Unexpected Facts
“Um… hello? I’m definitely not a suspicious person, so don’t be too wary, okay? You looked like you were bored all by yourself, so I figured I’d come keep you company if that’s alright.”
The moment our eyes met, he spoke up. He had an ordinary face you could find anywhere, and at first glance he looked fairly young. Dressed in a black suit with an employee ID hanging from his neck, he seemed to be a member of the investigation team working here. Still, telling a complete stranger not to be wary right off the bat was… odd. I let out a quiet, internal laugh at the absurdity of it, though I understood his intent well enough. It just wasn’t the kind of line you’d normally say to a child you’d never met before.
Taking my silence as agreement, he dragged over a nearby chair and sat down across from me. I couldn’t decide whether his friendliness was genuine or just plain shameless. Ignoring my skeptical stare, he leaned forward with bright eyes and continued.
“By the way, your hair really is gray… It was too dark back then for me to tell, but seeing it up close like this makes it obvious.”
“…? Have we met before?”
“Ah, right. You wouldn’t have seen me, but I was inside that dungeon too. I just happened to spot you being carried out.”
At my questioning look, he explained without hesitation. His familiar reaction made me cautiously lower my guard. The man kept talking, oblivious to my suspicions.
“I know this might sound rude, but you were really lucky. You got rescued by Team 5—the elite unit even among the other investigation teams here.”
He nodded to himself, chest puffed out with pride. Clearly, he held his team in high regard. None of that interested me, though. As he kept rambling on, I responded with nothing but empty, half-hearted noises.
When I failed to show any real reaction despite his nonstop chatter, he grew visibly flustered. I could practically see the sweat forming as he scrambled for a new approach. Finally deciding this awkward silence had to end, he pulled out his trump card.
“Haha… I guess my stories aren’t very entertaining. But this one’s different! It’s about the leader of Investigation Team 5—the guy who used to be called the Blue Demon back in his active days.”
“…!”
His aim hit perfectly. The moment I heard “team leader,” my eyes lit up. He had to be talking about the man currently looking after me. Seeing the girl finally react, the man let out a quiet sigh of relief and began his story with a small smile.
“Hmm, where to start… Most people these days don’t know this, but he was pretty famous in the industry back then. Real name: Cheon Hyeok. Alias: Blue Ghost. Just like the nickname suggests, he had an innate talent for hunting monsters. During his active years, he was always the ace of any raid team.”
Every piece of information spilling from his mouth was surprising. I’d expected someone holding a team-leader position in a major organization to be strong, but never to this degree. Noticing my disbelief, the man nodded as if he understood completely and continued.
“You look shocked. Can’t blame you. On the surface he just looks like a scary middle-aged guy. But in this line of work, judging people by appearances will get you in serious trouble. He might seem unreliable most of the time, but when he gets serious he can clear a mid-rank dungeon all by himself. Retirement doesn’t lower your level, so based on his prime, he’s probably at least Level 500 by now.”
“F-five hundred…”
I couldn’t hide my shock at the unexpected revelation. Three-digit levels were already staggering, but factoring in stats and skills made it impossible to even guess how powerful he truly was. I’d thought he was just some lazy guy, yet the truth was far more terrifying—a sleeping monster in human form.
“Compared to the other team leaders in the investigation division, whose levels sit between one and two hundred, his strength is overwhelming. Honestly, I still don’t get why someone like him is stuck in a place like this. …Considering his age, he’s not exactly at retirement level yet. Anyway, in Team 5, when it comes to raw power, the leader is obviously number one. Second would probably be Hye-jin. Someone like me doesn’t even crack the top ten.”
Leaning back in his chair, the man let out a deep sigh. Meanwhile, my attention had already shifted elsewhere. If the name Hye-jin referred to the woman I’d heard about before, then she must be quite the powerhouse herself—second strongest in an office full of capable people.
“Um… what’s the relationship between those two?”
A sudden curiosity struck me, and I asked without hesitation. From everything I’d seen so far, the two of them always moved together. It was only natural to wonder.
He looked surprised that I’d spoken first, but quickly composed himself.
