Still (2)

I looked out the window of the shaking train. The scenery passed by, disappearing behind like flowing water. Watching it made my eyes hurt, so I leaned my head back against the seat.

I looked around the interior. The train’s inner walls were covered in white and deep blue. It was nice and quiet. Come to think of it, the quietness was natural. There weren’t many passengers to begin with.

“How long does it take?”

“30 minutes.”

Erica, sitting next to me, answered briefly while flipping through a thin book that looked like a travel guide. I nodded, but then thought that my usual self would have said something more, so I opened my mouth.

“That’s short.”

“Yeah, well…”

Erica hesitated, then twirled her finger in the air.

“It’s even better since the Association got us first-class tickets. At times like this, I think being a ranker is really convenient.”

“At times like this?”

She seemed to ponder for a moment.

“To be precise, only at times like this…?”

“Your true feelings are different.”

“Well, it’s a joke. We’re just going with the mindset of taking a break. I have no complaints… I made all the decisions to come this far anyway.”

She took a sip from the water bottle in front of her and continued.

“From the start, I’ve built up my foundation for a long time, so my stamina isn’t behind others. It’s not, really, it’s fine.”

“You don’t have to force excuses. I won’t tell anyone if you badmouth the Association.”

“No, no. Really. There are many good times while working too…”

She mumbled, seemingly not wanting to reveal her personal feelings, then turned her gaze back to the guidebook, so I just smiled.

I stood up to buy more water, opened the automatic door, crossed one train car, and headed to the vending machine. When I pressed the button, there was a thudding sound and a water bottle fell out. It fit well in my hand because it was small.

The regret due to carelessness came immediately after. As soon as I turned around, I came face to face with a middle-aged man sitting in the opposite direction of the train’s movement. His face started turning pale, and upon seeing me, he screamed.

“F-fuck. Isn’t that Orli? It is, fuck!”

How did he know? Surely when I entered the station… Ah. At that time, I had worn a hat with some magical treatment pressed down deeply. Along with a coat that wrapped my body tightly.

“This bas-, why is this bastard here! Ah, aah. Attendant! Where’s the attendant!”

But after boarding the train, my mind wasn’t fully there because I was focused only on Erica. I didn’t have the capacity to pay attention to anything else while pouring all my attention into her.

I lowered my gaze. It’s the clothes I often wear. My face, my hair, without any disguise. Should I think positively? I could think of it as being like an idol. The problem is that if someone discovers my identity, I have to shed blood.

I raised my gaze again. No, there was no need for that. My eyes naturally stopped, fixed on the chest where pain was flickering. When had he taken it out? The knife in his raised hand was tearing into my body.

“Did you let your guard down? You thought I was just a person you always see, right? You were probably just thinking about killing people like a beast again.”

As I listened without saying anything, my mouth naturally spat out blood. My body convulsed as if exploding. Did he insert some kind of detonator?

In the knife?

“You look exactly like what I saw in the media, just. Your face is fucking beautiful. If it weren’t for your notoriety, you’d be surrounded by men in no time, looking like a whore. But your actions are so messed up that only wanted criminals like me are chasing after you.”

Is that so? I thought the reaction was a bit excessive. Usually, ordinary people either stutter like their mouths are sewn shut or faint when they see me.

I just stared silently. The man grinned maliciously and his eyes flashed.

“Are you wondering how to kill me? But you know, this knife isn’t just an ordinary knife. It’s sucking up the magical power in your body, you see? I was worried because it needed quite some time after stabbing, but thanks to you staying still, I could do it! Thank you!”

Right. Well, certainly, my body has been feeling languid since earlier, so that might be the reason. Wanting to die, just wanting to cry, that too.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? You bitch. Did you enjoy killing people? If it weren’t for your reputation as a murderer, I would’ve fucked you so hard. Well, I guess you’re pitiful too. Even if you just stay still, noble ones like me come to stab you, right? If I were you, I would’ve just bitten my tongue and died.”

The man giggled.

So I just raised my hand and struck the man’s cheek. I hit him lightly, but the way he flew back and crashed into the wall was quite rude.

My mouth is slightly bitter. Did blood taste bitter? But I think it was a bit salty too.

As I splattered blood on the floor, red thorns grew on the soles of my shoes where it touched. I approached the man and trampled his face.

