Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Mistaken for a Disaster-Level Ghost Story Employee
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13.
My finger slipped right in without any resistance whatsoever.
The texture inside the space was a faint warmth mixed with an indescribable squishiness that made the inner structure all the more chilling.
And as if it were alive and breathing, with every inhale and exhale brushing between my finger joints.
Ugh!
Please!
This feels gross!
It was a bizarre space that made me want to yank my hand out right then and there.
But fortunately, I grabbed hold of something hard not too far in and pulled it out in one swift motion.
Ptooey!
Even the extraction sound effect was the worst.
What I pulled out from the Employee ID was the glasses I'd been searching for—and the final Bear Doll dangling from the frame—right in my line of sight.
Splat!
Oh no.
The last Bear Doll had met the same expected fate, and unlike its surprisingly useful function...
The true nature of the Employee ID, something I'd been reluctant to use until now.
It was definitely an item unlike anything I'd ever heard of in my life.
If that's the case.
If what that pawnshop guy said was really true, then this unexpected development where the Announcement Broadcast created this item.
'...No, what the hell.'
For a newborn ghost story that's only F-grade, the question from the start was why it had so many irregularities.
Back then, if there had been a setting that ghost stories could be turned into items, this one would've been a prime candidate for 'grade reevaluation' with high probability.
They're not all that common in the [Ghost Story Archive], but there are a few ghost stories that underwent grade reevaluation because...
-Whoops... I made this one way too strong?
Something like that.
From the perspective of a veteran who's encountered tons of ghost stories up to now.
'This thing is at least...'
C-grade.
Or it shows signs of being even higher. And if this really is a C-grade or above ghost story...
No messing around.
Absolutely no messing around.
Just like I've been doing, faithfully carrying out what the Announcement Broadcast tells me to do and observing the situation—that's the best choice right now.
'...Time to go.'
Once the item check was done, delaying any longer would just ramp up the anxiety needlessly.
Tot-tot-tot-tot!
The moment I started to step away, the Bear Doll Trio chased after me.
The other ghost story guys I got from the Ghost Story Kid, [I Hate the Dark!], called 'little friends.'
I had a rough idea of how to use them. Taking them along might prove to be a big help.
But.
"Could you stay here today?"
!!!
Was 'freezing in place' like this? Seeing the Bear Doll Trio stiffen up all at once the moment they heard me, I couldn't help but smile.
But I felt the same regret.
An item from an A-grader would definitely be a huge help.
But like the Announcement Broadcast guy said, these little friends were a gift from that A-grade ghost story.
If they got damaged or lost during use...
What kind of misunderstanding that would cause...
And the moment I heard that Ghost Story Kid had parents.
Two ghost stories flashed through my mind.
Top-grade ghost stories I absolutely must not get involved with.
One of them was even an absurd S-grade equivalent. One I must never associate with or provoke.
Only belatedly.
I thought it was a blessing I hadn't blown out that last candle back then.
I wanted to bow down to my past self in gratitude.
'Well done. Past me.'
So for the time being, the safety of these Bear Dolls was top priority.
Even as reality hit me that I was worrying about a doll's well-being of all things, I straightened my bent knees, thinking this was the action saving my own life.
"...Hoo."
A short deep breath.
I started stepping forward again.
The White Librarian, who had already been holding the doorknob, quietly opened the door.
Beyond the opened door once more was a void of darkness welcoming me. What ghost story would be waiting this time.
Whether I'd make it back alive from there today. Worries ahead, my footsteps slowly extended toward the darkness.
*****
In the process of passing through the white door, I brought each of the items clutched in my hands one by one to the Employee ID.
In an instant, the items were sucked into the Employee ID.
'It works?'
Our first encounter wasn't great, but its performance was solid, that much was sure.
Tap.
Not long after passing through this white door.
'We're here.'
The sight that entered Park Yeon-jeong's view was markedly different from anywhere he'd seen so far.
A vast, lavishly decorated main hall.
A ceiling height several times that of a school gymnasium, filled with elegant space by chandeliers that screamed luxury at first glance.
A gathering place for the elite that he'd never visit in his lifetime, something straight out of a drama or movie.
A high-class banquet hall.
Endless long white tables stretched out, plates laden with mouthwatering premium meats and the faint aroma of fine wine tickling the nose.
A lineup of dishes that looked like works of art.
But Park Yeon-jeong wasn't alone here. Countless figures in suits and dresses were enjoying the banquet.
Of course, they weren't human.
What was currently enjoying the food in the banquet hall... were 'clothes.'
