Chapter 58
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Well Done
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Well done.
Hatred, revenge, malice.
The demon gathered every negative emotion it could and hurled a curse at him.
Lee Hyeon.
The souls it had collected for hundreds of years to reign over this world had all vanished because of that bastard.
And was that all?
He had nearly killed the demon.
Though it had barely survived in a near-death state, it was ultimately forced to become a parasite in a doll's body.
The demon could never forgive him. It had lived for hundreds of years, but it had never wanted to kill someone this badly before.
If possible, it wanted to dismember his body into five pieces, play with them like a puzzle, and then kill him.
But in its doll form, even killing him was a struggle. So, it devised another plan.
It would secretly build its power, wait for an opportunity, and when the time came, it would take Lee Hyeon’s head.
And so, with the singular focus of revenge, the demon absorbed Ju-hee’s life force as nourishment and saved its strength.
Until it became strong enough to move on its own and perform the One-man Hide-and-seek.
And today, the moment it had so eagerly awaited had finally arrived. The demon gathered all the necessary items and performed the ritual.
It chewed up the ghost that appeared from the One-man Hide-and-seek. As the freshly absorbed soul filled its empty vessel, power surged through it.
This was more than enough to kill Han Ju-hee. But that bitch must have sensed something was wrong, because she had hidden herself somewhere. Cunning little thing.
But that was fine. It could absorb as many souls as it wanted.
It was just about to absorb a second soul. The front door burst open, and someone appeared.
It was none other than Lee Hyeon. It seemed the hiding Han Ju-hee had called for help.
It didn't matter.
No, this was much better.
Instead of slowly building up power to kill him, I’ll just sever his head right now.
The demon sharpened its blade. It wrapped its blunt, cotton-stuffed right hand around a kitchen knife.
[Did you enjoy yourself while it lasted?]
Laughter spilled out, uncontrollable. The mere thought of seeing the look on that bastard’s face was already starting to excite it.
A thrilling pleasure filled its head. The demon twisted its stubby doll legs.
In its original body, it would have fully expressed this desire, but as a doll, it was impossible.
Still, just the thought of plunging a knife into Lee Hyeon’s body sent waves of intense pleasure through it.
The demon strode toward the sound of movement.
Creeak.
The place where Lee Hyeon was hiding was the kitchen.
Was he planning to make saltwater?
It didn't matter. This body was a demon, not a ghost. It would never be killed by something like saltwater unless it was holy water.
[Should I torment you until you beg me to kill you?]
The demon entered the kitchen. There stood its mortal enemy, stock-still.
For some reason, he seemed to be welcoming it. Moreover, he wore a look of grim determination.
Whatever. What could Lee Hyeon possibly do on his own without any holy water?
The demon never dreamed it would die. Lee Hyeon’s behavior was surely nothing but a bluff.
And so, the demon smiled widely and moved its mouth.
[Found you.]
**
The plan was perfect.
Dayeon's wild imagination and ideas were absurd, but they had a strange persuasiveness to them.
In other words, it was worth a shot, whether it turned into a feast or a fiasco. As soon as I left the master bedroom, I headed straight for the kitchen.
And the plate shattered.
CRASH!
Fortunately, I wasn't startled this time.
Who does it think I am? The first time, maybe, but the second time, my brain learns. I let out a loud snort and picked up a shard of the plate.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Before long, I heard footsteps approaching from a distance, just like before. I had expected it, of course.
The demon was, without a doubt, heading this way. I wasn't scared in the slightest.
If anything, courage and confidence surged within me.
Bring it on.
I won't go down so easily this time. I held my breath, waiting for the demon to appear.
Soon, the cat doll holding a kitchen knife emerged. And it muttered softly.
[Found you.]
The situation was identical to last time. The demon raised its kitchen knife and charged at me.
I stood my ground, observing its approach. I had no desire to dodge.
Moreover, I had no intention of backing down. Using my Stamina, I charged forward to meet it.
[?!]
The demon was slightly taken aback by my unexpected move. I didn't miss that momentary opening.
Shunk.
I immediately plunged the plate shard deep into the doll's chest. The cotton skin tore as the sharp fragment slid in.
"Hah... Done."
[You bastard...!]
The demon cursed, not understanding what had happened. Of course, I couldn't hear a word of it.
I silently recalled the steps of the One-man Hide-and-seek ritual.
[4. Place the prepared doll in a basin in the bathroom, and stab a needle (or a sharp object) into the doll's heart area.]
With that, the first task was complete.
The orthodox method said to place it in a basin in the bathroom, but I couldn't care less about that.
I immediately moved on to the next step.
[5. After stabbing the doll's heart, count to 10 in your head, then call the doll's name.]
Ten seconds.
