Chapter 33

He had seen strange things ever since he was young.

"What? A person?"

"Yeah, over there. You can't see them?"

"... What are you talking about? That's just an empty lot."

"..."

"Did you maybe see a monster?"

"It's not a monster..."

Sometimes, it took on a form similar to a human.

"... Sorry, I must have been mistaken."

"Oppa, are you sure you're really okay?"

"Maybe I'm not fully awake yet."

Like a squirrel or a stray cat, its tail might trail long between the bushes, or it might stand there like a tree and give off a strange scent, or drift leisurely high up in the sky as if it were a cloud...

He knew it was an existence fundamentally different from the animals and plants he knew.

Sometimes they were quite similar, but other times they were grotesquely crude.

"You might be pushing yourself too hard these days. Why don't you rest a little?"

"I can still manage."

Like most wild animals, they did not pay him any mind.

"I have to work while I can."

So Cha Eun-hyuk deliberately pretended he could not see them.

'Can no one else see them but me?'

He thought hard about what they really were.

'... Are they ghosts? But if they were ghosts, they'd usually look like people, and those are definitely in the shape of animals. Sometimes they only imitate parts like ears or tails. Then hallucinations? But calling them hallucinations doesn't fit when they're leaving actual traces behind. Then are they monsters? But ordinary monsters aren't that indifferent to people.'

Sometimes they danced.

They sang, admired flowers, or floated on water.

Cha Eun-hyuk had a gut feeling that, so long as he did not touch them, they would not harm him at all.

However, very occasionally, dangerous ones appeared.

"They say there was a fire at that house."

"No wonder. The lady of that house had been so forgetful lately..."

"They say her whole family burned to death in that house."

The villagers blamed the fire on the housewife who had dementia.

Perhaps that was true, but Cha Eun-hyuk knew the fundamental problem lay elsewhere.

"..."

Some "thing" carrying a bundle had been following that lady around.

'Ah, I see.'

That thing must have killed her.

He did not know exactly what effect it had caused.

But from that moment on, Cha Eun-hyuk understood that some of them could be dangerous.

He could not feel malice from them, but their mere existence could be a threat to people.

'Are they a kind of monster after all?'

That was how Cha Eun-hyuk defined them.

"Oppa, are you going to keep selling fish-shaped bread?"

"It sells pretty well."

"Do the city people not say anything? Places like that are especially bad about discrimination by citizen grade..."

"Everyone's been kind. So far, no one has said anything about me being a Grade 3 citizen."

In truth, he had neither the time nor the energy to concern himself with monsters or whatever those unidentified things were.

"Of course, it's not like there aren't people who make it obvious, but the youngest has to have his induction ceremony soon."

"..."

"We have to buy priest robes, pay the dorm fees, and give him spending money for when he lives there."

"... Of all things, he had to Awaken as a priest."

"I'm just happy and reassured that we have two Hunters in the family."

Both of his younger siblings were Awakened.

His younger sister was the lowest class, F-class, so the only work she could do was as a porter.

The pay was not especially good, and he also had to buy her equipment to increase her survival odds when she entered dungeons.

His youngest brother had Awakened as a "priest," a class that was useless unless he contracted with a god.

But they said it was nearly impossible to serve a god through one's own power, so he could only barely receive grace with the help of a temple.

"Still, we were lucky. The Sun Cult in Seoul called for our youngest."

"..."

"Our youngest is about to become a Grade 2 citizen. More importantly, how could I rest when even you are working? I have my pride as the eldest son."

"That's because I'm Awakened... and I'm in better shape than you, you know?"

"I get it, so don't worry and rest."

"... Should I go work with you? If people in Seoul try anything, I can stop them..."

"We need someone at home to look after the youngest."

They were short on money.

"Don't worry."

So he had no time to spare on those unidentified things.

'As long as I don't keep them close, there won't be any danger anyway.'

Those creatures probably had lives of their own.

Just as one would not get hurt unless they touched a poisonous toad by the roadside, the ones playing on their own were harmless as long as he did not pick a fight with them.

'It's not like I can't avoid them because I can't see them, and there's no way I'll suffer when I can see those things clearly. There's no problem, so it's fine.'

However, if there was one problem...

"..."

"..."

There came a moment when avoiding them was not enough.

He had not expected that moment to come right when he had sold all the fish-shaped bread and was about to pack up.

"..."

What should he do?

'He's been staring only at the fish-shaped bread for a while now.'

The "thing" that had approached at this random hour was a man wrapped in a pitch-black cloak.

He was extremely tall, and the clothes he wore were luxurious.

But perhaps because everything was black, he also looked like a guest at a funeral.

The air around him sank sharply and grew heavy, sending a chill down Cha Eun-hyuk's spine.

It did not feel like an existence such as a grim reaper or a god of death.

