Going Outside (2)
Going Outside (2)
I hid between the trees and observed the people.
'Hiking clothes? Are they hikers?'
The people were wearing hiking clothes. They seemed to be resting, sitting on a wooden bench and chatting quietly amongst themselves.
'What are they talking about...'
Their voices didn't carry, so I moved a little closer. Only then did their voices reach me.
"Ay, Mr. Kim. You brought only gimbap again. Eat something else once in a while. Have some nuts too."
"What can I do when my wife only packs gimbap? Gotta eat what I'm given."
'Ordinary conversation...'
The hikers were talking about their ordinary, daily lives. I stopped for a moment and quietly listened to their conversation.
"You should complain a bit to your wife. Doesn't your throat get dry eating only gimbap every day? Here, let me pour you some drink."
"Ay, you don't have to... but if you're offering, I'll gratefully accept it, hmph."
They shared their food and finished their meal in a warm, friendly atmosphere. After eating, they each gathered their gear and began climbing the mountain again.
"Alright, everyone, you haven't forgotten anything, right? We're climbing to the summit and coming back down today. We only have about an hour left, so let's give it our all!"
"Let's do our best!"
I followed the hikers climbing the mountain. There wasn't any particular reason that came to mind. Going down the path to check the surrounding villages would be more aligned with my objective, but for some reason, I wanted to follow these hikers.
As they walked, they continued to chat quietly amongst themselves. Following behind and eavesdropping on their conversation, I naturally learned about their circumstances.
How Mr. Kim is henpecked by his wife, has one daughter, and goes hiking every month as a hobby to build stamina. That they are people from the villages around here.
These were all things that were of no help whatsoever in gathering information, but even so, I continued to follow these people.
And finally, they reached the mountain summit.
"Hoo, we made it."
"Mr. Jang, are your legs okay? You twisted them a little earlier."
"It's fine, it's fine. I'll get better after resting properly at home."
They shared their impressions and fully enjoyed the scenery from the summit.
"Whew~ The view is amazing no matter when you see it~"
"That's what I'm saying. That's the reward for climbing this mountain."
'.....'
Their faces were filled with a sense of accomplishment. It was clear they were enjoying the mountain scenery.
I couldn't see that. The scope of my perception of the world is limited, you see. I can't look out into the distance as humans do.
'I should have brought more soil.'
If I had, maybe my perception range would have widened. Wouldn't I have been able to see at least a part of the scenery they saw? I felt a bit regretful about that.
'I should come back later.'
Next time, I'll bring a ton of soil and also see the scenery they saw. I should bring Cynthia too. It must be scenery worth seeing, so wouldn't it be better to see it together?
"Hoo... That's refreshing. So, shall we head down now?"
"Yes, let's go."
After enjoying the scenery for a while, they gathered their gear again and began to retrace their path back.
'I should follow them too.'
If I follow them down, there should be a village. I need to check if I can get something there.
'Honestly, I don't think there will be anything, but it's just recon anyway.'
There was also a bit of personal desire mixed in, wanting to see the human world. I couldn't help but be curious.
'Speaking of which, the outside is more ordinary than I thought. Cynthia talked about mages and Goei, so I imagined something like a post-apocalyptic world.'
But when I actually came outside, it was more ordinary than I imagined. People were living their daily lives and even enjoying hobbies. It was very different from the world I had imagined.
'If what Cynthia said is true, doesn't it mean quite a few Goei have been appearing lately? Is someone dealing with them as soon as they appear?'
If that's the case, it's a big problem. That means my current location could also be pinpointed. I felt an unwarranted sense of unease.
'No, if that were true, they would have found and dealt with me while I was wandering lost. And maybe they can't detect such a small power like mine.'
The time I spent wandering lost was at least over a day. If those who deal with Goei were as competent as I thought, it would have been more than enough time to be caught already. My hypothesis that they can't find me started to gain a little strength.
'Well, I'm still a bit scared, so let's just visit the village and head back. No point staying too long and getting caught.'
It seemed the people had reached the village. A boisterous noise echoed.
I waited until the people dispersed, and only after it became quiet did I enter the village.
To put it in one word, the village was a tranquil rural village itself. Each house was far apart, and there were farming lands everywhere.
'It really feels like the countryside... I wonder if there are any empty houses or something like that?'
I moved sluggishly, exploring the village in places where I felt no signs of life, and soon I was able to find a place that looked like an abandoned house.
'There really is one... Is there anything inside?'
Out of curiosity, I went inside, and a scenery that looked like a garbage dump greeted me.
Items covered in dust, long left unorganized, spiderwebs haphazardly strung in between, and insects teeming on the floor.
'Looks like a scene Cynthia would like... Bugs are everywhere.'
Thinking such idle thoughts, I explored the interior. I wasn't expecting a computer or cell phone, but I had hoped for at least a magazine or book, but unfortunately, it was all just trash.
'I'm really glad I don't have a sense of smell at times like this. The smell must be horrendous.'
