Manager Gwak Jegang of the research team.

A mad scientist who pushed his subordinate employee into the Cheerful Theme Park ghost story.

He also acted as an advisor during the "Mansion of the Sightless Ones" incident where all the employees nearly died.

"I've been wanting to have a long chat with you for a while, and finally, the opportunity has come, it has."

That crazy ghost story researcher extended his hand with a beaming smile.

"Your achievements have been so remarkable that I've been really curious about your thoughts!"

"Thank you."

Wow, he's really a superior I don't want to shake hands with.

But I have to. That's what office life is about.

"I hear D Team will become an elite team as soon as the new year begins. Once that happens, you'll be busy working as a team unit again, and it might be difficult to have casual chats like this before entering the darkness..."

Gwak Jegang made a few jokes about how he had difficulty calling me here.

"And I'm also really curious."

Then, with a smiling face, he got to the point.

"How on earth did you manage to persuade Manager Lee Jaheon?"

"...!!"

"He would cut me off right away whenever I tried to call you separately. He's not usually that proactive, you know~"

I screamed internally.

'Thank you, Team Leader...!'

But in fact, I didn't even persuade him.

'He could have just said he didn't want to do it.'

Originally, Manager Lee Jaheon is an FM who strives to sincerely reflect the requests of team members.

It's just that no one has made such a request until now!

Because I was the only person in this ghost story company who would cry out that I'd rather be divided into N parts than enter a ghost story alone, no matter how sweet the deal...

No, even if there were others, they would have already died or disappeared.

Anyway, it seems that this time, Lee Jaheon found it difficult to block it at his level.

Or... maybe there wasn't even a pretext for that.

"Anyway, don't worry that I've developed any resentment because it was difficult to get our Roe Supervisor."

Gwak Jegang smiled brightly.

"It's just... isn't it amazing that you seem to be able to do everything!"

"I'm not sure what you mean by amazing..."

"Good at work, good at speaking, good at managing reputation... it's very impressive. But humans are creatures who can't be good at everything! Including me."

Gwak Jegang patted himself.

"Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. So..."

Eyes swirling with passionate madness for darkness exploration looked at me.

"What exactly are your weaknesses?"

"..."

"I'm really curious how those weaknesses don't stand out even as you wade through bizarre paranormal phenomena!"

Ah, fuck, really...

"If I could tell you, it wouldn't be a weakness."

"Haha, what a perfect answer~"

Save me.

'I hope he didn't predict that I'm a coward.'

I carefully swallowed, invisibly.

Gwak Jegang spreads both hands.

"Anyway, I called you here for good news."

"By good news, you mean,"

"It's something to celebrate! By my calculations... Roe, you've already accumulated more than half the points needed for a Wish Token, right?"

"...!"

What a devil.

Yes.

That statement... is true.

I recalled my accumulated points up to last week.

[Accumulated Points: 177,200p]

Even this alone was an astounding figure.

I've never bragged about it anywhere because it's an unimaginable amount of points for a new hire who hasn't even been with the company for a year.

Even in a department where people openly discuss their resignation dates, there's a limit.

'If you're this much of an outlier, people are bound to have other thoughts.'

But who would have known?

As we entered this week, my accumulated points would become even more of an outlier.

[Accumulated Points: 277,200p]

We're entering a stage where people might start saying this is manipulation.

'It's all thanks to Sekwang Technical High School.'

Let's think about the basic points given by grade.

A-grade: 100,000p

But I cleared Sekwang Technical High School alone at A-grade.

It's true that multiple people entered and cleared it together, but I was the only A-grade.

Moreover, they say the solution was concentrated enough to be considered as if I had cleared it alone, just barely.

At this point, thanks to Director Cheong and Director Ho, the two pillars of the development department, 'actively' giving the okay, it was passed to be paid out as is.

It was a happy and eerie thing.

'And the registration was completed this morning.'

With that, Kim Sol-eum officially accumulated more than half the points needed for a Wish Token.

'It's unbelievably faster than even my expectations...'

Strangely, everything has fallen into place perfectly up to this point.

At this rate, if I can just endure for a year as part of the elite team, or maybe even less time, I'll be able to return to the original world.

To the peaceful 21st century Korea where ghost stories don't exist!

All of this flashed through my mind in an instant, but my expression management didn't falter... probably.

