Chapter 16
Upcoming Interview
"Thanks for everything, dude. I'll make sure to repay all of this after I'm done sorting out my identity issues. Alright, see you later, Edward."
Edward nodded with a smile.
"No problem, Lucius. It's my pleasure to help a friend in need. Just text or call me if anything happens, and don't worry about paying me back. I meant it—I helped because I wanted to, not because I expected anything in return.
"Oh, and don't you dare go abroad without saying a proper goodbye! Let me know the moment you pass the screening. See you later!"
Lucius had already returned home from the trip to Edward's villa. The visit had been a great experience—he'd not only enjoyed a change of pace, but had also managed to film a cinematic video to submit for the organization's screening.
By the time he arrived, it was already late. Both his sisters were asleep, so he used the spare key to quietly let himself in.
After washing his face, hands, and feet, he went straight to bed.
He decided to skip the shower—he hadn't broken a sweat thanks to the comfortable car ride home, and besides, the bedroom door was locked, and he didn't want to wake either of his sisters.
The long day at the villa had taken a toll on him. Between flying, recording, and spending the entire day in unfamiliar surroundings, his energy was completely drained.
So, still dressed in the same clothes, he lay down—and promptly fell asleep.
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Fast forward to just before 6 a.m.—his phone alarm rang as scheduled. Lucius stirred, sat up, and turned it off.
Both Eve and Sophia were already awake, preparing for the day ahead.
Eve had an early morning class and needed to be out the door before 6:30. Sophia, as usual, was busy in the kitchen making lunchboxes for both Eve and herself. She'd also be giving Eve a ride to school on her motorcycle.
Their weekday mornings had followed the same rhythm for a while now. Lucius used to be the one who took Eve to school, but that wasn't possible anymore.
Noticing her brother was already up, Sophia called out to him while still chopping vegetables and stirring pans.
"Luci, how did everything go yesterday? Was it a success?"
Lucius stretched, got out of bed, and made his way to the water dispenser. As he poured himself a glass, he responded:
"It was a success! I've got the video with me—want to take a look?"
After taking a long drink, he set the glass down, grabbed his phone from the bed, and walked over to her, holding out the screen.
"Here, take a look."
Sophia, her hands still busy with cooking utensils, leaned over just enough to glance at the phone.
The video began to play. The first scene showed Lucia standing in a dimly lit study, her back to the camera.
After a few seconds, a pair of wings emerged from her back—graceful and awe-inspiring.
The camera shifted to her left side, angling upward from below. Slowly, she turned to follow the camera's movement.
Then, a top light clicked on, casting a glow from above—giving her an almost angelic halo, emphasized by the low-angle perspective.
Her expression was serious and cold. She turned away from the camera, gaze fixed forward, bathed in the warm light. The camera repositioned again to her front-left, capturing the moment as she hunched slightly, folded her wings—
—and launched forward in a burst of motion.
The scene cut.
Next, she stood atop a wall facing the sunrise. The camera showed only her right side and back, her figure illuminated by the first light of dawn.
Wind swept through the scene, lifting her hair and dress into the air like silk. She closed her eyes.
Again, her wings spread wide. Leaves scattered into the breeze. The camera zoomed in and slightly shifted position, framing her upper body.
She stepped forward—and fell.
The camera failed to track her descent.
Sophia flinched, nearly gasping in horror at the sudden drop.
Thankfully, a few seconds later, a dark silhouette soared up from the bottom of the ravine.
The camera recovered and followed the figure—it was Lucia, now rising rapidly into the sky, bathed in golden morning light.
She climbed higher and higher. Then—she stopped, suspended in the air. Her gaze locked on the distant sunrise.
A few silent seconds passed.
Then—suddenly—her head snapped toward the camera, her piercing gaze locking with the lens.
With elegance and power, she dived from the sky, rushing toward the camera. Her figure grew larger and clearer with every second.
Just before reaching the lens, she stopped abruptly, wings outstretched.
She reached forward. Her hand grabbed the camera.
Framed by the light of dawn, her back glowed while her face remained shadowed—dramatic and striking.
With a powerful flap of her wings, she rocketed upward, breaking through the clouds.
