Legal Counterattack
Sea-a's claim that she was being held at the police station sparked immediate doubt in my mind.
"Police station? Why the hell would you end up there—"
Hold on—villains teleported?
"Sea-a. Where exactly do you live?"
The puzzle pieces were slowly falling into place.
"When did the police say they suspect you of the crime?"
"I believe you."
"I'll believe you absolutely, so don't worry too much."
It seemed I was tangled up in this mess too.
"So tell me which police station. We'll head there right now."
A quick glance at the map showed it was a short helicopter ride away.
"We'll be there in 10 minutes. From now on, if the police say anything, invoke your right to remain silent and keep your mouth shut."
With that, I hung up and dialed another number to resolve this situation.
Calione's top legal advisor and one of the family's highest-ranking power players, who specialized in these matters.
"Consigliere? It's Eugene."
Calione's consigliere.
It was time to call on him for help.
Gyeonggi Southern Awakener Special Police Agency.
As the name implied, it was an organization with independent investigative authority over Awakener-related incidents in southern Gyeonggi Province—a place that could practically be called a police station staffed by Awakeners.
However, it was still a government agency under the Republic of Korea, operating within the bounds of the law.
They had to play by the rules... but if Sea-a was telling the truth, something smelled off.
"Evidence and witnesses, huh... They set this up from the start."
If my hunch was right, Sea-a's arrest was tied to the villains we'd captured in Gunsan and their illegal entry into Korea.
And if I was on the money, there was only one person who'd smuggle them in.
Dogyacheongcheong.
The Villain Union member I'd taken down with Gwak Chunsik not long ago—the mastermind behind smuggling villains into Korea.
Yet for some reason, Sea-a was the one pegged as the suspect.
And with the setup job, it looked like some group was openly trying to pin it on her.
That group was probably linked to the Villain Union.
Now I had every reason to go all out: rescue Sea-a and crush them.
"Young master. We're here."
Han Seojun said as he pulled the car to a stop.
"The others?"
"They'll arrive soon."
"Got it. I'll head in first."
The place where Sea-a was being held was the
Awakener Illegal Immigration Division
.
I rushed straight there, flung open the door, and stepped inside. A man by the entrance shot up from his seat and demanded,
"What brings you here?"
I ignored him, scanning the room for Sea-a.
"You really won't talk, huh? If you're not the perp, say something. Huh?"
"......"
"Jeez, the world's gone to hell. A Seoul Hero Academy student helps with illegal immigration and now denies it? Hilarious."
—Found her.
I dashed over, placed a hand on Sea-a's trembling shoulder as she sat there, lips sealed just as I'd instructed.
"Calm down. I'm here now."
"Eu-Eugene...!"
The detective-looking guy glared at me with clear annoyance.
"And who the hell are you?"
"Her guardian."
I stated it boldly, then took the empty chair beside her and met his gaze.
"Your affiliation."
"Huh?"
"Your affiliation and name. You dragged a kid from home in handcuffs—you must have an arrest warrant, right?"
I glanced at Sea-a's wrists as I spoke.
Silver bracelets on both—definitely anti-Awakener restraints, just like the ones I'd gotten from Grandpa Gwak Chunsik.
"What? Arrest warrant? Haha! Don't you know we can arrest space mages without one if there's flight risk?"
"That's only for active heroes. It doesn't apply to academy students."
"What? How the hell would you—"
I grabbed Sea-a's wrist and lifted it.
"—Take these off her. Now."
The guy flinched at my words.
But he quickly noticed the other detectives watching and smirked, sliding a paper from his desk toward me.
"Here's the arrest warrant. Happy?"
I checked it. Legit arrest warrant.
He looked smug, but...
'That seals it.'
Instead, it confirmed exactly how this was playing out.
"An academy student with confirmed ID, no priors, family ties, low flight risk—and you got an arrest warrant? ...Someone higher up pulled strings, huh?"
I muttered in disbelief, and he slammed his desk with a bang!, denting the metal under his palm.
"If you're gonna spout baseless bullshit, get out. We follow the law."
"The law? This is the law?"
He clenched his fist so hard his knuckles cracked.
"Listen up. Do you even get the situation? Villains escaped Niflheim and smuggled into Bucheon. By a space mage! Every other space mage in Bucheon had alibis—except this girl. Clear enough?"
Space mages were high-maintenance precisely because of that.
They could be exploited for smuggling or illegal entry if they wanted.
