Etranger

“I believe in them. You might think I’m an idiot, but I really, sincerely believe in them. Don’t carelessly swear at them. Yesil! Are you listening?” Yeria quietly shouted out.

“You believe in them? What difference does it make if we believe in them? There’s nothing left and they’re gone. What’s left for us? Do we need to believe in them to get back home? He called us together that night and said, ‘Believe us,’ suddenly. However, what is left for us to believe after leaving us stranded like this?” Yesil protested while crying.

“They will definitely come back. Listen. And don’t expect me to explain. Honestly, I don’t have a handful of reasons for believing in them. However, I spent the most time with both of them. During that time, I learned a lot, and I was shocked. They reminded me of how useless my education was in the clan.”

“…”

“I won’t believe that they’ve invested so much in acting and teaching us such overwhelming things with all their hearts only to betray us now. I still remember what he said, ‘Trust is, after all, the same as courage!’ They said that trust is not something that exists because it comes out of one’s tongue but is like a savings account that accumulates only through blood, sweat, and tears. Have you already forgotten? Why did they ask us to believe in them at the last meal? As you said, what would they gain by doing so much for us and then asking us to trust in them? Do we not believe in them enough to wait a few days?”

Yekin and Yesil contemplated what their sister said with their mouths shut tightly. Suddenly, they felt that they didn’t truly understand what San and Biyeon uttered in the restaurant. At that time, they heard the words but didn’t reflect on any deeper meaning.

Yekin’s eyes lit up.

‘If something difficult happens, find Dite.’

‘No matter what happens, don’t lose faith.’

‘I hope you can trust us…’

Yeria was staring at the outside landscape, clenching her fists. In her hand, the map she was trying to deliver to San was crumpled up. It was the second day that she’s stayed in her own room. During that time, San and Biyeon left without leaving any word.

‘Anyway, we’re now beggars, but thanks to this, we’re definitely safer than anyone else. I don’t know what you both intended, but…’

She had come out of her shock quickly. She was calmly taking care of the things she had to take care of. Yesil quickly snapped out of her sadness and focused on reality.

The expressions of her brother and sister were also returning to normal. However, they didn’t seem to have fully realized all of Yeria’s thoughts or the importance of why her line of reasoning was important. The fact that Yeria could have such calm and independent thought under these trying circumstances was becoming the most ‘valued’ asset in her life.

Essen’s crew members also did not waver unexpectedly from this setback. The goods weren’t theirs to begin with. They were only responsible for transporting them, so they weren’t as shocked as the Essen siblings. However, they still stuck to the lessons they learned during the journey.

As the expensive items disappeared, it could also be said that they were now safe. Thus, the crew members moved on their own. They voluntarily started investigating from the bottom, grasping the overall situation and gathering information and related transactions from merchants. In addition, they were trying to find some possibilities and alternatives to survive in the city through mutual discussion.

They still had some cargo left that had not been taken. They would have to come up with measures to cover the daily costs by selling these remaining goods. Their steadfast attitude was bringing the Essen siblings back to reality.

What the crew learned from their experiences with their two captains was to maintain ‘trust’.

These crew members didn’t imagine that their trust may have been betrayed. They had lived and fought together, shoulder to shoulder, with their captains and colleagues. Their trust wasn’t built up in a day.

‘Trust is valuable because it is difficult to keep.’

This is what San told them the day before he left.

***

“Did you find any signs of them?”

“I’m still searching around.”

“They sure hid properly.”

“That should be expected, as it’s the main specialty of the Dark Guilds.”

“Dark Guilds... When should we go looking for them?”

“Since we’ve put a ‘scent’ on the goods, tracking it will not be difficult. However, I can’t say the same for this place. This place is our main problem.”

The two arrived at Sirid Square. It was a historic place located on the western outskirts of Porato City.

“Is this going to be our new stadium?” San mumbled as he looked at the square. His left hand held Biyeon’s shoulder firmly while his right hand fixed the brim of his hat…

“It’s a luxurious cemetery. It’s a space where people who dream of death and those who have died meet as heroes.”

San and Biyeon were exasperated at the sight of endless tombstones and cemetery structures around the square. Sirid Square was located in a large basin area surrounded by low hills and mountains. A shallow stream flowed across the middle of the square. Trees and stones were naturally formed along the stream. Above all, what caught their attention was the tombstones and tombs spreading across all the hills and mountains as far as the eye could see.

Across the stream were several garrisons for mercenaries. Various mercenary villages were scattered about in this area. They could see people bustling around noisily. The crowded scene strangely contrasted with the quiet tombs.

