DTD 15

It was an unusually bright moonlit night. The forest didn’t appear to be one where people usually walked—there wasn’t even a path in sight—and somewhere in the distance, the eerie hoot of an owl echoed. For a dream, it felt way too vivid. I stood there blankly, staring up at the moon, when suddenly, my pocket vibrated.

“…Simeon?”

Now he was even calling me in my dreams? I picked up the call before the ringing stopped.

[Mr Hajae? Were you asleep?]

“…Uh… no?”

Well, I wasn’t technically sleeping, so sure.

[Did I wake you?]

“Not exactly…”

Wait a minute. This is a dream, right? Just as I started to feel something was off, a cold breeze slipped beneath the thin T-shirt I was wearing. Summer had long passed, but the chill in the air bit hard.

I spoke as I rubbed my arms from the cold.

“What’s going on?”

[<Divine Comedy> suddenly reacted to the moonlight.]

“What? Why?”

[I don’t know. I’m coming to your room right now.]

“My room…? Wait, hang on.”

Before I could say anything, the call ended. That’s when I instinctively knew—this wasn’t a dream. So then, where was I? And what was I doing here? This wasn’t something that could be dismissed as sleepwalking.

Then, the phone buzzed again.

“Hello?”

A deep sigh came through, followed by a low voice.

[Where are you? Right now.]

“Well, uh…”

[I’m not in the mood for jokes. Just tell me.]

“I’m not joking. I really don’t know.”

[Mr Hajae!]

His sharp voice made me gasp involuntarily. But really, there was only one thing I could say.

“I don’t know where I am, and I have no idea how I even got here!”

Frustrated, my voice rose too. But Simeon said nothing for a long time. “Hello?” I prompted, but there was no reply. Thinking he’d hung up, I looked at the screen—just in time to hear his static-filled voice.

[Stay where you are.]

“Huh? Do you know where I am?”

But the call had already ended. And to make things worse, my phone battery was down to five percent.

Was he going to try tracing my location? Then maybe it was best I didn’t move. Or… should I try walking? If I kept going, maybe I’d reach a main road or a house. Then I could take a picture of a sign and—

“This feels exactly like the beginning of a survival horror movie.”

Something told me I shouldn’t wander. So I crouched down by a tree stump. My bare feet were dirty, my slippers flimsy—pathetic. I gripped my phone, my last hope, and waited for Simeon’s call.

Right then, a grotesque mask suddenly emerged from the shadows.

“Whoa, Jesus Christ!”

It was Mujeong, wearing the eerie ceremonial mask he only used on rare occasions. 

“What the hell, Mujeong?” 

Mujeong only stood there, staring at me in response. Looking at him in this situation, I knew what he was here to do, of course.

“You can laugh at me later, but I feel pretty pathetic right now. So if you could just wait until I’m rescued before teasing me, I’d appreciate it.”

“Do you think all I do is make jokes?”

“…Don’t you?”

Mujeong chuckled softly and then turned his head, gazing deep into the forest.

“There is a presence that feels similar to mine coming from over there.”

“…What?”

The words had barely left his mouth when—

Rustle—.

Something moved quickly in the distance. And then, total silence. The insects and even the owls had stopped.

I peered carefully at the shaking brush—and then it showed itself.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

It was a giant snake. 

Not just any giant snake—this thing was easily over 10 meters long, its pale body dotted with black spots. Its long, vertical pupils glowed a terrifying yellow, like the moon catching the sun’s rays. Every time it flicked its tongue between sleek jaws, a chill ran down my spine.

“A monster? Is there a rift nearby?”

“Beats me. If our oh-so-supreme Master does not know, how could a humble servant like me know?”

He crossed his arms and shrugged, and I glared daggers at him.

“You’re seriously… of course you’d say that, it’s so you.”

“Why, thank you.”

I ducked behind a tree to assess the situation.

Would a rift this size even be hidden? In a forest like this, you could spot one from hundreds of meters away. But there was no sign of the usual space-tearing distortion anywhere. Meanwhile, the snake slithered effortlessly through the trees, searching for something.

“What’s it looking for…?”

Wherever it passed, the brush got torn apart, revealing a path just wide enough for a person. Soon, the snake’s arrow-shaped head turned downhill, toward what might be a village or a main road.

Would a hunter strong enough to handle that even exist in this countryside?

“…Yeah, no way.”

As I swallowed hard and clenched my fists, Mujeong asked casually.

“Are you planning to fight it all on your own?”

“I have to try. No matter how strong it is, it can’t be worse than Aracne.”

Like always, I reached behind for my weapon. But what I grabbed wasn’t the familiar leather hilt of my dagger—it was a long, thin twig.

Right. The Key of the Ark. That’s how I’d gotten here—by unlocking a door and walking into this unfamiliar forest.

Which means…

“…I’m screwed.”

I didn’t have a single weapon strong enough to deal with that thing.

“Why didn’t I bring my dagger?”

“Who sleeps with a dagger in their back pocket?”

“I mean, sure, but…”

This was like one of those cheap action movie scenes where the cop reaches for a gun and pulls out a lighter. Funny in movies, not in real life. I stared blankly at the key until Mujeong placed a hand on my shoulder.

