Chapter 82

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 82

Chapter Title: Ruscheffel Amusement Park (1)

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I stared blankly down at the survival rulebook for Ruscheffel Amusement Park.

"Ruscheffel Amusement Park...?"

It was just a single sheet of rules, but...

This was definitely inside the Scale Horror, so there was no reason for Ruscheffel Amusement Park's survival rulebook to exist here, was there?

"...Something feels really off..."

At that moment...

I realized that something was terribly wrong.

--

Me: Elf-nim.

Opponent: Yeah? What's up?

--

On a hunch, I sent another note to the Elf...

--

Me: Check if your return uses have increased.

Opponent: Hold on.

Opponent: Nope, still the same.

--

Sure enough...

Her return uses hadn't increased.

Which meant...

'The escape method was right.'

This door was indeed an exit from this horror, but...

It didn't mean it was a way to clear the horror itself.

--

Opponent: What'd you find?

Me: Yeah, found something. I'll post it to the Gallery in a bit.

Opponent: Ok, I'll check it out.

Opponent: Want me to come in?

Me: No, it's fine.

Opponent: Wouldn't it be easier with me there?

Me: It would be super convenient and great if you were here, but I can return and bail anytime. You're not in that situation, Elf-nim.

Me: If you came here for no reason, it'd be hard for me to save you...

Me: No, that's not what I mean... What I'm saying is... if you're here, I might end up bailing alone later... It'd feel too bad...

--

'Please don't come in...'

--

Opponent: You think that highly of me? Aww... No wonder Bellierd likes humans.

Opponent: Got it. Just say the word if you need help. I'll come in.

Me: Thanks!

--

'Nice...!'

Phew... Good.

No, that's not the important part right now.

Back to the point: We'd found a way to escape this horror.

But not a way to conquer it.

'Should've known from the start when the entry code was RK...'

Realizing RK wasn't short for Scale, but for 'Ruscheffel amusement parK'...

I decided to look for other ways to get out of here besides escaping.

In the process...

'Ugh... It'd be great if I could take that body enhancement suit too...'

It'd be awesome if I could grab that body enhancement suit on the floor beyond the door...

"Hm..."

If I went through the door, I'd escape this horror.

And if I re-entered later, there was no guarantee I'd wake up by the Scale here...

'How to do this...'

I pondered ways to snag the suit...

"There's no real good method-"

Rumble rumble rumble...

"...!"

Suddenly, a massive vibration hit, and I felt the empty lot starting to move.

Catching this unexpected anomaly, I rushed through the open door to escape...

'...Crazy.'

Maybe because the Elf had used it once already, or because the wall was slowly rising...

The exit no longer functioned as an escape route.

Just as I grabbed the suit and was about to hit return...

'...Huh?'

Beyond the wall, now raised high enough for a person to pass...

A figure wearing a Ruscheffel Amusement Park staff ID...

'...A person?'

A being identical to a human walked toward me with a terrified expression.

"..."

If it were a monster, I'd hit return without hesitation...

But since it looked human, I stopped and stared at the man with the staff ID.

"...?"

The man who met my eyes...

"...?"

Looked at me like, 'Why's a person here?'

"..."

"..."

I decided to toss out some questions to confirm if the human in front of me was real.

"...Ahegao."

"??"

"...Double peace."

"...Doujinshi?"

"Lolicon?"

"That's a bit..."

"Phew... You're human."

"...Why'd you have to use that method?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Uh... yeah... sure?"

"First, can you guide me to a safe spot?"

"Ah...! Can you follow my guidance as much as possible?"

"Got it."

"We gotta do what needs doing quick. I don't wanna die."

"Yeah, we should."

I confirmed the man was definitely human.

Which meant...

'I can get intel.'

I'd found a safe way to learn about Ruscheffel Amusement Park.

For now, I decided to follow the staff member's words and watch him clear the broken scale and set up a new one.

"Phew..."

After about 10 minutes, he replaced the broken scale with a new one.

He signaled for me to follow, so I went with him into a staff area that looked like a guard post.

As soon as I entered...

"Hide here for a bit. I'll guide the next guest and come back."

The man said he had to guide the next guest and walked off somewhere.

'No idea why a human's playing staff in a horror...'

I wasn't fully trusting him yet, but he was human, so worth a shot.

I was ready to return at any sudden issue.

"...Hm?"

The Ruscheffel staff member guiding guests...

'...Balloon monster again?'

I saw him leading the balloon monster and a doppelganger into scale rooms.

At that moment...

'So the monsters are the guests here?'

This place had dozens—no, hundreds or thousands—of monsters as guests.

'Definitely dangerous...'

Normally, I'd stop exploring a risky spot like this...

But according to the Ruscheffel rulebook, there were more survivors here besides this guy.

Some couldn't use status windows.

And the handwriting warning that scales were traps was from a man here.

'Yeah, wearing this won't kill me right away.'

I didn't aspire to be a hero saving everyone...

But to thank the guy who warned about the scales.

