Cheerful Theme Park was a B-rank Darkness under Daydream Inc.
And its manual had already been written, with the analysis completed by the Research Team.
…I don't have to make an effort to remember that I contributed to it.
: Socius :
Because the tattoo on my wrist, engraved as the admission ticket for that theme park, burned in as it activated.
And usually, the fate of a high-ranked Darkness that's been fully analyzed goes one of two ways.
Assignment to the Research Team.
Or…
"It's handled by the A-squad."
Elite team responsibility.
"Usually, the A-squad assembles three regular members, three round-off team members, and six general members, so twelve people enter at a time… Well, the last entry was three months ago, so there's still some time before the next."
Director Ho smiled as he handed over the documents.
The manual for Cheerful Theme Park, describing the twelve-person entry method using a board game.
And the work order.
[Special Research Entry]
"So I went ahead and scheduled it separately."
"…Thank you."
"No problem! It wasn't even difficult."
That might actually be true.
After all, the A-squad is part of Director Ho's faction.
'Since it's a ghost story under his jurisdiction, it must've been easy for him to arrange it.'
Of course, that's Director Ho's situation, and as a mere regular employee who got special consideration from him, I should just bow my head for now…
But Director Ho's explanation didn't end there.
"And to make your entry easier, I've already gathered all the other staff who'll be entering with you. Haha."
"...!"
Why do I have such a bad feeling about this…?
"Ah, are you worried you'll know someone among the group going in? Worried they'll recognize you, Soleum-nim?"
"Yes. As you said, I am a bit concerned about that."
"Right! That's why, Soleum-nim, unfortunately…"
Director Ho pointed at me.
"You won't be able to enter in your original appearance."
I know.
"Yes. That's why I was planning to use the welfare points you distributed to purchase a disguise potion and take it…"
"That would be so inconvenient for you. And, since you're having to live as someone else even outside of work these days… I wanted to minimize that discomfort for you."
"..."
"So, I found a way for you to enter that no one will suspect at all!"
Excuse me?
I looked at him warily.
In turn, Director Ho beamed at me.
"How about you go in with a special identity, Soleum-nim?"
"…!?"
* * *
The next day.
Conference room of Daydream Inc. Research Team 2.
"I heard it's B-rank today."
"They'll give us extra points, right?"
One by one, people appeared. Modern office workers in suits, each wearing a strange animal mask. Employees of the Field Exploration Team.
They were general team members who had gathered despite the 'slightly special' risk, drawn by the rumor that the point bonus would be better.
"Cheerful Theme Park, right?"
"Yeah, gotta go for that one."
Word had gotten around.
Even though this Darkness was high-ranked, it had a thorough manual, and a certain staff member's theories during previous expeditions had proven exactly right, so it was considered relatively safe.
So when news of a special entry came up, and it turned out to be the Cheerful Theme Park, people quietly spread the word and came together.
The fact that it was for research made people nervous, but as long as they weren't the one to die, that was enough.
'If only there were at least one round-off team guy, I'd feel safer.'
People kept their eyes narrow and scanned the room, pretending not to, but unfortunately, there wasn't anyone who looked like round-off team staff.
However, there was someone who used to be in the round-off team.
"Huh?"
A tall figure with long, dark brown hair, standing quietly against the wall, wearing a bison mask.
"You were assigned to a branch, weren't you? They let you sign up for this from over there? Haven't seen you in a while."
"Uh… Um, yes."
It was Jang Heowoon.
He broke out in a cold sweat as an employee he barely knew came up and started talking to him.
A side effect of spy work…!
"How's the branch? Surviving over there?"
"Haha, yes…"
Jang Heowoon gave an awkward smile and slipped away.
The people who spoke to him didn't press further and simply ignored him.
They misunderstood, thinking he was just embarrassed.
'I heard that it's absolute hell in the branch offices.'
'He's basically done with Wish Tickets now.'
Anyone who managed to escape from a branch office back to HQ clammed up and refused to describe it, just shaking their head in disgust.
And a subtle stigma attached to them.
No doubt the entrance exam for HQ was more difficult.
Judging by the level of benefits and treatment, maybe at the branch offices even random nobodies could work there.
So there was no one here who'd share information or make friendly small talk with someone thrown out of HQ and dumped into a branch office.
