Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Soon-i's Love Game
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"Is this really okay?"
"I told you it's fine. Don't you trust me?"
"Well... a little?"
On the third floor above ground of the Tale Management Bureau, two employees walked through the warehouse, weaving past various items.
"Even so, taking stuff like this is a bit..."
"Who are you?"
"Pardon? I'm Mun Woo-seok."
"No, you're the Chief Researcher. Can't the Chief Researcher borrow a few items from the warehouse for some research? Right?"
"If we get caught, it'll be my responsibility..."
Having realized his business cards were gone, Se-jin had come down to the warehouse to find suitable replacements.
Under normal circumstances, he couldn't even imagine sneaking items out, but this was for a matter of utmost importance that outweighed any rules—he had no choice but to break them.
And with the Chief Researcher, whose prestige had only grown after history itself had shifted, by his side, there was no one in the world who could stop them.
"Even before history changed, your name was famous thanks to The Shop, but now it's on a whole other level. Let's make use of the 'Chief Researcher' title a bit."
"Yes, sir..."
In the end, Woo-seok had agreed to this, so he couldn't voice any further objections.
"So, what are we grabbing?"
"Soon-i's Love Game."
"Ah. Think it'll actually work?"
"Well, we'll see."
They entered an area decorated with massive dolls that twitched periodically.
It was where child-oriented items were stored.
"I think it was around here somewhere."
"Found it!"
"Oh, nice!"
"Yeah. This is it."
It resembled a cheap plastic children's toy painted in garish pink.
A low-quality doll presumed to be named Soon-i held a small tablet painted deep pink.
If one had to pick out its unique feature amid the peaceful exterior, it was that the tablet screen flickered intermittently, clashing with the overall look.
"Gonna test it right now?"
"Nah, that'd be asking for trouble. Gotta fill out the usage log first."
"You're just gonna put it under my name anyway..."
Se-jin pretended not to hear Woo-seok's grumbling and headed for the elevator.
"Ah, wait up. Coming with you!"
As Se-jin walked quickly, as if being chased, Woo-seok—who'd spent seventy percent of his life in the lab—struggled to keep pace.
In the end, Se-jin ended up waiting for him in the elevator.
"Huff... huff..."
"You're slow."
"Squad Leader... huff, you're just too fast."
Se-jin chuckled lightly and turned to the usage log form.
"Want me to fill this out?"
"Huff... yeah, physically... it's a bit much for me right now."
"Purpose: Research... Name: Mun Woo-seok."
As the pen scratched across the paper, Woo-seok's stamina began to recover—though his expression grew more serious in contrast.
"Agh! We absolutely can't let on that this isn't for actual research! If we get caught, you have to protect me!"
"Huh? Oh, sure."
Woo-seok was on the verge of shedding tears of emotion at Se-jin’s perfectly dependable response, when the elevator chimed behind him.
"Let's head up. But isn't your fist aimed at me?"
Since time immemorial, a woman's tears were a weapon—and a man's could become a fist.
"No?"
"Uh... okay. Let's go up."
An awkward air hung inside the elevator.
It wasn't due to the prior teasing; no amount of forced cheer could mask the exhaustion from the recent chain of events.
When the elevator arrived, Woo-seok followed Se-jin to her desk.
With everyone else off doing their own tasks except for Se-jin and Woo-seok, the floor was quiet.
"You know the gist of how to use this, right?"
"Yeah. Put a strand of the squad leader's hair in the doll's mouth and wait—the distance to the person you love most pops up."
"More precisely, it shows the distance to the being I'm most focused on right now. And lately, that's been the Tale Merchant."
"So the squad leader loves the Tale Merchant?"
Se-jin grinned, her eyes curving into crescents.
"Wanna taste a woman's tears?"
"Uh. No, sorry."
Horror Tale: Soon-i's Love Game.
A toy that had been mass-sold unexpectedly in the past; the Bureau had collected and stored them all.
No side effects had been reported to date, but with no real practical use, it was only occasionally consumed for research.
Woo-seok plucked a single strand of Se-jin's hair and placed it in the doll's mouth.
The hair soaked in and vanished into the doll, and soon the tablet screen lit up.
"Oh? It's activating."
Mun Woo-seok looked genuinely surprised, as if he hadn't expected it to work.
Se-jin, confident it would, wore a relaxed expression as if it were only natural.
"Not sure if it really points to the Merchant, though. After history changed, he might not even exist anymore."
Woo-seok fiddled with the device as he spoke.
