Eden Theme Park. Though it absurdly bore the name of paradise, it was actually an amusement park for monsters that had nothing whatsoever to do with paradise. A bizarre place swarming only with crazy bastards who liked to chew people up whole and torment them for fun.
That was Eden Theme Park. Naturally, Ian didn’t have a single good memory of that theme park, either.
The humid, sticky air reeking of blood. Clowns whose appearances suited the name “monster” all too well. Ghosts. Finger tteokbokki. Intestine churros. Ground meat smoothies, and so on.
Those cruel scenes, the kind that would make any ordinary person vomit uncontrollably and be unable to continue daily life, were still engraved in the deepest recesses of Ian’s mind like photographs.
Naturally, recalling those memories didn’t give him some sense of superiority over others, nor did he think things like, ‘I’m an emotionless psycho, so this stuff doesn’t faze me.’ He was human, too; when he recalled those disgusting scenes, his face would contort on its own, and gastric acid would rise all the way to his esophagus.
But even so, as long as the theme park remained unconquered, he needed to retain those memories to prepare for the future. The difference between having information and not having it was significant.
Fortunately, Yuna seemed to be thinking something similar; the moment she saw Ian, she placed a notebook containing the theme park information she’d organized in advance on the table.
“I’ve, um, organized everything in my head for now. Please check it over.”
A small cafe in an alley in Eunpyeong-gu, run as a hobby by an elderly, wealthy couple. Sitting across from Han Yuna and her older sister, Ian checked the contents written in the notebook.
Han Yuna’s older sister, still unaccustomed to the extraordinary, was restless and anxious, but Yuna and Ian’s faces were nothing but serious.
[First, to escape the theme park, one must safely pass through at least three attractions.]
It was true. Ian and Yuna had escaped using somewhat of a shortcut, but the proper method was to pass through the murderous rides without a scratch.
[Second, no acting up. If you cause a commotion, the monsters will try to kill you.]
This was also true.
[Third, absolutely participate in the parade. No matter what happens, do not consume any food inside the theme park.]
[Fourth, you must enter through the theme park’s main gate within the period written on the ticket.]
Ian’s eyes skimmed over the last sentence written in the notebook. He fell silent, seemingly thinking for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and returned the notebook to Yuna.
“For now, it all seems correct.”
“Hoo… Th-thank goodness….”
“You told your sister everything, right?”
Ian glanced at Yuna’s older sister, Han Yuri, and asked. Yuri answered for herself.
“Yes. I heard everything from Yuna….”
“Have you by any chance also heard about Yuna’s and my true identities, not just about the theme park?”
“Y-yes… That you’re wizards….”
“Then this will be quick.”
Ian placed both hands on the table and continued in a serious voice.
“It’s nothing to brag about, but I have plenty of experience dealing with various types of monsters, including the theme park. Of course, you probably can’t imagine it well. Since you’ve never encountered a monster until now.”
“Y-yes… I didn’t even know such things existed on Earth….”
“That’s only natural. There’s an organization called the Management Bureau that professionally handles and manages monsters. Thanks to them, ordinary people rarely encounter monsters.”
“Ah….”
“But even so, monsters don’t discriminate when choosing people. Just because you’re an ordinary citizen doesn’t mean you won’t get caught up with monsters. Unfortunately, this time you were chosen as one of their targets, Ms. Yuri.”
“….”
Han Yuri’s expression darkened on its own. Having lived a life far removed from death, she was taking the news that she might die at any moment quite frighteningly.
It wasn’t incomprehensible, but being scared right now wouldn’t improve the situation. Now wasn’t the time to comfort her—it was the time to teach her how to survive.
Perhaps having similar thoughts, Yuna gently took Yuri’s trembling hand. After a brief pause, Ian continued.
“Still, you’re rather lucky, Ms. Yuri. With two wizards around you, at least you won’t die helplessly like other people.”
“R-really…?”
“Yes. I’ll help you as much as I possibly can. Normally I do charge a fee for this kind of work, but….”
Ian trailed off, then soon smiled brightly.
“Since you’re Yuna’s real sister, I’ll do it free of charge just this once. I also have personal business at the theme park anyway.”
“Th-thank you….”
“Yes. More importantly, could you tell me how long the grace period written on the ticket is?”
“Ah, just a moment….”
Yuri took out the ticket she’d put in her pocket and checked the reservation date.
“Um… It’s May 5th at 1 PM. Exactly one week from now.”
“Then let’s meet an hour or two before the reservation time. You can hear the other details from Yuna separately.”
Ian glanced at Yuna. She nodded.
“I-I’ll tell you everything you need to know. I’ll also make a few talismans….”
“Right. I’ll craft about two self-defense pentagrams as well. There’s a kid who needs practice making magical tools.”
“Ah, a kid…?”
