[United States, White House. President’s Residence.]
“Holy motherf***er.”
In the private office of the residence, a white man with brown hair, Eisen A. Luigi, the current President of the United States, loosened his tie while letting out a curse, sinking into his chair with his eyes tightly shut.
The office was empty.
All his aides had been dismissed.
If one were to question whether leaving the President alone like this was permissible under security regulations, the answer would be no. However, even the President needs about ten minutes of solitude.
Especially when faced with political clashes and criticism from supporters.
“A million Awakened…”
President Luigi buried his face in his hands.
A miracle of God.
As a human, the rising number of Awakened should be something to celebrate.
– Why are there fewer than ten thousand Awakened in America out of a million?
– This is divine punishment for the President’s poor governance!
“Damned political parasites.”
But as the President of the United States, Luigi couldn’t help but feel a sense of injustice.
The Million Awakening.
According to the global Hunter Association’s shared database, approximately 400,000 individuals worldwide had officially reported themselves as Awakened, claiming divine blessing.
There were still 600,000 left unreported, but surely the ratios spoke volumes.
Click.
President Luigi manipulated his smartphone connected to the TV and displayed a screen.
[Number of officially registered Awakened in America: 3,744.]
“Damn it.”
He couldn’t help but swear.
Being a nation that values freedom, many Americans believed that registering as an Awakened infringed upon their liberty. That was understandable.
Some comics even depicted heroes clashing over similar issues.
But people knew better.
Registering with the Association, obtaining a license, and operating through official channels was undeniably more convenient.
Before the Million Awakening, the number of unregistered Awakened was less than 0.01% of the total, suggesting that Hunter registration wasn’t such a bad thing.
Unlike some Eastern countries, America didn’t enforce mandatory military service upon Hunter registration.
So why were the numbers still so low?
People realized the truth.
A simple lack of numbers.
The entire continent of North America simply had fewer individuals Awakening.
Comparing to neighboring Canada and Mexico, where the numbers neared 5,000 or even 10,000, the disparity was clear.
“Oh, God.”
President Luigi clasped his hands in prayer.
“I understand you wish to care for the weaker nations, but why must we endure such trials because of it?”
Reviewing data showing the emergence of Awakened around the globe, Luigi came to a realization.
Divine providence placed Awakened where they were needed.
Thus, God’s blessings transcended nationalities, races, and even religions, spreading everywhere.
But that grace was relatively sparse for America.
After all, it already had many Hunters.
President Luigi’s approval ratings had exceeded 60% due to his exceptional management during the Hunter Capitalism era.
He had recruited Hunters from various nations, and in terms of Hunter strength, America ranked first globally.
Yet, ironically, it was those very policies that led to receiving the least benefit from the Million Awakening.
– If Luigi hadn’t wasted our tax dollars on Hunters, we would’ve gained over 10,000 Hunters effortlessly!
The injustice stung.
Those who had constantly opposed his generous recruitment policies were now blaming him for the low Awakening numbers, driving him to frustration.
“Should I resign?”
The thought crossed his mind several times a day, but never as strongly as now.
Though many would be disappointed, he hadn’t discussed it with his aides yet. Maybe he’d post about it directly on social media—
“?”
Amidst the flood of direct messages, one caught his attention.
“Elaine?”
The profile picture belonged to the person who had been presented as evidence by his political opponents: the so-called “Maid Cosplayer”.
A direct message from her.
It seemed no different from other spam at first, but…
“…”
Perhaps it was her enchanting golden eyes in the profile picture.
Or maybe it was the political instincts that had saved him countless times until he reached the White House.
Click.
President Luigi opened the DM, scrolling through the attached photos and messages repeatedly.
The text appeared to be written through a translation tool.
But the photos.
And the contents.
“Hah.”
Above all else…
“She’s telling me to come to Korea if I want to meet her?”
Such confidence.
“…”
Thunk.
The door swung open.
“Mr. President, Senior Advisor Michael has betrayed us.”
