Fortune Cookie (4)
"I didn't expect anyone to be here."
The first to speak was Carrot. After setting up the folding chair he'd brought, he sat down.
A spot shielded from the wind. The way he naturally found his place showed this wasn't his first time up here.
"Have you come here often?"
Carrot answered my question quietly. His gaze was steady, as if nothing had happened between us during the day.
"It hasn't been around long enough to say I come here often. But I did come every day. The stars are easy to see from up here."
"... The stars?"
Honestly, Titan's night sky wasn't exactly a good place to see stars. The clouds that covered the sky didn't vanish with a snap just because night came.
During the day, the artificial lights orbiting overhead made it impossible to see the stars, and at night, Saturn filled the sky and blocked the view.
Carrot must have noticed my doubtful expression and handed me some kind of device. From the look of it, it seemed to be a telescope.
I'd only seen one in pictures—seeing it in real life for the first time, I was curious as I took it from him. He seemed to want me to look at the sky, so I obediently brought it to my eye.
My mouth dropped open almost at the same time.
"So? Can you see clearly now?"
"... There are so many stars."
Perhaps it was the telescope's function, but for the first time the hazy sky cleared and revealed its hidden treasures.
Countless stars hung in Titan's night sky. They were just tiny balls of light, but there was a mysterious charm in starlight that drew the eye.
It was my first time seeing such a sight. Not a hologram, but real stars in the night sky. I wondered if looking up at the sky from Earth felt like this. Strangely, the immensity made me feel at ease.
"Since ancient times, the stars at night served as guides. On the vast sea, the only markers were the stars hanging in the sky."
Stars still serve as guides. All that's changed is that instead of leaving the cradle of Earth for the sea, humanity ventured out into even larger oceans: space.
Carrot said this as he looked up at the sky.
"Are you searching for a path?"
"A path... Heh, you're right. As I count the stars, I look for the way. Even at my age, I still don't know what's truly right."
"..."
"If I had to say... Yes, I'm searching for a slightly better path. I know goodwill doesn't always return as goodwill, but that doesn't mean I can just stand by and do nothing."
Carrot muttered thoughtfully, his face pensive. For his age, his hands showed almost no wrinkles. He was, at a glance, just a middle-aged man with white hair.
He tore his gaze from the sky to look at me. I saw a piercing sadness in his eyes. Perhaps guilt.
"I'm not such a good person. I don't even qualify as a comparison. My crimes are so grave, they can't be washed away, not even in death."
If Licorice hadn't told me his story, I wouldn't have understood what Carrot was talking about.
I carefully observed his expression.
"... I heard from a broker. That you were involved with the Immortality Experiment."
"Is that so. So Licorice told you."
Carrot, who apparently knew the broker's name, fell silent after that. He unexpectedly didn't say much. He simply looked down at his hands. He had every right to be offended, but he wasn't.
"Living on when you'd rather be dead is miserable, but the most miserable thing is a life that missed its moment to end. I lost myself. Maybe that's why I look at the stars. I started to think that a star, watching us from up high, might remember who I used to be."
I was going to apologize for prying, but Carrot sensed it and raised his hand to stop me. His next words made me tense up.
"If you're bothered by knowing my story, don't be. I've heard yours, too. From her, you see. It goes both ways."
"My story? What...?"
The only one who could have told Carrot about me was Licorice. Now I realized she must have acted as a bridge between us. No wonder it was strange how easily she'd shared information about Carrot.
"I heard you lost your memory. Is it true?"
"... Yes."
"At first, I was suspicious of you."
He said 'suspicion', but it was really concern, quite a distance from true suspicion.
"When I saw you showing strength beyond normal human limits, I thought you might be like me. I'm not strong like you, but cases outside the norm sometimes occur, so it wasn't impossible."
"..."
"That's why I asked you to let me draw your blood. If you were a victim of that experiment and lost your memory because of it, I'd be obligated to take responsibility for you. Think of it as my atonement."
