Melting Point (3)

The flames flicker.

I frown at the scent emitted by the burning scented candle.

It’s only possible to light it because this is a home.

It would be troublesome in a basement with poor ventilation.

My vision turns red then blue, seeming like my sickly body is having another attack.

I blink a few times before just closing my eyes.

Love, huh.

For me, who dulls most emotions and whose mental state fluctuates dozens of times a day, the emotion of love was the last reservation of normal human category.

Falling for someone. Being enchanted by someone.

The other person becoming part of my life, feeling empty when they’re gone.

That’s how it was in theory.

I wanted to experience it someday.

Now I’m not sure. Whether I’m experiencing love or not.

On one hand, it was fortunate.

When I see Erica, I can focus solely on her without any other thoughts.

My relationship with her is selfishly one-sided on my part.

I ensnared her with my tongue, unable to push me away with justice and social safety as hostages.

Thanks to that, I’m being berated all day long, but it’s not bad.

That’s why showing her the city’s night view was impulsive.

When I closed my eyes for a moment and opened them, what I saw was a face that looked even more tired than mine.

Colorless eyes and disheveled hair, dozens of report pages, a cup of coffee.

Taking her out after that was selfish desire born from admiration.

I didn’t want to see her crumbling.

I still realized how twisted I am.

While repeatedly bringing her to her knees, I was also lifting her up.

It’s paradoxical and contradictory.

That’s why I admired her radiance even more. I wished for a beautiful world.

I put out the cigarette and messed up my hair. The silver color is nice, but it’s surprisingly hard to manage.

They say you have to treat it carefully with some special shampoo method.

I’m exhausted just from washing it.

After coughing repeatedly, I vomited stomach acid. There are many times I don’t want to take medicine, but relying on perfume makes my mind hazy enough to bear it.

As I was waiting for morning to come, a rift appeared beside me with the sound of air tearing.

[ Yaaawn… ]

The usually invisible mouth opened so wide it distorted. The numerous sharp teeth look like shark teeth.

Bloody blinked.

[ Gyaak! D-did you see?! ]

“See what?”

[ Ah, it’s nothing. ]

“I saw it.”

Is she embarrassed?

What’s the big deal about teeth.

[ You, you saw it! Gyaak! I’m so embarrassed! I just want to die! I’ll die! ]

“Don’t.”

Then who will be by my side.

[ Sob, hic… My teeth… ]

“What’s wrong with your teeth?”

[ For royalty to have such cute teeth is shameful! ]

Looking again, they do seem more cute than sharp.

“You’re not royalty anymore.”

Since you’ve come down to live in the human realm.

[ Once a princess, always a princess. An elegant and disciplined princess! ]

“But your teeth are cute.”

[ Gyaaak! ]

I ignored her whining and put a cigarette in my mouth.

The magical power I injected into Erica’s body is reaching the end of its accumulation.

She’ll realize at some point that the quality of magical power she can handle has changed.

Today is the final extension of that. It’s even better that it coincides with when the gate will burst.

I got dressed and went outside. The sky was painted a pale blue in the sun that hadn’t properly risen yet.

[ I’ve been feeling something lately. ]

“What is it?”

[ The spirit realm doesn’t seem right at all. ]

Come to think of it, it’s been days since I last met Seran. She was talking proudly about some project for me, but I don’t know what she’s planning to do.

“Are they going to send a delegation or something?”

The invasion of the human realm during the extermination order. A few days before that day, they sent a few knights to the Association.

They didn’t say much, just exchanged greetings and left, but I didn’t know if there would be trouble after that.

Thanks to that, a battle disguised as a massacre took place.

They probably sent delegations disguised as greetings to other places for exploration purposes.

If it’s Seran, I think she would have already co-opted or dealt with any elements that could be dangerous.

But she probably didn’t expect that I, who seemed to cause terrorism every day as if about to destroy the city, would massacre the spirit troops.

It’s a funny story.

[ He’s matchlessly vile and evil. If I just recover my strength, I want to beat him up a few times. ]

“Hehehe.”

I understand Seran.

Because the world is noisy.

Too noisy.

I looked at the sky for a moment. The sun revealed itself and dyed the streets vermilion.

I took off my hat and opened the office door.

I think I came too early. It’s quiet.

The director blinked while drinking coffee.

“What coffee is that?”

“They said it was cafe mocha?”

“You didn’t buy it yourself?”

“Erica bought it for me.”

What? Why didn’t she buy me any?

I should cry while clinging to Erica’s trouser leg.

Where is she?

“She hasn’t come yet.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s in a meeting.”

