Chapter 30


    A secret organization that protects humanity.


    Anyone interested in urban fantasy must have heard of it at least once.


    They are arge group that secures, contains, and protects humanity from anomalous objects and phenomena that people dismiss as urban legends.


    In the beginning, it was limited to catching and imprisoning unidentified creatures, but as the scale gradually grew, it became as a group that protects mankind by diverting it from the danger of destruction.


    In creative works, of course.


    The people in front of me may not be exactly the same as the secret institution in the creation I thought, but given that they have enough technology to enter this world, the level is expected to be simr.


    Above all, it is evident that the concept was adopted.


    ...The developer was quitezy.


    Now it looks that the scenario has grown too much for this small horror game.


    It feels like the genre has changed.


    ...I won''t have to be chased by these guyster, will I?


    "Who are you?"


    Dressed in special forces... I''ll just call you agent.


    Anyway, one of the agents got the order via tel and asked me a question.


    Come to think of it, it''s the first time I''ve had a conversation with an adult since I became this body.


    If it was normal, I would have respected him in a businesslike manner, but it is somehow awkward.


    E seemed to be the type who didn''t show respect except when teasing.


    "A person who lives in a mirror. Now we are talking from a parallel world."


    "...Which parallel world?"


    "I don''t know if it will be helpful, but we will give you the address. Kyeong-min, can you give it to them?"


    He was suddenly called. However, he spoke calmly, as if giving the address to the police.


    "We aremunicating from XX Elementary School in XX city, XX street. I''m Lee Kyeong-min, and the kids I''m with are Shin Ha-rim, Kim Eun-jeong and Yoo Suho. We are now trapped in a world full of monsters. Please help!"


    The more he speaks, the more he shows his emotions. He seems to be moved to tears because he found adults to rely on.


    No matter how much I protect them, there is no substitute for an adult.


    I felt a little bitter.


    It was the moment I opened my mouth to pass on more information.


    In one of the two screens, the prisoner''s mouth was ripped open and he died.


    The children flinched at the grotesque appearance and backed away, surprise that this happened.


    "Fuck! That bastard is dead!"


    "Shut up if you don''t want to die right now, prisoner."


    [Ooh? Who are you? Are you ignoring me?]


    It''s Smiley Face. As much he''s someone I never heard of, I wasn''t letting my guard down.


    Having special abilities... Can it be considered a monster too?


    It''s a being with apletely different concept from the "monsters" here, so it''s hard to define it.


    "Can you wait a bit while we talk? Wouldn''t it be nice to be generous with strangers?"


    [No, You have seeds that look delicious.]


    It seems difficult to have a conversation thanks to his interruption.


    Smiley Face''s head distorts like a program error.


    I had a feeling something wasing.


    A sharp aura was felt through the screen. Is it a curse? No, that''s wrong.


    It''s kind of like how I can use physical force outside the mirror.


    I drew my knife and offsetted it.


    Snap-!


    [How did you do it? How?]


    Smiley Face tilts his head from one side to another as if in doubt.


    Do you think it looks cute?


    The institution seemed quite surprised by what I have done.


    Judging from the fact that the agents lost their attention when listening to the pouring orders.


    I got yful.


    "Aren''t you busy?"


    He sees me smirking and stiffens slightly.


    Ah, it shouldn''t be like this. If I nt a bad image, I''ll look suspicious!


    I quickly changed my expression.


    Doesn''t I look like a strange person whose mind was going back and forth?


    "I confirmed all the names you told us. They are missing children. Are you protecting them?"


    I''m d you checked on the kids. At least you''ll believe me.


    "Protecting... Or cooperating. Anyway, it''s true that I''m protecting them."


    "Do you want them to be rescued?"


    "Yes. If possible, I would like them to be sent outside."


    "You... Are you a human?"


    How should I answer this?


    It would be strange to say that the mind is human...


    After hesitating to answer for a while, the eyes of the prisoner on the second screen were torn out and died.


    Quite temperamental.


    [You''re ignoring me! Again!]


    "Doesn''t he attack you?"


    "..."


    Smiley Face isn''t attacking the agents.


    Why? Are monsters aiming for the criminals because they are afraid of public power?


    ...It can''t be. When I look at him with curious eyes, Ha-rim seems to have realized something.


    "Isn''t it because of the exposed parts?"


    Come to think of it, one prisoner was wearing a sunsses and the other a mask.


    The two agents were wearing both masks and sunsses.


    Indeed!


    Ha-rim is sharp.


    But isn''t that a poor ability for a monster? I, who was on guard, rxed.


    And again my mouth itched.


    "You can''t use your ability when the face is covered, you''re a small fry!"


    [What?]


    Smiley Face''s expression twists bizarrely and the screen also glitched. But my mouth didn''t stop.


    "Did you not hear? Trash. Loser. Low ss. Ugly bald head~"


    [You. Kill.]


    He disappeared from the screen, and appeared next to me in an instant.


    This guy? He''s targeting the children, not me.


    [Kyaaaaaaaaagh!]


    I broke his arm and grabbed his neck.


    "You can''t touch the kids."


    And I smashed his neck with my hand.


    Actually, I didn''t want to kill him, but his arms and legs were longer than I thought, so I decided to use a radical method because I was afraid that the children would be harmed.


    The agents who watched the scene seemed to understand something.


    My strength became the answer to the question he had just asked.


