Fired Characters from an Idle Game

18. How an S-Rank Awakened Lives – (1)

Two days had passed since the Storm Dragon, Tempestora, had been subjugated.

And during that time, I had been spending each day more arduous than the life-or-death struggle in Ilsan.

“Ms. Nam Joo-yeon, how does it feel to be the Republic of Korea’s first S-Rank Awakened and a legendary hero who has set the standard for S-class?”

“I haven’t really thought about it.”

“Without a doubt, this is a historic achievement. Nowhere else in the world is there a record of a 4-star Calamity being subdued with so few casualties. It seems the American White House is also paying close attention to this fact.”

“Even if you say that…”

This was the Awakened Management Bureau.

And I was stuck here, completing this and that paperwork, as well as registering as an S-Rank Awakened.

Coincidentally, I was continuing my Q&A session with a staff member in the same reception room where I had been dragged in for questioning last time.

“You could be a bit more proud of yourself, you know.”

The Management Bureau’s female employee tapped the pen cap against the documents as if my reaction was unsatisfactory.

“The public wants S-Rank Hunters to have a certain star quality. In other words, Ms. Nam Joo-yeon needs to become a beacon of light in this collapsing world, a savior of the new world.”

“…What stardom could be in the cards for me? Before the world became like this, I was just a game-loving NEET.”

“The Director of the Management Bureau, Yu Jun-seo, was also a high school graduate who loved games. He even received a diagnosis for mental illness. But now he’s enjoying an unbelievable amount of popularity in the media.”

The female employee shrugged her shoulders and pointed the pen at me.

“Ms. Nam Joo-yeon will enjoy even greater fame than that. The Director is known by the nickname ‘King Yama,’ so perhaps Ms. Nam Joo-yeon will be… Storm Queen? Dragonslayer? No. Since you control dragons, maybe Dragon King? Dragon Tamer?”

“…”

I felt an urge to gag the female employee who was spouting such embarrassing words.

Fortunately, she noticed my expression, which was rotting in real time, and didn’t list any more embarrassing terms.

“But don’t dislike it too much. Being an S-Rank Awakened comes with tremendous support.”

“Support?”

“First of all, you will receive a stipend of around 1 billion won per month.”

At those words, my mouth fell open.

1 billion won. A sum of money I thought I would never be able to touch in my entire life, even if I worked until I dropped, before the world became like this.

“Of course, considering that the current market situation makes it difficult to spend such a large sum, the government will provide Ms. Nam Joo-yeon with as much convenience as possible. If you have any requests, we will prepare them as much as possible to meet your price. If you need a foreign car, we will provide one, and if you want a penthouse, we will arrange that as well. If you request bodyguards, we will prepare them in the near future.”

The words that followed also felt unreal.

Foreign cars, penthouses.

Weren’t those extravagant luxuries that only multi-millionaire celebrities would consider?

It dawned on me then, what Jo Geon-wook had meant about Awakened Ones being the new power brokers in this world.

The office worker, not one to be outdone, added,

“Women will line up, too. To be the wife, or even just a concubine, of an S-Class Awakened.”

“No, that… that can’t be…”

“Oh, it can. You’re looking at an example right now.”

The office worker tilted her head, as if only just realizing something.

A remarkably alluring gesture.

I noticed then that her attire was somewhat different than the last time I’d seen her.

First, the top three buttons of her blouse were undone, revealing the dark crimson lace of her undergarments beneath the stark white shirt. Her skirt was also far too short; a wrong move and one might catch a glimpse of what shouldn’t be seen.

It wasn’t just her clothes. Her makeup was heavier too. She perched on the edge of her desk and addressed me.

“Since you haven’t shown any interest yet, and at the risk of sounding repetitive, my name is Kang Sena. I’m a government official with the Bureau, and a B-Class Awakened. I’m twenty-nine, confident in the quality of my body, and can mold my appearance to fit Mr. Joo-yeon’s tastes at any time… “

Kang Sena leaned her upper body closer to me.

The cleavage of her breasts was now on full display.

For someone whose experience with women was limited to the hostess bars my senior took me to during my military service, it was an unexpectedly bold sight.

My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard. Kang Sena smirked, her eyes crinkling at the corners.

“To celebrate becoming an S-Class Awakened, wouldn’t it be nice to embrace an S-Class woman?”

…She said.

“I’m not interested.”

“…”

I rejected her outright.

Her eyebrows twitched, as if she never considered that she would be refused.

“Really…? What’s the problem? If you’re worried about, say, the dangers of a Me Too situation, I could write a signed statement in front of a camera…”

“No.”

“Are you, perhaps… into men?”

“It’s not that…”

I paused, considering my words.

“It’s just… you’re not my type. Not at all.”

Kang Sena’s eyes narrowed.

Was her pride wounded? Her expression returned to its usual professional demeanor as she handed me my Awakened registration card.

Next to my name on the card, stark and undeniable, was the label: S-Class.

“Yes. Then you can find someone to your Ms. Nam Joo-yeon’s liking and choose well for her.”

“…Shall I be going, then?”

