Chapter 216
Chapter 216
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 216. The Man at the Head of the Table
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"..."
The sight before my eyes was more than enough to shock me.
People sat in chairs with their eyes closed.
Or rather, made to look like they were sitting.
About ten people were seated around a long dining table.
"..."
I looked around, unable to hide my shock.
And there...
"..."
Two familiar faces from the apartment.
Song Arin's parents were sitting there.
"Even here, they couldn't prevent the Myeongil Apartment incident. Actually, now that I think about it, that's only natural."
Song Arin muttered as she walked toward her parents.
"That incident is the reason I exist—and him too."
She was right.
Neither of them looked anything like ordinary people.
Just like I'd seen back then, their jaws gaped open grotesquely.
The only difference was that both had their eyes closed.
Song Arin gently stroked her mother's hand, her eyes shut in an utterly emotionless expression.
"No consciousness."
"Did they pass out?"
"No. Their egos are literally gone."
After stroking her hand several times, Song Arin looked over at me.
"Probably transferred their egos somewhere, like you."
"I see."
"..."
"...You okay, Arin?"
"I'm grateful, actually. Right now."
Song Arin muttered, still stroking her mother's hand.
"If I were in my right mind, I'd be losing it big time."
"..."
Song Arin pulled her hand away and looked at me.
"And... found it."
"Yeah."
At the end of the table. The seat of honor, as they call it. I was sitting there.
Why the seat of honor?
Hell, why was I even here?
Staring at myself sitting there, eyes closed like I was deep asleep, felt beyond weird—straight-up unsettling.
"...So."
Song Arin looked at me.
"How do we switch back?"
"Huh? Aren't you the one switching us, Arin?"
"Huh?"
"Huh?"
We stared at each other for a moment.
"You seriously made no plan? Are you nuts?"
"Arin, you're breaking immersion. Focus. Focus."
I quickly cut her off as one eyebrow shot up and her language turned rough.
"...Hoo..."
She took a few deep breaths, then fixed me with those emotionless eyes again.
Of course, anger simmered in that gaze.
"Anyway. I got nothing."
"Shame."
"A shame? You could be stuck as a doll forever?"
"Nah. Won't happen."
Just finding my body was a massive win already.
Otherwise, I'd have had to bail without it.
A fate worse than death would've been waiting.
"...What method you got in mind?"
"Simple one."
Anyone who could trap my body in a doll? Beating that problem's straightforward.
"Just track down whoever did it, ask 'em nicely to let me out—or take 'em down."
"...You are nuts."
"Arin. Immersion breaking."
"You're breaking it."
Anger flared across Song Arin's face again as she tried to wave me off... but couldn't. Her arms wouldn't budge.
"I say it's doable."
"How? You're a doll right now. I'm just... me."
"Because I've got you, Arin?"
"What?"
She stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
"I'm not... some thread master. Whatever that thing's using, it's gotta be at least a hundred times more than I can handle."
"It's fine."
Song Arin had a bad habit of selling herself short.
"...So what's the plan?"
She stared me down.
"No vague 'it'll work out' crap. A real reason you think I can tangle with that thing and get you back for good."
"Hypnosis."
She froze at that.
"Take it down with hypnosis?"
"Not necessarily take down. Suggestions, whatever. Plenty of options."
No need to slug it out thread-to-thread like some showdown with the troupe leader.
We play to our strengths.
"Then..."
Song Arin glanced around.
"What's next?"
"Well, we've got my body. Scout an exit ahead of time?"
Plan's simple.
Song Arin beats the troupe leader. We snag my body back. Book it outta there.
If it's a clean win, no need to even book it.
"Right."
"Let's move."
"Hold up."
Song Arin raised a hand, stopping me.
"Mind if I check something?"
"...Yeah. Go for it."
"Thanks."
She nodded and scanned the people seated at the table.
Checking out the others, probably.
"Most of 'em I know."
"For real?"
"...Yeah."
She nodded slowly.
"Those two—you know. Mom and Dad."
"Right."
She pointed at the pair sitting there, jaws yawning wide, eyes shut.
"And those three over there... from the orphanage days. Friends...? Sorta."
Her voice trailed off.
"Friends?"
"Not friends. Let me rephrase."
She shook her head.
"Kids who listened to me real good back then."
"..."
Listened real good.
Not exactly friend talk.
"Anyway."
She turned her head.
"Then... you. Next three... old colleagues of mine."
"The ones from when you worked with Chaeyeon?"
"...Yeah. Something like that."
I eyed the three as she spoke.
Woman with black hair.
Super warm vibe. Probably the team peacemaker.
Then a guy with a facial scar.
