I moved my feet slowly.
Magic Bunny's Fantasyland.
Everything was stopped and dark.
The silent amusement park was more than enough to evoke terrifying imaginations on its own.
Especially since I was walking at the very front.
‘Huuuu….’
I wondered if this was what it felt like to hide in a haunted house dressed as a ghost.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the fact that I was currently disguised as the Security Team.
What was certain was that the strange sense of stability the Mascot suit provided had vanished.
…It had its pros and cons, but the rising tension was unavoidable.
[Ah, an infiltration in the middle of the night. What a truly tense and exciting situation!]
[And I must say this once more. That was a spectacular sight earlier! A giant trap to hunt a giant beast! Destruction is indeed one of the primal pleasures. It was a truly delightful spectacle!]
Mmm.
I felt a familiar sense of hollowness and a faint relief at Braun’s voice coming through the receiver.
‘I suppose I should be glad that at least you’re enjoying yourself.’
I had guaranteed the Host of the Ghost Story that it would be interesting; if he’d called it boring, I would’ve been breaking out in a cold sweat.
And even without that, this was a situation I ought to be happy and relieved about.
Because everything was proceeding according to plan.
Squelch.
The Blue Mascot, following at the very end.
No, the someone who had taken off that Mascot suit.
My skin crawled just thinking about him, but at the same time, someone inside me let out a sigh of relief.
It was scary, but it felt like having a thousand-strong army at my back.
‘I’m glad we reached an agreement right before the Ceremony.’
At first, I wanted to demand that he attack Magic Bunny's area as soon as the Theme Park closed.
To tell him to raid and consume the Red Zone while my Resort was being attacked.
But if I did that and the timing was off… it would be troublesome if the Blue Mascot were pushed back.
‘They seem to be similar in power.’
I think the Blue Mascot had maintained a state of mutual ignorance because Magic Bunny was as powerful as he was.
If they clashed, they might both be destroyed.
‘Considering that crazy red Mascot doesn't invade the Blue Zone, they probably maintain some kind of balance of power.’
So, I had to set the stage so he could safely devour Magic Bunny.
‘I had to take it step by step.’
The result of the most probabilistically conservative approach was this very moment.
My employees and I hiding in the shelter and bombing the Resort itself.
Then, infiltrating Magic Bunny's territory with the powerful Blue Mascot.
Of course….
‘There was a condition.’
— N e v e r
— L o o k B a c k
‘…….’
Still, I couldn't help but strain my ears.
Squelch.
The sound of water splashing behind me, the sound of a tail dragging on the floor, the sound of something massive dragging its belly and moving its feet as it followed.
I could hear it.
It sounded like giant waves, like a snake moving, and strangely, like the brushing of wings or whiskers. Or like something thick and sticky being pressed against the floor.
Following behind me, the thing that had taken off the Blue Mascot suit… something.
Squelch.
My nerves instinctively prickled.
Perhaps… unlike Magic Bunny, the Blue Mascot hadn't completely lost its outer shell or had its identity sucked away by this Theme Park.
It was the sound of something maintaining its form to some extent.
Of course, I couldn't look back to check.
‘There must be a reason.’
I didn't erase the letters made of smoke, ‘Never look back,’ and kept walking. Ah, I realized I could use this at some point. Did this costume also get influenced by the Mascot in reverse?
Anyway, the advance continued.
The destination was the center of the Red Zone.
Magic Bunny's Fantasy Castle.
“…….”
“…….”
Even though I hadn't warned them to be quiet, even the civilians, whom the Disaster Management Bureau was supposed to rescue, were moving their feet cautiously with their mouths shut.
‘There’s no need for that.’
But perhaps due to anxiety, their footsteps began to turn into something close to a run.
The colorful palace-shaped buildings of the amusement park drew rapidly closer in the darkness.
The largest core facility in this area.
‘…Something must be left.’
Even if Magic Bunny’s main body and its swarm were hit by lightning while attacking the Yellow Zone and buried under collapsing buildings, there would surely be some dregs left in the Red Zone.
And all of those could become Magic Bunny.
