A few hours later.
"Fuck…!"
The staff member wearing the ladybug mask was hiding in the restroom next to the resort lobby, gasping for breath as he wiped the sweat from beneath his neck.
His vision was spinning.
'What is this.'
What the hell is all this.
If this was a new Darkness with no manual, he could have at least mentally prepared himself, but everything happening now was so abrupt that he couldn't keep up…
'I, I definitely entered as a guest!'
That damned Security Team monster became the mascot and then dragged them into the ghost story…!
…as employees of this place.
And soon, this Cheerful Theme Park Resort zone would start its operations.
Ladybug swallowed hard.
'…Isn't there some way to sneak out?'
Steal the stamp and stamp the pass, then run for the gate.
'If I could just deal with the choking rope…'
At that moment.
Creak.
"…!"
The bathroom door opened and someone entered.
…Two Field Exploration Team staff in resort uniforms.
"There you are. Come out and get this."
The harvest mouse staff member waved a piece of paper.
After being utterly terrified by that Security Team monster, they'd changed somehow after the monster had actually stamped their ride ticket. Even when told to wait and freshen up before the opening, they'd really obeyed!
It was as if, thinking maybe escape really was possible this way, they'd given up on resisting.
'Idiot!'
While trying to sneer at their slave mentality, Ladybug managed to reach out and take the paper…
Flower Golden Resort Work Regulations
"…!!"
Welcome to our newly refurbished dream rest space, our luxurious and cozy resort, where you will work as one family.
Before today's work begins, please make sure to read and understand the following items.
"These are the guidelines for work, stacked in the staff room… Assistant Manager?"
Ladybug gulped and looked down at the document.
1- Please observe your assigned work hours.
2- Do not leave your post during work without permission.
3- In case of emergency, politely inform the mascot. The mascot will take care of everything.
4- During breaks, you may move freely within the resort, but please try to keep your uniform bowtie with you. In case of emergency, it will serve as your identification.
5- The mascot's office is a restricted area. However, for exit interviews, you may enter after knocking politely. Unless you are personally invited by the mascot, never enter otherwise.
6- All guest requests must be fulfilled, and if necessary, please split open your skin and offer up your organs as complimentary service.
7- Do not attack the mascot. All damages will be charged as overtime.
Regulations may be revised or added without prior notice. Employees are strongly encouraged to review the rules at all times to prevent improper responses or handling.
Chilling, bizarre expressions.
A ghost story written in the form of regulations.
'Fucking hell…'
Cold sweat trickled down Ladybug's back.
He reluctantly grabbed the document with a trembling hand. As a supervisor managing similar Darknesses in his own squad, he knew that there was a hint in here somewhere.
But there were still too many uncertainties. As always with Darknesses. So…
'…I'll have to make someone else break the rules and see what happens.'
He needed to check that.
Concealing a calculating look, the employee glanced at the others.
Then, with a suggestive tone, spoke.
"So, what do you all think?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, these rules just popped up out of nowhere, right? Do you think… it's just that Security Team mascot improvising on the spot?"
His voice lowered further.
"Do you get the feeling that guy's contaminated too, just making stuff up as he goes…?"
"…!"
Egging them on, the staff member continued.
"Hey, um, you're Mr. Bison, right? What do you think?"
"Huh?"
"About the mascot's condition."
"Ah…"
Jang Heowoon, wearing a bison mask, quietly lowered his head as he read the work regulations.
"Well, how should I put it… Um, I don't think he's a bad person."
"…?!"
"What did you say?"
Has this reject already been contaminated?
The two employees exchanged glances for a moment, thinking that if need be, they could use this creepy branch office staff as bait.
Jang Heowoon, lost in thought, spoke up.
"This is my second time visiting this place. Even before, the theme park's zones were divided between scary mascots and kind mascots."
"..."
"In other explorations recorded in the manual, it seemed like the mascots pursued various, uh, values as well…"
"So you're saying that one's kind?"
"Not exactly kind, but… if you think about a mascot like Magic Bunny… ugh."
Recalling that time, Jang Heowoon's face turned pale and he gagged. The staff in the ladybug mask silently sneered at him.
'Typical of a round-off team alum.'
Useless.
Surviving and even getting promoted with that attitude must mean he was just lucky.
"A-Anyway… I think it's rather considerate to even provide us with rules like this…"
"Oh, I see."
Good.
Look at that pointless optimism.
'He'll probably make a mistake soon, so I can observe the result.'
Concealing such gruesome calculations, Ladybug left the restroom for now.
In that case, he should get his own stamp, too.
May as well take what he could.
If he had to spend the night in this Darkness, staying here seemed like it would give him the highest chance of survival.
"E-Excuse me."
He carefully approached the mascot standing motionless at the front desk.
Since it was a basic mascot costume with no accessories, this was probably the real Security Team monster transformed.
Bowing as politely as possible, he spoke.
Acting arrogant in a ghost story is basically foreshadowing your own death.
