"....."
The theater fell completely silent.
A cold knot twisted in my stomach, tightening with every heartbeat as I stared at the conductor in the distance.
So...?
What's its decision?
Did it fall for it? Please accept...
I tried my best to keep composed, but the tension was palpable. I could hardly keep my breath in check as I even had a hard time swallowing my own saliva.
It felt as though... every little second felt like an eternity.
I could only hang suspended while the conductor's stitched-up eyes looked at me.
And then—
The grip over my throat lessened, and I fell back onto the chair.
Thud!
"Fine."
The conductor's brittle voice whispered in the air.
"...I'll give you a chance."
The conductor moved to the side and pointed at the piano that stood at the center of the stage.
"Show me your perfect piece."
Silence returned once more as all the heads continued to stare at me.
It felt as though thousands of eyes were on me, making my skin tingle. With the subtle trembling of my lips, I shook my head.
"You're... misunderstanding something."
"....."
"I didn't mean now. I mean—Ukh!!"
A hand once again reached for my throat, faster than before, with its grip so tight that I almost passed out on the spot.
"Do not play games with me."
RATTLE! RATTLE!
The entire room trembled violently. Chairs rattled, curtains swayed, and instruments clattered against one another. At the center of it all, the conductor's voice slithered through the air, venomously... Saturating the space with a palpable and sinister presence.
"Should I just kill you right now?"
The hand squeezing my throat pressed right into my skin, almost as though it was grasping my thorax.
"It's easy for me.. You are weak. Nothing but a simple weak pest that I can rid with just the slightest of actions."
Its voice grew more and more brittle as it spoke, my vision spinning as I struggled to keep myself conscious.
"Whatever you are trying to do, I do not... wish to play games."
So it said, but...
It had yet to kill me.
Very clearly, its 'perfectionist' trait was preventing it from doing so.
I knew.
I knew that deep down, the conductor wouldn't kill me.
Not until it played its piece.
Such was how perfectionists were.
And soon...
"Cough! Cough—!"
The grip over my throat loosened, and I fell on the seat once more, the sound of my coughs filling the space.
"Huuurrr..."
Heavily gulping for air, I reached for my throat while staring at the conductor, who started to move towards the podium.
"You stay there and listen to my performance. If you so much as—"
"As... expected. You are scared..."
"....."
Silence.
Everything fell silent.
But though it was silent, everything felt loud.
All the little sounds heightened in my ears. From the creaking of the chairs, the gentle swaying of the curtains, and the sound of my own heart.
I could hear it all within the silence.
...And it felt loud.
"You're afraid... that I prove you wrong."
"....."
"You know damn well... I am an amateur. It is unreasonable to expect me to play something perfectly without practice.. That is why I ask you for time. Are you that afraid that I'll prove you wrong? What does it even cost you to accept?"
I took advantage of the conductor's silence to push all of the right buttons.
Keeping a close eye on it, I gauged its reactions. From the silence to the subtle trembling of its body.
'Yes... I know you're affected. I know that you care. So take the bait.'
The conductor shook its head, slowly turning to face me once more.
'Take the fucking bait!!!!'
"You... human are a sly one. Don't think I can't see through your intentions."
Hearing its words, I grew tense.
Though its eyes were crudely sewn shut, the way it stared at me made it feel as if it saw straight through my mind.
And yet...
Its own flaw prevented it from doing anything about it.
"Half a year."
I mumbled.
"Give me half a year and I'll—"
"Three months."
The conductor cut me off, its voice raspy.
"I'll give you three months."
"That's not enough time. Give me at least one more—"
"Three months is my limit. Leave it, or take it."
I opened my mouth to protest. Three months? Although my goal the entire time had been to buy myself more time, three months was hardly enough time for me to think of a way to handle the conductor.
I needed more time.
This was not enough!
But the moment the words were about to leave my throat, I stopped.
Every hair on my body rose in that moment as the faceless figures around me drew nearer to me.
Feeling their gazes, I realized...
This was truly the conductor's limit.
There was no negotiating. Negotiating any further meant...
Death.
"Alright."
As such, I could only accept its terms.
"That's good."
The conductor moved towards the piano and retrieved a piece of paper before flicking it my way.
Grabbing it, I looked at it to see that it was a music sheet.
"Learn this properly, and when the time comes, I'll expect you to play this piece perfectly. If you fail to impress me, then..."
Slowly, the conductor's mouth twisted into a grotesque smile, the torn edges of its lips sagging slightly as its eyes fell on the faceless figures around.
"You'll become a permanent piece of my audience."
".....!"
My thoughts numbed upon hearing its condition.
Become a permanent part of its audience?
That...
I looked towards the faceless figures around and almost felt like screaming. Imagining myself becoming one of them, I almost felt like screaming.
What sort of hell was this?
However, there was no going back.
The decision was set.
"So...?"
And as the conductor looked at me, I managed to force a few words out.
"What about me? What do I get if I win?"
"Ah...?"
The conductor's head tilted.
"You get to live. What better reward is there for you?"
"That's not good... enough. It is not a very fair bet, is it?"
"....."
The conductor fell silent for a brief moment before asking, "Then...? What do you want?"
I didn't answer, but instead brought my hand forward and pointed directly at it.
"Me?"
The conductor looked stunned by my proposal.
But I simply nodded.
"If becoming a permanent piece of your audience is my penalty for losing, then the reward better be worthwhile. Yes, I want you."
The conductor opened its mouth, but soon smirked.
"Fine."
A throaty laugh escaped its lips, its amusement clear.
"I'll accept."
Ding!
A notification appeared shortly after that.
[New Quest Activated!]
• Difficulty: N/A
• Reward: Rank Anomalie — The Conductor
• Objective: Prove the conductor wrong.
• Location: N/A
• Failure: The user will become a staple member of the theater.
Description: The conductor has agreed to the conditions of your bet. Three months from now, the two of you will meet. If you fail to prove the conductor wrong, you will be turned into a permanent piece of the audience within the theater. If you manage to prove it wrong, the conductor will agree to serve you.
Time Limit: 3 months.
[Will you accept the quest?]
▶ [Yes] ▷ [No]
I didn't even hesitate and pressed [Yes].
[Quest Accepted]
[Good luck!]
And with that, the bet was in place.
Three months from now, I had to play a piece it deemed worthy enough to prove I didn't need its help to be perfect.
"Very well, I hope to see you soon..."
The conductor's raspy voice echoed once more as its lips pulled into a grotesque and creepy smile. I could only stare in its direction before slowly turning my head to look back.
BANG!
The theater doors slammed open just as I stood from my seat.
But before I could move—
"Before you leave, there's something I wish to warn you about."
I stopped and pursed my lips.
What did it want this time?
'Don't tell me it's changing its mind. What do I do then...?'
My thoughts began to spiral, but the conductor's next words took me completely aback.
"I... feel a sinister presence within the land that you reside in. I advise you to tread with caution. This is no kind or reasonable being."
What?
My thoughts spun.
What exactly was it trying to say?
Was—
"You better leave before I regret my actions."
The conductor's voice jolted me out of my thoughts, and my legs moved on instinct.
"....."
Every eye in the theater remained locked on me, but I ignored them and made my way toward the doors. I continued to think about the conductor's words... Its warning.
What could it be referring to?
For even the conductor to say something like that...
I felt tense while musing over its words, until I eventually reached the exit.
The darkness swallowed me whole.
The last thing I saw... was the conductor's smile, watching me all the while.
By the time light returned to my eyes, I was back in my office.
"I'm back."
Everything was as it had been
The wall behind me, the desk, the silence.
"....."
I looked around the place, the silence shrouding me in its entirety.
I stood like that until...
"Haa... Haa..."
I crumbled onto the side of the wall, my back sliding down as I took deep and heavy breaths.
My entire body was soaked in sweat as my hands started to shake.
"That was... haaa... close."
Far too close.