Carrot seemed to believe I was connected to that experiment. Even though it happened 75 years ago, he seemed to think I was either involved directly, or the offspring of one of its victims.
"I'm a little—no, a lot—late, but I do apologize for this morning. I let my impatience get the better of me and crossed a line."
"No need for an apology. But if I really am connected to that experiment, what's so dangerous about that?"
I hadn't noticed anything unusual about myself. When I asked why he wanted my blood, Carrot replied in a subdued voice.
"If your superhuman strength comes from nanorobots, that's dangerous. They might be shortening your lifespan to produce that much power."
"So every time I use my strength, my lifespan is reduced? If, that is, I really do have nanorobots?"
"That's right. Have you ever felt it, though? Like extreme exhaustion or weakness after using your strength?"
"... No, nothing like that. If anything, I feel like I've gotten stronger than before."
Thinking it best to show him directly, I produced a scrap of metal I'd picked up outside. Its edges were sharp, but I'd held onto it because manipulating it calmed me. Now it seemed it was time to part with it.
Deliberately, I put the metal shard in my palm and squeezed. My tendons stood out with the effort. The shard crumpled with a squish into a small ball.
"Tada. It's not that hard, really."
"... May I see that ball?"
Carrot checked the ball's hardness. Realizing I wasn't faking, his expression grew grave. He seemed flustered, so I spoke nonchalantly to ease the tension. Actually, it really wasn't a big deal to me.
"I've never felt exhausted after using my strength. I doubt I'm connected to the Immortality Experiment you're worried about."
"Huh..."
"If you're still concerned, I can cooperate. Nadia doesn't want my blood drawn, so that's out. But if it's just about confirming nanorobots, do you really need my blood?"
"It's because the facilities here are so basic."
Carrot, having calmed down, nodded in agreement. The facilities were outdated, but blood tests weren't the only possible method.
"If I had a scanner, it'd be useful for all sorts of things. But I can't build or obtain one right now."
"How big is a scanner?"
"About the size of a forearm. My forearm, not yours."
"That seems doable. In fact, I'll be going to the residential area. There are research facilities near the central tower—we could get a scanner there."
"... If you could do that, I'd be grateful. There's a lot a scanner could be used for. But why go to all that trouble?"
I didn't answer immediately, letting the silence linger. Frankly, I had no obligation to help Carrot. Even if there were other reasons to go to the residential area, with death all around, minimizing my time inside was wise.
Letting him take my blood would save me the trouble of getting a scanner, but as Nadia said, I was uneasy about giving away my blood. That's why I opted for the scanner as a second-best solution.
To be honest, I didn't even think there was a need to test myself. I was confident my power wasn't due to nanorobots. I knew my body best. I'd never felt anything was wrong with me when I used my strength.
Still, there was only one reason why I would willingly take the risk.
"Please help us. So we can survive."
A desperate wish for survival. I was trying to alleviate the ever-growing sense of pressure. I didn't want just partial cooperation; I wanted maximum cooperation.
With the threat from the pureblood supremacists rising, our only chance at survival was to work together. This was the foundation for that. A step toward the next phase.
According to Licorice, Carrot was a capable person. But no ability could manifest with nothing to work with. Problems couldn't be solved by willpower alone.
"So, if there's anything else you need besides the scanner, let me know. I'll try to get it."
Carrot gazed at me steadily.
"Now I understand why she keeps you close. You're a fool, you know. Always picking the hard road, leaving the easy one behind. But maybe that's why you're trustworthy."
"..."
"I know goodwill doesn't always return as goodwill. Still, I believe in the power of goodwill. I want to believe this is the slightly better path."
"You mean...?"
"I look forward to working with you."
Carrot held out his hand. I shook it. A brief handshake. I tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
"You'd better work hard. Licorice will pay your wages for you. Actually, forget that. I'll just work hard myself."
