Convict Unit: Black Parade

Ghost reached the center of Deck 0, pressed the elevator button, and spoke into the grille.

“Ghost. To the 9th Deck.”

«…Acknowledged.»

The elevator descended, and the two of them stepped inside.

Jae-hee looked on in wonder. “The elevator comes all the way down to Deck 0?”

“How else are we supposed to drag the freaks in here for a mission? This is the only one that works.”

The elevator carried them up to the 9th Deck’s Shopping Arcade.

This was Jae-hee’s first time eating out here, and he was practically bouncing with excitement. “Whoa, finally! I actually get to eat here! Everything looks so cool!”

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Jae-hee stopped with a soft “Ah!” and turned to Ghost.

“Is there anywhere in particular you want to eat? Any recommendations?”

“Well… there is one thing I’m in the mood for.”

Ghost took the lead. Jae-hee trotted eagerly behind her.

They crossed the glittering shopping plaza and followed a corridor toward the aft of the ship.

“The cruise ship is divided into three sections: forward, midship, and aft. I assume you know that much by now?”

“Yes!”

“Then do you know which of the three is the most expensive?”

“Uh… no, I don’t.”

“The aft.” Ghost held up her index and middle fingers. “Two reasons. First, you can watch the ship’s wake from the stern.”

“Ooh.”

“Second, the ride is smoother.”

“Ahh.”

“You don’t really feel it when the weather’s calm like today, but on a windy day with high waves, you’ll definitely notice it in the forward section. It takes the brunt of the waves, so it gets tossed around like crazy. The aft, by contrast, is relatively stable.”

Some people preferred the forward section, she explained, but the aft was generally more popular. And therefore, more expensive.

Naturally, the restaurants located in the aft were pricier than those elsewhere.

Jae-hee found himself growing tense as he listened, following her toward the aft restaurants. Just how expensive was this place going to be?

Then, Ghost stopped.

“Whoa.”

Before them stood the most expensive-looking place on the ship: a glittering, opulent French restaurant.

Jae-hee stared at his surroundings, dumbfounded. A massive chandelier sparkled overhead. “Seriously, is this really a prison? We can use places like this?”

“Anything is possible on Paradise Lost… provided you pay the appropriate amount of Paradise Credit.” Ghost recited the fundamental principle once more.

And just what, Jae-hee wondered, is the “appropriate amount” for a place like this?

Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind them. “Well, well, if it isn’t Ghost and the Boy.”

Turning, they saw Silken Bodhisattva and Little Lamb.

The couple approached arm in arm, wreathed in smiles, she in a stunning red dress and he in a sharp green tuxedo.

“Are you two going for some fine dining? An excellent choice. The full course here is to die for. Even better with a view of the sunset. However… hmm.”

Silken Bodhisattva’s gaze swept over Ghost and Jae-hee’s attire before she hid her mouth behind a folded fan. “It might be best to mind the dress code next time.”

Only then did Jae-hee realize he was still in his shabby prison uniform.

He made a strangled sound, but Ghost—still in her own grubby uniform—shot out a hand and clamped it on his shoulder, meaning for him to calm down.

Silken Bodhisattva tapped Little Lamb’s shoulder with the tip of her fan, and he performed a pirouette on the spot, as if in a ballet. The hem of his well-pressed green tuxedo drew a perfect arc.

“Atmosphere is so important in a place like this, isn’t it? Oh, but your outfits are rather cute, so I’ll let it slide. Shall we go in together? You’re welcome to join our table. I’ve already prepared a fabulous bottle of wine.”

As if on cue, Little Lamb produced a bottle from his tuxedo. One glance at the foreign script covering the label was enough to tell it was expensive.

But Ghost declined. “I appreciate the offer, but this isn’t my kind of place. I’m going somewhere else today.”

Instead of the glittering French restaurant, Ghost led Jae-hee into the shabby Korean diner next door.

Jae-hee’s eyes widened. He hadn’t even noticed a Korean restaurant was there.

“Hmm. What a shame. I had so many questions for you…”

After a giggle behind her fan, Silken Bodhisattva called out to Jae-hee as he was dragged into the diner. “Boy! We should grab a bite sometime, just the two of us!”

“Ah! Yes, Miss Bodhisattva! You too, Little Lamb bro! Definitely!”

Ghost clicked her tongue. “Stay away from those two.”

“Huh? Why? They’re not from Deck 0, are they?”

“They’re big spenders. Hang around them and you’ll never see the outside of this prison.”

And with that, the two entered the shabby Korean diner.

There were no other customers. A middle-aged man who looked like a civilian sat at the counter, watching a worn-out TV on the wall.

“This should be good.”

Ghost led the way and chose a table. It was as shabby as the rest of the place but clean, a sign that it was well maintained.

“All right then… let’s see what you’re buying me.”

With that, Ghost opened a menu and tied her hair back to eat.

When she pulled back her wild white hair, revealing a face so deceptively young, Jae-hee felt a fresh wave of bewilderment. He had seen it a few times now, but it was still hard to get used to.

She totally looks my age…

But she was an S-Rank Awakened. Her aging had stopped the moment she Awakened.

She was one of the Old Five Heroes who had saved the nation during the Gate War thirty years ago… or at least, it was highly likely. She was a relic of a bygone era.

