episode_0022

“For the public good, you say…… What kind of work are you considering?”

“Hmm. I can’t reveal it right away, but I do possess a few very special abilities. I think the day will come when I’ll use them. I believe they’ll be beneficial to many people.”

“Could you tell me what those abilities are?”

“Well… It’s difficult to disclose right now. It’s the kind of ability that many people might react sensitively to.”

“Ah, I see…… By any chance, do people around you discriminate against you or anything like that?”

“No? I haven’t really felt that way. If anything, they’ve been more curious than anything else. Everyone’s been so kind that I adapted pretty quickly, honestly.”

At my words, Reporter Ahn Soyoung smiled faintly.

“That’s a relief. Actually, I’ve covered a lot of stories about Variants. I’ve seen many who were deeply hurt by the people around them, so I’m glad to hear you haven’t had that experience, Seohyun-ssi.”

“Honestly, I think I’ve been pretty lucky in that regard.”

“That’s what matters most. The people around you have a huge influence on your life. Ah, next question—I heard you were originally male, is that true?”

“Yes. Unfortunately, I served my full military term as a sergeant. Sometimes I think, if I’d known this would happen, I wish I’d transformed a little sooner. I went through quite a bit of hardship back then.”

“Ahaha…… You went from male to female—hasn’t that been confusing for you?”

“It’d be a lie to say it wasn’t confusing, but I don’t think it’s been a major issue. Whether I’m a man or a woman, I’m still me. You’d think I’d struggle with my identity, but… maybe it’s because of my draconic traits? I haven’t felt that much turmoil.”

“This might be a sensitive question, but… would you be okay answering it?”

“What is it?”

“Do you have any plans to date?”

“Maybe someday, but not right now. I think I need more time to fully accept the new me.”

“I see.”

“Is there anything you hope for in the future?”

“Like I said earlier, I just want people to know that not all Variants are bad. I want to walk down the street with my head held high.”

“I see……”

“Do you have any more questions?”

“No, I think this is enough. Thank you for your cooperation. Once the draft is ready, I’ll show it to you first. Just in case there’s anything you’d rather not make public.”

“Sure.”

By the time the interview was finalized, the sky had already grown dim.

“I did an interview today.”

“An interview? With who?”

“Korea Daily.”

“Wow… So now one of Korea’s top three newspapers is asking for interviews? Unnie, you’ve really made it, huh? What kind of questions did they ask?”

“Nothing too sensitive, just about how I’ve been doing, how I felt when I transformed, stuff like that. I also mentioned that I hope people develop a more positive perception of Variants.”

“The reporter must’ve been scared of you. That thing from three days ago was all over the internet.”

“Ah, I know about that. But… she didn’t seem particularly scared.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“Oh, and I might have to go catch another Variant soon.”

“……Who this time?”

“An NIS agent told me a dangerous Variant from China might’ve entered Korea…? They said they’d let me know once they pinpoint the target.”

“Do they pay you for catching them?”

“I heard the reward is pretty big.”

“But I’ve always wondered—why is the NIS handling this? Shouldn’t it be the police or something?”

“No idea. Something about jurisdiction… I don’t think it’s worth worrying about.”

“If you get the reward, treat me to a meal.”

“Ugh… Fine, fine. You’re just using me as a piggy bank now.”

“You’re getting pretty natural at this? Calling me ‘unnie’ and all.”

“It just… happened over time. I thought it’d take longer to get used to, but you kept saying it so much that it stuck.”

“That’s all thanks to me. Worship me…!”

“Where did you pick up that weird phrase?”

“What do you mean? I got it from you.”

“When did I ever say that?”

“You’re always muttering nonsense at home. Last time, you even said you were gonna start a livestream or something.”

“……I can’t deny that. Hey, aren’t you worried about me going after dangerous Variants?”

“Honestly, shouldn’t I be more worried about the Variants you’re going after than you? If I hadn’t seen that thing three days ago, maybe I’d be worried, but after that, why would I?”

“I guess that’s true……?”

“Just don’t go overboard. You said a serious punch from you could blow a person apart, right? Would a Variant be any different?”

