Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: What Is This...
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After the stream ended, Yura was checking out today's public opinion when she came across community posts about the Armchair Advisor viewer.
The viewer who'd ripped into her interview had apparently appeared on Cruise's stream.
Recalling the interview fiasco from earlier made Yura's stomach churn.
Just like the community post, Yura was curious too.
"So... where the heck did he really go?"
In cases where a student's unexcused absence can't be accounted for or their safety is in question,
the school can request a police investigation.
"Skipping this much from the start of the semester... That's weird."
Homeroom teacher Oh Eun-ye, already noting the kid's odd vibe, contacted the police right away when they vanished.
That was yesterday.
Last Friday.
And today,
Lee Hyung-chul headed out for a home visit with his junior.
"Is this really our job? For real."
"What can we do, senior? It got dumped on us."
They sighed a couple times in front of the door.
Lee Hyung-chul was part of the Special Division, so house calls for truant elementary kids weren't his usual beat.
"Haa... What'd the kid do?"
Before ringing the doorbell, Lee Hyung-chul double-checked with his junior.
"Dunno the details, but it got assigned to us from up top."
"Awakener, right?"
"Yes."
Awakener.
If Hunters were the ones who hunted monsters,
and Heroes were the cops who caught Villains,
then Awakener was the blanket term for anyone with special abilities or stats above a certain threshold.
"That's why it landed on us Gate specialists."
They'd offloaded Awakener-related work onto them.
Lee Hyung-chul sighed at the messy handoff, but it was unavoidable.
With recent incidents leaving them short-staffed, he'd just shown up at the right time.
"Senior, I'm not even Gate squad."
"Whatever. All I got handed was 'team up with two or more for home visits.' You hear anything else?"
"No, nothing."
"Haa... These bastards."
Not content with wasting their time, no proper handover either.
Just back from leave, Lee Hyung-chul hadn't even grasped the full scope yet.
He got the gist, but it wasn't his expertise, so only rote procedure.
And no manual provided.
His oversight in not checking thoroughly since it wasn't core duties bit him now.
"Anyway, let's go in and check it out. Address says only one kid lives here."
"Got it."
Before entering, Lee Hyung-chul scanned first. Checked if the electric and water meters were running, sensed if anyone was inside.
The meters were spinning strong.
Not a runaway then.
"Someone's inside."
"Senior, neighbors say they've only ever seen one kid in there."
"Living alone like the address?"
It ended up like a stakeout, but just in case of ongoing domestic violence,
things could go south suddenly.
To prevent that, Lee Hyung-chul rang the doorbell.
Ding-dong!
A short chime rang out, followed by movement inside.
Lee Hyung-chul announced himself.
If something shady was happening, it'd buy a pause.
Just hearing "police" at a crime scene makes perps hesitate.
If the kid was getting abused right now, the parents would freak at "police," hide the kid, either open up or throw a fit refusing.
This was the tensest moment.
No telling what might come out when the door opens.
"That one junior got stabbed in the gut right as the door opened last time."
He'd heard about a fellow officer on a child abuse house call who got knifed during the visit. Famous case, still fresh since it was just months ago.
So with heightened alertness, senses sharp,
Click.
The door opened.
And out came a little kid.
"Um... why are you here?"
With a stiff expression, like something hit a nerve.
I admit it.
I put too much faith in the internet.
I'd seen some special law saying you don't have to go to your regular school if enrolling in the Academy, so I ditched... and it became a problem.
The info was right, but only half right.
Gotta filter internet info better.
But calling it "unexcused" only if without principal's permission? That's not unexcused then, is it?
Drifting off for a sec, the cop asked me,
"Hey kid, where are your parents?"
"Gone."
As I answered, I sighed in relief seeing the cop look at me with pity for some reason.
Good thing it was just elementary school stuff.
I'd thought the cops showing up meant they were here about that Gate clear with the orc last time.
Figured my magic skills had leaked somehow.
Thankfully not yet.
-If you don't practice magic, you'll forget it all later? You improve by using it. It atrophies if you don't.
This time you're wrong.
Not using it didn't rust my skills.
"So how do you manage daily life?"
"Handle my own eating and sleeping."
"On your own?"
"Go to the mart nearby, buy ingredients, cook."
"Got enough money?"
"Yes."
Even if not, plenty of ways to earn, no worries.
The cop who introduced himself as Lee Hyung-chul eyed me up.
His junior, the "backup cop," was snooping around every corner,
trying to be subtle, but his darting eyes and tilted head gave it away.
"So why haven't you been going to school all this time?"
Finally, this question.
The one I'd been waiting for.
"Thinking of enrolling in the Academy. That's why."
"I see. Any other issues?"
"Nope."
So, time to head out now, right?
Lemme watch my stream in peace.
I'd planned a quick chat at the door, but it dragged a bit.
Mouth got bored, so I crunched a potato chip.
"Ah, want some?"
Lee Hyung-chul was staring at me.
"Nah, I'm good."
He waved it off.
Then why stare like that?
Kinda creepy.
Then the junior came up and whispered to Lee Hyung-chul.
No matter how quiet, it all reached my ears.
'Senior, looks like the kid really lives alone.'
'No trace of anyone else?'
'Yes. No signs of other people, so probably not abuse from outsiders.'
'Yeah. No common bruises, kid looks fine. But why live alone?'
'Beats us. Family circumstances, probably. Anyway, figure out why no school?'
'Yeah, planning Academy enrollment.'
'Academy?'
'We'll hash out the rest back at base. Wrap this up first.'
Ahem.
Clearing his throat, Lee Hyung-chul handed me something.
"Notice from the school to come back. Kid, not tomorrow—starting next Monday, you gotta go unless there's special reason. Need principal's approval for unexcused absences, so talk to your homeroom teacher. And pass this on to your legal guardian: police came by."
The rest faded out for my old ears.
The front part hit too hard.
What?
Back to that school...?
Can't I just keep skipping unexcused?
Ignore cops next time they come.
Sounds solid.
Mulling it seriously,
-Bzzz!
Phone rang.
Huh? Unknown number.
Spam probably, but prefix was Academy callback.
Excuse myself quick and picked up.
"Hello?"
[You're handling today's Academy transfer exam applicant, right?]
"Yes."
[Congratulations. You're accepted. Come Monday, so calling ahead.]
Music to my drought-stricken ears.
Cranked volume so cops could hear.
[Start coming next Monday. Enrollment procedures as follows.]
Five minutes later.
Hung up after the rundown.
Turned to Lee Hyung-chul right away.
"Got into the Academy. No need for school now, right?"
Phew... Thought I'd have to go back to elementary.
"......"
"Hm?"
Lee Hyung-chul was giving me a weird look.
After a few calls with Academy staff, the cops just left.
"Elementary student... short stature... Gate..."
Lee Hyung-chul eyed me strangely till the end, but nothing came of it.
Sloppy handling showed it wasn't their main gig.
Guess that's resolved.
Back to streaming...
"......"
Dumped the last potato chips in my mouth.
Crunch.
Guess I'll skip today's stream.
That afternoon,
I headed to the mart for dinner stuff.
Truth is, I'd polished off the chips already.
Path to the mart passes the elementary school.
No need to attend anymore, so breezing by...
"Huh?"
Stepped back a few paces.
Something new caught my eye by the road.
Precisely, at the gate of the elementary I'd attended one day.
A banner was flapping.
Hm...
What is this...