"Things are going this way whether I like it or not— huh?"
I messed my hair up and nearly slapped myself when that kind of thinking was starting to become reasonable to me.
No,
No.
Even if that was true, and something so crazy was in me. Then the only option was that it was always there, and I lived all my life with it.
"So I could simply return to live that way, whether it is a reality or not."
I would lose my memories anyway.
A broken laugh escaped my lips.
I couldn't get over it so easily this time…
"And I have to do something about the current situation first…"
I would be dead after four days if I stayed still and did nothing. So, after a deep inhale, I looked again at my hand and arms, trying to find anything.
And it was there, as if acknowledging its existence made it mote visible— a scar.
One I remembered that it was always there, but eventually I didn't care about it…
"This is so crazy."
I was the one who's being crazy; because somehow I found that the best way to finish things without making it a big deal was to cut my hand.
Nice—
You're officially reached this much!
Agh.
After rubbing my hair a thousand times and knocking my head against the wall the same amount, I was clear headed again.
"Just do it then treat it as if it never happened."
Yes.
That was the best way ever.
I took a scalpel, then with focus, slow motion, I cut the scar I had in my palm. Two and half inches.
Stinging pain hit me after I finished, and the blood came out too much that I nearly thought I did something useless.
I surely did something unbelievable, but adding uselessness to it made a bitter taste fill my mouth.
"I didn't even prepare an aid."
After waiting for a whole minute, I gave up on whatever I thought would happen and started to clean the cut in order to bandage it.
"I must think two thousand times next time before doing something in this level of stupidity."
Even three thousand wouldn't be enough…
When the cut was finally clean, somehow it opened a little bit more, giving me a chance to see what I don't want to see.
Flesh and blood, and sparkles—
Wait, sparkles?!
I looked at my palm with full focus, and it was really there, some sparkles here and there… not bright but still exist.
Okay then… let's try.
I hold the brightest and the purest gemstones then put it carefully on the cut.
Like magic, it all vanished into particles… then the sparkles on my hand became more bright than the gem itself.
"Woh– if I saw this in someone else's hand, I'd think that he is an alien."
I wouldn't be able to go to any hospital in my life—
"Forget the hospital. The system, the system."
It showed up, finally.
The same panels I saw before were there. I ignored them all and decided to see the important thing.
"Open the items shop."
[Your S.P.s: 1500.]
[Search for an item.]
This time, it didn't show me a list of what I could have with the S.P.s I have… so I thought that I have a lot of options.
The first thing I searched for was the thing that I could invest my whole S.P.s in if it was on sale.
"Music and sounds."
[◇The Cute Headphones: [400 S.P.s]
Pink headphones that could prevent any external sound for 20 minutes.
Using it for more than 20 minutes could cause hearing loss.]
That sounded good but the fact that it was pink headphones made me skip it.
At least until seeing other things, if I didn't find any I would just do something to the color.
[◇The Sounds Glasses: [450 S.P.s]
If you see something, you could mute it.
You have to stay focused on the object in order to activate it.]
That was so weird but totally unhelpful in my case.
There were a few more useless things to see, before something seemed helpful showed up.
[◇Earpiece: [600 S.P.s]
Prevent any outside music for 15 minutes.
Reuse allowed after 20 minutes.]
"That's good, isn't it?"
It prevents the music, not all sounds and charges itself after 20 minutes… somehow that could do.
"Put two of these in the basket."
[...]
"There's no basket?"
When the system didn't show anything, I rubbed my forehead, trying to take it easy.
"Okay, I'm taking one of those… but I maybe need two so don't forget it."
I was clearly acting crazy and talking to non-existent things.
"Now I need some kind of mask that prevents anyone from knowing me."
[◇Green Glasses: [500 S.P.s]
No one will recognize you while wearing it.
Overuse may make the effect last forever.
◇Black Hamburg hat: [700 S.P.s]
Will make your face invisible.
Only work with non-humans.]
"The second." I've chosen it this time without much thinking. "But I still need something to hide my face from human beings— my company's workers and others."
I didn't really need the system to search for that, but the system showed me new options anyway…
Cheap option, since what was left for me were 200 S.P.s.
