NOVEL NEXT Chapter 118: ʕ•̫•ʔ---Returning To MECCP
"Wow, you guys and your acronym quirks. What in gods' name is that now?!" I flailed my hands, exasperated.
Fenrir, clearly enjoying himself, took his time explaining. Turns out the GSSIN was Mythica's equivalent of the FBI and a secret service rolled into one. Fantastic. Just what I needed—another layer of chaos in my life.
"Let me officially welcome you as a Gleipnir Agent," Fenrir declared with mock seriousness, then added, "It's the safest way to protect you without drawing attention to your connection with Kaleon. This way, I can guarantee your safety."
"Great," I muttered, sighing in resignation. "Will this mess up my work at MECCP?"
"Not at all," Fenrir replied smoothly. "You'll still work there, but now you'll be handling special cases. Think of it as an undercover role. Most of the chaos we're dealing with ties back to these traitors anyway. I believe you've had a taste of that already—like when you worked with Agnos?"
I winced, memories of narrowly escaping disasters flooding back. Fenrir was right. Every "quest" I'd undertaken had been riddled with near-death experiences.
It made sense now that someone—or something—was behind it all. But then another thought struck me.
"Does Naga know about this? He's my boss, and he didn't exactly seem surprised by my extracurricular adventures. Will he be okay with me moonlighting as an agent?"
Fenrir scoffed. "Naga? He's the one who proposed it."
My jaw dropped. "What?"
"And," Fenrir added smugly, "I'm on MECCP's board of directors. I helped veto the arrangement."
I stared at him, utterly floored. Just how many hats did this wolf god wear? Politician? Business mogul? FBI director? Life must be great when you're an all-powerful, influential deity with a penchant for meddling.
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After my meeting with Fenrir, I made my way back to MECCP, anticipation bubbling under the surface.
It felt good to finally return after such a long and chaotic journey. The past few months had been a whirlwind—filled with dangerous escapades, bizarre encounters, and visits to places I never could have imagined.
As much as I cherished the experience, nothing compared to the prospect of sleeping in an actual bed again. And best of all, I was free—free from Agnos and Jiuge's relentless teasing and their uncanny knack for driving me up the wall.
Life, for once, felt peaceful.
What excited me most, though, was my new office. My very own space. No more hot-desking or fighting for a quiet corner.
This was an upgrade I was eager to see. And, as if that wasn't enough, Naga had mentioned new colleagues joining the team today. I had my fingers crossed for normal, drama-free coworkers.
As I whistled my way toward the office, Eldrin intercepted me with a beaming smile.
"Carl! Welcome back!" he said, clapping me on the shoulder. "Congrats on the promotion and the new office assignment. You've earned it!"
"Thanks, Eldrin," I replied, grinning ear to ear. "It's good to be back. Honestly, I can't wait to get back into the groove."
Eldrin chuckled. "You've been missed around here. Oh, and by the way, great idea with the Potluck Corner for the Unicorns! The staff loved it, and the Unicorns? They're thrilled. Finally, they can get food without having to, uh, 'help themselves' to the staff kitchen."
I laughed. "Glad that worked out. Happy Unicorns make for fewer food-related incidents, right?"
"And the Dragonling caretakers? They've been singing your praises too! That cheat sheet you made? Genius. Your notes on handling the Dragonlings have been officially published in the MECCP archives as a reference guide. Fewer accidents, happier staff. You've really outdone yourself."
Hearing all this praise made me feel both awkward and proud. For someone like me—transported into a magical world I barely understood—it was nice to finally feel like I was contributing. Maybe, just maybe, this whole Mythica ordeal wasn't such a bad deal after all.
As I made my way through the corridors of MECCP, I ran into Fiona. The moment she saw me, her entire demeanor shifted. Her usual cool and composed self faltered, and instead, she greeted me with an awkward, "Hey, uh, Carl! You're back!"
I tilted my head, puzzled. Fiona wasn't one to act strange—at least not like this. She seemed… hesitant. Was she avoiding me? Did I do something?
My confusion only deepened when she added, "Listen, Carl, about Tír na nÓg…" Her voice trailed off, and she looked everywhere but at me.
Ah. So that's it. I immediately pieced it together.
"What about it?" I asked, feigning innocence, though my tone betrayed the hint of a grin forming on my lips.
Fiona hesitated, shuffling nervously. "Erm, well…"
Before she could stumble over her words any longer, I spared her the torment. I leaned in slightly and gave her a knowing smile. "Fiona, whatever happens in Tír na nÓg… stays in Tír na nÓg."
She froze for a second, processing what I said. Then, as if a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders, she exhaled a deep sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Carl," she said, her voice softer now, a rare smile gracing her face.
And then, to my complete surprise, she gave me a quick, fleeting hug—something I didn't think Fiona was even capable of. Before I could recover from the shock, she dashed off toward the lab, leaving me standing there with a bemused expression.
Tír na nÓg secrets, I thought with a chuckle. I wasn't sure I wanted to remember most of them anyway.
When I reached my new department, excitement buzzed in my chest. What would the office look like? Spacious? Cozy? Would my new colleagues be the hardworking, easygoing types I'd been hoping for?
I opened the door, full of hope—and immediately regretted it.
Sitting at one of the desks was someone—no, two someones—I hoped never to see at MECCP.
The first was a purple-haired guy with unmistakable cat ears poking through his hair. He lounged in his chair, sipping tea with the smug confidence of someone who owned the place. The second was a red-haired fox woman with nine massive tails, each one lazily swishing and threatening to overrun her entire cubicle.
Both of them turned toward me the second I entered. Their ears perked up in unison, like predators spotting an unsuspecting prey.
"You're late!" Jiuge exclaimed, frowning as though I'd committed a mortal sin. "I've been waiting for you to assign me a case already! Aren't you supposed to be some star employee? I thought punctuality was your thing."
Late? Late? I was an hour early! The workday didn't even start until 9:00 a.m.! I screamed internally.
Agnos, on the other hand, was more concerned about the room's amenities—or lack thereof. He glanced around with a disapproving look.
"This office doesn't even have tea," he said flatly. "How is anyone supposed to work like this? We'll need to stock up on supplies. It's embarrassingly empty in here."
My stomach sank. "What are you two doing here?" I asked, already dreading the answer.
"What do you mean?" Agnos smirked, leaning back in his chair. "We're your new colleagues."
I froze. My freedom, so short-lived, shattered in an instant.