Good Friend.
The preparations for the invitation ritual were already complete.
The tearful days of using substitutes for substitutes at the theme park resort, of making do with whatever was at hand because I lacked the proper tools, were over.
This time, I had prepared everything exactly as I had when I first performed the Good Friend invitation ritual.
The necktie, the silver coin snake, and… most importantly, the plush doll from the theme park gift shop.
I picked up the plush doll.
The doll, with its fluffy fur, was surprisingly… a pink rabbit doll, keyring-sized!
How did I manage to get a rabbit instead of a yellow-horned cat from the gift shop I acquired in the Yellow Zone?
Simple.
‘I used my authority as a mascot to set up a special sales stand.’
[A plush doll I choose and assemble myself]
Basically, a custom Good Friend creation.
Thus, I succeeded in obtaining an original Good Friend that looked almost identical to the ‘Good Friend Keyring’ I had gotten from the Real Goods Box—the one produced as merchandise.
Even if it didn't have the keyring hardware attached.
Now, I just had to avoid thinking about the materials that went into making this plush doll….
Everything was fine.
However, however….
“…….”
“…….”
The gaze was piercing.
“You… just need to follow the manual written here to proceed with the invitation ritual.”
“Yes.”
Section Chief Lizard’s unblinking eyes were a lot to handle…….
But Section Chief Lee Jaheon showed absolutely no intention of looking away or compromising, so I ended up performing the ritual while listening to the Manager check the manual for me.
‘It didn’t exactly say I had to do it alone, but….’
Somehow, I found myself sighing deeply throughout the process rather than feeling tense.
This time, I drew the lines in the proper size, placed the Good Friend’s small body in the center, added the silver coin snake, and followed the ritual exactly.
‘The necktie… is the same product, too.’
With salt in my mouth.
I burned the necktie with a lighter.
Sssssssss.
…I’m reminded of the first time I tried this.
Back when I was a bit less afraid and a bit less resigned than I am now, when I desperately sought an exit from the ghost story I was suddenly trapped in and attempted this ritual.
The being that had responded to that ritual.
Sway, sway.
The light flared as the necktie burned. In that flickering light, the doll’s shadow swayed as if it were moving.
And….
The doll’s mouth opened.
—Aaaaagh!
…….
Huh?
—Stop! Stop! I came firstforgivemethere are many predecessorsO one who knows honorTeacher?This kind of counselingRock-paper-scissorsYou called m— You lowly things, begone! Make way for Sangun—aaaaagh!
The small doll thrashed and struggled as if a multitude of things were inside it. But soon….
—Oh.
It stopped.
—Ooooh, the Great Master of Production arrives!
They chanted in unison.
As if someone already held full authority and was prompting the audience to cheer.
—He has come! He has come! He has returned! He has come to see you! The one who has come to see you is—— That person!
The doll threw its arms up in the air.
And….
It spoke as cheerfully as a child.
—Wow! Friend, you called for me again!
“……!”
In the next moment.
Everything vanished.
The hexagram drawn with moisture, the necktie I was holding, the coins, the salt in my mouth.
As if they had never been there to begin with.
All that remained was the doll lying solitary on the motel floor.
A fluffy plush doll.
“…Braun?”
But there was no response.
For a moment, I almost panicked, but I soon realized the situation.
‘Originally, the Good Friend only moved and spoke within ghost stories!’
And this was reality. Unless the doll was strengthened by a Blood Bath, it required certain conditions. So….
‘Preparation for dialogue!’
I quickly propped Braun against the bed frame, turned off the lights, and switched on a single lamp under the bed.
Positioned so the lamp’s light hit the doll and cast a shadow on the wall.
My hands trembled slightly throughout the process.
I wasn’t sure if it was from anticipation or because of the overwhelming thing I had just seen.
‘…What just happened?’
It felt as though countless entities had been invited into the Good Friend doll, but it happened so instantaneously that I couldn't analyze it.
I reflexively looked at Section Chief Lizard, and the Manager nodded.
“It proceeded safely.”
“…….”
Right….