How old is she, exactly? Was she really one of the Old Five Heroes? How did she end up in a place like this?

The questions sprouted one after another.

Ignoring Jae-hee, Ghost scanned the menu. “Prices vary from place to place, but this one is on the expensive side for the 9th Deck. Not as much as the French place next door, but it’ll cost you.”

“I-is it really expensive? H-how much is a meal?”

“Let’s see… I’m craving gamja-tang, and it’s ten thousand Credits per serving.”

So, twenty thousand Credits for two.

A meal worth two hundred days off my sentence!

Jae-hee was horrified.

Aside from commissioning his gear, he hadn’t spent a single Credit. This was his first personal expenditure, and it amounted to two hundred days of freedom for a single meal.

Jae-hee gritted his teeth, forcing his feelings down. After all, he was the one who had offered to buy. “L-let’s order it! The gamja-tang!”

“Good. Excuse me~ We’d like to order.”

Ghost ordered two servings of gamja-tang from the staff member who approached.

The middle-aged man took their order with a deadpan expression. He returned shortly with side dishes and bowls of rice.

With an elegant flick of her chopsticks, Ghost neatly tore a piece of kimchi, popped it in her mouth, and chewed.

“Mm, everything here is good, but the kimchi is exceptional.”

Next, she took up her spoon and scooped some rice.

Even her spoon-work was extraordinary. She sculpted the rice into a perfect oval, placed a piece of a side dish neatly on top, and slipped it into her mouth.

The main course hadn’t even arrived, but Ghost had already polished off a whole bowl of rice with just the side dishes.

Watching her one-woman eating show in a daze, Jae-hee snapped back to his senses. “You’re really enjoying that…”

“Of course it’s delicious. Aren’t you the one who insisted on buying me an expensive meal?”

An expensive meal…

A fresh pang of regret stabbed at Jae-hee. Every side dish that vanished into Ghost’s small mouth felt like another piece of his own lost freedom disappearing with it.

No, I promised I’d buy her this! Why am I being such a cheapskate? Just go with it, eat with gusto!

But his inner scrooge wouldn’t let him relax.

The waiter returned, carrying a bubbling pot. It was a proper gamja-tang, with pork neck bones, various vegetables, and a generous amount of perilla seed powder.

It had been ages since he’d had a proper Korean meal, but Jae-hee had no appetite and merely picked at his food.

Across from him, Ghost lifted her spoon, sipped the broth, and let out a sigh of contentment.

“Aah, that hits the spot. This ship is a fucking shithole, but I’ll admit, I find myself craving this soup sometimes.”

“…”

“Can’t eat this sober. Need something to wash it down. Excuse me! One bottle of soju and another bowl of rice. And a refill on the side dishes, please.”

Jae-hee stared blankly as a bottle of soju (1,000 P.€) and a bowl of rice (500 P.€) were added to the table, along with an updated bill.

“Ahhh, perfect.”

Ghost poured herself a glass, then tipped the soju shot back with a practiced motion.

Just like with her chopsticks and spoon, her movements—from pouring to drinking—had a fluid grace and discipline.

As Jae-hee watched with his mouth agape, Ghost gestured with her now-empty glass.

“What? You want some?”

“Nope.” Jae-hee immediately waved his hands in refusal. “Someone let me try a glass once, but I didn’t like the taste. I’m fine with juice or cola.”

“Doesn’t smoke, doesn’t drink… Are you a villain with a three-hundred-year sentence or some high school brat?”

“I-I passed high school graduation age a while ago, you know! Not that I ever got to go to school…”

Ghost scoffed, then deftly picked the meat from a pork bone and popped it into her mouth, her cheeks puffing out as she chewed. For someone with such a small mouth, she was a remarkably good eater.

After a few more bites, she asked casually, “How many Credits have you saved up?”

“Huh?”

“You’ve done two missions. How much have you earned?”

Jae-hee pressed his cuff to check his balance. “A little less than eight hundred thousand.”

“Your sentence is three hundred years, so you need to save up about eleven million… let’s just say ten million Credits.”

Scoffing, Ghost raised the soju bottle. “You’ve got a long way to go. You should be saving every penny. Can you really afford to buy me something like this?”

“S-still, I made a promise.”

It was a painful expense to burn on a single meal, but this was a strategic investment.

Jae-hee leaned closer across the table and looked Ghost straight in the eye. “So you have to keep your promise, too, Granny!”

“…What promise?”

“There you go again! Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about!”

As Ghost tilted the soju bottle with a clean motion to refill her glass, Jae-hee folded down his fingers one by one.

“If I took down Razor, took over Deck 1, survived the mission, and bought you a ridiculously expensive meal in the common area…”

“…”

“You said you’d take me as your disciple!”

“…”

“I’ve met all the conditions, so keep your promise!”

Ghost raised the soju glass to her red lips with an indifferent expression. The evening sun, streaming through the window, caught the glass in her hand and made it glitter like gold.

“Please accept me as your disciple, Granny! I mean…”

Ahem!

Jae-hee cleared his throat and, in a voice full of solemn gravity, suddenly declared: “Master!”

“Pffuh!”

The soju at Ghost’s lips burst into a violent spray, catching the sunset and scattering like liquid gold.