Chapter 4 - Daycare #3
Daycare #3
Translator : Elizabeth
[Title: So, about that earlier]
What happened to that guy who was spouting weird bullshit in the Daycare?
↳ No news for a while, didn't he go out and die?
↳ Author: As expected?
↳ In the first place, where is there a guy who survived after breaking a rule in the Daycare;
↳ Seeing him talk about quests and whatnot earlier, seemed like he had already lost his mind?
[↳ He kept saying Status Window, Status Window, but it's questionable if that's even a real status window.
↳ It would be more realistic to say he was hit by an Anomaly that makes you see hallucinations like that right before your eyes.
↳ Fr lol.
↳ Hallucinogenic Anomalies are common... yep;
↳ Can't help it, even if he died like that.
↳ Just suffered a natural disaster basically.
↳ Just seeing him post pics of the entity earlier was his last struggle before death.]
[Title: He posted a pic of the entity?]
It's not there now though?
Why didn't I get to see that fun stuff shiver
↳ The mod deleted it immediately, obviously.
↳ Ah, remembering it again makes me sick for no reason fuck;
↳ SafeToday: No, but.
↳ SafeToday: I thought about it for a sec, isn't something weird?
↳ He was a weird guy, yeah;
↳ SafeToday: ;;;]
[Title: You guys know too since you've entered there once]
Nickname: SafeToday
In the Daycare, especially for agents who break Rule No. 9, it's just a ruling of inescapable death.
Have you ever seen those Crying Child bastards spare an agent or person who broke the rule?
Guys who saw the pic earlier would know, but in the first place, if those bastards get angry, there's no time to take a picture at all?
If that pic was really the last photo of his life, well, I'd acknowledge it, but.
For that, wasn't that guy's reaction too peaceful?
↳ But when Crying Children get angry, you really just die.
↳ Crying Children tear people apart.
↳ Isn't it just like a last struggle of his life or something?
↳ Author: For that, the image quality was fine and it was too clear.
↳ Fuck, now we're even judging the clarity of Anomaly gore pics?
↳ So what, what point do you want to make?]
[Title: So what do you want]
The fact is that the bastard who was trolling hard broke a rule in the Daycare, and now he can't get out.
I just can't understand why you keep dragging up a story that's already over;;
↳ Why is this guy so sensitive again?
↳ Originally, galleries and boards for F-Rank scrubs are the most toxic lol.
↳ Aha]
[↳ SafeToday: What if those words were real?
↳ Author: What is real?
↳ SafeToday: If what that guy said just now was legit, what are you gonna do?
↳ Author: Surely you don't want to say he Awakened?
↳ That's truly bullshit lol.
↳ Is 'Awakener' a neighborhood mutt's name? Does every Tom, Dick, and Harry do it?]
[Title: Now you're really doing everything]
Now I'm even hearing sounds about whether an F-Rank scrub who just entered an Anomaly is Awakening or not lol.
Do you seriously think Awakeners just pop out poof from nowhere?
Seriously, Anomaly-noobs and average Anomaly-users are all crawling out.
↳ Fr lol looks exactly like trolling with info picked up from somewhere.
↳ Author: Can't we just strip the anonymity and present ranks?
↳ Author: Since earlier, I wish F-Rank scrubs would stop muddying the waters appropriately.
↳ SafeToday: I'm not F-Rank though?
↳ Author: Yep, I'm the Bureau Director.
↳ Director entrance lol]
[↳ Can't we just ban both of them and move on to another topic? Getting boring.
↳ Fr.
↳ I seriously don't know why you care this much about a bastard who's probably already dead.
↳ Does a Crying Child look like a really good child to you lol.
↳ Author: If he's a real Awakener, I'll steal the Director's panties and verify it yep.
↳ Author: No lol. I'll verify if he's even just alive.
↳ SafeToday: Look at the state of your level;;
↳ SafeToday: It's not like you're advertising that you only see as much as you know.]
... .. .
Huff! Huff!
I walked the hallway inside the Daycare while puffing out angry breaths.
Abandoning me? Am I not even a person?!
Even though I'm holding an entity in my arms, and even though I look cute and weird on the outside, which really doesn't suit the current situation!
Even so, where is there a case of abandoning a person so blatantly like this!
"....."
I'm gradually starting to adapt to the changed body.
Is it because it's a normal body? Surprisingly, advantages in many areas stood out.
First of all, the restroom.
This body lacked basic human physiological desires.
And the hunger that tormented me constantly also did not exist.
'Totally a Neo-Human.'
Not attacked by entities within the Daycare, and liberated from various desires that trouble humans.
"Maybe... just a little, a very little bit good..."
It's good... right?
With an uneasy heart, I headed toward the 'Playroom' among the Daycare facilities.
In the midst of that, I discovered another 'Crying Child', an entity crawling on the floor.
"...Ugh."
Rejection expressed first by instinct, not reason.
The baby, crawling eong-geum eong-geum on the floor with bloodless skin, turns to look this way.
Whites without pupils discovered me, then opened small lips to express its presence.
"Ung-aee!"
