No, I might be jumping to conclusions.
However, as I stared at the Conductor and saw the twisted smile on its face, my heart sank.
Could it really be...?
"You sure love to attract trouble."
There was my answer.
"How do you know it's that anomaly?"
"Because I could feel it while you were in the room with it, along with your companions in the research institute. I could tell it was targeting you specifically."
I drew a deep breath.
Suddenly, I recalled those moments.
I recalled the extra presence in that room back then.
"So that's the anomaly that dragged me to hell?"
"...Actually, I am not entirely sure about that."
"Hm?"
"I asked the mirror too, but it doesn't seem like they know as well. Perhaps the two were working together, or something else. Either way, that anomaly is still lurking, and it seems to be getting stronger. You should get rid of it before it's too late."
"I know."
I didn't need to be reminded.
I knew this all too well. I had tried it the last time, but it led me in a different direction.
'I should prioritize this when I get out. That... and the Kyle situation.'
Thinking about Kyle, I felt my head ache.
I really needed to find a way to get him to listen to me.
'The more I drag this out, the worse it becomes for me. And if I wanted to, I could probably just force him to listen, but if I do that, I don't even know if things will ever return the same between the two of us.'
I did... care.
Yeah, I cared.
Taking a deep breath, I looked back at the Conductor and then the mirror.
"Since you've shown me all of this, I'm sure you have agreed to work with me. In exchange for your help, what is it that you want me to help you with?"
Besides Mirelle and the Realmwalker, most of the anomalies tied to me had some sort of goal in staying with me. The Conductor wanted to witness more chaos. Mr. Jingles was bound to the orphanage and its children. What would the mirror want from me?
I grew cautious while staring at the reflection staring back at me.
Then—
"Mist..."
A soft, yet broken voice reached my ears.
"...Rid."
I understood then.
"You want me to get rid of the mist?"
The reflection nodded slowly. To which, I smiled.
"I can try that."
I didn't make any promises. However, I had a feeling that I'd have to do something about the mist in the near future. In that case, it wouldn't hurt to agree to this situation. Especially since I knew that the mist was closely tied to hell.
Thinking back to Paimon's words, I had the feeling that I'd soon get tangled up with the mist in order to better understand what it meant by saying, 'You're not human.'
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
'Is it simply because I'm not from this world? Or is there more to it that I don't know?'
The curiosity was killing me, and for a moment, I almost felt tempted to use Paimon's gift in exchange for an answer. However, I was quick to curb the desire as I looked back at the Conductor.
There was a more pressing matter at the moment.
"Can you ask her to tell me more about the mist? What exactly is it? How did it happen? What caused it? Just anything."
I was in desperate need of this information.
This was something that I needed in order to complete the quest.
"Hmm."
The Conductor tilted its head, as if conversing with the mirror. After a moment, it turned back to look at me.
"She's not quite sure."
My heart sank.
"But she might have some things that might help."
"Hm?"
Suddenly, the Conductor reached into the mirror and pulled out several items: papers, photos, and all sorts of things I had seen in the research facility. My eyes widened slightly as I stared at it.
The Conductor chuckled.
"She's absorbed many people. Naturally, she has retained all of their posessions."
"...Ah."
It suddenly clicked in my mind as I reached for the papers and began skimming through them. Most were useless, but after a certain point, I found myself stopping, unable to look away.
That was because I found myself holding something that felt eerily similar to what had been shown back at the Congress. Another fragment that seemed to belong to a ring, just like the one Joanna had found back then.
"She said that she had another piece, but had lost it when a situation turned unfavorable for her."
"...I see."
I fiddled with the piece of the ring before putting it in my pocket.
I didn't know what it was, but I had a feeling that it was of extreme importance.
Shifting through the other items, a lot of them were useless. There was nothing of real importance in the items that were handed to me.
Until—
"Hm?"
I finally managed to pick something up.
It was a thick book, but it was also rather worn down.
At first, it didn't look like much. A lot of pages were faded, with hardly anything that I could make out. However, as I sifted through the first few pages, I paused when I reached a certain section.
'9:2. When the abyss is opened, smoke rises like from a great furnace, and the sun and air are darkened by it.'
Wait.
The moment I caught sight of the passage, something in my mind shifted. My eye twitched, and suddenly my chest began to rise and fall faster as the words seemed to pull themselves from the page.
I suddenly heard whispers, and as I held onto my head, my eyes couldn't help but drift towards the first two numbers.
9:2.
I wasn't religious, but... I knew.
I knew what these numbers meant.
They were indicators found inside the bible. Chapter and verse number.
"O-oh."
Covering my lips, things became clearer to me.
'Right, of course. Since hell exists, I'm sure that some sort of opposite also exists. In that case, I should be able to get my answers if I can get my hands on the bible.'
Holding onto the book, I finally understood what it was.
This was a bible.
That was when I heard it.
Ding—!
The familiar chime that signaled the end of the quest.
[Quest Completed]
[Host successfully managed to find information regarding the mist.]
[Reward 1: 10 Essence Shards [Attribute of choice]]
[Reward 2: 300,000 SP]
Staring at the rewards being handed to me, I didn't react. My mind drifted in and out as I looked down at the bible in my hands, trying to decipher more, but the pages were worn and difficult to read.
After a while, I put the book away.
'I'll go look for a copy when I'm out.'
That shouldn't be too hard. The bible was one of the most read books in the world, as far as I remembered. Finding a copy wouldn't be hard.
Thinking this far, I took a deep breath before looking at the Conductor and then the reflection.
"Well, then."
I extended my hand to the mirror.
"...It seems like the two of us will work out just fine."
-x-X-x-
"Give this a try. Let me know if this is to your taste."
The Guild Master's voice echoed across the otherwise quiet room. Presented before us were several fancy dishes that I had seen for the first time in my life. The dishes all looked exquisite, with the only critique being the portion size.
'Is this how I eat it?'
I used the chopsticks to pick up the dish. It looked like some sort of fancy sushi.
Putting it in my mouth, the taste exploded on my tongue.
It was neither too sour nor too sweet. Just the right balance between the two.
"How is it? It's good, isn't it?"
"Ah, yes."
Yeah, it was pretty good.
Unfortunately, it really was too small as I finished it in no time. The server came in a moment after, taking the dish away from me as he closed the wooden door of the small room that we were in.
I put the chopsticks down, looking around me.
There was a strong scent of wood in the air, mixed with some lavender. The lights above cast a warm light across the tatami floor as I adjusted my seating over the small cushion beneath me.
"I'm glad that you find this to your pleasure."
Dabbing his lips with a small towel, the Guild Master put his chopsticks down.
He smiled as he looked at me.
"I can tell that you're hungry. Don't worry. There will be more meals coming soon."
Sure enough, the doors slid open and several servers came in, providing us with even more food.
I felt a lot better then.
However, even though the food looked great, I couldn't bring myself to eat more.
Not when the Guild Master was looking at me.
In fact, I had been rather curious to know what exactly the Guild Master wanted from me. It was a few days after the Congress, and things had yet to die down. Yet, he chose to directly call me downstairs where a car waited for me, bringing me to this weird place.
Was he here to congratulate me as well?
"I've received a lot of offers."
His words, however, were not exactly what I expected as I paused.
"There's quite a lot of them. All of them are tempting. At the moment there's a fierce bidding war between you and the top Guilds."
"...Oh."
To be honest, I expected this.
There was no way I wouldn't know about it.
