Preliminary Investigation (3)
Preliminary Investigation (3)
[Seoul - Restricted Zone Levels 1-3]
Inside a park with the checkpoint in plain view.
A man sits casually on a bench with his back to the twisted space, browsing the web on his phone.
"Hwaaah-um... tch."
The man, an official ID hanging conspicuously around his neck, lets out a long yawn and leans back against the bench.
A cloudless, clear sky and warm sunlight shining down.
The breeze against his cheek still carries a slight chill, but mingled with the sunlight it only makes his body feel more languid.
-Hope we don't strike out today...
-Damn, how the hell is it booked solid all the way into May?
-We're seriously gonna have to head out to the boonies. Hey.
A group of Awakened, clad in equipment that looked shabby at a single glance, had just passed through the checkpoint into the restricted zone.
'Tsk, tsk. The ones with no skill are always the loudest complainers.'
The man believed people ought to live within their means. That was the only way to keep life from being exhausting.
Just look at those three grumbling past.
Plenty of rifts with open slots were available if they simply moved to the zones starting at Level 4. But they lacked the skill, and the guts to take on the risk, so instead they loitered around here—a place built for beginners to stack experience.
Hoping to stumble on some unregistered, newly formed rift.
Pathetic.
Low-level zones were jointly managed by the government and major guilds, with most rifts allocated for practice use by specialized schools and academies. Which meant that besides loafing civil servants like himself, Awakened dispatched from major guilds were also present here.
Detection-type Awakened were all around, sharpening their senses to discover new rifts. Those three, far inferior, had no chance of finding a new rift no matter how much they trudged around poking at every corner.
"They'd be better off working as laborers."
These days, posts were popping up about building convenience facilities inside stabilized rifts and piloting resort facilities in scenic locations.
If they'd signed up for that kind of work, they wouldn't be wasting their time and their bank accounts would be a lot fatter.
The man watched the retreating backs of the three for a moment, then turned his head away.
He intended to kill time until lunch by continuing the novel he'd been reading yesterday.
"......?"
Just as he was about to tap the prompt asking if he wanted to continue reading, the checkpoint suddenly became busy.
Since the main users of this area were students, capable personnel were always on standby for emergencies, so it wasn't likely anything serious. But he couldn't help it—the noise pulled his gaze that way.
A moment later.
The checkpoint gate lifted and a pair—a man and a woman—entered the zone.
The man stared blankly, blinking.
"...He's huge."
A man of tremendous height, easily two meters tall, and a blonde woman walking beside him.
The plain-faced woman wasn't especially tall, but her figure was eye-catching in a different way.
Matching glasses and coats.
It felt like the woman had accommodated his style, but he thought they looked like a well-matched couple.
'......Huh?'
The man saw the large pair heading straight toward him, pocketed his phone, and rose from the bench.
"From Arena Academy?"
The man with the official ID hanging around his neck asked. Standing beside Baek Woo-jin, Claire nodded.
"I see."
The official stepped aside without any further checks.
Whatever procedures were necessary had already been completed at the checkpoint.
Baek Woo-jin stepped into the fractured rift, faint light seeping from its cracks. Claire followed behind him.
The man pulled his chair over, sat back down, and took out his phone again.
**
【A tremendous roar, then a powerful shock engulfs the entire cavern.】
【Students scream from every direction.】
【Blue rocks plummet down upon students who have lost their balance and fallen.】
【The only escape route is blocked by the collapsed ceiling.】
【Amid chaotic cries, the rift crumbles.】
A cave tinged with blue light.
The rift's atmosphere was saturated with an unpleasant humidity, like a rainy midsummer night.
The moment those details reached my eyes and skin,
the memories from that side surfaced naturally in my mind.
"If you'll excuse me."
Claire, who had moved to my side, emanated a soft radiance. The light pushed back the oppressive dampness.
-Gruaak.
A boulder a short distance away squirmed and let out a pained cry.
A Monster that made its home inside rocks.
That was the cry of a Moss Turtle.
At first glance, it looked as if the cave walls themselves emitted blue light, but in truth, moss that produced a blue luminescence grew across the walls and ceiling.
The moss held so much moisture that the surface appeared to be smooth, slick rock.
-Guhat.
The Moss Turtle sluggishly fled from the holy power.
I extended my hand to Claire, who stood quietly beside me, waiting for my move.
"......?"
Claire stared at my palm, then lifted her head to look at me.
Her long lashes swept down once, then up.
"We didn't come here to harass those things. I'm simply suggesting you use your holy power efficiently."
"...I will."
Claire nodded, then carefully reached out and laid her hand over my palm.
At once, the holy power sheathing her flowed through our contact and formed a new layer around my body.
-Guang.
The fleeing creature gradually slowed its legs, then settled onto the floor, its belly pressed flat against the ground.
