Chapter 61 |
Carol said they call themselves supernatural artists and are a strange group that perform acts of anomalous terrorism under the pretext of artistic activities.
The Institution received information that they were doing something suspicious and sent an investigator, but they were having difficulties, such as losing contact or not being able to get any meaningful information.
Meanwhile, they said that I'm being sent out to see if I can do the job instead... As if I'm a spray with a powerful solution to see if it dissolves the garbage they can't handle.
Am I the last resort?
"Please be careful. Although the place where Alice is now is an area where the Cathedral is not active and you can use your power freely, it would be a problem to use power on a scale that would blow away a city, right?"
Carol seems too worried.
Blowing up a city... Does this make sense?
As if someone with poor control of their power like me could do that.
I wasn't convinced, but I agreed.
"Yes... Please contact me often. It's nice that the phone you made can't be bugged. Can you make more?"
The phone Carol was talking about was a phone-shaped monster that used phone ghost stories.
Since communication is not done through normal means, wiretapping is, of course, impossible.
Moreover, this conversation was not recorded, so no one could eavesdrop unless they were nearby.
"I can make one or two using similar ghost stories. However, since this is similar to a curse created by the power of a phone monster, it would be difficult for anyone other than me to use it."
"What? A curse?"
Carol reacted to the word curse.
Of course, she might be reluctant.
Still, I decided to reassure Carol that it wasn't the scary curse people usually thought it was.
"It's not scary, and there are several types, like teleporting behind your back, making you talk to a ghost, and finally, if you hang up one-sidedly, your head explodes."
"It gets scarier the further you go, right? Do you hold any grudges against me?"
This woman.
What the hell... I decided to hang up the phone quickly before she said anything else.
"No, I don't! I'll hang up now. Oh, and the one I gave you will explode if you don't answer it before the third ring, so be careful."
"As expected, you do have a grudge."
-Click.
I hung up the phone and looked up at the sky.
White clouds were moving in a line across the blue sky.
I heard there were a lot of clouds in this area, but it didn't feel particularly gloomy; they were just blocking the sun a little.
I quietly chewed a pretzel while admiring the sky.
Having never traveled before, I never thought I would come all the way to Europe.
I don't think this is a small request.
Does it matter if the sky is this pretty?
"Excuse me... Are you Alice?"
I was sitting in a chair on top of a building when I heard a male voice behind me that I had never heard before.
Since he knew my name, he seemed like someone from the Institution.
Let's see, the name of the guide Carol told me about...
"Yes. Are you Agent Brehm?"
"That's right. I'm Brehm, who will be your guide. Can I tell you some precautions before proceeding?"
As soon as we met, he immediately started talking about work.
All people in the Institution are like this.
I nodded.
"Good."
Brehm thought for a moment about what to say first, then glanced at the people buying and selling paintings on the street and opened his mouth.
"Hmm. Beware of street artists. Not only is it difficult to pinpoint who the enemy is among them, but the number of enemies is not very small, so it is better to have no contact with them at all."
Artists are the enemy.
Well, they're called 'supernatural artists', but that doesn't mean every artist is an enemy.
'As for the name...'
Still, it was a town so familiar with art, being full of artists here and there, so no one paid attention.
I was irritated at the thought of not being able to go sightseeing after traveling so far, so I asked Brehm with a slight grumble.
"Are they that dangerous?"
"Combat power is probably nothing special. However, anomalies always defy common sense and sometimes lead us to the worst possible outcome. D-888... I don't know how strong you are, but I hope you don't let your guard down."
I saw the fear and seriousness in Brehm's eyes.
I felt bad about that.
"...How many people were harmed?"
"Seven agents and thirty-two civilians in this area alone."
"Okay. I see."
Seven agents and thirty-two civilians in this area alone. This world is not a fairy tale. No one is going to survive like I did with the kids. It's so damn obvious.
I was told what I had to do after a few more warnings from Brehm.
"According to information received from the organization, they, who are just a branch of the group, are holding an exhibition tonight. The time is nine o'clock in the evening. To confiscate the anomalous works of the assembled artists, arrest them, and rescue any victims who may still be alive. That is our goal."
