10.
“Have you resolved the issue?”
“If you ask whether it’s resolved, I suppose I could say it’s halfway there. Though I still don’t know how things will turn out.”
Choi Seongjae shook his head regarding Lucia.
He had written that she was not a threatening figure, but that was still undecided.
Since he did not know how matters would unfold going forward, he needed to keep watching until the very end.
“I intend to continue leaving matters regarding her to him. While it could become a problem that he will be sent to the battlefield, this could also be used in another way.”
“Hmm, I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but I believe we should also give sufficient thought to how to handle this appropriately.”
“That’s true. But the other party is an otherworlder. Since we cannot know what kind of life they lived in what kind of world, sufficient preparation is necessary. And this is one such preparation.”
“…Yes, since you’re in charge of this matter, handle it as you see fit. Is there any news of other otherworlders?”
“Nothing has come up for now. Even if there were, they are all matters within a domain that can be sufficiently confirmed. There is nothing to be greatly concerned about yet.”
“Not yet, huh.”
“Since we never know when and what might happen.”
11.
Sejin sighed at the sight of his home.
Since he often left it empty when work was heavy, it was not very well organized.
And because it was a place where he lived alone, it was even more so.
“I thought I had cleaned up to some extent, but it seems there were parts I missed.”
While tidying up lightly, Sejin looked at Lucia.
“Just rest somewhere comfortable. It won’t take that long to clean up.”
“I’ll help you…!”
“No, I’ll handle these myself. There are quite a few things that are a bit difficult to leave to someone else.”
Lucia looked around the house while Sejin was tidying.
There were various things inside.
Since it was a place where one person lived, it was not exactly full of life; they were simply things that showed what Sejin’s past had been like.
Lucia still did not know Sejin.
All she knew was that he was very active as a mercenary.
She could not know exactly what kind of person Sejin was from the things in this house, but there was one thing she could clearly tell.
“Sejin, you are an amazing person.”
“I don’t think I’m that amazing. I’m just an ordinary person. An ordinary mercenary doing this kind of work because there aren’t many choices in life.”
“But it’s not easy work. This mercenary work isn’t something anyone can do easily.”
“…”
There were photos taken with many people.
The same groups of people were gathered, and their numbers were gradually decreasing.
They had retired, or they had died.
Lucia did not know much about mercenaries, but she could sufficiently imagine the ending of those who did dangerous work.
If they did not survive, they simply died.
“I suppose dangerous work is unavoidable in any world.”
12.
“…”
People were busily moving about.
The boy was quietly watching them from among the crowd.
No one paid any attention to the boy.
Because the boy held no value whatsoever.
To ordinary people, that was the case.
And among them, those who were not ordinary gazed at the boy.
“This one’s good. Not bad.”
The boy saw them.
He merely looked.
He could tell what kind of people they were.
They were of poor character, those who made kidnapping and selling people their trade.
There was no way for the boy to run away from here.
“Don’t you think it’d be good to add more seasoning here?”
“Seasoning? What seasoning?”
“Dressing up appropriately. After all, girls sell better than beggar-looking brats.”
They laughed.
The boy was swept along by them.
At some point, the boy became a girl.
What exactly they had done was a mystery.
It simply became so, and things merely flowed in the direction they desired.
“…Then, now.”
A loud noise rang out.
Many people died.
The girl looked at those who had suddenly appeared among them.
They were ones swinging swords and maces.
“It seems these were the goods they intended to sell.”
“Dead?”
“No, still alive. Alive, but seems to be a child commonly seen on the streets. One whom no one pays attention to.”
“…”
Two people were conversing in front of the girl.
The girl was quietly looking at the two.
Though they were talking about her, she did not pay it much mind.
The girl merely stared blankly at the two.
“Child, what is your name?”
The girl shook her head.
A child abandoned on the streets had no name.
“We are people of the church. Won’t you come with us?”
The girl had no choice.
Following their movements was all she could do.
“Then, let us go. Hmm, your name… yes, how about Lucia?”
The girl—Lucia—nodded.
13.
“…”
An unfamiliar ceiling.
Lucia blinked.