"Do you know the best part of this body? Even as I've aged, my joints never ache."
Carrot laughed softly.
Carrot. The researcher who wanted to buy the black spike fired by the mimic when I met him for the first time at the central tower. The one Licorice brought with her. An Immortality Experiment subject—not just a perpetrator, but a victim.
And now, an ally.
I didn't trust him enough to leave my back turned, but nothing would be built if we didn't even start. Beginnings were always uncertain.
I quietly looked up at the sky. Time had passed; the sky was now even darker. Aside from Saturn, no other lights were visible. It didn't look as natural as Earth's sky, but even here on Titan, there was day and night.
Titan's night sky is different from an ordinary night. The sun doesn't orbit overhead; instead, artificial lights do. There are always clouds, so stars are rarely visible.
But that doesn't mean there are no stars. It should have been obvious, but I only realized it just now.
I brought the telescope back to my eye. The stars, hidden behind the clouds, now flaunted their brilliance. Each one was a guide. In the darkness, they lit the path so that we wouldn't get lost.
It's just a single layer. Only a thin layer separates despair from hope.
I wanted to live as a human being. There wasn't really a set definition for what was human, so I couldn't say exactly what it meant. But to me, the first step to living as a human being was trust.
I knew I was foolish, but I had no intention of changing my ways. Like I said, it's only a thin layer. Beyond it, the guiding stars shine.
All that was left was to keep walking forward.
"I'll return this."
"You keep it. Think of it as a gift from this old man."
The tool that let me see beyond returned to my hands. I thanked him, folded the telescope, and put it in my belt pouch.
***
The shuttle repairs were complete. It was thanks to Kyle's tireless work, day and night.
Eric told the people in town that we'd be going to the residential area, and announced who'd be included. Those who'd been anxious, worrying they might be chosen, sighed in relief when the names were read.
Some people tried to ignore Licorice's warning and secretly came to me with personal requests, but each time, security robots seemed to know and took them away.
We, too, got busy. This would be our first and last trip to the residential area, so we had to prepare thoroughly.
"Here. Take this."
"... Credit? Are you giving me credit right now?"
I stared in surprise at the credits Licorice sent me. Up until now I'd only ever given out credit, never received it. It wasn't enough to make me faint—just a million credits—but coming from Licorice, it was remarkable.
"You said you only have four hundred thousand credits, right? You probably won't need to spend it, but keep it on you just in case."
Honestly, there weren't many places to spend credits now. Most things were already bought in town, and in the residential area or Heaven, using the store made too much noise. Still, it couldn't hurt to have some on hand.
When I looked at Licorice with gratitude in my eyes, she opened her mouth as if about to say something, then closed it. Her eartips turned a little red before she abruptly scolded me.
"If you'd gotten a bracelet, I wouldn't have had to spend my money! This time, just get yourself a bracelet and raise your rank—get a stash of spare credits, will you? ... But don't overdo it."
"Okay."
I knew I needed to. I didn't want to stay a lower rank forever, and being a higher rank meant there was more I could do.
I glanced at Licorice, who stood with arms folded. It was ridiculous how she could throw a bomb at me and then act like nothing had happened.
'Later.'
Now wasn't the time to ask her about it, so I turned towards those waiting for me at the shuttle. This time, the people going to the residential area were me, Nadia, ellic, Roxy, Carry, and one security robot.
Since Licorice insisted, there was no choice but to leave only two security robots behind in town.
"Nadia, did you pack everything? Let's go."
"Yep!"
And so, the shuttle rose toward the residential area.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
It seems I developed a habit of thinking of novels as if it was a video game.
Like Apocalypse Survival Guide is like dead space, and the characters around the MC are NPCs, aside from Carry and Nadia of course, the are like part of the party and are companions.
The same goes for the Regressor's Tale of Cultivation.
With Seon Eun-hyun's regression point as checkpoints.
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