By Zephyria Sa-young took three steps back. The hands that poured out from the air grabbed Nam Woo-jin and Jung-bin. And,
Rip.
The sound of paper tearing rang out. Pure white hands were slowly tearing the two apart. The torn areas glowed with golden light. Soon, another hand filled the golden glowing space with its own hand. A new eye filled the place where the eye had disappeared.
“……”
The hands moved in an orderly fashion. When one hand tore away, another hand filled the empty space with something new, and another hand filled the gaps as if sewing them up. Nam Woo-jin and Jung-bin were literally being ‘reconstructed.’
It was a gruesome sight.
The moment the two were perfectly reconstructed into new beings. A buzzing sound surged from afar. The smell of old books and wood, and even the slightly stuffy air, returned to their places. The world began to move again.
At the same time, Nam Woo-jin and Jung-bin slowly opened their eyes. And without even glancing at Sa-young and Eui-jae, they walked away somewhere.
It was only after the two disappeared from sight that he could breathe. He was a little out of breath, as if he had been holding his breath without realizing it. His Adam’s apple bobbed. Sa-young rubbed his face. If he asked Nam Woo-jin for help, the same thing would happen again.
Then, what can I do? With someone who has a hard time even being with me.
Sa-young carefully leaned Eui-jae against the bookshelf. Then he took off his coat and covered Eui-jae with it, and squatted down in front of him. His gray hair shone particularly white.
Cha Eui-jae in this world is undergoing Mutation.
He could finally understand. The reason why Cha Eui-jae in this world met his death so easily and futilely. He chose death himself. Because he didn’t want to become a Monster. Even though he was afraid of death.
You should have told me.
You should have told me.
Thoughts that were not his own stirred in his head. But instead of complaining to the uninvited guest, Sa-young quietly agreed. Cha Eui-jae is foolish, stupid, and….
His tear-soaked eyelashes fluttered. Soon, Cha Eui-jae slowly opened his red, swollen eyes. His still black eyes did not reach Lee Sa-young, but wandered somewhere in the air. He fiddled with the coat covering his body and asked.
“…Are you there?”
“I’m here.”
Sa-young answered quickly. Only then did his gaze turn slightly towards him. Cha Eui-jae’s face was full of exhaustion. Eui-jae wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and frowned. His fingertips seemed to be stinging. And for good reason. His hands were in bad shape, as if his fingernails would have fallen out if he had scratched them a little more.
Sa-young took out new gloves and a red recovery Elixir.
“Give me your hand.”
He obediently held out his hand. Sa-young placed Eui-jae’s hand on his own, then sprinkled the Elixir on it. He didn’t care if the gloves got wet. His fingertips slowly began to heal.
“The other hand.”
The gloves were soaked with Elixir. His festering fingertips were all healed, but the Elixir didn’t regenerate his broken fingernails either. It would take time. Sa-young carefully rubbed the back of Eui-jae’s hand with his thumb before withdrawing his hand.
Sa-young was about to put away the Elixir bottle and get up when Eui-jae muttered.
“Stay next to me.”
“……”
“Don’t go anywhere….”
With those words, Cha Eui-jae closed his eyes again. Before long, the sound of his breathing could be heard. Who’s saying what now? Sa-young barely managed to hold back a laugh. Then he sat down with one leg up in front of him. Sa-young rested his chin on his knee.
“…Okay.”
Sa-young closed his eyes and answered.
“I will.”
“Let us pray.”
A soft voice said. The long chapel was crowded with people. All the people in white clothes put their hands together and bowed their heads. Ga-eul also put her hands together and bowed her head. Her eyes kept closing, perhaps because she was sleepy. Ga-eul tried to yawn as quietly as possible.
‘I’m so sleepy, you cultists….’
Ga-eul, who had been staying at the Prometheus headquarters, had to attend morning worship or something from a certain point on. She couldn’t resist because they suddenly broke in and dragged her away at 5:30 a.m. She didn’t know what they were so diligent about, but they started brainwashing her under the guise of worship from 6 a.m.
“Human power is infinite. We can do anything. Brothers….”
The soft voice came from behind a white cloth. It was probably the Seer. Sometimes shadows flickered behind the cloth, and at first glance, it looked like an adult male. Ga-eul had stayed here for quite some time, but she still hadn’t seen even the top of the head of that great Seer. Even when she requested to meet him, she was constantly rejected.
The soft voice said.
“Recently, the number of cursed beings has been increasing. But they are unbelievers who lack faith. Do not be afraid. Believe in the power of humans. We must save the world.”
How wonderful would it be if everything could be solved with faith?
