episode_0373

She was being punished.

She had committed a sin.

(It’s okay to make mistakes. You’ll surely find many precious people and things you love.)

A rural village.

The words of a grandmother who raised an abandoned baby all by herself.

The hands that stretched her awake in the morning,

the touch that combed her fluffy hair—

even now, grown up, she remembers them vividly.

(…Did you do this, Sow-Ah? Ah, it’s a skill.)

(It’s a wonderful ability to protect people.)

A baby not a drop related to her by blood.

Yet, a beloved family raised with love.

Yang Sow-Ah dreamed of happiness.

…….

…….

(Rare Hunter Yang Sow-Ah secured. Preparing for return.)

One day.

When she awoke from a deep slumber,

her grandmother was dead.

Strangled by a thin “thread.”

(You used your “skill” unconsciously…)

([Thread Manipulation]… Is it because it controls threads? The mana consumption is so low it doesn’t even trigger mana detectors.)

(No wonder a kid like this was designated a Rare Hunter.)

(It’s an ability meant to kill people.)

A life continued out of fear of death.

Where could she go to find meaning?

Someday… would she, like her grandmother said,

find many things she loves and precious people?

Now, she would never know.

She had dreamed of happiness.

One sheep. Two sheep.

Like counting in a dream.

(You are a sinner.)

Creak!

A young girl’s dream.

Severed along with the sheep horns that barely peeked out.

(Instead of the grandmother you killed, we will “manage” you.)

Creak. Creak.

Jet-black metal horns, like obsidian, take root over the severed girl’s dream.

…….

…….

“Baa… baa…”

The Wayfinder Church, on her way home.

The quiet air, choked with the stench of blood, gives way to a ghastly atmosphere.

Fluffy…

The wooden pews lining the chapel are drenched in blood.

A guillotine fallen atop them, and beside it, something clad in a “blue robe”—headless.

Squeak…

Along with an eerie noise echoing from somewhere, the fallen guillotine begins ascending back into the dark ceiling.

“Baa…”

Too terrified to even speak human words, Yang Sow-Ah.

She tumbles off the pew and crouches on the floor, arms hugging herself for protection.

She had to escape.

Turning into a fluffy pink hedgehog, Sow-Ah rolls across the floor toward the entrance.

Plop!

But then, a woman with an awkward demeanor catches the rolling Sow-Ah.

“Yang…”

“A-Are you okay?”

A woman in an Association uniform, her body tightly wrapped in bloodied bandages fluttering like wings.

That day when Ban Ha-Rin peeked into the [Black Book] of Eunha, she guarded the reception desk of the “Hunter Association”…

An anomaly that guides the “incomplete.”

The awkward figure stares down at Sow-Ah, nestled within its hair like a cocoon.

“You’re a tiny creature who wandered in by mistake. Sorry for scaring you… Now that you’re startled, how about dissolving into the Milky Way with peace of mind?”

“…I t-taste bad…”

“Huh? Oh, no, I won’t eat you. Humans besides you have high heavy metal content… Ever heard of bioaccumulation?”

“Demon…”

Was the thing before her a demon?

Was she going to be devoured now?

Curling into a ball, Sow-Ah wraps herself in her fluffy hair, trying to look as unappetizing as possible.

Plip… plip…

Blood trickles from her injured knee.

Had her wound reopened?

Grind…

For a moment, she considers subduing the woman with her [Thread Manipulation] skill, but quickly dismisses the thought.

Sow-Ah’s ability to manipulate visible fibers—threads, clothes, anything.

More effective against clothed humans than the fractured beasts of the [Rift Zone].

She could sharpen fibers to pierce, constrict, or harden them like armor…

As long as her “mana” allowed, anything within the scope of “manipulation” was possible.

Which was why she realized—

The threads and bandages of the awkward woman

did not respond to her “skill.”

Meaning, they were not fibers.

Outwardly ordinary,

but made from the hide of “something else.”

Fluffy…

A grotesque existence.

Perhaps overwhelmed by the aura, Sow-Ah felt no confidence in fighting and winning against this being.

“Demon…”

“A demon…? Why would you think that…?”

At the word “demon,” the awkward woman furrows her brow.

Sow-Ah subtly turns her head… and glances at the “inversed cross” hanging on the church wall.

An upside-down cross.

Was this a church that worshipped demons—or beings akin to them?

She didn’t know why Eunha, the “Rare Hunter,” had come to such a place.