And if they bolted using their powers, good luck catching them.
Dogyacheongcheong, the one I'd nabbed recently, was a prime example.
His combat skills weren't much—weak, even.
But as a space mage, he'd turned Korea upside down.
"And that's not all. When we picked her up, her mana was bone-dry. On the verge of exhaustion. What does a space mage have to do to burn out like that? Answer's obvious, right?"
That's why he was so sure.
All registered space mages had schedules—except Sea-a.
And her mana was depleted at arrest.
What a joke.
"A first-year academy kid smuggled villains from overseas? You actually believe that crap?"
"......What?"
"She doesn't even have mana to teleport from home to academy, so she arrives earlier than anyone—and she smuggled villains? Ha! Ghosts would weep. If a first-year had that power, every guild worldwide would be after her."
"Most smuggling happens by sea. Even she could manage coast to inland."
"Got proof?"
Bottom line, their case boiled down to one thing: Sea-a lacked an alibi.
But that was just suspicion.
"Arrest without hard evidence, restraints, threats, leading questions. Impressive agency you've got."
Clap clap clap clap.
I mocked him with sarcastic applause, and his hands began to shake.
But given his position, he reined in his rage with a deep breath and addressed me and Sea-a.
"Evidence? We got it. But we can't just show it to any 'guardian.' This is an official investigation by our 'Awakener Police Agency' with a warrant. You think you can waltz in and obstruct? Know that your actions are arrestable?"
A hollow laugh escaped me at his direct threat.
"Ha! Resorting to threats now? Fine, perfect. Threats work great on the weak."
"......What?"
If that's how they wanted to play, I'd stick to my plan.
"I figured you'd call a lawyer, but you bring some weirdo instead? No real plans for one? Without one, you get a public defender automatically, you know."
Still preaching rights like he was by the book.
"Huh? A l-lawyer? But a lawyer..."
"Don't worry about that. Already hired one. Lawyer."
"......Huh?"
"......What?"
They both gawked at me.
"Y-You hired my lawyer?"
"You hired a lawyer? You?"
Why the shock?
"Obviously. She's a precious member of our Famiglia—and my friend."
"......Friend."
The watching detective snorted.
"Ha, big deal. What top-shelf lawyer you gonna trot out? With evidence and witnesses stacked, one lawyer changes nothing. You rookies."
"It changes everything."
I replied with utter certainty, and he furrowed his brow like I'd said something insane.
"What?"
"You just said you follow the law."
Of course.
I declared it.
"So we'll play your game—by the law."
The investigation room door burst open at my words.
Men in black suits poured in, lining up behind me. A middle-aged one, apparently the lead, handed the detective what looked like a business card.
"Lead counsel from Dike Law Firm. Han Kwang-gi. We'll be handling Kim Sea-a's defense from here. Direct all questions to me."
"Uh? I..."
"Warrant issued to Prosecutor Han Chang-wook, but no detention warrant yet. You know you can't hold her past 48 hours without one?"
"Ah... well..."
"So until the detention warrant arrives or 48 hours pass, our team stays with the client. Or if it's inconvenient, end today's session and issue a summons later."
Dike—one of Korea's mega-firms.
The moment they declared they'd camp out for two days, any scheme the other side had was dead in the water.
They'd targeted Sea-a assuming no one was behind her.
"Excuse me, I need to make a quick call."
"By all means."
The detective stepped out briefly.
Sea-a stared at me, still lost.
"......Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, I just... have no clue what's happening. Law firm? Defense team? What the hell is this?"
......Too sudden?
"You know I'm loaded, right?"
"Yeah."
"Just called in a favor from the firm I use."
"Ha, but that must cost a fortune..."
"The gear in the clubroom probably cost more than this."
"Ah......"
Facts.
Moments later, the detective returned, fidgeting nervously, and bowed to us.
"You can go for today... Please show up for the next summons date... Thank you."
"Ah, sure..."
Word must've reached upstairs about Dike's team.
Whatever they had prepped didn't matter to us.
Alright then.
"Let's go."
"......Huh?"
"Not going home?"
"Ah, yeah! Let's!"
Whoever in the police or prosecutor's office targeted Kim Sea-a, my job was simple.
Counter-snipe and take them down.
They thought they were the apex predator—but I'd make them feel like prey before a hunter with a shotgun.
Crush them so thoroughly they'd never touch us again.
That was the Calione way.