Chapter 5: Elves Are People Too!

“Here’s a tissue…”

“I didn’t cry.”

“I know, just take it.”

“I told you I didn’t cry—! Thank you…”

She insists she absolutely didn’t cry, but her eyes are already moist.

Of course, she didn’t weep unbecomingly, but the reunion after 300 years was enough to bring tears even to her emotionally hardened eyes.

Her mother, naturally, didn’t believe it at first.

Her dead child returning alive, and even in the form of another race with long ears.

She got angry, she denied it.

But eventually, she had no choice but to accept.

There was Jeonghun’s explanation and guarantee, and cases of missing people returning as Returnees did occasionally happen.

And besides,

What parent wouldn’t be happy to have their child back?

To parents, a child was that kind of existence.

There was a small incident where her father, upon hearing the news, abandoned his work and rushed home, but all’s well that ends well, right?

The three embraced, shared a deeply moving reunion, and then parted ways.

On the condition, of course, that she would visit home as often as possible.

“More importantly, I didn’t expect my parents to accept the fact that I became an elf so quickly.”

Honestly, it was a bit surprising.

She had gone prepared to be denied as their child, but they accepted it faster than expected.

“It’s likely because many Returnees have appeared.”

“Are there that many Returnees? Enough to have a separate facility must mean there aren’t few.”

“You are the 136th Returnee, Ms. Fride.”

“That certainly is a lot.”

“Indeed. And elves are actually quite familiar beings.”

“Elves are?”

“Of course. There’s even an Elven member of the National Assembly.”

The first elf to cross over from another world during the early Gate period, an elf who adapted to modern times, received a party nomination, and was even elected.

Adelina Park was a second-term assemblywoman, elected once through the proportional representation of the New Korea Democratic Party, one of Korea’s two major parties, and once after receiving a nomination in a local constituency.

She wasn’t a Returnee, but purely an otherworlder.

‘Elves rule Korea!!!’

“Haha… Well, Assemblywoman Adelina Park was the first person to come through a Gate, after all.”

“Person?”

“To be precise, she’s an elf, but nowadays, it seems like everyone just lumps them together as ‘people’.”

“Calling humans and elves collectively ‘people’… an idea I couldn’t have imagined.”

Jeonghun glanced briefly at Fride, who seemed lost in deep thought, then focused on driving.

Their destination was the ‘Korea Ability User Registration Center’.

Literally, a government office where Ability Users visit to register their abilities.

The distance to the registration center located in Paju was considerable, so Jeonghun looked at Fride, intending to strike up a conversation.

But when he looked…

She was already fast asleep.

‘How inconsiderate…’

‘Still, seeing her like this, she really is pretty.’

Elves certainly had many handsome men and beautiful women.

Assemblywoman Adelina Park was also very pretty, and he recalled a male elf actor whose name he couldn’t remember being incredibly handsome as well.

He hadn’t realized because of her sharp eyes and constant frown, but seeing her asleep, she looked exactly like an elf transplanted from a fantasy novel.

It was hard to believe that such a pretty face could have committed such crimes.

‘What made her like that? Was it the war? Well, it could also be her inherent nature.’

I drove on, lost in miscellaneous thoughts.

Turning off the radio so she could rest comfortably.

“Ms. Fride, we’ve arrived. Please wake up.”

“Umm… Right. I must have fallen asleep.”

I woke up, slightly startled by Jeonghun’s voice.

Falling asleep while someone else is driving, I feel a little sorry.

This is the Korea Ability User Registration Center, located in Paju.

As the name suggests, it’s where Ability Users register their powers.

Getting out of the car and following the path to the main entrance, a civil servant at the reception desk greeted us.

“Hello~ You must be Ms. Yakovlena El Fride? And next to you is Officer Park Jeonghun.”

“Yes.” / “That’s right. What’s the procedure?”

The Ability User registration process was simpler than expected.

Before that, Ability Users are broadly divided into three types.

First, those who came from another world and were born in that world.

Literally, otherworlders.

Second, those who came from another world but had originally gone from this world and returned.

That is, Returnees.

Third, people who developed a ‘Dimensional Residue Sac,’ commonly known as a Mana Sac, in their bodies after the Gates opened, enabling them to manipulate the mana present in the atmosphere.

Apparently, the third type is also quite common.

