Ch.292New Concept Idle Play

Contrary to our expectation of a prison-like place, the “Room of Black Stone” was exactly as its name suggested—a cheap lodging made of black stones.

The room was spacious enough for ten people to lie down comfortably, with a separate bathroom and toilet. Instead of mattresses, thick mats woven from large leaves were neatly stacked in one corner.

Although there was no other furniture or household items, it was a much better environment compared to life in prison.

Our meals consisted of salt-grilled fish and salted seaweed. It wasn’t gourmet cuisine, but it was perfectly edible. Despite having bars installed, large windows faced three directions, providing excellent lighting and ventilation.

‘The bars themselves aren’t very dense. Seti might have some difficulty, but someone like Mina could probably squeeze through.’

Of course, I didn’t try to put that thought into action. Two Third Eye tribe members stood guard outside the main entrance, watching the interior. Even if we escaped from here, our only options would be to flee beyond the gate or fight to the death with the Third Eye tribe—both obviously bad choices.

‘There’s no need to cause trouble and make the situation worse. Soon enough, something will happen, so I might as well rest and conserve my energy.’

But that thought didn’t last long.

One day passed, then two, and by noon of the third day, there was still no communication from the Third Eye tribe. It seemed as if they had completely forgotten about us after dumping us here.

“What’s going on? No interrogation, no negotiation—they’re just leaving us here?”

“We left the Wellord Mine the day before yesterday morning, so we still have a day or two to spare… but this treatment is incomprehensible.”

“Hey! Have you heard anything from your leader? How long do you plan to keep us here?”

I tried speaking to the two sentries guarding the main entrance, but they merely glanced at us once before turning back to face forward without any response.

“Listen! You might be fine enjoying this resort lifestyle, but we’ll be dead in two or three days! If this continues, we’ll have no choice but to escape by force to survive!”

I raised my voice in frustration, but the guards still paid no attention. Instead, an unexpected response came from the window behind us.

“Hahaha! It’s useless, useless! No matter how much you argue with them, it’s just a waste of time!”

The owner of the somewhat childish and mischievous voice appeared to be a child no older than ten years old.

With shaggy hair, wearing loose traditional clothes and shorts, it was difficult to tell whether they were a boy or a girl. However, the pale skin, inverted black and white eyes, and the third eye on the forehead clearly revealed that this child was a member of the Third Eye tribe.

“Oop!”

The unexpected visitor effortlessly passed through the iron bars of the window and landed in front of us.

Even so, the guards showed no interest in what was happening inside the room, not even glancing our way, just silently staring straight ahead.

The child glanced at the guards, snickered, and then spoke.

“They’re not really keeping you locked up. As long as you don’t directly attack them or damage the building, they wouldn’t bat an eye even if you escaped right now.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Shun. I’m the child of Se=Tan=Hum, the Regulator who guarded the entrance to this village.”

“!”

The Regulator’s child.

Realizing what this meant, we were momentarily speechless.

Had this child approached us knowing that the five of us were responsible for killing their father?

“Oh, don’t worry about Se=Tan=Hum. He must have had a hard time living unnaturally long by forcibly merging with a monster, so it’s actually better this way.”

“Better? Aren’t you sad that your father died?”

“Why would I be sad? He’ll be reborn in a few years anyway. Of course, he won’t be my father anymore then.”

“……”

Shun’s response, far beyond our imagination, left us speechless once again.

The dead Se=Tan=Hum would be reborn in a few years… Was this some kind of religious belief unique to the Third Eye tribe, like Buddhist reincarnation?

Or did the Third Eye tribe actually possess such characteristics?

This felt like the most shocking revelation since learning about the existence of the Third Eye tribe.

“OK, Shun, was it? Thanks for the valuable information about the guards and about life and death for the Third Eye tribe… but is it really alright for you to tell us these things so freely?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m a ‘non-existent child’ with only one name, so whatever I do doesn’t cause any problems.”

“Non-existent child? What’s that?”

