I felt the presence of a boy in this cold darkness. Somehow, his dull figure managed to conceal his existence. Ignoring him, I also caught a whiff of nostalgia—the scent of jasmine attempting to dilute the stench of blood from the corpses surrounding it.

Using my memories, I illuminate the darkness and transform it into an endless white corridor, simultaneously fading the presence of that ethereal being, like a ghost. For a moment, no one would suspect that this bright corridor harbors countless tragic tales.

Using this consciousness, I began exploring this delicate illusion in search of clues or anomalies—honestly, anything that could distract me from this endless cycle. Eventually, I discover a rectangular window on my left, revealing a room with white cushions enveloping its walls. Not a single soul occupies this room as if it were merely an exhibition of my memories.

Continuing my journey, I find another window that unveils a classroom-like room, adorned with ceramic walls and thirteen seats for its "students". Observing the "lecturer's" desk at the front, I notice a small pot holding a single white lily, defiantly challenging the flickering ceiling lights.

The next window reveals a grassy room with walls showcasing nature paintings. In the center stands a gray gazebo but unlike the previous rooms, a boy in a hospital gown sits on the patio. His legs are drawn up, and his sharp black hair frames a face turned toward his knees... The boy appears to be lonely.

Soon after, a metal door swings open from the right side of the room, revealing a girl--also wearing a hospital gown--skipping towards the boy. I can't hear their conversation through this thick window, but by observing the expression and gestures of the red-haired girl, it seems she wishes to invite him to play together.

After a moment of hesitation, the boy finally stands and allows himself to be led through the metal door, hand in hand with the girl.

*BRRT!*

Do you wish to wake up from this nightmare?

Feeling a jolt that disrupts my vision, I find myself suddenly standing at the end of this white corridor while still facing the same gazebo room, but now shrouded in a gloomy aura and dim lighting that creeps in from my edge of vision, obliterating the purity of this white space. I must dismantle this disturbance--especially after sensing the presence of horror behind me.

Gathering my courage, I then slowly turn my consciousness to confront a sight resembling the gateway to hell. This once-blinding corridor has now dimmed, with flickering lights revealing splatters of blood from heaps of lifeless bodies. No one is spared from this fate, whether old or young, doctors, guards or even the canteen staff.

Amidst this bloodshed, I felt a familiar presence from the shadowy figure before me. His vacant yet oddly fiery gaze is locked on the blood-stained corridor that surrounds him. The blood-smeared walls also seem to mock him, taunting his cruelty in slaughtering his own kind.

And yet, the thoughts of this man are starkly horrifying. His sanity--already poisoned by the scent of blood--leaves him unable to distinguish between laughter and tears of gratitude for the suffering and vengeance that has finally ended.

"Five... More..."

Like a broken robot, he repeats those words for the umpteenth time. The dagger dripping with blood on his left hand has been used to slice through his victims with ease like a cake. However, this doesn't conceal the various wounds and gunshot marks covering his entire body, nor the blood flowing from his ears, eyes, mouth, and limbs.

Are you willing to be a coward who surrenders to this little nightmare, or are you prepared to force your sanity for the ending you have been long awaiting?

That question haunts his mind--a nightmare that keeps returning until it leaves him numb. Heh. Humans always stand between life and death, unaware of when fate will come knocking at their hearts.

Yet, the man pays no heed. He only desires to fulfill the vengeance that has been buried since that fateful birthday. Observing the bloodthirsty face before me, I realize--I am mourning a reflection. That man... Is me.

***

"...Guh."

After moments of struggling, I finally awoke from that nightmare. Opening my eyes, I find my physical body lying on a bright blue bed, staring at the steel ceiling held up by large screws. This room feels so foreign that it takes me a moment to realize where I am--inside a cabin of a cruise ship.

"That dream again..."

The watch on the bedside table shows the time as 10:12. Gathering the scattered remnants of my soul, I then force this sweating body to rise from the trap of soft pillows before reaching for a white bottle standing next to my watch.

