Chapter 9: Ability status information general records detective machine (報).

This machine, officially named something needlessly long and thus shortened to ‘Detector,’ is said to be the very essence of magic engineering, converting a living being’s power and abilities into an integrated numerical value based on specified criteria.

In short, it’s a revolutionary invention capable of replicating a part of the status window, which only Returnees can use.

Although it only shows the level, the fact that one can determine a level even without being a Returnee was truly astonishing.

Moreover, its accuracy is insane.

Because it accurately matched my level without any error.

I heard it was created by compiling all the knowledge and information possessed by Returnees?

I want to ask humanity just how much it has advanced in 20 years.

‘I wonder what Master and the Demon Lord’s levels are?’

My mouth dropped open at the sudden thought.

It’s hard to imagine, but it must be over 1,000, right? I wonder if it even goes up to 2,000.

Besides that, I was also curious about the other Legion Commanders.

This is definitely something I want to show those bastards who always engage in childish fights, arguing about who’s stronger.

‘Ah, right. There was Gobura.’

I want to see the level of my subordinate too.

Even though it merely represents existing power as a number without changing anything, it stimulates an unbearable amount of curiosity.

That training-maniac goblin would probably go crazy if he knew he could objectively confirm his strength.

It’s just a shame that I can’t summon him yet, as his recovery isn’t complete.

“Excuse me, Ms. Cynthia Valentine?”

“Huh? What?”

I snapped out of my thoughts at the voice calling me.

“Were you listening to me?”

“No.”

“…You’re quite frank.”

“A compliment, all of a sudden?”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

The young, handsome man sitting opposite me in my line of sight frowned deeply.

The way he adjusted his glasses reminded me exactly of a high-ranking mage from the enemy forces.

Ugh, looking at him is starting to put me in a bad mood.

He also looks like a gigolo, which is annoying.

I leaned back against the chair’s backrest and crossed my arms.

Currently, this place is a room similar to an interrogation room, and a three-way meeting is underway.

The main person I’m talking to is this man, sitting opposite me across the table.

Um, so.

“What was your name again?”

“Haa, are we starting from there?”

The young man sighed heavily and then spoke again.

“My name is Kim Su-hyeon. I am the Director of the Daejeon City Awakened Management Bureau Headquarters here.”

“Right. That was the name.”

For a moment, a vein throbbed on the young man, Kim Su-hyeon’s, forehead.

Is it just my imagination? He seems angry.

“Then what about the woman over there?”

I looked at the expressionless woman standing quietly in one corner.

Her face passed the test, at least. She’s a beautiful woman who looks delicious.

But, how should I put it? She makes me feel a bit uneasy?

The more I looked, the more I felt a subtle, indescribable sense of discomfort.

She had been in this room since I entered, and setting aside the fact that her attire was similar to the maid I saw daily at Master’s mansion, she completely lacked any vitality.

Yet, if I thought she was dead, that wasn’t it either, as there was no sour stench characteristic of undead or the pungent smell of decay.

Moreover, she was breathing properly, and her heartbeat sounded normal.

“She is Shin Hyeon-a. You probably didn’t hear me, but she is the Guardian’s Chief Protector.”

At Kim Su-hyeon’s introduction, Shin Hyeon-a gave a short bow.

I know what the Guardians are.

I learned about them while dealing with the pests that were bothering my future daughter; they seem to be a group of Awakened who handle problems that regular police cannot resolve.

In short, they were an organization like a police force that wielded supernatural abilities.

I heard they mostly monitor and subdue external monsters approaching the [Wall] or apprehend villains rampaging within the city.

The Chief Protector of such a formidable organization, in other words, its head, was this chic woman in a maid uniform right before my eyes.

The world truly is coming to an end.

As I stared in disbelief, Kim Su-hyeon tapped the table with his index finger to get my attention.

“Ms. Cynthia Valentine.”

“Just call me Cynthia.”

It’s annoying that he keeps calling me by my full name.

It’s not a name I wanted, so it makes me feel dirty.

Perhaps sensing it from my expression, Kim Su-hyeon readily nodded.

