Evening, as darkness settled.
The annex lobby of Daydream Inc.
Two Security Team employees in black, holding a transport cage, were seated at the front desk, attending to people.
"Corridor… 32. It's that way..."
"Th-Thank you."
Of course, it was less 'attending to' and more a perfunctory greeting, granting corridor access, and relaying instructions.
Since it was usually a one-person post, and it wasn't common to have transport cages nearby, the employees sometimes paused, their faces showing a hint of cold sweat as if wondering if this was some kind of experiment.
And inside one of those 'exceptional cases,' the transport cage… was me.
"Are you okay…?"
Tap.
"Mm… I got it."
The Sergeant occasionally checked on my condition, but fundamentally, he lounged at the front desk with a face that seemed bored from everything.
Originally, the Security Team wouldn't be assigned public-facing duties like this, but because my assigned team was designated, they had to do all sorts of things.
'I'm sorry...'
"Still, it's nice. Peaceful! Right, Ro- I mean, Mr. Employee?"
Tap.
I agreed with Supervisor Park Minseong's words.
He seemed quite pleased with this assignment, saying that even within the Security Team, where he primarily handled mental control, he rarely got to do such peaceful work.
He was also very pleased that my attitude during work hours and communication had stabilized compared to before.
-“It seems your condition has recovered a lot…! That's a relief, Roe.”
I hadn't yet announced that I had recovered my original consciousness. I planned to do so after I adapted more to the bell and could fully control myself.
'First, I need to be able to control my body.'
And so, I was inside the transport cage, re-examining my own body.
First… mm. It's all mashed up.
'It's a complete mess...'
I tried to categorize the crumpled mass inside the Security Team suit based on a human body's anatomy.
Brain, esophagus, eyeballs, ears, stomach... I could vaguely identify the parts that still had sensation or those I consciously focused on.
[It's like a sliding puzzle. Excellent. Let's put it together!]
Braun's advice was also quite helpful.
Of course, if someone with professional medical knowledge, like Ms. Go Yeongeun, were to help, I might be able to understand it more broadly… but for now, this was the limit.
'What on earth is this? How many eyes are there?'
…Frankly, each part felt somewhat alien.
[Ah, what magnificent scales, Friend!]
I also felt something like reptile scales of bizarre strength and bird-like talons at the end of my forelimbs, no, my arms.
'This is insane.'
Still, knowing was indeed power.
The problem was that if my emotions had functioned normally, I would have gone mad before this power became useful.
I was aware that I was undertaking a rather grotesque task.
'Mm. The parts I've identified, I can try to calmly move them to reconstruct my body… perhaps.'
Now that I was aware, it felt like I could move them… but.
For now, I didn't know. I might be able to try once I got out of the suit, but it seemed to carry a greater risk, so I put it on hold.
Most importantly, I had found what I was aiming for.
: 恩主:
The inventory tattoo.
Fortunately, it was buried in my forearm, not far from its original position, just below my left shoulder.
The other tattoos were buried deeper and more chaotically, so I couldn't find them. Maybe I could use them once I properly organize my body...
But for now, this was my focus.
Can I use this tattoo?
[Ooh, you're looking forward to the end of today's shift, Mr. Roe Deer.]
That's right.
'I can't directly take out my arm and check it inside the transport cage.'
So, for now, let's just get through the first day of work at the annex front desk without any major issues.
Fortunately, the annex operated without major problems until late into the night.
…I did see many familiar faces. It was highly probable that visitors to the annex were from the Field Exploration Team or Research Teams, so naturally, I was likely to see them during my shifts before.
It felt like a strange sensation.
"Corridor 12… Ah, would you like to hand it over, Mr. Employee?"
"Hk."
When I sent smoke from inside the transport cage to write out the instructions and hand over the access card, the Field Exploration Team employee wearing a seal mask almost rolled backward and fled.
Ah, that person used to work in the office next door.
"..."
"..."
"I'm sorry..."
As I watched their retreating back, who had barely managed to take the access card and run off, I displayed letters.
>Survival Instinct: Excellent
>A suitable candidate for the Field Exploration Team
"Hahaha..."
Supervisor Park Minseong's voice sounded like he was laughing to keep himself from crying.
Well, at least it meant I had experienced a normal shift for the first time in months.
And around 3 AM, a very familiar face appeared.
An unexpected VIP.
'Assistant Manager Jin Nasol!'