While it’s possible to remove the ability through Mana Sac removal surgery, most choose to register as Ability Users and live with it.

Not only is Mana Sac removal surgery not easy, but how many people, having gained superpowers, would give them up and return to ordinary life?

Probably none.

For that reason, Mana Sac removal surgery was said to be primarily performed on individuals unable to control their abilities or on Villains who had committed crimes.

Returning to the main topic, the Ability User registration procedure reminded me of the physical examinations I underwent back when I was an ordinary Korean.

A simple physical check-up, measuring height and weight, followed by a blood test and a personality test.

After completing these steps, the most important test is conducted: the internal Dimensional Residue concentration test.

You know, the scene that always appears in these kinds of novels where mana is measured.

And typically, the protagonist shows an immeasurably powerful result.

Honestly, I was slightly anticipating such a scene.

And then, I hit a snag in an unexpected place.

The personality test…

After finishing the basic physical check-up, I sat down at a computer and took the personality test.

Although I lived 300 years as an elf, I had also lived a life as a human.

I thought it would end without any problems.

Having quickly finished the test, I was told to wait for a moment and was just spacing out.

Civil servants around me suddenly rushed off somewhere, and someone who looked like a doctor in a white coat spoke with my officer, Park Jeonghun.

‘Well, no big deal, right?’

The personality test conducted at the Korea Ability User Registration Center is somewhat different from common personality tests.

The majority of people from other worlds had warped basic ethics or moral views.

Therefore, a special personality test tailored for ‘these kinds of people’ is administered.

People who believe themselves to be justice, people who have no qualms about killing, people for whom force is closer than law, people who held positions too high to even look up to.

And El Fride belonged in every category.

She considered herself justice, had no hesitation in killing people, lived a life where force was closer than law, and had held an incredibly high position.

And her personality test results were enough to put the entire registration center on alert.

Eventually, Fride was called into the consultation room of a psychiatric specialist…

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Fride. I am the psychiatric specialist assigned to your consultation.”

An elderly doctor with white hair spoke leisurely.

Then, the doctor began asking Fride several questions.

Starting with basic questions like whether she had killed people, how she felt, why she killed.

General questions about Fride’s life as a soldier in Albheim.

The smell of gunpowder and indelible bloodstains that accompanied her life.

Her perception of humans, and her blind hatred towards other races.

Like peeling an onion, the doctor listened intently to her story, layer by layer…

The doctor’s assessment took time.

Clattering on the computer keyboard, scribbling with a pen on documents, sometimes lost in deep thought.

Finally, the doctor’s judgment was rendered.

‘Formation of Abnormal Values’

‘Substandard Moral and Ethical Levels’

‘Mild PTSD Symptoms’

‘Requires Continuous Outpatient Treatment’

Of course, saying this directly to the patient could lead to an angry outburst, so it wasn’t done.

Especially since this patient possessed the powerful force of magic.

The doctor relayed the results to Officer Park Jeonghun instead of the patient.

In a small voice, lest anyone else overhear.

But an elf’s large ears weren’t just for convenient ear-cleaning.

‘What about my values? Substandard morals and ethics? PTSD? Nonsense.’

Fortunately, the mature member of society, the elf, did not cause a disturbance. However, there was the slight, no, major mistake of dismissing the specialist’s judgment as nonsense.

Although there were some minor issues, all tests were completed.

Except for one: the internal mana capacity test.

Following the instructions, I headed to the examination room.

The equipment for measuring mana resembled a blood pressure monitor.

Insert arm…

“Just circulate the mana in your body as if you’re using magic~”

Following the cheerful guidance, I circulate my mana.

Numbers on the LED panel steadily climb.

Steadily…

Stop now.

Huh…?

-Poooof—!

That’s right. One of the common clichés. The machine exploding during mana measurement.

Feeling like the protagonist of some fantasy novel, I stared at the blackened machine.

‘Protagonist… If I were the protagonist, Albheim wouldn’t have lost, and I wouldn’t have died.’

The civil servant conducting the measurement, my officer Park Jeonghun, and I all stared blankly at what used to be a machine.

“Uh… Um, immeasur…able?”

Park Jeonghun, the first to regain his senses, spoke.

“This is the first time this has happened…”

‘The first time?’

“Depending on the measurement results, users are classified from Grade 1 to Grade 5, but Ms. El Fride seems to require an ‘Beyond Scale’ classification… shouldn’t we?”

