I’m an Immigration Officer!

Meanwhile, the shockwave from the power the princess unleashed spread all the way to the deepest parts of the capital.
All the way to a large room where an old man sat.
— Rumble...

With an ominous sound, the pen and candle on the desk began to shake.
The tremor was strong enough to be mistaken for an earthquake, yet the man showed no sign of panic. He silently continued reading the materials in his hands.
It wasn’t until countless documents, brought over from the Intelligence Bureau, came crashing down from the shelves and cabinets that the man’s gaze finally shifted.

“...”
This wasn’t an earthquake.
It couldn’t be called a natural disaster—the tremor wasn’t coming from underground.

Rather... it felt as though the entire castle was being crushed under some unseen weight.
A feeling far too familiar, unforgettable.
King Rio slowly opened his mouth.

“...Elaine.”
For the first time in a long, long while, he spoke his daughter’s name aloud.
 

****
In the heavy silence, my eyes locked with the Queen’s.
“Chief Officer. I won’t waste words.”

The one who broke the silence first was the Queen.
She pointed the end of her fan toward Elaine, standing behind me.
“Bring the princess over here. Calm her down as much as possible.”
— Flinch.

I could hear Elaine inhale sharply from behind me.
My expression twisted as well.
“That is...”

I couldn’t say ‘That’s impossible.’
That would be considered defiance.
So instead, I spoke in a strained voice.

“May I ask the reason?”
“You call that a question? Look around you. Look at what Elaine has done!”
She pointed her fan toward the wrecked corridor.
“The princess is unstable. On top of that, her power is easily swayed by emotion. We must prevent that at all costs. It seems the Blessings of Peace have been broken, so I will recast the spell.”

At her words, I quietly clenched my fist.
‘Good.’
She wasn’t just blindly ordering the princess to be handed over—there was still room for conversation.

Which meant I had a chance to present the reason why Elaine couldn’t go back to her.
“What you’re seeing now is the consequence of that suppression itself. This happened because she’s lived her whole life under forced emotional control, has it not?”
“Hah. For someone uninvolved, you talk like you know everything.”
Helena snapped open her fan to cover ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the area beneath her eyes, glaring at me.

Her voice carried irritation, unease—and somewhere beneath it, worry.
“The princess needs to be isolated. You saw it yourself, didn’t you? We nearly had a repeat of that tragedy!”
That tragedy.

Cruelly, the Queen dragged the pain of the past into this to justify herself.
“...”
Elaine’s head drooped at her words.

“I-It’s okay, Princess. It didn’t happen that way this time!”
Hannah did her best to comfort Elaine in a bright voice.
‘What a vile woman.’

Does that woman even see Elaine as her own daughter?
“I won’t let history repeat itself. This is the only way. There is no other option.”
As if convincing herself, the Queen muttered under her breath.

“This is the only way... My daughter...”
And then, suddenly, she pointed her fan at us and shouted.
“No, in fact, this entire mess is your fault. Hannah Meyer!”

Hannah’s name, called sharply and cold.
“Hic—!”
Hannah, behind me, froze so hard she nearly fainted from shock.

“If you hadn’t delivered those letters, none of this disaster would’ve happened. Do you even understand that!?”
“I-I... That’s...”
Brave as she was to defy the Queen before, under that direct verbal assault, all she could do was tremble.
I stepped in front of Hannah and answered.

“If exchanging letters was the root of all this, then why was everything fine when the princess was still receiving them?”
“What did you say?”
“The princess’s powers didn’t go out of control because of the letters. It was because Your Majesty took them away.”
The only friend she had—Hannah—was brutally punished. The only means of communication she possessed—the letters—were completely stripped from her.
How could that not be the real cause?

Or perhaps the Queen simply didn’t want to admit it.
“You say her emotions sway her power, and thus you force her emotions into submission. You deny her every shred of joy or hope, and then imprison her in the darkness. Is that your solution, Your Majesty?”
“Chief Officer, don’t speak so carelessly when you know nothing!”
“How in the world is that a solution!?”
Elaine killed her own brother. She lost control of her power.

That was true.
But did that justify fifteen years of being locked away like a caged bird?
Stripped of all joy, sorrow, and everything in between—slowly withering away?

“This is...”
How is that any different from death?
I barely swallowed those final words.

Elaine’s breathing was already unraveling again the moment she saw the Queen.
I couldn’t utter dangerous words under the pretense of protecting her.
So I redirected the target.

“Who in the world proposed such a method? Suppressing emotion because it can’t be controlled? That sounds like something a criminal syndicate would come up with!”
“You insolent fool! How dare you demean the help of the Church like that!”
The priests, struck squarely where it hurt, shouted furiously.
Of course, it was them.

