She is not an investigator.

"That would be perfect."

Igris turned her head and looked out the car window, no longer glancing at Philina, who was pouting.

She was indeed very cute, but Igris didn't want to get into any more trouble.

For example, someone holding a knife to her neck and threatening her.

The Gods' Fool - The Northern Train: Chapter Twenty-Two, The Illusion Gradually Becoming Realized

Perhaps because Felina's voice was a bit too loud, everyone's eyes fell on her, with a mixture of curiosity and wariness.

She was probably worried that she would be the next person to be blown up.

Felina didn't notice this, nor did she care. She was just a little frustrated because the flame that had just risen in her heart had been extinguished before it could even burn.

Igris looks really cold, but Philina always felt that she wasn't like that inside, and that some things had caused her to close herself off.

Although it sounds presumptuous of her to say this, Philina still wanted to try to save Igris and open up her completely closed heart.

...Okay, I guess I was a bit too presumptuous.

Felina, clutching her umbrella, secretly glanced at Igris beside her.

Igris was still the same as before, her collar pulled up high, her hat pulled low, one hand resting on the car window, lifting her cheek as she looked out at the scenery.

Actually, there's not much to see outside; you can't see anything except for the snow.

At least Philina felt that she was probably a little prettier than those landscapes that hardly changed.

Although Igris didn't seem to think so at all.

Thinking of this, Felina tightened her grip on the umbrella.

Of course, Igris wouldn't notice this at all at the moment, because she wasn't actually looking at the scenery outside the window, but was silently thinking about something in her mind.

First and foremost, her current condition is the most important thing.

Although at times she could still feel some minor physical discomfort, such as the whispers that lingered in her ear when she first entered the tunnel, and the occasional feeling of hunger.

However, this state was not severe, at least not to the point of affecting her normal activities. After exchanging conversations with the passengers on the train, Igris's condition became more stable than ever before.

Perhaps she just needs an opportunity like this? A chance to move on with a relatively stable emotional state after breaking free from overly burdensome interpersonal relationships.

This sense of security almost made Igris believe that her mental problems had been resolved, and she even had the urge to go home.

but……

"Ancient sounds..."

It seems that there are indeed some very special things waiting for her to discover at her destination.

"Cough cough..."

A soft cough suddenly broke out in the carriage.

This is probably a very normal reaction, but in this atmosphere, the cough instantly drew everyone's attention.

Igris also turned to look at the source of the voice, and it was none other than the man sitting next to Constantine.

He seemed oblivious to everyone's gaze, or perhaps he simply didn't have the energy to notice.

"Cough cough cough-"

His coughing became more violent, and his movements became more exaggerated. He even gripped his neck tightly with one hand, and his face turned bright red.

Everyone instinctively moved away from the man, and the train conductor followed suit, carrying his hunting rifle.

Everyone was watching the man, observing what might happen to him next.

"Cough cough...cough!"

Suddenly, as the coughing abruptly stopped, something new was coughed out of the man's hand, which he had been covering his mouth with.

The man's breathing gradually became steady, and the flush on his face quickly subsided. The object in his hand also attracted almost everyone's attention.

It was a lump of red flesh and blood, and even after being coughed up and falling into the man's hand, it was still wriggling slightly and shaking its body.

The man seemed surprised that he would spit out such a thing, his face turned deathly pale, and he threw it out of his hand.

The mass of flesh and blood fell onto the train floor, and the slightly swaying body suddenly froze, as if it had lost all vitality.

"What is that thing..."

The man muttered to himself, the fear on his face seemingly genuine.

Igris felt that this thing was surprisingly similar to the man who had exploded before. Although it was quite different in size, the overall structure and shape were quite similar.

The man's crisis seemed to have been resolved, but just as the train conductor pointed his gun at the blood and flesh on the ground, a strange phenomenon occurred.

The man, who had just been looking terrified, suddenly froze on the spot. His skin and flesh melted away like a melting candle, turning into a pool of milky white liquid.

All of this happened so suddenly that even Constantine, who was closest to him, didn't have time to react. A foul stench filled the entire carriage, causing everyone to frown.

Faced with this new situation, the best course of action is probably to stop the train and let the conductor decide how to proceed.