“My apologies. I’ll do that. Then, Ms. Cynthia.”

“What.”

“Since you seem to keep disregarding my words, I’ll cut to the chase and ask directly.”

Kim Su-hyeon, adjusting his glasses, looked at me with a remarkably serious demeanor.

His firm eyes gleamed sharply through his spectacle lenses.

“Are you a Returnee?”

The expected question finally came.

I shrugged indifferently and let out a scoff.

“If I say no, will you believe me?”

“I cannot believe you.”

“Then why ask?”

“Because belief and truth are entirely separate domains.”

So, he wants me to confirm it myself?

As I stared blankly, Kim Su-hyeon continued his explanation.

“Do you know this? The highest rank a normal person can achieve by passing the Awakened aptitude test is a Class 1 Awakened. The standard for that is Level 100. Anything beyond that is realistically impossible. The next highest are Returnees, and their average level generally ranges from 200 to 300. Even America’s number one hero, ‘Archangel,’ the officially revealed highest-level Awakened currently alive, is 398, falling short of the 400s.”

“However,” Kim Su-hyeon said, staring intently at my face.

“Your level is an astonishing 724. At first, we judged it to be a malfunction of the Detector. It’s an unbelievable number. But after dozens of checks, we couldn’t find any errors.”

“So?”

“If Level 724 is real and not a lie, then the possibility of you not being a Returnee is practically zero.”

“Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and frowned.

This is busted.

They’ve already classified me as a Returnee.

Even if I weren’t a Returnee, they would have undoubtedly treated me as such.

“Oh, and since America was mentioned, I’d like to add that we already know you forged your ID.”

“What?”

“A quick investigation showed no entry records, not even a similar name. Something seemed off, so we requested cooperation from the U.S. to check your identity, and the response we got was ‘does not exist.’ I never imagined you would then confidently apply for naturalization in Korea under American nationality.”

Hah, so this was caught.

Indeed, everything was already ruined the moment my level showed up on the Detector.

“And one more thing.”

“Again?”

“Ms. Cynthia. You possess an Inventory, don’t you?”

“Inventory?”

Of course I have one.

Although I haven’t definitively stated I’m a Returnee, I am one in reality.

But why is he asking that with such a confident tone?

“As expected, you don’t know.”

“Know what?”

“Inside the city. More precisely, within the [Wall], the location of all IDs can be tracked in real-time. It’s natural for an ID not to be trackable if it’s lost, like through damage, but there are no cases like yours where it’s repeatedly tracked and then not. Unless it’s stored in a type of subspace, like an Inventory.”

“Damn it. No wonder the police found me so easily.”

I thought it was strange how they found me like ghosts, even when I tried to evade them to avoid fines, but there was such a hidden reason?

As I felt utterly dumbfounded, the corners of Kim Su-hyeon’s mouth subtly turned upwards.

“That reaction. Are you admitting it?”

“Why ask? You’re already convinced.”

“Only circumstantial evidence and physical evidence. I want to know the truth.”

“f*ck. Yeah, I’m a Returnee. Happy now?”

This interrogation-like nonsense is starting to get on my nerves.

The anger manager sleeping inside me peeked its head out, as if asking, ‘Did you call me?’

‘Hold it in, hold it in.’

Crack, I cracked my knuckles, trying to calm myself.

If I mess up here, all my efforts and plans to live with Lee Seo-ah will go down the drain.

No, I could live with her, but from Lee Seo-ah’s perspective, she would have to give up a normal life.

Would that truly benefit the child?

I want Lee Seo-ah to be happy; I have no intention whatsoever of turning her into a doll I can take wherever I please.

‘Hoo. Relax.’

I barely managed to suppress the anger manager.

It seems hiding the fact that I’m a Returnee is already a lost cause.

Since it’s come to this, I might as well gain as much as I can.

Changing my approach, I abruptly extended my hand.

“If you’ve roughly figured out that I’m an awesome Returnee, just hand over that Awakened qualification or whatever it is.”

“Of course, we must give it to you. We can’t leave a Level 724 Awakened as a normal person. Thank you for your honest answer.”