At any rate, I finally finished the preparations to speak with the Good Friend in reality. Leaning against the bed, I looked at the giant shadow of the Good Friend cast on the wall….
And then.
—Friend!
“…!”
A lively and familiar voice echoed through the room.
The voice coming from the rabbit doll.
“…Braun.”
—We finally meet again! This is deeply moving. Ah, a scene like this would be perfect for a talk show opening!
—Mr. Roe Deer, I have heard that you have been through much in the meantime. But worry no longer. Your most faithful advisor, your best guide, and your one and only friend in the world has returned to your side!
That way of speaking, filled with showmanship.
Hearing the voice spread a strange sense of… relief and a surge of emotion.
—A hug and a cheer would be most appropriate at a time like this! Audience, immediately……. Hmm. It’s not moving.
—Mr. Roe Deer, for some reason, my body feels as heavy as water-logged cotton… but I think it might be possible with my friend’s support. Now, would you like to stand
before the camera with me?
“Haha…. No. It’s okay.”
Hearing those creepy words felt almost nostalgic.
I leaned against the bed and watched the shadow of the plush doll on the wall with relative ease.
“Let’s talk a bit more first. How are you feeling?”
—Never better! If I can talk to my friend, the heaviness of my limbs is a comfort I can endure. I’ll get used to it in time!
—Then, once again, let us head to the starting point of spending joyful day after day with this Braun…….
From somewhere came the sound of rustling fabric, as if looking around.
The voice faltered.
—…Oh, my goodness. Friend, just where have you been staying?
Ah.
I looked around the room.
As is typical of cheap motel rooms in back alleys near stations, well, it was dilapidated….
—Was my body leaning against this filthy wall just now? Heavens!
“It’s not filthy. I wiped it clean before the invitation ritual…. It’s just old.”
It just looks dirtier because of the floral pattern!
However, it was not enough to convince the talk show host.
—‘Just old’? No, this is an insult to residency. To think my friend is staying in a place worse than a trailer that even a third-rate hack actor wouldn't stay in!
—Whatever happened to Mr. Roe Deer’s modest sanctuary where you used to stay?
“That… well. My duties changed, so I couldn't stay there anymore.”
—What a miserable company!
Well… you see.
Actually, Director Ho had suggested getting an officetel for the stability of my spy activities and to provide a solid identity.
He said he’d cover the costs.
But I refused.
How should I put it… it’s like I didn’t want to create anything I could call ‘home’ here.
The company housing felt less like that because it was clearly provided by the company, but if I created a space that was entirely my own, I was afraid I might get too comfortable.
“It’s surprisingly livable here. I’ll make sure to take good care of your spot.”
—Goodness….
—Friend, I supported your independent and autonomous choice and even cheered for your resignation, but to think you had to stay in a place like this.
The plush doll spoke in a sorrowful voice.
—Please do not forget that Braun’s Talk Show is still wide open to you, Friend. Of course, you’ll have to go through a light interview now….
“Mr. Roe Deer, is this plush doll currently tempting you with a ghost story in the form of a talk show?”
“No, well, he’s always like that…”
…….
……?!
I turned my gaze to the Lizard.
The white lizard head, perched on the edge of the bed, was looking at me calmly.
Calmly?!
“You can hear him!?”
“Yes.”
I nearly fainted.
Wait. Then has he been listening to our entire conversation until now? Even when I left Braun with Section Chief Lee Jaheon and went into the ghost story… no, more importantly!
“Gi-Given the nature of this item, usually only I should be able to hear it. By what mechanism can you hear him…?”
“? The subject is expressing an intention for communication.”
I looked at him with my mouth agape.
“……Usually, humans can't hear him.”
“Yes.”
“To other people, it would look suspicious.”
“I see.”
The Lizard stared back at me blankly, as if to say, ‘So what?’
“There are no other people in this space.”
“…….”
I gave up on everything.
Now that I thought about it, didn't Section Chief Lee Jaheon recognize me when I turned into a child, when I wore the Security Team suit, and even when I put on the mascot head?
‘Is he specialized in mental identity or communication….’
It was probably better to think of it as a power of a reptilian alien.
That’s more comforting….
