episode_0284
by fnovelpia“D-class Hunter Eun Ha, D-class Hunter Kim Sa Rang, C-class Guide Hunter Ban Harin… Three people have been confirmed.”
A heart-pounding holiday morning.
Eunha, who arrived at [Goryongsan Crack Field] in Banharin’s car, was having her hunter ID checked by the entrance checkpoint staff.
An uphill path that was once used as a hiking trail by mountaineers.
The place where people’s cool sweat and footprints were left behind has since become the place where hunters carrying sharp weapons go to work.
The smell of rusty iron caressing the bridge of the nose and the smell of portable emergency food supplies.
Perhaps because it was a life-threatening task, the checkpoint at the entrance where Eunha arrived had a rather sinister atmosphere.
It must be a suffocating atmosphere for a D-class hunter who still needs guidance from another hunter.
However, this does not apply to the only daughter of [Changcheon Sword Master] and the owner of the building called ‘Saetbyeol Apartment’.
‘Checkpoint staff… at least the weirdos won’t come here.’
Rather, Eunha felt comfortable being with people who were unaware of the strangeness.
As I clear my mind, the strangely suffocating feeling becomes a little bit more relieved.
She has a body type and appearance that doesn’t fit the name Hunter.
Hunters waiting for their turn at the checkpoint and the checkpoint staff working hard today glance at the galaxy.
A black suit given to Banharin for use in [Crack Field] activities.
I wore this outfit last time, but for some reason it feels tight around my chest.
As she brushes back her tangled, sunset-tinged hair, several eyes turn to her.
But that was only for a moment,
Kim Sa-rang, who was guarding her side like a bodyguard… discovered the guild mark of [Changcheon Swordsman] engraved on her black uniform, and everyone avoided eye contact as if they had made a promise.
“Hmm…”
Was it fun to see the hunters avoiding eye contact?
Kim Sa-rang, who held back the corners of her lips from rising, protected Eun-ha as if nothing happened.
He stood guard in front of the galaxy like a bodyguard, and then something soft rubbed his back, and he took a step forward.
But, in order to avoid touching Eunha’s chest, the distance between them becomes too far, so he has no choice but to stick to her left like a shadow.
Her jet-black hair, tied in a ponytail, fluttered proudly.
‘People are avoiding Kim Sa-rang… Is this the value of a large guild’s name?’
A young lady belonging to one of the four prestigious guilds.
Kim Sa-rang was also a princess from a prestigious family. I sometimes forget that because of her usual human behavior.
“Galaxy, are you thinking of something rude?”
“I thought of Kim Sa-rang.”
“… … Hmm… ahem…”
Kim Sa-rang, who covers her mouth with the sleeve of her taekwondo uniform, turns her head.
“… … There are no particular restrictions on the number of people or ranks of guides, but I think it would be difficult for a C-rank hunter to guide two D-rank people. Is that really okay?”
“No problem.”
Banharin received a C-class hunter certificate.
The checkpoint officer bit his nails as he looked at Eunha and Kim Sa-rang standing behind him.
Half of the time I’m worried that the rookie hunters will get hurt.
Half of his worries are that the only daughter of the [Changcheon Sword Master] guild leader will be in danger in the crack field he is in charge of.
Banharin nodded while touching the ‘inverted cross hairpin’ on her bangs.
The employee swallowed the words he was about to say due to her icy gaze.
He returns the hunter ID with a relieved expression.
Galaxy who got her D-class hunter ID back.
I carefully wipe off any fingerprints or other things that may have accumulated in the meantime, and put the [Black Book] in the carrier along with my wallet.
“Did you forget anything?”
“Yes.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Why are you talking while looking at me?”
“Let’s go in now that we’ve got everything.”
“What about Mr. Mouse?”
“I went inside first.”
The weather is clear.
[Crack Field] I don’t know what to do with the inside, but it’s a good start.
Eunha followed Banharin’s lead and entered [Goryongsan Crack Field].
… … .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
… … .
Knock knock…
A concrete barrier that blocks the monsters in [Crack Field].
