The Moonlight Tattoo Shop I found again was darker than before.
Unlike the warm space it had somehow felt like last time, there was something bleak about it now.
Was it because I'd come through the back door? Or perhaps…
'Is it because the moonlight is weak?'
The round moonlight descending from the enormous procedure device in the center was in the shape of a crescent moon today.
'…I don't think it's business hours.'
……I'd never seen such a record before.
I cautiously took one step at a time deeper inside… and met eyes with someone in the dark counter.
"…!"
The tattooist with curly hair covered in dense Korean-character tattoos on their neck.
It was the owner of this place.
The tattooist looked at me with darker eyes than before, then lifted up a notice….
[Guests with fur, please wear a gown before entering.]
Ah.
I quickly spat the Stamp out of my mouth.
My body grew, returning to my original human form. Of course, I'd stopped growing since I was a child. But anyway, the moment my oral structure returned, I hurriedly opened my mouth.
"Um, I'm sorry for coming through the back do—"
My face was grabbed.
"…!!"
The tattooist, with one black-gloved hand, gripped my face tightly and examined my left, right, front, and back as if inspecting me….
Black eyes were looking into me.
Dilated pupils. Pitch black. Pitch black. Something was strange. Don't humans usually show the whites of their eyes? Why couldn't I see any white?
The tattooist was enormous. Growing larger and larger. The dark green curly hair lengthened and filled the air like seaweed.
The interior of the tattoo shop, which I'd thought small but cozy and professional, now appeared somehow alien—a strange space of technology and forms we couldn't comprehend.
'What? What?'
My head filled with confusion, danger signals flooded my mind, and in the ghost story I was….
No.
"Excuse me."
I moved my mouth.
"Shall I stay in cat form?"
…….
Tuk.
The tattooist let go.
I hurriedly put the Stamp back in my mouth. Before I could even feel disgust at putting something I'd chewed and spat back into my mouth, my body shrank and I became a cat again.
"……Meow."
Everything returned.
I was once again facing the cozy, professional little tattoo shop and the kind, distinctive tattooist.
"Will this be alright?"
And they spoke in human language.
"…!"
No. They really spoke in human language!
"Uh… uh."
The tattooist quickly rummaged through the counter and pointed to another notice.
[Comfortable Communication Guaranteed]
"……."
Now that I thought about it.
'The owner of the Moonlight Tattoo Shop never says a word.'
And the sign I'd seen before entering.
'…It wasn't in Korean.'
Yet I could read it. No, if not for this sense of wrongness right now, I would have kept thinking it was Korean.
The tattoos I thought were written in Korean on the tattooist's neck, perhaps too….
"……."
Indeed. It was a bizarre event befitting a ghost story.
'I mustn't let my guard down.'
The fact that the owner doesn't harm anyone only means there's no malice when giving tattoos. I must keep that in mind.
However, from that reaction just now, I became certain of one thing.
"…You examined me just now because I came through the 'back door' in a child's form, didn't you? …Because children are more dangerous if infected."
!
The tattooist looked up.
That's right.
'This shop received ocean-related items as payment.'
Furthermore, there were eyewitness accounts of this shop at the Mermaid Tomb, and there was a back door.
Thinking that back doors are usually 'for staff,' I'd wondered….
"…Owner."
I cautiously extended my front paw.
"…I found this shop's back door in the ruined Deep Sea City."
The tattooist's eyes swirled.
"Could it be… that this shop was originally there?"
Silence.
"Are you from that city?"
Silence.
"What happened to that place? Children are being deceived and dying there…."
Sadness settled in the tattooist's eyes.
Instead of swirling, moisture filled them.
I moistened my parched muzzle and opened my mouth.
"There are still children there. Could those children be going out through the front door via this shop…"
Thud.
The wall shook.
It was the sound of the tattooist slamming a pen against the wall.
Thick pen lines trembled as they formed enormous letters filled with force….
No
"I see. Understood."
My heart felt like it would burst, yet my mouth succeeded in answering as if greased.
"…Is it because they're in a contaminated state that it won't work? Then perhaps…"
Please.
"About the Source of Infection. That strange Flesh Mass Colony… could you tell me about it?"
…….
The tattooist picked up the pen again.
And with trembling hands, grabbed a small post-it note from the counter and began writing something.
Tiny characters were pressed down firmly.
Just two characters. I could see the movement being drawn by the strokes of the hand.
Eventually the tattooist turned the paper around and showed me the completed word.
■■
"……."
Huh?
Why can't I understand it?
But though I couldn't understand it, I seemed able to pronounce it.
So… so.
"■■!"
A shock struck my head.
