Chapter 23: Chapter 23: Wrong Side of Town

"S… sorry, it's a little bit messy since I haven't really been staying here for a while."

"..."

The Slayer Association building seemed to have a lot of uses. Other than being a gathering hub for slayers, admitting new ones, and giving out quests; it also offered housing in the building for official members on the upper floors. Of course, one still had to pay for it.

And it would seem that Sandie from the Wind Mafia team was also a tenant of the building. Zero had been watching her trying to clean her apartment… but the mess seems to just be getting worse and worse. Even the horde had a cleaner home than this– if you exclude all the bones and rotting bodies.

But finally, after what seemed like an entire hour, Sandie was able to throw away all the mess through the window. Whether or not someone would report her in the morning, was not really something Sandie was thinking right now.

"Is… the sofa fine for you? I'll bring out some blankets so you can start getting yourself comfortable."

"..." And as Sandie told her to, Zero sat on the sofa– a little perplexed as he almost sank between the foam. What… was he even supposed to do here? Sandie said that they should sleep and rest.

He had seen humans do it before, but he didn't really have any idea on how to do it. As long as he remembers, he had been awake. There were times that he and the horde he was with was dormant– just huddling in the darkness… but sleep?

"..." Zero then turned to look at the sofa for a few seconds, before proceeding to slowly lay his head down and imitating what the humans do– closing his eyes.

"..."

"Maybe you want to take a shower first? I got the blank…ets."

He then heard Sandie's voice; he, however, remained unmoving with his eyes closed. After all, when the humans do this, they don't move until after a few hours.

"You… must have been really tired," he continued to hear Sandie's voice– he was about to open his eyes when he felt something soft wrapping around him; but since he couldn't really feel any danger, he just allowed the blanket to fall onto him.

[Some of the Readers of Fate thought it was something else.]

"See you in the morning, Zero."

"..."

No.

And after what seemed like an hour, Zero opened his eyes and sat back up. Nothing was really happening to him– it all just seemed like a waste of time when he could explore the Conretespire Safe Zone instead and learn more about everything.

And so, Zero just stood up… scanning the apartment for a few seconds, before walking towards Sandie's room. He very quietly opened the door and looked inside. He truly doesn't know how humans are able to do it– sleep

If they were outside, then Zero might have probably already tried to eat Sandie. If he devours her now, then he would surely be in trouble– judging by the way Eleanor was earlier, the slayers would definitely hunt him down to his last maggot if they find her dead.

The humans… were very particular about death. He should probably avoid eating them in the future if he could; besides, the werewolves made his tongue tingle more anyway– they were tastier. He was told there were many more beasts that came from Bubbles… is it perhaps possible there would be beasts that were even tastier than the wolves?

"..." Zero stared at Sandie's sleeping face for a few more seconds, before letting out a small and quiet grunt… and just walking away; quietly closing the door and leaving the apartment.

"..."

And a few moments after he left the room, a very long and deep sigh echoed through the air as Sandie sat up from the bed. She looked at the door for a couple of seconds, before once again sighing; hugging her legs as she curled.

"I… guess not," she then whispered to herself before going back to bed,

"...Maybe next time."

[Some of the Readers of Fate don't really know what to feel right now.]

***

The lobby… was now completely quiet. The receptionist that was talking nonstop with the slayers earlier, now also seemingly resting as she sat behind her counter. However, as soon as she heard Zero drawing closer, her eyes quickly opened.

"Oh, it's you," the receptionist waved, "Have trouble sleeping? Don't worry, that's quite common after getting beaten up by the boss."

"..."

"Well, since you're awake and you woke me up as well… want to buy information about a Bubble Item? It was just reported last night."

"Bubble… item?"

"Yep. How about it? I'm willing to give this information to you for cheap since you're the newest member."

"Bubble… item?" Zero repeated as he had no idea what the receptionist was saying.

"Don't be surprised… but it's a weapon."

"..."

"I was kinda hoping you'd have more reaction than that," the receptionist could only let out a small sigh as she looked at Zero's unchanging expression, "But either way, I suggest you buy the info before the others start waking– hey, where are you going!?"

"I… have weapon," Zero then said as he picked up his halberd that was resting on the wall. They were asked to surrender it earlier when they entered.

"W… wait!" The receptionist then leaped over the counter as she handed a piece of paper to Zero, "At least take a quest! I don't like having my time waste–"

And before the receptionist could even finish her words, Zero left the building.

"Great...

...another weird one."

***

The streets were still empty– even more so now with the moon no longer present in the dark sky, and only the darkness blanketed the air. He had seen Concretespire Safe Zone from above when he was outside, and it was large.

He wasn't able to explore it earlier because of all the people and the events that transpired, but perhaps now was the best time to do so– there were no distractions.

There were, however, guards walking around the streets. But aside from a few nods and looks, they don't seem to be too bothered with Zero walking around even with his entire body covered in a cloak.

There was a couple that asked him to stop, but as soon as they saw his Slayer ID, they just let him pass. Truly, what a convenient little thing, Zero thought.

And so, he continued to walk. His feet, seemingly leading him to nowhere, but at the same time– the roads he was taking seemed to be familiar. Did… he perhaps live in Concretespire Safe Zone back when he was still human?

The Wind Mafia did say that most of the zombies outside were from the Safe Zone. The buildings all looked alike, but perhaps… one of them could actually be his home?

"..."

And very soon, Zero found himself in a familiar place. Not in a way of recollection, but in a way of atmosphere. From the clean streets that didn't even have a stench of dirt in them, he now finds himself surrounded by the familiar stench… of death.

There… were humans just sleeping on the cold ground– with only their bodies to keep themselves warm. Unlike the area in which the Slayer building and the markets stood, however, the buildings in this place still had lights in them, even more colorful and even blinding.

There were also a lot of people awake and walking through the neon streets; none, however, were making noise. Instead, they seemed to just be using their eyes to communicate.

"..." A weird stench then entered Zero's nose as he walked by several female humans that were barely clothed– and like many of the people here, their eyes seemed to be saying something to Zero.

But still, Zero just continued to walk as he watched everything in front of him unfold… well, until several humans started blocking his path, that is.

"I think you're on the wrong side of town, slayer."

They might be wrong– Zero might just very well be on the side where he is meant to be.