Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Unexpected Variable
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09.
An unexpected variable.
I quickly scanned the surroundings.
A group of cute bear plush keychains.
A slightly tough kid.
A man with photophobia who fears bright lights.
If it's a ragtag bunch like this...
Maybe here!
As long as I don't extinguish this final candle in front of me.
...None.
Not a single one capable of physically harming me.
"...There aren't any, right?"
A place that guarantees my safety as much as this one—probably doesn't exist.
In the lair of ghost stories that kill people as easily as breathing,
This spot is, without a doubt,
A perfect save zone tailored just for me!
It was a short meeting, but a truly meaningful one, Announcement Broadcast.
'Let's never meet again!'
A swift breakup notice.
Squeeze—
The Ghost Story Kid still clutching my pant leg tightly.
...In a way, the provider of this current save zone thanks to the Ghost Story Kid.
Pat.
『......?』
I gently stroked the kid's head and gave a warm smile.
Thank goodness.
What a relief.
That the first ghost story I entered was this one.
No more reason to extinguish the candle.
From now on, I just hole up here and search for a way back to the original world.........or so I thought.
Wobble!
Our young one clearly unhappy with my decision, radiating displeasure.
【.........What in the world is this?】
I was prepared for it, to some extent.
【Was the script delivered incorrectly?】
【Or did the role of 'virtue triumphant over vice' fail to grasp the meaning of those words—a 'fool'?】
【In that case, we need an expression fitting the role's level.】
【............Put out the fire right now, you stupid bastard!!】
...I'm okay, right?
【■&■ @■ ■■#■■!!】
A barrage of unfamiliar language ringing clearly in my ears for the first time in my life.
I had no idea what it was furiously spewing.
But it was definitely cursing.
【■Fuck!■Fuck!■Fuck!■Fuck!■Fuck!■Fuck!】
...Yeah, this one's clear.
The Shadow Man displaying far more hostility toward me than expected. Of course, as the cause, I shouldn't be saying this.
Right now, sheer guts is the answer.
If I pull the blanket over and return to the library, the Announcement Broadcast will just throw me into another ghost story.
No doubt. 100%.
No guarantee the next one will bring the same luck.
So I......
'No way I'm giving up this honey pot of a spot!'
Swoosh.
【!!】
As if rebelling against its words, I turned my head.
A blatant refusal.
The Shadow Man seemed at a loss for words at my attitude.
And in the direction I turned, my eyes met the Ghost Story Kid staring right through me.
Gaze—
Unlike the crying mess just moments ago, its pupils dilated as if witnessing something miraculous.
“......”
『.......』
......Could you stop staring?
It's not embarrassment.
'You're scary too.'
This kid is a ghost story, after all.
The aura emanating from its eyes was different.
The shift from childlike wailing to this entranced stare was more suffocating than I imagined.
But the Ghost Story Kid ignored Park Yeon-jeong's feelings entirely.
Releasing my pant leg it had been gripping, it started picking something up from the floor.
Rustle rustle.
『Mister. No put out fire. No extinguish fire person...good person.』
Ah, that 'mister...good person' thing—let it slide. Nothing I can do anyway.
More importantly, what are you picking up? I craned my neck and looked down.
The Ghost Story Kid was gathering the bear dolls scattered on the floor into its arms one by one.
Why those all of a sudden?
A question flashed through my mind.
Pop!
The Ghost Story Kid suddenly stood up from its squat and thrust the living bear dolls—aka the 'little friends'—toward me.
『Mister. Good person. Gift!』
.........?!?!
A gift?
These bear dolls?
No, wait.
Aren't these ghost stories?
These wriggling things from the Ghost Story Kid's arms are a gift?
“.........Thanks.”
I don't want it.
The words "thanks" slipped out unconsciously.
Don't need it.
Don't want it.
Weren't we taught from childhood not to take things from strangers?
So I won't accept.
"But I'll just take the thought......"
Thrust!
Before I could finish, a tiny fist pushed into my palm.
『Gift. Take.』
......It's up to the giver?
In the spot where the tiny fist had been,
Three bear dolls waved their cotton arms amiably at me from my palm.
I've received it......
Well, can't be helped now.
Fine. As long as they don't chase me out of here, I'm good......
『It's late.』
『Good person. Go home.』
Huh?
『Play again next time. Good person.』
Go home?
'No way,' I rationalized to myself, but the candlelight flickering behind me dimmed, and amid my shadow, I sensed another gaze.
【A shame. Such a shame......See you at the next stage.】
The voice that had been spewing curses finally returned to a calm tone at the end.
【I'll end the stage now.】
With those words to end the stage came pitch-black darkness.
And when light returned again,
Click!
Familiar LED lights.
[...Huh? Who do we have here! Employee Park Yeon-jeong, you're back!!]
The crackly old audio quality filtering into my ears.
Ah......
"Me......"
I'm back.
......Fuck.
*****
Crackle—
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong. The time you were gone was, to me...as if time had stopped.]
Click!
A light flicked on above Park Yeon-jeong.
“......”
[Ah......To see Employee Park Yeon-jeong's face again like this. Just this fact alone......I want for nothing more in this world.]
Crackle—
The static fading from my ears, a low voice tickling them again.
[Welcome back......Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“.........”
Yeah, I'm back.
To this shithole.
Back again......
'That kid...did something I didn't ask for!'
Crackle—
[......How was it! While you were away briefly, I recited the most famous line from the current hit drama.]
[They say that part got rave reviews. Did it move you a bit?]
Suddenly?
More than that......moved me?
Yeah, it did.
Tears are welling up.
Meeting you again, Announcement Broadcast, in this situation—tears are blurring my vision like crazy.
If I'd known I'd come back like this,
I would've just snuffed out that final candle!
