I looked at Researcher Lee Jaheon, no… 'Manager' Lee Jaheon.
He no longer looked like a Lizard, but I still naturally imagined the vertical pupils of that reptile.
"…Since when did you remember?"
"? I've always remembered."
In that moment, a tremendous sense of relief washed over me, and at the same time, a hollow laugh almost escaped my lips.
"I see…."
The tension left my shoulders.
'Phew…'
It seemed I had been under more immense pressure than I'd realized.
Being dropped into an unfamiliar timeline with no one I knew, trying to save acquaintances who had no memory of me, all by myself.
…It must have been hard.
[Mr. Roe Deer….]
[Strictly speaking, however, you were not alone. Your friend was always with you, comforting and guiding you with his witty words.]
Th-that's true.
Thanks.
[Oh, don't mention it!]
Let's not say something like, 'What I meant was an acquaintance with a physical form,' only to have the emcee pop out with an 'Oh, I understand perfectly!'…
I decided to just savor the relief of this situation, however briefly.
The fact that I didn't have to rescue him, but now had someone who would cooperate with me to rescue others.
And what's more.
'Come to think of it, it's only natural that Manager Lee Jaheon would have his memories, just like me.'
After all, he fell into this place under conditions not so different from mine.
Both of us… well, we died after escaping the loop.
'Did I really have to put on that show with the researcher ID at the door earlier….?'
Feeling a little embarrassed, I was about to quickly go over that part again when he spoke.
"Then I will state it again."
"Yes?"
"I do not recommend attempting to go to the ground floor here, including the rooftop of Segwang City Hall."
…!
As if doused with cold water, my mind snapped back to the situation.
The Counselor had suggested we go to the rooftop….
'Manager cut him off.'
When I looked back, the supernatural being was smiling at Researcher Lee Jaheon.
"Are you qualified to say that?"
"A recommendation does not require qualifications."
But the Counselor didn't even ask a perfunctory question like, 'By the way, did you two know each other?'
He simply ignored Lee Jaheon's words, focused on me, then approached and took both my hands in his remaining one, like a friendly older relative.
And he said quietly.
"Agent."
…while looking at his own agent's jacket that I was wearing.
"Actually, my jacket wasn't at the Management Bureau branch, but in my counseling office."
...!!
'I know you lied.'
That was the only possible meaning of his statement.
But there was no hostility in the Counselor's eyes.
Instead, there was an unreadable sense of goodwill.
"But I can feel my consciousness from you…."
"..."
"Have you received counseling from me before?"
Ah.
I slowly nodded.
The other man smiled faintly.
"I thought so. But I remember every client I've ever counseled, yet strangely, I can't seem to remember you."
"..."
"You've been helping me from the very beginning. So perhaps… I even thought you might be a being arranged by a future version of myself, for my own sake…."
....
"If that's the case, would you be willing to help me?"
I lifted my head and looked at the Counselor.
At Ho Yuwon's face.
"…Are you going to the city hall rooftop to try and find your Fox Bead? Betting on the chance it was used in an experiment there?"
"Yes."
"There's no telling what state that place is in right now."
"Yes."
I took a deep breath.
"…If the surface of Segwang Metropolitan City is now a place where Anomalous Phenomena cannot exist, you might not be able to exist either."
"..."
The Counselor was silent for a moment before speaking.
"Still, I don't want to turn back when there's a method I can try."
"..."
"While someone out there is struggling to rescue civilians and end this Disaster, I have to at least try."
Ha.
Really….
I pressed my eyes and said.
"I'll accompany you."
"…!"
A smile spread across the Counselor's face.
"Thank you."
"Mr. Roe Deer."
Hold on.
"Manager."
I grabbed him as if trying to calm a researcher from the Cheerful Research Institute and spoke ambiguously to Manager Lee Jaheon.
"I think I need to find out how he became Director Ho."
"That means…."
"Yes, it means what you think it means."
Please, don't make speculative statements in front of the Counselor where he can guess the whole meaning.
Instead, I spoke ambiguously once more.
"Perhaps, we might be able to prevent the tragedies that will happen later, don't you think?"
"..."
If we really succeeded in retrieving the bead, we might be able to stop this Day of Disaster and end the ghost story.
'Even if not, we might get some information or a hint.'
"And I have a favor to ask of you, Manager."
I couldn't see Lee Jaheon's face, but I swallowed hard.
"I'd like you to get the other two members of our exploration team out of here."
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
The fire alarm blared intermittently again.
