"Are these all the precautions we need to take?"
"No."
Simeon shook his head firmly as he replied.
"We can't let any beings inside the gate realize that we're 'outsiders.'"
"What happens if they find out?"
"If they get too suspicious, we'll be instantly ejected back to reality."
There were more things to be cautious of than I expected, and I couldn't help but let out a sigh.
To stop the spirit's rampage, we had to enter the gate and complete a specific mission. That alone was hard enough, but we also had to pretend to be people originally from that world while carrying out the mission. It was like climbing up a mountain only to find that once we reached the top, there was another taller mountain we had to climb.
"Since
"Then how can we not get caught? Our clothes alone are a problem."
"Don't worry. Once we enter the gate, our appearances change to match the world created by the spirit."
The moment we enter the fictional world, our appearance changes. It's like becoming an actor on stage. If we faithfully play our roles on the stage set by the spirit, the curtain will close safely. However, if we deviate from the script, we'll be mercilessly kicked out. Only after the glorious curtain call ends will the spirit's rampage stop, and we'll be able to return to reality.
"It sounds difficult…."
I anticipated difficulties ahead, but as long as I follow Simeon's instructions, I should at least not be a burden.
"And finally."
"There's more…?"
"This is the most important thing."
He spoke with a serious expression devoid of any hint of a smile.
"Remember that injuries sustained inside the gate carry over to reality."
"Ah…"
I already knew that. I had read an article about a hunter who lost consciousness in the gate and was still in a coma. To prevent any more victims, we had to succeed. For some reason, the weight on my shoulders felt heavier.
"We've arrived."
With the guard's words, the car came to a stop. I took a deep breath to ease my tension when Simeon spoke.
"Before you leave, turn the watch bezel to the left."
Does it do something else?
I followed his instructions and turned the bezel to the left, hearing a click, similar to locking a padlock. Nothing seemed to change, but when I glanced at my reflection in the window, I was startled.
"What, what the…!"
I was wearing a black mask, just like The Apostles wore. Even though there were no eye holes, I could see as clearly as usual. Cautiously touching my cheek, I could feel my skin. Just in case, I turned the bezel to the right.
Click—.
I heard the sound again, and the black shadow covering my face disappeared gradually.
"Damn."
A curse slipped out of my mouth.
After that, I kept turning the bezel while turning my head this way and that. Though I didn't understand how it worked, a black substance flowed from the edges and quickly covered my face. Even after seeing it several times with my own eyes, I couldn't believe it.
"So it's not a real mask…."
I muttered in awe, and Simeon chuckled softly.
"Otherwise, you wouldn't be able to see."
"I was curious about that, too. Is this also the work of a spirit item?"
"No. This is the handiwork of one of our guild members."
Creating something like this… The Apostles must be composed of truly incredible awakeners. Aside from the two I've already met, I became genuinely curious about the abilities of the other nine members. However, the only way to meet them directly would be to become one of the Apostles.
"But why do we have to wear the mask?"
The moment I asked about something that'd been bothering me, Simeon turned the bezel of his watch and replied.
"You'll see when we get outside."
With a clicking sound, darkness fell over his face as well. No, it should have. But contrary to my expectations, I could see Simeon's face clearly. I stared at him, thinking the watch might be broken, and he smiled faintly.
"People wearing the mask can see each other's faces."
"…That's really convenient."
Just before the car door opened, Simeon glanced at me and added.
"Also, wear the hood if you can."
I wasn't sure why, but I pulled the hood over my head and followed him out of the car. The next moment, bright
lights exploded in front of me.
Click, click, click, click, click—.
Sharp noises repeatedly pierced my ears. As my eyes gradually adjusted to the brightness, I saw a crowd of reporters holding cameras and microphones. The camera lenses aimed at me felt like gun barrels. Soon, a barrage of questions as relentless as the flashes followed.
"Did you make any special preparations for the gate this time?"
"Why do you think the other hunters failed this past month?"
"Will you keep the spirit's powers secret again if you acquire them this time?"