This glasses-wearing bastard. Why does he look so happy?

The subtly upturned corners of his mouth are surprisingly annoying.

As I stared blankly again, Kim Su-hyeon raised his index finger and spoke.

“We’ll give you a Special Class.”

“Special Class? What’s that now?”

“From Level 200 onwards, Special Class Awakened qualification is granted. It can virtually be considered exclusive to Returnees. Since it requires some time to prepare, we reluctantly ask you to visit again tomorrow.”

“Ugh. What a hassle.”

As I grumbled softly, Kim Su-hyeon extended another finger.

“And there’s one more thing.”

“What now?!”

“Please don’t get too angry. No matter how high your level, procedures must be followed.”

“So what?!”

“In short, we need your data.”

The procedure for obtaining Awakened qualification is, first, passing the Awakened aptitude test, and second, confirming your level through the Detector.

If the level is 1 or higher, it’s a pass. Subsequently, the type of ability is classified.

Kim Su-hyeon added an explanation, stating that abilities are categorized into Combat, All-rounder, and Support types based on their orientation.

“Even someone with a high level might be completely unable to fight. So we need to know what type you are. Under international law, we cannot just state the level on the qualification, so we have no choice.”

“f*ck. This is such a hassle.”

What kind of trouble is this because of that damn Detector?

And of course, it’s a magic engineering product. Wouldn’t it be better if I could manipulate it like an ID?

If so, I would have just gotten a Class 9 qualification and gone to see my future daughter’s face ages ago.

As my expression soured, Kim Su-hyeon pulled out a small device from his suit’s inner pocket and held it out.

He seemed to tap something a few times, and then a large hologram appeared before my eyes, displaying something like a questionnaire.

“You just need to fill that out. We need to check it and prepare the appropriate test, so please write down only the facts if possible.”

“I have to take a test too?”

“Because there needs to be a basis for issuing the qualification.”

It was such a reasonable statement that I couldn’t even argue.

In the end, I grumbled and started filling out the questionnaire.

“Alright, I’m done!”

“Thank you for your cooperation. Please wait here for a moment. We will call you once we finish preparing the test based on what you’ve written. It won’t take long, so please don’t go anywhere. If you need anything, call a staff member using the intercom next to the door. They’ll bring you pretty much anything.”

After finishing his words, Kim Su-hyeon retrieved the device, stood up, and exited the interrogation room.

Shin Hyeon-a, who hadn’t said a single word until now, also gave a short bow and followed him, disappearing.

It seems some special measures were taken in this room; my magic doesn’t move, and my [Supersense] doesn’t detect anything.

They are truly cautious people.

Left alone, I tilted my head back and stared blankly at the ceiling.

“Ah, I miss our Seo-ah.”

Only a few hours had passed since I last saw her, but it felt like months.

I felt a strong urge to tightly hug my beautiful future daughter’s delicate body and nuzzle her, sniffing her scent.

Alright, once I get out of here, I’ll go do that right away.

****

Meanwhile, Kim Su-hyeon, who had exited, read the content Cynthia had written with interest.

“Specialty: Hand-to-hand combat. Primary weapon: Sword. But rarely used? What does this mean?”

Did she just write down what she could handle appropriately because it asked for her primary ‘weapon’?

“Hoo. She can use magic too.”

Even a 5th-tier Master?

The level isn’t bad at all.

“Kim Su-hyeon.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“Are you going to let her go?”

A voice devoid of any emotion resonated without inflection.

Kim Su-hyeon took his eyes off the device and looked back.

Shin Hyeon-a, who had been silently following him until now, stood still and quietly faced him.

“If I don’t let her go? What will you do?”

“Killing her is the best option. Restricting her is the second best. At the very least, I don’t think leaving her as she is is right.”

“Because she’s a villain?”

Shin Hyeon-a slowly nodded.

Then Kim Su-hyeon let out a chuckle and said.

“If the Protector, who safeguards the peace of the Republic of Korea, sees it that way, then it must be right.”

