A dragon’s distinctive wing—nothing but leather, stripped of every feather. There was no mistaking that tattoo for any other creature’s. And now that I knew, I couldn’t simply pretend I hadn’t seen it.

I took a step back, putting some distance between us. Then I spoke in a heavy voice.

“You have a tattoo.”

“I do.”

“A dragon’s wing tattoo, no less.”

“…”

“Am I wrong?”

He neither confirmed nor denied it. He merely fumbled with the tattoo on his wrist as if he’d made a careless mistake. By a curious coincidence, two men who each bore secrets inscribed on their hands stood in silence, regarding one another.

It was Mr. Lopez who acted first.

He picked up his bag again and began walking toward me with slow, deliberate steps. The gait of a man carrying many secrets was heavy, yet there was no hesitation in it. I kept my eyes fixed on his hand and took another step back.

But what I had anticipated never came to pass. He didn’t produce a weapon from the bag, nor did he reveal anything shocking. He simply walked over, set the bag down, and—as if to prove a point—unzipped it wide.

“…”

The bag was completely empty. Mr. Lopez glanced at my face once, then began gathering food items and placing them inside.

“Mr. Lopez…?”

“…”

“What are you doing?”

“The same thing you are.”

“What does that mean?”

I frowned at the incomprehensible answer and asked again. Mr. Lopez exhaled a heavy sigh and turned toward me.

“Why did you come here? To gather food, wasn’t it?”

“We…”

“I’m not interrogating you. You brought our Erika back to us—what right do I have to be angry? I’ve received a grace I could never repay even if I offered everything I have. I came here simply to collect supplies. Like you, I have to leave this city now.”

“That’s rather sudden. Do Erika and your wife know about this?”

“My wife would never want to leave this place. Never.”

“…”

“You look like you’re dying to know the whole story. I’ll explain everything, so don’t worry. I’ll tell you what this tattoo means, too, so you can stop worrying about that as well.”

Amid his excessive kindness, the tattoo on his wrist revealed itself once more. Mr. Lopez traced it slowly with fingers that carried something akin to love and hatred intertwined.

“After the dragons burned the Capital, the people of this city had two choices. Follow His Majesty’s army westward, or stay and wait for death. The majority chose the first and abandoned the city. And a foolish few—my wife and myself included—stayed behind.”

“The outcome would have been the same either way. No one can escape the dragons.”

“You’re right. That’s what most of the people who stayed believed. And unable to bear that truth, many chose to take their own lives. But there were those of us who couldn’t die just yet. The mayor of this city was among them.”

“…”

“Instead of waiting to die meaninglessly, he began searching for a way to survive even after the destruction. He believed that no matter how desperate the situation, there had to be hope somewhere. So he gathered those of us in positions of influence and began deliberating. After two straight days of discussion, we reached a single conclusion.”

“You reached a conclusion?”

“To earn the favor of the dragons. A remarkably simple conclusion.”

I couldn’t bring myself to speak in the face of Mr. Lopez’s absurd story. Then, glancing at his tattoo, something occurred to me, and I spoke slowly.

“Was the idea to create a religion worshipping the dragons? Was that the proposal? A scheme to earn their favor through worship?”

“Close. And this tattoo is its symbol. But you’re missing the core of it. To earn a god’s favor in any religion, you need a ritual, don’t you?”

“You created a ritual as well?”

“Yes. It was a far more practical ritual than you’d expect. And my wife found it quite convincing. Even I believed it until recently.”

“What in the world…”

“Do you want to know?”

Mr. Lopez clamped his mouth shut at the crucial moment. He swept a few more food items into the bag, then hoisted it up.

“By now you must be wondering why I’ve told you all this. The answer is simple. Help my family escape this city.”

“But that’s… isn’t that something we needn’t be involved in? You could simply drag your wife—”

“Listen. If force would have worked, I’d have done it long ago. But my wife is too deeply consumed by the ritual the mayor created. Even if I dragged her out of here by force, she would undoubtedly continue that madness.”

“What exactly are you asking us to do?”

“The ritual takes place tomorrow. There, I will prove to everyone that it’s madness. That’s when I need your help.”

“…”

I didn’t answer. I fell into thought, though I doubted a positive response would come. Mr. Lopez must have thought the same, for he nodded impassively.

“I more or less expected this reaction. It doesn’t matter. This has nothing to do with you, and I’m in no position to make demands. So there’s only one thing I can say: take the food you’ve gathered and leave here at once.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“If I were to add one more thing—I hope you won’t even think of interfering with me tomorrow. If you won’t help, at least don’t become an obstacle.”

