Stay-at-Home Summoner

“Ha. Who turned on their high beams in the parking lot…”

I returned home to my apartment in Seoul.

“Elaine, if you ever drive at night, you shouldn’t have your high beams on. Got it?”

“I will keep that in mind, Master.”

Although someone had their high beams on while entering the apartment parking lot, I was able to return home without any major issues.

“Elaine, am I overreacting?”

“Rather than overreacting, perhaps you haven’t fully considered the implications, Master.”

“Is that so?”

No matter how I think about it, I would expect someone to notice by now, yet there seem to be no actions taken. Or perhaps I am being monitored?

“Typically, when watching console games or movies, there are often people hiding in the boiler room, ready to pounce…”

Bang.

No one is there.

Except for the outdoor unit managing the ceiling-mounted air conditioning.

“Maybe they’re hiding in a storage room or a closet?”

Bang, bang.

The only things present are the items I started accumulating since I moved in.

“Seems like no one is here.”

“If there had been someone, Master, I would have informed you.”

“…There aren’t even any signs of anyone sneaking into the house.”

“I would have informed you of that too.”

Even though Elaine says these things, it still seems strange to me.

“Is it possible they truly don’t know I’m still an awakened one, or that you, Elaine, are my servant?”

“With a million awakenings, it would be overwhelming. It won’t be easy to gather all the information from this A-Rank Tower to the S-Rank Tower immediately.”

Elaine answered while browsing internet information on her sub-phone.

“However, once the ‘reporting period’ is over, the situation will change. From that point on, a task force will be activated specifically to find only you, Master.”

“Technically, it’s you, Elaine.”

“Yes. Cyber wreckers are already broadcasting on social media and heading to Mungyeong.”

Elaine lowered the volume and opened a screen.

From broadcasting stations to children’s TV channels, everyone is frantically heading towards Mungyeong, where the S-Rank Tower has disappeared, trying to find Elaine by any means.

“What a mess.”

“However, the silver lining is that thanks to Master’s choice, attention is significantly dispersed.”

“My choice?”

“Yes. Would you like to hear more?”

Elaine selected a broadcast and raised the volume.

“[…Elaine just targeted the S-Rank Tower in Mungyeong, right? What does that mean? Next up is Dokdo or Jeju Island, or perhaps Baengnyeongdo! It means she’ll target the S-Rank Towers there! Yes, dear viewers! I’m currently at the airport heading to Jeju Island!]”

“…There are people way faster than I expected?”

“That’s a miscalculation. Since she targeted the A-Rank then the S-Rank in one night, everyone will be thinking along those lines. What S-Rank Tower will she target tomorrow? Perhaps one overseas?”

“I have no intention of doing that at all.”

I have already confirmed the strength required to target the tower at Mungyeong. There’s no need to get overly excited about targeting towers anymore, nor do I plan to loiter near places where those ahead of me are set up, risking exposure.

Consider it.

What if someone saw me pulling out my smartphone and controlling Elaine while targeting a bizarre dungeon boss that had not been updated in the game?

– Doesn’t that seem a bit odd, you guys?

The moment someone starts thinking something feels off and takes an interest…

– I’m a god and I gave that person the power to control Elaine!

The collective intelligence would soon start pointing fingers at me.

– I’m a National Intelligence Service agent and I saw that person’s car traveling from Seoul to Mungyeong via highway CCTV!!

Whether it originates from pure nonsense or is actual information gathered by skilled operatives, if caught, it’d be too overwhelming for me to handle with the powers bestowed upon me.

Therefore.

“Elaine.”

“Yes, Master.”

“There’s still much to investigate, but conversely, we need to sort some things out.”

I picked up a piece of clothing that was hanging on a hanger.

“It’s getting late, so let’s get some sleep first, then start organizing one by one. Most importantly, we must ensure a solid identity establishment.”

So that no one doubts me.

* * *

Monday, morning.

“Good morning~”

As usual, I enter the office wearing a suit before the clock strikes nine.

After taking off my suit jacket and hanging it on the chair, I turn on my computer and begin preparing for work.

The only unusual thing is the large travel suitcase that I didn’t even need to bring to the office.

“Deputy!”

As I was about to start, people who usually just nod in greeting rushed toward me.

Both men and women were reacting fervently to some ‘gossip.’

“Did you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“About the deputy who won the lottery you bought!”

“Oh, that.”

I collected myself as much as possible.

“I’m not sure since it was paid automatically, but was it second place? Not first?”

“Yes?”

“If it’s second place, is it worth about the price of a car? First place should be… around 1 billion, right? Then, can’t I request a bit more since I helped buy it?”