'If something happens, that guy can die for us.'
'He was from the round-off team, anyway.'
And so, a tacit air of disregard settled around him.
"Are you okay?"
Except for this person.
"Hey, how have you been? Escaping the round-off team was pretty cool. Let's do our best today!"
"T-Thank you…"
Wearing a dolphin mask, Supervisor Lee Songhae of the C-squad shook hands with Jang Heowoon and took a seat beside him
'Acting all damn nice, huh.'
'Such a try-hard.'
But since she's from the elite team, everyone keeps their mouth shut and looks away in a different sense.
And here, there's someone whose position is ambiguous. Hard to call elite, but not really general team staff either.
"It's Section Chief Lee, isn't it?"
Section Chief Lee Jaheon of the D-squad sat on a conference room chair, ramrod straight, wearing a lizard mask.
'He's going in too?'
'He tanked in the elite team, and now he's doing all sorts of odd things.'
'What a waste of a good face.'
Still, people avoided making eye contact, as if they're afraid.
A fist was closer than the law… especially if that fist could smash through iron.
Anyway, that was the end of the subtle sizing-up.
"Once everyone's here, we'll begin the briefing in a moment."
Soon, a researcher entered and started setting up for the Darkness entry procedure, and the staff quickly scanned who was sitting at the table.
One, two, three…
"There's only eleven."
"Huh? Who's missing?"
Some of the more impatient and senior staff glanced over at the researcher.
But—
"Uh, um…"
The researcher was sweating bullets.
"..."
…A bad feeling crept down the employees' spines.
"Excuse me, but who's the last one?"
"Supervisor Park, you know you've got to disclose this properly if you want a successful run, right?"
"Ah, well…"
Even if the researcher was still junior, the fact that he was so flustered made people even more uneasy.
'What is this.'
'Who the hell is it…?'
Then—
Knock, knock.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the conference room door.
"..."
"..."
Silence fell over the room.
Everyone looked toward the door.
After just two knocks, the black door didn't move at all, as if one had to be granted permission to enter.
"..."
"…Come in!"
Bam.
The door opened.
Black smoke drifted in.
"…?!"
The smoke pooled thickly on the floor, then seemed to get sucked back out, repeating over and over. And then, in the midst of it all…
A pair of black combat boots stepped across the floor, cutting through the smoke.
With every step, the smoke seemed to inhale and exhale, flowing around the figure's feet.
And within the black smoke, the silhouette of a large person appeared.
Light.
Oooooong—
Yellow lantern-like lights shone from the figure's waist and eyes.
The bizarre sight left everyone frozen.
But at least they recognized the affiliation.
"S-Security Team…!"
However, a mask completely hid the man's face.
And atop that, countless horns branched out over the head like the limbs of a tree.
"…!"
Dressed head to toe in black special equipment, the figure looked as if armored in custom gear—or perhaps, confined by it.
"..."
"..."
Gulp. Someone swallowed hard.
Security Team… why here?
—Security never enters the Darkness.
That rule usually held. If security staff did enter the Darkness, Dream Essence could not be extracted.
They only ever appeared to suppress incidents…
Yet, sometimes, according to their unique abilities, there were individuals with terrifying, transcendent powers.
"T-This is… the staff member who will be entering with us today."
"…!!"
The employees stared in shock at the strange figure standing silently at the door.
The 'employee' from the Security Team wore a particularly unique outfit full of belts and a mask marked with a special logo on the head.
A strange, twisted rectangle shape.
The staff recognized it at once, as if struck by lightning.
'Special unit…!'
Security Team's special unit.
Within the Security Team, there were many units whose true composition wasn't even known—just names on the intranet organization chart, operating behind the scenes.
So all anyone knew were the rumors that circulated after running into them during unfortunate work situations.
And the special unit's rumors were the most chilling.
There were whispers saying that you'd witness employees so monstrous, it was hard to believe they were ever from the Field Exploration Team who, in the first place, were people whose origins were impossible to guess.
And the researcher, now sweating coldly, had heard even more specific rumors…
– Supervisor Park, if you see someone from the Security Team's special unit, be polite. …They're not human. No, I'm not talking about contamination…
– ...They really weren't human to begin with.
'A department that hires anomalies from the Darkness itself, in human form…!'
