The Misunderstood Child and the Goddess of Fate

Hye-in jumped back in surprise at the Incheon Gate. "Sorry. I didn't realize you had a kid."

No. I'm not that guy's kid.

"It's fine. Lululala~"

Don't come running while saying that crap out loud. You sound like the daughter of an otaku gyaru. That's me, by the way. I wanted to tell her not to hug me, but Hye-in strode straight over and my mouth clamped shut.

"Um... Was your husband a soldier, by any chance? Actually, even if he wasn't military, I'd still like to know the name."

Seo-hyun picked me up, stood, and scanned the area before asking back, "Me?"

A perfectly natural reaction. Hye-in's "Huh?" was just as natural. The two of them stared at each other with puzzled eyes before speaking at the exact same time.

"Could the reason for your bereavement be..."

"I never got married, though?"

Uncomfortable. But I had zero desire to draw attention. I kept my lips sealed tight and stared off into the distance. Captain Kim seemed like a fairly competent detection-type awakener, so I couldn't even control Seo-hyun through telepathy. I pray. I earnestly pray. I pray with all my heart that everything works out smoothly. Full-on prayer meta.

Fortunately, the conversation that followed remained peaceful.

"Looks like I messed up again."

"It's okay. But why did you ask?"

"The achievement you pulled off this time is simply too big. According to the manual, we won't be able to give you a proper reward, so I was trying to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cook up an excuse."

"Ehh? Then I don't get anything? Just because I'm single?"

"Haha! Don't worry. Since you have a child you're looking after, I can make up as many excuses as I need."

The anticipation that had been sparkling in Seo-hyun's eyes dimmed for a moment. "No. That's not necessary." Then she added with an awkward smile, "Besides, I only met this child yesterday. Legally, we're still complete strangers."

Still? What a dangerously suspicious choice of words.

The following Q&A only cemented my unease further.

"Planning to put her in daycare?"

"No."

"Do you have somewhere else lined up?"

"I'll take care of her myself."

Wait a second. Shouldn't I jump in here? But I couldn't for the life of me come up with the acting of a child refusing. I mobilized every brain cell I had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to craft a persona, but there simply wasn't enough time.

"It'll be tough. They won't grant parental rights over an orphan to someone who only just registered as an awakener."

"Even so... I want to raise her."

Watching Seo-hyun's stubborn expression, Hye-in let out a small laugh and declared, "Of course, if I help, the story changes completely. I'll help. I'll make you this kid's mom."

Unfortunately, my brain still hadn't finished constructing it—the image of a child rejecting the helping hand of a capable (awakener) beautiful (gyaru) woman offering to look after an orphan.

On the way back to the office, Hye-in recalled the scroll Captain Kim had handed over and grinned. Her adjutant, catching her expression in the rearview mirror, asked, "You're not seriously thinking of taking in a total newbie, are you?"

Hye-in couldn't hold it in and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠burst out laughing. Then, as if it were the most amusing thing in the world, she shot back, "Why? Afraid she'll get in the way?"

The adjutant answered with a sour face. "Yes."

Hye-in's next words wiped that expression clean off and replaced it with pure shock.

"That kid's a master of Gyeokmun-sul."

"No... way."

"I can barely believe it myself. Never thought there'd still be a civilian out there polishing such an insane technique."

"But even so... how can you even tell? Just from looking at her?"

"Didn't you see the explosion scars next to the abandoned factory? It's obvious she unleashed a Super Thermal Wave Slash from the air, landed, then closed the distance using the shortened ground-shrinking step."

"You're the only person who can read that kind of thing, Captain."

To the clearly fed-up adjutant, Hye-in replied shortly, "Anyway," and gave her order. "Recruit her with everything you've got. If some other bastard snatches her away, know that you'll all die."

The adjutant frowned deeply and muttered, "You're just going to go handle it yourself anyway."

Incheon. A small city with a stream too narrow to really call a river running through it.

I had been staring blankly at the sky when Seo-hyun called out to me.

"I-seul! Hurry up!"

I lowered my gaze and turned around. Seo-hyun was waving from in front of the crosswalk. I let out a sigh and walked over. Forcibly taking the hand she held out with such an expectant face, I advanced with her through the heart of the bustling city. Old memories suddenly floated up.

No. They were memories from my previous life.

The cities had only just been restored, yet humans had returned with bright smiles on their faces. Even while barely scraping by in those ruined cities, they helped one another and laughed together. Nearly every city had been in that state. Collapsed, yet somehow functioning. The people had been much the same. Nearly every human had been in that state. Even after falling apart, they had lived with a measure of happiness.

Of course, that only applied to what remained. What had vanished could never be known—how thoroughly it had collapsed, how happy it had once been.

That's what I was thinking when—

"Let's pray before we go."