I could only make out a few complete sentences amidst the overlapping voices. It was like turning on multiple radios at maximum volume simultaneously. Fortunately, the reporters didn't block the way, but it was still hard to move forward with the barrage of questions coming at me nonstop.
As I began feeling dizzy, someone gently grabbed my arm and pulled me into their arms.
"Are you okay?"
The low voice whispering in my ear was Simeon's. He stood in front of me as if shielding me from the cameras. For a moment, the clicking of cameras stopped. Finally, I could breathe easier, and I leaned into him and slowly nodded.
"I'm just… surprised."
I answered softly, and he let out a deep sigh. His warm breath tickled my hair.
After that, Simeon half-embraced me as we pushed through the crowd. I didn't even have time to worry about a photo of us being plastered on the front page of online news. It was just comforting that, with him by my side, the reporters didn't approach rudely.
After struggling through the crowd, I finally saw a path leading into the forest. It must be a restricted area. Barricades were set up to prevent vehicles from entering, and guards from the association were lined up. The security level was on par with that of a military facility.
Suddenly, I became worried about being an ordinary person without a hunter's license. But the guards moved aside and cleared a path for us as soon as they saw Simeon. Of course, he must have obtained permission in advance, but it was still a bit anticlimactic that we were let in without any checks.
"Is it really okay to just walk in like this?"
I whispered as we entered the restricted area, and Simeon chuckled.
"I told you not to worry. Don't you trust me?"
"No, it's not that…."
The power gained through fame and wealth was certainly convenient.
How long did we walk through the forest? I no longer sensed any people around. Finally, we were alone. As soon as I confirmed no one else nearby, I relaxed my shoulders and sighed deeply.
"Haa… So that's why we wore the masks."
Some hunters might enjoy public attention, but I didn't. Famous hunters have no privacy, just like celebrities. That's probably why Simeon started wearing a mask, too. I felt even more guilty about secretly taking and selling his picture.
When I glanced at him, I met eyes filled with concern.
"Are you hurt?"
"No. Thanks to you, I'm fine."
If Simeon hadn't supported me then, I would've probably collapsed. If that'd happened, humiliating pictures with clickbait headlines like 'Apostles, suddenly collapse on the way to the gate?!' would have been all over the news. Just imagining it was terrifying.
As I wiped the cold sweat off my forehead, Simeon lightly patted my shoulder and spoke.
"Alright, the gate is over there."
Following him through the dense forest path, we reached a clearing. The sight that unfolded before me took my breath away. An enormous black mass stood on the vast expanse of land.
"Wow…"
If a black hole from space were dragged down to Earth, it might look like this.
Seeing the oval-shaped black sphere, easily over 7 meters tall, I could understand why people called it a rift. It looked as if someone had slashed through space-time with a blade, forcibly tearing it apart. The inside was pitch black, revealing nothing, and no sound escaped from it. The closer I got, the heavier the gravity seemed to become.
"We have to go in there, right?"
"Yes. Do you get motion sickness?"
"No. I don't get motion sickness, but…"
Hesitating on the spot, unable to enter so easily, Simeon extended his hand to me.
"Shall we go?"
Seeing his calm face, as if we were just going on a trip, made me feel a little more at ease. Carefully, I took his hand and entered the rift. To be more precise, the moment we stepped into the rift, black material burst out and swallowed us whole.
From that point on, I had no idea what was happening. Everything went dark, blinding me, and all I could hear was a ringing in my ears. My body felt like it was sinking into a swamp, unable to move at will. The only comfort was the hand I was holding onto.
How much time had passed in the darkness? A cold breeze blew from somewhere.
"Mmm…"
When I slowly opened my eyes, I found myself standing on a hill. The village seen just below resembled a European medieval city. Similar-looking brick houses are close together, and goats freely roam the hills and graze on the grass.
Did you say that
While I was looking at the scenery blankly, I heard a soft voice.
"Your watch."
"Oh, right."
