My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
'Til then I walk alone
— Excerpt from "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" by Greenday
It was already the morning of the next day and Martin Harvie is currently touring the place they were taken to, the Takagi Estate.
He already had his breakfast and just came out after changing clothes, courtesy of Takagi Family's helpers, after taking a nice long bath.
Although his eyes are busy roaming around, his mind, however, was singing a different tune.
"... What the heck was that about…Shit! what the fuck happened?" Martin grumbled in dismay, scratching the back of his head in the process.
He was trying to remember the events that happened yesterday, but strangely, he doesn't remember much of what had happened.
The only thing he remembers was the group of eyes that were staring at him with a mix of wonder and trepidation present in their gaze.
He knows that he helped in fighting 'them' off and the resulting rescue that had happened after but he couldn't help but have a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something serious (aside from their tragic state the day before) had happened at that moment.
*Sigh~*
In the end, he chose to let it go while sighing deeply in frustration, thinking that the memory might or might not come back to him someday.
"Oh? What seems to be the matter?" asked someone in a deep feminine voice.
He was so deep in his thought that Martin did not notice that his feet had automatically taken him in an unusual part of the estate where the beautiful Japanese-Style Terrace was located.
Looking at him was a sultry figure of someone who looks reminiscent of a mature version of Saya Takagi.
Her long, light purple hair was down while her purple eyes were inquisitively looking at me. She's wearing an aristocratic-looking thin red dress that gently hugs her fuller womanly curves.
She's Yuriko Takagi, mother to Saya Takagi and one of the owners of this Estate. Martin was introduced to her last night.
Caught off guard, he was unable to immediately formulate an answer. This had left him acting in such a fluster that it made Yuriko, unexpectedly, tittering in response.
'How rude!' He thought in a scowling manner while thinking how his handsome face could warrant such a reaction.
However, he left such narcissistic thoughts deep in his mind.
Noticing that Mrs.Takagi had already stopped her laughing as she looked to be waiting for him had given him a time to think a proper reply to her earlier question.
The night before had left him thinking about his actions and goals that day.
And so, there was one thing that had become prevalent in his thoughts all-night, and that was…
"I think I have to leave the group…" was his serious reply to her question.
'After all, I don't necessarily have to stick to them to finish my mission, our goals don't align.' Such was the answer that he arrived at after thinking it through.
It was Yuriko's turn to be stunned as such a response, for her, was unexpected.
First and foremost, who would want to leave in such trying circumstances! —was the leading thought that most people currently carry.
No one wants to be left alone in such a world, after all, and what's more, in such times when it seems even God had forsaken humanity.
While she seemed calm on the outside, her emotion, however, is a different matter.
After hearing such an answer, she became excited at such a prospect. She seemed to think for a couple of seconds before asking something that alarmed Martin.
"Could it be… Martin-san wants to join the estate?" It was as if Martin had just deflated along with his confidence after hearing such a piercing question. Consequently, such a display has left Yuriko speechless. After all, she was just suggesting to house him in the estate.
"No-no-no, It's not like that! It's just I have somewhere to be so if you could please let me stay for just one more night!" Before Yuriko could misunderstand him, Martin had suddenly burst into a stream of explanation.
"Oh, is that so? I'm sorry for misunderstanding" She was taken aback by his outburst but immediately recovered. Embarrassed, she apologized for exaggerating his situation.
He did not notice that their feelings at the moment are parallel to their reactions. It doesn't connect.
"I have no problem with letting you stay but, is that okay? I think they're going to miss you?" she followed with another question with a mix of concern and relief.
She felt concerned because from what she heard, he seemed to have saved her daughter yesterday from jeopardy. From how they spoke of him, it seems they already formed a bond him in such a short time.
In a different matter, she felt relieved because ever since meeting him, she could feel a sense of danger from him from time to time. It's impossible for a normal person to feel like that.
So while his strength could provide security to her daughter at the moment, her feelings are telling her to let this man go. Eliminating such a threat right now could help save her daughter in the long run.
'Letting such a dangerous element leave her daughter now would suit my needs. It seems I don't have to make a move after all' She thought in relief. When Yuriko asked her helpers earlier where Martin had gone, she was pointed in a direction where she saw him seemingly walking at the direction of their terrace so she waited for him there, in a plan to intercept him.