"If it's alright with you… I'd like to use this ride ticket to stay at the resort tonight as well…!"
The round, black eyes of the yellow mascot stared at him silently.
Completely black.
…Strangely, the yellow light above that black, gaslamp-like face came to mind...
Just as cold sweat started to bead at the nape of the ladybug-masked staff's neck—
[(Cheerful) Fantasy Land Ride Ticket ■□□]
"…!"
The mascot permitted him to write his work name in the guest register and stamped it.
"T-Thank you…!"
But.
S o o n
"…!!"
Ladybug snapped his head up in surprise.
The mouth of the theme park mascot—creepy in its cuteness—did not move. It was a mascot suit, after all.
But a voice echoed through the lobby.
O p e n
And the monster began to assign staff to positions.
G e t R e a d y
Jang Heowoon was assigned as the assistant front desk attendant and stood beside the counter, while Harvest Mouse, assigned as a cleaner, went to the back of the lobby.
The ladybug gulped and quickly looked around.
Then, the remaining position was…
'Security!'
The mascot approached him.
"…!"
No way. That looked like the most dangerous post!
He instinctively spoke up.
"Um, I'm better with my head than my strength… If I could be assigned to a different position, I think I'd be able to demonstrate my abilities better!"
What he was aiming for was Jang Heowoon's position.
'It makes sense for me to take the position with a higher chance of survival, rather than the one who gags at the sight of gore.'
Pretending not to be obvious, Ladybug sneaked a glance at the front desk spot where Jang Heowoon was.
The mascot silently stared at him.
"..."
And then began to guide him.
To the spot he'd been eyeing—the front desk!
"…!"
Success! He'd gotten the spot!
The ladybug's heart pounded as if it would burst.
But…
H e r e
The position he was assigned to was… the desk next to the front.
…The one taking room service requests by phone.
'Damn it.'
Room service in a ghost story… Just the thought of the kinds of requests that might come in was horrifying.
Ladybug clenched his teeth. But he couldn't ask the mascot for another reassignment.
Becoming the first to stubbornly demand something meant there was a 50% chance he'd end up dead.
Meanwhile, the mascot moved away and walked off.
T h r e e
The mascot stood at the reception desk.
The position for directly receiving and checking in guests.
T w o
The golden sun was setting outside the window.
O n e
When the mascot at the desk looked at the entryway, the standard-issue mascots standing there reached for the glass doors.
And then.
R e s o r t O p e n
The doors opened.
– ♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪
– Ahahahaha!
Music plays, and the laughter of children fills the lobby.
It's the background music of Cheerful Theme Park.
W e l c o m e
The mascots all bow in unison toward the open doors.
The Flower Golden Resort was now officially open for business.
I realized something.
Being able to communicate in words is truly precious…
Even if those words are in that bizarre mascot-style yellow speech.
'Ahem.'
I never thought I'd say this myself…
'At least the atmosphere is set.'
Suppressing a sigh, I squeezed my eyes shut inside the mascot suit, then opened them.
I looked over at the employees.
'I've assigned everyone to the posts where they can get by with the least effort while shifting as much responsibility as possible.'
They must have learned the work rules well. I fought with the pen to write them.
I could only hope that they'd use their heads and work sensibly. If they worked too hard though, they could end up subjected to something outrageous by a ghost or monster.
But if they slacked off enough to be noticed… I have no idea how the resort will react.
"..."
I swallowed and looked at the wide open resort doors.
And at the newly added clause in the document.
Requirements to expand resort facilities
Employees : 3
Satisfied Guests : 30
Either way, it had to be operated.
'No matter what, I need to fill thirty satisfied guests to open the next area.'
Even if I somehow trick or force the three employees, there's no way around the second requirement.
For now… I have to endure.
At least for today.
– Ahahahaha!
And, and…
Through the open doors of the resort, guests finally begin to enter.
They were carrying souvenirs from other parts of the theme park. …I tried not to imagine what those souvenirs might be made from.
But.
'…Why am I excited?'
My guests.
As soon as I recognized them as official guests of this wonderful resort, my heart inside the mascot suit started pounding.
No!
I desperately suppressed the feeling and greeted the first arriving guests.
At a glance, they looked like an ordinary, happy family. Their hair was wet, as if they'd just had a great time at the water park.
"Hello. Please give us a room."
If only their heads, bellies, and hips weren't crushed and their organs weren't a mess from being squeezed by something like a tire.
…It was obvious the entire family had died in a horrific accident together.
'Huu.'
I assigned them to a deluxe room and added an extra bed for the child.
"Dad, are we really sleeping at the amusement park this time?"
"That's right. My dear ■■, you can finally get to play one more day at the amusement park!"
Blood dripped onto the counter, then was reabsorbed into their mashed organs.
Face pale, Jang Heowoon covered his mouth, but got through it by bowing deeply as if to greet them.
"Thank you!"
As the guests headed for the elevator, Jang Heowoon let out a faint sigh of relief.
