Chapter 88

Surprisingly, I’m a bit sensitive, so if my sleeping spot changes, I tend to have trouble sleeping.

If I’m really tired, I can sleep anywhere, but today, since I wasn’t particularly tired, I just kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Even if I take out my smartphone, of course, it says there’s no service. If I got a signal here, that would be a miracle.

They said not to go out at night, but…

Wouldn’t it be fine to go nearby?

The weather wasn’t that cold.

I didn’t even turn on the heating, so I probably didn’t need a parka.

I took out a shawl from my travel bag, draped it over myself, and left the room.

Passing through a hallway with oddly modern lighting, I took the elevator down, crossed the lobby, and headed toward the main entrance. That’s when I realized it.

There’s no one here.

Well, not exactly no one… but the residents, or whatever they are, are nowhere to be seen.

Not a single person.

Even in the lobby, where people should be, there’s not a shadow of anyone.

It’s as if they knew I was coming and cleared everyone out. Not a single person, not even a shadow, is visible.

Goosebumps rose on my arms.

My rationality is screaming at me to turn back to my room, drink some warm water, and force myself to sleep, but my instincts say otherwise.

Go out.

Step through that main entrance and go outside.

Walk.

Walk and reach.

And, my instincts won.

It was an unusually bright moonlit night.

Unlike the ground, which is lit up with neon signs, this place called the Dark Realm had no light source other than the moonlight, which strangely gave off a sense of calm.

The moonlight, shining through the branches of nameless trees much taller than me, illuminated the ground on this night.

I kept walking down this unfamiliar path.

My feet led me.

To be precise, my instincts were leading my feet.

Go.

Go.

Walk.

Keep walking this way.

As if guided by those instincts, as if possessed by someone, I kept walking and walking.

Even I didn’t know why I kept walking, but I still felt like I had to go this way.

I walked for a long time.

I walked so much that I couldn’t even tell how long I had been walking.

Around the time the moon began to be covered by clouds, and the moonlight that had been shining coldly on the ground was obscured, leaving only dimness, I found myself standing in front of an iron gate densely lined with metal bars.

On either side were round pillars, which seemed to serve as the foundation for this iron gate.

The gate, clearly of immense weight, was densely covered with wooden planks.

“Asmodeus, I’m leaving… Verpase, I was here… Espada… Please let me get a girlfriend this year… What is this?”

It definitely wasn’t Korean, but I could read it just by glancing over it.

Is it because I’m the boss of their organization?

Did they give me the ability to read Dark Realm letters or something?

This must be some kind of special ability.

Anyway, I don’t know what this place is. Seeing the wooden planks, it must be one of the tourist spots, but there’s no sign or anything.

I searched through the wooden planks for a while, looking here and there, but found nothing.

“What the heck.”

Now, I don’t even feel like going anywhere anymore.

It doesn’t seem to be off-limits, since there’s no lock or anything. But then again, there’s no reason for the wooden planks to be on this iron gate.

Should I just push it?

Maybe it’ll open.

There was a handle right in the center of the iron gate.

It was shiny, clearly polished and maintained daily.

The tourist spot management must be on point.

I grabbed the handle and pushed with force.

– Creak…

I didn’t even need to use much force.

As soon as I grabbed the handle and pushed, the gate opened smoothly.

The gate opened just enough for one person to enter, and I cautiously stepped inside.

Thick fog that made it impossible to see ahead.

But the fog cleared slightly with each step I took, brightening my vision.

“This feels oddly familiar.”

That moving fog feels familiar.

The fog in Mitran’s Garden, which I had seen in a dream before, moved like that.

It naturally receded with each step I took, as if it had a will of its own, making it comfortable for me to move.

Then, could this place be…

After wandering around inside for a while, there was no one in the garden.

They said no one else could enter except me.

But there’s no proof that this is really Mitran’s Garden.

There’s no sign or plaque, is there?

Even excluding those, the garden was beautifully maintained.

Though I couldn’t see everything due to the fog, the open… presumably rose garden, the arch made of ivy, the well-trimmed landscaping trees—these things made it clear that this wasn’t just any ordinary garden.

While wandering, I found a place with large stone benches placed here and there.