“Ah, those two… From what I’ve seen, it’s more like captain and vice-captain. Reliable colleagues, I suppose? Definitely not lovers, though. The team leader’s a married man, after all. I’ve never met his wife, but I’m sure of it. The way he treats Senior Hye-jin feels more like he’s looking after a cute little sister.”
After a long, thoughtful frown, he finally voiced his opinion. My curiosity was satisfied, but another detail made my eyes widen. I never would’ve guessed someone with that appearance was married… It felt rude to think, but it was genuinely shocking. I’d never even dated once before my life ended, yet apparently strength and wealth really were everything for men. The thought of my long-unused clone suddenly surfaced, and I felt like crying tears of blood. Honestly, no matter how I looked at it, my old male body had been far more attractive than that guy’s. Consumed by envy and jealousy, I cursed this rotten world and sank into despair.
The man sitting beside me was, without a doubt, the most confused person in the room. Out of nowhere, the girl he’d been talking to had suddenly looked utterly devastated. He racked his brain trying to figure out what he’d said wrong, but there was no way he could find the answer.
An incomprehensible, awkward silence stretched between us. To the people involved it felt serious, but from a distance it was pure comedy. Eventually, a third party broke the tension.
“You… what happened to the task I gave you? Why are you here instead?”
At the sharp voice from behind, I turned my head. A woman stood there, dressed in a crisp women’s suit with her hair tied in a ponytail, glaring at the man with piercing eyes. He didn’t back down either. Casually spinning his chair to face her, he answered with a playful grin.
“Can’t you tell? I was keeping the kid the team leader left with us company. This kind of thing is my specialty, right?”
“…You talk a good game. No matter how I think about it, I can’t imagine the team leader actually assigning you that job.”
“Anticipating your superior’s intentions and acting without being told—that’s the mark of a good subordinate!”
The woman, who had been firing sharp words, raised an eyebrow as if she’d expected this. But this clearly wasn’t her first time dealing with him. She pressed a hand to her forehead, let out a deep sigh, and promptly lost interest in him. Her gaze, now directionless, naturally drifted to me.
“Oh… so this is the kid you mentioned before? Her hair color really is unusual. I’ve only ever heard that some Awakeners end up like this, but this is my first time seeing it in person. Jigeo, could you tell me your name?”
She stepped between us, still holding a stack of documents. The man scowled at the sudden intruder, but she paid him no mind. Her stare was a little intense, but staying silent would only make things weirder. Reluctantly, I decided I had to speak.
“Kim Seo… ahem! …I’m Kim Seoa.”
I tried my best to sound like a girl my apparent age. My real name had almost slipped out, but I managed to cut it off just in time. I glanced at her reaction; she seemed to think I’d just been nervous, so she didn’t look suspicious.
“Seoa… hmm! That’s a cute name that suits your appearance. It must’ve been exhausting talking to this weird uncle, right? Please understand—he’s actually pretty eccentric despite how he looks.”
“Wh-what? Uncle? Come on, that’s rich. That’s not something an ‘auntie’ who only looks good because of makeup should be saying.”
“!!? …What are you saying in front of a child?! Honestly, your body grew up but your mental age is still way too low.”
“Are you done talking? You trying to pick a fight?”
The verbal sparring that started with the woman’s provocation escalated in an instant, flaring up like wildfire. Their mutual dislike was obvious; both glared at each other with murderous intent. The killing aura was so thick that the surrounding temperature seemed to drop. Caught in the middle, I could only watch with a dumbfounded expression. They were making such a fuss over nothing—it was embarrassing just to witness.
Judging by appearances, both were in their late twenties. That age was exactly when people got sensitive about those kinds of words. As someone who’d experienced something similar, I could understand their feelings. Even so, this was excessive. If left alone, they really might start fighting right here. I needed to step in.
While the two of them radiated terrifying auras at each other, I slowly raised my hand. When their demonic gazes turned toward me, I spoke with an innocent expression and voice.
“…Couldn’t you just call each other uncle and auntie instead?”
Pure, curious eyes and a genuinely puzzled tone. Since part of it was actually sincere, acting came easily. My question poured cold water on the blazing flames, and the atmosphere between them instantly cooled. Their faces flushed as they belatedly noticed the stares around them. Watching the two of them cough awkwardly to hide their embarrassment, I let out a small sigh.