I couldn't move.
Threads wrapped around my arms, my legs, my torso—tight, thin, yet impossible to break.
Astin stepped closer.
"Calm down, Thran. There's no need to run away from me. Come on, what did you think of me?"
"Uhhh… someone obsessed… seemingly like a bad guy?"
"Did you really think someone called the Traveling Weaver, known far and wide, would somehow be evil inside?"
"Some stories do that though."
"You make a fair point… but no. I think you read too many stories. The point is, I'm not here to harm you. As you've heard, I'm an Aspirant—someone unaffiliated with groups."
"That means?"
"I have more freedom. Among the Aspirants, there are many who seek fame, curiosity—meaning mysteries—wealth, and so on."
"And let me guess… you seek fame."
"No, Thran. I don't. Fame, for me, is only a tool to find the mysteries I'm looking for. I'm sure you've seen that buried village. Let me tell you something… the village is gone."
"What? How?"
"I haven't found that out yet. I have some theories. But essentially, I'm not here to harm you. You seem to know something. And back then, before the stage started, I felt a surge of energy. To be exact—it was like mold energy. Shapeless, but thick and dense… as if you were swimming in mud."
"Prove to me that you're harmless."
"Uhh… how?"
"I don't know. Prove something."
"I can't prove something that isn't physical."
"Then do something."
"Do what?"
"I don't know."
"Ugh… you're such a pain."
He took a step back and released the threads binding me.
Just before I could fall—
A bullet slid past us.
Multiple people were rushing toward us.
"Shit… it might be them," Astin said.
He bound me again, wrapping me like a cocoon, then carried me and ran.
He's fast…
Using threads as footholds in the air, making them elastic—letting him leap across them.
Amid the gunfire barely missing us, I shouted,
"Who are they? Why are they after us?"
"I believe they're one of the groups. A hostile one."
"Yeah, no shit."
"I mean, they're the kind that tries to hide all these unnatural occurrences. Just like how the village vanished out of thin air."
He used a special thread this time—one that automatically bound anyone who touched it, rendering them unable to move.
After many turns, dodges, and counterattacks, we thought we had finally outrun them… even taken most of them down.
We weren't paying attention above us.
Only realizing too late—
We hadn't escaped.
A heavy strike cut through the threads.
We fell.
Just barely, it grazed us.
"Are you okay?" I asked, seeing him injured.
"Yes… 'tis but a scratch."
"Okay, let— UGH—"
"What? What happened? Are you okay?"
"It's futile."
The pursuer spoke.
Only now did I realize how massive he was—around 190 centimeters, heavily built.
"It may look like a graze… but this axe's edge is poisoned."
"AAGH— He's a Veridian! Be careful—"
Cough—blood.
Alright… I can't get too close. I don't know his abilities.
I looked around desperately.
Then I remembered—
The knife.
I took it out.
"What are you going to do with that? Getting close is dangerous."
"Rope dart."
I said it instinctively.
I learned this a long time ago… never thought I'd use it now.
"Mr. Astin—help me. Give me a thread, a thick one. Mend it to the pommel."
He did it instantly.
The pursuer dashed at us.
In that split second, I countered his attack just enough to avoid a fatal hit—
But my left hand was badly injured.
"It's only a matter of seconds before the poison takes effect," he said. "Our job will finally be done. But first… what do you know about the murals in that village?"
"How would I know?"
Mid-sentence—
I threw the knife.
Thankfully, he didn't notice the thread attached.
"Well then… any last words?"
"Yes… I do."
Cough
"Go on. Don't waste my time."
"That poison… will be the end of you—ugh—"
I yanked the thread.
The knife shot back—
Piercing him.
"HAHAHAHA! That's it? Futile, I say! You thought my own poison would kill me? Surely you didn't think I, a Veridian who uses poison, wouldn't be immune!"
"UHHH— Cough—"
"Well then… those are your last words."
He swung his axe—
…Wait.
What?
My actual last words?
"Okay… so… any last words?"
"You're killing me…"
They both laughed.
"Haha… good one. That was a good one. Alright, jokes over."
He swung his axe—
But just before it landed—
Everything blurred.
Blood splashed across my face.
Three silhouettes appeared.
"Shit… are we too late?"
"No, they're still breathing. We can still save them. What should we do, Captain?"
"Bring them to the—" muffled
Tick… Tock… Tick… Tock…
Gears shifting.
Images flashed—one with every tick.
Clouds. Pillars. A stairway.
Twenty artifacts.
Cards… all kinds of cards.
The Waist pendant.