“It just is. Anyway, Yuna, step outside with me for a bit. Ms. Yuri, please wait here.”
Ian said, standing up from his seat. Yuri nodded, and Yuna followed Ian into the smoking room near the cafe’s parking lot. Fortunately, there was no one there, so the two could talk comfortably.
“As you know, you absolutely need a ticket to enter the theme park. But we don’t have tickets.”
Ian was the first to speak. He leaned back against the chair rest, looking down at the ashtray placed in the center of the smoking area. Yuna fidgeted with her fingers as she replied.
“W-we know the entrance, so wouldn’t it be possible to force our way in? The address hasn’t really changed….”
“We don’t know that. We’ve never gone in that way before.”
“That’s… Mmm, you’re right. If I think optimistically for no reason, my sister’s the only one who’ll die….”
“It’s something to be proud of, having your family alive and well despite being a wizard. You’d regret it a lot if you lost them here.”
“…Even if that weren’t the case, shouldn’t you save your family no matter what?”
“If you go on about familial love to an orphan, the only answer you’ll get is ‘What the hell is that, you weeb?’ Or should I offer you some industrial-grade empathy?”
“…I-I’ll pass.”
Yuna dropped her head with a sour expression. Ian stared at her light brown hair, then turned to look at Han Yuri sitting anxiously inside the cafe. The way she kept fiddling with her ticket looked almost as if she were entranced by something.
“If tickets are flying out to ordinary people, the Management Bureau must have noticed the theme park’s reopening. They might already be preparing a response.”
“….”
“So, we should contact the Management Bureau first and find a way to enter the theme park without tickets. Or explore other options.”
“Wh-what?!”
Yuna shot up from her seat. Her enormous chest swayed once, unable to overcome gravity and inertia. Though he tried not to be aware of it, Ian felt his gaze involuntarily rolling in that direction.
Fortunately, Yuna didn’t notice his gaze. Instead, she grabbed his shoulders with a surprised expression and shook him wildly.
“G-get a grip! The Management Bureau hates wizards! If you contact them for no reason, they’ll attack us shouting ‘You crazy demon bastard!’ or ‘Let’s beat the hell out of him first!’”
“…I have a pretty good idea of what kind of image of the Management Bureau you have in your head, but they’re quite reasonable in their own way. I’ve already been cooperating with them from the start.”
“What!”
Yuna made an expression like a warrior betrayed by a childhood friend. Regardless, Ian rolled a cigarette between his fingers and continued.
“Don’t worry. I’ve never sold your information. If I had, my Dame would have come to harvest my neck long ago.”
“Th-that’s not the point… Are you okay…? Even cooperating with the Management Bureau…?”
“As I said, the Management Bureau is reasonable. They don’t ostracize or ignore wizards like the rumors floating around among wizards claim. If they did, I wouldn’t have cooperated with them in the first place.”
Ian put the cigarette in his mouth.
“Anyway, since I’m already cooperating with the Management Bureau, we should be able to get some help out of it. Dialogue should be more than possible.”
“…B-but I….”
“You’re not on friendly terms with the Management Bureau. I know. So I’ll handle the negotiations alone. You just wait.”
Ian grinned and lit the end of his cigarette. A sweet fragrance instantly spread.
“You have to save your family.”
“Ian…!”
Yuna’s eyes welled up with tears. After reassuring her, Ian borrowed the ticket from Yuri and went home.
Two days later, Ian met Yuna at the same cafe again. However, this meeting wasn’t just the two of them.
“Hmm.”
Disheveled black hair. Heavy dark circles beneath her eyes. Jet-black irises dark as the abyssal sea, and a thick fringe covering half her face—a woman of striking character.
Despite wearing a short skirt, she crossed her legs without a care and stared at Yuna sitting across from her.
“H-huh….”
From the moment she had first confirmed the woman’s presence until now, Yuna hadn’t been able to make eye contact with her. She merely sat with her head bowed, legs trembling.
No matter how one looked at her, she appeared completely terrified, but the black-haired woman paid her no mind; she let out a snicker and rested her chin on her hand.
“Are you Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie?”
“Y-yeah….”
“I really liked the stuff you wrote, so I wanted to see your face once. Nice to meet you.”
“Y-yeah! I-I’m n-nice to m-meet you too…!”
“Look at you stuttering. Are you an outcast? Did you have friends in school? Did you skip the classes on how to talk to people?”
A bright smile.
She wore a gentle smile. Yuna couldn’t answer, the corners of her lips trembling.
Just then, Ian, who had received drinks from the counter, looked at the two of them and let out a deep sigh.
“Stop bullying her, Kim Yul.”
“Yes, dear.”
Kim Yul.
The woman called so smiled bashfully and tapped Yuna’s calf with her toe.
“Hyeeek!!”
Overwhelmed by the aura of an outcast-killing murderer, Yuna spasmed.