Aegis

[5 billion won? 5 billion… 50…]

I left Gram, who was repeating “5 billion” like a broken tape recorder, and closed the drawer.
Then, after sweeping a glance over the piles of documents stacked high like a tomb of paper, or perhaps a museum, I left the room.
There was no one in the hallway.
Just a few safes.
Safes like rooms, with no names or numbers.

Thud, thud.

“…Attorney Cha.”
“Let’s go back.”

I returned to the car with Lee Ilwoo, who had been standing like a stone statue in front of the door instead of sitting in the lounge.

[Beginning navigation.]

Vroom.

“I didn’t know you had a safe like that, Attorney.”

Even if the NIS had done a background check on me, even Im Suho probably wouldn’t have been able to find this.
I smiled playfully and turned my head towards Lee Ilwoo in the driver’s seat.

“Quite a surprise, huh?”
“Of course. You’re so frugal.”

Lee Ilwoo seemed to know exactly what kind of place we had just visited.

‘The rental is for a minimum of five years, and paid in a lump sum. They don’t ask what you’re storing, and after the period is over, they dispose of whatever is inside.’

That’s why this place was a secret favorite of people you would know just by their names.

“I’m quite a different person from how I look, you know.”
“…I overlooked that part. So what did you bring out? Your hands are empty, which makes it more difficult.”
“I’ll tell you at the office.”

After that, we made small talk.
What to eat for dinner, how Ms. Seonghui, whom we met a while ago, said she really, really hated spring.

“She said the strawberry menu was selling so well it was tough.”
“I heard she hired a new part-timer, but it seems she still can’t handle it.”
“I guess it’s thanks to the rumors about Ms. Seonghui’s coffee taste.”

Screech.

We arrived at the office while making such small talk.

Chime.

“You’re back?”
“…Attorney Cha, why are you empty-handed? I was kind of expecting a grand entrance with a 007 briefcase.”

The two of them, who were sitting opposite each other at the table working, asked their respective questions.

“Ah, I should have prepared one.”

I smiled, sat down next to Won Youngoh, took the USB out of my pocket, and placed it on the table.

Swoosh.

“So what’s this?”
“It’s a coin.”
“…Attorney Cha, you have such a hobby?”
“It’s not my hobby; I received it as a thank you gift a long time ago.”

A very long time ago, at that.

“Thanks, Eunho. I solved it thanks to you. Like you said, it wasn’t that big of a problem. I don’t have much to give… take this, at least.”
“Senior, what’s this?”
“It might not be a large amount right now, but if you hold on to it, it’ll be helpful someday.”

It was something a senior from another department, whom I had met by chance in college, had given me as payment.

‘Where would college students get money?’

Back then, that senior was what people called an eccentric, someone who only chased idealistic things.
When cryptocurrency first appeared, only a few people believed in its existence.
Not many believed it would become money, either.

‘If I remember correctly, this was worth about a hundred thousand won at first.’

After receiving this from that senior, I entered the training institute not long after and forgot about it for a while.
The next time I remembered it was when I ran into that senior by chance.

‘Seeing it being used like this now, it seems like everything really has its time.’

[Then isn’t that senior crying? If he finds out that what he gave you has grown this much…]

‘Not a chance. That senior became practically a chaebol with this, so, well.’

The last time I saw him, that senior had become a tycoon who owned dozens of buildings across the country and several supercars whose names you wouldn’t even know.

‘I even had a hard time stopping him from giving me more coins or whatever back then.’

While some people easily forget favors and kindness, there are also those who remember them for a lifetime.

“Eunho! We meet like this.”
“Oh, senior.”
“I heard you became a lawyer. Is there anything you need? I really want to do something for you. You have no idea how much I’ve thought of you all this time, man.”

That senior said he had dug one well for nearly ten years.
Even though we hadn’t stayed close for ten years, seeing someone I met after ten years living a happy life brought a strange sense of comfort.
That’s why I had smiled and refused the kindness he tried to repay.

‘I saw that he came to my funeral too. That’s more than enough.’

[…You’re a person I can’t quite figure out, Attorney.]

‘What about me?’

[You seem like a person who could live on justice alone, but then you also seem like a philanthropist… But that philanthropy is always directed at others, while you yourself are always an afterthought…]

“Ahem.”

I let out a cough and spoke to the three jaw-dropped individuals.
They must have checked the value of the coin while I was talking with Gram.

“Since it’s come to this, what do you think about just starting a security company?”
“…I see I’ve been paying a salary to a tiger cub. Or is it just a tiger…”

Of the three, Won Youngoh looked the most shocked.
He seemed unable to hear my words due to the shock.

“What do you think, Mr. Lee Ilwoo?”

Lee Ilwoo let out a few dry coughs and answered.

“Cough, cough. A security company, you say?”
“Yes. It’s physically impossible for you to protect all three of us at once.”

Jeong Donghyeok carefully put his gaping jaw back in place with one hand and nodded.

“Attorney Cha is right. If they find out that Ms. Seonghui is involved with us, we can’t guarantee her safety either.”
“I think so too. Detective Choi might be okay since he’s a police officer, but the others are quite vulnerable.”

