“I-is it really okay for just the three of us to go? Is this right?”
“It should be fine.”
Probably.
Understanding the unspoken words, Go Yeongeun swallowed a scream.
After Kim Soleum persuaded the superiors, he took his two colleagues out of the terrace room to ‘use’ the item.
‘I probably did that on purpose to appear logical.’
Since I told them the item owner was one of We Help, it wouldn’t be awkward for that person to move.
…Though being tied together with Baek Saheon as ‘We Help’ is a bit, well, unpleasant….
‘But he’s being strangely quiet right now.’
However, for now, I was much more concerned about what was about to happen.
“Then, I will take out the candle.”
“Yes!”
Go Yeongeun returned the piece of paper she had received from Kim Soleum, and Kim Soleum unfolded it.
Then, something amazing happened.
A heavy, cylindrical lump of light purple wax rolled into his palm.
It was a real candle.
“…!”
The fact that the frame drawn with crayons remained like an embossed pattern made it intuitively clear.
The candle that had been a drawing had become a reality.
‘…Wow.’
I forgot the situation for a moment and marveled at it.
As I recalled the brief explanation of what we were going to do with that candle, expectation swelled in my mind.
“Please wait a moment.”
After taking a deep breath, Kim Soleum took out a lighter and tried to light the candle’s wick.
Whoosh.
The flame swept across the wick and…….
Nothing happened.
“…….”
“…….”
Why… won’t it light?
Kim Soleum even showed off the crazy ability of summoning a third hand by flipping a coin into the air to try and light it, but that didn’t work either.
“…Ah.”
As if suddenly remembering something, Kim Soleum pulled out the instructions for the candle kit and quickly read through them.
“Is there a problem?”
“…….”
Then, with a somewhat dry face, he lowered the instructions.
“No. I’m not sure.”
Actually, I knew.
It was one of the phrases written under ‘Precautions for Handling and Use’ at the end of the notice written in messy, dark red letters.
The ‘Recommended Users.’
※This toy was created to relieve the fatigue of modern Earthlings.
For safety, aliens, extra-dimensionals, non-intelligent beings, gods, and any other non-human intelligent beings cannot use it. :)
‘…I might not qualify.’
Because Kim Soleum wasn’t actually a person of this place.
A chill ran down my spine, but I knew that wasn’t the priority.
I had to hand it over to someone trustworthy.
Someone with a low probability of acting out, and someone with social skills and morality.
“Ms. Goral.”
“…!”
“Please.”
Go Yeongeun eventually swallowed her saliva and took the candle.
Then, she took the lighter and, with trembling hands, held it over the candle’s wick.
Whoosh.
The flame swept across the wick and….
It flared up.
“…!”
Then, letters began to appear on the body of the candle as if light was shining through.
The keywords of the cards that had been drawn.
[Honor] [Interference] [Falsehood]
—Do you remember the cards we drew when making the candle earlier? They tell us what kind of ability the candle that will be made will have.
The explanation I heard from Kim Soleum came to mind, and at the same time, other phrases floated up from the candle.
The practitioner must lift this candlelight toward an honorable subject, rely on the power of interference, and reveal a false appearance.
A blessing is given to the practitioner holding the candle.
The Impersonator of Nobility.
Go Yeongeun held the candle high.
A round ball of fire rose from the candle like a lantern, hovered over her head, and then disappeared.
Then, as if under a small spotlight, her surroundings were softly illuminated.
‘Wow…….’
“The effect is exactly as expected.”
Kim Soleum, who was watching with a faint smile, nodded and said.
“Up to two people around Ms. Goral are affected by the candle’s area, so Goat and I will follow behind.”
“Yes.”
She wondered if it would have been better to recruit someone other than Baek Saheon, but since it was Kim Soleum who made this item, Go Yeongeun nodded without a word.
Kim Soleum whispered again.
“However, there is something you must be careful of. …Do not look back at us. We only receive the effect when we are hidden behind the one holding the candlelight.”
“……Yes.”
“And do not look too closely into the candle. …Your mind could be eroded by it.”
Go Yeongeun nodded slowly.
Tension tightened her shoulders, but Go Yeongeun somehow regained her composure.
Since this was her specialty.
“Since you said the exit is on the ground floor earlier… then that means we start from the 4th floor, the middle floor, right? That way, the number of possibilities is minimized.”
“Yes. Good.”
Their steps began.
Thinking about what was about to happen was enough to turn one’s spine cold, but Go Yeongeun bit her lip.