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
“Yes.”
“Would you like some advice?”
“…Yes?”
“Burn that doll immediately.”
—Oh.
Yikes.
“The invitation ritual was conducted in compliance with safety procedures, but the invited entity shows a risk of breaking the ritual’s binding restriction at any time.”
—This rude swordsman still doesn't know his place.
Oh, please.
—If you are in a place where you weren't invited, you should at least observe the unwritten rule of keeping your mouth shut. Such ignorance, babbling on like that! I can’t believe it, but out of respect for my friend, I will say a few words.
—I am a being who respects my friend’s privacy and is ready to do anything for him. Because….
—I’m a Good Friend!
“As a result of trusting that binding restriction, Mr. Roe Deer was missing for a month. Do not forget that.”
—Oh, that was entirely an expression of my tender heart worrying for my friend’s safety. Thanks to that, Mr. Roe Deer spent a safe and happy month in a workplace that was fulfilling for both body and mind…. Before you dared to step foot into the great studio with your muddy feet.
“He is making threats.”
“Wa-Wait a minute.”
Since I’ve already made a contract, I can't escape as long as I’m in this ghost story worldview anyway, so there's no need for things to get hostile…!
“He eventually got persuaded and let me go because I firmly said I was resigning.”
—Of course!
“What logic did you use when persuading him?”
That was….
“…I told him I’d show him something more interesting.”
—Ah, yes. I was quite curious about the result of that promise….
—Of course, even if it isn't interesting, your Good Friend will always protect you. Finding joy in a friend’s pain is not something a Good Friend would do!
“…….”
A strange way of speaking.
Now that I thought about it, this plush doll Braun was using vocabulary that was much more friendly and entirely on my side than when we talked at the theme park.
Just like before.
‘Did summoning him into the Good Friend plush doll… bind him to those laws again?’
But unlike before, I could tell for sure now.
The other party was accepting the Good Friend’s binding restriction as a kind of fun.
Even though it was a binding restriction that was no longer effective, he was showing that kind of attitude out of a sort of nostalgia and to play along… that’s what it was.
If it stopped being interesting, he might break through the binding restriction and drag me back as a talk show employee.
‘…I’ve become alert thanks to Section Chief Lizard.’
I almost got swept up in the mood and felt overly affectionate toward the Good Friend.
Right. Let’s not believe everything the ‘Good Friend’ says on the surface.
It’s right to prevent a situation like last time.
“Yeah. Thanks. Then… Braun. For now, is it okay if you go back into my front pocket?”
—Oh, I won’t decline that!
I barely managed to change the subject and ended the conversation with Braun naturally.
‘Phew.’
As soon as I put Braun into the front pocket of the clothes I was wearing, a sigh of relief escaped me.
Still, a strange sense of stability, as if I had somehow returned to the original track.
For the record, the Dokkaebi Flame on my right arm trembled as it tried to grab the plush doll, so I took care of it with my left arm.
‘Since when did using my own body require so many agreements…….’
I feel like I’m reaching enlightenment.
“Is it over?”
“…Yes.”
Fortunately, the Lizard didn't do anything erratic like snatching the Good Friend and throwing it out the window.
Though he did stare at the rabbit doll.
‘…If Braun could move, they would have fought.’
The current state was rather fortunate.
I spoke up again to clear the air.
“Um, Manager. Then, if the reason you visited today was because you noticed this….”
“It is not.”
Then what was it?
“Then is there another reason?”
“Yes.”
“Just a moment.”
Phew.
I barely managed to sit back down at the table and offered Section Chief Lizard simple snacks and coffee.
Section Chief Lizard didn't decline and drank the coffee, and I drank mine across from him.
“I’d like you to tell me now.”
I was ready to hear it.
…I also thought it might be about Team D.
“Yes.”
After the Lizard put a snack into his mouth, wrapper and all, and swallowed it, he looked at me and spoke.
A topic I had never expected.
“Mr. Roe Deer, were you carrying a Dream Collector during your last ‘Cheerful Theme Park!’ exploration?”
…….
Um?
“The company didn't give me one.”
“I see.”