And ultimately, to get info on the 'Monster Management Bureau' and escape our anomalies.

'I'll pop a panacea later.'

I took off my armor and quickly donned the body enhancement suit from the Capitalism Horror's Record 15.

'That guy lasted about 100 days in it.'

The ∝ Corp body enhancement suit from Record 15 had side effects that impaired organs.

But vaguely, he survived about 100 days in Capitalism Horror wearing it.

So I'd wear it moderately, take it off at home.

If issues arose, swallow a panacea—

'Ah, wait, think I put it on wrong. Feels kinda comfor—'

...Ah.

'...Damn it, no time for that.'

Ha...

This suit...

Once on, it clings like skin and won't come off...

'...Should've noted that...!'

Like new skin, it stuck perfectly to mine.

'Ah, that's why the zipper on the lower half...!'

I finally realized: the zipper wasn't for lewd stuff, but for bodily functions.

Ugh... Why does my mind always go dirty...

"Haa..."

I let out a deep sigh involuntarily.

'Terminal diagnosis out of nowhere...'

It was absurd getting a death sentence suddenly.

But later, ask Bellierd Library to find a way to remove it...

With all the world's knowledge, they'd have something.

Plus, I had a second life with the panacea...

'Focus on now.'

For the moment, concentrate on conquering Ruscheffel Amusement Park.

I layered my six-legged monster leather armor over it and peeked out the window.

Just then, the staff guy lowered the raised wall and returned.

I stretched lightly, feeling the suit's fit... fit... hm...

'...'

Yeah, no changes yet... probably...

It wasn't some troll item with no effect but turns you terminal, right?

'Please... god, please...'

As I felt that not-quite-despair...

The staff-badged man returned.

"Ah, now we've got time. About 4-5 hours of game time that way."

"Can I ask questions now?"

I questioned him to get as much quality info as possible.

"Yes, I'll answer everything. But... can I ask one first?"

His face full of eager anticipation...

I told him to ask freely...

"Um, by any chance..."

"Yes."

"I don't know what to call you, sir..."

"Ah, just call me Big Whale."

"As expected...! A codename, right?"

"Pardon?"

I heard it.

"You're an agent from the Monster Management Bureau, right, Big Whale?"

He thought I was from the Monster Management Bureau.

"...Yes?"

"As expected...! You took out that balloon freak...!"

"I did take it out, but..."

"You're here to kill all the monsters and save us, right?"

"...Sorry, but I'm not from the Monster Management Bureau."

"Ah! I see!"

"...For real."

"Yes! Totally not!"

This guy...

Hears only what he wants.

'Situation's understandable...'

Yeah, I get his feelings.

In a hopeless place, a monster hunter appears—you'd wanna believe.

But...

'There's a survivor who took out 4 monsters here?'

I really wasn't from there...

"...Can I ask questions now?"

"Anything!"

And I...

"Can you tell me everything you know about the Monster Management Bureau?"

"For real?"

"Yes."

"Seriously?"

"...Yes."

"You're really committed to the act."

"..."

I desperately wanted to know what the Monster Management Bureau was.

I glanced at my phone, now at 90% charge, while the man faithfully answered my questions.

Then...

Gurgle...

"Ah, sorry. Haha... To eat here, gotta go to the safari..."

"Safari?"

"Yes. Most survivors are gathered there."

I learned survivors were at Ruscheffel Amusement Park's safari.

"You're hungry, so eat this while we talk."

I pulled out my fridge inventory and gave him normal food...

"...This?"

"Pasta. Cold, but edible."

"Ahh... Thank you so much, really... truly..."

"No biggie. You gave great info."

The man looked at me with moved eyes...

And shoveled pasta with his bare hands.

Of course.

"As expected... Nom... nom... Nom..."

"Eat slow. Got more."

"Monster Management Bureau... Nom... so skilled...!"

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"...Told you I'm not."

"Yes...! You're not... right...!"

"Yes."

I was still somehow an agent from the unknown Monster Management Bureau.

"To enter the safari, you need a Ruscheffel Amusement Park free pass."

"Free pass?"

"Yes. Survivors were caught as animals, no pass, but agent-nim... Ah, you infiltrating as animal too?!"

"No no. Guess I need one too. Where and how?"

"At the entrance... but price is weird."

"How so?"

"Body parts or 'stones'... Someone tried park stones, got eaten..."

"No issue."

"As expected...! Monster Management Bureau...!"

"Not— haa... Yes, any more warnings?"

"It's an amusement park, sorta. For body parts... couple discount's better."

"Couple discount?"

"Yes."

"What's different?"

"Yes. Solo: one arm. Couple pass: one finger. Don't need to be real couple. Just say so."

"O... How do you know all this?"

"Staff get regular training. I attend too. Sleep in training? Die."

"Couple, huh..."

"If agent-nim can call someone... definitely couple pass. I'm staff, can't join..."

"Thanks for the info. Got a few in mind."

"As expected, Monster Management Bureau...!"

"No no..."

If I could bring one person here...

Of course.