“Oh, Roe is here!”
“Yeah. Did you get the Regeneration Potion okay?”
“Yes.”
As I returned to the office, I greeted my superiors who were lounging around after having already finished their lunch.
However, my superiors saw the translucent reinforced plastic box in my hand and straightened up with serious expressions.
“…!”
“Wait a minute, is that the Darkness you’re in charge of, Roe?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
I lifted the transport box to show them the inside.
Inside, two black cards were clacking against each other.
The F-Class Darkness I had chosen.
==========
Dark Exploration Record / ghost story
[Quantum Choice]
: Identification Code for the ghost story appearing in the <Dark Exploration Record>, Daydream Inc., is Qterw-F-2073.
Two plain black cards measuring 60mm wide and 110mm long.
However, when the owner flips the cards at midnight, the image on the front is revealed. The theme is randomly selected from the Major Arcana of
the Tarot.
That point actually manifests in the future.
==========
It was a low-grade Darkness, small and portable enough to be managed by a single employee, but….
In fact, it was the most dangerous and uncertain ghost story among the three candidates I had been given.
This was because it was related to the future.
The superiors seemed to recognize it, as their expressions turned grave.
“That’s a bit intense for a newbie.”
“Right? Don’t they usually give out something easier? Even when I was a newbie, I just got a radio. You saw it on your first day of work too, right, Roe? That one even got reset to Twilight Grade.”
Ah, that radio.
‘Was the Assistant Manager the one managing it?’
No wonder it was sitting so openly in the office.
The Assistant Manager said with a slightly worried tone.
“Is it because the higher-ups have such high expectations because Roe is doing so well… Oh, Group Leader!”
Group Leader Lizard, who was entering the office, turned his head at the sound of being called.
“About what you said regarding letting Roe choose a Darkness himself, roughly when will that be… is it not yet?”
“It was 20 minutes ago.”
“…?”
“…??”
“He chose it 20 minutes ago.”
The superiors looked back at me.
“Roe.”
“Yes.”
“Did you choose that one out of the options the Group Leader gave you?”
“Yes.”
I nodded with a blank expression.
“They give overtime pay for it.”
“…….”
“…….”
“Because this Darkness needs to be managed regularly at night.”
The faces of the two superiors became wistful.
“Ah….”
“Hmm, that’s so like Roe.”
And then they became peaceful.
“…….”
Just where exactly is my image heading….
‘Should I be happy that I’m successfully establishing my character?’
Sob.
I held back my tears and turned on my PC.
“Are you registering it now?”
“Yes. I’m entering my employee ID now.”
When I find the corresponding Darkness code in the ‘Unassigned Darkness List’ on the intranet and register my account….
Done.
Qterw-F-2073 : Kim Soleum (Assistant Manager)
With this, I finally had a Darkness of my own to manage.
“Even if it’s F-Class, it’s still a Supernatural Phenomenon. Be careful when you’re managing it.”
“Yes.”
I read the management instructions for that Darkness.
The method for using this ghost story, which I already knew.
[Flip cards at midnight / Once a month]
And a few days later at midnight.
I came out to the company Annex for overtime.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The employee sitting at the desk, dressed entirely in pitch-black clothes, nodded his head and opened the hallway for me.
Following that path and opening the correct door….
“There you are.”
I could see the two black cards I had to ‘manage’ today.
I carefully stepped inside the iron door and closed it.
Then, I opened the card storage box, took out this Darkness, ‘Quantum Choice’, and placed it face down on the round table prepared in this space.
-Are you doing a reading? Occult verification used to be a regular topic on talk shows! Now, Mr. Roe Deer. Check your future!
It’s a bit different.
“It’s not about seeing the future.”
-Hm?
“It’s about choosing it.”
==========
Interpretation
Mysterious Tarot cards that, after previewing two cards and choosing one, cause an event matching that symbol to occur in the near future.
However, it must be an event that could plausibly happen in the person’s daily life. (Things like winning the lottery are not possible.)
==========
That’s right.
These were cards that allowed one to choose what would happen in the near future in the form of a Quantum Choice.
Of course, that doesn’t always mean something good.
I reached out and flipped the two cards placed on the table.
As if by magic, images in an ornate style revealed themselves.
The Devil. The Moon.
‘Damn it.’
Like this.
-Oops. Neither of those are symbols with traditionally good meanings!
Well, depending on the field of the question, they aren’t symbols that necessarily have a bad meaning, but… generally speaking, that is the case.
In other words, if both options are bad, it actually means you’re just unnecessarily adding one bad event.
