We decided to try using the Bloodbathtub once more.
– If I rejuvenate a little more, it'll be much easier to accompany you, Mr. Roe Deer!
I accepted Braun's assertion.
The plushie might grow slightly larger… but once more should be fine. It's still the size of a regular keychain plushie.
However, Braun flatly refused the idea of conveniently using my blood as a bath additive.
– Good heavens! I must respectfully decline. There's so much bodily fluid from other sentient beings readily available, so why does my friend always resort to his own blood?
It seemed that the scare I gave him last time had left a lingering impression. 'Well, I wasn't planning to spill that much this time…'
Feeling slightly guilty, I agreed to find another way to procure the blood.
– Good, very good… Let's look for a suitable bath additive, Friend!
Alright.
Having something else to focus on amid the office politics was somewhat refreshing…
'This is already proving helpful.'
I sighed and headed to work.
Incidentally, Baek Saheon didn't return to the officetel at all last night. Let's see how long he can keep that up.
In any case, I needed to make a decision soon since I didn't know how long Managing Director Cheong would wait…
"Soleum-ssi…!"
Huh?
While waiting for the elevator, I turned my head to see a fellow new hire holding a buffalo mask approach.
'Jang Heo-un!'
He was the employee I briefly but eventfully accompanied last night at Sekwang Technical High School.
"You're safe!"
"Yes, and it seems you managed to escape safely too, Heo-un-ssi."
"Y-Yes! Thank you. I cleared it safely…"
Yesterday, I was too overwhelmed by everything to even think about how others fared, but it was nice to meet him again like this.
Furthermore, Jang Heo-un seemed to have developed a surprisingly positive impression of the agent. When the topic came up, he responded with a bright expression.
"Actually, he was nicer than I expected. He didn't use me as bait… and explained things about the Management Bureau at the end."
Isn't that bar set a little too low…?
Anyway, it seemed like the agent had been critical of Daydream Inc., but perhaps his perspective changed after working with a decent human being. Since there weren't any major issues, it made sense that Jang Heo-un looked fine.
'Maybe he'll buy some ghost story food next time.'
I felt a flicker of hope for some extra income.
"And… that agent seemed to be worried about you until the very end, Soleum-ssi. Oh, but I didn't mention that I gave you a nametag!"
Ah, the nametag!
"I used the nametag you gave me well. Thank you," I replied. Honestly, even after borrowing the uniform, there were ways to procure a nametag, but it was true that I used it quickly and effectively thanks to him. "I won't forget that you gave up something so valuable, even though it must've been precious to you, out of concern for me."
"Oh, no… It was nothing compared to what you did for me."
"...?"
What I did for him?
At that moment, Jang Heo-un clenched his fists and spoke with a joyful expression.
"Soleum-ssi. I've been reassigned to a general squad…!"
"...!"
"They really transferred me after three months of holding out. Truly, truly… thank you. I think it was thanks to you!"
Ohh!
It was such a chaotic reassignment season that I hadn't checked other squads, but this was great news.
I asked cheerfully,
"Congratulations! Which squad were you assigned to?"
"I'm with F-squad now…!"
"..."
Oh.
"You're in the same squad as Baek Saheon…ssi."
"Yes! He's very kind."
"..."
It seems like his standards for good people have significantly dropped after his experience with the Round-Off Team…
'No wonder they worked together in the last ghost story.'
Turns out they weren't just passing by—they were on the same squad. Smiling, I said,
"What an amusing coincidence. I share a unit with him at the company housing. …Let's all meet up for dinner sometime, just the new hires."
"Oh, thank y… Sir!"
At that moment, an unexpected encounter happened in front of the elevator.
"Good morning, Squad Leader Lee Jaheon!"
"Yes. Good morning."
It was Squad Leader Lee Jaheon, also on his way to work. After briefly responding to Jang Heo-un's polite greeting, Lee Jaheon immediately addressed me.
"Soleum-ssi, you've been summoned."
Again??
"Do I need to stop by the office first, or can I head straight there?"
"Head straight there."
Feeling like I was developing a phobia of summons, I reluctantly pressed the button for the 25th floor instead of the 13th.
'Once again, leaving the Field Exploration Team's floor…'
I prayed it wouldn't be anything serious.
"Have a great day, Soleum-ssi!"
"Yes, you too, Heo-un-ssi."
After seeing off Jang Heo-un, I ascended to the 25th floor with Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.