[◇Hair pin: [100 S.P.s]
Change your eyes and hair colors.
Side effect: losing hair.
◇Happy Glasses: [130 S.P.s]
Will make anyone see you as the ugliest one they've seen in their lives.
Side effect: losing your charm.
◇Photo card: [150 S.P.s]
Change to the one in the photo you choose.
One time use.
◇mask: [50 S.P.s]
Ordinary mask, will take random shape in the first use.]
"The last." I hesitated for seconds. "And the Photo Card."
That seemed helpful but I wished that I would never use it.
My whole S.P.s were gone after choosing these, and the system acted on that because I found all what I bought landing on the floor in front of me in no time.
The earpieces, the Hamburg hat, a white mask and a blank photo card.
I might have to try them, but for some reason, I felt like I'm done with all of this craziness so I just put it into my belt's pocket before lying on the floor again.
And I slept like dead, until a knock on my door woke me up.
"Yes. Wait a second."
I opened it, and Silas was there— looking like someone who barely got out of hell minutes ago.
"What's wrong with your look? What were you doing?"
"Me?" I pointed at myself, confused. "You should have been asked that question."
"I just got out of a Vessel so I have my reasons. But you?"
What was wrong with my look? That's what I didn't know until I saw my reflection on the window when I turned.
My hair was a complete mess, my face, arms and my white T-shirt was stained with blood…
Compared to Silas's scattered appearance, mine was more like a serial killer appearance.
"I… I just cut my self accidentally."
"Okay? Why didn't I clean everything after?"
"I felt tired and fell asleep…"
"..."
"What happened to you? Did everything go well?"
"I'll have to clean myself first. And so do you."
"Right. Call me when you finish so I can take a shower."
Silas nodded so I returned to my room. After about half an hour we were sitting in the living room, both looking like human beings again.
"Okay, before we start. Take this." He took something out of his bag. "Don't ever read it until you are ready to go."
I took it, put it in my belt's pocket, then asked. "What happened?"
"We've lost two members of our team."
"Two? Didn't the instructions work?"
"You can say that they didn't believe in some random newcomer's words."
"..."
As expected—
"What happened to them?"
"Ah, you need to go there for some reason so I should tell you…" He seemed uncomfortable with talking but continued anyway. "They asked about the gate, got instructions, then ended up getting trapped in a shop that made the impossible happen."
"Did the music affect them all too much or what?"
"No, we all knew the rules about music in Vessels. No one heard it."
"So why?"
"You know that sometimes we could find precious items there? Things that do things out of imagination."
"Yes."
"They knew that they could find something in such festivals so they searched… and somehow found something."
"And that was?"
"A dose to restore youth."
"What?! And they got fooled by that?!"
"Yes. The price was just an eye for the first person and he paid it."
…?
Paid with his eye?
"That one actually got out fine."
"...?!"
"The two who died asked for eternal youth."
"And they pay with their— lifes?"
"Yes. They become youth forever, but not humans anymore…"
…
"And you were there, watching them."
"I couldn't disobey my team leader."
"..."
I could imagine.
"I tell you this because I feel like you are going there to buy something. The price isn't a joke, and the wishes don't always happen the way you want it."
"Right—"
The prices…
What should I do with that?
"Now tell me." Silas's tune became more serious. "Why do you need to go there?"
"Did you hear anything about team A?"
"What about it?"
"There's a Vessel seven of that team entered… It's not going as normal, something strange and dangerous will happen there."
"...? If seven then it's the Happy Carnival?"
"Yes." My phone rang, so did Silas's phone. "The twin and Adeline are there."
The two of us checked our phones, and both got that blank expression when we looked at each other after.
It was a warning alert, with one sentence on it.
And almost at the same time, the company sent a message.
"How—""No, No."
I interrupted him when he was about to ask 'how did you know'.
"I didn't know anything, it was just my instincts and some information from the team that went there."
I stood up, ready to go. But somehow I remembered something very important so I asked.
"Do you still have the tool you used to block the sounds in the Vessel?"
"..."
"...?"
"Tell me what you are trying to do, then I'll give it to you." He simply smiled like a villain. "And I'll cover for you while you're gone."
"..."
"What will you do?"