Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Alright, Time for Disposal
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Kim Junghwan possessed the ability to distinguish whether an opponent's words were true or false.
He had once heard something like this from a colleague.
"You must be tired too, Junghwan."
The latter part was omitted, but Kim Junghwan could tell what intent his colleague had wrapped into those words.
He could discern truth from lies in speech.
At first glance, it seemed like an incredibly useful ability for everyday life, but conversely, it also created a barrier to human relationships.
Whenever he heard such things, Kim Junghwan would smile and reply.
"I'm not that tired."
Kim Junghwan, who hated lies, did not lie to his colleague.
Surprisingly.
He quite liked his ability.
Of course, it wasn't without side effects on his relationships.
If the other person already knew about Kim Junghwan's ability, they couldn't help but think, "If I talk to this guy and my lie gets caught, I'm in big trouble."
However, there was one misconception people had.
Kim Junghwan's ability.
Was not a passive skill that activated constantly.
It required a high degree of concentration to use, so Kim Junghwan had never used it in daily life.
His hobby was watching VTuber streams.
Naturally, he had never once used his ability on the VTubers he watched.
Because using it would shatter his immersion in the VTuber stream.
For example.
Say there's a VTuber who introduces herself as an angel race, age 15,000 years old.
Kim Junghwan activates his ability.
Determined to be a lie. She's human, age twenty-eight.
...Immersion completely broken.
The most important thing when watching VTuber streams is fully immersing yourself in that VTuber's RP.
That's why "breaking the mask" of a VTuber is considered especially malicious.
Anyway, he was someone who strictly separated work and personal life.
For the sake of his healthy hobby, he was a clean viewer who had never used his ability on a single VTuber.
...Until just a week ago.
About a week ago.
He broke his own creed and used his ability on one particular VTuber.
That VTuber's identity was Lee Jia.
Well, truth be told.
From the moment he learned that VTuber Lee Jia and Awakener Lee Jia were the same person, it could be said that using his ability was official business rather than personal use...
In any case, his ironclad rule of [never using his ability on VTubers] crumbled because of Lee Jia.
Even more shocking was.
That there were no lies in Lee Jia's words.
Race: Fervent Devotee of Reflecting Myriad Stars.
True.
I'll stream every single day. If I miss even one day, I'll retire on the spot.
True.
Her heartfelt prayer toward Reflecting Myriad Stars.
True.
Her mama, papa, and boss is Reflecting Myriad Stars, and he is not human but a god.
...This too was true.
It was an absurd situation, but there was no need to strain himself trying to understand it.
After all, ever since Anomalous Phenomena and items appeared, this world had been a nonstop parade of absurdities.
The situation.
Was not to be understood.
But accepted.
He accepted the situation.
In fact, the Awakener Association had already reached a conclusion regarding Lee Jia.
The Awakener Association's conclusion was this.
[Lee Jia is an extremely valuable asset, so she is tentatively appointed as a non-Awakener staff member.]
[Do not dispatch Lee Jia to the field unless it's a Class 1 disaster situation.]
[Establish a dedicated team for Lee Jia. The team will be created in about a month; do not recruit her until then.]
[Using her ability for Anomalous Phenomenon investigations would be extremely foolish. Her dedication is to items.]
[Lee Jia...]
It was highly reasonable.
And extremely effective.
Lee Jia was an irreplaceable talent.
Whether her ability could discern info on Anomalous Phenomena and items was still unknown.
Regardless, her life was more precious than anyone else's in the Awakener Association.
The Awakener Association had no intention of ever suggesting "dangerous actions" to her.
In that sense, the Awakener Association planned to contact her only after establishing her dedicated team.
The reason they hadn't given her even a heads-up beforehand was simple.
The Lee Jia dedicated team was top secret, so they couldn't tell her, an internet broadcaster, in advance.
Of course, the one who reported that VTuber Lee Jia and Awakener Lee Jia were the same person was none other than Kim Junghwan.
'...I feel a bit guilty. But I couldn't not report that Lee Jia was a VTuber.'
