Chapter 5
The dinner with the handler—which had been tasty enough to savor—ended so anticlimactically. She stretched out languidly, her face taking on a sleepy expression with a small yawn. If it had stopped there, I could have brushed it off without much trouble, but her next move quickly tangled everything up.
"Is that where Siwoo-nim sleeps?"
She zeroed right in on my bed. I flinched for a second but hurried to clear away the random clutter on top.
I turned to her and said, "Yeah. You can sleep here."
"And Siwoo-nim?"
"I'll crash on the floor."
Jenia's face soured with dissatisfaction, as if that wasn't the answer she'd been fishing for.
"Wouldn't it be better to stick close and share our warmth?"
"We've got this thing called a boiler here, so the floor's not bad at all. Remember? Boiler."
I deliberately sidestepped her implication. All to avoid getting pulled into her game.
"Siwoo-nim is so sly."
But she wasn't one to back down easily. She made no move to let it slide, openly showing her disappointment.
"You rarely let me stay by your side, and then you just up and returned, leaving me behind."
"That was..."
I swallowed hard. Now that Jenia had crossed over to this world, it was basically a weakness for me. Even if I had no choice, I couldn't deny it had been cruel to her.
"It's okay, though."
She sat down on my bed.
"We'll be together from now on, after all."
Plop! She flopped back onto the pillow and quickly regained her smile.
"This bed is so incredibly soft. Everything here is just amazing."
"Glad you like it."
Even in this awkward spot, seeing her wear an expression I'd never seen before didn't feel half bad. Back then, I'd wanted her to enjoy things like this someday.
Remembering that, I pulled the blanket over her.
"You must be tired. Get some sleep quick. Starting tomorrow, you'll be busy learning all sorts of stuff."
I was beat too. She nodded, and I laid out my bedding on the floor. Lying there, memories of camping without a tent in that other world flooded back.
We'd just light a campfire and huddle under a blanket.
Few warm regions there, so the chill always gnawed at you no matter where you went.
"Siwoo-nim."
Jenia spoke up.
"May today's weariness fade into the sweet dreams of deep slumber."
The blessing-like words she'd always said at every stop on our journey.
"Yeah, you too."
I pulled up my blanket and soon couldn't fight the sleep crashing over me. My eyes drifted shut.
"Hello. I'm Seo Harin, the handler for returnees."
The next day, Jenia—who'd come with me to the Hunter Association Mapo Branch—came face-to-face with my handler, Seo Harin.
"I've heard about you already, Ms. Jenia. I'll be handling your affairs from now on too."
"...Handler."
Jenia slowly opened her mouth. As I swallowed nervously, she replied with a smile.
"I see. So you're the one who took Siwoo-nim out for a bit yesterday?"
"Pardon? Oh, did you see us?"
"If Siwoo-nim hadn't introduced you, I was planning to track you down and say hello myself. Lucky we ran into each other like this."
Her tone was soft, but it carried a sharp edge underneath.
Phew. Good call on this.
Yesterday, I'd felt eyes on us from the window, so I worried Jenia might've spotted her. To avoid issues, introducing them myself first seemed best—and it looked like I'd nailed it.
"I'm Jenia. I've been serving Siwoo-nim since that other world."
Now Jenia introduced herself.
"This world has too much I don't know yet, so I'm afraid I can't fulfill my role properly for now."
"N-no need to push yourself. I'll be handling you too, Ms. Jenia. I'll make sure to support whatever you need going forward."
"..."
Seo Harin's innocent response made Jenia's expression stiffen.
Did she miss the warning?
Jenia clearly resented the idea of anyone else handling him besides her. That had been her way of showing it.
Or maybe she caught it and played dumb on purpose.
Seo Harin was known as highly competent. Handling Korea's sole returnee meant she had to have razor-sharp instincts.
Either way, as long as no sparks flew between them, I was golden.
"Ms. Seo Harin, is the thing I requested ready?"
At my question, she snapped to attention.
"Ah, yes. All set."
"Siwoo-nim? Ready meaning...?"
I explained to the tilting-headed Jenia.
"You know the power I got in that world, right?"
"You mean your holy power?"
"Yeah. We're checking if it works here to some degree."
Even with precedents from other returnees showing otherworld powers combined with this world's, individual cases could differ.
And even if it works, we need to gauge its utility.
How helpful it'd be against monsters from now on—that was next to test.
"You'll have stuff to do in the meantime too, Jenia."
"Pardon? Me?"
Jenia looked puzzled. I asked Seo Harin additionally.
"Handler, can you get Jenia access to the association's information library?"
"The information library?"
Seo Harin echoed, then nodded.
"Sure, no problem. Should I teach her computer basics too?"
"That'd be great. If it's okay, could you handle getting her a phone too? She needs to stay in touch with me and search for stuff on it."
"Got it. Then..."
Seo Harin glanced at Jenia.
"I think I'll need to guide you separately from Siwoo. Is that alright?"
"..."
Jenia looked to me instead of answering.
"Do it."
"But..."
"You said you wanted to stay by my side. To do that, you need to learn this world fast. Everything moves quick here. If you really want to be my dedicated one, you gotta adapt."
Firm words.
Might as well do this right.
If I showed any weakness, Jenia would latch onto it. Like back in that world, I had to be strict where needed.
That way, she'd feel that 'security' again.
"Understood."
"If it's what Siwoo-nim thinks best, I must comply, of course."
Comply, huh.
I need time to adjust too.
While she used the library, I'd get some breathing room.
"So, Ms. Jenia, shall we go? Siwoo, head to the VIP counter in the branch lobby—they'll take care of you."
Seo Harin shot me a knowing look, as if reading my intent. I nodded.
"Thanks."
Jenia walked off with Seo Harin. She glanced back a few times, so I had to linger and wave until she was out of sight.
"...Whew!"
Only then did I rub my face with my hand.
"Not easy."
Still, we'd muddled through somehow. I pushed aside worries about what lay ahead and stepped into the branch building.
As Jenia walked, she flicked her gaze sideways. There was Seo Harin, the handler, trotting along.
Cute impression. Again?
The thought crossed her mind, but back in that world, all sorts had approached Siwoo too. For whatever reasons.
It's Siwoo-nim, so unavoidable.
This was just par for the course now. What mattered was whether this one could get a step ahead of the others.
Before more cross over here...
She had to adapt fully in this place. Only then could she solidify her spot by his side.
Swoosh.
Calming her mind with effort, her gaze shifted once more. This time to a nearby rooftop.
A single person lurked there, secretly watching them.
"Looks like we have an uninvited guest."
"Pardon?"
"Don't mind it. Just talking to myself."
A blue magic circle glowed in her eyes.
⟨ Eye of Binding ⟩
The person on the rooftop froze solid, as if gripped by an invisible force.
"Let's hurry. To interrogate, I need some info to throw questions at first."
"Pardon? Interrogate?"
Turning from the baffled Seo Harin, Jenia muttered like it was nothing.
"It's nothing." As if she had no intention of explaining.