"It's serious. This is my first time being requested for something like this. I hope it goes well."
"We're not disrespecting you, but we don't have high hopes either. You were suddenly put into a plan, and it's quite dangerous."
"So is it fine as long as I can take care of myself?"
Brehm remained silent. It seems to be the correct answer. I understand.
Trusting and entrusting something important to someone suddenly brought in is something to worry about.
"I guess that's what the expectations are for me. Good. How do I participate in the exhibition?"
Brehm answered my question with a very simple sentence.
"I don't know."
"Huh?"
I tilted my head a little, wondering if I had heard wrong. Brehm's face was serious.
"I literally don't know. We have to wait for them to move to participate in the exhibition."
"Hmm... Have you ever caught a member before?"
"Of course we did. However, those who were caught also did not know how to go to the exhibition... All they knew was that the exhibition would be open at nine o'clock. The theme of the exhibition is living human beings."
"It's difficult."
I'm not good at reasoning because I'm not smart.
As Brehm expected, it will be difficult for me to be of help.
I received a radio for communication from him and started acting alone.
When I asked why they weren't keeping an eye on me, Brehm said it was an order from Director Carol.
Carol seems to have quite a bit of trust in me, but I'm in trouble because I feel like I won't be able to live up to her expectations this time.
Time passed without any useful information being obtained, and it soon became time for the exhibition to open.
I breathed a sigh of frustration into the cold air.
My deepest emotions rise into the night sky in the form of steam.
If this were the ocean, it would definitely have become a huge drop of water.
"Are you catching anything?"
I vaguely asked the eavesdropper standing next to me.
A strange creature that looks like a combination of a bird and a rat. Looking at it, the proverb that the bird will listen to what you say during daytime and the mouse will listen to what you say during nighttime comes to mind.
[......]
The monster lowered his head. I hugged the monster and comforted him.
"Don't be discouraged. Because it's not your fault. Thank you. Now go back."
I returned the monster to the mirror and picked up the phone.
"There's nothing I can do. I'll have to try contacting Carol again."
The signal goes. Carol answered the phone after two beeps and around the third.
"Hello?! I'm so sorry! Haa... I need to catch my breath! Haa... "
Her breathing is ragged. The breathing of an adult woman is quite irritating, so I said it out loud.
"There was no need to run like that."
"Aha! After all, it was a joke, right? You're such a prankster."
Ah. You mean about exploding when the phone rings three times?
"No, I was going to hang up right before the third ring."
"It really blows up..."
"There's nothing I can do. That's because it's a monster derived from the fear of modern people who feel restless if they don't answer the phone. It's his personality that if you don't answer the phone, you'll get in big trouble."
"All right. Then why did you call me?"
"Um... I'm embarrassed to say, but I'm not making any progress, so I thought I'd ask for some advice."
I told Carol what I knew. Carol thought for a moment and then shared her thoughts.
"Maybe there's a complicated invite that they don't even know about? Or something where you have to pass the password to the first, second, and third person, and finally tell them the location."
"It's an invitation that picks out enemies... Is there any way to figure that out?"
"It is best to have as much contact with the involved parties as possible. Of course it's risky, but maybe you'll be invited directly."
"Right... I don't have a lot of time, and I don't want to fail the request, so I'll give it a shot."
"It feels like I instigated it somehow. If you think it's dangerous, get out right away, okay?"
"If you're really worried, don't hang up."
I made the phone smaller, put it on my ear, and walked around looking for artists.
In particular, I went to places like alleys, as I thought that people who do something that pricks their conscience would instinctively look for a corner.
As I entered the darkest part of the alley, I saw an artist painting.
Because it was dark, it was hard to see the small pictures below, but with night vision better than that of an ordinary person, I was able to barely make out the picture currently being drawn.
I gave the artist a soulless compliment.
"...It's an interesting work."
Then a middle-aged man's voice was heard.