People who could be called civilians, so to speak. Like Go Eunhyeok in the building across the street.

“But Attorney Cha, are you really okay with this? With this money, you could live a comfortable life of luxury. ‘Safely’.”

Won Youngoh pointed at the screen with his composure regained.
No one here was unaware of the intention with which he had emphasized the word ‘safely’.
I shrugged, following his habit which had rubbed off on me.

“I like the way things are now. It was money I never intended to use in the first place. In fact, I had forgotten about it until recently. That’s why I want to use it properly.”

I turned my gaze to Lee Ilwoo and added.

“Mr. Lee Ilwoo, let me know what you think is necessary for the new company. I’ll invest as much as you need.”

Nevertheless, the three of them still looked at the screen once, then at me once, as if they couldn’t believe it.

“There are sometimes clients who come to the office who are exposed to violent situations, right? I’d like us to have enough personnel to care for them as well.”

As if to tell them to snap out of it, I stated my intention to do this work even more firmly.
Won Youngoh added, to the contemplating Lee Ilwoo.

“I think Attorney Cha’s idea is a good one. It’s unlikely, but if the budget is insufficient, I’ll provide support too, so don’t worry.”

At Won Youngoh’s ‘It’s unlikely, but,’ we all burst out laughing.

“How many applicants is this?”
“This is the 12th.”
“We’ve seen quite a few then.”
“Yes.”

It didn’t take that long to establish the security company.
There were already two lawyers to handle the paperwork and other necessary things.
Jeong Donghyeok was skilled with computers and office work, and Lee Ilwoo had a network of suitable talents.

“Hiring people is a bigger task than setting up a company.”
“Tell me about it. This is a first for me too…”

Lee Ilwoo and I were scheduled to interview 15 people today alone. The same number was prepared for tomorrow.

“It would be great if they were people who could be deployed on-site immediately. Given the circumstances.”
“I know a few suitable people.”

Lee Ilwoo first contacted the agents in his contact list.
Mainly those who were off-duty or wished to leave the NIS.
Retired people were of course included.

Chime.

“Hello.”
“Hello, sir!”

Thanks to that, we were able to meet a variety of people, including some who were full of fighting spirit like this.

‘It would have been better if Won Youngoh was here.’

Won Youngoh had an excellent eye for people.
I wasn’t at a level where I could evaluate someone’s physical prowess like Lee Ilwoo, but I had a handy skill.

“The reasons for an agent’s retirement or resignation are strictly confidential. So I don’t know those parts well.”
“That’s fine.”

Because the moment they lied, my ears would ring loudly.
Just this morning, I had filtered out three people who had used operational support funds for inappropriate purposes or sold information.
It was the same this time.

“Have you ever used information obtained during an operation for improper, personal use?”
“No, sir.”

The 12th applicant, after finishing a sparring session on par with Lee Ilwoo without any signs of embarrassment or agitation, answered my question very boldly and confidently.

Beeeeep!

‘I liked his skills. But you can’t trust every smiling face, I see.’

I sent a signal to Lee Ilwoo to wrap it up.
A few more cliché questions were exchanged, and the 12th interview ended.

“Let’s just endure three more, we can do it.”
“Are you okay, Attorney?”
“Yes, I’m fine. It’s a relief that there were quite a few good people, though.”

We ended up hiring a total of 9 people over two days.
As there were many people, the reasons for applying were also diverse.

“I want to spend time with my family now.”
“I feel disillusioned with the current state of the NIS.”
“I’ve found someone I want to marry. I want to live a simple life with that person.”

The cases where I put a checkmark next to a name were when their stated motivation was not a lie.
As I was rechecking the documents of the nine people, Lee Ilwoo approached me.

“Still… isn’t nine people too many? Even for you, Attorney, it seems like it would be a burden.”
“We can earn the money in the future. To not have regrets, you have to protect the present. That’s why I want to use it to protect the people who are precious to me.”

I smiled and added to the worried Lee Ilwoo.

“I’m glad we’ve already worked with this person. Attorney Won didn’t say it, but he quite liked him.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m sure he was secretly looking forward to it.”

It was Ryu Taeju, the one who had filled in for Lee Ilwoo whenever he was away.

“He said he can start working from today, so I asked him to accompany Attorney Won to his trial. They should be here together soon.”

Speak of the devil, as they say.

Chime.

Won Youngoh, Jeong Donghyeok, and Ryu Taeju had returned from court.

“We’re back. You all know each other, right?”
“Yes, hello.”
“It’s good to see you again, Attorney Cha Yohan.”
“Me too, I look forward to working with you.”

I shook hands with Ryu Taeju and shared with them how far we had progressed.
Won Youngoh offered the empty floor above the office.
Considering the flow of movement, it was a very efficient arrangement.

“I went up earlier with Mr. Lee Ilwoo and checked all the supplies. There’s just one thing left for us to decide.”
“What’s that?”
“The name.”
“Hmm…”

We sat around the table and fell into a long silence.
Contrary to everyone’s expectations, it was Ryu Taeju who broke the brief silence.

“How about Aegis?”