Card towers are meant to fall down (2)

[82:14]

Lou-Ann hid behind a broken building, catching her breath, and frowned.

'I shouldn't have left the camp.'

Having read her friend's novel and possessing knowledge of the monsters present in the area, she had thought it would be alright, but it was a mistake.

Indeed, as a player, Lou-Ann also had to come to Paris. Moreover, she was now cornered by monsters who outnumbered her.

Since she had taken fencing lessons since 2 years now, she was at least able to defend herself.

After catching her breath, she seized her makeshift sword and glanced behind the wall, checking if there were any monsters around.

Then, she froze, face to face with three eyes as big as her hand staring at her, all thoughts leaving her head due to fear.

A loud shrieking sound echoed and Lou-Ann ran away from the monster as fast as she could, chased by the creature. Hearing the commotion, its companions followed soon after.

She turned back and slashed downward, aiming for the head.

After she successfully pierced the creature's eyes, the latter retaliated. Lou-Ann dodged and gave it a finishing blow before continuing to run, aware that the noise alerted even more monsters.

She knew there was no way any camp would let her in with so many monsters chasing after her. She had to find a solution quickly.

Speeding up with all her might, Lou-Ann's feet caught onto a rock and she tripped, twisting her ankle.

"…!"

She immediately got up and limped, her hand on a nearby wall to balance herself. However, the monsters were already catching up to her.

Her heartbeat quickened, hearing them approach.

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

Hearing footsteps right behind her, she turned back and swung her makeshift sword.

However, the improvised weapon broke into two, leaving her defenseless.

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

The monster was standing a few centimeters away, ready to pounce on her.

Then, she accidentally leaned on her twisted ankle and fell against the wall.

At the same time, she felt the monster move and shut her eyes tight, ready for the incoming attack.

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

However, the impact never came and she was lifted up instead.

"…?!"

Startled, she opened her eyes and found herself in the arms of a familiar person.

Illuminated by the sunlight like a knight in shining armor, her savior smiled. Then, a playful question reached Lou-Ann's ears.

"Do you need help, Princess?"

Lou-Ann opened her mouth, stunned.

"…Ena?"

***

I decided to wander outside the camp to check on the monsters' situation and gauge how much time we had left until the barrier was breached. After all, I certainly did not want to be outside at that time.

I mean, it was important to know when I would have to tell Cheon to intervene.

We also seized the opportunity to gather grass since my lollipops weren't enough to satiate our hunger. Indeed, although the profiler was reluctant in the beginning, I had managed to make him eat grass.

As I blindly walked around with Norwood, the latter slaying the creatures in our way, we noticed Lou-Ann being attacked in the distance.

[Imagination Lv.2 is activated.]

Grabbing something sharp on the ground, probably the other half of what was in Lou-Ann's hand, I hit the monster's eye and kicked it, letting Norwood deal the finishing blow.

Then, I caught Lou-Ann's falling body and carried her in a bridal style while the profiler fought the other monsters.

"Do you need help, Princess?"

Satisfied, I appreciated the surprised expression of my friend.

"…Ena?"

With Lou-Ann in my arms and since I'm not very fast, I decided to not waste my energy and calmly walked toward the camp, not even bothering to try running since I was pretty sure it would actually make me even slower.

Thanks to my leisurely pace, Norwood could fight and follow us without problem.

Recalling something, I added an unreasonable request.

"By the way, don't kill the monsters."

Norwood looked at me, reconsidered his life's choices and finally gave in.

"Why?"

I answered him with a smile.

The profiler resigned himself.

Regaining her senses, Lou-Ann asked,

"Ena, what are you doing here?"

As I was about to answer, I realized something.

Hmm…

The profiler glanced at me.

Hmmm…

Didn't Norwood know me as 'Emma'? Wasn't he in hearing range too?

…Well, it's not a big deal. If he questions me, I'll tell him he misheard.

Right, it's what I intended to do to begin with.

Remembering Lou-Ann's question, I ate a few strands of grass I had plucked out earlier.

"Doesn't grass have a lot of vitamins?"

At least I hope so.

Seeing my weird behavior, Lou-Ann immediately dropped the subject. Meanwhile, Norwood also stared at me strangely.

Resign yourself, I have no bottom line. Even Lou-Ann understands that much.

I continued to carry my friend while pretending that everything was fine, hoping she wouldn't notice the shaking of my arms.

"…You can put me down, you know."

I stubbornly retorted,

"It's fine. You're light anyway."

You're perfect as you are, I'm the weak one here.

