Hearing Zidane's request, Charlotte was at a loss for an answer. Just as she was about to speak, she paused.
"It's very late, you must be tired, so you should rest."
"You can use the guest room."
"But ma'am..." As Zidane was about to stop Charlotte, he noticed her expression.
"Sorry, but could you wait until tomorrow?" Charlotte smiled as usual.
However, Zidane sensed something else lurking behind that smile. Charlotte went to her room, and Zidane remained silent, gazing at the moonlight shining through the window.
...
Zain saw a strange figure before him. Although it looked human, it couldn't be called human. The creature couldn't stand upright. It had no eyes, and its movements were strange. It was what they call a 'zombie.'
Zain only saw one zombie there. It appeared to be wearing iron armor. It looked like a soldier on the battlefield. The zombie was shuffling aimlessly and seemed to be muttering something.
As if sensing Zain's presence, the zombie, which had been wandering aimlessly, approached him. As he was about to get closer, the zombie suddenly stopped as if it had hit something. It couldn't get any closer to Zain. The zombie kept trying to move forward but couldn't.
"What do you want?" Zain asked the zombie.
The zombie didn't answer and could only growl.
"I forgot that creatures like you can't talk."
As Zain was about to lift his shovel, the zombie unexpectedly spoke.
"Go.....ho.....me..." The zombie spoke in a growling, stuttering tone.
"I.....go.....ho....me....."
"Did he just say I want to go home?"
Zain was shocked. This was the first time he had encountered a zombie that could speak, even if it wasn't very clear.
"Where?" Zain answered.
"..." The zombie's movements began to calm down.
"I asked where?"
"Home.....hh....."
"Where?"
"Arghhh hahhhh" The zombie could only growl again.
"Do you remember where your house is?"
"..." The zombie just shook its head.
"Go.....ho...me..."
"I.....wa...n....go....me...ng..."
"How can you go home if you don't remember where your house is?"
"Arghhh!!!"
The zombie banged its head against the barrier blocking its path. Its growl sounded like a cry.
"He....lp....me..... he....lp....."
"Where did you come from?"
The zombie only growled again. Zain could only sigh. Without asking any more, he swung his shovel. The zombie's head was severed and the zombie vanished into ashes.
"Hopefully, you can return to your home."
Zain turned and left.
...
One of the hospitals in Lumiville, room 1103, Internal Medicine Specialist.
"After all the treatments we've done, there's been no improvement at all."
A fifty-three-year-old man was sitting back on a plush sofa.
"I'm truly sorry. Even with the most advanced technology, I still couldn't cure you." The doctor in charge bowed his head, apologizing to the man.
"No, there's no need to blame yourself. It's not your fault. Human illness is sometimes a mystery."
"No matter how sophisticated a device or how effective a medicine, if fate wills it, anything can happen."
The man left the doctor's office. A man in a neat uniform escorted him.
"What about the report?"
They chatted as they walked through the quiet hospital hallway.
"There haven't been any significant developments in the investigation. But at least we've found some additional information about one of the perpetrators."
"Is that so?" The man sighed as he waited for the elevator doors to open.
"How many years have you been my secretary?"
"It's been almost six years."
"So much time has passed. Who would have thought the clumsy kid I met back then could become such a decisive and competent person?" The man patted his secretary on the shoulder.
"You're right, I didn't expect it either."
The elevator doors opened, and the two of them entered. Upon reaching the first floor, they headed for the exit. Unlike the floor he'd visited earlier, it was quite busy.
Many people were queuing for examinations. Medical personnel were also seen treating emergency patients. The man paused for a moment and surveyed his surroundings.
"Humans are truly unique creatures. Even after being struck by a major disaster, or even a disease, they still survive." As he walked, the man smiled slightly.
"It seems humans are hard to become extinct."
His secretary, who was accompanying him, opened his car door.
"What do you think?" the man asked him.
"Maybe there are so many humans, it's not noticeable that their numbers are decreasing." His secretary replied with a flat expression.
"Haha, I like your opinion." The man laughed.
"What's my schedule for today?"
"Today you only have a dinner meeting with some council members."
"Haaa, meetings with them are annoying. What about tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow you have a meeting with the Minister of Defense."
"Is that all?"
"Yes, because of your health condition, I'm trying to minimize unnecessary meetings."
"You're very confident you can handle the rest of my schedule, huh?"
"I'll do my best."
"Hahaha... that's good."
"But please clear my schedule tomorrow, and the two days after that."
"Yes? May I ask why?"
"I'm going somewhere. You're coming with me, too."
"Yes? But—"
"No buts, you have to come."
"But as for the meeting with the Minister of Defense tomorrow—"
"Don't worry, I'll contact him myself later."
"Okay. I understand."
The next day in Silent Hill.
"Ahhhh, it's finally here."
The man stretched after getting out of the car.
"Sitting in the car for three hours... ugh, my body is getting old."
The secretary who came with him also stretched a bit.
"Young or old, it doesn't matter, sir," the secretary responded.
"Hahaha." The man laughed. He looked around.
"It's been three years since I was last here."
"I brought you here back then, didn't I?"
"Yes, I remember. But why are you here? You came straight back after arriving."
"Yes..."
The man paused. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.
"Let's go." He started to enter the cemetery.
As he walked, he looked around. After a while, he saw someone sitting under a tree. It was Zain.