-Sis. I quit my job.
-Quit? You didn't even tell me, how did that happen? Did you tell Mom and Dad?
-Just...... It just happened. I'm going to rest a little and then write résumés again.
Back then the woman knew nothing.
That her sister had severe depression from workplace harassment, that she was taking medication from a hospital, that in the end, after barely getting past one year, she chose to resign on her own as if fleeing.
Back then the media was full of nothing but 'Youth Unemployment Is Serious' and 'Idle Gamma Generation, Unemployment Benefit Funds at Risk,' and all she thought was that she hoped her sister wouldn't get those kinds of looks.
Her sister was so good at taking care of things herself that she'd thought it would be fine to leave her alone, but.
-A-rim, Mom told me to bring you some side dishes, so I'm coming on the weekend. Does that work for you?
-Just hang them on my front door and I'll get them myself.
-Are you busy that day? Got other plans?
-There's a little something. Sorry.
That her sister who'd said that wasn't even going outside, and was shut in her studio 24 hours a day playing games, was something she only learned much later.
In the end, when she went secretly without calling, her sister was lying blankly on the bed with her eyes bloodshot red, wearing connected lenses.
-What is wrong with you? Are you going to stay like this because you quit? Go out and at least see people! ......A-rim. Yeon A-rim!
-Sis. I......
In the 7-pyeong room full of laundry piles, instant ramen cups, gnats and muggy air, the rotting sister moved her parched lips.
-......I don't want to be here anymore......
-A-rim? What do you mean? Here? Your place? Where are you talking about?
Her sister closed her eyes just like that. From the game hardware by her pillow came a faint whir. Brigantes Chronicle, connected. The connection time displayed then was 8d 19h 38m.
Hearing it up to here, it's a sad story. It does hurt my heart, but.
"It sounds like game addiction or depression to me. Did you try a hospital?"
"That can't be."
The woman spoke firmly. The foil hat rustled.
"My sister isn't that kind of kid. Even if she was a bit depressed, she could've shaken it off soon with a little rest. That's just her personality."
"You make pretty light of workplace harassment."
"You and I both have jobs, Reporter, don't we? Who hasn't suffered something unfair in society? There were times I couldn't sleep well too. But everyone goes through a period like that."
"So in the end, you're saying it's because of the game? That your sister went missing?"
"Did you even read everything I sent? For 9 months now, steadily, only young new workers around my sister's age have disappeared. And there's testimony that they were all playing Brigantes Chronicle. This means the game is strange. Does it make sense that they were still enjoying a discontinued game until now? And every one of those who vanished?"
"You said it was a hit in the old days. Then anyone with the game files could have played it. You're just focusing on Brigantes Chronicle especially, but weren't those people playing a lot of other virtual-reality games too?"
"You don't believe me. Would you think the same even if I told you that game controls human brainwaves through body-contact hardware parts like the electrode pads and connected lenses?"
"Well, I do have some personal suspicions about Goldrish Games. But I don't really see how a virtual-reality game could make people go missing."
The woman looked up at me as if at a loss for words.
To be exact, not because her logic had been crushed and her words had disappeared, but as if looking at a person with a different opinion, or an alien.
"Then I have nothing more to say. Still, I'd heard Proin News was best at breaking stories on cases like this. I'm disappointed."
"I'm sorry we're not as righteous as you expected."
I took time out to come here and all I got was every sort of nonsense.
However I thought about it, I seemed to have done nothing but kick air. Not wanting to waste any more time, I was about to turn my back when a hesitant voice caught me.
"Just one more thing before you go. Could you by any chance introduce me to another reporter at your company?"
"Is there a particular reporter you want?"
"I saw an article Proin posted about Goldcrest before. It came down quickly, though. You aren't going to write up this tip anyway, Reporter. So I'd rather hand the tip to the Goldcrest reporter. Could I get that person's contact?"
Ah. That. The article the Editorial Bureau pulled 14 minutes after I filed and it went up.
After hearing a tip that Goldcrest Korea was urging a strange ritual at its new-hire onboarding event, I stayed up all night reviewing internal event footage and contacting whistleblowers, again and again.
Then I tailed employees' cars heading to Seongju County in North Gyeongsang for hours on end and snuck into an abandoned mine with just one small camera, and at last wrote the scoop.
[Goldcrest, Following Allegations of Employee Abuse, Holding Cult Rituals?]
"I do know them, but."
"Then please give me the number. Or even an email."
"I don't think that's possible."
"Why? Did they change jobs? Or on vacation? I don't mind. I can wait."
"It's not like that."
How do I put this? I rubbed the back of my neck for no reason and blurted out.
"That person got kicked out to another department because of it."
***
So I trudged home with nothing gained. The information I'd typed into my notepad out of habit was so poor it made me laugh without thinking.
[Missing persons info: young new workers. Brigantes players. Game addiction. Depression? By what route? Simple missing cases? Game controlled brainwaves? With connected lenses and electrode patches? Human control?]
At this rate, far from writing an article grabbing Goldrish Games and Goldcrest by the collar, I'd get buried alive in this industry. Or believe it's true and get forcibly hospitalized.
Calming my troubled mind, I put in the connected lenses and lay down again. Should I play more of Brigantes Chronicle here, or rather use this time to go find other missing people?
And the moment I logged into the game, still worrying about that.
"......Anyone who can sum up this situation in one sentence?"
Where I opened my eyes was under a roof about to collapse. Time must have passed while I was logged out and they'd found a place to sleep again, but that wasn't what mattered.
Over there in a cobwebbed corner Daren was sniffling and clutching his belly, and Pidrin was holding both of Erman's arms, far from Daren.