Taking out a few small pills, I then place them on my dry tongue. After waiting a moment while gulping loads of water and stretching my limbs, the previously shaky tremors finally subside.

"Haah... We'll be arriving soon, Jackie."

After finishing a cold shower, I put on a uniform that resembles me as an office worker--a crisp white shirt and freshly laundered black pants. Tidying up personal belongings in my bag, I then check the black suitcase that is blocking the door.

Seeing it unmoved allows me to exhale in relief, knowing there are no intruders trying to break into this room, despite the lock and chain securing the wooden door.

*HONK*

Hearing the ship's horn, I carefully lift the black suitcase to avoid disturbing the toys sleeping inside. Ensuring I have everything I need, I step out of the cabin to navigate this steel corridor. Upon reaching the deck, I encounter various other passengers preparing to disembark from the cruise ship.

Among them are a couple with their two children, a young man wearing glasses, a floral shirt, a straw hat, and holding a selfie stick, as well as a group of workers bustling around the deck to prepare for unloading the ship's cargo.

Sunday, July 17, 2022. It's quite hot today. I can see colorful umbrellas shielding passengers from the fierce sun during this peak summer season. Amidst the crowd, I spot land drawing closer. The harbor pier, with its buildings and a giant orange sign leaning against the hillside behind it... Kusumajaya.

...

After waiting for the cruise ship to finish docking, I, along with thousands of other passengers, began to leave the ship and make my way to the port building via one of the connected walkways. The gleaming white marble floor, towering steel pillars, and the mezzanine opening to the main atrium with a hanging welcome sign were enough to captivate my attention.

Hm… A truly promising place. Under this scorching sun, I left the port and walked towards the parking building. After briefly exploring it using a photo of the parking code on my phone, I finally found a black sedan with a young man leaning against it. Come on. You don’t need to be so formal in that batik outfit with a rose tucked into your pocket.

“Mr. Dika. Welcome to Kusumajaya.”

He introduced himself as Roland, a personal driver for a mysterious figure named “Fukushu.” Using a V8 engine car, “Fukushu” had sent Roland to rescue me from the sun’s relentless rays. Opening the back door of the car, I slowly placed my belongings inside before taking a seat on the left side, greeted with a bottle of tea.

“Thank you for picking me up, Roland.”

“The honor is mine, Mr. Dika.”

Leaving the port complex via a road that cut through the forest, the journey took about ten minutes, transforming the coastal landscape into the city center with its towering skyscrapers. I also persuaded Roland to play a local rock album, causing him to start tapping the steering wheel in rhythm with the music.

“…Did everything go smoothly in Vienna, Mr. Dika?”

“Hm. The migration and Niki’s condition are quite good… If everything goes according to plan, I’m confident we will establish a solid foundation before the year ends, Roland.”

“…It seems that Ms. Nikita’s arrival will also be a birthday gift for you, Mr. Dika.”

“…Not wrong.”

I found myself entering the Cakra Raya District, an area renowned for its elite housing and shopping centers, especially along Kalimas Street… Naturally, Sunday brought a swarm of visitors to this place, much like a storm of fireflies.

“…Roland, I think I’ll get off here.”

“Hm? Do you want to check out Kalimas first, Mr. Dika?”

As expected, Roland sensed my desire to make an appearance under the scorching sun… However, it would be wise to blend in and observe the local atmosphere to gauge the “potential” this prosperous city has to offer.

“…Even so, I can’t shake my concern about what they will say to you later, knowing you will arrive late.”

“I’ll handle it later. Is my destination still far?”

“About three kilometers to the east.”

“Not far… Alright, thank you for the ride, Roland.”

“Anytime, Mr. Dika.”

After unloading my belongings, I watched as Roland’s car slowly drove away, leaving me alone in this bustling crowd. I decided to explore this red-brick road to begin my expedition and reconnaissance mission.

Along Kalimas Street, I encountered various shops, from supermarkets, boutiques, jewelry stores, grocery shops, to towering malls and apartments… Navigating through this sea of people, I took a left turn to avoid the crowd—finding myself entering a narrow alley. It was barely two meters wide, even less so with the potted plants, stacks of cardboard, plastic, and a small drainage ditch that, oddly enough, was clean on my left.

