Behind the White Mask
The Dragon Slayer's voice began to fade in a decrescendo, growing quieter by the second. It was so swift that I could hardly believe it—White Mask had snatched us up and escaped in an instant. Thanks to her, we reached the train in no time, and only then did she set us down on the ground.
"Mu Yeon's passed out."
Checking on Mu Yeon at White Mask's words, I saw her mouth twisted, her body completely limp as if all strength had drained from it. The Dragon Slayer's voice must have sounded like an Outer God's roar to her. It was weirder that she was still in one piece.
"Who would've thought the Dragon Slayer would track us all the way there. We nearly had a disaster on our hands."
White Mask let out a heavy breath, but her tone suggested it wasn't entirely unexpected. Just then—
Crack.
"Hm? What was that? Some kind of sound..."
"...!"
White Mask's confusion was evident, and upon closer inspection, I saw cracks spiderwebbing across her mask. Her hands twitched toward it, but—
Crunch!
The mask shattered into two pieces with a sharp crack. White Mask grabbed the fragments with both hands, too flustered to cover her face first. In that moment, our eyes met.
"Ah."
She broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly turned her back to me. But I'd already glimpsed her face—and I couldn't help but be stunned. Cat-like features with sharp, fierce blue eyes. Yet they fit so perfectly, sculpted like fine art, that it felt anything but off-putting. It was a face so flawless it seemed only possible in graphics.
White Mask, however, panicked as if she'd shown something hideous.
"S-sorry. For showing you such an ugly sight..."
"It's beautiful. Why hide it?"
The moment I voiced my honest thought, it seemed like White Mask muttered something.
"Pardon?"
"What did you just...?"
Our voices overlapped again. Why were we syncing up so perfectly today? I tried to ask what she'd said, but White Mask grabbed my shoulders and leaned in close, her face inches from mine. My words caught in my throat.
Ugh, whoa. My heart was pounding—could she give me some space?
"This face... is beautiful?"
She looked genuinely flustered, and I nodded calmly.
"Yes."
At my straightforward answer, White Mask grew serious, tapping her chin with a finger.
"...Am I the crazy one? No, this guy's definitely a nutcase..."
"No, what the hell are you talking about!"
I shot back at her accusation. Who treats a compliment like proof of insanity?!
As I stewed in indignation, a rustling sound came from nearby. Mu Yeon was stirring, slowly sitting up. Our gazes—mine and White Mask's—turned to her simultaneously. Mu Yeon, still dazed and looking around, met my eyes and lit up with joy.
"T-Tantun! What hap—"
Mid-sentence, her eyes shifted to White Mask. And she froze solid. Like she'd encountered something indescribable, her pupils shrank, and her body began trembling violently. Unable to hold out, she squeezed her eyes shut and collapsed to the floor, out cold again.
Hm.
"Does that prove it enough?"
"...Yeah."
Mu Yeon, the ultimate fear detector. Reliable as ever!
We laid Mu Yeon on a seat as the train departed. Perhaps out of embarrassment, White Mask had crudely covered her face with a cloth and fallen silent, leaving me clueless about our destination.
"M-Master?"
At my call, White Mask nodded quietly, cleared her throat, and turned to me.
"Where are we headed?"
"To another village. With the Dragon Slayer having walked that far, heading back to Rondan risks her tracking us. It wouldn't end well."
"If she follows, doesn't it defeat the purpose?"
"She won't. The lesser dragons she commands are fragile—they dissipate without her protection."
I'd thought they seemed weak, but recalling how they vanished after one massage, White Mask was probably right. Though she didn't say it outright, it tied into what the Gardener had explained. Those lesser dragons must be the 'anchor' keeping the Dragon Slayer here. Why bother coming to the human world at all? No idea.
"Anyway, you both need rest. You just fought those lesser dragons and borrowed an Outer God's power in the process."
With that, White Mask clammed up again. No need for chit-chat, but the silence grew awkwardly heavy. With nothing to do, I gazed out the train window.
