I’m an Immigration Officer!

Late at night. Still before dawn.
Rumble, rumble…

I opened my eyes at the vibrations running through the bed.
“Ugh…?”
I had been sleeping so well. What the hell was this?

I looked around.
The room was quiet and calm, as if nothing had happened.
I’m already dead tired, and now some weird shit’s trying to wake me up…

I buried my head back into the pillow, eyes closing again.
Just as I was about to drift back to sleep—
Rumble, rumble…

The shaking returned.
It wasn’t just the bed or building—the whole place trembled with an unknown force.
A bad thought flashed through my mind.

“Elaine.”
Sleep vanished in an instant.
I bolted upright and ran for the door.

Wait.
But something felt off.
The Princess’s telekinesis was stable now. She had full control over it.

Besides, this tremor wasn’t limited to just the building.
Rumble, rumble…
It was faint—but the whole ground was shaking.
“This is… an earthquake?”

I glanced westward beyond the window.
The volcanic region out in the continent’s west.
“It’s been quiet for a while…”

Once every few years, the volcanoes spewed lava.
People called it ‘The Day the Red Dragon Gets Angry.’
Whenever that happened, the shockwaves reached even the Cross-Line Kingdom.

It was probably happening now.
It wasn’t another of Elaine’s power surges.
“Phew…”

My body slowly relaxed.
If it was a western earthquake, it wasn’t a big deal.
The damage wouldn’t reach here—it would barely be enough to jolt people from their sleep.

“Back to bed.”
Needless worry.
After getting chewed out by the Foreign Minister yesterday and practically locked in Recovery Room duty thanks to Elaine, I was exhausted.

I turned toward the clock.
4 AM.
Too early to be awake, too late to fall back asleep.

There was no helping it.
I’d have to stay up until work started.
“Might as well have some tea.”

Nothing calms a startled heart like warm water.
With that thought, I reached for the door.
Or tried to.

Knock, knock, knock.
The knock came the same moment my hand touched the doorknob.
“N-Nathan? Are you… asleep…?”

It was Erzena’s voice.
I opened the door immediately.
Click!

“Erzena?”
“Kyah!”
A shrill yelp followed as someone collapsed to the floor.

Erzena—dressed not in her usual tidy clothes, but in a thin, flowing nightgown.
And her whole body radiated divine power, swirling around her like some protective carapace.
I helped her to her feet and asked:

“You’re not asleep? What are you doing here?”
“Y-you—you’re one to talk, Nathan!”
“I woke up a little early.”

Besides, this is my room. Yours is next door.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just, um, I…”

Erzena fidgeted like I’d never seen before.
Her golden eyes darted everywhere.
Ah.

I knew what she was looking for.
I smiled faintly and pointed to the end of the hall.
“The restroom’s the other way.”

“It’s not that!”
Her voice cracked—completely unlike her usual composed self.
“Th-the ground… it started shaking… I-I got scared…”

“Ah.”
A fact I’d forgotten came to mind.
Erzena’s from the continent’s south.

The south—wide plains meeting endless seas.
Earthquakes were practically nonexistent there.
Even a woman chosen by the divine would naturally fear the overwhelming power of nature.

Especially being woken by the ground trembling in the dead of night.
I spoke gently.
“Don’t worry. Seems the volcanoes out west stirred. The tremors reached here, that’s all. It happens sometimes, but it’ll stop soon.”

“O-oh… okay… whew…”
Erzena visibly relaxed.
But her legs still trembled from fear.

She hesitantly spoke again.
“If… if it’s alright… c-could we maybe… talk for a bit…?”
Her eyes clearly pleaded for company.

No reason to refuse.
“Of course. I’m awake anyway. Good timing.”
I stepped aside, giving her space to enter the room.

But as she stepped forward—
What would the world say about an unmarried woman entering a young male officer’s house at night?
The Minister’s words flashed through my head.

Grab.
I caught her shoulder instantly.
“W-wait. Erzena. Hold on.”

“Eek! The earthquake! The earthquake grabbed my shoulder!”
“That’s me.”
She was seriously spooked.

