Chapter 15

After the briefing ended, we were given some free time.

Even so, the places we could go were limited to the vicinity.

Guided by a soldier, I stepped outside the building.

It seems it was because it was far too stifling inside there. I wanted to relieve this suffocating feeling with anything at all.

"Phew..."

I raised my head and looked up at the sky.

The sky was hazy, as if a slight fog had rolled in.

Seoul covered in fog, hah.

If it had been any other day, I might have felt it was atmospheric.

Because the subtle light created by the sun's rays bouncing around within that mist had its own aesthetic value.

But not today.

My gaze naturally headed toward the blackout zone.

The black cylinder soaring endlessly into the sky.

As if censoring the world, it undulated aloofly, blocking all contact with the outside.

Watching that sight, I suddenly realized that the world was far too suffocating.

"Would you like a smoke?"

"......."

I turned around at the words I suddenly heard.

Looking at his face, it was the officer who had taken charge of negotiations with us, including the briefing.

He handed me a cigarette.

I stared blankly at the pinky-sized cigarette.

"It's perfect for clearing your mind when you feel stifled."

"...Then, just one."

I accepted the cigarette.

How did they smoke in the movies? Squeezing it between the index and middle fingers, and then, like this...

"...Have you never smoked before?"

"...No."

The officer asked like that.

It seems my posture looked far too amateurish.

"There is no need to force yourself to smoke."

"No, well..."

I wasn't forcing myself. Because if I didn't do something right now, I felt like something would happen to this suffocating heart of mine.

"Then I should make a slightly more pragmatic judgment. Do you know what the cliché of media where the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠world ends is?"

"More or less..."

"Then you must know. Cigarettes are traded like a kind of currency in a ruined world. If you light that cigarette now, you'll be taking a loss later when the world ends."

The officer's words made sense at first glance.

I returned the cigarette I was about to smoke back to the officer. He carefully enshrined it inside his cigarette pack as if it were some precious treasure.

Watching that sight, a question suddenly arose, and I looked at him.

"...Do you believe the world will end?"

"...If you want my personal opinion, yes. When I look at those monsters, I can't erase such thoughts."

The officer's expression was still expressionless. His voice also hadn't lost its cool-headedness.

Because of that, his resignation felt even more terrifying to me.

Because the apocalypse he spoke of sounded highly rational.

The officer smoked his cigarette while staring into the void for a long time, then suddenly started speaking.

"Therefore, I would like to make a proposal to you. Go back. I will send you back to your home, not a quarantine facility, so please, just go back."

"...Is it okay for you to do that?"

"There is nothing in the world that is perfectly okay to do. However, committing an overstep of authority just once wouldn't be too bad."

The officer exhaled white smoke with a 'phew'. The smoke scattered away before it could even touch the fog.

"Information about you has already spread widely. The government was also planning to attempt contact immediately. Of course, we ended up meeting like this before that could happen."

I had personally gone to the community center in the first place. It would be stranger if the government didn't know of my existence.

Of course they would, seeing as I'm likely the only Angel mutant in the world. Plus, I've become famous on the internet.

"You're going to find your sister, correct?"

"...Yeah, well. I have to drag her out by the hair."

"My proposal is still valid. The military will take custody of your sister, so how about you return?"

Saying that, the officer took a hollow breath.

He spoke as if vomiting it out for the first time.

"The Republic of Korea is not fragile. A disaster will not occur just because one adult in his early twenties is missing."

I smirked at those words.

"If you say it like that, what about the other soldiers. They are also around the same age as me."

"They just had bad luck. What can be done about them serving at this specific time."

"I was also scheduled to enlist in a week."

"But aren't you sufficiently eligible to receive an exemption now."

That's not wrong either.

And anyway, most of what the officer is saying to me is for my own sake.

He seems to be feeling deep skepticism about the current situation.

Otherwise, there's no reason for him to persuade me this desperately.