A voice—ᏁᎶᎶᏗᏇᏗ ᏦᏬᏁፈᎥ, ᏝᏗᏁ ᎷᏰᏬᏦᏗᏦ ᏦᏒᏗᏖᎧᏁ
The final image—
The highest peak of a mountain… in a storm.
—
I suddenly woke up.
I opened my eyes.
"Hey… you're finally awake."
"Ugh… where am I…?"
The first thing I saw was a person—blonde hair, green eyes, a youthful face. Clear features. Wearing a light grey coat with brooches and small ornaments. He looked like a doctor… and I'm sure if women saw him, they'd be fangirling over him.
"You wouldn't know. But you'll be fine here."
A room. Dark… but strangely illuminated. No—just the interior design.
The door opened.
Another man walked in—dressed like something out of a fantasy manhwa. Like a duke of the north, but less exaggerated. Black coat, red and gold ornaments, brooches. Sharp jaw, distinct features.
"Calm down. You're not in trouble."
"I'm calm… but this is definitely a shock."
I should've expected this. Returning to this world… the village… the waist pendant…
Of course my life would spiral into chaos.
Let's just hope it's not—…yeah, I'm not jinxing it.
"So, as you remember, you and that Aspirant were attacked by unidentified assailants. Most of them weren't Veridians—except the one you fought. You're lucky we arrived on time."
"You weren't."
"Yes… we were late. But fast enough to save you."
"Wait… so… who are you guys?"
"The Aspirants should know."
"But I'm not an Aspirant…"
"…What?"
"Yeah. I'm not an Aspirant."
"Then why were you being pursued? Fighting him? Why were you even with that Aspirant?"
"Why can't I be?"
"You can, but… alright. We're a group of Veridians. A branch of the Bureau of Static Affairs."
"I suppose you wouldn't know what that is. Do you want a detailed explanation or a short one?"
"Short… but detailed."
"What?… okay. So basically—Bureau of Static Affairs—"
"Wait, but what is the Bureau of Static Affairs?"
"I'm explaining right now, aren't I?"
"No, I mean like… oh, it's like a group of Veridians. So all those rumors were actually true… though I did expect it."
"Yes. So essentially, the Bureau of Static Affairs is like the hidden police of the Veridian world. We do have some non-Veridians as well. We also have branches in almost every city… and we scout people who have potential to become Veridians."
WHOOSH—
(A heavy door opening—something solid, like stone.)
Mr. Astin walked in—still looking messy, a bandage covering the graze on his neck.
"He has potential. Scout him. Just before the stage, I felt that surge of energy from him. I didn't see him back then, but during the stage, I was sure it was him. He also seems able to activate an artifact."
"…He knows."
"About what?"
"The buried village."
"Is that true?"
The man looked at me.
"Yes… that is true."
"Very well. Would you—"
"But before that… could you explain more? I'm still clueless about most of this."
"…Alright. So, as I said, we're a branch of the Bureau of Static Affairs. This branch is called Fate Providence."
"Boss, are you sure about telling him all this?" the blonde man asked.
"Astin said so. I'm sure it'll be fine."
"Do you guys know each other?"
"Yes. Mr. Astin here has been helping the Bureau for a while now. He assists in investigating many of the cases happening recently. So, continuing—this branch is called Fate Providence."
"…Doesn't that mean the same thing?"
"STOP asking questions. And yes… it does. I didn't name it."
He sighed.
"We basically protect the local area. We also act as reinforcements for nearby branches if they need help."
"By the way… what time is it?"
"DIDN'T I TELL YOU to stop asking questions?"
"No, this is important. My cousin gets home around five or six, so I need to be home by six… or seven… yeah, six or seven…"
"It's five right now. We can arrange a carriage for you."
"Okay, I'll go after you finish… if there's nothing else."
"I'm done. Oh, right—we haven't introduced ourselves."
"I am Yule Bennet. I'm the Tincturer of this branch, its also the same Actor as the one who attacked you guys."
The blonde guy said it with excitement—definitely the talkative type.
"You might not know what that means. I'm essentially this place's pharmacist—but I can also create poisons similar to that guy you fought. In the Veridian system, Tincturer falls under something called an Actor. I'm at Act 1. Do you understand?"
"Uhhh… I guess."
"And I am Jotun Dewain. And I'm sure you're still confused since he didn't explain it properly."
He glanced at Yule.
"As Veridians, we follow 'Actors'—basically the path you take. Each Actor has levels, called Acts. If you do become a Veridian, you'll understand it naturally."
"So… how do I become one?"