Until Juyeon received word from Rohan and the security bureau, she had been relentlessly scouring the area.
Fueled by her immense mana reserves, she carried out her search tirelessly, all the while lost in thought.
She couldn’t shake the lingering memory of the site where the Monolith had appeared, the residual energy of a calamity hanging heavy in the air.
The silence in the wake of the disaster was unnerving, as though the catastrophe that had unfolded there was nothing but an illusion or lie.
‘...I trained to become strong—to avoid being helpless and inferior.’
Yet, in the face of such natural disasters, she still felt powerless. No matter how much she thought, she couldn’t find a clear solution.
It had been this way in the past, and it was the same now.
It was as if the world was determined to engrave this harsh reality into her very soul.
"..."
Would she be forced to experience the same despair once again?
Unable to sit idly by, she continued her search through brute force, even as hopelessness loomed over her.
Ring! Ring!
Juoyeon’s smartphone buzzed, breaking her concentration.
[ROHAN]
His name lit up the screen.
Upon hearing the news, Juyeon sprinted toward the Elysium Security Bureau, her blazing mana propelling her forward like a fiery arrow across the sky.
"Commander Juyeon, as we mentioned in our message, we have Cadet Rohan and his companion safely in custody."
"Take me to them immediately."
Guided by the officer, Juyeon finally came face-to-face with Rohan.
"Juyeon!"
The bright smile on Rohan’s face, a sight she thought she might never see again, stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her.
‘Ah...’
Her chest tightened painfully at the sight of his tattered cadet uniform, bloodstains seeping through it. Relief and anguish mixed in equal measure.
Without hesitation, Juyeon closed the distance between them.
She walked up to the seated Rohan and pulled him into a firm embrace.
Juoyeon’s hands gently stroked his disheveled hair, her heart overwhelmed by the flood of emotions.
The past that haunted her—if only her younger sibling had returned safely, would this have been how she felt?
As the sharp memories that twisted and pierced her heart seemed to loosen for the first time, Juyeon finally spoke.
"...I’m so glad you’re safe."
Rohan, buried in her chest, could feel the deep sincerity in her voice and touch.
Despite the sweet, fruity scent emanating from Juyeon, this was no time for his usual playful thoughts.
As her grip relaxed, Rohan lifted his head to meet her gaze.
"Commander, I’m sorry for making you worry."
"Truly... I’ve never had a cadet like you before."
"I have no excuses."
"Still, it was a force of nature. There’s no point in scolding you for that. If anything, I should praise you for making it back alive."
Even as she said this, a pang of guilt struck Juyeon.
Seeing the state of Rohan’s uniform, she worried she might have inadvertently hurt him when she hugged him earlier.
"Rohan. What about your injuries? Have you received treatment?"
"I’ll report everything, including that, in detail. We’ve only just returned and haven’t had the chance to explain anything yet."
Though the officers wanted to document the situation and report it to their superiors as quickly as possible, none of them dared interrupt Juyeon’s time with Rohan.
They stood silently in the corner, waiting for the moment to begin their work.
Juoyeon’s intense gaze shifted to the officers.
"I will remain as Rohan’s guardian during this process. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, of course."
Relieved that they could finally proceed, the officers quickly prepared their recording equipment, setting it up across from Rohan and Clara.
Ju-yeon and Clara
As materials for the investigation were being prepared on the table, Ju-yeon’s gaze shifted.
It was then that she noticed the girl sitting next to Rohan.
Clearly tense, the girl sat stiffly, her body language betraying her unease. Ju-yeon immediately recognized her.
‘That presence... it’s the girl from the bookstore Rohan works at.’
Even without the visual confirmation, the calm and familiar aura emanating from the girl made it clear who she was.
Although curiosity flickered in Ju-yeon’s mind, she decided to wait until the security officers began speaking instead of asking her questions directly.
"Before we start the investigation, as we mentioned earlier, if anyone is feeling unwell, we can pause for medical treatment first," one of the officers suggested.
Rohan, glancing briefly at Clara’s trembling hands, placed his own hand gently over hers to reassure her. His voice was calm and steady as he responded.
"I may look like a mess, but believe me when I say my body is fine. No injuries remain."
The officers nodded slightly, noting his words while waiting for him to continue.
"I sustained numerous injuries, including having one of my arms severed. But when I woke up after returning, my arm was back—completely healed."
"Your arm... reattached?"
Ju-yeon and the officers couldn’t hide their shock.
The exact location Rohan referred to was still unknown, and the situation itself was incomprehensible to them.