Ding.
"Follow me."
"Yessir."
I trudged behind the squad leader.
'This feels longer than I thought.'
After taking several winding turns down the hallway, instead of a meeting room, a door came into view.
It had an unexpectedly warm, wooden nameplate.
Fox Counseling Office
"..."
Wait a sec.
"Squad Leader, this is…"
Thud.
Suddenly.
I was pinned to the wall by Squad Leader Lee Jaheon.
...?!
"Soleum-ssi, answer the following questions immediately and without hesitation."
– Oh dear! Do you need my assistance, Friend?
'Wait, hold on…!'
The atmosphere felt tense.
I glanced at the lizard.
His red, vertical pupils stared sharply at me.
"Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?"
I swallowed hard.
"…Yes."
"What was the topic at the end of our discussion?"
"That D-squad could possibly become an elite team."
"That was not the last topic. Answer again."
What?
"That was the last topic!"
"It wasn't. We discussed another topic afterward."
No way!
Maybe we did… but it was just small talk, wasn't it?
"Do not hesitate."
"...!"
"Answer me."
Damn it!
"I don't remember!"
"..."
"Wasn't it just small talk… idle chatter?"
The heavy silence and pressure continued.
And then…
Srrrk.
"I see."
Squad Leader Lee Jaheon released me from the wall.
I didn't know what just happened, but at least it seemed to be over…
"Soleum-ssi."
"Yes?"
"You are contaminated."
"..."
Huh?
But, that's…
"Well, it's common to have some level of contamination after exploration…"
But I couldn't even finish speaking before—
Thud.
Lee Jaheon threw open the counseling room door, grabbed me by the collar, and flung me inside.
"...!"
"You may not leave until the counseling is complete. I will wait outside."
Bang!
And the door slammed shut.
"..."
No.
No!!
– How dare you treat my friend so rudely!!
W-Wait, hold on.
Let's not overreact, Braun. Let's calm down…
'It's alright. This feels like a misunderstanding.'
I held back a sigh and raised my head.
Though I wasn't thrilled…
'I guess there's no harm in getting some counseling. It might even be good for my mental health.'
Let's not dwell on any side effects—it's probably a very low chance anyway.
– Hmm… if that's what you think, Mr. Roe Deer!
Alright.
The decision was made.
Dragging my feet, I walked reluctantly.
What lay ahead appeared to be a locker room.
A flowery sign was attached to the lockers.
Welcome, dear client!
Please change into a gown before entering ^^
Rows of hospital gowns with green leaf patterns were lined up in various sizes.
Is this a medical check-up or what…?
– If clothing were only about comfort, we would all go about naked.
– In that sense, this is a piece of cloth that fails at everything except covering the body.
Exactly.
'Still, I should wear it.'
There was a lizard out there who could physically destroy ghost stories standing guard. I'd better cooperate and finish the session. I changed into a gown.
'That curtain looks like the way into the counseling space.'
Just as I reached to pull aside the curtain that seemed to be the exit of the locker room, I noticed writing.
From here on, only the client may enter ^^
Friends, family, and guardians must wait here!
'Ah.'
Hmm… Even if this was technically a benefit, it was still part of a ghost story. Better not break the rules.
"Braun, can you wait here for a bit?"
– Oh, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried, but in this case, I must, of course, respect your privacy!
OK.
I carefully placed Braun near the vase on the locker room table and drew back the curtain.
Jingle…
Sunlight poured down warmly over my head.
"...!"
A small, cozy space lay before me.
A soothing room bathed in the glow of midday sun.
Dark Exploration Records / Ghost Story
[Fox Counseling Office]
: A ghost story featured in
: Daydream Inc. identification code – Qterw-E-925
A counseling space consisting of a sunny window, soft pastel-tone sofas, and a small silver bell that emits a clear sound.
Listed as an E-level employee benefit at Daydream Inc., it has mild effects on mental stabilization and contamination recovery. Refer to the full document for detailed usage records of the Fox Counseling Office.
Indeed, the atmosphere here was… quite nice.
– May it be a productive counseling session, Friend!
I sincerely hoped so.
I pulled the curtain closed again and stepped into the room. Once more, a guiding note appeared.
Please sit comfortably on the sofa and enjoy the view outside!
I sat down on the sofa as instructed.
Then I crossed my arms.
