The Little Prince in the Ossuary

# Shadowed Parchment (12)

What should I say? Do I have to tell you you still have a chance? There's still a chance to be a star in heaven? The winter I thought about so far shook my heart.

It's too shabby.

If Esther continues to cooperate with the U.S. government, she could actually save a lot of lives. We're going to look at the mutants' movements as if we're looking at them, spreading false information among them, disrupting signals at the critical moment, and picking and fighting only the battles that win.

That's why we need to be more vigilant. The word "comfort" is actually his own winter breeze. I felt like I would never, but this was a problem I shouldn't trust myself with.

Above all, how does Esther sound……. You know exactly what people want. If you misunderstand at this point, you will remain hurt and grumbled until the last moment.

The time given was short. After hesitating to choose a horse, one word came out as a mistake.

“Esther, I pray for you. ”

The clock is ticking. I couldn't put the spilled water back in.

The quiet monster girl smiles slowly and clearly.

“Thank you.”

It was a different look than before when I was sick.

“Like this, Nanika, somehow, my head is clear. ”

“Yes……. ”

“Jegaa, Earlier, angry, bad words, I did, but God, too, will be on the rocks... …. Commander Chulalongkorn, the unbeliever, the unbeliever, the prayer, whatever it is, please listen to me. Lord, there is no limit to love. ”

“ ……. ”

“That's what I'm trying to believe. ”

Saying you believe leaves you with a lot to lose. Esther had nothing left.

As you hear the crackling sound of the army boots, the monster girl calls for the last winter.

“Commander.”

“Yes.”

“I'm sorry.... ”

The Health Service Unit and CDC personnel took over the site. Winter had to give them space. During surveillance by security forces and Homeland Security personnel, specially trained medical personnel secured Esther and treated her with urgent wounds. It is a sample that should not die, and a potential collaborator.

“Sir, would you mind coordinating? ”

A request that is both office and tense. Turns out, it was the CDC and Homeland Security. Although the outfit was uniform, it was distinguishable with patches attached to the upper arms. Winter came again.

“Cooperation?”

“The Commander is also a quarantine subject. You may have been infected during combat. First, give me the weapon. We'll return it when we're done. ”

“…… there are no weapons. ”

Winter opens its empty hands slowly. At the time the protective clothing was removed, the armor that was carried on it was also disarmed. In addition, Esther did not detect any further threats, so she did not feel the need to reclaim the weapon. I wasn't in the mood.

“Then please accompany me immediately. It won't take long. ”

Even if the tone is polite, the atmosphere is tense. It was an incident. Winter had no choice but to leave the recruits with them.

As I left the scene one day, winter separated Esther from her gaze.

The precision inspection, which said it wouldn't take long, ended long after sunset. Results are not infected. After that, it was time to compete with the supervisor dispatched to hear the assessment. Late meals were then. He will, too, be a matter of checking in at the White House level from time to time.

Apart from hunger, winter without appetite left half a meal. Even though it was a rarely well-prepared diet. At this moment, I didn't care about maintaining my strength.

After the meal was cleared, the West Station Director found winter.

“Were you close? ”

Cut back and forth questions.

“No…. Well, that's too bad. Seriously.”

How long has it been since winter was worn out in so many ways? A person tears up with a sad story on the screen. Esther was more than just a story, and it felt real to the skin.

“What happened to Major Campbell? Is he alive?"

The question of winter was so unfamiliar. The blemish of the West was vaguely positive.

“Alive. For now……. ”

“For now?”

“I found it, but it's infected. Life in the prime.”

Esther couldn't just abandon Campbell. Rather, it was better than killing. The rest of your life will be that much despair and pain. The possibility of vaccine development was denied by Campbell himself. At that time, there would be no hope of a word, postponed with conviction. At least not while he's alive.

“That guy, he stole research from real patriots. ”

The West Branch Director explained that he thought winter would be curious.

“Data was erased and documented during the rebel cleanup process. And Campbell was an expert from the beginning, in charge of reviewing the materials found. They must have smelled money and vanity in here. This knowledge can make you a hero.... ”

He sighs briefly.

“Well, the other experts must have contributed to their brilliance.... after all, it was a talent first. The analysis showed that if it was someone else, they wouldn't have done it here if they had the same data. ”

There would have been no morals in the study of false patriots. It was not strange to discover something that had gone further. And that's where Esther's corrupted body got better.

“That was a bad lookout. ”

“Hmmm. This is the only place, and that was the beginning of it. It was when we didn't even know Pastor Park existed. ”

An uncomfortable silence followed. Winter turns the horse.