A rumor as chilling as a ghost story itself—that, thanks to Daydream Inc.'s 'know-how,' the company had signed contracts with the Darknesses as if they were employees.
For the researcher, it was the first time meeting one of these creatures in person.
Despite analyzing Darknesses and sending in Field Exploration Team squads, he'd never actually come face to face with a monster himself until now.
"..."
He swallowed hard, staring at the bizarre employee in front of him.
Somehow, the conference room seemed a little darker…
The yellow lantern-like eyes and the glimmer at the waist of the employee flickered even more strangely in the black smoke.
Looking closer, the 'lantern' on the waist was actually a cluster of horns, like ribs.
'Uuugh.'
The researcher managed to squeeze out some courage and spoke.
"Um… hello."
Silence.
"Ah, you can have a seat."
No response.
Swallowed by the silence of the conference room, the researcher continued, nearly in tears.
"Um, w-we'll… begin the briefing now."
Only then did the strange horned mask walk forward.
And sat in the seat closest to the door.
…Right next to Jang Heowoon.
'Haah.'
Thank goodness it's not me.
Everyone tried their best not to look that way, swallowing hard.
'Please, don't let me be in the same group.'
'Please…!'
As long as they weren't in the same group, it was fine!
Every time you entered the theme park, the names and areas changed, but only the rules stayed the same.
– Follow the mascot's rules.
– If you cannot follow the rules, move to another mascot's area.
And,
– The four group members who drew the same color piece must always stick together.
In other words, if you weren't in the same group as that monster, you wouldn't even have to encounter them to clear the run.
If you were lucky with your area, you could just ride three attractions and walk away with a high-grade Dream Essence and a bunch of points.
The problem was… this was a special entry.
A research entry with additional objectives.
And no matter how you looked at it, this time the 'variable' was… that employee.
'Please.'
The staff stared at the researcher giving the briefing.
Hopefully, they wouldn't be told to find and follow that employee around, right?
"And for this entry, there are… no special instructions."
Phew!
"It's just that, um, whatever the Security Team employee does inside… you are not to interfere."
"..."
"Everyone… understands, right?"
Yes.
The Field Exploration Team members assembled in the conference room nodded desperately.
And the very source of this fear, the 'Security Team Special Employee', was—
'Wow, this disguise is really doing its job…'
—letting out a sigh of relief.
That's right. It's Kim Soleum!
I held back a sigh as I looked around the conference room.
Well, even if I did sigh, my mask would block it and only black smoke would come out.
'I didn't expect Director Ho to go this far.'
– This was a prototype piece of equipment, but I'm glad we get to try it like this!
He had just slipped me actual Security Team gear.
A so-called 'reverse-side suit'.
Over the suit, a monster that looks like you appears.
That's what was written in the developer's notes included with the suit, which resembled combat gear from a game.
As for why the security team was developing a suit that lets a person pretend to be a monster, I desperately avoided asking and chose to ignore it.
For the sake of self-preservation, it just seemed best not to know…
'Probably for some project.'
Anyway, I didn't know the exact mechanics, but I'd heard about the features.
'Supposedly, it manifests differently for each person.'
And in my case, it meant lugging around a pile of horns on my head.
My look was like… a monstrous being bursting out, yet forcibly crammed into a human suit.
'Hmm.'
I made sure not to scratch my head by accident.
'It feels strangely reminiscent of my original mask…'
Remembering the wooden antler mask that had earned me the nickname 'Roe Deer', I felt oddly nostalgic.
"Um, I'll explain how to enter Cheerful Theme Park."
Meanwhile, the briefing was nearing its end.
Entry method, huh.
'I need to go to the theme park section with the blue dragon mascot.'
The only problem was whether that place would be chosen for the board this time, but I was strangely confident.
It was a kind of inductive certainty, gained from my experience with ghost stories up to now.
'It'll… probably call me.'
Like a certain TV-headed talk show host who once swore he'd show up whenever I just provided the 'right medium'.
"..."
"Um, please draw a piece…"
The researcher politely held out the board game piece capsule with both hands.
For some reason, it was my turn first.
'I think I'm actually the maknae[1] here…'
But I couldn't show that, so I reached out as if nothing was wrong and took a capsule—
"Aaack!"
"..."
"Ah, s-sorry..."