Well, the atmosphere was nice, but…
'I already know what's going to happen.'
It's truly fascinating. It helped me recover lost motivation and remember things I had forgotten…
– Interview after counseling with Lee Jeongeun (Supervisor)
Someone would appear outside the window to counsel me. The figure would be customized for each person.
It would likely show me a person or object related to my trauma and create a scenario where the situation is resolved, allowing me to observe it. For those who immerse themselves deeply, the session brings emotional healing, and they often leave either in tears or with a peaceful expression. That's the cliché of the usage records for this 'Fox Counseling Office' ghost story.
'Will it have any effect on me when I already know everything?'
At this point, I doubted it.
I crossed my arms and gazed at the large window showcasing a beautiful outdoor garden bathed in sunlight…
And then.
Someone appeared near the garden.
"...!!"
It was… me.
A tired, somber-looking version of myself stood in the sunny garden, looking back at me in the room.
Then, it waved.
"...!"
I instinctively raised my hand… and then lowered it.
'What is this.'
It wasn't a doppelgänger, but a strange unease and discomfort crept over me.
However, the 'Kim Soleum' standing in the garden didn't stop there.
He looked around, grabbed a nearby chair, and sat right in front of the window.
Smiling brightly, they faced me and smiled.
"..."
'Should I just stand up and leave?'
Even if the door wouldn't open for an hour, I could just wait by it… I was getting more uncomfortable when—
"Sir Kim Soleum."
(T/N: 'Sir' as in, the counselor is calling him 'Teacher'. The term blatantly means teacher, but it can also be used as an expression of respect — Baek Saheon used the same term when he and Soleum first met)
"...!!"
"Thank you so much for coming for counseling today. I'll be your counselor."
The figure outside the window, looking exactly like me, began to speak.
"You seem quite tired today. How have you been sleeping recently? How many hours of sleep do you usually get?"
I gritted my teeth.
"...I sleep well enough."
"I see… Could you give me a specific number? More than five hours?"
"...Sometimes."
"I understand. Do you think sleeping less at times might be related to the stress of work?"
Wow.
'This is driving me insane.'
I barely managed to respond.
"I don't want to answer that. Hearing it from someone who looks exactly like me just makes me uncomfortable."
"Why do you think you feel uncomfortable, Sir Kim Soleum?"
"Isn't it natural for people to feel a sense of existential threat when they see someone identical to themselves?"
"But… I'm an intelligent being with clear differences from you, Sir Kim Soleum."
What?
"Would you like to figure out what those differences are?"
I instinctively scanned the person in front of me.
Eyes, nose, mouth, body, clothing.
"...Still identical."
"Then let's use a mirror for a better comparison."
Clatter.
The bookcase next to the sofa slid open, revealing a full-length mirror. I found myself looking into it.
A tired office worker.
"..."
"Would you like to compare now?"
Whether I compared or not, it looked exactly the same…
"..."
"What do you think?"
"…I seem,"
I stared at my reflection.
"…To look more fatigued… maybe."
Was it just my… imagination?
"I see."
But the 'me' outside the window nodded.
"Why do you think there's a difference?"
"I don't know."
"Then let's observe a little more. Maybe something else will stand out."
I alternated between looking at the 'me' outside the window and the one in the mirror.
Eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms…
Wrists.
"The tattoo."
I muttered as if in a trance.
"You don't have a tattoo."
The tattoo I had retained from the theme park was there. But…
: 恩主 :
This one was missing.
The tattoo that functioned as my inventory.
"What kind of tattoo is it? Oh, that one!"
"Yes."
"There must be a reason you got such a tattoo. What does it do?"
"It lets me store items."
"I see. Do you have anything stored in it now?"
"Yes."
"Could you show me? If you're uncomfortable, you can just place the items somewhere I can't see."
"…Alright."
I retrieved items from the tattoo.
Equipment, coins, various items…
They were all familiar.
"I've taken everything out."
I still didn't understand the point of this.
How was this different from the 'me' outside?
"Sir Kim Soleum."
"Yes?"
"I think there's still something left inside your tattoo."
Enough!
"Would you like to extend your hand to me?"
I don't want to kno—
"No, you do. You want to know, Sir, and you can do it."
"..."
I stood up from the sofa.
I walked right up to the window…
And extended my hand.
"You've worked so hard."
The me outside the window grabbed my hand.
And then.
He thrust his hand straight into my tattoo.