“What if we just let it go? Let it head down.”

“That massive thing? What if it runs into someone?”

“Then so be it. Perhaps… that is their fate.”

My temple twitched. They say everyone has a trigger that makes them lose their cool. For me, it was a few things. Number one was, of course, Simeon, number two was family, and number three… was that word.

“Damn it—don’t give me that ‘fate’ crap.”

I picked up a rock and hurled it at the snake. 

Thunk—!

It bounced harmlessly off its tail and rolled away. Of course, the thick scales didn’t even dent, but it got its attention. Its murderous gaze locked onto me, and Mujeong, laughing uproariously, clapped beside me.

“As expected. You would not be you if you did not throw yourself into trouble.”

The snake opened its jaws wide, gleaming fangs flashing like blades. I turned and ran like hell.

Even without looking back, I could feel the force barreling after me—the crash of branches, the press of air behind me.

“Still refusing to use <Bloodletting Sword>?”

Mujeong jogged beside me, calm as ever. I panted a reply.

“It’s not that I won’t. I can’t.”

“You are aware that tree bark can be pretty sharp?”

“Are you crazy? How long would that even take?”

“They say tiny drops fill the ocean.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! If you’re not going to help, at least shut up!”

My lungs were burning, my thoughts a mess. I flailed my arms, as if to swat away his voice, while running for my life.

But I missed seeing a tree root. 

Thunk—!

My foot caught, and I lurched forward. 

“Wah!” 

I flailed for anything to grab onto when suddenly, someone grabbed my waist, pulling me upright before I could faceplant into the dirt.

“Hah, thanks, Jeong-ah.”

Relieved, I patted the arm around my waist to let go. But something felt off. The texture of the sleeve wasn’t the usual hanbok—it was stiffer.

I glanced down. A black dress shirt. A watch on the wrist.

“…Huh? Simeon?”

I whipped my head around and, instead of the creepy mask, I saw Simeon’s clean, familiar face.

“How’d you find me?”

“I asked Noah. Just in case.”

Ah. I troubled him this late at night again… I’d have to bring some fruit or something to apologize later. As I sighed softly, Simeon’s arm tightened around my waist, and his voice turned accusatory.

“Then what were you doing all the way out here?”

“…Where is here?”

“Boseong.”

“Wait—the Boseong? Like, where the tea is?”

Right then

Whoosh—! 

It was a sound like helicopter blades. The snake had swung its tail. We ducked, and the tree behind us snapped with a deafening crash.

“Let’s move.”

Simeon tried to pull me with him, but suddenly froze, gripping his left arm.

“What’s wrong? Simeon!”

His face twisted, lips clamped shut as if holding back a groan. A familiar fear from the hell of violence sparked in my chest.

I dragged him behind a fallen tree and rolled up his sleeve, revealing scars I’d never seen before.

“What the hell…?”

Seven deep claw marks, like from a beast, were slashed into his forearm.

Thankfully, there was no blood. Judging by the shape and color, the scar had long since healed—probably over a year ago. But back in Hell, there wasn’t a single mark like this on him.

Where had it come from then?

As I ran my fingers over the unsettling scar, lost in thought, I caught movement behind Mujeong. A thick, sinuous tail flicked into view.

“Watch out!”

Mujeong’s warning barely reached me before I acted. I grabbed Simeon by the shoulder and pulled him down with me just as the tail whipped past, slicing through the air with enough force to stir up a violent gust. It missed us by mere inches.

The creature, having failed its ambush, didn’t let up. Its tail lashed out again and again, splintering thick trees like they were nothing more than brittle twigs. But once the trees were gone, we’d be next.

“We should run.”

I moved to help Simeon up, but he seemed utterly unbothered by the pain. In fact, he was already steady on his feet—so steady that he instinctively shielded me behind his back, his gaze locked onto the serpent. Even as it thrashed wildly, snapping its jaws like a rabid dog, his expression remained eerily calm.

“I’m fine,” he murmured.

Then, closing his eyes, he extended a hand toward the beast.

“As long as it understands death, it has already lost.”

His fingers moved.

The serpent lunged, its fangs glinting in the dim light, but Simeon’s hand remained steady, barely brushing through the air with an almost leisurely grace. His movements were slow, deliberate, like a petal drifting on the wind, like a maestro conducting a gentle waltz.

Just as the monster’s gaping maw was about to sink into his outstretched hand, his index finger flicked once, twice—tapping against nothing but air.

“Checkmate.”

The serpent convulsed violently, twisting in agony like a worm crushed underfoot. A moment later, it collapsed.

Dead in ten seconds.

I exhaled, only now realizing I’d been holding my breath.

Right.

I’d forgotten, after so many battles in Hell where the enemies simply refused to die, that the man standing beside me was an S-rank hunter wielding the power of a final death.

Mujeong, who had been watching, let out a low whistle and started clapping.

“As expected of the Second Lord. That was incredible. Meanwhile, our dear Master here nearly broke his legs running for his life.”

That last remark snapped me right out of my daze.

“Mujeong. You little—”

“Haha, it was a jest.”

Ignoring him, I turned back to Simeon, my focus shifting to his arm.

