Chapter 11
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 11
Saint-Rank Ability User
“Hmm.... Are my eyes dim? My tenth, is the Soi in the video really my grandson?”
“Yes. That is correct, Mother Majesty.”
The Emperor and Katerina were watching the video submitted by the reporter as evidence together.
“It's strange. Didn't you say he is twenty this year? Even seeing him in person, did he look twenty?”
“The unique black hair stands out, but compared to other Sois around him, there didn't seem to be an age difference, Mother Majesty.”
“So, you mean he's a real High-Rank Water Ability User? A 20-year-old Soi?”
“Looking only at physical ability, yes, Mother Majesty.”
“If the content is true, according to the principle of disclosure for articles related to the Imperial Family, we cannot block this article either. What should we do?”
“I only follow Mother Majesty's will.”
“Try contacting this child. I want to see him in person.”
“I obey your command, Mother Majesty.”
***
The King Has Donkey Ears Gallery
Title: Katerina's man is kinda strong?
Author: DonkeyGalller
Content: Among the gallery content coming up continuously, they say he's as hard as an Iron Ability User? Is there something like that in Water Ability?
DonkeyGalller1: If you take out the 'l' from Water Ability User (Mul-Neung-Ryuk-Ja), it becomes Incompetent (Mu-Neung-Ryuk-Ja). They don't tease for no reason. Physical ability is at that level.
DonkeyGalller2: Goddamn! Really?
DonkeyGalller1: Just go away.
DonkeyGalller2: So what if he's hard? I'm Electric.
DonkeyGalller3: You're that guy from the day, right? The one saying he'll try talking nicely?
DonkeyGalller2: Element-wise, even Iron and Stone Ability Users are no match for me. Electric element is broken OP. Since most of the human body is water. Especially a Water Ability User? Lolololol. I really want to meet him once.
DonkeyGalller3: Even though Imperial Princess Katerina cherishes him?
DonkeyGalller2: If he fights Electricity and shows an incompetent/Water Ability look, won't the rose-tinted glasses come off too?
DonkeyGalller1: Did you do that wordplay on purpose? Really just go away.
The King Has Donkey Ears Gallery
Title: Honestly he's quite handsome
Author: DonkeyGalller
Content: I can't say because I might get identified, but there is something unique so he attracts attention anyway. But his looks definitely hit different.
DonkeyGalller1: Ah, getting really pissed off.
DonkeyGalller: Ugly?
DonkeyGalller1: Don't bullshit.
The King Has Donkey Ears Gallery
Title: I really just want to see his face once
Author: DonkeyGalller
Content: What he looks like, if he really thinks he's strong himself, what a Water Ability User Soi would say seeing me, an Electric Ability User lolol
DonkeyGalller1: No, what are you gonna do cracking lame jokes then going dark repeatedly?
DonkeyGalller: I'm too angry. I can't stand seeing someone beneath me being above.
DonkeyGalller2: Imperial Princess Katerina cares about Soi welfare, so moderate yourself.
DonkeyGalller: I really have to endure. Sigh.
***
Wiii-ing! Wiii-ing! Wiii-ing!
Flames lighting up the night were wrapping around the entire mountain.
Fire trucks gathered sounding sirens, and nearby residents also surrounded the area where the forest fire broke out, watching this situation with worried expressions.
The sight of Water Ability Users creating house-sized water masses and doing extinguishment work looks impressive at first glance. However, it took 1 minute for one water mass each time. Still, fortunately, it didn't seem like the flames would spread to civilian houses.
Since it's a world of ability users, I thought rain would pour down like swaaaah! and put it out at once, but the level of extinguishment work didn't look much different from the 21st-century modern era where I originally lived.
“We are in the middle of extinguishment work! Please step back!”
A firefighter approached me, who was standing a little ahead of the crowd, and spoke.
“By any chance, are you a Water Ability User?”
“No, I'm not.”
It didn't seem like I needed to step up personally.
“Then since it is dangerous here, please step back!”
The Imperial Family are all Fire Ability Users, and I'm Water, their opposing element, so there was no need to create a situation where I stand out. The extinguishment work looked smooth and I thought it would be okay, so just as I was about to turn my steps back home,
“Uaaaaaaah!”
It was the scream of a middle-aged man. Looking at the mountain emitting red light, he howled as if wailing.
“Please calm down! What is the matter?”
The firefighter who told me to step back ran over.
“On the mountain! What about the person already up on the mountain?!”
“Where on the mountain?”
“She went up to the temple! She went up saying she would offer prayers to Her Majesty the Emperor! The phone isn't connecting right now. Please!”
“Yes. Understood. What is your relationship?”
“Mom! It's my mother!”
My steps heading home stopped.
“How old is your mother? Did she happen to awaken?”
“She is 75. She couldn't awaken. She's a normal elderly person! What do I do! What should I do?”
“First, keep trying to call. If it's the temple in Blue Cloud, it's Cheongungak, but since it's at the top of the mountain, there is a danger of suffocation due to smoke.”
“What did you say? Suffocation?!”
At the word suffocation, the man lost his reason and tried to run into the mountain, but the paramedic desperately held him back.
“Let me go!!! Please let this go~!!!!”
“Please calm down. The more you do this, the more the extinguishment work is delayed.”