A period of time that passes in the blink of an eye. If I put my mind to it, I could definitely endure it.
I glanced at the demon. It was fuming, clearly enraged at being attacked.
[You must have a death wish, don't you?]
Still, coming from a cat doll, it held no persuasive power. I raised one corner of my mouth and taunted it smugly.
"Come and get me if you're so pissed. I'll turn you into cat stew. Want some seasoning with that?"
At that, the sound of the doll's stitches popping could be heard. It seemed thoroughly enraged. It screamed in a voice sharp as a razor.
[I'll mince your flesh and make it into a salad!!]
The demon then charged at me wildly. I could have easily dodged.
But I stood my ground and faced it.
There was something I absolutely had to do to perform the One-man Hide-and-seek.
‘Hoo.’
One wrong move and I’d be stabbed.
I took a deep breath and followed the trajectory of the kitchen knife with sharp eyes.
...Now! I reached out and swiftly caught the incoming blade.
Clasp.
The blade cut into the flesh of my palm. The wound opened up, and blood dripped down.
"Ugh."
The blade was embedded in my palm. A stinging, throbbing pain slowly began to spread.
The demon cackled with delight as it watched my pained expression.
[Oh my! I was aiming for your heart. What a shame.]
It mocked me, certain of its victory. The sight was just like my school days.
How can you be so consistent?
I was dumbfounded by the demon's attitude, which hadn't changed one bit.
Shouldn't it be at least a little suspicious when things are going this smoothly?
Well, whatever.
It was a good thing for me.
Thanks to the demon letting its guard down, ten seconds had already passed. It was time to enter the final stage.
I clenched my fist. The blade dug deeper into my flesh, and blood burst forth.
"Keuk...!"
It hurts.
It fucking hurts. It hurt so much that I felt like I was about to burst into tears.
But I had to endure it. Letting out a grunt along with my tears, I yanked the kitchen knife.
The recoil pulled the demon along with it. Even for a demon, its weight was that of a cat doll, so it was possible.
"You son of a bitch!"
I instantly grabbed the demon's head.
The blood streaming from my palm soaked the cat doll.
With this, all preparations were complete. I once again recalled the necessary items for the One-man Hide-and-seek.
[1. Before performing the One-man Hide-and-seek, prepare all the necessary items.
The 'doll with its stuffing removed' serves as a body for the ghost to possess.
Your own fingernails or hair act as a sacrifice to summon the ghost to the physical world.
Blood or flesh can be used as a substitute, but it is better not to.
...Because it acts as a far too powerful amplifier.]
The doll's body was caked in my blood.
It was more than enough to be used as a sacrifice.
Just in case it wasn't enough, I squeezed my palm to force out even one more drop of blood onto it.
Now, I entered the final stage.
All that was left was to call the doll's name, and the One-man Hide-and-seek would begin.
I had already decided what name to give it. I raised my middle finger at the demon and called its name cheerfully.
"Fucking bastard."
Crack.
The demon stopped moving.
It dropped the kitchen knife it was holding and froze in place like a statue. The demon began to shout, its voice trembling.
[You, you bastard...! What have you done to me!!]
"I gave you a present. You got a problem with it?"
I answered nonchalantly. It wasn't really worth a reply, but this was payback for its earlier mockery.
The demon tried to charge at me to kill me even now, but it collapsed before long.
It fell forward with a thud, and the sight of it squirming was truly pathetic.
Soon, a sinister energy began to gather in the kitchen like a vacuum cleaner.
Just by being in the same place, a chill ran down my spine, and goosebumps covered my entire body.
If I stay here any longer, I'll have nightmares tonight.
I wanted to watch with my own two eyes as the demon was devoured by the ghost,
but I had my own life to look after, so I reluctantly retreated.
"Well, I'm leaving."
I bid farewell to the cat doll splayed out on the floor.
The demon, sensing the ominous presence, struggled frantically, but it was futile.
[I'll kill you! You think you can get away with this?!]
"Good luck."
Before the sinister energy could affect me, I left the kitchen without a single glance back.
[G-Gyaaaaaaah!!]
The demon's lone scream echoed from the kitchen and down the hallway.
So noisy.
I felt like I could use some earplugs. I easily ignored it and returned to the master bedroom.
The bedroom door was firmly locked. It was a precaution against any unexpected situations.
Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. It was only a matter of time before the demon died.
My body was already exhausted. I was completely worn out from running and rolling all over this house.
Wanting to rest even for a little while, I knocked lightly on the master bedroom door.
"I'm back."
Then, a playful voice came from beyond the door.
"Who is it?"
"Stop messing around and open up."
Dayeon didn't open the door. She just asked a completely random question.
"Show me proof that you're Lee Hyeon."