"Oh... I never thought visitors would come to this dark place. A girl with a voice as pretty as a music box! Hehehe... It's a good start."
I'm not a girl...
I appealed that I was interested in the paintings the artist drew.
So that he will spill some information.
"What does this represent? I feel like it's criticizing something."
"You have good eyes too. I can't even see your face. This is a criticism of a fairy tale. You probably know it too. I made it with the theme of Alice in Wonderland."
That's a very familiar topic! However...
"Criticism...?"
When I questioned why he was criticizing fairy tales, the man continued his conversation as if he had been waiting for it.
"The character Alice is an example of a Lolita character that reflects fairy tale writer Lewis Carroll's masculine desire. Even if you don't read any fairy tales, doesn't it just come out when you look at his life? Taking pictures of little girls!"1
"Uh... Hmm..."
"Stick to the math you're good at! I don't approve of this vulgar novel being famous. My work is better than his!"
This person is not normal either.
However, while I was trying to say yes to please him, I had no choice but to grimace due to the noise ringing in my ears.
"You bastard!!!!!!! Who says he's a pedophile!?!?! Alice? Do you want to kill him? Let's kill this son of a bitch! The ethics committee will also give you a three-pointed star in recognition!!! Ah, the Director of the Research Center gives you permission, so kill him!
Carol. What's wrong with this woman?! No, he didn't say he was a pedophile. It had that kind of nuance, but...! I'm sure he wasn't talking to you in the first place!
I tried to calm Carol down, who, for some reason, was going crazy.
"Ca-calm down."
"How dare you treat Alice with such despicable thoughts?! You bastard should be put to death! Stop calling yourself an artist when you don't know love!"
Ah, there is no answer to this. Alice's Ghost Story phone service has ended.
Click.
"...I hear you; that's a nice piece. Where are you thinking of displaying it?"
I asked the artist as if nothing had happened.
"It looks like they're holding an exhibition somewhere. I’m planning to exhibit it there."
"...!"
I was sure that this guy was real.
I calmed my voice because I had to keep a poker face.
I asked with a smile, trying to be as friendly as possible.
"That's cool. Can I go take a look?"
"Well, that's fine. Although, I don't know where the exhibition is held."
It's a failure. In fact, the thought that these guys might have been deceived by someone also crossed my mind.
It was then. The moonlight rose high enough to banish the shadows of the buildings.
That's how much time passed, and the night deepened.
The surroundings were brightened by moonlight, but my mood was still dark.
"..."
There was something strange about the artist's expression, which was clearly visible thanks to the moonlight.
He was staring at my face.
I felt slightly eerie.
"What's the matter? Mister, is there something on my face?"
"Beautiful."
"Uh?"
What did I suddenly hear? I was dazed and let out a strange noise, but he didn't care at all about my reaction and muttered to himself.
"Those sapphire blue eyes. Hair like silk. Porcelain skin without any blemishes. And a voice like a music box. How amazing."
"Stop."
I cut him off with a small squeak. It was a rude action, but I didn't have time to think about it as I bit my lip and endured the embarrassment.
A passionate praise as if confessing love. Not only is it incredibly burdensome, but it is also extremely embarrassing, so a feeling of rejection arises.
I turned my body to the side, hoping to hide my blush, which was more visible because of my white skin.
"You look so embarrassed. You're such a pure girl."
I felt like I could do anything to close that mouth.
"I told you to stop, you've seen it wrong... I'm leaving now!"
I miserably tried to run away, thinking that if others chose to praise me as an easy way to get rid of me, the effect would be extremely good.
"I'm sorry. That can't happen."
The artist's mood changed in an instant.
I looked back in surprise.
His scattered works, which I had not seen through the moonlight, came into view.
They were portraits of people, and they were squirming a little.
The artist thrust the paper towards me, and he said greedily:
"I think it would be impossible to find a better work than you."
...
POV Switch - 3rd Person
The clock showed 9 o'clock sharp. The artist stomped his feet impatiently.
"It must be time."
His impatience was interrupted by the sound of music in the wind.