Clothes with only a sense of volume, wandering the hall with dignified poise.
No faces existed—like invisible people who had put on clothes and visited the banquet hall.
All around, countless clothes held wine glasses and conversed.
"■■■■ ■■ ■■■■."
"■■■! ■■■■."
A barrage of unintelligible language.
'They're not talking shit about me, are they?'
More than that, invisible bastards chatting away without even mouths.
But the moment he saw the high-class banquet hall and the hordes of clothes without owners inside.
He knew it had to be that ghost story.
...Well, this one never even tried to hide from the start anyway.
=======
/Ghost Story Log
[And the Performance Begins.]
:Identification code Cd-E-31
Grade E.
The one drug the world allows: 'music.' So then, we're all no different from drug addicts.
So accept it.
【
Twist your body and join the performance.
】
It will play you a beautiful melody.
Rumored that invitations were sent to many. (The performance is determined by the number of invitees.)
Physical suppression possible.
No mental damage. (Records from the time)
*Additional note.
Deploy minimum personnel for this ghost story.
=======
This time, thankfully, it wasn't A-grade.
It was E-grade, just one step above the lowest F-grade among ghost stories. The moment he realized he'd entered [And the Performance Begins.]
He survived.
There really was no law saying he'd just die like that.
For the first time since entering a ghost story, he let out a sigh of relief.
He immediately checked for presences around him.
Inside the banquet hall, the invisible bastards were too busy chatting among themselves to pay him any mind.
Excluding Park Yeon-jeong himself, no other human presences were felt.
'None. Perfect!'
The moment he realized he was the only one who'd visited this ghost story.
Park Yeon-jeong thought this one would end really easily.
Because the core of conquering this ghost story was the number of people. One of the things already introduced in the ghost story log.
-------
-Rumored that invitations were sent to many. (The performance is determined by the number of invitees.)
-------
The fewer people, the higher the survival rate!
The more people, the lower the survival rate.
This ghost story gets easier to clear the fewer people there are.
Especially for someone like Park Yeon-jeong, who already had every guide memorized for it—not clearing it would be the weird part.
[And the Performance Begins.]
This ghost story even had a basic guidebook.
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[How to Enjoy the Performance 1000000%.]
1. Those who received an invitation and visit the performance hall, please follow the staff's guidance. (The orchestra members are waiting eagerly for you.)
2. Do not step onto the stage without the conductor's permission. (Don't ask why.)
3. During the performance, clap for the melody (screams)! Cheer! It improves the performance quality.
4. If you need anything during the performance, politely ask the surrounding staff. (Politeness is not optional, but mandatory.)
5. Low-class guests who do not wish to watch the performance, please leave the hall immediately.
-------
Not your typical performance hall etiquette.
Every single one reads like it's missing a screw. Just the guidebook alone makes you want to skip it—it's obviously going to be the worst kind of show.
So.
My options now aren't all that many.
-Watch the performance.
-Leave the performance hall.
It boils down to these two big ones, with some minor escape methods besides, but those are all pretty tedious.
Pass on those, obviously.
Here, the correct answer is naturally 'leave the performance hall.'
This isn't some insane place where you have to sacrifice a body part to escape. You just find the emergency exit called the 'back door,' and it's that simple.
But here's the real problem.
The mission assigned to me right now.
'Ghost story capture'—that's the heavy duty given to me.
If it were just some random person dragged in, fine. But escape can't be my goal here.
I have to stay here.
Subdue and capture the ghost story.
That's my original purpose for being sent here. To do that, I'm forced into the second option: 'watch the performance.'
"...Guess I have to observe the situation for now."
Time's still plenty.
If things go south, I can escape then—it's not too late.
...Explaining this to the Announcement Broadcast guy was already giving me a headache.
But that's that, this is this.
I can come up with excuses later. If I'm the only invitee anyway, I can just find the conductor right...
【Announcement broadcast incoming.】
A crisp tone brushed his ear.
Different from some library's sound—not from speakers, but a soft-voiced announcement coming through.
His first thought upon hearing it.
......Why?
Why an Announcement Broadcast now.
But it was already too late to realize anything.
【Today's performance will be 'Orchestra.'】
【Relevant performers, rehearsal preparation will begin shortly, so please hurry to Room A-2.】
【Announcing once more...】
I didn't hear that wrong, did I?
If the form of today's performance is 'orchestra'...
Yeah.
Okay then.
It's decided.
..........We're screwed.
Park Yeon-jeong regretted leaving the Bear Doll Trio behind.
Like hell.