City That Never Sleeps.
The cities of [Cthulhu World] are, on the whole, wealthy.
They carry more problems than just monsters and cultists roaming around, but this world still has the vast wealth and technology that didn’t exist in the reality I came from. And it has human resources with surreal abilities.
Among them, the hopeful city of happiness, Sejong City, is special.
For one thing, it’s the capital where this country’s administrative power, policing, and wealth are concentrated, and it’s also where the headquarters of the Foreigners Administration is.
That’s why Sejong City is a place so beautiful and dazzling it can’t be compared to any other city in this country.
I pointed at the moon and spoke as I looked up at the massive airship floating over Sejong City’s sky.
“Still gaudy as ever.”
“This isn’t going to be another horrible incident, right?”
Jang Hyundeok, at the wheel, glanced anxiously around the buildings.
“Well, it’ll be small and localized. We’ll be fine.”
“So something is going to happen after all, huh?”
Of course. We came because something horrible is going to happen.
“Yeah. But I didn’t bring a Shantak this time, so what’s there to worry about?”
“You know what? On the days you say something will happen, it turns out fine—on the days you say nothing will happen so don’t worry, that’s when the really horrible stuff happened.”
Did it?
“Then this time we’re good. I just said something will happen.”
“Ah, does it work like that?”
In an instant, Jang Hyundeok’s face lit up.
Huh? That actually persuaded him?
How does he get dumber by the day?
Well... in a world like this, the less you know, the better.
This world is littered with truths that harm the human mind just by existing—and the more you learn them, the madder you go.
But a fool?
A fool is invincible.
That’s exactly why Hyundeok spirals into derangement less than other people. He has no idea what’s going on—so there’s nothing to go mad over.
“Drop me off and head straight outside Sejong City.”
Even a fool dies if a bullet hits.
“Ah, we’re just going back today?”
“No. Wait outside Sejong City and come pick me up when I call.”
“Mm—got it.”
The debt strangling Hyundeok’s neck went up in flames and vanished.
In the process the Black King got the wrong idea and rammed horns with Red Head, which caused some minor trouble, but that suits me fine.
“To make a negotiation go my way, you have to balance the board.”
I’m not taking Hyuna’s side or anything, but thanks to [Scaled Stratagem: Guts], Hyuna’s faction has taken heavy losses, right?
While Red Head and the Black King are chewing each other’s resources down, she’ll be able to restore at least some of what she lost.
Events tied to the Three Heads Society can sit for a while—but the Mun family’s succession and its events start now.
“Me, at a party like this—guess I really am doing all sorts of things.”
The designer suit Mun Gyeongha sent me—ignoring the lack of options, it felt extremely out of place.
“Haha, still, out of everything I’ve seen on you, this is the most normal—no, the sharpest suit.”
Since he scrambled to correct himself, I decided to forgive him for his piety of effort.
Even among buildings packed thick enough to blot the sky, one stood out for sheer size and beauty.
Ilshin Hotel of Yeonam Group.
In this world it has settled into a symbol of wealth and luxury.
Unusual exterior materials were used, so a subtle aura and a strange greenish sheen seeped from the whole structure.
“Not just for luxury—there’s a cultic context here.”
By Chairman Mun Taeik’s arrangement, Yeonam Group has secured magical strongpoints across the country.
For now they don’t do much, but in a worst-case scenario every strongpoint will link up into a national-scale magic circle.
“Mm...”
Having recently pre-experienced the incident that circle would trigger, I can’t see this building kindly.
“Should I just smash this one first?”
No—the time to accept that level of risk hasn’t come yet. The Yeonam-related event is far off, and this party is only its opening beat.
“Pardon me. May I assist you?”
A staffer politely requested identification.
“I’m here by invitation from Director Mun Gyeongha.”
I showed the invite, passed a simple security check, and followed the staffer up to the ballroom.
“Kim Sinhwa, is that face really yours?”
Curtain Call’s greeting in the ballroom.
Maybe because it’s been a while, her hello was even more exuberant than usual. I returned it with my own sign of pleasure.
“It’s fake. What are you even wearing?”
“Ah, right. Gross. Mask lunatic.”
Curtain Call ignored my question completely.
“Ah—hi, Sinhwa. Sorry, but please don’t provoke Colly. Just getting her into that outfit took everything we had.”
Baukalak hurried over to whisper.
At the Sokcho construction site he’d worn practical techwear, but today Baukalak had on a pretty convincing suit.
With his big, statuesque build—and that curly blond hair and overabundant beard together...
“Wouldn’t it be better to trim the beard?”
“I did. But it’s the full moon, right? It grew back.”
“Ah, right. Still, I’m impressed you got Curtain Call into a suit.”
“Kh—thanks for noticing? I, really—really—suffered. Thought I’d lose my mind.”
Curtain Call was wearing a suit in a similar design to Bau’s. Looks like Mun Seunghee had a set made.
[crunch]
The sound of Curtain Call biting into a fork.
“Oh—Colly!”
Baukalak scooped her up and hauled her toward a corner.
Anyway, it’s a relief she’s here. With Curtain Call and those cheerful friends, Seunghee’s security will be more than enough.
I went over to greet Mun Seunghee with a much easier mind.
