After a harrowing escape from the insane red mascot zone, we finally arrived at the blue zone.
There, we encountered the familiar faces of Team D… or more specifically, the body of Team A’s leader dangling off the shoulder of the Lizard Manager Lee.
“…”
I barely managed to ask,
“Is that… body on your shoulder…?”
“Oh, she just fainted,” the Lizard Manager replied.
Ah.
So she was being safely carried, huh? Just as I felt relieved and the familiarity was returning—
Team D’s Deputy Manager pointed her thumb toward the large tube being dragged along by the supervisor and another teammate.
“The corpse is over there.”
“…”
To think I’d see a corpse shoved into a tube and dragged around like this…
“We packed it up well, but there were some parts… well, let’s just say they were broken.”
Please, no more details.
“No, I mean it was really gruesome. Like, wow…”
“Roe, be careful here. The mascots acts like some kind of justice freaks.”
“Huh?”
The explanation went like this,
The mascot here apparently despises violence between team members.
“But it’s Team A, you know, that mantis-masked deputy of theirs—he decided to experiment or whatever and went off the rails.”
On their first attraction, he started tormenting Team Y staff, one by one, driving them into life-threatening situations while laughing about it.
“Unbuckle your seatbelt, stand up, sing along, or even stuff like get on the track while doing a handstand…”
“Three members from Team Y died that way. The last one begged for mercy while crying, but he didn’t even flinch… It was disgusting.”
“…”
It wasn’t just the onlookers who felt that way.
Deputy Eun frowned deeply.
“When the attraction ended, the mascot was waiting for the mantis guy, just standing there and calling him a “bad child.” And then…”
To spare my mental health, she omitted the details.
“I almost threw up.”
“…”
“Well, honestly, they kind of deserved it! …Although the manager didn’t agree.”
Said Supervisor Park while subtly glancing at Team A’s leader, still slumped over the Lizard Manager’s shoulder.
“Come to think of it, why did she faint in the first place?”
“Well, uh… our manager, uh…”
“…”
Wait a second.
No way.
“Well, she kind of made an unreasonable demand at the time. I guess she was trying to save her team member somehow.”
And when that went too far…
“The manager just grabbed the back of their neck, and bam.”
“…”
“Hey, we’re sticking to the story that they fainted from high blood pressure, so keep quiet, Roe.”
“Yes, sir.”
I’ll take this secret to my grave.
“Oh, and about why Team Y got treated that way…”
“I already heard a rough explanation. From that person.”
I gestured subtly toward the deputy in the butterfly mask.
“…Really? Okay.”
The supervisor looked slightly relieved, probably glad to avoid recounting such a grim topic.
“But what about your team? Are they okay?”
Ah.
I hurriedly checked on the cow-masked rookie with a busted shoulder and the butterfly-masked deputy with bubbles on their face.
“We have some people who need first aid. Could we get some help?”
“Sure.”
Suddenly, the lizard manager dropped the “cargo”—Team A’s leader—not so gently to the ground.
Then, he started shaking her shoulder.
“W-wait, manager!”
“Ugh!”
“…?!”
The lizard manager shook the fainted Team A’s leader awake, then calmly announced,
“Manager Seok, there are employees in need of treatment.”
“Wh-What….”
The previously dazed Team A’s Leader suddenly snapped to attention, glaring and pointing a trembling finger at the Lizard Manager.
“You!! You—!”
“Yes.”
“What happened to the deputy? The one in the mantis mask…”
“He’s deceased.”
“…”
“…”
“And what were you doing while he was dying?”
“We waited until we could confirm his death, retrieved his body and moved on to the next attraction.”
Oh no.
Team A’s Leader froze in disbelief. Before regaining her composure to yell,
“…You just stood by while my team member was dying? Are you insane, Lee Jaheon? How are you going to take responsibility for this loss?!”
“? I am Team D’s manager. Team A is not under my jurisdiction.”
The lizard manager narrowed his pupils as if genuinely puzzled.
“The death of Deputy Manager Lee Seokjong from Team A is the responsibility of their team leader—you.”
“…”
To witness someone actually say this kind of thing in a workplace…
Even with identical job titles, elite teams automatically outrank regular ones, right?
For some reason, this gave me chills.
“…”
Team A’s leader glared at Lee Jaheon with bloodshot eyes.
“You fainted, but you still cleared all three attractions alongside us. Now, please treat the injured staff and take responsibility—”
“Manager.”
This wasn’t someone trying to stop Lee Jaheon.
It was the deputy in the butterfly mask calmly addressing Team A’s leader, who seemed on the verge of losing her mind.