I was... just one wrong word away from dying.
One single wrong action away from dying.
If not for the fact that I perfectly exploited the conductor's weakness, things wouldn't have played out like this.
'That was way too close for my own comfort. I can't allow a situation like this to happen in the future.'
I took several deep breaths.
Even though it was close, I had managed to succeed in the end.
I managed to buy myself some valuable time.
That was all that mattered.
"Three months."
Not ideal, but it was something. Three months to figure out how to perform the piece I'd been given. To make it 'perfect' in the conductor's eyes.
I looked at the music sheet and gave a bitter smile.
"I really shot myself in the foot."
This was a lot more complicated than I anticipated. I really felt like I had bitten off more than I could chew.
But...
It wasn't like I really had much of a choice.
It was either this or instant death.
The choice was obvious.
To Tok—!
"Hm?"
Hearing someone knock on the door, I jolted out of my thoughts.
"Who's there?"
"What do you mean, who's there?"
Clank!
The door swung open, and Kyle stepped inside. He looked... different. His usually messy brown hair was slicked back neatly, and he wore a brown coat left open to reveal a white turtleneck that stopped right on the belt line, where he wore a set of black pants.
All in all...
He looked stylish.
Stylish? Him...?
I had to do a double-take to make sure I wasn't seeing things. However, I really wasn't.
"Are you going on a dat—"
"What date? You..."
Kyle paused before covering his face.
"Don't tell me you forgot. I literally talked it over to you a couple of hours ago."
"A couple of hours ago?"
What the hell?
I immediately checked my watch and was startled to see that two hours had indeed passed since I last met Kyle, but that made no sense.
I was with the conductor for only a few minutes!
Unless...
'The time in the theater is different!'
"Wait, why are you so sweaty anyway? Were you exercising?"
"Huh? Oh..."
Right. The sweat...
How could I explain this?
Well, exercise worked, I guess.
"Yeah, I was."
"...At this time? Seriously? And you, of all people, are actually exercising?"
The disbelief on his face was as clear as it could be.
And that...
That kind of hurt.
"Ah, whatever. Just get changed. You have five minutes befo—"
"Hey, Kyle. Are you in here?
A voice called, and a head poked through the door. Her eyes immediately fell on Kyle and then me. She nodded slightly, but then looked at Kyle.
I sighed in relief when I saw that.
'Looks like she doesn't hate me anymore.'
I felt relieved knowing that. Saved me a lot of trouble.
However, right before she could even get her words out, her eyes paused towards a certain area.
I could've sworn.
For the briefest second, I saw something impossible. A thin, forked tongue slipped from between her lips. Like that of a snake. I could even almost hear a hissing sound as Kyle's face turned towards the area she was looking at.
"Oh, shit."
His face drained of color.
The way he looked at me shortly after... It was like he was looking at a dead man.
"Hisss!!"
There it is!
That hissing sound!
To add insult to injury, something slithered out of Zoey's mouth. Was I the only one seeing this? ...Or was my mind exaggerating things because of the state of fear I was in?
'Oh, shit. Why do I feel goosebumps?'
Every hair on my body stood on end in that moment as her eyes narrowed.
But just before she could even get her words out, Kyle rushed to her and grabbed her by the shoulder before dragging her out of the room.
"Get changed quickly! I can only do this much for you!"
Clank!
The door closed right after, and silence fell over the room.
It was as if a terrifying storm had just passed by.
"...."
I stood in silence before covering my face.
'Right, I'd better get changed and get this company dinner over with.'
Although I didn't really want to go, I knew that this was for the best. It would benefit me a lot, and so, after rummaging through my drawers and taking out a new set of clothes, I was about to head to the bathroom to get washed when I paused.
Lowering my head, I stared at the black marking on my arm.
"Will they notice?"
As far as I was aware, several important people were going to be present at the Guild dinner. If I were to go there with the marking, would they notice it?
It was a legitimate question, but considering how the Section Chief hadn't noticed anything back then, it was probably okay...?
'I don't know. I think it's best not to risk it.'
As such, after a little bit of thought, I called out the Dreamwalker.
"Stay here and guard the office. I'll be out for a bit."
The Dreamwalker didn't say anything, but I knew it had understood my words.
With a nod, I flicked off the light.
Clank!
I closed the door behind me.
And stepped into the main area. In the distance, I even heard several shouts.
"Hisss! Let me... hisss! kill him... hisss!"
"Stop it! It could be the same brand of chips."
"Hisss!!!"
'Might as well puke while I'm at it.'
-x-X-x-
The place that was selected for the dinner was a lot fancier than expected. Just a few minutes walk from the main Guild, the restaurant that was selected was a fancy Japanese restaurant.
A large tatami mat covered the entire floor, with several wooden tables spread throughout the room. Recruits and members sat at each one, surrounded by bottles of alcohol and an assortment of dishes.
"Wow, there are a lot of people."
It was also relatively lively.
The moment we came in, all sorts of eyes fell in our general direction. Or to be more precise, in Kyle's direction.
He was like the star of some sort of show, gaining the attention of everyone.
Seeing how much attention he was getting, I stepped to the side and tried my best to be as small as possible, but...
Giiiiii—
I felt a certain gaze pierce me from the side.
I didn't need to look to know who it was as I promptly ignored her.
Cra Crack!
"Uh?"
"Careful! The glass broke!"
"What sort of glass is this?!"
"Someone, please help!"
Even as the sound of something shattering echoed, I remained steadfast. I was inwardly shivering, though.
To be able to break a glass with her bare hands...
'Get me out of here.'
"Hey, let's sit over here."
Kyle pointed towards a certain table and dragged me over. Thankfully, there weren't many people at the table. There were a couple whom I was unfamiliar with, and that was good enough for me.
Besides Kyle, I pretty much wanted nothing to do with anyone within the Guild.
"Why do you look so tense? This is just a regular dinner party. All you really have to do is eat and drink."
"...I can see that."
It was practically what everyone was doing.
But...
Wasn't everyone just drinking a little too much? I looked around, and I could already see some people taking several shots.
Wasn't it a little too early for that?
The dinner had yet to start...
"Don't worry about them. This is normal."
"What?"
"Well, the things we see during our work... Many of us want to forget, so that's pretty much why most people here drown themselves with alcohol. Don't worry about them. They'll be back to normal in a day or two." \
"Really?"
Staring at one of the people and seeing the glaring black circles beneath their eyes, I struggled to believe him.
They looked even deader than me.
'And here I thought that was hard.'
Seems like I had overestimated myself.
"Hello."
A soft voice pulled me out of my thoughts. When I turned, I saw a small girl with a bowl-cut hairstyle and a cute face. She looked at me shyly, and I felt my heart skip a beat.
Could it be that she's...
"You're here for Kyle, aren't you?"
"Yes."
She didn't even hesitate as she looked at him. He was busy talking with someone else at the moment. Wait, looking carefully, wasn't the table a little surrounded?
'Oh, fuck.'
"Here."
I didn't even hesitate and just stood up from my seat.
'I can see things will escalate soon enough. It's best if I leave before it's too late.'
"Thank you. Thank you."
The girl thanked me a couple of times before taking the seat.
I merely nodded at her before looking around.
Now then...
Where should I sit?
As I scanned my surroundings, my gaze eventually fell onto a certain table.
Eventually, our eyes met, and I sighed.
'Well, it's at least better than being with Kyle.'
And so, I calmly walked towards the first-year recruits' table, where Myles was located, as he waved at me.
"It's nice seeing you here. I didn't think you'd come."
***
'Like I thought, I just don't like him.'
Zoey's gaze continued to bear holes towards the distant figure as he nonchalantly moved around the restaurant before settling down at another table. The more she looked at him, the less she liked him.
She tried.
She really tried to ignore him and forget about everything.
And yet...
Somehow, someway, he always seems to know exactly what kind of buttons he needs to push in order to piss her off.