"What's the concept this time..."
"I can't open this door until you do."
The door remained firmly shut. It seemed she really had no intention of opening it.
"...What do you want me to do?"
"Tell me a secret that only you would know."
"A secret?"
"The real you would be able to say it."
...A secret.
I did have one. A secret I could never tell anyone else.
But there was no reason to hide it from Dayeon. This incident had convinced me.
No matter what I said, Dayeon would believe me without question and take it seriously.
It was proof of how much she trusted me. Now it was my turn to act like Dayeon.
"It's a long story. You want to hear it?"
"...Yeah."
I leaned against the bedroom door and slumped to the floor. To be honest, this was better for me too.
I didn't think I could be completely honest while facing her directly.
I took a deep, shaky breath and opened my mouth.
"This happened when I woke up after sleeping at school..."
And so, with the door between us, we continued our long conversation.
I told her everything I had been through, without leaving a single detail out, and on the other side, Dayeon listened to my words in silence.
What kind of expression was Dayeon making as she listened to me?
It was a shame that I couldn't see her face because she was on the other side of the door.
My story finally came to an end after quite some time had passed.
I told her the whole truth.
From the fact that I return to the past when I die, to the numerous deaths I've experienced and the various endings I've faced.
I finally felt a sense of relief.
Like a heavy weight that had been stuck deep in my chest had been lifted.
I called out to Dayeon with a faint smile.
"So, what do you think?"
"..."
But no answer came from the other side. I thought she might be hesitating for a moment, but no matter how long I waited, Dayeon remained silent.
"Jin Dayeon?"
I was bewildered.
What on earth is she doing, staying quiet like that? Just in case, I turned the doorknob.
Click.
It turned with surprising ease, and the door opened. The scene inside the master bedroom unfolded before my eyes.
"Seriously..."
The moment I saw her, a hollow, empty laugh escaped me. Dayeon was leaning against the wall, fast asleep.
I quietly approached her. She was sleeping so soundly that you could carry her away and she wouldn't know.
Thinking she might be pretending, I grabbed her cheek and stretched it. But she didn't even flinch.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
Had Dayeon planned this from the start? At this rate, I had no way of knowing whether she knew my secret or not.
A strange sense of disappointment flowed out and scattered into the air. Just as I turned my back and let out a soft sigh.
"Are you hurt somewhere?"
A voice suddenly came from behind my head. I whipped around, and Dayeon's finger, which had been waiting, poked me in the cheek.
"You..."
Dayeon looked at me and gave a smile filled with complex emotions.
"Well done."
And with that, I realized.
...Ah.
I fell for it again.
**
How much time had passed? This time, I headed to the kitchen with Ju-hee and Dayeon.
Ju-hee had been trembling before she finally fainted, so I had no choice but to carry her on my back.
"The house's layout has changed."
"You're right."
Ju-hee's house had returned to its original state. The demon's curse had finally dissipated, and the evil energy that had permeated the house was gone.
"I'm hungry."
"Is that really what you should be saying right now...?"
"I didn't get to eat dinner."
We walked cautiously toward the kitchen. Not a single presence could be felt in the house.
The ghost we had summoned had defeated the demon. And having hunted its target, the ghost had disappeared without a trace.
It was a classic case of turning them against each other.
The bad guy took down the other bad guy.
When we arrived at the kitchen, a sight that was hard to look at greeted us.
Broken, shattered, smashed...
The kitchen was a total mess. It seemed the ghost had thrown a huge tantrum while exorcising the demon.
And in the center of it all, a lone doll was placed.
...No matter how you looked at it, it was an utterly ordinary cat doll.
The cat doll was perfectly still for a moment, then it suddenly shouted.
[I won't let you get away with this!!]
But nothing happened. Looking at that incompetent cat doll, I could roughly guess the situation.
The demon had died fighting the ghost. And only its soul remained, dwelling inside the doll.
[Lee Hyeon! I'll kill you!]
Simply put, it was a talking doll.
Nothing more, nothing less.
[You think you can get away with making me like this!]
It had become a peculiar doll that squawked and fussed, having lost all its authority as a demon.
Dayeon's eyes sparkled with curiosity at the sight of a doll she had never seen before.
"Wow, it's a talking doll."
Dayeon scampered over and started fiddling with the cat doll.
[Let go of me! You traitor! I'll kill you too! This is an execution!]
The demon resisted fiercely, but it was powerless.
"Touch it. It feels nice."
[H-How dare you touch me there-! Kfft!]
"Is this how you do it?"
[If you don't take your hands off me right now- Keh-het...!]
As Dayeon stroked its chin and belly, all it could do was let out screams that sounded suspiciously like pleased purrs.
This was the end of the demon that had tormented us for so long.