I didn't have a manager, but I still had access to the news. Even if I didn't want to know, unless I was living like a caveman, I was going to find out.
"You don't look surprised."
"...Well, I kind of expected it."
"Haha, of course. You were quite impressive."
The Guild Master looked to be in an especially good mood today.
For a moment, watching his relaxed expression, I felt like relaxing myself. I felt like letting down my guard to eat the food that was before me.
But I knew.
...I knew that the Guild Master was no simple man.
"The reason why I called you here is to talk about the offers. Since I'm the Guild Master of the Guild, I'm obliged to tell you about them. They're all quite good. Have a look."
Reaching down the small wooden table, he brought out several papers and slide them across the table. At the same time, he picked up his chopsticks and began eating again, looking completely unconcerned as I looked at the documents.
'Holy shit.'
The moment I caught a glimpse of the papers, I drew a deep breath.
The amount of zeros that I saw written on the paper were enough to make my head spin. Was this real...? I had to blink several times to make sure I wasn't seeing things, but it really was the case.
'Holy shit!'
I swore again inside my mind.
For just the briefest of moments, my heart skipped a beat.
Temptation crawled up the back of my mind.
And for just a moment, I started to consider the offer. I looked between each of them to see which one would benefit the most.
But then—
"Find anything interesting?"
The Guild Master's words snapped me back to reality, as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over me, calming whatever fire had started to build up within me.
"If you find anything interesting, please let me know."
He casually brought the food to his lips and ate.
"....."
That was the moment I put the papers down.
"Are you planning on increasing my pay?"
The Guild Master smiled. Swallowing his food, he placed the chopsticks down and laughed.
"Of course. Have a look."
He passed several new papers on the table and slid them over.
I gave them a quick skim before closing my eyes.
'As expected, he was ready for this from the start.'
"This is an offer from the Guild. We'd like to extent your contract. While the terms might not be as great as that of the other Guilds, they're still quite generous. I hope that you can take us into consideration."
"I see."
I smiled.
Because that was all I could do.
"Here."
The Guild Master slid a pen over.
"You can sign the paper with this."
"....."
I looked at the pen in silence before eventually picking it up.
In the end, I signed it.
I had no choice but to. From the moment I had revealed my secret to him, there was simply no way for me to leave the Guild. He knew that as well and made sure to remind me. This was the entire purpose of this dinner.
This was the Guild Master's way of telling me that he still held a leash on me.
Honestly, it felt like shit.
I felt like shit.
Nevertheless, I didn't regret my decision from back then. I had no choice but to do it, and it was also because of that decision that I was still alive.
'Yeah, it was a good decision.'
"Wonderful decision."
The Guild Master smiled, reaching forward to grab the papers. He gave them a quick skim before nodding.
"Don't worry about the terms, they're good. None of them are unfair."
I know.
It was for this reason that I signed without thinking too much.
Because I knew that so long s I held his best interests, he wouldn't treat me bad.
This was what kind of person the Guild Master was.
"Great."
Putting the papers away, the Guild Master looked back at me, extending his hand.
"I wish for our happy cooperation."
"....."
I stared at his hand in silence before eventually reaching out for it and shaking it back.
"Happy cooperation."
***
The sky was bright outside, the sun casting a warm glow over the city below. Casually donning his dark gray coat, the Guild Master of the Severed Stars Guild stepped out of the restaurant, his gaze settling on the retreating figure in the distance.
Eventually, a dark SUV arrived to pick him up as the windows rolled down.
"How did the talks go?"
"...Pretty good."
The Guild Master replied while entering the car.
Taking off his top hat, he looked at the eyes staring at him from the rear view mirror.
"He's getting there."
Mumbling such words, the Guild Master smiled while looking at the window.
The engine rumbled and the car began moving.
"...He's slowly getting there."
-x-X-x-
News of my renewal with the Guild was explosive. Headlines cropped up everywhere, and I was forced to mute my phone to drown out the flood of messages from all the other guilds that had tried to scout me.
"Honestly, it never seems to stop. Let me be in peace."
I even went so far as to change my number. Since I didn't know many people anyway, it wasn't really a loss for me.
'I guess being an introvert has its perks.'
Sifting through the pile of documents before me, I eventually paused to look around the office. My attention eventually landed on the mirror that now sat in the corner of the room.
Staring at the reflection, I mused for a moment before saying, "Change."
In that moment, my entire body began to shift before my eyes; my hair lengthened rapidly, and other parts of my physique followed suit. Before I even realized what was happening, I had turned into a girl.
"Wow."
Even the voice was like that of a girl.
Moving my hands, the reflection followed suit. When I looked down, I realized it wasn't just the image in the glass that had changed. My reality had shifted, too.
It wasn't a biological change, but rather a total transformation in how people would now perceive me.
"Yeah, turn me back. This is pretty creepy."
I felt shivers while thinking about my current appearance.
The transformation back was just as quick, and soon, I was back to my normal self.
"Much better."
I felt that this appearance was much better. Nevertheless, there was no denying the mirror's ability. With it, I felt that there'd be endless possibilities.
'It'll also help me in situations where I might become the butcher again. Help me hide my traces.'
But that wasn't important right now.
Reaching for my laptop, I began to search through the browser, the keyboard clicking away. However, the more I searched, the more serious my expression became.
"There's nothing. How is this possible?"
Ever since discovering that faded, worn-out Bible, I had searched for any other copy. I thought that by looking through the bible, I'd get a better understanding of what was happening. However, it was as if the book had been completely erased from the world; I couldn't find a single mention of it anywhere.
What was even stranger was the way people replied to me when I asked them about the bible.
'Bible? What's that...?'
'Hmm? I've never heard of such a thing. Is it something from a distant island?'
Not even the people appeared to know anything about the bible. It was as if it had never existed. Even in the past.
And the fact that I was aware of what the bible was likely had to do with the fact that I wasn't from this world.
"Strange. This is extremely strange."
I knew that I was moving closer and closer to the truth. The issue was that the more I unveiled, the creepier the situation felt to me.
'I guess there might be angels and god?'
If demons existed, surely...
To Tok—
All of a sudden, I heard a knock on the door as I raised my head.
Who could it be?
"Yes?"
Clank—
The door swung open a moment later, and I caught a glimpse of a stray lock of blonde hair as a pair of sharp green eyes locked onto mine. The suddenness of the encounter sent a jolt through me, her gaze momentarily making my mind go blank.
What was she doing here?
"Ah, Zoey."
I offered a brief greeting, noticing she looked a bit haggard. It was a sharp contrast to her usual self. The polished, well-maintained appearance she normally carried was nowhere to be found.
There were even traces of dark circles beneath her eyes.
"Didn't get much sleep?"
"...Not really."
Zoey replied while massaging the dark circles. After which, she looked around the room before sitting down.
"....."
She just...
Ah, whatever.
"That's new. When did you get that? Oh, wait..."
As if realizing something was off, her expression shifted, turning slightly strange as she took me in.
I smiled.
So she noticed.
"That's a souvenir. The one that I got from the Congress."
Actually, it was more than just that. Thinking about it, I felt like chuckling. No, maybe a little chuckle did leave my lips.
Couldn't help it.
"Right. That makes sense."
Zoey's tone remained calm as she finally pulled her gaze away from the mirror. Instead, I felt her attention fixate entirely on me. The way she was looking at me felt strange. It carried an unsettling intensity.
"Are you..." she paused, her lips pressing together before asking, "Are you okay?"
Hm?
What's up with her?
"I am...? But why are you ask—"
"I mean about Kyle."