And the worst part? He wasn't even trying.
It was like he'd been born with a gift for getting under her skin.
"Ugh."
If not for the fact that he was with Kyle, she really wouldn't have been able to stand him.
'I should just be mature about it and—'
"Is something bothering you, Zoey?"
A soft, charming voice pulled her from her thoughts. When she turned, her eyes met a young man with brown hair and clear blue eyes. He was undeniably handsome, and as he looked at her, a gentle smile played on his lips.
Zoey's lips twitched at the sight of him.
'Not him again.'
He was someone she was somewhat familiar with. He belonged to a year lower than her, and he was a somewhat promising recruit.
Rowan was it?
She couldn't really remember.
"How can I help you?"
Zoey still decided to smile.
"I was just ah... I just wanted to say hi. You kind of looked lost in thought there. Did that guy perhaps annoy you?"
Rowan's gaze fell on the distant Seth as he laughed.
"You were kind of glaring at him the entire time."
"Ah, yeah."
Zoey scratched the back of her head.
Was she that obvious?
"What did he do? It's rare to see you angry."
"It's nothing."
Zoey dismissed him with her hand.
"Just some petty stuff."
"...Is that so?"
Despite her words, he didn't really let go of the topic.
"I've never seen him before. Is he a new recruit?"
"No, just an observer or something like that."
"An observer?"
Rowan's face turned weird.
"What is he doing here?"
"He just got in and stuff. Something like that, yeah."
Zoey was trying her best to show her disinterest by answering vaguely and shortly. And yet, Rowan didn't seem to get the hint at all.
Rather...
"Do you want me to help you?"
"What?"
Zoey's head snapped towards Rowan as he looked back at her.
"Just say the word. If he's annoying you, then I can, you know... Do something."
"What in the..."
Zoey's brows furrowed tightly.
Help? What do you mean help? Did he really think she needed help for matters like this?
Sure, Seth did annoy her, but it wasn't like she planned on doing anything about it. She was petty, but not that petty.
'I guess there are disadvantages to my appearance.'
Zoey knew at heart the reason why Rowan had approached her and asked about Seth.
She wasn't that dumb.
It was obviously because he liked her.
But yeah... She wasn't really interested.
Zoey was true to her goal. She didn't plan on engaging in any romance until she accomplished her goal.
And so, she just found his presence rather annoying.
She was just about to answer back when...
"Hahaha, looks like everyone is here."
The door of the room opened, and the Section Chief entered, alongside him were the other team leaders of the Containment Sector.
Immediately, the room fell silent as all eyes fell on them.
This was the first time that they had seen all team leaders present, alongside the Section Chief.
This wasn't going to be a regular dinner, was it?
The moment the Section Chief and the Team Leaders entered the room, the mood within the restaurant changed. It turned a lot more somber and serious.
And this was in spite of the relaxed expression on the Section Chief's face.
"What? Why is everyone looking so gloomy? Come on... They're not that terrifying."
He looked back to the other Team Leaders and cocked his head.
"On second thought..."
He pursed his lips.
"Just a little. Not too much though. Err... You know what, I guess they are a little terrifying. Ugly too."
The Section Chief flicked his head away, ignoring the sudden wave of glares directed his way.
"Well, leaving that aside. Please do enjoy your dinner. We're not here to spoil it yet."
Yet?
What did that mean?
"Have fun. If you have any questions, ask them later. Let us have our moment too."
And with that, the team leaders, alongside the Section Chief, headed towards a certain table by the far end of the room. All eyes were focused on them as they moved.
From that point, the atmosphere changed as the previous carefreeness of the place seemed to be gone. In its place, people started to speak with lowered voices, and the drinking toned down.
'What's going on...?'
I turned to the only figure I could turn to.
Myle-No, rat. Yes, rat seemed to be a more fitting name for him.
"Oh, well... I'm not too sure myself."
The rat answered while scratching the back of his head and showing his usual dimples.
"I've only been here for a little bit. I'm not particularly familiar with the situation, and I've only seen our team leader like once."
"Your team leader?"
"Yeah, her."
Myles nudged toward the distant table, subtly pointing out a woman with short black hair and dark eyes. At first glance, she looked completely laid-back, a packet of cigarettes neatly tucked into her breast pocket as she leaned back on both hands.
Some sort of conversation was going on there, but she didn't look at all interested.
"She's your team leader?"
She looked kind of young. Well, at least early thirties.
"Yeah, apparently. Word is she was one of the fastest in the Guild to make Team Leader. Supposedly, she's incredibly good at her job. Some even say she's the next in line to be the Section Chief once he retires or kicks the bucket."
I blinked slowly.
"Kick the bucket?"
"Yeah..."
The rat sliced his finger across his neck.
"Like that."
"...Oh."
That was a bit...
"It is what it is. This is how it usually works in this line of work. You never know who might die. The same goes for the Team Leaders and Section Chiefs. You've just got to do your best in order to survive."
The dimples on his face widened as he said those words.
'Ah, goosebumps. I'm feeling goosebumps.'
Something about his smile and words made me shiver.
I had to take a quiet breath to calm myself down.
'He might be different from the game. There's no guarantee he's the same. You might just be overthinking.'
Of course, just because it was possible that I was overthinking, it didn't mean that I was going to let my guard down.
It was for that reason that I decided to call him rat inside my mind.
It was to serve as a reminder of what he could be.
"Either way, I think I might know what this could be about."
"You do?"
No, wait...
Thinking about it, I probably knew as well. The two of us had talked about it not too long ago.
"You probably know it too, actually."
As expected. It was that.
"It's regarding the potential Thrall-Class entity, the Twisted Man. It looks like the situation is headed that way. We'll see. It might also be that the department has figured something out. We should hear about it soon."
"Mhm."
Though I tried my best to act calm, a knot was slowly forming in my stomach.
Potential Thrall-Class entity...
'I... feel a sinister presence within the land that you reside in. I advise you to tread with caution. This is no kind or reasonable being.'
As the conductor's words echoed once more in my mind, the knot only grew stronger as I silently swallowed my saliva.
It couldn't be that, right...?
The conductor was an ranked anomaly. For even the conductor to feel something from whatever this was... I knew that the situation was a lot more serious than it was currently known.
'...I really need to stay out of this situation.'
For my own sake.
But more than that, I was actually worried about Kyle.
What if he were suddenly tangled in this situation? That would be terrible.
Kyle was one of the only people that I could call family within this world. If anything happened to him, then...
'No, I need to find a way to not have him get involved in this situation.'
I had just raised my head to look around when the Section Chief stood up.
"Alright."
He clapped once, gathering the attention of everyone present.
Almost immediately, all noise fell.
Although he was a bit of a lunatic, he was quite well respected within the department. Just a few words from him and everyone stopped talking.
"Seeing the current atmosphere and hearing some of your conversations, I can pretty much tell that all of you are aware of what's going on."
The Section Chief's eyes swept the surroundings, going straight to the point.
"Yes, we're currently dealing with a big situation. Yes, we've gathered all of you here to discuss that very same situation. And yes, it's... going to require everyone here to participate."
Everyone?
...I didn't count, right?
"After discussing it with the other Team Leaders, we've decided to launch a sector-wide expedition. We'll be forming multiple teams, and many of you will be assigned to different areas where we've detected suspicious activity. Your task will be to investigate these situations."
Immediately, whispers filled the room as everyone talked amongst each other.
'Guild-wide expedition? Isn't that rare...?'
'The situation must be a lot more serious than I expected.'
The more I heard the whispers, the more my mouth twitched, and the more the conductor's words resonated with my mind.
The sense of dread only heightened.
"We've already made a list of groups that we plan on sending and their locations. We'll be starting the investigations tomorrow, so all of you better get some good rest today."
The Section Chief's room turned serious as he scanned the room.
And then...
For some weird reason, his gaze settled on me.
