A black booklet hologram is overlaid above Supervisor Park Minseong's head.
The hologram, clinging like tar, flows down as Supervisor Park Minseong struggles, scratching at the floor.
Behind his thrashing figure, a cheerful voice comes from the TV again.
[From now on, I will announce the new teachers who failed to actively participate in the Hangman Game.]
Soon, similar scenes were repeated all around.
The problem was, the problem was….
[New Teacher Park Minseong, you failed to guess the alphabet even once!]
1 previously accumulated time.
1 time for standing on the platform.
And…
1 time for failing to guess the alphabet.
That meant,
[3 Penalty Points Accumulated]
The TV pronounced.
[New Teacher Park Minseong has been designated as a Remedial Learning Subject.]
[Until you become a perfect teacher for ■■ Affiliated Kindergarten, you will receive eternal instruction at the kindergarten and prepare for its opening.]
The black booklet holograms that had been covering the faces of those who failed to guess the alphabet.
Among them, only Supervisor Park Minseong's turned blood-red.
And then it covered his entire body.
“■!!”
The supervisor's scream was eaten away into a strange form.
“Do■, ■lp me, ■■■■…!”
The man rolled and twisted on the floor in a gruesome state.
The contents of the Educational Manual, which could not be understood, were recited as the emerging text and sobs intersected.
Even so, no one around them cared.
They merely glanced and moved far away as if to avoid any involvement, waiting for the next step written in the Manual.
Which was….
[Good job on today’s mock play! Goodbye, new teachers!]
Clear confirmed.
“…….”
“Ah, f*ck, finally!”
“Get out of the way!”
As soon as they realized the game was over, people, now free to curse and run, rushed out of the playroom.
Soon, even the employees whose 10-minute penalty education had ended vomited out the tar-like holograms; they clutched their foreheads and staggered up, limping as they ran.
In the process, someone bumped into me.
“Uh?”
“…….”
“Wha—what.”
“…….”
“The door only stays open for exactly 30 minutes! If you don't get out now, you'll be processed as an applicant too! Dammit!”
And they ran past me again.
“…….”
I was left alone like that.
Along with the ‘Contaminated’ Supervisor Park Minseong, who was rolling on the floor.
-My goodness, to think my friend would be misunderstood as having applied to such a stale place! Let’s leave immediately, Mr. Roe Deer!
“…No.”
-Mr. Roe Deer?
The game is over.
That means….
The rules of this ghost story have also ended.
‘In the worst-case scenario, even if I run alone, ten minutes is enough to get out the door.’
Therefore.
“Supervisor… I have to at least try to take him with me.”
I can hold out.
I have to try as much as I can.
It worked earlier, after all.
‘I don't want to give up right away.’
I managed to save someone who had become the Hangman by digging into a tiny gap, so I didn’t want to accept an ending where the person who tried to save him ended up missing in a ghost story.
I didn't want to leave a footnote on the Wiki like, ‘That was an exploration result just like the Hungry Hangman.’
‘…I can do it.’
I lifted my head.
Then, I immediately reached into the tattoo on my wrist.
: Benefactor :
Items I had stored inside emerged from the glowing tattoo. A candle-making kit, apple juice, the Blood-Sucking Knife, stickers, dozens of bundles of 500-won coins….
-Oh, what interesting item do you plan to use this time, friend?
“I’m not going to use anything.”
-Hm? Then that action is…….
I stuffed all the items I had taken out into the briefcase. Thanks to the absence of the Blood Bath, they barely fit inside.
I pulled out the Blood-Sucking Knife, which looked like it might pop out, and tucked it into my back pocket.
‘…Done.’
The briefcase, now complete, was heavy, but not to the point where I couldn't run with it.
And what remained.
The empty space inside my wrist.
-It was to clear out space?
Correct.
I lightly inserted my hand into the space connected through the wrist tattoo and then pulled it out.
“You said this was the volume of a cube with 60cm on each side, right?”
-Precisely.
“But it’s amorphous, isn't it?”
-…! That too….
Amusement and a hint of laughter mixed into Braun’s voice.
-That is correct.
Good.
‘It’s all or nothing anyway.’
I clearly heard that being Contaminated and being trapped in this ghost story forever, unable to even die, is more horrific than death itself.
‘Let’s try it.’
I gritted my teeth and waited.