I knew it now. Mascots were that kind of species.
And those dregs would eventually function like the main body over time.
I had to catch it before then.
“…We’ve arrived.”
I heard Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae’s whisper and stopped first.
The back of the Fantasy Castle was visible.
Yes. We had approached from the rear, and the exaggerated fairy-tale palace had a back door cleverly hidden and finished with modern technology, as expected of a theme park.
“…….”
I didn't stop Section Chief Lee Jaheon when he tried to force the back door open.
Crack, creeeeak.
The door opened, revealing a colorful, ornate, and silent interior.
Terrible things displayed casually like Theme Park props emerged from the darkness, only to vanish again the moment my lantern moved away.
Gulp.
I heard the sound of someone swallowing hard behind me.
[Now, let us search as much as we like. Friend….]
I searched every single wall tenaciously and came to the side of the gate where the red rabbit Mascot would have stood to guide the visitors.
Then, the ‘thing I was looking for’ revealed itself.
{ Authorized Personnel Only }
“This is….”
“…Is it like a staff area?”
That's right.
The Resort also had a facility office that only authorized personnel could enter.
Considering that I had found operational documents or stamps there, I thought there would definitely be a similar space in this Red Zone.
If there was a place that could grant recognition for conquering the Red Zone….
‘It would be right here.’
“Is this our destination?”
I nodded.
Section Chief Lee Jaheon opened the locked door once more without a second thought.
Basement.
A modern-style staircase leading down appeared.
In a bleak style, various spots were rusted as if eroded by blood.
“…….”
I gave people a choice with the smoke.
“Uh…?”
And I stood quietly in front of the stairs of the ‘No Entry Except Magic Bunny’ area.
‘Please, just a few strong people follow me.’
Thinking about walking silently with something that was a maskless Blue Mascot while I couldn't even look back made me break out in a cold sweat.
But surprisingly, everyone followed.
“W-What if I accidentally look ‘back’ while waiting!”
“In things like this, you die if you're left behind.”
“…….”
Mmm. It was a rather persuasive choice.
Anyway, the exploration began again in the darkness.
As we went down, we saw doors with strange names like ‘Supply Room,’ ‘Freezer,’ and ‘Magic Storage,’ but I didn't touch them and just kept going down.
I could sense it.
[Oh, is it the instinct of one who was a Mascot?]
Something like that.
People also followed me, trying their best not to even look at the glass windows on those doors.
And finally, the moment we reached the floor.
A rusted doorplate was visible.
{ Mascot Development Lab }
A half-open door.
Found it.
“Excuse me, sir. Just a moment. What does Mascot development mean….”
I grabbed the doorknob and swung it open.
“…!!”
I heard the sound of the employees covering their own mouths to suppress their screams.
They had no choice. What was before them was….
[My, quite avant-garde!]
In the center of the vast lab space, a massive red body only half-filled with flesh was visible.
Hind legs with sharp claws, grand and wicked membranous wings, a severed tail, a massive… something with only its lower body left.
“Hi-eup,”
People froze in terror.
Then, a cheerful voice came from the side.
“Ah, it’s a Mascot suit!”
“…!”
“But it looks incomplete? There’s only half of it.”
That was right.
The thing displayed with only its lower body was empty inside if you looked closely, and clumps of severed hair were wedged here and there as if replacing cotton.
Traces of trying to create a Mascot suit themselves.
‘Huu.’
I further examined the lower body of that strange beast with the vision created by my eye-light.
It was densely covered in scales.
They were human fingernails.
‘…Ha.’
And that wasn't all.
In various parts of the vast ‘Development Lab’ space, body parts left neglected and unconnected could be seen.
Yellow vertical-pupil eyeballs, small membranes like fins, strange and massive front claws like bird feet, tongues, and chunks of snout flesh.
Traces of Mascot development. Many of the forms suggested the source of the raw materials, making my stomach churn.
However, it seemed they hadn't been able to officially bring these out or introduce them to the Theme Park as a ‘Mascot.’
Because this was the area of the red rabbit, Magic Bunny.
