Honor and Decorum
Honor and Decorum
-Bump, bump.
The vehicle jolted.
The road to Gwanak-gu wasn't as smooth as I'd anticipated.
We were following Mirkella's directions, but the sheer amount of debris strewn across the road forced us to slow down.
Ruptured asphalt everywhere, smashed cars, and heaps of giant corpses someone had toppled.
Even though zombies were a rare sight, the sheer volume of things getting in our way was overwhelming.
"Hey, is it really okay to just roll in like this out in the open? What if they ambush us?"
At my skeptical question, Mirkella let out a small sigh and crossed her arms.
"It's fine. The road may be a bit rough... but in Gwanak-gu, you can set aside your worries about surprise attacks."
"We're driving through a wide-open area, and you're telling me there's no risk of an ambush?"
"Yes. This place is rather unique."
Those were puzzling words.
What kind of people would pass up a golden opportunity like this?
If it were me, I'd never let a vehicle pass through such an exposed position without doing something about it.
"They appear to follow a kind of code."
"Correct. Gwanak-gu is a haven for eccentrics who prize honor above all. They would sooner stop your vehicle and challenge you to a formal duel than launch a sneak attack."
At Angelica's murmur, Mirkella nodded.
Seeing this, Ha Hui-ryeong scoffed, dumbfounded.
"What a bunch of weirdos. Who gives a damn about fairness in times like these?"
"Still, thanks to that, we're traveling safely. Well, I'm not about to complain about a good thing."
"That's exactly what bothers me. The stranger they are, the harder they are to read."
Our dear Hui-ryeong seemed thoroughly unsettled.
I partly agreed with her.
Being unique meant being out of step with common sense, after all.
"So, can we just keep going straight like this?"
"Yes. If you happen to see a person along the way, don't ignore them—slow down and stop. They'll return the courtesy in kind."
When Kang Ha-rin asked tentatively, Mirkella confirmed.
I scratched my cheek and spoke up.
"Can't we just ignore them and drive on?"
"No. I told you they're a unique bunch. If you step out and greet them, they'll send you on your way without a fuss. So please, just do as I say."
...They'd just let us go if we said hello?
Well, I'll be damned. People like this actually exist.
Unlike the Cult Leader and his gangster types, these guys seemed positively gentlemanly.
"So, Dongjak-gu has a different vibe, then?"
When I voiced the question that came to mind, Mirkella hesitated a moment before answering a beat late.
"...That's right. Those ruffians are irredeemable brutes. It was Dongjak-gu that raided the territory that guy held last time."
"You mean the bikers? Huh, things are getting interesting. It feels like every district has its own theme. Kind of like a game, you know?"
Ha Hui-ryeong grinned as she said that, tapping her bat lightly against her shoulder.
Thinking back on her words, the areas we'd recently passed through definitely had their own distinct flavors.
Songpa-gu with the unnies, devastated Gangnam, Seocho-gu with its suspiciously powerful underground pseudo-religion, the bikers' city of Dongjak-gu, and now the eccentrics' gathering in Gwanak-gu.
As time wore on, each stronghold seemed to grow more and more distinct in character.
Was this also the System's intention?
I had no idea.
At this point, speculating was pointless, and even worrying about it was nothing but a waste of time.
What mattered now was the situation right in front of us.
Yeah, just like right now.
"Huh? Someone up ahead... No, what the hell...!"
Kang Ha-rin, who had been squinting at the figure looming dead ahead, suddenly flinched in alarm.
Because the guy had suddenly charged toward our vehicle.
I have no idea where he got the guts, but he planted himself squarely in the camper's path, blocking the way.
He wasn't a zombie.
Standing firm with arms spread wide and a stern expression, he looked exactly like Zhang Fei at Changban Bridge.
Looked the part, too.
-SCREEEECH!!!!
Kang Ha-rin frantically yanked the wheel.
The sound of tires grinding filled the air.
At the same time, the vehicle body tilted violently.
"Uwaaaah!?"
"Hey, HEY! Kang Ha-rin! We're gonna tip over!!"
A chill shot down my spine.
