NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 17
The cheerful group that had spent time at the cafe began to move around again, and just as their sightseeing was about to come to an end, they made a final stop at the souvenir shop.
The souvenir shop was selling various memorabilia related to the zoo.
Animal ears, animal acrylics, animal masks, stuffed animals, and a few snacks, among other things.
The kids started wandering around with sparkling eyes.
“Look at this! With these animal ears, don’t I look like a Beastman?”
“Pfft, what’s that supposed to be?”
“This mask looks hilarious too.”
As they each pondered what to choose, the kids discussed whether they should get a present for Rene, who was at the orphanage.
“What do you think the teacher would like?”
“A stuffed animal? Or maybe this sculpture?”
“Wouldn’t something to eat be better?”
“Not everything is about you!”
“This music box looks nice too.”
Red watched the kids with a warm expression.
At that moment, someone tugged on her clothes, and when Red turned her head, she saw the blue girl, Bada.
Bada looked unwell.
Red immediately knelt down to meet her eye level.
“What’s wrong, Bada? Is something the matter?”
“Sis… I need to go to the restroom…”
She seemed to be in quite a hurry, fidgeting while standing.
Red remembered where the restroom was.
She called for her eldest sister, Lena, asking her to keep an eye on the other kids for a moment. But then Lily tugged at her clothes.
Lily shook her head, puffing out her chest while tapping her hand on it.
Without saying a word, it was clear what she meant.
She wanted to take care of it herself.
“Are you saying you’ll go with her to the restroom?”
When Red asked, Lily nodded.
Seeing Red hesitate just a little, Lily crossed her arms and puffed out her chest.
It was a strong expression of “Trust me.”
“Do you know where the restroom is? Once you’re done, don’t wander off; come straight back here. Got it?”
Lily nodded.
She took Bada’s hand and headed towards the restroom.
Even when the two girls were out of sight, Red didn’t take her eyes off the direction they had gone.
“I’m worried if they actually went to the restroom.”
Knowing that Lily was more mature than her peers, she had allowed it. But still, she couldn’t shake off the worry for Aida.
Red shook off those anxious thoughts and stuffed her hands into her coat pockets.
“Let’s not think about it. With security robots and solvers around, an idiot isn’t going to cause trouble here. Even if strange people approached, with Lily, it should be fine.”
Red believed in Lily’s potential.
From their first encounter, when Lily had moved to save her from a crisis.
Though it was only once, that single act showed that even though she was still young, Lily had skills.
With movements like that, she could handle a few thugs without any issues.
Perhaps, some reason related to her abilities had drawn the Cult of the Grim Reaper’s interest in Lily.
Red speculated.
Ending her thoughts, she finally redirected her gaze back to the children.
The kids’ faces were filled with bright smiles.
She thought it was good they came.
The reason she had brought the kids to the zoo was simple. It was to help them unwind.
And just as she hoped, the kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Their eyes sparkled when they saw something fascinating.
They beamed when they ate something delicious.
They expressed their honest feelings at their age.
“No matter how tough life gets, kids should be like this.”
Suddenly, a girl who contrasted with the other children flashed through her mind.
It was Lily.
“She doesn’t seem to be enjoying it like the other kids….”
Rene had said that Lily felt awkward in a normal everyday setting. Now she understood what that meant, having witnessed it firsthand.
When she interacted with the other kids, she acted like her age, but it subtly bled through her behavior.
Even with her face hidden by a mask, feelings like sadness and loneliness faintly emerged.
Perhaps it was due to things she had experienced in the past.
Seeing movements in that young body that hinted at familiarity with fighting clearly indicated she had been through various hardships, and usually, such kids feel uncomfortable in the ordinary.
What could she have gone through in her past?
Red wouldn’t ask first. Questions like that would only poke at the child’s wounds.
At least, she wouldn’t pry until the person involved was ready to speak.
While she didn’t know what Lily had gone through, Red fervently hoped that during her time at the orphanage, she could forget all about the past.
And live like a kid.
Ding-.
At the sound of a jingling bell, Red snapped her attention back.
‘Was that sound…?’
It was a familiar sound.
Could it be that they…? Red thought as she glanced around.
Only ordinary visitors were wandering around. No suspicious vibes either. Laughter echoed, and the atmosphere was pleasant.
‘Did I mishear…?’
If the Cult of the Grim Reaper really had shown up, it wouldn’t be this quiet.
Besides, suspicious people wouldn’t be allowed inside in the first place.
Even if they did, the security robots and solvers tasked with internal protection would have jumped into action immediately.
“Red~ come here!”
At the sound of her younger sister calling her, Red approached the kids.
Lena had placed wolf ears on Red’s head.
“Awesome!”
“Cool!”
“Let’s try on more!”
The kids burst into laughter.
Red couldn’t help but smile lightly.
While she was playing around in various animal masks and ears with the kids.
Suddenly, Red felt a murderous intent.
In a split second, she swiftly grabbed something aimed at her sister.
It was a dagger.
In that moment, the atmosphere shifted drastically.
Laughter vanished, and screams filled the air.
Distantly, the sounds of explosions mixed with fights could be heard.
