Chapter 15
Chapter 15
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Kind Seed Kit
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[Daydream Corporation] is a sinister company that shoves Field Exploration Team employees into horrific ghost stories to extract raw potion essence.
A question arises here.
-Wouldn't everyone just die if they blindly threw employees into high-grade, insanely dangerous ghost stories, with no essence extracted?
To resolve this question and the convenience of the ghost story progression, there's a setting: 'Employees have special equipment that can be strengthened the higher they get promoted.'
But it's not overly specific.
If they started dividing equipment into ranks and tables one by one, it wouldn't be internet ghost stories anymore—it'd be a massive game setting.
So, for easier participation in creation by anyone, an even more convenient setting was added.
-Custom dedicated equipment
Employees whose usefulness is recognized to a certain degree receive company support to acquire their own supernatural gear.
Of course, it's not like regular employees suddenly wield cartoonish powers—it's more like adding slight special abilities.
The kind that conveniently sets up situations.
'Still, having it is better than nothing.'
I unwittingly looked at Squad Leader Lee Jaheon with expectant eyes, only to meet the lizard's gaze and quietly bow my head.
I really can't get used to it.
"Ah, does that mean I can create custom equipment?"
"Yes."
"...Could you explain?"
"Yes."
After asking three times, a detailed explanation followed.
Still intriguing.
'This is something I only knew in fragments.'
Bits and pieces scattered across the [Darkness Exploration Records] were compiled and came out of the section chief's mouth.
"Custom equipment can be crafted using specific darknesses held by the company."
Right. They'd use ghost stories for it.
In my memory, the depictions of Daydream Corporation employees crafting gear involved these three ghost stories.
Of which the Field Exploration Team mainly used...
"...is what it is."
Oh!
"Perfect, a darkness usable only on moonlit nights!"
With squad members gladly following to watch, I headed to the annex next to the company with the section chief.
It was thanks to the superiors egging me on: pull the iron horns while it's hot, go now.
"Ah... This is a place where relatively safe and useful ghost stories are isolated and stored."
The deputy's explanation followed.
"The company mainly calls these 'Twilight Grade.'"
I knew that.
Officially corresponds to E-grade ghost stories.
However, the classification is a bit different from simply calling them E-grade.
'They've cherry-picked only the useful ones.'
There were ghost stories far stronger than D-grade or less dangerous than F-grade, so everyone used the unique name 'Twilight' more often for these darknesses.
"Deer, you saw that... radio on your first day, right? It's useful because it tells the fortune for the day. Like that."
Swipe the employee ID at Annex 1F entrance, stairs to the basement appeared.
And descending the stairs... a dim reception desk with someone sitting there.
A bizarre figure clad head to toe in black clothes, wearing a mask, sunglasses, and hat.
Employee?
The assistant manager jumped right out.
"Hello! Field Exploration Squad D here for new hire training visit."
"......"
"Ah, we're requesting access to Twilight Grade darkness number 99."
The black figure stared at the assistant manager as if verifying for a moment.
Nod.
The figure nodded and pressed a button on the desk, opening one of the emergency doors behind.
Creeeak.
Beyond was a corridor lined with countless doors.
"Don't open any other rooms, not even by mistake. Actually, they're locked anyway, but don't even touch the handles."
Absolutely right.
I nodded without a word and moved my feet.
Soon, we stopped in front of the door marked '99', and the deputy placed his employee ID on the reader.
Click.
"Let's go in."
I looked up.
Moonlight poured into a greenhouse overgrown with weeds.
And in the center, a single rusty machine stood bathed in the moonlight.
That's right.
'A ghost story that takes two items, mixes their traits, and creates a new one.'
The darkness the Field Exploration Team almost exclusively used for custom equipment was this fairly atmospheric ghost story.
"Our department uses it almost exclusively!"
I stood before the rusty machine and asked.
"Does using this cost points?"
"Yeah. Twilight Grade darknesses stored in the annex require a usage fee to activate."
"Ah..."
"For reference, this one's 1000p per use."
