The next morning dawned bright and early. After my conversation with Hyun at dawn, I returned to my room and managed to swap shifts for night watch and nursing duties. Despite my insistence that I was fine and could sleep more, they practically pushed me to rest, leaving me with no choice. So, I lay down in a corner of the living room, intending to catch a quick nap, but ended up sleeping soundly. I decided I needed to be more vigilant.
Even if things seemed calm now, complacency was dangerous. Perhaps I was being overly cautious, but I was the type who needed to push myself to the limit to feel satisfied. Over the past decade, I had trained myself to avoid sleeping deeply or eating to my fill. Just as I was about to get up, thinking it was time to pick up the pace, I sensed someone nearby. Opening my eyes slightly, I was surprised to find Sol sitting quietly beside me.
“Ah!”
Sol, who had been fidgeting nervously, widened her eyes in surprise when our gazes met. There was no need for such a reaction. I wasn’t her enemy. I greeted her softly, trying to convey that I meant no harm.
“Good morning. How are you feeling?”
“Oh, good morning.”
Despite her flustered state, she responded politely, which made me smile. Ah, I really shouldn’t be like this. Why does my heart soften every time I see her? Watching her, I felt an overwhelming urge to protect her. Slowly, I sat up, and she hesitated before speaking in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz.
“O-oppa.”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Sorry?”
What was she apologizing for now? I felt like I’d heard “sorry” from her countless times since yesterday. As I looked at her, puzzled, she continued, her head bowed.
“I heard… because of me… you had a hard time…”
Her words were so fragmented that anyone overhearing might misunderstand. Watching her stammer, I suddenly worried about her future. How would she cope with the extraordinary people in this world if she struggled to speak to others? The idea of her becoming a radiant priestess, on par with the Shadow Queen or the Execution Princess, seemed far-fetched. I replied with a nonchalant expression.
“There’s no need to apologize. You did great. I heard you saved everyone’s lives.”
“N-no! I don’t really remember it well!”
Not wanting to dampen her spirits, I shook my head kindly. My praise seemed to reach her, as her face brightened, and she began to wave her hands bashfully. Her expressions were so transparent, revealing her thoughts, that I couldn’t help but wonder how she had been raised to be so pure and innocent. Just then, someone called out to me from behind.
“Suhyeon, if you’re up, come have breakfast.”
”?”
“Why are you looking at me like that, with all those questions in your eyes?”
”?”
“Fine, fine. I’ll speak normally. Ahn Hyun told me you took over the night watch and nursing duties for us. I made breakfast to thank you. Everyone else has already eaten, so don’t worry.”
“Ah, it’s definitely you, Yujeong. Thanks.”
Nodding, I reached out, and she placed a plate in front of me with a slightly annoyed expression. The menu was the same as yesterday: tuna crackers. I wanted to tease her about not knowing how to make anything else, but her icy stare made me think better of it.
”…”
”…”
I picked up a cracker and took a bite. Yujeong and Sol watched me eat in silence. As I chewed, I put the cracker down with a dissatisfied look. Yujeong blinked, urging me to eat more, while Sol continued to smile innocently, as if she found something amusing. Were they all acting strange today?
“Do I look like a zoo monkey to you?”
“Not quite. It’s just fascinating how you eat.”
“How I eat?”
Not quite, huh. Was my eating that peculiar? I was just eating as I usually did… Then it hit me.
“Hyun just chews a few times and swallows, but you nibble like a squirrel, chewing slowly and thoroughly before swallowing. You don’t eat much either. Why do you eat like that?”
I couldn’t answer immediately. Yujeong’s observation was unexpectedly sharp. The truth was, during a time when I was being chased by fairies in the Fairy Forest, food was scarce. I had developed this habit of eating sparingly to conserve supplies. Even now, when preparing for battles or expeditions, I never eat to fullness to keep my senses sharp. A full stomach can dull one’s senses.
But I couldn’t explain all that, so I decided to change the subject.
“It’s just a habit. I eat more when I can, but in situations like this, I eat less. By the way, where are the others?”
“Hyun went out to scout the area, and Hanbyeol went up to the rooftop.”
Relieved that Yujeong didn’t question further, I sighed inwardly. Then I noticed Sol watching me with bright eyes. When our eyes met, she smiled awkwardly again. What was up with her today?
Sol reminded me of a child. When children meet strangers, they instinctively feel wary, fearing harm. If you approach them without thinking, they show their discomfort by crying. The way to befriend such children is simple: keep your distance at first, doing nothing to make them feel threatened. Then, their curiosity will draw them closer, and that’s the perfect time to bond.
As I pondered over Sol—or rather, indulged in trivial thoughts—I chewed another cracker Yujeong had made and drifted into other thoughts. If we counted the day from midnight, today marked the second day since we entered the trap point. In other words, today until midnight was still considered safe. Though no one said it, it seemed everyone was quite fond of this place.
“I hope they come back soon. We have things to discuss.”