Compared to those beings who had selves and collected souls, this one looked like something much closer to nature...

So he could tell for certain that it was one of "them."

"..."

Should he speak to him, or not?

'I've never seen anything good happen from interfering with these things.'

But when he was staring this obviously, Cha Eun-hyuk was afraid there would be consequences if he ignored him.

'I want to see my youngest.'

He was trying hard to act calm because he did not want to provoke him, but cold sweat was pouring down his back.

Cha Eun-hyuk had guessed that these things were a kind of monster.

They were gentler than the ones people could generally see.

But the sight of them occasionally ruining a person without the slightest malice was nothing short of chilling.

'... He keeps staring only at the fish-shaped bread...'

Would he disappear if Cha Eun-hyuk gave him some?

That was when it happened.

"How much is one bag?"

"..."

He talks?

'A monster?'

He did not show it, but he was startled.

He had often seen creatures with human forms before.

They would often imitate human lives, but their actions had no substance, and not a single one had ever actually spoken before.

'And he asked how much it costs?'

He was imitating a human this seriously?

"Ah..."

Even so, Cha Eun-hyuk could not ignore him when he had asked a question.

"Five thousand won for ten."

"Do you only take cash?"

"Cash would be best."

"..."

Black Cloak, who had been standing silently with his hands clasped behind his back, put a hand inside his hood.

Cha Eun-hyuk wondered what he was doing, and then, soon enough, there was a jewel glittering with transparent light in his hand.

Even Cha Eun-hyuk, who was from the provinces, knew that the beautifully cut thing was incomparably more valuable than ten fish-shaped breads.

"Will this not do?"

"..."

Just when Cha Eun-hyuk had thought it was a fairly convincing imitation of a human, he committed such an eccentric act that Cha Eun-hyuk almost resented him for it.

'Who pays for fish-shaped bread with a jewel?'

A chill ran down Cha Eun-hyuk's spine.

The fact that he was trying to barter, the fact that he did not know the common value of what he wanted to get—no matter how much the other party was imitating a human, it only felt wrong.

'And yet he definitely feels human, which makes this even more unsettling.'

He barely managed to answer.

"... That's far too much."

"I have no other goods on me."

"Do you perhaps have a card..."

"Cards are accepted?"

"Uh... yes."

"I see."

Cha Eun-hyuk had wondered if he really would, and he actually took out a card.

"..."

"..."

"... I was just packing up, so I'll have to make a fresh batch. Is that all right?"

"That is fine."

"It will take a little while."

Cha Eun-hyuk quickly resigned himself and began making the fish-shaped bread.

'This is a disaster if I've ever seen one.'

Business had gone unusually well today, so he had not been able to leave the terminal until even the last bus had departed.

He had already gotten permission in advance, so there was no worry of being taken away, and he had been planning to sleep rough for the day, only for a new customer to come like this.

And an unidentified monster customer, at that.

"..."

CLACK.

The hand closing the fish-shaped bread mold trembled a little.

'... He won't suddenly kill me, right?'

Like monsters, most of these things seemed to have their own rules.

Opening their eyes only when the sun was up, staying beside a blind person their whole life, stepping only on white stones.

Many of the rules were like children's games, but among them, there were also rules that threatened humans.

'But this is the first one I've met that can talk, so I can't judge.'

This was the first one to imitate humans this well.

The wrongness could be felt here and there, but aside from the strangely chilling atmosphere, his words and actions were quite similar to a human's.

'He even has a card.'

Suddenly, Cha Eun-hyuk realized something.

'... If he didn't steal someone else's, that means someone else lent it to him.'

Then perhaps this creature had a guardian somewhere.

"... Do you not have any other companions?"

"I did, but not now."

"..."

"They must be sleeping by now."

For a moment, Cha Eun-hyuk thought he meant he had killed them.

'This is the first time I've ever resented someone I don't even know this much.'

In a world where one could not even walk a dog without putting it on a leash, what was anyone thinking, letting something this dangerous roam freely just because it resembled a human?

"..."

No, wait.

'If they gave him a card, that means they thought he could use it well enough.'

A monster invisible to other people could not possibly use a card.

Then was the person before him not a monster, but human?

"... Is this..."

Cha Eun-hyuk cautiously opened his mouth.

"Your first time in Seoul?"

"It is not my first time. But I am indeed sightseeing."

"Ah, sightseeing. Have you been to Gyeongbokgung Palace?"

"Yes, there were various foods, so it was enjoyable."

The conversation felt somewhat choppy, but he had gotten enough information.

'Other people can see him too?'

Then did that truly mean he was an ordinary person with nothing but a frightening atmosphere?

Or perhaps he was the humanoid monster that they said was always introduced in textbooks...

"..."

GURGLE.

Cha Eun-hyuk flinched.