'Don't give them any excuses...!'

"Does something change when you accumulate more than half the points?"

Instead, I deliberately frowned slightly and responded ambiguously.

So that it wasn't clear whether I felt guilty for accumulating so much, or upset for not accumulating enough.

"Rather than change... an opportunity arises?"

Gwak Jegang said with a grin.

"Have you heard of the Wish Token simulator?"

Simulator?

...Ah!

From that point on, Qterw-D-718 provides simulators to promising employees who might ride the Wish Token.

'There was such a ghost story item.'

I remember.

I obsessively recalled the wiki that was starting to fade slightly.

At the same time, Gwak Jegang's chatter rings in my ears.

"This company gives employees who are likely to ride the Wish Token soon a chance to check their wish. So that the wish can be fulfilled in an 'appropriate' way."

The criteria for that 'promising employee' was 250,000 points, wasn't it...

Or maybe they calculated it based on the remaining time until receiving the Wish Token.

Either way, it seemed that I had been given the opportunity to experience the simulator.

...If you can call entering a ghost story an opportunity!

"You could do it next time, but Sol-eum, if not now, the order might get pushed back and who knows when you'll be able to do it? I called you because I thought it would be good to do it now and get it over with."

"..."

I thought.

A darkness entry arranged by Gwak Jegang?

'There must be a trap.'

But I can't refuse carelessly either.

This guy seems like the type to persistently ask for reasons.

"You're not a coward, so why would you avoid it. Right? Hahaha!"

Hiiiek.

"Well. One could avoid it for other reasons too."

I sighed and stood up.

Let's end this conversation quickly.

'If I have to go to a ghost story anyway, I shouldn't give any openings.'

"Anyway, I understand. When do I need to enter?"

Gwak Jegang smirked.

"Roe."

"..."

"Your attitude has changed a lot. You've shed your new employee image. Don't you think?"

Wait.

"No. I mean that in a good way! Now you finally seem like an employee of this company and feel more familiar. Let's cut the unnecessary chatter and get to the point~ You already seem like an elite team member."

Gwak Jegang smiled, narrowing his eyes.

"Then let's do something befitting an employee of this company!"

And he placed a document on the table.

'This is...'

It was an employee profile.

One that I know.

[Employee: Jang Heo-un]

I looked at the ID photo of a peer employee with long hair and a gloomy impression.

"Ah, you're acquainted, right? You entered the Cheerful Theme Park together. I mean the friend from the residual team."

"He's not in the residual team now. He was definitely reassigned to Team F..."

"Ah~ Right. He did get reassigned. ...But his official affiliation is still the residual team."

"...!"

"It's more like he's been dispatched to a general team. For his affiliation to officially change, it would have to be next year, wouldn't it?"

Gwak Jegang tapped the document.

"So... he's still in a position where it's perfectly fine to deploy him for this kind of task."

"..."

This kind of task?

An ominous feeling creeps up my spine.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's simple. After you enter the darkness and finish your business, just call that employee to the remaining elevator and leave him there."

"...!"

This crazy bastard.

No, stay calm. I can't show any agitation here.

"Hmm. Is this darkness possible to enter from two people... or is a sacrifice needed?"

"Haha... Verifying that is the raison d'être of our research position! Roe, you just need to follow instructions. Simple, right?"

TL/N: Raison d'être: the most important reason or purpose for someone or something's existence.

Thud.

Gwak Jegang threw another document onto the table.

The darkness assigned to me this time.

"In the elevator ghost story."

* * *

-Well then, I'm counting on you, Roe! Call the new hire from the residual team when you go and take him with you.

"..."

I read the manual I had already memorized once again, then put it back in my pocket.

What did I do, you ask?

[Heo-un, I plan to enter around 5 o'clock, so please rest until then.]

[Ah, yes! Understood!]

I'm not going to take him in.

And I knew.

'This is grounds for disciplinary action.'

Probably... even if I make a decent excuse, this one will cause a stir.

It's not something that can be overlooked as flexibility for someone earning a living as an office worker.

But if I didn't block it completely like this, it would be meaningless.

'There's a high chance Gwak Jegang has done something to Jang Heo-un himself.'

I need to prevent him from coming from the start.

And there was one effect I was aiming for that was worth taking the disciplinary action... but I'll think about that again after the exploration is over.