Ignoring it, the recessed position of this alley made the windowless shop walls around it conceal and hide the alley from the outside world. Thus, it was no wonder that this “cave” felt abandoned and lonely, away from the tourists outside… Yet this silence also concealed something that was enough to raise the hairs on my neck… This isn’t good.

“KYAAA!!!”

“…Long live.”

I saw a woman, an office worker, emerge from another corner of the alley, followed by two men who quickly cornered her against one of the shop walls on Kalimas Street. Our guests today were a middle-aged man with a filthy, overweight body and a skinny young man resembling a twig.

Following my instincts, I hid behind a stack of food boxes, securing my belongings before taking out the cold bottle and stealthily trailing the three of them, who were still unaware of my presence even at a distance of less than four meters… I could hear their lewd remarks, wrapped in sweet promises to simply rob the woman.

“What a shame… You’re looking sexy again~”

“L-Let me go!!”

*Whoosh\~* *THUCK!*

“GAH!!! W-WHO THREW THAT!?!”

Feeling the cold bottle hit the back of his neck, the skinny thug turned his fierce gaze toward me, finally revealing the pale face of the woman he had taken hostage. However, the other thug seemed oblivious to what had just happened to them.

“Y-You bastard… Get out of here!”

“…Why would I? To miss this little show?”

“Hiick—!!”

Wrapping his arms around her tightly, he pulled out a shiny knife and aimed it at the woman’s neck. Hm. Not a bad attempt to doubt a “prince’s” intentions when he wants to save his “princess”… But miracles and fantasies like that don’t just happen in the harsh reality of this world.

This world is not a cheap fairy tale.

“…How dare you interfere, kid. Looking for trouble? HUH!?”

Finally realizing what was happening (thanks to his partner’s shout), the filthy thug turned his attention to me, taking arrogant steps that shook the folds of his fat. He looked like a rotten cake with an uncontrollable desire, as if he wanted to spread rabies. Instead of feeling scared, this pig-faced man made me feel nauseous with a rising sense of annoyance.

“Haah… Calm yourself…”

Exhaling a breath full of disappointment, I looked up at the blue sky through the small gaps between the shop buildings. I suppose even the “Fresh Meat” city of Kusumajaya is not free from societal trash like them, parasites that come only to gnaw at the prosperity of their host.

“When will… a trash like you ever learn to repent?”

“A… What did you—GUHK!!”

Quickly dodging the hand aimed at my shirt, I landed a punch on the greasy side of his face. Not giving him a chance to recover, I followed up with a hard kick to his round belly, sending him crashing to the ground.

*BWAK* *THUD*

“G-Guh…”

“…Eh?”

“Tch… My shoe is dirty. Think about what you’ll do after this, twig.”

“K-Ko!! H-Hraaghh!!!”

Seeing his “boss” fall, the skinny thug’s anxiety made him drop the woman he had been holding roughly onto the ground of the alley. Without taking a second breath, he charged at me with a knife trembling in his hand, aiming for my chest… Did he think I was a vampire?

Regardless—once again, I dodged the amateurish stab from this twig, before grabbing his dominant arm and smashing his elbow, causing him to drop the knife and making it easy for me to slap him down onto the paving stones beneath us… Your position is now equal to that of the woman.

*Fwish* *Clank!*

“A-Aarghhh!!!”

“It seems you like to be stubborn, even after I gave you a hint to surrender… Now, who do you work for?”

“A-Are you… What do you mean—Ghaahhh!!!”

To silence his barking mouth, I slowly twisted the skinny thug’s arm to show who was in charge here. Don’t play with me, amateur. Do you want to die? I won’t hesitate to drive your mother’s knife deep into your heart.

“S-Solo!! We’re doing this on our own!”

“…Are you sure?”

“****Cough*  *Cough****  Y-Yes!!”

