“But then it doesn’t make sense because that emotional synchronization at that time… Adapters don’t have that ability.”
The confrontation with the protest group in front of the Center was precisely the trigger for Cheche to receive Aura measurement. The secretaries weren’t at the scene, but they knew because James, who was there, spoke passionately.
‘That country has tens of thousands, you said. Tar has millions of people. Even though you all treat them as if they don’t exist, millions are alive. Even now, there…’
Those were no big words. To people who hadn’t experienced it directly, it was just an arrangement of sentences and a sunken rhythm. However, James said that the moment he heard those emotionless words, he felt as if millions of poor and starving Tartarians appeared before his eyes. Such a thing was hard to explain with modern common sense unless it was the power of Soul Aura.
For those who weren’t at the scene, it was still just suspicious.
“Maybe people just felt it more poignantly because a pretty person had a hard life? Like watching an actor perform in a movie or drama.”
“Cheche is really bad at acting though. His child soldier acting is famous.”
“No, it’s not that it was acting… Never mind, we’ll know when the results come out Monday.”
“Right. If it’s no, it’s no, and if it’s yes, then we’re just extremely, incredibly jealous, what else.”
Soul Aura Users are deeply sensitive, cry often, and are delicate. This was a scientifically proven statement like ‘the Earth revolves around the Sun.’ However, Cheche had no emotions, was always indifferent, and always had dry eyes.
The media who were at the scene of the protest incident predicted that Cheche would be a high-ranked Soul User, but the secretaries who knew Cheche’s personality only vaguely guessed that even if he were a Souler, he’d barely be F rank.
***
All week, the biggest topic of interest for Alcitians was Cheche’s measurement results. Whenever two or more gathered, they inevitably talked about Cheche, and there were even people gambling on whether he was an Aura User. To bored Alcitians, Cheche, whose name had been appearing in the media ever since becoming Evil’s secretary, was a very delicious snack.
After the bustling weekend passed and Monday morning came, Cheche’s measurement results came out as scheduled.
The measurement room team leader had to read the paper the machine spit out three times. Reading it over and over again. Only after confirming that her eyes weren’t mistaken did she contact the 201st floor with trembling hands.
– Yes, this is Director Evil’s advisory secretariat.
“This is Team Leader Dalia from the measurement room. Cheche-nim’s measurement results came out… so I’m calling.”
– Ah, I’ve been waiting. I’ll connect you right now.
“Yes.”
– …What rank did he get? F? D? Or is he a Non-User after all?
The secretariat staff asked playfully with a voice tinged with laughter, but Team Leader Dalia couldn’t play along. Everyone in the measurement room was waiting for Evil’s response with faces full of tension.
– He’s not an Aura User after all, right? I thought so. Anyone can see he doesn’t have a Motioner build, and he doesn’t have the sensitivity of a Soul Aura User either.
When Dalia didn’t answer, the secretary began interpreting as she pleased. Dalia wrinkled her nose in difficulty and opened her mouth.
“I’d like you to connect me to Advisory Director Evil. Secretary-General James earnestly requested I call as soon as the results came out.”
– Yes, yes. I understand. James-nim will probably answer right away.
With that light answer, the phone connection tone was heard. Dalia kept swallowing dry saliva because of the tension.
– Speak.
The connection tone ended, and instead of James, Evil’s voice was heard.
“Dir… ector.”
– S?
It wasn’t a question. Evil was leisurely as if he knew, or as if confirming what he knew.
Dalia gulped and stated the result.
“Cheche-nim received an S rank on the initial measurement, so he must undergo re-measurement.”
– Do it tomorrow.
It was a monotonous voice. As if he truly wasn’t surprised.
“At minimum, it will take a month… to be possible.”
– Why? The refugee is S rank. Hurry up and get it done.
Dalia hadn’t expected this reaction from Evil at all. Even if he was the world’s strongest who was leisurely about everything and indifferent to everything, she thought he’d be surprised by this result. However, Evil… seemed to have already anticipated this result.
