Chapter 42
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Southern Border Diorama (1)
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The late afternoon of the next day.
For the past few days, an ominous rumor had been circulating through the Immigration Control Office at the southern border.
The rumor that the examiners had turned into zombies.
"Grroooaaar..."
"Reeeetuuuurn..."
And the rumor was spot on.
Four zombies were shambling around inside the Immigration Control Office.
Each one with hollow eyes and slumped shoulders, slowly dying examiners.
The Auditory Officer spoke to the entrant sitting right in front of her in a withered voice.
"Eeeen...try per...miiiitted..."
Already six empty bottles littered the floor by her desk.
She didn't even have the energy left to go buy more booze.
- Plop.
Even the stamp that should have been slammed down forcefully barely managed to leave an ink mark with a feeble squeak.
It had been three days already.
Normally, five people barely managed to handle the entry processing at the southern border.
But now, with only four examiners left in the office, they had been pulling all-nighters and overtime for three straight days.
The cause was a royal decree.
One person had been summoned to the royal castle by royal order.
Even with the pilgrimage group passing through, the Immigration Control Office always had plenty of work.
But now, those four had been handling it all day and night for three days straight.
As a result, the once-vibrant examiners had become eerily gaunt, looking like possessed ghosts.
Even the Tactile Officer's tentacles had lost their luster, crumbling like dried fish with every movement.
The werewolf zombie slammed his head against the wall and muttered.
"When's that human coming...? Please say today..."
He didn't specify who, but all the sense officers thought of the same person.
The nomadic girl zombie replied.
"No word yet... Maybe he's already been executed..."
A young man with black eyes who had left with the king's proxy.
With no contact from the royal castle so far, it was easy to guess the outcome.
"Maybe I should just quit. Oh, right, no one's here to accept my resignation..."
That was when it happened.
- Creeeak.
The sound of the door opening broke the silence.
The Gustatory Officer, face planted on her desk, mechanically spoke without lifting her head.
"Our Immigration Control Office's head officer is currently away, so please direct your business to the Olfactory Officer over there..."
"Oh dear, that's quite troubling. The head officer is absent?"
A familiar voice.
"Huh?"
The Gustatory Officer snapped her head up.
And mumbled without thinking.
"C-Central Officer?"
At her words, the other sense officers perked up their fur, ears, and tentacles.
"What'd she say?"
"What?"
"Did I hear that wrong?"
Gazes turned toward the door.
Eyes widened.
"I hope you've all been well."
A man in the entry examiner uniform stood at the door.
His calm face, slightly weary with fatigue, broke into a faint smile.
"I'm back."
The Central Officer had returned.
After a grueling three-day journey, he was back at the Immigration Control Office.
In the carriage, he hadn't thought much of it, but seeing the [Southern Border Immigration Control Office] sign upon arrival stirred strange feelings.
So he simply gave a light smile and a brief greeting.
"I'm back."
The reaction was explosive.
"Ceeeentraaall Oooofficeeer! Waaaah!"
"You really came back alive?"
"This isn't a dream, right? Hey, Gustatory Officer, check that guy's eye color. Are they purple by any chance?"
"D-Does that mean he's innocent? He went to trial against royalty and got acquitted???"
The Gustatory Officer clinging to his leg, bawling her eyes out.
The Auditory Officer subtly sweeping away booze bottles and approaching looking fine.
The Olfactory Officer howling nonsense despite it not being a full moon.
Even the Tactile Officer reverting from dried fish back to tentacle girl.
"Whoa, whoa. Everyone, calm down. It's me."
As he soothed them, he spoke.
"Central Officer Nathan Kell. Your direct superior. I've returned after the trial was declared null and void."
"N-Null and void?"
"By royal decree. It's as if it never happened."
His business at the royal castle was done.
The trial was over, and he'd met the Visual Officer. Now, all that remained was returning to his duties.
No matter how many events had unfolded, his true role was entry examiner.
Screening entrants and handling admin at the southern border.
