Chapter 29: S-Class

The car stopped in front of the main gate of the Center.
To show that I had no intention of running away, I got out of the car with Hyun Taewoon.
He walked at my pace, but I didn’t want to walk side by side with him, so I quickened my steps.

“Shinui-ssi, let’s go together.”

Ignoring his words, I took in the sight of the Center building.
It had been three months.
I felt a sense of familiarity, but on the other hand, I also wished I would never see it again.

“Is Dr. Yoon on standby?”

He asked the Center staff member who was following behind him.

“Yes.”

When I first awakened, Dr. Yoon was on a business trip, so I took the grade test a fortnight later, but now, perhaps because the time was different, it seemed he was at the Center.

“Don’t be nervous. It’s not a scary place.”

He seemed to think that I was nervous because I was silent.
I still didn’t answer his words and headed to the grade test room.
When the test was over, I wanted to go somewhere no one knew.

When we arrived at the grade test room, Dr. Yoon was waiting for us.
His face was as benevolent as I remembered, so I was a little relieved.

“Esper Hyun Taewoon, we’ve been waiting for you.”

“This is the awakened guide I told you about on the phone.”

He said, showing me to Dr. Yoon.
Dr. Yoon smiled faintly and held out his hand to me.

“So this is the one. I’m Yoon Jeongho, the head researcher of the Center.”

“I’m Lee Shinui.”

After a light handshake with Dr. Yoon, I followed his guidance and entered the test room.
It was the place where I had been tested for three years.

“First, we will conduct an awakening test, and then we will proceed with the grade test.”

He waited in the monitoring room, concerned about any unforeseen situations, and I went into the glass dome across from him.

To be honest, I wanted to send him out, but I wanted to see his expression when I was judged as a C-Class, so I left him alone.

“The two tests will take about an hour in total.”

“I understand.”

Dr. Yoon also moved to the monitoring room, and I acted according to his instructions inside the glass dome.

Even if I was tested ten times, I would still be a C-Class, so it felt like a waste of time, but I endured it just to see his flustered face.

After a few minutes, Dr. Yoon informed me that I had awakened as a guide and said we would move on to the promotion test stage.

I nodded and looked at him.
He smiled at me, but I remained expressionless.

The test, which measured wavelength power, wavelength transmission, and wavelength propagation, was just as I remembered.

It was about 10 minutes after the test started.
Other researchers came into the monitoring room.
He, who had been looking at me, also went among the researchers and looked at the monitor.
But then he raised his head and gave me a bright smile.

In a different atmosphere from before the regression, I felt a sense of unease and anxiety at the same time.

The researchers were tapping the monitor screen with their fingers and saying something incessantly, but I couldn’t hear them.
It was frustrating not being able to hear, but soon Dr. Yoon cleared up the mystery.

• [Guide Shinui, the grade results are out.]

I was a little surprised that the results came out so early.
Even though I already knew my grade, my heart pounded.

“How did they turn out?”

• [Congratulations. You are an S-Class. The first S-Class Guide in 10 years.]

As soon as he finished speaking, the researchers clapped and congratulated me, but I couldn’t smile.
I was frozen stiff, not even noticing him entering the glass dome.

“S-Class…?”

There was no way I was an S-Class.
Something was wrong.
If I were the me from before the regression, I should have come out as a C-Class.

“I think something is wrong. Please test me again!”

• [That’s impossible. Your wavelength is so vast.]

Despite his words, I shook my head and repeatedly requested a re-test.
Amidst the congratulations of the people, the present and the memories from before the regression became entangled, and my mind became confused.

“Shinui-ssi, they said you’re an S-Class!”

Oblivious to my feelings, he took my hand.
At his sudden contact, I fiercely swatted his hand away and said sharply.

“Don’t touch me!”

“I’m sorry. I was just so happy.”

He said, still smiling with a flushed face.
That smile was detestable.
I remembered the expression he had made and how he had acted when I was judged as a C-Class.
It was so completely opposite to now that I couldn’t even let out a dry laugh.

“Dr. Yoon, is a matching test possible right now?”

He asked, looking towards the monitoring room.
At the words ‘matching test’, I shook my head and strongly refused.

“I will never do a matching test. First, please re-test my grade.”

• [We are also unable to get an accurate measurement, so it would be better to get a re-test from the United Nations.]

I was relieved at his words that there would be a re-test.
But I didn’t know what to do if I came out as an S-Class again.
I was still puzzled as to why I had come out as an S-Class.

I thought it might be because of the guiding project training I had received for three years, but that wasn’t certain either, so my mind was still in a mess.