“It literally means that Shun doesn’t exist in this world. Nobody speaks to me, nobody listens when I speak, and nobody is allowed to look at me or show any interest in me.”

What the hell?

Are all the Third Eye tribe members thoroughly ignoring this child’s existence?

The biological child of someone who could be considered a national hero, who protected their hideout even by merging with a dungeon boss?

“I don’t understand. While I have no right to hastily judge the customs or values of the Third Eye tribe, what possible reason could there be to treat a child—especially the child of someone who protected the tribe—so poorly?”

“It’s not the adults’ fault. The problem is that I was born this way. It’s just an unfortunate accident.”

“This way? What’s wrong with you?”

“Hmm, I see. You probably don’t know anything about our tribe… so I should start by teaching you about that.”

Despite our adversarial relationship, the women were outraged at the fact that a child was being abused.

However, Shun, the person directly affected, plopped down on the floor with an expression that suggested they didn’t care, and began to explain about the Third Eye tribe.

“We receive three names throughout our lives. One when we’re born, one when we awaken our talent around the age of five, and one when we receive our first mask at the age of ten.”

“Like Ul=Ga=Han or Se=Tan=Hum?”

“That’s right. But even after turning seven, no talent was discovered in me, so I didn’t receive a mask at ten either. Masks are only given to those who can work for the tribe… those who will develop their talents while serving a role.”

So that’s why this child’s name was just ‘Shun.’

From what the Gentleman and the Regulator had said, it seems that ‘talent’ holds tremendous significance in Third Eye society.

“So unlike the others of your kind, you had no notable talents, and because of that, you not only failed to receive additional names or a mask, but you’re also treated as if you don’t exist.”

“Yes. And Third Eye tribe members without masks stop growing physically after the age of ten. I’ll probably stay like this until I die.”

“What? You can’t become an adult just because you don’t have a mask?”

“Right. What’s the point of growing bigger if you can’t do anything? You’d just consume more food. That’s why our tribe’s rule is not to give masks to children without talent.”

“No, that’s not what I—”

We all struggled to find the right words in response to Shun’s matter-of-fact attitude.

The Third Eye tribe’s value system—that those who can’t contribute don’t deserve to become adults—was one thing, but the fact that wearing a mask actually affected physical growth was utterly absurd.

“…This is maddening. I don’t even know where to begin challenging this.”

“It seems the Third Eye tribe is far beyond our common sense.”

“By the way, Shun, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“You said you’re Se=Tan=Hum’s child, but what is your relationship with the man called Ul=Ga=Han?”

Phillis’s question was exactly what I had been wanting to ask.

The Regulator’s face, hidden behind the mask, looked very similar to the Gentleman’s, though the Regulator appeared about 20 years older.

If Shun was the Regulator’s son or daughter, what would be their relationship with the Gentleman?

Shun’s answer to this was also beyond our expectations.

“Ul=Ga=Han? I have no relationship with him. He’s not reborn family, not a relative—just a complete stranger.”

“I see… I thought Se=Tan=Hum and Ul=Ga=Han looked alike because they were blood relatives, but it seems it was just a coincidence.”

“Ah, right, all of your faces are different from each other, aren’t they?”

“…What?”

Following the continuous bombshell revelations, another shocking fact flowed from Shun’s mouth.

“In our tribe, all men look identical to other men, and all women look identical to other women. That’s why it’s hard to tell each other apart without masks.”

“What~? All several dozen members of your tribe have the same face?”

“Not completely identical. There are age differences, and as we live, we get scars on our faces, and those who eat well become a bit plumper… but basically, we all have the same face.”

“…Then Shun is a girl? You don’t look anything like the Gentleman.”

As Seti said, there wasn’t the slightest trace of the Gentleman in Shun’s face.

I’ve never seen a Third Eye tribe woman’s bare face, but unless the men undergo a terrible transformation, Shun is most likely a girl.

But here again, Shun delivered another answer that completely blindsided us.

“Me? I’m neither male nor female.”

Hahahahaha.

What on earth is this kid talking about?