“I should go in and drag her out!”

The director chuckled and held out a sheet of paper.

“What’s this?”

“Gate report.”

“Why are you giving this to me…?”

“You’re a member of the Association too, aren’t you?”

The director pointed to the floor below. My seat is indeed right on the floor below.

There was a moment of silence.

“But I don’t have a department or position?”

“But you have a seat. Next to Erica, no less. Workaholic Erica.”

I let out a hollow laugh and looked at the sheet of paper. There were many words implying danger, suggesting it was a top-tier gate.

“When is it estimated to happen?”

“Tomorrow.”

I don’t want to work, but it’s a good opportunity anyway. I can catch Dracul, my current target.

Though in this case, it would be a mass slaughter.

I twisted my hair for a moment. I should go with Erica and pretend to fight while watching from behind.

It’s also a good chance to test the side effects of blood-sucking.

Ah, come to think of it, there was one more place I had to visit today.

As I was twisting my hair, I saw Erica coming out of the meeting room.

“Hello.”

Erica stopped abruptly.

“It was so nice that you didn’t come yesterday.”

“I didn’t come yesterday, so I came today. I’m an Association employee now too!”

“Who says?”

“The director!”

Erica turned her head. The director shrugged.

“Were you upset that I didn’t buy you coffee yesterday? Caramel macchiato?”

Erica hesitated. Then she covered her reddened face with the paper she was holding.

It was cute.

“What was it again? Latte macchiato with caramel…”

“W-why did you come today?”

I couldn’t hide my brightening face at this long-awaited question.

“I wanted to go for a walk.”

It’s my wish.

Coffee was a success, shaved ice was a failure.

How about a walk?

Although we won’t be able to walk much because there’s a place we need to go, it didn’t matter.

“A refusal is a refusal.”

“Ha.”

Erica glared at me once before passing by.

I followed her pitter-patter, and she went downstairs to start packing her things at her seat.

“Are you coming with me?”

There was no answer.

“Actually, it’s good to go with me…”

“No.”

“You don’t have to be shy.”

“Ha, I really can’t believe this.”

She sighed and packed her bag, so I tightened my coat and followed her out.

As we left the Association, a cool breeze blew. It was still quiet with no people around.

Is it afternoon now?

“…Where are we going?”

I silently looked at Erica and pulled down my hat. My mouth was covered and only my eyes poked out.

“What…”

“We’ve been waiting.”

Before Erica could finish speaking, another voice overlapped.

When I turned my head, a woman in a suit was standing there.

“Hello.”

“I’ll guide you.”

“We’re on a date, so we’ll follow behind!”

Seeing the woman nod, I linked arms with Erica.

Of course, I was pushed away in an instant.

“Ow ow ow…”

“What date? And weren’t we going for a walk?”

Erica made a bewildered face as we followed the woman walking ahead.

“It’s a walk with a destination.”

“Destination?”

“Our committee.”

The wind blew my hair.

“You’ve just been sitting still working at the Association. You should experience things like this too.”

Simply put, it’s a place where rankers gather.

They share information and issue recommended guidelines. They’re characterized by responding faster than the government.

Erica blinked her eyes.

“It seems a delegation from the spirit realm has come.”

Erica’s expression hardened. The spirit realm extermination order didn’t surface due to my massacre that day, but they were branded with a sinister image for occasionally sending delegations to the human realm without revealing themselves much.

It’s a natural judgment in the current state where no one knows who might be plotting what and where.

Yes.

Actually, Erica could just stay still.

She could just stay at the Association working and following the guidelines that come down.

This is my selfish desire.

Walking with someone, going somewhere with someone.

But with my status, I can’t go to places like the committee. So I’m using Erica as a front.

…It was hard to apply here.

A leaf fell in the gentle breeze. Warm sunlight enveloped my body.

“I want to do many things with you.”

“…”

Erica exhaled. I smiled slightly.

The woman walking ahead stopped. As we entered a tall building, there was an identity check station in front.

I prayed Erica would somehow handle it.

“You must be Erica. I heard you’re a celebrity at the Association.”

“Haha, thank you…”

As expected of a ranker, they seem to recognize her.

The man in the suit turned his gaze to me.

I unknowingly flinched and hid slightly behind Erica.

“Ha.”

“And this is…”

“Ah, that… She’s my junior. A hunter who just joined the Association.”

“Ah, I see. Understood.”

Good. Very good. As expected of Erica.

Passing by the man, we entered with quick steps and were able to get on the elevator alone.

“Erica senior. It’s the 12th floor.”

“Shut up.”