When I opened my eyes in the Flower Golden Resort, the first thing I saw was the giant Potion Maker.
The thing I'd put in my inventory was taking up almost the entire storage space.
Trying not to touch the Music Box next to it, I opened the golden door of the packed storage.
I 'felt' the storage space shimmer behind me and turn back into a formless volume….
And then.
"Good day, Mascot-nim."
I saw the Manager, dressed in a neat suit and a monocle, standing in front of the door.
The Caretaker.
The being whose employment contract I had inherited at the 'Horizon Lodge' was no longer a caretaker but was now working as my assistant manager at this Resort.
Still retaining the same arrogant air he had when we met at the lodge, he spoke to me with a polite attitude.
"Shall I report on the current profits and operational status of the Flower Golden Resort?"
"That's alright."
I walked down the hallway and out of the Resort, my form gradually changing.
By the time I rounded a corner and entered the Resort's lobby, I had transformed into a yellow, feline Mascot with flowering deer antlers on my head.
I'm
g o i n g o u t
"You're heading to the Bluedream Zone adjacent to the territory. I shall see you off."
I t 's o k a y
I waved my two hands warmly at the mass-produced Mascots who were waving at me, and at the non-human guests who had come out to go to the newly opened theme park and were now greeting me as well, then moved quickly.
'I can't let myself be influenced.'
The moment I arrived at the Resort, a comfortable sense of omnipotence settled into my mind.
The feeling that this was my domain.
…This was the first time I'd taken a non-human form since regaining my human shape at the Balance Tribunal.
But this was the right form to have a proper conversation with the Blue Mascot.
'Be careful.'
I waddled my soft, fur-covered body forward.
And just beyond the Resort gate.
A figure that had been pacing and looking this way, as if it had sensed my return and was waiting, jumped and waved its hand.
A blue dragon character.
G o o d C h i l d !
The Bluedream Mascot.
Perhaps because I was consciously keeping my distance, the Blue Mascot's voice sounded like complete 'Mascot Language,' just like before.
I ran to the gate.
W e l c o m e !
When I hugged the Mascot, the sweet and cool scent of the sea wafted from within the giant, cutely deformed plush doll….
G o o d T o S e e Y o u
It was true.
The eeriness and unfamiliarity I used to feel when looking at the Mascot were still there somewhere, but a sense of gladness came first.
Maybe this is what it means to get used to something.
I
W a n t T o A s k
But the purpose of my visit today was to ask a question.
At my polite request to ask a question, the blue dragon Mascot nodded its head.
G o A h e a d
Looking at the Blue Mascot, who thumped its chest as if to say 'ask me anything,' I asked quietly.
W h a t
W e r e Y o u
O r i g i n a l l y ?
The Mascot's movements stopped.
The mass-produced blue Mascots that had been guiding the guests also froze for a moment.
With only the background music of the Pleasant Theme Park playing, I opened my mouth again.
B e f o r e
B e c o m i n g
A M a s c o t
…
S t o p I t
The blue Mascot's doll head looked down at me.
The eyes of the giant doll stared without reflection.
W e
A r e M a s c o t s
....
But I had seen it.
I n s i d e
I t 's T h e r e
I pointed at him.
At the something inside the mascot costume.
I
S a w i t
!
What is inside you.
After the Pleasant Theme Park closed for the day, after the mascot costume lost its vitality, what was left inside.
The 'contents.'
Because of the advice to 'not look,' I hadn't seen it directly, but I knew from the shadow, the black silhouette, and the sound.
It was… the form of a melting dragon.
A long body, a tail, whiskers, scales….
Its identity, which I could guess from this deformed figure, was…
'…Could it be a Blue Dragon?'
And.
I S a w
S o m e t h i n g e l s e
T o o
Magic Bunny.
I presumed that what was originally inside it had a form similar to a Western dragon.
I remembered.
The bizarre statue that looked as if it had been trying to create its original form by weaving together the body parts of guests it had collected.
Of course, Magic Bunny had already completely melted into an amorphous lump of flesh.
As if it had lost all its identity while inside the costume.
'…Perhaps, the costume itself has an influence.'
