Chapter 78
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Scale (2)
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Place what you intend to pay on the scale.
On the opposite pan from your offering, 'something' will appear.
Once both pans hold items to be weighed, the scale will assess their true worth.
If your offering weighs more, the 'something' on the scale becomes yours.
If your offering is lighter, the scale will deliver it to the other party.
Precautions for using the scale:
a) Do not damage the scale.
b) Do not place living creatures on the scale.
c) The scale never demands payment.
d) The scale is fair. Do not doubt it.
e) If the scale is tilted to one side, it means the other party has already placed 'something' on one pan. It's not broken, so rest assured.
She'd asked for info on ghost stories, and the elf replied by sending me the cautionary notice from the Scale ghost story she was in.
'Guess I should check the code.'
I was curious which ghost story this elf was trapped in. I snapped a photo with the camera to check the code and tried using Trace—
"...Huh?"
If your offering weighs more, the 'something' on the scale becomes yours.
If your offering is lighter, the scale will deliver it to the other party.
Precautions for using the scale:
a) Do not damage the scale. (Or you will be weighed.)
b) Do not place living creatures on the scale. (They will be weighed instead.)
c) The scale never demands payment. (Do not attempt to pay with nothing.)
d) The scale is fair. Do not doubt it. (Doubters will be weighed.)
e) If the scale is tilted to one side, it means the other party has already placed 'something' on one pan. It's not broken, so rest assured.
The photo on the camera revealed hidden text beyond the notice itself.
At that moment...
'It's a trap.'
I was certain the elf had fallen into a trap. I hit Return for her right away, telling her not to use the scale and to escape—
Hit Return.
It's gone.
No Return, so why'd you enter a ghost story?
Came in to get a Return.
Just to be sure: you camped in 'Oh, My God' for years not out of justice, but because no Return?
ㅎㅎ;
???
But I saved a ton of lives...!
Oh boy...
She'd entered the ghost story just to get a Return...
Normally, no one would even think of entering without one, right?
'Elves who live centuries think differently?'
I briefly wondered if prioritizing safety was a human quirk.
But that wasn't important right now.
The Status Window seemed to work fine in this ghost story anyway. If trouble hit, she could just hit Return. Might as well help the elf out and rack up some debt from her.
"Mina."
"Yes?"
"I'm heading into a ghost story for a bit."
"Your wife finally messaged back?"
"It's not like that."
"Don't mind me. Take your time this round."
"...I said it's not like that. And why would I even care what you think...?"
"Go on. I'll keep it secret from everyone."
"Ah, uh... yeah, sure, let's do that..."
I tapped VIEW MODE on the camera to reveal the elf's ghost story code.
Then—
Heading there now.
You sure you know where 'there' is?
I input the code from the camera and warped to the elf's location.
"How dare you just show up like— Aaaargh!!"
"Whoa... you scared me. Why scream like that...?"
"Y-you... y-y-you...? Wh-what...? What the hell is this...?"
"I said I was coming."
My blurry vision cleared, and I found myself in an enclosed empty lot, walls on all sides. The elf stared at me in shock from behind the lone scale in the center.
I turned my head, scanning the surroundings.
"...How'd you get here?"
"Just like you elves can read minds, I can tell which ghost story someone's in."
"...First time hearing a human has abilities like that."
"It's my item."
"Then why use it...? You could've just asked me for the code."
"Talking codes with a non-human feels risky."
"That's only for monsters. I'm an elf."
"Ah."
"Whatever... anyway, are you really human?"
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
As I poked around the Scale ghost story, the elf suddenly asked if I was really 'that' human.
I wondered why she eyed me so suspiciously.
But the mystery cleared up quick.
"Can't read your thoughts... are you really him?"
"Oh, my Sanity's maxed out right now."
"...What?"
"You said elves can only read minds of those with lower Sanity than yours."
"Did I?"
"Yeah. Mine's topped off, so you can't read it."
"...How much Sanity you got?"
"Kinda hesitant to share. Could be a weakness."
"...Over 650?"
"Yes."
"...That's human?"
"...I am human?"
I ignored her inhuman stare and examined the solid brick walls...
"What's that door?"
A sturdy door was embedded in one wall. I asked the elf about it.
"Probably the exit."
But...
'The exit...'
I had bad memories of 'exits.' I snapped a photo, half-expecting trouble. Sure enough.
"Doesn't look like the exit."
"What do you mean?"
"Take a look at the camera."
