Chapter 2
Chapter 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: I Can't See
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Let me get straight to the point. What's your purpose?"
"Purpose? What purpose?"
The young man suddenly spat out something bizarre.
He'd asked about my purpose as casually as interviewing an athlete about their life goals.
But I wasn't an athlete, nor was I an elementary school kid dreaming of becoming president or a scientist.
I didn't really have any purpose.
"What I mean is, do you have some kind of desire to do something or achieve something? For example, wanting to kill everyone who looks at you, or an endless hunger driving you to devour everything."
"Uh... not really."
The conversation veered into even stranger territory.
The young man furrowed his brow, his face twisting in confusion.
From his expression, it seemed like I'd need to make something up if I wanted this to go anywhere.
"Oh, I just remembered. I want to help people."
His brow furrowed even deeper at my words.
He was practically scowling now.
In the blink of an eye, he smoothed out his grimace and flashed his gentle smile again.
"I... see. Understood for now. If I may ask, how exactly do you want to help? By bestowing blessings or granting divine protection?"
"Huh? I can't do anything like that."
What was this? Blessings and protections? He was talking like we were in some fantasy story.
I didn't know any magic like that.
"Then, do you want to give people some kind of object to help them?"
"I do have something, but it's for removal. I don't want to give it to anyone else."
Handing candy to that man who told me this was Earth had been a one-time exception.
A special welcome-back-to-Earth gift, just the once.
I'm not some tree that gives endlessly; handing out my stuff isn't a hobby of mine.
"In that case... do you want to help people directly, with your own body?"
"Hmm, that sounds closest. I'm really strong!"
I puffed out my chest proudly as I said it.
Sure, I might not look it, but I'd survived the Backrooms with my sanity intact.
I was confident no one could match my strength.
"Ha, haha. Thank you. I understand."
The young man chuckled awkwardly and expressed his gratitude.
I didn't think I'd done anything worthy of thanks.
"What are you thanking me for? I haven't done anything."
"Th-thank you for talking with me. I asked you to, right? I'm just grateful you obliged."
He seemed a little flustered but quickly regained his composure and responded.
Thanking me just for chatting? What a polite guy.
When the barista called out that the drinks were ready, the young man stood and headed over.
I caught him pretending to take his drink while slipping a small piece of paper to the barista.
Curious, I sneaked a peek.
— Conversation established. Suspected to possess reason. Stated desire to help humans. Suspected Physical Type. Claims personal strength. Desire not yet revealed; additional inspection required. — It was a summary of our conversation.
I hadn't seen him write anything, so he must've scribbled it under the table in secret.
'Why go to such lengths?'
It was intriguing, but was there really a need for all that secrecy?
Curiosity piqued, I decided to ask.
The young man returned to the table carrying an Americano and a yogurt smoothie.
He set the smoothie in front of me and sat down.
"What was that paper you gave the barista just now?"
"Pfft! Khh, hack! Gahk."
He spat out his Americano.
Luckily, none reached me.
"Cough, cough. Wh-what paper are you talking about?"
"You handed a small piece of paper to the barista. It looked like it had my personal info on it."
"Haha, hahaha. No idea what you're talking about."
He was obviously playing dumb.
I wasn't curious enough to press him, so I let it slide.
"Ahem. What should I call you? Do you have a name?"
"A name? Uhmm..."
I definitely used to have one.
But after spending so long in the Backrooms, I'd forgotten it.
I'd even tried writing it on paper to remember back then.
Once I lost that paper, I forgot it completely.
"It's fine if you don't remember. We all use nicknames at our research institute anyway."
"Research institute?"
"Ah."
He looked dizzy for a moment, like he'd slipped up.
But he quickly composed himself and smiled warmly again.
"Yes, the research institute I work for takes care of kids like you and studies them."
Super suspicious.
Taking care of and studying kids?
It reeked of kidnapping, confinement, abduction.
This young man spouting such nonsense so casually was clearly out of his mind.
'Should've known from the start when he approached me.'
Handsome face for luring kids—a classic kidnapper.
Time to slip away before he grabs me.
"Thanks for the meal. I'm off!"
I downed the yogurt smoothie in one gulp and stood.
With a leap, I vaulted over several tables and reached the shop entrance in an instant.
The young man scrambled up and chased after me.
"W-wait! Our research institute isn't a bad place! Really!"
"Would you believe that if you were me, mister?"
I burst out of the shop, and a waiting middle-aged man lunged at me from outside.
I ducked and slipped past him nimbly.
A sudden chase erupted in the middle of the city.
"This is Crow One. Unidentified anomaly is fleeing! Requesting emergency support!"
The middle-aged man pursued while radioing.
The young man trailed separately, trying to cut me off from the other side.
'They'll tire out eventually if I keep this pace.'
They weren't fast enough to require full speed.
I jogged leisurely, sightseeing as I fled.
Mid-escape, a familiar presence caught my attention.
'Huh? Anomalies in Korea too?'
A filthy alley reeking of burst trash bags.
Deep inside, against the wall, came a very familiar scent.
Grrrgle.
My stomach growled, hungry already despite the cake.
'Eat first, think later.'
I headed into the dead-end alley for the anomaly.
Then the handsome young man caught up and blocked the entrance.
"Huff. Pant. Hngh. Why are you so fast? Thought I was gonna die. Hoo."
He panted heavily, catching his breath.
The only exit was blocked, but I didn't care.
I was going to eat the anomaly here anyway.
As I approached the wall where it hid, I saw the young man charging at me.
I ignored him and touched the wall.
A massive black hand shot out, dragging me and the young man inside.
An eerie space unfolded—all white ceiling, floor, and wallpaper.
"Ugh. Wh-what just happened?"
The young man looked around in bewilderment.
Then he read the paper stuck to the wall.
"Dragged into a horror tale? Damn. Talk about bad luck."
Muttering complaints, he scrutinized the paper repeatedly.
Nodding, counting on his fingers, studying intently.
Finally, he nodded vigorously, like he'd got it all.
"Good. The rules are simple. Hey, Princess. If you don't wanna die, keep your head down and follow the wall."
Princess?
The handsome young man had suddenly called me Princess and switched to casual speech.
He bowed his head low, tracing the wall with his right hand, and shuffled along slowly.
It looked pretty ridiculous.
I ignored the weirdly acting young man and strode straight ahead.
"Kieeeek-!"
An anomaly's cry echoed.
A faintly visible entity in the distance charged at me with terrifying speed.
Humanoid, but with massive scythe-like hands.
In a flash, it covered hundreds of meters and swung its elongated arms at me.
Splat-.
I smashed my fist into its face.
Its freakish head—with only a nose and mouth—exploded, spraying flesh everywhere.
The anomaly collapsed.
"What...?"
The young man couldn't hold back his curiosity and lifted his head to look.
Even though the horror tale wasn't over.
"Ah, damn. We're screwed."
The young man let out a short sigh.
The anomaly's corpse evaporated in seconds, followed by the thunder of furious footsteps charging in.
"That type, huh."
I muttered familiarly to myself.
The simpler the horror tale's rules and the easier to break them, the stronger the anomaly.
This one, based on the basic rule of killing anyone who looks at it, even had revival powers.
"Guess I'll play along once."
Winning by brute force alone is no fun.
I closed my eyes and gently pressed my palms over them.
Squish.
Black liquid trickled down my cheeks like tears.
Now, I can't see.