A Glimmer of Truth...?
"Your ability is akin to mental erosion," Makerberg said.
"Mental... erosion?"
"Precisely. It's different from the typical mental-type abilities you're familiar with. It doesn't just affect the surface—it penetrates much deeper."
What the hell does that mean?
F-rank is F-rank. What's this talk of penetration and all that?
"If you stopped developing your ability after being rated F-rank initially, you might not realize it. According to our intelligence agents, Korea's youth training facilities still use equipment from the early 2000s."
Ah.
The equipment at Awakener training schools is outdated, sure. Public schools and all that.
Makerberg continued in his emotionless voice.
"Awakeners with strong abilities possess equally strong egos. It's essential for maintaining and controlling their powers."
"Right."
"And your ability has a greater impact on those with strong egos."
"......"
"To put it in analogy, it's like how objects with greater mass are more affected by gravity. The stronger the Awakener, the more intensely they react to your ability."
Mass and gravity. An easy analogy to grasp. It helped clear my head.
But was that even possible?
I'd attended an Awakener training school for three years too, but I'd never heard anything like this.
Maybe... Makerberg and Peystagram's technology was just that advanced. Far beyond anything a public Earth school could compare to.
Makerberg's vertically slit pupils bored into me.
"The stronger the Awakener, the more intensely they react to your ability. If they feel affection or fondness toward you, it transforms into an even stronger possessiveness."
"What do you...?"
Possessiveness. The word struck my mind like a hammer.
"Humans often show physical reactions like that when they can't believe something. I understand. But you've already experienced similar cases."
A name immediately popped into my head.
Kang Haneul. An EX-rank Awakener. She suffered from anger management issues as a backlash from her powers. No medical or ability-based treatments could fix it.
Only... my F-rank ability neutralized her rage.
Just by staying by her side, Kang Haneul's anger issues were resolved.
But when we were apart, she became unstable and violent. In the end, she became obsessed with me and shattered my leg when I tried to leave her.
There were other cases too, though not comparable to Kang Haneul. Kim Taeyang and An Gyungtae. They'd resolved their long-standing grudges and reconciled just by talking with me.
...So that's it.
My thoughts reached that point when suddenly, another face flashed in my mind.
Baek Sehee. An EX-rank Awakener like Kang Haneul. Leader of the Dimensional Gate Special Response Team. The one who saved me. Took care of me.
And... the one who wanted me by her side.
No way...?
The thought was forming when—
Reptilian particles detected inside Association HQ building.
Initiating emergency response protocol.
All personnel evacuate immediately.
"...What!?"
Reptilians inside the building?
"A shame. Time's up already."
Makerberg turned and headed for the door.
"No time left. We'll meet again soon."
"Wait, hold on—"
Before I could finish, he opened the office door and left.
His pace was ridiculously fast. I lost sight of him in an instant and stood there dumbfounded, staring at the closed automatic door.
"What the... hell."
The new information from Makerberg swirled in my head.
Mental erosion. Greater effect on strong egos. Affection turning into possessiveness.
Kang Haneul. Kim Taeyang and An Gyungtae.
And... Baek Sehee.
Suddenly, vehicle engines roared outside the Association.
I snapped to attention and looked down through the window.
A luxury limousine was parked in front of the Awakener Association HQ building. Black body with gleaming chrome accents.
And... Makerberg boarded it.
"Huh...?"
He'd been here just moments ago. Only a few seconds since he left the office.
Yet he was already in the car, pulling away from the building?
From the office to the first floor. Elevator down, then walking to the front of the HQ.
Even at top speed, it should take a minute. Longer if the elevator's slow.
But he was out in seconds? Walking?
Something's off. This doesn't add up.
But I had no time to dwell on it.
I grabbed my phone. The news livestream was still on.
The screen showed—
"Victory...?"
The anchor on screen was cheering. The on-site Awakeners looked relieved or joyful.
But I felt no relief or joy like them.
Countless questions churned in my mind.
Why did the Reptilians withdraw?
Why right after Makerberg left?
...Coincidence?
No. It didn't feel like coincidence.
Something connected them.
Zerk Makerberg.Reptilians.
"What the hell is going on...?"
The Seoul sky was clear and blue now that the Dimensional Gate was gone.
But my heart was dark.
