"I don't want him on my team anymore."
Adrian sat across from the two Guild investigators, his hands resting against the edge of the table. There were several cuts along his knuckles, but he didn't seem particularly concerned about them.
The man holding his report looked up.
"Emile Crow?"
"Yes."
The other investigator entered something into her tablet before looking towards him.
"According to the report, he left the staging area without permission?"
"I told him to stay there. His job was to watch the equipment and prepare whatever we needed, and nothing else."
"And he followed you?"
"He came to the gallery on his own! I understand that his intentions were good, but he directly ignored his superior's command!"
Adrian's fingers tightened against the table.
"We were already trying to recover two people. Then he appeared, and suddenly, I needed to account for him as well."
The man glanced down at the report.
"Tessa Reed was already missing at that point?"
"She was... already in the water. We were trying to get her back."
Adrian's voice grew quieter.
"And instead of listening when we told him to stay out of the way, he started spouting a lot of nonsense. Jokes..."
The woman's fingers stopped against the tablet.
"What sort of jokes?"
"Ask him."
"Team Leader Keller."
"He said he liked the water because it was wet."
"....."
Neither investigator immediately responded.
Adrian leaned back, rubbing the side of his face before continuing.
"I don't know who assigned him to us. I don't know what he was told before arriving. But I'm not taking him into another Gate."
"We understand your concerns."
"I don't think you do."
His hand lowered.
"We're an elite containment team, and every member has a clear role. We need to be able to trust that the others will do what they're supposed to do."
The investigator nodded slowly.
"Crow doesn't listen to instructions, and even when I recovered everyone, he did nothing but just smile and joke. What sort of behaviour is this? Is this some sort of joke? This is an elite Guild!"
Adrian paused, his gaze lowering towards the report.
"...I just can't afford to have someone like that in my team."
"Are you saying his actions interfered with the rescue?"
"Yes."
The answer came immediately.
"I think he bears some responsibility for what happened to Tessa."
The woman looked towards her colleague.
He remained focused on Adrian.
"We'll need to establish the sequence of events before drawing that conclusion."
"Then check the recordings."
"We intend to."
"Good."
Adrian pushed his chair back slightly.
"When Marcus was pulled under, do you know what Crow said?"
Neither answered.
"That he would probably drown in the next couple of minutes."
His jaw tightened.
"He was smiling. The entire time... he was smiling."
The investigator lowered the report.
"I see."
"And when I finally came up with Marcus and Vera, he just looked at us. I needed to tell him to help."
The room went quiet.
For a moment, Adrian looked as though he wanted to continue. Instead, he pressed his lips together and waited while the woman finished typing.
"We'll include your statement in the incident report."
The man said.
"It will be submitted to the Guild Master."
Adrian looked up.
"The Guild Master?"
"Yes. He's requested the findings."
"Then make sure he understands that I won't continue with Crow. Whoever put him on my team can find somewhere else for him."
"We'll pass on your request."
Adrian stood up.
The man waited until he reached the door before speaking again.
"We'll contact you if we need anything further."
He gave a short nod and left.
***
Seth stood beside the chairs opposite the room, looking down at his temporary access card.
He lifted his head when the door opened.
Adrian stopped.
For a moment, the two looked at each other.
Then Adrian's expression tightened, and he brushed past without saying anything.
Seth turned slightly.
"...?"
His head tilted as he watched Adrian walk away.
The movement caught the attention of several people nearby. One of them looked towards the interview room before leaning closer to the person beside him.
"That's the temporary member?"
"I think so."
"He was with Keller's team?"
The conversation lowered when Seth looked in their direction.
He glanced down at his clothes.
Then back towards Adrian.
Before he could say anything, the investigator stepped out of the room.
"Crow."
Adrian's steps slowed.
Seth turned.
"The Guild Master wishes to see you."
"Me?"
"Yes. Someone will escort you upstairs."
Farther down the corridor, Adrian stopped completely.
He looked back.
Seth was still standing beside the chairs, his expression one of mild confusion as the investigator directed him towards the waiting staff member.
For the first time since leaving the room, Adrian's expression eased.
A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Good.
***
The elevator carried us all the way to the top floor.
Ding!
[Floor 89]
I looked at the number before following the staff member outside.
A polished corridor stretched ahead, its lights reflecting against the floor as we walked towards a large wooden door. There weren't many people around, and the few we passed only glanced at me before continuing with their work.
That was considerably better than downstairs.
I had quite a lot of fans down there. Well, they didn't seem to like me, but I could only shrug. I knew the reason, and found it to be amusing. Especially since I was the one who had saved them, but then again, I didn't really disclose the fact that I did.
'They probably think I'm some sort of obnoxious baggage.'
I nodded.
A proud one at that.
I was a bit tired of the looks of awe back in the Severed Stars Guild. This felt like a nice change of pace.
The staff member stopped beside the door.
"He's waiting for you."
"Right."
I adjusted my sleeve before knocking.
To Tok!
"Come in."
I pushed the door open.
Light fell across the polished floor from the wide windows behind the desk. The city stretched out beyond them, with buildings that looked considerably smaller from here.
For a moment, I found myself looking at the roads below.
I couldn't even make out the people.
'Quite high up.'
The Guild Master sat behind his desk, a folder open in front of him. His hat rested to one side, while the walking stick leaned within reach of his chair.
He looked up as I entered.
A warm smile appeared on his face.
"Come in."
I closed the door and approached the desk, taking another look around before settling into the empty chair.
It was comfortable.
I moved a little and rested my arm against the side of the chair.
"So...? Am I getting kicked out?"
The Guild Master's brows rose.
"Kicked out? For what?"
"Well, the incident."
I glanced towards the folder on his desk.
Adrian certainly seemed to think I was in trouble. The look he gave me downstairs was rather difficult to misunderstand.
Not that I particularly blamed him.
From his perspective, I was probably quite annoying.
Then again, I was quite annoying from most perspectives.
The Guild Master looked at me for another moment before closing the folder.
"Why would I do that when you're the one who saved them?"
"....."
My fingers stopped against the armrest.
Oh?
I looked at him more carefully.
His expression remained warm, and he didn't seem to be waiting for me to explain anything.
That was what made me pause.
"What makes you think that?"
The Gate was dark.
Very dark.
I made sure nobody was looking when I used my abilities, and Adrian was occupied with the others for most of it. Even the camera on me was disabled.
The scout couldn't possibly see—
"Are you not Seth Thorne?"
My thoughts stopped.
I looked at him.
He looked back, his smile unchanged.
"....."
Well.
A smile slowly formed on my face.
"I suppose I am."
The old man chuckled softly before moving the folder aside.
For a little while, I didn't say anything else.
I liked this guy.
He was quite pleasant to speak with, and unlike everyone downstairs, he seemed to understand that I was a rather valuable person to have around.
A man with good judgment.
But...
My gaze moved towards the walking stick beside him.
Then back to his face.
That was the problem, wasn't it?
He was making it far too easy for me to like him.
First, there was the sponsorship. Then he personally came to the hospital and arranged for me to leave. Now, after an operation that ended with several casualties, he was telling me that I was the one who saved everyone.
He wasn't even asking me how I did it.
I shifted back in the chair.
The more comfortable I felt around him, the more I wanted to understand why he was going to so much trouble.
If he wanted to recruit me, I could understand that.
But sitting here, looking at the warm expression on his face, I couldn't work out what he expected in return.
And I didn't quite like that.
If someone's intentions were unknown, it made it hard for me to trust them.