“How is Pastor Park Tae-sun? ”

“…… physically intact. No surprising injuries. Injuries are just a few scratches and bruises. Fortunately or unfortunately. ”

After all, the girl's revenge was only half done. Winter asks again.

“What did he say? How much do you know about this incident? ”

“He was mentally unstable because he couldn't handle what he'd done from the start, and he didn't really tell me anything because he was protected... …. I know it's a tragedy that you've caused. If you don't know, it's abnormal. Esther... Yang called my name like that. ”

“ ……. ”

“Now I'm like a broken record player. I didn't do it on purpose. I didn't know.But I want to live... I keep repeating these words. Oh, he's been praying hard. ”

“Prayer?”

“Obviously. They want absolute forgiveness for their sins. ”

Winter felt a familiar disgust. Faith has deteriorated in the former world, but misplaced beliefs have often encountered [post-apocalypse] as a reconstructed past. At the end of the 26th round, it was a lot of experience. How many times have I seen someone so relieved to ask God for forgiveness?

“Think of yourself as someone who doesn't exist. ”

West said calmly.

“It's best to be angry. He deserves to be punished, but he can't be killed. He still has no substitute. ”

“What happens to Esther now? ”

“…… It's hard to say right now. But she also doesn't have a substitute at the moment. If you don't change your attitude, you'll be treated as well as possible. If you don't react for no reason, you'll have a hard time deciphering Trickster's transmissions. And we don't know when the frequency of the variants will change. ”

If there was any doubt that communication would be exposed to humans, Trickster would immediately try to change the channel. Therefore, Esther's value does not disappear until the moment of her death.

Provided that someone with the same abilities doesn't show up new.

“You mean there won't be another victim like her? ”

That's a serious question. With Campbell's statements and research, the U.S. government now has the ability to reproduce Esther. If so, why not resume unethical experimentation in secret? What about Esther's position…….

The West District Commissioner was adamantly in denial.

“I didn't plan to tell you this far, but I have something for you to understand.... The researchers first reviewed the data, but Miss Esther's half of it was a coincidence. ”

“Coincidence?”

“Yes, you've heard that incomplete infections trigger abnormal mutations. The beginning of the mutation is not the result of artificial control. And neither is Miss Esther, and it's clear that her true abilities have been demonstrated by Major Campbell's madness, but we should assume that there was a potential before that. ”

“Then……. ”

“Things might be different if we made further progress. Even so, the authorities won't dip their feet in the madness of crime. The situation has worsened dramatically, unless the destiny of humanity is tomorrow. ”

Behind you was just a speculation. However, it was doubts that could not be resolved. Instead, winter asked something else.

“Now that this is happening, you have something to apologize for? ”

“That's it. ”

Nod Branch Leader.

“It's hard to ask the whole story. I'm not sure I'll be able to fix the mouths of the officials... It's also a burdensome time to ask for such a big problem. Given the side effects, it would be better to tell the truth first. ”

“Has it been decided? ”

“I don't think so, but I think it will be soon. We're going public, but not all of them. There is a genuine vice of patriotism, so it won't work. ”

“I don't know what my role is there. ”

“I'm trying to distract the citizens. as a precaution before public opinion explodes in the wrong direction. And in the process, we might sell the colonel's name a little bit. ”

“…… Isn't that a crowd? This is going to look too obvious. ”

“We have to be careful not to. Hmm, such as…… let's see if the medal of honor that was often controversial is allowed to be used once again……. Experts will come up with a better way. It's enough to add a little bit of positivity to this, in an indirect and bypass way, as a secondary concern for citizens. I don't mean to put you in front of the commander. ”

Advertising often appeals to people unconsciously. That's what I meant.

In fact, there was no reason for the head of the branch to go this far. He could have asked for dry business cooperation only. In other words, this conversation, which did not match his personality, was West's concern for Winter Individuals.

“I understand what you're saying. Is there anything I should know more about? Something else I can help you with... ”

At the end of winter, West shakes his head.

“Not right now. I can annoy you a few more times in the future, but that's not today. Now go and rest. I think you're going to be very tired. ”

And he paged an agent who was waiting outside the door.

In the winter following the agent's guidance, the package was just unpacked instead of the original equipment. The representative explained this.

“Any equipment you used, including weapons, has been classified as evidence and transferred. We apologize for not obtaining your prior consent. ”

“It's okay. It wasn't storytelling. ”

At the time of departure, the gun smelled of a heavy lubricating oil. After pulling and placing the crossbow again, you hear a cheerful, slightly wet sound. Weapons are weapons, but they haven't killed anything yet.

Winter reminds me of Esther who didn't have to die. It was never easy for a man to kill someone. Like I told Jinsuk.