It was a tone he had never heard before, but it was beautiful.
The artist felt a surge of inspiration.
The artist caught it and envisioned it.
An exhibition appeared in the artist's mind.
Next, he imagined a door leading to the exhibition, and his imagination was so specific that it felt like the door was right in front of him.
"..."
It wasn't an illusion, there was a real door. It was the same door as he had imagined.
"There must have been a reason why no one knew the place. It's really amazing... Hehehe...Should I really say that when I can trap people in paintings?"
The artist opened the door and entered.
...
"Shortly after the tracker on D-888 went dead, a door appeared in the plaza. The timing of its appearance was close to what the captured supernatural artist said it was. It appears to be the entrance to an exhibition hall.
"...Confirmed. Combat troops are deployed except for the minimum number of personnel.
...
"Phew! I can't get used to being trapped somewhere."
I escaped from the painting while the artist went to the bathroom.
There’s a popular urban legend that the figures in paintings come to life, so I used a painting-related ghost to get me out.
I spoke to the ghost, who was still in the painting.
"Because of this place, I think you'll be quite helpful. First, please hide in another picture."
After confirming that the painting monster had entered the appropriate picture, I started moving in earnest.
I needed something to cover my face, so I grabbed a mask near the door that seemed to be the entrance.
After covering my face, I overheard the conversations among the artists.
"Look at this. Isn't this a perfect piece of work? A taxidermy of a lesser demon that has been hiding from the eyes of the idiots in the Cathedral and the Institution! I'm probably the only one who brought a demon!"
"But the theme of this exhibition is living humans."
"Haa. We're all God's creatures anyway, demon or human, so does it matter?"
"That's an interesting perspective. How about a copy of the grimoire that I made by removing the skin of a real, living human being?"
"Oh, that's cool."
Even though I only heard part of the conversation, I understand that these guys crossed a line.
I wanted to join in on the conversation and dig up more information, but every time they talked to each other, they would talk about each other's work.
In that case, I guess it would be a good idea to create a piece of art as well.
I drew a picture on a piece of paper lying around in the corner.
It looked good, so I felt better.
'...But it's kind of boring to only have that, so let's summon a monster and have him carry it around like a piece of art.'
I called out The Crooked Man who looked reasonably human.
The crooked man is a monster derived from a mysterious ghost story that sometimes appears when photos are taken of places where major accidents have occurred.2
It would be a fitting surprise for an upcoming exhibition where a lot of different things happen.
"Excuse me. I'm interested in that piece of work, can you explain it to me?"
I spoke the words that any artist would love to hear.
"Oh of course, little artist. This work..."
Blah blah. Blah blah.
I let the explanation pass through one ear and go out the other.
I applauded at the end of the explanation.
This time, the artist showed interest in my work.
"Oh. A man with a broken neck! He's breathing very well. Other than Franken Abigail, this is my first time seeing an artist who is this good at modifying the human body. It's really cool! But what is the drawing in his left hand?"
Even though he is an artist, he recognizes the value of my drawing!
I puffed out my chest and tried to describe the work.
"Heh... This."
"It looks like a kindergartner drew it. It doesn't look like it has any artistic value, is it part of the exhibit?"
"...This is a drawing made by him."
"My God, to have the intelligence to draw with a broken neck, you're a genius of modification techniques at such a young age!"
'Son of a bitch...'
I felt like turning myself into a devil, but I barely held it in. I have to ask questions. Be patient, be patient.
"Do you know who the organizer of this exhibition is?"
"Hmm. I don't know either. But I know the picture the organizer drew. Now look at that."
I moved my gaze along the artist's outstretched finger.
There was a huge painting there that felt intimidating.
One star in the night sky. And at the bottom was a city with lights on.
The title is [Portrait of a Cosmic Being as Witnessed at the Time].
Is this cosmic horror or something?
"Hmm..."
Dozens of human portraits were stuck together like barnacles around the huge painting.
It was creepy, and hard to tell what they meant.
When I got closer, wondering if there would be a commentary, I heard a whisper coming from one of the portraits on the edge.
