Chapter 332
Chapter 332
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Entrusting Our Bodies to the River
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"Promise!"
"The promise!"
The animals bellowed loudly as they thrust their heads forward, and with each push, the cave entrance crumbled bit by bit while blood streamed from their heads.
Yet they paid no mind to it at all, staring straight ahead and shrieking grotesquely.
"No, what the hell am I supposed to do about that!"
Song Arin stared at me with wide eyes, and I met her gaze squarely.
"Arin."
"W-what? You want me to hypnotize them or something? Those aren't human!"
Song Arin shook her head vigorously as she looked at me.
"The heads are human, but that's not what I'm asking."
"Then what?"
Song Arin looked at me, and I voiced the plan I'd come up with.
"Arin, do you remember what we did when we met the Observer?"
"What we did... You mean, reality manipulation?"
"So that's what it's called. Anyway, can you do that again?"
"I-I guess I could..."
Song Arin trailed off as she looked at me.
"What do I need to do?"
*Crunch!*
The sound of Yoo Daon piercing her hand with the awl reached my ears, while Jang Chaeyeon extended her hand to block the animals trying to push in.
Eilin stood guard with her gun at the ready and spoke up.
"They don't seem to be coming in."
"But we can't stay like this forever."
Yoo Daon was inducing delusions, Jang Chaeyeon was busy, and even Eilin looked strained.
I met Song Arin's bewildered gaze.
"Cover the entrance."
"Huh?"
"Manipulate reality to make it look like there's a door on the cave."
"W-wait a second..."
"You can do it, right?"
At my question, Song Arin rolled her eyes this way and that before letting out a small sigh.
"Connect us."
"Huh?"
"Link you and me."
"Got it."
I had no idea what she was planning, but I'd connected Yoo Daon and Song Arin before too.
[Using the method.]
A purple thread shot out from above Song Arin's head, and I stabbed it into my chest.
"Eek!"
Song Arin let out a weird yelp, then narrowed her eyes and reached out with her hand. Just like that, the creatures that had been relentlessly crumbling the cave ceiling froze in unison.
"..."
I opened my mouth to ask what she'd done, but Song Arin clamped her hand over it and pressed her index finger to her lips, signaling everyone else to stay quiet too.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Even Yoo Daon, who had been stabbing her hand with the awl, clamped her mouth shut and stared at me and Song Arin. An eternity seemed to pass.
"You didn't keep the promise. Not this time either..."
"Then the one who will keep the new promise is..."
The animals with human heads muttered in disappointed tones as they shuffled away.
Once they vanished from our sight, Song Arin let out a huge sigh and pulled her hand from my mouth.
"Whew, I really thought we were goners."
"Goners?"
Eilin stared at Song Arin, who shot back an irritated mutter as she met her gaze.
"Don't worry about it."
"Fine."
She shrugged and turned to me.
"What the hell were those things?"
"No idea."
"If even you don't know, they must be seriously dangerous."
Eilin muttered worriedly at my words, but I didn't chime in.
Saying I couldn't see them would be trouble, and saying I saw them but not clearly would be trouble too.
I recalled the animals from earlier.
A translucent panel had appeared and then scattered.
More precisely, it was there but not quite. That was the right way to put it.
It wasn't my eyes failing or anything fooling me. If I had to describe the situation just now, it was like a bad connection.
So why the bad connection?
I looked up at the moon.
Was it the moon?
What even was this place to begin with?
I groaned and glanced at Song Arin, who averted her eyes and muttered.
"What?"
"Don't you know anything about this, Arin?"
"What're you talking about?"
"You saved us from this mess."
No one seemed to disagree, and we all looked at Song Arin.
"..."
Song Arin glanced perplexedly at the others, cleared her throat awkwardly, and continued.
"Okay, here's what I think."
"Yeah."
"They had human heads, but they weren't thinking like humans."
"Right."
"So they weren't human. Even if the heads were."
It was the kind of deduction only Song Arin could make.
"That makes sense."
