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I remember watching a scary movie with my younger sibling when we were kids, and every time a frightening scene came on, I would cover my sibling’s eyes.

Even though my younger sibling whined about wanting to see it, I firmly told them no because I was the “older brother.”

“Older sister?”

Song Ah Rin stared at the person in front of her with wide eyes.

“That person? No way!”

“Is Chae Yeon’s older sister someone I know…?”

Song Ah Rin and Yu Da On reacted differently.

“…From my perspective, I see an old colleague.”

“I heard they died during a transplant surgery long ago while we were hospitalized together.”

“…I just see a mosaic.”

“This is a disaster, an absolute disaster.”

I turned my head away from the sighing Song Ah Rin.

Are we all seeing something wrong?

I squinted and stared at the person in front of me, or whatever looked like a person.

-Crackling…

A static sound filled the air, and a mosaic-covered face came into view.

No matter how hard I tried to see, the mosaic on the face wouldn’t disappear.

But it wasn’t causing me a headache, so it couldn’t be considered a mental attack.

“Hey, do you three find that if you keep staring at that, you can’t look away?”

“If I realized that earlier, it wouldn’t be a mental attack.”

Song Ah Rin replied while stepping back, and Yu Da On immediately bit down on her thumb.

-Crack!

With a sound like flesh tearing, blood splattered.

“Ugh…”

Song Ah Rin grimaced and quickly turned her head, while Yu Da On responded cheerfully.

“At least I don’t feel anything!”

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”

Yu Da On shook her now-fully-recovered finger and smiled.

“…”

I glanced at the silent Jang Chae Yeon.

She seemed lost, gazing intently at the mannequin.

“Chae Yeon.”

“…”

“Chae Yeon.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Only after calling her twice did Jang Chae Yeon finally look at me.

“Are you okay?”

“…No.”

Jang Chae Yeon muttered softly, shaking her head.

“I don’t think I’m okay.”

“What does it look like to you, Chae Yeon?”

“An older sister.”

Jang Chae Yeon continued to stare at the mannequin.

“It’s smiling at me with my older sister’s face.”

“…”

She looked back at the mannequin, but to me, it was still just a face covered in mosaic.

“Let’s break it.”

Then, Song Ah Rin, who had been watching, spoke up.

“I don’t know what it is, but if it can twist the perception of our four minds, it can’t be anything good. I think it’s better to eliminate it right away to prevent future troubles.”

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon looked at Song Ah Rin, then back at me.

Then, she glanced again at the mannequin.

“…That makes sense.”

She bit her lip and nodded.

“It’s better to get rid of it for the future.”

“…Understood.”

As I drew my pistol, Jang Chae Yeon squeezed her eyes shut and turned her head away.

Honestly, she wasn’t wrong.

We need to handle things while we have the chance. If not, we could always call the Isolation Team and put it in the containment facility, but the trouble is that it seems like we can’t escape either.

[Critical: 2->1]

The world turned black and white, and time slowed down.

As I stared at the mannequin,

“…Huh?”

I couldn’t see any red dots.

It was just a mannequin with a mosaic-covered face turning its head toward me in this black-and-white world.

-Crackling… Crackling…

Noise surged in my ears, and at the same time,

-Whoosh!

The mannequin raised its arm.

[Critical: 1->2]

The Critical was canceled.

[Chronos’s Shield: 10 seconds remaining]

Before I knew it, Yu Da On, understanding my intention, stepped forward, spreading her arms as a translucent barrier unfolded, deflecting the mannequin’s arm.

“What the heck! Why did it suddenly move?”

Song Ah Rin shouted loudly, pointing her finger, and the mannequin froze as if it were anchored to something.

“It doesn’t work!”

“Did you make it mad?”

“The one who suggested breaking it was A-Rin!”

“Ah, right!”

As Song Ah Rin waved her arms around, the mannequin swayed as if dancing.

At that moment, Jang Chae Yeon extended her hands and clenched them into fists, twisting the mannequin’s body at a bizarre angle.

But only for a moment.

-Whoosh!

It swung its limbs, and Song Ah Rin at the back quickly retracted her arms.

“Watch out!”

“Wah!”

I felt something attach to my waist, and without my will, my body was pulled back.

Jang Chae Yeon was safe behind Song Ah Rin.

-Puk!

“Ugh!”

With my arms crossed to block the attack, Yu Da On was flung back.

“Da On!”

“I’m fine—oh…?”

Yu Da On mumbled in surprise, raising her head to check, and

“Oh, oh?”

Her body was changing.

Her arms flapped like paper, and her legs melted like paint in water.

Soon, she fell to the ground, and frames began to appear around her.

-Crack!

Noise flowed from it, and simultaneously, Yu Da On’s arms sank into the canvas.

She was becoming a picture.

“Da On!”

I had to do something.

“Stay back, Kim Jae Heon!”

As I approached her, Yu Da On urgently called out, then looked at Song Ah Rin.

