Passenger (3)

I stood in the kitchen of Car 2, moving a frying pan.

"I can't just feed them snacks..."

I poured oil into the heated pan and began stir-frying finely chopped ham and onions.

The menu was kimchi fried rice.

But it might be too spicy for seven-year-old Sua, so I rinsed the kimchi in water to remove as much seasoning as possible before chopping it up and adding it.

I drizzled in sesame oil generously and carefully stir-fried it until the grains of rice were fluffy and separate.

They needed protein too, so I fried eggs as well.

Sizzle—

Along with the sound of the eggs cooking in the pan, a savory aroma filled Car 2.

Once I finished cooking, I divided the fried rice between two plates.

And just as I carefully opened the door to the passenger compartment of Car 3—

"Are you awake?"

The first thing I saw when I opened the door was the two little children sitting in their seats and staring intently at me.

They had been sleeping like they didn't have a care in the world until just moments ago, but it seemed the savory smell had woken them up.

Jiwoo was rubbing his eyes and slowly looking at me, while Sua had her mouth slightly open.

I smiled as I met those round gazes.

"Let's eat. Come here."

"Huh?... Yes! Get up, Sua."

"Mm..."

At my words, the two siblings got up from their seats.

Maybe they were still groggy, because they staggered as they walked, but they began following me in a daze, lured by the smell.

But just as Jiwoo crossed the threshold of Car 3 and tried to step toward Car 2—

Thump.

"Huh?"

As if there were an invisible transparent wall, Jiwoo struck something and was gently bounced backward.

Bzzzt—!

A semitransparent system window suddenly appeared in the air and blocked my view.

[Warning: The passenger is attempting to leave the designated passenger car.]

[Would you like to allow the passenger into Car 2? (Y/N)]

"Ah..."

I let out a small exclamation as I looked at the window before me.

There had been no particular restriction when I let the siblings into the passenger compartment, but things were different when they tried to move into another car.

'At least it keeps things safe.'

I wouldn't have to worry about the passengers sneaking into my sleeping quarters.

I touched the [Y] button in the air.

[Access granted.]

"It'll be okay now."

As if the invisible wall were slowly receding, the siblings, who had hesitated at the threshold, safely stepped into Car 2.

And at that moment, a completely different scene from Car 3 unfolded before the children's eyes.

"Whoa..."

"Big brother, look over there!"

Exclamations burst simultaneously from the siblings.

To me, Car 2 was chaos itself.

A drone hangar occupied one wall, with the battle drone and scout drone hanging quietly from their charging ports and emitting a soft blue glow, while the shimmering mana stones and items obtained from hunting monsters were piled up beside them like a mountain.

There was an armory and a kitchen on one side, along with an aquarium and even a marimo for some reason.

The children's eyes, still hazy with sleep, quickly began to sparkle with curiosity.

Sua seemed interested in the marimo and drones, while Jiwoo stared at the armory with his mouth hanging open.

"You can look around later. For now, let's eat."

I drew their gazes away and guided them to the kitchen island table.

I seated the siblings and set a steaming plate of kimchi fried rice in front of each of them.

"Th-thank you for the meal!"

Sua pressed her hands together in greeting first, then gripped her spoon tightly and scooped up a large bite of fried rice.

Jiwoo hesitated only briefly before popping the yolk of his fried egg, mixing it into the rice, and hurriedly shoving it into his mouth.

They must have been hungry.

Fortunately, it seemed I hadn't chosen the wrong menu.

Both of them were eating well.

"Eat slowly."

I poured water from the refrigerator into their cups and propped my chin on one hand.

Clink.

Before long, the sound of their spoons scraping the bottoms of empty bowls rang through the kitchen of Car 2.

They ate quickly.

I slowly began gauging the children.

It was time to ask them some questions.

They might be difficult questions to answer—

"Thank you for the meal..."

"Thank you for the meal, big brother. I mean, big sister..."

Once their stomachs were full, the tension that had kept them taut finally eased, and the children's eyelids began drooping heavily again.

I put the empty bowls in the sink, then took a seat across from the two siblings.

"Now... I'm going to ask you a few questions, so just take your time answering."

I began in as gentle a voice as possible, trying not to sound threatening.

"How did you end up hiding in the bathroom of that dangerous shopping center?"

At my question, Jiwoo lowered his gaze to the table.

The brave, protective look he'd had when he clenched his fists and tried to protect his little sister was nowhere to be seen. Instead, he revealed the face of an ordinary twelve-year-old boy overwhelmed by anxiety.

Jiwoo moved his lips a few times before cautiously opening his mouth.

"...The red-brick villa a short walk from that PC café was our home. The three of us had been hiding there the whole time."

The three of them—Jiwoo, Sua, and their mother.

I wanted to ask what had happened to their father, but it seemed there was a story behind it, so I decided to listen quietly.

"And then?"

"We ran out of food. We still had some snacks, but... before those ran out too, Mom went out to get food. She never came back."

Jiwoo's voice trembled faintly.

"When did your mom leave?"

"Three days ago."

"...I see."

I rubbed my chin while forcing myself to keep my expression under control, but my thoughts were racing.