"What about Kyle? He—oh."
Ah.
I froze for a split second as everything suddenly clicked into place. The pieces fell together, especially the reasoning behind her unexpected appearance at my door.
'Right, she's checking up on me to see how I'm doing. At the same time... since Kyle is with me, I don't feel much sadness. I know that he's fine, unlike her. It's natural for her to think that I'm not faring well.'
Perhaps it was due to everything I'd recently discovered, or maybe there was some other reason entirely, but I had truly forgotten about this matter.
'Is my already low EQ dropping?'
"Ehm."
I coughed, trying to force out a strained smile.
"...Honestly, the best that I can handle it. I... just don't really think about it. I try not to think about it. I don't know where he is, but... I think he's fine. Kyle is very talented. I'm sure he's alive somewhere."
"Yeah."
Zoey nodded slowly, her voice coming out somewhat soft.
I blinked a couple of times, opening my mouth to say a few more words, but Zoey spoke before I had the chance to.
"You know... I used to hate you."
"...Oh."
Right, she did.
But that was kind of my fault.
"I used to think that you were a self-centered prick that only cared about himself."
That hurt.
But... I kind of was, yeah.
"My opinion of you changed after I observed you for a while," she began, her voice rather steady. "I realized that maybe what happened between us was just a misunderstanding. I know I can be prickly, and I probably jumped the gun. I wanted to apologize. I think I've tried before, but honestly, it's been eating at me for some time now, and I just needed to get it off my chest."
"I see."
This cleared up a lot of things for me. In all honesty, I had noticed the weird looks that she had been giving me lately. It was as if she wanted to say something, but always felt hesitant to say it.
I now realize what it was.
'She just always wanted to apologize.'
Now, I felt a little bad.
Especially since all of it was my fault.
I answered her right away.
"Actually, it's my fault. You don't have to—"
"Turns out, I was right."
My words came to an abrupt halt as I raised my head to look in Zoey's direction. The moment I looked at her, I noticed a difference in her eyes. They felt cold. Really cold.
"I thought you were different. I thought that I was wrong."
"....."
"But I was never wrong."
Suddenly, she chuckled, bringing her hand to her mouth as she mumbled, 'I was stupid. I was really stupid.'
What the hell was she on about?
Taking a deep breath, I looked at her.
"I think you're tired. Maybe you should have some rest. We can talk about this when you're more clear-headed."
"No, there won't be a need for that."
Zoey shook her head while staring at me. Her eyes remained cold.
"I don't think I'm interested in having a conversation with someone like you."
I frowned.
I was starting to get annoyed now.
"You're tired. Go back."
"It's crazy that you don't even notice it."
Zoey covered her mouth, staring at me as though I were a total stranger. Someone she didn't recognize at all. The look rubbed me the wrong way.
"What are you talking about?"
My voice came out louder than I expected.
Zoey just shook her head, her expression still incredulous.
In the end, she just pursed her lips and shook her head in disappointment.
"You don't care at all, do you?"
"What? What are you—"
"About Kyle. You don't care at all."
Whatever word I was about to say stopped.
"Not once did I notice a trace of sadness from you," she said. "In fact, you even forgot about Kyle. You actually looked quite happy for some reason. I tried to tell myself it was some sort of coping mechanism, but it's not. You just don't care. It's clear to me."
She laughed, covering her mouth.
"It's... baffling, especially when Kyle cared so much about you. So much that he'd get panic attacks whenever something happened to you. Panic attacks..." Zoey repeated, her head shaking. "But you? You're just so indifferent to it. I thought I had gotten to know you better, but the more I look at you, the stranger you seem. Then again, I didn't know you well enough to say I could have determined your personality. But really..."
Zoey's voice lowered as she whispered, "I really thought..."
Her words ended there.
In the end, she just shook her head and proceeded out of the room.
I didn't say anything. I just watched her leave.
As the room turned silent, I leaned back against the chair and closed my eyes.
"...Disappointing."
Cra Crack!
For the entire day, my thoughts continued to drift to the words that Zoey had spoken to me. The more I thought about them, the more pissed and annoyed I became.
"'What the hell does she know?'
They were rubbing me the wrong way more than I initially thought they would.
Sure, I had been careless.
With everything that had happened to me, I completely forgot about the matter of Kyle's disappearance. I just knew that he was safe and thus never felt sad about it. I could see how she'd interpret my actions as me lacking empathy.
But her words were far from true.
I really did care.
"Are you ready to listen to me?"
I looked at the figure sitting opposite me. His eyes were unfocused, and his hair was a complete mess. Even as I spoke to him, he didn't seem to acknowledge a single word I said.
I took a deep breath.
'He's quite stubborn.'
"Look, I understand your concerns, but I'm not the murderer that you think I am. Although it's true that my actions indirectly led to many deaths, that wasn't something that I could have controlled. I had simply done what I had done to survive."
"....."
Silently clenching my teeth, I took a deep breath.
"....Are you aware of the fact that I was actually a test subject back in the orphanage?"
There was a subtle shift in Kyle's expression.
I didn't tell him back then because I thought that it would mess with his mind, but since things had turned out this way, it was best for me to come clean.
"The orphanage was actually part of a large cult that was designed to create the perfect vessel for a demon to surface on Earth. I was that vessel. The reason why I did what I did was that I had to get rid of the demon, which also ended up possessing you in the end. I had... no choice but to do the things that I did to you because there was no other way to get rid of the demon. I—"
"So why didn't you let me stay dead?"
Kyle's words brought mine to an abrupt halt.
Raising my head to look at him, it felt as though a massive lump had formed in my throat, especially when I took in his expression.
"You... did what you did, but why didn't you let me stay dead? Why did you have to do this to me?"
"That's..."
Obviously, because I didn't want you to die!
"You stripped away my humanity."
Kyle spoke, his voice hoarse.
"...I know the risks that come with this job. Every single day, I come prepared to risk my life for it. You of all people should know this. In fact, you of all people should know why I do this."
I froze.
I should know...?
How?
How would I even know?
You're—
"And yet..."
BANG!
Kyle abruptly stood up while smashing his hand against the table and glaring at me.
"...You turned me into the very thing that I despise the most!!"
His scream bellowed throughout the entire room as I stared blankly in his direction.
"You...! You fucking turned me into the one thing that I despise with all of my heart! I do not mind dying, I really don't. But why did you have to do this to me?! Why!?"
His screams continued to pierce through the room.
I could only watch his face contort before my very eyes, unsure of how to answer. That was also when something became clear to me.
Just like I wasn't the Seth that he knew, he wasn't the Kyle that I knew.
It was just like Zoey.
I had assumed I knew all about her because she was a character of a game that I had created, but I was quick to realize that not everything was the same. In this case, I had made the same mistake with Kyle.
He...
"I hate you."
Kyle's harsh glare fell on me as my heart froze in my chest.
He didn't scream those words.
He just whispered them. But perhaps it was because he had whispered them that I felt them even more.
"...You've become the very thing that drove me into this line of work," he said. "From the way I see it, it won't be long until you repeat the pattern and start killing even more people. You'll just blame your circumstances on the situation, dodging any sort of responsibility, and do it all over again."
Kyle's face tightened.
"Bring me back the real Seth."
He glowered as the words left his lips, his expression darkening with a sudden, sharp intensity. Then, without warning, he raised his voice again, the volume cutting through the heavy silence that had taken over the room.
"BRING HIM B—"
I waved my hand, his body disappearing from my sight.
