“You're saying they've got it completely wrong?”
Cha So-hee must have been looking at me with a puzzled expression.
But I didn't have time to worry about that.
My eyes were fixed on the tablet she'd handed me.
The report contained a great deal of information. How to navigate the waypoints, what to watch out for at the destination, and what equipment and knowledge would be necessary to overcome those dangers.
There was quite a lot of material, and at first glance, it even seemed fairly comprehensive.
But to me, all of it looked utterly ridiculous.
“How long has it been since the dimensional gates opened?”
“About two and a half years, to be exact. The first six months were spent understanding and stabilizing the gates and establishing a base camp on the Otherworld side. We only started investigating it properly after that··· So we've been studying the Otherworld for roughly two years.”
“Two whole years, and they're still spouting this kind of nonsense?”
“······.”
Cha So-hee couldn't bring herself to respond.
No, it would be more accurate to say that she was bewildered.
And so was I.
“You'd be better off going in knowing absolutely nothing than trusting this information. At least someone who doesn't know anything would be cautious. If you go in believing this nonsense, you're practically asking to die a horrible death.”
“Is··· it really that bad?”
There was so much wrong with the report that I barely knew where to begin.
Two years.
That was how long humanity had been studying the Otherworld, that mysterious and unknown realm.
It was enough time for people to overcome their fear of the unknown, but nowhere near enough to properly understand its true nature.
To be honest, I hadn't originally intended to help her all that much.
Even if she was my friend, getting involved in every little problem at her company was another matter entirely.
That was why her offer of money had actually appealed to me more.
If I wanted to spend the next few months resting without a care in the world, I'd need that kind of money.
And my current bank balance wasn't exactly impressive.
“You said it's the week after next, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I think I'll need some time to sort things out. This isn't something we should decide hastily over a few drinks.”
“Okay······.”
Cha So-hee answered with a somewhat worried expression.
“Don't worry. I'm not saying I won't help. Besides, the objective itself isn't difficult at all.”
If anything, it might be far too easy for me.
So easy that I'd almost feel embarrassed accepting three million won for it.
“Yeah. Thanks.”
There wasn't a trace of her earlier playfulness in Cha So-hee's voice.
“I think I'm starting to understand just how much it means that you're willing to help me.”
***
Alcohol didn't agree with me after such a long time.
Then again, I'd always been a lightweight who could barely finish a bottle of soju···.
It felt as though my liver had completely forgotten what alcohol even was.
“Ugh, my head.”
It was pretty embarrassing to be clutching my head after only a few glasses of beer.
Still, there was nobody around to see me in my little house with two bedrooms and a small living room.
I opened the refrigerator, and a musty smell wafted out.
“Guess I'll have to replace this.”
It was an old refrigerator.
I'd expected all the food inside to have spoiled, but someone must have been looking after the place, because everything had been thoroughly cleaned.
The house might have been old, but I owned it.
There shouldn't have been anyone coming inside.
“Hmm···.”
Well, since I'd gone missing, the police might have come and gone while investigating my disappearance.
I didn't know what other procedures were involved, so I decided not to worry about it.
The important thing was that, as my mindset gradually returned to that of an ordinary member of society, I was beginning to notice all the things I'd need to spend money on.
“The overdue utility bills··· Oh, the accounts were suspended. That's a relief.”
The refrigerator was barely hanging on, and I'd probably have to throw away most of the clothes in my wardrobe after wearing them a few times.
It wasn't just because they smelled of mold.
They no longer fit my body.
My shoulders, in particular, had grown so broad that it was difficult to squeeze into them.
When I stood in front of the mirror, I saw a body covered in scars.
Come to think of it, isn't this the first time I've taken a proper look at myself since I got stranded?
“······.”
A complicated feeling washed over me.
I hastily pulled on a T-shirt, sat down on the old sofa, and sank into thought.
There were a few things I needed to sort out, weren't there?
“Money, huh.”
When I'd visited the supermarket, prices hadn't seemed to have risen all that much compared to before.
Which meant that three million won was still worth roughly what I thought it was.
It certainly wasn't an amount to be dismissed as pocket change.
So it wasn't as though I was helping Cha So-hee entirely out of the goodness of my heart.
The compensation she'd offered was more than valuable enough to me, too.
Just as I was thinking that—
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP—
I heard someone entering the password on my door lock.
Come to think of it, someone had even replaced the batteries in that thing.
There was only one person I knew who had the password to my house, so there was no reason to worry.
“You shouldn't just barge into someone else's house like that.”
“Do you have anything to eat at home? Why is your phone switched off? At least I'm glad you're wearing clothes.”
Cha So-hee held up a shopping bag.
From the look of it, she'd bought some groceries, frozen and ready-made meals, and a few snacks.
“Your bank account is probably frozen, too··· I figured you might be having some trouble, so I picked up a few things.”
