After a long and arduous struggle, I managed to escape the crazy Red Mascot Zone and finally arrived in the Blue Zone.
There, I met the welcome Team D... and on Section Chief Lizard's shoulder, the body lump of the Team A Leader was dangling precariously.
“…….”
I barely managed to ask.
“Th-that, the corpse on the Leader’s shoulder….”
“Ah, he just fainted.”
Aha.
Was he being safely transported? Just as I was feeling relieved and regaining a sense of familiarity,
The Team D Assistant Manager gestured with his thumb toward a giant tube that the Senior Staff was dragging along.
“The corpse is over there.”
“…….”
To think I’d see a corpse stuffed into a tube and dragged around like that….
“We wrapped it up well, but some parts were a bit... severed.”
Please don't describe it.
“No, I mean, it was really gruesome, okay? Wow….”
“Roe, be careful. The mascot here acts like some kind of incarnation of justice.”
“Pardon?”
The explanation that followed was this.
The mascot here extremely disliked acts of killing between teammates.
“But that Team A Assistant Manager wearing the Mantis Mask decided to cause trouble, claiming he was doing an experiment.”
While riding the first attraction, he had giggled as he drove the Team Y employees into the jaws of death one by one.
Undo your seatbelt, stand up, sing along to the song, do a handstand and go down onto the tracks….
“All three from Team Y died like that. The last employee begged while crying, but he didn’t even blink… it was a bit disgusting.”
“…….”
And it seemed his companions weren't the only ones who felt that way.
The Team D Assistant Manager frowned.
“When we got off the attraction, the mascot was waiting right there for Mantis Mask. It called him a ‘bad child.’ And then….”
Description omitted for the sake of my mental health.
“I thought I was going to throw up.”
“…….”
“Well, honestly, he had it coming! …Though our Section Chief didn't agree.”
The Senior Staff subtly pointed to the Team A Leader draped over Section Chief Lizard's shoulder.
“Speaking of which, why on earth did that person faint?”
“That… well, our Section Chief, uh,”
“…….”
Wa-wait a second.
No way.
“Actually, at that time, that person made some rather unreasonable demands of us. It seemed like he was trying to save his team members somehow.”
And when that went too far….
“The Section Chief just hit him on the back of the neck.”
“…….”
“Hey. We’re going to get our stories straight and say he collapsed on his own because his blood pressure spiked, so you keep your mouth shut too, Roe.”
“Yes.”
I’ll take it to my grave.
“Ah, and, the reason why the Team Y employees are treated like that is….”
“I’ve heard the gist of it. From that person.”
I gestured slightly toward the Assistant Manager wearing the Butterfly Mask.
“…Really? Okay.”
The Senior Staff’s complexion cleared up a bit. It seemed he was relieved to skip a dark topic that was uncomfortable for him to talk about.
“But are your team members okay?”
Ah.
I hurriedly checked the Cow Mask with a hole in his shoulder and the Butterfly Mask with blisters on her face.
“There are people who need first aid. Could we possibly get some help?”
“Yes.”
Suddenly, Section Chief Lizard dropped the luggage on his shoulder… the Team A Leader, onto the floor with a thud.
Then he started shaking the Leader’s shoulders.
“W-wait a moment, Section Chief!”
“Ugh, argh!”
“…?!”
Having shaken the Team A Leader awake, Section Chief Lizard said with a nonchalant face.
“Section Chief Seok. There is an employee who needs treatment.”
“Wh-what….”
The Team A Leader, who had been looking dazed, suddenly snapped to attention and pointed a finger at Section Chief Lizard.
“You!! You!”
“Yes.”
“What happened to Assistant Manager Lee! The one in the Mantis Mask….”
“He is dead.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…And what were you doing while he was dying?”
“We waited until he died, then we collected the body and rode the next attraction.”
Good grief.
The Team A Leader looked momentarily speechless, then finally managed to stammer out.
“You... you watched my Team A die?? Lee Jaheon, are you in your right mind?? How are you going to take responsibility! This loss…!”
“? I am the Leader of Team D. Team A is not under my jurisdiction.”
The Lizard narrowed his pupils as if puzzled.
“The loss caused by the death of Assistant Manager Lee Seokjong of Team A is your responsibility as the Leader.”
“…….”
T-to think I’d see someone actually say such things in a company.
Even if they have the same rank title, since it's an Elite Squad, the other person must be senior to him.
My spine chilled in a slightly different sense.
“…….”
The Team A Leader stared quietly at Section Chief Lee Jaheon with bloodshot eyes.
“Even while unconscious, you rode all three attractions together and met the clear conditions. Now, treat the employees and take responsibi—”
“Leader.”
This wasn't the sound of someone stopping Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
It was the calm voice of Assistant Manager Butterfly Mask addressing the Team A Leader, who was on the verge of losing his mind.