“We have no intention of…”

“No. We’ll likely meet again tomorrow.”

“Erika tells me you’re searching for a westbound train and weapons to use against the Hatchlings. But the weapons and the railway are all controlled by the mayor’s group. If you want those things, you’ll have to come to the ritual tomorrow anyway.”

As soon as dawn broke, we bid farewell to the Lopez couple. Mrs. Lopez tried to subtly persuade us to stay a while longer, but we naturally declined. She looked profoundly disappointed and offered a blessing for our journey ahead. Erika was so overcome with emotion that she couldn’t even open her mouth.

Mr. Lopez offered no further information about the railway or the weapons beyond what he’d shared the day before. With that, the couple bowed their heads once more and departed with Erika toward some unknown destination.

It was clearly an invitation to follow him if we wanted to learn more. His intentions were transparent, but it was equally true that what we sought lay in the direction they were heading. And so, the footsteps that had been forced astray began to move once more.

We quietly trailed the Lopez couple. It was remarkable how dramatically human relationships could shift in the span of a single day. The silent city spread its vast embrace open before us once again. But today, we were not the only ones seeking refuge within it.

The farther we went, the more the sound of other footsteps began to reach us from all sides. Though we couldn’t identify their owners, it was clear they shared our destination. Past the city square, beyond City Hall, the footsteps converged on an open lot on the city’s outskirts.

“This is a bit strange. Any farther and we’d be outside the military facility. Not exactly an ideal place to hold a gathering.”

“Could it have something to do with the mayor seizing all the weapons?”

“What in the world are they plotting? This is going to be a nuisance for us.”

“I mean, it’s not really our problem, Senior. Let’s just crack a few skulls like usual, grab the weapons, and get out.”

“But we need to check the railway facilities too, Haru. If Mr. Lopez’s words are anything to go by, there might actually be a working train.”

“That would be fantastic. If I’d known, I’d have packed some boiled eggs and potatoes.”

“Shh. We’re almost there.”

At Ms. Rebecca’s words, I quickly lowered my posture. A sizable open lot came into view, along with the crowd gathered within it. The Lopez couple had joined their group, and we crept up a low hill with careful steps. From there, the full scope of the assembly lay before our eyes.

It was a scene that could only be described as a gathering. A crowd packed into the open lot, an emcee standing at the front, and security forces surrounding them all. Aside from the participants’ excessively formal, old-fashioned attire, nothing seemed the least bit unusual.

But once you realized this was a scene unfolding on the eve of annihilation, the picture changed entirely. In an era where survival trumped honor, a gathering like this was the very pinnacle of futility. Yet their expressions were nothing if not earnest—as if no act could possibly be more important than this.

Meanwhile, I turned my attention to assessing the security forces, hoping their numbers would be few enough to overpower. Unfortunately, God did not grant my wish.

“One… two… three… four… that’s quite a lot of personnel.”

“And they’re all carrying anti-monster weapons. The most useful among them would be… there. The one that guy’s carrying.”

“That cannon-like thing? No way one person could use that alone.”

“Then that gauntlet over there would be serviceable too. Dangerous, though.”

At my words, Ms. Rebecca pointed out a man wearing a strangely shaped gauntlet. His expression was dead serious, but compared to the others, his armament looked almost pitiful, and a laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“…That small thing is useful?”

“Modern weapons depend less on the weapon’s own output than on how much mana the user can draw from themselves. Did you sleep through military science class too?”

“I don’t think we got that far in the curriculum. What with the world ending and all.”

“In any case, the railway station is very close. Saya, can you see the condition of the tracks?”

“Yes. At the very least… I don’t see any breaks beyond the horizon. I can see a train sitting there too. It looks intact from here.”

“Worth investigating, then.”

“Good morning, everyone! A fine morning to you all!”

At that moment, the emcee standing in the center of the lot projected his voice with resounding force. From his flamboyant attire and practiced projection, there was no doubt he was the man Mr. Lopez had described—the mayor. His authority apparently still held even in a world like this, for the attendees responded to his greeting with fervent enthusiasm.

“Yes! Good to see you, Mayor!”

“Thank you. That such unity can be maintained even in times like these is a tremendous blessing. And so we can rejoice wholeheartedly at the news of a new addition to our ranks. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Lopez?”

“Y-yes… yes, that’s right, Mayor!”

“Thank you for the passionate response, ma’am. Ah, but the rest of you may not yet be aware of this news. Yesterday, Miss Erika, the daughter of Mrs. Lopez, miraculously returned alive. We simply must celebrate this joyous occasion together. Now, Miss Erika—please step forward!”

