In Pyongyang (2)

Following Lee Heetae's lead into the research institute, our vision warped for a moment and a message appeared.

Yet contrary to the message, neither Lizardmen nor any swamp appeared before us. Only sleek, immaculate buildings lined the way. Thanks to that, we didn't have to slog through a swamp at all; we simply rode the moving walkways in comfort.

"How much do you all know about the worlds beyond the gates?"

At Lee Heetae's question, Min Haryang glanced back at us—probably so she could pitch the explanation to our level of knowledge.

"Not in detail. Just that some of them once held civilizations."

Neither Baek Woohyun nor Yeon Hajin showed any sign of answering, so I spoke for the group, sticking roughly to what Min Haryang had told us earlier.

"Haha. For hunters, that's actually quite a bit."

What was that? A surprise jab at field workers?

"As you said, traces of human civilization are sometimes found in the worlds connected through the gates." Lee Heetae adjusted his glasses. "Our institute has successfully uncovered such traces here in the Herb World as well."

So the pink-mushroom patterns Min Haryang had shown us earlier had been excavated by this place? I glanced at her; our eyes met and she gave a small nod. Confirmed.

"Using the various historical materials recovered from Herb World gates and dungeons, we conducted our own research and made considerable progress regarding the civilization that once existed here."

He meant Pink Mushroom's people, right? Though calling them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠"human" felt a stretch—their ears were way too pointy.

"First, based on what we have determined, the civilization of the Herb World appears to have been quite low-stage—roughly at the level of primitive tribes."

...Huh?

"These tribes seem to have developed a totemistic culture that held trees sacred, and they appear to have built a theocratic society in which religious priests and political leaders were one and the same. Much like the primitive tribal societies that once existed in our own human history."

If Pink Mushroom ever heard this, he'd foam at the mouth and seize. In the blink of an eye he had been reduced to a savage barbarian of a backward civilization. I felt a little sorry for him, but I didn't leap to his defense. I had no evidence, after all. ...And even if I did, I probably wouldn't have corrected them.

While explaining, Lee Heetae led us through various parts of the institute and showed us the materials: remnants of altars carved with trees, castings made of plant-based materials. None of the high-dimensional civilizational wonders Pink Mushroom had described to me were anywhere to be found—only unreadable clusters of characters and drawings of assorted plants. Probably because the World Tree had burned and the whole place had been roasted in a massive conflagration.

"This tree tribe never advanced into agriculture or animal husbandry; they remained at the hunter-gatherer stage. Our leading hypothesis is that, like tropical tribes on Earth, the abundance of their natural environment left them with little need to develop further."

That was probably true. Pink Mushroom had said they lived off tree fruits. Something about not harming nature, too, but I didn't know—or care—about the doctrinal side of it. ...Come to think of it, calling them hunter-gatherer primitives wasn't entirely wrong. The kid had looked pretty uncivilized.

"The overall scale of the tribe has yet to be estimated, but they would have held the strongest influence in the region. Though it seems they were ultimately ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠destroyed in a war with another tribe that held a different totemistic faith."

Was he talking about the Unity Cult?

"Are there not many materials on that other tribe?"

Lee Heetae turned to answer my question. "Unfortunately, the only civilization we have made real progress on is the tree tribe. Almost nothing has been uncovered about the others. At best we can infer from the tree tribe's records that other tribes must have existed."

"Ah..."

A little disappointing. What actually mattered wasn't how barbaric Pink Mushroom's people had been—it was the Unity Cult.

Listening to Lee Heetae's explanations, touring the institute, and cross-checking everything against Pink Mushroom's stories, time slipped away until it was already late evening.

"Tomorrow I would like to show you the corpse of a giant magical beast discovered in this dungeon."

"A giant magical beast?"

"Yes. By the time we found it, a great deal of time had already passed since its death, so we could learn almost nothing... but one thing is certain: if that beast had still been alive, this dungeon would have been at least S-rank."

"What?"

That high?

"You remember the message that appeared when we entered, yes?"

"Ah."

"We currently speculate that the dead creature mentioned there is the beast we found. Even at a glance it is no ordinary specimen. For hunters like yourselves it should be a memorable experience, so look forward to tomorrow."

Nothing about a magical beast had stood out in Pink Mushroom's stories—or in the original ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠novel, for that matter.

"Come by before ten tomorrow and speak to a staff member; I'll come out to meet you. See you then."

With that, Lee Heetae saw us off to the front of the institute. Outside, the sky was already steeped in orange sunset.

"Shall we eat first?"