Middle-aged. Nothing else stood out.
Last...
"...Isn't this Chaeyeon's 'sister'?"
"...Yeah."
Song Arin let out a small sigh.
"Yep. The white-haired sister she hunted so hard for."
"..."
Was the troupe leader facing off against us from some other world?
The Jang Chaeyeon I knew—her sister couldn't exist anymore. Not even like this.
"...And."
Finally, she stopped in front of one man.
"Don't know this guy."
"..."
I peered hard at him, per Song Arin.
Middle-aged dude.
Mustache that really popped. One weird thing...
"...His clothes look a lot like what the troupe leader Arin's wearing?"
A lot? Turn the troupe leader Song Arin's outfit into menswear, and it'd match.
"..."
"..."
Song Arin thinking the same? Our eyes met.
"...Could be this is the enemy we gotta fight."
"Maybe."
Only one name popped in my head.
"Former troupe leader."
"..."
I stared at his face.
Mustache. Middle-aged.
Eyes open, he might look pretty goofy. But they stayed shut.
"Wonder where all these folks are stashed."
"Beats me."
"..."
Song Arin stepped up to my sleeping form.
My actual body, technically.
-Poke.
She prodded my cheek lightly.
"Eyes closed like this? Way less annoying. Kinda nice."
"'Sleeping face is the best'? That it?"
"Let's go with that."
She muttered, pulling her finger back.
"...Hey."
"Yeah."
"If I'm right, the troupe leader doesn't know you."
"...Likely."
"So why leave you planted here?"
She muttered, eyeing me.
"They did ask who you were when they saw you, right?"
"Yeah."
"Not your other-world self unconsciously charming another girl?"
"Never charmed anyone. Unconsciously? Even less."
"Hold on. So everything before was on purpose?"
"What kinda bullshit is that?"
Her sanity finally cracking?
I stared her down until she sighed.
"Nah. Let's just go."
"..."
Then she gave my cheek one last poke and headed for the door.
Cheeks aren't public property, lady.
*
Wandering rooms with Song Arin clued me in: this place was one massive theater.
Movie posters here and there. Puppet show posters other spots.
No people traces anywhere but that one room, though.
Finding the exit? Dead simple.
"This door locked?"
"Yeah."
Open every door that'd open.
Song Arin handling it, obviously.
"...Arm holding up?"
She glanced at me while straining against a stuck door.
"Yeah. Doll perks—no feeling it."
"Silver lining, I guess."
She sighed faintly.
"Oh yeah. The other two?"
"Huh?"
"Daon and Chaeyeon."
"..."
Song Arin shut her mouth a sec, then spoke.
"They'll find their own way in."
"...They can get in?"
"Eh, they'll manage."
Muttering irresponsibly, she pressed on.
"Next room."
"...Right."
How many loops later...
"..."
"..."
We ended up back at the entrance room—the one Song Arin and I came in through.
"Zero progress."
"...Nope."
We'd tried damn near every door here.
What'd I miss?
Kept thinking.
Untried doors...
Overlooked spots.
"...Only window left."
Glanced back where I came in.
Dusty popcorn machine still stood out.
"This way."
"..."
Song Arin trailed me.
Out the door.
Peer out the window.
Pitch black outside still.
Gazing into the void, Song Arin sidled up.
"Break it?"
"...Honestly? Pretty sure I tried every door in here."
"Same."
We'd roamed long enough.
Not running into the troupe leader? Kinda weird.
"Alright."
She nodded, grabbed the manual.
"Hup!"
Hucked it straight at the window.
"A book won't break win—"
-Crash!
Shards flew everywhere.
"Works."
She shot me a look.
Stepped right over, scooped up the manual.
-Flip!
It unfurled again.
[Office Manual]
[PLZ - Save the Manual]
1. The manual is delicate. Handle with care.
2. No matter how tough, don't use it as a shield.
3. Treat it like an old friend.
4. No flicking the manual.
5. Your first company gift upon joining? The manual. Never forget—it's the first colleague for every Management Bureau employee.
6. Don't let anyone else manhandle it! The manual is sensitive and precious!
"..."
Song Arin smirked, snapped it shut.
Fair enough. After all the lab-rat treatment.
"Let's go."
She hopped out the window. I followed.
Over the sill...
"..."
An empty city sprawled before us.
Crumbling buildings. Trash skittering across the ground.
And...
"..."
Countless people, laid out in neat rows.
Eyes closed like sleepers, just breathing on the pavement.
The scene stretched to the horizon.
"...What the hell."
Song Arin muttered.
"Not the stage? This is it?"
Looked back at the building.
A sign reading [Troupe of Dreams and Hopes] swayed unsteadily.