Chapter 64: Happiness of the Nest Part 2

After the experiment ended, the team was preparing for a long-awaited group dinner.

While Ogre and the Mage stayed behind to wrap up some final tasks, the others passed the time chatting.

They discussed their missions, the state of the world, and mused about what the future might hold.

Amid the conversation, Sonia voiced a question that had been on her mind for a while.

“But you know,” she said, “I’ve been wondering—why do they do experiments like this at headquarters?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“That snail seems harmless enough, but you never know. It just makes me think—why would companies conduct such risky experiments at their main offices?”

“Ah,” Amon nodded, understanding her point right away. It was a valid question: why would headquarters take on the risk of such experiments instead of outsourcing them?

The Water Tanker, listening intently, also nodded in agreement.

Amon glanced at the Mute Sniper, who returned the look with a casual shrug.

It was the kind of shrug that said, “I know the answer, but you explain it.”

Turning to Cassie, Amon said, “I get it, but you’re better at explaining. Go ahead.”

“Alright,” Cassie replied, taking the lead. Sonia and the Water Tanker both looked at her expectantly.

The question was straightforward: why would headquarters willingly shoulder the risk of dungeonization during experiments?

The answer was simple.

“Because of the risk of a runaway.”

“A runaway?” Sonia blinked.

Cassie elaborated, “People don’t usually pay attention to corporate incidents, especially with companies paying to bury certain stories. But in our line of work, it’s pretty common.”

“Has it actually happened?” Sonia asked.

“More times than I can count,” Cassie replied, pointing to Sonia’s wrist. “Take that bracelet of yours, for example. Let’s say you wanted to research its potential. Who would you trust to handle it?”

Sonia looked down at her bracelet. It was embedded with a legendary-grade essence, worth the price of a couple of houses. But more than its monetary value, it held memories with Amon that couldn’t be replaced.

“I’d trust Amon or you,” she said after a moment.

“And would you entrust it to someone like a company agent or manager?”

“What? No way!” Sonia exclaimed.

“Exactly. Same principle,” Cassie said. “Headquarters can’t afford to trust regional branches with high-risk technology. The stakes are too high.”

Headquarters was the lifeblood of megacorporations.

Any technology that could risk dungeonization typically carried the potential to make or break the company.

Entrusting such projects to regional branches was a gamble no one could afford.

Cassie continued, “If the branch completes the research, there’s nothing stopping them from breaking away and starting a rival company. With that kind of tech, the new company would likely rival the megacorp itself.”

And in a world like this, legal action was pointless.

Copyrights, trademarks, ownership—it all meant nothing.

The law was on the side of the strong, and in battles between giants, it turned a blind eye.

“What’s left? Forceful reclamation,” Cassie said. “Sure, most of the time, headquarters can quash a rogue branch. But the cost? It’s brutal. And the minute you bleed, the sharks start circling.”

She shook her head. “The losses aren’t just financial. It’s reputational, logistical—everything.”

“And then there’s the Dungeon Liability Act,” Cassie added. “If a branch causes dungeonization, the cleanup and management costs fall on headquarters. So yeah, ironically, it’s safer for the company if dungeonization happens here. At least, if everything goes south, the execs have a shot at vanishing with some assets.”

Her explanation wrapped up, and Sonia nodded. “That makes a lot of sense.”

Cassie smirked. “And for what it’s worth, branches are statistically more likely to mess up. Less safety compliance, weaker security against sabotage—it’s no contest.”

As Sonia and the Water Tanker absorbed this newfound knowledge, the other two researchers approached.

***

“We’re done with cleanup,” Ogre announced.

“Thanks for waiting,” added the Mage.

With their group of six now complete, they headed off to enjoy their long-awaited dinner.

The six of them headed for the elevator.

“Today, the director’s treating us!” Amon announced with a grin.

Cassie, startled, turned to him. “Hey! Who said you get to decide that?”

“Well, the director’s loaded, isn’t he?” Amon replied mischievously.

“Ugh!” Cassie groaned.

