Seoul Dragon - Chapter 32

[A Dragon Appeared at the University]

I was looking outside the lecture hall wondering if an earthquake had happened.

It looked like some demon guy and a dragon-type mutant were having a confrontation.

The demon was shooting fireballs, but after absorbing them, the mutant suddenly transformed into a dragon...

The size was like, bigger than our university building.

Wow... what is this? I pinched my cheek thinking I might be dreaming, but it was reality.

-For real?

-Yeah it's true lol ;; There are news articles about it already

-So dragon-type mutants can actually transform into dragons?

-That's why they're called dragon-type mutants, right?

-I get that, but does it make sense that the size is comparable to the ultra-giant monsters in monster movies?

-There's nothing impossible these days lol Look at the High Elf growing the World Tree

-The world has come too far to argue about common sense...

[But why did they transform into a dragon?]

Was there some kind of incident?

From the previous interview, they didn't seem like the type of person who would suddenly transform and cause chaos...

-I heard that demon guy attacked

-Oh, that guy? That crazy guy still hasn't been caught?

-How could they catch him? How would the NIS or civil servants catch him lol Several mutants died trying to capture him

-That's true... so what happened?

-What do you think happened lol From what I heard, he became practically half brain-dead

-Brain-dead? What could cause that?

-I don't know either;; That's just what was written in the article

[Hasn't that demon killed several other mutants before?]

I understand he was quite a terrifying guy, but if such a person became brain-dead on sight, how powerful must the dragon be...

Honestly, it's a bit scary.

If that person suddenly loses their mind and breathes fire once, it seems like Seoul would be half-destroyed right away.

-For real, shouldn't there be some countermeasures?

-But how would you restrain them? Frankly, if you had an enormous power and people tried to restrain you treating you as a dangerous element even though you hadn't done anything wrong, wouldn't you resist?

-That's true;; It's just scary; Even as a mutant, I honestly find it creepy, how would ordinary people feel?

-Then they'll find some compromise;; The person already stated in the interview that they don't want to use that power recklessly

-It's 'fortunately' good that the person has a sound mind;;

-Honestly, if the government had any sense, they would seek cooperation, not threaten

-Have you ever seen the government act so sensibly?

-...

-Let's be honest, the improved treatment of mutants is mostly because Seo Jin-ha is the daughter of a quite influential assemblyman

[I believe in our dragon friend...!]

Dragons are guardians of the middle realm, right?

So our dragon friend won't turn Korea upside down, and I believe they'll just peacefully enjoy campus life with laughter!

-But do you think peaceful campus life is possible after seeing something like that?

-...wouldn't it be possible? The person isn't bad

-Is that so? But how do you know whether they're good or bad lol They might have just spoken convincingly in the interview

-If they had the personality to cause chaos, would Seoul still be intact? With that level of power, it seems like even military firepower wouldn't work

-Now that you mention it, that's true? If the government approaches this a bit sensibly, maybe there's nothing to worry about?

"As expected, there's quite a commotion."

I smiled bitterly. Well, having seen such a sight in the middle of Seoul, such reactions are inevitable. The agent, hearing my words, seemed to share my feelings and smiled ruefully.

"It can't be helped. They witnessed something like that."

"I wonder if it was a bit excessive... but I think it was the right thing to do. Eventually, stories about me would have circulated one way or another."

"That's right. And it seems there's some discussion happening among the higher-ups."

"Like putting some kind of restraint on me?"

"Well, if such restraints existed, that demon-type mutant wouldn't have been rampaging like that. No matter how much nonsense the higher-ups commit, they value their lives, so they probably won't think of physically restraining you."

"That's somewhat of a relief."

"They'll probably go in a direction that avoids provoking you as much as possible. That's also why we've called you here today."

"So it's like... 'do your best to appease her'... that kind of feeling?"

The agent smiled awkwardly at my words.

"Haha, it's not like that. It's just to make a proposal."

"A proposal?"

