NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 22
The warm sunlight and gentle breeze flow in through the open window.
I’m sitting in a chair, enjoying the calming atmosphere and taking a moment to relax.
Suddenly, someone opened the door and came in.
It was an old man with white hair and round glasses.
His wrinkled face looked very gentle, but his eyes had a sharp and cold glint.
Even though I already sensed he wasn’t a bad person, I remained on my guard.
“Sorry to make you wait. It wasn’t boring, was it?”
His voice was soft, in contrast to his appearance.
I shook my head in response to his question.
Noticing my tension, the old man smiled gently and pulled a chair to sit across from me.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. There’s no danger or pain here. Just think of it as chatting with a friend.”
It was one of those special days at the orphanage.
Every few months, a professional counselor visits the orphanage to check on the children’s mental states.
Especially with everything that has happened recently, they called for this session much earlier than usual.
“As I said earlier, let me introduce myself again. My name is Doctor Hoffman. Nice to meet you, Lily.”
Hoffman stood up from his chair and extended his wrinkled hand toward me.
I hesitated a bit before accepting the handshake.
After smiling lightly, he sat back down.
“Just relax like the other kids.”
Is it that easy to relax?
It’s my first time having an interview.
The reason I’m this tense is simply that I dislike it.
They’re adept at reading others’ hearts, so I worry they might accidentally discover my secrets while testing me.
So I wanted to refuse, but I had no right to.
Yeah, since I’m here, I might as well go along with it.
As long as I pick the required correct answers for the psychological test, I can easily avoid negative evaluations, so it’s no problem.
“Do you like candy by any chance?”
Huh?
I scoffed internally at the audacity of trying to ease my guard with food. But that was a weak attempt.
That won’t even slightly unsettle my heart, and the firmly locked lock won’t open either.
“Here, how about this? It’s supposed to be a popular candy among kids these days.”
Click.
For a moment, I thought I heard the sound of the key turning in a lock inside my ears.
Gulp.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the lollipop Hoffman pulled out.
That beautiful color. That shape.
If my memory serves me right, it’s the candy that has limited quantities sold every day.
I had given up on acquiring it since it wasn’t available in this city.
“Here, take it. It’s yours.”
…Mmm.
It would be rude to refuse a gift given to me.
I carefully took the candy and bowed my head in thanks, not forgetting my gratitude.
Hehehe.
I’ll have to savor it later.
“You’d rather finish quickly and go play with your friends, right? Do you need a recap before we start?”
I nodded.
I’d already heard the explanation a while ago. The sooner this time ends, the better.
Hoffman smiled and turned his head toward the window. I followed his gaze to the window as well.
“Don’t you think today’s weather is really nice?”
Nod, nod.
“Have you had any inconveniences while you’ve been here?”
Shake, shake.
“What about the other kids? Are you getting along well?”
Nod, nod.
“Before coming to the orphanage, did you think about going back to your old life?”
…Shake, shake.
So went the typical conversation that formed a lengthy dialogue.
I strictly answered positively since receiving a negative evaluation later could lead to troublesome situations, regardless of my true thoughts.
After the final question was complete, Hoffman pulled out some papers from his bag and placed them in front of me.
At a glance, they looked like common psychological assessment sheets.
“Please fill them out as honestly as possible about your feelings. But you don’t need to think too seriously. Just read the questions and write down whatever comes to your mind.”
I picked up the pen and started to write.
There were no descriptive answers required.
Since it was just marking numbers, it didn’t take long for each one.
I could vaguely hear the sound of wind blowing, curtains swaying, and children outside chatting.
As the sounds of the pen moving filled the room, they eventually fell silent.
I laid the pen down and returned the assessment paper to Hoffman.
“Now, moving on to the next part…”
Hoffman put away the assessment paper into his bag and pulled out a few new blank sheets.
I had a hazy idea of what it was about.
Hoffman explained, and as I expected, it was to draw the house you want to live in or to draw what you wish to draw. So I doodled lightly just as he instructed.
“Up until now, this is pretty ordinary.”
This part felt similar to the psychological tests from my past life.
But this world, with its advanced science and magic, wasn’t done yet. Hoffman made a call to someone. Shortly after.
A person referred to as an assistant entered, dragging a huge machine inside.
The assistant connected wires from the machine to various parts of my head and body.
As I gazed at the machine in awe, Hoffman said, “It’s okay. No need to be scared. That machine is just to take a closer look at your condition.”
Once the preparations were complete, the assistant started fiddling with the machine.
Then Hoffman, just like before, turned to me to talk.
The topic of conversation was similar to before. Another trivial exchange continued.
Interestingly though, every time I nodded in response to Hoffman’s questions, the machine made a beeping sound.
Glancing sideways, I caught a glimpse of the rectangular screen on the machine.
The screen showed lines rising and falling repeatedly.
And lights of various colors—red, green, blue—were flashing.
I didn’t know what it was, but I guessed they were trying to assess my mental state through that.
Our conversation didn’t last very long.
It wrapped up much quicker than before.
Just like when the assistant came in, they took the machine and left.
“Thanks for following along so well. Now, please lie down on that bed over there.”
Is it finally almost over?
It wasn’t particularly difficult, but it was a bit tiring.
I lay down on the bed as instructed.
Hoffman pulled a chair over and placed it next to the bed.
