Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Lodge Keeper's Contract
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A remote mountain lodge turned into a total wreck, with dismembered body parts scattered around and a pentagram scrawled in blood.
Inside it, a civil servant stood holding a butter knife in front of yet another fainted woman.
And me, watching the scene from the railing on the second floor.
If I hadn't known it was all fake, it would've been the perfect mad living room scene to make anyone pass out.
But the lodge keeper who appeared from the back door was polite.
"Did you rest well?"
As if.
But there was no need to waste energy, so I just stood there quietly.
The lodge keeper didn't spout obvious lines like "I stepped out so you could rest undisturbed."
He simply said this.
"Three days have passed. The time has come."
"……."
"From now on, you can exchange the inheritance of this lodge and the cassette tapes."
No one had died until this timing? That's when the lodge turns into a bloodbath where people kill each other.
Inevitable.
The cassette tape only lets survivors go once enough fear and shock from impending death have built up.
'That's why they made it on purpose.'
The fear and shock.
It didn't sit right with modern sensibilities, but they'd scared people so badly they thought they were really dying.
And it seemed those antics had passed with flying colors.
Seeing as the lodge keeper delivered his scripted lines and the living room stayed peaceful, without any knife fights.
Of course, this peace wouldn't last.
Because the lodge keeper approached the sofa where the "wife" lay fainted first.
"Guest."
"……."
"Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?"
"Ugh... what...? Uh, uhhh!? Aaaah!!"
The person who came to snapped to their senses, stumbled a few times, and bolted out of the lodge.
Oh dear.
'It would've been better if you'd stayed fainted.'
The lodge keeper turned away without regret and pointed to the next person.
"Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?"
"……."
The civil servant looked at the lodge keeper, then slowly opened his mouth.
"I'll state my intent last."
"Understood. In that case..."
The lodge keeper turned his head toward the final person.
Me.
I looked back at the lodge keeper too.
A figure from the ghost story, speaking refined Seoul dialect despite his shabby, tattered clothes.
"Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?"
Exchange it?
"Yes."
Of course I would.
'I've been working like a shrimp fisherman these past three days for this.'
The moment this clause comes true.
The reason I went so far as to play the serial killer...
'Exchange priority one.'
I pulled the cassette tapes from one of the college students' backpacks I'd brought along.
The couple's.
The college students'.
And even Baek Saheon's.
"Six tapes. The guest unconditionally gets exchange priority."
A strangely excited tone slipped from the lodge keeper, then vanished like a lie as he returned to politeness.
"You can now become the owner of this lodge. Shall you?"
"No."
"……."
I'd only mimicked a serial killer, but no need to take on that risk anyway.
'Of course, I can't just exchange for junk, refuse, or run away either.'
Whether exchanging for gold, trash, refusing and fleeing, or even burning the lodge down and waiting for everything to die...
The next cycle would distribute the serial killer's items like a lie, drawing people back here.
The lodge would reappear intact as if by magic, and the tragedy would repeat.
And besides...
'...The gimmick where the people I pretended to kill and hid all die the moment I make my exchange, probably.'
There's this record.
Like a fire breaking out, but since I'd locked them up, they coincidentally can't escape.
Thus, I become the real serial killer.
'Even if they're people fated to die in the ghost story worldview anyway, it still feels icky...'
Let's respect my mentality as a human.
So after considering everything, my choice was this.
"I'd like to exchange one cassette tape for the lodge keeper's employment rights."
The lodge keeper fell silent in surprise for a moment.
"My employment contract?"
"Yes."
I nodded.
Did you know?
Usually, the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau aims to eliminate ghost stories whenever possible.
Preserving and managing them while employees just escape like at my crazy pharmaceutical company is never the goal.
Ghost stories might be resource suppliers for Daydream Corporation, but to the government, they're just disasters.
So, true to wiki form, plenty of creators reflected that.
The lodge keeper announces his contract period ends with this exchange.
The site where the lodge stood turns into an empty lot, and to this day, no supernatural signs.
Disaster concluded.
That was the official final exploration record for this ghost story.
Meaning, it's a ghost story where the narrative ends with a period, the incident can be concluded.
So then...
'Why not end it myself before a few more cycles?'
Like this.
"Working at the lodge, it seems your contract with the previous owner still has time left. I'd like to transfer it to me."
I don't take the lodge.
But if I acquire the employment rights, ending his contract and staging the exact same situation as the final record?
"……."
I waited for the lodge keeper's answer. And...
