The Ability User Bureau was always a busy place. No matter what floor you were on, there would always be people running around with documents in their hands. Most of them were reports of gates and customer complaints.
Every district had its own bureau that handled its own gate's management, but the head command of the world's Ability User Organization was here in District 2.
Aerolis' Ability User Bureau was only one of its branches across the world. With a total of 17 districts all across the country, the communication between each bureau in each district should be flawless, especially the orders from the head command.
This head command was actually more of a council led by a former S-Rank esper named Francis Romano. Known for his charisma, which helped humanity succeed in winning the first gate break.
He had become a legend that people talked about in history. Even in his 60s, he's still fit enough to go down the field and took down S-Rank gates.
And now I'm currently sitting on a couch in his office, facing this so-called legend with my team's future in my hands.
"I apologize for dumping all the gate raids on your team Ethan, but you need to understand the lack of espers in our country."
Francis was a resourceful person, the idea of forming an S-Rank only team for efficiency was his idea. Though he pushed too far with that 'efficiency' of his and caused us one hell of a problem.
As someone with high authority in this bureau, he knew we would have no choice but to clear the 47 gates he ordered us to. And later — after we finished it — to appease our anger, he would apologize with no remorse.
'He's indeed a sly fox.'
"You are having a three-year trial in this country to see if this S-Rank only team could work before we release you for all countries registered in World Ability User Organization to use. If you can't handle this much, won't that defeat the purpose of forming your team?"
"Sir, with all due respect, I told you already, my team won't be taking more than 5 gates in a single day. While I understand we will have more workload after we get released, if we receive that many gate requests within a day, I won't accept it."
To ensure my team's work-life balance, debating with Francis and the council was important. If I didn't do it now, this fox would definitely do it again in the future.
I pulled out a document given to me by Shelly, it was a document that contained the agreement to limit Team Zero's gate raiding quantity within a single day. The only signature left empty was Francis, who was also the leader of World Ability User Organization, the organization that managed all the Ability User Bureaus in the world.
And it was a big problem I need to address directly to the person himself.
"Please consider it again sir. Having to work like this nonstop will affect our efficiency in the long run. As an esper yourself, you must have already known how hard it is to constantly use your power for hours."
Putting on my pitiful face, I begged him with an almost desperate tone in my voice. I wasn't joking about this, even if I had to grovel at his feet, I'd do it, my health was depending on this after all.
Francis closed his eyes, seemingly reminiscing about something in his mind, "I understand your concern. Back in my days, I fought nearly 15 hours a day when this phenomenon caused us hell, but I guess that was a thing in the past. The long years of peace have changed people's perspective on gates. What once considered a calamity has now become a common occurrence to us, numbing down our sense of dread."
Giving me a mocking smile, he continued, "How time has passed, isn't it?"
My lips twitched in annoyance. I was trying as hard as I could to maintain my smile.
This was why I hate an old-fashioned boss. That was his roundabout way of saying 'You whine too much and I don't like it.'
But if he thought his words would make me back down, he was really wrong. Espers were human too. We had our limits. I wouldn't want to watch my teammates suffer in the future just because I bent to his will now.
Fight someone with their own sword, that was a principle of life I lived by.
I adjusted my tie and put on my most polite business smile, "Indeed, time has changed and I think we need to change our perspective too. Considering the countless gates and ruptures the espers in my team have closed over the years, I think it's ideal to give us an additional vacation for all the time we have been working hard. Don't you think it's unfair that this already 'common occurrence' is hindering our long-awaited rest?"
And unfortunately for him, shamelessness was my virtue, so once again I shoved the paper in Francis' face, "So please sign it as a sign of appreciation for your employee, after all, an employee will be more efficient at work if they get appreciated by their boss and are given a good bonus, right?"
Smiling widely, I observed Francis' expression. Not even a slight change occurred in that stone face of his.
He raised his hand on the paper. I thought he was going to rip the paper apart, but contrary to my expectations, Francis grabbed his pen and scribbled his signature on the paper.
He relented this easily?
I was at disbelief at how fast he changed his mind. I had even prepared a counterargument if he still rejected my attempt to persuade him, but I guess lady luck was still with me.
"I'll add two days off as a bonus." He said, stamping the paper with the official bureau seal.
He then looked up at me, "Do you want to quit becoming an esper and become my secretary instead? I like your wits in turning things around to your favor."
Francis handed the paper – now containing his signature – to me. I quickly snatched it and put it inside a binder I had prepared before and held it tightly in my hand — afraid that he would change his mind and rip the paper apart.
"I respectfully reject sir, I still very much enjoy darting around inside a gate. Killing monsters like a good military personnel that I am."
"Haha! And a great sense of humor too. Tell me if you ever change your mind."
"Yes sir, please excuse me."
The smirk on Francis's face was the last thing I saw before I turned my heels around.
Getting out of his office in a hurry, a sigh escaped my lips. It's only the first week and we had already faced so much problems.
'Seriously, isn't the plot going too fast?'
After Ilyas appeared, events kept on happening. I was once again reminded that this was a comic world, where time flow was messed up because most of the time these comics never shown their readers when the plot points happened and its duration.
Maybe the increase of gates was also because of the plot too.
But, even if this world had a plot, that didn't mean you couldn't go against it. The proof was the change of attitude of the two espers in my team.
If I changed my perspective, I could find much more than what a summary in the comic could explain. So I was positive I could change the flow of the world as well.
Checking my wristwatch, I realized it's almost time for my guiding session. I didn't want to keep my team members waiting so I hurried back to the meeting room with a big smile on my face. I was eager to spread the news.
Finally, no more hell!