The footage shifted to a sweeping panorama of the landscape—lush green forests, winding rivers, tall mountains, and a serene lake—all awash in the golden hues of early morning.
The camera panned slowly, capturing every detail. A small cluster of homes appeared in the distance, almost toy-like in scale.
Then, the camera flipped.
Lucia's radiant face filled the screen. Her smile—soft, confident, captivating—was the final image.
The video ended.
Sophia had stopped cooking halfway through the video, completely mesmerized—especially by the moment Lucia fell from the wall and then soared into the sky.
When the screen went dark, she burst with excitement. A wide grin stretched across her face as she pulled Lucius into a big, spontaneous hug.
"Amazing! That was fantastic—fabulous! Wow, I don't even know what to say...!"
Realizing how animated she'd gotten, she pulled back, face turning slightly red, and cleared her throat with an awkward cough.
"Ehem—but seriously, I meant all of that! Let Eve watch it too—she'll love it for sure.
"Alright, let me finish this lunchbox. You go check on her—she should be done getting dressed."
Lucius smiled brightly. Seeing his sister's reaction filled him with confidence. Maybe—just maybe—the video really would work.
Grinning, he walked to the bedroom door, gave it a knock, and after hearing a muffled reply, opened it.
Eve looked up as he stepped in.
"I've got something to show you," he said, eyes gleaming.
Eve had already heard the commotion in the kitchen earlier. It wasn't hard to guess something amazing had happened—after all, it took a lot to get her usually aloof Sophia that excited.
So her expectations were sky-high.
Smiling with curiosity, she walked up to Lucius and focused her eyes on the phone screen.
"Heeh... Let me see."
Lucius played the video again, this time letting Eve hold the phone herself.
As the footage rolled, her expression shifted several times—astonishment, chills, silent awe, and finally, pure joy.
Overwhelmed, Eve slowly sat down on the edge of her bed, a stunned grin growing across her face. And then, her emotions erupted—she could barely speak, muttering excited gibberish through her excitement.
Finally, she just gave up and pulled Lucius into a tight hug to calm herself down. Tears welled up in her eyes—tears of happiness and pride. Letting him go, she looked up with a wide, emotional smile.
"Brother Lucius... that was amazing! How did you even make that video!? The directing and acting gave me chills!"
She took a breath, still visibly shaken.
"And... and those views from above the clouds were breathtaking. I don't even know how to describe it... It must be even more incredible seeing it with your own eyes. Just... wow."
Lucius could only grin in return. He felt the same way. The sensation of flying freely through the sky—it was something beyond words.
Just then, Sophia stepped into the bedroom. She was ready to take Eve to school—it was almost 6 a.m., and she had already finished packing the lunchbox.
Eve quickly composed herself at the sight of her older sister, though her heart still raced. She couldn't help but share the excitement.
"Sister Sophia! You saw the video, right!? It was amazing!"
She turned back to Lucius.
"Brother... how did you pull that off?"
Sophia, still curious herself, glanced toward her brother, clearly waiting for the story.
Lucius was more than happy to share. Grinning, he began:
"Actually, most of the directing was Edward's idea. I did have a few suggestions and made some scene modifications, but he was the one who crafted the whole scenario."
Knowing Lucius well, Sophia didn't say much about the help he'd received. She was certain he'd repay it in his own way.
Instead, she simply smiled—genuinely, warmly.
"You've got a good friend, Luci. Make sure to stay in touch with him. Family will always be there for you, but having a true friend who's willing to help like that? That's rare."
She paused, then added with a chuckle,
"Ah, pass along my thanks to him. Or better yet, if we meet again, I'll say it myself."
Eve had been listening quietly, her expression shifting slightly to something more thoughtful. Eventually, she smiled too.
"Yeah, brother... your friend is seriously the best. Keep him close."
Lucius nodded. He already knew that—he owed Edward a lot. Not everyone would go to such lengths for a friend.
Checking the time on her phone, Sophia realized it was time to go. She threw on her outdoor jacket and long pants. Eve grabbed her packed lunch, slipped on her shoes, and followed her out the door.
Sophia started up her motorcycle. Lucius stood at the front door to see them off. His sister would be back in around thirty minutes, just enough time to get ready for work.
