SBTGC 04

Chapter 04

“Then… what about those people who were chasing us earlier?”

“The police of Rachajert.”

Huh?

“The police? Real police?”

“Yes.”

What. I thought they were fake police? Isn’t that why we ran away?

“Then why did you say I shouldn’t get caught?”

“I think I mentioned it, but Rachajert welcomes souls.”

Despite the endless questions, he answered me patiently. Of course, he did show a bit of annoyance.

“And those police are affiliated with Rachajert.”

Ah.

I finally realized what he was trying to say.

If I had gone to the police earlier, they would have helped me.

It just wouldn’t have been the help I wanted.

Instead of sending me back home, they would have supported me in settling down in the city.

<If you get caught by them, you really won’t be able to go home from then on.>

So that’s why he said that.

“Do you understand now?”

I slowly nodded.

“Either way, I can go back home, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m a soul right now, but I’m not completely dead, right?”

“Yes.”

“…Is it possible for you to answer with something other than ‘yes’?”

“Yes.”

“…….”

Never mind.

Well, still, I feel a bit more at ease than before. Maybe it’s because the situation is better than when I knew nothing.

…Wait.

No, no. Is it really okay to feel at ease? Is what he said even trustworthy?

Who is that skull anyway? I don’t even know if he’s a person or a soul!

“…Skull-nim.” (Mr. Skull)

*Stumble.*

At my call, the man faltered slightly and stopped walking. His face, when he turned to look at me, was still hidden by the mask, but he seemed a bit taken aback.

Why are you so surprised? What else am I supposed to call you when I don’t even know your name?

But I’d better keep this retort to myself. After all, he’s scary….

I asked my question as politely as possible.

“But how do I get back home?”

“…….”

He had been answering me quite well up until now. But strangely, no answer came back to that question right away.

What? Why is he suddenly being like that? It’s scary.

As the silence grew longer, so did my anxiety. Just as I was fidgeting, waiting for his answer….

“Before I tell you.”

The man finally began.

“There’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

A request?

“What is it?”

“I’ll explain it simply. That….”

The man trailed off and suddenly turned his head to the side. Even though the eye sockets were hollow and dark, I could feel his sharpened gaze.

Why is he doing that? Is there something there?

Just as I was about to turn my head to follow his gaze….

“Ms. Myeongse-na.”

The man abruptly reached out his hand.

“Come behind me.”

“Ah… is that the request?”

“No.”

What? It’s not?

“Then why….”

“Come within 5 seconds. Hurry.”

I looked down at his gloved hand. Then carefully placed my hand on top of it.

The moment my fingertips touched his palm, I was pulled abruptly.

After moving me behind him, the man pulled something from his waist.

A surface that shone silver in the darkness of the night.

It was a pistol.

The man aimed the drawn pistol to the left. The silver muzzle pointed into the darkness between the trees.

*Tread.*

At the same time, a strange noise came from within that darkness. The leisurely sound of someone’s footsteps on the ground.

“Ah. Why did you come all the way out here?”

Followed by the man’s smooth voice.

“Making it troublesome to follow you.”

I fixed my eyes on the tall silhouette that emerged through the darkness.

He was wearing a white shirt and sky-blue dress pants. His shoes were leather, their surface gleaming as if he’d just worn them for the first time today. In many ways, his outfit prioritized aesthetics over practicality.

And his face… I couldn’t tell.

Because he was wearing a helmet. The kind you wear when riding a motorcycle.

On the front of the white helmet, instead of a visor, a smiling emoticon was displayed as a hologram.

That emoticon changed expressions every time the man spoke. At first it was sticking its tongue out, and now it was winking with its right eye.

“Hey. You shouldn’t be coaxing civilians like that.”

The person who stopped in front of me and the man said in a sly tone. The man kept the muzzle aimed at him and retorted.

“Coming from you, that’s rich.”

“I haven’t done anything yet, though?”

The man in the helmet shrugged. I alternated my gaze between the back in front of me and the smile displayed on the helmet.

What’s this? Do they know each other?

Judging by the tense atmosphere… they don’t seem to be on good terms.

“Hmm.”

The man in the helmet tilted his head slightly. He seemed to be looking at me, standing behind the man. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could feel a persistent gaze.

What? Don’t look at me!

I flinched and pressed myself closer to the broad back in front of me.

“I think I roughly understand the situation….”

With that, he averted his gaze from me. Then he spoke towards the man in front of me.

“Rather than letting those cultists take her, wouldn’t it be better to send her to me?”

“…….”

“At least there’s no crazy cult leader. And I pay well, too.”

Cultists? What is he talking about now?

Aren’t you the cultists? I’ve never seen a cultist call themselves a cultist.

Now there was no answer at all from the man in front of me. He was treating the helmeted one as if he weren’t even worth dealing with.

Despite being blatantly ignored, the helmeted man shrugged nonchalantly. Then he leaned his body slightly and asked me.

“Hey.”

“Ignore him.”

The man’s order followed immediately. But the helmeted one didn’t care.

“Did you hear anything from this guy?”

“Keep ignoring him.”

“Don’t be scared, just answer me. I’m not a bad person.”

“I said ignore him.”

“How much did you hear? Huh?”

“If possible, don’t even look at him.”

This is driving me crazy! What do you want me to do!

Just as I was rolling my eyes, unable to do either,….

“Hey.”

The helmeted man asked me.

“He hasn’t told you how to get back yet, has he?”

…What?

At those words, I unconsciously leaned my head out to the side to look at him.

Then the smile spun around happily. As if delighted by my reaction.

“The way back is simple. It’s even possible right now, you know?”

“Ignore that too.”

“But why hasn’t he told you yet?”

Then, in a secretive tone, he added.

“It means there’s a condition. For you.”

A condition?

I looked at the back right in front of me.

The man in the skull mask didn’t even say not to answer. He maintained his silence, still aiming the gun.

…It was puzzling. Who is this man? And how much of what he says can I trust?

No. Before that, is he even human?

But the helmeted man who appeared out of nowhere and said such things is just as suspicious.

Honestly, who can I trust? In a situation like this, isn’t it that I can’t trust anyone?

“…….”

This won’t do.

If both are suspicious, I have no choice but to hear everyone out.

“Then….”

After steeling myself, I directed my first question to the helmeted man.

“Do you know? …How to get back?”

“Ah, of course I do!”

He clapped his hands. The smile spun around in place.

“You’re curious, right? Want me to tell you?”

“Stop it.”

The man in the skull mask cut in.

I don’t know who I should consider the interferer here.

Hesitating, I asked quietly enough for only the man right in front of me to hear.

“Is what that helmeted guy said true?”

“…….”

“Does he also know how to get back?”

The reason I’m asking this man, even while doubting him, is that he has answered me earnestly. At least, among what has been revealed so far, the man hasn’t lied to me.

But that doesn’t mean I can trust the helmeted man’s words.

The man answered after a beat.

“Yes.”

“And you, Skull-nim, you also know, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me? …Were you really thinking of making a condition in exchange for telling me?”

“Yes.”

Ah, I’m so sick of that damn ‘yes’!

“Fine. Fine, so just tell me now. What do you want?”

I’m so fed up now that I’m not even scared anymore. You say you know how to get back. Then don’t keep it to yourselves, tell me too!

But before an answer came back….

*Bang!*

Suddenly, a single gunshot rang out without warning.

“…….”

Not from the skull, but from the man in the helmet.