Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Today's Protagonist
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Ghost story...?
Me?
Why?
Park Yeon-jeong simply couldn’t accept the current situation rationally.
But.
As Section Chief Choi Kang-in said, if I’d been seen as a ghost story by them all this time.
Then all those bizarre behaviors fit together perfectly.
Back when we first encountered R Team.
The way they bolted toward the emergency exit like they were fleeing from me.
The way they raised their items at me as I approached.
Even Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s retreat every time I spoke to him, just moments ago.
Like the final puzzle piece snapping into place, every question mark up until now was telling me this.
That I really... look like a ghost story to them?
For real?
Why on earth?
Why had I been appearing as a ghost story to them?
Right at that moment when it felt impossible to find an answer immediately.
For some reason, the description of one item raced through my mind.
I caressed the glasses frame I had on my face.
=======
/Item List
Top Student Glasses.
(Perfect fit for your cramming buddies.)
The wearer can remember everything they’ve ever seen for life. (Only while equipped.)
Intense obsession with studies. Absolutely unshaken by other temptations.
On use: Induces severe headache / Loss of interpersonal relationships.
*
Don’t worry if things get awkward with others.
They aren’t your only
friends, after all.
=======
Loss of interpersonal relationships...
...was it you?
That’s what it meant.
‘Damn it, that’s what it meant.’
Who would’ve thought wearing these glasses had a hidden feature making the user look like a ghost story.
This is bad.
But this effect resolves simply by removing the glasses.
The moment Park Yeon-jeong grabbed the frame and slowly began to take them off.
Kyahaaaaack!!
A sudden scream echoed from the opposite side.
“What happened!”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in whipped around at once, searching for the scream’s origin.
“Section Chief! This man’s mental damage seems quite advanced!”
Kyahaaaaack!
“G-get... get out... get out get out get out! Get out!!”
A man suddenly clutching his head, screaming in agony nonstop.
R Team took it as prolonged mental damage exposure and moved to restrain him temporarily. Section Chief Choi Kang-in showed no sign of objecting.
Standard agency protocol.
“...No.”
A brief tremor.
And that brief tremor soon.
Turned into a man’s shout.
“Get away from that man right now!”
“What the...”
Park Yeon-jeong’s shout rang loud enough to pierce everyone’s ears in the room.
But.
The weight of his words was utterly different from Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s.
Since Park Yeon-jeong appeared as a ghost story to everyone present, including Section Chief Choi Kang-in.
The only one who reacted was Section Chief Choi Kang-in. Even he snapped to his senses late and shouted.
“R Team!! Get away from that civilian now!”
“Yes?”
Too late.
Bulge!
The man’s body swelled up like a balloon. And moments later, the swollen body.
Boom!
Exploded.
The human balloon hit its limit and burst.
Bloody remnants of human balloon flesh splattered everywhere.
“Kyahaaaak!”
People drenched in gore, shrieking.
“Hot! It’s hot!!!”
“Save me! Save...”
But the panic surpassed mere terror. Their skin burned searingly hot, sending them into convulsions.
A scene straight out of an acid attack.
“What in the...”
“Section Chief Choi Kang-in! Treatment first!”
“...Treat the wounded immediately! Stay vigilant for secondary blasts—don’t slack on perimeter watch!”
For someone plunged into the same panic as the rest. Section Chief Choi Kang-in judged swiftly and issued follow-ups.
At least there was that mercy. Section Chief Choi Kang-in and I were outside the blast radius, unharmed.
...But the situation’s grim.
Swift response and treatment quieted things down for the moment.
But the ‘panic’ time bomb’s timer had started.
In this fragile mood, if the rehearsal ended soon and the Red Orchestra chase resumed?
Over 80% wipeout.
Not a hypothesis—a certainty.
That spells our defeat.
Defeat here means.
Death.
We can’t let them get their hands on instruments anymore.
“There’s still a way.”
“...You witnessed this firsthand and stay so calm. You... you must not grasp human emotions. Being a ghost story and all.”
...This guy, seriously.
I’m human too!
Honestly, I wanted to hurl these glasses away and look like a normal guy.
But... that human balloon image won’t leave my head.
I share the same vulnerability to mental damage as that civilian. Next balloon’s me for sure.