「▶ Go outside the room and discover lower entities five times (2/5) (Incomplete)」
Ah.
The number floating in a corner of my vision just now went up by one more.
With this, I succeeded in discovering a lower entity twice among the quest contents.
Step. Step.
"Ung-ae!"
"Hieuk."
Whether I did or not, the Crying Child who recognized me crawled to my feet in no time.
Crunch!
Sure enough, it took out tentacles from its back again and circled around as if confirming my existence.
Slither.
Soon, the Crying Child, retracting its tentacles again, crawled up my still legs and settled smartly on my back.
"What is this...?"
On an already small body, two baby-shaped entities have attached themselves.
Zzz. Zzz.
The Crying Child settled on my back, as if having achieved its goal, fell into a deep sleep like the child I was holding in my arms and became quiet.
Crying Child meat shields were completed front and back.
"Reassuring...?"
Like this, wouldn't I be able to withstand it once even if attacked?
Perhaps it seemed possible to take out tentacles and counterattack or intercept.
"I- I'm going crazy too, gradually..."
Listing my appreciation of the current situation with a trembling voice, I continued to move my steps.
'For now, one thing is certain.'
At least within this Daycare, the event of me being recognized as a hostile target by a Crying Child has disappeared.
Even if I force myself to think the first time was a coincidence, the second Crying Child seemed to force that coincidence into destiny.
'...I can detach them later, right?'
What if later they get angry asking why I'm casting them aside?
If they swing their tentacles whoosh whoosh, this fragile body will be sliced easily like tofu.
"...Ugh."
As I walked in the opposite direction from where I blindly ran away at first, not long after, a map containing the structure of the Daycare facility was visible.
"I am currently..."
The Daycare is composed of a total of 3 floors.
Where I currently was is the 2nd floor.
While doing the job on the 3rd floor, due to the colleague bastard's sudden situation, we incurred a grudge from the Crying Children.
"I, I had come down one floor."
It seems I didn't feel it because I ran frantically to escape.
Before going up to the 2nd floor (Note: Context implies going back up to 3rd), I decided to turn on the gallery and search for information once again.
[Title: Ghost-bro is currently on 2nd floor]
Nickname: User
Since the Playroom is on the 3rd floor.
If I go up and just find the coin, I think I can arrange an escape route somehow...
↳ ?
↳ ????
↳ SafeToday: See, you bastards, I told you something was a bit weird.
↳ SafeToday: Fuck, where is that guy from earlier.
↳ No, seriously, why is this guy alive?
↳ Author: ?]
"....?"
But why is the gallery atmosphere like this?
Why are they attaching question marks as if my being alive doesn't make any sense?
[↳ What is this guy seriously?
↳ Author: ...It's me?
↳ No fuck seriously, why are you still alive I ask?
↳ SafeToday: Hey, earlier what?
↳ SafeToday: Try babbling it once more lol]
[↳ Author: It told me to clear a quest so I came out and was wandering around...? Why is the atmosphere here like this?
↳ That was real?
↳ The entity? What happened to it?
↳ I suddenly got scared...
↳ U-wu.. Ghost-bro is scary...
↳ Author: It's still here?]
[Title: Sir, that bastard changed his nick and deleted all his posts then ran?]
Lolololol
Scared-run, totally ran away like crazy.
↳ SafeToday: I knew he would do that anyway, but it was annoying so I just entertained his talk for a moment.
↳ User: So what's the real situation...?
↳ SafeToday: Was talking about you for a sec.
↳ SafeToday: What are you doing right now?
↳ User: On the way to the Playroom, met one more entity and taking it along.
↳ SafeToday: Aha.
↳ SafeToday: Wait, what?
↳ I think I just saw words I shouldn't have seen.
↳ Mod, ban this guy ahhhhhhh]
.. ... ....
[Title: No, what is it]
Nickname: SafeToday
So, I don't know what happened but.
After the status window appeared, the Anomaly isn't attacking you?
So while it's not attacking, you're going to the Playroom to find the coin while clearing the quest together with the Anomalies clinging to you?
↳ User: Yep yep yep yep yep.
↳ Author: Just what is this saying, fuck.
↳ Sir, the progress is fucking too fast.
↳ User: ...?
↳ If you want to beat the dog shit out of him for reacting like he doesn't know after adding fuel to the fire himself, upvote lol.
↳ Fucking upvote seriously.]
"...What is it!"
Is my still being alive something that works this unfairly?
I clearly think I told them everything I had to say at the very beginning...?
There's a quest in front of my eyes, somehow I ended up not being attacked by the Crying Child.
The content that the gallery members are extremely flustered about right now was actually a part I had finished saying long ago.
It, It's unfair...?!
For what it's worth, I was rolling around sincerely without a grain of falsehood while hovering between life and death, but the gallery was playing 'real or fake' games over me like this...?!
[↳ Is it even human?
↳ SafeToday: ...That is actually certain.
↳ SafeToday: If not, he wouldn't be able to do gallery activities already.
↳ That is true though.
↳ Information pollution extermination is Great-Mod.]
Information Pollution.
I have heard of it too.
