The Foreigner on the Periphery

"I think you should change your wish."

Minjun spoke right after Jeongpal asked for a little more time, passing his turn to Cathy.

She hardly hesitated before telling Minjun her wish.

"Please find Eunseong!"

Minjun was slightly surprised. A wish for someone else?

Come to think of it, Cathy had spent the most time with that ghost on Earth.

When given the absurd demand to feed the dragon in the basement, the former secretary had followed the order without question.

She had officially been Ha Eunseong's watcher, but after realizing he had no intention of escaping, she seemed to treat him like a normal younger brother.

Minjun deduced her reasoning easily enough.

"Why?"

She looked completely baffled.

She had never intended to ask Minjun for something absurd like world peace or eternal life. He had already mentioned he was looking for the missing ghost, which meant the possibility of finding him wasn't zero.

So why refuse?

"I told you, I'm already looking for Ha Eunseong. I'll do that whether you ask for it or not."

Ha Eunseong's current situation was the result of a tangled web of karma between Minjun, Adkiel, and Asiph-1.

The outcome—the ghost being reduced to a bloody clot before vanishing—was driven by their clash of goodwill and hostility. Through their cycle of inflicting and shouldering sins, Ha Eunseong had been created, had gained life, died, suffered, and vanished.

Furthermore, Minjun could no longer view Ha Eunseong merely as his debtor. Now, Minjun was in his debt as well.

I can't guess exactly what happened at the heart, but...

According to Adkiel's memories, the Shadow Fragment anchored to Ha Eunseong had planned to deceive the ghost. It had likely intended to coerce him into destroying the uppermost source of Elahu-Praga.

If Ha Eunseong refused, Adkiel would have threatened him. He would have claimed that if the primordial race woke up, they would punish Minjun, and all the dragons Minjun had brainwashed would snap back to their senses.

Adkiel had prepared a ridiculous lie: that those dragons, consumed by shame and rage, would exact their revenge by brutally destroying everyone connected to Minjun.

But for whatever reason, Ha Eunseong seemed to have rejected that temptation.

The most precious thing to Ha Eunseong... was the family he left behind.

That was the very reason he had cooperated with Minjun in the first place.

Adkiel must have leveraged them to threaten him.

In spite of that, the ghost ultimately chose not to destroy the source. In doing so, he must have been swept up in the backlash of Talents, suffering indescribable agony.

If he had made a different choice... I would have lost everything once again. And this time, the loss would have been absolute, permanent, and entirely irreversible.

The reason Minjun had held on for so long, his sole purpose in life, had nearly been erased.

Whatever his reasons, whatever he went through, I owe Ha Eunseong a massive debt. That fact remains unchanged.

And for that reason, Minjun was going to find him no matter what.

Contrary to Asiph-1's expectations, he had no intention of ever absorbing Ha Eunseong again.

He wouldn't even weigh Ha Eunseong's original debt of one million Talents against it. Nor would he argue that his own grace was greater since the ghost had likely been created from his soul. Thwarting Adkiel's conspiracy was simply that massive of a contribution.

Therefore, if Eunseong wanted it, Minjun would forge him a body identical to the one he had in life. For all intents and purposes, it would feel just like a true resurrection.

Moreover, though it would take some time to achieve, Minjun could grant him eternal life if he wished. If the ghost desired a peaceful, comforting paradise, Minjun was entirely willing to use every ounce of his power to create one for him.

"Then..."

Cathy pondered the instruction to pick another wish.

In truth, there was one other wish she wanted to make, but she couldn't bring herself to voice it.

She desperately missed her ordinary days spent by someone's side—a daily routine whose true value she hadn't recognized at the time.

Clocking into the office every morning to share trivial chatter with her employer. Buying armfuls of things that caught her eye while shopping to give him as gifts. Digging up dirt on alien suspects, clinking glasses with Minjun to celebrate a job well done, and gathering with friends to laugh and gossip on their days off.

Now, she missed those days so much it physically ached.

What tormented her most was the vivid, sinking realization that those days were gone forever.

What if I wished for him to stay here?

She gazed quietly at Minjun as he waited for her response.

Then, she abandoned the thought.

No, I can't do that.

Minjun had told her to make a wish, but he had never promised to grant absolutely anything.

He undoubtedly had limits to his power. Or perhaps it was simply a matter of will—if Minjun himself didn't want to stay.

Cathy asked a different question.

"What are you going to do from now on?"

"The same as always. I'll do what needs to be done."

"But what do you want to do?"