The silence returned, broken only by the ragged sound of my chest rising and falling. My breath came in shallow yet rapid hitches as the adrenaline began to fade, leaving a cold, hollow sensation inside of me.
Without even realizing it, my head slowly turned toward the broken mirror.
It was there that I caught a glimpse of my own reflection, and the sight pinned me to the spot.
My expression.
...It was rather terrifying.
***
Obsidian Bastion Guild.
Things were rather hectic at the Guild. The results of the World Congress were something that none of the top Guilds were able to predict, and with the sudden emergence of an unknown Guild making it to the top of the Rankings, the higher-ups were all in a state of concern.
However, above all, there was something they were all talking about.
"We need to find a way to recruit him."
"Despite having signed a new deal with the Guild, poaching him shouldn't be impossible. The other major Guilds have already started to make their move."
"In fact, it would be in his best interest if he signed with us. Things will get rather bad if he doesn't."
A voice suddenly brought the meeting to a silence.
Sitting with a calm expression, Konrad Micheals, the Section Chief of the Hoarding Department, looked directly at Kaelric.
"His actions, and the Guild's actions, have made several large Guilds quite unhappy. Especially those that have been controlled by that girl, Ariel. There's still quite a lot of backlash regarding what she'd done. The pressure that the Guild is under is quite a lot. Let's not even talk about Helios Vanguard."
At the mention of 'Helios Vanguard', the faces of a few changed subtly. Everyone had seen the end of the Congress and knew all about the situation with Leon. While he was still an elite, his reputation had taken a massive hit.
Despite this not being Seth's fault, everyone knew that those from the Guild were far from happy.
"Nobody knows how the Helios Vanguard Guild will react, but I'm sure their presence will weigh a ton on the Severed Stars Guild, which is why it would be within their best interest if they sell Seth. The contract renewal is probably the Guild's way of increasing his value. What do you think?"
Konrad's lips pressed together as he stared at Kaelric, who had remained silent the entire time.
Tap!
Eventually, as Kaelric tapped the table with his finger, he spoke.
"...We're not going to force the matter."
Though his words were soft, they made the faces of some change.
However, before anyone could protest or get any word out, he continued.
"I'm planning on personally inviting him to the Guild. We'll see how he reacts after that."
-x-X-x-
'Did I go too far...?'
Zoey sat on her bed, her eyes closing as she thought back to her conversation with Seth. Her mind drifted to his happy face when she first entered. From how he chuckled to how he was even smiling.
At first, she thought that this was just his way of coping.
That he was simply trying his best to force himself to be happy.
But no...
Zoey realized rather quickly that it wasn't like this.
'What about Kyle? He—oh.'
He had completely forgotten about the matter. She was quick to see the shift in his expression, almost as if he was saying, 'Ah, right. That did happen.'
That was the moment when something within her shifted.
All of a sudden, he felt different.
He felt like a completely different person. Like someone she didn't know at all.
But maybe she didn't know him at all.
They hadn't interacted much, and she used to think he was some sort of introvert who hated talking to people.
That was how she viewed him in the past.
But things were different now. Especially when she thought back to what she had seen in the Congress.
Recalling his actions and the way he behaved, Zoey felt her face tighten.
"...Was that his real personality?"
Zoey covered her face with both hands, massaging it slowly.
'Or maybe, the experience has fucked him to such a fundamental level that he has changed completely?'
Zoey thought back to the video.
It didn't fully show how much time had passed, but she knew he must have spent a lot of it torturing himself. Anyone would have gone crazy by that point, and when her thoughts went in that direction, she started to feel bad again.
"Maybe I really did jump the gun."
...Maybe she had used all of this as an excuse to take it out on him.
"I don't know."
Zoey covered her face again, pulling the sheets of her bed and tucking herself in. She turned away, the light of her phone reflecting against her face as she retreated into the covers.
The rational part of her told her that it was what was most likely happening, but another part of her told her that this was who Seth really was. That even if he hadn't gone through such an ordeal, he would've been the same.
It was an irrational thought, but for some reason, it just never left her mind.
Biting her lips, she tapped her phone.
A voice drifted in the air.
—If you see your sister, do tell her my location. I believe that she would be of great help to us.
—She is a Paragon, after all. Not only that, but she's extremely capable. I actually admire her skills quite a bit. For her to have developed this far while also maintaining her modeling career... I'm honestly impressed.
***
With the newfound fame, the way people looked at me within the Guild was different. If before they looked at me as some sort of lucky bastard, they now viewed me as some sort of completely psychopath that they should avoid at all costs.
There was also the matter with Zoey.
After her recent outburst, she no longer seemed to want to do anything with me. In the next few days, I barely managed to even get a glimpse of her, and whenever we did cross paths, she would deliberately walk in the opposite direction or just avoid any eye contact.
There were a few times when I'd feel her gaze from a distance, only for her to look away the moment I turned to look at her.
In the end, I decided to just mind my own business.
Clank—
Entering a familiar room, I was greeted by a few people whose attitude hadn't changed at all.
"...."
No, maybe they did.
"Why are you all wearing sunglasses indoors?"
Sitting in their cubicles with their arms crossed, they all turned to look in my direction. Mia eventually took off her glasses and sighed.
"Dear Squad Leader."
She shook her head in disappointment.
"We're bigshots now."
Come again?
"But what does that have to do with the sunglasses?"
"Everything!"
Mia smacked her hand against the table, standing up and puffing her chest.
"We're no longer small timers. We're bigshots. I repeat. We. are. big. shots!"
My head turned towards Joanna.
She took off her sunglasses and shrugged, 'She's not that wrong.'
"Anyways!"
Mia continued.
"...After what happened in the Congress, the media and everyone think that we look cool with our sunglasses. In a way, it seems fitting considering your past with them. That's why we decided to wear them at all times."
"Nope."
Ariel suddenly interjected, taking off hers.
At the same time, she turned her attention towards me.
"Well, there's that, but the main reason is that it actually helps us hide our appearances a bit from the public. I have to say, squad leader, you're not right in the head, right?"
Huh?
What the hell was this lunatic on about?
"I mean, I am kind of crazy, but you...?"
She covered her mouth, hiding her laugh.
"You're like totally fucked up in the head."
The hell was she talking about?
If anything, I was the only normal person in the room.
I was far from—
"Yeah, he's pretty messed up there."
"Mhm."
"They think we're crazy because we wear sunglasses, but he's the one who started this trend."
"Yeah. I even heard some people have started to enter Gates with sunglasses."
"....."
I closed my eyes and just ignored them. They were obviously trying to joke around.
'I'll allow it.'
Moving towards my own desk, I sat down and prepared to open my laptop. There were a few things that I needed to get done by today, but above all, I needed to start planning for my next big project.
Gate.
Right, I needed to design a Gate.
After everything that had happened in the Congress, I now had a very good idea of the direction that I wanted to take, and I wanted to take this time to plan things properly. There was also the issue with the update that I had yet to sort out, but I already had an idea of how to handle that.
Now that my fame had reached a certain point, my options had expanded drastically.
Opening my laptop, I was just about to open my app when I stopped.
"Hm?"
My attention fell on the letter that rested on my desk.
"Oh, right. You received this letter this morning. It seemed important, so I left it on your desk."
Joanna explained, appearing right before my desk.
I looked at the letter and then at her.
"I see."
Reaching for the letter, I grew curious. Who the hell even sends letters anymore? Though confused, I still opened the letter and looked inside.
The moment I did, my face froze.
This...?
