Became the Escort Knight That the Princesses Were Obsessed With - Chapter 333



333. Security Operation 1

The personnel team leader’s first impression, even after returning to the past, was quite unique.

He was a mere thirty-ish and already holding the position of department head.

“I’m Damiuk, team leader of the Personnel Team. We met once during the new employee interviews.”

“Yes, I remember. Thanks to you thinking well of me, I was able to get to this position.”

I bowed my head to him.

Then, he quietly looked around and briefly waved his hand.

“It’s a bit chaotic here, can we move to a different place, Han employee?”

“Of course.”

As soon as I agreed, he called me directly to the employee lounge on the 8th floor of the company.

That was Team Leader Damiuk’s territory, where AR Group’s HR department resided.

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Following him, drinks were already laid out, as if they knew I was coming.

“Have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

This was the 8th floor, a place I was visiting for the first time in my life.

Even during my time as head of security, I only escorted the executives down to the 1st floor; I never had reason to come up here myself.

From the 8th floor up, it was a gold zone inside the company, a place only for truly important personnel.

“Congratulations on being ranked #1 among this year’s new security recruits.”

“Thank you, I was merely fulfilling my duty.”

He nodded indifferently at my modest reply.

Then, holding the tea in his paper cup, he gazed out at the towering cityscape.

Outside, countless cars were busily moving towards their respective workplaces.

The feeling of looking down on that scene…

It tends to instill a sense of superiority, as if I were above them.

However, Team Leader Damiuk’s eyes showed no such feeling.

His eyes, behind his glasses, looked hollow, weary from long hours of work.

Yet, these days, being busy is a good thing.

He might look tired when seen up close like this, but to others, he’s one of the successful men.

“The reason I called you here is regarding your assignment placement…”

It was natural for the HR department to discuss my placement.

So, the team leader came all the way here personally…?

While slowly, I was coming to terms with it,

he sat on the chair and got straight to the point.

“Where would you like to go?”

“You’re asking me about that…?”

“Yes. Since you’re ranked first, if you say where you want to go, it could be positively reflected.”

I didn’t say anything for a moment at his kind question.

Of course, there’s only one place I’ve decided to go.

But, it felt strange that a personnel team leader was asking so directly.

Like he had a specific place in mind.

“I…”

But, even so, my answer wouldn’t change.

So, I was about to speak,

――――――.

Someone knocked on the breakroom door.

Not just one, but two…no, even three times.

“……?”

The personnel team leader frowned and turned his head.

And then.

“Personnel Team Leader. Can we see you for a moment?”

“Stop it, Team Leader Damiuk.”

After the door opened, Chief of Security Valderian, Secretary-General Dasha of AR Construction, and finally, Director Lim Hanna of AR Fashion entered.

If I remember right, that giant woman was Lydia’s cousin.

“What brings you all to the 8th floor…”

The flustered HR manager adjusted his glasses.

Meanwhile, the three of them strode confidently into the break room.

“Shouldn’t we be asking you why you’ve called a new employee from another department here?”

“Isn’t it an abuse of power for HR to meet with an employee one-on-one like this?”

Maybe it was because Valderian and Lim Hanna were so large.

The break room felt suffocating.

“I was merely offering a cup of tea to the top-performing new employee.”

But Damiuk was not one to back down.

He also seemed to have something up his sleeve, as he answered his seniors clearly and directly.

“But for the three of you to come here personally… is it possible this friend is a relative of the Chairman?”

“That’s not the case. We’ve only come to make sure there are no issues with the appointment process.”

Chief of Security Valderian spoke alone, arms crossed, representing the group.

It seemed like Dasha and Director Hanna had put him at the forefront.

“For the HR manager to meet with an employee separately, outside the allocation process, isn’t ethical, is it?”

Damiuk had no real answer to his questioning.

Usually, in these situations, it’s assumed a higher-up wants it, and everyone just lets it go.

Being grilled so blatantly, there was no decent excuse I could muster.

“Now that it’s come to this, why don’t we just decide on the department placement here and now?”

This time, it was Executive Director Lim Hanna who stepped forward, the highest-ranking one here.

She placed a hand on her hip and looked down at me with a truly chilling gaze.

“After all, the placement is ultimately determined by the candidate’s preferences.”

The head of security’s nostrils flared, a sharp puff of air escaping.

Honestly, he wouldn’t care much where I ended up.

This was AR Group, after all; everywhere was a well-paid, comfortable workplace.

But.

Given his upright and steadfast nature, he wouldn’t want his junior to be forced into a placement like this.

That’s why he’d come here, like this.

“Fine, let’s do it that way. It seems much fairer.”

He abruptly sat down on a chair, as if to show them.

Then, naturally, Dasha and Executive Director Lim Hanna also took their seats.

“Alright then… let’s do it that way.”

Team Leader Damiuk also ended up conceding.

He glanced at me, and then followed up with another question.

“Han, which team are you interested in applying to?”

“Speak freely. No one here intends to force anything on you,”

Valderian said with a kind look in his eyes.

It was, as expected, consideration befitting the head of security, the leader of the guard corps.

“No need to be so tense. No matter where you choose, there won’t be any problems at all.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

I scratched my cheek with an awkward smile.

“I never imagined I’d be in this position. I was a little flustered.”

As I offered polite words, the expressions of those seated on either side of Valderian became peculiar.

The first to step forward among them was team leader Damiuk, the man who’d called me to this spot.

“Really? Then as the head of HR, I’d like to make a recommendation.”

