Chapter 33

From a young age, he could see strange things.

“What? A person?”

“Yeah, over there. Can’t you see?”

“…What are you talking about, it’s just an empty lot.”

“…….”

“Did you see a monster or something?”

“It’s not a monster….”

It sometimes took a form similar to a human.

“…Sorry, I must have been mistaken.”

“Oppa, are you really okay?”

“Maybe I’m just not fully awake.”

Like a squirrel or a stray cat, its long tail would hang from between the bushes, or it would stand tall like a tree and emit a strange scent, or it would float leisurely high in the sky as if it were a cloud….

He knew that it was a fundamentally different being from the plants and animals he was familiar with.

Sometimes it was quite similar, but at other times it was bizarrely crude.

“You might be overworking yourself lately. How about you get some rest?”

“I can still handle it.”

Like most wild animals, they did not acknowledge him.

“I have to work while I can.”

So Cha Eun-hyeok also pretended not to see them.

‘Am I the only one who can see them?’

He thought hard about their identity.

‘…Are they ghosts? But ghosts would normally be like people, whereas those things definitely have animal features. Sometimes they only mimic parts like ears or a tail. Then, are they hallucinations? But to be just hallucinations, they leave actual traces. Then are they monsters? But monsters aren’t usually that indifferent to people.’

They sometimes danced.

They sang songs, admired flowers, or floated on the water.

Cha Eun-hyeok intuited that as long as he didn’t bother them, they would do him no harm.

However, very occasionally, dangerous ones would appear.

“I heard there was a fire at their house.”

“No wonder, the lady of that house has been so forgetful lately….”

“They said the whole family burned to death in that house.”

The villagers attributed the cause of a certain fire to a housewife with dementia.

That might have been true, but Cha Eun-hyeok knew there was a different, fundamental problem.

“…….”

That lady had been followed around by ‘that thing’ carrying a bundle.

‘Ah, I see.’

That thing must have killed the lady.

He didn't know exactly what it had done.

But since then, Cha Eun-hyeok became aware that there could be dangerous ones among them.

He didn't feel any malice from them, but their mere existence could be a threat to people.

‘Are they a type of monster after all.’

Cha Eun-hyeok came to that conclusion.

“Brother, are you going to keep selling Bungeoppang?”

“They sell pretty well.”

“Do the city people say anything? I heard citizen grade discrimination is especially bad in places like that….”

“Everyone’s been kind. I haven’t met anyone who’s given me a hard time for being a 3rd-class citizen yet.”

In truth, he had neither the time nor the energy to worry about monsters or unidentified things.

“Of course, there are people who give you looks, but our youngest has his initiation ceremony soon.”

“…….”

“We have to buy his priest robes, pay his dormitory fees and give him money for when he’s living there, right?”

“…Of all things, he had to awaken as a priest.”

“Well, I think it’s great and reassuring to have two Hunters in the house.”

His two younger siblings were both Awakeners.

His younger sister was the lowest F-Class, so the only job she could do was as a porter.

The pay wasn’t great and she also needed to buy equipment to increase her chances of survival when entering dungeons.

His youngest brother had awakened as a ‘Priest,’ a useless profession unless one contracted with a god.

But it was said to be nearly impossible to serve a god on one’s own and that one could only barely receive grace with the help of a temple.

“Still, we were lucky. The Solar Cult in Seoul called for our youngest.”

“…….”

“Our little brother will soon be a 2nd-class citizen and besides, how can I rest when you’re working too. I have my pride as the eldest son.”

“Well, I’m an Awakener… and I have more stamina than you, you know?”

“I know, so don’t worry and get some rest.”

“…Should I go to work with you? If people in Seoul give you trouble, I can protect you….”

“We need someone to look after the youngest at home.”

They were short on money.

“Don’t worry.”

So he had no time to spare for unidentified beings.

‘Anyway, as long as I don’t get close, there’s no danger.’

Those beings seemed to have their own lives.

Just as you wouldn’t get hurt if you didn’t touch a poisonous toad on the roadside, those things, playing well on their own, were harmless as long as you didn’t pick a fight.

‘It’s not like I can’t avoid them because I can’t see them. Since I can see them clearly, there’s no way I’d get into trouble. There’s no problem, so it’s fine.’

However, if there was a problem.

“…….”

“…….”

There comes a moment when avoiding them is not enough.

He just didn't expect it to be when he had sold all his Bungeoppang and was about to clean up.

“…….”

What should I do?

‘He’s been staring only at the Bungeoppang for a while now.’

‘It’ that had approached at an odd time of day was a man wrapped in a pitch-black cape.

He was very tall, and the clothes he wore were of high quality.

But because it was all black, he looked like a guest at a funeral.

The surrounding air became heavy and suffocating, sending a chill down his spine.

