The Foreigner on the Periphery

Jenkinson sat across from the ruling party's floor leader, his mind a tangled knot.

"I greet the great dragon..."

The elf, about to offer his greetings in the dragon's office, stiffened as he looked out the window. Although he had already seen the sight from outside, facing it from this height seemed to bring a fresh sense of awe.

-La, la, la. La, la, la, la.

It was a melody that could easily be mistaken for a heavenly chorus. Sweet waves of sound pierced the glass windows and echoed inside. The musicians performing this vocal piece were winged humanoids—white-feathered sirens soaring through the open sky.

The Balien were persistent. Despite their slightly lacking intelligence, this tenacity was one of the reasons they were highly sought after in the labor market. The result of that persistence combining with twisted convictions and baseless optimism was currently unfolding around Jenkinson Tower.

To add context, this had been going on for over a month. It was fortunate their voices were pleasant to hear; if their vocal cords had sounded even slightly more like an orc's, Jenkinson might have breathed fire out the window. Seeing the dragon's hardened expression, the elf forced himself to look away.

"...My apologies. I was distracted for a moment."

The dragon replied gruffly.

In truth, there was another reason for his foul mood. Right now, Jenkinson's mind was filled entirely with tentacles. With no way of knowing this, the elf simply gauged his mood and remained silent. Only then did the Red Dragon manage his expression.

"You must have a lot of headaches lately, yes? Even I didn't expect the election results to turn out like that. I'm ashamed to admit it, but even our conglomerate's Political and Social Research Institute failed to predict it. I'm thinking of cleaning house there soon."

Seeing the dragon's expression soften, the elf finally breathed a sigh of relief. He bowed his head.

"Public sentiment is something even politicians fail to predict. The deed is already done, so we are looking for ways to salvage the situation."

Contrary to expectations of an overwhelming victory, the ruling party had won the recent general election by only a narrow margin.

Ruling party 141 seats to the opposition's 129 seats.

The problem was the destination of the remaining thirty seats. Citizens who found neither the ruling party nor the opposition appealing had sought an alternative. It was a choice bound to enrage many. Thanks to that, the party that proudly claimed the position of the third-largest faction in the assembly was the Human Center Party.

They hated the pro-dragon ruling party, and they despised the opposition that advocated for the rights of all minority species. Many expressed deep concern over the reality that a group exclusively dedicated to human rights had become the casting voters in the National Assembly.

"Furthermore, I hear ten people from the ruling party alone have resigned their seats for various reasons since the election. You must be even more desperate for their cooperation."

Thanks to the dragon pointing this out first, the elf was able to bring up his reason for coming here.

"In truth, I have something to tell you regarding the upcoming by-elections."

"Which district?"

"The Gurye-4 district."

That was an orc community. Recalling who the elected official for that district had been, Jenkinson nodded.

"Ah, that orc candidate. I remember. It was a tragic affair."

The man Jenkinson mentioned hadn't suffered the disgrace of participating in election fraud, being indicted for a felony, or being arrested for bribery like the other candidates stripped of their positions. However, unlike the others who would shamelessly return to the political arena in a few years, he would never set foot in this world again.

Because the dead could not be appointed to public office.

"Did they catch the culprit?"

"Red Star operates as such a strict cell organization that interrogating the captured members seems useless. Perhaps the killer was already murdered during the gang war with the orcs."

"A pity. He was a candidate who won by an overwhelming margin."

If someone wanted to get elected in a neighborhood where orcs made up more than fifty percent of the population, they only needed to satisfy two conditions. First, their species had to be orc. Second, they had to receive the ruling party's nomination.

The tendency of orcs to cast their votes en masse for the ruling party was famous. Perhaps due to their sensitivity to authority, most of them felt the ruling party's policies suited their tastes better.

Additionally, the opposition party, which sought to care for minorities considered even more inferior than the orcs, seemed less appealing to them. The tendency for marginalized groups to seek out and despise those even lower on the ladder existed in every society, and the orcs were no exception.

Therefore, the candidate—who belonged to the faction of the orc gang godfather, Kim Kwang-woo—easily secured the ruling party's nomination through the power of money and won proudly. Red Star judged him to be an undeniable member of the orc gang and fired a rocket into his office in broad daylight. The newly elected official died instantly on the scene.

"I understand why you came to me. You're saying the situation has changed, and you can't just plug in any random orc and expect them to win like before?"

"The war between Red Star and the orc gangs became the deciding factor."

Not only had the unforgivable crimes and corruption of Kim Kwang-woo, the spiritual pillar of the orcs, been exposed to the entire world, but circumstances revealing his connections with Red Star right before the war had also come to light. Ties to the lackeys of the Human Rights Alliance, no less.

"The orcs who have historically voted for the ruling party candidates backed by Kim Kwang-woo will feel extreme shame. But that doesn't mean they want to cast their votes for the opposition either. That is why we expect the orc voter turnout in that district to be abysmally low during this by-election."

Furthermore, the trump card drawn by the opposition—which had practically given up on that district until now—for this by-election was...

"A half-orc former human rights activist?"

