Raum

I moved towards the back of the bus and looked out of the window. 

Aliens and various-sized aircraft were pouring out of the spacecraft. They looked like a swarm of flies from here. What had happened to the capital was about to happen to this city as well.

The adrenaline level in my blood was starting to decrease. I began to feel my exhaustion again. I slumped into the back seat of the bus. I didn't want to watch what was going to happen.

 I looked at the people on the bus. They were sitting quietly at the front.

 "He he heh." I let out a quiet chuckle. There were only nine people on the bus. Me, Mr. Chapman, Karina Fox, Georgy Smith, a mother with two children, a high school girl, and the beautiful office lady whose name I didn't know.

 Why are there so few people? Where are my other colleagues? How did a mother with two children get on the bus in that chaos while my colleagues couldn't?

 "This is so stupid." I took out a cigarette pack from my pocket and lit one. I took a strong puff, as if making up for not being able to smoke on the way to work.

 We're still on the bus, but I don't think anyone would care about this right now.

Pufff.

 I must confess that the poisonous smoke filling my lungs was the best thing I had felt in months.

"Why did you try to help these people, John? We both know you're no hero material." And this moment of pleasure was interrupted by an unpleasant voice.

 'What are you? You still haven't told me.'

"I am a demon, John. I assume you had guessed this answer since you didn't seem surprised. Now answer my question."

 'I thought you had the ability to read my mind. Why don't you look for yourself?'

"My ability is not mind reading, John. We demons are the beings that understand human nature the best, but we don't do it only through our knowledge and observations. We can see the existential essence of beings like you, composed of a physical body and a soul, and the clearer we see it, the more we 'know' about them. This is one of the main features of will-based beings like us."

 "However, John, your existential essence is quite foggy. I can't see it clearly. If you don't allow me, I can't know your deep thoughts. I feel like I'm looking at you from behind a curtain, and... there are other strange things about you as well."

 'He he heh. Are you praising me?' 

Now that's quite surprising. He suddenly became talkative and told me some amazing things. He also sounded sincere, but how sincere could a demon be?

 "Yes. And from the highest level, John. Will-based beings are immortal, and in all my existence, I have never encountered someone as 'hazy' as you. You make me hesitate. Now stop being sarcastic and answer my question."

'That was just a passing thought. I don't even know why I acted like that.'

"Ke ke kek. John... John. I've been playing with you for a month and also testing you. If the answer to this question was a passing thought, I would have known already. There would be no need to ask you."

 Cough... Cough...

 The cigarette smoke made me cough.

 I almost forgot. This demon has been tormenting me psychologically for a month. What? Was the whole second personality thing a test? All the suffering I went through was for a test?

 'You really have a twisted sense of humor. I've been thinking I was mentally ill all this time. When you started showing your true colors, I thought you were just having fun with me, but you were testing me. And now you're asking me a stupid question. For what? Why are you so interested in me?'

"As I said before, John, I can't see your existential essence clearly. I pushed you a little, so I would be able to see it a little better. Also, I wanted to know more about you and planned to have some fun in this process, but until the very end, you were very boring. I gained nothing. However, your attempt to help people just now was something I wouldn't expect from you. There was no apparent reason for such actions from what I can see. That's why I asked."

 "As for why I am so interested in you... I want to be one with you, John! Though I haven't decided yet, but the main reason I'm talking to you and wanting to know more about you is this."

 I threw the cigarette butt on the ground and extinguished it with my foot. 

'Why do you want to be one with me?'

"Ke ke kek. Is this feeling I sense from you expectation, John? You don't feel fear or concern as I guessed... but expectation?! We're talking about becoming one with a demon here. Why are you in expectation? Why do you want to hear more?! You don't even know what I want to do with you."

The demon's voice suddenly filled with excitement, and it looked like he could even tell what I was feeling.

He was telling the truth. I was also a bit shocked.

 Why did I want to help those people there? Why was I now in expectation? Maybe these two questions were connected and had the same answers.

 I think I'm starting to understand.

Why was my life boring? Moreover, why didn't I do anything about this boredom?

I was handsome. I could have had a relationship with a woman and my life could have been more colorful that way.

 I was smart and talented. I could have graduated from a better university and had a better job. I could have made a lot of money and lived a life of luxury.

 I didn't have a problem socializing. I could have taken up a hobby and had fun with my friends.

 Any of these things could have alleviated my boredom, and these are not wishful thinking. I could really do them. I always saw myself as someone who could do whatever I set my mind to.

However, in the end, I didn't do any of these things or anything else. I didn't even try. I didn't want to try.

 There was a void inside me. I felt like no matter what I threw into this void, it wouldn't be filled. The things that other people chased after in their lives wouldn't satisfy me.

 I needed more.

 As a result, I continued living my life without any driving force.

 I didn't try to play the hero today. Maybe deep down, I was looking for that driving force. My subconscious must have seen today's events as an opportunity. And now, the same thing had happened again. I must have unknowingly developed an expectation when the demon told me that he wanted to become one with me.

 The possible consequences of this 'union' could fill the void inside me. It was a dangerous and stupid thought, but that was how I felt for a moment. 

'You must have 'known' my recent thoughts. Was it satisfying for you? Did you get your answer?' I asked the demon. I also felt somewhat relieved. It was a nice feeling to know oneself and understand the reasons for one's actions.

 "Yes... It was satisfying... But that can't be all of it." The demon's voice sounded quite pleased, but there was also some uncertainty in his words.

 'What do you mean? You've said it several times before. Apart from my foggy existential essence, there was something else mysterious about me. What is it?'

"We can talk about that later. I've made my decision. I think you've made yours too. Let me in, John. Now!" The demon sounded very eager, like a child who had found his lost toy.

 Ignoring his grating voice, of course.

 'I just thought about myself a little. What's there for you to get so excited about? What suddenly got into you? Besides, I haven't made my decision yet. I may have found myself in an expectation for a moment, but I need to hear more to make a decision.'

"This is a big deal for me, John. When a will-based being's will enters into a mortal soul, the will-based being also becomes mortal, and once this is done it cannot be undone. That's why in the past month, I haunted not only you but many others. I had to carefully choose my host."

 'Wait... What?'

"There's something mysterious about you, John. It's still unanswered and made me hesitate choosing you, but now I don't care anymore. You have to be my host because we are the same!"

 'Hold on a minute! Are you hearing me?!'

"Before we talk any further, allow me to introduce myself, John. My name is Raum. I am also known as the Raven Prince. I am one of the Earls of Hell! Now let me in! Hurry!"

 'Will you calm down?!'