The sound of their lively laughter echoed as the elevator doors closed.

***

The next day, after enjoying the world’s most delicious free meal, Cassie wrestled with piles of work in her office.

Meanwhile, Amon lazed on the sofa with nothing to do.

There were no appointments today, yet Amon stayed in Cassie’s office for one reason.

“Are you sure it’s okay for my bodyguard to slack off like this?” Cassie asked, raising an eyebrow.

“But nothing’s gone wrong so far, has it?” Amon replied with a cheeky grin.

Cassie sighed deeply.

Amon was her bodyguard for one reason: she trusted him completely.

He’d taken on the role partly because his regular party had disbanded and partly because Cassie had personally asked him.

Cassie glanced at him.

His carefree demeanor as he sprawled on the sofa seemed utterly unsuited for a bodyguard.

One moment, he was watching videos on his phone; the next, he’d pop in his earbuds to listen to hymns.

Even in the director’s office, Amon lived life his way.

Whenever department heads came in to deliver paperwork, Amon would instantly straighten up and put on a stoic expression.

His sudden transformation was so absurdly funny and endearing that Cassie couldn’t help but chuckle.

She wished this peaceful routine could last forever.

But…

‘He’s not someone who belongs to a company,’ she thought.

Amon wasn’t tied to the corporation.

He was her personal bodyguard, free to leave whenever he chose.

Originally, Cassie had offered him the position of Chief of Security.

Amon had declined, not wanting to be tethered to the company.

Despite having the skills for the job, he wasn’t the type to be tied down.

“If I wanted stability, I wouldn’t have become a mercenary in the first place,” he’d said once.

Amon was a free spirit through and through.

“Just so you know, I’m not cutting ties completely. I just can’t commit to that position,” he’d explained.

Cassie hadn’t pressed further, though she was disappointed.

She wanted to keep him by her side—working with him, being protected by him, and sharing their daily routines.

It was a modest dream but a deeply fulfilling one.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to push him.

She loved the free bird for what it was—a bird that soared and sang in the open sky.

To cage it would be to destroy the very thing she adored.

‘If you love someone, you have to let them go sometimes,’ she thought. Her parents’ failed marriage, and Owen’s mistakes had taught her that much.

Amon, on the other hand, had shown her what genuine, healthy love looked like.

She wouldn’t clip his wings.

***

While lost in thought, her father’s trusted lieutenant, the Senior Executive Director, entered her office.

As always, his face was adorned with a jovial smile.

Cassie still found it hard to believe this cheerful man had handled some of the most delicate security incidents for the company.

He glanced briefly at Amon before approaching Cassie.

“Miss Cassie, the Chairman has approved it.”

“Really?!” Cassie’s face lit up with excitement.

Amon, curious but maintaining his distance as an outsider, tried not to pay attention.

That was, until the Senior Executive addressed him directly.

“Congratulations, Mr. Amon.”

Amon’s head whipped toward Cassie, who was smiling enigmatically.

In her hand, she held a piece of paper, which she offered to him.

“Read it,” she said.

Amon scanned the document.

It was an informal sponsorship agreement from the company.

[The terms were straightforward: Amon could take on company assignments if he chose to, but he wasn’t obligated to. The only condition was that if the company faced a major crisis, he would step in to assist, much like he had recently.]

Considering he’d already decided to protect Cassie in such situations, Amon saw no reason to refuse.

He looked between the paper and Cassie with slight confusion.

Cassie smirked. “You’ll accept this one, right?”

Amon nodded without hesitation.

It wasn’t a job that tied him down, nor did it compromise his independence.

Watching him agree, Cassie’s smile widened.

She loved the free bird and wouldn’t cage it.

But there was nothing wrong with offering it a cozy perch to return to—a place where it could rest, eat, and feel safe.

A sanctuary for a free spirit.

Besides…

***

“Mom! I’m home!”

“Honey, I’m back.”

Cassie had witnessed the joy of a happy home herself.

She knew how much it meant.

The bird would always return to its nest.

And she was content to wait.