“Show me that scar again.”

Without hesitation, he rolled up his sleeve, allowing me to study it more closely.

“Does it still hurt? If you flex your arm, does it sting?”

“It did earlier,” he admitted. “But not anymore.”

“Really? You’re not just saying that?”

I frowned, skeptical. He could be hiding the pain to avoid worrying me. Just thinking about it made me wince, as if the wound were on my own arm. But instead of answering, Simeon simply tilted his head to the side, regarding me with quiet amusement.

“If I had lied and said it still hurt, would you have shown even more concern for me?”

“What? I mean, of course, I—”

“Then maybe I should’ve lied.”

His voice was unbothered, almost teasing. My lips pressed into a thin line.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered. “You really are fine, huh?”

That was a relief. But somehow, it also made me want to hit him.

Just as I was about to tug his sleeve back down, something felt off.

“Wait…” 

My brows furrowed. 

“Wasn’t there an extra one there?”

The scar. It had changed.

Earlier, there had been seven marks. Now, there were only six.

The one closest to his elbow had vanished without a trace.

Simeon, who had noticed the same thing, frowned.

“Did it disappear… because of that snake?”

That made sense.

If the monster was tied to his scars, then the appearance of both the serpent and the new wound wasn’t a random occurrence. And if this pattern continued…

My stomach dropped.

“Wait a second,” I said slowly. “What about <Divine Comedy>? Didn’t you say something happened to it?”

Simeon nodded.

“A new page appeared under the moonlight.”

“What did it say?”

He glanced down at his arm, then murmured:

“‘To reach the summit of Purgatory, one must erase the Seven Sins. Do so, and Paradise shall await.’”

So that was it.

A trial.

Just like Dante had to ascend Mount Purgatory before reaching Heaven, this was a test.

In <Divine Comedy>, an angel marked Dante’s forehead with seven ‘P’s—one for each deadly sin. As he climbed, the marks faded, erasing his sins until he was purified.

Simeon’s scars were the same.

Seven sins. Seven monsters.

Defeating the serpent had erased one. Which meant…

“If we kill six more,” I murmured, “you’ll reach Heaven.”

Simeon considered this for a moment, his gaze lingering on the scars. Then, as if coming to a conclusion, he turned to me.

“You didn’t come here intentionally, did you?”

“Of course not. I just woke up and found myself here.”

He hummed in thought. “If <Divine Comedy> is leading you…”

Then this wouldn’t be the last time.

The book was pulling me to these creatures. One day, I’d close my eyes and wake up somewhere new—another battleground, another monster waiting in the dark. It wasn’t like Hell, where we were trapped inside dimensional rifts with a strict time limit. But that didn’t make it any less dangerous.

And if I were dragged into a populated area instead of an empty clearing…

“This is bad,” I muttered, biting my lip.

Simeon’s hand came to rest gently on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll stay by your side until Purgatory’s trials are over.”

At the time, I thought he was just saying it to reassure me.

I had no idea he meant it literally.

From that day on, he never left my side. Not while eating, not while training, not even during the occasional walks along the beach.

And unbelievably, he was even by my side when I was sleeping.

“Uh… Simeon.”

He was sitting on my sofa, watching me in bed. 

It had been four nights of him just watching.

Four nights of this bizarre, silent surveillance. I knew he had insomnia, but that didn’t mean he could just skip sleep entirely.

“…Wouldn’t it be better if you actually slept?”

“I do, sometimes,” he said.

“Then do it in a bed. That couch can’t be comfortable.”

For once, he listened. As he stood up, I felt a pang of guilt. Maybe he really was exhausted.

But instead of heading for the door, he walked straight to my bed and sat down. Before I could even stop him, he lay down next to me.

“Not here!” I yelped. “I meant your own bed! Your own room!”

Simeon’s brow creased ever so slightly.

“What if you disappear again in the middle of the night?”

“I won’t! I have a knife!”

Desperate, I yanked a dagger from my pajama pocket and waved it at him.

“See? I keep it on me every night now.”

Maybe I sounded too frantic. Because after a long, unreadable stare, Simeon actually stood up and left.

And just like that, I was back to sleeping alone.

Nothing happened for a while, and I let my guard down.

Then, one night…

“…Mm.”

Something cold and wet was touching my feet. When I opened my eyes, I was standing barefoot in a river. Again.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”

As I rubbed my face, trying to process the situation, a voice murmured in awe beside me.

“Quite the sight.”

While I was practically stranded, that damn sword just sat there, leisurely admiring the scenery.

“This isn’t a dream, is it?”

“Would you like me to slap you to confirm that?”

“…I shouldn’t have asked.”

I let out a deep sigh and was about to step away from the river when it happened.

Without so much as a breeze, a sudden swirl of mist rose from the water, twisting and shifting until it took shape. A wolf. No… a lion-maned, snow-white wolf standing atop the river’s surface. Its howl rang through the quiet riverside, a haunting echo beneath the moonlight.

Moving carefully to avoid drawing attention, I slipped toward the shore. Hiding behind what looked like a public restroom—a metal shipping container repurposed for the job—I took a moment to assess the situation.