As I made a circle with my finger and smiled, the assembled team members exchanged awkward glances, trying to gauge the situation.

“Isn’t that right, Yaeun?”

“Y-yes?”

The junior team member, who originally said she wouldn’t come to work, replied. Since I told her the night before that I would at least be coming to work, it didn’t embarrass her.

“What about you, Yaeun? I got nothing.”

I pulled out a lottery ticket that had been crumpled and unfolded, showing that I didn’t win, and the others from different teams let out short sighs.

“I… won 50,000 won.”

My junior carefully pulled out her winning lottery ticket.

“Wow, Yaeun! You really won 50,000 won?”

“Y-yes!”

The way she presented it seemed like someone selected as a suspect at a crime scene was providing evidence for an alibi, and those from different teams looked at her with pity.

“Wow… So it really works automatically like that. You need to treat me, Yaeun!”

“Of… of course! With… beef!”

“Wow, isn’t that a bit too much to ask right at the start of the year?”

I could see the gestures and signals from around, nudging to Yaeun that if she had a conscience, she should buy it herself—typical social interactions.

“Deputy, if I… possibly…”

“Kim Deputy!”

Bingo.

A voice filled with excitement echoed throughout the office.

“What are you going to do!!”

“Team Leader? What on earth…?”

“Do you have any idea how many times the deputy manager called me since morning because of your lottery?!”

“What did they say?”

“They said they’re leaving this field and not to see each other again!”

The team leader angrily pointed at me.

“Then why did you bother buying a lottery ticket in the first place!!”

“…….”

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nine o’clock.”

Work hours.

“Team Leader.”

“What?”

“I want to leave this field too.”

“What? Huh, did you win the lottery too? You gave me a loss and they’re thriving among themselves…!”

“What if I did win?”

“What?”

“Honestly, if I won first place and after resigning, I gave 100 million to close friends here, what could the team leader do?”

“You…!”

The team leader’s expression twisted grotesquely.

Aside from feeling insulted by my words, it was quite evident how his throat moved at the mention of “100 million.”

“Y-you actually won the lottery… Ah, no. Is it possible…?”

“Team Leader.”

I replied with a bright smile directed at the team leader.

“I’m just quitting because I find it pathetic.”

“…Ha!”

The team leader laughed at me.

“Ha, just as I thought!”

“…….”

“…Right? Is it really first place? I heard that the convenience store near where we had the dinner party had a first place winner….”

“Why do you think I’m here?”

I pointed to the things I had left next to my computer.

“I’m here to pack my things.”

“This, this…!”

“Team Leader, let’s keep this civil. Let’s wrap it up nicely?”

Physically, hierarchically, and legally, I couldn’t win.

“Please quietly process my resignation. Even when speaking to higher-ups, I will try to make it as pleasant as possible.”

Letting them know, at least.

“Oh, um, I might have spoken too harshly? I’m sorry. I might have lost my mind because of the deputy manager.”

I absolutely wanted to see that.

“……I’ll get it processed quickly, but you’re serious about that earlier suggestion, right?”

“What suggestion?”

“The 100 million… I mean, I’ll still tidy things up well until the very end! Oh, I’m not trying to get angry; my voice normally… ”

Ah.

“Y-you know, I did try my best to treat you well as a team leader…”

“I’m sorry, but if you could process my resignation quickly…”

“Alright! I’ll get the file ready right away… No, I’ll print it and give it to you right now!”

“…….”

I might have seen too much.

* * *

After organizing my belongings, destroying files on the computer, and constantly checking my smartphone as I tidied up.

“4885… S-Class….”

I pulled my suitcase out and moved to a secluded area without CCTV, opening the door to the waiting black sedan.

Click.

Inside was one driver and a foreigner in a suit sitting right behind him.

He glanced at me while wearing sunglasses, then took out his smartphone and entered something.

Beep.

An alarm went off on my phone.

I showed the pop-up on my smartphone to the foreigner.

“…….”

The foreigner looked me up and down for a while.

“…Do you transform into a woman, or are you just cross-dressing?”

Even though it was in Korean, the misunderstanding was quite rude.

Thanks to that, I was able to calmly get into the car.

“What’s your position, mister?”

“I’m Armstrong’s assistant, ‘Nanomachine.'”

The man answered with the code name we had exchanged via DM earlier, and I extended my hand to the president’s assistant.

“I am the Master of ‘Maid.'”

“……Nick.”

The assistant took my hand with both of his, bowing his head in greeting.

“Let’s get you to your destination safely. Without anyone knowing.”

---