That was his place.
'And it's the most relaxing here, too.'
Seeing the familiar faces, his expression softened without him realizing.
It felt like coming home.
Realizing he was truly back, the sense officers let out sighs of relief.
"Phew, I was dreading having to pick a new Central Officer."
"Congratulations. You must have gone through hell."
"Ceen traall Ooffiii ceeeer!! Waaah! I knooow yooou diiiied!!"
His right leg was getting soaked from the Gustatory Officer.
But one person wasn't welcoming him.
"Prove it. I don't believe you."
The Olfactory Officer, who had taken over his duties, eyed him with utter distrust.
"Show me proof you're the Central Officer."
"Olfactory Officer, I told you it's me."
"How do I know you're not that shapeshifter bitch? Hit me like last time, and we'll see."
"Are you doing this because I suspected you before?"
"...I still don't believe you."
This wolf pup's lost it.
Even if suspicion is proper examiner conduct, I'm your boss.
But even as he glared, the wolf's gaze didn't waver.
No choice. He said quietly.
"Keep it up if you want night shift on the full moon. Your godmother will love hearing you miss family gatherings."
Mentioning the werewolf's habits and the highest-ranking family member subtly.
The Olfactory Officer flinched, then immediately prostrated himself.
"I've believed deep in my heart that you are the Central Officer without a doubt. Welcome back, lawful head of the southern border."
"I'll let it slide this once since you've suffered for three days."
He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him up.
Asking the awkwardly smiling man.
"Nothing major happened at the office?"
"Plenty."
He didn't ask what.
Their haggard appearances spoke volumes about the situation.
They'd been utterly crushed by work.
"...Any incidents?"
"Nah, none."
"Good. And... I brought a guest."
"A guest?"
The sense officers tilted their heads.
"Someone came with you?"
He turned toward the door beyond.
"You can come in now, Erzena."
"Okay. Coming."
A woman entered hesitantly, awkwardly.
Erzena, with golden eyes and sky-blue hair, revealed herself.
At the same time, radiant holy power brightly illuminated the Immigration Control Office.
"H-Hi, everyone."
Once an enemy, now a comrade, she waved.
The sense officers exchanged bewildered glances.
"Saintess Erzena? Why is the Saintess here?"
"Ahaha... I'm not a saintess anymore. Just call me Erzena."
"Huh? What do you mean...?"
Even more confused faces.
Utterly lost expressions.
In the end, he stepped in.
"I'll explain."
He gave a concise rundown of everything that had happened.
From the saintess testifying as his witness per their plan, to the king's fury and the pilgrimage group's forced expulsion order.
The sense officers listened with mouths agape.
"...And that's how it went."
"Whoa."
"No way."
As he finished, the Tactile and Auditory Officers crossed their arms with serious looks.
"So... changes are coming to the castle soon. If His Majesty starts acting, then probably..."
"Forces trying to harm the saintess—no, Erzena—will move again. We need to think about that."
"The pilgrimage group will return soon. We'll need to request cooperation from the Border Guard again."
True to their smarts, they immediately huddled to discuss what the office needed to do.
Meanwhile, the other two pups were.
"Oh my, Olfactory Officer. Look at this. They're openly advertising it. Temporary asylum? Anyone would think it's a lovers' elopement."
"Temporary asylum... Hey, check the applicant's name. Is it Erzena Selaph or Erzena Kell?"
Obsessed with something weird, whispering.
Ignoring them cleanly, he said.
"Anyway, with that settled, I'll resume duties tomorrow."
"What about today?"
"Today, I'll introduce Erzena to the safe house and guide her to the residential area."
First things first: show her a place to stay.
He recalled there was one house called a safe house at the southern border.
'First time granting temporary asylum, but at least I know the regs. Lucky.'
Protecting her while returning to routine would make everything perfect.
But then, the Gustatory Officer hesitated and spoke up.
"Uh, that... the safe house. It's under construction right now."
"What? Why?"
Suddenly?
