t find my ID when I escaped. They took it when I was signing the labor contract, saying they needed a copy…”

The office was already empty, and when he returned home and told his mother what had happened, his mother had collapsed from the shock.

“Instead of just consulting, let’s formally request your case.”

I spoke as soon as the man finished his story.

“What?”
“Your name is, I mean. Mr. Han Junyoung?”

I recalled the name the man had answered to the nurse earlier and said it out loud.
And I affirmed to the bewildered Han Junyoung.

“You can’t keep running away like that. You could be framed as the real culprit.”
“……”

Han Junyoung’s eyes shook violently.
He must be confused. And scared.

“I will prove your innocence. As I said before, we will not take a fee.”
“…Why? Why are you helping me?”
“Because your mother’s food is delicious. I want to eat it for a long time. It was the most delicious food I’ve had in a very long time.”
“…Ah.”

I tried to speak as plainly as possible, but Han Junyoung burst into tears he had been holding back.

“The office address is on the business card. Come tomorrow.”

I muttered to myself without hesitation. I felt like I knew even without checking.

‘<Eye of Truth>.’

The skill answered immediately.

I nodded, pulled out a few tissues, handed them to Han Junyoung, and spoke.

“Let’s go to the police station first thing tomorrow.”