Once past it, you must proceed through a dome-shaped fog zone that separates the ‘crack’ from reality.
The galaxy walked through a fog made of mana.
– Please don’t let go of my hand. It’s easy to get lost if you move thoughtlessly in the ‘Fog Zone’.
The entrance to the [Crack Field] was a foggy area about 50m across.
If you don’t want to get lost or separated from your group, you should hold each other’s hands and move forward in a straight line.
A place where you can’t see even an inch ahead and the sound is deafening, and where all sorts of horror stories are told among hunters.
Eunha focused her consciousness on the right hand she was holding with Banharin.
Knock knock.
The sound of the wheels of a carrier pulled with the left hand.
Kim Sa-rang’s hand, which hugged my waist from behind, tickled me.
Eunha used Banharin’s hand, which was intertwined with hers, as a warm lighthouse and moved forward.
– Aren’t you feeling dizzy?
“I’m okay.”
My ears are stuffy. Is it because of the fog?
As if I was underwater, Banharin’s voice stuck to my eardrums.
In one hand, Banharin, in the other, a carrier.
Kim Sa-rang hugging her waist from behind.
The floor marking the path is uneven, causing the carrier to rattle.
– It looks like the formation from [Sword Ghost Reincarnation]… It’s just a normal welcoming formation. Follow me.
– Just ignore me and follow me.
The voices of Kim Sa-rang and Ban Ha-rin can be heard from the front.
The fog is so thick I can’t see anything.
Eunha focused on the group’s voices.
Kwaaak…
Is it scary? Kim Sa-rang, who hugs Eun-ha from behind, hugs her waist more tightly than before.
A small hand unbuttons Eunha’s shirt and reaches inside.
– Oh, you know that? When water reaches 100℃, it boils and turns into steam.
– Is that so?
– Yeah. Isn’t that amazing? Water boils at exactly 100 degrees. It’s like God set it right.
– It must be good because you know a lot.
Sagak-. Sagak-.
I move forward relying on the voices of two people coming from the front.
Banharin’s hand, which he holds tightly with his right hand, feels cold.
smother.
Now, I can’t even see the hand holding Banharin.
– We’ll be there soon. Just follow me.
“Yes.”
Knock knock…
I heard the sound of the carrier’s wheels.
The fog is thick.
– Galaxy, I’m on the left. The person holding your hand right now is not me.
Banharin’s voice is heard from the left.
The fog made of ‘Mana’ seems to be disturbing the five senses.
The left hand of the galaxy that pulls the carrier.
Someone approaches from the left and grabs your wrist.
– Eunha Doryeo. What’s going on?
Kim Sa-rang’s voice is heard from behind.
Her peaceful question startles me into a state of shock.
Knock knock…
Eunha followed Banharin forward.
… … .
… … ㅡㅡㅡ♪
ㅡㅡㅡㅡ♬ ㅡㅡㅡ♩ ㅡ♪
And then,
The sound of music coming from somewhere,
[Crack Field] informed Eunha that winter had come.
… … .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
… … .
Time goes by.
After taking steps, I safely escaped the foggy area of the ‘curtain’.
As if I had crossed the world,
Or, as if you had entered a fairy tale book,
A strange sensation.
“Whew… Is everything okay?”
“Wasn’t the steam story fascinating?”
“Please close the thrush.”
“… … .”
Banharin passing through the fog zone.
She turned her head and checked the D-class bugs that had followed her.
Left hand.
A galaxy holding hands with itself.
She smiled languidly, dragging her black carrier.
right hand.
Kim Sa-rang said, “I will take the lead!” and handed Ban Ha-rin the waist strap of her dobok.
She kept trying to lunge forward like a puppy that likes to go for a walk, but was stopped several times by having her waist strap held like a leash.
Still, the feeling was good and the direction I had to go was right.
“… … Hey.”
Eunha, who was checking on Banharin and Kim Sa-rang who were walking ahead,
He touched his own waist with a smiling face.
There was no one behind her.
“Who are you?”
“What’s going on?”
“I guess the apartment residents followed me.”
“Don’t say scary things. That’s the second scariest thing I’ve heard recently.”