On both sides of a wooden bridge that crossed the stream, a huge square was built around stone structures. The bridge connecting the two squares was a circular shape with a diameter of about 20 meters, and the railing was constructed with sharp metal points atop them, creating a violent atmosphere.         

“What is that building?”

“That’s the most famous place in this square. They say it’s like a general gym, a place for mercenaries. It is the largest official arena in Porato City. The tombs on the opposite sides of the square are resting places for the many warriors who died in their duels.”

“It’s too flashy for a lion’s house. One can’t live in such a luxurious grave.”

San glanced at the tombs and tilted its head. Biyeon was sweeping her wind scattered hair behind her. Her eyes were focused on the various tombs and graves. Behind the tombs, steep mountains were running north, comprising parts of the Orom Mountain Range.

“Let’s go now!”

San began running. Biyeon followed. Their speeds gradually increased. The two roamed the outskirts of Sirid Square, jumping between stones, trees, valleys, and water.

[It’s something here, right?]

[It’s everywhere.]

[What do you see?]

[It seems to be human and yet not?]

[Is it the energy of the dead? Why is it so sticky?]

[I don’t think so. They’re living things… like spider webs? Something tangled up…]

They moved around without taking time to catch their breaths. The armor they wore when escaping the Pian was on their backs and the materials for battle were attached all over their bodies.

They searched all morning. They wanted to familiarize themselves with the terrain, pick an escape route, and determine what combat options would be possible if they were to fight in this space. This was the ‘information operation’ task that should be conducted first in all special warfare scenarios.

[There’s also some sort of metal or magnetic reaction… a machine made of living organisms… right?]

[Doesn’t it seem like mechanisms built into a living thing?]

[Are we going against legendary zombies? Or vampires?]

[I don’t know. Isn’t this the first time we’ve faced this sort of species?]

[Ah! Damn it… Is this world filled with plagiarized stuff? Everything that could appear in fantasy novels or movies comes out in this world. Are we fighting recycled corpses now? How do I kill something that has died already? From my senses, there seem to be thousands of them…]

[That’s not the problem.]

[Is there something more serious?]

[The creators of those beings should be here as well.]

[Oh, that’s right.]

[The whole area seems to be an elaborately designed ghetto. It’s at least hundreds of years old, right? The distribution of the years inscribed on the tombstone shows that it’s at least 300 years old.]

[Then… Does this mean that this area is ruled by the Creator’s army?]

[Even the climate and geology of this place have been designed. And there’s something down below. The region itself is a huge combat system. This area is alive itself. If one had at least 300 years to create something, it’s probably something pretty terrible.]

***

The rain started fading. It was still morning, but it was still dark. San was looking at his cell phone. The call button kept flashing. Biyeon was also staring at her cell phone screen. A new text message just came in. It was probably the information they requested from Diana, who had used her network of gods to investigate and organize their request for information. As expected, the message this time was detailed and long.

“Are you going to press it?”

After reading through the long text message, Biyeon asked San with her eyes twinkling.

“Well… I’m not really thinking of pressing talk. Anyway, the choice of when we choose to make contact seems to be left to us, so there’s no need to rush, right? Let’s do some more recon and research.”

San closed his cell phone. Biyeon nodded her head and also closed her cell phone.

“Shall we not go along with whatever game they have planned?”

“The message said that our mental memories would be swapped out and our bodies would be laundered as punishment if we fail.”

“What does that even mean?”

“I’m not sure either. Probably something like brainwashing?”

Biyeon stared at San. Her will start echoing in his mind.

[We… Isn’t it already difficult to handle our bodies as they are now?]

[…]

San was deep in his own thoughts, his mouth firmly closed. After a while, he shook his head.

[No… I don’t think so. Even if we’ve hit a limit or barrier, we’ll find a way through.]

Biyeon nodded with a faint smile on her face.

[You think so? If it is the always knowledgeable and wise San, it must be so…]

San laughed awkwardly.

[This… I’m at a loss for words. Aren’t you agreeing with me too easily?]

[It’s because I know your senses always direct us towards the right answers.]

[Hmm…]

San started walking. Biyeon naturally followed behind him. Her gaze was still fixed on his back. Open shoulders, free and sturdy spirit, heavy yet cheerful gait… and the innocence and honesty of looking at and facing the world with his whole being…

‘He may have something that connects him directly to the universe…’

San’s steps became lighter and faster. Soon, he broke out into a run. Biyeon followed closely behind. Her hair and clothes fluttered about violently. They lightly crossed some collapsed tombstones, glided past broken trees, broke through the city of the dead, and ran like a storm to the all-encompassing, 2,000-meter-high bald mountain peak.

“Let’s decide,” San said while taking a break to calm his rough breath.