A familiar voice.
A familiar attitude.
[It has been a truly long wait! Six months! Is that not a period long enough for a single program to rise and fall?]
[Mr. Roe Deer, I fully understand that you must have missed this Braun terribly during that time….]
[And at this very moment today, we finally meet again. Oh, like a new season!]
A way with words befitting a talk show host.
The entity that used to converse with me from my front pocket was there.
[Friend?]
I picked up the rabbit doll.
The doll, small enough to fit in one hand, maintained its usual appearance even while enveloped in black smoke.
Soft fur and neat seams.
Two eyes like black pebbles glistened under the electric light.
Beneath the pink head, a black bow tie was grandly situated, just as I had tied it.
It was a fake.
[!]
The thing that looked like Good Friend's bow tie was actually a hair tie I had purchased at the boutique on Death Road.
However, the thing beneath this doll’s head was a real bow tie fastened with a string.
Crucially, the 'new Good Friend plush doll' I had made through the customization process at Cheerful Theme Park could not possibly have a bow tie.
Because the previous Good Friend had burned himself.
Therefore, this was no different from the model laptop on the desk that only had a shape, or the books on the bookshelf that only had covers.
One of the props recreating Assistant Manager Kim Soleum's residence environment.
An imitation.
[Goodness… that is the correct answer! Your skills are as excellent as ever, friend.]
Then.
What are you?
[I am Braun, the friend you called for.]
The motionless eyes of the rabbit doll glistened again in the light.
[I simply made use of the merchandise of my plush body so that Mr. Roe Deer could focus.]
…….
I realized it.
The voice was not coming directly from the rabbit doll.
It was a sound coming from within me.
I had merely accepted that it was coming from there because I had discovered the rabbit doll.
And because this….
Was mimicking Good Friend's manner of speech.
[Hmm, yes. Merchandise. Isn't that a much grander expression than 'imitation'! You've made a faithful effort to reproduce my plush form that follows my friend's every move. The quality is a bit crude, but it's not bad….]
…….
[Oh, or did you perhaps think even this voice was fake?]
No.
[I see. That is a great relief….]
But didn't you know everything?
[…Hm?]
Six months.
That was the period I had worked alone in a place containing only corpses and ghost stories, stuck in the 13th basement floor of the Annex.
Even then, you could have spoken to me at any time.
But since that period was boring and trivial, you omitted it because it wasn't worth the communication, didn't you?
Isn't the essence of your existence to fully enjoy the pleasure and excitement of appearing at this most interesting moment?
As an entertainer.
[…Aha. I see.]
[A host who could have spoken at any time over the past six months ignored the painful and boring times, only to appear at the most interesting timing while mimicking Good Friend's appearance….]
[Very well. False accusations and rumors are the fate of a star.]
The sound of crossing arms.
[Goodness, I even made a guest appearance in that tacky training video from the second week….]
…….
Training video?
-To our special entity employee full of dreams and passion! Welcome to the Daydream Inc. Security Management Team!
The training that played endlessly on the old black-and-white TV in the corner of Room 666 on the 13th basement floor of the Annex.
Labor training for the special department of the Security Management Team.
[Yes. That propaganda piece with neither fun nor inspiration that was screened repeatedly in that low-quality room that was no different from a prison cell!]
[Even though I greeted you several times, Mr. Roe Deer did not react at all. It was incredibly insulting.]
In the middle of that… the rabbit doll.
The host on the TV screen.
Did he… appear?
Did he greet me?
That, that was….
…….
It didn't matter.
Because it was information unrelated to work.
[To think you could be this cold! Yes. My friend had no intention of perceiving me at all.]
[Of course, it is a host's duty to make even such an audience listen involuntarily….]
[Fortunately, it seems this appearance evokes a desire in you to listen. I am greatly honored, Mr. Roe Deer!]
I realized a step late that the last sentence was sarcasm.
And I slowly perceived that it wasn't entirely sarcasm either.
[Still, it seems my dear friend has recovered his original lively self quite well! You are quite active. After today's short outing….]
…….
Because I knew for a fleeting moment 'how I originally felt' through Nostalgia Kitty, I became able to think in a way similar to before.
[Ah, indeed so.]
However….
Does that have any meaning?
[Hmm?]
In this mangled and hideous form, with a melted brain and limbs where I couldn't even tell what was attached to where.
And inside the form of this horned anomaly where everything was forcibly crammed in, wouldn't it have been better not to realize that a similar spirit existed?
This sense of disparity.
[As expected, you've been consumed by the mask. Mr. Roe Deer….]
…?
[It's fine. It's a common side effect for talented entertainers!]
[Now, look at this merchandise body….]
I met its gaze.
The fake Good Friend was in my hand.
[This humble body is a fake! Yes. The splendid plush body you prepared anew is in the basement of that far-off place, more than 15 miles away from here….]