“Then what about the Imperial Family? Where is the Imperial Family! Aren't they the Empire's Defenders!? They can put out all that fire!”
“I apologize, but please be careful with your remarks!”
“If it were your mom, would you stay still in this situation!? Even if I die going up, I'll say it's my responsibility! Let this go~!!!!”
“I apologize. We will do our best to save her.”
The middle-aged man struggled madly, but perhaps knowing the paramedic held him tight and would absolutely not let go, he eventually fell face down on the ground and wailed.
“Heueoeong! Mom! Mom! Keueoeong.”
At the cry howling as if his throat would tear, I stopped and couldn't move a single step.
“I'm sorry! Mom, it's my fault! Because I'm unworthy, you went to pray for me! Because I couldn't even become a Lieutenant-Rank Ability User! Heueoeohung!”
At the middle-aged man's desperate crying, I froze on the spot and was watching without being able to take my eyes off once.
Did I die in my original world? Am I missing? I hope Mom didn't look for me too much. If the original me is considered dead, I wish I could convey even one word that I'm living well here.
The man's crying sound echoed desperately. I put strength into my eyes, which kept getting hot, with all my might.
Ah! I'm a guy who can't just watch things like this.
The Imperial Family are all Fire Ability Users?
I snatched the sword of a firefighter who was struggling to make a water mass.
“No! What are you doing!!!”
“I like Munchkin. Living however the protagonist pleases without any adversity.”
“What are you talking about! You, right now for obstruction of official duty—!”
“I'm trying to live like a protagonist.”
This level of ability manifestation was a first. I felt like I needed to hold a sword to control it properly.
The second time holding a sword. Swinging it is the first. I imagined while doing a vertical cut toward the mountain.
[Pour down, heavy rain]
This time I imagined while doing a horizontal cut.
[Fog is water too]
The flames were quickly extinguished by the rain that poured like a heavy downpour. The black smoke that was thick in Blue Cloud also cleared quickly as if an invisible hand pushed it away.
Neither fire nor smoke, not even a trace remained now. The appearance of the mountain scorched black was revealed.
“““W-Wowaaaaaaa!!!”””
After a moment of silence passed, everyone let out a shout. The firefighters spraying water hoses, the nearby residents watching this situation with pity, the firefighter stopping the man saying he would go to save his mother, and even the Water Ability Users panting while making water masses, everyone shouted with overwhelming hearts. With moved expressions, they cheered looking at me as if they had seen a hero.
I returned the sword to the person who was angry about having his sword taken and was now looking at me in shock with a surprised face.
“Now it's okay to go up the mountain, right!? The fire is all out!! I have to go find my mom!”
The paramedic and the man were still wrestling.
“Even so, it is still dangerous. Residual fire might remain. Special agents will go up soon, so please wait here.”
“How can I make my mother wait.”
I lifted that middle-aged man by his waist. As I lifted him as if he were a light mannequin, the man couldn't even speak, flustered by my strength, and stared at me.
I smiled brightly and said.
“Your mother must be looking for you, right? Let's go tell her her son came to find her. Close your eyes tight! Jumping!”
Kwaaang—!
I jumped as slowly as possible, and high. In that single leap, the summit of Blue Cloud at an altitude of hundreds of meters was visible below.
***
The firefighter from earlier, who couldn't even put the returned sword in the sheath and was holding it blankly watching Saklasi's figure, was now still frozen on the spot with his mouth gaping open.
From the moment he heard that Soi's [Wish] after getting angry about his sword being taken, he felt a difference in class incomparable to himself, a Lieutenant-Rank Water Ability User.
Using [Wish] is a special ability of High-Rank Ability Users and above. However, that [Wish] just now wasn't at the level of a mere High-Rank Ability User.
A difference in class that even felt fearful. A monster among monsters that number less than ten in the world. As Saklasi moved away with a single leap and became invisible even as a dot, the Water Ability User firefighter muttered unknowingly.
“Water... Saint-Rank... Ability User.”
***
“I see Cheongungak down there.”
Except for one arm holding the man, I turned my entire body into mist. It was an ability I was using for the first time, but perhaps because I controlled humidity just before, it was possible easily.
I, whose weight is freely adjustable with mist transformation, stopped flying further and started descending at a suitable place.
“Inhale and hold your breath on three. One, two, three!”
Afraid the man might get hurt, I made a water pillar dozens of meters high. Falling into it, I prevented injury as much as possible.
“Puhak!”
Fortunately, it seems we landed well on the ground.
“It's my first time doing something like this too. To not get you hurt, I could only think of the method of dropping you in water.”
“Ah, no. Thank you so much!”
At the sound of talking, a person appearing to be the old mother peeked out from Cheongungak, looked our way, and perhaps spotting her son, the old mother's eyes soon became red.
“Your son has come. Mother.”
Mom, I'm here. Sorry I'm late.
That place I want to return to. These words I cannot convey.
“Oh my~ What is going on! It's dangerous, why did you come all the way here!”
The old mother walked out hurriedly, and the son ran to the old mother crying.
“Heueoeong. I thought, I thought I'd never see you again!”
“Oh dear, my son. Even getting older, you're still a crybaby.”
A faint smile mixed with relief lingered on the faces of the old mother and son.
Watching that sight, I soon turned my head to the sky.
As if nothing had happened, the rain had stopped.
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