Just as Ha Hui-ryeong shouted, the camper, already tilting, looked like it could topple onto its side at any second.
But Kang Ha-rin remained calm and expertly manipulated the gears, using the side brake.
-SKREEEEEEEEEECH!!!!
The wheels ground madly.
But that was it.
Thankfully, the camper slid into a drift thanks to Kang Ha-rin's uncanny technique and came to a halt with a THUMP!
"Phew...."
"Heh, heheh...."
"Huh, hahaha...."
Ha Hui-ryeong and I both let out hollow laughs.
We'd instinctively grabbed onto each other, and our cold sweat was soaking through where our skin met.
"Ugh... wouldn't it have been better to just hit him?"
"No, you still shouldn't hit people...."
She had pulled off an amazing save, but from a practical standpoint, Angelica wasn't wrong.
Running over a lunatic like that would have been the rational choice.
However, Kang Ha-rin was fine doing it her way.
"Our Ha-rin's got a bit of a soft heart."
Rather than pinning the blame entirely on me, she'd offered herself up. So I didn't particularly feel like faulting her.
"Anyway, it worked out. We somehow managed. The car's fine. The old man survived. And like Mirkella said, this place apparently has its own rules."
Since I'd brought her up, I glanced at Mirkella.
Right now, she was....
"...O Father of the Blazing Paradise, hear our prayers, watch over us. Let us sink, hallowed, into the light, into the sun of paradise, becoming an echo with thee. Whereby...."
She was wrapped in slowly creeping shadows, hands clasped together, reciting some incomprehensible prayer.
Given how fast she was reciting it, almost like a rap, she must have been pretty shaken.
I doubted a car bumping into something could actually hurt her, but maybe the psychological shock had hit her hard.
Even though she'd been reborn as a superhuman with the apocalypse, it seemed her fear of collisions hadn't vanished.
It was understandable.
As a modern person, as long as you still had memories of the past, you'd inevitably freeze up.
"Hey, Mirkella. Snap out of it."
"...We rise anew in the light and sing thy praises. The profane corruption is...."
"You. Open your eyes. We're fine."
"...Haht! Wh-what just...! Don't tell me we crashed?! Are we all safe?!"
"Safe. Nothing happened. Ha-rin here pulled out some of her skills."
"I-I see... What a relief. There's nothing good about provoking the fighters of Gwanak-gu. Killing is forbidden outside the arena."
Mirkella gave an awkward laugh, her complexion haggard. The dark circles under her eyes seemed to have deepened even further.
"An arena? You mean there's a goddamn Colosseum here?"
Ha Hui-ryeong frowned, incredulous.
At that, Mirkella nodded cautiously, confirming it.
"Yes. It exists... In fact, there's a massive stadium right in the center of Gwanak-gu. The leader of this district, the Gladiator—she built all of this and created the very concept of the fighter."
"Gladi...? What? Huh, is that another one who's obsessed with foreign stuff? Got a weird name there."
"I wouldn't know. No one knows her real name, so everyone just calls her that."
Mirkella grew a bit calmer and continued her explanation composedly.
I was listening when an odd detail caught my attention.
"Hold on, did you say 'she'? The boss here is a woman?"
"...That is correct?"
"Is she pretty?"
"Who knows? I'm not sure. To my eyes, everyone looks the same, you see."
Now that was a statement dripping with pride.
Seeing her looking so self-satisfied for some reason, I reacted with indifference.
I mean, sure?
This girl's looks were on par with or even exceeded Jeong Yeon-ji, so okay, she was pretty, but...
Wasn't it a bit much for her to imply with her own mouth that everyone besides her was basically a squid?
"Ah, whatever. That part doesn't matter. More importantly, let's figure out what to do with that old guy first."
At my words, Mirkella slowly rose to her feet.
"Very well. Allow me to handle the conversation."
It didn't exactly inspire confidence, but she puffed out her chest with pride, as if telling me to leave it to her.
Still, even if she'd only shown us her clumsy side so far, she'd originally held a position that involved dealing with people.
I figured she wouldn't be lacking in handling this.
Anyway, after that, we left the non-combat personnel behind and stepped outside.