In the meantime, Lucius decided to help out around the house. After waving goodbye, he returned inside, did a few light chores, then hopped into the shower.
Fully dressed and drying his hair with a hairdryer, he finally sat down and began drafting the email for his video submission.
Before long, he heard the familiar sound of Sophia's motorcycle outside. She had returned from dropping off Eve.
Because she was on a tight schedule, she quickly changed into her work clothes, said a quick farewell to Lucius, and left for work after about forty minutes.
Now finally alone at home, Lucius focused on finalizing the email.
After about twenty minutes of typing on his phone, he reviewed the draft carefully.
'Alright, let's check: grammar—done, formal tone—done.
'Wait... doesn't email have a size limit? What's the size of the video again?'
He checked.
'Over 1GB... yeah, definitely can't attach that. Okay—cloud storage it is.'
He uploaded the file to his personal cloud drive. His home Wi-Fi maxed out at 30 MB/s, so the upload took a while.
Once it was finished, he copied the shareable link and attached it to the email. With a deep breath, he hit send.
"Huft... Now I just have to wait."
But Lucius wasn't the type to sit around nervously doing nothing. To ease the tension, he decided to spend the time practicing with his wings and getting more comfortable with his new body.
By noon, still no response had come. Rather than stress over it, he pushed it from his mind and got on with his usual daily routine—just like when he took time off work.
Evening came.
After finishing another relaxing bath, Lucius decided to cook dinner for three. He hadn't even checked the email again.
Like usual, the sisters came home together around 6 p.m., just as dinner was nearly ready—when suddenly, Lucius's phone rang.
"Huh? Who's calling me at this hour? Edward?"
He glanced at the screen, expecting his friend's name, but instead saw an unknown number.
"Oh? A foreign number?"
It didn't begin with the same country code he and others normally used.
Feeling slightly nervous, he quickly told his sister to take over the kitchen before stepping aside to answer the call.
{"Good evening, may I know who I'm speaking with?"}
{"Good evening, Ms. Lucia. I'm calling from the Magical and Power Transformation Ability Research Center—M.P.T.A. for short. I'm reaching out to inform you that you have passed our second screening and are eligible for the next step. Congratulations, Ms. Lucia."}
A calm and composed male voice came from the other side.
{"Oh?! Wow... Thank you for informing me! Uh—sorry to ask, but—is it normal procedure to call us with this kind of news? I mean, I really appreciate it, but I'm a bit nervous."}
A hearty chuckle came through the speaker.
{"Hahaha, understandable. Actually, we don't usually call applicants directly. The standard procedure is to send a confirmation email.}
{"Ah! I forgot to introduce myself—my apologies. I'm Song Im-Hyun, the Chief Researcher for the Korean branch of the M.P.T.A. Research Center. I've been personally following your case since your first email submission. Your profile and traits caught my attention early on, so this call was my own decision. In fact, I'll be the one conducting your upcoming interview."}
Lucius's heart skipped a beat.
A personal call from the chief himself? He had no idea what to say—his nerves had taken over. All he could do was awkwardly express his gratitude.
{"T-Thank you very much for taking the time to call me, Sir Song Im-Hyun."}
{"Haha, no problem. Let me explain the next steps.}
{"There will be two interviews. The first will be conducted online, so please prepare a working device with a good webcam in a well-lit room. The interview will take place this Wednesday at 9 a.m. Korean Standard Time.}
{"If you pass that stage, you'll essentially be accepted as a research member. The second interview will be more about contracts—legal, personal preferences, customized arrangements, rules, and benefits. That one will take place at our physical research center, likely within one or two weeks."}
As Lucius listened carefully, a question began to stir in his mind. Though still nervous, he tried to remain polite.
{"Uhh... Sir, may I ask something?"}
{"Of course. Ask anything."}
He took a breath and carefully gathered his thoughts.
{"I'm sorry if this sounds rude or ignorant, but... may I ask for a personal favor?"}
There was a brief silence on the other end. Lucius began to sweat—had he crossed the line?
When the chief finally spoke again, his tone had shifted slightly—cooler, more cautious.
