I sank back onto the bed.
In my hand, I still held the bell.
It served as a landmark, helping me think like myself.
Ting-a-ling.
[Oh, it seems like it's okay to ask again now.]
[Mr. Roe Deer, how does it feel to realize you've regained your ability to think?]
I lifted my head.
'…My mind is clear.'
It was surprisingly me.
[That's a good thing!]
'Right. But….'
That point was also strange.
[Hmm?]
My own state of regaining my senses, not being greatly overwhelmed or crying with emotion.
I felt a bit bewildered.
And so, I noticed the sense of incongruity.
For example, this.
'…Why isn't this scary?'
[Oh dear, there's nothing scary to be seen in this bedroom. Of course, this pink merchandise doll is frighteningly charming!]
R-right.
But that's not what I'm trying to say…
'Given the overall situation, it seems more than enough to scare me.'
My body is something bizarre, my future is a cesspool, and right now, I'm trapped alone in a sealed room at the Ghost Story Containment Center. Normally, wouldn't I have screamed internally and swallowed my sobs…
But to only feel 'distressed.'
Using Nostalgia Kitty, I had briefly regained the body and mind of Supervisor Roe Deer and felt what kind of terror and unbearable agony I experienced when I was crushed.
A situation that should warrant panic.
But now, instead, I am quite calm for someone who has returned to their senses.
Though I feel a little scared, it's as if the fear button is deactivated. As if I've taken some kind of tranquilizer.
'Is it because this bell is for agents?'
Does it not return excessively negative or strong emotions?
Even so, subtle and delicate emotions don't seem to be felt well either.
[Oh. In the past, a certain ancient Greek philosopher classified the human mind into layers of reason, will, and emotion.]
[It's an old theory, but in an era without foundational knowledge, it was also intuitive. Would you like to try applying it?]
Hmm. If so, then.
'Am I in a state where I've only found parts of my reason and will… among those?'
A state where emotions are not strongly felt.
Originally, emotions are greatly influenced by the body, so at first glance, it seems rational, but…
[Mr. Roe Deer, you understand quickly, as always. Of course, this is just speculation, but from Mr. Roe Deer's perspective, that's how it can be seen. My friend.]
[If you adapt and get used to it again, won't the rest return slowly?]
…If so, it might actually be better for me to act now.
'If panic and fear are dulled, it would be much easier to survive in this crazy Ghost Story Worldview….'
Though I don't know what will happen later.
I suppressed a sigh.
It was a little depressing to realize that even if I sighed, only smoke would come out, so it didn't matter much anyway.
'Let's be grateful that I'm only a little depressed….'
And then I began a productive activity.
Ting-a-ling.
While adjusting the interval at which I shook the bell throughout my 'rest period,' I was checking the duration of the effect that kept me 'sane.'
As a result.
'…About 4 hours.'
After 4 hours, it becomes difficult to maintain my thoughts.
To maintain my reason, I need to hear the bell's sound once every 4 hours. At least for now.
'Hmm.'
I pondered, looking at the small bell.
Will it break if I use it for too long?
[All things are consumables. Except in very special cases.]
[But it seems perfectly fine right now. It must be a craftsman-made item.]
If so, I can use it for a while without major problems.
'Thank you. Team Leader Haegeum….'
I sighed again, then, after some thought, placed the bell into the gap between the horns that had sprouted on my head and secured it.
I can move my horns by moving my skull.
So, this way, I can shake it only when I want to. It also won't be easily visible.
With that done, the urgent tasks were finished.
Now, until my work hours begin… I can indulge in my thoughts.
'Hmm.'
…I lay down as comfortably as possible.
And avoiding topics that might shake me too much, I recalled the events I had experienced so far.
Mostly, people came to mind.
Kwak Jegang, J3, Team Leader Park Min-seong, Deputy Manager Lee Seong-hae, Kang Yihak, …Agent Choi.
And then, the moment I went back to the very first scene.
I realized something.
'…!'
Jang Heo-un.
One of the new employees who came to find me in Room 130666 in the basement of the annex during the experiment conducted under the guise of 'Special Recruitment.'
Back then, I only felt a faint joy that Jang Heo-un was alive… but now that I can think, I realize it wasn't a matter that could be passed over so lightly.
'He must have recognized me.'
Jang Heo-un entered the resort of Pleasant Theme Park with me, knowing I was Kim Soleum, and saw the Security Team costumes during this process.
Naturally, this means he could match the current me with the Kim Soleum he knew.
Of course, this comes with a premise.
The premise that it was indeed Jang Heo-un.
'My face looks like a melting mosaic….'
I can barely distinguish voices either, so I'm mostly identifying people by their appearance and speech patterns. Though I can see their expressions a bit.
'No, if the Wish Token had worked properly in the first place, why would he come here?'
And unlike me, who was processed as having resigned due to disappearance and death, he was only assigned to a branch office, so he could have just returned to headquarters.