But just as everyone was still in a state of panic because of the man's bizarre death, a gunshot rang out in the carriage.

In this carriage, besides the train conductor, the only people who currently possess weapons are Constantine, Philina, and Anfer.

The gunshot came from Anfer, who had been sitting in the corner, observing from the shadows for a long time.

He pointed his short rifle at the roof of the carriage, and after everyone's eyes were on him, he pointed his gun at another person.

It was a woman who looked no different from the other passengers. Facing the dark muzzle of a gun, she almost instantly raised her hands, trembling.

The train conductor frowned and slowly approached the two of them.

"what's the situation?"

"It's obvious that this guy killed that man without you even noticing."

Anfer's words instantly made the woman raise her head in terror and frantically wave her arms.

"No...no! It wasn't me! I've been framed! I couldn't possibly have killed him! We were so far apart, how could I..."

The train conductor ignored the woman's shouting and instead focused his gaze on Anfer's aged face.

"Are you sure?"

"You should have known what I was thinking the moment I fired the shot."

The train conductor sighed and, facing the woman's pleas and cries, slowly raised the gun in his hand.

boom--!

The bullet pierced the woman's skull instantly. Amidst the gasps of the crowd, her body collapsed to the ground, a hole slowly oozing blood appearing on her forehead.

The woman was killed so simply because of a single sentence from Anfer, and there was no other evidence to prove that she really killed the man.

No one dared to say anything, and no one intended to do so.

Having lost their weapons, they had become lambs to the slaughter, and any possible resistance could turn into bullets fired at them.

The foul stench continued to permeate the carriage, and a sense of unease began to slowly spread throughout the carriage.

The Gods' Fool - The Northern Train: Chapter Twenty-Three, The Right Human

“…Igris.”

Philina gently tugged at Igris' sleeve again, her overly soft voice causing Igris to unconsciously turn her head and look at her.

"what's up."

She remained aloof, even when faced with Felina's pleading gaze, she still seemed somewhat cold and unapproachable.

Felina didn't answer immediately, but her actions spoke volumes.

She was uneasy, not only because of the smell in the carriage, but also because of the woman's death.

The oppressive atmosphere in the carriage, and the fear and unease on everyone's faces, indirectly affected her emotions.

Even though she said she would protect Igris, in this chaotic situation, it was actually she who needed protection.

As the woman's body was dragged to the last carriage, Felina's mood began to show obvious signs of depression and anxiety.

Although Igris found it troublesome, she still grasped Philina's hand that was gripping her sleeve.

"They won't hurt you, you don't need to worry too much."

"...But, however..."

Igris understood what she meant. She felt that these lives should not be ended so simply on this vehicle, nor did she believe that anyone could easily decide the life or death of others. She also disapproved of humans being slaughtered at will like livestock.

This is a normal psychological state, which Igris can understand and is willing to empathize with.

But there was nothing else Igris could do now but hold her hand and tell her not to worry.

After all, the next stop is just around the corner.

"Are you still planning to ride all the way to the final stop? If you feel unwell, getting off at the next stop might be a good option."

Although the next station is not a regular station, finding another way to leave is not as simple as it seems.

It's much better than riding in this car.

Felina did begin to hesitate, although she did have something to do when she first boarded the train, aside from some minor personal motives.

But what she knew even more clearly was what kind of difficulties she could truly overcome unscathed, given her abilities.

In other words, she does need to consider her own safety.

The sudden slowing of the train interrupted her thoughts, and Igris's voice reached her ears at that moment.

"We've arrived. Come with me to get some fresh air before deciding whether we want to continue sitting here."

They had reached the first temporary station, which was also the first area where they could rest.

Rather than a temporary station, this place is more like a temporary camp set up in the wilderness, equipped with some temporary supplies, tents, and other facilities.

This is not a good place to get off the bus, especially if you don't have the ability to protect yourself.

As the car door opened, Igris and Philina emerged from the almost suffocating carriage and stepped onto the snow-covered ground.

The crisp, cool air dispelled much of the nauseating smell and calmed Felina down considerably.

Igris noticed the slightly ajar door of the last carriage and several figures bustling about there.

They were most likely dealing with the bodies in the car, and Igris didn't care what happened to them.