I must be the most faint-hearted one here, and yet I’m the one holding the candle.
‘I have to do my best.’
She had no idea that the biggest coward among them was right behind her!
Thud, thud.
The sound of three people’s footsteps echoed in the bronze hall. Until they reached the 4th floor, the sound of the Guide Machine was strangely absent….
But she couldn’t feel relieved.
Because their destination was….
“Found it.”
Right in front of a Guide Machine.
“…….”
The new employees of <Daydream Inc.> who had come up to the 4th floor followed the sound of the machine and finally found the Guide Machine in charge of the 4th-floor hallway.
Creeeeeak.
“If you run away now and leave the candlelight’s range, it’ll chase you.”
“I know that!”
the cold exchange between Kim Soleum and Baek Saheon made Go Yeongeun’s heart go cold as well.
It felt as though those needle-like parts would move at any moment to gouge out her eyes….
Go Yeongeun swallowed hard and moved forward.
Step by step.
With every step, the image of the machine reflected in the candlelight wavered.
Standing before the grotesque, spider-like machine, Go Yeongeun gave a slight nod.
“Hello.”
Creeeeeak.
The Guide Machine moved.
Its eight needles were thrust into the air, and then…….
They were soon neatly arranged and softly lowered around the machine’s body.
Then the machine raised its head and politely shone its gas lamp near Go Yeongeun’s feet.
“…!”
It worked.
Go Yeongeun swallowed her saliva.
The candle’s blessing was currently being successfully applied to her.
A blessing that allowed her to impersonate an honorable person.
—The first card drawn is the purpose of the effect, the second is the method, and the last is the essence of the effect.
—Combining them well, it creates a falsehood that interferes with others for the sake of something honorable….
—It’s likely an ability related to impersonation or deception.
And right now, Go Yeongeun was impersonating the most suitable ‘honorable person.’
The subject the Guide Machine is most friendly toward.
Namely….
‘A customer who has properly paid all their fees!’
Go Yeongeun asked the Guide Machine in the calmest tone she could muster.
“If the answer to my question is negative, please stay still, and if it is positive, please nod your head.”
Silence.
“……Did the customers who finished their viewing and returned home go to the upper floors from this 4th floor?”
…….
“Did the customers who finished their viewing and returned home go to the lower floors from this 4th floor?”
Nod.
“……!”
It works!
The candle-bearer was overwhelmed with joy but managed to finish the conversation.
“Thank you. I will be on my way to continue the viewing.”
The Guide Machine stood there quietly.
Until the three people within the candlelight left.
The moment they turned the corner, Go Yeongeun couldn’t help but shout.
“It worked…!”
“Take it slow. The candle burns for about two hours, so it’s important not to let it go out in the middle.”
“Yes!”
And it was repeated.
“Did the customers who finished their viewing and returned home go to the lower floors from this 3rd floor?”
Nod.
“Thank you!”
It worked this time as well. The three new recruits moved their feet, now swelling with the thrilling hope of escape.
At this rate.
‘Either the 1st or 2nd floor…!’
The same prediction took root in everyone’s minds.
Go Yeongeun bit her tongue and struggled not to get overexcited.
‘Carefully, carefully!’
If she accidentally knocked over the candle, it would be the end.
If she didn’t want to escape with her eyes, tongue, or limbs gouged out, she had to be calm.
At the very moment she took a calm step forward.
Grab.
Something grabbed her foot.
Go Yeongeun froze and lowered her gaze.
There was a human there with a telephoto lens shoved in place of eyes.
In a disheveled state, he crawled along the floor, struggling and grabbing the hem of her pants.
“Goral! Ms. Goral!!”
“…!!”
“Take me with you!”
The R-Team Leader.
He was Go Yeongeun’s boss.
I watched the person in front of me stop walking.
I knew the reason.
Because someone grabbing the front person’s pant leg was desperately shouting!
“Ms. Goral! Equipment, if you take me out of here, I’ll make equipment for you! You can use equipment that a Section Chief rank has right away! Huh?!”
‘Ms. Go Yeongeun was in the R-Team.’
He was probably the Section Chief of the R-Team.
But his appearance was far too pathetic for someone who was the leader of a Field Exploration team.
It wasn’t like his limbs had been seized as fees, but he couldn’t get up from the floor, as if they were all broken.
‘Did internal conflict break out?’
A team leader should have been able to endure with their own equipment and items and hide here and there quite well, so seeing him in that state made it almost certain.