It didn't feel like a grim reaper or a god of death.

It seemed more like something closer to nature than those beings, who had egos and collected souls….

He could tell for sure that it was ‘it.’

“…….”

Should I talk about this thing, or not.

‘I’ve never seen anything good come from interfering with these guys.’

But to ignore it when it was staring so blatantly was, in its own way, frightening to think of the consequences.

‘I want to see my little brother.’

He tried to act nonchalant, not wanting to provoke it, but cold sweat was pouring down his back.

Cha Eun-hyeok had surmised that these things were a type of monster.

They were generally docile compared to the ones usually seen.

But the sight of them nonchalantly destroying a person, sometimes without any malice, couldn’t help but be terrifying.

‘…He’s still just looking at the Bungeoppang….’

If I give him this, will he go away?

It was then.

“How much for one bag?”

“…….”

It talks?

‘A monster?’

He didn't show it, but he was startled.

He had often seen beings in human form until now.

They often mimicked the lives of humans, but there was no substance to their actions, and until now, not a single one had actually spoken.

‘And it asked how much?’

Is it going this far to imitate a human?

“Ah….”

But he couldn’t ignore it after it had asked a question.

“5,000 won for 10 pieces.”

“Do you only take cash?”

“Cash would be good.”

“…….”

The Black Cape, who had been silent with his hands behind his back, put a hand inside his hood.

He wondered what he was doing, but soon, a jewel sparkling with a transparent light was in his hand.

Even Cha Eun-hyeok, a country person, knew that the beautifully cut jewel was incomparably more valuable than 10 pieces of Bungeoppang.

“Will this not do?”

“…….”

Just when he thought it was a pretty decent human imitation, for it to pull a stunt like this, it was getting to the point of being resentful.

‘Who buys Bungeoppang with a jewel?’

A chill ran down Cha Eun-hyeok’s spine.

The attempt at barter, the ignorance of the conventional value of the desired item; no matter how much the opponent imitated a human, it only felt out of place.

‘But the fact that it feels so convincingly human makes it even more unsettling.’

He barely managed to answer.

“…That’s too much.”

“I have no other goods in kind.”

“Do you perhaps have a card….”

“Can I use a card?”

“Uh… yes.”

“I see.”

He couldn't believe it, but it really did present a card.

“…….”

“…….”

“…I was just cleaning up, so I’ll have to bake a new batch, is that alright?”

“That is fine.”

“It will take a little while.”

Cha Eun-hyeok, having quickly resigned himself, began to make the Bungeoppang.

‘What a disaster.’

Because business had been unusually good today, he couldn’t get to the terminal even after the last bus had left.

He had gotten permission in advance, so there was no worry of being caught.

He had planned to sleep outdoors for the day, but then a new customer arrived like this.

And an unidentified monster of a customer at that.

“…….”

Clatter.

The hand closing the Bungeoppang mold trembled slightly.

‘…It won’t suddenly kill me, right?’

Like monsters do, these guys also seemed to have their own rules.

Opening their eyes only when the sun is up, sticking by a blind person their whole life, only stepping on white stones.

There were many rules like a child’s game, but among these rules, some were threatening to humans.

‘But this is the first one that can talk, so I can’t judge.’

This was the first time he had seen one that mimicked a human so well.

The problem was the sense of unease felt in every aspect, but aside from the strangely chilling atmosphere, its words and actions were quite similar to a human’s.

‘It even has a card.’

Suddenly, Cha Eun-hyeok realized.

‘…If it didn’t steal it from someone else, it must mean someone lent it to him.’

If so, could it be that this being has a guardian somewhere?

“…Do you not have any other companions?”

“I did, but not right now.”

“…….”

“They are probably sleeping by now.”

For a moment, he thought it meant he had killed them.

‘This is the first time I’ve felt so resentful toward someone I don’t even know.’

In a world where you can’t even walk a dog without a leash, what was one to do if they let such a dangerous being, no matter how much it resembled a human, just roam free?

“…….”

No, wait a minute.

‘Giving it a card must mean they thought they would be able to use it.’

There was no way a monster that wasn’t even visible to other people could use a card.

Then could it be that the person before him was not a monster but a human?

“…Is this your first time….”

Cha Eun-hyeok carefully began to speak.

“In Seoul?”

“It is not my first time. But it is true that I am sightseeing.”

“Ah, sightseeing. Have you been to Gyeongbokgung?”

“Yes, it was enjoyable as there was a variety of food.”

The conversation was somewhat disjointed, but he had gathered enough information.

‘It’s visible to other people too?’

Then did that really mean he was an ordinary person, just with a chilling aura?

Or could he be a humanoid monster, the kind that was mandatorily introduced in textbooks….

“…….”

“Kuruk.”

Cha Eun-hyeok flinched.