Yes, me.
I stiffened on the spot as I felt a sudden sense of dread.
This sense only heightened when I saw a smile slowly creep up on his face as I shook my head.
'No, this bastard... He couldn't be—'
"That aside, there's someone that I'd like to introduce to you all."
As if noticing where he was looking, several eyes fell in my general direction.
"Following the recent reports and trends that we've received, the Guild has finally decided to take things seriously." Pausing, with a deadpan expression, the Section Chief looked around and pointed both of his fingers to his chest before pointing them towards our direction.
"We... at the Guild, hear you."
What sort of fucking nonsense was he saying?
"For all your troubles. For all your sleepless nights. For... everything... We're here for you. No, he's here for you."
"....?
"His name is Seth Thorne. Remember that name."
No, please forget it.
Oh god... What the hell was going on?
This felt like some sort of nightmare.
"He's the newest member of our Guild, and he'll be taking a very important position within the Guild. A position that all of you have been asking for many years."
I shook my head.
Don't do it...
The Section Chief suddenly smiled, his voice growing cheery.
"If you have any troubles or are suffering from PTSD, he's your man! Do pop up in his office to say hello once in a while! He's our newest Trauma Counselor!"
This motherfuc—
-x-X-x-
'Please end my life.'
No, actually, I couldn't die just yet.
I needed to kill that fucker before I could die!
"A trauma counselor? The Guild finally decided to get one?"
"This is surprising, but..."
"Doesn't he look more depressed and traumatized than most of the people here?"
"Now that you mention it."
Hold on.
I mean, they weren't wrong, but... hearing their words, I was a little hurt, I won't lie.
I was certainly traumatized, not depressed. I was almost there, though.
"Like I said, we hear all of your plights. Though I do agree with most of you here, he's certainly more than qualified to handle your cases. If anybody wants to have a go, you can do so tomorrow or the day after. Just book an appointment with Counselor Thorne."
The Section Chief swiftly turned his attention away from me shortly after that.
Taking out a small controller, he pointed it towards the top of the room where a small project was slowly pulled down.
"Can someone turn off the lights for me?"
Heeding his words, one of the recruits turned off the lights, and the Section Chief turned on the project as it illuminated a certain blank area of the room.
"Now that I've said my piece, it is time we talk about the more serious stuff."
An image formed on the wall.
It was a bedroom where an old woman appeared.
She appeared to be lying down on her bed.
"This is one of the videos that we've managed to gather regarding the most recent incidents with the twisted man. I advise caution. For those who ate or drank too much, be warned."
He proceeded to press the controller, and the video began.
The room fell silent as the video started with the woman sleeping.
A timestamp appeared in the top right corner of the video.
[03:15 A.M]
It moved fast as the video was sped up.
Eventually, the timestamp stopped at exactly [03:36 A.M]
In that moment, the old woman's eyes flared open as she raised her head and looked around.
Her actions were unexpected and confusing.
But then...
—Hello? Is anybody there? Who is knocking?
She suddenly started to speak.
—It's very early in the morning. If you don't stop knocking, I will be forced to call the police.
The old lady moved towards the window and looked out before turning back and looking towards the main door.
She roamed around the house like that until she moved back to the bedroom.
—I'm warning you... I will really call the cops!
A strange tension filled the surroundings as the woman spoke.
It was the way that she was speaking to herself that evoked a certain sense of tension.
Her eyes frantically looked around, and her voice rose with each passing second.
—I'm warning you!
She clutched her phone tightly.
The old woman looked even more frantic.
—I'm telling you! I'm warning you! Don't come closer!!!
Her voice rose to the point of screaming, the veins on her neck popping.
—Ah! Haaaa!
As if spotting something, her face grew entirely pale as she rushed towards one of the doors, opening it. It was just right outside of the camera angle, too.
And right as she disappeared from view...
—Ahhhhhh!
A blood-curdling scream filled the surroundings.
"....."
The video ended there.
Shortly after, the image of the woman appeared again. This time, her body was completely dried up, as she looked like a mummy.
The creepiest part of it all...
It was her slowly moving eyes and mouth.
...She was still alive.
"This right here is one of the many incidents that have been plaguing the island. We call this certain anomaly, the Twisted Man, and we deem it to be at around Melas-Class, with the potential to be Thrall. Though the woman looks alive, she's in a vegetative state. In short, she's brain-dead."
It was rare to see the Section Chief so serious.
"The anomaly is one that we've recently discovered, but looking through the Bureau's database, we've found similar incidents occur in other smaller islands. The cycle switches every couple of years, with the anomaly moving from island to island while leaving behind dozens of similar corpses."
Pausing, the Section Chief took a sip of water before continuing.
"Several Guilds have tried investigating the case, but with no luck. This is what we've managed to find so far."
Pressing onto the controller in his hand, the image of the room the old woman was in before appeared again.
"The anomaly cannot be seen through cameras. Take a look."
A laser suddenly shot out from the controller, pointing directly at the floor.
The faces of many changed, including mine, as we suddenly spotted a shadow.
"As you can see, this is a shadow. The anomaly is standing right before the camera, looking right at it, and yet we can't see it."
Pressing onto the controller, the image displayed was now that of a small two-story house.
"The anomaly's target criteria are a two-story house and a single occupant. As long as those two conditions are met, it will stop at nothing to hunt them."
With a sudden click of his tongue, the Section Chief lowered his hand.
"The citizens of the island are already somewhat aware of the anomaly, and we've been getting a lot of complaints regarding the situation, but what can we do? This anomaly is as slippery as they can be."
Scratching the top of his head, the Section Chief looked like he was nursing a headache.
Good.
I hoped it was a serious one.
He deserved whatever pain he was experiencing.
Pressing the remote control again, the projector displayed several dozen profiles, each showing a different person dressed in some form of red garb.
A prison garb?
"Since we're already mostly aware of the criteria involving the Twisted Man, we will be performing several tasks in order to catch it. Pay close attention since this is closely tied to your expedition tomorrow."
The room tensed upon hearing the Section Chief's words.
"These are the latest inmates the Bureau sent us to investigate the matter. They've all committed unspeakable acts, so don't waste your pity on them. In any case, they'll be placed in several of the houses we've constructed across the island. Your job is simple: monitor the situation, and if anything happens, report it to the Guild immediately."
The Section Chief's voice was somber as he spoke.
"If you notice something, do not engage. Just report the situation to us. We still don't know the full details of the anomaly. It is best that the Team Leaders handle the real stuff."
I was in full favor of this choice.
Yes, let them handle the dirty work.
"All of you will be sent a short report on the situation. I want you all to look over it tonight before going on the expedition tomorrow. It is important that you look over it since it might just save your life."
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Just as the Section Chief's voice faded, the unanimous sound of phones ringing echoed throughout the room.
Taking out my phone, I looked at the file on my phone.
[Twisted-Man.docx]
I almost pressed on the file before pausing.
No, wait...
Why did I receive this, too?
What—
"Your team is listed right below the document, so if you've received one, it means that you've been assigned to a team. If you can get to know your team, so that tomorrow you will avoid unnecessary troubles."
Pulling the remote controller away, the Section Chief suddenly smiled.
"And with that, I'm done. I wish all of you the best of luck!"
I looked at him before looking back at my phone.
And then...
Staring at the team assigned to me, I dropped my phone.
'Might as well just kill me already. What is the point in keeping me alive?'
I covered my mouth while trying my best to keep my tears in check.
But looking at my phone again and seeing the Team Leader's name, I felt tears pull down in my eyes.
[Group Leader : Zoey Terlin]
At this point, I knew this was no coincidence.
It was on purpose.
'This makes no sense. Of all teams, I'm with her...?'
No, no.
At this point, this felt like some sort of sabotage.
"Oh, you're with the support team?"
The rat said as he peeked his head over to see my phone. He was a little too close for my own comfort, but I bit the bullet and pretended like I was fine.
