Chapter 86
Chapter 86
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 86
Chapter Title: The New Partner
-----------------------------------------------------------------
86.
“Uwaaaah!”
Cold sweat trickles down my cheek.
I bolt upright and scan my surroundings.
…Nothing.
Nothing in front of me.
No sign of Noise.
I’d just tasted a truly vicious nightmare with my whole body.
Noise’s voice calling me “Master” still echoes in my mind.
My stomach churns.
But I have to find it.
The one responsible for dumping this trash dream on me.
That damn ghost story bastard…
I hurriedly look around.
And not far off, my eyes catch on a kid with two horns sprouting from their head.
[Dream of Toys]
…Found you.
Right next to me.
The Toy Ghost Story was sleeping soundly beside me, dead to the world.
‘…Should I just smack them once?’
Noise’s gravelly “Master” had dirtied my ears.
I really wanted to flick their forehead.
‘But they’re a kid, so I’ll hold back.’
Truth be told, poking them might backfire on me…
I turn away, imagining I’d stepped in shit, and survey the surroundings.
The scenery around me is awfully familiar.
Very familiar.
The room made entirely of pure white wallpaper, and beyond the one window offering a view outside—a vast meadow stretching into the distance.
I know this place.
[Noise Consultation Office]
The place where Noise and I had our serious consultation.
Of all places, waking up here means the one who sent me was none other than—
Noise, most likely.
Creak—
A lanky man emerges from a perfectly normal wall.
His face covered in its signature static.
He strolls casually into the room.
‘Quick as ever.’
The lanky man’s goofy voice flows into my ears.
“Oh? Employee Park Yeon-jeong, you’re awake. Glad to see no major issues with your body—better than I expected.”
“…Thank you for your concern.”
For a split second, I tense up, wondering if “Master” might slip from Noise’s lips.
Thankfully, the worst doesn’t happen.
Really, thank goodness.
Step—
Noise calmly continues forward, sits in a white chair, and picks up the conversation.
“Employee Park Yeon-jeong… You were carrying quite the intriguing item.”
“Huh?”
His voice sinks into an unusually calm tone.
“You call it the ‘Mass-Produced Hero’—a grandiose name for something so… undeserving.”
Noise pauses.
Then adds,
Not a warning or concern about the item itself.
More like advice to keep in mind.
“But as they say, even poison can be medicine if used right. Fortunately, the price for using it seems replaceable with ‘sleep’ instead of ‘hunger.’ Probably thanks to those ‘glasses’ I gave you.”
Tick—
……
‘Lie.’
Noise just lied to me.
There’s something false in what he said. And I have a pretty good guess.
“I thought it was because you took my left arm… Was I wrong?”
“……”
Static crackles sharply.
“…A sharp deduction.”
Noise’s lowered voice snaps back to normal faster than expected.
“But whatever the case… it’s a relief. No need for low-class acts like cannibalism. Truly fortunate, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.”
Noise changes the subject.
“……”
But I don’t press further.
Changing the subject means my question hit the mark.
Plus, I’d just learned something fascinating.
The price for using the Mass-Produced Hero had shifted from hunger to sleep.
As Noise mentioned earlier, prolonged use of the Mass-Produced Hero brings—
Starvation, hunger.
Naturally, being a ghost story world item,
That hunger can’t be sated with ordinary food.
The item description even says:
==========
/Mass-Produced Hero
To face strong enemies, we all need to lend our strength.
So lend me your power!
To fight the wicked!
To stand again!
【…To rise on everyone’s sacrifice and fight the wicked once more.】
Sacrifice for the greater good is inevitable, right?
==========
Yeah.
That “sacrifice for the greater good” indirectly describes how to sate the hunger.
The hunger in question—
Not ordinary food.
Cannibalism, human flesh.
The longer you wear the Mass-Produced Hero, the more human you must consume.
The longer the use, the greater the amount required.
When I removed the White Mask,
No symptoms showed up right away, so I’d let my guard down.
But…
‘Guess not.’
Still, it shifting to “sleep” is a huge win for me.
Static—
More ear-grating noise follows.
“But overuse might bring impulses even sleep can’t satisfy. Best to pace yourself.”
Noise waggles his fingers as he explains.
