Chapter 2. Encounters and Opportunities (7)
Chapter 2. Encounters and Opportunities (7)
Gates fundamentally occur at random. If no measures are taken, and if luck is particularly bad, a Gate can form in the middle of a bustling downtown area and cause a large-scale disaster.
In the early days, that was actually what happened. Until people researched the phenomenon and gained some degree of control over the probability, many countries, including South Korea, suffered devastating losses.
The workings of Magic and Gates still have not been completely explained, but at least several Magic Formulas have been developed that can control those Gates to some extent.
By drawing Magic Circles here and there as if laying down barriers, and layering their ranges over and over, the likelihood of a Gate forming within them drops significantly.
Well, it drops, but it doesn't completely disappear.
Moreover, beyond the Gates there were many substances that could never be obtained in this world, or resources that were difficult to acquire. For some reason, rare earth elements could be found in the bodies of certain creatures, and there were even nations we could communicate with. Nations beyond the Gates were also highly likely to belong to civilizations skilled in Magic.
If all the Gates worldwide had been closed, policy would have moved in that direction, but after it was discovered that Gates could be controlled to some degree, most countries sought to make the most of them.
The more secrets a country had, the more it lacked natural resources, the smaller its territory.
And as long as such countries existed, it was difficult for other countries to choose to completely close their Gates. Even if there were no great resources beyond them, the mere creation of "space" was already an advantage. There was also the option of dumping overflowing garbage beyond them, or burying troublesome industrial waste and radioactive waste.
Indeed, since no matter what method was used, the possibility of a Gate forming could never be reduced to a perfect "zero," it was less frustrating to at least make use of them.
"But, Bukhansan?"
"Yeah, well... you'd have to call it bad luck, in this case."
Unless a Gate could be "built at will," the appearance of a "useful Gate" was also a matter of luck.
No matter how useful, if it was a place that could completely take countless lives, it would be better to close it. But even if it was in the middle of Seoul, if the Gate was deep in the mountains, and if the creatures inside could be controlled even if they crossed over, there would be few people who would want to close it.
I also knew that there was such a Gate on a mountain not far from the cathedral. The space beyond it was practically the size of a planet, and the creatures that appeared there mostly had a danger level comparable to animals you could see at a zoo, while various resources were abundant.
However, since no area that could be called a civilization had been discovered yet, I had heard that a garbage dump had even been built several dozen kilometers inside the Gate.
But not closing a Gate also meant not placing Gate-closing Magic Formulas nearby.
Even an area meant to hold exactly one Gate was about the size of a sports field. It was still nearly impossible to measure Magic's influence precisely enough to check it with a ruler.
The possibility of an additional Gate forming within that sports-field-sized area was quite low—but even so, the probability was still not "zero."
Lee Si-yoon had been injured at that unlucky newly formed Gate.
"Just what could be in there that was so extraordinary?"
"It doesn't look all that dangerous from the outside, but apparently there's a fairly dangerous beast inside."
When I muttered without thinking, Ria, who was sitting in the seat next to me, answered.
"How dangerous of a beast?"
They had said it was more vicious than any Monster seen so far, so it must be an extraordinary existence.
And in the story, Lee Si-yoon had actually spoken of it that way too.
"Hmm, I don't know the details either, but among the vicious things confirmed so far, there are all sorts. Like a bear the size of an elephant. Normally, if something has a large body, it uses a lot of calories and has to eat constantly, but strangely, some have evolved into carnivores."
"......."
"To hunt and eat that many creatures, it would also have to be extremely agile."
Even that "bear the size of an elephant" was only an example Ria gave, so it probably wasn't the "worst possible opponent."
"How on earth did that man survive?"
Wouldn't an ordinary person be torn to shreds just from encountering a regular bear?
"First, that's the only carnivorous creature confirmed in the area. And if you're a Hunter, even the lowest-ranked one is already outside the category of an ordinary person. Still, I agree with your question. Surviving at all was a miracle in that situation."
In the rattling car, Ria, sitting in the seat next to me, said that.
"Well, don't worry too much. It's unlikely to come bursting out of the Gate under normal circumstances."
"I understand that, but......"
I tilted my head.
