Chapter 24

00024 The City of Traps.

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The next morning dawned. After talking with Ahn Hyun in the early hours, I returned to my room and was able to take turns with the night watch and nursing. Even when I said it was fine and that I could sleep more, he insisted and pushed me away, leaving me with no choice. I lay down in a corner of the living room, thinking I might catch a few winks, but it seemed I had fallen into a deep sleep. I decided to reflect a bit.

Even if there’s nothing to worry about now, complacency is still dangerous. Of course, I might be abnormal. But I’m the kind of person who pushes myself to the limit no matter what I do. It’s been a habit for ten years, and I tend to avoid sleeping deeply and eating until I’m full. Thinking it was time to pick up the pace, I was about to get up when I heard someone nearby. I opened my eyes slightly and saw someone sitting quietly next to my bed. It was none other than Ahn Sol.

“Ah!”

Ahn Sol, who had been shaking her head restlessly, suddenly met my gaze and her eyes widened like saucers. There’s no need to be that surprised. I’m not your enemy. I greeted her with a soft, reassuring voice, conveying that I wouldn’t harm her.

“Hi. Are you feeling better?”

“A, good morning.”

Despite her flustered state, she greeted me politely, and I couldn’t help but smile. Ah, I really shouldn’t. Why do I feel so soft-hearted when I see this girl? Looking at her, who so strongly evokes a protective instinct, I slowly got up. Seeing my actions, she hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a tiny voice.

“O, Oppa.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry….”

“Huh?”

What’s with this sudden nonsense? I’ve heard “I’m sorry” a lot from her, both yesterday and today. Looking at her with a puzzled expression, she continued, lowering her head.

“Because… I heard… that you were… very tired because of me….”

Her words were so fragmented that someone who didn’t know the context might misunderstand. Ignoring the omissions, I felt a sudden concern for her future. How can she survive in Hol Plain, where people are abnormal, if she stutters like this when talking to others? The idea of her becoming a Radiant Priest, on par with the Shadow Queen or the Princess of the Executioner, seems so far-fetched. I replied with a nonchalant expression.

“You don’t need to apologize. On the contrary, you did a great job. I heard you saved everyone’s lives, right?”

“A, no! I don’t remember that at all!”

I shook my head with a kind expression, knowing that if I revealed my true thoughts, she would be disheartened. She seemed to have heard my praise clearly, as her face lit up and she started waving her hands frantically. Her thoughts were written all over her face, and she was clearly a natural. I was genuinely curious about how she had been raised to be so pure and natural. At that moment, someone called me from behind.

“Soo-hyun Oppa. If you’re up, come have breakfast.”

“?”

“Why are you looking at me with such a puzzled expression, Oppa?”

“?”

“Why are you looking at me like that… Damn, fine. I’ll do it the usual way. Ahn Hyun told me that Sol took care of everyone and kept watch for us. I made breakfast to thank her. The others have already eaten, so don’t worry.”

“Hmm. A clear reason. Thanks.”

Nodding and extending my hand, she placed a plate in front of me with an irritated look. The menu was the same tuna crackers as yesterday. I wanted to tease her about only knowing how to make this, but her cold gaze made me keep quiet.

“……”

“……”

I took a cracker and bit into it. Yoo Jeong and Ahn Sol were sitting quietly, watching me eat. After chewing one cracker, I stopped with a dissatisfied look. Seeing this, Yoo Jeong blinked, encouraging me to eat more, while Ahn Sol continued to giggle innocently. Are they all acting weird today?

“Do I look like a zoo monkey to you?”

“It’s not that. I’m just curious about how you eat.”

“How I eat?”

Not that much. Hmm. Did I eat so strangely? I usually eat this way… Thinking about it casually, I suddenly realized something.

“Ahn Hyun just chews a few times and swallows, but Oppa is completely different. You tear off a small piece and chew it very slowly, bit by bit. You don’t eat much either. Why do you eat like that?”

I couldn’t answer immediately. Yoo Jeong’s observational skills were unexpectedly sharp. If I told the truth, it would be that in the past, in the Fairy Forest, I had a time when food was scarce. I divided the remaining food and only ate enough to function each day, which led to this eating habit. Also, when preparing caravans or joining expeditions, I never eat until I’m full to keep my senses sharp, as a full stomach can dull them.

However, I couldn’t say this directly, so I decided to change the subject.

“It’s just a habit. I eat less in situations like this. By the way, where are the other two? Where did they go?”

“Ahn Hyun and Kim Hanbyeol? Ahn Hyun went out to check the surroundings, and Kim Hanbyeol seems to have gone to the roof.”

Seeing Yoo Jeong answer without suspicion, I sighed with relief. Then, turning to look at her, I saw Ahn Sol staring at me with bright eyes. When our eyes met, she smiled awkwardly. Why is she acting like this today?

I felt that Ahn Sol was similar to a child. When a child meets a stranger for the first time, they instinctively become wary, fearing harm and feeling anxious. If you approach them without thinking, they might cry, showing their discomfort.

The way to befriend such children is simple. Initially, keep a certain distance and do nothing to show that you won’t harm them. When the child’s curiosity is piqued, they will approach you, and that’s the best time to become friends.

