Returnee's S-Rank Management Guide

Chapter 257 : Connections and the Past (1)

Connections and the Past (1)

Jung-woo could clearly understand what Alencia was thinking right now.

The relationship between Alencia and James was currently quite complicated.

Although he had acted for Alencia's sake, it wasn't as if he was completely without fault.

And he still didn't want Alencia to live as a Saintess.

He knew that even the reduction in his sentence had already been refused by him once.

The knowledge he offered had all been Sarah's, so there was no lie there, but it was also true that he himself had pretended to be a returnee.

'Well, he was a model prisoner too.'

On top of that, Alencia's incredible popularity and the attention to her unfortunate past had allowed him to be released from prison.

However, the relationship between Alencia and James still hadn't improved.

Was their relationship bad? Not exactly.

Both Alencia and James worried about each other, to the extent that she had continuously visited him even while he was serving his sentence.

'I thought things would be more awkward after he got out of prison, but...'

It was absurd, but not incomprehensible.

They had been apart too long, so now being close felt more awkward.

Because of that, even though Alencia could go to America any time she wanted—in fact,

even though she had the ability to commute from the US whenever she wished—she chose to stay at Ah-yeon's mansion.

'But......'

That wasn't good.

Alencia's power was special, no matter who you compared it to.

A Saintess, and a Saintess.

A human with the authority of a god—

A being who represented the values of humanity in this era.

For that reason, Alencia's power was more heavily influenced by her mentality and imagination than by any training.

All the various ways she trained to wield her power were to make performing 'miracles' more natural for her.

Perhaps the reason Alencia's power had stagnated at some point was because there was a place inside her mentality that was stuck.

And as for why, there was no real need to explain.

"Alencia?"

When they arrived at Alencia's house, James looked at the two of them in surprise.

It was understandable since, after the daughter who had visited only once a week ago now showed up again, this time with Jung-woo.

"It's been a while, James."

"Yes, it feels like it's been a whole year. But... is there some reason you came with Alencia?"

"Not particularly."

Jung-woo's calm answer made James nod.

He could roughly guess why Jung-woo had come.

"Maybe it has something to do with why Alencia came to America last time."

"......"

"Well, come inside first. I imagine there's a lot to talk about."

To be honest, James didn't particularly like Jung-woo.

He knew Jung-woo was Alencia's benefactor.

And he knew that thanks to Jung-woo, he himself was also able to survive.

But, separate from all that, the fact that Alencia became a 'Saintess' was never something James wanted.

"Just have a seat over there. Ah, this is surprising. I didn't expect you'd come all the way to America yourself. Honestly, I thought there was a good chance I'd never see you again."

"Of course not. Since you trusted and left her to me, I plan to visit like this pretty often."

"Well, with Alencia's abilities, I guess that wouldn't be hard."

James's mouth tasted bitter as he spoke of Alencia's abilities.

He knew his daughter's power was growing ever stronger, and it inevitably reminded him of Sarah.

Sarah, who had kept using that power until her final dying breath.

"I already saw it on the news. The 'dark star' moving in the sky."

As they exchanged light conversation, James finally couldn't hold back and brought it up.

"It was first revealed on the broadcast you appeared on, wasn't it?"

The Dark Star.

It referred to the massive black castle that currently hovered over Germany.

Because of its size and orbital path, which resembled a satellite, it had been called a 'star'.

And because it did not shine, it was called the Dark Star.

"The whole world is watching to see where that black castle will head next."

There were many theories.

If it hadn't been for the 'demonic zone attack broadcast', people might have simply guessed it was a new type of dungeon.

Or perhaps an alien object, or some other inexplicable phenomenon.

But because of that broadcast, everyone knew that the castle was related to the demons.

Thanks to that, countries that had been preparing to accept demon technology had abruptly stopped their policies.

"And now, all over the world, they're turning ordinary people into awakeners."

The procedure was being led by Jin Su-hyuk of Korea.

Turning ordinary people into awakened.

It had only been public knowledge for about a month, and it had only actually been implemented for a few weeks.

Normally, national governments would have moved more cautiously, but this time, everyone was rushing in.

James couldn't begin to estimate how many ordinary people had undergone the procedure.

'There must be pro-demon people hidden in the government.'

That was the only way things could progress this quickly.

Moreover, if a country fell even a little behind in this, it would lose out in international competition.

The side with more awakened would clearly have the upper hand.

James knew this situation was anything but normal.

All he could infer was that whoever created this situation was an extremely dangerous being.

"Do you intend to push Alencia into fighting people like that?"

"Dad!"

Alencia cried out, flustered by James's sudden statement.

She hadn't expected him to say it like that.

"What are you saying all of a sudden?"

"Alencia, listen."

At first, he hadn't intended to say anything.

If it was what Alencia wanted, he'd simply support her quietly.

But if it was a matter of his daughter's life, it was different.

"I have no desire to lose you the way I lost Sarah."

At those words, Alencia was momentarily at a loss for words.

She was about to say that as a Saintess, that would never happen—but then recalled her recent battle with Cade.

The body of a Saintess was immune to most attacks.

Physically and by the laws of the world alike, her body was almost divine.

Unless it was a power capable of destroying humanity's entire history, a Saintess could not die.