As I hastily pressed the button on my wristwatch, I felt something strange.
Before I knew it, my outfit had changed. The coat I was wearing now had a cape draped over the shoulders, long enough to cover my feet. It had multiple buttons running down the front, with no other decoration. It was a familiar outfit that the priest would wear during important masses.
"It suits you well."
I turned around at the voice, and Simeon was also dressed in a cassock, just like me. With his tall height and well-proportioned body, the cassock suited him exceptionally well. The capeline that perfectly matched his broad shoulders and the fascia wrapped around his slender waist contrasted with his broad chest, giving him an austere appearance.
I stared at him in a daze momentarily before snapping back to my senses.
"What is all this?"
"I told you, you'll change to fit into the world created by the spirit."
"I know, but I don't understand why it has to be priestly robes."
"Well, we do have to perform a demon."
I was about to ask what he meant, but the voice I heard from a distance soon cleared up my confusion.
"Are you the priests who came to assist with the exorcism?"
Turning around, I saw a young nun descending the church steps.
I see. So, we've become priests sent to exorcise demons. Is she here to give us the mission? It really feels like receiving a quest from an NPC in a game. Anyway, to avoid suspicion and not get thrown out, we have to blend in naturally.
"Hello."
I smiled gently, and the nun placed her hand over her rosary and greeted me.
"I've been waiting for you. What are your names, if I may ask?"
I almost instinctively said, Hajae Shin. A name like that wouldn't fit a priest in a rural European church in the 17th century. While contemplating what to say to sound natural, Simeon spoke up first.
"My name is Simeon."
"Ah, Simeon, I see. And you are…?"
Her gaze turned to me before I could even think. It would only raise more suspicion if I took too long to say my name. But the only name that came to mind was the one I must never utter in front of Sang.
What should I do?
"Father?"
As doubt clouded her eyes, a low voice whispered to me.
"Johan."
I winced and looked up to see Simeon gazing down at me.
"Don't just stand there. Introduce yourself, Johan."
The moment our eyes met, his softened into a delicate curve. It was a disturbingly beautiful smile, but I didn't have the luxury of returning it.
I never imagined he would call me Johan first. What lies beneath that gentle smile? Is he truly looking at me, or is he still lost in the radiant past? Perhaps he's trying to completely replace me by overlaying my identity with that name.
"Johan?"
"Ah, yes! Nice to meet you."
For now, my priority is to get through this situation. I greeted her with a bright smile, and the suspicion on her face faded away.
"Johan and Simeon, thank you both for coming. Please, this way."
As I followed her up the hill, I glanced sideways at Simeon. He must have noticed me looking, but he continued to stare straight ahead. Ultimately, I had no choice but to bring up the awkward topic myself.
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"I was caught off guard because I didn't know any baptismal names."
If I pretend not to know, maybe he'll show more of what's inside. Simeon looked down at me silently for a moment as I smiled innocently. His dark eyes were calmer than I expected. Then, almost to himself, he abruptly said,
"It was his baptismal name."
"…Ah."
He spoke sooner than I expected, catching me off guard. Unsure of how to respond, I ended up saying something trivial.
"I feel a bit guilty."
"Why?"
"Because that person is precious to you. I wonder if it's okay for me to use that name so casually."
It's embarrassing to say, but I'm not just being arrogant. He's constantly trying to find Johan, trapping him in a frame, gazing at him several times a day, and even showing affection to me, who resembles Johan. He wouldn't go through all that trouble unless he held Johan dear.
Despite my confidence in what I said, the response I got was rather cold.
"Precious…?"
Simeon halted in place and murmured as if he were questioning something. He soon fell into deep thought, his face slightly frowning. His shadowed brow even gave off a hint of displeasure.
"It seems… you're mistaken."
Mistaken? Is he not a precious person? Then what about everything I've seen until now? And what about his obsessive behavior towards me? Too many things can't be explained unless it's by those feelings for Johan.
Just as I was about to ask what he meant, we arrived in front of the church.
"We're here."
The church was