"Why?"
The Guild Master tilted his head slightly.
"Why? Why what?"
I watched him for another moment before speaking.
"...Why are you so nice to me?"
-x-X-x-
The Guild Master didn't answer immediately.
For a moment, he simply looked at me, his hand resting beside the folder on his desk. Then his smile grew a little warmer.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to recruit you. I value your talent highly."
"Ah."
I slowly nodded.
"Is that so?"
"Of course. You've seen the Guild for yourself now. I'd like you to consider staying once your temporary assignment ends."
He spoke quite naturally.
So naturally that I almost believed him.
Almost.
I smiled back, keeping my hands against the armrests.
Well, the part about my talent was understandable. I was quite talented, and there were probably plenty of people who would like to recruit me.
But this felt a little different.
He wasn't simply offering me a good contract. He was personally getting involved whenever something happened to me, and now he was taking my side without even asking what happened inside the Gate.
That was considerably more than I expected from someone trying to recruit me.
'You're rather full of shit, aren't you?'
My eyes narrowed slightly.
The Guild Master continued to smile.
He didn't seem particularly bothered by the way I was looking at him. In fact, he reached for the cup beside his folder and took a slow sip.
I waited until he put it down.
"Then you must be quite disappointed with the impression I've made downstairs."
"Should I be?"
"Apparently, I'm rather difficult to work with."
"So I've heard."
"People keep mentioning it."
"Do they?"
"Yes, and I wholeheartedly agree with them."
A small laugh escaped his lips.
I watched him for another moment before leaning back.
There was definitely something he wasn't telling me.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem like he planned on changing that anytime soon.
'Oh well. If he doesn't want to tell me, who am I to force the matter?'
It wasn't as though I could reach across the desk and shake an answer out of him.
Besides, whatever his intentions were, they weren't causing me any problems at the moment. I was out of the hospital, my room was comfortable, and he didn't seem particularly interested in asking about my abilities.
That was already quite a lot.
I would stay for now.
If something changed, I could think about it then.
"Alright."
I placed my hands more firmly against the armrests and started getting up.
Then I paused.
"Oh, right."
The Guild Master looked towards me.
"...Regarding the current situation, there won't be any problems, right?"
"With the team?"
"Yes... They don't seem to like me quite a lot. I think they'll complain a lot."
"No problems at all."
He answered without hesitation.
I looked at him, trying to decide whether I should ask him to be a little more specific.
But his expression made the words stop in my throat.
He was looking at me rather warmly.
Again.
Not the sort of smile people gave when they were trying to recruit someone. Even when I stopped speaking, his attention remained on me, and he seemed quite content to let me sit there.
As if...
'No, that's nonsense.'
I pushed the thought away before it could properly form.
Perhaps he simply smiled like that at everyone.
I mean, the rat was like that. If not for the fact that I knew him in advance, I would've likely have fallen for his charms.
'Fuck.'
The more I thought about the rat, the more I shuddered. Especially since I knew that he had come back and I had yet to see him since.
Just what was that rodent planning?
"Well, alright."
I adjusted the front of my shirt.
"In that case, I'll take my leave."
"Get some rest."
"I'll try."
Honestly, I wasn't sure I would get some good sleep.
There were still quite a few things that were bothering me.
I nodded towards him before turning and making my way to the door. His gaze remained on me as I left, and I resisted the urge to look back.
There was already someone waiting outside, and as I passed them, my steps slowed for a moment.
She held several papers in one hand, her attention shifting towards me the moment I walked out the door.
For a brief moment, we looked at each other.
Her gaze moved across my face before stopping on my eyes.
"....."
I wondered if she was going to say something.
She didn't.
Instead, she stepped slightly to the side.
I gave her a small nod and walked past, feeling her attention remain on me for a few more steps before the door opened behind me.
***
Liora entered the office and closed the door.
Her grandfather was still looking towards the entrance. Only after she approached the desk did he turn his attention to her.
"Grandfather."
He smiled.
"Did you need something?"
"You didn't tell him?"
His hand stopped beside the cup.
The room grew quiet.
Eventually, he shook his head.
"...No."
"Will you ever tell him?"
"I'm not sure."
He lowered his gaze towards the desk.
"I don't think it's the right time yet."
"....."
Liora remained standing.
Her grandfather reached towards the folder in front of him, straightening it even though there was little need to do so.
She watched in silence.
Then she slowly nodded and pulled out the chair.
The papers in her hand landed on his desk.
"This is our current progress with the pills for the fractures."
His attention settled on them.
"We've made a small breakthrough, but it's still not significant enough."
"I see."
He picked up the first page and started reading.
Liora rested her hands in her lap while he went through the results. Occasionally, his eyes stopped on a section, and he turned back to the previous page before continuing.
For a while, the only sound in the room was the movement of paper.
"There's progress."
He said eventually, breaking the silence.
Liora nodded.
"It's less than I wanted it."
"But progress nonetheless."
"Yes."
She looked towards the report.
"We're going to run some trials soon, maybe it could be of help to him..."
His fingers stopped against the page.
Then he nodded.
"I understand."
He read the remaining pages before setting them down. His gaze briefly moved towards the empty space beside Liora, then farther towards the door.
She noticed.
He seemed to realise that too, because he looked back at her a moment later.
A small smile returned to his face.
"In that case, keep going. If you need more funding, let me know."
"Will do."
Liora stood up.
Her grandfather kept one hand against the papers as she moved towards the entrance. He was looking through the first page again when she stopped near the door.
"Grandfather."
He lifted his head.
She looked at him for several seconds.
"...I feel like you should tell him."
"....."
That was all she said.
The door opened, and she stepped outside before he could answer.
For a little while, the old man remained seated, looking towards the entrance.
Then he lowered his gaze to the report.
He tried to continue reading, but after going over the same section twice, he slowly put the page down.
"I want to."
The words came out softly.
There was nobody left in the room to hear them.
He leaned back in his chair, his eyes closing for a moment as he let out a long sigh.
But...
"I'm worried about how they'd react."
-x-X-x-
"Don't call me like this."
"...What?"
I stared at Kyle, who stood beside my desk with a rather annoyed expression. His hair was a little messy, and he kept looking between the bed and me.
"You could've just called me. Why did you bring me all the way here?"
"I wanted to speak with you."
"I was sleeping. Then, all of a sudden, I find myself standing in your room. Don't do it."
"...Relax. I brought you here because this isn't something I could tell you over the phone."
Kyle looked at me for a moment.
Then he rubbed his face.
"Tsk."
"....."
Did he just click his tongue at me?
I watched him pull out the chair beside the desk before deciding to let it go. There were more important things to take care of.
"I need money."
"No."
"I..."
"No."
"But..."
"No."
He didn't even sit down.
Instead, he pushed the chair back into place and turned towards me.
"Send me back. I'm not giving you any more money."
"You could at least listen first."
"I already gave you plenty. You also owe me that money back."
"Right, but—"
"Zoey is asking about it too."
My mouth stopped moving.
"Did she really?"
"No. But I'm asking for her."
Tsk. Tsk.
"We're dating, so..."
"It doesn't matter."
Kyle turned away, taking a look around the room before pointing towards the bed.
"You're stuck in this place and you can't even go out much. Why do you even need so much money? It's not like—"
"I do."
He stopped.
I smiled at him.
"I need a lot of money."
"....."
He seemed to be waiting for me to say something else.
Something stupid, probably.
I was tempted.
But this wasn't why I brought him here.
