Chapter 4 : Quest

Shake, shake—
“…Roland, not scared.”
“Is that so?”

As I relaxed my aura, Kang Rimun, still trembling, stood with difficulty and gave the girl an odd look.

“With a knight protecting you, you must feel secure.”
Nod, nod.
“…Yeah. My, knight.”

He wiped the sweat from his brow, glanced at me, sighed faintly as if still troubled, and spoke.

“Well, anyway… with ORRYX’s pressure lifted, there’s no reason for you and the young lady to leave Cheongdo.”
“But?”
“Conversely, even if no footage of you or the young lady exists, if such distinctive guests stay in Cheongdo too long…”

Kang Rimun maintained his polite smile.

“Even without footage, ORRYX surely knows your appearances.”
“Hm… so you’re saying we should leave?”
“Not at all. I’m saying it wouldn’t be good for you either.”
“…”

His narrow eyes met mine.
His body was still damp with cold sweat from earlier, but his gaze remained steady.

Fair enough… if I stay in Cheongdo, ORRYX will eventually press again, so he wants me gone before that.
…ORRYX.
Not just the girl, but that’s where I woke up too.
To find a way back, I’ll need to investigate that place.

“…From what I saw, you don’t know this place’s language at all. If you take a job from me before you leave, I’ll give you this language converter and some credits.”

Kang Rimun removed a wristwatch-like device from his wrist and placed it on the table.

“This language converter has your language registered, so with it, you’ll have no trouble communicating anywhere.”

Cheongdo, trying to avoid conflict with ORRYX, likely planned to attack me and, even with the danger gone, wants me to leave for stability. Investigating ORRYX properly here will be tough.

“…”
“…”

As I pondered quietly, Kang Rimun adjusted his posture without adding more.
I glanced at the girl in my arms.

Tilt.
“…?”

She tilted her head as if wondering why I was looking at her, showing no interest in my conversation with Kang Rimun.

I had planned to rescue her and entrust her to a nearby noble or public institution.
But if I leave her here, they’ll care for her… until ORRYX demands her, and then they’ll hand her over.

Squeeze—
“…Don’t, go.”
“I’m not going anywhere, so don’t worry.”

…Being with this girl feels like she’s reading my thoughts.
Anyway, if they hand her over, my rescue would be meaningless.
…Would another place keep her safe?
Probably not.

Before jumping, I saw this city—vast and dense, but lacking proper order or security.
Cheongdo seemed the most orderly, but it’s obsessed with autonomy and stability, so I should try elsewhere.

“What’s the job?”
“Oh, so you’ve decided to leave?”

His expression visibly brightened at my words.

“Wuryuseong is busy checking Cheongdo’s network after the scan, leaving us critically short-handed. And now, of all times, Crashed have appeared, likely due to the scan’s aftermath.”
“Crashed?”
“Oh, it refers to those whose minds have shattered. The job is to deal with these Crashed.”

Minds… shattered?
And “deal with” sounds like treating them as monsters.

“…Their minds are shattered, so why not treat them instead of dealing with them?”
“…Crashed are dangerous. Subduing them is difficult, and even if you do, the chance of treatment is slim.”

Kang Rimun paused, leaning on the table with clasped hands.

“But if you want to try talking to them, I won’t stop you. Just know it’s extremely dangerous.”
“Hm… got it.”

I nodded, and he slid the wristwatch-like converter toward me, then pulled a transparent, faintly glowing card-like object from under the table and placed it down.

“This is a credit chip. I’d transfer it directly, but… neither you nor the young lady have a Mindpulse.”

Mindpulse?
My eyes showed confusion, and he elaborated.

“Think of it as an all-purpose chip implanted in the brain.”
“What? Implanted in the brain?”
“Hm…”

Kang Rimun briefly showed a hint of exasperation before hiding it.
I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I weren’t so perceptive.

“Assume everyone here has one.”
“Huh.”
“And those without…”

He glanced at the girl, then back at me.

“Aside from someone like her, there are hardly any.”
“…I see.”

