Against the backdrop of a clear sky, cicadas begin to sing loudly.
Summer is the summer of summer, the season when Aya's favorite stag beetles and long-horned beetles come out to search for tree sap.
July has arrived.
“Monsieur, it seems like this area is completely overrun.”
Athos places a cup of ramen in front of me. It seems to be today's discovery.
“If you want to find the medicine you want, it looks like you’ll have to cross the Han River or go in a different direction.”
I am quietly looking down at the Seoul skyline.
It's one of the relics of the old days that Jegal Jinbyeol has stockpiled. Before the advent of navigation, everyone drove using highway maps or national maps.
"Even if people are slaughtered by demons, their belongings aren't lost. Demons don't destroy supplies."
The doctor and the old man in paradise are locked in their office all day, discussing something.
About securing new medicines and rebuilding the world by gathering singularities.
It also seems like they're talking about contacting refugees who survived and set up camps in other areas.
From my perspective, it's just a pipe dream.
If all the remaining singularities are destroyed.
Or at least if we could gather them all in one place… .
“More than that, aren’t you guys leaving?”
“This is some story about the Führer entering Paris… Oh, right. He’s already entered. Those German bastards!”
"You and I's temporary alliance only lasted as far as the Blue House. Now, we have no business there."
“Hmm, Monsieur is right.”
Athos strokes his mustache.
It's a habit of the commander-in-chief that comes out when he thinks about something.
"However, our musketeers will remain with Monsieur for the time being. The musketeers were originally created to assist the 'Captain.'"
“If you want, I’ll give you this armband and the captain’s position.”
“You are absolutely right!”
Athos smiled slyly.
"Monsieur, being a captain isn't something you can become just because you want to. On the contrary—it's not something you can just step down from if you don't want to."
“What is it?”
“That is the weight of the person wearing that armband.”
"Now that we're done chatting, why don't we head out? We'll have to go on patrol tomorrow too."
I am making full use of my temporary allies.
The Ego siblings, who have their own combat capabilities, are being sent out to explore the surrounding areas with Jinbyeol or gather supplies.
The inspiration is to help with internal affairs with the doctor.
Now, there are only about thirty demons left under the president's direct control, and they act as guards for paradise.
It is written as ‘worker’.
Now, this side's power is formidable. Even the best in the world probably knows that much.
Because that woman is not stupid.
But the strange thing is, the demons are gradually disappearing.
A pale, powdery trace, different from the human ashes seen at the Blue House.
It is the mark of the devil's fall.
Do demons also have an expiration date or disappear when their mission is fulfilled?
In the first place, what is a demon? Is it some kind of mob with a roughly made-up voice?
Or is there something else?
"More than that, Monsieur. That woman. I think she'll probably die in about two days. She can somehow manage to defecate and starve, but mortals die without water."
“It’s none of your business.”
"That's true. But, I guess. Still, it's been a while since I've lived in the world as a human being, rather than as Monsieur."
Ah, a regressive old fart, this is truly precious.
“So, I can give you some ‘advice’ in passing.”
The commander hands me a worn-out piece of paper.
“What is this?”
“You will know when you see it.”
I quietly examine the piece of paper Athos handed me.
‘Library card.’
####
"You should write your names on it, you know. Aya and I have compiled the names of everyone who entered paradise! So, if you steal or lose the book, we'll chase you to the ends of hell and kill you!"
“….”
"Oh, what a stupid singularity! Where it says 'name', a name! Where it says 'book to borrow', a book title! Can't you even do that?"
“No, that’s not it. Who told you to do business here?”
The first floor of the sports complex, a huge lobby space where pigs used to roll around with Valkyries.
In that corner, there are books piled up.
No, they're not piled up. They're just arranged in a pretty neat way.
Books arranged alphabetically, made from recycled souvenir shop shelves.
It looks like there are already over a hundred volumes?
I was wondering what the Black Musketeers and Jegal Jinbyeol were doing since yesterday.
Malrang, who was becoming fatter and fatter, looked at me with wide eyes.
“I’m not doing business.”
“So, what are all these books?”