My eyes moved towards the desk, stopping on the radio beside the computer before returning to Kyle.
"...I'm in desperate need of money."
The words came out a little quieter than before.
I wasn't showing it much, but the pressure was growing by the day. Getting out of the hospital was good, and figuring out what Pasture could do was even better.
Neither meant that my problems were gone.
The radio was still here.
So was VILE-1048.
Both problems were haunting me silently, waiting to quietly swallow me at any given moment. Despite my attempts at trying to solve either, I was hardly able to get much closer to the truth.
I didn't particularly like either situation.
Especially the second one.
I was being targeted, and despite everything that happened, I still didn't know where to start looking.
Money was the key to everything. From essence to shop items. Or even Gate construction.
In order for me to survive this ordeal, I needed as much money as possible.
'Right. Where the hell is my next quest?'
I brought up the System window and looked through it.
Nothing new.
It used to give me quests left and right, but now, it only gave them to me on rare occasions.
A strike?
Well, that made sense. But I didn't hate it.
It felt as though I had more control over myself.
Then my gaze stopped on one of the existing quests.
VILE-1048.
"....."
...The reward was quite nice, but I needed the money in order to deal with it.
"Ugh."
I closed the window and slowly turned my chair around and looked out the window. The view was quite nice.
"Do you really need it?"
Kyle's voice made me turn.
He was still standing beside the desk, but the irritation on his face was a little less obvious now.
I looked at him.
"Yeah."
I nodded seriously.
"I really do."
He studied me for a few seconds before looking towards the radio. Then his attention returned to my face.
"How much?"
"A lot."
"That doesn't tell me anything."
"More than last time."
His expression immediately grew worse.
"....."
Well, at least I was being honest.
Kyle pulled out the chair again and sat down.
For a little while, he said nothing. I let him think, keeping my hands against the armrests while he rubbed the side of his neck.
Eventually, he sighed.
"I can't lend you much more."
"I see."
"But can't you just take a loan?"
"...?"
I raised my brow.
"A loan?"
"Yes."
Kyle looked at me strangely.
"If you're that desperate, take a loan. The Guild offers them too. The interest is almost nothing, provided you qualify."
"....."
Wait.
I slowly straightened in my chair as Kyle continued.
"I took one in the past. It isn't particularly unusual. With your reputation, getting a substantial amount shouldn't be that difficult."
"That's..."
I looked towards the computer.
A loan.
Right.
Borrowing money...
That could work. I mean, I'd rather borrow money and owe someone instead of just letting the events overwhelm me.
I turned back towards Kyle just as his brows drew together.
"Although getting one from our Guild might be difficult."
"Why?"
He stared at me.
I stared back.
Then I remembered.
"Oh..."
"Considering how many people you've managed to upset, I wouldn't expect them to make it easy."
That was unfortunate.
For a moment, it seemed like I finally found a rather good solution.
Kyle looked around the room again.
"What about this Guild?"
"Obsidian Bastion?"
"Why not?"
I frowned.
"Would they lend money to someone who's only here temporarily?"
"I don't know. You could ask...?"
"Hmm."
"The Guild Master personally brought you here, didn't he?"
"Yes."
"Then start there."
I leaned back.
The old man was being rather nice to me.
Too nice, actually.
Asking him for money would make it even harder to understand what I owed him. But borrowing it through the Guild would at least give me an idea of just how much he favoured me. I knew that there was more to his actions than simply wanting to recruit me.
I just couldn't put it into words, but if it worked to my benefit, I didn't mind taking advantage of it.
'Well... I guess that could work.'
I nodded slowly.
"See? You can be useful at times."
Kyle's brows furrowed.
"What?"
"You can go now. I'll see you around."
"No, wait. Don't just—"
"Bye!"
His figure faded before he could finish.
The room grew quiet.
I looked towards the computer again, already thinking about who I should speak with in the morning.
Then I stopped.
"Oh, right."
I looked back at the empty chair.
Dismissing Kyle wasn't the same as sending him back to where I summoned him from.
"....."
I knocked the side of my head lightly.
"That's so silly."
I was about to call him out again when my nose started itching.
"Achoo."
My hand stopped.
The smile slowly disappeared from my face as I rubbed beneath my nose.
For a moment, I thought that'd be the end of it.
But soon—
"Achoo!"
"....."
I lowered my hand and looked towards the radio.
The static sound was all I could hear.
Krrr—
But it was the lack of reaction that made my heart sink.
I was running out of time.
I could feel it.
***
The next morning, I got out of bed and prepared to head downstairs.
Before leaving, I checked my disguise in the mirror.
It was fine.
I adjusted my shirt, picked up my temporary card, and made my way towards the Containment Department.
There were quite a few people around when I arrived.
Most were working.
Some stopped when they noticed me.
At first, I thought there was something wrong with my clothes again. I looked down, checking that my shirt was tucked in before continuing past the workstations.
But apparently, that wasn't the problem.
"He's still here?"
The voice came from somewhere to my right.
I turned slightly.
Two people stood beside a desk, their attention shifting away the moment I looked in their direction.
"I thought the Guild Master called him upstairs."
"He did."
"Then why..."
The rest became too quiet to hear.
I continued walking.
A little farther ahead, someone looked at my temporary card before leaning towards the woman beside him.
"That's Crow?"
"Yes. The one assigned to Keller's team."
"The one who ignored the orders?"
I slowed down slightly.
"Tessa was on that team."
"I heard. Apparently, Keller refuses to work with him now."
"Can you blame him?"
"....."
I looked towards them.
Neither bothered looking away this time.
One simply watched me pass, his expression making it quite clear what he thought of my continued presence.
How interesting.
I adjusted my sleeve and continued towards the workroom, a small smile forming on my face.
'I guess I'm not welcome, huh?'
-x-X-x-
"Achoo."
I stopped near the doorway and rubbed beneath my nose.
Three heads turned towards me.
Adrian sat at the table with a report in front of him, while Marcus and Vera occupied the seats beside him. None of them looked particularly pleased to see me.
Especially Adrian.
His eyes followed me as I pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Morning."
Nobody answered.
"….."
Well, I tried.
I placed my temporary card on the table and looked towards the empty seat farther down. There were still a few things on the desk behind it, although nobody seemed interested in touching them.
My gaze returned to Adrian.
He opened his mouth.
At the same time, the door opened behind me.
Everyone straightened.
I turned to find Liora stepping inside, a tablet held loosely in one hand. Her attention moved around the room before briefly settling on me.
Then she closed the door.
"I've gone through the reports."
She approached the table and placed the tablet down.
Adrian sat a little straighter.
"Then you understand why I requested—"
"We'll get to that."
His mouth closed.
I leaned back slightly.
Liora brought up the map of the Pool, along with several images from before the lights went out.
"The operation was planned around a Ranked Gate. That changed shortly after you entered."
"Yes."
"The cause is still being investigated. For now, we're reviewing how the team responded."
She looked towards Marcus.
"The reinforcement at the entrance gave you enough time to move the equipment. That was good."
He nodded without saying anything.
"Locating the civilians quickly also helped. The rescue teams were able to use the position you sent."
Vera lowered her gaze briefly.
Liora moved to the next page.
"However, the conditions you planned for were no longer there. The water was rising faster, visibility was gone, and you didn't know what else changed."
"There were seven people inside."
Adrian said, trying to make his case.
"We couldn't just leave them."
"I'm not questioning why you tried to reach them."
Her finger stopped against the tablet.