I didn’t even scream seeing a man burst in front of me—credit to these Top Student Glasses.
Ditching them now, when they fully block mental damage, would be suicide.
Plus, in this mess, being mistaken for a ghost story might better sell the weird crap ahead than playing normal civilian.
“The orchestra rehearsal’s ending soon. Another chase like this? We’re done.”
“...”
No reply to my voice from Section Chief Choi Kang-in.
His eyes screamed diminished will to live, but thankfully, his ears still pointed my way.
‘Truly glad it’s you, Section Chief Choi Kang-in.’
I pressed on with the explanation.
“To get everyone out alive, only one option: end this show early.”
“...Emergency exit won’t cut it?”
“Way too risky a gamble. And that Conductor prick won’t sit idle.”
“Conductor... so he’s this ghost story’s core.”
You get it!
Spot on.
This grasp on the situation is section chief material.
With that foresight, straight to brass tacks.
“Now we just hammer into that Conductor bastard’s skull that the show can’t go on.”
“...First off, do you even know where this Conductor is?”
To his location question, I declared confidently.
“No.”
Very confidently.
No room for lies.
“...”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in clamped his mouth shut.
Any more weird ramblings from me here, and the last shred of trust evaporates—his sagging eyes screamed it.
“No need for us to hunt him down.”
“Yes?”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in wore a ‘what fresh nonsense’ face, but I ignored it.
What came next.
Was even bigger nonsense.
“The one panicking will come running.”
Right?
Mr. Conductor?
*****
♩~~~.
Someone humming a tune.
Like something joyful happened. Note clumps fussing over their sleeves and collars, straightening neatly.
A note clump evoking a face, perched on a chair.
♩♪♩?
Another note sounded.
A deeply familiar woman’s voice reacted to the notes swirling around him.
【Instruments are gathering smoothly.】
♩~.
【You seem quite spirited.】
♩~♪~♫~.
The announcement broadcast and lovely tones filled the small waiting room.
The note clump stroked the baton laid neatly by the mirror.
【...We eagerly await. Conductor.】
♩~.
The Conductor, buzzing for a proper show after ages.
【Resuming instrument collection. Won’t take long... Enjoy your rest meantime.】
No one questioned this performance’s success.
Emergency exit placement got top priority, and plenty of instruments already secured.
Might wrap by second rehearsal at this rate.
【Second rehearsal starting...】
“Aah! Mic test. Mic test!”
【...?】
......♯?
Voice of a human man—not yet an instrument.
...♭♪.
The Conductor’s pitch dropped low.
【!! Ri, right away we’ll look i...】
The woman’s announcement started to promise hunting down the mood-ruiners.
But the voice’s owner stole even that beat.
“We hereby announce the performance’s emergency termination! Audience, please evacuate promptly!”
♯♩♪!♬♩♩!!♬♪♪♫♩!!!
The cacophony blasting the cramped room made his irritation crystal clear.
Snatch!
Conductor seized the baton, slashing horizontally through empty air.
Blank staff lines materialized.
Between the five fresh lines ahead.
Lines two and three.
The Conductor jammed both hands into the gap between.
Beyond the rift.
Lay the stage for the grand orchestra to come.
Center stage, hogging the Conductor’s spotlight uninvited: one human.
Smirk.
Flashing an utterly creepy grin his way.
“You’re finally here. Today’s protagonist.”
The man seized the mic anew, bellowing.
“You’ve kept us waiting! Now with the Conductor here too. Time to wrap this grand show!!”
*****
Ten minutes before Park Yeon-jeong’s mad rampage.
“You mean make the Conductor come to us himself?”
“Yes.”
Answering Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s question, my gaze stayed fixed on the explosion site.
‘...Looks handled, more or less.’
Agency pros as expected—civilian panic quelled, first aid done swift.
Lucky R Team had a wound-healing item, doused the flames.
Situation stabilized somewhat.
Now just shift venues.
“Let’s move. You handle corralling the rest, Choi Kang-in.”
Me doing it? Just breeds resentment.
Post-this, R Team Section Chief Choi Kang-in fits leading.
“You really are... Ah, never mind... Yes. Leading’s on me.”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in trailed off like words hovered on his tongue.