“Long time no see.”
“It’s my first time seeing you without the mask.”
Mun Seunghee, in a pearl-white dress with a glittering shimmer, looked at me with a light smile.
Usually her face was like a carved statue with no emotion showing. And her outfit was always a frugal, businesslike suit.
I’d seen her in the game, so I had an idea of how she would look—but even so, the Mun Seunghee standing in front of me is a person outside the monitor, and the vivid change is dramatic enough in real life that it surprised me a little.
“Mm, this is a mask too, actually.”
As I told Curtain Call, this is the [Infi Mask]. Honestly, in a world like this, a party for the rich should obviously be a masquerade, right?
How are the richest people in the country less stylish than cultists?
“Ah... a mask. Then does your real face look different?”
“No. It would be similar to this.”
“I see. Mm... But you came in on someone else’s invitation, not mine?”
She sounded a touch let down.
I stepped a little closer and murmured low.
“Mm, I had my reasons. And tonight, it would be best if you take care not to draw other people’s attention if you can help it.”
“Is there a problem?”
“Yes. For one, bringing Curtain Call was the right move.”
I explained, using the tightest words I could, what was about to happen.
“Th-that’s—”
“You know what kind of people they are.”
It’s a little awkward to spell out that your brothers are murderous cultist psychos who can kill each other without batting an eye.
Seunghee lowered her gaze slightly.
“No, that isn’t what shocked me. I’m an illegitimate child anyway. The only family I have is Seonbin.”
In a sense, fair enough.
What startled her was something else entirely.
“But would they do that with the Chairman attending?”
“Sorry to say, if that happens, the person most delighted will be the Chairman.”
There are thirteen heirs to Yeonam Group right now.
Originally there were thirteen excluding Mun Seunghee; counting the barely-considered Seunghee made fourteen.
But recently, Mun Gyeongnam died.
Thanks to that, Seunghee is now recognized as an heir with rights.
“From the start, Seunghee was the spare for if the heir count needed to be reduced.”
No need to go that far with her.
But she does grasp that her position has changed drastically of late.
“In any case, be careful tonight. I’ll protect you as best I can, but I’m not omnipotent.”
“Yes... then—”
She clearly had plenty she wanted to say, but there are too many problems to weigh for me to talk with her long.
I put on a quick, artificial smile and said to her:
“Thank you for the kind words. Unfortunately I have a lot going on with other people these days.”
It didn’t fit the context at all, but Seunghee sensed the situation and answered with something appropriately bland.
“Ah, what a shame.”
Right then, ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) Mun Gyeongha approached us.
“Hm, pardon the intrusion?”
Gyeongha glanced at Seunghee with a faint frown—
And Seunghee, without elaborating, dipped her head.
“It was a pleasure talking.”
“Yes, have a good evening.”
Having deliberately shooed Seunghee away, Gyeongha looked satisfied as he turned to me.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation, Manager.”
“Ah, you don’t have to call me Manager right now.”
“Either way, it’s a rather stimulating memory for me. Quite unforgettable.”
It isn’t just the smile—his whole face is uncannily identical to Mun Gyeongnam’s.
Not only Gyeongha. All over the venue, there were several others with exactly the same face as this guy.
Of the Mun heirs—thirteen including Seunghee—four are women counting Seunghee.
Men number nine, excluding the deceased Mun Gyeongnam.
No need to list a bunch of bland “Mun Gyeong-whatever” names.
Leaving Seunghee aside, it’s undeniable that the other twelve are strikingly tall and handsome women and men.
But one male version and one female version—
As if they were reusing two skins, twelve identical faces drifted through the ballroom showing off their own “very slight” individuality...
What to call it—truly a bizarre sight.
From the distance, Mun Gyeongjun—who looks exactly like Gyeongha—raised a hand in a light wave and headed my way.
“Ugh, don’t swarm me.”
Too late.
On top of that, Gyeongjun has indirect ties to me through Tudor. He clearly wants to flaunt that.
“Sigh—no wonder Tudor gets annoyed.”
Soon my side was crowded with ruggedly handsome men who looked like they should be on a romance novel cover.
“So—Mr. Sinhwa, what do you think?”
“Brother, enough. Mr. Sinhwa looks uncomfortable.”
“Isn’t this boring for you, Mr. Sinhwa? Shall we slip away somewhere?”
“How rude.”
“Hm—you’re the one called Kim Sinhwa?”
Cut it out, damn it. I tossed out a plausible excuse and retreated to a corner of the ballroom.
It was a spot off the Mun clan’s radar—and one of the reasons I had to visit this place lay there.
White hair that stood out even in a ballroom drenched in vivid color. A strange face that could be a child’s, an old man’s, or a young man’s.
Given his status and looks he shouldn’t possibly be without company—but for some reason he simply stood alone in silence.
No—the reason is an oddly low presence. Is he activating some trait?
I walked up to him and offered a greeting.
“Good evening.”
“Pleasure.”
He answered as naturally as if he’d been waiting for me.
“I’m Kim Sinhwa.”
“I wondered why those siblings were swarming—turns out you’re a celebrity. I am Baek Beomjin.”
A faintly grating voice.
His voice was so strange and alien it felt unpleasant.