The important thing is this.

...From now on, I had to ride a haunted elevator alone.

"Phew."

This was the first time I was given time to mentally prepare and enter a place with ghosts alone...

'Maybe... it would have been better if I had just barged in without knowing.'

My hands trembled with fear.

And I left Braun at my desk too.

'The elevator in this ghost story is only for one person anyway.'

I didn't want to leave Braun in front of the elevator and ride. ...Because I don't know what might happen.

I asked Manager Lee Jaheon to check on him once in a while to make sure he's okay, so it should be fine.

'...Let's go.'

I entered the building that the company had found and isolated for confirmed entry of Qterw-D-718.

It was a very old rental apartment, with the water already cut off, but the company was arbitrarily supplying power.

The dark interior smelled of cold, stale air that hadn't been managed.

The shadowy corridor seemed to stretch endlessly in front of me.

And a machine operating alone.

[5F]

The door of the first floor elevator.

"..."

I swallowed as I walked down the corridor.

The elevator can be seen in the emergency exit sign light and dim electric light.

-Under Repair-

We will fix it quickly.

Happy Land Apartment Security Office

Contrary to the text, a tattered piece of paper dangled on yellow box tape.

This phenomenon mainly occurs in buildings with only one elevator, especially in elevators that are frequently broken or have a "Under Repair" sign attached.

Yes. This is it.

I called the elevator with trembling hands.

The elevator slowly descends.

5, F, 3, 2...

[Ding]

I took a deep breath.

Through the opening elevator doors, I could see the rusty and dim interior.

The floor looks dirty with soot, as if it hasn't been properly cleaned.

Still, I moved my feet.

If you take one step into the elevator, you can see them side by side on the right and left...

Dirty mirrors with handprints.

'...Phew.'

---------------------=

Chronicles of Darkness Exploration / Ghost Story

[Don't Look in the Mirror]

: A ghost story appearing in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>, Daydream Inc.'s identification code is Qterw-D-718.

One of the ritual-type ghost stories that circulated on the internet around 200X.

It is said that if you win rock-paper-scissors against yourself in the mirror in an elevator, it will tell you the truth to any question.

It was written in a game book style that guides you on how to deal with the paranormal phenomena that occur by number.

---------------------=

[The doors are closing.]

I pressed my back against the only wall without a mirror and watched the closing door with a somewhat desperate feeling.

My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might jump out.

Soon, the elevator closes completely and darkness and silence descend.

I stand alone in the dark interior of the stopped elevator... with the mirrors.

"..."

A few seconds that feel like eons pass.

TL/N: Eon: An immeasurably or indefinitely long period of time.

I have to endure. If I endure...

[Going up.]

Ding.

Without pressing any button, the elevator starts to move.

...It's been called somewhere.

All the floor number buttons light up red as if they've been pressed, illuminating the elevator interior in an eerie red glow.

This is where it starts.

After boarding the elevator, wait without pressing any buttons.

If the elevator starts moving on its own, you have successfully entered the ghost story.

1. From now until you reach the top floor, play rock-paper-scissors with yourself in the mirror.

If you win even once: Go to 3.

If you never win: Go to 13.

"..."

I swallowed and barely moved my head to look at... the left mirror.

In it, a pale me is standing in the elevator.

Countless times.

My front and back views infinitely repeating, reflected in the right mirror behind me, until they become a dot.

My image getting smaller and more indistinct...

"..."

After wiping the sweat from my trembling left hand on my shirt several times, I finally raised my hand.

And I mumble quietly.

"...Rock, paper, scissors."

Scissors.

Countless mirror images of me are holding scissors.

Front views and back views, side by side, in a row...

"Rock, paper, scissors."

Countless images of me holding out a fist are reflected.

I repeated it a few more times.

Rock paper scissors.

Rock paper scissors.

Rock paper scissors...

"Rock, paper, scissors."

It was on the fifth round of rock-paper-scissors, the moment I threw out a fist.

Among the repeating mirror images of myself, I saw something out of place.

...One of them had suddenly opened its hand.

Among the images of me with clenched fists, a single back view with its hand wide open was reflected in the distant mirror.

"..."

I froze with my hand raised.

The Kim Sol-eum holding out an open palm far in the mirror slowly turns its head...

And turns to look at me, smiling.

Widely.