"I'm in the support team? Me?"
He proceeded to point at the line of text right above the Group Leader's name.
"See? It says support team."
"Now that you mention it..."
It really did say that.
But what exactly was this support team?
"Seems like things will be a little rough for you."
The rat looked at me with pity. What does... Why was he looking at me like that?
I suddenly didn't feel so good.
"I'm not too familiar with it myself, but as far as I know, the support team handles any issues that Guild Members might face. So if someone gets injured or is dealing with mental health problems, it's usually your responsibility to take care of it."
"That's..."
"Oh, and it also looks like our team is one of the teams that you will be supporting."
"Huh?"
Our team?
I lowered my eyes to stare at the list of names beneath the group leader's and my stomach churned.
'Fuck, his name is really there!'
I wanted to throw the phone away and curse the one who made the teams.
How can a coinci—
"Well, I'm not really surprised we're in the same team. After all, those of the support team usually take care of several teams at once. So, although it says that you're with our team, you're actually with multiple."
"Eh?"
Was this really the case?
Looking down, it really did seem like it as I realized that I was looking at the layout wrong.
"If that's true, then does that mean I'll have to go all over the place?"
"Errr, more or less. At least that's what the support team usually does. Well, you go whenever they call you."
The dimples on the rat's face became more pronounced. He was enjoying this situation, wasn't he?
My fingers started to twitch.
I was really itching to test my new ability.
"Has everyone seen their groups?"
Clapping his hands to recapture everyone's attention, the Section Chief raised one hand high.
"If anybody has any questions or complaints, please raise your hand."
I raised my hand.
I was the only one to do so.
I stood out.
And...
"Good, it looks like nobody has any questions or complaints. This will be all from me and the team leaders today. I hope to see you all tomorrow morning. I do advise all of you to get some good sleep. It'll be a long couple of days."
As he said this, the Section Chief grabbed one of the bottles on his table and waved his hand in our direction before suddenly leaving.
The Team Leaders followed right after.
"....."
I lowered my hand and covered my face.
Some day...
I'll definitely traumatize him.
My fingers twitched.
'I'll make that bastard scream to the point where he'll pass out if that is the last thing I'll do!'
***
The tatami door slid shut behind him as the Section Chief stepped out.
"Uwa... That was tiring. I guess I'll get some sleep after drinking a bit."
He eyed the bottle in his hands and smacked his lips.
Following behind him were the other Team Leaders. Just as the door shut, a tall man with a short beard, bushy brows, and graying hair stepped closer to the Section Chief, his deep voice resounding through.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Hm?"
The Section Chief looked back and looked at the Team Leader innocently.
"Do what?"
"Cut the nonsense. Why'd you ignore that kid when he raised his hand? I also caught you staring at him a couple of times. Is something going on?"
"...Oh, that kid."
The Section Chief's face fell a little.
"It's nothing big. He's just someone I'm trying to get to quit."
"Quit?"
"It's a bit of a complicated story, but he's essentially here because of Kyle. He's a friend of his and spends most of his time in the office making games. He was also the kid who found the recent gate in the museum. Because of that, the Guild decided to give him a base salary and some benefits."
"That really happened?"
The man raised his brow. As a Team Leader, he was aware of most of the things happening in the department, but this was the first time he had heard of something like this.
He had been rather busy the past few days.
"Yeah, it happened. And he's now getting some form of base salary that will go on for practically forever. Don't you think that's a massive waste on our budget?"
"....You're right."
The Team Leader nodded quietly.
"That does indeed sound like a waste of our budget."
"You know how important money is for our department. Though this may not be much, it can still add up, which is why I'm trying to get him to quit."
"Mhm. That sounds reasonable."
"Right?"
Fiddling with the drink in his hand, the Section Chief looked towards the other Team Leaders.
"I've got to go now, but enjoy your night, you all. I'll go enjoy my drink."
He raised the bottle in his hand and excused himself.
As he turned away, his lips curled ever so slightly, and in a voice meant for no one but himself, he murmured, "As if I'm handing that guy over to any of you..."
Although his actions were a little 'mean-spirited', the Section Chief wasn't worried about Seth quitting. It'd be a pity if he did, but he had seen people like him in the past.
They were rare, but they existed.
Psychopaths.
That Seth.. he was one such psychopath.
He was made for stuff like this.
***
The weather was cold.
Coming out of the restaurant, I tried to look for Kyle, but the moment I spotted him, I gave up on all thoughts of approaching him.
'He sure is busy.'
He was currently surrounded on all sides.
Not wanting to interact with them or gain any more attention, I turned my attention away.
"I guess I'll head to the dorms by myself."
This wasn't really an issue since the dorms were quite close.
Holding onto his jacket and zipping it up, I began to move to the dorms.
"Hm?"
However, just as I moved, I stopped and looked behind.
Another group appeared not far from where I was. They were all laughing and chatting together as they headed out of the restaurant.
Staring at them, my eyes fell on a certain individual with brown hair and blue eyes. He was relatively short and looked quite handsome.
Even his smile was quite nice.
'How strange.'
I scratched the side of my neck.
For a moment, I thought someone was watching me.
'Maybe I'm being too paranoid?'
Thinking about it and everything I had gone through, I wouldn't even be surprised.
"I guess I'll go get some sleep and think about everything else later."
I really was tired.
Turning around, I made my way towards the dorms.
However, right as I made up my mind, my steps paused. I was suddenly reminded of the scene prior. The one involving Zoey and sighed.
"Right, I should do that..."
I was indeed at fault in that scenario.
Not only that, but I also needed to get more snacks to feed Mirelle.
I could imagine what would happen if I didn't feed her.
Making up my mind, I headed towards the nearest convenience store.
'Hopefully, it's still open.'
-x-X-x-
Several of the more prominent recruits were held back by the end of the dinner. Mainly because others wanted to talk to them, and mainly because some wanted to build connections.
Kyle and Zoey were the most obvious targets within the department. Not only were the two extremely talented, but they also had the highest chances of becoming the next Team Leaders.
Rowan stayed behind for this reason. That... and the fact that he liked Zoey. It was just a pity that she didn't really show much interest in that regard, but Rowan was fine with that.
He was a patient man.
"Wow, I can't seem to catch a break."
"Same."
"It was late at night when most of the people had left, and there were only a few people left. Kyle and Zoey both looked rather tired.
"...I'm faring a bit better than both of you, haha."
As Rowan laughed, Kyle smiled at him.
"Don't worry. You'll get to that point eventually. You're quite talented, so I can see that you'll eventually be in a similar situation. You should get ready for when the time happens."
"I'm not so sure I'd like that."
Rowan scratched the back of his head while he looked at Zoey.
She seemed to be looking for someone.
"What do you think?"
Rowan addressed her, his smile pure and gentle.
"Huh? Think what?"
Snapping out of it, Zoey looked at Rowan.
"I wasn't paying attention. What did you say?"
Rowan wasn't at all mad and explained slowly.
"It's nothing really. Kyle said that I'm soon going to be suffering like the two of you."
"You are?"
Zoey looked at him weirdly before shrugging.
"Maybe? I don't really know. If you're good, I guess."
Zoey's replies were quite short and disinterested. Not really too different from how she usually was with most people.
Rowan didn't mind it. He liked her indifference.
"By the way, where did Seth go?"
But at that moment, his focus shattered, and his ears perked up. Why did she bring that guy up again?
Kyle's face, on the other hand, grew a little tense.
"Huh? Seth?"
"Are there any other Seths?"
"...Oh, I don't really know."
Kyle looked away, and Zoey's eyes narrowed.
"You definitely know where that bastard went!"
"No...?"
"Why is your voice so high?"
Kyle winced as he stepped back. On the other hand, Zoey's eyes turned even more predatory as she looked at him.
"I swear. If you don't tell me where he is, I'll make sure to strangle both of you at the same time."
