Chapter 39
Chapter 39
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Led by the Bear Doll Trio
-----------------------------------------------------------------
39.
I stared blankly for a long time at the elevator button, covered in so much grime that I wanted to believe it was some kind of interior design choice.
'A bit creepy, sure, but whatever.'
I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed the button for the floor I needed to go to.
Press.
<①>
Having to use the elevator just to go up one floor—what hotel could be more inefficient than this?
-Door■clos■ing.
"......"
Along with the mangled elevator announcement.
Clunk! Zzzt—
!!
I felt the state of the elevator cable with my entire body—the kind that could snap at any moment.
Clunk!
This elevator had just stopped while going up.
......It is going up, right?
Park Yeon-jeong desperately hoped this elevator would make it up just one floor safely.
*****
Ding!
-Do■or is op■ening.
Fortunately, the cable didn't snap midway, and it arrived safely at the first floor.
I worried even stepping out might strain the cable.
I cautiously stepped out of the elevator.
Step.
The doors closed behind me.
And then, the sight that unfolded before Park Yeon-jeong's eyes was.
An endlessly long corridor.
Doors lined up between the walls.
Even the dim lights flickering faintly in the dark hallway, asserting their presence.
Flick... flick... flick.
Crackle—!
Pop!
One of the lights that had been struggling to flicker finally gave out.
Anyone looking at this space would see it screaming, 'Do not proceed.'
My feet wouldn't move.
Anyone who could brazenly advance through a place like this definitely wasn't normal.
I couldn't muster the courage to step forward.
But right then, a sound utterly out of place in such a location echoed through the entire corridor.
Splat!
The source of the sound was.
Our first Bear Doll.
The signature entrance of that small, cute little thing, dropping limply to the floor.
Wiggle wiggle!
A tiny Bear Doll was waving its arms cutely toward me, Park Yeon-jeong.
And inspired by this one brave Bear Doll's action, the other two.
The remaining Bear Dolls leaped out of my employee ID in the same flashy way.
Splat!
Splat!
A magnificent face-plant landing.
Tot tot tot!
Then, our Bear Doll Trio marched forward confidently toward somewhere.
As if they'd made some kind of pact. They advanced ahead with dignified resolve.
"W-Wait a second!"
But I was flustered by their unilateral action.
The lead Bear Doll, seeing my panic.
Pat pat!
Tapped its chest lightly twice with its arms.
As if saying trust me, I'll lead the way.
I was impressed by that confident display.
So I respected their decision.
Absolutely not because I was scared and accepted their offer.
......Really.
Tot tot tot tot tot.
"......"
Tot tot tot tot tot.
"......"
Tot tot tot... splat!
Hm, cute.
The stuffiness I'd felt until just now eased a bit.
Our current position.
<108>
We passed by the door marked Room 108.
Not even halfway yet.
The good news so far: nothing had jumped out, and no walls suddenly narrowed. Thank goodness.
And.
Tot tot tot tot tot!
These little guys really had no fear.
Even if they were small, a ghost story was still a ghost story?
Thanks to the spirited Bear Doll Trio—unintentionally on my part—I could move forward, and I felt quietly grateful for their courage.
<116>
Before I knew it, we'd passed more than half the way to the target.
Creeeak.
!
The door to Room 116, which had been still, slowly creaked open on its own.
The wind, maybe?
An unexpected situation.
As Park Yeon-jeong reached to pull out the 'Final Trigger' from his employee ID.
Wiggle wiggle!
Wiggle wiggle!!
Wiggle wiggle!!!
Our Bear Doll Trio waving their arms rapidly left and right toward me.
What did this mean?
Their actions, which I'd vaguely understood until now, were completely incomprehensible.
【Me, hīt me?】
Chills!
A voice mangled into something grotesque.
Tot tot tot!
The Bear Doll that scurried over on short legs grabbed my pant leg, looking extremely urgent as if trying to convey something.
【Th,at gūn, shōot it?】
I was completely fixated on the bizarre entity before me.
A chilling sound coming from beyond the door.
And.
Gun?
My gaze dropped to the revolver I'd drawn from the employee ID.
Grab!
!!
A long arm stretched out from the open door.
The hand, extended like a candy pull, grabbed the door, and something like a voice whispered in my ear.
【Kīll, me■?¿¿¿】
Drag drag drag.
A heterogeneous sound like something slowly emerging from the room. Park Yeon-jeong realized too late.
What the Bear Doll Trio had been trying to tell me.
Shove.
Park Yeon-jeong hurriedly tucked the revolver back into his employee ID.
Then.
He raised both hands high toward the thing trying to emerge from the room, his voice trembling slightly.