'A bird?'

Because a softly glowing bird had popped out from between Black Cloak's hood.

"Honey, go back in."

GURRR...

"I'll give you some later, so stay inside."

GLUG-GURGLE.

"Good."

The sight of him commanding the small monster was like the "trainer" commonly known to the public, but well.

Strangely, Cha Eun-hyuk did not feel that Black Cloak and the bird before him were a pair of human and monster.

That sense of wrongness became even clearer the moment his eyes met the bird's.

"..."

GURGLE.

"..."

Cha Eun-hyuk could not hold its gaze and lowered his head.

'... Dangerous.'

Cold sweat flowed so much that his hands and feet seemed to go cold.

'That one is truly dangerous.'

The bird, with its honey-sweet color and small body, was pretty and cute no matter who looked at it.

But to Cha Eun-hyuk, who could faintly sense its true nature, it was nothing more than a ridiculous deception.

Perhaps it was a name its owner had given it, but the true nature of the bird called "Honey" was like waves whipped by a typhoon.

Impulsive, violent, and strong.

And yet the reason it had taken such a frail form was probably because its owner wanted that.

"..."

Then just what kind of existence was Black Cloak, its owner?

'Damn it, I didn't know it would turn out like this.'

Among the things only Cha Eun-hyuk could see, there certainly were some that took an interest in human food.

They would savor the rice villagers had scattered for ghosts to eat, or steal side dishes from restaurants one by one.

But none of them had ever ordered food this openly.

Most of them merely took human form and imitated daily life; they did not try to actually interact with humans like this.

'I let my guard down.'

He should have been more careful.

'And that bird doesn't seem to like me very much...'

The bird hiding deep inside Black Cloak's hood and watching him was even oppressive.

"... Here, your ten fish-shaped breads are ready."

"Thank you."

After receiving the fish-shaped bread, Black Cloak stood still for a moment.

"..."

"This is a gift."

"Pardon?"

"You have worked hard at dawn."

"No, wait..."

Black Cloak continued speaking to Cha Eun-hyuk, who was about to refuse.

"If I frightened you, I apologize. I came because I smelled the fish-shaped bread, but I stopped you while you were packing up and made a mess of things again, so I should offer my apologies and thanks."

"It's fine."

"Thank you."

He set down one of the blue jewels he had just shown and leisurely disappeared.

"..."

Cha Eun-hyuk stared at Black Cloak until his back was no longer visible, and when not even the edge of the cloak could be seen anymore, he slowly collapsed.

"... Ha, haha..."

Fuck.

He was alive.

'I thought I was going to die.'

From the moment he realized he could see beings others could not, he had anticipated such an end.

I will die in a bizarre way, so bizarre that other people will not even be able to guess the proper cause of death.

That was what he had thought.

But even so, dying while selling fish-shaped bread was not it.

"Wow..."

Cha Eun-hyuk roughly rubbed his face with both hands.

"That scared the shit out of me."

He still did not know what Black Cloak was.

If other people could see him too, was he a person?

But for that, his essence was too distant and vicious.

Then was he the same kind as the things Cha Eun-hyuk usually saw?

But for that, the communication had been too smooth.

A humanoid monster?

There was not even a dungeon nearby.

If he was none of those, then was he a kind of monster Cha Eun-hyuk did not know about?

"..."

And whichever it was, it was horrifying.

'Can you meet a humanoid monster and still be alive?'

That was what he was thinking when it happened.

GURGLE?

"..."

It was the sound he had heard earlier.

GURGLE...

"..."

GURGLE, GURGLE, GURGLE-GURGLE-GURGLE.

"... Uh..."

GURR.

When he raised his head, he saw a huge beak.

He saw the teeth filling it beyond the uvula.

He saw a pitch-black tongue.

GURK.

A beak as hard as metal swallowed half of Cha Eun-hyuk's head.

"..."

TAP, TAP.

After pretending to bite him a few times, it soon spat him out.

GURRR.

"... Wh-what..."

GURK.

When his sight returned, "Honey" was in the small form he had seen earlier.

"..."

That looked like such a vicious act of playing innocent that it made him sick.

"What the hell are you?"

The bird flew away.

"What the hell was that, really..."

He truly had no idea, but what was certain was the fact that he had almost died just now.

The honey-sweet-colored bird seemed to be saying this.

'This much is fine.'

That was what it seemed to say.

"..."

It seemed to be saying that he had passed.

Goosebumps rose on his skin.

"... I should move spots tomorrow..."

He hoped he would never meet them again.

* * *

And the next day, at two in the afternoon.

"Do you sell fish-shaped bread?"

Cha Eun-hyuk met Black Cloak again with uncanny precision.

"... Yes..."

"Ten, please."

"Understood."

What was he supposed to do if the world was this small?