Seo-hyun suddenly stopped and released my hand. I looked over in confusion. A bronze statue stood imposingly in the middle of the avenue. A deliberately small-scale gate lay at its base, with five figures standing atop it raising a victory flag. One of the faces looked familiar.

Seo-hyun must have assumed I didn't know who it was.

"Handsome, right? Do you know who it is?"

I didn't really know. But I'd seen him often enough that I wasn't sure how to answer. As I stayed quiet, Seo-hyun explained.

"He's called the First Closer—the first person in our country to close a Gate. What was his name again..."

Park Seo-yul. At least I knew that much. First, huh... It really had taken that long. I'd been in the military for ten years, which meant they hadn't managed to close even a single Gate during that entire time. I had known the newspapers' victory declarations were mostly propaganda, but having it confirmed like this left a bad taste in my mouth.

It definitely felt bad, yet...

"Kyaa! Your smile is way too cute!!!"

Seo-hyun spouted nonsense and hugged me tight. I warned her as sternly as I could, but it was useless.

"Let go. Let go when I tell you nicely."

Still trapped in her arms, I was dragged all the way to city hall.

Presidential Palace. As always, the President sat in the garden sipping green tea when the secretary approached.

"Your Excellency. The organization responsible for the Incheon Gate has been decided."

The President glanced at the secretary and let out a very faint sigh. "They said the Chungmugun can't handle it?"

The secretary bowed his head apologetically. "They report friction between nations regarding the special-grade Gate that appeared in the East Sea. They must prepare for any contingency."

"Then the Tower expedition is next."

"Yes. Therefore, the only remaining unit is the Third Division."

"General Hye-in's unit."

"Correct."

"Understood. I'll reach out personally."

"Yes."

As the waiting secretary prepared to withdraw, the President spoke again. "I still haven't heard. Which group is taking charge of Incheon?"

The secretary let out an embarrassed "Ah," then explained. "It is the Freedom Guild Union. Their main force is a ten-person squad called 'Mad Extreme' with an average C-class rating. The remaining three hundred personnel average out at an estimated E-5."

The President set down his teacup. He tapped the table with his fingers for a while, deep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in thought, then stood. His expression remained perfectly calm as he began to pace, but inside, turmoil was surging.

How can three hundred people from nameless guilds average E-5? Even the Association has to deploy S-class awakeners to reach that evaluation. The bounty in Yangmok City is far too high for it to be unaffiliated name brands working as mercenaries. For a mere E-class Gate—and a mission splitting loot with small fry—those arrogant bastards wouldn't bother showing up...

It was unsettling. Not quite as bad as during the Yangmok City incident, but frightening all the same. That was why every event seemed connected: Yangmok City, the East Sea special-grade, the Tower expedition, and now this Incheon E-class Gate.

If by some slim chance all these incidents converged into a single outcome, the E-class Gate in Incheon would ironically become the most critical piece.

If things deviate here, the special-grade closure and the Tower schedule will both collapse.

He stopped walking and let out a cold laugh. On the surface it appeared to be a gentle chuckle, but inside it was pure self-absorbed madness: So you're trying to make me lower my guard. Goddess of Fate!

Still outwardly composed, he told the secretary, "It's been a while since I felt like stretching my body."

The secretary's eyes widened. The President smiled and gazed into empty air. "As an excuse... let's say it's to verify the capabilities of the Freedom Guild."

From the secretary's perspective, the statement was incredibly cool. A President who acted cold yet cared enough about the nation to personally step forward for a mere E-class Gate. This is why I remain loyal.

Barely swallowing an admiring "Krr—", the secretary bowed neatly. "I will make the preparations."

While Seo-hyun received various pieces of advice from the civil servant, I discovered an interesting pamphlet.

Even back in my day there had been rumors of a hermit expert prophet who would point out disaster locations from some mountain ridge. It seemed that had now become established fact.

The map of the Korean Peninsula was drawn in soft pastel tones. Red dots and numbers were marked across it, with appearance times and danger ranks written neatly beside each. A cute rabbit illustration held a speech bubble listing evacuation tips, which I found oddly amusing.

Suddenly I grew curious. I wonder how they're handling gate conquests these days. They might not even use the word "conquest" anymore. The reason I thought so was the text written next to the danger ranks: "Closure Schedule." Gate closure operation. That phrasing sounded much better.

So I wanted to see it. For a small-fry gate, someone important like Kwon Hye-in probably wouldn't show up, and if I brought Seo-hyun along, I wouldn't need to step forward myself. Plus, as if pushing me from behind, an E-class Gate was scheduled to appear nearby soon.

Could I really pass this up?

The moment I thought that, almost as if the goddess of fate were urging me on, Seo-hyun returned and said, "Let's go! Where should we hit the mart tomorrow? Seoul? Incheon? Or..."

Sensing some useless options were about to be added, I answered immediately. "Incheon." And naturally added the main point, but...