I hurriedly looked back at my two companions.
"Agent…!"
"Student Jaegwan. Listen carefully."
I grabbed his shoulders and said.
"Once you get out, you must take the Train to the station farthest from here. Go out through the exit there, and leave with that researcher. Got it?"
"…Yes?"
"He's a trustworthy person. He will definitely protect you both."
"..."
All sorts of questions seemed to be rising in the high school student's eyes, but in the end, he asked quietly.
"Does that mean you're not coming with us, Agent?"
"It's fine. I'll follow later."
"How on earth are you planning to… escape later?"
"That's not for a student to worry about. You need to focus more on your own safety than an adult's. Understood?"
"..."
But instead of answering, the high school student Ryu Jaegwan just stared at me like a block of wood.
I was getting anxious.
"Jaegwan…."
"Is there really a need for that?"
Reporter Eunhaje cut in.
And she spoke in a tone that seemed to side with Ryu Jaegwan.
"From what that researcher said earlier, it sounds like the subway station is safe. So we can just wait there."
Ah.
"Well, after a quick look to see if there's anything else to find here, we'll head right out. I want to get some interviews with the people at the station, too."
After some thought, I nodded.
The people who had evacuated to Segwang Station were, at the very least, alive until they despaired that no rescue was coming.
'Most of the crowded places in Segwang City are probably contaminated by now anyway.'
The area around any station would be a chaotic mess, so it might be safer for me to join them on the way out.
Even more so if the Counselor was with us.
'I have to go and come back before this hallway is engulfed in flames.'
I felt a sense of urgency.
"...Understood. But if I don't come back by the time this place is completely on fire, you must move on first. I'll find another way to the subway."
"..."
Reporter Eunhaje seemed to have already seen through my face-saving remark, but she just nodded.
She didn't miss this, though.
"By the way, how do you know that handsome fellow? You didn't seem to recognize him earlier."
"…He looked different when I met him."
Ugh.
I mumbled something noncommittal to the curious Reporter Eunhaje and went over to the approaching Manager Lee Jaheon.
And I said again, firmly.
"I'm going up."
"I see."
Manager Lee Jaheon was silent for a moment as if in thought, then took something out of his pocket and held it out.
"Take this."
It was a button-shaped Item… no, wait a minute.
This is 'We Help,' isn't it?!
'Why does he have this…?'
Wait a minute.
'…Why is Manager Lee Jaheon here as a Cheerful Researcher in the first place?'
I woke up in Segwang Metropolitan City as a person from a profession I once held in the past. That means….
Lowering my voice so those around us couldn't hear, I asked.
"Manager. By any chance, were you ever a researcher at the Cheerful Research Institute in the past?"
"Yes."
…!!
"I'll correct myself. It wasn't Manager Lee Jaheon. But 'We' have been."
What does that mean?
But seeing the 'We Help' button in his hand, a memory suddenly flashed in my mind.
-Is the reason for your purchase to escape from your current coordinates to a safe location? We do not recommend it.
-There is a record of a failed escape attempt.
"…Did someone from the Cheerful Research Institute try to escape using this button and fail?"
"Yes."
....
"Are you, Manager, currently performing that role?"
"Yes."
…I see.
Looking at the faceless Manager Lee Jaheon, I made a casual guess.
Could it be that the entity that came out in response to the researcher's call back then was also Manager Lee Jaheon?
"At that time, the rescue request was activated three days after the disaster occurred. Considering the difference in environmental conditions, its use in the current situation is recommended."
Right. It's the day of the incident, so the situation could be different.
"…Thank you."
I bowed my head and accepted the Item. Manager Lee Jaheon nodded.
I asked without thinking.
"Um, so what does 'We' think about this situation?"
"It is unknown."
…?
BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!
"…!"
The fire alarm blared again.
"If you've decided, you must move quickly. There is a high probability that there are less than 40 minutes before the fire spreads to this floor."
I swallowed and nodded.
"Let's go."
I looked at the Counselor, who was holding out his hand.
In his palm, I saw a small, red berry.
"..."
I took it and swallowed one.
"If you feel dizzy or have any strange urges, take another one immediately."
"…Yes."
And so, our party split in two.
Lee Jaheon, Eun Haje, and Ryu Jaegwan headed for the subway entrance.
And we….
"I see the elevator."
…headed for the emergency stairs.
"..."
The elevator still looked intact. It was sparkling with a magically brilliant appearance, but riding it would only lead to a fiery hell.
