SSS-Rank Awakener
SSS-Rank.
Today was another peaceful day at the Awakener Association.
Especially the very peaceful Awakeners-only counter.
Receptionist Lee Jiyoung had experienced something strange.
She had been staring straight ahead without blinking, but suddenly a customer appeared right in front of the counter.
She hadn't even seen the person walking over.
It was as if she had popped up from the ground, standing gracefully in that spot.
She had been working as a counter attendant for several years now.
But never in all that time had she encountered anything like this bizarre occurrence, and Lee Jiyoung felt a chill run down her spine.
She was once a B-rank Awakener, after all.
That made her even more aware of the gap between herself and the person in front of her eyes.
While desperately trying not to scream, Lee Jiyoung greeted the mage first.
"Um, hello?"
"Hello. This is the Awakeners-only counter, right?"
The unfamiliar customer, who greeted her with a gentle smile, was a woman with long blue hair.
The swirling storm of magical power emanating from the staff in her hand was something Lee Jiyoung couldn't help but find terrifying.
Lee Jiyoung glanced at the staff and belatedly answered.
"...Yes. What can I do for you?"
"I want to register as an Awakener. Right? Jisu-ya?"
The mage turned around.
The one who had arrived late was a petite girl with pink hair reaching down to her waist.
Her hair color and eye color matched perfectly, as if she were wearing colored contact lenses, and a white t-shirt with a subtle pattern suited her very well.
The pink-haired girl looked around, confirmed something, and let out a long sigh as if she had given up.
She seemed uncomfortable, probably because she was aware of the gazes around her.
After all, even Lee Jiyoung herself thought the two of them were stunningly beautiful.
And on top of that, they were using the Awakeners-only counter, so it was impossible not to attract attention.
Since the two arrived at the Awakeners counter, all the people's gazes were directed at the mage and the girl.
"...Yes. That's right."
The pink-haired girl gave a resentful glance at her companion and nodded.
Lee Jiyoung seemed to understand the gist of the situation.
Apparently, the two had different opinions.
The girl probably wanted to use the regular counter because she didn't want to stand out, and the mage, who seemed to be her companion, wanted to use the Awakeners counter.
And the girl had won, judging by her standing in front.
Lee Jiyoung's tense body relaxed a bit.
It had been terrifying at first, but with the girl's appearance, it felt okay now.
The mage looked at the petite pink-haired girl with a displeased expression and chuckled.
"Correct."
"Yes, understood. What is your name?"
The mage shook her head.
"Not me. This kid."
Lee Jiyoung nodded.
Upon second look, it did look like that.
The mage woman looked like a seasoned Awakener, and the girl had a flushed expression as if she was pretending to dislike something.
Which one was going to do the registration was obvious.
"Ah, sorry. What is your name?"
"Ban Jisu... yes."
"Yes, Awakener Ban Jisu. First, I sincerely congratulate you on awakening. Please look at the screen here."
Pointing to the screen of the customer service tablet PC, both the mage and the girl named Ban Jisu turned their gazes to it at the same time.
Although the two looked different, the fact that they were doing the same action at the same time made them look like a harmonious pair of sisters, and Lee Jiyoung couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
But she continued the response without showing it.
"According to Article 5, Paragraph 1 of the Awakener Industry Promotion Act, we will collect your personal information and rank for the first time this year. Do you consent?"
"Yes."
The pink-haired girl answered briskly.
"Hmm."
However, for some reason, the mage's face hardened.
The girl next to her didn't seem to notice it.
It was natural because the girl's body was leaning slightly forward, so she had to turn around to look at the face of the person next to her, making it hard to notice.
Moreover, no one could have predicted that a person's face would change as abruptly as a disguise.
'Why, why is she like that. Did I do something wrong?'
Lee Jiyoung was very anxious because she didn't know the reason, but anyway, she had to finish her job.
Professional Lee Jiyoung continued the registration procedure smoothly.
"Please look at the screen and write your name with the pen there."
"Um... Do I not need to write other things like date of birth?"
Perhaps because she was being meticulous with the documents at a young age, the girl Ban Jisu asked.
"I was about to explain. As I said, according to the law implemented from the beginning of this year, to protect the personal safety of Awakeners, only the name and rank of the Awakener's personal information are collected."
She wasn't crossing any lines?
Lee Jiyoung had that feeling.
"Done!"
However, at the same time, Ban Jisu shouted while stopping her pen movement.
Lee Jiyoung quickly forgot whether she had heard correctly and focused back on her work.
"Huh?"
Lee Jiyoung, who saw what Ban Jisu had written, was taken aback.
Name: Ban Jisu
Rank: SSS
"Ahaha... Jisu-nim?"
"Yes?"
"You can't joke around."
"What?"
"SSS?"
"Why?"
She looked like she didn't know what she had done wrong, with a naturally innocent expression.
'She has acting talent?'
Lee Jiyoung clicked her tongue at the girl's acting skill.
There were occasional customers like this.
People who claimed to have awakened EX-rank abilities and demanded the association president come out and treat them well.