"I'm asking whether everyone understood what they were supposed to do once the original plan stopped working."
Adrian glanced towards me.
"Everyone received clear instructions. Crow chose to ignore his."
Ah.
There it was.
"He was told to remain at the staging area. Instead, he followed us and became another person we needed to watch. I've already explained this in my statement."
Liora let him finish before looking down at the report.
"Tessa was taken before he reached the gallery."
Adrian's expression tightened.
"Yes, but—"
"And Vera went after her before he arrived."
"Yes."
"Then why does your statement suggest that he was responsible for what happened to Tessa?"
The room went quiet.
I watched Adrian's fingers press against the edge of the report.
"He distracted us while we were trying to recover her."
"That's something we can examine. It isn't the same as saying he caused her death."
Marcus moved beside him, but didn't speak.
Liora looked back towards Adrian.
"The Gate increased in rank. That wasn't part of your preparation, and we don't yet know why it happened. Don't fill in what we don't know by blaming the person you like the least. You're one of the elites that our Guild has spent a lot of resources trying to grow. Don't shrink your responsibilities onto someone else. That's pathetic."
"….."
I pressed my lips together.
'Go, go!'
Let him have it!
This was becoming quite a good meeting.
Adrian took a breath before speaking again.
"With respect, you weren't there. He wasn't cooperating. He was dead weight."
"Then it was your responsibility to account for that."
His expression stopped.
"You're the Team Leader. If you decide someone cannot contribute, you still need to make sure they don't become another person who needs rescuing. In this case, they weren't."
"He was supposed to stay at the entrance."
"With whom?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Liora waited as he eventually tried to make another excuse.
"The scout came with us. We needed the extra equipment."
"So Crow was alone."
"He was somewhere safe."
"Somewhere that was flooding."
Her answer came calmly.
"What was he supposed to do if the water reached the equipment?"
"Move it higher."
"And when there was nowhere higher to move it?"
"….."
I looked down at the table.
My fingers tapped lightly against my knee.
A small round of applause.
Clap! Clap!
Liora continued before Adrian could answer.
"You considered him incapable of helping, then left him alone in a place that was becoming unsafe. Not only that, but the main reason why he even came was that he realized you couldn't handle the situation."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"You went back for Marcus and Vera, and you brought them out, and nobody is dismissing that."
Her gaze moved between the three of them before returning to him.
"But you can acknowledge what went wrong without looking for a scapegoat."
I nodded to myself.
Exactly.
A very reasonable thing to say.
I was starting to think that perhaps I judged her too quickly.
"Crow."
My head lifted.
Liora was looking at me now.
"…Yes?"
"You shouldn't have acted on your own."
"….."
Ah.
"When you left the staging area, you didn't inform anyone. Then, after reaching the gallery, you swam away again."
I glanced towards the tablet.
The scout was quite thorough with his report, apparently.
"It is true that your appearance created some confusion with the team. Especially since you were asked by them to stay put."
"Well…"
"It's good that you made it back. That doesn't make it acceptable."
I closed my mouth.
"You don't need to agree with every decision, but your lack of communication was the problem."
'Tsk.'
I looked away.
I hated the fact that I couldn't argue against her.
"Understood."
Liora watched me for another moment before picking up her tablet.
"Anyways, that's all from me today. You won't be assigned to another Gate for the time being. Take some time to rest."
Adrian started to relax.
"And Crow will remain with the team."
His expression stiffened again.
"Lady Halecrest—"
"The decision stands."
She looked straight at him.
"Your team started with four members. There are four of you now. Your support requirements will be reviewed before another assignment, but in the meantime, it's your job to make sure the team remains functional."
"….."
"Don't let the same situation repeat itself."
She left shortly afterwards.
For a moment, nobody moved.
I looked towards Adrian, wondering whether I should say something. Perhaps a few encouraging words to help everyone get along.
Before I could decide, his chair scraped against the floor.
He opened his mouth, looked at me, then clenched his teeth.
The report disappeared beneath his arm as he turned towards the door.
Marcus followed him.
Vera remained seated for a little longer, gathering her things before standing as well. Her gaze briefly stopped on me, but she left without saying anything.
The door closed.
"….."
I looked around the empty room.
Then I tapped a finger against the table and shrugged.
"…I guess that went well."
"No, it didn't."
My hand stopped.
I turned.
Liora stood near the doorway, looking at me.
"….."
When did she get back?
I looked towards the door, then at her again.
I was quite certain I watched her leave.
"You don't need to look so surprised."
"It's a little difficult not to."
She approached the table.
I sat up slightly, wondering whether there was another part of the report she wanted to discuss.
"I understand that you weren't responsible for everything that happened, and I know they haven't made much effort to include you, but I still need you to try to cooperate with them."
I looked towards the empty chairs.
That was easier said than done.
"Cooperation goes both ways, doesn't it?"
"Yes, but you're also not just any regular person, are you?"
"…."
"They lost a teammate. Don't make things harder simply because you find their reactions amusing."
My fingers stopped tapping.
How did she know?
For a moment, I looked at her without answering.
Then I leaned back.
"Well, I'll try."
She studied my face before nodding.
"That's good."
I watched her turn towards the door.
Then something occurred to me.
"Oh, by the way."
Liora stopped.
"Can I borrow money from you guys?"
"…Hmm?"
She turned back.
"I heard the Guild lends money to its members."
"Money?"
"Yes."
I nodded.
Finally, something productive.
"I know I'm only here temporarily, but I need quite a lot. I was wondering whether I could bor—"
My nose twitched.
I stopped speaking.
Then I quickly pinched it, holding my breath as the familiar itch spread.
'Not now.'
Liora remained where she was.
I kept my fingers in place for another moment before slowly letting out a breath.
The sneeze didn't come.
Good.
I lowered my hand and looked back up, ready to continue.
"….."
Liora was staring at me.
But the look on her face was a little strange.
-x-X-x-
I adjusted my face mask as the black car approached.
It stopped a short distance away, and the driver stepped out to open the rear door. I nodded towards him before getting inside.
'I guess I'll have to wait and see.'
Liora said she would look into the matter.
That was all.
She made no promises, especially since I wasn't actually a member of the Guild. If I decided to join properly, it would be another matter.
Well, fair enough.
I couldn't expect them to lend me money simply because I asked nicely.
'It would've been nice though.'
The door closed, and I settled into the seat as the car started moving.
There wasn't much for me to do at the Guild. The team was resting, and nobody seemed particularly interested in speaking with me. The only other thing I could do was stay inside of my room and just listen to the radio cackle the entire day.
Stuck, I was.
So I decided to go out.
I was allowed that much, provided I used the Guild's transport and remained in contact.
The disguise was still necessary.
It wasn't so much the ordinary people I needed to worry about.
The other Guilds were a different matter.
I doubted they would be pleased to see me walking around after everything that happened. Most of them didn't care, but there were quite a few that disliked me.
"Achoo."
I turned my head and rubbed beneath my nose.
Then I stopped.
The back of the driver's seat seemed to tilt slightly.
I blinked.
For a moment, my surroundings continued to til, making it difficult to tell whether the car was turning or I was the one moving.
My hand pressed against my forehead.
It was strangely hot.
But slowly, everything returned back to normal.
"....."
I remained still, my lips pressing together beneath the mask.
'...This is getting really dangerous.'
I could feel the effects of the 'disease' starting to get worse and worse. It wasn't even my nodes at this point.
The driver glanced towards me through the mirror.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, yes. Keep going."