And considering that more than half of Tarot cards can be interpreted as having ambiguous or bad meanings, the probability of this was at least 1/4.
But….
-Have you decided which of the two to choose?
“Yeah.”
Because I’m going to do it in a slightly different way.
I moved to the opposite side of the table where the cards were placed.
‘This way, naturally….’
From the other side of the table, the cards appear upside down.
If I pick up a card in this state….
-Ho, it’s in the reversed position.
I looked at the card I was holding upside down.
‘I heard you should never do this when doing a reading normally.’
Since it was an F-Class ghost story, its power wasn’t great and it had many loopholes, so it seemed like these kinds of tricks worked.
‘Even if the trick fails, it just ends with it returning to being a black card.’
So I took a chance, and it seemed to have been a decent choice.
And the card I chose was….
-The Moon. Ah, a symbol of confusion!
I looked down at the Moon card, where a yellowish full moon hung upside down.
-Originally, the Moon is a symbol of mystery and uncertainty. In a place where the sun has vanished and the moon has risen, vague forms and suspicion grow, and finally… madness is bound to be revealed.
-But if it’s reversed, it would be the opposite, right?
Hmm.
‘Does it mean something will be clearly revealed?’
-That’s quite nice. The resolution of uncertainty! Wouldn’t you be able to clear your mind?
I thought so too.
‘In this crazy Ghost Story Worldview where it’s hard to see even an inch ahead, it would be good if something certain came out.’
-Is this the end?
“That’s right.”
I put the cards back in order.
The cycle for this divination is once a month.
Meaning, it’s an everyday occurrence that will happen within this month.
Although there was a clear limit that the event had to be on an everyday level, the thing is, my daily life involves working at a ghost story company…….
If so, I thought it might actually be quite helpful for survival.
‘Even if it’s not, it’s good to fix one positive future, however small.’
Isn't it great that the ghost story I'm managing is a benefit rather than a burden?
I decided not to be too greedy…….
Thump.
“…….”
I heard a sound from outside.
This was the Annex.
A place where relatively safe Darknesses were stored. Mostly Twilight Grade, occasionally including F-Class….
But in the end, they were all ghost stories.
Thump.
Occasionally.
On very rare occasions, if an unexpected situation occurs due to a management failure… one or two people dying is nothing.
I stood in front of the iron door.
‘……How far away is that sound?’
Should I wait here, or….
K-BOOOM!!
“…!”
I immediately opened the iron door and ran.
Because it definitely sounded like something had exploded!
‘The survival probability is higher if I run and escape this place rather than getting trapped inside.’
I ran toward the lobby intending to dash out the entrance, but….
The floor was already half-destroyed.
“…….”
-My! This is quite a messy sight.
Various crazy possibilities flashed through my mind.
But immediately after, in the middle of the broken lobby floor, I saw a Human Figure firmly pressing down on something smashed with their foot.
“…!”
It was the black-clad employee who had been sitting at the front.
And seeing that posture, as if he had ‘suppressed’ the Darkness….
‘He was a Security Team employee!’
And the situation seemed to have already ended.
The sound I heard seemed to be the noise generated while the Security Team was suppressing it.
‘I guess they don’t just put anyone at the Annex desk.’
I hesitated before asking from about 4 meters away.
“Is there anything I can help with?”
The black employee shook his head.
Thank you so much….
Let’s get out of here quickly.
“Then, I’ll be going now.”
The employee looked at me for a moment, then reached out to the side and picked something up from the desk to show me.
It was a Post-it note.
[Have a good night.]
He has surprisingly good social skills.
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head. The desk employee, draped entirely in black, gave a light nod in return, then pulled back his foot and returned to sit at the desk.
On the lobby floor, I could see fragments of glass, which were likely the medium for the ghost story, sparkling in their shattered state.
In that reflected light, the employee’s leg shadow looked strangely distorted, appearing like a crooked hoof for a moment…… before returning to looking like a human’s.
‘Whew….’
Don’t look.
I walked out of the Annex without staring at anything.
“Goodness.”
All sorts of events happen as if they’re just part of daily life.
‘As expected, I think fixing one good everyday event to occur was a good choice.’
Life was tough and difficult, but I felt a bit better thinking that I seemed to be navigating through it well somehow.
Hmm. Come to think of it, I remember a time when I communicated through Written Conversation just like that employee.
[Have a good day^^]
I’m talking about the one-on-one on-site transaction on the second-hand market where I sold ghost story food for a whopping forty million won.
I had used Written Conversation to hide my voice too.
Back then, I had sold the churros given to me by the blue dragon Mascot of the theme park.
‘I do have one more bag of those churros.’
