Death Cast

1.36 | Grecia Bella Theatre

Silence filled the room. 

There was no movement between the two people, as if time had never existed between them. Jaerim's gaze is drawn directly to Noel's, and he has no intention of turning away. For a brief while, it appeared as if the two of them were statues since neither of them made a sound. The first to respond was Noel, who scratched his cheek with his finger while flashing a goofy smile. His eyes are wide open, as though he is completely befuddled by something.

"W-what do you mean by that?" It was only a small, stammering voice that responded, filling the entire room with a low rumble. It made Noel very nervous when Jaerim didn't give him an answer when he asked the same question over and over.

Jaerim, on the other hand, is not the type to give in quickly. Leaning on the back of his chair, the dark pupils of his eyes were obscured by an ethereal veil that concealed his expression. Noel couldn't tell what Jaerim was thinking because he had never shown this kind of expression before. It's almost enough to send shivers down his spine.

Suddenly, the person who is as transparent as a book becomes strange. The lack of any expression on Jaerim's face gave him no indication of what was going on in his mind. It's hard to comprehend how a person may so easily transform.

Or was it his true nature? 

Jaerim placed his hand on the table and slowly tapped it. One finger softly tapped on it. It did not make a sound, but somehow Noel could hear it clearly. 

Tap. Tap. It sounded like the beat of his heart.

After a long while, Jaerim asked, "Why? Why do you want to kill me?"

Jaerim's words were becoming increasingly difficult for Noel to decipher. Kill? Why would he do something like that? Aren't these two close buddies already? Why on earth would he consider killing someone he considered a friend? Noel's expression was absolutely obvious, and his thoughts were easily deciphered by everyone around him. One of them is Jaerim. Even his words and demeanor would seem real to him in this state.

A wonderful actor. He's deserving of applause.

"Could there be a reason for killing me?"

This was something Jaerim muttered quite loudly. He bent his brows to study the papers in front of him, paying particular attention to the small notebook that was sitting next to it. There were some unintelligible words printed in the spaces between the lines that made it necessary for anyone to read the passage more than once. He chuckled lightly, thinking that Bella's father was indeed a doctor.

"You have the best reasons," Jaerim concluded. "You wanted to get rid of me."

Noel shook his head. "I could not understand what you were trying to say."

"Of course, you won't. You're not the one getting killed anyway."

The atmosphere between the two people is strange. The infirmary's coldness becomes apparent abruptly, the light flickering weakly for a brief while. It didn't completely block out the light, but the buzzing and flickering added to the spooky atmosphere of the infirmary.

"Stop it," Noel heaved a sigh. "Don't talk about death like that. There's no reason-"

"Why?" Jaerim suddenly asked. 

"-n. Why?" Noel repeated Jaerim's words. "What why?"

"Why do you pretend like you didn't know anything?"

"What are you trying to say-"

"You know it."

Noel had become more confused. Jaerim stopped reading the contents of the small notebook and raised his head as he stared at Noel with hazy eyes. Those deep pools of black seem to know everything. He frowned, scowling at the person across from him. 

"I don't really understand what you're trying to say. What did I know? Is it something special? How did you know about my thoughts? Aren't you the one who is more suspicious here?"

"Really?" Jaerim raised his brows. 

"You're saying words that are clearly blaming me for something I haven't done. Killing someone? Do I have a face that shows that I have the ability to kill someone? I won't ever do that-"

"You know it. You know that I was alone when I got stabbed."

Noel shuts up. 

Jaerim continued. "When you found me, I wasn't alone. Ken was there beside me. Yet, you said that I should be careful when I'm alone. How did you come up with those words?"

A meaningful smile crept across his face as he looked at Noel. There was a hint of ridicule in his voice. 

"Unless you're the one who stabbed me. You know that I'm alone because you're the one who stabbed me. That's understandable."

Jaerim isn't naive. If nothing else, he is the most cautious of them all. He may appear to be unconcerned about his surroundings or as if he is on vacation, but Jaerim is a man who has never let his guard down in any situation. He even dared to escape from Officer Trivett with only his bare hands, indicating that he must have had the same determination when he first entered this world.

When it comes to anything, he's a skeptic. Even a grim reaper like Barron has to go through the ordeal of being questioned by Jaerim. Even though Jaerim is terrified of a lot of things, he is also tenacious. He never had a chance to relax because of his persistence and burning desire to live.

The two of them locked gaze once more, as though facing an enemy. Nobody dared blink their eyes for fear of giving the adversary an opportunity to attack. In contrast to Jaerim, Noel is tensely sitting up in his chair. But it didn't last very long. His eyes narrowed as he grinned, and the expression on his face had changed from one of concern and question to one of amusement. When Noel's naivety was wiped away, he completely displayed his beastly temperament.

“It seems that I got caught.”

Like Jaerim, Noel is also someone who desires to live. 

That’s why he wanted to kill Jaerim. He owned someone that would increase his chances of survival. 

“That’s more I like it. We can now discuss things properly,” Jaerim said. 

Noel nodded. He relaxed his posture and sat with his legs crossed. The way he exudes himself makes it look like he is sitting on a throne. Such a magnanimous presence could only be noticed if Noel had not purposely suppressed it. It’s actually heavier than Jaerim’s aura, which is gentler and more low-lying. 

“It’s the first time someone caught me wearing a mask. It seems that you are not an ordinary person,” Noel said. He pointed at Jaerim casually. “Do you have some third eye or something?”

“What does having a third eye mean?” Jaerim looked at Noel in disbelief. “You believe in such a thing?”

“You think I believe it?” 

“Of course, not. Why would you think of that?” Jaerim shrugged his shoulders. “Anyways, it’s something clear from the start. It’s already not normal for two strangers to suddenly become friends, especially in a field ruled by death.”