No pedestrians on the street. No houses across the river. No security cameras nearby. Good.

“Shall we inform the Second Lord?”

“I can handle this alone. I even made sure to grab my dagger before bed.”

With complete confidence, I reached into my back pocket—only to pull out yet another thin, useless twig.

Damn key.

“What the hell? Where’s my sword?”

I whipped around, only to find Mujeong across the river, watching the scene unfold like a spectator at a bonfire. He merely shrugged.

“Who knows? Maybe someone took it.”

“It… wasn’t you, was it?”

“Ah, your accusation wounds me, Master. I am but a humble servant.”

Damn it. Did I take it out while half-asleep? Or did it slip out while I was tossing and turning?

“Master. I believe that creature is looking this way.”

Instantly, I ducked lower and swallowed hard.

“First things first… I need to call for backup.”

Thankfully, my phone was still in my front pocket. Yeah, of course I’d grab my phone, even in my sleep. That’s just basic modern survival instinct.

I quickly dialed Simeon. The dull dial tone barely lasted five seconds before he picked up.

“Hello? Ah, Simeon. So, uh…”

[Judging by the fact that you’re calling at this hour, you’re somewhere outside, aren’t you?]

“Uh… yeah. Haha… ha. Something like that.”

Damn. His intuition is scary sometimes. Cold sweat ran down my back from sheer embarrassment.

[Has a monster appeared?]

“Yeah, but it’s hiding for now.”

[Why?]

“Well…”

It was as if the dagger had grown legs, constantly trying to slip out of my pocket. I swallowed back the words rising to my throat and quietly wiped my face. How long had it even been since I insisted I could handle things on my own? And now, here I was, making a mess of things again.

As the silence stretched on, Simeon must have caught on to the situation because he stopped questioning me.

[Stay put. I’ll be there soon.]

“I’m really sorry. So, I’m…”

I looked around, hoping to find a signpost or something, but all I saw was nature, cloaked in thick mist.

“There’s… a river in front of me, and behind me, a mountain.”

Another long, painful silence followed. Yeah, I was aware. That description was terrible. It was like someone asking, “Where are you?” and getting a response like, “The clouds above me are heart-shaped.” But seriously, all I could see was a river and a mountain.

At that moment, Mujeong covered his mouth with a fist, stifling a laugh.

“You have described it perfectly.” 

“Thanks for your immensely helpful feedback…”

“But Master, are you aware of how many rivers this country has?”

He hit the mark so precisely that I was momentarily speechless. Then, an idea struck me.

“Wait a sec. I’ll check on the map app.”

[No need.]

“What? Don’t tell me you’re going to ask Noah again…”

Simeon let out a low chuckle.

[It’s the Nakdong River. And that mountain behind you is Jandeung Mountain.]

“How did you…?”

Just then, the sound of dry leaves crunching underfoot reached my ears. Startled, I ended the call and looked up. Someone was standing in the middle of the narrow road. A long, dark silhouette slowly walked toward me. The moment they stepped out of the trees’ shadows and into the moonlight, their face was revealed.

“What…? Why is Simeon— No, how are you here?”

“I waited. Until you finally stepped outside, Mr Hajae.”

You’re telling me he waited for days without sleeping? How was that even possible? He had even anticipated I’d come out barefoot and brought slippers.

Simeon gently pushed my dazed self backward until I was seated on a rock. Then, he knelt on one knee before me, carefully lifting my foot and inspecting it with sharp eyes.

“It’s a relief you’re not hurt.”

No one else in this world would worry about something as trivial as whether my foot had been scratched when I could literally survive being impaled through the stomach.

Then, as if performing a sacred ritual, Simeon pulled a handkerchief from his coat and began wiping the dampness from my feet with an almost reverent care.

“Wait, this isn’t the time for that. There’s a monster in that—”

I turned around to point at the river and froze. The wolf that had been standing so loftily atop the water was gone. All that remained was the thick mist and the fading silhouette of some beast being swallowed by it.

As I blankly stared at the river, a low voice reached my ears.

“I told you. There was never a chance of losing.”

Swallowing hard, I rolled up his sleeve. Sure enough, one of his scars had disappeared. He had erased it before I even noticed.

His skill never ceased to impress me. But at the same time, I couldn’t help feeling a little embarrassed about cowering behind the rock.

“I… I was prepared, you know?”

“And?”

“Well… I must’ve taken my dagger off in my sleep again, because I didn’t have it with me.”

I was about to apologize for the trouble when Simeon suddenly pulled something from his back pocket and placed it on my knee. A dagger. My dagger. The exact one I always carried.

“…Why do you have this?”

“I took it from your back pocket when you crossed the door.”

His tone was so casual, so matter-of-fact, that I was at a complete loss for words. I furrowed my brows and stared at him before finally managing a single word.

“…Why?”

Simeon didn’t flinch.

“I was curious. What would you do if you got into trouble?”

“What…”

“Would you ask for help? And if you did—who would you call?”

So, he stole my weapon and watched from the shadows just to see my reaction? He had been concerned about me getting hurt barefoot, but had no issue taking away the one thing I needed to fight a monster?

Even as I scowled, Simeon remained unfazed.