Fortunately, Lou-Ann was the light type, or else I wouldn't have been able to carry her until we arrived at the camp.

***

I held up a lollipop in front of Lou-Ann.

"Open your mouth."

Lou-Ann frowned.

"I told you I wasn't hungry."

I waved the lollipop in front of her face, refusing her answer.

"You didn't eat dinner yesterday. What kind of friend would I be if I don't make sure you eat 4 meals a day?"

However, Lou-Ann persistently refused.

"You don't even have food here."

We do. I have lollipops.

Watching my shenanigans, Norwood curiously inquired,

"How many of those do you even have?"

I paused, then ignored his question, focusing on waving the candy in front of Lou-Ann as if it would make her change her mind.

Note to myself, if we survive, let's bring a few days worth of lollipops next time.

Having barely eaten since there wasn't any food left, we were currently sitting around a table to conserve our energy.

I sighed, putting on a serious expression as I pointed at the profiler.

"Lou-Ann, if you don't eat, you're going to become a zombie like Norwood."

Seemingly not used to surviving on grass and lollipops, the person in question had lost all previous trace of professionalism.

Even though he wore semi-formal clothes, he hadn't been able to change for a few days and his hair was messy.

Seeing him in such an exhausted state, I pitied him a little. Maybe I shouldn't have made him fight monsters yesterday.

Norwood didn't seem to be able to endure hunger well.

Nice, I finally found something I was better at than him.

All of a sudden, screams erupted outside.

"Aaaaah-!"

"Help!"

"Save me!"

Some monsters should have breached the barrier.

Norwood turned to the full-length window leading to the balcony and frowned.

"Monsters have invaded."

Since people don't need to fight monsters to get food anymore, the majority stopped defending the camp.

But if people don't get rid of monsters before the barrier protecting them is destroyed, won't they die? Only a few people considered this issue and continued to defend it.

However, after being forced to starve for a few days, everyone should be weakened. There would be no one left to fight.

As if nothing was wrong, I continued to wave the lollipop in front of Lou-Ann.

"Ena, shouldn't we leave?"

Unable to ignore my sweet friend, I got up.

Right, we should leave now. Although it was for a different reason than what she meant. She must've thought that we should go out and help them, or leave the camp to escape to a safer place.

I should contact Leraje now.

Recalling the infuriating individual who came in though the window before, a system window appeared at the same time.

[Imagination Lv.2 is activated.]

I didn't understand what it meant.

No, actually, I refused to believe it.

"Norwood…"

Covering my face with one hand, I tested my hypothesis.

"Is, by any chance, an uninvited guest coming in through the window right now?"

"Glad to see you too."

Hearing the irritating voice, I sighed.

I turned back and faced Mr. Scammer who was indeed there. Then, I bypassed him and approached the still open window, stepping onto the balcony.

Looking down, I stared at the chaotic scene.

People losing their limbs, heads being cut off, lives ending.

Below, people were losing their lives to monsters.

I didn't even want to describe the monsters.

Maybe I was scared that, if I did, they would be completely dehumanized, making me forget that they were once human.

Or maybe I feared that they would seem too human, reminding me that these 'monsters' could be the acquaintances or friends of the people they killed, unable to remember them after losing their sanity.

The truth is that people were dying.

Norwood tried to reassure me.

"But it wasn't what you intended, right?"

However, even the profiler seemed to doubt his own words.

I made a bitter smile.

This bloody landscape was created because of my own decisions.

I thought it'd be hard to do worse than Cheon, but it was actually quite easy. After all, even though he monopolized food, everyone didn't die.

Wiping out a big part of the camp's inhabitants was indeed the goal of Operation Card Tower.

I did all this while knowing that my actions would bring the deaths of many.

"Sweetie, don't worry about mom…"

"Babe, I'll save you!"

"No-!"

Children left all alone in this cruel world. Lovers separated like in a tragic drama, unable to be together for the rest of their lives. Hope crushed in yet again another scenario I had created.

Like a falling card tower, the citizens I had gathered were dying.

And I watched all this.

I simply stared at the scene, passively, and let them die.

My gaze strayed to the red system window displaying the rankings that floated in the sky, visible to everyone.

[1. Player #259969912: Wiliam Ackerman (1579)]

[1. Player #259969912: Wiliam Ackerman (1581)]

[1. Player #259969912: Wiliam Ackerman (1584)]

…

"Aren't you coming?"

Hearing Leraje's words, I turned my back on that scene and followed after him.

「I'm sorry.」