This person… seems like someone who'll have a hard time lasting long in the Research Team.
'Please start looking for another job.'
I politely ignored the panicked researcher and grabbed another capsule.
And shook it.
With a rattling sound, a game piece fell out of the capsule.
A bright yellow.
"It's a yellow piece!"
Okay.
I picked up the piece and passed the capsule to the next person.
"Ah…!"
It was Jang Heowoon.
…I have no idea why Director Ho recruited someone already busy working as a corporate spy, but I felt a cold sweat thinking of how I'd inadvertently forced him to spend his valuable day off on this.
I barely managed to get time off myself… he probably did the same.
'Why did you sign up for this…!'
Last time, you almost threw up just from seeing the Magic Bunny area's interior parade!
Of course, now wasn't the time to ask.
And Jang Heowoon…
"Yellow!"
"Yesss!"
He drew the same piece as me.
For reference, that wasn't Jang Heowoon who just shouted.
Other staff were clenching their fists in relief. With someone else getting yellow, their own chances of getting stuck with me had gone down.
Because they didn't want to be in the same group as me.
'Haha…'
Meanwhile, Jang Heowoon bowed his head to me.
"Um, please take care of me."
"..."
I gave Jang Heowoon a small nod.
Thank you for understanding my situation… This is the best I can do…
But after that, a slightly awkward situation began.
"Please…!"
Everyone was openly hoping not to get yellow.
"Ah! Red!"
And when someone drew a red piece, they practically cheered.
"..."
Hey, you all read my previous expedition reports, right? Then as soon as you see the Magic Bunny, just run like crazy to the blue zone…
Still, it was reassuring to see that the familiar faces were calm about it.
Like this:
"Oh."
I watched as Supervisor Lee Songhae drew a red piece. And then…
"Blue."
…Section Chief Lee Jaheon drew a blue piece.
'Why is Chief Lizard here anyway.'
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn't shake the feeling that Director Ho put him here as the 'stick' among the carrots.
…He already knew I shared all my project outcomes with the D-squad.
It's like a subtle reminder not to try anything funny.
'He's making sure I can't let my guard down, even when receiving a favor.'
I seriously just want to quit my job already.
'Phew.'
"We're down to the last one."
Anyway, the distribution was almost finished.
After drawing the yellow piece, I ignored the staff wearing a harvest mouse mask and a ladybug mask who stared at me stiffly.
'Let's just hurry up and get on the rides.'
I'll send them off and then take care of my own business.
Clack.
And as the last person drew a piece—
– Departing for Fantasyland~!
The board game board flew up into the air and swallowed everyone's field of vision.
We were entering.
Since I'd experienced it once before, I could calmly review my plans for what came next.
Let's see. There's no yellow zone though, right?
'Didn't that Magic Bunny kill the yellow mascot?'
So I remembered escaping by activating the gate to the ruins of the yellow zone, the resort.
'I'll head straight to the blue zone.'
I'd better make sure to check the souvenir shop. That's what I thought as my mind blurred…
Not long after, my senses cleared again.
Now it should be time for the cheerful theme song of the theme park to play in my ears…
...
'…Huh?'
Everything was quiet.
"..."
I opened my eyes.
In the dim indoor space, I saw walls with all the paint peeled off and a dust-covered light fixture.
There was no light, and even the windows were all broken.
A stale, dead space.
"..."
What… is this?
This isn't inside the amusement park. This is definitely not the park…
"…!"
I immediately got up and ran to the window to look outside.
A huge, crumpled sign, with one side's fixture barely hanging on and swinging dangerously in the wind, came into view…
[Flower Golden Resort]
"…!!"
I stared blankly at the distant, shining blue lights of the water park.
Looking down, I saw only ruins.
"..."
I had woken up in the ruined yellow zone.
'What is this…'
At that moment.
Click—
The lights in the room I was in began to flicker back on.
"…!"
I realized I wasn't just in a simple room.
Desk, chair, battered filing cabinet.
Through the open door of the worn cabinet, I saw a huge machine.
It was like a small office or management room.
And on the desk… was a single, formally presented sheet of paper.
"..."
I approached and read the paper.
Congratulations on your appointment as the new mascot of Flower Golden Resort
"…!!"
Note/s:
[1] Maknae – youngest of the family or most junior of the team ↩