Bailonz Street 13

“I first entered this body in November last year.”

“Wait… what?”

What else should I say?

I was just as confused as Jonathan. Should I have kept quiet? But I don’t know what will happen to me after all this is over. If something were to happen to me or if I died without revealing the truth, Jonathan would live his whole life not knowing his sister was an illusion. That would be unfair to both him and Jane.

Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just do it. After taking a deep breath, I poured out all the information.

“I’m not British, and I’m an East Asian foreigner who’s never been to London before. Somehow I woke up and found myself here. I’ve been hiding it until now because I thought you’d be shocked, but with the world possibly ending in an hour, I felt I should tell you.”

As I continued speaking, Jonathan’s eyes grew wider and wider. I was worried they might pop out of his head. He processed what I had just revealed with his eyes bulging, then his jaw dropped. It seemed he finally understood.

“Sister. No, then… what should I… call you?”

His manner of speaking changed. Jonathan frantically rubbed his face and pulled at his hair, muttering like a madman.

“Not my sister… not my sister…”

Dear boy, I’m sorry. It’s frightening, isn’t it? But I was truly terrified at first too. It becomes easier to accept, in its own way.

Such useless comfort arose and vanished in my mind. I waited for Jonathan to calm down.

“…Even Christmas dinner with me…”

“That was me too.”

“William Moore…”

“He knew.”

“Moore, that bast—!”

Jonathan flared up but instantly contained his emotions. Liam had deliberately stayed out of sight to avoid aggravating Jonathan, and that effort paid off. Since Jonathan would have to come outside to confront Liam, it helped him calm down more easily.

Jonathan muttered painfully that though he’d thought he’d become immune to strange occurrences while living with Plurititas, looking back now, it seemed he hadn’t at all. As he squeezed his eyes shut, I carefully said to him:

“If you’re not sure what to call me, you can keep doing what you’ve been doing.”

After all, I’m half-merged with this world now and can’t even remember my real name. Not something to be proud of, but still.

Jonathan nodded.

“…Sister.”

“Yes?”

“Outside will be crawling with monsters.”

I know that too. How reckless it is to casually say we’re going out there. They’re not just monsters – they’re synthetic beings created by cramming malice and hostility together. They’re all so dangerous that it’s remarkable anyone has survived encountering them.

“Well, I’m going to try to stop the world from ending first.”

“Why did it have to be you, Sister?”

“Who knows. Maybe because I’m not from this world.”

I had a strong feeling that I was part of his grand plan, that I would become some sort of component. Though the truth in my head remained silent, merely waiting for my voluntary judgment.

Jonathan carefully asked:

“…Is there anything I can do?”

I glanced at Liam. It was a signal for him to speak if he had anything to say, and somehow Liam understood perfectly and stepped forward.

“Mr. Osmond can work with Plurititas outside. He knows how to eliminate the monsters on the ground.”

Jonathan mouthed silently. Why the formality? I thought the same thing.

But the current Liam was, how should I put it… not Detective ‘Liam Moore’ but ‘William Moore’ of Greenwich. It was advice given as a Greenwich resident to someone who understood the situation here.

Judging by the dissatisfied groan from inside, Plurititas was clearly listening to our conversation. Jonathan slightly furrowed his brow and asked:

“What do you plan to do?”

“I’ll respond as soon as I figure out the intentions of the one targeting Jane.”

“Then the owner of this house…”

“Seems they’ll handle the flying ones.”

Liam appeared to have already worked out the role distribution in his head. The entire plan flowed from his lips in an organized manner.

Jonathan seemed very reluctant about me jumping into danger – that is, about Jane’s body being in peril – but he nodded, appearing to understand our plan.

“If the end comes in an hour… This is better than doing nothing.”

That’s the true spirit of the Osmond family. I suppose they’re not the type to sit quietly and wait for others to solve problems. Whether this was Jane’s influence or not, I felt the same way.