“Cheche-nim fell short on the Aura awareness test… In the total measurement, he measured as a high rank of A or above, but if he’s deficient in even one area, we must re-measure after allowing time.”
– Has there ever been a case where the rank dropped during re-measurement?
“In the case of Motion Aura, almost never, but in the case of Soul Aura, it occurs occasionally.”
Hmm, Evil made a sound as if pondering. Until now, the only times Evil pondered were cases of how to screw someone over more.
– Schedule it for a month later.
“Yes, then in five weeks…”
Beep, beep. Dalia was rather relieved at the disconnected signal tone without even listening to the answer.
“Was that just Evil-nim?”
“Yeah, he reacted like he expected it.”
“As expected, that devil reads even this. We were really surprised though…”
Once the biggest hurdle had passed, the measurement room staff who relaxed each massaged their shoulders or did neck exercises and laughed emptily. Evil wasn’t surprised, but they, ordinary people, were very surprised to see the result.
A refugee from Tar being an S-rank Soul Aura User. A war refugee. They really hadn’t thought of it at all.
“A dragon emerges from a stream—what strange things happen. Isn’t this the first time in history for a refugee-born Aura User?”
“If he’s re-measured, he’ll come out as A.”
“Still, that’s quite something. A is also incredibly high. I guess people doing measurements really shouldn’t have prejudice.”
Dalia wiped the sweat on her forehead and laughed.
“Anyway, I thought he’d be angry that a refugee is an Aura User, but it’s fortunate.”
As they laughed and conversed feeling refreshed, on the 201st floor—
“Why would I be angry that a refugee got Soul Aura S rank?”
Evil, who had heard the measurement room’s chatter intact, was muttering to himself in disbelief.
“Pardon?”
Actually, it wasn’t a soliloquy. James and Cheche were also in the office.
“The measurement room said… S rank?”
He’d guessed it would be high, but hadn’t even thought of S rank. James was so surprised he was about to collapse, and forgot that asking Evil again was forbidden, ending up saying that. Sure enough, Evil sneered coldly and approached James.
“Don’t you have ears? If they’re ears that can’t hear anyway, I’ll rip them off for you. It’s bothersome to carry them around.”
“I-I’m… sorry. I.”
James retreated backward while protecting both ears. Then Cheche, who had been sitting quietly, raised his head and looked at Evil.
“Did you really say S rank?”
Another question. The person about to have his ears ripped off for asking again what he clearly just heard was right in front of him!
“Yeah, you’re S rank.”
“S rank…?”
Eek.
“…Why. You don’t believe it?”
This is bad. James predicted that Evil would say ‘Why, you don’t believe it? I’ll remove those useless ears for you’ and immediately grab and rip off those small ears, and squeezed his eyes shut. However, even after time passed, when Cheche’s scream didn’t come, he opened his eyes again.
Surprisingly, Evil wasn’t immediately grabbing and ripping off Cheche’s ears, but sat across from him and looked at Cheche with surprisingly soft eyes.
“There’s no way I’m S rank. There must have been a mistake.”
“Alcity’s measurements are accurate. The reason for re-measurement is just for confirmation. Just feel good about it comfortably, fuck. Why do you deny it first?”
“If I’m re-measured, it will drop.”
“There are cases where it drops, but you’ll stay the same. Even I think you’re S rank.”
“Are you lying to me right now, Director?”
“Why would I?”
“To make fun of me.”
“Would I make fun of you with something like this? What do you see me as, really?”
Evil grumbled. Their conversation sounded… peaceful.
Evil didn’t curse as usual (something like ‘fuck’ didn’t even count as cursing), and Cheche had a somewhat human-like expression unlike usual. Like an audience member startled at a magician’s performance. With emotion contained in his doll-like pretty face, he was even more lovable and lovely.
And in this moment, to James’s eyes, Evil’s appearance was also more than usual… blindingly… beautiful.
The red eyes always steeped in boredom, the brow always irritated by the pollution caused by noise.
The face where boredom and irritation had disappeared and pleasure had arrived looked as if he’d become a different person.
The excessively handsome SSS-rank Multi User with a smile opened his mouth leisurely.