“Uh… m-me?”

Urged on by the crowd, Erika approached the mayor’s side, utterly bewildered. He nodded at her with warm approval.

“Everyone, this is Miss Erika. As you can see, she is both lovely in appearance and brilliant—brilliant enough to have served as Student Council President at the Academy. I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am that such a talent has returned to Bellentel. Let’s give her a warm round of applause, everyone!”

“What? No, I… and isn’t your voice a bit too loud…?”

“How could I not raise my voice on a day like this? Ah—surely your parents haven’t yet explained what will happen today?”

“No. I don’t know anything about…”

“Don’t worry. You’ll understand soon enough. Now, everyone!”

The mayor gestured toward some point off to the side, and a group of people began emerging from a warehouse set in the corner. Behind them, chunks of crimson meat were dragged out in place of shadows.

Blood trailed in streams each time a piece was dragged—the very image of what we’d seen in the food warehouse yesterday. For a moment I wondered if they’d simply brought everything from there, but the quantity was too great and the variety too broad. Hoofed meat, scaled fish.

Even unidentifiable cuts of meat with nails still attached.

As that mountain of flesh grew higher, Erika’s eyes filled with mounting dread. The mayor took her hand in his with gentle warmth.

“Don’t be nervous, Miss Erika. We’re simply preparing to welcome a guest.”

“A… guest?”

“Yes. A very precious guest. Especially for us.”

Beneath his genial smile, a wing tattoo on the nape of his neck caught my eye. Erika noticed it too, her mouth falling open as she asked blankly.

“That’s…”

“Ah, this tattoo? It’s a mark to reassure the guest who will be arriving shortly. Just as we smile to put others at ease, we present a familiar shape to our guest to make them feel welcome. It makes the hospitality that follows all the easier, you see.”

“Hospitality…?”

“Yes. Hospitality. So that our guest can relay our story to the guests who will follow. That we are not dangerous. That we are gracious hosts, ready to welcome any and all visitors.”

“…What?”

Bewildered by the incomprehensible explanation, Erika tilted her head. The mayor laughed again and kindly elaborated.

“Miss Erika, think about it—what beings could possibly visit our world? Who else could it be? You must have heard the imperial announcement. In one hundred days, who will be arriving? Who is it that comes to claim dominion over this continent?”

“Surely… dragons?”

“Yes, exactly. At first, everyone trembled in fear, believing invaders were coming. But what if we simply shift our perspective? What if, instead of leveling spears at them, we extend a hand of goodwill? Would they not become guests rather than invaders?”

“What… what are you saying? That’s absurd…”

A perfectly sane reaction burst from Erika’s lips. But the mayor, intoxicated by his own logic, pressed on with his nonsense.

“It isn’t absurd at all. It’s perfectly reasonable. In fact, those guests sent their children ahead to this land before coming themselves. What invader sends their precious child ahead of an invasion? That would be absurd.”

“That… that’s not what that means.”

“No. Everything fits, Miss Erika. They sent their children first to test us. Depending on how we treat them, they will decide whether to punish us or bless us with grace.”

“That’s ridiculous…”

“Well now, perhaps it does sound ridiculous. But what if we devote ourselves wholeheartedly to caring for their children? What mother would grow angry in such a situation? What father would complain? What parent would…”

“…”

“…bestow death upon the benefactor who cared for their child?”

The mayor’s gaze drifted toward the Lopez couple. Mrs. Lopez nodded fervently, deeply moved, while Mr. Lopez clenched his jaw. Meanwhile, something else was approaching from behind.

It was a cage. And inside it sat a large bird. Deep blue feathers and, relative to its body, an oddly petite beak. These were the hallmarks of a certain mystical bird with a habit of mimicking human voices.

Presently, the one who had carried the cage touched the bird’s throat with a strange rod. The bird wrenched its beak wide open in agony and let out a harrowing shriek.

“Kkieeeeeeeeg!!!”

“…!!!”

“Kkieeeeeeeeeg!!!”

And it was almost identical to the cry of a certain bird-beast I had once heard.

Yet it was subtly different from the victorious cry that creature had let loose back then. This one was somehow softer, even playful in tone. What meaning it carried, I couldn’t say—but it was no good omen.

A premonition of dread crept through my entire body. And that premonition soon translated into the overwhelming presence of something massive beyond the horizon. Ms. Rebecca and I clenched our teeth and cursed simultaneously.

“These insane bastards…!”