Didn't he contact Director Ho? Why…
....
...!
[Hmm?]
A chilling speculation crossed my mind.
What if.
Jang Heo-un couldn't return to being human until the very end?
And what if the Wish Token was used to turn Jang Heo-un back into a human?
Then Jang Heo-un wouldn't have a Wish Token to fulfill his own wish.
Then the probability of him returning to the company to obtain another Wish Token…
'There is.'
There is definitely a possibility.
'Wait, conversely, is there a possibility that Ms. Go Youngeun gave up her Wish Token to save Jang Heo-un…?'
...I don't know about that.
People with wishes so desperate that they can't afford to give them up are usually the ones who pass the Field Investigation Team's aptitude test and attend the orientation.
[Either way, it's quite a chilling and interesting speculation, Mr. Roe Deer. It seems plausible.]
[And based on this, you seem to have come up with another thought, right?]
....
That's right.
If Jang Heo-un used his Wish Token to return to being human.
Then, if I use a Wish Token, can I also have a human body?
'No. It's a waste.'
If I can obtain a Wish Token again, this time I will make a proper wish. Then, if I can only think of perfect sentences, I can go home…
....
Wasn't the blind desire to go to that home also fixed through an experiment?
Did I forget the experiment record that was used to call me to this world like a Good Friend?
'Ah.'
My stomach churns.
To obtain a Wish Token again.
It's impossible anyway. The Security Team barely gives points. They are all consumed by maintenance costs. Moreover, I, in the basement. The laboratory, the broken culture tube, me collapsing. Crumbling…
No.
Ting-a-ling.
My rapidly collapsing mind was reined in by the sound of the bell.
Phew.
I shook the bell again between my horns.
Ting-a-ling.
'Snap out of it.'
Let's not cling to obtaining Wish Tokens as points in Daydreams.
I need to think of another method.
First… I need to accurately understand my current situation.
Goal: Approach the truth.
Then I realized.
What I had resolved with my shattered self had not changed even after regaining my senses.
'…I was going the right way.'
My chest fluttered faintly. Imagining taking a deep breath mentally, I reaffirmed my resolve.
And one more thing.
Additional Goal: Meet Jang Heo-un again.
Good.
Let's do it if possible.
[You've set your direction, my friend! That's excellent.]
And around that time, work began.
-It is your work time. Please wake up. It is your work time. Please wake up….
'It's really noisy….'
I mean, even if they tell me to wake up when I can't even sleep…
[To attract attention in such a crude and vulgar manner. I recognized it from those cheesy educational videos, but it's truly a headache-inducing cost-saving measure!]
I somewhat agree with that.
In any case, shortly after, the lock on the complex containment room door opened, and a person entered.
"Employee!"
Researcher Gwak Jegang.
The researcher, who had dismissed the security team outside, entered with evident excitement.
Hmm, seeing him while sane makes him even stranger…
'No, why don't you regenerate the tip of your pinky finger….'
He must have quite a few points, is he trying to hold out until further physical deterioration? Or perhaps the regeneration potion doesn't work on the 'Red Finger' ghost story. The wiki didn't have such detailed investigation records.
Either possibility exists, but the fact that he himself doesn't seem to regret it is truly like a mad scientist.
"Good evening? Hahaha, the 'Man in the Darkness' you so splendidly captured yesterday has been safely handed over to the research team!"
Detailed processing procedure explanation
: Omitted as it is based on arbitrary purpose
"Of course!"
And Kwak Jegang, as promised by 'crossing his pinky finger,' explained everything well.
That the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau had controlled the situation safely, that they had quickly obtained darkness of at least C-grade, saving on processing costs, which pleased Director Cheong.
'…Hoo.'
And….
"Chief Kang Yihak is missing."
…?!
"Ah, they say she was taken in by the Disaster Management Bureau. Well, what could be the problem? Even if the Disaster Management Bureau finds out about the USB's whereabouts now, it's already here."
My non-existent digestive organs feel sore…
Ah, no. Do I have them? Now that I've regained my senses, I feel like I can examine my own body more objectively. It might be there somewhere, even if it's collapsed?
[That's also an interesting observation, but it's veering off in a strange direction, my friend!]
R-right.
In any case, Kang Yihak is still a chief, so it won't be a major issue. And it would be better for humanity if the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau knew that Daydream took the 'Man on the Screen'…
'....'
A slight feeling of longing or lingering attachment tried to surface, but it wasn't strong, so I could easily let it pass.
I demanded the next step from Kwak Jegang.
Achievements
"Achievements? Of course! Thanks to you, employee, I was able to have a one-on-one meeting with Director Cheong!"
Kwak Jegang burst into laughter.
"It was the first time I could have such a long conversation… I was able to draw out all sorts of interesting, that is, valuable information. Hahaha! …To think I'd live to hear this day."
The researcher's eyes sparkled with the joy of satisfying his personal curiosity.
"It's also information that will serve as a foundation, getting us closer to our goal, that is… the truth about the employee's origin…."