Finally releasing my grip on his arm, I wiped my hands on his tattered clothes before pulling out antiseptic from my pants pocket to clean them… From the corner of my eye, I noticed the woman still sitting in the alley—clearly watching me with fear. Various scratches were visible on her legs.

“Go. Forget what happened today.”

“—!!!”

*Tap* *Tap…* *Tap…*

“Ghuk…”

“…I suggest you and your pig-faced friend abandon this vile behavior. If I find you like this again, I will make you beg for a swift death.”

“…O-Okay…”

Leaving the skinny thug, who was now struggling to catch his breath, I stepped back to my belongings to open the map application on my phone, inputting the location of my destination for today… But I also sensed a third party approaching from behind me.

Turning my head to confirm this instinct, I found both thugs being forcibly apprehended by a mysterious group clad in black robes. The sharp silver motifs swirling on their robes threatened anyone foolish enough to interfere with their affairs.

“Heh… Looks like you’re doing just fine here.”

Having finished putting on my backpack, I resumed my journey through this series of alleys, slowly but surely approaching the location previously marked on the map… A place called the National School of Kusumajaya.

More than two decades ago, the central government implemented a reclamation program for remote islands to boost the national economy, which had plummeted due to the monetary crisis. They also aimed to maintain political stability, build military bases, and provide living space to address population density issues. Kusumajaya Island emerged as one of the best outcomes of this policy.

This island, located in the middle of nowhere, became a soft target for entrepreneurs and ordinary people seeking to find a new life and embrace the saying "Living the American Dream." However, a double-edged sword lurked on the horizon, waiting for victims to fall into the deadly trap of that saying.

Nevertheless, Kusumajaya Island also held autonomous status—separating its legal entity and government structure from the nation. With a landscape reminiscent of Europe, it was no surprise that many migrants from the mainland flocked here to seize this opportunity.

As a result, this island, spanning a thousand square kilometers, has accommodated over two hundred thousand residents.

The National School of Kusumajaya is a school complex located on the western side of the Brahwana District. The location, surrounded by upscale residential areas, made it easy for me to encounter various students from wealthy backgrounds, politicians, entrepreneurs, and international students.

This school, which has yet to graduate a single student, also targets international competition, producing outstanding talents that can pull this nation from its dark age. Morality, economy, health, politics, education, culture, sports, and other aspects required me to explore it… That was one of the reasons why he chose this location before the angel of death came to take him.

 Ignoring this strategic and competitive location, he also wanted to help us experience a "normal" life. That significant debt was something I had to repay until my turn to die came by.

…

The black fence, covered in climbing plants, blocked my left side and the road from the Renaissance buildings behind it, a stark contrast to the skyscrapers in the City Center of Kusumajaya.

Through the gaps in this tall fence, I saw various flower gardens, green mazes, sports fields, swimming pools, and an amphitheater… At that moment, my phone chimed. I had arrived.

“…”

Searching for the main gate of this massive complex, I took a moment to enjoy the view of the rows of tall canopy trees shielding the dual carriageway from the sun's wrath, the colonial-style bus stop, and the various shops and stalls lining the opposite side of the street.

Soon, I finally found the black archway that read "NATIONAL SCHOOL OF KUSUMAJAYA," standing between this intimidating fence, accompanied by a woman with long brown hair in a graphite blazer sitting on a bench beneath the gate.

The way she played with her pen, the repeated tapping of her shoes on the pavement, and her mumbling face indicated that she was waiting for someone.

“Ah.”

As our eyes locked, the 25-year-old woman responded with a look reminiscent of someone dropping cooking ingredients. However, her surprised expression was quickly replaced by a slow nod and a wry smile from her pink-lipped mouth. Observing her presence next to the long bench, I decided to voice my complaint.

“Haah… What are you doing here, Kiki, under this heat that could cleanse sins? Are you alright over there?”

“H-Hey, what do you mean… Of course, I’m waiting for you, Dika! Goodness… Who told you to get off Roland’s ride to stroll around Kalimas… I have to admit, it’s a good thing you were there to prevent that woman from the worst side of humanity… The Crow Detachment reported that one of your 'justice' victims is experiencing bleeding in their digestive system.”