A personal invitation?
'I've thought about it before, but there's something weird about this Guild. R.W Tech, or whatever it's called... and now they personally invited me? I'm really confused. Should I accept or should I decline?'
The answer was obvious to me.
I planned on declining the invitation.
Honestly, I was confused how the letter even reached my desk. It was a blatant poaching attempt. Was the Guild Master really that confident I wouldn't accept?
'...Or maybe this is a way for him to test me.'
Whatever the truth was, I wasn't all that keen on going there.
As of right now, I need to focus on my next task.
Gate.
I needed to figure out a way to create a Gate.
'Right, I also need to handle the Dock situation. With my newfound fame, I could probably pressure them into releasing my game, but I'm not going to do that.'
I had done a lot of thinking as of late.
This hadn't been the first time that Dock had screwed me over. I was starting to get tired of all of this nonsense. Even if I did end up fixing the situation, who was to say something like this wouldn't occur again?
Therefore, after a little bit of thought, I decided to do something different.
I planned on exploring my options. From platform creation to investment in rivaling platforms.
There were plenty of options, and with my newfound fame, I knew that I could now consider such options.
'I can probably even ask the Guild Master to help me, but I don't want to be too indebted to him. Things are already quite uncomfortable for me in that regard.'
Standing up from my seat, I sighed.
There wasn't much that I had planned today.
For that reason, I knew that I could focus a lot of attention on this matter. At least, that was what I had originally thought. However, not even a few seconds after I stood up from my seat, my phone suddenly vibrated. Pausing, I looked at the message that I had just received, and I had a hard time stopping my face from stiffening.
[Go downstairs. There's a car waiting for you.]
Looking at the number, my expression turned even stranger.
'Why does the Guild Master want me to go downstairs? Don't tell me he's going to make me go to dinner with him again.'
Ever since coming back from the World Congress, he had been treating me differently. Well, he was already different before, but things felt even weirder now.
Though I was confused, I still followed the orders.
Raising my head, I looked at the others, only to pause.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"That..."
Mia stammered for a second before Joanna took over.
"Are you leaving, Squad Leader?"
"Ah, yes."
I put my phone in my pocket.
"I'll be leaving for now. Since we've all been granted a week's rest, you should all take advantage of it. I'll be back as soon as I can. Text me if there are any problems."
Bidding fairwell to the others, I headed out.
'Just what in the world does the Guild Master want me to do now...?'
***
Clank—!
The moment Seth left the office, a strange silence followed. The silence persisted for several seconds until Ariel spoke up.
"I take it all of you were given some offers."
The silence persisted.
Nobody said a single thing, with Mia lowering her head in shame.
"Actually..." but eventually, forcing a few words out, she raised her head to look at the others. "...I've gotten multiple offers. I wanted to talk with the Squad Leader about them, but his face looked pretty scary."
"Same."
"...Yeah."
"Me too."
Bitter smiles filled the room as they all shared similar feelings. After the Congress, they had all received multiple large offers from some major Guilds. While a lot of their actions were due to Ariel, they were still able to display a good level of skill. Enough to attract the Oak Circle Guilds.
None of them were able to attract the attention of those from the big five besides Ariel, who received scouting offers from all of them.
Unable to hide her curiosity, Mia looked at Ariel.
"What about you? Are you planning on accepting any of the offers?"
"Nope."
Ariel shook her head, answering without much thought. Her fast rejection took everyone aback. However, before any of them could ask her to elaborate, Ariel spoke.
"I'm pretty satisfied here."
She ended the conversation there.
From the simple smile she wore, it really did seem that way.
Everyone appeared to accept her answer.
Everyone but Joanna, who narrowed her eyes slightly. For some reason, Ariel's expression felt a little stiffer than usual.
'Am I seeing wrong?'
Joanna tilted her head, but eventually gave up when Ariel turned her head to meet her line of sight. The two looked at each other for a brief moment before Ariel's smile widened.
Joanna blinked a couple of times before sighing.
"Well."
She looked at the others.
"...Let's talk about the offers later. For now, let's all get some rest. When the Squad Leader is free again, we can bring it up with him again."
***
Fully aware of my fame following the Congress, I had no choice but to wear a different pair of sunglasses than usual, ones that concealed my features and allowed me to head downstairs without being noticed.
'Still, this is way busier than usual.'
The Guild lobby was full.
Not just full, but it was packed. There were many people in suits, and even reporters. They all waited at the entrance, seemingly trying to force their way through as several bodyguards lined up the entrance, stopping them from entering.
"Please! Just let us see him!"
"We'd like to ask him several questions!"
"Just a few questions!"
"We would like to know what his next plans are!"
Seeing the hunger in their eyes and expressions, I felt my entire body shudder. Thankfully, none of them noticed me, and I managed to slip out without drawing any attention. Of course, this was mainly due to me taking a separate route that was exclusive to guild members.
'The car should be somewhere here. Where is it...? Where is..."
I stopped after I caught sight of a certain black SUV.
As if noticing me, the SUV pulled in my direction, sunlight glinting off its dark exterior before it came to a stop right in front of me. Slowly, the window rolled down, revealing a face I was familiar with.
"Get in."
"...."
I blinked, looking at the girl in the front of the car. Though she wore a pair of sunglasses, her features were hard to hide, and as she tilted her head down, revealing her dark eyes beneath the lenses, she spoke again.
"Are you deaf? Get on."
"...."
I still didn't move.
No, I mean.
Why the hell would I move?
Especially when the one sitting in the car before me was none other than the star of the Obsidian Bastion Guild, Liora Halecrest.
"Ehm. I think you've got the wrong—"
"No, I don't."
She cut me off before I could continue.
Then, the phone in my hand vibrated as I looked at the new message that appeared on the screen.
[It's the right car. Have a nice meeting.]
Question marks popped up in my head again.
"Are you getting on or not?"
Lifting my head, the car door opened on its own as I looked at my phone again.
[Don't worry. I won't be mad.]
Why does this feel like a trap?
-x-X-x-
In the end, I still got into the car. Although I was still at a complete loss regarding the situation, I decided to follow along.
Curiosity got the better of me, but more than anything, Liora's gaze felt especially overwhelming today. Getting into the back of the car, I watched as the doors shut, and she began to drive.
It was quiet in the backseat, and the quietness felt suffocating.
Things felt even more unsettling as I repeatedly caught Liora's gaze in the rearview mirror. She kept glancing at me, as if she wanted to say something, only to stop herself and shake her head.
What? What?
Just speak!!
The silence was really getting to me.
'Maybe she just wants to talk about what happened at the World Congress. Something along the lines of 'I don't know how you did it, but I'm still better than you.''
This was all shit that I made up in my mind, but it certainly felt a lot better than her silent treatment.
At least, I'd know to ignore her.
I was used to dealing with people like that.
Thankfully, this torture didn't last for very long.
It didn't take long before a massive building loomed in the distance, its towering rectangular frame catching and reflecting the sunlight in sharp, cold glints. Its obsidian exterior looked imposing and almost unnatural, swallowing the light rather than reflecting it as the car gradually slowed down, the structure growing larger and more suffocating with each passing second.
'So that's the Guild? Just how much money did they spend on this?'
Honestly, it was night and day compared to the Severed Stars Guild. In fact, the Guild didn't even own the entire building.
Well...
I knew that wouldn't be for too long. With the Guild's recent rise, we were bound to acquire the entire building or build an entirely new Guild. Nevertheless, even if the Guild decided to build one from scratch, I doubted it would be as impressive as the one ahead of me.
