Reincarnated...?
Reincarnated...?
:: Diligently. ::
:: You really lived so diligently. ::
...?
:: I commend you. In all that I have seen, never before has there been someone as valorous as you. ::
What is this?
I tried to feel around my body, but it was impossible.
I tried to open my eyes, but there was nothing to see.
It was pitch-black all around me.
Even so, visible before my eyes was a winged woman.
With her eyes closed and her wings spread wide, she was wearing a mysterious smile.
What on earth is going on here?
'I definitely died. There's no doubt about that.'
I felt the pill going down my throat, and after that, I had no memory whatsoever.
Just like an electronic device powered off. It was as if I had fainted and then woken up.
If so, it's certain that the drug did its job completely clean, but...
:: I shall grant you a reward. ::
:: If there is a next life, what kind of world would you like to live in? ::
If there's a possibility I can think of, is it that?
The afterlife I'd only heard about in stories? Reincarnation?
...Even though I didn't have any particular religion. I thought once you die, that's the end.
Well, whatever. Considering this kind of supernatural phenomenon and where I used to work—.
:: Forget it. ::
"Uugh!"
:: Oh dear. Does your head hurt? ::
Why?
Suddenly, my head hurts so fiercely.
I want to clutch it, but since feeling my own body is impossible, I can't even do that.
:: Clinging to your past life within the principle of cycle—that shall be like strangling yourself to death. ::
:: A past life is merely a past life, and clinging to what has passed will prevent you from moving forward. So smell this incense and calm yourself. ::
A floral scent spreads throughout the pitch-black space.
That deep, fragrant aroma tickled the tip of my nose.
The random thoughts in my head are erased as if by magic.
It's a remarkably clean effect, as if directly washing my brain.
"A next life, huh...."
With my cleared mind, I pondered the angel's offer.
I have nothing that could be called lingering regrets.
However, there are things I regret.
"Honestly, anywhere is fine as long as it's not a shitty world like this."
The paradox of entering to save people, yet ultimately having to sacrifice them.
Parents bewitched by anomalies, devouring their own child while weeping loudly.
Humans more horrific than urban legends themselves, using urban legends to eliminate rivals.
I was prepared from the moment I joined the Management Bureau, but even so, I've seen far too many terrible things.
"Well, a life where there's no need to bicker with others. No need to worry. Living comfortably as my heart desires?"
Of course, I've also seen just as many beautiful scenes, but.
The beauty I saw usually came with the name of sacrifice.
It was an extraordinarily painful beauty—one I wished to praise, yet never wanted to see.
"I'd like it to be peaceful. No complicated brain-racking needed. No need for difficult words like anxiety or worry."
Mmm... Is that too much of a fairy tale story?
Because no matter what world it is, there's bound to be politics or conflict.
Hahaha.
My mood loosens up completely under the almost intoxicating floral scent.
As I was chuckling foolishly like that—
"Ah, something like that sounds nice. A fairy-tale-like world."
I suddenly realized that the answer lay within the thought I had lightheartedly come up with.
"Like entrails or tentacles. In a fairy-tale world, you wouldn't have to look at awful things like that, right?"
Bloody, gory things like that—I'd seen far too many of them in the field.
Thanks to that, I learned how to suppress the surging nausea and keep my gaze numb.
However, I still hadn't learned how to get used to it.
"So I've decided. Even if there are conflicts, they end with laughter and cheerful chatter, and everything finishes with a happy ending. If there is a next life, I want to live in a fairy-tale-like world like that."
:: I see. ::
The angel's faint smile deepens further.
The next moment, its closed eyes opened, and kaleidoscopic pupils peered down at me.
:: I shall grant it. ::
And then.
The pitch-black world grew even darker.
### ###
They say imagination can't surpass reality, right? It was truly so.
The ground was biscuits, and the rivers and seas were carbonated soda.
The buildings were golden-baked white bread, and cotton candy floated in the sky.