“What’s the first one?”
“Who asked me to shoot myself in the head?”
Eunha was staring blankly at the ‘foggy zone’ she had passed through.
She was led into the [Crack Field] by Banharin, who was holding her hand.
Booths…
[Goryongsan Crack Field] was a mountain.
A huge mountain with winding ridges and basins.
If there is a special feature, it is that unlike [Mirinae Crack Field] where the grass was thick,
It’s like the world has ended… all the trees are withered and twisted.
There are no leaves or buds.
The only green thing is the shell of a beetle that clings to a tree and seeks out sap.
Crispy…
Kim Sa-rang muttered as she tapped the bare tree with her scabbard.
“It’s warm for a world that’s entering winter. It’s spring here. Or maybe fall… or maybe summer.”
“But the scenery is winter.”
“The seasons have stopped. The world is dead.”
It is spring here.
After countless winters, when all living things froze to death,
It’s a spring that no one survived.
“… … .”
A world that has already been destroyed.
Galaxy, it may sound very strange,
[Goryongsan Crack Field], which I saw for the first time today…
It felt familiar for some reason.
‘… …Why did cracks appear?’
Sagak-.
The sound of grasshoppers carrying memories.
The sad sound of insect footsteps.
The galaxy looked across the tree-lined ridge.
There’s something over there.
I remember.
“You’re here now. Why are you so late?”
Tick-tock-.
The ‘mouse’ that was hiding on top of a large tree came down and approached Eunha.
After arriving at [Goryongsan Crack Field], the ‘mouse’ moved away from the group.
She, dressed in a black suit identical to Banharin, wraps her thin rat tail around Eunha’s wrist.
As Eunha laughs in embarrassment, he pricks his round, flat ears like a mouse and coughs in vain.
It doesn’t look like they were searched at the checkpoint… How did they get in?
‘Mr. Mouse. Come to think of it, I don’t even know your name… I wonder if it’s written on your Hunter ID.’
Did you come in separately because you didn’t want to show your hunter ID?
Or maybe you don’t have a hunter ID at all.
The A-class hunter belonging to the secret department of the association had quite a lot to hide.
“Now that everyone is here, I will begin the [Crack Field] guide. I will finish it once I say it, so listen carefully. Of course, you can ask as many times as you want, Eunha.”
“What is discrimination?”
“That’s right.”
“This [Goryongsan Crack Field] is a good environment for D-class hunters to operate in. There is little risk of being ambushed since there are only tall trees to observe. The traps set by hunters are also easy to avoid for the same reason.”
There is little flat land and the slopes are steep.
But it’s not all dark.
“I have good night vision, so I don’t have to worry even if it’s dark around me.”
“Beasts may be like that, but humans need a light source at night.”
Shady, cloudy weather.
The sky I looked up at was a hazy gray color.
“… … Galaxy. Did I just act like an animal? ”
“I like animals.”
“Really?”
Kim Sa-rang, who was touched by Eunha’s answer, straightened her shoulders with a confident expression.
The chest puffs out like a dove threatening an enemy… Is it a threat?
Eunha also stuck out her chest, thinking that she would be lonely if left alone like that.
Then, Kim Sa-rang was startled, blushed, and ran away towards Ban Ha-rin, flapping the sleeves of her black uniform.
I won.
Meanwhile, Banharin takes out a dagger from the bag slung over one shoulder and looks back at Eunha.
Sagak-.
A swarm of insects can be heard coming from the left eye, which is covered by a blindfold.
“Even if I talk about it now, it won’t enter Kim Sa-rang’s head, so for now, I’ll walk around the entrance and look for traces of the monster.”
“Your seat?”
“Galaxy, please give me the ‘Guide’ page.”
Banharin finished her explanation and wiped her face with one hand as if it were her habit.
The ‘inverted cross hairpin’ that holds the bangs in place gleams under the shade.
… … .
Mt. Goryeong where a warm spring breeze blows.
Kim Sa-rang followed Ban Harin, who was walking ahead, and placed her hand on the sword on her waist.