Erman's face, meeting my eyes, lit up brightly.
"Albion!"
"What are you doing with Pidrin? Playing prisoner?"
"Does this look like playing to you, you damned wretch?"
"If it's not that, all I can see is you picking on Eli. Why is Daren crying?"
"Albion, I think there's been some misunderstanding between us. Daren said his stomach hurt, so I was trying to make him better, but."
"Make him better? This crazy wretch tried to cut Daren's belly open! Saying he'd take out your magic inside, the cursed object or whatever! Saying he'd make Daren better while trying to kill him!"
"Ah! You there! Did we not promise to keep that a secret from Albion?! How can you break a promise and spill it so easily!"
"Don't make me laugh, a secret's got to be within reason to be a secret! This much is a murder charge!"
"Huuuu. Huuuuuh. When we took his sword, that bastard said he had to get it out no matter what and hit me in the solar plexus, so."
"See! It's a murder charge! You know how weak the solar plexus is?! That's a vital spot, a vital spot! Because of what you did, you wretch, Daren's been retching and having the runs for a while now......"
"No. Forget it. Stop there. I get the general level of you people."
I log out for a moment and it turns into a complete shitshow. This is inside a game, so why does my stomach feel like it's stinging? Even with my pain sensitivity turned way down.
I looked up at the ceiling for a moment. A reality check hit me, but first let's settle this like an adult.
"Pidrin, let go of Eli. Give Eli back his sword too. Otherwise I'll make Daren drop dead."
"Tch."
"Eli. I told you not to get friendly with those two. That they're temporary guardians just traveling with us until we get to Tintagel. And yet while I was asleep you try to take out what's in his belly behind my back? What's so pretty about them?"
"S, sorry. Daren said his stomach hurt first, and that he couldn't walk anymore......"
My expression crumpled by reflex. So in the end this mess is Daren's own karma, isn't it? He faked illness for nothing and it came back on him.
When I glared at Daren, he, sniffling, avoided my gaze. That bastard, really.
"Hey. Come here."
"......Wh, why?!"
"Then should I go?"
Daren reluctantly crawled over. I smacked him once on the back of the head and left the ruined house.
Humid air. I didn't know how far we'd come from Puil, but at least the Queen or King wouldn't find us anytime soon. I'd have to call Titania later and check the exact location.
Thinking that, I went around the back of the ruined house, and by luck a single willow stood beside a low well. I broke off the lowest branch, came back and sat down next to Daren, still curled up.
"Eli. Lend me your sword."
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
I put to use the skill of carving letters into mud tablets on the pretext of raising my Ogham level in the royal castle. After a long while like that, Erman, Daren, and even Pidrin far away were stealing glances at me.
"Done."
I handed Daren the small flat piece of willow that fit in the hand. Daren curiously turned it back and forth, but however closely he looked, there was no way he could see the system window only visible to me.
「Grants the Mark of Ogham. Time remaining until activation— 4:59:59...」
"Hold on to it. For about ten hours? At least it'll lessen the pain of your guts twisting."
"What is this? Is this some magic or whatever too?"
"It's the same thing as what's in your belly. This one's healing type, though. It helps wounds recover faster, so don't carelessly break or throw it away. Of course, having it doesn't mean the drop dead magic won't work, so put any funny ideas out of your head."
"Heeey."
Is it that nice? Looking like a man who'd been saved, Daren carefully tucked the piece of wood inside his pants. ......Why there of all places, and not a pocket? I somehow feel I can understand, but let's not ask.
"Eli hitting you in the solar plexus...... well, let's say he's young, so it can happen. Forgive him like an adult."
"You think I'd forgive a thing like that?"
"I put magic on you too, didn't I? Can't we call it even with that?"
"Hold on, only Daren gets one? What about me? Me, who stopped that brat thrashing around like a fish and carried you on my back all the way here?"
"What about you? You want me to look after you too?"
"Isn't that obvious? I never take a loss! Magic, that's, what do you call it, something out of legends and myths, isn't it? I don't know much, but that piece of wood looks like it'd sell for a lot too, and we're taking you to Tintagel, so something should fall to us too!"
At Pidrin's forceful claim, I thought for a moment.
What she said wasn't entirely wrong either. I'd made them guardians by holding Daren's life hostage, but if the trip went on like this the two would surely come up with some other trick to get out of the situation.
Then I'd have a headache dealing with the two instead of Erman again, and our arrival at Tintagel might get delayed too.
Fair enough. How can people live on nothing but the whip? Sometimes you've got to eat a carrot too.
"Okay. So what magic do you want? If there's something you want, say it. But no hurting or killing others. And you can't ask for magic beyond my ability."
My Ogham skill level is still low, so instant casting or trigger settings are impossible, see. The buff effects are relatively low too.
I'd driven the nail in first, yet that alone made Pidrin's mouth fall wide open.
"Hey! Who'd wish for something like that? You're so gloomy, honestly! Obviously when you say magic, it's gold pouring out—"
Before the words were even out,
Erman, who'd been squatting beside me, suddenly stood up slowly. His gaze was directed outside the ruined house.
Everyone looked up at him. Erman murmured.
"Someone's coming."
Who?
In the silence everyone listened closely. A stillness where nothing was heard except an owl at night. But just as Erman had warned, after a moment a single thread of noise, too faint for bare ears, caught hold.
The sound of hard things striking each other. Fast. An irregular beat. Pidrin spat.
"......That's a rider."
A person driving a horse alone in the night, when no one comes and goes. A guy who either had enough courage to protect himself or had reason to hurry.
The blood slowly drained from my face. Before I even realized it, my mouth was already shouting.
"Titania, current location! Right now!"