Those insufferable bastards.
“I thought you were a sharp one back during the trial, but clearly, you’re beyond reason, Chief Officer.”
The Queen narrowed her eyes, spitting the words with venom.

“That’s an order. Bring the princess over. I will not repeat myself.”
The final ultimatum.
— Crack.

My fist clenched so tightly, it turned ghostly white.
‘Damn it...’
An order.

As a subordinate, I was bound to obey.
And worse, it came from the royal family. I had no room for refusal.
‘The Queen knows exactly where my weaknesses lie.’

Exploiting status to apply pressure.
No matter how much reason or justification I had, the moment she framed it as a command, I couldn’t resist.
If I did, I’d be treated as a criminal far worse than Hannah, a mere maid.

As a government officer of this nation, every action I take reflects upon the state itself.
‘But if I defy a royal order here, this will explode into something massive.’
It wouldn’t just be me in trouble.

This would give her the perfect excuse to purge anyone connected to me.
The Queen had plenty of thorns in her side—like the Director.
“Don’t throw yourself into ruin, Chief Officer.”

A warning to give up.
If I resisted further, the consequences were obvious.
Defying a royal order was among the gravest of crimes.

But...
I slowly turned my head and looked at the princess standing behind me.
Her green eyes trembled with fear.

Her forearm, scratched raw from clawing herself, still bore faint traces of the Blessings’ inscription.
[Chief Officer...]
The face I saw at the royal tomb—drenched in sorrow and emptiness.

I remembered the first smile this frail, gloomy girl had ever shown me.
The words that always lingered at the end of her letters resurfaced.
— From your friend.

Hannah and I were likely the only friends she had.
‘The world must never become her cage.’
I made my decision.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”
The worst decision of my life, and the bravest.
“I won’t allow it.”

I defied the royal command.
“...!!!”
Elaine flinched and grabbed my sleeve.

[It’s... it’s okay. I’ll just go back. I don’t want to push you into a corner like this...]
“No. That won’t happen.”
Even I was surprised by how firmly the words came out.
I looked straight into her eyes.

“I won’t leave you alone ever again.”
I will not bring sorrow to those I protect.
I will never allow that line to be crossed again.

‘Remember the Sight Officer. Remember Rene’s final words.’
Recall that connection I failed to protect, even though I could have.
Clenching my teeth, I declared with resolve.

“I will not allow this tragedy to repeat.”
I’ll stop my tragedy. I’ll stop yours.
“Never again.”

That’s why I came this far.
To refuse compromise.
[A-Ah...]

Her voice trembled. Her brows twisted in anguish.
Tears streamed down Elaine’s face.
But they weren’t tears of sorrow.

[You really...]
They were overwhelming tears—tears from realizing someone would stay by her side no matter what.
[You were... truly, my only... understanding one...]

And behind her, sunlight began to slowly filter in.
“...”
Just like Hannah, silently holding her in an embrace.

“You intend to defy me!?”
The Queen finally seized upon her opportunity, snapping her fan shut.
“A high official, daring to defy an order.”

A faint smirk briefly flickered across her lips.
Then, she pointed toward Elaine.
“Elaine. I’ll give you one final chance. Come here of your own will. If you do, I’ll consider the Chief Officer’s punishment. You understand well enough how severe the crime of insubordination is.”

Unable to sway me, the Queen now targeted Elaine directly.
“Come back. This is the only way you can save yourself.”
Her expression darkened with tangled emotions as she pleaded with her daughter.

And that’s when it happened.
“Lower your wrath, Your Majesty.”
A deep, weighty voice rang through the corridor.

The Queen, infuriated by the sudden interference, snapped her head around.
“Who dares interrupt the Queen’s words—”
And immediately froze.

“Chief Officer, that’s enough.”
— Thud, thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed as the owner of the voice finally stepped forward.

‘Who the hell... Oh, shit.’
I froze too.
Incanthus Vermotem.

The King’s Proxy, cloaked in a black veil, stood between me and the Queen.
“I will not permit any further chaos within the capital.”
 

****
“Inc... Incanthus? Why are you here...?”
The Queen barely regained her composure enough to speak.

The King’s Proxy.
It had been a long time since I last saw him, yet his appearance hadn’t changed.
A proud Yongin, his face hidden behind a black veil.

When the King is absent, his appearance can only mean one thing.
His will is the King’s will.
Incanthus answered shortly.

“His Majesty sent me.”
“...King Rio?”
“His Majesty detected that Princess Elaine’s powers had spiraled out of control again, so he dispatched me.”
“H-How could he possibly...”
“And he instructed me to resolve this situation with utmost reason and objectivity.”
Which meant the authority to resolve this rested entirely with the Proxy.
The Queen’s face turned pale as the implication sank in.