Get me out.
"... "
I quickly removed the portrait without anyone noticing.
Then, I summoned the painting monster and took out a person from the portrait.
"Urgh. Gasp. Urgh..."
The person taken out was a male agent of the Institution.
It was really sad to see him so scared that he couldn't come to his senses.
I pulled the agent into my arms and began to soothe him. I could feel his heart racing.
"There, you're not scared. Breathe slowly and deeply. That's good!"
The agent's breathing returns to normal.
"There is no fear that cannot be overcome. Even if you're scared, you can feel at ease a little because I'm by your side."
The agent's tremors subside.
"Don't think about anything else ominous. Just focus on what you need to do now, because that's what's best for you."
The agent's sanity returns.
"Even if we're scared, let's move forward steadily. Let's go on an adventure together."
The agent's will returns.
He eventually recovered his damaged mind.
So I pushed the agent out of my arms.
He made a sound of regret.
I seem to have done something embarrassing to someone I met for the first time.
I did it out of instinct.
"Ahem. Are you okay now?"
"Yes, thank you very much. To rely on a kid like that... So, who are you?"
"Alice... If I say D-888, will you understand?"
"...I heard about you, but you feel completely different."
Growl.
The agent's stomach grumbled.
It looks like he was trapped for quite some time.
The agent asked me, scratching his head.
"I'm really sorry, but do you have anything to eat...?"
"I have some leftover pretzels."
I handed the agent a pretzel, and he devoured it quickly. I even gave him some water for fear of choking.
"I think I'm finally going to live."
The agent looks relaxed. The fear on his face until just now was gone, and I started laughing. I wasn't laughing at him, I was laughing because it was nice.
"Hehehe... You're a brave adult, aren't you?"
The agent's face turned red.
"..."
"So, what happened?"
I asked the agent for the whole story.
"Shamefully, I got caught in a painting while chasing down an artist. Not only me but also other innocent people. When I was in the portrait, I felt my power being sucked into that giant painting. First, let's do something with that painting. It is by no means an ordinary painting, so it would be impossible to burn it."
If that picture is the problem, I think it can be easily destroyed.
I summoned the painting monster and asked him a favor.
"Damage that picture."
The monster went into the huge painting.
But something doesn't seem to be going well.
"Do we need the power of the Institution?"
"Probably so."
"Well, it doesn't matter, they'll be here soon."
Bang!!!
As soon as I finished speaking, the Institution's soldiers burst in through the door. The exhibition suddenly turned into chaos.
The agent looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"How did you do it?"
"Sometimes people are afraid to go to new places. It's a monster derived from that. When I got here, I connected this space to the outside."
"What kind of fraudulent ability..."
As a result of the Institution's attacks, artists were arrested like insects flying to a typhoon.
"This! Why are the guards here?"
"These are weapons received from the Workshop! Eat it!"
"It's destroying the exhibition!"
"Holy shit! The exhibition is a mess!"
Some seemed to resist, but it was only for a moment.
At this rate, the exhibition will end, and the artists will be arrested.
It would be nice if it had a trivial ending like this. [~~~~~!]
Music emanated from the huge painting. All the humans paused their actions.
And I felt the monster that I had placed in the painting being forced back into the mirror.
"Ah ah ah ah ah!"
In a picture of the universe, a red star shined intensely.
Humans, regardless of their affiliation, were robbed of their vitality. The humans trapped in the portraits withered and died even faster.
I asked, leaving behind the people who were sitting down in fear.
"...Who are you?"
Is it a monster pretending to be a painting? No. That's definitely a painting. It's also a picture drawn after seeing something.
I don't know what the person who drew that was seeing when he drew it... But I felt like I knew roughly how it worked.
"The owner who drew you must have caught you a long time ago. Then I guess you were the one who opened the exhibition."
The cosmic being in the picture ignored my words and concentrated on absorbing life force.
It was a fake imitating something, but if it came out of that picture, it could be the real thing.
"The intention was to absorb artists and the living human works they created and further devour the people of this region."