[But we can still converse like this.]
[And we'll be able to have friendly interactions just like before! …Friend, would you place me on the towel?]
…….
I did as asked.
[There we go…. Ah, much better.]
Within the black smoke pouring from the gas mask, gloved hands moved.
I folded the towel twice and carefully placed the doll in the center.
A habit I often had before.
As if I were looking after the sleeping place of Good Friend who helped me, after returning from a suffocating darkness investigation.
As if it were still the same.
And this plush doll referred to himself as Good Friend. As if he were still under Good Friend's constraints.
As if it were still the same.
…….
It was a deceptive mimicry.
[Oh, but every show begins with mimicry.]
…….
[The entire process of projecting reality yet presenting it more symbolically! Mime, skits, stand-up comedy, puns, critiques….]
[Performing the most meaningful mimicry at countless branching points to bestow laughter and meaning! The process of creating a bond with the audience and moving them….]
[A show is fundamentally a lie that projects the truth…… But is all of that truly meaningless?]
He whispered.
[Because it's a lie?]
I did not answer, but the other party already knew.
My answer.
[Indeed. It has meaning. Oh, most certainly. In every moment of laughter and tears!]
The sound of the polite host tapping his finger on the table echoed.
As if he had thought of a good idea.
[It is the same, Mr. Roe Deer. Shall we take a look at the mask you are wearing now?]
I averted my gaze.
[Oh, that smoke is great for stage effects, and I quite like those light-like eyes! You'll make a fine crew member.]
[It is a very wild and splendid appearance… but it seems Mr. Roe Deer liked the mask you wore before more.]
[Is it because of the familiarity and bond? That too is a good quality for an entertainer.]
…….
[Then how about setting that as an intermediate goal?]
[Let's interact with the audience through mimicry. Just as this Braun is doing now!]
If you cannot return to being a human, mimic a human.
[Let's try learning a new ability. Mr. Roe Deer, isn't that your specialty? Collecting wonderful abilities and items!]
Like purchasing items at the Cosmic shopping mall.
Like getting a tattoo at the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.
Like exchanging clues at the Faceless Market.
My image of desperately preparing to survive within ghost stories.
…I remember.
Then, like fireworks popping above the rabbit doll, a small golden effect appeared, drew a single sentence, and vanished.
Current Goal: Let’s learn a splendid disguise skill!
‘…….’
[How about it?]
‘……Fine.’
I nodded.
Let's find an appearance that can interact with people.
Even if it's not real.
[Excellent. Friend!]
[Now, I hope you'll take me along and not forget me.]
I put that fake Good Friend into the pocket of my Security Team uniform.
Just as I had before.
And I made a plan.
Just as I had before.
I turned the pages of the Dark Exploration Records in my memory and made a list of possible methods….
And the moment the morning shift began that day.
Without fail, the assigned staff member visited the containment cell for work.
However, he did not belong to the Security Management Team.
“Haha… we meet again so soon!”
Kwak Jekang.
The assigned researcher arrived looking like a total mess. At least the pinky finger on one hand seemed to have been properly treated, but it was blunt.
Since one joint was gone.
“The surveillance camera is broken so I had no choice, I had to visit, I found a countermeasure…… This company’s advantage is that those kinds of excuses actually work…. By the way, that doll!”
Excitement flowed from his eyes as he noticed the environmental dissonance.
“The doll has disappeared from the desk. Did you take it? Ah, perhaps it helps stabilize your mind? Or an emotional attachment….”
I let the smoke rise.
Question: Whereabouts of team members
“Ah, those two aren't coming today! They have to go through a light, a very light interview process…. I’ve come instead! Hahaha!”
I did not react.
“Do you like those two? For what reason? There must be quite a few people who have formed rapport with you… Ah, how about other employees from the field exploration team? If you were to meet them privately….”
I don't want to?
“…….”
Kwak Jekang was still smiling, but his complexion turned pale.
I could tell that some degree of mental trauma remained….
I had to let this researcher know.
That the positions of the one asking the questions had switched.
Question: Director Cheong’s work orders regarding 130666
“…Are you curious about what Director Cheong explained when he assigned me to you?”
…….
“True, someone of Director Cheong's level likely knows quite a bit about your identity! No, it’s even possible she personally led the summoning of you!”
Kwak Jekang wiped the cold sweat pooling on his chin haphazardly and laughed passionately.
“However, Director Cheong isn't the type of superior who talks much, so unfortunately, for now, it was about two sentences in summary….”
-Educate him on the discipline required of an employee.
-Find out an effective way to use him.
“…And, ‘Stand by until further instructions.’ That’s about it!”
…….
“You’ve noticed. In a word, it’s no different from taming a dog! What to feed him to make him happy, what punishment to give to make him listen… Yes. She wants me to figure those things out. Hahaha!”