Hold on.
But isn't this a bit off?
"If it's equipment needed for darkness exploration, shouldn't the company support it instead of charging?"
No matter how hopeless this company is, they'd have to do at least that for things to run...
"Ah, once you're assistant manager, you get two free uses per year."
"......"
Promotion... maybe I should've gone for it.
"So most wait until they become assistant manager. Usually hold out a year at most."
Hmm.
I pondered.
'Section Chief Lee Jaheon judges it 'useful' even spending points, so there must be a reason.'
The lizard—Employee D—might be a one-trick brute force type, but that surely included instinct-level intuition.
If a high-survival employee gave special advice...
'Probably right to accept.'
1000p investment to boost initial survival—that's the answer.
...My hands are shaking a bit!
"I'd like to use it now."
"Okay!"
The assistant manager reacted gladly but then muttered realizing something.
"...But first, you know you need an existing gear to input? An item with usable abilities."
"Ah... right."
I'd already checked all that in the exploration records for this ghost story.
"Don't worry! Tradition: when a squad member's making their first custom gear, the squad lends one piece free of charge."
"Yeah, just one though. The other you put your own item or buy/borrow for money."
The deputy glanced at the squad leader.
"And squad leader's gear... is the best among us."
I expected that. Senior position and all.
"If it's okay, I'd like to see the squad leader's gear."
"Yes."
The lizard pulled something from his pocket.
A small knife gleaming gray.
"Butter Knife. Slice the medium entering the darkness, cuts space, transports small items."
Oh.
"This is the gear you used to toss the AAA battery."
"Yes."
I looked at the Butter Knife with renewed interest.
'I was hoping for defense gear... guess it doesn't come that easy.'
Disappointing, but the other superiors' gear weren't defense-related either.
One deception-related, one comms.
'If needed, could get similar effect from the alien shop...'
I decided.
"Then we'll use the squad leader's gear?"
"Yes."
I bowed my head for social courtesy.
"Thank you, Squad Leader."
Section Chief Lee Jaheon gave a slight nod and approached the machine.
The worn LCD screen showed old-fashioned text.
I watched as the section chief held his gear to the machine to scan the 'genetic info'.
"Now put in the item you want next. ...Ah, hold on."
The deputy hurriedly said.
"If this machine isn't buggy, most things are fine? But there's one absolute no."
The deputy tapped the sign on the machine.
※Absolutely no plants※
"Absolutely do not put actual plants just because it asks."
"......"
"The sensor at the door filters plants anyway, but just in case."
Looking again with darkness-accustomed eyes, I saw the truth of the overgrown weeds around.
All fakes. Artificial plants.
...One exploration record immediately comes to mind.
Hmm. Must memorize.
"Yes. Thank you for telling me."
"No need for thanks."
Meanwhile, the section chief finished registering the gear and pocketed the knife again, standing up.
"For the other slot, people usually put convenient everyday items, but in that case, the supernatural traits may inherit weakly as gear, or not at all with low probability."
I knew, but nodded seriously in reaction.
"Can't be helped. Even if so, I'll accept."
I reached into my pocket and pulled something out.
"Oh~ You said you stopped by the dorm, had an item in mind?"
"Yes."
In my hand was a silver coin.
-Silver Coin Serpent
The very item heavily discounted at the alien shop.
"Planning to put this in."
Just put an item in the other slot.
I had quite a few supernatural items on hand!
Truth be told, that's why I was thrilled knowing the Field Exploration Team's ghost story was the 'Kind Seed Kit'.
'I have more item sources than others.'
From the hovering black memo pad giving goods to the alien shop.
From the moment I entered, I'd been running through my item lineup.
'And among them, the highest grade one would be...'
This one.
I rolled the round coin with the snake engraved in my palm.
'Most expensive at regular price.'
Plus, considering Section Chief Lee Jaheon's Butter Knife was for 'supply transport', maybe synergy with this presumed 'currency' coin...
I brought the coin to the machine.
The lizard's pupils dilated seeing the silver gleam.