A state where the sense of impending death had reached his throat.
And in that situation, when his team’s new recruit appeared with an item that looked very extraordinary, he had jumped out.
Sensing that it was his last lifeline.
“Ms. Goral! That’s an item, isn’t it! Haaah, it, it looks good. Uh, me, take me with you too, okay?”
“Wow, isn’t he scared? He’s just blabbing.”
Baek Saheon muttered softly.
Then, he said this to Go Yeongeun.
“Shall we check if the monster machine is coming after hearing the sound? He doesn’t seem like he can run away in that state anyway.”
“Pardon? What kind of bullshit is that….”
“…….”
The R-Team Leader, who was begging Go Yeongeun, looked up at Baek Saheon.
the telephoto lens glinted.
“Which team’s recruit are you?”
“…….”
“Ah. Right. It’s not important…. What’s important is getting out of here. But you know……. The item our team’s recruit is using is a candle? It’s a consumable.”
“…!”
“The flame… using the flame as a medium, yeah, is it for defense? Yeah, it seems like it…. Then what if I shake it like this, like this! What if the flame goes out?”
“Ack,”
Go Yeongeun, who almost faltered for a moment, quickly steadied the candle.
‘This crazy bastard.’
The moment I was about to summon my Exclusive Equipment in the air and tear the R-Team Leader away with three hands, the leader clung to Go Yeongeun’s foot again.
“Even if I’m in this state, would I know less than the new recruits?? Take me with you!”
“…You left me behind, Leader.”
Go Yeongeun whispered with an eerie quietness.
“When the machine appeared, you pushed me and left.”
“…!”
Since all the employees had entered separately, I thought Ms. Go Yeongeun had been alone because she hadn’t met her team members in the meantime….
So that’s why she was alone.
“No! I did as much as I could! I couldn’t die trying to save a recruit, so I left you! You can take me with you now! If the circumstances allow, a human should act like a human!”
The leader screamed and clung on as if struggling.
Not even tears came out of the eye sockets that had turned into lenses.
“If you don’t take me, it’s murder, murder! Just try to leave me. I’ll make sure to break that item. Somehow!! Uh…!”
Thump.
“…!”
Slump.
The R-Team Leader’s body went limp and he collapsed to the side.
Baek Saheon returned his left foot, which had struck the leader’s temple, to its original position.
“…….”
And so did I.
I recalled the third hand that had struck the back of the R-Team Leader’s head into my glove.
‘H-he’s still breathing, right?’
No, only one person should have hit him, but it just had to overlap like this.
At any rate, the situation seemed settled.
I looked at the fallen, shabby salaryman in his 40s.
‘…Is his Field Exploration experience showing?’
He had spun a sophistry that mixed pleas that would prick a recruit’s conscience and threats they would fear quite in balance.
Go Yeongeun was holding the candle steadily, but she seemed to be looking down at the miserable state of her direct superior with trembling eyes….
Then Baek Saheon spoke lightly.
“It’s settled. Now, let’s just take his head?”
…What?
“No.”
“He’s going to die soon anyway, so it’ll be easier for him, and we can get the fee to use when we need Plan B. There’s not a single bad thing about it, is there?”
“Think of Ms. Goral’s mental distress when cutting the neck. It will be hard to maintain composure after killing an acquaintance yourself.”
As Baek Saheon and I spoke from both sides, Ms. Go Yeongeun’s face turned paler.
“No, what is this, no…….”
“What are you talking about? There’s nothing a person can’t do to survive; I’m saying we can definitely do it.”
“We cannot. Do not listen to him, Ms. Goral.”
“Goral….”
“Wait!”
“…….”
“…….”
“I’ll just… do this.”
After gripping the candle tightly, Go Yeongeun kicked the R-Team Leader and pushed him into a dark corner of the sofa.
And she let out a long sigh.
“This way, he won’t be caught by the machine right away…. Let’s go now. Before the candle wears out.”
“…….”
I nodded.
However, Baek Saheon frowned.
“She’s making things complicated. He’s going to die anyway.”
“…Since Darling saved his life thanks to a kind person, why don’t you stop talking like that?”
“…….”
Go Yeongeun let out a long sigh.
“Still, thank you both. I almost got caught up in it with my eyes wide open.”
“It was nothing.”
Surprisingly, Baek Saheon shut his mouth. I thought he would be sarcastic or try to extort something, so it was unexpected.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
We went down the stairs again.
The interference and the incident were over.
The goal was right before our eyes.
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