For a fraction of a second, his expression stiffened.

Cathy felt a pang of disappointment, assuming this was yet another secret. However, Minjun's reaction stemmed from a completely different reason.

Unintentionally, she had struck a nerve regarding Minjun's oldest and deepest dilemma.

After a brief silence, he finally answered.

"What needs to be done... isn't necessarily what I want to do. This isn't exactly an environment where I can just do whatever I please."

Cathy smiled softly in understanding.

"True. It's not like you're some omnipotent god. That makes sense."

Behind her, the elf struggled to swallow the words tickling his throat.

Minjun might not literally be a deity, but the elf strongly suspected he held the highest absolute authority and power across all dimensions.

Meanwhile, Cathy's casual remark only deepened the complex look on Minjun's face.

"Still, I hope you get to do what you want, at least as much as possible. You were always complaining about how much you hated working, but the moment a mission started, you turned into a total workaholic. You worked like you were being chased by something... But you're free now. I hope you can take it easy and actually enjoy your life a bit."

"..."

"I don't know what race you actually are, but you probably live much longer than a quarter elf, right? Maybe as long as a dwarf? Which means, by your standards, I'm basically a toddler. A fleeting child who briefly crossed paths with you during your long, long life. Just that much? I'd be happy if you remembered me as just that. That clueless kid who presumptuously lectured me once. Even if it's just that... I hope you look back and think of me every once in a while."

She added in an exaggerated tone,

"Oh, but that wasn't my wish! You're not counting that, right?"

Forcing a bright smile, Cathy moved to wrap up her turn.

"And as for my actual wish..."

Everyone's eyes fell on her. Minjun narrowed his own.

And, as if she had finally made her decision, Cathy spoke.

"I'll defer it."

At that moment.

The primordial race, the elf, the goblin, and the orc all reacted simultaneously in their own distinct ways.

"Really?"

"No, wait. Hold on! Miss Catherine, don't be hasty. Think it over! This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"

"De-fur...? What are you doing to a sheep?"

"...!"

Cathy's expression didn't waver.

"I'm handing my wish over to whichever of the three of you wants it. That's allowed, right?"

In other words, if Lakefield, Jeongpal, or Dong-cheol had another wish they desperately wanted, she was giving her turn to them.

Minjun furrowed his brow, double-checking.

"Are you sure you won't regret this?"

"You already promised you'd find Eunseong."

She continued, a tinge of melancholy in her voice.

"And as for the wish I didn't say out loud... I don't think you have any intention of granting it anyway."

Unlike Lakefield, Cathy hadn't been tragically separated from her family, and she had lived a relatively ordinary life thus far. She fully expected her future to remain much the same.

Which meant she harbored no burning, desperate desires that required the help of an unfathomable alien—someone whose true identity was impossible to fully grasp even with an explanation, despite his indisputable, god-like power. Aside from the two wishes that were either already rejected or destined to be rejected, she had nothing left to ask for.

Of course, there were plenty of things she wanted to own or achieve. But Cathy believed she was fully capable of reaching those milestones on her own two feet. She didn't need to waste a miracle on them, nor did she want to beg for them from the employer to whom she had once given her heart.

However, the others might be in a different boat.

"Yes."

Cathy's voice was firm.

"Don't worry. I won't regret it."

   *

I had nothing to lose. Should I have just put it out there? Dammit, I do regret it.

Cathy muttered to herself, watching her white breath puff into the air.

It was nearly noon, but the pale winter sun offered no real warmth. She walked down the washed-out streets, feeling the biting chill in the air. Pulling her scarf tighter, she shoved both hands deep into her coat pockets.

Despite a series of earth-shattering events, people still had to make a living. Most of the storefronts were open, and the city was steeped in the holiday spirit. The melody of Christmas carols and the ringing of Salvation Army bells echoed from every corner. Shaking off her lingering regrets, Cathy forced herself to focus on the scenery.

Looks like 2020 is actually going to end. For a while there, it felt like the year would drag on forever, even if someone beat it to death.

It was probably true for a lot of people, but for Cathy, 2020 had been an absolute year from hell.

Everything she considered common sense had violently crumbled, and the ordinary routines she took for granted had been stripped away for months on end.

It was also a year where she was forced to helplessly watch her ties with precious friends vanish without warning, or slowly drift out of reach.

Well, at least I can freely walk around outside again. I guess that's something.

The bodyguards who had hovered around her for so long were nowhere to be seen. A few days ago, Jenkinson had officially withdrawn all security details assigned to Minjun's friends.