{"Hmm... Tell me the details. I'll decide after hearing it."}
Lucius could feel his chest tighten. But this was important—he couldn't back down now.
He explained as clearly as he could.
{"This is related to my powers, my traits... and my entire identity. I want to request that all of it be kept confidential—even from other volunteers or awakened individuals within the organization.}
{"Most importantly, I ask that my original identity remain hidden from the media. You may mention the gender change if necessary, but I'd prefer to keep the details of who I used to be completely private.}
{"That's all. I'm sorry if I've overstepped."}
A pause followed. Then, a curious chuckle.
{"Ahh... identity, powers, and traits, huh? So what you submitted to us wasn't the full story. Interesting.}
{"Alright then—convince me. Why should I give you this special treatment?"}
Lucius took a deep breath and began explaining—at least partially. He revealed the existence of his curse and his original identity but left out one key detail: his dual elemental affinity.
He concluded carefully.
{"...And that's why I need to keep this secret from the media. I don't want my family exposed or dragged into the spotlight. You can mention the gender transformation, but please keep my former identity confidential."}
{"I see. That is indeed... intriguing.}
{"Losing your identity due to a body—and gender—transformation... Actually, now that you mention it, there's another individual with a similar condition. Though in their case, they can shift back and forth.}
{"You, however... it seems your case is more unique. A curse, huh? Very well.
If that's all you're asking, I'll try to ensure your privacy is respected—at least from the media. Just don't place all your hope on it.}
{"Your data will still be shared across branches, and accessible by high-ranking officials. But yes, I'll do what I can."}
Lucius exhaled deeply, his heart finally starting to calm.
{"Thank you, sir. Thank you very much for understanding—and for granting my request. I apologize again if anything I said was offensive."}
Song Im-Hyun chuckled again, this time returning to his earlier, friendly tone.
{"Haha, no need to apologize. I wasn't offended. In fact, I admire your courage—it takes guts to speak up, especially to someone that holds authority, like me."}
{"Alright then. Let's end the call here. Don't forget to prepare thoroughly for the interview. I'll see you there, Ms. Lucia."}
{"Yes, sir. Thank you again. Have a good evening."}
The call ended with a low hum of approval from the chief.
Lucius dropped backward onto the bed with a sigh of relief—his nerves completely fried.
He'd been tense the entire call.
Eve and Sophia were silently listening from the side. Sophia continued cooking dinner, while Eve stood nearby, curiously watching her brother with anticipation.
When Lucius ended the call with a heavy sigh, Eve's nerves spiked. The tension in the room made her worry that something had gone wrong.
She quickly asked with concern in her voice,
"Brother... Did you pass? That was from the organization, right?"
Lucius smiled at her question. Now that his heart had finally calmed down, he was ready to share the good news.
"Eve, Sister Sophia… I passed the second screening."
"The chief researcher called me just now to confirm it—and also to inform me that I'll have an online interview in two days."
"He told me to prepare everything in advance."
Both of his sisters lit up with excitement. Their eyes widened, smiles growing on their faces—though a trace of nervousness lingered, knowing how important this next step was.
After giving Lucius some heartfelt encouragement, Sophia asked about the technical requirements for the interview. Learning that Lucius would need a clean, well-lit room and a reliable laptop, she immediately offered to lend him hers.
But Lucius hesitated, concerned.
"Sister Sophia… are you sure? Don't you need that laptop for work? I don't want to trouble you or interfere with your job…"
Still holding a large plate of steaming food, she paused and looked him straight in the eyes.
With a warm, reassuring smile, she replied,
"Luci, don't worry about it. What matters right now is your interview. You don't need to overthink it. I can use the company's device as a backup if I need to. I'll be just fine."
"Now come on, let's eat dinner first. We can talk about the rest afterward."
Eve chimed in as she helped arrange the dishes onto the table. She didn't forget to add her own words of encouragement.
"Good luck, brother! You've come this far—you'll do great."
The night continued peacefully as the siblings enjoyed their meal, chatting between bites and sharing thoughts about what was to come.
As Lucius sat with his family, feeling their unwavering support, his determination grew stronger.
In just two days, the interview would take place—and with it, the next step toward a future that might change everything.