"Not just that—the lacerations and puncture wounds I had also healed entirely. Though, as you can see, my clothes didn’t regenerate with me."
The officers turned their attention to Clara, silently asking for confirmation.
The girl, still nervous, nodded her head quickly, confirming Rohan’s claims.
"We’d like to start by asking about the events when you encountered the Monolith. May we?"
The officer who spoke was a sharp-eyed man wearing glasses.
Though Rohan didn’t recognize him, he appreciated the interest and prepared to explain.
"There are some parts I can’t fully disclose," Rohan began.
"Parts you can’t disclose...?"
The room grew tense as Ju-yeon and the officers exchanged glances, wondering if some external restriction or condition was preventing Rohan from sharing information.
However, Rohan glanced at Clara, making it clear that his hesitance was related to her.
"I am a registered resident of Academy City and Elysium. As such, I’ll share all the information I have for the benefit of the city’s public welfare."
"..."
"But Clara, who helped me return, is currently awaiting immigration approval and has been in limbo for a long time without proper identification in Academy City."
Rohan emphasized that without Clara’s help, none of this information could have been brought back.
"Clara isn’t a wanted criminal. Her origin is verifiable, and she has no ties to anything illegal. However, her country of origin might have concerns about information tied to the Monolith being disclosed."
The officers listened attentively, jotting down notes as Rohan’s explanation revealed his intentions.
One of the officers spoke up, his tone calm but cautious.
"We’re aware that many people from unstable nations are applying for immigration recently. The process has been taking over nine months in some cases due to the volume."
The officer sitting next to him chimed in, his voice tinged with regret.
This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.
"However, immigration procedures fall outside the jurisdiction of the security bureau. At best, we can run background checks if requested by the relevant agencies."
Their words made it clear that they couldn’t provide any special favors.
Rohan frowned, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair with a dissatisfied expression.
"I believe the information I have is highly valuable," he said firmly.
"The security bureau is willing to evaluate your contributions and offer compensation accordingly," one of the officers replied.
Rohan knew this meant more money would be awarded, which was good, but he wasn’t satisfied with just that.
"Hmm... shouldn’t significant contributions warrant some advantage in the immigration process?"
Rohan’s body language conveyed his frustration, and the officers exchanged uneasy glances.
"May I request a pause in the recording?" Ju-yeon’s calm yet authoritative voice broke the tension.
The officers hesitated briefly before stopping the recording.
"Rohan."
"Yes, ma’am!"
Gone was Rohan’s defiance as he straightened up and answered sharply, surprising the officers.
"They cannot make promises or intervene in matters outside their jurisdiction," Ju-yeon explained patiently.
"I understand that. But I thought the security bureau could negotiate something, especially since..."
Rohan trailed off, glancing at Clara. He couldn’t ignore the image of her enduring harsh conditions in a small, unheated room as she waited indefinitely for approval.
After listening to his reasoning, Ju-yeon let out a small smile and reached out to pinch Rohan’s cheek.
"You’re admirable, but you’re also a bit reckless," she said softly. "Regardless of the situation, demanding intervention outright was pushing it. Apologize first."
"I’m sorry for being unreasonable!" Rohan apologized immediately, his voice earnest despite his cheek being pulled.
The officers, feeling slightly guilty, exchanged apologies as well, admitting their own phrasing could have been misunderstood.
"Good. Now, don’t worry about your friend’s immigration issues."
"Excuse me?"
Rohan, Clara, and the officers all turned to Ju-yeon in surprise.
"I’ll handle that part personally," she said confidently.
The rest of the investigation proceeded smoothly.
Rohan avoided mentioning Shion, explaining vaguely that they’d lost sight of her after leaving the space. He provided detailed accounts, showing his smartphone’s timer and the photos he had taken, leaving the officers astonished.
The process lasted four exhausting hours, but it finally concluded. Rohan and Clara left the security bureau, still dirty and disheveled from their ordeal.
The night had already fallen by the time they stepped outside.
Ju-yeon’s gaze landed on Clara.
"Your name is Clara, correct?"
"Y-Yes..." Clara stammered, her voice soft and hesitant.
Ju-yeon addressed her with respect, despite knowing she was Rohan’s friend.
"You live alone, correct?"
Clara nodded shyly.
"Then how about coming to my place to wash up and have a proper meal?"
"...!"
Rohan whipped his head toward Ju-yeon so fast his neck cracked audibly.
Clara, equally shocked, looked up at Ju-yeon with wide eyes.
Ju-yeon smiled warmly.
"I have some things to discuss with you about immigration, and I also want to thank you properly for helping Rohan."