First, she had to survive.

Survive, and escape with Eunha.

Fluffy candy-floss Sow-Ah began thinking of ways to flee from the thing gazing down at her.

“…The inverted cross… was our choice.”

Fluffy…

Then, following Sow-Ah’s gaze, the thing stares at the “inversed cross” and speaks.

The chapel floor is littered with headless “things.”

Pools of blood spread from their bodies.

Even Sow-Ah, crouched on the floor, is approached by a crimson pool.

“As our hearts grew heavy, we bowed our heads… Our cross, too, bowed its head—unable to bear looking directly at your radiance.”

“……”

“Though inverted, it remains a cross, and knowing it watches over us… ‘we’ made our choice.”

An incomprehensible statement.

The awkward woman gazes at the “inversed cross” as if praying to a glimmering star.

Her upturned eyes reflect a shimmering Milky Way.

“……”

Fluffy…

The thing reaches out.

Seizing the hedgehog-curled Sow-Ah, it forcibly pulls her upright.

Squelch…

Blood endlessly spilling from the headless “things” splashes against Sow-Ah’s shoes.

Just a faint stain on her shoes.

Yet the chapel floor is now a sea of red.

…Not… a demon?

As Sow-Ah quietly listens, she absentmindedly scrapes her obsidian-like horns against a church pillar.

“…This church… what is it…?”

“A sect that worships the North Star… It’s, um, a secret? If the lady finds out, she’ll be really upset…”

“Lady…?”

“H-Hey! If you’re done here, get out…! Stop interfering with our operations…”

Plop! Plop!

Flustered, the awkward woman hurriedly pushes Sow-Ah away.

Toward the church entrance she came from. As if opening the door and stepping out would grant her escape.

Fluffy…

Should she just leave like this?

The conversation abruptly ends.

“……”

Fluffy…

Holding onto a pillar with her pink hair, Sow-Ah surveys the chapel once more.

Swish…

From the bloodied pews, “Eunha” rises.

With a drowsy smile, she opens a wooden door near the altar.

Rumble…

Dragging a suitcase, “Eunha” disappears into the depths of the church.

Beyond the slightly ajar door lies darkness.

“……”

“She’s staying here tonight, so don’t worry and go home. A terrifying saintess visits [Room 904], you know.”

“…Yang…?”

“If the saintess who eases pain wills it, even our existence can be stripped away.”

She couldn’t understand a thing being said.

Yang Sow-Ah stares ahead at the church’s exit.

Fluffy…

The dark depths where “Eunha” vanished.

Before her, an exit overlooking the peaceful Silver Sky District.

Beautiful twilight spills through the transparent glass doors.

“……”

A strange day.

The “Rare Hunter” Eunha didn’t seem human, the café was odd,

and the church she followed Eunha into nearly took her head.

Fluffy…

Her hand grips the glass door.

If she opens it and steps out now, she’ll return to her ordinary life.

The daily routine of obeying the “Team Leader’s” orders

as a member of the [Rare Hunter Protection & Execution Division].

Just this door…

Just open it and leave…

“……”

Fluffy.

And then, Yang Sow-Ah—

(It’s okay to make mistakes. You’ll surely find many precious people and things you love.)

Lets go of the glass door,

and quietly turns away.

“……”

“Not leaving?”

“…I’ll leave… after taking Eunha with me…”

Rubbing her drowsy eyes,

half-lidded, she looks ahead.

Ban Ha-Rin’s precious person, killed by her own hands.

She couldn’t leave someone like that alone in such a dangerous place.

At least until the two reinforcements sent by Team 4 arrived, she had to ensure Eunha’s safety.

“……”

Had it sensed her resolve not to leave?

The awkward woman steps aside without further interference.

“‘Advice’ must have been given to you. Remember it.”

“…?”

With those final words, the woman turns her back on Sow-Ah and returns to the chapel’s altar.

The bloodied floor is now spotless, the headless “things” vanished like smoke.

Click… click…

One by one, the thing places “pure white orbs” from the altar into a basket, its bloodied bandages fluttering like wings.

Weird from start to finish.

Fluffy…!

Steeling herself,

Sow-Ah wraps her fluffy pink hair around her body and tiptoes toward the wooden door Eunha entered.

…….

…….

“……”

Thus, the chapel falls silent.

Only the woman remains behind.

“Too bad…”

Genuinely disappointed, the “anomaly” sighs.