"He really annoyed you, huh?"
Unable to remain passive, Rowan suddenly spoke. His face was still gentle, his eyes never leaving Zoey. This was a new side of her he had never seen. He quite liked it.
"Annoyed?"
Zoey spared him a glance before lowering her hands.
Eventually, she sighed while clicking her tongue at Kyle.
"More or less."
Rowan smiled.
"I see."
That's all he really needed to hear.
Shortly after, everyone began to split, all heading towards their own dorms. All with the exception of Rowan, who headed back to the Guild.
'So she really doesn't like him...'
Taking the elevator that brought him to the lowest floor, he came out and headed back to the offices. There were a few people still present, but it was mostly empty, with most of the people present practically half-asleep.
Rowan's gaze moved around the room before eventually settling on a certain room.
'That should be his office, right?'
Yes, it should be.
He remembered that room being some sort of old basement.
Quickly glancing around, Rowan made his way towards the office and lowered his body slightly to stare at the keyhole.
'No security, huh?'
He quickly smiled before shaking his head.
Of course, there was no security. This Seth was merely just a regular human.
Rowan wasn't really planning on doing too much. He just wanted to teach him a little lesson. This would probably be enough to satisfy Zoey. And then maybe...
Click!
With a single flick of his hand, a key formed, and he used it to unlock the door. As someone who specialized in the [Conceptualization] Decree, this was nothing.
Opening the door, Rowan stepped into the office and closed the door behind him.
"Let's see."
He took out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and lit up the area ahead.
He could've turned on the room lights, but he wasn't planning on staying for long. He didn't want to make it look like someone was inside from the outside.
The office was quite small, and there didn't seem to be much in it.
'That should be his desk, right?'
Spotting the desk, Rowan was just about to head there when he paused.
"Hm?"
Turning his head, his gaze fell on what looked like a painting. He wasn't quite sure since it was turned.
'Does he like art?'
Curious, he moved towards the painting and turned it over.
"What sort of painting is this?"
Rowan narrowed his eyes at the painting. It wasn't bad, depicting a girl dressed in white as she stood at the center, clutching an umbrella that obscured her face.
"He really paid for something like this?"
Rowan shook his head as he blinked his eyes.
"Hm?"
But just as he did, his brow rose.
"I swear the little girl was just a little bit further back. Am I seeing wrong?"
Rowan moved his face closer to the painting. However, after a while, he shook his head and laughed.
"...I guess I'm just tired. It's also strangely cold."
He didn't really notice it before, but the room was quite cold.
It was also extremely quiet.
For some reason, he felt his body tense.
Flick!
".....!"
All of a sudden, the lights of the room flicked up, and his head snapped towards the switch.
"What the..."
As the light covered the entire room, Rowan looked up.
"Are the lights broken or something? Or—"
Flick!
The lights switched off as fast as they switched on.
Once again, the darkness took over.
For some reason, his body tensed. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
"What sort of shitty room is this?"
Frowning, Rowan was just about to go to the light switch when...
".....!"
His gaze fell on the painting again.
Tak!
The painting dropped from his hand, falling face up against the floor as he took several steps back.
With his eyes glued on the painting, Rowan held onto his chest.
That... That... That...
The girl...
She was closer than before.
"No, that makes no—Huh?"
Feeling his back touch against something, Rowan paused. His entire body seemed to tense as he slowly turned his head.
".....!"
His heart nearly leaped out of his chest as he saw a massive, shadowy figure appear behind him.
Without thinking, almost on instinct, a weapon formed in Rowan's hand as he moved to fight, but just as he was about to strike, a hand suddenly grabbed his ankle.
His entire body paused.
And as he slowly lowered his head, he saw the face of a little girl emerge from the painting as her pale features became clear to him. A deep and wide smile marred her features as she settled her gaze on him.
"Hihihi."
A cheerful laughter filled the room as she latched onto his ankle.
"Come play with me~"
"No, no..."
Panic surged through Rowan as he struggled to pull his feet free, but the girl's grip was far stronger than he'd expected, pulling him towards the painting.
"No, no, no—hmm! Hhmmmm!!"
Before he even had the chance to scream, a black hand covered his mouth, and his eyes widened in horror.
Then...
"Hihihi."
Under the little girl's laugh, he was slowly brought into the painting.
"Play~ Play~ Play~"
Help!!
Someone help!!!
-x-X-x-
I had no real expectations going to my office. I was more stressed out about the impending expedition than anything else.
Holding onto a bag that was filled with all sorts of goods that I had bought from the nearby convenience store the day prior, I sighed.
"In case something happens, this should be enough for Mirelle."
Well...
I was also tempted to bring her if I did go, but I wasn't too sure.
'I mean, it's not like they can force me to go. What are they going to do if I say no? I already signed the contract anyway, so they can't force me to do anything. Clearly, the Section Chief is after something.'
I could also more or less guess what the Section Chief's goal was.
He was probably pulling some sort of nonsense to get me into the field. He seemed to have gotten this weird misunderstanding with me. That I was somehow good at this type of stuff.
I wasn't.
I sucked and I hated scary things.
But then again... I did need some new inspiration for my next game.
The sales for 'A regular day in the office' were starting to cool down. If I needed to progress, then I needed to quickly create a new cash cow.
"I'll think about whether to go or not in a bit. I still got a little bit of time."
We were supposed to head out at around ten. It was still eight. I had two hours to decide.
"....."
Or so I thought.
Walking into my office and seeing the unconscious figure sprawled on the floor, I had to pause and process what I was looking at before rubbing my eyes and taking another look.
No change.
There really was a person passed out in my office.
"What the fuck?"
I looked around, half-expecting a camera crew to pop out and shout 'Gotcha!', but no one came. The silence just made it weirder.
That's when I saw the painting.
It was lying face down on the floor beside him.
"Ah..."
I sighed as I looked at the man again.
'Right... isn't he that strange guy from yesterday? Don't tell me I was really correct with my hunch?'
Did he try to break in?
I scanned the room. Nothing looked out of place. No signs of forced entry. All my stuff seemed untouched.
Then how the hell—
"Hihihi."
A sudden laugh filled the room as I turned my head towards the painting, and a head peeked out of it.
"I had a lot of fun~"
"You did...?"
"Mhm."
Mirelle laughed, her pearly laugh echoing throughout.
"so much fun~"
"I see."
I secretly shuddered and forced a smile.
"I'm glad you had fun."
Glancing between the man on the floor and Mirelle, I lowered myself to the ground and sat down, leaning against the wall behind me.
"Tell me everything about what happened yesterday. Don't leave anything out. I'm curious to hear what games the two of you played when I wasn't here."
***
It felt like a long and terrible nightmare.
Rowan was no stranger to nightmares. Most in his line of work had their fair share. Lately, he had been plagued by nightmares due to all the built-up work and stress. But this one was different. It felt real... too real. And he couldn't shake the feeling of being smothered, as if a heavy weight was pressing down on his chest
The nightmare seemed to last for an eternity, pulling him deeper and deeper into its darkness.
'Hihihi~'
But occasionally, he would hear the sound of a little girl giggling, elevating the pressure that he felt.
'Play~ Play~ Play~'
No, no...
Make it stop. Please...
The little girl's words felt like they came from the depths of hell.
It sent shivers down his body, and then—
"Huaaa!"
He gasped, eyes flying open as harsh light stabbed down from above.
"Huh?"
As if a massive weight had been lifted off his body, Rowan blinked his eyes slowly.
'Where am I?'
His head throbbed, and he had little recollection of what had happened.
That was until...
"You're awake."
".....!"
Rowan's head flicked towards the voice, and his expression changed when he saw a pair of dead eyes looking at him.
"You, what...!?"
Memories came rushing back. The painting. The girl. The laughter. The shadowy creature.
Rowan stumbled upright, his legs shaking just as much as his voice.
"This, this... ah."