A sharp employee in a suit, wearing a butterfly mask and with her hair neatly tied back, sporting nail art.
Assistant Manager Jin Nasol of Elite A-Squad.
"Mm."
Seeing Supervisor Park Minseong slightly bow his head, Assistant Manager Jin Nasol, who had been fiddling with her nails, seemed to have finally made the connection.
"D-Squad?"
"Ah, yes."
"Heard you went to the Security Team. You're still alive, I see."
"Haha..."
Normally, people would either pretend not to recognize him even if they did, or they would act with a bit of fear and politeness, but she was different, as expected...
And at that exact moment, another Elite Team member visited the annex.
"Helloooo~"
It was Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae, with whom I had worked just yesterday.
She held a large set of snacks wrapped in recycled paper and placed it on the front desk with gusto.
"I heard you were here! I bought these so the three of you could enjoy them together!"
"Mm... Thank you..."
It was Gamtte Oranda, by the way. [1]
I couldn't eat it… but, well, the Sergeant seemed interested, so that was fine.
Surprisingly, Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae didn't stop there. She gently tapped the transport cage I was in and whispered.
Huh…?
"Um, isn't it okay to come out? No civilians come here anyway!"
"Come out? What for?"
To Assistant Manager Jin Nasol's question, Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae scratched the back of her head, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Ah, Assistant Manager, you were here. I didn't buy Oranda for you..."
"..."
The Sergeant, who had sniffed the Oranda and taken a bite, casually turned his head, glanced at the two of them, and weakly gestured towards the box...
"Want one…?"
"No, thank you."
He didn't ask twice.
Assistant Manager Jin Nasol, seemingly unconcerned about the Oranda, looked at Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae with an incredulous expression.
"You want to let out the Darkness that's confined in a transport cage? Are you out of your mind?"
"He’s not confined, it just looks like he went in because it's comfortable! Right?"
>Partial agreement.
>Adapting to public-facing duties.
"..."
Assistant Manager Jin Nasol looked at my smoke, which was forming letters outside the transport cage, and her face showed she had a lot to say, but surprisingly, she apologized immediately.
"I'm sorry."
It's alright... You made a sensible remark.
Supervisor Park Minseong quickly intervened in a gentle tone, speaking to Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae.
"Um, thank you. Actually, one of your teammates was apprehended by the Disaster Management Bureau… so you must be upset, but it's thoughtful of you to care like this."
"Huh? Ah, Ms. Pony."
Lee Seonghae smiled faintly.
"She's not a teammate."
"Ah."
…It suddenly became quiet.
"Is she from an Elite Team?"
"No?"
"I see."
The conversation ended there.
…It seemed that, in Lee Seonghae's eyes, Kang Yihak wasn't exactly a 'good person.'
Assistant Manager Jin Nasol wasn't interested at all. Even though they worked together at the Mermaid's Tomb...
'They're truly consistent people...'
Feeling a pang in my stomach that felt like it was being mashed, I decided to shake the bell once more.
Every time I felt a stress signal, I shook the bell, and now it felt like a stress-relief doll given to you at the dentist… or a stress ball.
"Just give me the access card."
"Ah, yes."
Supervisor Park Minseong, with Oranda in his mouth, issued an access card to Assistant Manager Jin Nasol.
Then, after hesitating, he asked.
"Um, about our squad leader… that is, Section Chief Lee Jaheon of D-Squad, is he doing well?"
"How would I know that?"
Assistant Manager Jin Nasol frowned, but surprisingly, she answered readily.
"He's probably better than before. They've even got new personnel this time."
"…Ah. Is that… so…"
"Well, it's not uncommon for the entire team to change except for the squad leader, so he'll manage."
"..."
"Ah! Speaking of Section Chief Lee Jaheon, I think he went on a long-term Dark Exploration the other day. Something like… a boarding school ghost story?"
Lee Seonghas spoke and added that it seemed to take about 4 or 5 days. Only then did Supervisor Park Minseong smile and nod.
"I see. Thank you."
After the two of them left to attend to their respective business, Supervisor Park Minseong whispered to me.
"If things go well, you might see Section Chief Lee Jaheon too. If he returns from the Darkness this week… I'm a little excited. Aren't you?"
Tap.
"Alright."
And to the smiling Supervisor Park Minseong, I carefully and secretly made a request.
Since there was no one around.
>Request: Transport secretly.
"…Huh?"
And I poked the item with smoke.