“How about the living room? My room… might not be appropriate.”
“Huh? What’s wrong with your room? Hannah cleaned it top to bottom yesterday.”
She tilted her head, confused.

I didn’t answer.
“Nathan? You… don’t want me coming in…?”
But then, seeing the panic in my eyes, she looked down at her flimsy nightwear.

“Oh.”
She realized the implication.
“Ugh…!”

Erzena hurriedly spun around, clutching her clothes closed.
Through her tossed-back hair, I could see her ears flushed bright red.
“R-right… I-I guess coming into your room, like this, at this hour… would be… i-inappropriate…”

Her divine power pulsed with her flustered emotions, lighting the hallway like midday, chasing away the cold night air.
Seeing that, I smiled faintly.
“I’m glad you feel comfortable here now.”

“That’s… only because you said you’d protect me…”
“Pardon?”
“N-nothing! Let’s go to the living room!”

Erzena shoved me roughly toward the living room in her flustered state.
But an unexpected guest was already there.
“Huaaaah… Morning, Bureau Chief…”

Hannah yawned wide, filling the kettle.
“Hannah? What are you doing up?”
“The Princess woke up from the earthquake… huh?”

She trailed off, eyeing us both.
“…Why are you two coming out of the same room?”
“Not the same room, we met in the hall.”

Erzena covered for me quickly.
“It’s my first earthquake, I got really scared.”
But there was something we both forgot.

“Hmmm…”
“W-why are you looking at us like that?”
Hannah had been a maid at the royal palace.

She grew up seeing every political scheme, lie, and deception imaginable.
“Bureau Chief… Lady Saintess… liars.”
She grinned slyly.

“It’s fine, you can just say you slept together.”
“Eh?”
“Wha—?”

Ah.
I thought only the Olfactory Officer and Gustatory Officer were like that.
Turns out our house had another one.

“It’s not like that!”
“N-not yet anyway!”
Then—

Bang! Slam!
A door upstairs slammed open violently.
Erzena jumped behind me, clinging to my back.

“Eek! The earthquake’s back!”
“Erzena. That’s just the door.”
She gets scared and stays scared to the end, apparently.

Someone spoke upstairs.
“Uuuugh…”
A familiar groan.

It sounded to me like:
[I heard Nathan’s voice.]
The Princess, now unhesitant in calling me by name, stumbled out of her room.

“Elaine. You woke from the earthquake too?”
[Is it dangerous?]
“It’s safe.”

Our new standard greeting these days.
Completely abnormal.
“E-Elaine?”

Elaine, coming downstairs, locked eyes with Erzena, who peeked from behind me.
“Eeuuh… (Erzena.)”
“Princess. You’re awake too.”

But the Princess stayed silent, staring at us both.
More precisely—staring at Erzena clinging to my back.
[…]

Elaine pointed at me, then shifted sideways.
Sliiide…
“W-whoa?”

My body, shoved by invisible force, slid about a meter away from Erzena.
“Elaine?”
[I’m having tea too.]

Her determined mumble carried resolve.
 
****

Five minutes later.
Sitting on the sofa, I spoke awkwardly:
“Um… you both can sit comfortably. There’s plenty of room.”

But Erzena, sitting to my left, pressed closer instead.
“I’m worried another quake might come. Better stay close to my divine power. Don’t be scared.”
You were the one shrieking earlier.

Elaine, seated to my right, practically burned holes in me with her green eyes as she mumbled:
[If another quake hits, Nathan’ll get hurt again. There’s no Recovery Room here.]
This wasn’t what I meant by ‘protect me.’

“H-haha…”
I didn’t mention it, but our house was earthquake-resistant.
Six layers of protection magic, border troops on 24-hour security.

Even if the whole building collapsed, this room would stay intact.
How can they be this scared…
Too close.

Way too close.
Our knees practically touched. Any movement and skin contact was inevitable.
The Minister’s voice echoed in my mind.

A young male officer’s house… idiot… what do you think people’ll assume…
Minister, save me. You might’ve been right.
To break the tension, I forced my mouth open.