Of course, the 'human rights' mentioned here did not refer to the rights of humans advocated by the Human Rights Alliance, but rather the broader rights of people, encompassing all sapient beings.

"Don't orcs despise half-bloods?"

"They've decided to completely abandon the mainstream orc vote. It seems they intend to rally the humans living there and the small minority of opposition-leaning orcs. The atmosphere is already restless, as if their strategy is working well. If we aren't careful, we could end up with a disaster."

"So, in the end, you're saying you need more campaign funds. A sudden variable popped up in a district where you originally wouldn't have needed to spend a dime?"

The elf bowed his head deeply.

"Understood. Speak with Blair on your way out."

"Thank you, Chairman."

Just then, after a brief knock, a secretary walked in and handed the dragon a memo. Jenkinson's eyes gleamed with a strange light as he read it. The assemblyman waited, unable to grasp the situation.

The dragon spoke.

"Hmm, I just received a piece of news. It's bad news for your party once again."

"Pardon? What do you mean..."

Jenkinson peered into the man's eyes with a deep gaze and spoke.

"It seems you'll have to field another candidate for this by-election."

It meant that another elected official had just been stripped of their position.

Hearing those words, the elf felt goosebumps prickle his skin. As the majority party's representative, his phone was still completely silent. The dragon had caught wind of news that even he had yet to receive. The assemblyman realized once again just how broadly and deeply the dragon's reach penetrated every corner of society.

"May I ask which district..."

"Sanyeong-3."

Jenkinson said, glancing down at the memo.

"It happened about thirty minutes ago. The assemblyman from your party who won that district was murdered in his own home."

"What?! How could such a thing... How did it happen?"

The dragon slightly furrowed his brow.

"The crime scene was caught clearly on CCTV, so an arrest shouldn't be difficult. The culprit seems to be an unregistered Weapon Master."

"Are you talking about a Supernatural Ability User?"

"Yes."

The dragon raised a finger and drew a horizontal line across his own throat.

"I'm told he was beheaded in a single stroke. They say the killer carried a weapon resembling a longsword."

*

Sitting in the passenger seat, Minjun spoke.

"Jeongpal, I'm sorry to drag you out when you must be exhausted."

Gripping the steering wheel, the orc shrugged.

"Don't mention it. Come to think of it... strangely, I'm not tired at all? I feel completely energized. It feels like the fatigue from the past few days of hardship vanished all at once."

After taking the Frying Pan from Cathy's house, Minjun had asked Jeongpal for the location of the scene where the Ego Sword was last found. He intended to track its traces even if the Sword was already gone. In response, Jeongpal had volunteered to accompany him, saying it was within his jurisdiction anyway and wasn't far.

Minjun fell into thought. He looked at the Frying Pan secured in the backseat through the rearview mirror. His mind was a mess.

'I can't just hand that over to the Committee as is. If I had been consumed by that urge, it would have been a disaster.'

Strictly speaking, it hadn't been proven that the pan was a fragment of Asiph-1. Nevertheless, the moment he considered the possibility, Minjun had felt a massive compulsion.

An obsessive urge demanding he submit it to the Committee immediately.

What would have happened if he had reported it right then?

'The Committee would have confiscated the Frying Pan first. But what then?'

Minjun had neither the method nor the means to prove it was a fragment of Asiph-1. In other words, if the Committee wiped their mouths clean and denied it, he would have no way to protest.

'What if the Committee checked and claimed it wasn't an Asiph-1 fragment, so they couldn't give me the Talent? They're exactly the kind of bastards who would pull something like that!'

In other words, before reporting to the Committee, he needed to perfectly prove its identity and leave solid evidence.

While he was turning this over, the Ego Sword that Jeongpal mentioned flashed through his mind.

That was why he decided to secure that artifact, which showed properties similar to the Frying Pan. Currently, his only basis for suspecting the Frying Pan was a fragment (aside from the statements) was the fact that its soul couldn't be seen. To hear there was another such Sword—comparing the two might yield some clues.

-Kzzzt! Kzzzt!

A voice crackled from the Radio mounted in the car. Minjun couldn't understand it. The reception was poor, and the speech was far too mumbled.

However, Jeongpal naturally understood it instantly, and his expression soon hardened.

"Um... a major incident just broke out, brother."

"What is it?"

"They say a National Assemblyman was found dead."

The scene was also within the jurisdiction of Jeongpal's station, which was why the Radio rang. Showing little interest, Minjun asked casually.

"How? Heart attack?"

"No, they say his head was cut off in his house."

"..."

"..."

"It couldn't be."

"...Probably not, right?"

But as time passed, the details continued to be updated, and words he could no longer ignore reached his ears. Slowly getting used to the radio's audio, Minjun also understood the broadcast.

"...!"

The dispatch reported that the suspect had been caught before getting far.

But his condition...

"Did I hear that right just now?"

The suspect was reportedly found with every bone in his body crushed and his muscles twisted. Furthermore, the murder weapon captured on the CCTV was not in his possession.

A certain thought flashed through both their minds.

"Jeongpal, let's head there first! If they just found him, the Sword might not have gotten far yet."