He returned his attention to the road.
I lowered my hand and looked outside, waiting until I was certain the buildings weren't moving in any way they shouldn't.
I drew a small breath.
'It would suck if all of this was fake.'
VILE - 1048 could get people into dreams. That was the thing I was most worried about. The only thing that made me feel better was the fact that I could see the status window. Surely...?
'No, it doesn't matter. Even if this is a dream, I need to be more proactive.'
Reaching into my pocket, I took out the compass.
Its needle pointed slightly to the left.
"Take the next turn."
The driver nodded.
I watched the needle as we turned, keeping it steady against my thighs.
Since looking for the anomaly itself wasn't working, I decided to go broader.
'Bring me to somewhere related to the anomaly. A clue.'
Something that could help me understand what I was dealing with.
'That should work.'
At least, it was worth trying.
The needle shifted again.
"Left here."
The car slowed before turning onto a quieter road.
I kept watching the compass.
'Let's hope this works.'
By the time we reached the outskirts of Sines, it was dark.
The buildings stood farther apart here, with stretches of empty road between the streetlights. Occasionally, the headlights caught a low wall or a gate before leaving it behind.
The needle remained steady.
I looked in the direction it pointed.
"Slow down a little."
The driver eased off.
We passed a house with its front windows dark.
Then another.
The needle started turning towards my side of the car.
"Stop here."
The car came to a halt.
Beyond the window stood a small house, set back from the road behind a low fence. A light was on downstairs, although the curtains prevented me from seeing much inside.
I looked at the compass again.
It was pointing straight towards the house.
"....."
I took out my phone and checked the address against the case files stored on it.
It took a little while before I found the matching entry.
One of the older cases.
'One of the victims used to live here.'
I frowned a little, hoping that this wasn't going to be a waste of time. The compass brought me to a place that could hold clues regarding VILE - 1048, but it was also possible that it was a dupe, or already cleared.
My attention moved towards the lit window.
'So this is the place.'
I put the phone away.
"I'll be back shortly. Stay further down the road where they can't see you."
The driver looked towards the house before nodding.
"I'll do as you wish."
I stepped outside and closed the door.
The air was cooler than I expected. I pulled my sleeve down over the bracelet before approaching the fence.
The small gate scraped against the ground when I pushed it open.
I stopped for a moment.
Nothing moved inside the house.
A narrow path led towards the front door. I followed it, my shoes catching against loose gravel while the light from the car grew fainter behind me.
The porch light wasn't on.
I could see the door well enough, but the space beside it was dark. Something brushed my sleeve as I approached, and I looked down to find a branch extending from a plant near the steps.
"....."
Right.
Just a plant.
I moved past it and stopped in front of the door.
For a moment, I listened.
There was a faint sound coming from inside. It was muffled, and I couldn't quite make out what it was.
I raised my hand.
To Tok!
The sound inside stopped as I waited.
A little while later, footsteps approached from the other side. Something turned near the lock, and a thin line of light appeared as the door opened.
An older woman looked out at me.
"Who might you be?"
I lowered my mask, leaving the other disguise in place, and smiled.
"Hello. Sorry about the hour. I'm here regarding a past investigation."
Her eyes moved across my face.
"It concerns what happened to your husband. Would you mind if I asked a few questions?"
The woman's hand stopped against the door.
"Oh."
For a moment, she looked at me without saying anything.
Then she opened the door a little farther.
"No, I don't mind at all. Please, come in."
"Thank you."
I stepped inside.
The house was considerably warmer than outside. A lamp stood beside the sofa, and a folded blanket rested over one of its arms. There was a television in the corner, although the sound was turned down so low that I could barely hear it.
The woman closed the door behind me.
"Please sit wherever you like."
I nodded, only to pause when I heard a soft scraping sound.
A child sat at a low table near the far wall.
He was bent over a sheet of paper, moving a marker back and forth while several others lay scattered around his elbow.
He didn't look up.
"My grandson."
The woman followed my gaze.
"He's nine."
"Ah."
"He likes to draw. It keeps him... occupied."
I watched the marker move for another moment before looking back at her.
"Are his parents here?"
Her expression softened slightly.
"No. They passed away in an accident. He's been living with me since."
"...I'm sorry."
"It was a while ago."
She adjusted the sleeve of her cardigan before gesturing towards the sofa.
"I'll make some tea."
"You don't need to."
"It won't take long."
She left before I could say anything else.
I sat down and looked around.
There were several photographs on a shelf beside the television. I couldn't make out the faces properly from where I was, but one showed the woman standing beside a man in front of the house.
My gaze lingered there.
Then the marker scraped against the paper again.
I looked towards the child.
He was pressing quite hard.
The tip moved slowly across one section before returning along the same line.
For some reason, I found myself leaning forward.
"What are you..."
I stopped.
From this angle, I could see the drawing.
Two people.
An adult man and woman, judging by the clothes and the way he drew their hair.
They sat beside each other.
Their backs were straight, their feet together beneath their chairs. Both rested their hands on their knees, with the fingers spread neatly across them.
"....."
My hand stopped against the sofa.
'That...'
I glanced towards the child's face.
He was still looking down, his expression quite ordinary as he reached for another marker. He seemed completely absorbed in the drawing.
He set the old marker aside and uncapped the new one.
Then he started colouring inside one of the open eyes.
"I'm back."
My head turned.
The woman approached with a tray, setting it down before placing a cup in front of me.
"Careful. It's hot."
"...Thank you."
I moved my hand towards it, but didn't pick it up.
She sat in the chair opposite me and smoothed her cardigan over her lap.
"So, has anything been found?"
I looked at her.
"It's been five years since the incident, and we've yet to receive any news. There was a lady who came to ask questions before, but it's been a while."
A lady?
Geneva?
That seemed likely.
She never mentioned this place to me. Perhaps there wasn't anything here that she thought would help.
I looked towards the child again.
The marker kept moving.
"There were a few people before her too," the woman continued. "I told them everything I could remember."
"I see."
"Is there something else you need to know?"
My lips parted.
For a moment, I couldn't stop thinking about the drawing.
I looked down at my pocket, remembering the way the compass pointed towards the house.
Then I returned my attention to her.
This time, I smiled.
"That's what I'm here for. I think we may have gotten a lead."
-x-X-x-
"Oh my!"
The old woman leaned forward, her hands coming together above her lap.
"What is it? Please, tell me."
Up close, I could see the fine lines around her eyes. Her grey hair was tied loosely behind her head, with several strands falling against her cheeks. She brushed them aside without taking her attention away from me.
"It's been so long since my husband passed that... well, I almost gave up on hearing anything."
I looked at her for a moment before smiling.
"We're still investigating, so I can't say anything for certain."
"Of course."
"But there's a possibility that it behaves like a disease."
Her expression slowly changed.
"A disease?"
"Something caused by an anomaly. We think it might affect people without leaving anything for us to find outside their bodies."
"Oh my..."
Her hand pressed against her chest.
"Like a plague?"
"Possibly. But we don't know how it spreads, or if that's even the right way to describe it."
My voice came out rather calm.
There was no reason to frighten her more than necessary. Especially when I wasn't entirely certain about what I was saying myself. Was it really a disease? I wasn't sure, but everything pointed out to that possibility.
She lowered her gaze towards the cup in front of her.
"That... could explain it."
"What happened to your husband?"
"He said he... wasn't feeling well. I think I mentioned this before."
Her fingers moved against the edge of her cardigan.