The basket brimming with “pure white orbs.”

Just one more, and it would have been perfectly filled.

Too bad.

BANG—!

Then, the church door bursts open as two men step inside.

The golden twilight of the Silver Sky District spills into the quiet chapel.

“This the place? Where’d that bitch Yang Sow-Ah go? Not answering her calls… Did she run?”

“No way she’d run. The ‘Team Leader’ has her switch. Hey, there’s someone here.”

“Tch… Association lackey? That uniform—”

Men in dark gray suits.

Fluffy Pink’s teammates?

“Uh, w-welcome…! Here to pray?”

Playing the awkward role,

the thing pulls out “church pamphlets” with a regretful expression.

Too bad.

Only two came.

…….

…….

Squeak…

Having entered with considerable resolve, but still terrified.

Nothing’s gonna jump out, right?

“Baa…”

Clutching the “pamphlet” received in the chapel, Sow-Ah whimpers softly as she moves.

Limping on her injured knee, she nudges open the wooden door near the altar with her fluffy body and peers inside.

A long hallway stretches ahead.

Stairs leading to the second floor and basement flank the sides.

The second-floor path is labeled [Mirror Room],

while the basement reads [Confessional].

The doors lining the hall must belong to church residents.

‘Miss Eunha… where…?’

Plop…!

A few steps in, she flops face-first onto the floor.

Turning into a pink hedgehog, she scouts her surroundings,

then scuttles forward cautiously.

Creak….!

A door opens somewhere.

Fluffy!

Terror-stricken Fluffy curls up again.

She couldn’t possibly walk any further.

‘What to do…’

She had to find Eunha, but advancing was too scary…

She pondered.

Fluffy…

Eventually, activating [Thread Manipulation],

Sow-Ah unravels the fibers of her suit, weaving a sparse net stretching down the dark hallway.

Fluffy. Fluffy.

Like a blind man feeling the ground, she uses the mesh-like “threads” to explore the hallway.

The threads spider-web all the way to the end.

Luckily, nothing suspicious snagged—

Tap.

—until then.

At the hallway’s end, her threads brush against “something.”

In the dark corner,

someone crouched, facing the wall.

Grind…!

The moment her threads touch its shoulder,

the figure rises abruptly, mutters something,

then—

SPRINTSPRINTSPRINTSPRINT—!

Charges toward Sow-Ah at full speed.

“HYAAAA?!”

Plop!

Sudden chaos.

Startled, Sow-Ah curls up on the floor.

『Don’t run.』

CRACK!

But instantly, “something” grabs the sprinting figure’s ankle,

sending it crashing face-first into a hallway shelf holding a potted plant.

THUD—.

At full sprint, its head slams into the shelf’s edge.

A horrific sound as the shelf’s corner pierces through the back of its shattered skull.

Plop…

Hedgehog Sow-Ah holds her breath, flattened against the hallway.

『Ghk… khh…』

The figure—skull caved in—still flails its arms.

“Baa… baa…”

A surreal spectacle.

This was indeed a demon’s den.

Could she even find Eunha here?

Fluffy…

The gore-streaked hallway was too much to traverse.

She hurriedly severs the threads laid across the hall and retreats toward the chapel.

“Cold…”

Shivering as chilly winds weave through her fluffy hair.

Had stripping her suit been a bad idea?

How could she solve this problem?

Wrapped in her hair, she racks her brain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

■. The Wayfinder Church is a place for those departing.

> A place for comfort.

> You have not entered by mistake. Follow the rules below ■■■ ■■.

2. The Chapel

– Bow your head in prayer.

– Clasp your hands before you.

– Close your eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tightly clutched “pamphlet” was no help.

Following its “rules” nearly got her beheaded by a guillotine.

There had to be another way—

something useful.

Hedgehog Sow-Ah scuttles forward along the hallway.

(“Advice” must have been given to you. Remember it.)

The awkward woman’s words echo.

What advice?

When and where?

Who would even give her advice…?

She pauses…

Then, suddenly,

remembers.

(If you’re ever in danger…)

(Dig deep into your hair.)

Last evening.

At the Silver Sky Restaurant, a conversation with Ban Ha-Rin.

Right before ordering food, Ban Ha-Rin had said…

‘Ban Ha-Rin… unnie…’

That was the only advice she could recall.

Grasping at straws, Sow-Ah plunges her hand deep into her hair.

