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Chapter 7
“If I may… I don’t know the location of this shelter either. The system window brought me here. Judging by your appearance, you don’t seem to be from the Valdehart Empire… What exactly are you?”
“I’d like to know that too.”
All I know is that this place is a shelter, and that I’m apparently an NPC.
At my simple answer, Theo fell silent.
A heavy quiet settled between us. He looked me up and down—from head to toe—as I sat crouched there in my bunny pajamas, then asked in a subdued voice,
“Then… could you at least tell me your name?”
“It’s Dorothy.”
“Ah. So ‘Dorothy the self-living NPC’ is your real name.”
A faint smile touched Theo’s lips. It was a strange, unreadable smile—but regardless of the reason, a handsome man smiling was always a rare sight, so I couldn’t look away.
An awkward silence followed. Neither of us had managed to gain any useful information from the other, so we simply stared blankly at the floor.
Then it suddenly hit me—Theo had said he was a mercenary.
If he casually called it that, then this probably wasn’t a modern world. Even if someone did similar work today, they’d usually call themselves a soldier, not a mercenary.
Turning that thought over, I cautiously asked,
“You said you’re a mercenary, right? What kind of work do mercenaries usually do?”
“In the past, it was simple. We fought in wars for money.”
“And these days?”
“These days, I mostly rescue survivors from areas covered in gray-white dust. As the contaminated zones continue to expand, places where people can live are disappearing.”
“Rescuing survivors… If you enter those contaminated areas, do you die?”
“Not just people—everything loses its life. In areas completely consumed by the gray-white dust, even water, land, and air are no longer intact. The only thing left there is the dust itself.”
“…Like outside?”
I pointed toward the window.
It looked severe enough already, but Theo’s reaction was unexpected.
“At that level, visibility is still maintained, so it would be classified as a Level 3 zone. People can’t live there, but with protective gear, it’s still possible to pass through. Level 4 zones are completely impassable.”
“What kind of protective gear? And what happens without it?”
“The designs vary, but generally they resemble sand-protection gear. If you inhale a certain amount of the gray-white dust mixed in the air, you’ll die from respiratory failure. That’s why you need equipment that prevents the dust from entering your nose and mouth. In a Level 3 zone, survival without protection is difficult beyond a day.”
Wow… that’s terrifying. It’s like radioactive fallout.
“Then rescuing survivors must be dangerous too.”
“It is. But I’m fine. My physical abilities are… above average.”
Theo scratched the back of his neck with an awkward smile.
He was clearly doing something incredible, yet he downplayed it. It was the kind of behavior you’d expect from someone genuinely good.
I couldn’t help but admire him.
“That’s really amazing. Even in such a hopeless situation, you’re still helping others.”
“It’s nothing special. Someone has to do it.”
Despite my praise, Theo’s tone remained calm.
For a moment, it almost felt like a saintly aura surrounded his handsome face.
As I thought more about the gray-white dust, curiosity got the better of me.
“What exactly is that gray-white dust?”
“All that’s known is that it originated from a massive explosion on the 29th island ten years ago.”
“Why is that all that’s known?”
“Because there were no survivors from the 29th island.”
“…Ah.”
A sigh of genuine sorrow escaped me.
Korea, ravaged by a deadly disease.
The Valdehart Empire, devoured by disaster.
The causes were different—but the result was the same.
People were dying. And they would keep dying.
For a moment, I thought about Earth.
Korea had been relatively well-controlled. People stayed home, minimized infections, and tried to maintain order, believing things would return to normal.
There hadn’t been widespread chaos.
But not every country was like that.
The larger and more populated a country was, the worse things became. In places where social order had already collapsed, it was practically hell on earth.
I’d seen reports where over half the population was infected, with death rates exceeding 50%.
That meant at least a quarter of the population had vanished in just two months.
My chest tightened painfully. Pressing a fist against my heart, I spoke carefully.
“This place… it’s really tragic too. If it’s an empire, there must be an emperor. What is he doing? Is he even trying to deal with this disaster?”
“Do you really think those in power care about the people?”
“Well… even so, if things get this bad, wouldn’t it affect their own future too?”
“The areas consumed by the dust are the 29 islands and the empire’s outskirts. It’s estimated to cover over half the continent—but in the capital and central regions, there isn’t even a speck of dust. However…”
Theo paused, taking a deep breath.
Then, with a grave expression, he continued,
“I believe things will get worse much faster than they expect.”
“…Why are you so certain?”
“It’s complicated. But there are reasons. A final storm will come—one that will swallow the entire empire. The gray-white dust will cover everything.”
A final storm…?
He sounded serious. Confident, even.
“…Then everyone will die?”
“Most of the empire’s people will die before they can even react. You could call it the empire’s end.”
Death. Destruction. Apocalypse.
Those dreadful words dug deep into my chest.
It felt like something heavy was pressing down on my lungs.
The Valdehart Empire… and Earth.
For some reason, I felt both were heading toward the same end.
I sat there, staring blankly out the window at the drifting gray-white dust.
From inside the safe shelter, it looked almost peaceful.
It was hard to believe that dust could wipe out all life.
Strangely, despite everything, my mind felt calm.
If anything, Theo’s explanation helped me organize my thoughts.
I had been transported—to a novel, a game, or another dimension.
A world harsh enough to be called a “disaster scenario.”
Was it coincidence?
…No.
If it were, I wouldn’t have a defined role, a system, or even a guidebook.
That meant—
Someone, or something, had deliberately made me the shelter owner.
And if I had a role, then something was expected of me.
Theo too wasn’t here by accident. The system had brought him.
That meant he was part of this plan as well.
“Theo… can you tell me who you really are? You don’t seem to be from the Valdehart Empire.”
Theo’s dark eyes shifted toward the window.
He said nothing.
Silence—half an affirmation.
He wasn’t from here. But he didn’t want to reveal more.
“How long will you stay in the shelter? Is there a time limit?”
“Twelve hours.”
“And when you leave… will you go out the same door? What’s outside it?”
“A white corridor.”
“And after that… will you return to where you came from?”
“I don’t know. I just hope the system sends me somewhere safe. Preferably not a Level 4 zone.”
A weak laugh slipped out at his dry remark.
“Theo.”
“Yes?”
“I feel like… we’ll meet again. What do you think?”
“……”
Another silence. Another half-answer.
Maybe yes. Maybe no.
We sat by the window, watching the gray-white dust drift outside, letting time pass peacefully—for just a little while.
“…I want coffee.”
And maybe a slice of cake too.
Human greed really has no limits.
Now that I was full, I was already thinking about dessert.
“Inventory.”
I whispered softly and opened it, purchasing a box of vanilla gold original coffee mix.
Rich, sweet, full of vanilla flavor—the kind everyone loved.
A must-have, whether at home, work… or a shelter.
“…The price is insane.”
300,000 points.
Sure, it was a 30-pack—but still.
Why sell this as a set when everything else is sold individually?
I sighed—but didn’t hesitate.
One cup would lift my mood, wake me up, and clear my head.
Totally worth it… probably.
The moment I pressed purchase, packets of coffee mix spilled onto my lap.
Grinning, I scooped them up in both hands and waved them in front of Theo.
“Want some coffee?”