"M-Me? Kill you? No way... no?"
【.........】
The dragging sound from the room until moments ago stopped.
The bizarrely elongated hand slowly began closing the door.
Through the final gap as it shut.
【Ah, it hūrts... hūrts... hūrts... dōn't hīt.】
Click.
The door closed.
A faint, trembling breath escaped Park Yeon-jeong's lips.
But he didn't collapse there.
Thanks to the glasses blocking mental damage, he hadn't taken much.
Shiver shiver shiver.
The trembling remembered by his body still transmitted outward.
If not for the Bear Doll Trio's warning right there, I might have... drawn the revolver and shot the ghost story in front of me.
I didn't even want to imagine what would happen after.
Maybe I'd been too complacent.
Under the name E-rank ghost story.
I'd forgotten what kind of place this was being used as.
This was a place frequented by visits from ghost stories, including humans like me, Park Yeon-jeong.
Underestimate it as E-rank.
And I'd become a target for other ghost stories.
I needed to be more vigilant about the current situation.
And the first thing I needed to do now.
Was give thanks.
To convey gratitude to the Bear Doll Trio.
"Thanks for protecting me."
Wiggle wiggle wiggle!
I lightly patted the head of the Bear Doll clinging to my pant leg.
The other two Bear Dolls watching from not far away.
!!
Tot tot tot tot tot!
They rushed over to Park Yeon-jeong and gestured with their stuffed arms as if pointing to their own heads.
"......You guys too?"
Nod!
Nod!
Looking at the two vigorously bobbing their heads up and down.
A smile formed naturally.
Pat pat.
I lightly touched the remaining ones' heads too.
After that, moments threatening Park Yeon-jeong came several more times.
Creak.
Feeling gazes from slightly open door gaps.
Park Yeon-jeong plastered himself to the wall and ignored them.
【...Tch.】
And now, with a door fully open, sounds leaked out without reservation.
A woman's voice.
【............Ah♥】
...A nuisance.
This time, Park Yeon-jeong plugged his ears with both hands, squeezed his eyes shut, and moved forward.
- A room with a child's scream.
- A room with a man's rough groans.
- Even the sound of sawing something slimy.
But.
But hey.
Wasn't this supposed to be a lodging with good soundproofing?
If people were leaving doors wide open for their deeds, why come to a place like this? It was questionable.
As Park Yeon-jeong's doubts about the users of this lodging grew.
<130>
We arrived.
After twists and turns, Park Yeon-jeong finally reached his destination.
...Hoo.
He let out a short breath, then inhaled again.
Knock knock knock.
Lightly rapped on the door.
..........
But only heavy silence returned from inside.
Knock knock knock.
I knocked once more.
..........
Again, only silence greeted me.
No reaction like this meant.
'...Come in?'
I pulled out the small key from my pocket.
My gaze went to our Bear Doll Trio looking up at me from the floor.
They were quiet.
No big reaction from them meant.
This place was safe.
Sliding the key into the door handle's slot.
Click.
Soon after, Park Yeon-jeong's hand naturally gripped the handle and slowly turned it.
The door opened.
Whoosh!
!!
Something burst out from inside and hugged straight into Park Yeon-jeong's arms.
My gaze dropped down, where familiar stuffed doll ears caught my eye.
Was scaring people like this the trend lately?
"Good person!"
It had been a while since I heard that voice ring out. And the Bear Doll Trio looking up at us from the floor.
Hop!
They leaped right back at the kid who had jumped at Park Yeon-jeong.
"Kids! Did you miss me?"
The Ghost Story Kid hugged the Bear Doll Trio clinging to her clothes and flashed a bright smile.
Fortunately, the Ghost Story Kid didn't give off any threatening vibe toward me.
And honestly, the real issue wasn't this Ghost Story Kid.
It was someone else in this room.
"Come in! I've been waiting!"
"......Okay."
Click.
The door closed.
At the Ghost Story Kid's voice saying she was waiting inside, I slowly entered the room.
Step.
A space divided by a middle door.
Open that door.
And there'd be the one called this Ghost Story Kid's 'birth mother.'
Park Yeon-jeong's steps were more cautious than ever.
But regardless, the Ghost Story Kid ran ahead to the middle door.
Bang!
She flung it open first and announced my arrival to whoever was inside.
"He's here! Good person!"
As Park Yeon-jeong slowly stepped forward through the gap in the open door, what entered his view—
......Huge.
Immensely so.
The being wore a vintage white dress and a wide-brimmed white Victorian hat.
A tall woman at least twice the height of an adult male.
[Warm Memories of That Day]
: Identification Code Cd-B-1750.
【I've been so eager to meet you.】
Not at all.