"Library! It's a library! Books are food for the soul! Reading is a daily pastime! You stupid, high school-graduate singularity!"
“Who wants to set up a library on their own?”
"That's the tyranny of the captain! I already discussed it with others! Don't you know that because you're only a high school graduate?"
This guy, he's touching my academic background.
I see the library cards neatly organized.
The handwriting on the papers piled up neatly is a handwriting you'll see a few times at the convenience store.
“You and Aya made all this?”
"It's not that hard, you just have to write it down on paper. I'm still in this shape, so Aya-nee did everything and I just rolled around and cheered her on!"
“So in the end, you did nothing.”
“Tsk tsk, that’s rude.”
Malrang lifted the cat's paw and placed the nameplate in front of the desk.
When did they make this nameplate?
Anyway, it refers to a nameplate that was crudely carved with a carving knife.
“Paradise Library Director Malrang.”
Despite my dumbfounded expression, the cat was in high spirits.
“No borrowing without permission from the manager! Make sure I look good!”
“Malang, have you ever heard of a dish called butterfly soup?”
“That’s rude!”
Malrang tried to hit me with his arms waving, but he was cutely slow.
I lifted the mallet in a flash.
This guy has soft fur. I told you it feels good.
“Put me down! How dare you lift the manager! I’ll kill you!”
“Hey, how are you going to manage the loan ledger if you can’t even hold a pen?”
"The person who borrows the book should write it, and the person who returns it should write it again! I'll just wag my tail at the desk!"
“Oh, I see.”
I gently stroke Malrang's fur.
“You’re a cheeky, arrogant, high school graduate singularity… But your hands are so gentle… You took my Aya-nee with these hands… If I only become human, I’ll use the power of the lily to make Aya-nee mine….”
Malrang is purring. It looks like it's in a good mood.
I pet the cat and glance at the rental certificate Athos had handed me earlier.
Because the name of the book I needed to borrow was already written there.
Funnily enough, the book recommended by the Three Musketeers was written by the author of The Three Musketeers.
"Oh, singularity. But I know what kind of book is interesting! That one's a masterpiece!"
The book was very thick. And there were two volumes.
Besides, each volume seems to have at least several hundred pages.
I hand the rental ticket to the cat manager and receive the book.
A book I was reading before, but couldn't finish it.
It's neither a web novel nor a comic. It's a classic among classics.
The Count of Monte Cristo, by Dumas the Elder.
####
"I don't have to worry about food anymore, but medicine is a problem. It would be nice to have at least enough supplies like bandages and plasters."
“In the long run, we will have to restore the system itself.”
“What does that mean?”
“Just like the days when doctors went to the hospital and I went to work at the Blue House—we need to return the world to the way it was.”
"That's a problem for the distant future, so let's deal with the immediate issue first. If the captain agrees, I'll personally take Jinbyeol's car and cross the river."
"is it so?"
"There are a lot of medicines on hand at Gangbuk St. Mary's Hospital. There's no way people would just steal them all…."
"But, I heard there are a lot of survivors in Gimpo. I mean, toward Haengjusanseong Fortress. Shouldn't we send someone there quickly to let them know we're here? Right? Captain?"
Everyone is energetic.
I don't know if the singularity gave the president the power of rejuvenation, but the president is very motivated.
Because there are at least three singularities on this side.
Maybe you think so.
The doctor and Jegal Jinbyeol are also full of thoughts about doing something.
Let's go check out the outskirts of the metropolitan area, not just Seoul.
Let's quickly contact Hwayi and discuss how to resolve this situation quickly.
Let's contact survivors from other areas and set up a survivor camp in Seoul as soon as possible.
Recently, there has even been talk of checking the ‘status’ of neighboring countries such as Japan and China.
"mister."
I look at Aya sitting next to me.
“Are you okay? You seem to have been thinking about other things since last night.”
It's faster to hide my life and death from the Grim Reaper or the messenger of the underworld than to hide my presence from Aya.
“What if the captain loses his mind during a meeting?”
“Please, I don’t want to be the leader.”