And as for me...

Honestly speaking, it seems I probably will.

If I can taste even a little bit more peace... nothing would be more satisfying than that.

There's a lot to do when I go back. I have to play the mobile games I've fallen behind on, and there are many console games I bought but haven't played.

And I should spend time with people. Be it friends or family.

Right, I'll go back and spend time with my family.

With family...

"...It's not easy."

Because my thoughts wouldn't go any further, I had no choice but to answer like that.

Towards me, who was just quietly staring at the black cylinder, the officer said.

"As long as it is before today ends, my proposal remains valid at any time."

That is truly, tear-jerkingly agreeable. For real.

I returned to the briefing room.

About half of the mutants remained here.

"Where did everyone go?"

"The half that aren't here went out to get some fresh air, and the other half decided to return."

That answer returned from the owlbear beastman.

People must have a lot to think about too.

But more than that, I was surprised by the fact that half of them still remained here.

"Then does that mean the people here are not going back...?"

"Yes, well. It turned out that way."

The owlbear saying that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had a somewhat resigned tone of voice.

"I was originally an old man with not many days left to live anyway. My only joy was taking care of my grandson... spending the rest of my life peacefully would have no meaning."

"...Is that so?"

"Yes, it is. Besides, from what I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠heard, those things called mimic beasts or whatever mimic forms just as their name suggests, right? Then I'll at least be able to see my grandson's face, haha..."

The expression of the owlbear beastman saying that wasn't very bright at all.

It couldn't be. Even if he saw his grandson's face, it would just be a monster that carved out his grandson's skin and was pretending to be him.

"...And I suppose I must get revenge. For now, I remained here with that mindset."

"...Thank you for sharing your difficult story."

It was the moment I said that and was about to turn around.

This time, even though I didn't ask, a vampire stepped forward and brought up his own story.

"I don't have a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠family. I was an orphan. The only thing I lost in Gangnam was my studio apartment that I bought with coins."

"Then why are you remaining here?"

"Because this must be a trial sent down by God."

I flinched at those words.

God, was it because there was someone who left a bad impression among the people who cried out such words?

But as if not caring about my reaction at all, the vampire rather sent passionate glares toward me and launched into a long speech.

"Behold! This world is a massive furnace of refinement. The abyss of that blackout is the flame that burns away sin, and we are the materials that must be reborn as pure gold within it. And here stands our redeemer! Is your very existence not the most certain foreshadowing that this hell is under God's control!"

The eyes of the vampire saying that were fixed on me.

Well, it sounded like absurd nonsense to me, so I suddenly ended up bursting into laughter.

"I am nothing like that. I was even considering just going back right now."

"If you will do so, then do so."

The vampire smiled affably with a pale face.

I could see his facial muscles twitching, but he didn't lose his smile.

"Since your will is soon the Lord's will, your actions will soon be salvation. Do as you will."

"...If I do not join you, what will you do?"

"Even so, I must enact what I believe."

The vampire, who had paused for a moment, continued.

"Looking at your demeanor, it seems you harbor a bad impression of us."

"...Yes. To some extent."

"But how can a person only have one side? Both sides are bound to exist in everyone. Just as I, who follow the Lord's will, have taken on the form of a wicked hound."

There wasn't a single hint of wavering in the vampire's voice as he said that.

"The Lord commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, so I will only uphold and follow those words."

And that seemed to be the very decisive reason he remained here.

Helping others. He was truly a heroic type of human being, hard to find these days.

"...I think I need to agonize over this a little, just a little bit more."

But a sudden resolve entered me, and after saying that, I exited the briefing room.

The place I headed was the same spot where I had been talking with the officer earlier.

The officer was still there, quietly smoking a cigarette.

Noticing me belatedly, he spoke to me.

"...You've returned. Have you made your decision?"

"No."

"...I understand. It is a difficult decision."

"But I have brought an answer."

I...