That the Mod managing the gallery can wield a special power, and through this, has the ability to distinguish Anomalies hiding in the gallery.
"Ye, yeah...! I'm human...!"
I, already dangling two Crying Children, said in an aggrieved voice.
Although a very big change has occurred in the body due to the Anomaly, the mind is still an ordinary human itself.
Meaning it doesn't fall under the grounds for blocking within the gallery.
'Posting gore pics was sorry, though.'
Still, it couldn't be helped to prove the situation I was in, yeah.
[↳ SafeToday: So how are you doing it right now?
↳ User: Uh... Came out of the room with the entity and walking the hallway, think I'll arrive at the Playroom soon if I go up one floor?
↳ With the entity? With the entity? With the entity? With the entity?
↳ Sir, do you perhaps consider the entity as some pet?
↳ User: What do I do when it won't get off because it's sleeping soundly!
↳ Ah, it is sleeping soundly?
↳ Seriously ridiculous fuck lol.]
[Title: Is this right now]
A remark that can come out in a crazy world going half-crazy due to Anomalies?
You should do it in moderation.
Even if you overcame the crisis with 'Awakened-dor' (Awakening achievement).
Just why can an Administration Bureau bastard be fine while dangling entities all over his body!!!!!!
Answer me, you Anomaly bitch.
↳ User: I said I'm not an Anomaly!
↳ Author: Seriously stop BSing.
↳ But really, why is he fine? Why are you alive.
↳ Fucking fascinating seriously;
↳ Was there a guy with this kind of ability among Administration Bureau Awakeners?
↳ Just who Awakens such an ominous ability lol.]
'Awakening...?'
I have heard of this too.
That among the personnel exploring Anomalies, rarely, there are talents who bloom the talent to handle abilities similar to entities.
Oh my, was this about me?
To me, who was living a life as nothing more than an F-Rank agent until just now, it was information too unfamiliar.
That stone, was that the path to Awakening?
[↳ SafeToday: Hey.
↳ User: ...?
↳ SafeToday: It's true you ended up in that state using that stone, right.
↳ User: Yeah, smeared blood and some black smoke or something.
↳ SafeToday: In all my life, this is the first time I'm hearing about Awakening in that way, you know?
↳ SafeToday: So don't be carelessly relieved, because what you are experiencing might not be an Awakening phenomenon.
↳ SafeToday: I don't know if you can escape properly from there, but for now, until you definitively escape, tense up as much as possible.]
"...."
An existence outside the rules of the Anomaly.
The gallery was gradually trying to define my existence that way.
"Is, is it bad...?"
If things go wrong, information about me might go up to the Administration Bureau.
No, I'm already under their surveillance from the moment I accessed the gallery—
But a direct report going up is another story...
[Title: Still, wouldn't it be okay...?]
Nickname: User
I don't know well about Awakening or whatever since it's sounds I don't know.
For now, the fact is this seems much better than earlier...
To the Ghost-bro who advised using the stone earlier, really thanks yep;
↳ Yeah yeah, do well.
↳ Not you fuck.
↳ Author: ?
↳ SafeToday: Nothing to thank me for.
↳ SafeToday: Since acting like that there itself is something helpful at the Administration Bureau level.
↳ SafeToday: Don't forget and keep posting status updates.
↳ User: Ok thx thx.]
"Ung-aee!"
"Ah."
In the meantime, I discovered one more entity.
Checking the number that now went up to '3', I accepted the Crying Child crawling up in a somewhat familiar manner.
This time it's the left arm.
It's becoming more like equipment...?
Still, it's okay. It was fortunate that I didn't feel things like weight.
[Title: Still, just in case, don't do weird things there anymore]
Nickname: SafeToday
Because if you act up like a crazy guy saying it's exciting and touch something weird, you might suffer a more terrible fate.
There's no guarantee other entities won't attack you either.
↳ User: ...That is true though.]
"...Gulp."
I know that too, of course.
That what exists in this Daycare isn't just the Crying Children here.
Still.
"Pl, Playroom."
Continuing to muster up courage, I finally arrived at the Playroom on the 3rd floor.
"Whew, whew..."
Crying Child entities prowling the surroundings are not found.
It seemed they all scattered on their own paths after killing my colleague in the Playroom.
Thud.
"Ah."
Inside the Playroom, where I thought nothing would be.
A male wearing a black suit was standing in the center of that space.
Attire similar to the agents seen earlier.
But at the familiarity felt in that instant, I froze tall in place.
Because it had the 'exact same' appearance as my colleague who clearly died to the Crying Child at the very beginning.
"...."
It turns back.
"...Ugh."
The face was drawing the shape of death.
What drew my gaze even more intensely was the sight of the Crying Child, which had roughly dug into the abdomen and settled there...
"Urup."
Holding back nausea with both hands, I looked at the Crying Child in the dead colleague's abdomen.
「▶ The entity in question seems to have liked the embrace of the acquaintance you know.」
「▶ Go outside the room and discover lower entities five times (4/5) (Incomplete)」
The coin.
I had to obtain the key to leave this terrible place from that walking corpse.