Magic Bunny had worn the costume of a red rabbit, but the Bluedream Mascot was a blue dragon.
What if that was the reason this being was holding on without completely collapsing?
Where on earth did the beings inside these costumes come from?
I had a theory about that.
W e r e Y o u
C a p t u r e d
S o m e w h e r e E l s e ?
Another ghost story.
The Pleasant Theme Park was, of course, a board game created by the Cheerful Research Institute.
-Because ghost stories are influenced by concepts and rules, we tried to perceive everything as being for children….
Weren't the entities from other ghost stories processed into Mascots by the Cheerful Research Institute, which processes ghost stories into less dangerous toys?
If so, everything made sense.
....
W h y
A M a s c o t ?
The Blue Mascot's horns drooped.
Its round body slumped on the bench, looking shabby and pitiful….
T h e p l a c e
I w a s
D i s s a p p e a r e d
...!
I C o u l d n o t
P r o t e c t i t
…A feeling like a bitter pain was transmitted.
Homesickness.
'Ah….'
And an image reflexively came to mind.
The image of this Mascot, sitting across from the tattooist at the Moonlight Tattoo Shop.
'That tattooist… was from the Mermaid Tomb.'
The deep sea.
Under the sea….
I looked around my surroundings.
At the theme park, designed to look like a seaside.
The appearance of the Blue Dream Water Park.
'....'
That Deep Sea City, contaminated by a Biological Disaster, had another name, albeit one caused by a hallucination.
'Sparkling Dragon Palace.'
That in itself was proof.
…It was the name of the place where a dragon had been.
M e r m a i d p r i n c e s s
!
D i d Y o u
C o m e F r o m
T h e r e
The Blue Mascot froze like a still life painting.
Then, as if looking around, as if it couldn't be caught, it glanced around the theme park and….
It took my hand.
That statement is
correct.
'~!'
A sharp pain like before didn't come, but the sense of being overwhelmed was immense.
As… a being occupying a similar role, I digest that overwhelming feeling very slowly. And I understand.
'I was right.'
This Blue Mascot was an entity from that mysterious Deep Sea City. The place that was destroyed as the Biological Disaster spread, becoming the Mermaid Tomb.
And that Biological Disaster….
-Don't worry. The function of that music box melody has already been thoroughly verified in a certain deep sea city!
It was instigated by Director Cheong.
For the verification of 'Angel's Sigh,' the music box melody that had caused a disaster in Segwang Metropolitan City.
Probably… a state of Darkness that was 'developed and improved' at the Daydream Laboratory.
'....'
I 'moved' a mass-produced Mascot to bring me a piece of paper, then held it up for the Blue Mascot.
On it was the smiley face emoticon logo of the Cheerful Research Institute.
D o Y o u K n o w I T
I K n o w
It knew which group had created this Pleasant Theme Park and pushed it into being a Mascot.
…I could feel a faint aversion, but the nuance was closer to resignation than hatred or resentment.
I k n o w
Because it had nowhere else to go, anyway.
I felt a faint sadness from within the mascot costume….
T h e n
D o Y o u
K n o w T h i s ?
I took the Blue Mascot's hand.
…I could feel the massive being inside the costume holding back its thoughts so as not to affect me too much.
I slowly moved my fist over its hand, forming a word.
Gwang-cheol
Countless meanings were contained and conveyed within it, like the language of Mascots.
The image of Director Cheong, filled with my fear and wariness, signifying something related to this theme park ghost story.
The Blue Mascot looks at me.
I hear it.
I
D o N o t K n o w T h a t N a m e
It doesn't know the being's name.
B u t
I K n o w
It knows that a separate entity was involved in this matter.
At that moment.
I received a strange image from the Mascot's tightly held hand.
A low-quality videotape-like image, Mascots spinning crazily in front of a powered-down ride, a lump of flesh being injected into an empty mascot costume, the shape of a giant creature being crushed, a scream, the wavering sound of the Pleasant Theme Park's music, someone's hearty laughter….
The process of making a Mascot.
This time, I endured the explosion of images amidst a shock that felt like my eyeballs were being squeezed out. The information, which included the pain the other had felt, seemed to violently scramble my brain, but….