Ignoring the groans vaguely heard in my ears, I kept moving my leg. Small cracking sounds echoed inside the train.

After trampling for a while, I removed my trembling leg. My breathing was quite rough. After spitting out blood a few times, I turned my gaze towards him, and there was a hideous face covered in blood. Keeping looking at it made me feel a bit nauseous.

“Sa-, save…”

Ignoring the noise I heard, I pressed my shoe hard against the man’s chest. There was a sound of bones crushing. I also heard a noise of something breaking. My shoe is dirty.

I lifted my leg again and repeated stomping down. As the man convulsed and twitched, I hit his face with my shoe several times, causing a few teeth to fly out.

“Ugh, ugh.”

“That’s right. A reason to prolong life. I, I don’t want to know.”

My voice sounds a bit dry.

A bit tired, I stopped kicking and only then removed the knife stuck in my body. Magical power absorption, it’s only meaningful between two entities with similar levels of magical power.

It didn’t seem like he would hear even if I explained, so while I was at it, I used the knife I was holding to cut the man’s ankle a bit. I must have touched his Achilles tendon, because a split scream leaked out, so I hit his face a few more times to signal him to be quiet.

“My, my, uh. Foot. Sa-, save.”

I created a long sword with blood. I raised it towards his heart and struck down. When the resistance that briefly hindered the sword’s movement disappeared and the blade gouged his body, after a few seconds of silence, his body went completely limp.

I turned my gaze. An attendant was running from afar.

I stopped what I was doing and decomposed the sword into blood. I slumped down on the seat next to me and caught my breath. The attendant seemed to have already confirmed the situation before running over, as there was nothing noticeable except for a slightly bewildered look.

His uniform also seemed to be magically treated. It looks like he came reluctantly, just to see the criminal subdued and to restrict my actions afterward.

Seeing a bit of wariness, I spoke calmly.

“I’ll stay still. Do what you need to do.”

I held out both hands. I’m not sure when cleaning up murder scenes became part of a train attendant’s professional spirit, but seeing him trembling while tying my wrists with rope gave me an unnecessary sense of freshness.

Seoul Station.

It was desolate except for a few people who looked like officials, probably due to ongoing restoration work. The cool wind and the scent of metal assaulted my nose.

“…This is the entirety of the situation. Especially the inventor line that’s been continuously reported. It seems he used his abilities to forge his identity.”

The attendant kept glancing at me while relaying the information to Erica. Erica nodded with a completely dark expression. Erica was also constantly observing me.

It seemed for a different reason than the attendant.

“Thank you. I’ll take this knife as evidence. …Though it might not mean much since the wanted criminal is already dead.”

The attendant nodded. His hesitation seemed to be signaling for something to be done about me.

“I’ll take this person too.”

“Ah! Yes! Thank you! I’ll, I’ll be going now!”

The attendant hurriedly walked away, and silence returned once again. My head hurt, so I didn’t want to think unnecessarily.

Erica looked at me. Then her expression became as if she was about to cry, and when she tried to hug me, I stepped back.

I twisted my head, but still, with Erica in front of me, it seemed impolite and ill-mannered not to say anything without understanding the situation, so I opened my mouth.

“He said the right thing to me. That it would be better to die. Bite my tongue and die or something.”

“…Orli. Come here.”

“Yeah. That’s right. It’s the right thing to say. Really. But, I’m too. Why did I become like this.”

I don’t understand why your eyes are so sad. Is my face that horrible to look at?

My clothes are dirty. My skin is rough. Blood stains have violated my body multiple times.

“I’m sorry. Because of me, you’ve already had to embrace work. Should I kneel here and lick your feet? Though I don’t know if you’ll forgive me.”

“Come here. I said come here.”

“Seems like you won’t do it.”

“Listen to me. Before I get angry.”

I didn’t listen. I rejected instinct and barely held onto reason.

Erica was glaring at me.

“I don’t understand why you have such a sad face.”

“That’s, because. You shouldn’t have to go through this…!”

“I guess that was the sequence.”

The attendant was really loose-lipped too. There’s no need to go into the whole conversation, right? That brightening face as soon as he saw the Association Hunter ID.

“This is the natural cause and effect for me. Well, this should end now too. Since I’ll probably be able to be killed by you soon.”

Erica tried to hug me, looking indignant.

I wanted to run away.