Confused, he asked, and she answered.
"Remember that building, Central Officer? Where the shapeshifter hid at the end."
"Yeah. I do."
The building from the total encirclement op.
That sturdy-looking three-story structure.
"The Olfactory Officer got excited and smashed it up. Barely the frame's left."
"Right. But why is that relevant now—"
A bad premonition flashed through.
"No way."
Nah.
Couldn't be.
Not some cosmic joke.
He shook his head.
"Don't joke. I'm tired."
But the Gustatory Officer nodded.
"That was the safe house."
Damn it all.
His face froze as he screamed internally.
What kind of fate is this?
Erzena, realizing the truth, asked in a shaken voice.
"The safe house is under construction...? What do we do?"
"Give me a moment to think."
Can't just give a temporary asylee an inn.
A place with no safety guarantees is dangerous for someone under threat.
'Needs basic defenses, emergency hideout, good access...'
And somewhere the Immigration Control Office can respond to immediately.
Where could such a place be right now?
Too many requirements.
'Gotta find one before tonight.'
He racked his brain.
Then, the pondering Tactile Officer raised her left tentacle.
"How about the Central Officer's house?"
"What!?"
"Whaaat!?"
Nathan and Erzena exclaimed simultaneously.
What insane suggestion is this?
"The Central Officer's house is five minutes from here. Plus, it's two stories. Seems perfect."
"Th-That's true, but why my house of all places?"
"High official's home has protective magic, and you said you just sleep there, so it's stocked with food, right?"
The Tactile Officer listed points one by one.
"Seems like ideal safe house conditions to me."
Logically, it fit perfectly.
His house was a two-story given by the castle.
Layered with double and triple magic for the border head's safety.
Plus, close to the office for instant response.
"N-No, even so, that's not okay! How can a woman stay alone in a strange man's house...?"
What about the world's eyes?
A man and woman under one roof spreads rumors even if nothing happens.
She'd be the one in trouble, not him.
Especially as a former saintess.
This won't do.
Big trouble.
"My house is off-limits. No matter what—"
Then, Erzena spoke resolutely.
"We'll go there."
"E-Erzena!?"
Why is this woman like this now?
Turning in shock, there was a woman with holy power surging fiercely.
Golden haze pulsing like a pounding heart.
"You're assigning me residence, right? Promised to ensure safety."
"No, that's what the safe house is for. Literally a house for safety—"
She cut him off, face slightly flushed.
"Right now, near you is safest for me."
At that, the quietly listening Olfactory and Gustatory Officers whispered.
"Oh my, Olfactory Officer. Did you hear that?"
"I did, Gustatory Officer. Newlyweds have nothing on this. What do you think, Auditory Officer?"
"Ah~. Erzena scores big. Bold approach. They call this a 'fastball'. Simple but super effective."
The Auditory Officer, now infected with dirty thoughts, spouted nonsense too.
"You three, shut it!"
What the hell are these lunatics saying?
He hurriedly told Erzena.
"Erzena. I-I'll arrange somewhere else for you. So please refrain from such dangerous statements."
Trying to dissuade her, but her honest intent poured out, resolute.
"Do you... not want me staying with you?"
Golden eyes looking up at him precariously.
The Auditory Officer, super excited, yelled.
"Ah—! Hesitant upward gaze! Not easy to resist!"
- Slam.
Damn elf bitch, slamming the door in her face.
Any more and he'd go crazy too.
"..."
"..."
Silence returned.
Holy power flickered faintly at the end of his gaze.
Not shrinking at all, so she must be serious too.
After steadying his breath, he quietly asked.
"...You sure?"
"Yes."
"I can't block all rumors."
"I'm used to rumors."
"This could be a weakness."
"You'll protect me from that. Or I'll handle it."
No escape.
Refusal reasons blocked.
All conditions met.
In the end, his only possible reply was this.
"...I'll escort you to my home."
"Yes, please."
Erzena beamed.
How the hell did it end up like this?