"I didn't think much of it since we all get sick at some point or feel under the weather. In fact, he was doing much better the next day, and when I checked on him later, I thought he was just sleeping so I just let him be, but..."
She paused.
"When I tried waking him up for dinner, he..."
Once again, she paused as she choked up slightly.
The marker continued scraping against the paper behind her.
I looked towards the child briefly before returning my attention to the woman.
"Was he unwell before that?"
"Nothing serious. At least, nothing he told me about."
She picked up her cup, but only held it between her hands.
"After they took him to the hospital, I kept expecting someone to call and tell me he was doing better... I would go every day and sit with him."
Her thumb passed slowly over the handle.
"Sometimes, I thought his fingers moved when I held them. I kept telling people that he was getting better."
I didn't say anything.
There wasn't much I could say.
"Even towards the end, I still thought he would wake up."
Her voice grew quieter.
"But he never woke up."
"...I'm sorry."
The woman shook her head, although it took her a moment to speak again.
"My daughter helped me through it. She used to come by with her husband so I wouldn't be alone."
Her eyes moved towards the table.
"Then their accident happened."
I followed her gaze.
The boy was still drawing.
His head was lowered so far that I could only see part of his face beneath his hair.
"That must've been difficult."
"It was."
She gave a small nod.
"For a while, I didn't really know what I was supposed to do. Losing my husband was hard enough. Then losing her too..."
Her fingers tightened around the cup.
"But Roy needs someone. I can't spend every day feeling sorry for myself."
A faint smile returned to her face as she looked towards him.
"We're managing."
I nodded slowly.
Her husband, her daughter, and her son-in-law.
That was quite a lot for one person to lose.
Looking at the small child in the corner, I could understand why she wanted to keep going.
The marker stopped.
Roy set it down and reached for another one.
My attention returned to the drawing. The two figures remained seated beside each other, their hands resting neatly against their knees.
"What about his drawings?"
The woman looked back at me.
"Oh, those?"
"Yes. Does he usually draw things like that?"
She turned towards the table, looking at the paper for a moment before smiling.
"He's been drawing like that for quite some time. I'm not entirely sure what they are."
"Has he told you?"
"Not really. I think they might be his parents. He misses them."
"....."
That was possible.
Children drew all sorts of things. There wasn't necessarily anything strange about him drawing two people sitting down.
But the way their hands were positioned...
"Roy."
The woman beckoned him closer.
"Come here for a moment."
The marker stopped moving.
Roy looked up.
For the first time since I entered the house, his attention settled properly on me.
He didn't get up immediately.
His grandmother called him again, and he eventually left the table, keeping the drawing in his hand.
She moved her cup aside and held out an arm.
"What were you drawing?"
Roy stopped beside her chair.
I got a clearer look at the picture.
The paper was covered in small dents from how hard he pressed the markers against it. One of the eyes was almost entirely black, while the other was still an empty circle.
"Would you like to show him?"
The old woman asked as the young child looked at me, then at the paper.
His fingers curled around its edge.
"Is that your mother and father?"
I asked softly, but he didn't answer.
The woman brushed his hair away from his forehead.
"He is quite shy. He doesn't speak much around people he doesn't know."
"That's alright."
I was too.
Well, not shy, I just hated talking with people.
"Come, you can tell him."
Roy remained still.
His eyes briefly moved towards mine before lowering again.
"....."
I looked at the drawing for another moment.
There were questions I wanted to ask, but he was holding the paper tightly enough to bend it. Pushing him didn't seem like it would help.
"You don't have to."
I gave up after a moment.
His grandmother gave me an apologetic smile before looking towards the clock.
"...It's getting rather late."
She turned back to him.
"You should be getting ready for bed."
Roy nodded.
He returned to the table and placed the drawing beneath the other sheets before starting to put the caps back on his markers.
I watched him do it.
One at a time.
Then I stood up.
"I should get going too. Thank you for speaking with me."
The woman rose from her chair.
"It's no trouble. I'm glad someone is still looking into it."
I picked up my mask and followed her towards the entrance.
"If you find anything..."
She stopped beside the door, looking back at me.
"Please let me know."
"I'll do what I can."
Her smile softened.
"Thank you."
The door opened, letting the cold air into the house.
I stepped outside and pulled my mask back over my face.
Behind the woman, I could see Roy standing beside the table.
He was looking at me again.
I gave him a small nod.
He didn't return it.
Then the door closed.
Clank!
The darkness felt heavier after being inside.
I remained on the step for a moment, waiting until I could properly see the path. The small plants beside the door slowly came into view, along with the fence farther ahead.
Something clicked behind me.
It was the lock.
I started walking.
Gravel moved beneath my shoes, the sound unusually loud within the silence. My mind continued to drift back to the drawings.
'His parents...?'
Perhaps.
I mean, most likely.
But why did it bother me so much?
I stopped near the gate and took out the compass.
The needle remained pointed towards the house.
"....."
I turned it slightly, but it still pointed there.
'There's something more.'
The woman told me little that wasn't already in the file. If that was all I came here to find, then this visit wouldn't help much.
But the drawings...
I looked back towards the downstairs window.
Light still showed around the edges of the curtains.
For a moment, I considered knocking again.
Then I put the compass away.
'It's no use. Since I didn't get any information by asking, then I won't get any more if I ask again.'
I moved away from the front path instead, making my way towards the side of the house.
Crunch.
A dry leaf broke beneath my shoe.
I stopped immediately, tensing at how loud the sound was. For several seconds, I stood completely still, taking note of my surroundings.
But thankfully, I heard nothing else besides the soft rustling of the trees around me. In the distance, I could see a small patch of trees, forming what looked like the entrance of a forest.
I continued more carefully, keeping close enough to the house that my sleeve occasionally brushed against it.
There was a narrow window ahead.
The curtains were drawn here too, and when I leaned a little closer, I could only make out a faint reflection of my own face.
"....."
I moved on.
The space between the house and the fence grew narrower near the back. Dry leaves gathered against the wall, covering most of the ground.
There wasn't anywhere else to step.
Crunch.
I paused, pressing my lips together.
'Really now...'
From inside, a floorboard creaked. It was somewhere above me as I lifted my head.
A light came on behind an upstairs curtain. A shadow passed across it, but it was brief, making it hard for me to tell who it belonged to.
Then I heard another creak.
This time, it was footsteps.
Probably the old woman taking Roy to bed.
I waited until they stopped before moving again.
The downstairs light went out.
Darkness filled the space beside me so suddenly that I stopped with one foot raised.
For a moment, I couldn't see the fence anymore.
Only the faint glow from upstairs reached the ground.
I slowly put my foot down.
Crunch.
Something scraped inside.
My head turned.
The sound came from the other side of the wall, somewhere close to the dark window ahead.
I remained still.
Scrape~
It came again, even more slowly this time.
'A chair?'
That was what it sounded like.
I looked up.
The upstairs light was still on.
Below it, the curtain in front of me remained completely still.
Several seconds passed.
Then something else scraped across the floor.
It was the same sound.
A little farther away this time.
I stayed beside the window, listening.
The scraping stopped.
At the same time, I heard a soft yet muffled voice coming from a certain room, alongside a soft hum.
Roy and the old woman.
My breath came to a stop as the scraping continued, mixing with the two voices.
This time, I was sure.
This house...
There was a third person.
-x-X-x-
I took a slow breath, trying to take the information in stride.
The scraping stopped again, but I could still hear the old woman's voice coming from inside. The young boy said something in reply, although it was too muffled for me to make out.