They wouldn't have been able to bring out that grand and intimidating appearance that didn't suit this colorful and cute amusement park.
The Cheerful Theme Park wouldn't have allowed it.
“Did they want to use that as a new Mascot instead of a rabbit…?”
“……I wonder.”
I heard the agents whispering.
[A new image development! A cliché but typical idea. What is Mr. Roe Deer's guess?]
Mmm.
‘…Wouldn't it be the opposite?’
[Hmm?]
‘I think they were trying to restore their original form with that suit.’
Magic Bunny had completely lost its original form inside the Mascot suit.
‘In that case, I think they would have tried to make the suit look like their original self.’
Whether by instinct or calculation.
Though they ultimately failed.
‘And when I piece those fragmented parts together, Magic Bunny's original identity was….’
The moment I thought that far.
Something moved.
“AAAHHHH!”
I quickly grabbed a civilian by the scruff of the neck and threw them toward the agents.
Sluuuuuurp….
The scale-covered tail, which the civilian had been peering at closely, was moving while dripping fluid.
“Heok.”
The dregs of Magic Bunny.
It had been wriggling while stuck to the inner wall of the tail-shaped suit.
It had no limbs.
It didn't have all the organs and limbs collected from missing persons and visitors either.
Dregs of the contents of a Magic Bunny suit that had lost its form.
But its cunning and aggressiveness seemed the same.
And.
Squish, squelch, squish, squelch.
Sounds began to be heard from all directions.
It was the sound of all the Mascot suit parts in the development lab vibrating.
And the giant thing in the center also began to twist its joints along with its tail.
Bloody red things wriggled and pulsed through the red suit.
“AAAAHHHHH!”
Amidst the screams of several people, those hesitating because they couldn't look back while trying to escape to the stairs, and the agents taking up defensive positions with the civilians in between….
“Should we destroy it?”
“This much seems like something we can fight?”
No, that's not it!
I quickly shook my head and manipulated the Black Smoke again.
I sent it toward the massive figure that had followed us at the very back and was now standing quietly in a corner of the development lab.
The Blue Mascot's true body.
“…!”
The thing that had taken off the Blue Mascot suit was temporarily blocked from everyone's view by my Black Smoke.
‘Now!’
I gestured for people to evacuate to the stairs.
The employees hurried up the stairs in a swarm. I also went to the stairs and stood last, with my back to the lab door.
Standing with my back to the development lab just like them, breaking out in a cold sweat, I withdrew the smoke I had sent to the Blue Mascot and formed letters again.
> Never look back
And then.
Squelch.
A sound was heard from the development lab.
“…….”
The one inside the Blue Mascot, who had followed us, moved.
To do the promised task.
The friction of a massive tide, the Master of the Deep Sea, slowly moving those powerful steps and looking around at the fragmented Mascot suits and their contents as if submerged in regret was heard….
At last, this moment has arrived
O corrupt seed of a foreign land
It sucked them in.
“…!!”
The sound of Magic Bunny’s dregs in the lab being crushed and pulverized as if sucked into a violent tsunami or whirlpool was heard.
Just like how a ‘bad child’ was sucked into that mouth at the water park.
Devoured.
A bizarre scream, a bizarre void.
“Huuuuuk.”
“Ugh!”
People instinctively covered their ears and bowed their heads. Those movements seemed like an attempt to refuse, as if they didn't want to witness an unbearable scene.
However….
I locked eyes with someone who was looking at me.
The one wearing the Yellow Mascot mask.
Jang Heowoon was smiling broadly.
As if he were already completely subordinate to something else, without even an ego left to tremble in fear in such a situation.
As if he would face whatever was happening now by looking back whenever he wanted.
A different kind of chill swept through my entire body.
But even behind me, the massive presence was reaching its peak.
The sound of massive water streams striking the development lab in all directions like heavy whips or tails, and…….
It vanished.
“…….”
“…….”
Those who had been covering their ears slowly lowered their hands.
A will that seemed to try and be kind was heard from behind.
It is done
“…….”
And.
The stairs began to move.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa?”
As if being remodeled in real-time, they moved like waves and lightly pushed the people up the stairs.