For Supervisor Park Minseong's 3rd penalty to end.
‘It’s a fool’s errand to try and do something while holding onto him right now.’
If I come into contact with someone undergoing a penalty, that holographic Educational Manual would be kindly ‘visible’ to me as well.
Then I, too, would end up in a retired state for 10 minutes, reciting the manual.
‘That would be the end.’
I suppressed my anxiety and waited calmly.
‘Time remaining until the penalty ends… 7 minutes.’
6 minutes.
5 minutes.
4 minutes.
3 minutes.
2 minutes.
1 minute…….
0.
“…….”
The sticky red tar-like substances around Supervisor Park Minseong, who was collapsed on the floor, disappeared.
Then, he slowly stood up.
With the appearance of a neat kindergarten teacher.
On the body that had been wearing a black suit, beige pants, a white T-shirt, and a lime-green apron were now visible.
In one hand, he held a brown folder with a red title.
<■■ Affiliated Kindergarten Educational Manual>
And revealed upon his bare face, from which the mask had completely melted away….
The brand on his forehead.
Sprout Class
A gentle smile appeared on Supervisor Park Minseong's fully revealed face.
“Teacher Soleum!”
F*ck.
“Did you wait for me while I was reciting the Educational Manual? Thank you so much.”
“…Of course I had to wait.”
Don’t be shaken. Don't be shaken. If it shows on the outside, I'm f*cked.
“Are you feeling alright?”
“Of course. I couldn't be better!”
Supervisor Park Minseong smiled gently and nodded.
“…I'm glad. Then, shall we go now?”
“Go? Ah… home?”
“Yes. Let’s go together.”
“Ah, I don't have a clock-out time! I'm not a new teacher anymore. Because I’ve finished reading the Educational Manual!”
“But leaving work is….”
“I told you there isn't one?”
“…….”
“Hmm. It’s time for me to go to the Sprout Class and help prepare for the opening….”
Then, Supervisor Park Minseong shouted with a bright expression.
“Ah, right! Teacher Soleum, would you like to come with me?”
Goosebumps erupted all over me.
“Teacher Soleum, you don’t know which class you’ll be assigned to yet, do you? You haven’t read the Educational Manual yet. If you read it, you can find out. Your assigned class!”
Supervisor Park Minseong reached out his hand.
“Where could it be? It would be great if we were in the Sprout Class together. Since we were originally in the same group,”
Dammit.
Dammit!
I took a natural step backward as if contemplating the proposal.
The teacher’s outstretched hand brushed through the empty air.
“Uh….”
“I appreciate the offer… but I think I need to throw this outside the entrance first.”
I lifted the briefcase.
“There are some borrowed items, and I think I need to return them on time.”
“Teacher Soleum, I wondered why you had so many interesting items; they were borrowed?”
“Yes.”
Please don't get caught.
‘Please.’
The thing that had been… Supervisor Park Minseong replied kindly and affectionately, like a professional quality.
“Then shall I ask the other teachers to help you move it?”
“It's just a briefcase. If you don't mind, I would just like you to guide me to the entrance for a moment. …As Chief Possum instructed.”
Supervisor Park Minseong froze.
“…….”
Perhaps.
“…Chief Possum?”
…….
The supervisor's mouth opened.
“That…….”
…!
But in the next moment.
“Sure! Let’s go to the entrance together.”
The gentle voice of a teacher came out again.
“…….”
“Teacher Soleum?”
“Yes, I just ask that you accompany me to the entrance. I will move quietly so as not to be a disturbance.”
“Okay!”
I turned my body and headed out of the playroom.
Leaving the completely Contaminated Supervisor Park Minseong as a ‘Teacher’ right behind me.
‘Ha.’
Slowly, I moved my feet.
Tap. Tap.
From right behind me,
I could hear the sound of him following closely.
Not the sound of formal dress shoes, but the sound of soft fabric indoor slippers.
Tap. Tap.
“Ah, I’ll help you carry the briefcase.”
“I'm fi—.”
Before I could even say I was fine,
The teacher’s hand grabbed half of the briefcase I was holding.
And the cover of the perfect teacher’s Educational Manual, held in the same hand, tapped against my hand.
Tap. Tap.
“…….”
It’s fine.
I don't hear any sounds piercing my mind suddenly, nor does an insane amount of terror or fear rush in.