Seeing Jonathan’s tired face made me feel a bit sorry… but Jonathan seemed to have completely sorted out his thoughts. He spoke with considerable lightness:

“Come back safely, Sister.”

It’s fascinating how Jonathan still calls me sister even after knowing everything. As if understanding my unfamiliarity, Jonathan mumbled sheepishly while scratching the back of his head.

“Well, you’ve been looking after me all this time. And I just can’t think of any other way to address you.”

“I know. I have.”

“You saved me earlier too.”

“Of course I had to save you.”

Jonathan finally showed something close to a smile. Leaning slightly forward with his arm against the doorframe, he said to me:

“Just focus on coming back safely for now. I’ll hear the rest later. All of it.”

I nodded.

Jonathan extended his hand. Seeing that his pale green eyes no longer trembled, he seemed to have completely found his path. I grasped Jonathan’s hand, his expression now firm. The two of us, looking so similar, smiled simultaneously.

“Take care, Jonathan.”

“You too, Sister.”

* * *

After finishing our goodbyes, my heart felt much lighter. I truly feel ready to face it now.

I was walking with Liam down a corridor that seemed endless. I’m not sure how much time we have left. Perhaps ten minutes? When I stopped walking, Liam soon stopped too.

“Aren’t you worried about getting stabbed when you go out there?”

When I opened with such a concern, Liam wrinkled his nose and smiled. His unstyled fringe made him look more natural and younger. In this version of him, I recalled all the Liam Moores I had encountered along the way. I can see all those Liams. Like looking at images in a kaleidoscope.

Liam from his teens to his thirties. The Liam who remembers me is standing here. The man who had waited through long years with the words I left behind was standing there, like a still life.

I suddenly wanted to call his name. Haven’t we already passed the point of no return?

“I’ll do my best to be careful, Jane.”

“Take care of yourself first. Understand? Don’t throw yourself into danger like before, try to be more cautious.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“The London citizens will be more desperate to find you than me.”

Oh, blast. I hadn’t thought of that. I suddenly felt afraid.

Wait, is it the end of the world if we don’t reach the Black King in time? This quest seems tougher than expected.

In the end, with a face that couldn’t decide whether to cry or laugh, all I could do was echo Liam’s words.

“I’ll do my best to be careful…”

Seeing my gloomy expression, Liam barely held back his laughter. His eyes still gazed at me warmly.

A large, warm hand comes to my cheek. The calluses on his fingers feel firm as they slowly caress a few times.

Suddenly my earlobe stung. It was where Liam’s hand had brushed past. I touched my ear in surprise and felt something small at my fingertips. It was cold to the touch. Metal, perhaps. While my ear was already pierced so it wasn’t a problem, I wondered what it was.

Liam calmly explained.

“It’s a magical communication device, still in testing phase so it only works one-way. I’ll be able to hear what you say. If that king reveals his plans, tap this twice.”

“So you’ll be able to hear my voice?”

“Yes, I’ll hear your voice.”

That’s a relief. I was wondering how to convey the Black King’s plans. I was even considering crazy ideas like setting fire to the top of Big Ben as a signal.

“You always bring solutions.”

Liam smiled shyly. Then he gently pressed his forehead against mine. His straight hair became disheveled, and through the gap, I felt his forehead.

His breath is too close. I could smell the fragrance I always noticed in Bailonz Street. Liam Moore’s melancholic and gentle cologne. It made me want to close my eyes, as it slightly eased my anxiety about what lay ahead.

“Jane. Just remember this.”

What a gentle voice.

“If anything happens, even if the worst-case scenario becomes reality.”

Strong hands held both my cheeks. I could see his grey eyes burning with intensity. He quietly drilled the words into me. But listening to them, they seemed less like words meant for me and more like a promise to himself.

“It won’t be your fault.”

Just as I was about to respond, there was a boom in the distance.

The ground was shaking. From far beyond Whitmore Gardens, where the Thames meets the sea, strong vibrations were reverberating.

Suddenly a piercing ring struck my ears, followed by El’s voice.

“It’s begun, be careful, dear.”