In the Name of God - Chapter 32.2
The man across the table turned to face me and handed me a business card. It was a high-quality card, showing his affiliation, name, mobile number, and contact code for the awakener-only messenger.
“I am Nam Hojin, Grade 3 Special Officer of the Central Headquarters Special Operations Office, Awakeners’ Association.”
“I am Seong Do‑yoon.”
A special operations office, and a Grade 3 officer at that.
He was a far more extraordinary figure than I had expected.
Nam Hojin pulled out a tablet and displayed my awakener registration documents. Although he clearly glanced at them formally, a subtle tension hung in the air.
“I have a few questions to ask.”
He looked up from the tablet, adjusting his monocle.
“Who taught you how to manage mana?”
“Would it be a problem if I said I learned from someone?”
“Yes. That would be a problem.”
Nam Hojin’s tone was firm. He seemed more resentful toward the person who had taught me mana management than toward me. Of course, there had been no such person.
“A grade 9 awakener is practically no different from a normal person. They are classified as an awakener because they possess a small amount of ability, but the grade 9 designation is given to those whose quality is far below that of other awakeners.”
“Grade 9 is spoken of pretty harshly, isn’t it?”
“That is the truth.”
For a moment, Nam Hojin’s expression softened as he looked at me. There was even a faint hint of sympathy.
“A grade 9 awakener who has only recently awakened is practically an innocent child who knows nothing. Giving such a person dangerous weapons is reckless, so I cannot overlook it.”
-Innocent…?
Echo, why are you staring at me like that?
I ignored Echo’s drowsy gaze from my shoulder.
“I never learned from anyone.”
If I counted the theory collected by Echo as someone teaching me, then I would have no choice but to lie. Strictly speaking, though, I had taught myself.
“I just… managed to do it on my own.”
“Are you asking me to believe that? Grade 7 awakeners have difficulty even sensing mana, yet you manipulate it freely?”
“You do not have to believe me, but it is true.”
“……”
As expected, Nam Hojin did not seem inclined to accept my words at face value. I could not invent a nonexistent teacher, so I did not bother avoiding his skeptical gaze.
“…Very well. I thought you would not reveal who your teacher is anyway.”
Nam Hojin sighed and pressed the tips of his fingers into the wrinkles of his brow.
“I have seen people like you before. Those who overextend themselves to learn mana management in order to get promoted.”
A shadow passed over Nam Hojin’s face. He seemed to be recalling someone from his past.
“Most of them ended up in the hospital before long. Some became disabled.”
That was extremely dangerous.
If I had tried to operate mana recklessly without the ‘Adaptation’ skill, I could have ended up the same way. I felt grateful for my skills all over again.
Seeing me silent, perhaps assuming I was intimidated, Nam Hojin’s expression softened further.
He handed me another business card, this one of a different design.
“If you ever want to learn properly, contact this number. I will assign a good instructor.”
It was a simple black card, with no association mark or affiliation. It only listed Nam Hojin’s name and a mobile number.
“I hope you contact them if possible.”
He seemed genuinely considerate. Giving his personal card and asking me to reach out indicated that his goal was not to fault me for my mana management but to offer help in his own way.
“What is the next question?”
I asked while putting the card away. He seemed to have been waiting for me to do so before continuing.
“Have you thought about joining a clan?”
“I am still a grade 9, considered low-level, so I will have to consider that later.”
“You do not necessarily need to join a clan to accomplish many things. For example…”
“You are saying the association is not bad, right?”
Nam Hojin remained silent instead of answering.
I understood what he meant.
‘So this is why they interview those being promoted two ranks.’
This person is someone I want.
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