In the center was a large platform, and behind it stood an enormous stone slab, like a backdrop.

The bench I was standing by felt like a theater seat… yeah, exactly like a theater.

“This is amazing…”

A theater in a garden? Just how big is this garden?

Hmm.

Should I rest for a bit?

Thinking that, I sat on the bench.

And that’s when it happened.

「Vesprede!」

“Huh?”

Startled by the sudden male voice, I looked around.

No one was there.

What the…

「Let go. Who said you could touch my body? You don’t know your place.」

This time, a female voice.

「Do you think they’ll acknowledge you just because you do this?!」

Huh?

「I don’t expect them to acknowledge me.」

「You, who shone from the highest place, fell into this darkness because of them, didn’t you?!」

「Because of them? How many times have I told you not to speak of my children like that?」

Oh?

Sitting in the theater, it seems like something is playing.

Though there’s nothing actually showing on the stage.

「Children, children, children! Stop going on about those children!」

「What else should I call them but children? Don’t degrade my children like they’re worthless. Are you going to keep pushing it? Seriously—」

Oops.

I missed something because of a crackling sound.

“Hey, can you replay that part?”

No response.

「They’re bugs that won’t even live a hundred years. Even if hundreds, thousands of them die, it won’t make a difference. Why do you have to go this far for those humans?」

「That’s right. They’re children who won’t even live a hundred years. But that doesn’t mean they’re toys for creatures like you. After they die, I want to welcome them back here, in this mother’s embrace, where they can rest peacefully. What’s wrong with a mother wanting to welcome her children back?」

「I loved you, not those bugs!」

「Don’t call them bugs! They’re all children born from my fingertips…! My children…! Insulting my children is the same as insulting me!」

「Come to your senses, Vesprede…! Please, judge what’s right and wrong correctly… Please, there’s no need to go this far!」

「This is the path I’ve chosen. The final resting place for those children will be in my embrace…!」

「Vesprede!」

Wow.

This is intense.

Who is this Vesprede woman?

Her obsession with children is insane.

But her tone is a bit harsh. Why is she so fierce?

“Vesprede…?”

“Ahhh!”

Startled by the sudden male voice, I almost fell off the bench.

“Who, who’s there?!”

“I apologize for startling you.”

Someone was now standing on the stage.

A hunched-over old man with a cane.

Though his hair was white, his eyes shone brightly as he looked at me.

“Who… are you?”

“I am Amanin. The… head caretaker of Mitran’s Garden.”

“Ah, so this is really Mitran’s Garden… Uh, then.”

The old man smiled warmly and slowly descended from the stage, approaching me.

Though his steps were slow, they were surprisingly quick as he came closer. The old man, leaning on his cane, bowed his head to me in greeting.

“I knew from the moment you entered. This Mitran’s Garden is a place no one can enter except Vesprede. Though your appearance has changed, the fact that you entered Mitran’s Garden means…”

Tears streamed down the old man’s face.

“Finally, the goddess has returned. I, Amanin, never thought I’d live to see this day…”

Uh, well… Grandpa, if you cry like this, I’m going to feel really awkward.

Even though I’m not the most polite person, I do respect the elderly, so seeing Amanin suddenly cry like this leaves me at a loss.

“These are tears of joy… Please don’t mind them, Lady Vesprede.”

What kind of place is this Mitran’s Garden that just by entering, I’m instantly recognized as Vesprede?

“Uh, Grandpa?”

“Please call me Amanin.”

“Amanin… Grandpa?”

“Speak comfortably, Lady Vesprede.”

Uh, well.

Even so, speaking informally to an old man feels a bit…

“Ah, Amanin.”

“Yes, Lady Vesprede.”

Well, that works.

“I’m curious why you’re so sure I’m Vesprede…”

“Is that what you’re wondering?”

Hohoho, Amanin chuckled as he stroked his white beard.

“If you weren’t Vesprede, you would have collapsed and died after taking seven steps upon entering Mitran’s Garden. This is a fate no one can escape, so if you weren’t Vesprede, you wouldn’t be able to talk to me here.”

Wait, what?

You die after seven steps? What kind of curse is this?

The security here is way too intense…