'Three days.'

Their mother had gone out to find food in this world and hadn't returned for three days?

And she had left two children at home waiting for food.

I could guess what that meant.

"This morning, the snacks and water Mom had left us ran out too. Sua started crying because she was hungry... and Mom still wasn't coming back. So I went out to look for her, but a huge wolf chased me, and I ran into the bathroom."

Jiwoo finished speaking while desperately holding back his tears.

Sua, sitting beside him, sniffled, perhaps because of the mention of their mother, and clutched her brother's sleeve tightly.

'Good grief...'

I let out a deep sigh inwardly.

Only then did the reality of the apocalypse begin to sink in through the siblings.

It carried a different weight from reading about it in posts on the gallery.

While I was lucky enough to survive inside the train, people outside were being forced to risk their lives just to find food.

I suddenly wondered whether the siblings' mother was safe, but I wasn't heartless enough to tell the children that possibility outright.

"I see..."

I stood up and took a notebook and a marker from the workshop area of Car 2.

"For now, it's too dangerous outside. I'll help you find your mother, but let's stay on this train for the time being."

As I said that, I tore a page from the notebook and began writing in large letters.

Once I had finished, I approached the drone hangar with the note in hand.

Then I asked the scout drone waiting at its charging port for a favor.

"Could you help me for a moment?"

Whirr—

The scout drone flew silently up to eye level.

I firmly clamped the note I had just written in the small pincers on the underside of the scout drone.

[The children are in a safe place. If you happen to return home, please write SOS in large, conspicuous letters on the rooftop.]

It doesn't look like a threat, does it?

"Jiwoo, what's the name of your villa?"

"Haeoreum Villa. We lived in Unit 201."

"Okay."

I looked at the scout drone and asked it for another favor.

"Scout drone, search for Haeoreum Villa near the PC café from earlier. Stick this note in front of the door to Unit 201 and come back."

The scout drone carrying the note shot straight upward like a bullet.

If the siblings' mother had miraculously survived and returned home, she would read the note and leave a sign on the rooftop.

If not—

'I guess I'll have to act as their guardian for the time being.'

There was one thing I absolutely needed to tell the children, who had grown drowsy after the meal.

It was the function that would let them check their own skills.

"Jiwoo, Sua. Can you try saying 'Status Window'?"

"Status Window? Like the one in games?"

Jiwoo asked back, his eyes going round.

At Jiwoo's age, he had probably seen the term Status Window in games, but Sua seemed not to understand what her brother's answer meant and merely stared blankly.

"Right, it's like the ones in games. Say 'Status Window' aloud once. Some writing should appear in front of your eyes."

At my words, Jiwoo murmured softly toward the empty air with an expression of uncertainty.

"Sta... Status Window."

Flash—!

A translucent holographic panel appeared in front of Jiwoo's eyes.

So other people can see it too.

Jiwoo let out an exclamation and tried poking at the words floating in the air with his finger.

"Whoa, this is really amazing... There's a glowing square floating in front of you, big brother!"

Sua clapped excitedly, apparently able to see her brother's Status Window too.

"What does it say?"

In response to my question, Jiwoo narrowed his eyes and slowly read through the writing on the Status Window.

"Uh... it says the skill is... Luck."

As Jiwoo explained it, the skill applied favorable odds to most actions.

Jiwoo seemed disappointed, but I nodded as I listened to the explanation.

'Most actions get a favorable probability modifier. Not bad.'

I didn't know how far it applied, but it was a skill with uses in many different areas.

It could increase the chance of mana stones or rare items dropping when monsters were defeated, or the chance of getting something good from a box.

If it applied favorable modifiers to all those probabilities and I leveled up the skill as well, it might become an incredible skill in the long run.

"No need to be disappointed. It seems like an incredibly good skill to me."

Jiwoo's face quickly brightened at my praise.

Even so, he continued speaking as if he was still a little disappointed.

"I wanted to get a nice train like yours, Noona..."

"...Then you might have called me Unnie instead of Noona."

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

I took the opportunity to turn my gaze toward Sua.

"Sua, want to try too? Say 'Status Window' like your brother."

"Status Window!"

When Sua shouted in her clear voice, a small holographic window appeared in front of her eyes as well.

Only seven years old, Sua furrowed her brow as she looked at the complicated writing floating before her.

"...There are too many letters..."

"I'll read it for you."

Jiwoo leaned toward his little sister's Status Window and slowly read through the text.

"Dungeon Search... It says, 'Before entering a dungeon, you can determine the dungeon's difficulty and detailed information in advance.'"

Once Jiwoo finished reading it all, Sua, the owner of the skill herself, tilted her head and tugged at my collar.

"Unnie, what's a dungeon?"

At the innocent question from the seven-year-old child, I was briefly at a loss for words.

Dungeon.

"Uh... a dungeon is like a cave where bad monsters hide. You won't ever have to go inside one, Sua, so you don't have to be scared."

I gently stroked Sua's head.

Even from a strictly survivalist perspective, setting aside my sentimental feelings, the siblings' skills were quite good.

I had a feeling the day I'd need the siblings' help would come soon.