He means experiment subjects, right?
…For a moment, I wondered if he thought I was one too, but in this other world, talk of the Arcedian Empire or being its sword would sound insane. Assuming I’m a deranged experiment subject makes sense.

“But this credit chip is widely accepted, so you’ll be fine.”
“Thanks.”

Credits must be the currency here.

I reached out with my ungloved hand, taking both items. I strapped the language converter onto my bare wrist and examined the credit chip closely.

Tap, tap.
“Hm?”
“…That.”
“This?”
Nod, nod.

Seeing her interest, I handed the chip to her small hand. She fiddled with it, then started glaring at it.
I chuckled, watching her, then turned back.

“Where are these Crashed?”
“That’s—”

Before Kang Rimun could finish, someone opened the door and entered.
A woman with short, dark brown hair and slightly tanned skin, suggesting frequent outdoor activity.

“She’ll guide you to the Crashed’s location.”
“I’m Shion of House Kamiz.”

Her clothing was starkly different from Kang Rimun’s, adorned with protective plates, a dagger at her chest, and a longsword at her waist.
And—

“Your arm…?”
“Yes?”

No matter how I looked, it was metallic, moving naturally in the shape of an arm.

“Hm… Lord Roland, don’t be shocked already. You’ll see stranger things outside.”
“Huh, do people replace their entire bodies with steel like that?”
“Not that extreme, but there are quite a few.”
“…Really?”

This world keeps surprising me.

“…Fine, let’s go deal with it and get moving.”
“Hm? Oh, after handling it, rest for the day. You’re helping us in a tough spot, so we can at least offer that.”
“Your words sounded like you wanted me gone ASAP.”
“What? I’d never. If you felt that way, I apologize.”
“…”

Talking to this guy is exhausting.

“It’s not far, so we’ll take a vehicle.”

A vehicle?
I considered asking but decided it wasn’t worth it since I wouldn’t be driving.
I’ve asked too many questions today already.
…Why does it feel like this day will never end?

I sat in the so-called vehicle.

“This vehicle thing is impressive.”

Moving so fast without a sound.
Though, honestly, the city is even more impressive than the vehicle.

Maybe it’s unique to this area, but despite many people passing under the distinctive patterned lights, it’s not overly noisy for the crowd.
And the strange scents in the air somehow calm the mind.

Tap, tap—
“…Roland, Roland.”
“Yeah?”
“…Look, this.”

The girl held out the credit chip, which looked slightly faded compared to before.

“What’s wrong with it?”
“…This, like this.”
Click—

Her pupils briefly glowed, and the chip returned to its original state.
I tilted my head but, not wanting Shion to hear, I subtly used my aura to block our conversation.
Shion drove the vehicle impassively, unaware, but the girl tilted her head, sensing something.

“…Roland, what, did?”
“It’s nothing… Wait, how did you notice?”
“…Changed.”

Not sensing the aura, but noticing a difference?

“Hm, anyway, what’s up?”
“…Credits, took out, put back, here.”
“…Huh?”

Didn’t Kang Rimun say neither of us had a Mindpulse, so he gave us the chip?

“Where and how did you take the credits out?”
Tilt.
“…Like, this?”
Click—

Her pupils glowed faintly, and the chip faded again.

“…Do this, gone.”
“So, it went into your Mindpulse?”
“…No, in front, me.”
“In front…?”

The chip?
But she said she took it out, and it did fade.
Yet, she acted like that wasn’t it, grabbing something invisible in front of her with her small hand.

“…Here.”
“…?”

She opened her hand, but I saw nothing.

“…Put this, back, original.”
Click—

She clenched her hand, glared at the chip, and it regained its glow.

Pat, pat.
“Impressive.”
“…Hee.”

I patted her head, and she smiled faintly.

Kang Rimun said she didn’t have a Mindpulse, but was he mistaken?
Or is this a unique ability of hers?

As I pondered, the vehicle slowed.

Screech—
“Here we are.”

At Shion’s words, I looked up. The atmosphere had changed. The building style and lighting were similar, but shabbier.
And there wasn’t a soul in sight, making it feel even more desolate.