The Author's POV

"This will do for now."

Brian carefully combed his hair and adjusted his clothes in front of the mirror. In addition to his white shirt, he wore a black pair of pants that seemed a bit too big for his body.

His shirt was slightly wrinkled, but given his current living conditions, it was all he could do.

It was still nevertheless a good look for him. He looked sharp.

"Haaa…"

As Brian exhaled, he leaned forward and placed both hands on the side of the sink.

Softly mumbling under his breath, he gazed at his reflection, particularly his green eyes.

"You can do it. You can defiantly do it, Brian!"

This was the first day of his new job, and he couldn't screw it up. Brian's resolve hardened as he thought about his mother's condition.

"I can definitely do it."

As Brian turned around, he slapped his cheeks and closed the faucet.

As he carefully opened the bathroom door, he felt his previous nervousness disappear completely.

Upon exiting the bathroom, Brian was greeted by a blast of cold air coming from the air conditioner of the building.

"You must be the newbie."

A young man in his mid-20s greeted him near the entrance to the bathroom. With long black hair that flowed down his shoulders, he had a face that mesmerized everyone who looked at him. Especially his eyes that made one fall into a trance with just a glimpse.

'Handsome.'

As he stared at the man in front of him for a moment, even Brian was mesmerized for a short couple of seconds.

"Eh..ah."

He fumbled with his words.

As he extended a hand, the man carefully scrutinized Brian's face.

"Nice to meet you, newbie."

A bright smile adorned his face.

"My name is Hemlock. Hemlock Feyner...and I'll be your supervisor."

***

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

Suddenly, he was awakened by a familiar voice. After slowly coming to his senses, Smallsnake spotted a familiar face.

'…Ren.'

He silently thought to himself as he struggled to open his mouth.

He could feel water dripping inside of his mouth as some of the water began spilling all over his face. He didn't know for how long this had been going, but he no longer felt as thirsty as before.

Even so, his body and mind remained numb.

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

He heard Ren's voice calling out for him.

'Why is it him out of all people?'

When Smallsnake thought about how someone would hallucinate near death, he wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

If there was a face that he didn't want to see when he was close to death, it would definitely be Ren's.

He had been traumatized enough by him.

"Smallsnake!" "Smallsnake!"

Smack—! Smack—!

a bit, he realized he had not been

Smack—! Smack—!

"S…stop!" "Stop!"

"You're awake!"

Ren's relieved voice as

"…Yeah."

similarly replied in a relieved voice, but

god the

They really hurt.

"Are you okay?"

"…Yeah."

moment Smallsnake tried to move his body up, he realized

"Ugk."

groan escaped from his lips as his

"Stay down."

down on his chest as Ren shook

you enough water to hydrate you, but your conditions

the moment, he could see Ren's face turn

'I guess he cares…'

to see this. Sometimes, Smallsnake really doubted that Ren cared for him,

of an ass

on his face as he turned his gaze

"..it's..b..ad, isn't it?"

a genius to understand that his current

to move his

Smallsnake could tell.

was on the verge

'This sucks.'

uttered inside of his mind as his eyelids

don't want

was still something that he wanted to do before dying. Something that he promised himself to accomplish no matter

die just

Yet…

didn't know what was

also faintly hear something, but his mind was too out of it to properly process what he was

the end, darkness slowly overtook

make out the last words that Ren had

"Have..a..rest."

spread on his

'Okay.'

***

"This is bad."

stared at Smallsnake, who

was quite frankly terrible. If something wasn't done soon, I couldn't guarantee

do something about

said, they know each

did I

head snapped back and

"Who goes there?"

behind them. It was there that I caught sight of the others

staring at me with their eyes open, I realized that they were probably responsible

of

so you

forward, I tried

critical, and if anything happened at the moment, I feared that

'Shit.'

my heart

matter what, I can't

responsibility, but because he was one of the people I knew

Kevin, and

and lows. I

how you humans managed to

figure and two large horns on his head that circled inwardly. The darkish red tone of his skin and the aura he exuded were similar to those of a Viscount ranked

anything that I would take note of, but since my

quite curious. Have the humans perhaps figured out a way to teleport to other planets?

the bulky demon, he had a rather lanky build and his horns were