The Civil Servant Who Conceals Her Power Is Too Good at Possession Chapter 14

 

* * *

 

Congratulations! You have successfully completed possession! A special skill has arrived!

 

I deliberately ignored the flashing status window in front of me and looked at Kwon Ikseong, who was sitting beside me.

 

I was currently seated in the passenger seat of a Hunter Investigation Unit sedan, wrapped in Kwon Ikseong’s jacket.

 

For the record, the scene was being cleared by the forensic team that had been dispatched. 

 

“Are you sure you don’t need to go to a healer at the hospital?” 

 

“Pardon? Well… I don’t think it’s anything serious.”

 

Aside from my skin stinging a little.

 

Probably…?

 

“I’m asking because it didn’t look like ordinary slime venom.”

 

As he spoke, Kwon Ikseong gestured toward the slime in the back seat, which was chewing on the upholstery.

 

As if it understood we were talking about it, the slime stopped gnawing on the seat and sheepishly fastened its seatbelt.

 

‘It got smarter after becoming a King Slime.’

 

But its size had shrunk.

 

King Slimes can adjust their size at will.

 

“…It’s okay. I don’t think that little guy is actually all that strong.”

 

I answered while glancing at the slime pretending not to listen.

 

A notification window popped up.

 

King Slime’s favorability has increased by 5.

 

…Did it understand me?

 

Earning favorability points from a slime feels truly bizarre.

 

More than anything, the sensation of having swallowed the protagonist of this world was still vivid, and that made me uncomfortable.

 

‘…He had a very sharp, stinging taste.’

 

I remembered Choi Woojin struggling inside me.

 

For reference, Choi Woojin and Kang Ilyeon were in a different transport vehicle.

 

Both in handcuffs.

 

Since both were A-rank hunters or higher, they were naturally physically fine.

 

The real problem right now was me.

 

I’d been caught entering a subspace—and the one who caught me was Kwon Ikseong of all people!

 

“By the way… why aren’t you asking how I got into that subspace?”

 

“I was going to ask after you recovered—”

 

Screech.

 

Even before the light turned red, Kwon Ikseong braked at the yellow.

 

The car stopped precisely at the line.

 

“If this is a good time to ask, I’ll ask now.”

 

…I shouldn’t have gone looking for trouble.

 

“How did you enter that subspace?”

 

Looking at Ikseong’s profile, devoid of any expression, I delivered the explanation I had prepared.

 

“While examining the belongings of the murder suspect Kang Wolyeon, I discovered a keyring connected to that subspace. I manipulated it somehow, and it turned out to link to that subspace.”

 

“Somehow….”

 

Kwon Ikseong repeated my words as if tasting them.

 

I know! There are far too many coincidences and ‘somehows’!

 

The only thing I could rely on was the fact that other people couldn’t even dream of a skill like ‘Possession.’

 

However, for some reason, Kwon Ik-seung pointed out a different detail rather than questioning the coincidence.

 

“If you knew it led to a subspace, was it impossible to come back out?”

 

“It wasn’t impossible—”

 

I hesitated before continuing.

 

“I found a child there who looked exactly like Kang Wolyeon, and so I thought it might help the investigation, which led me to step in…….”

 

Some key facts were omitted, but nothing I said was false.

 

Aside from the part where I had already known about the relationship between Kang Wolyeon and Kang Ilyeon.

 

But that wasn’t much of an issue. Anyone could guess they were twins the moment they saw Ilyeon’s face.

 

“It could have been dangerous.”

 

“Yes, I know….”

 

“What I mean is, it could have cost you your life. That place was filled with weapons. Even I am fully armed right now.”

 

Kwon Ikseung showed me the revolver at his hip.

 

From behind, I heard the slime whimper softly.

 

After everything it had been through, I suppose that reaction made sense.

 

Is it because I was a slime for a brief time that I feel a little sorry for it?

 

‘Damn it.’

 

“Still… I had to bring Kang Ilyeon out.”

 

At my words, Kwon Ikseung’s expression became subtle.

 

Is he still suspicious?

 

But Ikseung’s expression was so still, just like in the novel, that it was difficult to guess what was going on inside.