"There shouldn't be any reason for it to, but even if it lunges at us first, just leave it be."
"...Yes."
The Moss Turtle, despite being a Monster, was an exceptionally rare non-aggressive specimen.
Unless provoked first, it was simply a somewhat large turtle. But the venom it spat from its mouth corroded anything it touched without discrimination—a troublesome type to deal with.
Of course, it was also extremely fragile. If you shoved anything into the opening where it hid its head, it would die instantly, so there was rarely any reason to actually get hit by its venom.
-Guung.
-Guaaang.
The ones sprawled on their bellies at the street corners now sluggishly fled from us toward the walls.
"It's exactly... as the first reports described," Claire murmured.
"It is."
"...I believe we could head back now."
"We'll go a little further."
"......Yes."
With the now-silent Claire in tow, I walked deeper inside. I didn't stop until we reached the place where the Rift Core resided.
At the far end of the cave, a sky-blue gemstone floated.
I released her hand and approached the crystal.
A small jewel containing an unknown energy even I couldn't fully grasp.
I placed my hand upon it.
"Professor...?"
"I'm not going to break it, so no need to worry."
"Yes."
"It might take some time. If you're uncomfortable, sit and wait."
"If it becomes uncomfortable, I will."
I nodded, then shifted my gaze back to the crystal beneath my fingers.
The incident involving Ha-na that could unfold here tomorrow.
The cavern collapse, and the students going missing.
It happened in every single route. But nothing was ever revealed—it always simply ended as an "incident."
The culprit's identity, any faction that gained from it, went completely unmentioned.
'Baek Ha-na was never the objective.'
This event occurred regardless of whether Baek Ha-na participated in the joint practice as an Apprentice Holy Knight.
I had once organized several hypotheses and conjectures about it on that side.
This was an opportunity to confirm which one was correct.
Of course, the variable that was me might prevent the incident from happening at all.
But personally, I sincerely hoped it would occur.
It had been a very long time since I'd felt this kind of interest, not since Claire...
'More to the point, I don't know if this will even work.'
I'd done it countless times on that side, but this was my first attempt here.
Failure wouldn't be a problem, but I wanted to avoid the inconvenience it would bring. I hoped it would succeed.
I infused my will into the mana accumulated within my heart and pushed it into the crystal, which was now trembling and emitting light as if terrified.
**
"...sor."
I opened my eyes at the sound of Claire's blurred voice.
"We've arrived."
"...I see."
Leaving her behind as she looked at me with slightly worried eyes, I stepped out of the car.
The cool night air brushed past my cheek.
I had succeeded in what I set out to do.
It had taken a considerable amount of time and burned through more than half of the innate mana I'd stockpiled in my heart, but I'd achieved the objective...
'The outer framework is roughly in place, but the interior is still weak.'
Simply spending the mana I'd stored was enough to make my body feel as heavy as lead.
It was the kind of sluggishness I hadn't felt in a very long time.
"Allow me to escort you."
While I stood clearing my head in the night breeze,
Claire got out of the driver's seat, approached, and carefully wrapped herself around my left arm.
"If you would."
"Yes."
Claire gently supported me and began to walk, matching my pace.
It wasn't really to the point where I needed the support.
But since I had a separate favor to ask of her, I accepted the kindness.
-Whoa.......
-Shh, shh!!
-Think it's okay to take a picture?
There was still a bit of time left before curfew, so a fair number of students were still wandering about.
If the one supporting me right now were Baek Ha-na, I'd be suppressing my presence, but Claire and I were already known to be in a relationship, so I didn't bother.
Click.
We passed through the maze and reached the mansion. Claire opened the front door and spoke.
"I'll be on my way, then."
I caught her arm as she was about to bow politely and leave.
"......?"
"At least stay for dinner."
"You should be resting...."
"I'm fine. Come inside."
"......Yes."
Claire followed me through the entryway.
"Let me help."
She took my coat and hung it on the rack herself.
I changed shoes and walked down the hallway, unchanged from when I'd left that morning.
-Peep-peep.
An ominous chirping sound came from around the corner where the kitchen was.
I led her toward the kitchen.
A darkened kitchen, the lights off.
And a faint green glow shining from the floor.
Click.
-Peep?
The darkness lifted, revealing the little troublemaker glowing on the floor.
Sunsuak. It had knocked over the honey jar from the cupboard and was now drenched from head to toe in the spilled contents.
"P-Professor......."
"Take it and wash it."
"Yes."
Claire hurried into the kitchen and carefully scooped up the honey-soaked fairy in both hands.
-Peep!!
"No."
-Peep.......
The creature had been reaching a hand toward the honey pooled on the floor, but the moment Claire fixed it with a stern look, it went still.
That settled it.
I needed her. Absolutely.
For the sake of my own mental and physical well-being, it seemed she would have to stay in this house for the foreseeable future.