Ga-eul squeezed her hands together. Ga-eul, who was trapped, also heard about the situation outside through Min-gi Seo, who secretly visited her. Ga-young participated in the development of the vaccine. It was revealed that humans mutate into Monsters. The white Monsters that appeared in the Invasion Dungeon were originally humans.
‘The white Golems I saw in the Invasion Dungeon too….’
Were they all human? Her stomach churned as she thought of the Golems that were broken beyond recognition. Ga-eul frowned. Meanwhile, the soft voice continued to preach without a break.
“Brothers, always have faith. Our brothers are working hard to solve the curse. In the meantime, don’t forget to wear your masks….”
‘Are you telling me to be careful of the flu or what….’
“…Then, let’s do our best in our respective positions.”
Clap clap clap…. A standing ovation erupted. Ga-eul mechanically joined the applause. What kind of life is it to receive a standing ovation for repeating the same story every day? Ivan grabbed the microphone.
“B-before you all leave, please take your masks….”
Ga-eul was about to return to her room instead of receiving a mask, but she was swept away by the crowd and stood in the mask distribution line. She didn’t really want to run into that person. It wasn’t easy to slip away. Eventually, she faced Ivan. Ivan grinned.
“Ah, ah. You’ve a-attended again today. A very good a-attitude.”
“Yes….”
“Yoon Ga-eul may not n-need a mask, but still…. Please take it.”
“Thank you….”
Ga-eul crumpled the white mask into her pocket and asked.
“Um, by the way, what has Ga-young been up to lately? She hasn’t come to see me.”
“Ga- Ga-young Hyung is busy. She’s in the middle of important research….”
“Is that so….”
“Is there a-anything u-uncomfortable?”
Ivan tilted his head. Ga-eul secretly took a deep breath. Originally, she was going to stay longer and get more information. Because there would be information that could only be obtained from the inside. But….
‘I don’t want to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every weekend!’
Besides, to help J, she had to dream more often and for longer. Prometheus, who woke her up all the time, was the worst match. Ga-eul tapped the floor with her slippered feet.
“No, that’s not it…. I had something I wanted to say to Ga-young.”
“If you tell me….”
“Hmm….”
Ga-eul looked at Ivan with a troubled face and bowed her head.
“I’m sorry, it’s a little too important to tell just anyone….”
“U-um…. Is that so.”
Ivan rolled his eyes and pondered. Meanwhile, Ga-eul looked around. And,
“……”
Her eyes widened. A familiar school uniform flashed through the crowd. It was definitely the uniform of the high school she attended. Do high school students come here too? Ga-eul shouted at Ivan, who was pondering.
“I’m sorry, just a moment!”
“Yes? J-just a moment….”
“I’m sorry! Please excuse me!”
Ga-eul pushed her way through the crowd. It seemed like people were chasing her from behind, but she had no time to pay attention. The familiar school uniform appeared and disappeared repeatedly among the people in white clothes. She was getting closer little by little. Finally, she got close enough to reach out and touch it. Ga-eul reached out with all her might.
“Just a moment…!”
Thud.
Ga-eul grabbed the arm of the person in the school uniform. The student whose arm was grabbed turned around. It was a familiar face, like a lie. A familiar girl opened her eyes wide.
“…Huh? Are you Ga-eul? You’re Ga-eul, right?”
“……”
“Hey! Do you know how worried I was? You didn’t even come to school! So you were here!”
Ga-eul muttered in a trembling voice.
“…Min-ji.”
She was her friend. Min-ji smiled brightly and took Ga-eul’s hand. Ga-eul couldn’t speak easily and looked at her friend’s face. Her face was strangely pale.
At that moment, a cold hand came up on Ga-eul’s shoulder.
“Aren’t you happy to meet your friend? It was worth bringing you~”
A voice mixed with laughter, as if she was having fun. A way of speaking as if singing. Her whole body turned cold. Ga-eul didn’t dare to look back. Her fingers on her shoulder smelled of blood. The person behind her leaned in. A strong smell of blood and medicine.
“Yeah, Ivan told me. You were looking for me? You wanted to see me? That’s great~ I was wanting to see you too. So I took the time to bring a friend, it must be fate.”
“…Ga-young.”
Ga-eul slowly turned around. Ga-young, wearing round glasses and still wearing her hair up in a bun, smiled brightly.
“You know, I need your help….”
People in military uniforms were lined up behind Ga-young. Ga-eul turned to Min-ji. Min-ji had a bewildered look on her face. Ga-young whispered in her ear.
“You’ll cooperate, right?”
“…What do you need?”
Ga-eul prayed that her voice wouldn’t tremble. Ga-young smiled. She whispered.
“Will you dream for me?”
“……”
“Continuously. Until I find the information I need.”