"Theoretically... possible."
Right.
"However, if I may overstep, my employer requires certain qualifications."
"Qualifications?"
"Yes."
A hint of arrogance mixed into the lodge keeper's polite speech, then faded.
"Innate, existential nobility is required."
For someone running a murder lodge?
Surely their ethics differ greatly from the average modern person...
Brown... that's why I'm going through all this trouble instead.
'Hold on. I think there's another way.'
Yeah, yeah.
I replied half-heartedly and rubbed my chin.
'...Nobility.'
Actually, something came to mind.
I hadn't brought items, but there was one tiny thing I always kept in my pocket.
'My merch.'
The most recent "silver heart" from the goods box clinked in my hand.
An item that enhances the wearer's authority if they're a good person.
'Time to test it anyway.'
I carefully maneuvered the small silver badge with one hand, opening the pin inside my pocket.
And "equipped" it to the pocket lining...
"……."
"……."
No reaction from him.
'Ah.'
Range issue?
Hm, questions about nobility's definition anyway, so just a test.
I switched tactics quickly.
Then...
"Does that mean I lack innate, existential nobility?"
No choice but to speak up.
"Finding someone who possesses it is harder, so please don't be disheartened."
"No. That's not the point. So the exchange is impossible? Because I lack qualifications?"
"Yes."
"That doesn't make sense to me."
I deliberately furrowed my brow.
Like a complaining customer.
"Didn't it say 'bring the cassette tapes and I'll exchange for anything I have'? Isn't that the deal? Suddenly changing terms is confusing."
I sighed wearily on purpose.
"Three days. That's how long I've spent here. Yet at the end, you say I need qualifications, going back on the promise."
The lodge keeper seemed slightly flustered.
"There's a misunderstanding."
"What misunderstanding?"
"The promise stands. However, inheriting only my employment rights means difficulty in actually employing me as a servant."
The lodge keeper explained kindly.
"If you took the lodge itself, I'd work here per the existing contract, but 'employment rights' only apply when that authority is exercised."
In short: "Sure. I'll stick to the original contract, won't listen to you."
"So it might just be a paper contract? One I can't actually use?"
"Indeed."
Wow.
"Doesn't matter."
"……."
If anything, perfect!
Nullified!
"Then if I'm aware and still want to exchange, you can't stop me, right?"
"......Then."
The lodge keeper extended both hands.
"You're right, guest."
Conceded.
"Please place the cassette tape for exchange."
Yup.
I quickly offered the tape I held.
Plop plop plop.
Six tapes left my hand and landed on the lodge keeper's rough palms.
The lodge keeper smoothly stowed the tapes inside his shabby clothes.
Then straightened his worn sleeves politely and drew out a thin, aged item.
It was paper.
Eastern-style like hanji, but oddly cut Western-style, rolled, and sealed with red wax.
"My original contract."
The moment I took it.
Flames ignited on the old paper.
"...!"
The hanji burned crimson, leaving embers that floated into the air.
And wrapped around my wrist.
Precisely on the spot with the theme park mascot tattoo!
'W-wait.'
The tattoo glowed as if heated.
The embers clashed with it like wrestlers, then bounced off as if yielding.
And settled naturally lengthwise near my forearm.
"……."
Now two tattoos.
'This wasn't what I wanted.'
I'd planned to keep the physical contract like an item.
Feels oddly bound, but... for mobility, this is better.
Brown didn't complain about it being ominous or anything.
Based on last time, the civil servant probably can't see this tattoo anyway, so that's fine.
If it looks like the contract vanished into thin air, even better.
'Not like I'll call him anyway.'
I looked up.
As expected, the lodge keeper had vanished like a lie.
Left was a blood-soaked lodge straight out of a horror flick.
And me and the civil servant standing there.
'All wrapped up.'
Funny thing, soft light began filtering through the windows right then.
Sunlight.
"The weather's cleared."
"……."
Alright, all tidy.
Good vibes, so I'll slip away like this, civil servant goes his way, perfect.
The government will handle the fainted people tied in the basement.
'Since the ghost story itself is gone, I probably won't be tracked or detailed.'
Government or company, they don't bother with concluded cases needing no follow-up.
'Even if it's a weird record, since I didn't actually kill anyone, should be fine.'
Just play it cool with the civil servant, good excuses, and it'll pass...
"You."
The civil servant climbed the stairs from below.
Approached briskly, grabbed my arm, and asked seriously.
"Thinking of changing jobs?"
Pardon?