Right. Since I was pretending to be part of the Security Team’s Special Division.
Usually, the Security Team isn't given collectors because the contamination is so severe. The collector only gives Dream Essence liquid if it judges the subject as human, and since they can’t get that judgment, they don't get one.
But I had brought one separately.
The Elite Team Collector.
This item, which I had received from the Goods Box, had provided the raw materials several times so far for me to extract potions in the Dream Incubation Room.
‘He said this exploration was A-rank.’
Let’s check it real quick.
I opened my mouth and checked the Elite Team Collector I had kept in my inventory tattoo.
“But why do you ask tha—…”
The Elite Team Collector was empty.
“…….”
Huh?
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
I carefully took out the collector again and checked it for sure, but it was still empty.
‘That’s strange.’
I definitely cleared it while escaping the darkness. Then the Dream Collector should be full.
Why isn't it full?
‘The only reason the collector wouldn't fill even after clearing the darkness is….’
The sentence I just thought of.
—The collector only gives Dream Essence liquid if it judges the subject as human, and since they can’t get that judgment, they don't get one.
…….
Wait a minute.
I’m not human?
I… was judged to be a ghost story?
But….
‘I am completely myself?’
I didn't show any erratic behavior or strange appearances like I did when I had the counseling at the Fox Counseling Room.
So, I feel like I’m maintaining my identity….
“Manager.”
“Yes.”
“Am I… contaminated?”
I locked eyes with Section Chief Lizard.
The Manager opened his mouth.
“Yes.”
“……But I’m normal. It’s different from when I went to the counseling room….”
“Because you are contaminated by a different darkness.”
……Ah.
‘Could… that be it.’
It was then.
A brilliant beam of light descended from above my head.
Unknowingly looking up, I saw the familiar notepad and sentence….
[Dark Exploration Record Merch Box]
—Access to new merchandise unlocked! (!)
A special phenomenon I hadn’t seen in a while.
Instinctively, I reached out and caught the item falling from the box.
A small silver music box.
“…….”
Something I had bought at the pop-up store.
A merchandise of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.
==========
Dark Exploration Record / Church of the Luminous Unknown
/ Item
Music Box of Praise
A replica of a music box said to have been obtained as a result of a certain ritual in the Church of the Luminous Unknown.
It is said that the phrase ‘Knowing the truth is power’ was engraved on the inside of the original.
When listening to the music box’s melody, an Assimilated One who has merged with a ghost story has a chance to regain their human reason and identity.
However, if listened to repeatedly three or more times, they conversely fall into madness and commit unpredictable and horrific acts. Refer here for usage records.
Some argue that this is merely a side effect of realizing the truth of this world that could never be known, and that the true way to use the music box starts from the third time you listen to it.
The melody is forgotten immediately upon closing the music box, leaving only the feeling behind, never to be recalled in one’s mind again.
Item usage condition: An Assimilated One who has been granted the Sacred Law Scripture of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.
==========
Here, ‘Assimilated One’ is a term used by the Church of the Luminous Unknown to mean those who have mutated so much that they are no longer judged as human in a ghost story.
So… the fact that I received this.
Means I have met the item’s usage conditions.
That I am completely contaminated by a ghost story.
And that I am aware of it.
“Mr. Roe Deer.”
“…….”
“If you still do not wish to visit the Fox Counseling Room, nod your head.”
This is driving me crazy.
“If you are in a state where you cannot make a decision, implement the alternative immediately.”
That’s….
“What is it?”
“Take out the thank-you card you received from the Cosmic shopping mall.”
I did so reflexively.
A golden card popped out from my wrist, but Section Chief Lee Jaheon didn't even blink.
“Now, take out the cell enclosed within the card.”
A cell?
The golden chip, shaped like a USIM card, that was enclosed in the card—is this what he’s talking about?
“Place it under your tongue.”
“…….”
“Position it so the circuitry is facing upward, and slide it under your tongue.”
Normally, I would have agonized over this and that, taking more time.
But this time, a chilling sense of crisis rang an alarm.
“Yes.”
I placed the ‘cell’ under my tongue.
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