The Apostle's Offer
The errand wasn't anything special.
It was simply delivering a letter to the orphanage director's acquaintance.
Assigning a money-related task like shopping for the kids in the slums would likely cause things to go wrong, so they usually gave simple tasks like this.
So, it was the way back after safely delivering the letter to the acquaintance.
“ …”
Tomi kept glancing back and frowning. When with Sugar, the child was frowning with high probability, but this time it wasn't because of Sugar.
The sound of "tack, tack" from behind, tapping the floor with a cane.
A blind woman whose entire body except her face was covered in clothing. Expressing disbelief that she was following the one she had surely ignored earlier.
When you see her face, she's smiling brightly. Seeing it gave me the creeps. Even though her eyes are closed, it feels like our eyes are meeting.
“ Hey… Do you know that person? She's been following us.”
“ I don't know…”
It was creepy even for Sugar. An adult chasing after young boys and girls in broad daylight, there's no separate police report for that, but here, unfortunately, there's no cell phone.
From the beginning, even without eyes, she was following well.
The regular cane tapping was starting to give me the chills. Sugar gave Tomi a signal with her eyes.
“ Hmm, hmm. Ah! I left my wallet at that house earlier!”
“ Oh no. Big trouble.”
“ We should go back quickly to get it. Let's go!”
It felt like reading a Korean textbook, but it matched well.
The two immediately turned around, ran with big steps, but after passing the woman, they turned and walked stealthily. The intention was to go to the orphanage through a different quiet path. The blind person relies on hearing, so it was a calculated move.
“ Phew… Now it's good, right?”
“ …”
“ Tomi? Why are you like that?”
“ … There's still someone behind us?”
It was about to come out as a curse.
Angry Sugar hid Tomi behind her and approached boldly.
“ Hey, miss. Why are you constantly following people?”
It's not good to take this kind of person to the orphanage. We can't reveal the location of the place, which is like home. If we need to separate, we have to do it here.
But the response was just a "ka ka" laugh.
Sugar's eyes narrowed.
Perhaps noticing the reaction, she hurriedly opened her mouth.
“ Ah. Sorry. I just… I couldn't think that a little girl would call me 'miss'.”
“ Answer me. Why are you following us?”
“ It's a bit awkward to talk about it here. Do you know of any good place? I'm not familiar with the geography of this area yet.”
This is only my second visit- while saying that, the smile she made was mischievous. From a clean face without any makeup, somewhere between being innocent and being mature, that atmosphere was felt.
“ It's fine. I don't want to talk anymore. I just want you to go.”
“ I can't do that. I came all this way to meet you.”
“ … What?”
“ Ah. First, I should introduce myself.”
Tack, tack. The approaching cane sound was heavy. Each calm step was like that of a beast.
“ … That person is a magician.”
A bad premonition pierced through the body. Tomi whispered from behind.
Suddenly, a bad thought came to mind. The images of those I didn't want to imagine, that I hoped wouldn't appear even in dreams, were drawn uncontrollably in my mind.
And that premonition was not wrong.
“ I am the loyal apostle of the one who is in the shadows, Rubshi. Sugar. I came to guide you.”
The sight of lightly grabbing the hem of the skirt and whispering the greeting made the ground under my feet disappear.
The sensation of falling. All the things that were good about this place because I was poor but with friends disappeared far away, feeling like a dream.
Why. Why already. Now. Suddenly-
“ -Stay calm… Stay calm…”
I tried to calm my wildly beating heart. I took a deep breath, exhaled.
My head was spinning with dizziness, but I grabbed my shaking mind by poking the flesh on my palm with my nails.
“ If they were going to kidnap me, they could have done it earlier… There's still room for conversation.”
Currently Sugar's age is 11. The age when kidnapping happens is 14.
I was tense about the cult's appearance 3 years ahead without warning, but I couldn't just stay like this.
I had sworn to change the future. To escape the horrific future of becoming the cult's Saintess.
If I concentrate, I can feel the magic power circulating around my body. This is one of its fruits.
I endured the pain as if my whole body was being torn apart and obtained it, but it wasn't complete yet. I couldn't be captured before it was complete.
I imagined a quiet village life, leisurely passing time.
Or, imagining going to magic school and making friends.
There, there was an adult version of myself and Tomi. Why Tomi? This friend, I didn't ask directly, but somehow I think he'll go to magic school. Judging by his curiosity or spirit, it fits perfectly.
Haha. I should ask later.
While imagining a happy future, Sugar took a big breath and raised her head.
“ What is the reason you came to find me.”
The words came out more calmly than I thought.
“ As I said, I came to guide you.”
“ So why did you come to guide me? I have never wanted that kind of thing.”
“ Shall we move then? It's embarrassing for me to say it myself, but I am quite shy…”
As I looked around, people passing by occasionally glanced at us.
The combination of a blind woman in all black clothes and two little kids was quite strange.
But even without eyes, she knows when someone is looking at her? That's unbelievable.
“ Okay. Let's go to the city area.”
It's a proper area outside the slums. There are many people and security guards are stationed. Leading the way, whispering to Tomi.
“ ‘If something happens on the way, secretly slip away. Call the guards.’ ”
I said it as a secret code between the two of us. Tomi, hearing that, felt his chest tighten.
The sharp gaze of Sugar, whom I've never seen before. A serious expression, to the point of fear.
I don't know the identity of that woman well, but judging by how she speaks, she's a heretic. I don't know why she's knowing Sugar's name and why she's coming to take Sugar, but it's definitely not a good thing.