Cathy was taking a walk to clear her head. Though her mind kept wandering, her main priority was figuring out how she was going to make a living moving forward.

What career should she pursue now?

Minjun had made it abundantly clear that their employment was over. And since Earth's Dragon Lord had personally guaranteed their safety, it was high time she started job-hunting. Her former boss had paid an incredibly generous salary, so she wouldn't starve even if she stayed unemployed for a while, but working had always been a core part of her identity.

Lost in thought, she continued her stroll until someone caught her eye. A tourist—covered in grayish-white fur and sporting a dangling trunk that made it hard to tell where his nose ended and his mouth began—was awkwardly trying to hail a cab. A troll eventually walked up to inform the tourist that taxis didn't stop at this particular spot. The furry alien expressed his thanks in the pan-dimensional common tongue and began following the troll.

There are definitely a lot more unfamiliar aliens wandering the streets of Seoul lately.

Watching the diverse crowds pass by, she mused that becoming a freelance contract agent might not be a bad gig. She had picked up plenty of useful skills working under Minjun, and her connections within the Immigration Office were rock solid.

Of course, rather than serving on the front lines like Minjun, she would be better suited for an intelligence role focused on espionage and information gathering. Minjun had strictly warned her not to go picking fights just because she knew a few basic magic spells.

Her walk eventually brought her to a major intersection, where a massive electronic billboard overhead was broadcasting the news.

"Yesterday at dawn, Korea Standard Time, the United Nations issued an official statement regarding the Pan-Dimensional Sentient Relocation Committee. Acknowledging the prolonged absence of any meaningful activity from the organization—which has historically served as a vital bridge for political, economic, social, and technological exchange between dimensions—the UN reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining close cooperation with neighboring realms to minimize any potential chaos or conflict..."

"Furthermore, the headquarters of the Elahu-Praga order—better known in our dimension as the rising religion 'Dreamland'—has announced plans to supply Earth with 20,000 tons of Mana Crystals by January of next year. As public interest in the terms of this massive trade agreement grows, the UN has repeatedly stated that the specific details of the contract cannot be disclosed to the civilian sector..."

The streets were buzzing with noise.

Crossing the street, Cathy noticed a massive line winding through City Hall Plaza.

Magic heaters had been stationed everywhere, and several large tents were pitched across the square, but it clearly wasn't enough. Aliens from species vulnerable to the cold were visibly shivering, unable to endure the winter chill.

The sight of people forming such massive queues was no longer a rare occurrence.

To get what they came for, the gathered crowds had to go through a two-step process. First, they were evaluated in a tent labeled 'Triage Clinic' by both an Earthling doctor and an Earthling follower of Dreamland. These examiners personally assessed the patients' conditions and reviewed their medical records and doctor's notes.

Only those deemed to be in critical need of treatment at this stage were granted access to the next tent, labeled 'Treatment Center.'

Flash!

Fwoosh!

Brilliant golden light flared endlessly from inside the treatment tent.

And following every flash, without fail...

"Oh... my god! I can see! I can actually see!"

"Mom, look! I can walk! I can walk now!"

"It's a miracle! Oh, thank you... Thank you so much!"

Whenever people entered or exited, the tent flaps would flutter open, revealing brief glimpses of the interior.

Inside, three-eyed priests dressed in alien vestments sat in a row, administering healing to the desperate patients.

Cathy clicked her tongue.

Good lord. Divine Power users treating patients completely free of charge. And they're top-tier priests, at that!

Sometimes, Cathy genuinely couldn't tell if she was living on Earth in the year 2020 or if she had been transmigrated into some high-budget HBO fantasy drama.

Taking in the endless line of patients in the plaza and the wildly diverse array of alien species crossing the street, she muttered to herself.

The world these days is just so...

She searched for the right word.

...surreal.

No, there was a much better word for it.

Something like...

Right.

...abnormal.

An utterly abnormal world.

However, she quickly brushed the thought away.

What even defined normal and abnormal anymore? Perhaps this bizarre reality was just settling into what people called the "new normal."

Besides, that's completely above my pay grade.

Cathy recalled her former boss's favorite mantra.

Focus only on what you can do now, and what you must do now.

I just need to figure out my own life.

Giving her head a little shake to clear the stray thoughts, Cathy crossed the street and picked up her pace as she slipped into the alley by the city council building.

Surrounded by humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, goblins, trolls, and countless other species whose names she couldn't even begin to remember, her figure soon melted into the bustling crowd.

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