The Tiny Black Glory Member
The entrance to the Ice Cream Factory was being battered by a fierce blizzard.
“Haaah…”
Parfait wrapped his thick coat tightly around himself and let out a sigh.
The cold wind made his nose tingle, and his fingertips had long since lost all sensation.
“…What kind of place is this to be assigned guard duty?”
Parfait grumbled about his superiors repeatedly, his body shivering.
If it had been internal security, he could have spent his time inside the warm factory.
But why had he been assigned to guard duty at the entrance for a week straight in this blizzard? He couldn't understand it at all.
It was unfair.
Truly, it was too unfair.
Parfait tried to melt his body by stomping his feet heavily.
But the blizzard ignored his small efforts and continued to blow fiercely.
“Damn it, that's why I said I didn't want to work on Ice Island…”
He leaned against the frozen iron door and stared at the sky endlessly.
For some reason, the weather today was even rougher.
If the blizzard intensified, visibility would blur, and the patrol team wouldn't be able to go out.
Parfait glanced at the control room entrance without thinking.
At that moment,
In his hazy gaze, a small silhouette was slowly walking towards him from afar.
“…What is that?”
Parfait frowned.
Due to the blizzard, it was blurry, but as it got closer, the figure.
Was small.
Too small.
No matter how you looked at it, it wasn't the build of an adult male.
It was excessively diminutive, like a child wandering in the snow.
Suddenly, Parfait narrowed his pupils upon seeing the hat the guy was wearing.
It was the black hat worn by Black Glory organization members.
Not a simple cold-weather hat.
It was the symbol of the Black Glory organization and a special hat given only to internal members.
“…Is that little guy an organization member?”
Parfait let out a hollow laugh.
That couldn't be.
Black Glory organization members had to go through strict screening to join.
The organization couldn't accept children in the first place.
Then,
Parfait stared at the guy again.
The guy was slowly walking through the blizzard.
His face was not visible.
But his gait was very relaxed.
If it was a normal child, they would have huddled their arms and trembled while hurrying through the cold.
But that guy was walking as if it was a leisurely stroll.
Parfait felt a strange feeling.
And finally, the little guy stopped in front of the entrance.
Parfait stared at him fixedly.
The guy was standing right in front of the factory entrance.
“…”
An awkward silence fell between them.
Parfait was flustered.
Normally, a person would open the door or present something to prove they were an organization member.
But that little guy was just standing there looking at Parfait.
Without any hesitation.
“…”
What?
Parfait said in disbelief.
But the little guy didn't answer.
He just looked up at Parfait with sparkling eyes from under the black hat.
Something felt off.
Parfait looked at the little guy's hat again.
It was definitely the hat of Black Glory organization members.
It was hard to get this organization member hat from outside.
Then, was he really an organization member?
Parfait recalled the slim possibility and looked at the little guy again.
Questioning or verifying the identity of organization members was taboo in this base.
If he suspected something unnecessarily and it reached his superior's ears, he would likely get scolded severely.
'Well, that little guy couldn't have come to rob the base alone.'
Thinking that, Parfait let out a hollow laugh, scratched his head, and pulled the lever next to the entrance.
“Enter.”
A moment later, clang.
The door opened.
The little guy nodded without saying a word,
Then just slipped into the door.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
As if he already knew the internal structure of the base.
Parfait opened his mouth slightly.
He stared blankly at the back of the little guy who had already disappeared.
“…What was that guy?”
Muttering that, Parfait closed the iron door again.
The blizzard was still blowing fiercely.
But now, a more annoying question than the wind was filling Parfait's head.
Then, Rumiel entered the base interior and slowly moved her steps.
The sound of the iron door closing with a bang echoed behind her.
Success, as expected.
Rumiel's ahoge twitched slightly.
The ahoge sticking out from under the hat wiggled.
Although the guard at the entrance had sent a suspicious look, she passed without much suspicion.
'It's still effective.'
The Black Glory hat.
In the game, it was an item obtained later through story quests when contacting organization members.
By wearing this hat, for a short time, she was recognized as a Black Glory organization member and could freely enter and exit specific areas.
Rumiel slowly touched the brim of her hat with her fingertips.
This wasn't a game now.
This world had become reality, and the NPCs had their own thoughts and emotions, not just 0s and 1s.
Nevertheless, with just this hat, she could easily pretend to be an organization member.
This must be following the game system.
Thinking that, Rumiel gave a faint smile and tilted her head slightly.
The inside of the factory was dark.
Cold bluish lighting flickered faintly from the ceiling.
The walls were a mix of ice and metal, with thick pipes running everywhere.
Rumiel slowly walked around inside.
Organization members were busily moving at their respective positions, operating machines or patrolling corridors while talking to each other.
It was a strange sight.
In the game, when they saw the player, exclamation marks appeared above their heads and they pulled out weapons, but here it was so peaceful.
Rumiel's eyes sparkled as she turned her head around.
However, whispering sounds were getting louder around her.
“…What is that little guy?”
“I don't know. Who is he?”
The organization members started gossiping while glancing at Rumiel.
The Black Glory hat she was wearing was a clear marker of an organization member.
Nevertheless, because of her small body and childlike appearance that didn't match, they were all puzzled.
And among the organization members, there was one who was particularly intimidating staring at Rumiel intently.
Rumiel's eyes were full of curiosity.
Like a child discovering a new toy, her sparkling eyes were examining the factory's structure and machines.
“…What is this guy?”
This was the Black Glory factory destroying the resources of Ice Island.
A place filled with organization members who survived in a cruel reality.
But in it, there was a small being with a face full of excitement watching.
Rumiel remained silent, slowly moving her steps deeper into the factory.
Countless gazes were directed at her, but Rumiel didn't care at all.
Her interest now was elsewhere.
Right, the strange scent spreading in the air.
An incredibly sweet fragrance.
The smell was as if someone had poured a handful of sugar, like a freshly made dessert piled up somewhere.
Rumiel wiggled her ahoge slightly and walked towards the inside of the factory where the fragrance was emanating.
And behind that Rumiel, there were strange presences.
The boss was there.
Parfait was busily giving instructions among the complex machines.
“Keep the temperature constant! I told you not to let the ice cream freeze!”
“Machine operation rate 98%! Good! Just like this.”
The factory manager was moving busily.
With a furrowed brow, he was roaming around, constantly encouraging the organization members.
Inside the factory, large machines were continuously running, and large machine arms were melting sugar and creating something in strange shapes.
Rumiel quietly wiggled her ahoge.
Her eyes were sparkling with anticipation.
While he was focused, Rumiel naturally approached his side.
Quietly.
Secretly.
And very close.
At that moment, Rumiel quickly leaned her head in.
“Waaah—”
Swoosh.
The small mouth bit Parfait's hand.
“Uwaaaaaah!!!!”