The building was simply enormous, surrounded by towering walls that stretched out in every direction, enclosing the entire complex.
Multiple roads led toward it, weaving in from all sides, with cars lining up in steady streams. The pathways overlapped and intersected, forming a layered, almost three-dimensional network that was impossible to follow with the eye.
The car moved along one of those roads, eventually veering toward a private path that led beneath the towering walls.
The walls parted on their own, sliding open with a low hum, revealing a massive underground parking lot. Bright lights from above cast a stark glow over the countless SUVs lined up in every direction, their dark exteriors reflecting the sterile brightness.
As the car came to a stop, Liora jumped out as the door to my left opened, and I followed her example.
Stepping out of the car, the place felt even more overwhelming, the ceiling stretching several meters high above me, making the space feel vast and cavernous. Unfortunately, I didn't have much time to take it in, as Liora continued walking ahead without pause.
Just what was with her?
Not wanting to get lost, I picked up my pace as she led me to a different area where several elevators appeared.
As she pressed the button to call for the elevator, unable to hide my curiosity for any longer, I found myself asking, "Where are you leading me? You've been quiet the entire time, so I have no idea what's going on. I'd appreciate it if you—"
Ding!
The chime of the elevator rang, and the doors slid open. Liora stepped inside without a word, leaning back against the rear wall as she crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the floor display above.
I opened my mouth, but soon closed it.
Honestly, I was starting to get annoyed, but I followed her inside anyway as the elevator began its ascent, carrying us all the way to the top floor.
It was in such silence that Liora finally spoke to me.
"You..."
I turned my head to face her direction.
"You're not right in the head."
"...."
My mouth simply remained open.
Looking at her, I wanted to say a lot of things, but in the end, I just smiled.
"And here I thought you'd give me a proper reply."
"That's not what I'm talking about."
Liora suddenly pointed at her temple.
"...You're sick."
I paused.
"Very sick."
Ding—!
[Floor 89]
The doors slid open, and Liora walked out. I trailed after her in a daze, my mind drifting back to her words.
Wait, was she talking about my Cognitive Shard? Did she figure it out?
A polished corridor greeted my sight the moment we stepped out of the elevator, its sleek surfaces reflecting the soft lighting as the space stretched out with an elegant design.
Liora moved without much hesitation, leading me down the hall toward a more secluded section, where a massive wooden door soon came into view, its imposing presence standing out against the refined surroundings.
To Tok—
Coming to a stop right before the door, she knocked on it once and waited.
Soon—
"Come in."
A soft yet warm voice echoed from the other side of the door as Liora pushed it open, revealing the interior of a spacious office.
The design was familiar. One that I had seen many times in the past.
Wide windows stretched across the far wall, offering a sweeping view of the city below, sunlight pouring in and casting long reflections across the polished floor.
But what truly caught my attention was the man standing in the center of the room. His posture was straight as he held a golf club with both hands, frozen mid-stance as his gaze remained fixed on the small ball beneath him.
Then, as we stepped into the room, he moved, swinging with a single smooth motion. The club struck the ball cleanly, sending it soaring forward toward the window with a sharp, crisp sound that echoed through the office.
Immediately, I raised my brow, thinking that the ball would smash against the window, but unexpectedly, that never happened.
Instead, the ball vanished just before it could reach the window, disappearing without a trace as if it had never been there at all.
I blinked a couple of times, stunned by the sudden disappearance of the ball.
"Ah, a pity. I think I was quite close this time."
As the familiar voice echoed once more, the man turned around, and I finally caught a clear look at his features. In that instant, I felt a flicker of shock, a sense of recognition stirring as I realized I had seen him before.
'This guy... He's the Guild Master of Obsidian Bastion, isn't he? He's also Liora's grandfather.'
"Haha, well, it doesn't matter. I'm quite thrilled to see my new guest."
Putting the club down, the old man adjusted the collar of his polo shirt beneath his cardigan before making his way over and settling into his seat.
Sitting comfortably, he tapped his finger lightly against the table before lifting his gaze to look at me.
The more he looked at me, the more burdened I felt.
...I couldn't quite explain what it was, but I just felt uncomfortable.
"Good. Good."
Good. Good. What?
"I can see how you were able to do so well in the Congress. While a person's Order does make a difference, in the end, what truly matters is one's mentality. I can see that yours stands a head above the rest."
"Thank you...?"
Honestly, I was lost.
I couldn't quite understand what he was trying to get with the sudden praise.
Was he trying to recruit me?
If so—
"While I appreciate the sudden praise, I..."
"I'm not trying to recruit you."
The old man suddenly stopped me, his expression still soft.
"There's no need for you to worry about that. We won't be recruiting you."
"Then...?"
"It's simple, really."
The old man tapped his finger against the table once more.
"I'm not trying to recruit you. I won't be doing that at all. Rather, I want to help you with something else."
"Help? With...?"
"The problem in your head."
Tapping his finger against his temple, the old man chuckled.
"...You've got a broken node, don't you?"
A broken node?
Despite my best attempt at trying to keep my face straight, I couldn't help but raise my brow slightly.
This wasn't the first time.
'In fact, it's the second time that they mentioned that something is wrong with my head. How do they know all of this? It shouldn't be possible. I know that Paimon revealed a few things, but how did they figure everything out from just a few words?'
I immediately grew cautious.
"There's no need to worry too much. I can understand your concerns, but we've got a special method that allows us to determine things like this."
His words made me even more cautious.
There was no way they'd offer something like this to me for free. The catch. Where was the catch?
"There's no need to worry too much about compensation. I've already struck a deal with your Guild Master for that."
"....."
My eyes narrowed.
A few things started to make sense to me now. In particular, the Guild Master's willingness to allow me to come here. Now, it made a little bit more sense.
But there were still a few things that I was skeptical about.
'Did the Guild Master also know about my situation? Or is it that they told him about my situation and struck a deal in the process?'
The more I thought about it, the more I struggled to comprehend the situation. I knew that I was valuable to the Guild, but the Guild Master wasn't the type of person who would just help me like that. He was someone who looked for benefits in anything.
'There's something that someone isn't telling me.'
"Actually, you don't need to think too much about it."
The old man's voice pulled me from my thoughts once more as he poured himself some water. Bringing the cup to his lips, he took a slow sip before continuing, "You may not be aware, but our Guild has spent extensive resources trying to help resolve fractures in nodes. We've poured billions of dollars into this project, and for us, this is also a valuable opportunity to test our treatments."
"...Oh."
Things started to make a little bit more sense.
But...
"How did you find out about my condition?"
This was the part that was bothering me the most.
How did they know? Was it truly because of Paimon's words?
"Mainly from the Congress."
The old man smiled, putting the glass down.
"Outside of that, you also exhibit the most common symptoms that come from a fractured node. We were able to put two and two together, which is why we went ahead and proposed the deal with your Guild Master."
"I see."
Things made a bit more sense.
But nevertheless...
"While I do appreciate your offer, I'd like to reject your help. "
I pressed my hands against the armrests of the chair and pushed myself up.
It would be a lie if I said that I wasn't tempted by their treatment, but in hindsight, there was no need for me to take it. Yes, I was sick. This much I knew and had long been aware of. However, I had somehow managed to contain my disease.
I knew what I needed to do.
The next goal was to reach the Fifth Order and gain access to the Fifth Order shop and acquire a better cure for my Cognitive Shard. If that failed, I could always ask Paimon.
The options were endless.