“Like what? How we’re going to proceed?”
“Something like that.”
“What is it? Tell Sol and me first.”
Yujeong sat with her knees together, arms wrapped around them, looking curious. Sol, too, seemed slightly tense at the mention of future plans. I knew this might not go over well, but I decided to face it head-on. No matter how difficult it was to say, it was something everyone needed to know.
“I think we should leave this city today.”
As soon as I said it, their faces froze, just as I had expected.
“I just got back from a patrol. It’s eerily quiet, just like you said.”
Hyun’s first words upon entering were about how suspiciously quiet the city was. With everyone gathered in the living room, I prepared to share what I had to say. Hanbyeol seemed to have regained her usual calm demeanor after some fresh air. After scanning everyone’s faces, I began.
“I assume everyone remembers what the angels told us before we came to this place called the Rite of Passage.”
“Not really. I was too busy arguing with that winged woman to listen to anything.”
Yujeong’s puzzled expression made me chuckle. Setting her aside, I turned to Hyun and Hanbyeol. They thought for a moment before speaking.
“I read the guidelines, but there were so many… Like, they won’t provide food or water, so we have to find it ourselves. Death here means real death, so be careful. The survival conditions are to reach the central warp gate and… what else?”
“Survive for seven days.”
Hanbyeol added to Hyun’s words, and that was exactly what I was waiting for.
“That’s it. Survive for seven days. Hanbyeol, do you remember any other conditions attached to that rule?”
Hanbyeol looked slightly annoyed but answered.
“I remember. The angel said not to settle in one place. We were told to keep moving or head to the center.”
Nodding at her words, I was about to speak again when Yujeong quickly stood up, cutting me off.
“But oppa, this place is safe, isn’t it? There’s plenty of food, we slept well, and we have a house. Don’t you remember how much we suffered as soon as we left the forest?”
“Well, that’s true. But do we really need to leave this place, hyung? We don’t have to take everything those angels say at face value, do we?”
As Ahn Hyun chimed in to support her, Yoo Jung looked at me with a noticeably brighter expression. It was clear she wasn’t keen on leaving. I met their gazes and began speaking in a calm voice.
“It seems like everyone is getting too comfortable and not thinking things through. Let’s try looking at it from the opposite perspective.”
“The opposite?”
“Yes. Hyun, you’ve been around the area, so you know how eerily quiet this city is. In the forest, we were constantly on edge, and even after we left, you were attacked. If we go outside, it’ll probably happen again. But…”
I paused briefly before continuing.
“The angels don’t want us to stay put. They’ve warned us: survive for seven days or head to the central warp gate, but don’t get complacent. We need to understand what the angels want. If we consider the purpose of this trial and our current situation, it doesn’t add up. This place is too convenient compared to the outside—comfortable facilities, plenty of food, no monsters. I think it’s a trap. I have a bad feeling about what might happen if we stay here any longer.”
“So, you’re saying we should leave because you have a bad feeling?”
“I know it’s hard to act on just a hunch. But there’s definitely an unsettling vibe here. I think the best strategy is to rest just enough, gather what we need, and then move on. Ideally, I’d like us to leave by today.”
Even as I tried to persuade them, I wasn’t confident I could convince them. The success rate of persuasion varies greatly between facing danger and being in a safe situation. Moreover, even I felt my argument lacked solid evidence, relying heavily on intuition. But that couldn’t be helped. There was bound to be a difference between those who knew the whole plane and those who didn’t.
Everyone was silent for a while, but their reluctant expressions made it clear they didn’t want to leave. Sure, I could handle any boss monster that came our way, but since this was a place set up by the angels, I wanted them to follow the proper course. The more comfortable they were now, the harder it would be in the whole plane. Ahn Hyun looked up, met my eyes, and then addressed everyone.
“Since we all seem to have different opinions… let’s decide by majority vote.”
“Majority vote?”
“Yes. But there are two conditions for this vote.”
“What conditions?”
I was intrigued by the unexpected suggestion. A majority vote—it felt like ages since I’d heard that term. Kim Hanbyul also seemed to find it refreshing and asked, prompting Ahn Hyun to nod slightly and explain.
“The conditions aren’t much. First, each person can choose to agree, disagree, or abstain, but they must explain their choice. Second, whatever the outcome, we all agree to accept it without complaints.”
Yoo Jung, confident that staying would win, spoke in a lively voice.
“Agree, agree! No objections here. I like the idea of a majority vote. Let’s do it now. Can I go first?”
“Sure. It’s best to do these things quickly. I’ll count one vote for Suhyun hyung as agreeing since he’s already stated his reasons.”
“No objections.”
“Then… does anyone have a different opinion? If not, we’ll proceed as planned.”
With Kim Hanbyul, Ahn Sol, and me agreeing, Ahn Hyun nodded and turned his attention to Yoo Jung. Slowly, she opened her mouth, and everyone focused on what she was about to say.