“This place is…”
“Are you awake? Breakfast is ready, so please eat.”
The first morning at Sejin’s house.
Lucia looked at Sejin and gave a small nod.
“You seemed to be dreaming; were you uncomfortable by any chance?”
“No, I was just dreaming of the past. I slept well.”
An old dream about herself.
Lucia thought of that dream and shook her head.
“What are we doing today?”
“I’m planning to go buy the things we need. After all, you can’t always go around in that nun’s habit.”
Though she was currently wearing clothes Sejin had given her, besides the nun’s habit she had been wearing from the start, Lucia had no other clothes.
“There are clothes given by the village, but…”
“It’s not good to always go around in those either. It would be better to buy new clothes that fit you properly.”
Lucia nodded at Sejin’s words.
She ate slowly.
Sejin’s expression scrunched up as he read the newspaper.
“Is something the matter?”
“No, it’s nothing. It’s just because of the usual news, that’s all.”
“The usual?”
“News about fighting. They say mercenaries need a place to fight, but not everyone wants that. Because that place could become where we die later.”
Sejin clicked his tongue and folded the newspaper.
“Please finish your meal. I need to prepare as well.”
“…Yes.”
14.
“I heard the news.”
“News travels fast. I wish they hadn’t told me at all.”
“That couldn’t be helped. It wasn’t something that could simply be ignored. What do you think the government will do?”
“Given the current situation, they’ll maintain the status quo. It’s obvious what they’ll choose.”
“Entrusting an otherworlder to a mercenary headed for the battlefield—the government must be insane. If I’m not mistaken, the man managing the otherworlders was him, right? Choi Seongjae.”
“Yes.”
Sejin exhaled.
He sighed as he watched the cigarette smoke.
“I don’t know what will happen from now on. Given that man’s personality, he’ll try not to cause any major problems, but not everyone thinks and acts that way.”
“There’s definitely talk going around. Otherworlders keep appearing, after all. I heard they’re even conducting summoning of otherworlders somewhere.”
“Officially?”
“Half official, half unofficial. You can guess what happens next without me saying.”
“…”
“It would be best not to get entangled in matters regarding otherworlders. Though you may already be too deep. Is the otherworlder with you kind?”
“Yes, not the type to cause major problems. What the government fears likely won’t happen. But the problem will be what comes next.”
“Ah, because of the newspaper?”
“Yes, work will come in soon. When it does, I’ll have to head back to the battlefield.”
It was not a very good thing.
Sejin had never been greatly concerned about heading to the battlefield, but this time the circumstances were different.
Because he had to be with someone.
“Being on the battlefield with someone is not very good. I haven’t had many good experiences.”
“That’s true. Most of them die. The ones alive are either lucky, or those who don’t die to begin with. Hey, Sejin. Who do you think is better between an immortal and just an ordinary guy?”
“I don’t know the intent of the question, but if I had to choose one, an ordinary person would be better. Being with an immortal is bad for your health.”
Sejin thought of someone.
He thought of a certain immortal woman he had known.
And he dropped the cigarette.
15.
“Come to think of it, there’s something I haven’t asked.”
“What would that be?”
“How old are you?”
“I’m an adult, at least. My age… I’m embarrassed to say.”
“Ah, that’s a relief.”
“A relief that I’m an adult?”
“As someone who drinks and smokes, it makes me feel awkward. If it bothers you, I’ll do it out of sight as much as possible.”
“Drinking and… smoking? What is tobacco?”
“There was no tobacco? In that world?”
Lucia nodded as if intrigued.
Sejin realized he had made a mistake.
Those who encounter the unknown quickly become ensnared.
If one never knew from the start, they would live out their whole life without knowing.
Sejin sighed and took out a cigarette.
“This is tobacco. I don’t particularly recommend smoking it.”
“Don’t you smoke, Sejin?”
“I picked up a bad habit, that’s all. Well, you’re free to do it, but I don’t recommend it anyway.”
Lucia nodded.
Sejin’s worries about what he should do when smoking from now on increased.
Sejin’s car headed toward the department store, carrying one person’s worries.