“W-What?”
Finally, the ‘Staff Only’ area door opened, and as they escaped gallantly outside… they witnessed a surprising fact.
“Huh?”
Every single red rabbit had disappeared from the Magic Castle!
The terrible symbols he had created still remained, but all the rabbit character forms that had originally filled the Magic Castle were gone.
Instead, a new picture was being drawn.
Blue Dream.
The image of a cutely deformed blue Dragon was appearing everywhere.
As if a hurried renovation was taking place before opening hours.
“…!”
“D-Did it work?”
The employees looked back at me for some reason, and I nodded.
Magic Bunny's territory was conquered by another Mascot.
Completely!
> Now
> Safe
“Ah!!”
“I-It worked!”
Seeing my smoke, people let out sighs of relief. Some turned bright or burst into laughter, but since they couldn't look back, they inadvertently made sounds with their mouths.
“Th-Thank you.”
“Thank you.”
It was directed toward the Blue Mascot.
The shadow behind me, reflected by my yellow lantern, swayed as if it were somehow happy.
That shadow was….
“…A dragon?”
“Team Leader?”
“A dragon or an Imoogi… no, never mind.”
I saw the Team Leader trying to say something but stopping.
“…….”
A thought occurred to me.
‘I was also forcibly appointed as a Mascot.’
What if the one behind me was also something else before becoming the Blue Mascot?
And if that Mascot suit earlier was indeed the original form of Magic Bunny, who had lost its true self.
Perhaps. I speculated that the Cheerful Theme Park had captured powerful entities from other ghost stories or legends through contracts and made them Mascots.
“…….”
Hadn't the board game to enter this Theme Park also been made by the Cheerful Research Institute?
‘It’s a strange feeling.’
In any case, it wasn't something to worry about right now.
What was important now….
Was that Magic Bunny was gone.
Even if someone remained at the Resort, the possibility of being killed by Magic Bunny had vanished.
‘It’s done.’
With that, my heart felt lighter.
[Mr. Roe Deer is the one who worked so hard!]
[Though that Mascot's habit of thinking he's the protagonist of a drama will get even worse thanks to you giving him all the credit.]
Phew.
‘But it'll be okay.’
I led the employees out of the Magic Castle.
The day was dawning.
***
The Cheerful Theme Park would soon begin its business.
We returned to the connection gate of the Yellow Zone, but the passage we used wasn't the Blue Dream Waterland.
The gate Magic Bunny had installed.
But now, a different sign was attached there.
[ BLUE DREAM FANTASYLAND GATE ]
The Blue Mascot, wearing his Mascot suit again, waved his hand from the place that was now his territory.
The employees awkwardly waved back.
‘ [Good heavens, it’s like Stockholm syndrome.] ’
…Braun would have probably said that if he were here.
But as day broke, the receiver lost its function, and the connection with Braun was already severed.
Still, we would be able to meet soon.
I hung the receiver near my thigh.
Just then, Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae spoke to me.
“Um, do you also have to go back to being a Mascot suit now, Mascot?”
I looked at her without saying a word.
If there was no other way, I had to do it.
And I would have to remain as a Mascot in this Theme Park forever, unable to follow the others out....
Because once I quit being a Mascot, there would be no ‘me’ left. ...I would disappear.
But.
-Cheerful Theme Park is now open!
The moment operation began along with the upbeat music.
The Resort's business attire began to cover my Security Team clothes.
But it wasn't a doll suit.
“Uh, uh?!”
A neat suit uniform with a yellow bowtie.
“St-staff?”
That’s right.
Finally, the horns on my mask were neatly arranged, and I stood as a full-fledged ‘Flower Golden Resort’ staff member.
“Mascot... sir?”
Hmm.
Strictly speaking, I wasn't.
This body was a staff member.
Since when?
Since right before the Illumination started!
‘I signed an employment contract!’
Employer: GOLDEN
Employee: Roe Deer
Yes.
I brought my original body, which had been next to the blue gate, and made it sign the employment contract.
So that it would be separated from me, the Mascot!
‘Living entities can be hired as staff.’