But soon, the mass sobbing at his back shoved curiosity aside.
Step.
Every instant ties straight to survival now.
I took the lead. Roughly guessed what Section Chief Choi Kang-in nearly asked.
Could’ve played dumb.
“But one thing I want from you lot: nothing.”
“...”
They still can’t trust me fully.
Words alone fall short. Short time can’t forge trust—I get that.
So.
The ironclad motivation hack for now.
“You gotta get home alive. That rabbit-eared daughter of yours is waiting on tenterhooks for Daddy’s return.”
“!!!...How...”
That clincher reignited Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s eyes hotter than ever.
Nailed it.
Curiosity spiked harder, but motivation’s rooted solid.
“Then let’s actually move.”
“...Yes.”
Park Yeon-jeong up front, Section Chief Choi Kang-in corralling: mass exodus kicked off.
R Team and civilians’ sobs filled the space behind.
Quiet beyond that.
Soon, a lavish door appeared ahead—my face lit up.
“Here.”
“I’ll assist.”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s help swung the massive door open. Inside: dozens, hundreds maybe, of translucent figures in black suits and glam dresses, tea-partying.
Where all instruments soon gather. Grand orchestra venue.
“Y-you monster scum!”
An employee yelled at Park Yeon-jeong.
Spotting our prior Red Orchestra pursuers—same forms, swapped outfits.
“You lured us!”
Employees at psychological breaking point whipped out items.
Snap.
Section Chief Choi Kang-in blocked again.
“Employee Lee Han, back to position.”
“Section Chief! Why?! Can’t you see? Shit hit the fan after he showed! This too—he’s baiting us...”
“You’re the one muddying waters now. Act only what you can own for everyone here.”
“...”
Yes! Section Chief Choi Kang-in supreme!
This the thrill of a trusty ally?
Commotion here gains zilch good.
“Everyone, follow quietly behind me.”
“Keep perimeter watch.”
Lead: Park Yeon-jeong.
Per Section Chief Choi Kang-in’s cues, we wove cautiously through the living garments, pushing forward.
Past heaps of clothes, we halted: round stage, instrument racks.
Stage center: lone mic.
Step.
I mounted the stairs boldly.
“Wait!”
“Yes?”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in halted me sudden.
“What’re you doing?”
“...Yes?”
What?
Climbing stairs?
“Everyone up. Positions in my line of sight, max coverage.”
“...”
Even Section Chief Choi Kang-in, ace at my orders till now, eyed the scene wary.
But he knew.
No choices left here.
“Up you go?”
“...”
Clear-eyed madness like this?
Step.
“!!”
Half-surrendered Section Chief Choi Kang-in climbed.
Employees quit protesting their chief’s oddities.
“...Assistant Manager.”
“...Kids. Social life? Less than you think.”
Superior says jump?
Social life 101.
Assistant managers, deputies trailed the section chief, climbing like life quit them.
“...”
“...”
Rest followed, stairs one by one.
Everyone up quick. Park Yeon-jeong signaled prep done.
Click.
Park Yeon-jeong gripped the stage-center mic.
Anxiety gripped all watching.
First voice: woman’s Announcement Broadcast.
【Second rehearsal starting...】
Nope.
“Aah! Mic test. Mic test!”
“!!!”
“!!!”
My mic voice hushed the tea crowd.
Audience eyes locked on.
“Performance emergency terminated as of now! Head back quick!”
Section Chief Choi Kang-in itched to demand why the solo act, no consult.
I dropped the mic, whispering low for his ears only.
“From here, any gaze you feel? Don’t budge. No head turns. No eye flicks.”
“...Yes?”
“Lead the others well... Section Chief.”
With my brief words.
Sheet music lines cracked open at the audience seats.
Note clumps poured from the fissures.
Bizarre entity emerged.
Everyone froze solid.
I was scared shitless too.
But knew my job here wasn’t freezing.
Smirk-
Awkward grin. Maximize gestures. Bury the fear pulsing through me.
Don’t let fear show. Convince even myself: no fear.
Clutched mic fierce, closer to lips.
“You’ve kept us waiting!”
Louder.
Voice primed to rile the Conductor max.
“With the Conductor here now. Shall we end this show!!”
Yeah. End it fast.
This godforsaken show.