"Anything you want?"

"Hmm... something expensive?"

"......"

Yeon Hajin protested with silence at my suggestion, but majority rule sent us to a rather pricey restaurant. Who told him to fund the club budget with his own money?

After a delicious dinner together, we each returned to our lodgings. Originally we had planned two-to-a-room—Min Haryang with me, Baek Woohyun with Yeon Hajin, two girls and two boys—but at the vigorous insistence of Yeon Hajin and Baek Woohyun we ended up with single rooms. Fine by me. They were the ones paying, after all.

I washed up lightly and was preparing for the night activity I had planned in advance when—

Ding-dong—

The doorbell rang out of nowhere. What? Checking the intercom, I saw Baek Woohyun standing outside.

"...?"

Curious, I opened the door and met his eyes.

"What's up?"

"Have you time?"

Out of the blue?

"Huh? I guess so. Why?"

"There is a matter for which I would have your aid."

"What about Yeon Hajin? Why me?"

"That fellow went out alone earlier."

Probably off farming some hidden piece by himself first.

"Hmm..."

I looked at Baek Woohyun and considered for a moment.

"What kind of matter?"

"One that should prove beneficial to you as well."

"...Really?"

At his words I decided to accept. If a regressor put it that way, it couldn't be anything bad.

"All right. I'll help."

A short while later, finished with my going-out preparations, we headed into the night streets lined with lights.

Given the hour, the road was oddly quiet. I stared at Baek Woohyun walking right beside me, then spoke.

"Hey. Can I ask you just one thing?"

"Anything."

"Why do you talk like that?"

"......"

I had tried not to poke at it if I could help it, but the longer I listened the more it kept grating on me.

"...It simply clung to my tongue somehow. Using this manner of speech keeps people from drawing near. That convenience is why I continue."

Ah. So he was busy ostracizing the entire world.

"You hate people? Why?"

"......"

"Afraid that if you let someone close, you'll get hurt?"

Baek Woohyun fell silent at my words. Well, from a regressor's standpoint, fear of forming bonds wasn't hard to understand, but...

"You keep living alone like that and your heart's going to get sick."

"...It matters not."

In that flat voice I heard a heart worn completely thin. Honestly, whether they were possessors or regressors, their mental fortitude was paper-thin—one poke and they were ready to spiral into depression.

"It matters to me, okay?"

If your heart breaks, this whole world could collapse, you know.

"Anyway. From now on, you're friends with me."

"...What?"

"Sorry, but you don't get a choice."

I patted his shoulder a couple of times.

"...Hah."

Baek Woohyun turned toward me with a disbelieving little laugh. What? First time I'd ever seen him smile. Even if it was a hollow one, smiling suited him—made him look a lot more human.

All good, except...

"So when it's just the two of us, talk normally from now on, yeah?"

"...And why would that follow?"

"You said you use that speech so people won't get close. We're already friends, so you don't need it with me."

Might as well start normalizing the way he talks while we're at it.

"...I shall endeavor."

"Ahem."

"...I'll try."

"There we go. See? You can do it."

Baek Woohyun Socialization Project, day one. Since I had already decided to make this his final loop, helping him build broader human connections could only be good for everyone, right? First step: fix the speech patterns. Absolutely not because the way he talked was annoying. As a mature person of character, I was simply cultivating my friend's social skills. Really.

We walked a little longer, trading idle chatter, until we reached a more secluded spot. Baek Woohyun began rummaging through his inventory.

"Take these."

"Speech."

"...Take them."

The items he handed over were a robe and a mask.

I accepted them on reflex. He pulled out an identical perception-inhibiting set for himself and put it on.

"What is this all of a sudden?"

"Necessities for what we are about to do."

"...We're not going to commit a crime, are we?"

I looked down at the items—exactly the sort criminals would use to hide their identities—and asked. Baek Woohyun answered flatly.

"It will be similar."

"What?"

"Not an actual crime, however."

While I was still reeling, his old speech pattern had already snapped back into place. That grated a little, but something more important demanded attention right now.

"...What exactly are we going to do?"

"Villain hunting."

"...?"

While I stood there blankly, Baek Woohyun finished equipping the set, glanced at me, and started walking. His back receded with long strides. I hesitated only a moment, decided it probably wouldn't be bad for me either, and called after him as he pulled ahead alone.

"Wait up!"

He paused briefly to let me catch up. Villain hunting? Bounty money on top of everything else—why not? Tracking villains was a pain, sure, but if a regressor was taking the lead, he already knew something.