I nodded, and Song Arin gave a small smile.
"I did something useful this time!"
"Yeah, without you, things would've gotten way messier."
"Hee hee."
Song Arin beamed in satisfaction, and after watching her for a moment, I turned back to the manual.
Even the manual seemed off this time.
Was the info lacking? Or...
"You're not hoping I won't go on, are you?"
Of course, the manual didn't answer, but the thought popped into my head.
Maybe she didn't want me to keep going.
She was giving info late in a way that wasn't like her, yet still making sure I didn't die. It felt like she was dragging her feet.
"Have I never beaten Aestheticism even once?"
The manual didn't answer that either, but it felt like that might be true.
If it threw me straight at Aestheticism right now, I probably couldn't win.
But with the branch chief buying time and more of us here, it might be okay.
"I'm fine, so tell me."
And the manual still didn't respond.
"...Sigh."
I let out a small sigh and pressed on.
"It's gotta happen eventually."
If I fail, it's future me's job.
If past me failed, then it's my turn to experiment now.
"Please."
No, just saying please probably wouldn't work.
What should I say?
"...It's something I have to go through for my happiness anyway."
It might sound awful. It did sound awful.
I knew I was saying something awful.
She'd said it was for my happiness, and I was basically blackmailing her with that.
Even so, I had to kill Aestheticism.
Not just because it'd help my future more, but because I couldn't forgive what it'd done so far.
A little while later, the manual burst open with a loud rustle.
*Shraaaap!*
[Office Manual]
[Floor 3 - Plains]
1. Finding a safe place before nightfall is your top priority.
2. Once you've found a safe place, wait until morning.
3. You can look outside, but don't go out or take action. You never know what might target you.
4. If you spot other people, approach them first and ask their names. If you remember the names, the Management Bureau will guide them through proper procedures. If not, just leave them be.
5. See animals walking at night? Listen carefully to what they say. Pass it on. We'll collect it as dying words in the bureau.
6. It's fine if they see you. As long as you're outside the moonlight's reach, they can't harm you.
7. But if you're in the moonlight, refer to [T - Suicide Methods].
8. When the sun rises, walk in one direction only. Doesn't matter what's there. But move fast.
9. Keep walking and you'll probably find a river with high odds. Throw yourself in. You're safe from moonlight in the river. But the moment you do, they'll follow you. The current's faster than them, though, so no worries.
10. If you keep walking after sunset and still no river, refer to [T - Suicide Methods].
11. If you're swept down the river and inevitably get caught by animals, refer to [T - Suicide Methods].
"Thanks."
I tucked the manual away and looked up at the sky.
Dawn was breaking bit by bit.
"Everyone good to move? Especially you, Daon—how's the hand?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Yoo Daon nodded and showed off her uninjured hand.
"What about the rest of you?"
"Fine."
"Me too."
"I'm good too."
"Alright."
I nodded and started walking.
"Let's go."
We stepped outside.
Luckily, no animals in sight.
"..."
We walked quietly, and the others followed behind me.
*
How long had we been walking?
Time flew by in proof, with the sun already blazing overhead. And only then did the river come into view.
"How long was that?"
"Two hours."
Jang Chaeyeon answered quietly, and Song Arin wiped sweat from her forehead as she muttered.
"We walked a ton."
"But the sun's already high."
Yoo Daon looked at the sky, and I had to agree.
"Yeah. Let's hurry."
We rushed to the river, and I held the manual above my head.
"What're you doing?"
"Can't let the book get wet."
"Is that really just a book... Whatever."
Eilin shrugged, and we all threw ourselves into the river.
Splash! Cold water enveloped us, and our bodies were swept into the rapids.
"Whoa...!"
As Yoo Daon's scream rang out, I sank into thought.
It really is a river.
I looked up at the sky.
The sun was already dipping low, and darkness was closing in.
"Promise!"
At the same moment, a giraffe with a human face started charging after us from behind.
"The promise!"
It pursued us, and we surrendered to the current.
Moonlight shone brightly down on us.