Images swirled. Strange life form descending from shining surface silently attaches to outer edge grows like tick tear away tear away grows back again penetrates city of great wave researchers suicide death contamination spreading from underground cave screams attempts to escape sinking of last ark comfort of Conch Shell no! contaminated child, child, infection cut the umbilical cord screams beware of screaming child, it's hell, remove the Conch Shell don't believe infection running rampant…
"Keugh."
Blood burst out.
Not from my mouth, but from my nose, my eyes, everywhere. Every orifice with mucous membranes burst from the shock.
The tattooist startled and immediately poured lemon drink into a bowl and offered it. I didn't know if cats were supposed to drink it, but I gulped it down.
Focusing on the sensation of drinking with my tongue, I tried my utmost to shake off this mental image….
It was a bloody lemonade.
And through my confused mind, several inspirations flashed.
'Just now.'
The tremendous meaning contained in just two characters had poured out like bombardment.
Is this the original language of the Mermaid Tomb? I don't think I properly understood it. No, if I could understand this, I wouldn't be human.
But I was certain of one thing.
'That tattooist was originally from the Mermaid Tomb ghost story.'
And for some reason….
'Conch Shell.'
That item called Angel's Sigh was deeply connected to this situation….
What was bizarre was that two extremely contradictory images were combined in the Conch Shell.
'Healing and death.'
It sent shivers down my spine.
……If seen from a child's perspective, what would the Conch Shell look like?
"…Tattooist."
I swallowed the sourness and taste of blood.
"About the conch shell-shaped object you recalled… what do you think of it?"
The tattooist moved their mouth shape… and showed only the pronunciation.
I read it.
If I were to translate this into words I could understand….
Filth.
Impurity. A repulsive feeling. A fatal afterimage of a terrible event, a powerful residual image that remains even when rationally knowing it poses no threat. Rejection.
And the space around the tattooist began to waver again….
"I see. Understood. …Thank you."
Was this as far as it went?
Having calmed the tattooist, I slowly began combining in my mind the clues I'd gathered so far.
"……."
Vague broad methodologies in my plan began fitting together with detailed puzzle pieces.
Of course, it was a hypothesis I'd created.
'But if this is right.'
Dangerously, using everything to the very end… there was something worth trying.
'Good.'
My mind was organized.
Now what I needed were conditions to back up this plan.
And the abilities to satisfy those conditions.
As it happened, I was in a shop where I might be able to purchase that very ability.
"Um, I'd like to talk about tattoos now, but…"
The tattooist nodded as if understanding and quickly showed another notice.
[Procedures for immature individuals require guardian consent.]
"…Yes. I'm not trying to get a tattoo right now."
Thinking of the insane power of the Tomato Tree Tattoo Sticker, I would need to be extremely careful when getting a tattoo here….
I'd seen that even when the other party only has goodwill, standards are subjective to each person, and irreversible results can occur.
So instead of a permanent tattoo, I requested a short-term effect again this time.
"…Do you have, this kind of tattoo as a sticker too?"
The tattooist tilted their head and tried to bring a book with tattoo designs. The 'Royal Special Premium No. 1 (Customizable)' I'd received last time….
No!
"It's fine. Just the basic type, please."
Then finally an ordinary book came out. Whew.
'It's because I don't have money to pay….'
To think I'm a beggar….
I didn't even have money to buy pearls. I'd considered looting something from the Mermaid Tomb, but seeing the tattooist's reaction now, I'm glad I didn't.
I nodded at the very simple tattoo form the tattooist pointed to.
"Good. I'll go with that, please."
And then I got to the real problem.
I opened my mouth with difficulty.
"Um, about the cost…"
Tap tap.
The tattooist tapped a notice.
[Write a review and get 3 free tattoo stickers (basic type only)]
……!
…….
"Uh, where do I write it?"
And so I had the rare experience of writing a review with my front paw to the effect of 'The owner is kind and professional.'
Where exactly my review would be posted… well, let's not think about that right now….
What's important is this.
'Escaping safely with the most people from this insane ghost story.'
And having just obtained the ability that would form the foundation for that.
I politely bid farewell in my quadruped form and concluded my second visit to the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.
The appointed time with the agents was approaching.
"Agent Bronze."
Ryu Jaekwan turned his head.
His senior, who had just been playing with the children and waving goodbye, was approaching.
"Agent Choi."
The moment the children disappeared from view, the smile faded from Agent Choi's face.
"It's not there."
"……."
"It really seems unavoidable this time. Bronzie."
"I…"
Ryu Jaekwan gritted his teeth.
"I, that's why I said we should go out that day…!"
"……."
