Clank—
Closing down my laptop, I took a deep and quiet breath.
The app made me excited. It made me itchy to start a new game. I wanted to start at this very moment, but I quickly shut the idea down.
I was in no condition to start a new game.
At least, not yet.
It was only now that the weight of the events prior started to crash down on me, and I started to feel the exhaustion catching up to me.
I could hardly keep my eyes open, and slipping my laptop back into my back, I got up from my spot.
’I’ll try my best to resist for a little bit. We should be heading back to the Guild soon. I’ll get some sleep then.’
For now, it was best for me to resist until then.
“Ah, Seth! You’re here.”
“Hm?”
Right as I stood up, I heard Kyle’s voice.
Turning my head, I saw him head over me from a distance. I also noticed Zoey standing behind him, alongside another guy I recognized but didn’t know much about.
’Now that I think about it, weren’t his eyes red when he was in the place? They’re different now…’
Was it some sort of skill?
“Are you alright? Are you feeling hurt anywhere? How is your shoulder?”
“…It could be better.”
That was a lie.
It hurt like hell. Thankfully, it was all patched up, and I was on painkillers. Coming out of the weird crack, the adrenaline made me forget all about the pain.
However, it didn’t take long for it to come back.
If not for the support staff coming to my aid, I would’ve probably have already passed out from blood loss. I would’ve also have been brought to some sort of hospital.
That would’ve been somewhat problematic.
’Good thing people here now know how to heal.’
“I’ve been told that I should be able to fully move my arm in a few days. For now, it doesn’t hurt too much. I can probably move it around without any problems.”
Well…
At least until the painkillers wore off.
“I see. That’s good to hear.”
Kyle smiled, looking relieved as he suddenly recalled something and pointed at the guy standing behind him.
“Right, I forgot to introduce him to you. I think you should have an idea since he was with us in the expedition, but he’s Raymond, and he followed the ’Hunter’ Decree.”
The Hunter Decree…?
As if sensing my confusion, Kyle explained.
“He has the ability to detect anomalies and individuals. That’s the summarized version of his abilities at least.”
“Oh.”
That sounded pretty neat.
But then… Thinking about the events that had unfolded in the strange world, my lips twitched.
If he was capable of detecting anomalies, why did he leave me alone with the Twisted Man?
…Or was it that he couldn’t detect him?
“Don’t mind his current expression, Raymond. He usually looks like that when he’s tired.”
“Eh…?”
Looking at Kyle, I didn’t know what to say. He was saying some sort of gibberish to him. What do you mean I look like that when I’m tired? Look like what?
“See? He’s just tired…”
“Wha—”
“Anyways.”
Kyle’s face suddenly turned serious as he turned his attention towards me, the smile on his face fading.
Seeing his serious expression, the words that were about to leave my mouth stopped, and I looked back at him. What did he want?
“How did you manage to get back? From what I’ve heard, the Twisted Man walked all the way back downstairs. How were you able to get past him?”
Kyle wasn’t the only one who looked interested. Peeking right above Kyle’s shoulder, Zoey tried to act nonchalant, but she was clearly interested. The same was true for Raymond, his gaze falling on me.
“Oh.”
So they didn’t know yet.
Made sense considering how they had all been brought to questioning not long after.
On any normal occasion, I would’ve explained it to him, but right at this very moment, I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open.
Covering my mouth and yawning, I brought the strap of my bag over my shoulder and turned around.
“About that… you can ask the Team Leader and Section Chief. I’d rather not recall what had happened back then. Maybe later.”
“No, wait…!”
“Later.”
I raised my hand and proceeded to ignore Kyle even as he called out for me. Thankfully, he didn’t try to catch up to me. Things would’ve been troublesome then.
’Sorry, but I really can’t right now.’
I wasn’t lying when I said that I would’ve told them how I managed to defeat the Twisted Man, but like I said, I was barely hanging on.
“Coffee.”
Muttering under my breath, I headed to the makeshift kitchen area and spotted a jar of powdered coffee. I paused, eyeing the layer of powder that filled a quarter of the jar. With a shrug, I dumped the rest into one of the cups, poured in some hot water, and gave it a quick stir before taking a sip.
Smacking my lips, I stared at the cup in my hand.
“…I think I’m starting to get it.”
***
At the same time.
Within the crack that had brought Seth and the others into the strange world, a team of researchers worked diligently, accompanied by their Team Leader and the Section Chief.
Following Seth’s return, access to the crack became possible for everyone.
It was for this reason that the Section Chief and Team Leader were able to enter.
“Be careful. Make sure someone is keeping watch of the anomaly at all times.”
The Section Chief stared at the anomaly that stood by the wall, his heart pulsing slightly as he noticed the pressure coming off of it. Surrounding the anomaly were several researchers, all dressed in white robes, as they took note of the anomaly with their tablets and notepads.
If not for the fact that the anomaly was standing still and not moving, they Section Chief wouldn’t have had them get so close to it. Right now, the anomaly’s gaze was fixed on the poem written on the wall.
Almost as if it was frozen in place.
In more ways then others, it was safe to say that it was contained.
And to be able to contain something like that…
The Section Chief clenched his fists slowly.
’As expected, I really do want him.’
Calming his thoughts, the Section Chief looked around and opened his mouth.
“If you notice a strange little girl, do let me know. There apparently wasn’t just one anomaly present within the place. Be careful, too. You might never know if something else might show up. As far as we’re concerned, there could be more than one Twisted Man.”
Based on the scale of the recorded events, this wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities.
But what the Section Chief was most curious about was the little girl that had shown up out of nowhere to help.
From what he had managed to hear, the little girl had appeared a couple of times, each time saving them and gaining the attention of the anomaly.
But was the little girl really on their side?
The Section Chief couldn’t tell. It was always best to remain careful.
“Make sure to be alert. Do be careful with their bodies. They are not dead. We will try to figure out a way to cure them later.”
The Section Chief barked one order after another, his eyes sweeping the entire place. He continued like this for the next few hours as the research team took photos, brought the victims away, and collected the anomaly so that they could bring it back to the Guild.
“Looks like we’ll be able to get back to the Guild soon.”
Whistling to himself, the Section Chief headed towards the kitchen area to do one last check. He opened the cupboards, traced his hand over the walls, and thoroughly checked every nook and cranny of the place.
’Looks like there is nothing.’
It was just as he was about to leave that he suddenly paused.
Tap. Tap.
Hearing the gentle tap of the water, he slowly turned his attention towards the sink.
Tap. Tap—!
For some reason, the tapping unsettled him, and his face grew serious.
He stepped cautiously toward the sink, each step quieter than the last, until he stopped.
A small pool of water had gathered beside it.
Then he saw it, just faintly, scratched into the metal of the sink.
A name.
A single name that read;
“Mirelle?”