“Shinui-ssi, congratulations. I knew you would be an S-Class.”

I was lost in thought, not even looking at him.
It was then.
A person hurriedly came into the monitoring room.

• [Doctor, the reporters are already here.]

• [It seems the word has already gotten out.]

Dr. Yoon said, looking at the researchers who filled the room.

• [It’s late tonight, so let’s stop here for today and do a re-test tomorrow. Until the re-test results come out, everyone keep quiet about Guide Shinui.]

At his words, all the researchers left, and I also came out of the glass dome.
Now, only I, Hyun Taewoon, Dr. Yoon, and his assistant were in the room.

“Guide Shinui, it would be best for you to stay at the hotel run by the Association today and do a re-test tomorrow morning.”

“No. I think Shinui-ssi can just stay at my house. Why go through the trouble of going to a hotel.”

No sooner had Dr. Yoon finished speaking than he looked at me and said.

“Shinui-ssi, please come to my house. It will be more comfortable than a hotel.”

“I don’t want to. And I have something I’d like to discuss with you alone, Doctor.”

At my words, he made a displeased face, but unlike usual, he said okay and meekly left.
I felt something suspicious about that, but I resolutely approached Dr. Yoon and said.

“Doctor, even if I awaken as a guide, I have no intention of working for the Association.”

“Why not?”

He looked at me with an expression of incomprehension.
Of course.
There would be no one in this world who would refuse an S-grade.

“I like my ordinary life as it is. Being a guide is too dangerous. You never know when you might die.”

“There are guides who don’t go out on the field. And you will enjoy a more affluent life than now.”

“I still don’t want to.”

At my refusal, he made a troubled expression, but soon his face hardened, and he said in a firm tone.

“Unfortunately, from the moment you awakened as a guide, you are no longer a civilian. And since you were tested at the Center, you are classified as belonging to the Association.”

“Even if I refuse?”

“Yes.”

“I felt it when I came here, but this is a very one-sided place.”

“I apologize if you felt that way. We can’t help it either.”

Judging that communication was impossible, my mouth closed.
Dr. Yoon also took a step back, observed my reaction, and continued.

“Then, let’s have you stay at the hotel today and proceed with the re-test tomorrow. If you’re not an S-Class, there won’t be any mention in the media or oppression, so you’ll be able to live a normal life.”

“…I understand.”

As expected, I should have resisted until the end and not gone to the Center.
But it was already too late to regret.
Now, I had to think deeply about what to do next.

With the help of the Association, I was able to get to the hotel.
He suggested I stay at his house, but I didn’t answer and was escorted by the Association’s security to my hotel room.

Fortunately, when I arrived at the hotel, he also seemed tired and disappeared after telling me to sleep well.
I could breathe a little easier after he was gone.

The room I was shown to was the largest room on the top floor.
I had never been to a hotel before, so it was amazing to be in such an expensive place.
When I was judged as a C-Class, a dilapidated dorm was waiting for me…

I slowly moved my legs and went inside.
Every time I moved, the automatic sensor lights turned on and illuminated the surroundings.
Soon, a living room with one entire wall made of glass appeared.

When I approached the glass, I could see the city.
The city at night was so bright that it felt disconnected from me.

After looking outside for a while, I went into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.
It was well past midnight, but I was worried about the future, so it didn’t seem like I would be able to fall asleep easily.

I wasn’t happy about becoming an S-Class.
Rather, a dry laugh escaped me along with a sense of disillusionment at the different attitude of the people from before.
His different appearance from before the regression was detestable.

He was happier than anyone there when he heard I was an S-Class.
I wondered what it would have been like if he had been like that when he heard my grade before the regression, but I quickly erased the thought.

Honestly, I wanted to run away right now.
But the Association would surely be monitoring my actions.
First, I had to do the re-test tomorrow, and if the Association was still this coercive, then I would have to make a thorough plan and escape.

I didn’t know when I had fallen asleep.
When I woke up again, it was already bright outside.

I unconsciously checked my phone, which I had placed on my bedside table, and a message had arrived saying someone from the Association would come to pick me up at 10 AM.
It was in two hours, so I had to get ready before they came.

I had fallen asleep without washing, so my whole body felt sticky and uncomfortable.
First, I took a quick shower in the bathroom, and then, right on time, an internal call came asking if it was okay to bring breakfast now.
I waited for the person from the Association to come while eating breakfast.

The doorbell rang at exactly 10 AM.
I was ready to go, so I walked quickly to the front door and opened it.
But the Association staff member who was supposed to be there was gone, and Hyun Taewoon, holding a fancy bouquet of flowers, was waiting for me.