"If you're willing, would you consider officially joining our side? Of course, if you want to continue attending university, you can do that alongside your work."

"...Me?"

"Yes. Actually, there has been ongoing discussion because of the demon-type mutant. What about creating an official government agency consisting of mutants? We'd like you to lead that official agency."

"You want me to head an official agency?"

"There's no suitable candidate to begin with. There are hardly any mutants like you who step up for others. In many ways, I think you're the right person."

"...It sounds a bit unpleasant. It feels like there would be a lot of work for poor pay."

It wasn't just about the money; I felt reluctant because it seemed like they would exploit specialized mutant resources too cheaply.

It's not that everyone doing difficult work should be treated well, but at least appropriate compensation should be given for taking down mutants, right?

Of course, I'm not someone lacking in money. There are countless ways to earn money.

But it's about the principle, you know?

I am that valuable. I am indispensable.

This need for recognition is inherently present in people.

Compensation is the most basic thing that satisfies this need for recognition.

"That won't be the case. If any strange conditions are imposed, I'll block them at my level, so rest assured."

"But it seems your authority is stronger than I thought?"

"Ah, I'm in the director's direct line of command. So I have quite a say. Don't worry about that. There won't be any concerns. Instead..."

"Instead?"

"Just give one press conference."

A press conference? Why suddenly that...

"Why a press conference all of a sudden?"

"Originally, how things are communicated affects how the public receives them. If you don't say anything, it might stir up people's anxiety."

"But even if I hold a press conference and talk to people, some will think it's just lip service anyway."

To be blunt, if I proclaim "I'm safe!" to people, how many would believe it? They might fear me more.

"That's also true, but just by strongly stating that you have no intention of harming people, many will be reassured. There's a saying that a word can repay a debt of a thousand nyang for a reason. Some people will view it skeptically, but there aren't as many such people as you might think. They're just a vocal minority. Well... if it comes to it, we could manipulate public opinion."

"Isn't that really bad?"

"Haha, I'm joking. But, there is a need to raise the public's favorability towards you. Not as a monster who might destroy Seoul at any time, but as a hero who protects people from malicious mutants."

Hero? Such a title is too much for an ordinary citizen like me.

"Hero... isn't that a bit embarrassing?"

"Just for what you've done so far, you'd earn several brave citizen awards. You've already captured three malicious mutants. One didn't end with just capture... but still, they were subjects that required immediate execution. Many people would actually cheer with both hands raised."

"Improving the perception of mutants has come to this point, huh."

"This was probably inevitable. Like it or not, from the moment you became a dragon-type mutant, you were bound to attract attention. It's a blessing for us that you wanted to change the perception of mutants in a positive direction."

"...Speaking of which, I'm curious, who was the person whose mutation ended right before mine?"

"It's Choi Sia."

"Ah."

"When you think about it, Sia's abilities are also at an incredible level. But... your abilities go a step further. It's fascinating. I wonder if three months is quite insufficient to possess such power."

"I think so too. What on earth was that light in the sky back then?"

"I'd like to know as well. Anyway... what will you do?"

A government agency affiliation.

Isn't this too much success for a Korean Literature student? From what I hear, the position seems quite high.

For a department known for leading to starvation, I never expected to get a job automatically through a three-month mutation while others were preparing for civil service exams.

Suddenly, I recalled what happened yesterday.

The alarmed yet concerned gazes of Hangyeol and Seoa when I retracted my main form.

And not a grain of fear could be found in their eyes.

That point made me stand before the public.

If people get to know "me," they won't need to fear me.

I've come too far to back down now. Hero? What a terribly embarrassing title.

From the beginning, I'm not hero material.

I'm not burning with a sense of mission; I'm just acting this way for my own comfort.

So, rather than a hero... right. How about being everyone's neighbor who wants to get along with people?

That should be enough for people to understand.

"I'll do it, the press conference."

"Good."

The agent smiled. Is it my imagination that he looks like a veteran happy about a promising rookie joining?