After a moment of reflection on Ahn Sol… or rather, just some silly thoughts, I chewed another cracker Yoo Jeong had made and fell into deeper thought. If we count the day from 24:00, today is the second day since we entered the trap point. This means that today, until 24:00, is still a safe day. Everyone seemed to like this place, even though they didn’t say it.

“It would be good if you could come back early. There’s something I want to talk about.”

“What’s the talk about? Like, what we should do next?”

“Something like that.”

“What is it, Oppa? Tell us first, me and Sol.”

Yoo Jeong, sitting with her knees together and arms folded, asked with a curious look. Ahn Sol also seemed surprised by the topic and looked a bit tense. I decided to be straightforward, even though there might be resistance. No matter how difficult it is to say, everyone needs to know.

“I think it’s best to leave this city today.”

As soon as I finished speaking, as expected, their faces hardened instantly.

*

“I just went on a patrol. It’s eerily quiet, just like Oppa said.”

Ahn Hyun, opening the front door, said that the city was suspiciously quiet. With the intention to talk, everyone, including me, gathered in the living room. Kim Hanbyeol, who had gone out to clear her mind, seemed to have recovered her usual calm and composed demeanor. After looking at everyone’s faces, I began.

“I think everyone heard something from the angels before coming to this place called the rite of passage.”

“I don’t remember much. I was too busy fighting that winged woman to pay attention.”

Seeing Yoo Jeong tilt her head, I couldn’t help but smile wryly. Ignoring her, I turned to Ahn Hyun and Kim Hanbyeol. They thought for a moment and then started to speak.

“I read the precautions, but there were too many. We have to find our own water and food, be careful because death here means real death, and the survival condition is to reach the central warp gate… and something else.”

“Survive for 7 days.”

Kim Hanbyeol supplemented Ahn Hyun’s words, which were exactly what I was waiting for.

“Exactly. Survive for 7 days. Hanbyeol, do you remember any other conditions attached to that?”

At my question, Kim Hanbyeol had a momentarily displeased look but then spoke.

“I remember. The angel said not to settle in one place. We were told to either keep running for 7 days or go to the center.”

Nodding at her words, I was about to speak when Yoo Jeong quickly stood up and spoke first.

“But Oppa, this place is safe, right? There’s plenty of food, we slept well, and we have a house. Don’t you remember yesterday? We suffered so much when we came out of the forest.”

“True, Oppa. Is it really necessary to leave this place? We don’t have to believe everything the angels say, right?”

Ahn Hyun supported her, and Yoo Jeong looked at me with a brighter face, clearly not wanting to leave. I met their gazes and spoke in a calm voice.

“It seems like everyone is thinking too comfortably about the current situation. Let’s think about it the other way around.”

“The other way?”

“Yes. Now that Hyun has checked, you know this city is eerily quiet. When we were in the forest, we were constantly on edge, and even after we came out, you were attacked. It will probably be the same outside. But….”

I paused for a moment before continuing.

“The angels don’t want us to act like that. They warned us. Survive for 7 days, reach the central warp gate, and never settle in one place. We need to understand what the angels want. Considering the meaning of the rite of passage and our current situation, it’s clear that we’re not following their intentions. This situation is obviously strange. The facilities are comfortable, there’s plenty of food, and there are no monsters. I think this is a trap. Staying here any longer gives me a very ominous feeling.”

“…So, Oppa, you’re saying we should leave because you have a bad feeling.”

“I know it’s hard to accept based on just a feeling. But I really do feel an unsettling presence. I think the most efficient thing to do in such a place is to rest only as much as necessary, gather what we need, and leave. I’d like to leave by today if possible.”

I wasn’t sure if I could convince them. The success rate of persuasion is vastly different between a dangerous and a safe situation. Moreover, this time, my argument lacked persuasiveness. While there was some logic, it relied heavily on prediction and intuition. But that was inevitable. There’s a difference between those who know Hol Plain and those who don’t.

Everyone was silent for a while, but their faces clearly showed they didn’t want to leave. Of course, if I handle the boss monsters, it’s fine, but I wanted them to follow the standard course in a place prepared by the angels. The more comfortable we are now, the more we will suffer in Hol Plain. Ahn Hyun looked up at me, then at everyone else, and spoke.

“Since everyone has different opinions… let’s decide by majority vote.”

“Majority vote?”

“Yes. But there are two conditions for this vote.”

“What conditions?”

His unexpected suggestion piqued my interest. A majority vote. It had been a long time since I heard that. Kim Hanbyeol also seemed intrigued and asked, to which Ahn Hyun nodded slightly and answered.

“The conditions are simple. First, each person can choose to vote for, against, or abstain, but they must explain their reason. Second, whoever wins, everyone must follow the decision without complaint.”

Hearing this, Yoo Jeong, confident that staying would win, spoke in a lively voice.

“For, for! I have no objections. A majority vote, I like it. Let’s do it now. I’ll go first?”

“Sure. It’s better to do this quickly. I’ll cast a vote for leaving, with the reason already given.”

“No objections.”

“Then… does anyone have a different opinion? If not, we’ll proceed.”

After Kim Hanbyeol, Ahn Sol, and I agreed, Ahn Hyun nodded and turned to Yoo Jeong. She slowly opened her mouth, and everyone focused on what she was about to say.

============================ Author's Note ============================

1. Typos and context corrections.