Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: I'm Angry!
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I'm mad!
The branch office staff believed that the 4th floor didn't exist.
Probably many thought it was because the number 4 was considered unlucky in Korea, just like Yuna.
But isn't that funny when you think about it?
"Yuna, Yuna."
"Y-Yeah?"
"If the 4th floor is unlucky, then why do they keep the basement level 4 as is?"
"Well... Uh?"
Right. Basement level 4.
The home of our cute little friend, Tomato.
"If the number 4 is so unlucky, shouldn't they skip basement level 4 too?"
"Well... Why...?"
Of course Yuna was confused.
If I'd asked before we got here, she probably would've come up with some other excuse.
That's how perception-altering anomalies work.
They make the affected person rationalize it on their own with some convenient reason.
But now, we'd set foot on the "nonexistent" 4th floor.
This went beyond anything that could be rationalized.
"...So this is the 4th floor, right?"
"Yep!"
Yuna's clouded eyes gradually cleared up.
She was snapping out of it.
"Now let's take a look around!"
"W-Wait a sec!"
Yuna started to step forward on reflex, then froze and spoke up.
"This place looks way too dangerous. We should bring someone else..."
"We can't bring anyone else."
"Why not?"
"They've blocked it off so no one can come. In time, they'll even forget the 4th floor exists again."
People would periodically wander in here under the spell, just like now.
And they'd "go missing."
"There've been a ton of recent disappearances, right? Oh, did you forget that too?"
"Ah..."
Yuna let out a sigh upon hearing that.
She seemed to remember something.
I told her, watching her do it.
"You can go back if you want!"
"But then this place will just keep getting ignored, right? You said we can't bring a group anyway?"
"Yeah. If you let me out of isolation, I could handle it, though!"
Yuna's expression grew even more complicated at those words.
A long while later.
She seemed to make up her mind and spoke.
"Will it be dangerous if we look around?"
"No, it'll be fine! I'll protect you!"
I grinned.
"Just do what I say."
Even in this form, protecting one Yuna would be a piece of cake.
"Alright. So, where should we go first?"
Yuna asked, having pulled herself together a bit.
As expected of a Field Response Team leader—quick recovery.
I told her.
"We gotta head that way!"
I don't have the ability to instantly identify every anomaly at a glance.
But I know exactly what devoured the 4th floor.
It was preserved on the computer!
The internal intranet had neatly erased all records, but the intranet I check is different.
That computer's way more powerful.
"Got it."
Yuna steeled her expression and slowly moved forward.
Foundation interiors are all pretty similar by design.
Overall white tones, with only the bare essentials placed around.
But this place was different.
The walls had bright wallpaper, and there were lots of things meant for kids.
Yet it all showed signs of long neglect, giving off a seriously creepy vibe.
"Sssip, huu."
Anyone could tell this space was ominous, but Yuna stayed calm.
This place.
The 4th floor had been completely devoured.
Not just that the anomaly was strong.
The space itself had been warped.
"It's been thoroughly eroded."
And Yuna seemed to recognize that fact properly too.
"What's erosion?"
"It means the space has been twisted from its original form. Like here. At this level... it's at least stage 2."
As expected of a group focused on anomaly containment—they had this stuff systematized.
"This is dangerous..."
I smiled at Yuna's reaction.
It would've been boring alone.
Coming with Yuna makes it so much more fun.
Gotta enjoy it to the fullest!
Yuna swallowed hard.
Having worked in Field Response for so long, she could tell.
How horrific this place was, how dangerous the current situation.
But Yuna couldn't just leave.
Because of the recent rumors she'd heard.
Positions kept turning up vacant periodically.
For example, the Safety Management Team was supposed to have exactly 8 members.
But suddenly, it'd be down to 7.
Regulations required filling vacancies the same day, but no one knew why they were empty.
Just murmurs that it was probably always like that.
"Huu."
There were dozens of such cases.
At that point, higher-ups had noticed and started investigating.
They'd even requested support from HQ.
But support kept getting delayed or canceled for various reasons.
And Yuna knew why.
It was the girl in her arms right now.
A girl who followed Yuna devotedly in an unnatural way, yet was also an extremely dangerous anomaly.
Because she was here, HQ was extremely reluctant to send support to the branch.
Otherwise, a support team would've solved this ages ago.
"Yuna! This way!"
Yuna snapped out of her distracted thoughts at the girl's voice.
It was an environment perfect for getting lost in thought, but she couldn't afford that.
This place was insanely dangerous.
"That's not a path!"