The fact that I lacked senses was something to be grateful for at times like this. After that, I searched for quite a while until night fell, but nothing came out, as expected.
'Did I dig around too much... I feel like the soil has gotten dirty too.'
The already messy abandoned house became even more of a mess. Maybe because I rummaged through the trash heap, even the soil I was moving felt slightly contaminated.
'...Wait a minute. It's not just contaminated... The vitality has decreased?'
Checking again, the vitality of the soil had definitely decreased. In my memory, this phenomenon had happened only once before.
'Lingering Thoughts?'
At that moment, from the deepest room inside the abandoned house, I felt someone's gaze. I hastily scattered soil in all directions.
Crunch!
The sound of the floor breaking was heard. Simultaneously, the vitality of the soil in that place instantly vanished.
'It's certain. It's a Lingering Thought. And one with a level of negativity I've never seen before.'
The form that had broken the floorboard slid back to its original shape. It had the form of an old man with twisted limbs. What broke the floorboard just now was its head part.
The Lingering Thought stood still, staring at me as if wary, having avoided the attack. It was a fairly powerful Lingering Thought. To be clear, with my current state, I couldn't do anything to it.
'The vitality of the soil is too insufficient. I can't even hold out like this.'
The difference in power is stark. My power is hopelessly insufficient to offset its power.
But what if I run away here?
'The people in the surrounding villages would be in danger.'
According to what I heard from Cynthia, Goei act to gain human fear. Among them, many not only gain fear but also commit murder.
And judging by the creature's actions just now, whether it would attack the villagers was already decided.
'I have to try to block it as much as possible. After all, even if I use up all the soil outside, I can just go back inside.'
It's a battle with nothing to lose. Thinking positively, isn't it an opportunity to gain experience? It's time to develop ways to cope in situations where power is lacking.
Perhaps sensing that the power I possessed was meager, the creature pulled its head back and then stretched its neck out long to attack.
'Like before, disperse and...'
Predicting where its head will land and empty the soil only from that part.
Crunch!
'Then next, somehow move the surrounding soil to...!'
Having successfully dodged its attack, I squeezed out all my strength to move the surrounding soil and bind the creature's feet.
'Got it. Ah, it broke free...'
However, it was a hastily made, crude restraint, so when the creature strongly moved its legs a few times, it couldn't hold and broke free.
After that, it was a repetition. The creature attacks, I dodge and desperately try to counterattack somehow.
But as time passed, the disadvantage was on my side. Because the vitality it received was extremely minor, while that minor damage was fatal to me.
Crunch!
'Ugh, after that, only 1/3 is left...'
Because my concentration was disrupted, my reaction to the creature's attack was delayed. Somehow, I ended up entering the innermost room.
'What to do... Huh? What? Something feels strange...'
A similar energy to the Lingering Thought was felt in the room. It felt as if it was connected to the creature. It was an instinctive feeling. That this was the key to resolving this situation.
'There's something in this room.'
The place where the Lingering Thought's energy clung most tenaciously. It was an old, worn-out hairpin.
'If I infuse vitality into this...!'
But faster than I could infuse vitality, the creature attacked.
Like a dragon whose reverse scale had been touched, the creature charging in rage made me intuitively realize I had failed.
'Ah, too late... I should have noticed earlier.'
The moment I resigned myself, a calm voice came from outside the abandoned house.
"Grandfather Park Dong-chun. Grandmother says she wants to see you."
Halt-
As soon as it heard the voice, the Lingering Thought stopped moving. It looked toward the source of the voice with its grotesque posture.
There stood a girl wearing a plain white mourning dress.
She looked at the Lingering Thought with her faintly glowing blue eyes and spoke.
"Grandmother says to stop making a fuss and come quickly. She made the scallion pancakes Grandfather liked, so come and eat them quickly."
Grrk-
The Lingering Thought's neck twisted this way and that. Unconcerned, she stepped into the abandoned house and walked past the Lingering Thought, approaching me.
She looked at me with slightly puzzled eyes for a moment, but then, taking the hairpin, she looked at the Lingering Thought again.
"I will take responsibility and deliver this hairpin to Grandmother for you. So, please rest peacefully now."
The girl firmly gripped the hairpin with her hand. Then, a strange power seeped into the hairpin, and soon the figure of the Lingering Thought began to fade gradually.
'...What? This feeling, something strange yet familiar...'
During the entire process, the Lingering Thought simply stood still, watching the girl. At the last moment, the Lingering Thought placed its twisted hand on the girl's shoulder.
With that, the Lingering Thought vanished. All that remained was the single hairpin it had cherished so dearly.
"...Hoo."
The girl let out a light sigh. She looked at the hairpin for a moment, then put it in her pocket. Then, she turned around and looked at me, who was trying to slip away secretly, with a meaningful gaze.
"So, what are you?"
'...That's what I want to ask.'
That was my first meeting with the girl.