“I'm getting my account reactivated today. By the way, have you been coming here often?”
“I just cleaned up every now and then. Changed the batteries and fluorescent lights, and··· emptied the refrigerator······.”
We were close enough that saying thank you outright felt strangely awkward.
So I simply nodded.
“It's the middle of the day. What about work? Since when did your company have such great work-life balance?”
“Once you're assigned to an Otherworld expedition, it's practically like being on vacation. It's supposed to be a preparation period, so they let you get everything ready however you want. At your own expense, of course. Fuck··· Mind if I use your frying pan?”
Sounds like quite the workplace.
I gave her a casual nod and returned to thinking about the expedition.
So how exactly should we handle this?
While I was pondering that question, Cha So-hee spoke casually as she rattled things around in the kitchen.
“Oh, and I don't think you'll need to help me with the Otherworld expedition after all.”
“Huh? Why? All of a sudden?”
“I secretly checked with the company today. Apparently, we're not allowed to receive outside assistance without authorization.”
“Can't I just sneak along?”
“Everything company employees do beyond the dimensional gate is recorded. Who they're traveling with, who leaves where, and at what time. No matter how carefully we move, they'll eventually catch us.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Have you heard of Pathfinders?”
I shook my head.
“They're similar to Sherpas. Basically, they're tour guides who work in the Otherworld. Apparently, business is booming for them these days.”
“···That's an actual profession?”
“Yep. I'm going to look into hiring one. That doesn't violate company regulations.”
It wasn't particularly strange that such a profession existed.
In fact, it made perfect sense.
But if the information provided by her company was that terrible, I doubted these so-called Pathfinders would be much better.
In other words, they wouldn't be of any real help.
“So you don't have to worry about it anymore. Thanks, though.”
So we couldn't go together.
I fell into thought while Cha So-hee continued moving things around in the kitchen.
“I've made a few side dishes and bought a kilogram of rice, so you should be able to feed yourself for a while. Get your bank account sorted out as soon as you can. I'm heading out, okay?”
“Leaving already?”
“I need to prepare. I'm going to make some arrangements based on what you told me. And keep your phone switched on, will you? You've had that habit forever.”
I watched her pack up her things for a moment.
Then I finally voiced the conclusion I'd reached.
“Cha So-hee.”
“What?”
“You said we can't go together, right?”
“Yeah. So?”
“Then we just don't go together. Isn't that simple?”
“Don't··· go together?”
I looked at the photographs I'd taken of Cha So-hee's expedition plan on my phone.
<Objective: Collect samples from three species inhabiting the outskirts of the Bermuda Forest>
“You only need to bring back samples from three species, right?”
“······.”
Cha So-hee fell silent for a moment.
Her thoughts seemed to have become rather complicated.
“Do you really want to help me that badly? I'm kind of touched.”
“Three million won is enough for a trip to Southeast Asia.”
“···Well, I can't argue with three million. Okay, fair enough. I'd actually prefer to think of it that way, too. But how are you planning to do it?”
“I'll just go and get them myself.”
Three species of samples.
I didn't know exactly what qualified as a sample, but if I simply captured three different creatures alive and brought them back, wouldn't that satisfy the requirement?
“Three creatures, huh···.”
Back when I lived in the Otherworld, there had been plenty of days when I caught thirty in a single day.
***
Once I'd reached that conclusion, there was absolutely no reason to waste time lying around.
Besides, I really was an explorer by nature.
Whenever I sat still for too long, my body started itching for something to do.
“I'll rest after this job is done.”
There was probably less than five million won left in my bank account.
If I added another three million, the quality of my vacation would improve accordingly.
I'd be able to relax with a clearer mind, too.
I'd only just returned from years of struggling through the Otherworld, but I decided it was worth gritting my teeth and making one more trip.
So I was planning to head straight for the dimensional gate that had supposedly opened in Seoul···.
“You won't even get through the entry procedures in your current state.”
“There are entry procedures? What is this, an airport?”
“They don't just let anyone through. There's a qualification exam.”
Apparently, I had to take an exam first.
Fortunately, I was told that exams were held every week and that the results were announced immediately.
There were two types of exams.
The Exploration Permit Exam and the Visitor Permit Exam.
Naturally, the one I needed was the Exploration Permit.
<Kang Seon-hu>
[Miasma Adaptation: Positive (Pass)]
[Next Exam: Physical Fitness Practical Test]
“There's a second-stage additional exam after the practical test?”
“If you score eighty points or higher on the practical, you automatically pass the additional exam. Getting above eighty is difficult, but passing the exam itself isn't all that hard. Still, be careful and take it seriously.”
“It's not difficult? How can an exam that lets people enter the Otherworld be easy?”
“Because it only tests the basics. Crossing into the Otherworld doesn't mean you'll immediately be in danger. If you want to do anything dangerous, you need to obtain additional authorization on your permit.”