'Just you wait.'
Ghost Story Kid. Next time, no mercy!
Park Yeon-jeong vowed that if he met the Ghost Story Kid again, he'd extinguish the candle with all his heart.
......Of course.
If he survived until then......
Doubtful if there'd even be a next time for him. Reality's wall hit, and Park Yeon-jeong's vision blurred with tears again.
Crackle—
But whether Park Yeon-jeong grieved or not, the Announcement Broadcast swiftly moved to the main topic.
Namely, performance results.
[Now, shall we check Employee Park Yeon-jeong's first task results!]
!!!
I'd forgotten.
Amid the shock of returning to this shithole, I'd blanked on the primal reason I entered the [I Hate the Dark!] ghost story.
-Ghost story capture.
“......”
I swallowed dryly.
Cold sweat trickled down my cheek.
Flashes of those who died in the library raced through my mind.
What happens to employees who fail to produce results on their first task?
'......They die.'
Not speculation. Solid fact backed by statistics.
Ghost stories are inherently impatient by nature.
Just look at the [I Hate the Dark!] one.
If you don't extinguish all candles upon entry,
You're out.
Not game-over out.
Out of life out.
Crackle—
Flinch.
Every time this static scratches my ears, my heart feels like it'll burst.
[Since it's your first task, Employee Park Yeon-jeong, let's check it together.]
Click!
The lights flickered off and on again.
Where the light reignited, an unfamiliar object appeared.
......A cathode-ray tube TV?
A relic from the old days, hard to find in modern times.
Dust-covered, scratched up visibly from the sides, looking like it wouldn't work.
Crackle—
But contrary to its appearance, with sparkling light particles,
The video began to play.
No clue what footage lay beyond the CRT screen, but soon a message filled it.
[Employee Park Yeon-jeong Task Vlog Day 1.]
......Huh?
My vlog—which I had no memory of filming—started broadcasting on the CRT.
It opened with a grand sneeze upon entering the mansion.
Starting from the candle extinguishing scene.
From the pathetic chase by the 'little friends' bear dolls,
To the intense? pursuit with the Ghost Story Kid.
-Tense BGM.
Finally, my vlog captured everything up to my resolute refusal to extinguish the last candle right in front of me.
[See you in the next video!]
The outro ended with cheesy old-school font and upbeat music.
“......”
It was all recorded.
Me......deliberately not extinguishing the final candle at the end. Captured crystal clear in the video.
......Gulp.
[So that's how it went.]
The Announcement Broadcast showed no strong emotion after the video.
Just its usual tone and a suffocating silence, as if pondering.
Soon after,
"S-sorry......"
[Excellent!]
“......Huh?”
[As expected of our company's talent. Great choice assigning this task to you, Employee Park Yeon-jeong!]
A question slipped out loud involuntarily.
I'd acted against the task of capturing the ghost story, yet I got praise from the boss.
'Just get mad already.'
In this situation, that praise scared me more than anything.
Unlike Park Yeon-jeong wrestling with inexplicable dread, the evaluation continued.
Crackle—
[Of course, failing to secure the original target item is definitely a 'deduction.']
[But......you brought back an 'investor' just as important as the item! That's a major achievement too.]
“......Investor?”
That Ghost Story Kid?
[Yes! Not sure if you knew, but its parents are quite influential figures!]
Crackle—
[Well, originally planned to capture the kid and ■■■ then take the ■■■■.........but maintaining business ties with them isn't a bad option either!]
......Hmm.
Feels like I heard something I shouldn't have......
Don't wanna die, so skip.
No need to dig.
[But who would've thought that one would give you 'that gift,' Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
[Is there some charm unique to you that draws in the ghost story folks—something I don't know about?]
Charm is good, sure. But if it's ghost story exclusive,
Don't need it.
Won't take it even if offered.
I'd rather live my whole life without charm.
Wriggle.
Huh?
Something moving in my clenched fist. And I suddenly remembered the forgotten presences.
'...Ah! Right.'
Opening my fist, the crumpled bear dolls straightened up.
The 'little friends' forcibly gifted by the Ghost Story Kid.
The Announcement Broadcast seemed to notice the bear dolls in my palm too, as white-gloved figures began milling about.
[Ah...so these are that one's 'gift.']
['Little friends,' right? Condition looks......sellable right now.]
!!
Scamper scamper scamper!
At the Announcement Broadcast's words of selling them off, the little friends frantically tried hiding in my sleeve.
“......You really gonna sell them?”
Not pity.
Well, they're cute, so it'd be a bit sad if sold.
But ghost stories selling ghost stories—an unprecedented form unseen even on wiki sites.
Pure curiosity. I watched with inquisitive eyes.
[As 'that one''s belongings, surely many buyers. But if we actually sell, might put Employee Park Yeon-jeong in an awkward spot.........]
[Yeah, better not.]
Unexpected response.
[Can't sell off a hard-won bigwig connection for pocket change.]
The Announcement Broadcast's words sounded almost......
Like it was considering me.
Despite the inexplicable emotion stirring at its words,
Swish.
The white gloves still lingering around me showed reluctance to give up the little friends.
Hey, Announcement Broadcast.
Body and mind not matching here?
Click!
This time, the light went out without a word.
Click!
When it came back on,
The CRT and countless white gloves were gone.
[You've worked hard today, Employee Park Yeon-jeong. Extra pay for today's tasks incoming.]
Yeah, worked real hard.
So,
'Please let me go.'
Sincere plea.
[First task successfully completed today. Feel free to clock out.]
.........Huh?
What'd you say?
I didn't mishear, right?
[See you tomorrow, Employee Park Yeon-jeong. Good night.]
Click!
The light went out.
And that day, the light never came back on.