…!
Explanation requested
"Of course! …It's about how this company collects darkness. It's surprisingly systematized in a multifaceted way."
Kwak Jegang took out a pen and scribbled a structural diagram in front of me, flipping through documents.
"The way this company collects darkness is broadly divided into two."
External collection.
Internal collection.
"For the former, the employee already knows well."
Collecting from the outside.
Searching for and bringing in new ghost stories, or collecting those that have been redeployed to the public for recycling.
External Collection - Capture.
External Collection - Collection.
"And the latter… hahaha, this is where the research team plays a bigger role!"
What is done within the Daydream company.
"Development and Excavation."
Internal Collection - Development.
Internal Collection - Excavation.
"First, development is creating new darkness through grafting or experimenting with various kinds of darkness."
As befits the Ghost Story Worldview, this is typically what development research teams do.
Research to increase grades while maintaining survival rates as much as possible, or establishing hypotheses for manuals, are also done here.
Naturally, this is content I know well.
So, what's important is….
"But, haven't you heard of excavation before?"
The last one.
"It means exactly what it says. …Excavation is digging up darkness from the basement of this company."
…!!
Kwak Jegang let out a big laugh.
"Do you happen to know what's in our company's basement…."
....
Pleasant Research Institute
"…! As expected, I knew it was related…. Hahaha, ha!"
I quietly looked at Kwak Jegang.
He quickly stopped laughing.
"That's right. If you go down to floors even lower than the current ones, the office layout repeats endlessly from there."
I know.
I've witnessed it twice.
And… the Security Chief risked danger to find out and tell me.
-Even if you go further underground… the same office corridors… keep repeating….
-It's the same place, but… little by little… the time period… seems different…
I thought it was information I no longer needed to investigate since I had obtained a Wish Token, but that wasn't the case.
"That is the ghost story called the Pleasant Research Institute."
It is a giant ghost story in itself.
Kwak Jegang showed me a document, seemingly copied from a page about the Pleasant Research Institute ghost story that he had requested to view.
…It matches the Security Chief's information.
And.
"Here, we can find all sorts of prototypes that the Pleasant Research Institute was churning out during its active period, and the mediums that connect to the ghost story."
The origin of darkness at the time of Daydream's establishment, in its early days.
"This is where Daydream excavates ghost stories that will become darkness. Especially in the early days."
Kwak Jegang's eyes sparkled with the joy of discovering new knowledge.
"So, perhaps that's why Daydream Inc. built the Main Building above it… such a hypothesis can be made. Hahaha, isn't it interesting?"
[Oh dear. He's a writer with a speaking style that would get him hit with raw eggs if he tried stand-up comedy!]
"In any case, we've found as much as we can on the lower floors… and we have to go deeper, but strange things happen the deeper we go, making it difficult."
Kwak Jegang looks at me.
"Even the regular Security Team finds it difficult… So, wouldn't the help of a special department employee be desperately needed?"
…!
"It will surely be related to the purpose for which you were created."
I clenched my unseen fist in the smoke.
"Ultimately, the 'excavation' duty will be assigned to you…."
Request for rapid progress
"Of course! But to get there, we need a more solid relationship of trust!"
Kwak Jegang suddenly glances at me.
"For example… acknowledging that the usage of 130666, created by me, the responsible researcher, is useful." Hahaha."
Hmm. In other words, he means I need to appear somewhat compliant to move to the next stage…
So that they think they can control me at the company to some extent.
This is driving me crazy.
'Well, fine… I already signed the slave contract anyway.'
Let's try it. It would be easier to move that way.
Positive.
"…! Excellent. Then I will come up with a very appropriate and interesting method…"
Please don't say anything, I'll think of it.
I quickly turned the smoke into text.
Perform regular Security Team duties
"…Ah."
Kwak Jegang's voice loses its excitement.
"Right. Well, it's a rather dull, no, a tame method… but if the one doing it is you, it's a bit different."
I haven't finished speaking.
Excuse:
'Discover additional control factors and experiment with them.'
"…! Ah, so it's in the manner of discovering factors to control you and experimenting with them! That would be good. Fear? Pleasure? Reward and punishment, which one? Hahaha, in any direction…."
Money
"...."
Greed based on discipline:
Demand salary based on employee wage table
"...Yes."
Thank you. Ms. Kang Yihak.
People who are motivated by money are surprisingly reassuring.
And Daydream has plenty of money, doesn't it?
And a few days later.
I found myself sitting with two Security Team members at the annex front desk.
They say they will give me money. That's good.
The sad part is that I'm still in the transport cage.
'Sob.'
And one more thing.
[Oh, that seems to be a noble thing, my friend.]
During the quiet work hours, as a result of rationally searching and analyzing my shattered body, I began to search for how it had flowed down, and which parts were where.
If the shape is intact, there is something I want to confirm.
And I found one.
:Benefactor:
The inventory tattoo.