Bonds
"Ah, Miso Cheonsa. How was this returnee—no, this naturalized immigrant? Should we take any additional measures?"
At first glance, the words might have sounded rather strange. In Korea, it was uncommon for an adult to address a child with such formal courtesy. Yet the man showed not the faintest hint of awkwardness in treating the little blonde girl with such reverence, and the child receiving that treatment found it equally natural.
"I don't think that will be necessary. Her way of thinking is a little different from ours, but she was fundamentally a good person. That's a relief. She's just rather lacking in common sense, so she'll need someone living in close contact with her. We'll have to hope Yegyeong handles that well."
They were exchanging polite speech, and yet it was the little girl who seemed far more at ease. From that alone, one could easily guess which of them stood higher. Even so, watching the man who had been sitting alone in the deserted office speak so freely to Miso Cheonsa, most people would have assumed the two of them were simply partners in cooperation.
"Even something done without malice could be fatal to us. Like a baby shattering a glass, or accidentally setting the house on fire. That's why I wanted to ask—whether you would be able to stop Yeonmin, should it come to that."
The content was rather grim, if that counted as a problem. This was a conversation that assumed actual combat. Miso Cheonsa did not object. She seemed already well aware that such a thing was possible.
"It depends on what it is, that's the issue. I could stop her from turning every person in the world into a pretty girl. But if she wanted a great many humans to die... there's nothing I could do about that. Even if I tried to stop her, you'd all get caught in the fallout of the fight. And it wouldn't even produce a winner."
"You're saying she's a kind of natural disaster."
"Well, what can you do? It's not as if humans can do anything about a meteor strike. Ah—these days I suppose you'd just smash it with a satellite cannon. Anyway, it's that sort of feeling. This place is my hometown, and I only block outside interference because I want to watch your stories unfold. But it's too early to assume Yeonmin will do the same. At least she's rather innocent by nature, which is fortunate. The best thing you can do is make her surroundings pleasant."
Listening to them, it made a certain sense. They were clearly discussing a person, and yet their attitude was that of people dealing with a force of nature. And that was fair enough. Intelligent beings who crossed over from other worlds had different common sense, different ways of thinking. If you treated them identically just because they were kind and looked the same, and let your guard down, you might pay a bitter price.
Of course, those who had come this far aiming for coexistence and harmony almost never reached such fatal conflict. Still, minor misunderstandings did arise from time to time. There was the otherworlder who smashed a drinking glass in a bar as thanks for a good meal, and promptly had to pay for the damages. There was the elf who tried to kiss someone in gratitude and wound up dating a local. Somewhere on the internet, there was even a post about someone who raised a middle finger during an argument and got reported for sexual harassment. Those were the light cases. In worse ones, lives hung in the balance.
"...Is there nothing else we can do to prepare?"
The man hoped such things would never happen. So he kept seeking advice from Miso Cheonsa, hoping to do something—anything.
"Hmm. Yeonmin's appearance is that of an extraordinarily beautiful woman, isn't it? There may well be moths who fly toward the flame with impure intentions. So give her a reasonably high position, so that no one dares treat her carelessly. Hehe—you've dealt with three transcendents already. You know this well. When it comes to shackling a higher being, carrots work best. Oppression and threats only backfire. You already know that from watching the previous Association President."
"Wasn't the previous Association President just ousted for corruption? Haa... I never wanted this position in the first place... All right. I'll take measures. Then the restraints don't really mean anything, do they? Wouldn't it be better to just let her go? They must be uncomfortable."
"As I told you, it's to keep others from treating her carelessly. She herself won't feel particularly stifled by that level of restraint. But it's different for other people. A puppy running around barking is just cute. A fierce dog on a leash with a muzzle, though—you wouldn't dare touch it so readily, would you? And at the same time, because that fierce dog is tied up, people feel safer. That measure is entirely for the peace of mind of those watching."
"Hoo... Understood. Anything else you'd advise?"
"Hehe. Don't stress too much, and try to enjoy yourself a little. Even if all sorts of incidents happen, as long as no one dies or gets hurt, they're just happenings, aren't they?"
"I hope so."
Miso Cheonsa rattled off a few more unhelpful remarks and vanished in a flash. All that remained before the Association President was a single pure-white feather she had dropped, telling him to call her if anything came up. Of course, whether he waved it or burned it, nothing would happen.