“Wouldn't it be better to talk after we get out? Let's clear this before any more variables appear. You also have to meet those crazy people from Research Team 1.”
“……Right. You're right.”
The eyes inside the Mallard Mask blinked and slowly settled down.
It seemed the primary target of his anger had been fixed once again.
However, he managed to leave one last word.
“Leader Lee Jaheon, we’ll see each other outside.”
“Yes.”
The Senior Staff whispered to me subtly.
“It’s okay. Hearing lines like that is an annual event for our Leader.”
“…….”
Is it... really okay?
‘One thing’s for sure, I don’t have the seniority to get involved here.’
Let's just shut up and stay out of sight.
Anyway, the Team A Leader used his Exclusive Equipment to treat Assistant Manager Butterfly Mask.
Watching the skin near her jaw and head regenerate as if it were being rewound was marvelous.
“There are hardly any employees with Exclusive Equipment like that. I’m jealous.”
Me too.
‘Is there any way to get something like that?’
It felt like my survival rate would go up considerably with something like that.
I watched the Team A Leader's Exclusive Equipment, the Healing Ring, quite intently.
‘Healing… I see.’
After confirming that the Butterfly Mask employee was fairly well healed, the Team A Leader tried to pass by without even considering the Team Y Rookie with holes in his shoulder, but….
“Could you perhaps treat this one as well? We have to travel together, and I’m worried their mobility might be compromised.”
“…!”
Surprisingly, the Team A Assistant Manager had subtly pushed for the treatment of me and the Team Y Rookie.
Thanks to that, the Team Y Rookie, whose shoulder had healed in an instant, blinked his eyes under the Cow Mask.
“…Thank you.”
The Team A Assistant Manager nodded slightly.
‘Is he the type who moves purely thinking about work efficiency…?’
As soon as the mechanism of how this ghost story worked was understood, and safety and escape methods were secured, his decision-making style had shifted toward minimizing risk.
‘Is that type the elite in this company…?’
I decided to keep an eye on Team A's equipment and characteristics and remember them. …It would be nice if I could forget the corpses in the tube while I'm at it.
“Well then, let’s ride the two attractions we took and get out of here quickly.”
“Ah, thank you.”
As soon as the treatment process was over, the Red Team moved toward the attractions to fill the remaining slots on their Ride Ticket Bracelets.
The others followed without leaving.
“It’ll be over in exactly 30 minutes, so don’t worry.”
It seemed they were waiting to check the situation and look after the rookies.
I was grateful, but thinking about the corpse tube following us, I felt it might be less scary if they just left….
“As I said earlier, the mascot here is quite moral for a monster.”
Hmm. I had guessed that since the phone call.
‘If they rode three attractions that quickly, there must be only one reason.’
A generous mascot that doesn't demand anything humanly excessive.
These teams were lucky enough to hit such a zone against all odds.
“It even answered kindly when we asked what was inside the attraction. It even gave us a souvenir for being the first to ride three.”
Must be nice. Having such an easy time.
While someone else was suffering in that insane Magic Bunny Zone….
The strange thing was that, in terms of survival rate alone, the Red Team had more survivors since everyone survived.
Anyway, the Red Team soon arrived at the entrance of an attraction where a blue dragon character riding a Dolphin was smiling.
And once inside the attraction… a Human Figure with a cutely exaggerated blue dragon head was visible.
A Blue Mascot wearing a life jacket.
H e l l o
The mascot waved a greeting sign.
I bowed my head slightly to greet it. The mascot greeted me back.
“Hmm.”
Then we boarded a Flume Ride named ‘Blue Mountain.’ It was a typical ride where you board a boat and move along while enjoying the water streams.
The other two from the Field Exploration Team also boarded safely.
The problem was the last person.
“F*ck.”
The Researcher’s mouth twitched, and he spat an insult at the mascot.
His hatred and fear toward Magic Bunny seemed to finally burst out upon seeing a mascot that was similar but less terrifying.
“These f*cking creepy bastards….”
“Hurry up and get on.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Glancing back at the mascot, the Researcher boarded the attraction.
The button-like eyes of the blue dragon mascot watched that scene in silence.
“…….”
As a result of successfully boarding the remaining attractions like that.
[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Boarding Pass ■■■]
“Finally…!”
“Whew.”
Finally, all the slots on the Boarding Pass were filled.
“The exit is to the north. We will move out.”
“Yes!”
We were soaked, but that didn't matter. The important thing was that we could finally escape this damned theme park.
‘I don’t want to go anywhere within a 1km radius of an amusement park for a while….’
G o o d b y e
P l e a s e C o m e A g a i n
Above the gate machines at the north exit, a typical goodbye sign was flashing.
And next to it stood the Blue Mascot dressed in formal attire.
“It says we should scan our used boarding passes here and leave.”
The Blue Mascot politely pointed to the gate machines with its hand.