Since it is a painting, it would have been efficient in many ways to absorb the people trapped in paintings or who have become works of art.
However, when the Institution invaded and precious life force died, it appeared like this.
The exhibition was a honey trap to quietly prey on people.
"...Concentrate."
I released my aura to prevent the painting from absorbing any more life.
[......!]
Now you're finally paying attention to me!
"It's a truly unpleasant power. The power of a ruler who terrifies people and erases any thought of resistance. How severe is it?"
My gaze collides with the star in the picture.
Their gazes were so powerful that they created the illusion that the space was distorted.
The false ruler saw my power and recognized me as an enemy.
"The fear of an unknown entity? Cosmic horror? Well, okay. It's something that always appears in horror stories, and it's also fun in its own way. But I think that should only exist in creation, not in reality. As a human being, I hate seeing people killed by unreasonable beings. I hate it even more when people run away and can't even think of resisting. Since this world is not paradise, it is inevitable that people will encounter scary things. Still, it's really strange that I don't even get a chance to overcome it. They say that even God does not give us trials that we cannot overcome."
Fear that cannot be overcome is not entertainment.
Therefore, you are not qualified to come to Wonderland.
The Queen of Hearts shouts in my head. Off with their head.
"So I'll close your little universe made of paint."
The painting must have thought these words were the start of a battle, so it attacked me. The stars shone, and red flashes spread everywhere.
The flash showed off the power of a laser attack.
I dodged all attacks with high mobility.
But people who are frozen in fear cannot do that. I placed restrictions on my movement to protect them.
[.......]
Then the painting fired a flash of light towards the humans.
"Ha! That's clever."
I asked the man with the broken neck I had brought out beforehand.
"Can you cause an accident?"
[Giggle... Giggle...]
Where the Crooked Man is, there are accidents.
A man with a broken neck stood in front of a work of art.
Then all the flashes of light converged in front of the man with his neck broken and destroyed him.
This created a gap.
"It's okay to be afraid, but don't stop your steps."
I scattered the energy containing the essence of my power.
It began to drive out cosmic horror.
One by one, the humans came to their senses.
"What just happened..?"
"Look there! It's a man-eating painting! Kill it quickly!"
"We were all fooled."
"I can't help it. It's a temporary alliance!"
"What are you trying to do to show off? You will all be arrested after this!"
The firepower is concentrated on one painting. It seemed to have worked as it began to tear. The painting summoned tentacle-like things, as if struggling.
Huge tentacles come down on people.
They tried to close their eyes and cowered, thinking they were going to die.
But what they saw was me, who fended off the tentacles with my bare body.
"Go ahead, even if you're scared."
After saying that, I summoned the Beast of Gévaudan. The people's firepower was concentrated once again and struck the artwork. The painting that had exhausted its strength showed holes in its solid durability.
"Eat this!"
The agents fired a huge rocket at the painting from somewhere, and the Beast of Gévaudan ran fast enough to catch up with the rocket.
Kaboom!!!
The painting, which received great shock, stiffened and was eventually torn apart by the claws of the Beast of Gévaudan.
...
The situation was over, and the Institution was getting the situation under control. Artists were arrested in large numbers, and some of them became the Institution's new quarantine friends.
[Roar!!!]
Okay. okay. Well done, you don't have to roar. People are scared.
I sent all the monsters away and approached Brehm.
As soon as Brehm saw me, he lowered his head.
"Thank you, Alice. Among them were my colleagues. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to save or get them out."
I was burdened by Brehm's actions.
"Well... Catching him was the result of cooperation, so don't humble yourself too much. Even if you didn't rely on me, there must have been a way."
"What would have happened if there hadn't been a devil like you? Is this the limit of pure human power?"
"No. Absolutely not, so don't say that."
"You..."
Brehm looked touched and spoke quietly.
"You're really unique."
"...Am I?"
I completed my mission and returned safely.
With this, the Institution will almost let down its guard against me.
Besides, with this kind of achievement, they won't be bothered by me lounging around.
It's good, it's good.