"No similar incidents have been reported in the last week, after all."
"True, you have a point. It could be pointing to the second thing on my mind lately."
"Maybe it's showing the squad leader's crush?"
Se-jin turned her head toward Woo-seok.
"That'd be kinda embarrassing."
"Haha..."
Se-jin chuckled lightly along with Woo-seok's awkward laugh.
"So, how far is it?"
"Uh... hold on. It's 5..."
"50 kilometers?"
"No..."
"Then 5 kilometers?"
"5 meters..."
"What?"
"5 meters."
Se-jin thought.
How far is 5 meters?
1 meter is 100 centimeters, so 5 meters is 500 centimeters.
500 centimeters is about this much.
"Twenty-five handspans?"
Suddenly, the elevator arrival chime rang out.
Ding—the doors are opening.
The playfulness vanished from Se-jin's face as her hand reached for the pistol on the desk.
And stepping out from there was...
"I'm here."
It was Do-hyun.
Woo-seok's head snapped toward Se-jin.
"Ah?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Phew... think I got away with it?"
I caressed my face, which differed from my usual one.
My heightened eye level, combined with my elongated limbs, made moving my body even dizzier.
This was Kim Do-hyun's body.
Here's what happened.
The moment I returned to reality, I headed straight for The Shop.
I didn't have enough resources accumulated to craft a full horror item yet, so instead, I ordered various common materials, mixed them with Dream Solvent, and synthesized new pills.
The new product's name: Lucid Dream.
It transformed my appearance into the body of the person I was thinking of.
Not by stealing their body or anything sketchy that sounded dangerous at first glance—it just temporarily altered my own body to resemble theirs.
The duration was short, too, and it only looked different to human eyes; surveillance cameras would show my true appearance.
It felt half-baked, but nothing beat it for a quick deception.
After using The Shop to teleport near the Bureau, I spotted Kim Do-hyun heading out and swiftly transformed.
Having seen him every day in the story, I was confident I could mimic him.
"Phew... here goes."
I entered the Bureau's elevator as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I pressed the floor for the New Tale Investigation Squad's office and took a light breath.
Best if no one was inside, but I knew that was unlikely.
At the very least, I'd run into Park Se-jin.
Ding.
The doors opened to reveal Park Se-jin frozen stiff.
A researcher I'd bumped into a few times before was beside her, too.
Hope I don't get caught.
"I'm here."
I tried my best to mimic Kim Do-hyun's curt speech.
At least to my eyes, it was perfect.
"..."
Something felt off about the atmosphere.
Did they already know?
"Uh... Squad Leader. Didn't think it was real..."
The researcher muttered to Park Se-jin.
His name was Mun Woo-seok, I recalled.
"No, it's not real! Isn't this damn machine broken?"
"Squad Leader... just admit it."
What the hell?
Did they catch me?
At the very least, their reactions weren't normal.
"Um... why are you all acting like that?"
"Do-hyun, the squad leader lo— Mmph! Mmmph!"
Park Se-jin suddenly clamped a hand over Mun Woo-seok's mouth.
"Ah! It's nothing! Anyway, Do-hyun, you're back quick?"
"Yeah, forgot something... planning to head right back out."
Hmm... no idea what's up with them, but seems I haven't been busted.
Makes sense—it's a perfect Kim Do-hyun to the eye.
"Oh, got it!"
"Mmph! Mmmph!"
Leaving the two acting weird behind, I approached Kim Do-hyun's desk.
Having seen it often in the game, I knew exactly whose desk was whose.
Now, where's the tissue?
Not in my immediate view.
Did they already move it somewhere secure?
Hoping not.
Ah, there.
Luckily, it was exposed unguarded under Park Se-jin's desk.
Pretending to grab something from my desk, I sidled over to Se-jin's spot.
Just in case, I tore off about five tissues, pocketed them, and now all that's left is to leave—
Thud.
Crunch!
I tripped because of this unfamiliar body!
"..."
No reaction whatsoever.
I scrambled up and glanced at Park Se-jin; she and Mun Woo-seok were too busy tussling to notice me.
Lucky, but weird.
"No! I swear it's not!"
I considered slipping out amid the commotion but figured that'd look even stranger, so I tossed out a casual goodbye.
"Um... I'll head out again then."
"Yeah, go ahead!"
"Mmmph—!"
For some reason, things were going way too smoothly—almost scary.
Usually, this kind of luck meant bigger misfortune later.
Eh, good is good.