“Wouldn’t it be better to continue this discussion outside? Let’s finish clearing the conditions before more variables arise. You also need to meet that crazy researcher from Team 1, don’t you?”
“…Yes, you’re right.”
The eyes beneath the mallard mask blinked slowly, then settled.
It seemed her anger had found a more appropriate target.
Still, she left one parting remark.
“Lee Jaheon, we’ll continue this outside.”
“Yes.”
Supervisor Park whispered to me,
“Don’t worry. Our manager says he hears that kind of line every year.”
“…”
Is that… really okay?
‘One thing’s for sure. I’m not in a position to intervene here.’
I decided to stay quiet and avoid drawing attention.
Anyway, Team A’s leader used her custom equipment to treat the butterfly-masked deputy.
Watching her torn skin around the jaw and head regenerate as if it were rewinding, was astonishing.
“Not many employees have custom equipment like that. I’m jealous.”
Same here.
‘Is there any way I could get one of those?’
Even having that would significantly increase survival rates.
I observed her custom equipment, a healing ring, intently.
‘Healing, huh…’
After ensuring the butterfly-masked deputy’s recovery, Team A’s leader was about to pass by Team Y’s rookie with shoulder wounds without a second glance.
But I intervened.
“Would you mind healing him, too? We need to move together, and their mobility might be compromised.”
“…!”
Surprisingly, Team A’s deputy snuck in and nudged their Team Leader to offer a quick heal for me and the new recruit.
Thanks to that, the bewildered Team Y’s rookie blinked under his cow mask as his shoulder wounds healed.
“…Thank you.”
Team A’s deputy nodded subtly.
‘Does efficiency completely dictate their actions…?’
The moment she understood this ghost story, ensuring safety and escape methods took precedence, minimizing risk in every decision.
‘Are people like that the elites in this company…?’
I decided to keep an eye on her custom equipment, engraining it in memory. If only I could also forget about those body-filled tubes…
“Alright, let’s quickly ride the two remaining attractions and get out of here.”
“Oh, thank you.”
Once the healing process wrapped up, the red team headed toward the attractions to fill the empty slots on their wristbands.
Others decided to follow us rather than leave the group.
“It’ll be over in 30 minutes, so don’t worry,” they reassured.
They seemed to help stay close and keep an eye out for the rookies.
I appreciated it, but considering the body tubes trailing behind us, I wish they just left us alone.
“As I mentioned earlier, the mascot here is shockingly ethical for a monster.”
Hmm. I had already guessed that from the phone call.
‘If they managed to ride three attractions that quickly, there’s only one reason.’
A mascot that avoids demanding inhumane conditions.
These teams had hit the jackpot, landing in a zone with absurdly good odds.
“They even answered questions about what’s inside the attractions and handed out souvenirs for being the first to finish all three.”
Lucky them, living the slow life.
Meanwhile, we’ve been scrambling through the insane ‘Magic Bunny Zone’…
Funny enough, survival rate-wise, the red team came out ahead with everyone intact.
Soon we arrived at the entrance of an attraction featuring a smiling blue dragon riding a dolphin.
Inside, the exaggeratedly cute form of a blue dragon mascot wearing a life jacket came into view.
[Hello!]
The mascot waved a sign to greet us.
I gave it a slight bow, and it bowed back.
“Hmm.”
Next, we got on a flume ride called “Blue Mountain.” It was a typical amusement ride where you ride a boat and enjoy the waterway.
The other two members of the team boarded safely as well.
But the last person was a problem.
“Shit.”
The researcher twitched his lips and cursed at the mascot.
His hatred and fear toward Magic Bunny seemed to have finally boiled over upon seeing a similar but less terrifying mascot.
“You creepy little bastards….”
“Just get on already.”
“Y-yeah.”
The researcher glanced back at the mascot before stepping onto the attraction.
The button-like eyes of the blue dragon mascot silently watched him.
“…”
In the end, the group boarded the rest of the attractions without any issues.
[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■■■]
“Finally…!”
“Whew.”
We filled all three slots on the wristband.
“The exit is to the north. Let’s move.”
“Yes!”
Though drenched, none of that mattered. The important thing was that we could finally escape this damn theme park.
‘I don’t want to go anywhere near an amusement park for a while….’
[Goodbye, see you again.]
Above the gates at the north exit, a typical farewell sign flickered.
And next to it stood a blue mascot in formal attire.
“Looks like we just need to scan our complete wristbands here to exit.”
The blue mascot politely gestured toward the device at the gate.
“Well then, let’s have the team leaders go first. Please, go ahead.”