“Thank you. For calling me first.”

He actually smiled up at me, his eyes crinkling with unmistakable delight. He looked so genuinely happy, as if he had just received the best birthday present, that I couldn’t even be mad. Instead, I found myself in the absurd position of having to justify my own actions.

“Well, you were the only one who knew the situation, so of course I—”

“In the past, you would’ve done anything to handle it alone… Isn’t that right?”

I had no rebuttal. If this were before, I would’ve desperately searched for any kind of blade—hell, even a sharp rock—to cut my palm open. But the first thing I did this time was hide and call Simeon.

I was scrambling for another excuse when I noticed something. The way he had been wiping my feet had subtly changed.

His cold fingertips traced along the arch of my foot, sending an inexplicable shiver up my spine.

Then, the moment he brushed against my Achilles tendon, I instinctively grabbed his shoulder.

“Simeon. Wait…”

“I know my method was wrong. But please, understand.”

I tried to pull my foot away, but he tightened his grip.

“Right now, I’m so desperate it’s almost pathetic.”

Simeon lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss to the top of my foot.

I flinched, toes curling involuntarily. Tension gripped my entire body, and without realizing it, I dug my nails into the rock. Meanwhile, he remained completely at ease. His touch swept slowly from my stiffened ankle to my calf, as if either soothing me—or toying with me.

The moment his fingertip brushed the crook of my knee, my lips parted with a quiet gasp.

I was insane. I knew I should push him away. But my hands refused to move.

All I could do was watch as he traced the shape of my foot, my leg, with his fingers and eyes alike.

I exhaled shakily. His lips curled ever so slightly.

“…Mr Hajae.”

Simeon murmured, his lips brushing against my kneecap.

“From now on, I have to be your first choice. Always.”

His gaze lifted to meet mine, asking for permission. It was both temptingly sweet and undeniably anxious.

****

Sin took many forms. A dog. A bear. A crow.

It was only later that I realized the monsters symbolized the seven deadly sins. That meant the ones remaining were the tiger, for gluttony, and the goat, representing lust.

Erasing five sins hadn’t exactly been easy. But at least the monsters hadn’t appeared in crowded areas. If even one had hidden among people, wearing a human face, there would’ve been no way to stop it.

So, I prayed that these last two would pass without incident. So this ordeal could finally end.

“Haah…”

These past few days had been torture because I was sharing a bed with Simeon.

I had wanted to avoid this at all costs, but after running barefoot through thorns and being chased by a bear the size of a house, my priorities had changed. We used to share blankets at the orphanage when we were kids. It’s fine. He’s just bigger now. That’s all.

“…This is just mental gymnastics.”

Humans adapt, that’s what I told myself. Except I wasn’t adapting. At all.

Even after sharing a bed, I was the only one struggling with sleep. What happened to the man who claimed to have lifelong insomnia? Simeon must sleep even better with me around. Whether I’m a body pillow or a human heater, I don’t know—but I’m the one suffering.

So, I took advantage of the brief moment when Simeon left for a meeting to take a nap. But then? When I opened my eyes, he was lying next to me. I had no idea why he was clinging to my side when we have a bed spacious enough for two people to roll around like madmen.

“What time is it…?”

Is it already night? The sky outside the window is dark. I reached toward the bedside table to grab my phone when—knock, knock—a knock sounded at the door.

I was about to get up, but before I could even move an inch, Simeon pulled me into a tight embrace, his arm wrapped firmly around my waist.

“What the hell?”

The more I tried to pry him off, the tighter he held me. In the end, I had no choice but to lie back down, glancing sideways at him.

“Weren’t you asleep?”

“…I just woke up.”

Muffled against my side, his voice was low and drowsy. He wasn’t lying—his naturally deep voice was so husky it sounded like it was echoing from the depths of an underground cavern. It made me chuckle.

“Let go for a second. I think someone’s here.”

Another knock came, and only then did Simeon loosen his grip, sitting up.

“I’ll get it.”

“What are you talking about? You do know this is my room, right?”

Simeon just blinked at me in silence. Seriously, he must’ve slept well. It’s nice to see someone who usually pulls all-nighters finally get some rest, but knowing I was the only one suffering made my blood boil. I sighed.

“Stay put. If someone sees this… it’ll be impossible to explain.”

“Explain what?”

“It’s not exactly normal for two grown men with no relationship to be sleeping in the same bed.”

“We have no relationship?”

“That’s not the point right now—”

Forget it. I pulled the blanket over Simeon’s head and got out of bed.

“Wait a sec!”

Ignoring his voice, I hurried to the door, cracked it open, and peeked out. A tall man was leaning against the hallway wall, tapping on his phone.

“…Matteo?”

An unexpected guest. I thought it would be a staff member.

“Oh, hyung!”

Mateo immediately slipped his phone into his pocket and grinned. But then, his eyes flicked toward the dimly lit room behind me, and his expression shifted into one of curiosity.

“What were you doing in the dark at this hour?”

My mouth went dry, even though it was just a simple question.

“Ah… well, I took a nap. I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“For real? The school nurse told me that lettuce is good for insomnia.”

“Haha, I’ll keep that in mind.”

