A secluded mountain lodge turned into a complete mess with severed body parts and a pentagram drawn in blood.
In the middle of it, a civil servant stands holding a butcher knife in front of a woman who has fainted yet again.
And me, watching the whole scene from the second-floor railing.
If I hadn't known it was all fake, it would have been a living room crazy enough to make anyone pass out.
However, the Caretaker who appeared from the back door was polite.
“Have you been staying comfortably?”
As if.
But there was no need to waste energy, so I just stood there silently.
The Caretaker didn't bother with obvious excuses like, ‘I stepped out to ensure you could stay comfortably without any disturbance.’
He simply said this:
“Three days have passed. It is now time.”
“…….”
“From now on, you may exchange the cassette tapes for the legacies of this lodge.”
No one died by this timing? This is where a chaotic mess usually breaks out, with people killing one another.
It was unavoidable.
This cassette tape only lets go of the survivors once enough fear and shock from the brink of death have accumulated.
‘That’s why I made it on purpose.’
The fear and shock, I mean.
It wasn't exactly to my liking given a modern person's sensibilities, but I had scared people to the point where they genuinely believed they were going to die.
It seemed those actions had earned a passing grade.
Seeing as the Caretaker was delivering his scripted lines and the living room was peaceful without any actual knife fights.
Of course, this peace would soon be broken.
Because the first person the Caretaker approached was the ‘wife’ who was unconscious on the sofa.
“Visitor.”
“…….”
“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”
“Ugh, what… uh, huh!? Aaaaaack!!”
The person who regained consciousness stumbled several times before sprinting out of the lodge.
Oh dear.
‘It would have been better to just stay fainted.’
The Caretaker turned around without any lingering attachment and designated the next person.
“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”
“…….”
The civil servant stared at the Caretaker, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I will state my intentions last.”
“I understand. In that case….”
The Caretaker turned his head toward the last person.
Me.
I also looked at the Caretaker.
A figure within the ghost story who used an elegant Seoul accent, unlike his shabby and worn-out attire.
“Would you like to exchange your cassette tape?”
Would I exchange it?
“Yes.”
Of course, I would.
‘Because I worked like a dog for three days just for this.’
When the Entrant survives, they can receive the promised powerful monetary reward.
For the moment that phrase becomes a reality.
The reason I went out of my way to act like a serial killer was precisely…
‘Priority one for exchange.’
I pulled the cassette tapes out from the backpack of one of the college students I had brought along.
The couple's.
The college students'.
And even Baek Saheon's.
“Six tapes. You certainly have priority for the exchange, Visitor.”
A strangely excited aura flickered from the Caretaker before vanishing like a lie, replaced again by politeness.
“You may now become the owner of this lodge. Would you like to do so?”
“No.”
“…….”
If an Entrant who performed the serial killings chooses the site of the disaster (Horizon Lodge) as a reward, their mutated disposition becomes permanently bound to them.
Even if I only mimicked the serial killings, there was no need to take on such a risk.
‘Of course, that doesn't mean I can just exchange it for something random or just refuse and be done with it.’
Whether you exchange it for gold, exchange it for trash, refuse the exchange and run away, or even commit arson on the lodge and wait until it burns to ash.
When the next cycle came, the serial killer's items would be distributed again like a lie, drawing people to this place.
The lodge would reappear in its perfectly intact form, and the tragedy would repeat.
Moreover.
‘…I think there was a gimmick where everyone I hid and pretended to kill actually dies the moment I choose an exchange.’
There was a record like this.
==========
#6
Personnel: 8 Conscripts, 1 Official (Grade 8).
The official was successfully designated as the serial killer, but during the third murder, he made an arbitrary judgment and used a special Item instead of the provided poison.
He attempted to conclude the disaster without killing the conscripts by putting them into a state of near-death suspended animation.
Result: 1 Official survived (Exchange refused)
※ It was confirmed that the Entrants who were in suspended animation died after the exchange ceremony due to choking on vomit.
==========
A fire might break out, and coincidentally they couldn't escape because I had them locked up, something like that.
In that way, I would become a real serial killer.
‘Even if they are people destined to die in the Ghost Story Worldview anyway, I can't help the lingering discomfort….’
Let's respect my mentality as a human being.
So, the choice I made after considering this and that was.
This.
“I would like to exchange one cassette tape for the hiring authority of the Caretaker.”
The Caretaker was silent for a moment as if surprised.
“Are you referring to my employment contract?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
Did you know?
Usually, the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau aims to eliminate ghost stories whenever possible.
It is never the goal to simply have employees escape while nicely preserving and managing it like the crazy pharmaceutical company I work for.
The ghost story might be a source of raw materials for Daydream Inc., but for the government, it's just a disaster.
So, quite a few people created stories reflecting that point, fitting for a Wiki.
In other words, ghost stories managed by the government… are also ‘successfully extinguished.’
The Caretaker notified that his contract period ended with this exchange.
The site where the lodge stood turned into an empty lot, and there have been no signs of supernatural phenomena since then.
Disaster concluded.
This was the official last Exploration Record of this ghost story.
In other words, it means this is a ghost story that has a period at the end of its narrative, one that can be concluded.
In that case.
‘Couldn’t I just end it myself before it repeats a few more times?’
Like this.
“Seeing you work at the lodge, it seems you have a remaining contract period with the previous owner. I would like to transfer that to myself.”
I won't take the lodge.
But if I take the hiring authority for the Caretaker and end his contract period, creating the same situation as the last Exploration Record?
“…….”
I waited for the Caretaker's response. And….
“Theoretically… it is possible.”
I thought so.
“However, if I may be so bold, several qualifications are required for my employer.”
“Qualifications?”