"But you're not immortal. You're not a true god. Isn't that right, manager Park Jung-woo?"

"...... That's correct."

"You know it, don't you? You've met such beings yourself, and you possess some of their power too."

The Demon King—he had already killed several Saintesss and Saintesses.

"I saw it when you visited a week ago—that tiny scratch on Alencia's arm."

It seemed Alencia herself hadn't realized it, since it was somewhere she couldn't see.

But there had definitely been a small wound on Alencia's arm.

A tiny wound that healed quickly, but still—

"The fact that you can be wounded means you could die."

Proof that Alencia wasn't a 'god'.

Proof that she was a human who could bleed and be injured.

"That's......!"

Alencia tried to say something to James.

But she couldn't think of anything appropriate to say.

Not because there was nothing to say, but because she felt that nothing she said could convince James.

"Alencia."

"Yeah?"

"I'd like to speak with him for a moment, just the two of us. Would that be alright?"

At the mention of 'just the two of us', Alencia glanced back and forth between James and Jung-woo.

She didn't know what they'd talk about.

But she did suspect that if she stayed, she would only get more and more frustrated.

"Alright. But just so you know, I'm not listening to anything Dad says, so keep that in mind."

"Alencia, you......."

"I mean it, got it?"

Hmph, with that, Alencia shot back and swept out of the house.

She would probably move somewhere far-off, where she couldn't hear anything.

"Haa......."

At the sight of Alencia leaving, James let out a quiet sigh and looked at Jung-woo.

One way or another, James had many things he wanted to ask Jung-woo.

"Be honest with me. Where is that Dark Star heading?"

"Korea."

"... The Dark Star will reach Korea in about a week, then. No, at this point, even that much time isn't left."

The path of the Dark Star's movement had been roughly predicted.

Since it had been moving steadily in one direction, James knew Korea was along that path.

"Whether the battlefield ends up being Korea or somewhere else, I can't say for sure. But if there's a fight, it'll be then."

"So you'll be fighting then too, right?"

"Yes."

"Will Alencia be fighting too? With you?"

Jung-woo nodded.

Even at James's words, Jung-woo showed no hesitation at all.

"I know you're worried."

If your only daughter was heading to a place that might be a death trap, anyone would react as James did.

If he had already lost his beloved wife, naturally he would want to do whatever it took to stop this, not wanting to lose his daughter too.

"But I hope you'll trust us."

"Trust you?"

"No, trust Alencia."

Jung-woo knew that Alencia kept wavering.

And there was no helping it.

Until just a year ago, Alencia had been an ordinary person.

It had only been that long since she had gained great power and started risking her life in the world.

The only reason she had been able to fight without fear so far was because she wasn't afraid.

Because there was no risk of death, she could fight normally.

It wasn't much different from a game.

But now, she had realized she could no longer do that.

She knew now that she could be hurt, that she could die—and so she was shaken.

Behind that uncertainty lay James's lack of faith.

"I understand why you didn't want her to become a Saintess. But that's all on the premise that Alencia 'can't do it,' right?"

"I just thought the burden was too much for her. Isn't it too heavy? My daughter is too young to carry it all."

"No, she can do it. And I'll make sure she does."

He had said something similar before.

Even then, James had reluctantly accepted it.

"It's too dangerous. What parent would welcome a child heading somewhere they could die?"

"Of course, I understand. It's only natural."

It's a common story.

Parents wish for their children not to walk dangerous paths.

They want them to live a safe, comfortable life, even if it means living in a box, living quietly.

Even if brilliant possibilities exist, they reach for safety over possibility.

So now, Alencia was unable to grasp her own potential.

Paradoxically, this was because Alencia was a loved child.

James didn't want Alencia to end up like himself.

Therefore, he wished her not to tread the dangerous path, and had continually blocked her from awakening her potential as a Saintess.

Growing up in that environment, Alencia had stopped, even after reaching for her own possibilities.

Because James had never trusted in her growth or her potential.

He had hoped she would not go that route.

"Alencia can do it. Even if she is wounded, no one can kill her."

"How can you be so sure?"

"To kill a Saintess, you would need the strength to destroy all of humanity itself. But even the Demon King—he didn't kill Saintesss with brute force. He weakened their strength by destroying the values and history that humanity had built up."

When humanity itself denied its own history, the Saintesss' power and immortality vanished.

The Demon King killed the weakened Saintesss to finish it.

Of course, only the Demon King could do such a thing.

No matter how weak a Saintess became, their body was like a law of the universe.

It was better to think he had destroyed the value itself.

"But Alencia is different."

"... Why?"

"Because the societies and cultures of humanity are still intact."

The power of a Saintess is strongest when humanity is at peace.

When the values and history they hope for are preserved.

"So there is only one situation where Alencia could die."

The moment all the accumulated culture and values collapse.

In other words, in the future where everything Jin Su-hyuk is trying to achieve comes to pass.

"It's not a matter of whether she can do it or not."

From the start, Alencia never had another choice.

There was never a place for Alencia in the society Jin Su-hyuk means to create.

Would Jin Su-hyuk spare Alencia, whose power had weakened as values changed?

Absolutely not.

Alencia, by her very existence, symbolized the old world. He would never let her live.

"Alencia has no choice but to fight."

At those words, James's eyes trembled.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

25 chapter left.

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