“Hey, I know how to control my strength. Have you ever seen me break anything?”

“No. But still, be careful.”

“I know, I know. Anyway, before catching that Variant, they said I’d get to meet some others… I wonder what kind of Variants I’ll encounter.”

“You’ll probably meet some interesting people.”

“Right? I’m kinda looking forward to it.”

“Ah, it’s almost time for my tutoring session. I’ll head out now?”

“Sure.”

The moment my sibling left for tutoring, I suddenly got a call from the agent.

– Seohyun-ssi, do you have a moment?

“Ah, yes. What is it?”

– You remember the matter we discussed earlier? We’ve located the Variant, so we’re preparing to launch the arrest operation soon.

“That was faster than I expected. It’s only been about three days.”

– Fortunately, among the Variants assisting us, there’s one who specializes in tracking people. Ah, by the way, would you like to meet some other Variants as well?

“Oh, I’d love to. Aside from that Minotaur, I haven’t met any others yet.”

– Great. Then, we’re planning to start the operation around this Friday—would that work for you?

“Huh? That’s later than I thought.”

– Haha, we’ve only just pinpointed the location. We still need to finalize the details and figure out why they came to Korea. It’s more time-consuming than you’d think… By Friday, we should have most of the groundwork done.

“I see. Understood. By the way, can you tell me anything about the Variant I’ll be meeting?”

– Ah, the Variant joining this operation is a High Elf. They can hear the voices of plants on a wide scale, so they’ve been helping us occasionally.

A High Elf? As far as I know, the only High Elf recorded so far lives in California, right?

“A High Elf? Is it that person living in California?”

– Huh? How did you know?

“Ah, well… I think I’ve seen mentions of them in online communities.”

– Ah, haha! That’s right. They do live in California.

“Aren’t they American now?”

– Technically, they’re a dual citizen. Normally, acquiring American citizenship would revoke their Korean citizenship, but Variants are allowed to maintain dual citizenship.

“Isn’t that preferential treatment?”

– It is, but it’s not granted unconditionally. Only Variants who’ve aided the state are recognized as dual citizens. They’ve participated in a few operations with us.

“Ah, I see……”

– Anyway, I think you’ll enjoy meeting them. They’re quite an interesting person.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

– Then, I’ll see you on Friday.

I was wrapped in a strange sense of anticipation. I’d never met or spoken to another Variant before.

Even if they seemed a bit eccentric online, the persona people show on the internet is often different from their real-life selves.

So, what kind of person would this High Elf be?

Maybe they’d be more serious than I expected.

…Or so I had thought.

“Eeeeeeek…! P-please spare meeeeee…!”

What is this adorable, pitiful creature?

I stared at the High Elf before me—golden hair, lake-blue eyes.

Her name was Choi Sia.

A Variant who, upon transforming, gained powers beyond those of a typical elf, allowing her to manipulate plants and hear their voices.

She was twenty-three.

Since I was twenty-four, she was a year younger than me.

But… why is she like this?

“Um……”

“P-please, just spare my life…! Oh god, a real dragon…! I’m done for! All that’s left is a life of exploitation!!!”

“Agent…? Is she always like this?”

“I’m a bit baffled myself. She was always a bit… lively, but not to this extent.”

Even the agent’s expression was tinged with bewilderment. What’s going on here?

“Hey, Sia-ssi?”

“Eeek!”

“I’m not going to do anything, so can you calm down a little?”

“I-I can’t…! I don’t even know why I’m like this…! It’s like, on some instinctive level, I’m being told to stay away, it’s terrifying!”

Watching her reaction, I realized something.

In novels and media, dragons were often depicted as tyrannical rulers of nature… and to elves, who lived in harmony with nature, they were objects of fear.

Could it be that those stories reflected reality?

But wait, she’s not just an elf—she’s a High Elf, right?

“W-wait a second. I-I’ll try to calm down, okay?!”

She even took deep breaths, muttering to herself.

“The person in front of me won’t exploit me…! Won’t enslave elves…!”

……Just what did her kind go through at the hands of dragons?