"In that kind of situation, Lee Si-yoon doesn't need to go in, does he? Wouldn't it be better for a team of much more skilled Hunters to go in?"
"Why? Are you worried?"
At my words, Ria's eyes narrowed slightly. The smile on her lips was deeply unsettling. Why does it feel like she's smiling but not really smiling? The atmosphere seemed teasing, but her actual expression looked suspicious.
Ah, so that's it. Was this a kind of jealousy too? Because if I approached Lee Si-yoon for no reason, she would also end up having to compete.
Well, I was pretty, after all.
"Of course I'm worried."
But I answered flatly.
No matter that he was the protagonist and had hidden talent, right now he was still a Lowest-Rank Hunter. Last time he'd survived by luck, but if he got bitten wrong this time and had his throat torn out, he'd really die.
......Though, when I recall that this is still before the main story of the novel, the chances of him coming out alive again are high. But, well, given that I exist, this world has changed a little from the novel I knew.
"......Well, I suppose that's true."
Seeing me speak as if it were obvious, Ria seemed to understand what I meant.
"There's nothing to worry about. Usually when something like that happens, the next ones deployed are Top-Rank Hunters and Heroes. He's only going in with them to find that predator. Tracking it with Magic is the fastest way to confirm its location. Once they know the direction, he'll pull out, so there probably won't be any major problems."
"Hm."
Somehow, I had a feeling it wouldn't end that easily.
No, it's not that I was hoping for that, of course.
But before I could ask anything more, the car stopped.
Judging by where the rough, uneven cement road ended, we seemed to have arrived at our destination.
"We've arrived."
As if answering my assessment, the middle-aged man sitting in the driver's seat spoke.
Before I could even reach out, the van door opened smoothly, and cold wind rushed into the car.
"Ah, right."
As I was about to get out of the car, I turned toward Ria and spoke.
"You're not going into the Gate, are you?"
"Why, are you worried?"
This time Ria asked with an expression and tone that genuinely seemed to be teasing, and I flinched, my eyebrows twitching.
"......As long as you don't go in, that's fine."
I answered curtly and got out of the car.
*
After getting out of the car, without resting even a moment, I headed straight for the building where the injured were said to be. Even though it was in the mountains, perhaps because there was a road for cars, the building was not prefabricated. Though it wasn't a particularly excellent design either.
And the moment the person guiding Ria and me opened the door to that building, the smell that wafted out was the smell of blood.
"Wait."
As I tried to rush inside, Ria grabbed my arm tightly. Tightly enough to hurt a little.
"Calm down first."
"But—"
"How many people can you heal?"
"......Uh."
"You collapse and fall asleep as if you've passed out just from healing one dying person. If you get a little tired, you even faint."
"I—"
"Hey, don't get the wrong idea. I'm not worried about you collapsing. I'm worried about how many people you can fix."
"......Ah."
Right.
"If you collapse, you can't heal the patients who might come in later. Look carefully."
Ria pointed around, and when I turned my head, it was true that not all the patients were in critical condition.
Some were healing their wounds by sprinkling Holy Water on their own bodies, and some were already being cared for by other clergy who had arrived before me.
"People who are truly on the verge of death, or people whose lives would be in serious danger without you."
Ria said, still gripping my arm tightly.
"Unless it's someone like that, don't step forward. We called you precisely for unavoidable cases like that."
"......Got it."
It was a rational choice.
Perhaps I could divide my Holy Power little by little and heal multiple people. Perhaps I could gather several people in one place and heal them all at once.
But if I exhausted myself doing that, then when someone injured like Lee Si-yoon came in, I might have to leave them to die.
As long as there are people who can take my place, I must not do their work for them. Because if I did, a situation could arise that was completely impossible to deal with.
"......First, let's listen to what people have to say. We might be able to learn what kind of being was beyond the Gate. Well, even if we knew right now, it probably wouldn't be much use."
I nodded at Ria's words.
As I walked among the injured, I felt gazes fixed on me. Unable to meet their eyes for no particular reason, I walked with my head bowed low.
"There's no need to walk like a criminal."
Ria said, patting my back, but I couldn't help the strange sense of guilt that crept over me.