"...I thought it was a good idea to separate from Alice and investigate other ces... But I don''t know where to go now."


    I just thought it was inefficient for everyone to follow the man who was deliberately hiding something.


    In fact, I didn''t have any concrete n of action.


    Thinking back, it might have been safer to bring Suho with me.


    In case of an emergency, I could contact Alice through the hand mirror, so it should be fine for now.


    I walked and walked through the city that had turned into a forest.


    Then, sensing a presence, I went deeper into the forest where the buildings were less visible and the moon was clear.


    The moon?


    Well, it was just nightfall before we came here.There must be a time difference, so it''s probably around dawn here.


    Somehow, seeing the moon makes me feel uneasy. It''s like someone is pushing me from behind, making me restless.


    I don''t know what this feeling is, but it doesn''t seem good to stare at the moon for too long.


    I averted my eyes and went deeper inside.


    There, I saw a wolf.


    A wolf here.


    This did not mean a normal wolf, but a monster that had be ferocious and showed its teeth and ws at everything.


    Though, in appearance, there wasn''t much difference.


    "Huh? On closer look, it''s not a wolf."


    To be precise, it was a wolf statue resembling a wolf.


    A wolf statue looking up at the moon.


    <em>''Why is it looking at the moon?''</em>


    Well, werewolves are associated with the moon, but is it really that simple?


    A growing question.


    Questions, though not always, often lead me closer to the answer.


    I hid myself, pondering the question.


    When you''re worried, you''re defenseless, so it''s better to hide and think.


    Thud. Thud. Thud.


    <em>''Huh?''</em>


    I thought I heard something just now.


    There were many footsteps.


    The sound was heavy, as if it was from someone heavier than an average person.


    I leaned further into the bushes to hide my presence.


    If it''s not a human, their senses might be sharp.


    I peeked out to observe the source of the sound.


    But something blurry came into view.


    It wasn''t blurry because of my eyesight.


    A creature that sways like fog.


    That was my first impression.


    <em>''Are those... Fog?''</em>


    No. That''s strange.


    Because something that light wouldn''t make such eerie footsteps.


    They must be using some kind of magic to conceal their appearance.


    As I squinted to understand, I could vaguely see the shape of wings. Are they birds?


    In my mind, I named them <em>Smog Birds</em> and kept my guard up.


    Are they allies of the gue doctor Alice followed?


    They stood in front of the wolf statue.


    Such symbols are usually objects of worship, guardians, or even ritual mediums.


    A city turned into a forest, humans turning into wolves.


    And a statue resembling a wolf.


    Thisbination can''t be a coincidence.


    Crash!


    While I was thinking, the winged creatures destroyed the statue.


    And as soon as the statue was destroyed, the moon flickered for a moment.


    <em>''There must be something in that statue.''</em>


    As I spected, another anomaly urred.


    The howl of a wolf echoed loudly.


    The Smog Birds were sharpening their weapons, making a clinking sound as they stayed inside the fog, making it difficult to see.


    They immediately prepared for an attack, but in an instant, some of them were torn apart by a suddenly appearing wolf.


    This wolf, unlike the ones I had seen asionally, stood on two legs and, though still ferocious, seemed to have regained some focus in its eyes.


    This wolf must also be a transformed human, as tattered everyday clothes hung from its body, and it wore sunsses.


    Uncle James... I don''t think it''s him.


    Awooooooo-!


    The fight was one-sided.


    Every time the wolf swung its arm, the Smog Birds were sent flying, and even when some of them used magic, the wolf seemed to crush and tear through it with its fangs. ???????S?


    I was considering taking out some popcorn from my bag to eat during this interesting situation.


    Then the atmosphere reversed.


    The cause was a monster that appeared in the blink of an eye on the opposite side of the wolf.


    It was still a bit blurry, so it was hard to tell what it looked like, but I could tell it was about twice as big as the other Smog Birds. And I could hear the small metal ornaments jingling, as if they were wearing some kind of jewelry.


    Here, I realized one thing.