Also, we are similar. The two of them are very similar. Jaerim could understand where Noel was standing. But there is something he could not accept.

“Why did you have to kill me? Is it this world’s mission or your personal intention?”

For Jaerim, who tried his best to survive at this point, he could not accept it. He would have just ignored Noel, despite knowing his nature, since Noel was not harming him. Even though it was forced, he still liked the company of someone who understood the level of danger they were in. Yet, that person forced a dagger on him. How could he not be alarmed?

Noel chuckled, ”Should it have a reason?”

“There should be, You’re the type that won’t reveal your true self without a reason,” Jaerim nodded with a strong belief in his conclusion. “So, what is it? Was it the slips of paper I gathered that made you change your mind?”

Noel’s started to act strange around him after Jaerim accidentally showed him the slip of paper in the restroom. Noel also seems to know what the paper is all about. He had been wary since that time. Even without the grim reaper’s warning, Jaerim would not have missed a threat like that. He fished out the two slips of paper from his pocket and placed them on the table. Noel immediately eyed the two objects. 

Noel looked confused. “Why are there two of them?”

“Hmmm? How could there not be two?”

“Bullshit,” Noel suddenly kicked the table with a grumble. He did not hide his contempt after seeing the two pieces of paper that casually came out of Jaerim’s pockets. He looked at Jaerim with bloodshot eyes. “Did your grim reaper say to not show it to people? Did nobody tell you how dangerous it is to show people your wealth?”

“My grim reaper did say that,” Jaerim appeared confused. “What do you mean, wealth?”

“Ha” Noel became more agitated. “That slip of paper is something so rare that people would die just to get one. The chances of getting a low-grade item are almost ten percent in every five worlds and almost zero in one world. Yet, you get two of them in your first world. It is a treasure that makes people go crazy. If it is not wealth, what is it?”

Jaerim did have some idea about the rarity of this item, but his focus was not on that. “Wait, this isn’t your first world?”

“It is,” Noel answered honestly. 

“But you just said-”

“I’m the same as Ken,” Noel said. “But in a different field.”

“Intelligence?”

Noel did not answer. It means yes. 

No wonder he knows some things. It was not his grim reaper who told him, probably because Noel had known this stuff from the Autumns that had become Death Casts. As someone who is from the intelligence sector, getting information about Autumns is their top priority.

“But why did you try to kill me?” Jaerim still could not understand. 

Noel heaved a sigh. He had just told Jaerim the reason, but the youth seemed to have ignored it. Since Jaerim was becoming stupider the longer they conversed, he feigned ignorance as well. Who cares anyway? He had been caught. There was nothing else he could do. 

“Anyways, I no longer want to kill you-”

“How about we make a deal?”

The two of them spoke at the same time. Noel straightened his crossed legs and gave Jaerim a serious look. 

“What deal?” He asked. 

Jaerim remained in his languid position, answering Noel’s question. “I will give you one of these slips. Do you like that?”

Noel widened his eyes. “What?”

“I have used them both, however. You’re still okay with that, right?” 

Jaerim used them since he wanted to see how the two things worked together. Now that he had seen it, he realized he didn’t need the two of them. The Deux ex Machina and the Suspension of Belief have the same functions. Both are just to create irrational chances for the Death Cast to escape a certain event. 

“No, why would you give me something important? Are you stupid?” Noel’s voice shook lightly. He was obviously taken aback by the sudden conjecture. 

“No?” Jaerim sighed. “It’s to make sure that you won’t kill me. Giving up one of these skills should be enough to cover my life.”

“That’s not it. You could cover more of your life if you had these items. And I already said I wouldn’t kill you. Why are you still fuzzy?”

“Why would I not? You almost killed me.”

“No, you listen to me-”

“I know the person who will kill Bella.”

Silence. Noel had been silenced once again. He gave Jaerim another look of disbelief. He thought that Jaerim was stupid, but it doesn’t look like that now. Jaerim clearly knew what he was doing. He is not blindly setting things up. Jaerim stopped acting lazy and straightened his back. He leaned forward against the desk with his arms crossed on the table. He gazed at Noel with clear eyes. 

“The first way to escape from this world is to stop Bella from getting killed. Second, avoid the fire that will happen at the end of the competition. Third, resolve the jester’s desires.”

Noel had not guessed it. He frowned as he listened further to Jaerim’s words. 

“I don’t see the need for the deal. What exchange do you want?”

“Your trust.”

“My what?”

Jaerim played the slips of paper by poking them. Noel also looked down, clearly seeing the two statements written on it. He was familiar with Deux ex Machina, but he wondered what the other slip was all about. He is interested. He wanted to know what these two things could do. 

“Give me your trust in exchange for one of the slips. I just want to make sure you won’t stab me while you're facing my back.”

He wanted to exchange an important thing for his life. Well, didn’t they say it was a lifesaver? It can be used in many ways, not just activating it. Of course, Jaerim won’t be randomly exchanging his items with some random people. There should be a certain level of trust and commitment. 

“You’re crazy,” Noel muttered.

“Hmmm,” Jaerim acknowledged.

Noel thought that it was worth a shot. From the start, he had been interested in Jaerim, who showed no reaction when they met. Anyone, probably most people, would react weirdly when they found the same human in a foreign world. It could be anything - joy, suspiciousness, sadness - feelings that would be revealed after a long time of confusion. Yet, Jaerim remained rational at that time. 

It is as if he is here just to take a stroll around. But he knows he is the one who is taking everything into consideration. Only those people who are afraid of death yet choose to live more would do that. Noel made up his mind and smiled. 

“Deal, let’s go with that.”

Jaerim also smiled. He moved forward to reach out for a handshake. “Happy cooperation.”

Noel nodded. 

“Yes, happy cooperation.”