Fluffy… fluffy…

A wool-like, snug sensation.

No matter how far she reaches, no end in sight.

Then—

Grab.

Something hooks onto her fingers.

She pulls it out.

Swish…

A head emerges.

『Pull me out.』

“HYAA.”

Whackwhackwhack!

She smacks the intruding “head” repeatedly, stuffing it back in.

Long hair is prone to lice—

from now on, she’d scrub her scalp thoroughly.

Blinking sleepily, she plunges her hand back in.

Grab.

This time, something hard.

A hefty book.

She pulls it out.

“…Yang?”

The untitled [Black Book].

A bleeding “bookmark” pierces its pitch-black pages.

Why was this in her hair?

“Baa…”

A brief dilemma.

Flip…

Finally, she opens to the marked page.

Inside, a “guide” nearly identical

to the “pamphlet”—but subtly different.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– This guide is made for your comfortable journey.

– Pray at the cross to shed our lingering attachments.

– Read carefully. If you find omissions or interference, bring this to the attendant immediately.

■. The Wayfinder Church is a place for those departing.

– A place for a comfortable journey .

– If you’ve entered by mistake, visit at least 2 locations before leaving . Follow the rules in reverse .

2. The Chapel

– Do not bow your head in prayer.

– Do not clasp your hands before you.

– Do not close your eyes.

3. The Confessional

– Do not confess your sins.

– Speak lies.

–

4. The Central Mirror

– Do not face your pain.

– For the mirror reflects your heart.

– Do not wipe its stains.

5….

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frowning at the [Black Book], Sow-Ah processes its words.

To leave, perform the rules in reverse…

Wasn’t this the same as the “pamphlet”?

‘And visit at least 2 places… If I’d left earlier, would I have…?’

A dizzying thought.

The “pamphlet” in her hand reeks of sinister intent.

Flutter—.

Tossing it aside, Sow-Ah hugs the [Black Book] tightly, curling up like a pill bug.

“Unnie…”

Had she met you sooner,

would things have been different?

“I…”

But it’s too late.

You’re gone now.

…….

Fluffy…

Time blurs.

Tucking the [Black Book] back into her hair, Sow-Ah rises in the church hallway.

“……”

Her gaze lands on the stairs.

The basement path bears a sign: [Confessional].

“……”

She doesn’t know why “Eunha” came here.

But to leave, Eunha, too, must visit “at least 2 places.”

She’d be around somewhere.

Find her, and escape safely.

Limp…

Dragging her swollen knee, Sow-Ah descends.

…….

…….

The Confessional.

The rule to leave:

Do not confess your sins.

Speak lies.

Yang Sow-Ah arrives in the basement confessional.

Fluffy…

A small room. One chair facing the wall.

A “mirror” hangs on one side, reflecting her face.

『Sit.』

A voice from the dark ceiling.

A solemn, middle-aged tone.

Plop…

Weirdly calmed by the voice, Sow-Ah obediently sits.

“……”

Facing the wall

forces the mind to slowly organize its thoughts.

Her profile quietly reflects in the mirror.

『Let us confess.』

Again, the ceiling speaks.

Sow-Ah opens her mouth to weave false confessions.

Just lies.

Make up harmless sins,

and she’d escape—

『Have you killed a person?』

“……”

But when faced with fabricating sins…

Fluffy…

The “thing” above probes her conscience.

“……”

『Who did you kill?』

Her head aches.

Like always.

Because of obsidian-black horns,

because of the [Black Book] in her hair—

(It’s okay to make mistakes. You’ll surely find many precious people and things you love.)

She could say it.

“I’ve never killed,”

a simple lie.

Avoid confession,

and live.

(Just let me die once for you.)

Yet—

Why couldn’t her lips part?

“……”

A cruel place.

Blankly, she stares at the wall.

…….

…….

Then,

after a long pause…

“…I killed Ban Ha-Rin.”

Someone speaks.

…….

…….

…….

『…Those who speak lies may rise and depart.』

And then,

light floods the dark confessional.

Team 4’s A-Rank Hunter of the [Rare Hunter Protection & Execution Division].

Assassin of high-profile targets—

a woman… no, a girl barely taller than a silver bell.

“………Yang?”

『You’ve killed zero humans. Lying brat. Kids these days…』

“Baa…?”

『Rise and leave.』

The mirror on the wall.

Reflecting Sow-Ah’s drowsy smile.