Beyond Rondan. The sky was choked with clouds, faint sunlight piercing through to barely illuminate the world. Snow fell steadily on that landscape, blanketing everything in white without respite. The train raced over the snowfields, the rhythmic clack of rails and wheels echoing in my ears.
Rondan's outskirts were supposed to be a land of death. So why did even this feel so breathtakingly beautiful? Massive peaks, cloaked in white, drew involuntary gasps of awe. Yet staring at snowdrifts formed into hills, I couldn't shake the thought of countless humans buried within, sacrificed to the storm. A stark contrast of beauty and tragedy, perhaps.
I clasped my hands, closed my eyes, and silently prayed for their souls.
"...Letting that one land a hit was the problem."
As I marveled at the somber, artistic vista, White Mask spoke up.
"When I arrogantly went to slay the Dragon Slayer, I wore my Outer God protective gear as usual. Thought it'd be fine—I'd repelled Greater Outer Gods before. But it was hubris. She bit my head clean off. The bite force was insane. Without the gear, it'd have been like slicing pudding."
I recalled the Surveillance Outer God and Gardener's power. The Surveillance one had toyed with me using restrained strength that still outclassed mine—imagine her going all-out to kill a human. Nodding, I thought surviving that was impressive.
"Still, with comrades' help, I barely lived. Gulped recovery potions to hang on. But look at me now. Cursed by an Outer God, it seems. The territory folk all recoiled in terror or fainted at my face."
Mu Yeon's reaction came to mind—even accounting for her timidity, anyone would react that way.
"That's why you manage an unmanned rail station..."
"No, I do that because I want to."
I ventured softly, feeling pity, but she snapped curtly. Rail otaku ending after all? What's with that tragic fate?! As I lamented, White Mask stood.
"We're almost there."
She shook Mu Yeon awake and headed out. I stared blankly.
"...Don't push yourself anyway. Sometimes you need the guts to call out the flaws."
Scratching my head as Mu Yeon groggily looked around, half-asleep.
It wasn't a lie...
Bandre, a village under Rondan's domain. I'd heard a few places survived beyond Rondan thanks to hearth flames—like candle-lit spots or knight rest stops. I figured it'd be deserted, but humans adapt; it bustled decently.
People shuffled by, heads bowed—just like back home. The flames were weaker than Rondan's hearth, blocking snow but not the chill, so everyone bundled up thickly.
Amazed, I scanned about until White Mask patted my shoulder and strode ahead.
"Go explore. First time here, right? I'll grab rooms."
"W-wait, I'll come too!"
Mu Yeon scurried after her in a fluster, leaving me alone. Shouldn't they tell me where? Eh, place isn't huge.
I wandered, eyeing packed coat racks in shops, steaming food stalls, folks chatting over cups by buildings. Much like Rondan, but knowing it thrived out here felt mysteriously enchanting. Grinning fresh, I strolled—then spotted something different.
"Cheap, cheap! Folks, wouldn't a maid make life easier? Super low price! Just 50 silver! 50 silver each!"
A pot-bellied man wielded a whip, bellowing like a slave trader. Human trafficking. Illegal, sure, but seeing it persist soured my mood. Better not stir trouble. Tell White Mask later.
As I turned away, my eyes locked with a girl inside. Pointed ears. Neat brown hair. Unlike the terrified others, her eyes held weary boredom. Wait—that girl...!
It hit me who this trader was—and that I couldn't leave her behind. I reversed course.
"Come on, come—K-Knight?!"
"How much for that girl?"
Pointing her out, the trader rubbed his hands greedily.
"Oh, sir Knight! 50 silver apiece! Bulk discount if you take more..."
"Ah, 50 silver?"
Pretending to check my pouch, I pulled my fist back—
Thwack!
Slammed it into his nose. He flew back, crashed against the wall, slid down, and knocked out cold.
...Tries to sell even knowing I'm a knight? What kind of brain?
Glancing at the girl—maybe my imagination, but a spark flickered in her vacant eyes.