"Oh, you want… this?"
Tap.
"Mm, is it okay— Uh, Sergeant?"
"Here..."
Thank you.
I carefully collected the various writing utensils from the front desk that the Sergeant pushed into the transport cage, into the smoke.
And after the first night shift at the annex front desk ended.
[Oh, a resting place! Of course, it's a structure where ventilation is impossible without a window, but my friend says he has no major complaints since he wears a gas mask.]
Back in the isolation room, I sat on the bed.
And very carefully, I tried to perceive within my body...
I tried to move the parts I perceived.
'Come out.'
Outside.
To the place where I originally belonged.
Grind.
Creak.
It sounded like strange noises were coming from inside my body, and I felt like I was going to vomit.
But I could move.
After a period that felt like it would soak my body with sweat, if I could sweat.
'...Done.'
I extended my arm and touched the Security Team uniform on my left forearm, below the elbow, near the wrist.
And I unzipped it.
Zzzzip.
Inside the opened zipper, I saw amorphous, bizarre flesh. Barely holding its shape.
But I also saw what I had intended to locate.
The tattoo.
It changed color, as if activating.
:恩主:
The inventory tattoo.
'Found it.'
I reached my hand into the tattoo.
'…!'
It worked. It still functioned…!
[Ah, it's a passage leading to the manager's office at the Cheerful Theme Park! I remember how that pathetic mountain lodge keeper ended up working in such an esteemed position thanks to you, Mr. Roe Deer...]
It wasn't quite that, but the space had definitely expanded.
And unfortunately, it should have been empty, with most of it gone. I had used up the Wish Ticket after clearing everything out.
I had left some items at the Disaster Management Bureau.
'In the end, I handed most of it over to Section Chief Lee Jaheon...'
I remembered a time when I had put almost all the equipment in a subway locker and sent the location and password to Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
Yes, it should be empty.
But... I felt a strange presence within it.
Things occupying my space.
'There seems to be… something more.'
However, I couldn't examine it further as I couldn't keep the security uniform open for long.
I quickly checked only what I could grasp with my hand, what I had expected.
First, the blue scale.
It was given by the blue dragon mascot of the Cheerful Theme Park.
I was worried about the repercussions if I gave it to someone, so I didn't give it to anyone.
It said I could 'call upon them'… but now… using it would probably just add another item to the company's incident reports, so I'll put it on hold.
'I’ll keep note of it for now.'
I withdrew my hand from the clear, smooth, cool touch.
And… the next item that caught my attention.
Second, the paper boat.
It was left by Baek Saheon, who had escaped from Jisan Village.
[Hmm. Allow this Braun to guess. It's a somewhat personal item, and its value is hard to gauge, so you didn't give it to anyone, did you?]
That was correct.
And perhaps, thanks to this, it might be of great help.
It was a passage that could let me know what happened during the six months I spent with a broken body, without a self in the 13th basement floor.
And also about Jang Heowoon.
[Oh, a passage.]
That's right.
A boat is usually a means of transport to somewhere.
And paper is for writing.
Combining the two and thinking about it...
'It makes me wonder if it's a communication device.'
I took the paper boat out of the tattoo.
And quickly zipped up, tidying my uniform.
'Phew.'
Done. I did it steadily.
And I looked closer at the paper boat.
The boat, made of somewhat used paper, was still kept with care, so despite being a fragile item, there were no parts that were messy or damaged.
'Thinking of it as an item, and considering how to use it…'
This must be it.
I carefully unfolded the boat and flattened the paper.
Then, the side hidden inside the boat was revealed...
[Oh, jackpot, Friend.]
On it, a message was written.
~Are you dead?
Letters written in pencil.
It was Baek Saheon's handwriting.
Of course, I didn't know when it was written.
But judging by the nuance of the message, it wasn't written randomly before escaping Jisan Village.
'It seems like a question aimed at me.'
More precisely, at the 'Agent Grapes' who drew the gold stick in Jisan Village.
'…Good.'
I rummaged through the writing utensils the Sergeant had given me and picked out a pencil.
And I wrote on the paper...
~I am not dead.
A moment later.
~What the…?
The reply came back.
In a hurried, scribbled hand, as if surprised.
TL Notes: -
[1]: Oranda: A snack made by mixing yeast with baking powder to flour and sugar. It’s then cut up to small bean shaped pieces and then fried with syrup. Source (https://namu.wiki/w/오란다#s-3) ↩
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