“He just leaked misinformation to the press, claiming that the President did absolutely nothing for 10 minutes while an S-rank Tower vanished…”
As the aides rushed in with grave expressions, the President motioned for silence and pointed to the door.
“…”
The aides, stunned by Luigi’s unusually calm demeanor, obeyed without question.
“Michael betrayed us?”
“Yes, sir. It seems he’s… aligned with the other side.”
“He’s made the worst decision at the most crucial moment.”
Luigi smirked, the corners of his lips curling slightly, prompting his aides to clench their fists.
Gone was the frustration and weariness he’d shown before dismissing them. In its place was the confident, vibrant figure they remembered from his campaign days, when he traveled across the nation.
“So, an S-rank Tower was conquered in Korea?”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Then we must congratulate them—in person.”
“…Sir?”
“Shh.”
Seeing the enigmatic smile on Luigi’s face, the aides covered their mouths in astonishment.
“Keep this confidential. Prepare Air Force One immediately. Cancel all subsequent schedules and ignore any noise they make about it.”
This was the President they admired—the unyielding politician they had watched since his days as a senator.
“I’ll head to Korea to meet our new hero myself.”
Thirty minutes later, Eisen Armstrong Luigi’s private plane began taxiing down the runway.
* * *
[I will meet you in person soon. Please keep this account active. I will leave a message with the company managing this account.]
Was it the translation tool?
The tone felt polite when read in English, but the sunglasses and muscular physique in the profile picture exuded such an overwhelming presence that one might think, “This person might actually be Awakened.”
“This is insane. Am I really DMing with the U.S. President?”
“Could it possibly be one of his aides or someone lower-ranked?”
Elaine was quickly scrolling through other accounts, likely looking into political figures and gathering information.
“No, it’s him. He’s always managed his personal social media accounts meticulously, even during his time as a senator. This isn’t an official government account but his private one.”
“…Master?”
Elaine lowered her smartphone and called me as we stopped at a red light.
“Are we heading to America, then?”
“…….”
“Master?”
“Wouldn’t it be awkward if I told the President of the United States to come here, only to suggest ‘grabbing a Big Mac’ instead?”
“Understood. I will interpret for you if needed, so please speak freely.”
“You can speak English too?”
“I can speak Korean, Japanese, and English fluently.”
“Ah, global servers.”
If the game Elaine came from had been serviced in China, she might have spoken Chinese as well.
‘Not that I plan to delve into that market, but considering future summons, I should mentally prepare.’
Although the prospect didn’t excite me, there might come a time when direct communication with that region became necessary.
“Elaine, there’s a saying here: ‘Leaving home is like asking for hardship.'”
“…”
“But if staying home brings more hardship than being outside, leaving might be the better option.”
“If the treatment you receive here doesn’t match what you’d get in America…”
“Unless it’s an absolute last resort, I’ll stay here for now and take things step by step.”
From my perspective, this position is just right.
“Patriotism only works when you’re given a reason to feel patriotic. Blind obligation isn’t my thing.”
“Still, leaving entirely…”
“That’s a separate issue from assets and such. And it involves you too.”
After all, there might be constraints preventing me from leaving this country even if I wanted to.
“If the developers don’t keep the game running, how can I continue making you stronger?”
Elaine’s power had reached an impressive level.
But on a scale from 0 to 100, she wasn’t fully at 100.
“The developers could release new relics suited for you, and the items you’re currently equipped with haven’t been fully ‘refined’ yet.”
Elaine could still grow stronger.
Here, in Korea.
And if the game company were to go under or make a disastrous mistake, like nerfing her—
‘That’s not going to happen.’
Even if it’s unlikely, I must minimize such risks.
“…If it were an American game, I’d have flown to America already.”
“For… me?”
“Of course.”
If nothing else, my top priority is clear.
“Right now, my number one criterion for all decisions is you.”
“…The same goes for me, Master.”
As Elaine gently placed her hand on my thigh with a soft smile—
“I am—”
Suddenly, a flash of light appeared ahead.