……………
A week had passed since the Reptilian Dimensional Gate invasion in Jongno.
In that time, Baek Sehee and the Dimensional Gate Special Response Team had become heroes.
As expected. They were the ones who quelled an S-rank invasion in an hour.
The media praised them endlessly. Interview requests poured in.
Broadcast stations competed for appearances.
And I... followed a suddenly busy Baek Sehee around.
As expected. I was her manager, after all.
But I didn't really do much.
Just waited in the green room.
Baek Sehee truly gave me nothing to do. She handled everything herself, ensuring no tasks reached me.
"......"
I sat on the broadcast station green room sofa, phone in hand.
What am I even doing here?
I looked up at the green room ceiling. The white fluorescent lights were blinding.
I had the title of Baek Sehee's manager.
But for the past week, all I'd done was trail her and wait in green rooms.
No meetings. No waiting during recordings.
Just... wait.
Until Baek Sehee returned.
Like a kid trailing their parents. Like a dog waiting for its owner.
Useless.
Even as Kang Haneul's manager, I wasn't this idle.
It felt like I was Baek Sehee's attachment doll.
As I spaced out, the green room door opened and Baek Sehee entered.
"Yujin, sorry to keep you waiting so long."
"No, it's fine."
Baek Sehee smiled and sat beside me.
"Were you bored? Why not play a game?"
"Uh, mobile games cost a lot to whale on..."
"I see... Want me to make you a card for game purchases? Linked to my account."
"......"
A boss encouraging gacha spending and footing the bill.
To some, she'd seem like an angel. But expanding dependency like this was no good, no matter how I thought about it.
"N-no, it's okay. Not that fun anyway."
I smiled awkwardly and declined. Baek Sehee nodded.
"30 minutes until the next schedule. Take a break."
"Sure."
……………
It was past 10 p.m. when we finally returned to Baek Sehee's place.
Shower sounds came from the bathroom. Baek Sehee had gone in.
I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Mental erosion.
Makerberg's words resurfaced.
My ability was close to mental erosion. Greater impact on strong egos. Turns affection into possessiveness.
I closed my eyes.
Kang Haneul came to mind instinctively. An EX-rank Awakener. Heavily affected by my power.
That's why she broke my leg to keep me from leaving.
Then... what about Baek Sehee?
She was EX-rank too. With an ego rivaling Kang Haneul's.
And I'd spent a lot of time with her. Sleeping in the same house, eating at the same table every day.
My ability had been acting on her continuously.
She was excessively kind to me. Gave me a home. A job. Money. Everything.
And always wanted me by her side.
...It's because of my ability.
If Makerberg was right, Baek Sehee was affected too. Her fondness turned possessive.
The shower stopped. She'd come out soon.
"......Ugh."
After four worlds, I was used to the choices. Leave or stay.
But... could I leave?
Realistically, impossible. No home. No money. No leg.
Leaving Baek Sehee's place meant homelessness. A one-legged homeless at that.
More than anything... there was Kang Haneul's precedent.
When I tried to leave, she broke my leg.
Would Baek Sehee do the same?
She wasn't violent, so probably not. But the possibility wasn't zero.
Kang Haneul broke my leg.
What about Baek Sehee?
No way she'd take another limb...?
The thought froze me solid.
If I lost my left leg too. Or not just legs... arms as well.
If that happened.
It'd be worse than death.
I gripped the bedsheet without realizing. Cold sweat on my back, strength in my hands.
Calm down.
Leaving wasn't an option. The power gap was too vast.
Nothing like with Choi Seori, Kim Bom, or Catalina.
So only one choice left.
Stay by Baek Sehee's side.
That's reality. I needed her—no place to go, hard to work.
And... Baek Sehee wasn't Kang Haneul.
Kang Haneul had anger issues. Violent. Uncontrollable.
Baek Sehee was gentle. Kind. Non-violent.
Never harmed me once.
And...
My ability originally stimulated comfort and protectiveness. That's what they taught at Awakener training school.
If Baek Sehee wanted to protect me, wasn't that a good thing?
Unlike Kang Haneul, she didn't need my ability. No anger issues.
She just... wanted me around.
That's fine.
I convinced myself. Stay here. By Baek Sehee's side.
The only way to survive.
To pass the Goddess's trials.