How thoughtful. I smiled awkwardly, subtly trying to gauge the situation. It was a Saturday—perfect weather for going out. And yet, here Matteo was, dropping by my room in the golden hours of the evening. There was no way he came all this way just to check in on me.

“So, what’s up?”

Matteo scratched the back of his neck, letting out a sheepish laugh.

“Are you doing anything tonight?”

“Not really… I don’t have any plans.”

“Then do you want to go out somewhere with me?”

“…Huh? Where to?”

Now that night was settling in, I had been planning to quietly hole up in my room. Wandering around aimlessly at this hour wasn’t a great idea—what if <Divine Comedy> decided to pull me in out of nowhere? But Matteo, determined to take me along, quickly pulled out his phone and showed me a poster.

“A fireworks festival?”

“Yep! It’s happening at the Han River tonight.”

“Oh, this…”

“You’ve been before?”

“Only in passing, for work.”

Back when I was doing errands, I had taken on all sorts of bizarre requests. Things like reserving a prime viewing spot for the fireworks. I’d camp out at the Han River park overnight, then pack up and leave as soon as the client arrived and paid me. So, despite having been there, I’d never actually seen the fireworks properly.

“If you’re up for it, we can go together.”

“Me? What about your girlfriend?”

“She called earlier, she got grounded after arguing with her parents.”

I nearly burst out laughing and had to bite down on my lip. That was such a student reason to be stuck at home.

“What about your other friends? Did you ask them?”

“My idiot friends said, ‘Why would two guys go to a fireworks festival together?’ And all the guild members are busy.”

“Ah…”

“I thought about going alone, but wouldn’t it be better with company?”

Judging by the look on his face, he’d been looking forward to this. He practically drooped, like a dog who got leashed up for a walk only to have it start raining. Damn it. I’d been planning to stay in tonight, but now I felt guilty.

While I was internally debating, Matteo lowered his head with a soft thud and glanced up at me, sneaking in a pitiful look.

“You… can’t?”

Ugh, that kind of face should be illegal. Letting out a long sigh, I lifted a hand.

“Give me a sec.”

I closed the door and stepped back into my room. Simeon was still sitting on my neatly made bed.

I wasn’t a kid—there was no reason for me to be asking for permission to go out. But given the situation, I needed to at least let Simeon know.

“Uh, Simeon.”

“You want to go?”

The way he asked outright made it clear he had been listening.

“It’s not that I want to see the fireworks, but… I feel bad letting Matteo go alone.”

“You do realize Matteo is nearly an adult, right?”

“I know. But… You should’ve seen his face.”

For a split second, that giant lump of muscle had looked no bigger than a bean, watching me with that disappointed expression. If Simeon had seen it, even he wouldn’t have been able to refuse. As I was still trying to figure out how to explain, Simeon gave a small nod.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

As soon as I got the okay, I grabbed the dagger on the table and slipped it into my back pocket. I hurried to throw on a jacket, not wanting to keep Matteo waiting, but as I reached for the door, I glanced over my shoulder at Simeon, still sitting on the bed.

“Well, since I’m going, you’ll finally get some alone time for once.”

I made my way toward the door, only for Simeon to follow right behind me.

“I’m coming too.”

“…What?”

“You didn’t think I’d just let you two go alone, did you?”

Wait… Simeon was coming along? To a fireworks festival? One that was notoriously packed with crowds?

I couldn’t even begin to imagine it. Sure, for safety reasons, having him there would be reassuring, but…

“I’ll check with Matteo first.”

I didn’t mind, but I wasn’t sure how Matteo would feel about it. Not that it mattered—Simeon was going to follow us no matter what. Still, for formality’s sake, I left Simeon inside and cracked the door open. Matteo, who had been hovering outside, immediately perked up.

“Hyung! You’re coming?”

“Yeah. But is it okay if someone else comes along too?”

“Oh, of course! Who is it? A friend? Or… a girlfriend?”

“Well, uh—”

Before I could answer, a hand brushed past my face, pushing the door open. Matteo’s eyes, bright with curiosity, lifted past me to the very tall figure behind me.

“Excuse me.”

“Simeon—?!”

Matteo’s expression froze solid. He blinked, glancing past me into the darkened room, then back at Simeon. Judging by his reaction, it wasn’t just the unexpected company that threw him off.

“…You two were in there together?”

Great. Here we go. I forced a casual smile.

“Oh, uh, we had something important to talk about, so I asked him to come over.”

“…With the lights off?”

“We started in the afternoon. Didn’t realize it got dark.”

“Must’ve been a deep conversation…”

Yeah. I was so screwed. The more I tried to explain, the paler Matteo got. In the end, he forced a smile, but the way his lip twitched gave him away. The only one unbothered by this whole thing was Simeon.

“Anyway, Matteo. Simeon can come with us, right?”

“Oh, yeah, of course! I mean, it’s Guild Leader Simeon, how could I say no…?”

His laugh came out awkward and clipped, stabbing at my conscience. But at this point, trying to dig myself out of the situation would only make it worse. Might as well just roll with it.

“There’s a barbecue place nearby. We can eat after the fireworks—how’s that?”

“Wow, that sounds amazing! I was craving meat.”