“Okay, just stay comfortably like that.”
Hoffman took a small machine out of his bag and placed it on the shelf next to the bed. After fiddling with it, he stood next to the bed and began muttering in a strange language with his hands clasped together.
A faint light began to emanate from below his feet.
Once the light faded, Hoffman sat down in the chair.
He didn’t move. But I could tell he was doing something.
I closed my eyes. I wasn’t going to sleep.
If I fell asleep, he could take off my mask.
Silence filled the room.
‘I heard there’s magic that allows someone to read hearts. Is this that kind of magic?’
If it’s truly reading hearts, what would happen?
Would Hoffman figure out my identity as the Grim Reaper?
I’m worried about when it’ll end.
If that’s truly the case, what choice should I make?
As I organized my thoughts in the dark, I began to wait for this time to end, but suddenly, a loud noise broke the silence.
I opened my eyes and turned my head.
The chair Hoffman was sitting on had toppled over, and the old man’s face looked pale, as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have.
His tightly closed lips trembled slightly, and his murky eyes lost focus.
It seemed like Hoffman felt my gaze and finally regained his composure, readjusting his glasses.
He wiped the beads of sweat that had gathered on his forehead and smiled at me.
It was a forced smile.
At first, I thought he panicked because he realized I was the Grim Reaper, but looking closer, that wasn’t it.
The emotion in Hoffman’s eyes wasn’t fear or shock but rather pity and sadness.
My mind spun in confusion at that inscrutable gaze, yet the interview had come to an end.
That was unsettling.
*
The children’s interview at the orphanage had concluded.
The kids headed outside, leaving only Red and Hoffman in the room.
Red stood by the second-floor window, looking down at the children playing.
One child noticed Red’s gaze and waved cheerfully.
Red waved back with a smile.
After watching them fondly for a moment, she turned and opened her mouth.
“So, how did it go? Are the kids doing okay?”
“They’re fine. They’re all strong. Despite the experiences they’ve gone through, there isn’t much that’s changed. Maybe they’ve gotten used to it already, and that’s why they’re recovering so quickly.”
Hoffman brought the teacup to his lips.
Red wore a lonely smile.
“What about Lily?”
“…”
Hoffman’s hand suddenly stopped. Red, of course, didn’t miss that.
“Hoffman? Was the result not good?”
A silence stretched between them.
A small sense of unease blossomed in Red’s heart.
After what felt like a long wait, Hoffman spoke.
“No, both the first and second assessments are normal. But…”
Red’s expression slightly crinkled.
Without pausing, Hoffman continued.
“…She’s quite good at drawing.”
Hoffman abruptly brought up a different topic.
Red tilted her head but accepted his words.
“Yes, she draws well. If she’d been born in a much more peaceful time, she might have dreamed of becoming an artist.”
“What did you think when you saw her drawings?”
Red thought about all the pictures Lily had drawn so far.
The skill was impressive and the uniqueness was evident.
The children looked at the drawings and said they were beautiful.
Red agreed.
Yet, at the same time, another feeling took root.
“She looks lonely.”
A city in ruins.
A fantastic landscape that seems to come out of a dream.
A snow-covered city.
A submerged city.
One after another, drawing cities that had perished and never quite escaping a sentimental, poignant ambiance.
“Yeah. Other pictures seem similar too. Drawings can reflect a person’s heart.”
Red understood what Hoffman was getting at.
People exposed to terrible environments for extended periods have their hearts severely battered. And if such a person were to draw, that atmosphere would be dark.
The kids who arrived at the orphanage all felt that way too.
Lily might be one of them.
But looking at Hoffman’s expression, Red sensed that there was more to it.
“Speak plainly instead of beating around the bush.”
Hoffman quietly set the teacup down.
“I looked deep into Lily’s heart.”
A long sigh escaped Hoffman.
“It was truly dreadful. All the other kids had their burdens, but none were as dark as hers. I’ve never seen such darkness before.”
Hoffman began describing the inner world he had witnessed in Lily.
Mountains of corpses piled up everywhere.
A river of blood formed from the bodies flowing down.
A pitch-black sky without a single ray of light.
Screams echoing from the depths of darkness.
If he looked deeper, he might uncover her past, but Hoffman noted that he couldn’t do so without potentially being swallowed by that darkness.
A shadow cast over Red’s face.
Lost in thought, she fell silent.
What kind of past must she have gone through to harbor such a dark heart?
Red felt a sting in her chest.
Moments later, her tightly sealed lips finally parted.
“…Is that so.”
“If you’re thinking of taking responsibility for her, you’ll need to watch her closely. On the surface, she seems fine, but inside, she’s completely rotting away.”
“Seems my responsibilities are getting heavier.”
“You chose this path.”
“That’s true.”
Red muttered softly.
The children brought to the orphanage all carry deep emotional scars. Caring for such children is a responsibility heavier than one might think.
That’s why some people tease Red, saying she enjoys taking on burdens for no reason.
But Red doesn’t regret it. It was a decision she made fully informed.
Just as the other children improved, she believes Lily can recover too.
Ding ding~.
An alarm went off from her pocket, causing Red to take out and check her cellphone.
Her expression crumpled.
It was a message from Isaac.
It was about the appointment they made at the zoo.
The time they had promised had arrived.