 

Like a deep lake.

 

Well, I had more or less explained the ‘somehows,’ and the only remaining issue would be the fact that I shot the slime with a water gun—

 

“So you’re saying you forcibly brought Kang Ilyeon out by using that King Slime?”

 

“No. More precisely—”

 

I turned toward the slime, which was once again putting on a pitiful act.

 

“I intended to bring it out too. It was evidence of illegal trade, and it looked… pitiful. I didn’t know how else it might be exploited there, so I thought I should help it. So I bought an item and used it. A slime water gun.”

 

As if he knew exactly what the slime water gun was capable of, Ikseong furrowed his brow.

 

“You had the money to purchase that?”

 

“…I had some money saved up from before. Before I joined the bureau, I ran manual labor dungeons a few times to save up for my younger sibling’s college tuition.”

 

Heavy silence.

 

I know what I’m saying.

 

That I burned through 100 million won—money I earned through grueling labor—just to save a slime.

 

Furthermore, depending on how you hear it—

 

‘It can only sound like I went in there with an intention from the start. Otherwise, who would think someone would blow 100 million won there without a plan?’

 

I swallowed hard and waited for Ikseong’s decision.

 

“…You might have to write a formal apology. As a public official belonging to the investigation bureau, the rule is to move in pairs during a dispatch. And—”

 

Kwon Ikseong is a man of principles.

 

Naturally, various disciplinary actions could be waiting for me.

 

A rookie entering a subspace alone just to catch a suspect.

 

It would only look like a greedy rookie blinded by reward money.

 

“I’ll do what I can. So that there’s no disciplinary action.”

 

…However.

 

Ikseung reached a different conclusion.

 

Surprisingly, he believed me.

 

Without asking any further questions.

 

That’s when I remembered.

 

Another reason I loved Kwon Ikseong in the novel.

 

Because he was a person who believed in the good intentions of others through his own good heart.

 

“….”

 

That’s it.

 

That’s it?

 

It passed far too easily.

 

I looked at Ikseong’s profile.

 

‘As expected of my favorite character….’

 

There’s no way I couldn’t like him.

 

I smiled faintly.

 

At least until the next moment, when Ikseong said this.

 

“We will make the Geumho-dong illegal weapons trade case a joint investigation with Team 5. First, proceed with the interrogation of Choi Woojin.”

 

“Pardon? Me?”

 

At my response, Ikseong’s expression turned subtle again.

 

“…The moment he regained consciousness, Choi Woojin invoked his right to remain silent and specifically named Investigator Lee Yuji. He stated that he will only be questioned by Investigator Lee Yuji. If it’s not Investigator Lee Yuji, he refuses to speak.”

 

One of his eyebrows twitched.

 

An unusual display of emotion.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

And what that meant was that a significant portion of this illegal weapons trade case would be assigned to Team 5.

 

* * *

 

“Right. Our rookie has brought another case assignment to us.”

 

If you’re angry, just say you’re angry…

 

I looked at Pi Sowon, who was staring at me with an unreadable expression.

 

Wait—so it’s wrong for an investigator to bring in a case?

 

Is this right? Is it!

 

“…Jumping into a case that wasn’t even ours in the first place.”

 

Right.

 

That part was a mistake.

 

Public officials must respect the boundaries of their assigned duties. Cross that line, and it becomes a problem.

 

‘The lines of responsibility get complicated.’

 

I immediately accepted that and shrank back.

 

“It was because I accidentally touched Kang Wolyeon’s belongings……”

 

“Touching a suspect’s belongings as you please.”

 

Bang!

 

Pi Sowon slammed a file down in front of me.

 

Seeing the change in her eyes, I finally understood.

 

‘She’s angry…… our Team Leader.’

 

“How do you know what kind of mana might have been dwelling in there to just touch it like that? Do you not even know the Investigator’s Code?”

 

“I don’t…… because nobody taught me……”

 

When I answered in a small, crawling voice, Pi Sowon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

 

This is the spirit of an MZ investigator, you see!

 

…To say that, I was actually completely terrified by Pi Sowon’s scary expression and kept my eyes glued to the floor.