[Mr. Roe Deer, how about turning the fellow before you into a dog? I think it would be an interesting practice stage for honing your disguise skills!]
…No.
“Anyway… it seems we've made the same deduction. Once the method of using you is properly prepared, Director Cheong will likely personally hand down darkness collection tasks!”
The fellow who had almost ended up walking on all fours reached an interesting conclusion.
It matched mine.
“And there will probably be a hint there. If Director Cheong was the one who called you, it would have been for that work!”
The hint to my existence.
“Especially if a researcher like me sticks close and observes, yes, if you could provide a bit of an excuse, we could find out… a lot.”
……Hmm.
Requesting reduction in time required
“Hm? You want to shorten the time it takes to get there? To do that….”
I formed letters with the black smoke.
About how to get a response from Director Cheong.
Things to utilize:
An incident of 130666's containment failure
“…Hm? ……Aha.”
I continued the explanation with the smoke.
Various examples.
Kwak Jekang scribbled down the letters on paper, and when he ran out of space, he even left words on the back of his hand. This was because he was also writing down the things he had thought of.
And when I chose one of them, his mouth split into a wide grin.
“Now this, isn't this a great method. Then let's try deceiving them like this, hahaha!”
Adding a fake rule to 130666’s usage method
Rule: Cannot tolerate boredom
The record-keeping database of Daydream Inc. is updated.
Security Management Team Incident Record
130666 Containment Failure Incident
An account regarding an emergency situation on October 28, Year ■■, at approximately 1:26 AM, where containment entity 130666 escaped from the containment cell located in containment corridor L-13-6.
Progress
130666 utilized the black smoke generated from his gas mask to neutralize the iron door’s lock, then proceeded to the containment corridor, went directly to the rental warehouse, and entered the 17th-floor research area using the main building elevator.
The time consumed in this process was 3 minutes and 13 seconds, and no security process was activated.
Four security team members in the containment cell and rental warehouse were neutralized; 15 members of the 17th-floor research team were evacuated, and 6 were neutralized.
(In the case of the 6 who failed to evacuate from the 17th floor, they showed bizarre psychological trauma after inhaling smoke and are suspected of contamination.)
Upon entering the 17th floor, 130666 went straight to the Research Team 1 office and had a one-on-one interaction with the assigned researcher (Section Chief Kwak Jekang, Research Team 1).
6 minutes and 12 seconds later, he was found in his containment cell.
Special Notes
CCTV Error - Due to CCTV errors in the containment cell and Research Team 1 office, there is no recorded footage of the incident. It is being questioned whether this is a special situation originating from 130666's smoke.
Survival of Assigned Researcher - Sustained injuries including loss of extreme parts of the extremities, contusions to the chest wall, and hairline fractures of the 5th and 6th ribs, but no threat to life. Recovery Potions were prescribed.
Passive Statements from Auxiliary Staff – The controller and auxiliary staff in charge of 130666 were on-site at the time of the incident, but in post-incident interviews, they
showed a lack of assertiveness in their statements regarding 130666's danger.
Need to verify if 130666 has mental-system interference power related to fascination.
However, they stated that they were not carrying control equipment as normal working hours had ended.
(Disciplinary action for negligence of duty was discussed but deferred as there were no violations of company rules.
To prevent similar situations in the future, the control duty working hours for the relevant security team employees will be reset more broadly.)
Results
Containment and Security Reinforcement - Reinforcement of containment cell security, assignment of additional training hours via video, preparation of a disciplinary room for 130666, and increased patrol personnel in the containment corridor.
Various experiments and observations regarding 130666's abilities were permitted to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
And a few days later.
A page is added.
Additional Experiment Results
New Work Assignment for 130666 – After several experiments on 130666, the assigned researcher proved that the cause of the entity's escape was boredom.
He stated that even during the containment failure incident, he had promised to 'assign more interesting work than now.'
The speculation was added that the security work on the 13th basement floor of the Annex for the initial six months seemed to have offended 130666.
Thus, it was strongly argued to assign 'more interesting work' to soothe the entity.
Consequently.
Special work assigned under the authorization of Director Cheong ■■ of the Development Department.
Collection of an anomalous phenomenon occurring at a certain public broadcasting station. Known to the public by the nickname ‘Man on the Screen’ ghost story.
For detailed information, refer to ■■Record#C16548.
And.
Additional Measures
By the authority of the assigned researcher, taking the nature of the work into account, a new auxiliary position, ‘Transport Personnel,’ has been temporarily assigned.
Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae (Field Exploration Team B-Squad)
Supervisor Kang Yihak (Field Exploration Team I-Squad)
A proponent of poetic justice wearing a Dolphin mask and a gold-worshipper wearing a Pony mask appear.
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