The place wasn't that far. A modest apartment building in the neighbouring district. And just like he said, they really haven't moved out. He phased through the walls to confirm.

  "You can just leave the pin on the doormat and ring the bell, they'd take care of it afterwards."

  I did as he instructed but hesitated to ring the bell.

  "Are you sure?" I murmured while my finger hovered over the white button. He looked so content already, and I knew deep down that he would finally found his peace at a press of a button. Though it wasn't my place to dictate, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed.

  "No letter, no messages, nothing? Surely there's so much you wanted to say or do. How can you be happy with this?"

  "Of course there's so many things I wish I could've done," he smiled wistfully. But that damn determination in his eyes. He already made his choice and I couldn't pull him out of this one. "But we've all got our own paths to take, and if it just so happens to split all those years ago, then I'd accept it. Even if it hurts. The best thing I could ask for is to know that she's still living her best life without my absence holding her back."

  In the end, I did as he instructed and hid behind a corner with a clear view of the apartment. His daughter—a teenager by now—opened the door and noticed the old pin on the doormat. She frantically looked left and right before hesitantly picking it up to inspect it more closely.

  One by one, a myriad of emotions colored her expression in succession. Disbelief, longing, then finally acceptance.

  "Thank you," he said as we watched. His ethereal form was dissipating starting from the lower half, and his voice had grown faint.

  That may be so, but the gratitude in them and in his smile was as clear as day. And for once, I felt fulfilled.

  To the me back then—the girl who was so caught up with her own insecurities—I understood now that my biggest mistake was not being able to be more. Only seeing the journey as a blur of one errand after another. Never once have I truly faced the people I was trying to help.

  I wonder, would their expressions be as pleasant as his?

  "Take care of yourself. And before I forget, someone has been following you for a long time now."

  "And you're telling me this now!?"

  "I'm sorry! But he always maintain a good distance and never showed any signs of approaching. In fact, he looks kind of bored most of the time. But just in case, look out for a man around your height with a tan trench coat and goggles around his neck."

  Those features sounded familiar. I wanted to ask him for more details, but the moment I looked up from contemplation, he was already gone.

  "Well shit..."

  But really though, does anyone else come to mind that would specifically wear a tan trench coat and goggles? And if I remembered correctly, his name was...

  "Mika...?"

  It was a rather pathetic call, I admit. While the chances are high, in the off-chance that it was some weirdo that just so happens to share his fashion sense, then—

  "What?"

  "Wah!!"

  "You're okay with ghosts, but jumpy when someone sneaks up behind you?"

  "Those two things really aren't comparable to one another..."

  I leaned back against the wall while trying to calm my racing heart. Meanwhile, Mika seemed to have no qualms about stalking me for god knows how long. The real concern was why he did so in the first place. But he was a part of some secret organization, so I suppose that checks. And with that in mind I got a few guesses.

  "If this is about me revealing stuff, know that my lips are sealed."

  "That's the least of our concerns. As a matter of fact, I'd personally welcome it. It'd be a real favor if you did and wind up in a mental institute. Certainly beats trailing you all day itching for something to happen."

  "Then why are you here?"

  I grew a bit agitated at the remark, and some of that irritation seeped through into my voice. The way he talked about me like a bomb about to set off was insulting.

  "Don't take it to heart," he smirked and threw he hands up feigning defeat. "Just a process all returners needs to go through. Call it a probation period if you will. You understand, don't you?"

  "W-wait. So that means, I'm not the only—"

  "Otherworldly hero? Far from it. But if it'll make you feel a bit more special, you've been our top priority for the past month."

  Ugh, if he and his organization has been keeping closer tabs on me then it couldn't be anything good. The notion of a probation period for those that had returned from another world already carried a negative undertone. Though I may not know the exact extent of their powers, we are talking about individuals who the Mistveilians revered strongly second only to a deity.

  Assuming the same principle applies—and it was a strong assumption—it would be a nightmare if one of them decided to lash out.

  "Uh. Thanks for your hard work...?"

  "It's a pain in the ass more than anything. The likelihood of something ever happening is less than ten percent. Because you're still heroes even without the title, and remember what I said about you lot."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Right... So am I still in my probation period?"

  "I'll make it simple for both of us; after what almost happen tonight, I can either ask you to wear this device that monitors changes in your mana veins in the event that you get possessed again. Or we could pretend this conversation didn't happen and continue on as usual for months until you're in the clear."

  He pulled out a small disc which was similar to a CGM, design-wise and most likely functionally as well. But even though these things seemed like the more unintrusive option, I'd be monitor like a criminal either way. So I proposed a third option.

  "Or can you send me away?"

  "You mean banishing you to some isolated mountain range somewhere? Is that really what you thought you'd be doing when you came back here?"

  "No! I meant to another world. With magic and monsters, and... people to save."

  Where there was nothing holding me back, and where I could do it all properly this time. A genuine wish, but the smug grin plastered on his face clearly showed our differing view on the matter.

  "Oh I see... Are you pissed off that I stole your thunder? You wanna be the one to defeat the big bad demon lord?" he sneered in a patronizing tone.

  "Can you or can you not help me?"

  "Of course not, the hell did you think!? It was already a risk sending you back here, but this is your home after all so we allowed it. A world without heroes is either an apocalyptic shithole or a world in respite. Sending you to either of those worlds would be a death sentence for you, or the people living in them."

  The way his voice suddenly raised in volume sent me retreating a few steps back. Slightly sinking into myself as I muttered an apology.