Taking a stroll, you could see the residents of this place—giant toys—running around and playing.
Truly a fairy-tale scene.
It could be said to be beyond the vague imagination I had pictured in my mind.
" Hey, clerk! Bring-bring-bring a piece of cookie! Present it right away! "
" Oh my, kiddo. You should call him clerk oppa. I'd like one too, please. A hard candy, that is. "
And in this fairy-tale world,
I was still human, living as a clerk at a candy store.
" Yeeep! Coming right up! "
" Freshly picked! Not the ones on display that are going bad. "
" Haha. Understood, boss. "
[Sinus Candy]
A candy shop with bad foot traffic, located in a gloomy alleyway.
And the playful child and polite middle-aged woman in front of me are a few of the rare regulars in this shop where flies buzz around.
Like true regulars, knowing that the snacks on display lacked freshness, they were requesting freshly picked, fresh snacks.
At first, I wondered if I should decline since I ought to sell the displayed snacks first.
The thing is, I'd never once seen the store manager—the person I actually ought to ask—wake up from sleep.
" I'll bring it right out! "
If so, well, it's not like they're asking for freebies, so is asking for fresh snacks really wrong?
Even food gets refunded if it arrives cold or if the ingredients are strange.
Thus, I didn't bother turning down the customers' request.
" Eotcha! "
Seogeok!
I place a freshly delivered piñata on the cutting board and slam down a double-edged saw.
The piñata's neck is cleanly sliced off.
For a moment, I feel the illusion of smelling blood... but of course, that couldn't be true.
There's no way a piñata would smell like blood.
As I rummage around inside—
" Uwaaa! "
Amidst the kid's admiration, candies and snacks poured out in abundance.
Grabbing below the piñata's neck and rummaging through, I caught the hard candy the lady had ordered.
" Here, the hard candy is out first. "
" Mine too! Hurry, hurry! "
" Oh, kiddo! My goodness, you're putting clerk oppa in a tough spot. "
" Ahaha, it's alright. Little customer, wait just a moment. "
Cookies. This one's a bit tricky.
Do you know what?
Most of the candies and cookies inside a piñata haven't undergone processing.
In other words, the cookie our little customer ordered is currently just dough.
Knowledge learned while working at this shop.
In the case of the hard candy, that lady has a peculiar preference for eating things raw, so I served it as is.
I unwrap the product's packaging and place it onto the prepped griddle.
A soft aroma slowly creeps up.
In less than a minute, the sizzling sound (jigeul-jigeul) of the cookie baking could be heard.
'Alright, now I just need to flip it.'
Do you know what?
The best tool for cutting cookies is a woodworking saw, specifically a double-edged saw.
Especially one extraordinarily sharp, with an unbreakable obsidian blade.
This, too, is knowledge learned here.
'...Is this right?'
For a split second, I felt a sense of incongruity within myself.
Soon, there was a voice speaking in my ear.
:: You know the saying about not using a cattle-cleaver to slaughter a chicken, right? ::
:: Because a cattle-cleaver is too sharp to slaughter a chicken. ::
:: The blade dulls and it's a waste in many ways. It's no different than using a treasured sword as a kitchen knife. ::
Tinkerbell.
The guide attached to me by the angel who reincarnated me into this world was buzzing right next to my ear.
:: But that's really just because it's a waste. And because of its rarity. ::
:: If treasured swords were lying around everywhere, there'd be no reason not to use one as a kitchen knife. ::
:: And this is a wonderland. ::
:: In a fantasy world like this, woodworking saws are common items. ::
:: So, there's no problem at all. ::
"Mmm. Is that so?"
I'm still not quite convinced, though.
When I voiced my thoughts, Tinkerbell heard them and let out a sigh.
:: Can't be helped then. I wonder if a toy cooking knife that children use when playing house would be better. Iyap! ::
" Eot?! "
In an instant, Tinkerbell's wings sparkled, and fairy magic powder fluttered through the air.
