Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles Of Nakashima Wakana

"Open the door, Bitch!" The man roars. "If you can't pay, then get out of the apartment."

Under the table, Dierre Virevo trembles as she tries to soothe her baby snakes on her head when the man starts to pound the door. She wonders if the bed can hold back the man. Her phone isn't working because she hasn't paid the bills. Her savings are gone.

"Don't worry." She strokes her snakes who are bundled together on her head with her shaking hands. "It will be over soon."

After the man is gone, she will leave this place.

When she came to this world, she didn't come empty-handed. She brought many treasures with her. After coming out of the detention centre, she's been selling them to pay her 'bills'. But living in this world is not cheap. She can't even move to another city where living cost is cheaper. She hates the council.

She should have never ever helped that immortal man.

It's quiet. The man must be gone. Dierre squints at the door. Is it safe to pack her things and run away now? Where should she go now? Maybe she should kill another human and go back to the detention centre. But she doesn't want to kill people. 

"Living is difficult." She sighs. "I wonder if there's any place for me in this world."

Little June rubs his head against her cheek, trying to cheer her up. Little April brushes against her nose. The twelve snakes on her head are named after the twelve months of the human year. The other five are named after the five seasons. The eighteen of them are a family. She doesn't need anyone else in the world. 

"Miss Virevo." A deep voice alerts Dierre and her baby snakes. All the faces turn toward the door. "Please open the door. I am from the council."

"I haven't killed anyone yet," Dierre yells at the door. Did they come here because she was thinking about killing a human? It was only a thought. She doesn't want to get back to the detention centre. 

She tries to stand up, hitting her head on the ceiling of the table. Her snakes hiss in pain. Dierre hunches down and crawls out, mumbling an apology, "Sorry, sorry, are you okay?"

"The Council is here to help you, Miss Virevo." The man's voice is emotionless. "I have dealt with the situation that you have with your landlord. You don't have to fear anyone."

Dealt? Is her landlord dead? She's not that heartless. How could she wish for her landlord to die? She did live on that man's property. Alright! She might have wished for his death once or twice. But she only wished for it. It's not like she truly wanted it to happen. Ask her siblings. Little June, Pril, Augustus, Janie, Febbie, Archie, Maye, July, Temi, Octo, Nove, Dekemi, Win, Mer, Ring, Mon, and Fall know it too. "I don't want to go back to that place."

The representative from the council heaves a loud sigh. Why does he have to deal with the most troublesome one? "Miss Virevo, I am not here to take you to 'that' place." 

"Really?" Her voice sounds hopeful. "You aren't here to take me back to that place? Do you give me your word?" 

By the way, what 'that' place is? He shrugs. As long as she opens the door, it's fine. It's not like he will take this gorgon to any place. It will be done by soldiers from the council. He's only here with an offer. 

Sound of something heavy moving, hisses of snakes, and objects falling come out of the apartment. He hears her yelp. After ten minutes, the door is opened and he sees Dierre Virevo in front of him with a cowboy hat on her head and large glasses on her face. Not even an inch of her skin is visible. Why do these creatures think that this is a low profile? In the human world, one should not live like this. It's strange that no human has found her suspicious or tried to take her to the police station for questioning. 

Dierre studies the man in a black suit. The man is in his late thirties. He has wrinkles in the corners of his dark eyes, a small scar on his upper lip, and unusually small ears. She raises her chin. She speaks with a clear voice,  "So, how did you get that scar on your lips?"

And she pinches her lips together and curses Archie in her head. Why can't Archie keep her curiosity to herself? 

"I fell," The man replies with a poker face. "Split my lip."

"That must have been a hard fall," Dierre Virevo says awkwardly, looking away. "Come in."

The man walks into the apartment. The condition of the place makes him wrinkle his nose. Everything is a mess The electricity is gone. It's dark in the room. The bed is tossed over. Plastic garbage and empty containers are lying here and there. One leg of the table is broken.  

He lets out a sigh. This must be the reason why the council started a rehabilitation program to help creatures like her. But not all of them want help. This gorgon has been rejecting them for a long time. Today, he's here on a task. Being friendly with a gorgon is not his job. "Recently, you have saved someone's life. Mr Choi had talked highly of you."

"Choi Minho?" Dierre Virevo widens her eyes. From respect in the man's voice, she could guess that Choi Minho must be someone important in the council. 

"Yes, Mr Minho has discussed your situation with the president and the advisor." The man lowers his voice. "Do you know who the advisor is?"

"I know," Dierre answers with the same tone. The president of the council was Sung Jun, but he gave his position to his cousin, Bae Jaemin, and left the world. After he returned, he didn't take back the position of the president. He became the advisor. But everyone knows that the advisor is the true president. 

"Usually, he's strict about the dangerous creatures who have made offences in the past," The man tells her with a grave voice, stirring fear in her heart. "However, there's a secret. Mr Choi is close to the Sung family. He's like a younger brother to Advisor Sung. Advisor Sung's wife is quite fond of Mr Choi, and…"

"If she is fond of someone, Advisor Sung treats that person like a treasure." Dierre's eyes become bright. The intensity of her gaze lightens. 

"That's not completely true," The man laughs nervously. "Advisor Sung also hates it if she's too fond of someone. Let's say that Mr Choi is an exception. The Sung family considers him as one of their own."

Jackpot! Dierre Virevo presses her palms together. If a person like that owes her, nothing is impossible. Her dream of living in a human-free world is not impossible anymore. She questions him with an excited voice, "Are you here to remove my anklet and help me leave this world?"

"Of course, not." The man beams at her. "I am here to give you a chance to prove that you can live a free life."

"Huh?" The excitement disappears from her eyes. She doesn't need a chance. She only needs to get this damn anklet removed. Why is it so difficult for the council to understand? She knits her brows, waiting to hear more.  

"We found out that your gaze holds the power of exorcism." The man senses that the gorgon is irritated. How could he not? Even though she's wearing black glasses, the intensity of her gaze is so strong that it stings his skin. "We are working on a medicine that might cure your allergy. Meanwhile, we request you to work at the supernatural investigation agency as an exorcist. Mr Choi will help you adjust in the human world. In fact, he has agreed to take your responsibility. After you have proven that you can live in the human world as a normal person, the anklet will be removed and you will get permission to go to any world."

"It's a trap," She snaps at him. "You want to make me your slave."

"That's not true." He takes a step back. Honestly, he needs an easier job. Dealing with creatures like her is too much. "You will be given a house and a monthly salary. The period of training is one year. The cure for the allergy should take around six months. After a year, all of your crimes will be pardoned. If you don't want to do this, you can continue to live like this."

This is a special rehabilitation program that the advisor came up with. Both parties will benefit from it. The purpose is to remove the fear and hatred in this creature's heart. Working with humans might change it. 

When Dierre says nothing, he takes out an envelope and puts it on the table.

"Miss Virevo, the details are in there. In my opinion, this is the best choice. A year is nothing compared to a long free life."

After saying those words, the man leaves. The Council can only give chances. It's up to the person whether they want to take it or not. The Council can't force a person to change.

Dierre stares at the envelope with a complicated gaze. A year in exchange for a lifetime of freedom? She has nowhere to go. That immortal doesn't seem bad. Should she go or not?