  Perhaps it was too idealist of me to expect a yes for an answer. Heroes are not the party who usually acted first, a single commonality I found when reading up on their legends in Mistveil. The demon lord or other embodiments of evil brought instability to the world, and the heroes were summoned to balance it out.

  So I suppose, if I were to show up unprompted, would the gap in power be so massive that I'd be regarded as a threat akin to the demon lord instead?

  "But even so... I still want to go."

  "Why are you so adamant about this? Your story's over, get a grip! And it's not like you couldn't be a small time hero here, just look at what you did."

  "I know already, alright!?"

  Staying here would be the safer option. Not to say there won't be any challenges, but at least I could make out what my life ahead of me would look like. But I'd never be proud of myself knowing that I couldn't be more.

  "Ever since I came back, it's been a never ending struggle to wedge myself into a spot that no longer exist. It's suffocating. Everyone has it all figure out, while I spent the last three years away and had nothing to show for it."

  "You had your moment," he sighed, and my chest tightened with reluctant defeat. "Take pride in that. You've helped a lot of people already, now it's time to hang that cape."

  "Or you can come work for us instead."

  Just as all hope was lost, an invisible hand reached out and carved a new path. But that offer didn't come from Mika. But a small drone which has perched itself on the top of his head. That voice... the man in the brooch.

  "This rotten geezer... Who said you could butt into my work?"

  "As the director I have all the right in the world. And it was Erin who insisted, you never took these sorts of assignment seriously after all. Plus, Karin here is a special case. And who was it to thank for feeding her so many information?"

  Mika clicked his tongue and swatted the drone away. It flew off and landed on top of my head instead.

  "Besides, her heart's already in the right place."

  "If we let every person who says they wanted to be a hero in, we'd have a room full of idiots eager to put themselves in harm's way."

  "We already have one operative that fits that description, and I think we've managed him adequately, wouldn't you agree? What's one more going to do?"

  I was getting a sense of déjà vu from this conversation. There Mika was bickering with another person from this secret organization about some secret organization shenanigans that I have no clue about. Was it too much to ask to not be forgotten in the sidelines here?

  "So what do you say Karin? Interested in joining "DOUBLE" and becoming one of our operatives? I'm sure Mika would welcome the help."

  It wasn't exactly what I had in mind, and working for a shady group was... well, risky. Especially since I didn't know the details of the work.

  "You're right to be hesitant," Mika added. "What we do counts as helping people, other heroes to be exact. But we don't operate to the extent that you're familiar with. I won't spare any more details because then I won't hear the end of it from that old hag.

  "So let's turn this into a test of sorts. With what little you know from the things you've heard and saw for yourself, are you willing to help us with our cause?"

  What little I know barely scratched the surface at all. So what was he trying to look out for exactly? My undying sense of loyalty and obedience? My wits when challenged with insufficient information? Or simply my recklessness?

  Every answer seemed to fit, yet at the same time felt lacking and just plain wrong. But that was only because I kept trying to figure out what they wanted to hear, but what about me? What did I think of it?

  It wasn't what I expected at all, sure. But the options are either this, have nothing at all, or die trying and maybe take a few lives with me. Would I be satisfied with a compromise?

  No, I'm still looking at it wrong! I never asked for any fame or a thank you. So what if I only wound up saving one person at a time? Even if I'd never be written down in legends, knowing that I can help one come to fruition, I can be proud of that.

  "I've lost my spot in this world. The people that I've kept close may still cherished me, but it's obvious they've been pushing me to find my own path. So if I have to choose, I want to become the version of myself that can stand tall before them."

  This was the conclusion that I've reached. I didn't want to be seen as a hero, victim, nuisance or whatever. Those empty titles could never make up for the absolute nothingness that was Karin.

  But I won't let this void in me define my existence any longer!

  "Whatever this job is, even if I'd only end up as a footnote in some hero's legend, to know that I helped shape it in some way... That I helped... I'd accept it."

  Mika sighed and flicked my forehead with his fingers.

  "It was a yes or no question, by the way."

  "S-sorry... Was it too much?"

  "You answered perfectly," the man in the brooch—or drone responded. "Give us a week to set everything up, and don't worry about how we'll reach out to you. We already have your number after all."

  A wave of accomplishment and gratitude stirred within me as I bowed my torso down as deep as I possibly could before walking back home. Sneaking in a few giddy skips in-between every few steps.

  ??????

  "Lively girl, wasn't she? It'd be refreshing to have someone like that around HQ."

  "Cut the crap, why'd you offer that to her?"

  I knew well how sympathetic the old man can be, it was the entire reason why DOUBLE and the substitute hero program existed in the first place. But extending a helping hand is one thing, and what he extended was more than that.

  "Like I have said, her heart's in the right place. It'd help if you picked up a few things from her."

  "I'm not asking for one of your vague teachings here."

  "And it wasn't my intention to give you one. I'm simply implying that you could use the support. You've been riding solo for a while now, and it's about time someone brings a new perspective into your work. Because you don't listen to me much anymore, or Erin for that matter."

  It's only going to be a real pain in the ass if anything. Karin may have three years of experience being a hero, but not only did she barely scratched the surface of her responsibilities, she had those spirits do it for her. And one sob story later and somehow I'm supposed to believe that she's capable or whatever?

  "If nothing else, you will need her for an upcoming mission. A personal project of mine long before DOUBLE even exist."

  "Oh? I'm listening."

  "Don't get your hopes up, it's nothing too crazy. Wouldn't want to kill our rookie on her first mission after all. I'll give you the mission briefing once we go back to HQ. How you'll choose to approach it is up to you, as per usual."