- I just… wanted to escape from an answerless future. That's all. It's not like she's asking me to tell her difficult things. Even if it's something small, I want to have power.
A memory from the past came to mind. The words she said while asking to teach magic.
She wanted power as if she was being chased by something. While imagining ways her body could be damaged, she tried to learn magic somehow.
Did you know this would happen?
Looking at her with that question in mind, Sugar smiled faintly. Don't be scared. She smiled like an adult soothing a child.
However, Tomi's chest tightened even more.
“ If it comes to that…”
She pretended to grab her pants with one hand and made a hand gesture. It looked like she was holding a book.
If the guards come before something happens.
My heart was pounding. I had to direct this malice towards the person. All the resolve to protect the first sacrifice's secret about the Grimoire in my mind disappeared, filled with only the determination to eliminate the ones who would harass us.
It was cut off by Rubshi's light-spoken words.
“ Why? It's better to go together.”
Both children turned around at the same time.
“ She understood that…!”
“ Was the code correct? Just in case, I said it, but I didn't understand. It just sounded like she was trying to send the friend first. Since my eyes are like this, my ears are really sharp. But… the more people there are in a good place like this, the better, right?”
“ … ”
“ … The air is heavy. Hey, Sugar. And the friend next to you. I don't know why you're so wary of me, but I have no intention of hurting you or forcing you to do anything. If I were going to do that, I would have done it earlier.”
“ Then show sincerity.”
“ What sincerity are you talking about?”
“ The belief that I won't harm you at all.”
Kidnapping the kids and offering them to the god they believe in. Breaking one girl's senses, voice, life.
Even so, there's no disagreement with 'if I were going to do that, I would have done it earlier'. Sugar presented it quietly.
After thinking for a moment, Rubshi happily opened her mouth.
“ I promise. From this moment onward, I will not harm Sugar and her friend. I swear in the name of Apostle Rubshi.”
The sight of putting her hand on her chest and saying it reverently looked like a true religious person.
“ … This is a vow I offered to the one I believe in. Breaking this is no different from abandoning that person. It's like destroying my own existence value with my own hands. This is my sincerity. Will you believe me now?”
“ While saying that, the possibility of breaking the vow-”
“ Sugar.”
A gaze is felt.
From inside the eyelids that have been closed all along, a gaze is felt. It's nauseating and oppressive.
“ Please do not make statements that ignore my faith.”
Sugar quietly nodded her head.
As if replying, a smile spread across Rubshi's face.
***
The three arrived at the cafe in the city area.
It was a place I had only seen a few times while going out with the orphanage director.
Sugar and Tomi sat side by side, and Rubshi sat in front. We sat at one table, but the atmosphere was very different.
One side was smiling brightly, the other was dark.
With the strange combination and strange atmosphere. The staff who approached awkwardly handed over the menu.
“ Sugar. Is there anything you want to eat? Same for the friend, order whatever you two want to eat as much as you want.”
“ Yes. Hey, give me everything here on the menu.”
“ … Yes?”
Rubshi, who came out with momentum, shrank in an instant.
“ I… um… um… I really want to treat you that way, but our situation isn't that good…”
“ When I say you can order as much as you want, when? There is no money here? Then I don't need to hear the story.”
“ What?”
“ So. We'll go now. Let's go, Tomi.”
I tried to stop the two cold kids.
“ Ah! No! Order everything…! Give me everything here!”
The staff, while looking puzzled, bowed his head and left the seat. After he left, Rubshi kept muttering 'Ah… I'm going to get scolded… Ah…'
“ … So. What's the purpose of coming this far.”
“ First, let's eat some food… Then I'll talk. Don't be tense. It's just explaining about the cult and offering to not go together, that's all.”
“ Is that all? Coming to proselytize after just buying some food to eat?”
The attitude of always avoiding the main point made the words harsh.
However, the other party nodded with a completely unangry expression.
“ Yes… But?”
“ … ”
“ H, is there something else you want? Toys or accessories you want to have… If you say you'll go with us, I'll give them to you.”
The way she clasped her hands neatly and said that was like tempting a child.
I thought it was ridiculous.
Clearly being treated as a child. Even though I'm a child now, I couldn't help but feel unpleasant from this attitude.
This is a problem tied to the future. When she suggested changing it to something like toys, my stomach boiled.
“ Is luring people with such things ruining a life?”
“ How can approaching the truth be called a ruined life?”
“ You'll break my body to the point I can't even move alone. Locking me in the basement for life-”
“ Wait, just a moment, Sugar.”
As if asking to lower the voice, she put her hand to her lips and said, earnestly.
“ Please clear up the misunderstanding. I really came to guide you with good intentions. As I swore earlier, I have no intention of hurting you or anything…”
This brazenness is starting to be weird.
Sugar first calmed her anger. While sipping the cold water that came out in between, she cooled her head.
With the appropriate coolness seeping in, the feeling was a bit better.
“ Yeah… Okay.”
“ Have you calmed down now?”
But instead of answering, she raised her hand strangely. And the words that came out were shocking.
“ Boss. Give me everything here on the menu. In addition to what I ordered earlier, give two of each.”
“ … Yes? Yes…? Hey, Sugar…?”
“ The first one is mine. The second one is for her. Okay?”
With a brazen expression, Sugar pointed her thumb at Tomi, and Tomi nodded in response, glaring at Rubshi.
Rubshi's expression turned to shock.