“Now then, the Leaders should go first. Hurry.”
The Team D Assistant Manager made the wise choice of organizing the situation and sending the bosses off first.
As people left one by one, it was about time for those below the rank of Assistant Manager to leave.
“Now then, Assistant Manager Jin, please go first….”
“G-get out of the way!”
The Researcher pushed the employees aside and rushed toward the gate first.
“What the….”
The Senior Staff and Assistant Managers looked a bit dumbfounded, but they seemed to let it slide with a ‘that’s just how civilians are’ attitude.
It’s not like they lose anything by leaving a few seconds later.
Regardless, the Researcher frantically tried to scan his Ride Ticket Bracelet at the gate.
‘That must be a habit of his.’
Honestly, it made me frown….
B a d C h i l d
“…Eh?”
The Researcher turned his head.
His Ride Ticket Bracelet was being held by the claws of the Blue Dragon Mascot.
The paper bracelet was crumpled.
Y o u
Snap,
B a d C h i l d
Snap, snap,
I t I s Y o u
It snapped.
Whoosh.
The Researcher looked at the scrap of the bracelet falling to the floor with a stupid, uncomprehending expression.
And then.
“Haaaaaagh, aaagh!!”
The blue dragon's mouth swung wide open.
“Save me! Help me!”
He was being sucked in.
Beside me, the Cow Mask muttered as if possessed.
“Ooooh scary the sea god is angry the evil one is being sucked into that tidal wave scary….”
I covered the Team Y Rookie's mouth and pushed his head down.
I also lowered my own head and didn't look.
“Aaaaagh!!”
So it ends like this after all….
When you move to another zone, the aggro you drew from the previous zone's mascot disappears.
However, the things you have done accumulate.
==========
Cheerful Theme Park User Guide (Applied up to Exploration Record No. 64)
6. Don't forget that the theme park is a public space!
Please observe etiquette and manners when using public facilities! Numerous eyes are watching you, and no one forgets.
Look, the mascot is behind you.
==========
Every mascot knows what you have done inside the Cheerful Theme Park.
That means it knew what the Researcher had done before, too.
-Get out of the way, f*ck!
Even the fact that he had pushed the Team A Assistant Manager to die in his place while running away from the Red Mascot.
‘They probably tried to give him a pass considering the extreme situation….’
The problem was that he repeated the same behavior.
‘It’s karma, I guess.’
The Researcher's screams that had been ringing in my ears were now turning into wails.
“That f*cking bastard tried to kill me too!! Why only me, why me!! You piece of trash, tras—”
True.
But the Team A Assistant Manager had never actually carried it out. He listened when persuaded.
‘But you didn't.’
At this point, even I, a resident of the Coward's Shelter, thought he had brought it on himself.
-S a v e m e u a a a a a a g h…
The Researcher’s voice stretched out like taffy, leaving a bone-chilling eeriness behind.
‘Ugh.’
Just as my coward's heart reacted reflexively and my body was about to bolt.
“Don’t.”
“…….”
The Team A employee grabbed my arm and held me down.
And said, as if to dissuade me.
“You can’t save him.”
I… didn't even have the intention to try.
Anyway, I stayed still as told.
Soon the screams vanished, and the eerie feeling in the air subsided.
When I lifted my head, the Blue Dragon Mascot was simply standing there politely in its neat attire, just as before.
It was hard to believe it had just killed someone.
It became a bit more terrifying.
‘The criteria are... stricter than I thought.’
As expected of a ghost story.
It seemed this mascot had its own beliefs or standards. Beyond simply not harming teammates.
‘Let's act carefully.’
“…Let’s try going out again.”
“Yes.”
One person, two people, the remaining people left again.
I wondered, but as expected, it was in order of seniority.
“See you outside.”
I gave up and sent my superiors first.
And after seeing off my fellow coward as well.
I finally stood at the gate next to the Blue Dragon Mascot.
“…….”
The dragon, cutely Deformed, looked at me with its round eyes.
Um, could you please not look at me.
To be honest, I'm really scared. Being the last one left right now is also extremely nerve-wracking. I'm only overexerting myself so people don't find out I'm a coward.
It was then.
Y o u A r e a G o o d C h i l d
“…!”
Ah, is it reassuring me?
The mascot’s voice didn't sound as eerie as before.
‘Property damage… I guess they really are letting it slide.’
Thank goodness.
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head and tried to pass.
But the mascot moved and blocked my path.
“…?”
G o o d C h i l d r e n
G e t P r e s e n t s
The blue dragon reached out.
And lightly grabbed my wrist.
To be precise, the Ride Ticket Bracelet hanging there.
[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Boarding Pass ■■■]
The bracelet seemed to grow slightly warm, and then, as the mascot took its hand away….
[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasy Land Membership Card ◎]
The text changed.
L e t ’ s K e e p P l a y i n g
…Eh?
Discussion