There was no need for me to linger here.
Furthermore...
'I don't have a fragmented node.'
The extent of my 'disease' was far worse than that.
"We've already struck a deal with your Guild Master."
Despite my actions, the old man remained calm. Almost as if he was expecting such an answer from me.
I merely glanced in his direction before shaking my head.
"Then you can cancel that deal. I never agreed to it."
To be honest, the main reason I didn't want to go through with this was that I had too many secrets to keep. In particular, my true Order. With the system's help, I had managed to hide it well, but who was to say they wouldn't uncover it if they examined me closely?
Simply put, it wasn't worth the risk.
"Are you sure you don't want to go through with this? If you keep going, the situation will only get worse for you."
"That's fine. I'm prepared for the consequences."
"....."
The room fell silent for a brief moment. Feeling the gazes of the two on me, I tried to ignore them as I made my way toward the door. But just as I reached it, a figure appeared, stepping in front of me, her dark eyes narrowing slightly.
"You're going to die at this rate."
"....Really?"
Shock!
Her eyes narrowed further.
"Is your life a joke to you?"
I opened my mouth to reply, but just as the words were about to come out, I found myself pausing.
Life...
I used to care so much about it.
I persisted because I didn't want to die.
But thinking back about everything that had happened in hell, I suddenly started to question the value of my own life.
How much was my life worth?
Hmm.
Suddenly, I smiled while looking at the girl in front of me.
"Not quite a joke. It's worth a lot."
A King's worth.
Liora's lips parted, her voice just about to leave her lips, but at that moment, the door opened, and a couple of figures stepped in from behind.
In an instant, Liora's lips shut as her brows furrowed tightly.
I turned my attention towards the two figures that had entered, my head tilting slightly.
"Father."
The woman, who looked quite a lot like Liora, barged into the room while sparing a glance in Liora's direction. She merely looked at her for a second before turning her attention towards Kaelric.
Following her from behind was a tall gentleman who carried himself with a quiet grace.
"What is the meaning of this, father?!"
The woman's voice was loud and somewhat obnoxious as she stopped before Kaelric.
"I heard that you're planning on using the cure that we've developed on an outsider! What are you thinking? That's not something that we should share with outsiders! What if they steal it from us? That's not..."
Her words soon came to a pause as she finally took notice of me. As her head slowly turned in my direction, I felt something build up in my chest. Staring at her and feeling her gaze made my stomach feel weird.
All of a sudden...
I felt like throwing up.
Something about her made me feel uncomfortable.
'Is she a sort of anomaly?'
"You..."
The woman addressed me for a moment before turning her attention back to her father.
"Is this the guy?"
Kaelric didn't even look at her. He merely looked in my direction and smiled.
"I do hope that you change your mind. Our offer is sincere. We won't force you, though. In the chance that you do change your mind, my number is always available."
He then looked at Liora.
"Please escort him back."
"Father!"
The woman continued to protest, but was promptly ignored as Liora escorted me out of the room.
The moment the door closed, I heard the muffled sound of shouting coming from behind. I scratched the back of my head while turning my attention back to Liora, who walked ahead of me.
Then—
"That's my mother."
Liora quietly spoke without looking back.
"...And my father."
-x-X-x-
"Father, what are you thinking? Has age caught up to you!?"
Even after Liora and the unexpected guest had left, Martha continued to make a scene.
Her hand came smacking down against the desk.
BANG!
"Father! Are you even listening to me?! How could you even remotely think about giving away the cure like this?! You, of all people, should be aware of the amount of resources that we've poured into the cure! It won't be long until the drug hits the market, and once that happens, our Guild will truly become the undisputed number one Guild in the world! The fact that you've leaked out such sec—"
"Why do you think I've developed a cure like this?"
Kaelric's voice was soft, but the moment he spoke, Martha found herself immediately shutting up. Especially when she noticed the smile that lingered on her father's face.
She silently swallowed her saliva before speaking again.
"That's... we've developed the cure because there's a massive market for it. There are many Guilds that have people with fractured nodes who are unable to work. If we can help them restore their nodes, then..."
"Do you really think that's the reason why I invested so much time and money into the project?"
Kaelric tilted his head, his smile fading slightly.
All of a sudden, the temperature within the room cooled.
Martha found herself choking on her own words. Especially when she noticed the sudden change in the mood.
"Fa... father?"
"It wasn't long ago when it happened. Maybe twenty years? No, maybe a little bit longer."
Kaelric suddenly started speaking, his tone growing heavier with each word that he spoke.
"Back then, I was busy with Guild matters and spent all my time growing it. I couldn't pay attention to everything. That's why, when you told me you had a miscarriage, I could only accept it."
The room fell completely silent, Martha's face turning white.
"...I drowned myself in my work, trying to let go of the matter. It happens. Miscarriages happen. But..."
Kaelric's head slowly raised, his face crumbling.
"How come I was the only one sad about it?"
"....."
Martha's face remained completely white.
Kaelric turned his attention towards her husband. He was also at a loss for words.
BANG!
A thunderous smack resounded across the room as Kaelric slammed his hand against the table. His face flushed red as he roared at the top of his lungs, "Do you think I'm unaware of what the two of you have done!? Do you think I couldn't figure out that the miscarriage never happened!? That you two simply abandoned him because he was born with a fractured node!?"
His loud voice bellowed across the entire room, causing the couple to flinch as Kaelric stood up from his seat.
"You two... you're really something else. I was close, really close, to getting rid of both of you the moment I heard the news. If it hadn't been for the fact that Liora existed, I would've killed you both."
Clenching his teeth, Kaelric's chest started to even as he took a deep breath and turned around, facing the window that allowed him to overlook everything beneath.
"...I decided to forget about the matter since I couldn't let Liora live without her parents. I couldn't take that from her, but that was another one of my mistakes. In the end, you both don't even qualify to be called parents."
"But that's—"
"Shut up."
Kaelric didn't shout this time.
He just spoke over her.
But that was enough to make her shut up as his eyes narrowed.
"The reason why I've decided to invest all of this money into the project isn't that I wanted to dominate the other Guilds. Far from it. The reason is simple. I wanted to atone for the mistake that you two made."
Yes.
This was the simple truth behind the matter.
Upon learning the reason behind his grandchild's abandonment, he was overwhelmed by a crushing sense of guilt. He resolved to pour all his resources into finding a cure, so that when he finally found the child, he would be able to heal him.
But who would've thought that despite all of the resources he had, he couldn't find the child?
As if his existence had been erased from the world, Kaelric found himself unable to locate him.
Kaelric had given up all hope.
Until...
He had finally found him.
And not only was he doing fine, but he was also thriving.
Kaelric wanted nothing more than to reveal everything to him, but given the current situation in the Guild, he knew that it was impossible. Especially not when the very two things that had birthed him were like this.
Staring at his daughter and her husband, the disgust within Kaelric only deepened.
"I'm warning the two of you right now. Leave your hands off this matter. If I catch you doing anything..."
He stopped there, but he didn't need to say anything more.
His gaze was enough to make the two look down.
"...I really hope you heed my advice."
***
Honestly, I was kind of curious.
'How effective is the medicine that they've developed? Is it at the same level as the one from the system? No, I doubt that's the case. In fact, from what I'm seeing, they don't even seem to be aware of the extent of my disease. They think I've got some fractures, but that's not even remotely close to what I have.'
My situation was far worse than that.
I had a Cognitive Shard.
"...Are you sure that you don't want to take the offer?"