"Breaking the rules. Giving false hope is…"
"I know."
Agent Choi habitually made a motion as if putting a cigarette in his mouth, then realizing he was in child form, lowered his hand and laughed hollowly.
"But you have to try until the end to have no regrets."
"……."
"That's what I think."
Ryu Jaekwan quietly clenched his fist.
"And, we didn't break the really important rule. …Not revealing what this place truly is."
"……."
That's right.
Even the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau already knew.
Sparkling Dragon Palace is an illusion caused by hypnosis.
Many agents had confirmed this during their missions.
And they had all attempted to rescue the children in adult form, but failed miserably.
When forcibly boarding an infected child onto an Escape Pod, Acute Molting occurs, causing ulcers to grow all over the body and vital signs to be lost.
Do not attempt this under any circumstances.
The children transform into General Infected and die as their bodies burst.
Afterward, the agent in question suffered severe psychological trauma symptoms and nightmares, never returning to duty again, so the Disaster Management Bureau no longer informs newly deployed agents of the truth.
"Pony still doesn't know."
"……."
"Let's keep him from knowing. Alright?"
Ryu Jaekwan nodded.
At that moment.
Swish.
A small shadow moved near the alley.
Both agents immediately turned and took defensive stances.
Ryu Jaekwan furrowed his brows.
"Just now, something like a cat's shadow…"
"A cat?"
Agent Choi let out a hollow laugh.
"Ah, something that looks like a cat… well, something like that, I suppose."
"……."
That's right.
In this place, you couldn't trust appearances.
Those who couldn't be intoxicated by this enchanting spectacle that appeared in child form were those who had already seen what lay beneath.
Ryu Jaekwan slowly lowered his steps and checked beyond the alley.
And… he saw something unexpected.
Wind-up doll decorations in human size walking down the alley.
"…It's Daydream."
"…!"
Daydream Inc.'s Field Exploration team.
Perhaps because of those chilling animal masks, they always appeared as 'cute animal-decorated water fountains,' a bizarre form that stood out even from a child's perspective.
This time was no different.
A beautiful butterfly perched, a cute pony form, and even a familiar goat.
They looked like cute decorations through a child's eyes.
But.
"Hmm."
Agent Choi, who had approached silently, took out something that sparkled in wing-like shapes.
It was a suncatcher made of glasswork.
Sun-Catcher.
Though it looked clumsy as if made by a child, it emitted a strange light even without sunlight, and when brought to the eye….
The truth was revealed.
"…That's right. Wow, they're good. They look fine?"
Ryu Jaekwan too lifted his suncatcher, commonly called Sun-Catcher, and confirmed them.
Three people in suits. Animal masks. Butterfly, Pony and…….
Goat.
"……."
That one.
Ryu Jaekwan gripped the glass tightly, his blood running cold.
Because he recognized them.
'Mr. Kim Soleum's coworker…!'
The man in the black goat mask he'd seen at Sekwang Technical High School.
Recalling the conversation with the person wearing the Bison mask at the time, this was definitely someone who was quite well-acquainted with Kim Soleum.
'If so.'
…If by any chance, they recognized Kim Soleum's features from a child's face.
And if they investigated separately.
'No.'
He couldn't let that damned company contact someone who'd finally gathered his resolve and changed jobs, dragging him back into the pseudo-religion's den…!
Ryu Jaekwan's mouth opened on its own.
"Agent."
"Mm?"
"For now… wouldn't it be better to subdue them and chase them out?"
"Oh."
Agent Choi shrugged.
"Bronzie. There's one day left, why would we do such a pointless thing?"
Of course, the Disaster Management Bureau knew that the damned company was sneaking in through their own unknown routes.
They'd let it be because they judged that clashing would only increase civilian casualties.
Manpower should be used where more people could be saved, where the Supernatural Disaster could be more certainly ended.
"We should focus on watching the kids more carefully, just in case."
"……."
"…is what I should say!"
A twisted smile spread across Agent Choi's face.
He looked at one of the staff.
Butterfly Mask. With a gold mark stamped on it.
"…The Elite Squad has entered."
A fiery glint flashed in Agent Choi's eyes.
"That one, if we put them in the Glass Prison for obstruction of official duties, we might get some prime information out of them."
"……!"
"Let's go."
The agents moved.
"A-Assistant manager!"
Jin Nasol grabbed her throbbing head and saw a stupid brat running toward her.
"Over there, over there…!"
And the Mer-child following behind it.
But they had no tails.
"They're special individuals."
Jin Nasol's index and thumbnail stretched long, revealing the sharp, chilling silver thread lines within.
"How annoying."
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