‘I can get out.’
There wasn't much left until the entrance.
I just have to walk.
But at the same time, a thought occurred to me.
Is it right for me to sneak out to the entrance like this?
F*ck.
Look at me cursing.
Is it because I haven't been able to recite the Educational Manual even once yet? It’s a bit of a shameful thing….
Actually, wasn't that a penalty, but rather an opportunity for education bestowed under the name of a penalty?
This is crazy.
Hold on. Let’s not just dismiss it as Contamination and think about it seriously.
This is a wonderful workplace. It would be a supreme joy to prepare for the perfect opening with polite and obedient people.
I have the aptitude to become a perfect teacher.
■■ Affiliated Kindergarten told me!
No.
What do you mean, no?
I ridiculed myself. Even if my lie is caught, don't I know it's a penalty? Let's just efficiently give up on the entrance.
That’s right.
Let's voluntarily recite the Educational Manual here. I think I just need to ask Teacher Park Minseong to look at it together.
I can’t.
If I borrow the Educational Manual
I can't.
Let's not think of anything else.
Because the deeper my thoughts go, the more I’ll end up admitting that this is a pretty good idea—
Never!
Let's focus on moving my feet. As I move my feet one by one, the entrance gets closer and closer.
Tap, tap.
“…….”
I’ve arrived.
The entrance!
There is a clean-looking entrance instead of the messy one from when I first entered, and I don't want to leave—shut up.
“Now you're going to throw this bag, right?”
I pulled the briefcase. In that gap, the Educational Manual that had been touching my hand unfortunately fell away.
“Shall we throw it together?”
Please.
“Work.”
“Alright.”
“You just need to hold it here….”
Only then did I turn my head.
The sight of Supervisor Park Minseong, smiling with the face of a ‘Teacher,’ filled my vision.
As well as him leaning his upper body and reaching out his hand to grab the briefcase just as I suggested.
‘Now.’
I grabbed the teacher's head just like that.
“…!!”
And I shoved it violently into my forearm.
‘It’s going in.’
The size of the space attached to my tattoo was a cube with 60cm on each side.
But it wasn't actually in the shape of a cube. It was a non-fixed, amorphous space.
So, if I were to convert this into a different volume….
‘It’s more than enough to fit one adult male.’
I kept my gaze fixed upward.
Crr-ack, crr-ack.
I could feel the humanoid Body Lump being shoved into the tattoo on my wrist resisting, as if its joints were breaking…!
‘I intentionally tried to shove him in face-first.’
It was because I felt that if we talked, I would definitely be influenced and the Contamination would grow stronger.
I kept pressing down with one hand. The space inside the tattoo continued to swallow it without trouble… Ah! The Educational Manual touched it! I’ll take care of this separately and definitely won't let that happen.
Once even the last foot was crammed in, now….
Grip!
“…!”
Something that suddenly popped out grabbed my left forearm.
With strength in every knuckle to the point of turning white,
It was Supervisor Park Minseong’s right hand.
“Ugh!”
Dammit!
I tried to peel off the fingers one by one, but it wasn't working.
‘I must not let the teacher suffer any injury.’
I didn't know how this Darkness would react.
‘Quietly…!’
Unable even to breathe, I pulled out the Blood-Sucking Knife and plunged it into my arm.
“……!”
As the fingers were torn away, chunks of flesh from my forearm were also ripped out. It was a pain that should have made me scream insanely, but it was blocked by tension and adrenaline.
At the same time as I shoved the last finger into the tattoo, I hurriedly stepped toward the entrance.
Thump.
The final step.
“…….”
I lifted my head.
The blue sky of broad daylight.
Behind me, only the dilapidated and closed-down private kindergarten building stood.
The sparkling sunlight shone on the weeds of the open outskirts of Seoul.
“…….”
It was a clear.
I looked down.
I saw Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s wristless form collapsed on the ground.
I couldn't see the other employees. It seemed they had already returned….
I pulled my Smartphone out of my pocket.
And I pressed the buttons as planned.
As if proving it was reality, the signal went through, and the other party answered the phone….
“Is this… the Security Team rental warehouse?”
The predetermined words barely came out of my dry mouth.
“I need equipment to contain Contamination….”
Because.
“I have rescued a Contaminated employee.”
…….
…….
It was done.
I fainted right there.
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