The laughter sounded familiar.
…It was the sound I had heard recorded on the panel on the rooftop of Segwang City Hall.
'Director Cheong.'
Amidst the shock, I realize my deduction was correct….
'The Mascots were indeed dragons from different origins.'
He had taken powerful entities judged as 'dragons' from within ghost stories and deliberately crammed them into this theme park.
'…As if to mock them?'
No, it was a bit strange from the start.
'Can the being before my eyes be considered that evil and dangerous of a ghost story?'
Perhaps because I'd seen so many creepy ghosts and horrific entities in insane ghost stories, the Blue Mascot felt bizarre, but not evil.
If anything, it felt closer to a supernatural being.
'It deviates a bit from the original purpose of the Cheerful Research Institute.'
The result doesn't align with that research institute's priorities.
That, too, seemed to mean that Director Cheong was involved in this process….
'Did she deliberately… contaminate it with a biological disaster to make it a dangerous being?'
What on earth could be the reason?
'Does she want to suppress dragons?'
A clear tendency was emerging.
I decided that as soon as I got back, I would investigate the various legends related to the Imoogi named Gwang-cheol in more detail.
It was what I did best, after all.
Remembering and applying the rules and principles of a ghost story was the essence of the catharsis found in the clear cases of the Darkness Exploration Record.
Figuring out Director Cheong's principles of action might help in ending the Segwang Metropolitan City disaster.
'There's no time.'
There were now three days left until the lockdown broke and hell was unleashed.
Let's move quickly.
T h a n k Y o u
Just as I was about to say thank you and get up, …the moment I looked at the Blue Mascot, a sudden premonition flashed through my mind.
'Blue dragon.'
Cheongryong.
And due to the Segwang Metropolitan City incident, one Disaster Management Bureau team had its name completely erased, and that name was….
The Blue Dragon Team.
'....'
Looking at the Blue Mascot, I opened my mouth.
D o Y o u R e m e m b e r ?
B l u e C l o t h e s
The garish colors of the theme park reflect in the black eyes of the blue dragon Mascot.
Goblin fire.
However….
I D o n' t K n o w
The Mascot replied.
I H a v e F o r g o t t e n
....
I S e e
I simply gave the Mascot a hug.
The Mascot seemed a little surprised, but it waddled and hugged me back, looking slightly shy and pleased.
I could hear the laughter of the theme park visitors and a formal tutting sound.
[Hmph, such pretense. At this rate, it will come off as detestable even through a camera.]
I was wondering why it was so quiet….
But that cold sweat-inducing insult actually lightened my heart a little.
G o o d C h i l d
B e C a r e f u l
And after the hug, the Blue Mascot speaks seriously.
S t a y
H e r e
I t' s S a f e
....
Indeed.
If I stayed inside this theme park, I would probably be fine even if the Segwang Metropolitan City disaster spread nationwide.
If I re-established my identity as the Manager of the Resort….
If I gave up on living as a human.
'I could even bring all my other acquaintances here to take refuge.'
I could just hire them all as Resort employees.
No, I'd have to hire them quickly before they died. Then they could survive peacefully in this Resort while retaining as much of their ego as possible….
But I couldn't.
Because I knew people who would never accept that.
And I wanted to survive as a human.
…That's why I wanted to go home.
I t' s o k a y
Therefore, I just thumped my chest confidently.
A r e
Y o u
O k a y ?
Are you sure you won't end up melting like Magic Bunny?
I W i l l
E n d u r e
I hear a voice that sounds like a vow.
G o o d C h i l d
S a m e H e r e
That's right.
You could say we're in a similar situation.
In the sense that we ended up in this predicament thanks to Director Cheong.
However, the Blue Mascot seemed to be trying to tell me something until the very end.
M y G i f t
R e m e m b e r I t
Hmm. I think it's talking about the scale I received last time.
'It seems like it was torn from its original body….'
…Thank you.
T h a n k Y o u
G o o d C h i l d
I got up from the bench and left the Blue Mascot.
The blue dragon Mascot, waving its hands energetically, had a cute feel to it, as befitting a product of a theme park ghost story, but I now had an idea of the being beneath that costume.