    <em>''Its presence... Is faint?''</em>


    Thatrge Smog Bird seems like an upgraded version of the regr ones, and it looks strong.


    But its presence fades quickly if you don''t actively focus on it.


    Is that its special ability? The stronger it is, the harder it is to perceive.


    ng-!


    The wolf charged at the monster, but its attacks had no effect, and instead, the monster crushed the wolf.


    The wolf was pinned to the ground by the force, but it kept struggling, so it seemed its life wasn''t in danger.


    The superior entity, seeing this, used the mace in its hand (though it was hard to see) to smash the wolf''s limbs and head.


    "..."


    As I was about to lose myself in the gruesome scene.


    The wolf was still thrashing, growling fiercely.


    Why is it doing this?


    It''s as if someone is strongly urging it from behind, making it angrier and angrier.


    It''s radiating madness beyond its nature.


    The superior entity stuffed the lower entities'' corpses into a sack, and the remaining lower entities ced a statue resembling themselves in ce of the wolf statue.


    Then the moon flickered again.


    What is the purpose of this act...? Once the task was done, the superior Smog Bird created a portal and began to enter it one by one.


    "...!"


    I reflexively ran and managed to enter the portal before it closed.


    ...


    "Phew..."


    After arriving through the portal, I entered the door in front of me.


    If I had been even a littlete, I would have been caught by the monster that arrived earlier.


    <em>''Where is this?''</em>


    Thinking that I could return anytime with Alice''s mirror, I carelessly jumped in.


    I slowly examined the room.


    There were a lot of misceneous items, so it seemed like a storage room.


    I picked up a few useful-looking items and cleverly stacked the rest to create a space where I could hide if someone came in.


    Rustle. Rustle.


    While making a hiding spot, I suddenly heard something squirming.


    I approached the source of the sound and grabbed a pumpkin head rolling around.


    A pumpkin...?


    "Hey, save me."


    "!"


    It spoke!


    When I dropped it in surprise, I was warned to handle it carefully from now on.


    Why is there a talking pumpkin here?


    It might be food. Or maybe a rare loot.


    I''ll take it for now.


    Swish.


    "Hey! What are you taking?"


    As I tried to stuff the pumpkin head into my bag, it protested, so I stopped.


    Instead, I held the pumpkin head in my hands and faced it.


    "Oh, I thought your skin looked young, but you''re just a kid? How can a kid like you be here unharmed?"


    "I''m Shin Ha-rim. I''m an elementary school student, soon to be a middle schooler."


    "I see! My name is Jack O''Lantern. Somehow, my legend has spread in modern times, so I''m probably the Jack O''Lantern you''re thinking of."


    If it''s Jack O''Lantern, then it''s probably the ghost who lost his head and is wandering around looking for it.


    There are many legends, but the most famous one is that he yed pranks, got his head cut off, and even tricked the Devil, so he couldn''t die and is wandering the mortal world.


    The pumpkin head looked familiar, just like the decorative pumpkins during Halloween.


    But why is such a being here?


    "What were you doing here?"


    "You''re not too surprised. Are you used to non-humans...? To answer, I was tricked."


    "Tricked?"


    Does being tricked mean Jack O''Lantern was deceived by someone?


    Or does it mean he was caught like a fish on a hook?


    As I tilted my head at the ambiguous answer, Jack O''Lantern added.


    "Yeah! When humans caught the monsters without knowing that they were man-eating fish that would eat them, I got caught up in it too! Like a fish! No, my head is a pumpkin, so maybe I was harvested?"


    Monsters? Man-eating fish?


    "I need to hear the story step by step. First... Hey, what are those winged fog?"


    "They''re the ones fighting over territory with the fish guys. They''re mortal enemies."


    He mentioned fish again.


    Fish... Not wolves, but enemies with fish.


    Then why are the wolves hostile to the winged ones?


    "What are those fish?"


    "Haven''t you seen fish? Well, they don''t have wings like those guys, and they hide their faces and blend into the crowd. Hmm... Have you seen masks simr to the gue doctor''s mask, but with fish-like features?"