    Crackling and distortions starts to appear in the screen.


    Since Smiley Face is dead, it seems that the ability tomunicate has also disappeared.


    I had a hunch that no matter what we did, he would attack us, so I thought it would be unreasonable to have a long conversation.


    Sorry, but that''s it.


    I decided to blurt out everything I wanted to say before themunication ended.


    "A huge demon is growing in this world. In time, it will break the world ande out to wipe everything. The Devil who could easily blow up a city. We have to do something before everyone dies. I want you to evacuate the people first! Then rescue the children. Finally defeat the Devil... Believe me."


    That''s enough.


    Suddenly themunication broke. Now it''s only showing a ck screen.


    The emotion of agitation reflected in the agents eye''s through the sunsses seemed it was well conveyed.


    I''m sorry for suddenly telling a shocking story of a giant Devil, but if I didn''t do this, you might have died after mobilizing weak reinforcements.


    "What do you mean E? The Devil is growing?"


    Kyeong-min asked with a serious expression.


    ...It was something I was already nning to say.


    From the time I decided tomunicate with the outside world.


    What they will eventually learn when they encounter the group from the institution.


    I''ve been hiding it until now, but I''ve made up my mind to greatly twist the original to prevent it.


    I will act for the change, so I can''t keep hiding it.


    After taking a deep breath, I exined the situation to the kids.


    That a huge demon is growing in this world, and that this demon is the same as the one who nned the raid.


    When all 30 days have passed, the Devil will destroy this world ande out to make a mess outside.


    I exined how I know because I myself am a resident of this world.


    I closed my eyes tightly.


    It''s because the fact that I hid things I knew from the children didn''t change.


    In other words, it''s nothing different from lying.


    <em>''They''re going to resent me.''</em>


    Unexpectedly, however, the kids did not resent me.


    They just had serious faces.


    I couldn''t stand the heavy silence and asked them.


    "Aren''t you resentful?"


    "What are you talking about, E?"


    "I kept everything a secret. You drew a hopeful future while I deceived you. I won''t get angry, it''s okay to curse at me."


    I looked at Ha-rim. Are you sure you aren''t disappointed? In the dream, I promised that I would turn the approaching danger into an adventure.


    But the news I brought only painted a hopeless story. Even if it was me, I would have been disappointed.


    Rather, seeing me like this, Ha-rim tried to appease me.


    "No. E didn''t do anything wrong."


    "Still."


    Ha-rim took my hand. Warmthes through.


    "The reason you asked adults to help us was because you wanted to save us. How could I say such bad things to you who are helping us? Isn''t that right, Kyeong-min?"


    Kyeong-min was still confused, but he opened his mouth at Harim''s call, fixing his sses again.


    "When everyone is suffering, I don''t think we should put the me on someone. Especially if it is an ident, misfortune, or disaster that no one expected."


    "...Why do you think so?"


    "Because it is more efficient to strengthen the will to ovee with the person next to you than to me someone and release your emotions. And..."


    "And?"


    "I don''t think handing over a heavy burden unterally is something you would do to someone important to you."


    The kids are more mature than me.


    It was heartwarming, but I was angry because I felt like I lost at something.


    I asked, slightly raising the corner of my mouth.


    "Kyeong-min, do you value me?"


    "Because you''re a friend, you''re precious."


    "Huh... Really?"


    "That''s right!"


    Ahaha! The funniest thing is when teasing Kyeong-min.


    As the atmosphere eased, Suho approached me with a determined expression.


    After taking a quick look at his shield, he asks me.


    "E. What should we do now?"


    "What are you so determined for? Don''t you look quite scary?"


    "I don''t know. Maybe I suddenly heard a story so big that my head couldn''t ept it. The image of a giant Devil is vague. Probably everyone is trying to not image it."


    "I see. Better than being afraid."


    "Yeah. That''s right."


    In my eyes, it seems that it''s because everyone''s courage has grown, but they don''t seem to be aware of it.


    I don''t need to say anything.


    "We have work to do. To you, here is an unrealistically strange ce. Bur for the reinforcements arriving it is no different than normal."


    "What do you mean?"


    "We have to prepare to meet the adults. That''s what I mean."


    Adultsing to Wondend to save children and defeat the Devil.


    But I don''t think things are going that easy.


    <strong>POV Switch - ???</strong>


    Report.


    Arrived at XX Elementary School in XX city at XX street where they attend.


    Their figures have not been found.


    No trace of object D-888 identified.


    Requested use of ss C World Refraction Detector from Agent James.


    Committee: Permission granted.


    ss C World Refract Detector used.


    No refractive reaction.


    Request to use Detection Cross from Agent Maria.


    Committee: Permission granted.


    Used Detection Cross.


    No demonic reaction.


    Withdrawal request.


    Committee: (After 1 hour) Request to withdraw denied.


    Branch 037 will perform the ritual "Faust".¹


    After taking the risk, report the damage.


    (30 minutester)


    Consciousness awoke.


    Risk report.


    Damage: 0 deaths, 10 serious injuries, 5 minor injuries, 2ints of mental injuries.


    Loss of all spiritual energy in the branch.


    Report.


    Confirmed weak reality maniption reaction.


    Confirmed weak demonic response.


    Demon code: MP


    Committee: Trigger the wartime rm.


    Branch 037 dispatches a task force to execute SR procedures.


    Manpower organized.