Chapter 39

After trudging through the snowstorm in this freezing weather and finally making it back, I find that the base I’ve worked so hard to set up has turned into a freezer.

Blinking dumbly at the horrifying scene, I belatedly let out a silent scream.

It was because a sudden, fierce gust of cold wind had wormed its way through the gaps in my clothing.

Ugh, the higher you go, the nastier the wind gets!

Sniffling, I tightened my coat and carefully scanned the windy darkness.

After finding the cheap portable lamp I’d picked up from an alley amidst the chaos and giving it a few good whacks until it lit up, I muttered,

“…Oh boy, what a mess.”

In the dim light of the flickering cheap lamp, the devastated base came into view.

It looked like someone had dumped loads of snow inside and scattered it everywhere—a total disaster zone.

Bracing against the biting wind, I cautiously inspected every corner of the base.

After a short investigation, I realized the culprit behind all this destruction was a shattered window.

How on earth did this happen while I was gone? Snow and wind were freely entering through the broken glass without permission.

What kind of bolt from the blue is this? Why did this have to happen?

Just in case, I cautiously peeked over the glass. That’s when I noticed the unnaturally sprawled remains of a busted outdoor unit below.

“Could it be that heavy snow caused the outdoor unit to fall? And just my luck, it had to smash my window?”

My eyes squeezed shut involuntarily.

How can someone be this unlucky?

Even though this area is deserted and poorly maintained, seriously!

For the neighbor’s outdoor unit to fall and break my base’s window—can you believe it!

Fuming with frustration, I stomped my feet but eventually slumped my shoulders in resignation.

I can’t turn back time, and what’s done is done.

Instead of lamenting my bad luck, it’s better to figure out how to fix this situation.

“…Well, maybe this is for the best. Moving was such a hassle anyway. Now I have a forced reason to do it.”

One fortunate thing is that I don’t have much attachment to this place.

Why do you think I call it a base instead of home?

Calling it home would make it feel too precious. I didn’t want any lingering regrets when I eventually moved.

So the solution was simple.

Just pack everything up and find a new base.

Of course, this building is riddled with issues on every floor, so I’ll have to rummage through other buildings.

The western labyrinth is full of structures; surely there’s somewhere strangers won’t easily approach.

“I was thinking of moving soon anyway since it’s getting colder. Let’s consider this as just speeding up the timeline. This much… huh?”

Crack.

An ominous feeling crept up as I grabbed the sleeping bag confidently.

The sleeping bag that had warmly embraced me just this morning now felt cold and brittle.

…It’s frozen, isn’t it?

I instinctively realized the sleeping bag was beyond saving.

Could it be due to the chilly draft blowing through the base? Goosebumps crawled up my spine.

After checking every item in the base for about five minutes,

I had to face the facts. I was in deep trouble.

“Almost everything is ruined. The bed and sleeping bag are goners. Clothes-wise, except for the winter pajamas and coat I’m wearing, and the maid outfit at Greg’s shop, it’s a total loss…”

Maybe the window broke not long after I started working at the office.

It seemed like snow piled up, melted, and then refroze.

Thus, bedding, furniture, clothes, fabric, towels, daily necessities…

Most of the things I’d painstakingly collected over the past few months were frozen solid as if dunked in water and shoved in a freezer.

What? Can’t I just thaw them and dry them properly?

When and where am I supposed to thaw and stiffly dry all this stuff?

And if there were a warm enough place to thaw this, I wouldn’t be going through all this trouble!

“What to do… How am I supposed to sleep tonight? If I sleep rough in this weather, I’ll end up like a frozen meal. Should I build an igloo out of snow or something?”

I crossed my arms and pondered further.

For now, abandoning those frozen items was the right move.

There was no way I could crawl into a rock-solid sleeping bag.

So does that mean I have to find a new base with nothing but the clothes on my back?

Isn’t this a real disaster?

…No, come to think of it, it’s not that hopeless.

I still had one fallback option left.

With that thought, I furtively pulled the key to the variety store from my coat pocket.

“If I impose on the variety store, I might survive for a night or two…”

But it wasn’t a choice I relished.

Greg was my benefactor. I didn’t want to rely on him too heavily.

This key was a token of trust Greg had shown me first.

Put yourself in his shoes. How heavy must his heart have been to hand over a key to a complete stranger?

Technically, if I sold off the store’s deed and disappeared without a trace while he was abroad, he’d be utterly blindsided with no recourse.

Of course, I had no intention of doing that. Still, he took that risk and entrusted me with this. Don’t I owe him equal faith in return?

“And I’ve already received so much unilaterally from Greg. If I take more, I might die of guilt.”

He helped me when I became a wanted ghost. He gave me sturdy clothes money couldn’t buy.

Not to mention the artifact to conceal my face and even got me the office part-time job?

Exaggeration aside, he was practically my life savior.

And now I’m just going to use his variety store like my own house without permission?

No way. Even if Greg forgave me, I couldn’t forgive myself.