“Yes.”
A hint of inexplicable arrogance momentarily mixed into the Caretaker's polite tone before vanishing.
“Innate, existential nobility is required.”
For someone who manages the operation of a murder lodge?
I suspect his ethics and morality are quite far removed from those of a typical modern person, but…….
-Haha! A laborer working in this small lodge is acting like an 18th-century butler who mistakes his master's authority for his own!
-Let's just take the lodge and fire him!
Braun… I'm taking this long way around precisely to avoid doing that.
‘Wait a second. I think there might be another way.’
-You have great patience, Mr. Roe Deer!
Yeah, yeah.
I gave a casual reply and rubbed my chin.
‘…Nobility.’
Actually, something did come to mind.
It's true that I couldn't bring any Items, but there is exactly one thing I always carry in my pocket because it's so small.
‘My Merchandise.’
The ‘Silver Heart’ that popped out of the Merchandise box most recently rattled in my hand.
An item that increases the wearer's right to speak if worn by a good person.
‘I needed to test it anyway.’
I carefully moved the small silver badge with one hand and opened the pin in my pocket.
And I ‘wore’ it on the fabric inside my pocket, but….
“…….”
“…….”
The other party had no particular reaction.
‘Ah.’
Is it a problem with the range of application?
‘He probably isn't human.’
The wearer gains the awe of others according to their accumulated altruistic actions.
Well, I had doubts about the definition of nobility anyway, so I just gave it a try.
I quickly changed my stance.
In that case….
“Are you implying that I lack innate, existential nobility?”
I have no choice but to talk my way through.
“Finding someone who possesses it is even more difficult these days, so I hope you are not disheartened.”
“No. That’s not the point. So you're saying the exchange is difficult? Because I lack the qualifications?”
“That is correct.”
“I find that hard to understand.”
I deliberately frowned.
Like a customer lodging a complaint.
“Clearly, the condition was ‘If you bring a cassette tape, I will let you exchange it for anything I possess’… wasn't it? I'm quite flustered by this sudden change of words.”
I let out a sigh as if exhausted.
“Three days. That's the time I've spent here. Yet at the very end, you say something different from the promise, claiming that qualifications are required.”
The Caretaker seemed slightly flustered.
“It seems there is a misunderstanding.”
“What kind of misunderstanding?”
“The promise remains the same. However, I meant that if you only inherit the hiring authority, you would face difficulties in actually utilizing me as a servant.”
The Caretaker explained kindly.
“If you were to receive the lodge itself, I would work here according to the existing contract, but receiving ‘hiring authority’ can only be used when that right is applicable.”
To summarize, it's ‘Yeah, I'll only work according to the original contract, I won't listen to you.’
“Are you saying it could become a contract that only exists on paper? One that can't actually be used?”
“That is correct.”
Wow.
“It doesn't matter.”
“…….”
That's even better!
Nullification!
“Then, as long as I am aware of that fact, we can proceed with the exchange. There's no way to stop me if I say I want to exchange even knowing that, is there?”
“……If that is the case.”
The Caretaker held out both hands.
“You are correct, Visitor.”
He had conceded.
“Please present the cassette tapes you wish to exchange.”
Yes, sir.
I quickly held out the tapes I was holding.
Clatter.
The six tapes left my hand and fell onto the Caretaker's rough palms.
The Caretaker smoothly tucked the tapes into his shabby clothes.
Then, after politely adjusting his worn-out sleeves, he pulled out a thin, old object from within.
It was paper.
It was an Eastern-style material that looked like Hanji, but strangely, it was cut in a Western style, rolled up, and sealed with red wax.
“This is the original of my contract.”
The moment I took it.
The old paper caught fire.
“…!”
The Hanji burned with an orange glow, then only sparks remained and soared into the air.
And they wrapped around my wrist.
To be precise, right where the tattoo left by the theme park Mascot was!
‘Wa-wait.’
: Socius :
The tattoo took on color as if being heated.
The sparks collided with the tattoo as if wrestling with it, but eventually, they bounced off as if submitting.
Then they moved down to a position closer to the forearm and naturally settled vertically.
: Benefactor :
“…….”
Now I have two tattoos.
‘This wasn't what I wanted.’
I had planned to keep the physical contract like an Item.
It feels strangely bound to me… but in terms of mobility, this is actually better.
-‘Benefactor,’ is it? This is also an archaic expression.
Braun didn't say anything ominous or unsettling either.
Based on the previous case, this tattoo wouldn't be visible to the civil servant anyway, so that was fine too.
It's actually better if it looks like the contract simply vanished into the air.
‘It’s not like I’m going to call him anyway.’
I looked up.
As expected, the Caretaker had vanished like a lie.
All that remained was the blood-stained lodge that looked like something out of a horror movie.
And me and the civil servant standing there.
‘Everything is finished.’
It was truly ironic, but at that moment, soft light began to pour in through the windows.
It was sunlight.
“The weather has cleared up.”
“…….”
Now, everything is settled.
The atmosphere is nice, so it would be perfect if I just vanished like this and the civil servant went his own way.
The government will take care of the identities of the people tied up and unconscious in the basement.
‘Since the ghost story itself is gone, I don't think I'll be registered as a separate target for tracking or have my personal details recorded in detail.’
Whether it's the government or a corporation, they don't usually put much effort into closed cases that require no follow-up.
‘Even if it remains as a bit of an unusual record, I didn't kill anyone, so it should be fine.’
If I just behave well and make good excuses to the civil servant here, I can just move on —
“You there.”
From the floor below, the civil servant came up the stairs.
Then he strode over, grabbed my arm, and asked seriously.
“Are you interested in a career change?”
Excuse me?
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