In any case, the Awakener Association had already concluded on her.
Things seemed to wrap up like that, but...
There was one sticking point.
Her statement "If I don't become an Awakener, I'll die" was true.
While watching Lee Jia's stream, Kim Junghwan realized she was under some kind of restriction from "Reflecting Myriad Stars."
The reason she had to become an Awakener was probably one of those restrictions.
He hadn't asked about the deadline during the previous investigation.
He needed.
To talk with her again.
In the end, Kim Junghwan succeeded in convincing the Association.
Today, he contacted Lee Jia.
[Quaaack. Hello?]
A familiar voice.
"Jia, could you possibly come to the Awakener Association right now?"
[Who is th...]
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
[Aaaack... Who is this?]
A familiar sound effect.
This.
Is the sound she makes when receiving punishment for blasphemy.
Kim Junghwan, incredulous, asked her.
"Where are you right now?"
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
[Ughhhh... I'm at the Awakener Association right now.]
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Inside the Awakener Association's internal hospital, they gave me simple first aid.
The doctor said my wound needed stitches.
"It'll stop bleeding in about an hour. I'm fine."
I politely declined.
Sure enough, the bleeding stopped after about an hour.
Hmm.
With this blood-soaked bandage wrapped around my head.
I feel like a total idiot.
I met the Awakener Association's lead investigator, Kim Junghwan.
He looked at me like I was pathetic too.
Ah.
This is so unfair.
I had no other choice.
"Is your head okay?"
"Yeah, well... it's fine."
Then Kim Junghwan.
Asked me with a quite serious expression.
"Jia, why on earth did you do something so foolish?"
I snapped back, feeling a surge of emotion.
"...Are you calling me an idiot right now?"
"No, misunderstanding. I'm literally asking why you did something so foolish. This is a serious question."
"I had no other way."
"No other way?"
"Yeah. No, damn it! You said you'd contact me! Over a week passed with no word, and only after I smashed my head on the desk did you finally call. I'm dying here with no time."
"No time?"
"No time! Less than three weeks... no, less than three weeks left! Twenty days. Twenty days! Holy shit, in twenty days, I'll."
"Be disposed of by Reflecting Myriad Stars, correct?"
"Spot on... Huh...? How did you...?"
"You know I'm Adung, who watches Ayase's streams, right?"
"...Ah."
This guy being Adung from Ayase's streams meant.
He was basically just a VTuber viewer.
It's a bit weird for me to say this, but.
Anyone who watches VTubers has probably tuned into my stream at least once.
And that's because.
The quality of my tantrum-throwing is overwhelming.
Better than the avatars corporations pour tens of millions into making.
If he's watched my stream, no need to explain the situation.
Because.
He knows that what I say on stream isn't RP, but fact.
Kim Junghwan asked me again with a serious expression.
"I won't ask about the streams. Separately from the investigation, I find your streams really entertaining."
"Ah... Yeah..."
"You said less than three weeks left. So, you need to become an Awakener within that period to avoid disposal?"
"Yes. To be more precise."
I told him the truth.
"I need to write one item wiki entry within twenty days."
"That's not so hard. Honestly, we could give you an item from the Association's storage right now and..."
"And within twenty days, find and investigate one Anomalous Phenomenon."
"...Pardon?"
"For reference, existing items and Anomalous Phenomena don't count. New item, new Anomalous Phenomenon."
"..."
He looked shocked, staring blankly for a moment.
I sighed deeply, as if the ground might cave in.
"Now do you understand why I lost it like that?"
"This is absurd."
"Right? I was absurd too... No, wait, not absurd... Th-this is also Reflecting Myriad Stars's grace..."
"This is truly absurd! Why didn't you say something this important from the start?! If I were you, I'd have grabbed someone and hounded the Association!"
"..."
"This is no time for this! Wait here a moment!"
Whoosh.
Kim Junghwan vanished.
Hmm.
Judging from.
Kim Junghwan's reaction.
Finding a new Anomalous Phenomenon and item.
Was apparently more difficult than I'd imagined.