"The Paranormal." Freed's voice carried a mix of authority and nonchalance as he leaned back in his chair. "From the eerie tales of ghosts, vengeful spirits, and demonic nuns, to the myths of swords, magic, and ancient kingdoms. Adventurers, guilds, heroes, dragons, aliens, gods, titans, and prehistoric beasts—all of it. Even the mysteries of our own world—the depths of the ocean, the vastness of space, the existence of the multiverse, and parallel dimensions. To put it simply—" he smirked, "—everything you've ever heard in ghost stories or fantasy legends is real. The only reason normal people can't see it is because they're blind to the truth. Only us—the Awakened—can perceive it. And because of that, we are tasked with keeping dangerous creatures or disasters at bay from the real world."
I stared at him, unimpressed by his sloppy explanation. Sure, I was shocked to hear that fantasy creatures existed, but his delivery made it sound like some half-baked conspiracy theory.
"Mmmm… I do believe in ghosts," I muttered. "But you're telling me that elves, fairies, goblins, and all those fantasy creatures are real too?"
"The so-called 'great recommendy' didn't even know that?" Shizu scoffed, muttering just loud enough for me to hear. She was mocking me, but I figured ignoring her was the best option.
Freed nodded lazily. "Yep. Pretty much everything you can think of exists." Then, as if losing interest in the conversation, he stretched and yawned. "Anyway, since you get the gist, I'd say it's best for you to go home and rest. Oh, right—" he suddenly turned back to me. "You do know what's happening tomorrow, right?"
Tomorrow… right. The Paranormal Officer Candidateship Exam.
Of course, passing it wouldn't immediately make me an official officer. According to Zein-sensei, the first exam was just an entry test—if I passed, I'd become a trainee. The training period lasted as long as a typical high school education, and after completing it, I'd spend three years as a candidate officer before taking the real exam. The school I'd be enrolling in was tied to the Union Link, an organization that unified all major paranormal companies worldwide. Apparently, they managed the training system for new recruits—especially young ones like me. I wasn't entirely sure why, but I suspected it had something to do with conditioning our mental state.
"Yeah, I know," I replied.
Freed was already preparing to leave when Diana's hand shot out, gripping his shoulder as if she had read his mind.
"Oi, oi, Freed. Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked with a smile that wasn't quite friendly.
Freed sighed heavily, looking at her with a face that screamed this is none of my business.
"Nah, the school will teach him all that when he enrolls," he said, pushing Diana aside with a casual shove.
Freed was the type who avoided unnecessary work like the plague. It was no surprise that he'd try to slip away instead of explaining things properly. A guy like him would normally be considered a good-for-nothing… and yet, he was the leader of the group my guardian had recommended me into.
I was starting to have second thoughts about this.
"Alright, that wraps up today's episode," Freed announced. "Shizu, you're in charge of Deluke's exam preparations."
"Huh?!" Shizu reacted immediately, her face contorting in protest.
Ignoring her, Freed waved at us as he made his way toward the door.
"Oi, Freed! Where do you think you're going?" Diana called out; her voice sharp.
"Ah, Diana, I think I've done everything a leader should do for today, so I'll be taking my leave. Can't waste my precious time, after all. So… bye-bye~!" He disappeared before she could catch him.
Diana groaned, rubbing her temples. "That idiot. I bet he's gone to the casino again."
"Don't worry, Mistress Diana. Even though he acts that way, he takes his job seriously," Roger reassured her.
But then, his expression stiffened as he checked his wallet—his money was gone.
"I guess," he muttered, suddenly unsure of his own statement.
Meanwhile, Shizu shot me a sharp glare. "Tsk. I can't believe I have to babysit you."
I smiled innocently. "I'll be looking forward to your teachings, senior."
The moment I called her that, her face turned bright red. She quickly looked away, flustered, trying to hide her reaction.
"I guess… it won't be that bad," she murmured, breathing heavily as if she were savoring the title.
"Senior… I like the sound of that," she muttered, giggling weirdly to herself.
I was watching her spiral deeper into whatever fantasy she was having when Diana suddenly shoved a large stack of books into my arms.
"Here. This should help you prepare for the exam."
"Oh. Thanks."
Diana then smacked Shizu out of her daydream and handed her a rope.
"What's this for?" Shizu asked, confused.
"We're going on a Freed hunt."
She held up a sturdy cane and a thick chain—the kind normally used to restrain large, aggressive animals.
Roger, meanwhile, pulled out a tracker that displayed Freed's location.
"Mister Deluke, we'll be closing for the night," Roger informed me. "It's best if you go home and rest so you can meet Miss Shizu early tomorrow morning."
"Oui, Deluke. Don't be late," Shizu added. "Meet me here by 6 AM sharp. The exam starts at 7:30, and make sure you read those books Diana gave you—they're important."
"Alright."
As we stepped out of the cafe, I watched the three of them take off in pursuit of Freed, following the tracker like a team of bounty hunters.
I couldn't help but chuckle. What an interesting bunch.
At exactly 6:00 AM, I stood in front of Izana Company, the restaurant that doubled as their base of operations. I was dressed in the outfit I had been given yesterday—a long hooded cardigan striped with purple and cargo pants.
"Shizu did tell me to be here early… so where is she?" I muttered.
The clock ticked on. By 6:30, she finally showed up.
"Wow, you're really early," she said, stretching. She was dressed the same as me.
"You told me to be," I replied, giving her a disappointed look.
She grinned. "I did, but I can't believe you actually came at 6 AM. How nervous are you? Did you even sleep?"
Her teasing was already getting on my nerves.
"Where are the others?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, they're out on a mission."
"A mission? Sounds mysterious."
"Alright, let's go. No time to waste."
We walked to the bus stop and boarded a bus to the exam site.
For the first half of the ride, silence hung between us. The atmosphere was awkward—like we were strangers forced to sit next to each other. Eventually, Shizu decided to break it.
"So… I never got to ask this yesterday, but—" she hesitated, a little embarrassed. "What's it like being in the White Clad?"
"Nothing special. I didn't see much since I was only in the recovery center."
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"But you met other trainees, right? Were they strong?"
"Didn't fight them, so I wouldn't know."
She went quiet for a moment, then asked another question.
"Did your parents enroll you there? Or are you from the White Clad founder's bloodline?"
I sighed. "Shizu, you've got the wrong idea. I'm not a member of the White Clad. Yes, I did train a little with my guardian, but it wasn't much to be called training, and I was only there because I got caught up in an incident as a kid, which made me lose the parents I don't even remember. I was just… lucky enough to be saved and awakened."