“Beyond Scale…”

“Just a moment!”

The civil servant hurriedly made a call and stepped out.

Probably went to call a superior.

Since this was the first time.

Returning shortly after, the civil servant, looking about 10 years older, spoke to me and Park Jeonghun.

“For now… we’ll measure Ms. El Fride’s rank by having her demonstrate her usable magic at the nearby test site.”

“Until then, you absolutely must not use magic!”

“Does that include non-combat utility magic as well?”

Magic isn’t limited to combat spells.

Even non-combat magic includes torture spells that can harm opponents, like sending electric currents through the central nervous system or casting hallucinatory magic on the brain.

Of course, most are utility spells used in daily life.

“Any act using mana, Dimensional Residue, is forbidden.”

“Is it illegal?”

Honestly, if it wasn’t illegal, I planned to just use it.

What can I do? It’s convenient.

“Unregistered Ability Users are punished based on legal grounds. Continued use can lead to Villain designation and even a warrant for arrest.”

…Let’s refrain.

Notoriety as a war criminal or the Witch of the Battlefield is quite enough.

“Understood. Then when is the demonstration? I’d like to get my rank quickly and use magic.”

“If it’s alright with you, it’s possible right now.”

“Then let’s go immediately.”

Observing the situation, Jeonghun seemed troubled, wondering how to report this.

“It’ll be alright, Officer?”

A few tens of minutes later, we arrived at a facility that looked like an airfield.

A crudely written sign read ‘Korea Ability Test Site’.

‘It certainly is spacious, having been a place where airplanes came and went.’

“Well then, shall I show you quickly?”

“Wait a moment!!!”

The civil servant who came with us took Park Jeonghun towards a structure resembling a control tower, saying.

“Please cast the magic when I give the signal.”

A short while later, a voice came through the broadcast system.

-“Ms. El Fride, you may begin now. Please cast towards the runway.”

The voice trembled slightly, indicating considerable nervousness.

I stop the idle thoughts and prepare the incantation.

Magic gains intent through language.

Specifically, it’s embedding will into language and releasing mana from the body.

That is magic.

Of course, low-power or utility magic with low mana consumption can be cast without incantations.

Anyway… shall we begin?

<Göfugur og mikill kynþáttur tortíma öðrum óæðri kynstofni, svo komdu eld og heift yfir þá….>

—Shwoooong…

—KA-BOOM!!

The sound of compressing air, a massive explosion, and then the approaching shockwave.

Memories resurface vividly. It feels like only yesterday I wiped out a city with this. It was quite a sight.

Of course, the firepower is weaker than back then.

The shockwave whips my hair around.

The runway has been pulverized, and all the surrounding fences have been blown away.

‘Surely they won’t bill me for the restoration costs?’

‘I don’t have money…’

The civil servant and Park Jeonghun, who had gone up to the control tower earlier, rush down.

Then, in an excited state, they ask me various things.

Was that maximum output? You said something before using the magic, was that an incantation? How much mana did you use? Etc.

First, it obviously wasn’t maximum output.

Without knowing the World Tree’s condition, recklessly using mana could lead to mana exhaustion and collapse.

And if I did that, everyone, including myself, would evaporate.

I also confirmed it was an incantation.

Specifically, Old Elven.

When asked what it meant.

“Hmm… if I translate it… it’s roughly about borrowing power from the World Tree.”

Of course not.

The content of the incantation is the wisdom of ancestors, packed tightly with hatred for other races.

“This is the first time for us as well… The classification might take more time. For now, we’ll have to give a ‘Beyond Scale’ designation and then perhaps establish a new rank.”

“That aside… you don’t plan on using magic like that regularly, do you…?”

Park Jeonghun asks very cautiously.

Hearing his words, the civil servant’s face turns pale.

“Of course not. We’re not at war right now, are we?”

They seem to think I’m some kind of crazed magical terrorist, but that’s absolutely not the case.

I am a very rational person who adheres well to social norms.

Meaning I wouldn’t blow up the city center just because I got angry.

“Rest assured. It seems unlikely I’ll have occasion to use such magic.”

They didn’t seem to completely erase their suspicion at the word ‘unlikely’, but well, there might be necessary circumstances, wouldn’t there?

For instance, if a super-giant monster appeared in Korea, such peculiar situations might arise.