A ‘mouse’ hiding in a tree, scratching its neck.
Galaxy stopped walking for a moment and opened the black carrier.
“… … .”
As he tries to take out an old saw from his carrier, he shakes his head and takes out [The Black Book].
The [Black Book] she takes out after a long time has a black bookmark in it, and the pungent smell of blood greets her, asking if she has finally found herself.
I checked it this morning, but let’s check it again before we leave.
Eunha opened the [Black Book] and read the rules for today.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
– This guide has been created to ensure your safety and a smoother hike.
– If you observe a phenomenon not recorded in the guidebook or an unspecified person with your senses, please visit the apartment security office as soon as possible and explain the reason for your visit.
Don’t look up to the bad ending.
– There are many ways to end a life. But most endings will not be good.
– Have you ever met someone on a bad day while hiking?
– I want you to bend down and move away quickly so that it can’t see you.
– Hanging on a tree branch, you want to be standing at the same eye level as yourself.
2. Watch your step.
– Mountain paths where no one has walked are especially dangerous.
– We pray for your safe daily life.
– If you find a round hole big enough for an adult male to fit in,
– Getting closer might not be a good idea.
3. We are happy.
– I am happy.
– You are happy too.
– Sometimes we go on a journey to find happiness, and the end result is happiness.
– So you should be happy too.
#. Smile.
– Smile.
– When you find us happy, smile happily too.
– We make you happy.
4. Mineral water is good for your health.
– There is a medicinal spring in the mountains. I don’t know who made it.
– However, we need to think about why it is called ‘medicinal water’.
– Try scooping up some water from the spring with a ladle.
– If there are no impurities, you can drink it with confidence.
– If there is hair in the bowl, rinse it in warm water and scoop it out again.
– Welcome.
– Come and drink some well-brewed medicinal water.
5. Listen to the sound coming from afar…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Turupㅡ.
The galaxy covering the [Black Book] rises from its seat.
This time again, it’s an incredibly difficult rule.
This is a continuation of the ‘Guide’ previously seen in [Mirinae Crack Field].
What should I do with the guidebook that keeps growing day by day?
Eunha, who had tied a string to the carrier and carried it like a backpack, got up with difficulty.
“Huh? There’s someone over there. How about asking the author for directions?”
At that time, Kim Sa-rang, who was following Ban Harin, pointed somewhere.
The road going uphill.
Between the tall trees,
Where her finger points… there is a person standing.
“… … .”
He is a person.
A woman hiding her body in an old tree with only the bark left, with her head sticking out to the side to look this way.
“… … .”
A woman with a smiling face is seen.
The corners of the lips stretch upward to the cheekbones, forming an eerie smile.
‘Something’ that looks this way while hiding behind a tree without saying a word.
Since when?
Swish…
Did I see things wrong?
Kim Sa-rang rubbed her eyes and looked at ‘that thing’ again.
A woman with an eerie smile appears.
It’s just its head sticking out from a tree closer than the old tree I saw earlier.
There was no movement.
Just, ‘that thing’ that had gotten closer than before was looking at me with a smiling face.
Kim Sa-rang, who discovered the woman’s eerie smile, bites her lips and hides behind Ban Ha-rin.
“Hmm…… You weren’t human. Excuse me… While I’m at it, can I cut you once? ”
“Everyone laughs.”
“Galaxy is gone?”
“I told you in the car. Remember rule number 3?”
A person who smiles happily.
Eunha, who was smiling languidly as usual, gave Banharin a look.
“… … .”
‘Someone’ hiding behind a tree, quietly watching with a smiling face.
When I turned away for a moment and came back, I saw it poking its head out from behind a tree closer than before.
Should I laugh?
As always, Banharin, with her expressionless face, breaks out in a cold sweat.
… … .
… … .
Hot and sour.
The sound of insects in a ruined world.
The sound of bright yellow castanets.
『It’s been… long time. We were connected.』
The sound of insects chirping can be heard everywhere,
I climbed the mountain path, following the footsteps of the galaxy.
Tadah!
The footsteps of the adorable pumpkin bee follow its mother’s back.
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