Since the Ceremony Ritual hadn't been performed yet, my entire mind and body didn't exist solely for the sake of being a Mascot.
However, because the Mascot's ego was strong enough to use even a Standard-grade Mascot like a physical body, this separation was achieved exquisitely.
In that way, my original body was separated as a staff member!
This is why Magic Bunny couldn't help but fail to notice, even if I was buried inside the shelter.
Because I wasn't a Mascot; I was a staff member.
“Uh, uhhh....”
I felt a bit sorry that I couldn't even give a smile to the several staff members looking at me in confusion, due to the Security Team concept.
‘But I still have to do what needs to be done.’
...Of course, there were problems in this process.
Namely, my consciousness being split in two.
Experiencing my own death inside the Standard-grade Mascot was not a very pleasant thing.
But I could handle it.
No, I had to handle it.
For this result!
‘Now I can leave.’
In any case, the Yellow Mascots were all dead except for a few standard-grade ones, and even the Resort had collapsed.
Taking advantage of this moment when the Mascot's power had weakened, I, the ‘staff member,’ just had to quickly resign and leave this Theme Park.
The thought of my consciousness being torn apart as a Mascot and remaining in the ghost story... was chilling, but I had to endure it.
If I had pushed all of this onto a staff member as Braun said, we would have both been torn to death by Magic Bunny.
‘...If that happened, my already weakened ego might not have been able to hold on.’
Furthermore, this Cheerful Theme Park exploration was something Director Ho had specially organized at my request.
Even if the support was voluntary, Jang Heowoon in particular... no matter how I thought about it, it seemed like Director Ho had placed him there.
So, if something had to be endured, this was better.
I took a breath.
And I let the 'me' that resided in the Standard-grade Mascot within the collapsed Resort escape....
‘First, let's have everyone resign and then rebuild the Resort.’
It would be easy if I poured in the Cheerful Coins I was allocated while occupying the Red Zone.
Then the remaining staff would have a place to work, and we could escape quickly.
There would be no problem.
That was what I thought at that moment.
G o o d C h i l d
The Blue Mascot beyond the gate gazes at me.
Then, he raises a hand toward the air... and points to the area he is standing in, the one pioneered by Magic Bunny.
Hmm?
H e r e
G o o d C h i l d
T a k e I t
‘...?!’
Wa-wait a minute.
But things were already happening.
The color of the zone 'transferred' by the Blue Dragon began to change.
The color of the promenade, which had turned blue, changed once again to golden.
And the golden light, which climbed up along half of the promenade, began to occupy ‘Fantasy Land.’
‘Oh my god.’
Areas corresponding to vacation facilities in Fantasy Land, nearly 1/3 of the total area, were stained in golden light.
And cat Mascot decorations with flower branches on their heads began to be seen here and there.
G o o d C h i l d
F o r Y o u
No.
No!! I didn't have the slightest intention of expanding the Yellow Zone...!
‘It would have been enough if you just gave me some money to rebuild the Resort!’
I suppressed a scream as I looked at the face of the Blue Mascot, who was looking at me with some sort of expectation.
There are now five... no, seven facilities in the Yellow Zone!
‘This is insane.’
I can feel it.
The Mascot's consciousness was growing too large.
Wait a minute, at this rate, I won't be able to resign...!
‘The Mascot is becoming too powerful!’
Powerful things, incomparable to when I only had one Resort, came flooding into my head, pushing out my ego as a staff member and constantly trying to shift my vision to the Standard-grade Mascot. No!
‘If I resign now, c-can I remain?’
That maddening moment when the Mascot's joy came rushing in even as I was about to be overtaken by terror.
Light burst through the Security Team Uniform.
“...!”
I lowered my head.
Light was leaking out in the shape of letters near my wrist.
:恩主:
The tattoo that had served as an inventory.
And that light detached from the skin and formed a shape.
That shape was....
‘An employment contract!’
The contents that had been crushed there began to come to life.
One with innate, existential nobility.
The strikethrough that had been drooping as if in rejection,
One with innate, existential nobility.
…Disappeared
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