"....."
'Right, of course. I should've seen this coming.'
There was no way the compass would lead me somewhere useless.
In truth, this wasn't the first time I tried looking for something related to VILE-1048. The previous attempts didn't get me anywhere.
This was the first time in a while that the needle gave me something to follow.
I had no choice but to make the most of the situation. Who knew when the next opportunity came?
I moved away from the window, carefully placing my foot between the leaves gathered beside the wall.
Crunch.
My lips pressed together.
'Really now...'
Even despite my best efforts, the leaves crunched. Although their sound was incredibly subtle, they still felt loud within the quiet around me.
I waited until the sound settled before moving again.
The ground rose towards the back of the house. I followed the fence up, keeping one hand near it for balance as the window above gradually came within reach.
The light inside went out before I got there.
I stopped.
For a while, I could only see my own outline against the glass. Then, as my eyes adjusted, a gap between the curtains revealed part of the room.
A bed stood against the wall.
The young boy lay beneath the blanket, his face turned towards the window. His mouth was slightly open, and one hand rested beside his cheek.
He seemed to be sleeping.
I watched the blanket rise and fall before looking around.
There was a small desk beside the bed, along with a chair and a shelf covered in books.
But what caught my attention were the papers.
They were everywhere.
Pinned to the wall, scattered over the desk, and stacked beneath a box of markers. Several were close enough to the window that I could make out the thick lines drawn across them.
Two people.
I leaned a little closer.
They were seated in every picture I could see. Some were coloured, while others were nothing more than dark outlines, but the position remained the same.
Straight backs.
Hands on their knees.
I looked towards the young boy.
He didn't move.
'Just how many times has he drawn them?'
I took out my phone, lowering the brightness before opening the camera. After making sure the flash was off, I held it near the gap between the curtains and took several pictures to get a closer look at each drawing.
I moved slightly to get a clearer view of the drawings on the desk, careful not to let the phone touch the glass.
Roy's blanket moved slightly, and I stopped.
For a moment, I stared at him.
He pulled his knees a little closer beneath the blanket and then turned.
"....."
I slowly lowered the phone.
There were more drawings beneath the ones I could see. Perhaps one of them showed something different.
I reached towards the window.
'I could just...'
My gaze lowered towards my bracelet.
Then I let go of the frame.
No.
Unless it was necessary, I would rather not use my nodes. I wasn't in a particularly good state for it.
Pasture could help once it was established, but placing the markings was another matter. I remembered how much that hurt.
Doing it here, when I wasn't even certain what was happening, seemed rather rushed. I also didn't want to aggravate my nodes. I had to be extremely careful when using them.
I put the phone away and stepped back.
'I'll just make do with the pictures for now.'
I worked my way down the slope, keeping close to the wall, trying to get a look at the insides of the house from another angle.
The surroundings were eerily quiet.
I was approaching the next corner when a thin line of light appeared ahead.
My steps slowed.
It came from a window farther along the lower floor. Several strips of yellow stretched across the leaves beneath it, broken by thick shadows.
I moved closer before realising why.
'What...?'
The window was covered with wooden boards, not curtains.
Several planks crossed the opening, overlapping in places and leaving only narrow gaps between them. I could see light through those gaps, but very little else.
"....."
I looked towards the front of the house.
Then back at the window.
'How strange.'
I was just about to lean closer when something squeaked inside.
A shadow passed across the light.
I immediately moved aside, pressing my back against the wall.
"Here I am. Here I am."
My breath stopped.
Without a doubt, it was the old woman's voice.
"I know the two of you are hungry. I'm here to give you some food."
"....."
Two?
I remained still, listening as something was placed on a hard surface.
A small clink followed.
"I brought a little more this time. You barely touched anything earlier."
Her voice sounded exactly as it did when she offered me tea.
"Careful with that. It's still hot."
Something scraped against the floor. I could feel it clearly, for it was right on the wall opposite me. I felt my fingers curl against the wall.
For a moment, the old woman stopped speaking.
Then she sighed softly.
"There's no need for that. I'm putting it right here."
I heard another clink as I looked down at the strips of light coming out from the gaps of the window.
A shadow moved over one of them.
"Eat well, alright? I'll leave the rest in the kitchen. If you need more, call me."
I waited for someone to respond.
But... all she was met with was silence. The old woman continued speaking anyway.
"It's getting late, so try to settle down afterwards. There's no reason to keep moving things around all night."
My gaze shifted towards the window.
'The chairs...'
A faint rustling came from inside, followed by the sound of her footsteps moving away.
Creak.
The door inside closed.
I didn't move.
Several seconds passed, and then some.
From somewhere farther inside the house, I heard another door open.
Only then did I slowly turn towards the window. The gap between the boards was barely wide enough to see through.
I leaned closer, keeping my face to the side while I tried to make out the room beyond.
There were several things that caught my eye the moment I looked inside.
I could make out what appeared to be part of a table, two bowls, and a beige wall. It seemed normal, but when my gaze lowered, my breathing stopped at the sight of the two outlines sitting in front of the table.
Their backs faced the window.
One wore a dark shirt, while the other's hair fell loosely over the collar of a faded dress. Both sat upright, their shoulders level and their feet placed neatly beneath their chairs.
Neither moved.
"....."
I drew a small breath, trying to calm my racing heart.
I pressed my hand against the wall and looked again. In particular, I looked at the way their arms rested close to their bodies, their forearms angled towards their knees.
My eyes moved towards the bowls.
The old woman placed them close enough that either person could reach one without leaning forward.
But neither was eating.
They simply sat there, looking towards the closed door.
My fingers pressed harder against the wall.
I couldn't see their faces.
Perhaps if I moved towards the other gap—
Scrr~
"...!?"
Something made a faint sound inside.
I stopped.
One of the chairs seemed a little closer to the table than before.
Or perhaps it was the angle.
I watched the two backs, waiting for one to move, but neither did. The two backs remained fixed in place, staring at the front without making a single noise.
And as I blinked?
An eye stared back at me.
Right through the gap.
So close that I could see the wet edge of the lower eyelid.
"....!?"
I jumped back.
My shoulder struck the fence, making it shake as I stared at the window.
The eye remained there.
Looking straight at me.
"You should've left."
The voice came from the other side of the boards.
"Why are you here?"
BANG!
The wood jolted outwards.
I took another step back as one of the planks split near the edge. Fingers pushed through the opening, scraping against the frame before reaching towards me.
".....!"
I looked down at my wrist.
To be precise, my bracelet.
My fingers caught the clasp, but before I could release it, an itch spread through my nose.
No.
Not—
"Achoo!"
My head dipped.
For a moment, everything tilted.
The window moved sideways. So did the fence beneath my hand, and I tightened my grip before my knees could give out.
A sudden weakness spread through my body.
I tried to take a breath.
It felt like I couldn't get enough.
BANG!
Another plank moved.
I forced my fingers back towards the clasp and pulled the bracelet free.
It dropped into my palm.
'Right. Now...'
I reached towards my nodes, but...
Nothing.
"....."
I tried again, but when I did, my eye twitched.
Yet again...
They refused to respond to me.
'Fuck. Fuck.'
Why now...?!
My eyes lowered towards the bracelet, taking note of the fact that it was off. I could see the open clasp hanging between my fingers.
No, I understood why.
This wasn't my nodes acting up.
This was...
VILE - 1048.
BANG! BANG!
The hand forced itself farther through the window.