"Understood!"

Jeongpal yanked the steering wheel hard.

*

At the crime scene they arrived at, police officers were busy putting up a police line.

"Huh? Inspector Park, what brings you here?"

A detective asked upon seeing Jeongpal. Knowing he had the day off today, he tilted his head. His gaze brushed past the orc and the unfamiliar man's face behind him.

Jeongpal assessed the situation beyond him. An elderly mage, who was clearly a high-ranking police official, was inspecting the scene.

"Let me inside for a moment."

"Ah, sure. Hold on..."

Just as he stepped aside to clear the way—

"Hold on a second."

Another detective approached from behind. Seeing him, Jeongpal openly scowled.

'Damn it, of all people, the case went to that bastard.'

He was the captain of the 2nd Career Detective Team. The guy was aligned with a section chief who had bad blood with Jeongpal. Perhaps pledging loyalty made one's disposition similar, because this man considered Jeongpal a thorn in his side.

Furthermore, when Minjun arrested the delinquent dragon Edelinis, Jeongpal—who had accompanied him—ended up taking the credit for the serial elf disappearance case as well. This made the captain even more irritable, as the disappearance case had originally been assigned to the 2nd Team.

He walked up and scolded the detective who had been talking to Jeongpal.

"Hey, you punk. Who are you to give permission to come in or not? Arrogant for a mere patrol officer..."

The detective who had tried to let Jeongpal in had two buds on his insignia, meaning he was a patrol officer. As his superior barked at him, he lowered his eyes and stepped back. The captain shooed him away with a tilt of his chin before asking in a crooked tone.

"This case has already been handed over to our team. Why is the captain of Team 4 here?"

Jeongpal pointed at Minjun behind him and spoke.

"This agent here is from the Immigration Office, and he'd like to take a look at the scene."

At that, the 2nd Team's captain spoke sarcastically, clicking his tongue.

"Judging by his outfit, I can see that your friend there is a mage, but we already have a very distinguished mage inspecting the scene over here."

He pointed toward the old mage, who was closely observing the site.

"The Director of the Magic Investigation Squad has stepped in personally, you see."

Jeongpal also looked at the white-haired mage. The Director of the Magic Investigation Squad held the rank of Superintendent General. In military terms, it was a high-ranking position equivalent to a one-star general. Unlike other branches where promotions led to focusing on administration instead of fieldwork, in the Magic division, the more important the case, the more likely top-ranking officials would step in themselves.

"On top of that... Immigration Office? It's not like this has been officially stamped as an extraterrestrial case yet. Furthermore, we haven't received any requests for cooperation or directives yet."

Then, as if he simply couldn't understand, he spoke with exaggerated gestures.

"I know they have a lot of clout, but doesn't our Team 4 captain have any pride as a cop? Groveling on your own before an official notice even comes down? This is practically slave mentality, what else can you call it? You should have checked the proper procedures before dragging an agent from another government department here. Isn't that right?"

A vein bulged on Jeongpal's temple. Mentioning the word "slave" in front of an orc was entirely intentional.

Right now, the 2nd Team's captain simply wanted to pick a fight. He intended to humiliate Jeongpal in front of the Immigration Office.

Jeongpal growled.

"The directive will be here soon."

It wasn't a lie. If Minjun made a single phone call and waited, orders from the National Police Agency via the Immigration Office would come down. It was only a matter of time. There was a reason the police gave the Immigration Office an unquestioned free pass in the first place.

That was why Jeongpal was suggesting they avoid wasting unnecessary time.

However, despite knowing it was a useless formality, the captain stood his ground with an arrogant smile. It was the confidence of someone who held control. He glanced back and forth between Jeongpal and Minjun as if saying, "What are you going to do about it?"

"If it's coming soon, then you can just wait out here."

Watching him, Minjun could easily see how Jeongpal was usually treated inside the station.

'See, this is why I told you to just quit and come work with me.'

Minjun looked at the captain. The man stared right back, challenging him. The agent felt tempted. There was a faster method than making a phone call and waiting. It looked like this guy had never had an appendectomy before. Should he burst it for him?

Just then.

"Mr.... Ye Minjun?"

The voice came from inside the police line. Everyone turned their heads.

The white-haired mage who had been inspecting the scene was looking at them. The man who oversaw all of Korea's Magic investigations twitched his white eyebrows. His mouth fell open slightly as if he were witnessing an unbelievable sight.

"It is you... right, sir? Good heavens, am I dreaming?!"

He rushed hurriedly toward the police line. This time, it was the 2nd Team's captain who wore a dumbfounded expression.

Meanwhile, Minjun studied the face of the approaching mage, deep in thought. Seeing him head-on, he definitely looked familiar.

And soon enough, he recalled the man's face from his youth.

"...Kim from Magic Class 2?"

He quickly completed the three syllables of the full name.

"Kim Cheol-su, is that you?"

At that, the mage beamed with a wide smile.

"Yes, sir! It's me! I'm Kim Cheol-su, who studied under you at Goseong Academy!"

"...!"

The 2nd Team captain's face twisted entirely out of shape.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!