I still don’t plan on selling them just in case, but… hmm.
I realized that I possessed quite a few Items related to food, more than I thought.
The quantities of various things were decent.
‘Maybe it’s better to sell one or two and turn them into money.’
If someone is still looking for them, that is.
Since I thought of it, I logged into Salmon Market to check.
Surprisingly, a post had been uploaded again.
[Buying food derived from Anomalous Phenomena.]
For research purposes.
Preference for strong Anomalous Phenomena (Disaster Management Bureau Waveform Anomaly).
40.0
-This guy must never get tired of this
-LOL at this point, you’re an idiot if you get fished by this, right?
Hmm.
‘If he already used the churros for research….’
I sent a message.
[BlueFriend : Hello teacher^^ I’ve obtained food again, would you happen to be interested?]
And two days later, the weekend.
I ended up waiting for the second-hand trade partner at Gwanghwamun Station Exit 5, just like last time.
‘I guess trust is important for people after all.’
Because I had sold him an item that met the criteria once before, this time he didn't say much and just set a time.
Even this time, the partner was already waiting at the exit first.
Just like last time, he was dressed in dark clothing, from a hat to a mask.
I recognized him by the drink box in his hand. Well, I couldn't really say anything since I was dressed similarly.
[Hello^^]
This time too, I opened my notebook to show the greeting. The partner didn't seem flustered, as if he had expected it.
[Here is the item I prepared.]
And inside the box I held out were two cookies from the Alice Picnic Set.
Why did I choose these? It’s simple.
‘The expiration date is almost up.’
Being snacks, they had a set consumption deadline!
Since they were items that halved or inflated effects, there weren't as many occasions to use them as I thought, so quite a few were left over.
Still, because using the drink in the Tuesday Quiz Show had been such a super save, I couldn't bring myself to take out the drinks and brought the cookies instead.
‘And the cookie form is harder to use anyway.’
Wouldn't it be a waste to just leave them like this until the consumption deadline ends?
On the other hand, using an item past its consumption deadline? I didn't particularly want to see what would happen.
Anyway, I put the items out and waited for the buyer’s appraisal.
The buyer, like before, swept his gloved hand over the box once….
And shook his head slightly.
“This isn't what I was looking for.”
Mm. As expected.
‘I didn't think it was at the level of a Waveform grade.’
Since mass-produced Items feel relatively low-risk and passive, there’s a difference in quality like this compared to bizarre objects obtained directly from high-grade ghost stories….
‘It’s a shame, but nothing can be done.’
Still, it’s worth trying to negotiate….
“Therefore, I will purchase them at half the price per piece.”
Thank you for the cool transaction.
‘I wonder if this person would try to kill me out of regret if he knew about the existence of the Alien Shop….’
Just in case, I decided to lay some groundwork.
I hurriedly scribbled in my notebook.
[Thank you. I really needed the money.]
“…….”
[I didn't think it was dangerous food this time, but the expiration date is almost up, so you should probably research it within that time. I’ll give you a few more.]
As I said that, I tucked a small bag containing one or two additional cookies on top.
‘You could call it a bonus.’
It was for building trust to continue future transactions. I brought them for negotiation, but I ended up using them like this.
At this level, wouldn't I be considered a truly kind second-hand trader? Especially in a Ghost Story Worldview.
It was just as I received the drink box containing the cash from the buyer and was about to leave the spot.
I heard the buyer’s voice.
“Excuse me.”
Hm?
“How do you come to possess such things?”
Hmm.
[I’m afraid I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.]
This much should be enough.
It’s a platform for trading supernatural objects, so everyone is bound to have their own story. Let’s just let him imagine.
‘The Alien Shop shows up as a non-existent page even if you access it, unless you’re someone who saw the ad directly.’
Even so, I was prepared to bolt if he pressed further.
“…….”
The buyer pulled a pen out of his pocket and wrote something in the notebook I was holding.
“If a dangerous situation arises, contact this number.”
Eh?
“Then, excuse me.”
The buyer left, and I checked the notebook.
1717 8282 42
“…!”
‘This is a government number.’
It was the emergency relief request call that connected directly to the Disaster Management Bureau.
In short, 119 for ghost stories.
‘Was he affiliated with them?’
No wonder he used their grade expressions too.
I shrugged my shoulders and tucked the money and notebook away.
Daydream Inc., as expected of a predatory conglomerate, had a bad relationship with the government. And there was no way that I, an employee working there, would ever have a reason to get involved with them to the point of calling this number….
‘There shouldn't be, right?’
Yes. There was!
It was that very evening, when I returned to the company housing.
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