Wood scraped along its wrist, but it kept reaching, the fingers opening and closing in the space where my face was only moments earlier.
I pushed away from the fence.
"This was rather rude of you. Why don't you stay a little longer?"
The old woman's voice came from behind the wooden planks.
BANG!
-x-X-x-
BANG!
Another plank broke away from the window.
It struck the fence beside my shoulder, and for a moment, I could only stare at the split wood.
Then my mind cleared a little.
'Right. Run.'
I pushed the bracelet into my pocket and turned, keeping one hand against the fence as I hurried towards the back of the house.
Behind me, something scraped across the window frame.
I didn't look.
I was quite certain that looking wasn't going to help.
BANG!
'How is she so strong?'
Fuck, she was supposed to be an old lady!
My foot caught against a root as I reached the trees. I stumbled, caught myself against a trunk, and continued running. It wasn't that I was being clumsy, but my head was still buzzing, the tip of my nose feeling even more itchy than before. I was feeling drowsier and drowsier by the minute.
Crunch! Crunch!
Leaves broke beneath my shoes.
Branches brushed against my face.
I pushed through them, occasionally looking back towards the house.
A light appeared behind me.
My steps quickened as the light moved between the trees, catching the branches before sweeping towards the ground.
"....."
I turned between two trees and kept moving, trying to stay out of the beam of the flashlight. My breathing was growing louder, and the weakness in my legs made it difficult to keep a steady pace.
At one point, I reached for my nodes again.
Nothing happened.
'Of course.'
I kept running, my hand fiddling with the pills in my pocket. But then, I gave up. Right... it wasn't because my nodes were acting up this time. I could tell.
Something was fundamentally eating at me from the inside.
The light appeared over my shoulder once more, stretching across a tree ahead of me.
I moved behind it before the beam reached my back.
Then I changed direction.
For a while, there was nothing besides the sound of my shoes against the leaves and my own breath catching in my throat. I could feel a burn at the back of my throat.
Eventually, I looked back.
This time, I was met with darkness.
I continued a little farther before stopping behind a thick tree.
"Ha... Haa..."
Pressing my back against the bark, I covered my mouth and tried to quieten my breathing.
My chest hurt, and so did my legs.
I waited until I could properly hear the surroundings before lowering my hand.
"....."
The silence embraced me from all sides. Thinking back to everything that had happened, I couldn't help but curse to myself.
"...Lovely hospitality."
I wiped the side of my face.
"I should've brought a gift."
Maybe then she wouldn't have been so mean.
I looked around the tree once more.
The space between the trunks remained dark, and I couldn't see the house from here. That should've made me feel a little better.
But it didn't.
I still couldn't understand what happened.
One moment, I was looking through a window.
The next, my body stopped listening to me, and my nodes—
I paused.
A familiar pressure stirred behind my eyes.
"....."
Slowly, I lowered my hand.
'Wait, hold on...'
I reached towards my nodes.
"...!?"
I could feel them again.
Not clearly, and certainly not without the usual discomfort. But there was a response.
I remained still for several seconds before trying once more.
The same faint pressure returned.
'They work.'
My gaze moved towards the direction of the house.
'...Now that I'm further away from the house, I also feel less lightheaded.'
I knew it.
Taking another deep breath, I took out my phone. The driver's number was near the top of the screen.
He was the first person I called.
Not wanting to make too much noise, I put it next to my ear as I waited, keeping the phone close while watching the darkness between the trees.
But..
Du. Du.
There was no response.
"....."
I tried again.
The call rang until it stopped.
'Why is he not responding?'
The connection was there.
After sending him a message, I forwarded the photographs to Joanna with the address of the house.
For a little while, I stared at the screen, but the usually responsive Joanna didn't answer me.
My thumb moved down the list before stopping over Kyle's name.
I considered calling him.
Then I looked back towards the trees and gave up.
'Right, I guess there's no point.'
Not just him, but even Joanna. There wasn't much time. Especially since the old woman was now wary of me. If I left now, there was no telling what I would find when I could find a clue regarding VILE - 1048.
It would be too late if I waited for reinforcements.
I looked at the photographs again.
The photographs of the drawings were still there, but they didn't tell me enough.
'I can't return like this.'
This was the first useful lead I found in quite some time.
And judging by what just happened to my body, I couldn't afford to wait much longer. The influence of VILE - 1048 had grown to the point where I couldn't ignore it.
I put the phone on silent and slipped it back into my pocket.
Then I pushed away from the tree.
*
Crunch!
Finding my way back took a little longer than I expected.
But it was also because I stopped often, listening before moving between the trees. Whenever I could, I stepped on the bare ground beside the roots rather than the leaves gathered around them.
Even then, there were sounds.
A twig breaking beneath my foot. My sleeve catching against a branch...
Each sound made me stop.
Thankfully, the flashlight never appeared again.
That bothered me too.
Honestly, I didn't fear what I saw. I only feared what I couldn't see.
Eventually, the trees thinned, and the familiar house appeared in the distance.
All the lights were off.
I crouched beside a trunk and watched it for a while.
Nothing moved behind the windows. The front of the house was out of sight, but I could see part of the fence and the slope leading towards Roy's room.
I couldn't see the old woman.
"....."
'Where did you go?'
I stayed there a little longer.
Then I moved.
The grass near the fence was damp, soaking the edges of my trousers as I kept low and worked my way towards the back of the house.
I avoided the boarded window.
For now, I was quite happy not to look through it again.
The house was a little hard to reach without making much noise. Despite my best attempts, the soft crunching of the leaves still resounded from time to time as my heart raced with each sound. Thankfully, it was subtle enough where one would need to be really close to hear.
I continued until I reached the wall beside Roy's window.
The curtains were still drawn.
I leaned towards the same gap, but without the light inside, it was difficult to see much beyond the edge of the desk.
There was no movement inside as I looked over my shoulder once before placing my hand against the wall.
My nodes were still working.
'Just for a moment.'
[Trait Transfer]
A sharp sting spread down the back of my neck.
I pressed my lips together and moved forward.
My hand passed through first.
Then my arm.
For a brief moment, I couldn't see anything at all. I kept moving until the wall was behind me, only letting the ability fade once my shoulder was clear.
My shoes pressed against the carpet of the room as I held my breath.
The room remained quiet.
Slowly, I turned my head.
The bed was to my left. A blanket lay gathered across the mattress, but from where I stood, the wardrobe blocked my view of the pillow.
Ahead of me was a small desk, filled with countless drawings.
They looked even more numerous from inside.
Several sheets slipped beneath the chair, while others were pushed between books on the shelf. A drawing pinned near the window was torn at one corner.
I moved closer to get a better look.
Looking closely, I could tell.
'Right, it must be them.'
I already guessed before, but I was now certain. The two people inside were the boy's parents. The old woman said they died in an accident, but it was clear that she was full of shit.
Creeaaaaak.
"....!?"
My hand stopped.
The bedroom door moved.
Only a little.
A narrow gap opened beside the frame, and something dark moved beyond it.
I immediately stepped back towards the wardrobe.
My shoulder brushed its side, making me freeze before I could reach the wall behind it.
The door continued opening slowly. I couldn't hear any footsteps.
My fingers pressed against the back of the wall as I reached towards my nodes again, my figure hidden by the large wardrobe.
'Come on!'
I was about to move through the wall when something caught my attention as I turned my head. The moment I did, my entire body froze as a pair of dark eyes looked back at me from the bed.
Watching.
"....!?"