I just hoped nothing would go wrong.

The moment I shut the door, everything suddenly went dark. Like a scene change in a play, the world faded to black. By the time light returned, the surroundings had completely transformed.

Gray marble flooring. White ceilings. The space was packed with people, bustling with noise. A rhythmic beep, beep echoed in the air. I turned toward the sound and saw a row of turnstiles.

A subway station.

“Hyung… Are you okay?”

Matteo was looking at me with obvious concern.

“…Did I lose consciousness just now?”

Simeon, standing beside me, gave a small nod.

Damn it. I’d let my guard down. Until now, <Divine Comedy> had only ever pulled me in at midnight. But the truth was, as long as the moon was out, it could happen at any time. There was no time to be shocked. First, I needed to figure out where I was.

I scanned the station and spotted a large screen displaying a single number.

<1.>

Alongside it, bold text read: Daebang Station.

How the hell did I even get here? No, that wasn’t the important part.

Every single time I lost consciousness and woke up in an unfamiliar place, a monster always appeared.

Which meant… before long, something unwelcome would be showing up in this subway station.

Shit.

Where? Where is it going to appear?

I frantically scanned my surroundings, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was just a typical Saturday evening—crowds of people heading out for the night, chatting, laughing, completely unaware. But despite how normal everything looked, a sinking feeling pressed down on me, dread creeping up my spine. My skin prickled with cold sweat.

“Simeon… Wh-what do we do? There are too many people here.”

“Stay calm. I’ll call for backup…”

Just then, someone knocked against my shoulder as they passed. Out of habit, I turned around, intending to apologize.

“Oh, sorry.”

And then I froze, breath catching in my throat.

At a glance, she looked like any other student. A neatly dressed girl in a school uniform, nothing unusual. Except for her eyes. Her pupils weren’t round. They were stretched horizontally, lying flat inside her irises, like a goat’s.

“You…”

I couldn’t finish my sentence. I could only stare, completely transfixed. She tilted her head slightly, lips curling into a long, eerily stretched grin.

That thing wasn’t human. It was a demon, a lust demon in disguise. Instinctively, I stepped forward to follow her, but Simeon’s hand clamped down on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks.

“Where are you going?”

“Did you see that girl? The one who just bumped into me?”

“…Who?”

“The girl over there—”

I pointed toward where she had been standing, but she was already gone, swallowed up by the crowd. Damn it.

Unlike before, when I was alone in the middle of nowhere, this time she was hiding among people. Blending in. Which meant whatever she was planning, it was different. More deliberate.

“It’s her, Simeon. We have to catch her.”

Without hesitation, the three of us vaulted over the turnstiles and rushed inside. From here, the path split into three. One set of stairs led to the platform for trains heading up, the other for trains heading down. If we chose wrong, we’d lose her.

I hesitated, scanning the signs in frustration. And then—

“Hyung,” Matteo called, pointing at the middle staircase. 

“Was she wearing a navy skirt?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I just saw a girl like that. She went down those stairs.”

I bolted. The timing couldn’t have been worse. Just as I reached the platform, trains pulled in on both sides at once. The moment the screen doors slid open, waves of passengers poured out, flooding the platform. I had seconds—no, less than that. Without needing to say a word, all three of us split up, dashing across the platform, searching.

But we found nothing, she was nowhere in sight.

[The train will be departing shortly.]

No, no, no. We couldn’t lose her. We couldn’t. I stood there, frozen in frustration, when suddenly—

Simeon’s hand closed around my wrist.

“Did she have a pink hair tie?” he murmured.

The image flashed through my mind. She had a neatly tied ponytail, navy uniform, and clipped to her sleek, straight hair… was a pink ribbon.

The moment I nodded, a calm voice echoed through the platform.

[The doors are closing.]

Beep, beep, beep—! 

A sharp alarm blared, piercing my ears.

“This way.”

Simeon grabbed my arm roughly, yanking me forward. My body lurched to the side as if I were a dog being dragged by its leash. When I looked up, I realized we were inside the subway. We had made it—just barely.

“Haa… Haa…”

I gasped for breath and quickly scanned my surroundings. We’d stormed in so dramatically that I was worried we might have drawn too much attention, but we weren’t the only ones who had made a desperate dash into the closing doors. The other passengers merely glanced at us before returning to their own business.

I was about to resume my pursuit when I noticed something was off.

“Wait… Where’s Matteo?”

Had he not made it onto the train? The thought of him stranded alone on the platform made my head throb. I hurriedly pulled out my phone to call him, but before I could dial, someone tapped my shoulder.

I turned around—Matteo was standing there, grinning widely, his white teeth flashing.

“I’m here, hyung.”

“…What? How did you get on?”

“I am a track and field student, you know. Haha!”

Well, that much was obvious. At least he hadn’t been left behind.

I refocused on our target, but Matteo leaned in, lowering his voice.

“So, what exactly are we doing?”

“We’re following a schoolgirl. Navy uniform, pink hair ribbon.”

“…And why?”

I hesitated. Matteo wasn’t aware of <Divine Comedy>’s existence, and I would’ve preferred to keep it that way. But right now, we needed all the help we could get. I pulled him into a corner, keeping my voice low.