“B-But His Majesty is currently...”
“He is reviewing Intelligence Bureau documents in his private quarters. Retracing the past fifteen years.”
The Proxy slowly swept his gaze across the shattered corridor.
“Hmph. So it finally erupted.”

Through the veil, his eyes briefly lingered on Elaine before shifting toward the Queen.
“Your Majesty, it would be wise not to provoke Princess Elaine further.”
Then, his voice rose slightly, clearly intended for the priests lurking behind her.

“As the Chief Officer pointed out, Your Majesty’s methods have failed. Only fools try to re-shackle a beast that has already broken free.”
A polite yet undeniable warning: ‘Shut up, failures, or face consequences.’
“But...!”

The Queen’s voice cracked in protest, but the moment she tried to speak, the Proxy strode right past her.
“...Incanthus!”
Helena’s furious shout was ignored as he walked straight toward me.

And I instinctively tilted my gaze upward to meet him.
“Chief Officer Nathan Kell.”
“Y-Yes, I’m listening.”
I quickly lowered my head.

Even though I’d already had a private meeting with him once before, the pressure he exuded was suffocating.
He held the silence for a while, then spoke in a low voice.
“I understand your intentions fully, but what you are doing is an undeniable act of defiance against the royal family.”
“...”
“No matter the reason, it constitutes a serious crime and must be punished accordingly.”

The Proxy leaned in closer, towering over me.
Through the veil, I could faintly see the characteristic fierce eyes of a Yongin burning behind it.
“Remember your position. You are not merely a citizen, but someone entrusted with duty to the state.”

I swallowed hard.
“I-I understand.”
“Then all the more reason your responsibilities carry heavier weight, Border Chief.”
Emphasizing my title, making it clear this would not end lightly.

‘It’s too late to undo this.’
Finally, the Proxy turned his gaze to the two women behind me.
“Princess Elaine.”

Hannah was practically glued to the floor, prostrating herself in terror.
Only Elaine met the Yongin’s eyes, lips tightly sealed.
Ignoring trembling Hannah, the Proxy bowed respectfully to Elaine.

“First, I thank Your Highness for ensuring there were no casualties today. You possessed the ability to do far worse, yet you refrained.”
“...”
“However, as a member of the royal family, threatening citizens and nearly destroying this historic capital cannot be taken lightly.”
Elaine slowly nodded.
[I... understand.]
“Good. Keep that in mind.”

After confirming her response, the Proxy’s voice rang louder.
“From this moment, I, Incanthus Vermotem, speak not as myself, but as the voice of King Rio Castor of the Cross-Line Kingdom.”
Everyone fell to one knee.

Now, these were effectively the King’s direct orders.
“The incident within the capital will be buried in silence. Those who saw will close their eyes, those who heard will block their ears, those who felt will erase it from memory.”
His solemn proclamation echoed through the corridor.

“The princess’s loss of control caused significant damage to the capital. Therefore, for the safety of the royal family and vassals alike, it is necessary to isolate the princess from the capital.”
The Queen’s lips curled into a victorious smile.
But the Proxy was not finished.

“However, the Queen’s methods led to the worst possible outcome. Thus, she will be isolated in a different manner.”
“What are you—!”
“Silence, Helena Castor. These are the King’s words.”
“...Kgh!”
The Queen trembled with clenched fists, her head bowed.
Ignoring her, Incanthus addressed the princess.

“Princess Elaine Castor. By royal decree, you are exiled from the capital for two months for the crime of endangering the capital.”
Elaine and Hannah both sucked in a breath.
Goddamn it.

Two months.
‘She finally saw a glimpse of hope, and now they’re locking her up again for sixty days?’
It was too cruel.

But something felt off.
The exile order was missing one critical detail—‘to where.’
“And Chief Officer Nathan Kell.”

Leaving that ambiguity hanging, the Proxy continued.
“For rejecting a direct order from the royal family, tarnishing your office’s honor, and daring to falsely claim friendship with the princess beyond your station—this constitutes a grave offense.”
“...”
“Thus, by the King’s authority, I shall now issue your punishment.”
Summary judgment.

I clenched my eyes shut.
And he spoke.
“For the next two months, you will be responsible for the princess’s safety.”
“...Excuse me?”

I interrupted the royal decree without thinking.
What did he just say?
Did I hear wrong?

“...Huh?”
[What...?]
Elaine and Hannah both lifted their heads in disbelief.
The Proxy’s large hand pointed toward Elaine.

“Princess Elaine Castor is hereby sentenced to two months of isolation at the Southern Border. The Chief Officer shall bear full responsibility for her during this time.”
A punishment beyond anyone’s expectations was declared.