“Well… we have time before work… shall I tell you some stories?”
“Stories?”
“Feels lonely just staring at the fireplace.”

Before either could object, I began recounting tales from my time as an immigration officer.
If I didn’t talk, being stuck between them was suffocating.
Before long, soft, steady breathing came from both sides.

“Sss…”
“Mmm…”
I paused my story, calling out:

“Erzena? Elaine?”
“Hnn…”
“Hmm…”

Only faint fidgeting in response.
Erzena, head resting on my shoulder, eyes closed, breathing evenly.
Elaine, curled up, holding my pinky finger, fast asleep.

“Hmph. Guess the history of cross-species immigration during the sixth millennia of the Northern Grand Forest Republic wasn’t entertaining.”
Best part of the story, too.
I let the disappointment slide, watching the two of them quietly.

“Still… I’m glad they’ve found some peace here.”
The Border.
A place open to the oppressed.

A place closed to threats.
Just a harsh, indifferent line—but where worlds met.
The Cross-Line. The Border. My home.

Seeing them asleep within it stirred an unfamiliar warmth deep in my chest.
Whether it was the tea’s warmth, or the quiet courage of these women choosing to change their lives—
I couldn’t tell.

“Phew…”
I let that warmth slip out with a breath.
“Stay sharp, Nathan.”

Chuckling at myself, I shook my head slowly.
Finally, the night gave way, and dawn began to brighten the sky.
Let today, at least, be peaceful.

 
****
The next morning.

Chatter. Noise.
The Immigration Bureau was absolute chaos.
“…Am I seeing this right?”

The answer came from the packed crowd filling the Bureau.
“B-Bureau Chief! There’s way too many peop—ack!”
“That’s the arrival hall! Departing citizens, use the left corridor!”

“Argh! Some bastard stepped on my tail!”
The Sensory Officers’ screams rang everywhere.
Unprecedented.

Twice as many departures as arrivals.
In the distance, the exhausted Auditory Officer questioned people:
“Where’re you from?”

“W-west. From the west!”
“Desert region!”
“Western lands!”

All from the same place.
The west.
Even accounting for the earthquake… this ratio’s insane.

Normally, people heading south were from the north, merchants, or locals.
But there were even Mousefolk and Harpies among them.
All species highly sensitive to natural disasters…

An ominous chill crawled up my spine.
Then—
“Ah, you’re finally here, Bureau Chief!”

My aide rushed over, face tense.
“Aide. What is happening?”
“I-I don’t know. People flooded in since dawn. But… look at this.”

He handed me something.
Hummm…
A glowing orange crystal ball.

An urgent communication signal.
I went straight to a private meeting room and activated it.
And the face that appeared was completely unexpected.

Ah, good. I’m not too late.
“Director Melanie?”
Melanie Lacroix.

But her usual smug confidence was gone—her gaze, tense and sharp.
Hold on. Everyone’s being summoned. You too—Bureau Chief Nathan Kell.
She even used my full title.

Soon, more faces filled the crystal’s view.
North Border Director Dihin Asqurin, responding.
Seriously? Emergency meeting again? This is East, reporting!

…West.
The other Border Directors.
Veteran officers.

“Good, everyone’s here. Know that this isn’t an Intelligence Bureau initiative—it’s from Foreign Affairs.”
Melanie’s voice was hard.
Explain, Director. Is it serious?

What’s happening?
…
They demanded answers.

Only Padre Montes, West Border Director, stayed silent.
“Effective immediately, all borders are raised to maximum alert.”
Gasps filled the meeting.

Director, is this a joke? What the hell’s going on?
Code Red… a trial indeed…
…

Maximum alert.
So-called Code Red.
Only declared for national terror, war, or comparable disasters.

“Director Melanie… is this terrorism?”
With recent chaos, it wouldn’t be surprising.
But Melanie shook her head.

Worse than that.
She hesitated—then spoke.
The largest volcano in the west… has collapsed.

Worse than terrorism.
Nature itself had fallen apart.