“There’s a monster in disguise on this train.”

Matteo’s cheerful expression hardened instantly. His gaze darted around the carriage, uneasy. But the moment of panic passed quickly. His lips pressed into a firm line as he spoke with newfound resolve.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Help us find her first. We’ll decide what to do once we spot her.”

Behind his glasses, his heterochromatic eyes gleamed sharply.

We split up—Simeon headed toward the front, while Matteo and I moved toward the back. I had thought a confined space like a subway car would make it easier to catch her. I was wrong.

The train was packed, and worse yet, every carriage seemed to contain at least three students wearing the same navy uniform.

“There! Could that be her?”

“No, her hair’s down. And her face… No, it’s not her.”

We pushed through several cars, but there was no sign of the girl. We finally reached the last carriage, but there was no trace of her—no evidence of an attack, no victims.

A sinking feeling crept in. Was she even still here?

“…Hyung. I’m not doubting you, but… are we sure she got on this train?”

Matteo was having the same doubts.

“I don’t know. I didn’t see her myself.”

What if Simeon had mistaken another student for her? What if she had stayed behind at the last station?

I pulled out my phone and searched ‘Daebang Station’. There were no new reports, but my unease didn’t fade.

“This doesn’t make sense. Monsters aren’t this quiet.”

“…I don’t know why she’s doing this either.”

What was her goal? Was she toying with me, like some malevolent demon from an old folktale?

Even though I was the one chasing her, it felt like I was the one being hunted.

Just then, the station announcement came on.

[Next stop, Noryangjin. Noryangjin Station.]

This was the worst-case scenario. If she got off in the crowd, we’d lose her completely. We needed to act before the doors opened. But how? My mind was blank. 

Right then, my phone buzzed.

“Hello?”

Simeon got straight to the point.

[Any luck?]

“No. What about you?”

[Same here.]

Doubt crept in again.

“…Are you sure she got on this train?”

[Positive. I saw her.]

He was so certain that I couldn’t argue. So if she really was here, but we couldn’t find her, maybe…

“She… might’ve changed her appearance.”

A short silence followed. Then Simeon spoke.

[Is Matteo with you?]

“Yeah. Why?”

[Pass him the phone.]

Matteo took the call. “Yes, sir. Got it.” He nodded a few times, then handed the phone back to me.

“I’ll get off at the next stop, hyung.”

“Simeon told you to?”

“Yeah. He said he’ll call in support from Yulia-noona, so I just need to keep watch until then.”

I wasn’t sure how much Matteo could do against the thing if it came to a fight, but this was better than having no plan at all.

As we approached the station, Matteo suddenly spoke.

“Navy uniform. Pink ribbon. That’s what she looked like?”

“The first time I saw her, yeah. But now… I don’t know.”

“…What do you mean?”

“She might’ve changed her appearance.”

“…Okay, so how do we find her now?”

I scanned the train again—this time, not looking at clothes, but at faces. Even if she had transformed to blend in, there was one thing she wouldn’t be able to change. The reason I immediately recognized she wasn’t human.

“…Her eyes.”

“Her eyes?”

“Her pupils. They’re horizontal—like a goat’s.”

Checking every passenger’s eyes one by one was nearly impossible, but it was our only clue.

Matteo nodded grimly.

The train pulled into the station, and beyond the windows, a crowd waited on the platform. Just looking at them made my chest tighten.

“…Be careful.”

As soon as the doors opened, Matteo stepped onto the platform.

I counted in my head.

One… Two… Three…

By the time I reached forty, the doors had shut, and the train moved on. I was about to call Simeon when my phone buzzed again.

<Did Matteo get off?>

<Yeah. But I don’t know if she got off with him.>

<Keep looking. She might still be here.>

<I’ll start from the back again.>

Just as I slipped my phone into my pocket, another message came through.

<Oh, and>

<If you find her, don’t try to grab her. It’ll draw too much attention.>

He raised a good point. To me, she was a monster, but to everyone else, I’d just be a grown man harassing a schoolgirl. I exhaled sharply as my head started to ache.

<Got it. Let me know if you find anything.>

I resumed my search, focusing only on passengers’ eyes. Two carriages in, and still nothing. If she’d gotten off at the last stop, Matteo would’ve called, but my phone remained silent.

Damn it. I squeezed my tired eyes shut for a second. And when I opened them again—

“Hey, mister.”

Something was tugging at my pant leg. When I looked down, I saw a little boy staring up at me. Was he the monster? I studied his eyes and saw they were normal, and then the boy grinned.

“Can you tie my shoes?”

“…What?”

“My mom will yell at me if I trip.”

I didn’t have time for this.

“I, uh… I don’t think—”

“Please?”

He clung to my pants, whining loudly. Passengers were already glancing over, annoyed. Quickly realizing I had no choice, I decided to appease the kid.

“…Fine. Just keep quiet, okay?”

He beamed as I knelt down and started tying his laces.

“Hey, mister.”

“…Yeah?”

“Wanna make a bet?”

“…What?”

His pupils stretched horizontally.

“How many people can I kill before they start to realize what’s going on?”

The train went dark.