We walked toward the old man who had so gallantly blocked our vehicle.
The old man was dressed quite shabbily.
A top that was barely better than a rag, pants riddled with holes, and a grimy beard to boot.
His appearance was even more disreputable than your average homeless person.
But his body was no joke.
It was an overwhelming physique you could never associate with an old man.
Setting aside his sheer size, his bulging muscles naturally exuded an intimidating pressure.
...With a build like that, I wouldn't be surprised if he could tear a zombie in half.
"Pleased to meet you. We are the Sado of Eden, hailing from Seocho-gu."
Mirkella, stepping forward without a hint of fear, spoke with a gentle smile on her face.
A bright smile brimming with goodwill.
It was the majesty of a former Saintess that could charm anyone.
"I can tell just by looking, miss. The clothes you wear are proof enough. However, what I wish to know is the reason why an esteemed Sado-nim has visited this place."
The old man, it seemed, hadn't quite caught on that Mirkella had held the title of Saintess.
Replying in a deep, dignified tone, he scrutinized us appraisingly.
"Moreover, you've even brought along those who are not from the Sanctuary."
"......"
Mirkella fell silent for a moment.
But she kept the smile on her face and spoke again.
"I'd like to ask in return. What brings an illustrious fighter such as yourself all the way to the outskirts? As I understand it, a tournament is scheduled soon."
"You repay a question with a question. But very well. I shall answer."
The old man plopped down onto the asphalt.
He sat cross-legged right in the middle of the road without a care, then gestured with his eyes for us to come closer.
I grabbed Mirkella as she readily moved to step forward.
"Hey, is it really a good idea to go? How do you know what that old geezer might pull?"
"It's fine. They despise underhanded behavior above all else. Showing hesitation like this is actually worse. Courtesy for courtesy. That is the rule here."
...Unbelievable.
But since this girl was so adamant, I decided to trust her and go along with it for now.
Right now, we were in this together.
"The Sado-nim is quite strong-willed. Though the rest of you are lacking."
"These are followers still in training. Naturally, they are bound to be lacking."
"Haha, I see. That could be the case. A flimsy lie, but I'll let it pass. That's not what's important now."
The corner of the old man's mouth twitched as he said that.
And then, his lips stretched wide into a cool, refreshing smile.
"As the Sado-nim says, a tournament is scheduled soon. But there is just one problem. This time, the tournament is not an individual match, but a team match."
"Ah... um... then couldn't you simply find teammates?"
"That's precisely the problem. For some reason, no one seems willing to pair up with me. Regrettably, therefore, I've failed to meet the entry requirements."
"Which means you want us to participate as your teammates? Is that what you're saying?"
"It is."
"But we're outsiders. People will surely talk. Isn't this your own private league?"
"That is a misunderstanding. The Gladiator welcomes all. Provided, of course, that one possesses the basic competence to receive that welcome."
Something about this whole situation... was definitely something.
Somehow, things were progressing.
A tournament? And now a team match?
My head was spinning from all this talk I couldn't understand.
So I subtly poked Mirkella in the side and whispered quietly.
"Hey, wasn't our objective to pacify this area?"
"Pacification can be achieved through various means. And handling Gwanak-gu with just our own forces is difficult. The Gladiator. Along with the Cult Leader, she is considered 'irregular.'"
"Well, fuck. So you gave us an impossible commission from the start?"
"I told you, there are various means. That's why he sent me."
I shot her a glare that demanded to know what she meant.
Mirkella then added in a calm tone, as if telling me to relax.
"If you emerge victorious in the arena here in Gwanak-gu, you may make a single wish to the arena's overseer, the Gladiator. Within the bounds of courtesy, of course."
"Which means..."
"Yes. To cease hostilities with Seocho-gu. That much should fall within acceptable limits, so it will be granted. Though, I admit, the process might be a bit cumbersome."
A dumbfounded look settled on my face.
This was the first I'd heard of this.
Was this why they tell you to read the fine print carefully?
'Looks like I've gotten dragged into another exhausting mess.'
A sigh of resignation escaped me before I could stop it.