‘A bird?’

It was because a faintly glowing bird had popped out from between the hood of The Black Cape.

“Honey, get back inside.”

“Kurureung….”

“I’ll give you some later, so stay inside.”

“Kkukkung.”

“Alright.”

The sight of him commanding the small monster was like that of a ‘Tamer,’ commonly known to the public, but well.

For some reason, Cha Eun-hyeok didn’t think that The Black Cape before him and that bird were a pair of human and monster.

That sense of incongruity became more certain the moment he made eye contact with the bird.

“…….”

“Kururuk.”

“…….”

Cha Eun-hyeok couldn’t hold his gaze and lowered his head.

‘…Dangerous.’

Cold sweat was not just flowing, but his hands and feet felt like they were turning cold.

‘That thing is a really dangerous being.’

The bird, with its honey-sweet color and petite body, would be called pretty and cute by anyone who saw it.

But to Cha Eun-hyeok, who could vaguely sense its essence, it was nothing but a laughable deception.

Was it a name given by its master?

The essence of the bird called ‘Honey’ was like a stormy wave. Spontaneous, rough, and strong.

The reason it took on that fragile form was probably because its master wanted it to.

“…….”

Then what kind of being was its master, The Black Cape?

‘Damn it, I didn’t know it would turn out like this.’

Among the beings only Cha Eun-hyeok could see, there were certainly those who were very interested in human food.

They would savor the rice that villagers sprinkled out for ghosts or steal side dishes one by one from restaurants.

But there had never been one that ordered food so openly.

Most of them merely took on human form to imitate daily life, and did not try to actually interact with humans like this.

‘I was careless.’

I should have been more careful.

‘That bird doesn’t even seem to like me very much….’

The bird, hiding deep inside The Black Cape’s hood and watching him, was even intimidating.

“…Here, 10 Bungeoppang are ready.”

“Thank you.”

The Black Cape, having received the Bungeoppang, paused for a moment.

“…….”

“It is a gift.”

“Pardon?”

“You have worked hard so late at night.”

“No, wait a minute….”

As Cha Eun-hyeok tried to refuse, The Black Cape continued.

“I apologize if I frightened you. I came because of the smell of the Bungeoppang, but I must apologize and thank you for stopping your cleanup and making a mess again.”

“It’s alright.”

“Thank you.”

He left behind one of the blue-glowing jewels he had shown just before and disappeared leisurely.

“…….”

Cha Eun-hyeok stared at The Black Cape until his retreating figure was out of sight.

As soon as even the edge of the cape was no longer visible, he slowly collapsed.

“…Ha, haha….”

Fuck.

I’m alive.

‘I thought I was going to die.’

From the moment he realized he could see beings that others couldn’t, he had sensed such an end.

That I would die so bizarrely that other people wouldn’t even be able to guess the proper cause of death. That's what he had thought.

But still, dying while selling Bungeoppang is not it.

“Wow….”

Cha Eun-hyeok frantically wiped his face with both hands.

“That scared the hell out of me.”

He still didn’t know the identity of The Black Cape.

If others can see him, is he a person? But for that, his essence was too distant and sinister.

Then is he the same kind as those things I usually see?

But for that, communication was too smooth. A humanoid monster?

There aren’t even any dungeons nearby.

If it’s neither, then is it a type of monster I don’t know about.

“…….”

And either way, it was terrifying.

‘Is it possible to be alive after meeting a humanoid monster.’

It was when he thought that.

“Kuruk?”

“…….”

A sound he had heard earlier.

“Kuruk….”

“…….”

“Kuruk, kuruk, kurukkurukkuruk.”

“…Uh….”

“Kuruu.”

When he raised his head, he saw a large beak.

He saw the teeth filling the space beyond the uvula.

He saw a pitch-black tongue.

“Kkung.”

The beak, hard like metal, half-swallowed Cha Eun-hyeok’s head.

“…….”

Tap, taap.

After pretending to bite a few times, it finally spat him out.

“Kurureung.”

“…What, what….”

“Kkuk.”

When his vision cleared, ‘Honey’ had returned to the petite form he had seen earlier.

“…….”

That looked like such a nauseatingly terrible pretense.

“What the hell are you?”

The bird flew away.

“What really was that….”

He truly knew nothing, but what was certain was the fact that he had almost died just now.

The bird of a honey-sweet color seemed to be saying this.

‘This much is fine.’

it said.

“…….”

It was as if it was saying, you pass.

He got goosebumps.

“…I should move spots tomorrow….”

He hoped he would never meet them again.

***

And the next day at 2 PM.

“Are you selling Bungeoppang?”

Like a ghost, Cha Eun-hyeok met The Black Cape again.

“…Yes….”

“10, please.”

“Understood.”

What am I to do if the world is this small?

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