He couldn't form the words, his entire mind still consumed by the sheer terror that he had felt the day prior.
But it was amidst his struggle that he heard the voice again.
"You reek of alcohol." His voice was flat and unamused. "I won't ask why you were in my office, but I presume it's because you were drunk. At least, I hope that's the case."
Alcohol? Drunk?
He had hardly drunk at all the previous night. No, he did drink... but he was used to drinking this much. It wasn't anything he couldn't handle.
Rowan slowly turned his head to look at Seth.
"No, it wasn't—"
"Take a seat."
Seth's voice was firm as he spoke. For a moment, Rowan almost sat down. There was something about the voice that made him want to listen to it. But that was until he recalled the painting, and his head flicked back towards it.
He spotted it immediately.
It was hanging on the wall, with the girl in the painting in the same position as he had first found it.
A chill ran down his spine.
"Do you like that painting?"
"Wha... What are you talking about?"
"I saw you holding onto the painting while I found you passed out. Figured you liked it."
"No, that's..." Rowan's voice rose. "That painting... It's cursed! You need to immediately take it down and hand it over to the Guild. It's—"
"Stop."
Seth raised his hand to stop Rowan from speaking.
Reaching for the drawer next to him, he took out a small notepad.
He then proceeded to jot a few things down on the notepad as he shook his head while mumbling a few things like, 'More serious than I thought. Shows signs of clear distress and anxiety... This is worse than I expected...'
What in the world was he doing?
Rowan frowned, his chest starting to simmer.
But before he could say more, the man set the notepad aside and pulled out his phone.
"I figured someone would show up after what the Section Chief did yesterday," he said, placing the phone on the desk. "Didn't think it'd be this fast."
He tapped the screen.
"Well, I guess that we can get started since you're already here."
Started? Get what started?
Rowan's anger was about to reach a tipping point when the speakers of the phone came to life and a certain tune began to play in the air.
It was soft and melodious.
...Even hypnotic.
All of a sudden, Rowan felt his mind go blank at the sound of the music, and the anger that had been simmering inside of him vanished.
Across from him, Seth leaned back in his chair, legs crossed.
"Well then..."
He spoke softly, those lifeless eyes of his fixed on him.
"Shall we begin your trauma counseling?"
"Trauma counseling?"
Rowan groggily closed his eyes before snapping into clarity a moment after.
"What are you talking about? I don't need any coun—"
"That's what they all say."
Seth shook his head while jotting a few more things on the notepad in front of him. Relaxing his back on the chair, he reached for the phone and raised the volume of the music that was playing.
His actions confused Rowan, but before he could process the situation, his mind started to relax even further.
It was as if his brain had been dragged into a soft yet comforting embrace.
All thoughts and abnormalities from before seemed to vanish from his mind.
...In its place was an utter sense of tranquility.
"Should we start with a simple question?"
Seth's voice echoed in the background as Rowan sat in his chair, his eyes gradually closing.
He knew that something was wrong, but his mind refused to listen.
"How long have you been working for the Guild?"
"....."
It was silent at first.
But then...
"This is my third year."
Rowan eventually answered, his mind growing even more relaxed as the gentle tune whispered in the air.
"Third year?"
"....Yes."
"I see. So you must've gone through a lot while being at the Guild."
"Yes, I have."
Rowan thought about all the gates and missions he had been subjected to. All the deaths he had seen, and all the near-death encounters he had been in.
He... had indeed gone through a lot.
"In that sense, you must've had trouble sleeping lately. How often do you get nightmares?"
"It's... almost every day."
There were only a few days when he'd not get them, and those days were usually the days he'd come back utterly exhausted.
Only in such days would he not receive any nightmares.
It was a real struggle for him.
"Almost every day? That's... quite bad. How do you try to manage the nightmares?"
"I don't."
How could he manage them?
He had tried going to all types of psychologists and therapists, but none of them helped. The nightmares never ended.
Rowan had grown to accept them.
"Even if I do end up forgetting about them, what does it matter in the end? I'll still experience something similar."
Rowan's chest ached as his thoughts paused thus far.
He couldn't understand why he was even speaking at this moment. This guy was merely a stranger who knew nothing about him.
Someone whom the Guild had hired on a whim.
And yet...
Yet...
"That sounds really unfortunate."
Why was his voice so soothing to hear?
"Have you ever thought of quitting?"
"Quitting?"
Opening his eyes, Rowan smirked.
"Of course not."
The thought had never crossed his mind. He was just like many of the people within the department. Someone... who had their family, or someone close to them, taken by an anomaly.
"...I've... got my sister to take care of. I can't quit. Not until..."
Rowan's chest ached as his lips trembled.
Seth remained quiet while staring at Rowan. He proceeded to jot a few things on the notepad before calmly speaking.
"Has your sister been taken by an anomaly?"
Rowan shook his head, his voice stripped from his mouth.
She was still alive.
...But just barely.
It was just that... she was in a coma.
"I've made it my mission to find the anomaly and cure her. That's why... That's why I can't quit."
Rowan's body shook as he mumbled such words. He wasn't sure why he was saying so much, but he felt vulnerable at this very moment.
He felt weak, and the only thing that he found soothing was Seth's voice.
"..."
So much that the silence that followed his words made Rowan inwardly start to panic.
Why is he not saying anything? Does he think I'm pathetic? Does he—
But the last thing he could've expected was the next words that Seth said.
"That's quite noble of you."
Noble?
Me...?
"There's no shame in taking a job for motives such as these. You don't need to have the grand goal of saving the world, or any of that nonsense. Whatever makes you happy is what matters. Money, women, saving your sister... Your choice is only wrong if you let others tell you that it's wrong."
My choice is only wrong if I let others tell me it's wrong?
Rowan's lips trembled further.
But soon, Seth's voice echoed again.
"Nightmares are a window into your inner world. They serve a purpose — helping your mind process stress, fear, and unresolved emotions. Your brain doesn't simply shut down when you sleep; instead, it continues working through what you've experienced. Nightmares ... they only exist as a reminder of all the pent-up negativity you haven't dealt with during the day."
"W-what...?"
Slowly craning his neck to stare at Seth, he saw his dead eyes looking straight at him.
"It's okay to open yourself up to me. It's my job to listen to your worries. I'm here... to handle all of your pent-up negativity."
Quietly swallowing his saliva, Rowan opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.
This wasn't the first time he had heard of something like this. Many therapists had said something similar.
And yet...
This was the first time he truly felt different upon hearing the words.
Once again, his lips trembled as he held onto the armrest of the chair.
"O-okay."
He nodded quietly.
"I'll... try."
And for the first time since seeing him, Rowan saw a thin smile appear on Seth's lips.
"That's great."
Seth proceeded to take out his notepad again as he jotted a few things down.
"The process of healing always starts with you. The fact that you're willing to change is the most important aspect. Now then..."
Seth lowered the notepad to stare at Rowan.
"Would you be so kind and tell me why you were in my office?"
"Ah."
Rowan's face froze in that moment. He suddenly recalled the incidents from the day prior, and his breathing grew rough again.
But...
"Don't worry. I'm not mad. I can tell you were suffering a lot from the nightmares. Just be honest with me."
"That's..."
Rowan lowered his head, but eventually told him the truth.
"I was jealous."
"Jealous?"
"Yes, I..." Taking a pause, Rowan looked at Seth in shame, "I wanted to impress Zoey, and since it looked like she didn't like you, I thought I'd do something to make her happy, but... the moment I came into this office, everything went wrong. The pa—"
"Stop there."
Seth raised his hand to stop Rowan from speaking.
"Forget everything that happened at the office. It was simply the result of all the stress you'd been holding in, mixed with a bit too much to drink. You kept bottling things up until it all came crashing down at once."
"I-is that so?"
"Yes."
Seth put the notepad down and looked Rowan straight in the eyes. At the same time, the music continued to play in the background.