With a calm face devoid of any fear, she stared at Song Ah Rin before shouting.

“A-Rin! Please take care of Jae Heon!”

“…Got it!”

Song Ah Rin replied as she grabbed my arm.

Yu Da On smiled, appearing relieved.

Soon, her body and legs were being sucked into the picture,

-Clunk!

The sound of a picture dropping echoed.

“…This is insane.”

“…”

Song Ah Rin took a deep breath, and Jang Chae Yeon also turned her gaze there.

In the painting was Yu Da On.

She lay there in a surgical gown, eyes closed, as someone in a doctor’s coat approached her.

[Name: An Imminent Reunion]

[Canvas, Transformed into Human]

[50 X 50 cm]

“…”

I remembered the look she had when she was gazing at me.

She never asked for help until the very end.

This was trust.

The trust that I could completely restore her.

And I had an obligation to answer that trust.

“I have to finish this quickly.”

“Don’t touch that.”

“I know.”

Song Ah Rin and Jang Chae Yeon stepped back, and I too retreated, pulling out my gun.

-Bang!

Just in case, I shot, but the bullet only left a mark on the mannequin’s body without inflicting any significant damage.

Before long, Jang Chae Yeon, carefully holding Yu Da On’s painting, looked at me.

“What should we do?”

We must not get close. If we get hit, we become part of the picture.

“…We should attack from a distance.”

“But there’s no one to stop it from coming closer.”

“…”

The Critical won’t work.

Chronos’s Shield and Preservation can’t be used since Yu Da On is missing.

In the end, the only things available are method, dimensional tearing, and…

“…”

Contemplation.

I quickly turned my gaze to Jang Chae Yeon, and she nodded in response.

“Got it.”

“…What did you get?”

Song Ah Rin stared at Jang Chae Yeon with a perplexed expression.

Jang Chae Yeon said, “I don’t know. But whatever happens, I’ll follow.”

“Thank you.”

Hearing our conversation, Song Ah Rin looked incredulous and sighed before stepping forward.

“Then I’ll hold it off.”

“Please do.”

“If I become a picture, make sure to pick me up.”

“Understood.”

Song Ah Rin chuckled and pulled her hand, making the mannequin’s body seem like it was tied up and frozen.

Contemplation is good, but it’s fatal since it consumes a Critical.

Using one Critical is already tough given the conditions, and the only thing gained from it is being able to confirm information.

If I were to see a weakness or background that guarantees victory, I wouldn’t mind, but my eyes aren’t that kind.

Still, that’s the only option available right now.

[Using Contemplation.]

[Critical: 2->1]

Jang Chae Yeon opened her eyes wide, and one Critical count decreased.

Information about the mannequin melted away.

[Name: Proof of Art]

[Age: Just Created]

[Specialty: Artwork Creation]

[Talent: Realization]

[Background: A Masterpiece, Born Here]

[Vulnerability: An average masterpiece becomes an average work when placed among numerous masterpieces.]

An average masterpiece becomes mediocre when placed among many?

Lightning seemed to strike in my brain.

“Everyone, out!”

At my words, Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin rushed out.

“Where to?”

“Outside!”

After receiving Yu Da On’s painting from Jang Chae Yeon, I carefully held it against my chest and began running back the way we came.

-Clack! Clack!

Footsteps sounded from behind.

Jang Chae Yeon gritted her teeth.

“Older sister… why…?”

Passing the sculpture studio, past the canvas, we eventually dashed out the now-open door.

“…Huff… Huff…!”

Where did all those people go?

The artworks were all placed together, but only we remained in that place.

-Clack… Clack…

The sound of something hard hitting the marble floor echoed.

When I looked back, the mannequin with its face still covered in mosaic appeared in front of me.

It scanned the surroundings, and the part that seemed to be eye-related hit the self-portrait of Aestheticism.

Its movement stopped.

“…”

The mannequin stared intently at the painting.

“…What the heck.”

Song Ah Rin muttered, gazing at it.

“It’s stopped.”

“…”

Jang Chae Yeon fixated on it.

“I was right.”

“What?”

Jang Chae Yeon mumbled, looking at me.

“You’re right.”

“That’s correct.”

With her words, footsteps echoed again.

-Clack… Clack…

Like before, something firm was stepping on the floor.

“…Kuh…”

A horrible headache rushed in, and Jang Chae Yeon and Song Ah Rin stood beside me.

“…I really didn’t want to meet.”

Song Ah Rin murmured, stretching out her fingers as if preparing the thread,

“…What did you do to my older sister?”

Jang Chae Yeon raised her hands and muttered in a rage.

“Ah-ha.”

From the darkness, someone emerged.

A human woman’s head on the body of a mannequin.

Aestheticism stepped into the light from the shadows.

Her body reflected light, and

“Now I see why.”

Aestheticism gazed at Jang Chae Yeon.

“You were the real one.”