Fortunately for both of them, her plans bore a fruit better than anticipated.
At the moment, Martin is scratching his head in awkwardness at such a question, not realizing that he just barely dodged a bullet.
"Ahhh… I don't that's going to happen. After all, they didn't really like me when I first met them" At such an answer, Yuriko consoled him with words but in her mind, she was already smiling in satisfaction.
That night.
Martin was recalling the events that happened earlier.
In the morning, he had his talk with Yuriko about permitting him to lodge on the estate for one more day. Of course, it's impossible for her to know that he half-lied his way into convincing her to let him stay. After all, who would believe that he would disappear even before the morning comes?
The afternoon was full of drama, with Yuriko's husband, Souichiro Takagi arriving in procession followed subsequently by the execution of one of 'them' who is formerly a subordinate that had 'turned' after protecting his comrades.
Later, I was introduced to him after an intense stare-off to which, I've refused to lose. After all the hardships I faced, I wouldn't be intimidated in a staring contest!
It seems that he's only testing me as right afterward, he wanted to shake my hands. According to Mrs.Yuriko, it was his way of thanking me for saving his daughter.
After that, we experience a mass blackout from an EMP blast caused by a nuclear explosion high in the air that left almost all the equipment useless. Fortunately, I'll be leaving after this day so, such inconvenience doesn't really affect me.
Komuro and Busujima left the same afternoon on a military ATV. I forgot what they wanted to do but I wished them luck before they departed. I also chose that time to reveal that we will be going separate ways later which left the group in a complicated state.
Even Alice cried and sulked at my announcement, leaving me speechless. It seems she still treated me like a brother despite the fact that I just threw her responsibility to other people because I was bad kids. That also left me with a complicated feeling as I've yet to apologize to her.
In the evening, Souichiro Takagi tried to intimidate me into confessing my origins which evidently, didn't work as I just cited my earlier story about being an abroad exchange transfer student. It looked like he didn't believe me but he let it go after Mrs.Yuriko interrupted the interrogation. What a cunning vixen, if she wanted to stop it, she should have done so earlier.
After dinner, I washed and changed my clothes (courtesy of Takagi household) before departing for the bed.
I was currently laying on the bed, reviewing all the things that happened.
So many things happened such a short time. Only three days and it was already this taxing. What would happen if I have to stay in a world like this for three months? Or worse, three years? That would be hell.
Such was the last thought on my mind before sleep has taken my consciousness.
*Ding~!*
[You've collected a total of 1610 Karma and survived for 72 hours. Main Objective Completed!]
[You've been rewarded 1000 Karma.]
[You've killed a total of 141 zombies. Bonus Objective Completed!]
[You've been rewarded 14100 Karma.]
[You've received a Success Rate of 'A'.]
[You've been rewarded 'Tutorial Shop: 50% DC Voucher' x1]
[Congratulations Player! You've completed the main quest: 'Mission: Survival!']
[You've killed 'Enemy: Koichi Shido'. Hidden Objective Completed!]
[You've been rewarded 500 Karma.]
[You've rescued 'Friendly: Alice Maresato'. Hidden Objective Completed!]
[You've been rewarded 1000 Karma.]
[You've escorted 'Friendlies: Takashi Komuro, Rei Miyamoto, Saeko Busujima, Kohta Hirano, Saya Takagi, Shizuka Marikawa, and Alice Maresato' to the checkpoint. Hidden Objective Completed!]
[You've been rewarded 7000 Karma.]
[Calculating Mission World Success Rate...]
[Calculating...]
[Detecting achievements...]
[Detecting Main quest success rate... A]
[Calculating...]
[Detecting completion of main objectives... 1]
[Detecting completion of bonus objectives... 1]
[Calculating...]
[Detecting completion of hidden objectives... 3]
[Calculating...]
[Detecting first time participation...]
[Calculation results have arrived!]
[Congratulations Player! You have received a Mission World Success Rate of 'SS-']
[For such an outstanding achievement. You've been rewarded 'Premium Gacha Ticket' x2]