"I heard some news from Miso Cheonsa, who instructed the two of you today. She said you were both extremely cooperative with the education, and that you'd have no trouble getting along with other people. You even got along well with Nyangnyangbeam?"
After we had written up the incident report, and after being firmly warned that if the gate's rank ever rose we must evacuate or hide—since we hadn't actually done anything wrong—we parted from the others and boarded Yegyeong's car. That was when Yegyeong told Helena and me this.
Maybe she was saying something nice because Helena was still looking so down. Was Helena still blaming herself for coming over because of me? Or was she feeling sorry that I had used my power?
But I couldn't comfort her there. If the others found out I'd used my power, that would be bad. Helena knew that too, which was why she'd whispered. So I couldn't even say, I'm fine, you know? Using a little power doesn't bother me at all. Faith...? What's that supposed to be? I wasn't originally a god, so that doesn't even apply to me.
"Ah, that cat pretty-girl? How could anyone in the world not get along with someone that cute?"
Hoping Helena would cheer up on her own, I continued the conversation in a deliberately bright voice. For some reason, her gaze turned sharp.
Hmm. Had she been suffering alone, worrying about me, while I was cheerfully chatting away—and that made her resentful?
"Yeonmin. Don't tell me your eyes lit up because Nyangnyangbeam is a beauty?"
Ah. So that was it. I'd thought she was depressed from worrying about me. I never expected her eyes to go in this direction.
Well. Jealousy was better than gloom, wasn't it? I didn't know why she'd feel jealous about me looking at another pretty girl. Maybe it was like how a child instinctively grows anxious when their mother is kind to another kid.
Ah, I hadn't thought it through. Helena was practically a child in this world, and I'd gone and cooed over other kids while leaving her aside. I should reflect on that.
"Come on. Nyangnyangbeam is a cute girl, that's a fact, isn't it? But in my eyes, Helena is the prettiest. Don't worry."
"W-who said I wanted to hear something like that?"
So I plopped my head onto Helena's shoulder, trying my own brand of affection. Maybe because we were both women, Helena recoiled, looking thoroughly put off.
Hmm. I'd heard women were usually fine with this sort of thing. Holding hands, sleeping together, even nuzzling cheeks—wasn't all of that allowed? That's how it was over there. I didn't remember well how it was in this world. Here people even went to the bathroom together, and went to saunas where you took all your clothes off.
But seeing Helena so disgusted... maybe this, too, was because she hadn't had time to build bonds with friends. In the end, it was all because of me.
Even so, perhaps because Helena, for all her sharpness, was a kind person at heart, she didn't push me away. She kept scowling, but she still offered me her shoulder.
Yegyeong glanced at the two of us in the rearview mirror and spoke, a hint of laughter in her voice.
"I can see the two of you get along well. Still, they said that for kind-hearted people like you, communicating a bit more with those around you would help you settle in here. Normally we isolate naturalized immigrants until they adapt to modern society, but that doesn't seem necessary for you two. So we're thinking of arranging lodging close to other naturalized immigrants. Neighbors who also came from other worlds should share some common ground, so I imagine you'll become friends quickly."
So that was why they'd said this morning they'd get us a house. I'd wondered why we had culture education first and lodging assigned later. They were deciding what kind of home to send us to based on how we behaved in class.
Good thing I talked actively with other people. If I'd sat there looking sullen like Helena, we'd probably both still be living in the interrogation room.
"Ooh. So we're going to a nest of our very own? We don't have to go back to the interrogation room?"
"That's right. Even if the interrogation room has a bed, sleeping in a bleak, cramped room must have been uncomfortable."
"Wow! Helena, we're getting our own house!"
"D-don't rub against me. Yeonmin, your chest keeps brushing my arm..."
"I can't help that. My arms are tied."
Excited, I wriggled against Helena's shoulder. Even though we were both women, Helena's face went red just from my chest touching her.
It hurt my heart a little every time I saw that. But the bonds with friends she'd never gotten to form as a child—I had to look after those for her, even if it was late. So I rubbed my upper body against Helena's arm even more playfully.
Unable to endure it, Helena finally grabbed my arm and held it fast. So I couldn't move.
...Embarrassingly, my chest seized up and went rigid for a moment. At the thought: she's so charismatic.