“What are you doing? Still here.”

“Yes.”

I awkwardly stood up and left the reception room.

The real reason I rejected her just now wasn’t some trifling matter of Kang Se-na not being my type. With my total lack of experience with women, I hardly had the luxury to be picky.

The reason was, in fact, a woman with ash-grey hair, glaring at me from the rooftop of the building across the street, through the window of the reception room.

[5★ The Scorched Saintess, Selene, is watching you!]

“…”

I protected the peace of the world again today.

*

“Wouldn’t it be better to take care of that b*tch, just once? It’s outrageous that she harbors such dark thoughts toward our Lord.”

As expected, Selene, no sooner than leaving the Management Bureau, expressed her animosity toward Kang Se-na.

If I hadn’t exerted the utmost self-control and rejected her suggestion, there might very well have been a terrible bloodbath caused by Selene.

“Calm yourself, Selene. If we turn the Management Bureau into an enemy, we’ll lose any place to stand in the future.”

“…Yes. I didn’t mean to make things uncomfortable for my Lord.”

Speaking earnestly, Selene nodded slightly, acquiescing.

I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

Governing Selene felt like carrying a nuclear bomb that could explode at any moment.

No, considering her destructive power, perhaps it was even more than a nuclear bomb.

And she wasn’t the only nuke. There were already three other calamities on par with Selene in the world, and one of them was constantly watching me.

“Selene. What do you think about this incident? Did Mirienne pull some strings again?”

“Yes. Your Lordship’s suspicion is correct. There’s no way Tempestra would have gone berserk without that b*tch Mirienne’s intervention.”

The Blessing of Lightning is a lightning-attribute buff skill.

It’s not a skill that the Storm Dragon, Tempestra, could have learned on its own.

“Why do you think Mirienne would cast the Blessing of Lightning on the Storm Dragon?”

“How dare she presume to, but if I were to speculate wildly, I would venture to say it was ultimately to be of assistance to you, my Lord.”

“Assistance?”

“It seems Mirienne intended to wipe out the Awakened beings around you, my Lord.”

I frowned, and Selene turned her head toward the tower in Yeouido.

“Awakened, or the Bureau—in the grand scheme of things, they’re all just minor impediments to Master’s vast purpose. Miriene seemed intent on clearing them away, assisting Master’s plan, I presume. An elegantly simple solution, truly. Clever, for that wench, Miriene.”

“…”

Just what is this plan, anyway?

A grand purpose even *I* was unaware of, yet my underlings knew of it.

It drove me to near madness, but I mustn’t betray myself. I cleared my throat and addressed Selene.

“Ah, the time is not yet ripe.”

“Yes, I too respect Master’s will. Removing these obstacles can be postponed.”

Thankfully, Selene believed my words without question.

“If Master desires, I can personally set Miriene, that magic hag, straight. To not dare interfere with Master’s plans, that is.”

Selene offered her opinion. However, considering her extensive track record, I had to tread carefully.

Last time I tasked her with subjugating a nest, she eradicated every single one south of here.

One always had to be cautious when issuing commands to Selene.

“Selene, good. Speak with Miriene on my behalf. But there is a condition.”

“What condition is that?”

“Do not, under any circumstance, fight with Miriene.”

“Hmm…”

“Absolutely not.”

“…Yes. If it is Master’s will, I shall obey.”

Selene reluctantly nodded in response to my command. It seemed that, without specific instructions, she had fully intended to engage Miriene in a skirmish.

After speaking with Selene for a while longer, we arrived near my home.

However, the vicinity was far from the tranquility I had anticipated.

“Hmph…”

A swelling murmur. A densely packed crowd.

Each member of the throng held a camera or microphone, awaiting someone.

Needless to say, it was reporters and cyber-sleuths.

I didn’t know how they had pinpointed my residence, but they were waiting for the owner of this house, the Republic of Korea’s first S-Rank Awakened.

That person, needless to say, was me, standing right here.

Click.

I retrieved my phone from my pocket and dialed the number I had received earlier.

[Answering. What is it, Nam Joo-yeon, esteemed S-Rank Awakened?]

The voice that returned over the receiver was rather curt.

Kang Sena, it seemed, was still holding onto something from earlier.

“That… Ms. Kang Sena…? It seems I need the penthouse, after all.”

Hearing my words, Kang Sena let out a soft sigh before replying.

[I’ll speak to the higher-ups tomorrow. My working hours are over now.]

“It’s not tomorrow, I need somewhere to escape to right this instant… There are reporters outside my apartment, I have nowhere to go.”

[….]

Silence hung heavy on the line for a moment.

I knew it, alright.

It was a terribly unsightly situation.

Thankfully, Kang Sena wasn’t a woman to let an opportunity pass her by. She said, as if throwing the words away.

[There are hardly any safe houses I can prepare for you right now. As it happens, there’s one place left. Would you like to come here?]

“Yes. I’m in your debt.”

[Come to the address I sent in the message.]

Kang Sena maintained a businesslike tone, then abruptly added.

[By the way, it’s my place.]

“…Excuse me?”

What was that?