That's not my calling. I'm a master of inventory management, not a necromancer in a cloak.
It's the latter now... .
"Sir, you seem to be brimming with the desire and ambition to rebuild the Republic of Korea. Would you please accept this armband?"
“Haha, Gunwoo. You still don’t know anything about politics.”
“I wasn’t originally a politician.”
“All sovereignty emanates from the people. The President is merely their representative.”
For a deputy, you have a lot of authority, sir.
"That armband of yours wasn't something you earned on your own. That's the difference between you and the Valkyries who ruled here. Do you understand?"
The President covers the map of Seoul.
"Power gained through covetousness or force cannot last long. However, power bestowed upon others, acquired against one's will, usually does not last long. This is a fundamental tenet of political science, a principle that has persisted since ancient times."
“I said I don’t plan on doing it for long.”
"Your opinion isn't important. It's the same reason a graduate student can't conduct research without the professor's permission. You're on a chariot of fire, from which you can't get off."
The inspiration is chuckling.
That must be really fun.
“Let’s call it a day. It’s almost dinnertime.”
Like a large family that has come to take refuge.
Because it has become routine for everyone to gather together and eat during meal times.
####
“The world has become like this, and I don’t eat many manufactured goods, so why can’t I lose weight?”
“My mom used to say that ugly women don’t lose weight easily.”
"do you want to die?"
A female student from Korea University lifts up a giggling little boy.
“Surrender! Surrender!”
"Yeah, no. It's hot Marine training time."
“Why is my sister, who never served in the military, talking about the Marines…?”
“You didn’t go to the military either!”
Giggling people, noisy people, crowded tables.
PC, smartphone, internet, video.
A timeline where such things have become castrated.
People's lives become strangely simple.
After completing the farm work and the tasks assigned to them in paradise, it is usually time for a set meal.
In situations where other special pastimes are difficult, eating is a great pleasure in itself.
It's not just about eating, it's about having fun, talking, and relaxing.
And, there is no need to eat the ‘special food’ that is distributed outside of meal times.
No matter how efficient crops like potatoes and tomatoes are, they can't help but get tired.
“That’s strange.”
"what?"
I turn to Aya, stirring the curry with little meat.
"People I wouldn't normally see, people I wouldn't have noticed even if I passed them on the subway ride to work. But now, they're hanging out together, giggling like family."
“The world has become like this, and there are only a few people who have managed to survive.”
And human solidarity does not come from blood ties or capital.
Of course, blood and money are also important.
After all, humans are social animals.
Masters who love destruction, demons, and misandry.
They are survivors who have managed to survive in a crazy world.
It might be stranger if we don't become close to each other.
“Sir, the curry is getting cold.”
I flinch.
My share of curry. Even though there's no meat, it has plenty of curry powder and the aroma is wonderful.
I haven't even touched curry yet.
“You still haven’t come to a conclusion?”
“What is the conclusion?”
“You know what I’m talking about, and I know what you’re thinking, don’t you?”
“Ouch.”
Aya looks up at me gently.
Sometimes, I think I want to swim in those eyes. It's a childish, ancient thought, but it's like a relic.
Just like that.
“If you know what you’re thinking, do you also know the answer to that thought?”
Ayaga quietly holds my hand.
“This time, I think it would be better for you to choose.”
“Why?”
“No, maybe only you can choose.”
The mother gave her daughter some of her share of curry.
The president also places his share of curry in front of his daughter who is pregnant with the child who will become Hong Gil-dong.
If I had a child… would I be able to do that?
Suddenly, that thought occurred to me.
“It was you who became my teacher here, who suffered so much, who saved me from that, who overcame all that to get here, and who called me ‘teacher’ for the last time.”
Aya's voice is very plain.
"It's all because of you. So, I think it's right for you to make the choice this time."
“Either way?”
“Yes, either way.”
“No matter what choice I make, you won’t blame me, right?”
“That’s wrong, sir.”
Aya smiles brightly.
“It’s not something to be criticized. Because, sir, your choice….”
The warm steam of the curry tickles my nose.
“Soon, it will be my choice.”