[Chiiik. #!#@ This is a notice. Currently, @!@! is under attack. @!@ Those present should quickly evacuate to the shelters….]
A distorted announcement echoed.
Even though the voice was broken, Red quickly understood what was happening.
She turned to return the object she had caught to its original owner and then hurled it towards the source of the threat with all her might.
The suspicious figure standing far away, perhaps lacking in catch-ball skills like Red, failed to catch it.
The dagger struck him right in the head.
“Red… what’s going on?”
Fear filled the kids’ faces.
Small hands clutching Red’s clothes trembled.
To reassure the children, Red patted their heads one by one.
“Listen up, you guys. Don’t let go of me from now on.”
Before moving to the shelters, they needed to hurry to the restroom where Bada and Lily were.
*
Since Bada seemed in need of the restroom, I had offered to go with her.
Fortunately, we arrived safely just in time, and now I was waiting for her to finish up.
Ah, the restroom is clean.
“Lily… are you there…?”
Knock knock.
As I lightly knocked on the door, I could hear a sigh of relief from inside.
Pop!
Suddenly, the lights went out.
Startled sounds echoed from within.
After a moment, emergency lights flickered on, bathing the room in blue light.
“Lily… are you there…? What’s going on…?”
My voice trembled.
Bada seemed scared by the sudden turn of events.
Knock knock.
I knocked again to reassure, letting her know I was still here. The door opened slightly.
Bada’s terrified expression was clearly visible through the gap.
I motioned that I was going outside to check the situation.
“Okay… but don’t go too far…”
I nodded and gestured for her to take her time before closing the door.
I exited, glancing around the area lit by the emergency lights.
“Haa… I really wonder who they are, but do they have to cause a ruckus in such a rare nice place….”
The situation wasn’t looking good.
Visitors were sprawled on the floor. Puddles of blood had formed. The walls were stained with blood.
Furniture and items were scattered everywhere.
It was a complete mess.
And right before me stood the ones who had made it this way.
There were five of them.
With crow masks and straw hats. And black cloaks.
“Is it the Black Society?”
I had heard of them.
They were an assassination organization that did whatever for money.
Why would such high-profile people come to a place like this?
“That kid isn’t the target. The mark is inside.”
I frowned behind the mask.
They were targeting the person inside the restroom. That person could only be Bada.
But why? Who would it be?
My eyes darted around quickly. The surveillance camera mounted in a corner of the ceiling seemed to be hanging limply and not working.
Even the solvers who looked like they were supposed to be there were down.
The security robots were also malfunctioning.
It was unlikely that anyone would save me right now.
Without giving it a second thought, the one at the front pulled something out from their cloak and swung it toward me.
I swiftly moved my hand to intercept the dagger flying towards me.
“““!!!”””
They looked shocked by my quick reflexes.
Too fast for them to be surprised.
The remaining group members collectively threw daggers at me.
I deflected them all with the dagger in hand, shattering the emergency lights as planned.
And then I hurled the dagger in my possession to smash the last remaining light.
Just like that, darkness enveloped the area.
“Now, nobody will be able to see anything.”
From the shadows came the sound of swords being drawn.
They would likely be comfortable in the dark. But so would I.
I moved faster than they could react and leaped into one of their arms, delivering a heavy strike.
With a groan, he dropped his weapon, and I swiftly snatched up the falling blade and stabbed it into him.
‘Four left…’
Two of them lunged at me, swinging their swords.
I leaned back, narrowly avoiding a blow aimed at my throat, then rose up, fiercely swinging my blade at them.
Caught off guard by my speed, their bodies were left with diagonal cuts. Moments later, their upper halves slid away.
‘Two left…’
One of them lunged at me in a crow-like jump, rapidly closing the distance while swinging his sword.
But I spun around and slashed at him.
I cut him cleanly in half.
‘Only one left.’
“Gah! You’re going to….”
I swung my arm at the last one, flinging the dagger I had.
“Ugh!”
The knife embedded in his right arm, but he stubbornly refused to drop it.
Impressive resilience.
Before he could counterattack, I dashed at him, delivering a powerful kick to his knee. He fell to the ground, and I struck his head with my hand.
Smack!
The mask shattered dramatically.
I sat on top of the fallen man.
“Ghack… You, you’re just a… Ghack! Who the hell are you?”
I traced an X across his cheek with my finger.
“None of your business.”
Next, I drew questions in the air: Who? Why?
He smiled, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. But then he went limp like a puppet with its strings cut.
He was dead.
“Crap. Keeping secrets, huh?”
Thud thud.
“Lily… Aah! It’s so dark…! Are you there…?”
Bada quickly finished her business and came out.
I stood up and approached her, softly tapping her cheek with my fingers.
“Eek….”
Bada almost fell over in surprise.
I grabbed her hand to steady her before she could stumble.
“Lily?!”
I drew an O in the palm of her small hand.
“Why is it like this…?”
I drew a question mark next.
There was no need to explain what had happened here.
Noticing that Bada smelled something rancid, I hurriedly wrote to suggest we go back.
“Right…! Sis will be worried…!”
I took Bada’s hand, holding it tightly so she wouldn’t let go.
Why does peaceful time have to be so short?