I lifted a mascot paw and patted his head.
G o o d J o b
"…! T-Thank you…"
Jang Heowoon bowed his head, then, for some reason, raised his eyes with a bit of sparkle and started handling his duties with more enthusiasm.
'...??'
I told you not to work too hard…
In any case, the process of assigning rooms to various strange guests continued after that.
There were more guests than expected. It was as if they had all been waiting for the grand opening.
And they all handed over the same kind of currency.
I rolled it in my front paw.
Colorful plastic coins.
'…These look like pieces from the Cheerful Theme Park board game.'
Right. They were like the plastic game tokens used in board games.
On the front, a strange language. On the back, the theme park logo.
Most of them were blue.
'Hmm.'
I decided to keep them. Since it was currency that's being used to pay for the rooms, I figured I'd need them at some point.
After sending off three or four groups, I finally caught my breath.
Creeeeak.
A strange sound started coming from the door.
The sound of a balloon rubbing against glass.
A Magic Bunny balloon.
Holding a bright red balloon and dragging its feet, it approached me, looked up, and spoke rapidly and precisely.
"Hello, I'd like to stay one night. A quiet room. A room no one can find. A room where I can die, please."
"I-I'm sorry, guest, but in our resort, acts that violate public morals are strictly prohibited."
Heowoon-ssi!
'Seriously! You really don't have to work that hard!'
I hurriedly pulled out an information leaflet I'd kept under the desk and handed it over to the figure in front of me—one so inhuman, it could barely be mistaken for a person anymore.
It was a notice derived from the resort usage regulations.
Flower Golden Resort is a space for happiness. Please refrain from any actions that would make other guests or employees uncomfortable.
The mascot determines the standards of happiness.
"Dying is my joy! Dying is my joy!"
It was causing a scene.
'Violation of resort usage rules!'
The standard mascots ran over and grabbed the troublesome guest by the arms, dragging them out the door.
…Through the back door.
Phew.
'That's done.'
A-Anyway, I'd protected the resort safely.
If I can keep this up… this should work, right?
Yes.
'Let's keep enduring like this.'
A safe horror story resort filled only with dignity and class!
At about the same time, Blue Dream Waterpark.
"Huuu. We got all the stamps."
"Let's get out of here!"
The Field Exploration Team employees who had drawn the blue pieces had finished riding all three attractions and were ready to leave.
'This is a piece of cake, piece of cake!'
'B-rank sushi! It's that easy!'
Since there were already exploration records for this place and the rules in Blue Dream Waterpark weren't too difficult, they had finished the work comfortably.
They went to look for the exit.
"…?!"
"I-It's closed…?"
[Maintenance Ongoing]
A sign was posted on the main gate, blocking access.
"W-What's going on?"
"Um… Where should we go to get out?"
Perplexed, but very carefully, they addressed the blue mascot standing beside the gate.
The mascot pointed in a direction.
"Thank you!"
They hurried away. Every time they passed a mascot, it raised its hand and pointed them the right way.
"So fucking kind."
"Wouldn't it be great if all the other Darknesses were like this?"
As the two snickered, the lizard-mask employee quietly watched his surroundings and followed.
The path gradually led them to the outskirts, into a beautiful garden.
"Oh."
"This looks newly built? Smells like fresh paint."
And at the end of the garden path… there was a gate.
Beyond the gate, dazzling lights could be seen.
"Huh…?!"
At the end of a line of golden streetlights, there was a huge, gorgeous hotel-like building shining brilliantly.
The Field Exploration Team members instinctively realized—
"T-The yellow zone."
"That wasn't in the previous explorations…?"
The blue mascot standing next to the gate quietly watched them, then held something out.
"Huuuh?"
[Special Lottery Event]
It was a board with thick, small slips of paper attached, covering their contents. The kind where you peel off a slip to see what's inside.
"..."
The employees gulped.
"Um, if it's here…"
"Yeah. Should be fine."
This area was supposed to be a good place, so maybe they could get a useful item.
'That'd be a huge gain.'
'Might as well take a shot at it…'
They figured they must be lucky, since they'd managed to avoid that monstrous Security Team employee today.
And besides, they'd be leaving soon anyway!
In the end, unable to resist their greed, they reached out and peeled off slips.
"Oh? I won!"
"Aw dang, blank…"
And the one standing at the very back quietly reached out and peeled a slip off the board…
Y o u
"..."
I K n o w Y o u
Lee Jaheon looked up and met the gaze of the blue dragon mascot. They had once faced each other at Death Lane.
But the mascot didn't stop him from taking part in the lottery.
G o o d
So, Lee Jaheon reached out and drew a slip.
Winner.
"..."
He accepted the prize that the mascot handed him.
It was a coupon that looked like a printed ticket.
Flower Golden Resort
Deluxe Room – One (1) Night Accommodation Voucher
(Experience review required)
He looked up at the Flower Golden Resort, its golden lights shining brilliantly.