He stepped forward with sharp eyes, as if seizing the moment.

“How about AR Finance?”

The three giants seated at the HR manager’s blatantly pushing desk went cold, their faces hardening.

But team leader Damiuk remained completely unfazed.

He continued speaking with perfect posture, as if riding on the back of a great lion.

“It’s located in the heart of Seoul, and it’s close to the dorms. You’ll be comfortable while you’re on standby.”

He has a point.

AR Finance’s position within the group is considerable.

As the current second-ranked affiliate, being assigned there would mean many perks.

If I wanted to stay there until retirement, AR Finance is excellent in terms of factions.

However.

“HR manager, aren’t you speaking too casually about who’s behind you?”

“Heh heh… Wouldn’t anyone covet the top spot in the industry?”

Dasha, the secretary-general of AR Construction.

She narrowed her eyes, firmly opposing the head office team leader.

Not just any secretary-general, she was Irina’s closest confidant.

“How is AR Construction, Han-ssi? We have the best employee evaluations within the group.”

This, too, was no lie.

Irina’s motto was a company that grows together.

Not only the company but also helping the growth of the employees, so she pays much attention to various benefits.

Especially the culture of leaving work on time every day without overtime is really famous.

‘Thanks to that, I was able to get a good rest every evening.’

The thought of letting go of that privilege made her feel a little bit regretful.

“Since everyone is in a recommending mood, I’ll add a word, too.”

Lastly, Managing Director Lim Hanna stepped forward.

Her expression showed she was clearly very uncomfortable being in this place.

“Han-ssi, I don’t intend to talk for long like the others.”

Yet, the fact that she came here anyway…

meant that the CEO of AR Fashion, above her, had that much interest in me.

“But, it would be good to know which affiliate within the AR group has the highest earners.”

If the previous two affiliates were famous for their factions and benefits, then Lydia’s AR Fashion was famous for its high salaries.

Of course, as a fashion company, meetings and business trips are frequent, though.

The sum was high enough to retire quickly.

But, that’s it.

“…….”

This life, I won’t be heading anywhere.

“I’ll tell you.”

I lifted my head, my eyes holding ten years of experience as a head of security.

And, I told them.

“I want to go to the Security Planning Department.”

Security Planning Department.

At those words, the company bigwigs who came directly to see me, their mouths opened in unison.

Yet, no words came from their lips.

No, they couldn’t come out.

From their perspective, I was…

Like choosing civil service over a golden ticket.

“One of our employees seems to be lacking a sense of reality…”

“The planning department isn’t the highest department in the security division.”

They wore incredibly troubled expressions.

Clearly, they’d come boasting about snatching up talent first.

But to have three unexpected rivals, and the person in question wanting something completely different.

It must be so absurd it was breathtaking.

“I’ve admired you, Chief, for a long time. You’re a legend in our field.”

Still, I kept my composure, remained bold.

The important thing in these moments is to give a clear explanation for your rejections.

It makes the higher-ups feel less humiliated, that’s how it goes.

“I want to learn from you, Chief, and grow into an even more exceptional guard.”

A sheen circled in my pitch-black eyes.

That light was aimed directly at the striking man sitting in the center.

“……”

Probably, all of this is being reported to each of the CEOs.

But even so, nothing changes.

I’ve already earned my score, and my placement is…

“Excellent, Mr. Han Bae-il.”

I must have really struck a chord with the unyielding head of security.

“A guard who focuses solely on their guarding abilities rather than their own safety. I like that.”

He chuckled, nodding his head.

To put your duty above any chance for promotion.

It must have been the first time they’d ever seen a guard like that.

“Then, how about we do this?”

The hulking Latino man looked at the heads sitting on either side.

“Since Mr. Han still wants to develop and gain more experience, we’ll put him in the planning department for now. Then, once he’s sufficiently skilled, we can revisit this.”

“……”

The three representatives’ closest aides couldn’t easily give a firm answer.

Right now, the image of their bosses, sulking and grumbling in disappointment, flickered through their minds.

But, even so, nothing would change.

No, maybe it was even a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune.

Either way, it meant that once some time passed, they’d have another chance to recruit him.

“Understood….”

“The individual’s wishes are always the most important.”

“I understand.”

Balderian forcefully held back a hearty laugh, maintaining his composure.

Then, he rose from his seat, pulling out his phone.

“I’ll just take a call. Han, you come out with me too.”

I silently followed him out of the break room.

And, when we were in the hallway.

“Do you smoke?”

“No, I don’t.”

Balderian nodded, liking me even more.

After that, we went together to a corner of the hallway, looking out at the window.

“Then, wait here. I thought leaving you alone might be too painful.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I waited, glancing out the window for a moment.

Then, he pulled out his phone and started making a call.

“Yes, Chairman. I’ve answered the call.”

The head of security answered respectfully to someone.

Judging by the voice and tone, it didn’t sound like the three daughters…

Who could he be so formal with?

Only three people came to mind.

The Chairman of AR Group, Leonhardt Andalusia, and…

his wives, perhaps.

“I was temporarily unavailable due to the new employee placement evaluation, apologies.”

The sight of the enormous man answering the phone so respectfully.

Soon, a voice came through the phone’s speaker.

“Ah, is it perhaps because of that employee?”

A woman’s voice, mature to the point of being captivating.

“The one that Leia took a liking to.”

Rosanna Andalusia.

Divorced from the Chairman, but holding a key position in AR Group solely through her practical skills.

A single black mole on her red lips moved beautifully.