    "Ah!"


    The man Alice was following was wearing exactly that kind of mask.


    It was suspicious, but it seems he wasn''t human.


    Then!


    ...Alice must be beating him up by now?


    Given Alice''sbat prowess, unless the opponent is exceptionally strong, there''s no way she''d lose.


    Though, it''s worrying that she sometimes gets into dangerous situations... But if Alice is in danger, it''s probably at a level where an entire city could be destroyed, so worrying might be pointless.


    "Do you know about those wolv-"


    Before I could finish asking, my vision suddenly darkened.


    My body shivered from the cold, and the flickering darkness and faint whispers.


    The sensation of my skin cracking- <em>crack, crack-</em> and bing something not myself. The feeling of fish-like scales sprouting like parasites made my head spin.


    The whispersmanded me to be reborn as apletely new being.


    My stomach churned, and I felt like vomiting. No.


    No one knows if what I vomit now would be my soul or food.


    "Hey, what''s... Oh, this. A pinch of salt seasoning would suit you well, haha! Too bad, but it seems it''s just luck that you''ve been wandering around here as a human without turning into a wolf. If you had turned into a wolf, it would''ve been better... At least you''d still be human!"


    The uncle''s voice was hard to hear.


    Right now, I just wanted to sink deep into the abyss.


    A voice came.@@novelbin@@


    It was the most disgusting sound I''ve ever heard in my life.


    I shouldn''t listen to it, but as long as I have ears, I can''t help but hear...


    Quietly, calmly...


    Just as I was about to listen...! Another voice interrupted.


    A grumbling, childish but somehow calm girl''s voice.


    Huh, Alice?


    I heard Alice scolding someone.


    My vision filled with light, and when I blinked, Jack O''Lantern, who couldn''t hide his surprise, came into view.


    "...? Did something happen?"


    "What''s that? Divine power? No, how? Are you a priestess?"


    Divine power.


    Divine power again.


    I don''t know why Alice is rted to divine power, but I can see how convenient it is.


    Hmm. Maybe devils can use simr powers since they''re also God''s creations.


    "I thought I was turning into a wolf. Like the wolves outside. But fish... Urgh! I feel like my mouth smells fishy."


    "Turning into a wolf would''ve been cooler. Anyway, it seems the boss of those fish guys failed to assimte you. It''s a kind of power that humans can''t ovee, so you''re quite peculiar."


    Jack O''Lantern muttered something only he understood.


    It''s good that he talks a lot.


    This way, I can hear stories without even asking questions.


    "To continue the story, the fish guys are literally fighting over territory with those winged guys. They go at each other like mortal enemies."


    Winged guys.


    I thought those fog-like, barely visible creatures had wings, and it seems Jack O''Lantern saw them that way too.


    But


    "Why are birds and fish fighting over territory?"


    Fish live in the sea, and birds live in the sky, right?


    They shouldn''t even cross paths.


    Jack O''Lantern answered my question.


    "Because the fish guys want to live in the deepest ce. They say it''s their instinct."


    "Then what about the birds?"


    "They want to live in the highest ce, so it''s the opposite."


    Literally the opposite.


    The story doesn''t make sense.


    Where in the world is the deepest and highest ce at the same time?


    Might as well say hell and heaven are the same.


    I quickly realized Jack O''Lantern was being deliberately vague. Seeing him grin in the middle of it, it seemed like he was joking.


    What did Alice say to do in situations like this?


    <em>''Those who speak ambiguously are weak to beatings.''</em>


    "...Tch."


    I quietly took out a hammer from my bag, and Jack O''Lantern, startled, rolled his head away to avoid the hammer.


    "Hey, what''s this! I was telling the truth, and you''re trying to smash my head...! Kids these days have no patience. Fine! Let''s do this."


    Faced with the risk of his head being smashed, the uncle offered me an alternative.


    "If you want to hear more, do me a favor. Just find one thing for me!"


    "What is it?"