“…As an architect, it would be wise for me to study the terrain before this operation proceeds. It was their mistake to ruin my mood. Alright… Where’s Kochi? I think I need to interrupt him from his new job.”

“—Wait a minute, Dika.”

As I passed Kiki, I felt her fingers reach for my hand that was holding onto my black suitcase. Stopping my steps for her, Kiki began to speak slowly as if trying to calm me down. Apparently, she wanted me to address them as “Mr. Natsuke” and “Mrs. Amanda”.

Hm… I suppose that makes sense, considering they would be my “guiding” teachers. It would be odd to call my teachers by their pet names. Thumbs up, Kiki released her grip and began walking to guide me into this massive fortress.

“D-Do you even know where Kotaro’s office is?”

“Heh… Of course not.”

“…Haah. This kid is unbelievable…”

Observing that sulky face, I remembered what kind of woman Kiki really was. That fiery nature didn’t hide her caring and cuteness… You’re truly a lucky man to have married her.

…

This dark and silent room reminded me of the setting and atmosphere of a murder mystery story. Thick brown curtains blocked the sunlight, garnet-patterned walls, shelves adorned with books and thick documents, and an antique lamp standing alone on a large wooden table in the middle of the room.

Beyond that classic table was an office chair facing away from me. The tall, closed back obstructed my view of what was hidden behind it… But I quickly guessed someone had that habit when I came to see him.

“You look like a real boss, Kochi.”

The chair slowly turned, revealing a man in a black suit and rectangular glasses adorning his emo appearance. Chuckling as he met my gaze, the 26-year-old man stood from his chair to walk closer to me… He was still wearing the watch I had given him as a wedding gift on his left wrist.

“…Finally, you’ve come. Ha! Here to kick some bad guys as usual!”

“Can’t let them be. They are parasites that must be eradicated as soon as possible.”

“Haah… Even a city like Kusumajaya won’t be free from people like them. If only the central government would screen the migrants who settle here first, so that the rotten people would be separated from the quality ones. Please, have a seat, Dika.”

Pointing to the leather sofa in the corner of the room, I then allowed myself to unload my belongings before sitting on the soft cushion provided. Without any small talk, Kochi immediately asked for my perspective on the current condition of Kusumajaya under his control.

Honestly, Kusumajaya was quite interesting as the primary location for this expansion operation… However, I was more surprised by the decision of the Mayor of Kusumajaya to appoint Kochi as the principal of this institution. Was this nepotism at its finest?

“A-As the principal, I also received a position within my father’s government cabinet—Cormicus! Coordinator of Academics in Kusumajaya! Although it looks bad, it’s a good start! L-Look, Dika… All of this is a shortcut to building a dominance that will secure this nation in our embrace… The people will never suspect anything if I keep my mouth shut and carry out this great task perfectly. How about your job, Dika? It’s not good from a moral standpoint either… Why not just ask Sidorova for help?”

He was right. My current job was also far from being “moral”… But by carrying it out, I hoped it would bring good in the long run. Not only that, but this job was also one of my forms of atonement to my master.

“I’ve received a lot of support from them… There’s no reason to dirty my hands with Sidorova again at this point.”

“…Alright. Here, the key to your room during your stay in the school dormitory until graduation. You can also use the remaining time to rest or explore Ryo’s investment masterpiece.”

“…I will rest.”

Standing from the sofa, I reached for my suitcase, backpack, and the room key hanging from Kochi’s right hand. After that, I walked back toward the double doors of this mysterious room to recall the words that almost slipped from my mind.

“Nice room. It’s similar to your office in the Winter Palace.”

“Haha… Thank you—Wait! One more thing, Dika.”

“…What is it?”

“Welcome to the National School of Kusumajaya.”

“Heh… It took you a long time to say that, Mr. Natsuke the Honorable, Protectorate of the Kusumajaya Region.”

“G-Guh… It’s disgusting to hear that coming from you…”

...