Arriving at the SUV, Liora paused as she opened the front door. Without sparing me a glance, she got in and adjusted the rearview mirror.
Looking at her, I shrugged my shoulders.
"Even if I did take it, I know it wouldn't be of any help."
"Do you really think that's the case?"
"Yes."
I didn't doubt this for one second. But even if it did help, I still wouldn't take it. I already had my fair share of problems with the Guild Master. Taking the drug would only mean that he'd have even more leverage over me.
I could handle the situation just fine by myself.
"Alright."
Liora didn't say anything else and started the car.
After that, we left the Guild as she drove me back to mine. The ride was quiet, neither of us speaking a word. I stared out the window, watching the passing scenery as my thoughts lingered on everything that had happened.
This persisted for a while, until a familiar building appeared in the distance. While it wasn't as imposing as the Obsidian Bastion headquarters, it still stood out from the rest as the car started to slow down before eventually coming to a stop.
Unfastening my seatbelt, I stepped out of the car and turned to bid Liora farewell, only for her to suddenly roll down the window and toss something toward me.
"Take it."
"...Huh?"
Catching the item, I was surprised to see it was a small tube filled with numerous white pills.
My mind blanked for a moment as I struggled to process what had just happened. But when it finally registered, my eyes widened.
"Wait, I said..."
I was never able to finish my words.
The moment I looked in Liora's direction, she was already gone, the car speeding off into the distance.
"That's..."
The only thing I could do was just stare blankly in her direction before looking at the pills in my hand.
'Just what the hell is she trying to achieve?'
-x-X-x-
"...Are you Zoey from the Severed Stars Guild?"
The question came from out of nowhere and unexpectedly. Zoey had been lingering outside the café beside the Guild when a voice called out to her, making her pause.
When she turned her head, her face stiffened slightly as she was greeted by a woman wearing a pair of large sunglasses.
Confused, Zoey looked around before asking,
"You are...?"
"Ah, right."
The woman lowered her glasses slightly, and Zoey's face went rigid as her eyes widened at the same time.
"Y-you..."
"That's not quite important at the moment."
Lifting her sunglasses back up, Liora stepped up to the counter and ordered a couple of drinks. Zoey stared at her back in a daze, struggling to process what was happening. This was Liora Halecrest from the Obsidian Bastion Guild, right? I mean, Zoey had seen her many times before. There was no doubt in her mind that this was the Liora in person.
But why...?
Why was she here?
Why did she suddenly visit her?
Zoey was at a complete loss, but she was quick to calm down as all sorts of scenarios started to play in her mind.
In the end, her expression returned to normal.
'She's either here to recruit me or ask about Seth.'
Zoey wasn't naive. She was almost certain that Liora was here for the latter, and the previous excitement that she felt dwindled completely.
Turning back, Liora gestured toward a more secluded table, holding two drinks in one hand.
"Please."
Zoey followed her without saying anything.
As the two sat down, sunlight filtered across the wooden table as Liora glanced toward the large windows before passing one of the drinks to Zoey.
"Thanks."
Zoey didn't stand on ceremony and took the drink, taking a small sip of it before looking back at Liora.
Still wearing her sunglasses, she brushed her long black hair behind her ears.
"Judging from your expression, you seem to have an idea as to what I want to ask you."
"I more or less have an idea, yes."
Zoey replied calmly.
"You're here to ask about Seth, right?"
"Mhm."
Liora took a sip of her drink.
After which, she looked at Zoey.
"You're right. Are the two of you close?"
"To some extent."
No, not really.
Their relationship lingered more on the acquaintance side than on the friend side. Perhaps in the past, they had come close to reaching that status, but at the moment, it was far from that.
Nevertheless, Zoey was curious.
What did she want?
"To some extent?"
Liora's brows furrowed, seemingly waiting for Zoey to explain, but all Zoey offered was a simple smile.
"Hmm."
Her finger tapping against the table, Liora fell into thought, a quiet silence settling between them before she finally spoke again.
"Well, I guess that's fine."
Lifting her head to look at Zoey again, Liora spoke, "I'm not asking for help with recruiting Seth, if that is what you're worried about. The reason why I'm speaking with you is that I need your help determining something."
"What?"
"He's sick."
Liora said calmly.
"...But I don't know the extent of his injury."
Zoey's movements came to a pause.
In the meantime, Liora continued to speak.
"I'm sure that you've heard about the situation from the Congress, but he's sick. I am of the belief that his node is fractured in multiple areas. If it doesn't get treated soon, then things will become rather bad for him. That's why—"
"Why are you concerned about him?"
Zoey suddenly spoke over Liora, finding her brows to be furrowed extremely tightly.
"You... do you have a sort of relationship with him? Why are you suddenly asking him about him and trying to determine the extent of his injury? Realistically speaking, the two of you should be strangers. So why...? Why are you asking about him?"
"Because he's talented."
Liora answered calmly, seemingly completely unfazed by Zoey's sharp questions.
"It would be a pity for such a talented person to die. Especially when it's become increasingly clear that the Gates are becoming stronger, and so are the anomalies. At the rate that things are going, we're all headed for extinction."
Zoey's lips parted, but the words remained stuck as she watched Liora stand up.
"Take this."
Liora slid a small device over the table.
"...It's a simple device that can measure the extent of his 'illness'. All you have to do is drop a little bit of his blood."
Zoey stared at the device and then at Liora.
"I'm only doing this because I'm concerned for the future. It is up to you to do this. I have already reached out to a few others, but he doesn't seem to be too keen on getting tested. For his sake, he should get himself tested. I'm sure you've also noticed some of the side effects he's exhibiting."
Zoey's face remained still, her mind drifting to everything that had happened as she pressed her lips together.
'Right, maybe that's also why...'
Liora left after that, no longer saying anything else.
Zoey remained seated where she was, her eyes lingering on the device as she eventually reached for her drink.
"Did I..."
Her lips touched the straw.
"...Did I fuck up again?"
***
"What should I do with these? Should I just give them to Sarah?"
I tossed the pills that Liora had given to me onto my desk while falling back into my chair. To be honest, I was curious about the effectiveness of the pills, but there was no way I was going to try them.
'There's no guarantee that they work, and even if they do, I don't want to become overly dependent on them. That'll mean that I'll just be even more dependent on the Guild Master and the other Guild.'
Even now, I was at all about what their goal and motive were in telling me all of this. I knew that nothing was free, and while they had 'struck' a deal with the Guild Master, I didn't know the full details.
I didn't trust anyone.
"...Alright."
I stretched my back, taking out my laptop and booting it up.
Now that I was back, I was ready to start the next step of my plan.
But the laptop hardly started to load when I heard a sudden knock.
To Tok—!
Not a moment later, the door opened, and a familiar face appeared.
"Rowan?"
His expression was still haggard, but he seemed to be doing better than before as he forced himself to smile.
"You free?"
"I... am?"
My answer came a half-beat late as my eyes lingered over the laptop screen for a moment.
Rowan brushed his hair back as he pointed behind him.
"We've all been called up to the main area. The Section Chief has a few words to say to all of us with regard to the Congress and a few other things. I don't think its compulsary for you, but I think you should go. Especially since..."
Rowan paused, his face straining.
"...Especially since he's going to be talking about Kyle."
"Ah."
I lowered my head, pursing my lips, and pretended to feel something.
"Right."
I stood up, closing down the laptop as I walked towards Rowan.
"...Right, right."
I massaged my lips while moving out of the room.
'How annoying.'
-x-X-x-