As long as my conscience burns bright within my chest, there’s no way I could do that.

“…Unless I’m about to freeze to death, I’ll keep this as a last resort.”

As much as my conscience matters, it’s not more important than my life.

If push comes to shove, I’ll consider this as the final option.

I clutched the key tightly and slipped it back into my coat pocket.

Alright, where should I spend the night amidst this raging snowstorm?

Time to brainstorm some ideas.

My resolve burned fiercely—I absolutely did not want to burden Greg.

*

“Still no new leads on the ghost? Anything, even trivial, would help…”

“Well, I haven’t heard anything. Try asking Gilbert’s place across the way. He’s into rumors and knows a lot.”

“Ah… Thank you. Have a good day.”

On her way back after asking around…

Alice muttered inwardly as she stepped outside the shop and sighed softly.

It had already been over two weeks since the Bloody Night incident, and Alice was still searching tirelessly for the ghost.

But still, the ghost remained elusive, as if it had vanished entirely.

Could it be that the ghost had quietly left Night Haven after that night?

Chasing the ghost made her feel like a boy chasing a rainbow.

“Another fruitless day… Haa, maybe I should extend my search to once a week…”

If the ghost had already left the Western Labyrinth, then Alice’s efforts were all in vain.

Her determination to uncover the ghost’s identity waned with each passing day.

Grrrr.

Alice’s stomach loudly protested, having missed mealtime while gathering information about the ghost.

Deciding to leave the task for tomorrow, she dragged her weary feet toward a nearby eatery.

“…Three cheese steaks, please.”

“Sure. They’re quite big; should I cut them in half?”

“No, I’ll take them all whole, please.”

“Three cheese steaks! Here you go.”

Alice took the three forearm-sized sandwiches and exited the shop.

She unwrapped one and bit into it directly.

Though she appeared to be of average female build, the amount seemed substantial.

The sight of her devouring it rapidly, as if fast-forwarding time, drew curious stares from passersby.

Mmm. Eating in the snow has its own charm.

Lost in thought, Alice headed towards the exit of the Western Labyrinth when she spotted a familiar figure she didn’t expect to see here.

‘…Yuria?’

The black coat she often wore, the silver hair cascading like silk, and the faint glimpse of a fox mask—it was unmistakably Yuria herself.

Why is she wandering around such a dangerous place?

Remembering that Yuria had come to the office with Greg initially, Alice recalled that Greg’s shop was near the Western Labyrinth.

‘Perhaps she got lost momentarily.’

It never occurred to Alice that Yuria might live in the Western Labyrinth.

It couldn’t be helped. In Alice’s eyes, Yuria was the fragile darling of the office.

Besides, given her noble background, it was hard to imagine a young girl living in such a place.

But as Yuria’s figure drew closer, Alice’s expression grew increasingly grave.

Snow covered her body, and her slightly trembling shoulders indicated she had been wandering here for a while.

Why is she wandering alone in such a cold and perilous place?

Feeling an inexplicable pang in her chest, Alice hurried towards her.

“Yuria!”

“…!”

Yuria turned around, visibly startled by Alice’s approach.

Though her inner thoughts were unclear, she seemed to regard Alice as someone who shouldn’t be here.

That’s what I should be saying. Alice bit her lip and reached out with her warm hand from her pocket, touching Yuria’s ear and neck.

‘She’s freezing! How long has she been wandering here?’

Yuria’s ears… no, her entire body was like ice.

Alice was so shocked by the cold that her eyes trembled involuntarily.

Alice hastily removed her outerwear and draped it over Yuria.

Steam rose from her high body temperature, but Alice was too busy checking Yuria’s condition to notice.

‘Thank goodness. The trembling stopped.’

Seeing that she had stopped shivering, it seemed the coat provided sufficient warmth.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, Alice bent her knees to meet Yuria’s gaze.

“Are you okay? Feeling less cold now?”

“…”

“Why are you wandering around here alone? Are you lost?”

But Yuria averted her gaze and gave no response to Alice’s questions.

Is it difficult to answer? Or perhaps she feels troubled?

After contemplating deeply for a moment, Alice gently posed another question to Yuria.

“Yuria, do you live around here?”

“…”

“…Can you show me where you live?”

“…!”

“Surely, you’re not wandering without a home…?”

“…”

Alice felt as if she’d been hit with a hammer upon seeing Yuria’s transparent reaction.

Now that she thought about it, it was strange.

Why does Yuria need to work at such a young age?

If she had family, or at least a guardian, there would be no need for it.

I assumed she was just earning pocket money…

Never did I imagine it was a struggle for survival. Alice couldn’t bring herself to continue.

Overwhelmed with heart-wrenching pity, Alice gazed at Yuria with unwavering determination and declared,

“Yuria, you’re coming to my place tonight. I won’t take no for an answer. Understand?”

“…!”

I will definitely take you to my place.

This was quite the bewildering declaration for Yuria, who had failed to find a new base and was reluctantly crawling into Greg’s variety store.