Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Who Am I? S-Rank 'Owner' (2)
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[United States, White House. Presidential Office.]
"Holy mother fucker."
In the Oval Office, a brown-haired white man spat out a curse as he yanked off his tie.
Aizen A. Luigi, the current President of the United States, slumped into his chair and squeezed his eyes shut.
The office was empty.
He'd chased out all his aides.
If someone asked whether it was okay to leave the president alone, the answer was obviously no—security protocols made it impossible.
But presidents craved those ten minutes of solitude all the same.
Especially amid endless political clashes with others or backlash from supporters.
"Million Awakeners."
President Luigi covered his face with his hands.
God's miracle.
As one man among many, more Awakeners appearing was undoubtedly a good thing.
—Why are there fewer than ten thousand Awakeners in America out of a million?
—This is God's punishment because the current president is screwing up politics!
"Fucking political invalids."
Yet as the President of the United States, he felt deeply wronged on multiple fronts.
Million Awakenings.
The global Hunter Association's jointly operated database currently listed around four hundred thousand officially registered Awakeners who had declared themselves blessed.
Still six hundred thousand left, but ratios mattered, didn't they?
Click.
President Luigi manipulated his smartphone linked to the TV, pulling up a screen.
[Number of officially registered Awakeners in America: 3,744.]
"Fuck."
The vulgarity slipped out naturally.
He could understand why, in the land of the free, so many viewed national registration as an infringement on their liberty—like in those comics where heroes clashed over it.
But people knew the truth.
Registering with the Association and getting a license made life easier.
Before the Million Awakenings, unregistered Awakeners had been less than 0.01% of the total. Registering as a Hunter wasn't such a bad deal.
Not like some Eastern country forcing military service on registration.
Even so, why were the numbers this low?
People realized it.
An absolute shortage.
Fewer people were Awakening across the entire American continent, plain and simple.
Even compared to neighboring Canada or Mexico, where Awakeners numbered nearly five or ten thousand.
"Oh, God."
President Luigi clasped his hands in prayer.
"I get that You're trying to nurture the sore finger more, but why must I endure this trial because of it?"
Reviewing data on Awakeners popping up everywhere, President Luigi discerned God's providence amid the trends.
Fewer Awakeners where they were scarce.
Thanks to that, he realized God bestowed grace transcending nations, races, even religions—everywhere.
But that grace was relatively sparse in America.
Because they already had plenty of Hunters.
President Luigi had approval ratings over 60%, excelling in the hunter capitalism era.
He'd recruited Hunters from every nation, boasting the world's top Hunter forces.
Yet that very policy left them reaping the least from the Million Awakenings miracle?
—If Luigi hadn't lavished our taxes on Hunters, we'd have gotten over ten thousand just lying down!
He felt so wronged.
Especially from those who'd nitpicked every time he offered high salaries to recruits. It was enough to give him a stroke.
"Should I just quit?"
The thought of resignation crossed his mind several times a day, but never as intensely as now.
Many would be disappointed. He hadn't discussed it with his aides yet, but he was tempted to blast it straight on SNS—
"?"
Among countless DMs, one caught his eye.
"Elaine?"
The profile pic was the exact "maid cosplayer" those harassing him in Congress had paraded as evidence.
A DM from her.
Nothing like the usual spam—though he wondered if some lookalike was spamming.
"......."
Maybe because those golden eyes in the profile were mesmerizing.
Or perhaps his political instincts, which had saved his career multiple times.
Tap.
President Luigi tapped the DM, scrolling up and down through the photo and message repeatedly to confirm.
Sentences that looked machine-translated.
But this photo.
And the content.
"Ha."
Above all.
"Come to Korea if you want to meet?"
Confidence.
"......."
Creak.
The door burst open.
"Mr. President. Permanent Aide Michael has betrayed us."
"He's just leaked to the press corps. That you did nothing for ten minutes while an S-rank tower vanished..."
Aides stormed in with grave faces. The president signaled for quiet and pointed to the door.
"......."
The aide followed the unnervingly calm President's lead.
"Michael betrayed us?"
"Yes. Seems like he's..."
"Worst judgment at the most critical moment."
As President Luigi smirked, the aides clenched their fists tight.
The irritation and exhaustion from before chasing them out? Gone.
He brimmed with more vitality and confidence than during his nationwide presidential campaign.
"So, an S-rank tower got cleared in Korea?"
"Yes, Mr. President."
"Gotta go congratulate them. In person."
"...No way?"
"Shh."
Aides clapped hands over mouths at his meaningful grin.
"Keep it secret. Prep Air Force One immediately. Cancel all schedules, ignore whatever they bark."
This was their President.
The ironclad politician they'd watched since his Senate days.
"Head to Korea. Let's set up a meeting with our new hero."
Thirty minutes later.
President Aizen Armstrong Luigi's private jet began taxiing toward the runway.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ [I'll come meet you in person soon. Keep this account active. I'll leave word with the company owning this account.]
Maybe because it's translated.
Unlike the original English—which sounded polite—the sunglasses and muscles in the profile screamed intimidation, like 'Is this guy actually an Awakener?'
"This is insane. For real. DMing the US President."
"Could it be an aide or someone lower?"
Elaine was quickly scanning other accounts.
Probably politicians' SNS for intel.
"Nah. It's separate. Not the official government SNS—his personal one. He's managed it personally since his Senate days."
"...M-Master?"
During a brief stop at a red light, Elaine lowered her smartphone and called to me.
"Does that mean we're going to America?"
"......."
"Master?"
"Telling the US President to come here, then saying 'let's just grab a Big Mac' would be kinda awkward, right?"
"Understood. I'll translate for you, so speak freely."
"You can do English?"
"Korean, Japanese, English. I can use these three languages."
"Ah, global server."
If the game she'd come from had Chinese servers, she'd probably speak Chinese too.
'No interest in that side, but for future summons, better prepare mentally.'
Not eager, but direct communication might be needed someday.
"Elaine. There's a proverb here: 'Away from home, even dogs suffer.'"
"......."
"But if staying home means suffering worse than out there, sometimes it's better to head outside."
"If the hospitality in America outshines the comforts offered to you here..."
"Unless it's the absolute worst case, we'll stay put and think it through step by step."
Perfect position for me.
"Patriotism only kicks in when it makes you feel patriotic. I'm not about slaving away under obligation."
"But just leaving..."
"That's separate from assets or whatever. And it involves you too."
Might be reasons I can't leave even if I wanted to.
"The dev company has to keep the game running to make you stronger, right?"
Elaine's power had hit a peak.
But on a scale from zero to a hundred, it wasn't quite full marks.
"They could release new sacred relics tailored for you. And the gear you're wearing now? Not fully refined."
Elaine could grow even stronger.
Right here in Korea.
And if the game company tanked or botched something with a nerf—
'Won't happen.'
Even if not, block the variables.
"If it were an American game, I'd have bolted there immediately."
"Th-That... for my sake?"
"Obviously."
One criterion I'd always prioritize above all.
"Right now, you're my number zero in every decision."
"...The same for me, Master."
The moment Elaine placed her hand on my thigh with a faint smile.
"I—"
Flash.
A light sparkled ahead.