"Lemme see... whoa."
Hidden text lurked beside the innocent-looking door.
So I showed her the red letters on the notice too, since she didn't know.
"..."
The elf stared silently at the camera...
"...Human."
"Yeah?"
"...What do I do?"
"About what?"
She quietly pulled a keyring jangling with keys from her pocket.
"...Lots of keys."
"Know how much I've sunk into the scale?"
"...How much?"
"About 250,000 stones?"
"What'd you get?"
"...These."
"Pardon?"
"Got these keys. 5,000 stones each... total 53."
"..."
"Thought it was a ghost story where you pay stones for the right key to the exit..."
Her dejected face was almost comical, but without the camera, I'd have thought the same. Assuming the scale's keys fit the door...
"None of those keys work on the door, right?"
"...Luckily."
"Phew..."
Thanks to the camera spotting the trap door, our next move was clear.
"Stop using the scale for now. Let's find another way out."
"...Yeah."
We needed a new escape from this Scale ghost story.
[What's the way to escape from here?]
(Photo)
Exclude this door. It's a trap door.
(Photo)
(Photo)
(Photo)
(Photo)
All sides are solid brick walls, with a scale smack in the center.
(Photo)
This is the scale's caution notice. Put stones on it and got 53 keys so far. Tried them on the door, no dice. (Elf tried, not me.)
Info I've gathered: don't use the scale.
All opinions welcome.
Welcoming opinions but snuck into a ghost story without a word???
We told you to announce before entering. What about our opinions?
I did!
To who?
Room 1001...!
Dude;
Hah... Big Whale... seriously, why...
Thought you were off romping with the wife?
Said I wasn't...
??? What's that mean?
Wait??? Time??? Huh??? What with the wife???
No. Misunderstanding.
You coward bastard, went to enjoy it solo??
LMAOOOO Anon 6. Wife means solo enjoyment, who else? LMAO
motherfuckinghellwhocaresenjoyitwithwhoeverthefuck;
So Big Whale... did ya?
No. Couldn't.
Why? Big Whale won't stand up?
Stop asking that crap; help with my post...
Big Whale!!!!! This is serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is it okay for a monster and human to hook up?
???????
Need max info for research.
Oh lmao mod's excuse is gold?
Mod's curious about Big Whale's tale too lololol
lmao Big Whale post = help pls
Our reaction = did Big Whale do it?
Lol no need to worry about Big Whale lol he'll clear it himself lololol
I closed out the utterly useless community as usual.
Kept searching the walls with the elf, but...
'...Nothing. Seriously nothing.'
No matter how hard we looked, it was just the scale and that firmly shut door.
'Sigh... gotta be some clever way...'
Back at square one, I stood before the scale, hunting for hints.
"Human."
"Yeah?"
"Maybe... that door really is the exit?"
A man's voice suddenly insisted the door might be legit.
"Sorry to say this, but... I wanna trust my gut more."
"...Your gut?"
"Yeah, my gut says it's the exit. Honestly... I trust my instincts over that camera pic you showed."
"...I see."
"I've lived centuries following this gut. It's saved me dozens, hundreds of times... so yeah, I think my gut's better."
"..."
"Plus, isn't it weird? Why's the camera seeing what we can't?"
"...What're you getting at?"
"Won't bash your item too hard, but don't rely on it completely."
It was a fair point.
In this world, nothing's 100% trustworthy—not rules, monsters, doppelgangers, or even humans.
So why had I trusted the camera so blindly?
'Now that I think... it is odd. In the Roommate Won't Die on Floor 1 story, it showed the monster's true form others couldn't see...'
Sometimes rules.
Sometimes monsters or doppelgangers.
Sometimes humans...
In a world with nothing fully reliable, why this camera—
"So lend me some stones for keys."
"..."
"...No 5,000 even?"
"My whole fortune's about 39,000 stones."
"...Why so broke?"
"Invested everything in 0% finance right before you messaged. Five minutes prior."
"Ah... you bought those VIP deals too? Heh, special tip just for you: I'm VVIP."
"...?"
"Can send items to others."
"W-wow..."
Camera over elf, hands down.
"Seriously, just spot me 5,000. Luck might open the door next key?"
"...What if it's a trap?"
"I die, you Return. You got one, right?"
"Wow... dropping irresponsible lines so casually...?"
How'd I even decide to help this elf...
"...Here, 5,000 stones."
"Thanks! This is it!"
"..."
Why does this feel like watching a gacha addict?