Something suppressed and hidden.
So, inside my own mascot costume, I made a pained and complex expression.
An emotion that could not be expressed outside the costume.
* * *
Upon returning to the Resort, I immediately prepared to go back.
But the Manager approached me, saying he had something to report.
"This is the regular report on my remaining employment contract period."
....
Wait a minute.
Considering I was missing for 293 days, plus the time I was bounced from the Security Team to the Project team before that….
It should be around 600 days…!
-The employment contract period you have inherited is 1241 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 23 seconds, based on the solar calendar.
Phew.
No, there's still more than a year left.
T h e r e I s
S t i l l T i m e
L e f t , R i g h t ?
"That is correct."
With the Segwang Metropolitan City countdown at three days, this grace period feels more than generous; it feels ample.
"Shall I report again when the employment contract period has less than 365 days remaining, based on the solar calendar?"
Y e s
'Hmm.'
Does he perhaps want to continue working at this Resort?
I felt a sense of desire from this Manager, but I was in no position to care about that, so I was about to leave the Resort without a second thought when….
"Would you perhaps like to hear another report?"
....
"What kind of report?"
I changed back from a Mascot to my human form.
Fortunately, it was possible without much strain.
I felt a little uncomfortable and cold, but I forgot that sensation at the Manager's words.
"It is a report concerning the Resort pop-up store established in the underground Leased Space."
...!
He was talking about the space in Segwang Metropolitan City's Twilight Station, where I had the two Heoun stay.
"Is there a problem?"
"It is good news. In three days, there is a prospect of improved profitability for the said store due to a reduction in transmission fees."
A chill ran down my spine.
He meant that the Segwang Metropolitan City lockdown would be lifted.
Once the lockdown is lifted, the transmission fees will change.
"…Is that all you have to say?"
"In addition, there is an opinion I wish to present."
The Manager said.
"If you permit it, I will take this opportunity to actively purchase additional land for the Resort, using the pop-up store as a channel."
...What?
"We can acquire the entire underground space and develop it into a complex resort centered around a monorail."
I understood his words a beat later.
He was suggesting we devour the entire Segwang Special City Subway ghost story and turn it into a branch of the Flower Golden Resort!
This is insane.
If I were to grow the Pleasant Theme Park ghost story even bigger, my condition would….
"No. That's alright. Please put it on hold for now."
"…I will proceed as you have instructed."
The Manager withdrew.
[It sounds a bit presumptuous, but isn't it a decent proposal, my friend?]
No.
Phew, if I did something like that….
[All the people who fled underground could enjoy your charming little resort, a luxury they don't deserve! Just as Mr. Roe Deer advertised through dreams on the train.]
...!
[Of course, it all depends on your choice. Friend!]
....
'In the worst-case scenario, perhaps….'
....
....
"Manager."
I turned around.
"I'd like you to explain the method."
* * *
It was nearly midnight by the time I left the Resort.
"Grapes-ie."
"..."
"Where on earth have you been all…."
Agent Choi stopped talking when he saw my complexion.
I rubbed my face and smiled.
"I'm fine. …I was doing more research related to the conclusion."
"..."
"Agent Choi… were you talking with Ho Yuwon in the counseling room?"
"…You could say that."
I knew he was hiding something.
…He probably knew, too.
That I was hiding something.
Agent Choi put down the 'Potion Maker Repair Log' written by the Researchers that he had been reading and spoke again.
"Grapes-ie. About the conclusion method you're trying to attempt…. It boils down to swapping the machine on the rooftop, right?"
"Yes."
And I added firmly.
"And for that attempt, it would be best for one person to do it first. The more people there are, the more mediums there will be for Contamination."
"…Is that so?"
"Yes. I'm saying this based on my experience of having gone there myself. And…."
I met Agent Choi's eyes.
"In the same vein, it would be most efficient for me, who has been there myself, to handle it quickly."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
"Alright. Let's do that."
Agent Choi stepped back.
I slowly held back a sigh.
"Then, shall we get ready?"
"…Yes."
D-2 until the Day of Disaster.