Thus, we opened the emergency stairwell door next to the elevator.
Creeeeak.
As if rarely used, the door opened with a strained sound, revealing the staircase.
It looked like an ordinary, old emergency staircase.
And in the center of the landing, it was written….
[B3]
"I know that the emergency stairs of this research institute's core floor lead directly to the city hall, just in case."
"..."
"So from here on, it's a space of reality, without the spectacular supernatural phenomena like in the research institute."
In other words, it also meant we had already set foot on the third basement floor of Segwang City Hall.
I took a deep breath.
"…Understood."
I had turned off my Smartphone.
Indoors, the radius is too narrow anyway, so trying to evade using Disaster Alerts is meaningless.
"In a place like this, it's best to see with your own eyes, listen for presences, and avoid them. If we're heading straight for the rooftop via the emergency stairs anyway, there's a chance we won't encounter any entities at all."
"I see. You're very skilled."
"…Thank you."
I took the lead and started climbing the stairs.
At a slightly fast, brisk pace.
Step, step.
There was no sign of anything until we left the basement floors.
Only the sound of the Counselor and me walking.
"..."
[1F]
Soon, we entered the ground floor.
Step, step.
The emergency staircase was still strangely quiet, and now it was even bright with the sunlight pouring in from outside.
It almost felt like we had come in together to walk off our lunch.
Step, step.
…Splat.
I stopped in my tracks.
"Just now."
"I'm fine."
…From behind me.
There was the sound of something melting and falling to the floor.
A sound I'd heard before.
…When I cut off Ho Yuwon's hand.
As that hand went limp and fell to the floor, it had made a similar squelching sound….
"Right now, you're…."
"Don't look back."
"..."
I froze.
As long as I didn't turn around, all I could confirm from behind me was the Counselor's calm voice.
It continued.
"If it's all right with you, could you keep talking to me as we walk."
"…Yes."
I took a deep breath and started walking again.
Step, step.
"Were there any questions you had for me?"
I swallowed.
If I had to find a topic….
"…What exactly is the Nine-tailed Fox Sickness?"
"You know about that, too? That's… one of the methods I use to treat my clients."
The voice from behind me brightened somewhat.
"Do you happen to know about the role-reversal technique used in counseling?"
"…You mean the one where people in group counseling take on the roles of others to talk, leading to a deeper understanding of each other?"
The Counselor's voice chuckled gently.
"You know it well. That's correct. It helps facilitate that technique."
"I see."
"Of course, it used to be a real disease. More of a ploy to steal people's livers…."
Splat.
The sound of a large lump falling.
"…!"
I grabbed the handrail, barely managing not to look back.
The sound of something spilling, the sound and vibration of stumbling feet, echoed through the stair rail.
This….
"Don't look back."
"..."
"Keep walking."
This can't go on.
'It seems he's disappearing because it's a Supernatural Phenomenon.'
If so, if so….
'…!'
I slowly started walking again and said in the most casual tone I could manage.
Cold sweat dripped from my chin.
"You have a variety of counseling techniques. You truly are a great counselor."
What about the opposite?
I started talking only about his realistic identity, not the supernatural one.
"You were popular when you counseled at school too, weren't you?"
"Haha…."
"It's hard to find a good counselor. If you open an office later, please give me a business card. Counselor."
Step, step.
"That's right…. I am a counselor. A counselor. A coun…selor."
Splat.
Again, there was the sound of something falling. Tension shot to the top of my head, but….
This time, that was it.
'Quickly.'
Next.
Something more about his realistic identity is….
Ah.
"That's right. You are a counselor."
"..."
"A very competent counselor. Your name is…."
Right.
"Your name is Ho Yuwon."
"Was it?"
"Yes, it is."
"That's nice. Could it be Ho for guardian, Yu for clear, and Won for aid? 'To guard the heart, reflect it clearly like a mirror, and aid people.' It's a name truly befitting a counselor."
"…Yes."
Step, step.
"It really is. Mr. Ho Yuwon. A young counselor living in Segwang Metropolitan City has such a fine name."
"Hahaha… thank you."
I kept walking.
…Now, I no longer heard the splatting sound of something melting and falling from behind.
Only the sound of our footsteps.
"..."
I let out a small, but deep, sigh of relief.
And….
[12F]
"It's the top floor."
The end was in sight.
I climbed one more flight of the bright emergency stairs and headed for the landing with no floor number on it.
[Rooftop Access]
And I grabbed the door….
"Let's go."
I opened the door to the rooftop.