    "Myntern. Those guys took my precious, warmntern. Bring it back to me!"


    "Okay."


    I agreed immediately.


    "Straightforward. I like you more and more!"


    Since I didn''t know what uncle''sntern looked like, I carried him with me to avoid any mistakes.


    Creak... I carefully opened the door.


    A corridor with a view of the outside came into sight.


    Huh. It didn''t look like this before I entered the storage room.


    "This ce seems to have a messed-up space. Like birds picking up branches to build nests, they''ve gathered spaces to make a house."


    His exnation made it easier to understand.


    Having a non-humanpanion by my side is reassuring.


    It''s like having a different perspective.


    Even when Alice was E, she helped me navigate many situations.


    Jack O''Lantern exined the various strange phenomena we encountered while crossing the corridor.


    The way he exined things seemed tailored to someone without knowledge in this area.


    Maybe... He had a partner like me before.


    As we crossed the corridor, I saw a few doors, but most were locked, and even when opened, they led to pitch-ck spaces, making exploration difficult.


    "I found one intact room... But it only has a chalkboard."


    Disappointed, I still looked at the chalkboard.


    It was written in apletely differentnguage, so I couldn''t understand the content.


    Instead, I looked at the drawing.


    A blonde-haired girl. This probably represents Alice.


    It was heavily emphasized.


    A warning...? This kind of feeling.


    And next to Alice, connected by an arrow, was a wolf wearing a red hood.


    Next to it was a drawing of a fish.


    Beside it, there were densely written words, suggesting that they were nning something with the fish against this wolf.


    What could it be?


    It might be rted to the destruction of the wolf statue.


    I kept this information in mind.


    As I walked down the corridor again.


    This time, no matter how far I walked, no doors appeared, and silence fell.


    So I asked mypanion, Jack O''Lantern.


    "Is thatntern important?"


    "Of course. To me, thentern is a symbol of love."


    "A symbol of love?"


    When I asked again, Jack O''Lantern cleared his throat.


    Even though he doesn''t have one!


    Anyway, he warned me to listen carefully as he was about to sing.


    <em>''Suddenly...?''</em>


    "I''m Jack O''Lantern, a youth who loved to y~


    But my noble pranks brought scorn my way~


    Oh, woe is me, my sighs grow every day~


    As my pranks be worse and worse, leading me astray~


    Then ding, ding, ding, the Devil came to say~


    "Today we''ll take this wicked soul away~!"


    But clever Jack, I tricked them, oh so sly~


    And dodged hell with a cunning lie~


    In a fit of rage, I sent the queen fifty prank notes~


    And with a slice! My head rolls loose, severed at the throat~


    Beaten badly, yet I couldn''t die~


    A headless ghost, I wander, asking why~


    Shivering in death''s cold, the Devil came again~


    And showed me mercy, helping me then~


    Oh, what a love, they showed me~


    Though they could not understand my prankish spree~


    With antern''s glow to warm my soul~


    A pumpkin head, I roam without a goal~


    I''m Jack O''Lantern, a spirit full of fright~


    Forever wandering in the night~"


    p p p!


    "You''re pretty good at singing."


    "Thank you,dy."


    "Didn''t you just call me a kid?"


    "If you acknowledge this body, you''re ady."


    I''m ady?


    I''ve often been told I act like a boy... But this is oddly satisfying.


    I''m happy!


    "Yay!"


    Jack O''Lantern is a good monster.


    I forgot my tension and chatted with Jack O''Lantern until we reached the end of the corridor.


    There was another door there, and this one also seemed to be locked. It looked important, so I didn''t want to miss it...


    Tap tap tap...


    Then a white rabbit scurried past.


    Jack O''Lantern didn''t seem to notice the rabbit.


    I searched near where the rabbit had passed and found a pretty stone, so I checked underneath it.


    A key.


    "Lucky."


    "Huh! What a coincidence. And those winged guys'' security is something else. Utterly stupid."


    I didn''t bother correcting him.


    I agreed with that opinion.


    Creak...


    I carefully opened the door again.