“Even the best medicine builds tolerance if abused.”
“…Noted.”
I now roughly understand why I collapsed here from Noise’s explanation…
But another issue lingers.
“What about this ghost story?”
Even as we talk, the Toy Ghost Story sleeps on without stirring, out cold. I ask Noise what he plans to do.
His answer surprises me.
“They’re fine. I brought them here for this exact purpose, and they seem to like it.”
Purpose?
Noise reveals he’d planned to release this ghost story here, defenseless, from the start.
I can’t help but find his actions suspicious.
But…
“I hear the GRA has facilities to care for employees’ mental health?”
“!!”
‘Noise, you don’t mean…’
My “no way” thought becomes reality as Noise confirms it.
“The one Employee Park Yeon-jeong brought will handle our employees’ mental care from now on. You’ll see them often, so get along:)”
“……”
Noise, you…
Can you read my mind?
It’s exactly the facility I’d hoped for—perfect timing.
No, exactly what I needed.
Just as I’m nodding, thinking he’s an excellent boss,
Our brilliant boss Noise updates me on my personal life too.
“I’d love to chat leisurely with you, Employee Park Yeon-jeong, but she’s probably waiting anxiously. Better head back soon.”
“Huh?”
“It’s 10 p.m. now… Employee Park Yeon-jeong.”
“……….”
!!
The moment his static-laced voice mentions 10 p.m.,
I leap up and rush through checkout.
And, as expected,
When I got home that day, Soi gave me an earful.
*****
The next day, at dawn.
I’m ready for work as usual.
Last night, Soi scolded me, but I finished restoring the Bear Doll Trio.
All set.
Work time approaches, and as always, Soi sees me off.
Soi says it again.
“Have a good day at work, Master.”
Tick—
The Lie-Detecting Watch’s second hand moves again.
Meaning…
Lie.
“…Soi.”
“Yes, Master.”
A bit of time before work. I ask her.
“Do you not want me to go to work?”
“…Huh?”
Maybe I’m imagining it.
But with the watch ticking, this is all I can think.
If everything Soi’s said and shown me so far wasn’t a lie.
If those tears were real…
This is it.
That’s all.
“……”
Soi bows her head for a while after hearing me. Then, after a pause,
Her cheeks flush.
Unable to meet my eyes,
She whispers softly.
“…Yes.”
“……”
This time, the second hand doesn’t move.
……
……
……
What am I doing?
Ever since getting this watch, I’ve picked up a bad habit.
Checking if people’s words are true or false.
But on the flip side…
I’m relieved.
Relieved by her quiet admission. Relieved that my uneasy feeling was just paranoia.
Swoosh.
Soi slowly lifts her head, looks up at me, and murmurs softly.
Her brow furrowed slightly.
“…If you knew, please come home early from now on. The time without you… feels like it doesn’t exist for me.”
“…Got it.”
“But don’t overdo it.”
No ticking whispers in my ear this time.
……
Cupping the watch on my wrist, I flash Soi a faint smile playing on my lips.
Click-!
The familiar chime pierces my ears, and the final week’s work begins.
*****
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong. From the next ghost story deployment, keep them in the Quill Pen and take them along.]
Right after arriving at work, Noise designates my new companion for ghost story ops.
That being…
No, “ghost story” fits better.
The one who gave me that nasty nightmare yesterday.
‘Dream of Toys.’
【……….】
‘This kid’s been asleep since yesterday?’
As I stare holes into the still soundly sleeping figure, Noise explains.
[To boost efficiency, you need the right partner.]
[And don’t forget—I’m always ready to help you, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“…Thank you.”
I mean it,
But I know Noise “helping” means I’m one breath from death.
Help is… truly! Appreciated!
But I don’t want to relive my heart exploding.
So.
‘I’ll just take the sentiment.’
Still, bringing the Toy Ghost Story is a big plus.
With their Max-Level Pillow, nothing scares me.
Clap clap—
I turn toward the applause.
There, as always, stands a white door. I’ve accepted it by now.
But today,
Especially,
Static—
Noise’s final words linger in my ears.
[It’s the last day of the week, so do your best.]
[I trust you’ll handle recruiting the new customers well this time, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]