In other words, the exam was simply meant to determine whether someone could survive the Otherworld's environment without dying.
“You brought your equipment, right?”
··Equipment?
<Attention, examinees. The examination supervisor has an announcement. Today's practical examination will begin shortly. All registered participants are requested to proceed to the examination area. I repeat, today's······.>
“Uh, I'm heading in.”
“Huh? Hey! What about your equipment······?”
I knew about the required equipment.
I'd simply decided that I wouldn't need it.
The examination venue was the auditorium of a school.
There wasn't a single piece of exercise equipment in sight, so it hardly looked like a place where a physical fitness test would be held.
People were holding study notebooks, reciting tips they'd learned, or gathering in small groups of three or four to chat.
But everyone had some kind of device in their hands.
So that's the equipment they were talking about.
I had a rough idea of what it was, but I wanted to know exactly what it did.
I stopped a passing examinee and asked.
“What's that?”
“Pardon?”
A young man who looked to be in his early twenties raised the device he was holding.
It resembled an old BlackBerry smartphone.
“This? It's a Crystal Detector.”
“Yes, I know that··· But what exactly does it do?”
“There are colored crystal rocks scattered at regular intervals throughout the Otherworld. This device detects them and acts as a compass, helping you determine your current position. It also doubles as a radar for detecting nearby dangers. Didn't you bring one?”
“No. It wasn't listed as a mandatory item.”
“Uh, well, technically it isn't mandatory··· But that's like showing up to an accountant's exam without a calculator.”
From what I'd seen, even the cheapest models cost over a million won.
I had absolutely no intention of wasting money on something so unnecessary.
“Everyone, gather around!”
I watched the young man walk toward the supervisor and fell into thought.
So humanity has already managed to build things like that.
“As you've all seen in the advance notice, I'll briefly explain the examination once more. The device I'm holding is called a Rift Generator. It opens a gateway connected to a specific region of the Otherworld. We've already prepared an examination area there.”
I'd read about that in the notice.
Apparently, humanity had already developed machinery capable of controlling dimensional rifts.
“You'll encounter various obstacles in that area. The miasma concentration in the examination zone is much weaker than at an actual field base camp, so as long as you've tested positive for miasma adaptation, you don't need to worry about side effects.”
“Once you reach the black crystal, return through the rift opened there to complete the examination. You're free to use any means necessary, with the sole exception of violence against other participants.”
With that, he immediately turned the dial on the Rift Generator.
“We're short on time, so we'll begin right away. And don't worry if the time limit expires. The organizers' response team will rescue you safely.”
Wind began to howl.
A sound like electrical wires short-circuiting rang out as space itself split apart.
··I remembered the moment I'd been dragged into the Otherworld.
It was almost identical.
A chill ran down my spine.
“Best of luck to you all.”
With those words, roughly a hundred participants rushed toward the dimensional rift at once.
The time limit was five hours.
When I came to my senses, there were only about three other people standing near me.
There had been a hundred of us when we entered.
“So we're transported to different locations. And this place is··· a forest?”
I'd landed in the middle of a dense forest.
It felt somewhat more tropical than the place where I'd lived.
The humid, hot air was strangely familiar.
The three people who had arrived with me each took out their Crystal Detectors and examined them.
BEEP— BEEP— BEEP—
“Even the nearest crystal is incredibly far away.”
“Ha··· And these detectors aren't even that accurate, are they? Don't they only narrow it down to somewhere within fifty meters?”
“Yeah. It's like a phone's GPS. This is my second time taking the exam, and from what I've experienced, it basically tells you there's a crystal somewhere within a hundred-meter radius. It's not precise at all.”
“I'm seriously screwed··· Well, I'll be heading out first. Good luck, everyone.”
One by one, they set off in different directions.
Eventually, I was left alone.
The rift had closed almost instantly after we entered, leaving behind an unnatural silence that didn't belong in a forest like this.
The last person to leave glanced at me and muttered quietly under his breath.
[···What's he planning to do without even a detector?]
His voice was so faint that an ordinary person would never have heard him.
But I wasn't an ordinary person.
I closed my eyes and sharpened my hearing.
The sounds of life concealed throughout the forest and the flow of magical energy coursing through the area brushed faintly against my eardrums.
Rustle, rustle.
Chirrrrrrr.
Bzzzzzz.
Like someone sorting through a pile of photographs in a darkroom, I separated those sounds into categories and arranged them in my mind.
Then, hidden among them, I discovered the vibration of the black crystal.
That peculiar sensation, like someone plucking a thread of magical energy.
I remembered it.
Now I only needed to determine its location.
And I had a way to do that.
That was precisely why I didn't need some crude Crystal Detector.
“Marlkaama.”
Track.
Then, give it a direction.
The direction was the heart of the forest.
“To Rosto.”
And finally, give it form.
“De Mohs.”
Tiny sparks began taking shape, stretching faintly outward in forms resembling fairies.