The deputy of Team D made the wise decision to quickly send the superiors out first.
One by one, people exited, and when it was time for those below the deputy’s rank to leave…
“Okay, then Deputy Jin, after you—”
“Move, MOVE!”
The researcher shoved past everyone, sprinting toward the gate.
“What the…?”
The supervisors and deputies looked dumbfounded but seemed to dismiss it with expressions that said, “Well, civilians are like that.”
After all, being a few seconds late didn’t cause any loss.
The researcher didn’t care and frantically tried to scan his wristband at the gate.
‘He seems to have a habit of doing that.’
Frankly, he was starting to get on everyone’s nerves…
B A D C H I L D
“…Huh?”
The researcher turned his head.
The blue dragon mascot was gripping his wristband with its claw.
The paper bracelet crumpled.
Y o u
Snap.
B A D
Snap, snap.
C H I L D
Rip.
It tore.
Thunk.
The torn fragments of the bracelet fell to the floor, and the researcher stared at them foolishly in disbelief.
And then—
“AAARRRGHHH! AAAAGHHH!!”
The blue dragon’s mouth gaped open.
“Help me! Please, help!”
He was being sucked in.
Nearby, someone in a cow mask muttered like a possessed person.
“Ohhohohoit’sscarythegodoftheseahasbeenangeredandnowthesinnerisbeingpulledinbythetideitisscary….”
He clutched his mouth with his hands and looked down.
I, too, lowered my head and refrained from looking.
“AAARRRRGHHHHH!!”
So, is this how it ends…?
When you move on to a new zone, the aggro from the previous zone’s mascot will vanish.
But the consequences of one’s action will follow.
-------------------------------
Cheerful Theme Park Guidebook (Applicable to Exploration Record #64 and earlier)
6. Don’t forget that the theme park is a shared space!
Let’s uphold etiquette and manners when using public facilities! Countless eyes are watching you, and no one forgets.
Oh, and by the way, there’s a mascot behind you.
-------------------------------
All the mascots in the cheerful theme park know what you’ve done.
Including what the researcher had done earlier.
– Fuck, move it!
That time he pushed Team A’s deputy toward the red mascot…
‘They probably considered the extreme situation and thought of letting it slide… but…’
The problem was that he repeated the same behavior.
‘It’s karma.’
The researcher’s screams, echoing in my ears, turned into wails.
“That bastard tried to kill me too!! Why only me, why me?!! You trash, you—”
Yes.
But Team A’s deputy never actually acted on it. When persuaded, she listened.
‘But you didn’t.’
By now, even a coward like me living in the “Shelter for the Timid” felt it was deserved.
– Save meeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaggghhhhhh….
The researcher’s voice stretched like taffy, leaving behind an eerie chill.
‘Ugh.’
My cowardly heart reacted reflexively, making my body flinch.
“Don’t.”
“…”
Team A’s deputy grabbed my arm and pressed it down.
And spoke as if trying to dissuade me.
“You can’t save him.”
Not that I had any intention of trying.
Anyway, I obediently stayed put.
Soon, the screams faded, and the strange, ominous atmosphere dissipated.
When I raised my head, the blue dragon mascot stood there, neatly as before, looking as polite as ever.
It was hard to believe it had just killed someone.
Somehow, it felt even more terrifying.
‘Its standards are stricter than I thought.’
This really is like something out of a ghost story.
The mascot seemed to have its own beliefs or standards, beyond merely refraining from harming team members.
‘I need to act cautiously.’
“…Let’s move out again.”
“Yes.”
One by one, the remaining people exited.
“See you outside.”
I gave up and sent the superiors out first.
After seeing off my fellow coward comrade.
I finally stood at the gate beside the blue dragon mascot.
“…”
The cutely deformed dragon stared at me with its round eyes.
Uh, could you not look at me like that?
Honestly, it’s really scary. The only reason I’m staying behind as the last person is to act tough. I’m overexerting myself here.
At that moment.
G O O D C H I L D
“…!”
Oh, is it trying to reassure me?
The mascot’s voice didn’t sound eerie like before.
‘So, breaking things doesn’t seem to matter… It’s letting it slide.’
Thank goodness.
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head slightly and tried to pass.
But the mascot moved, blocking my path.
“…?”
G O O D C H I L D R E N G E T
A R E W A R D
The blue dragon reached out its hand.
And gently grabbed my wrist.
More specifically, the wristband.
[(Cheerful) Fantasyland Admission Ticket ■■■]
The wristband felt slightly warm, and when the mascot let go…
[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership ◎]
The text had changed.
L E T’ S P L A Y
F O R E V E R
…What?