A rich floral scent spread along with the powder. And then.
:: How about this? ::
...Mmm. It seems like she did something.
To be honest, I don't know what changed.
Even looking down at my hand, I'm still holding the heavy, ebony-colored double-edged saw.
However, look at her boasting triumphantly as if saying, 'Didn't I do well?'
It makes me feel bad to ruin the mood by pointing out that it's unchanged.
" Mmm. It suits it much better. "
:: Ethem. ::
Fitting for a guide assigned by an angel, she knows that I reincarnated and possesses knowledge about both worlds.
Thanks to that, I've always received a lot of help from Tinkerbell since coming to this world.
Let's pass over this level of bragging as cute charm.
" Clerk! Isn't the snack burning right now? "
" Don't worry. I'm keeping an eye on it. "
Oops. I almost burned it.
Feigning composure, I flipped the snack over.
" Ooh, smells good. "
Now it's time for the finishing touch.
Adjust the heat level, sprinkle some star powder on top—
Jjan!
The cookie, finally cooked.
It was cooked to piping hot perfection.
" Here you go, little boss. "
" Uwa, thank—. "
The regular kid stopped mid-sentence.
He stared intently at the cookie he received.
Next, he gazed blankly at the hard candy held by the lady beside him—
" Hey, part-timer. Why is my cookie smaller than the hard candy? "
" Because that slice was cut by the part-timer bastard, and this piece was cut by clerk oppa. "
" No, but still, giving a smaller piece to a kid than an adult—isn't that a bit wrong? "
He protests while puffing his cheeks.
Soon he looks at the lady beside him as if asking for backup, but.
" Oh my, oh my. "
" No, really..! Help me protest a bit! "
She merely gives a warm smile and chuckles as if he's adorable.
" Alright then, please come again next time. "
" No..! Pui! "
The kid turns around, completely sulky at my subtle expulsion.
Muttering complaints about whether it's okay to treat a customer like this, the kid's cheeks puff up even further.
However, there's a fact the kid hasn't noticed: the glass window here is structured so that you can see outside from the inside, even if you can't see inside from the outside.
...Still, it tastes good.
Oh my. That's a relief.
The conversation of the two who left after closing the store door floated in.
His puffed-up cheeks deflate as he munches on the cookie.
Normally, wouldn't they get even puffier?
Ah. He looked over here.
It felt like our eyes met, but as I said, the glass window here is structured so that you can't see inside from the outside, so—
Ah. He flipped me off.
He could see inside. I didn't know.
A dry chuckle escaped me without my realizing it.
Sticking out his tongue and waving his hand, the kid's face pops away beyond the glass window, no longer visible.
Yeah. Working a normal part-time job like this.
Mingle with people without needing to hide anything.
A peaceful life like this was exactly what I had wished for.
" This must also be thanks to my dedication to humanity. "
Today was another immensely satisfying day.
And so, humming a tune, I pleasantly prepared to wrap up the day.
###
Classification Code: QNSFB-1587
Tentative Phenomenon Name: Sinus Candy Prison Break Incident (Tentative)
Overall Hazard Grade: Unclassified (Investigation Required)
Summary:
A total of 3 mass disappearance incidents occurred in the cells of Hanhyun Prison. Packaged candies and chocolates were discovered at the scene of the 2nd disappearance incident. (Hereinafter referred to as snack items.)
The packaging of the discovered snack items was inscribed with 'Sinus Candy', and upon removing the wrappers, body parts of victims from the 1st disappearance incident were found as contents. Subsequently, the classification of the incident was changed from a simple prison break to a paranormal phenomenon, and jurisdiction was transferred to the Anomaly Management Bureau.
On July 2nd, Field Investigation Team 2 was officially assigned as the team in charge of the phenomenon. Investigation is scheduled to commence in the near future.