The good thing was that the girl was right there in her arms.
Even now.
The spot the girl pointed to looked like a perfectly normal path to Yuna.
But after listening to her and passing it, when she looked back—there was only a wall.
What if she'd ignored the advice and gone that way?
Just bump into the wall and done?
No way.
Something horrific would've happened for sure.
"Waaah, Mommy..."
But then.
Crying came from somewhere.
Yuna jumped at the sound.
"A lost kid?"
This cursed floor must've swallowed a child too.
Yuna hurried toward the sound.
She could tell just from the voice.
The kid was around the same age as her kidnapped little brother.
How dare it! An anomaly picking on a child!
Yuna felt rage boiling as she kept walking without pause.
"...Me. Stop... try...ing."
Sometimes whispers brushed her ears, but she ignored them.
Obviously the anomaly infesting this space trying to mesmerize her.
Thinking of the terrified child crying somewhere made her need to move faster.
With that, Yuna quickly crossed the hallway.
And...
"Hic... sob..."
She soon found the kid.
As expected, a boy about the same age as her little brother.
"Kid! You okay?"
Yuna tossed aside whatever cumbersome thing she was holding and rushed to the child.
How did a kid end up here?
With their parents?
Possible.
The child didn't lift his head.
He hugged his knees, shoulders shaking.
Obviously scared stiff.
Poor thing.
Had to get him out of here.
That was all that filled Yuna's mind.
"Sis... came... to find me...?"
Then, the kid spoke softly.
The voice was the spitting image of her little brother's.
Her much younger brother, whom she'd cared for more than their busy parents when he was little.
The brother now in the hospital from the kidnapping trauma.
A voice just like that poor kid's.
"Yeah. I came to find you."
No, now that she looked, even the face seemed similar.
Her sympathy surged even more.
"It's dangerous here. Let's go. I'll get you out."
"Really?"
The kid slowly raised his head.
No way!
Yuna was stunned.
Because that face was exactly like her little brother's.
Was this fate?
Finding a kid who looked just like her brother in a place like this!
The girl must've known and led her here!
"Ah?"
But.
Who was that kid again?
The moment that doubt arose, shimmering silver hair flashed in her mind.
Lake-clear blue eyes surfaced.
Something.
She'd forgotten something important.
How did I end up here?
How did I get here?
Someone definitely brought me.
Someone...
"The girl."
Yuna suddenly remembered and tried to look down.
But her neck felt locked, wouldn't budge.
-Why?
At the same time, the boy in front of her changed.
The kid resembling her brother vanished.
-How did you figure it out?
The voice changed too.
Why on earth did she think that thing resembled her brother? Why think it was a kid?
That... horrific thing!
-This isn't fun anymore.
It raised its hand.
Lifted its wriggling hand and pointed at Yuna.
Yuna felt her body slowly being pulled toward it.
But then.
"You're right. I'm really, really bored of this too."
A voice echoed right behind Yuna.
"I'll forgive Yuna. She didn't know."
A calm, gentle voice.
"But not you."
A voice laced with intense fury at the same time.
"Bad kids need to be punished."
Yuna saw a massive shadow loom over her.
And right after.
"Yuna, just take a quick nap."
She lost consciousness fast. Just before her eyes closed.
Krurrrrrrumble-!
Something came crashing down.
Yuna fell into darkness.
3:31 PM.
The Foundation building suddenly shook like there was an earthquake.
Staff panicked, searching for the cause, until someone noticed the anomaly.
"The elevator has a 4th floor button now!"
"What? The 4th floor? An anomaly?"
They figured the 4th floor appearing was due to an anomaly.
But then the elevator, on the 4th floor, started rising to the 1st.
The field supervisor immediately pulled back personnel and assembled armed forces.
But when the troops arrived at the elevator, they faced an unexpected sight.
The Field Response Team leader lay there passed out.
With some doll beside her.
"There's a note!"
And in front of the doll was a single sticky note.
[Bring lots of delicious desserts! Black tea of all kinds!]
The branch chief, informed by the troops, let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha."
At the same time, reports came in from the troops sent to the 4th floor: a perfectly normal 4th floor.
And an unidentified "cube" made of some material there too.
Like something had been forcibly compressed into it.
Any chief who couldn't grasp the situation from that report wouldn't deserve the position.
He immediately issued orders to the staff.
"Raid every dessert shop nearby. All varieties. Get the most expensive black tea."
It was a very wise decision.
"Waaah! Delicious!"
The girl was extremely satisfied, after all.