"That's?"
"Commemorative coin. Bought as a souvenir on a trip... just had a good vibe."
"...I see."
...Did he notice it's an item?
Didn't matter. This world's setting made supernatural items plausible. Carrying them around casually had decent plausibility...
'A coin isn't that suspicious.'
Everyday, small item.
"Looks portable. Good compatibility."
"Thank you."
I finished the scan amid superiors' well-wishes.
"Ah, now the final step."
This is why it's 'custom' gear.
No idea what effect, but it always demands the genetic info of the plant's caretaker.
'This introduces various variables.'
I hesitated but completed the scan.
Here it comes.
Multicolored smoke billowed from the machine, gears creaked turning...
Hiss.
The front drawer opened, revealing a small item.
A gray coin.
Precisely, an arcade toy coin. The glossy front had a glove embossed.
"Oh, it's out."
"Congrats, Deer."
I carefully reached out and picked up the item.
My first custom gear.
Headed straight back to the dorm.
Superiors parted with 'sleep well, see tomorrow'.
Probably didn't want to make me do something stupid like testing abilities while entering a darkness.
"...Good."
I sat on the bed and took out the two coins.
One was the Silver Coin Serpent bought from the alien shop, used as 'parent plant'.
The other was the Gray Coin born from mixing that Silver Coin Serpent with the section chief's Butter Knife genes.
All good. But...
"...How do you activate it?"
No reaction.
'Come to think, the Silver Coin Serpent wasn't the explicit supernatural ability type either.'
Not a toy coin meant to be used as actual currency, right...? Cold sweat.
Fortunately, this worry ended soon.
"Guess coins are like this after all."
I tried a classic move.
Flick with thumb.
Then the embossed glove on the coin's front actually popped out.
"...!"
A semi-transparent silver glove appeared in the air.
The glove moved like miming, drawing letters in the air.
...Asking to insert a coin?
I rummaged my wallet, pulled a 100-won coin, offered to the glove.
But the glove refused.
"What."
Demands specific currency? Or...
"How about this."
I offered a 500-won.
The hand gladly took the coin between fingers, vanished it like a magic trick.
'Amount issue.'
Thoroughly capitalist gear.
As I watched bewildered, the semi-transparent glove approached my hand, merging like donning it.
"...!"
A bizarre sensation.
'Third... hand?'
A shadow-like shape of my hand floated before my eyes.
It moved at my will.
Push wall, open bathroom door, even write.
'Strength or delicacy... about my level.'
In summary, insert coin for seconds of a third telekinetic hand?
Range about... 3m radius.
"500 won for 5 seconds ain't bad."
Soon the shadow hand shape in air faded, the semi-transparent glove naturally detached from my hand.
And waved like goodbye, re-embossing on the coin front.
"Hm."
Pretty good.
Not like squad leader's Butter Knife overcoming space limits between ghost story and reality.
But instead, feels like wider operation range inside ghost stories—higher versatility.
Though limited ammo issue of how many 500-wons you can carry running in a suit...
'This is a gacha win.'
Passed off coin as item naturally without revealing.
"Work for the 1000p investment."
I pocketed the coin with other items.
While at it, refilled used-up [Smile Sticker], grabbed another .
'Humans really are animals of adaptation.'
I lay on the bed.
Condition surprisingly good.
Close eyes and that horrific talk show vividly rises, but with light on, manageable sleep.
Maybe because the ending was decent.
'...At least my luck was good.'
Group project luck too.
'Earned points in one go, makes the situation feel hopeful...'
Drowsiness poured, eyes blinked.
Still, remaining points for Wish Grant a mountain, no idea how many more ghost stories to clear.
But for the first time, thought maybe I can navigate that period...
'Maybe quietly endure.'
...This utterly unfounded happy circuit ran briefly until arriving at work next day and learning the insane fact of a company memo: 'New hire day 2 clears A-grade major incident!'
"Deer, take a seat. Our... positions might change a bit."
"Yes?"
I'm on day 3 of employment.