"I can understand how you feel, though. However, that's the wrong way to look at things if you want to impress someone."
"I know, but..."
"For now, focus on yourself."
Seth's voice turned softer.
"...You need to start prioritizing yourself above all else."
I do?
"You are important."
I am?
"Yes, so... let it out."
Seth smiled kindly once again.
"In this room, it's just you and me. Let everything out. I'll be here to listen to all of it."
And with that, the room fell silent.
It was just Seth and Rowan as the two stood in silence.
That was until...
"O-okay."
Rowan spoke again, his chest trembling as he held his fist near his mouth
He began to let everything out.
From his past, his worries, and all the stress he had been through.
The entire time, Seth listened.
He listened with a kind smile as he jotted a few things down on his notepad. Mainly a list of things he needed to buy when he went back to the dorms.
He was running out of milk.
'Oh, right... I need to get some butter too.'
Unaware of this, Rowan continued to pour all his emotions out.
That was also the day Seth received his first patient.
-x-X-x-
Clank!
With the sound of the door closing, the room fell into a strange silence.
I waited for a whole minute before turning off the music and leaning back on my chair.
"That was close..."
I felt utterly drained. Ever since I found Rowan sprawled on the floor, I'd been desperately trying to make him forget the painting and the Dreamwalker. I couldn't afford to have him reveal them.
If he ended up telling the Guild about them, then I'd have to find a way to explain to them how I got them, which could essentially lead to the system and all that nonsense.
I couldn't afford to take the gamble, and as such...
I somehow managed to 'gaslight' him into thinking it was just his nightmares and pent-up stress.
At first, I was worried it wouldn't work, but looking at my shirt and seeing the wet spot on it, I felt like I had done a good job.
"I'll have to throw away this shirt, though."
Who would've thought Rowan would go ahead and cry like that?
It honestly caught me off guard.
"Still, all that matters is that it somehow worked. At least for now."
I decided to schedule a few more appointments in order to ensure that he was completely 'converted'.
Only then would I feel safe.
To Tok—!
Lost in thought, I didn't even realize that someone was knocking on the door.
By the time I did, the door opened, and Kyle's face popped in.
"So? Are you ready...?"
"Huh?"
I blinked slowly, taking him in from head to toe. He wore a black shirt neatly tucked into brown shorts, his hands gripping the straps of his bag as he looked back at me.
"Ready?"
I turned my wrist and checked the time.
[09:47 AM]
Holy fuck!
Was it already almost time?
How did...
"What? Are you not ready? Do you need more time?"
"Ehh... wait, give me a moment."
Massaging my forehead, I shifted my attention towards my laptop.
To go, or not to go?
Every part of me rejected the notion, wanting to stay here and think of a way to create a new game. However, at heart, I knew that I had to go.
Not only would this help me learn more about the world and how the Guild operated, but it would also help serve as some sort of inspiration for my potential new game.
'Furthermore, I don't think I'll have to worry about my safety since I'm with the support squad.'
All I needed to do, realistically, was stay back while the field agents handled the main task.
I was then also reminded of something else.
'Don't be passive.'
Indeed, I couldn't remain passive.
The quests were only going to get harder from this point forward. From the conductor to the cult quest and all sorts of other variables.
I couldn't remain passive.
There was simply no way for me to survive if I didn't proactively try to improve.
As such...
"Alright, let's go."
After shutting my laptop and slipping it into my bag, I stood up and walked over to Kyle.
"Wait, let me go to the bathroom first."
"What for?"
"Puke."
*
Several buses waited at the entrance of the Guild, lined up in a neat line.
"My bus is further in the back. Yours should be ahead. We're going to the same location anyway, so it shouldn't matter much."
Kyle and I split up the moment we came out of the Guild.
I walked toward one of the first buses, stopping in front of the one marked [02] before stepping inside. Looking to the side, it looked like I was one of the first people to arrive since there was hardly anyone inside.
But...
"....."
"What are you looking at?"
I turned away from her.
"Why are you looking away?"
".....?"
The hell...
At this point, I didn't even know what to do.
"You know what, never mind. I can't be bothered."
With a sigh, I looked back at her and took out my bag. Her brows furrowed when she saw my actions, but before she could say anything, I took out a packet of chips from my bag and tossed it at her.
"Here."
"Huh?"
Zoey blinked her eyes slowly, unable to process the situation as she caught the chips.
"I took yours by accident yesterday. I bought a new pack as an apology."
"Wha..."
This was the first time I had ever seen her this speechless. Somehow... it was a sight that made my lips curl. It was almost as though her brain had glitched.
I took in the sight before moving towards the back.
Two steps in, however, Zoey appeared to recover as she turned towards me, "No, wait... I like barbeque flavor, not regular flavor."
"You don't?"
"Yeah..."
I paused for a moment before shrugging.
"You get what you get."
I didn't get a reply after that as Zoey begrudgingly placed the chips down, staring at them with a mixed expression, mumbling things like, 'I really don't like them though... Literally no flavor. What sort of psychopath likes regular flavor?'
"I can still hear you."
"I hope you did, you psychopath. Why would you buy such a bland flavor? Literally the most basic shit I've ever seen."
"If you don't like them, you can give them back."
"No, they're still mine."
"But you said you didn't like them."
"And I don't."
"Then...?"
"What?"
"You just..."
"What? What?"
I opened my mouth, but soon closed it. Even when she went on to say things like, 'I'm not giving it back, alright? They're mine. You got that?' I ignored her and found a seat at the back of the bus and closed my eyes.
I was quite exhausted from the incident prior with Rowan.
Time passed like that, and when I opened my eyes again, the bus was now full of unfamiliar faces. The chatter was quite loud, and everyone looked both nervous and excited about the upcoming expedition.
"May I have everyone's attention?"
A burly man with shoulder-length black hair suddenly came into the bus, gathering everyone's attention.
His demeanor was calm, his eyes unfocused, and his expression relaxed. However, something about his presence felt pressuring. He scanned the bus with his sharp eyes before he began to speak.
"I'll make it quick since I know most of you probably don't care. We'll be heading to the fifth zone, so it'll be about a twenty-minute drive. All of you should've received an email regarding the details of the place we're going. Given that we're dealing with a Melas-Ranked Anomalies, there's a chance that we'll meet those of the other Guilds. Do not engage if you see them."
I listened attentively while he spoke.
Although I was quite unfamiliar with the world, I still managed to grasp most of what he was saying.
The island, despite being 'small' compared to the other islands, was still quite big.
It held a population of about five million people and covered a large area. The entire city was divided into nine zones, each expanding from the center of the city [Zone 1], which was where all the Guilds were located.
Surrounding Zone 1 in a clockwise manner, starting from the northeast, were Zones 2-9.
Each Guild controlled a certain zone of the city, with jurisdiction handed to the King and Queen grade Guilds. Most of the time, when something occurred within a Guild's jurisdiction, it was the corresponding Guild's responsibility to solve the situation.
That was, of course, unless it directly involved Gates or entities that were in the Melas rank or above.
If the entity was of the Melas-Rank, then all Guilds within the island could investigate the matter.
Thrall rank was when international Guilds could interfere, and Kermite was world-ending stuff.
As of right now, this 'Twisted-Man' was of the Melas Rank, meaning that all Guilds within the islands had the right to investigate.
"I'd think this goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway: don't take the bait if they try to provoke you. Just focus on what you need to do and ignore them. You're all adults, so act like it."
That didn't sound really good...
The fact that he had to warn us about it gave me a bad feeling.
"This happened too many times in the past for me not to warn you."
There it was.
'So this is something that happens often. Great...'
The man then proceeded to say a few more things before sitting down.
"Alright, get some rest. You'll need it. It's going to be a tough few days."
Following his words, the bus kicked into gear, and it started moving.
Leaning against the window, I stared at the changing scenery.
And with that, the expedition officially began.