It happened regardless of gender and age.
In reality, it was close to people who saw the status window and were disappointed, denying reality.
They were kicked out of the association and given access prohibition orders if they didn't stop, so it wasn't often seen.
But an innocent-looking kid doing such a thing.
Lee Jiyoung decided to humor her.
Unlike the crazy ones, the girl seemed quite smart and seemed to understand the meaning.
"The Awakener rank is only up to S-rank at most. Saying SSS-rank is a lie, right?"
"It's true."
There was no choice.
Lee Jiyoung decided to use her last resort.
"Then, can you share your status window?"
"Status window share?"
"Yes, if you're really SSS-rank, show me that status window."
It was a killer move.
No matter how stubborn the person was, their tail would be tucked here.
Until now it was WWE, but from here it became a legal issue.
The Awakener registration procedure collects personal information minimally according to the law implemented from the beginning of this year, but the rank is different.
Since it concerns the lives of many people and even the peace of the world, it couldn't be helped.
The conditions for dividing Awakener ranks were simple.
If they receive a physical examination or recognition from an official third party, they get that rank; otherwise, they are automatically F-rank.
Because of this, people who boast about their awakening in relation to Awakeners appear occasionally.
Just like you can tell a man is a man or a woman is a woman with one glance.
The rank of Awakeners is also clearly revealed by looking at the status window.
Indeed, the girl Ban Jisu was like that.
With the words "If you get angry, authenticate!" the girl Ban Jisu showed a reluctant retreat.
"Then, I won't do it."
"Yes. I'll write F-rank?"
... For some reason, the mage's expression became even more sinister than before.
Lee Jiyoung tried to finish the procedure as quickly as possible, unlike other times.
So, she quickly handled all the procedures, and finally only the registration procedure remained.
By dropping a drop of blood from the Awakener's own body onto the Awakener ID card, the registration was completed.
"Please drop one drop of blood here."
At that moment.
"...Wait a second."
As if her mind had changed, Ban Jisu stopped her finger from dropping the blood and looked at Lee Jiyoung.
"Is there a problem, Jisu-nim?"
"Please look here?"
"Ah... what is this...?! Impossible!"
***
No.
Did you have to look at the status window to register as an Awakener, or start as F-rank no matter what?
I didn't know.
It was strange that I got delayed at the end while traveling.
I understood that it was legally set that way.
Information obtainable on the internet has limitations, after all.
Of course, if it's not a loss, it's a lie.
Perhaps I am the only SSS-rank on this Earth, but I can't be recognized right away.
But I accepted it.
It was a pity, but...
Still, the truth would be revealed soon.
I pondered until the end.
Whether to reveal that I am really SSS-rank or obediently become F-rank like this.
My heart, which was like a reed shaken this way and that, changed at the last moment thanks to the Elijah beside me.
"Show me. Who you are."
A voice rang in my head.
Is this the telepathy that I've only heard about?
That's why my rank became like this.
Name: Ban Jisu
Rank: Re-evaluation Required
The person above has been proven to be an Awakener according to the Awakener registration procedure.
The word 'Re-evaluation Required' engraved on the Awakener ID card was a wonderful word.
According to the explanation from the receptionist, it is a rank given when a problem occurs during the registration process and re-measurement is necessary according to regulations.
The receptionist's face, who was sweating profusely while saying that it was a rank that originally only existed in regulations, still comes to mind.
Um. Since I am a being that originally didn't exist in regulations, I accept that.
So, the Awakener registration was settled like this.
I turned the ID card over and over.
Every time it reflected the light, it sparkled beautifully.
It was said that this would be used as my identification from now on.
There was still one hill to climb, but.
Anyway.
I had officially become an Awakener.
"Congratulations. I don't know why this world has to go through registration for such things."
Elijah said with a grin beside me, but I could brush it off with a laugh.
"Still, there are quite a few benefits. Tax benefits, various conveniences, and even super-legal authority in emergencies..."
"Hmm?"
Elijah tilted her head. As if she really didn't understand.
"Isn't that natural?"
I always feel that this person lives in an incredibly huge world.
From the basic parts, her common sense seems a bit different from mine.
"By the way, that thing from earlier was really amazing. Telepathy?"
"Yeah. Want to learn? It's easy."
"How long does it take?"
"Um~ If you have talent by my standards, about 7 years?"
Eh? 7 years?
I asked, thinking it might be a trick.
"How long did it take for Elijah?"
Elijah spread her slender fingers.
"3 years? Almost half."
Way too fast.
Elijah smiled brightly.
"3 days."
Annoying. This person.
So, the first day of awakening passed in a blur.
For dinner, I ate beef as a commemoration of awakening. Beef bulgogi.
Since I didn't want to grill it at home, I ate out, but there was a small drawback.
I can't drink alcohol.
My body is like that.
When I asked for alcohol, the boss of the meat restaurant scolded me a lot along with Elijah.
If I had known this, I would have bought it and grilled it at home.
Then I could drink the beer stacked in the fridge.