“Don’t be sarcastic. She is indeed a villain. She has already committed crimes, including murder, on several occasions.”

“It’s only circumstantial evidence, isn’t it? There’s no physical proof, is there?”

“Kim Su-hyeon.”

At the voice calling his name again, Kim Su-hyeon quickly raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

“Woah, woah. Calm down. I don’t think I can handle your anger, you know?”

“…..”

“Hoo. Protector. To be honest, I have a slightly different opinion than you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The recent mass disappearance case. Ms. Cynthia is indeed a strong suspect in that case. But what is the reason she became a suspect?”

“…Lee Seo-ah.”

At Shin Hyeon-a’s answer, Kim Su-hyeon agreed and nodded.

“That’s right. The people around a helpless, frail young student who were harming her disappeared, and coincidentally, a high-level Returnee appeared who, for reasons unknown, cherishes that student. How much would someone cherish her to even naturalize to adopt her?”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It means that the villains we define cannot do such a thing.”

Villains act solely for their primal desires.

They were no different from the monsters outside the [Wall].

The only difference was that they wore human skins and could speak.

They never follow the laws set by society.

Nor would they ‘quietly’ pass through the [Wall] into the city by forging an ID.

And they wouldn’t apply for naturalization, even paying fines for past minor offenses, just to adopt a single orphan.

“Murder? Yes. It’s only circumstantial evidence, but let’s assume Ms. Cynthia is the culprit in the disappearance case. However, her actions are driven by a clear purpose: to protect the student, Lee Seo-ah. She’s different from a villain.”

“Even so, murder is a heinous felony.”

“Of course, I know that. I’m not trying to condone a murderer either. It’s just about exercising a little flexibility.”

“Flexibility?”

Kim Su-hyeon adjusted his glasses.

His gaze sharply turned towards Shin Hyeon-a.

“Her level is 724. A whopping 724. Even the Catastrophe-class monster that descended from North Korea eight years ago was Level 516. You know very well, Protector, how much damage we suffered when we barely succeeded in subduing it, don’t you?”

“…..”

“Rather than turning a Level 700-class monster into an enemy based solely on circumstantial evidence without clear proof of her being a villain, I believe it’s better to tolerate her, even if she has committed some crimes.”

It’s like saying, don’t needlessly pull the nose hair of a sleeping lion.

“She didn’t commit indiscriminate murder, did she? Upon investigation, it turns out they were all shady individuals. They were people connected to politicians, making them tricky to deal with. Now that they’re gone, society will probably be healthier.”

“Among the missing, there are still young students.”

“You mean those bad kids who engaged in school violence for years? This is my personal opinion, but I believe it’s right to cut off yellow sprouts early. In my experience, such children cannot be rehabilitated.”

“…I understand your words. And I deem them valid.”

Shin Hyeon-a ultimately decided to yield.

Because there was nothing wrong with Kim Su-hyeon’s words.

“However, I still believe we shouldn’t leave her unchecked.”

“I agree with that. Surveillance will be necessary. And for that, the subsequent test will provide important data.”

Having finished speaking, Kim Su-hyeon turned his attention back to the device.

‘As expected, she didn’t write down what characteristics she possesses.’

A few blank fields caught his eye, but since he had already anticipated this, it wasn’t a big deal.

From a rough glance, it seemed best to classify Cynthia’s abilities as Combat or All-rounder.

“Hmm? What’s this?”

“What’s wrong?”

Seeing Kim Su-hyeon suddenly put a question mark above his head, Shin Hyeon-a approached and asked.

Kim Su-hyeon showed her the device’s hologram.

“Do you see the last item here?”

“It’s asking for a primary specialization. But this is…”

“Even you don’t know, Protector?”

Shin Hyeon-a shook her head.

“I’ve never seen this before either.”

“Oh dear. This is problematic.”

The primary specialization is considered the most crucial factor in the test.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the type and difficulty of the test are determined by this.

‘I definitely thought she would be a Magic Swordsman.’

Kim Su-hyeon looked at the relevant item on the device again.

“What exactly is ‘Sorcery’?”