I decided to use the Blood Bath one more time.
“ – If I can rejuvenate a bit more, it’ll be much easier to accompany you, Roe Deer!”
I accepted Braun’s argument.
The plush doll might grow a bit bigger… but, well, one more time should be fine. It’s still the size of a regular keychain doll.
However, Braun looked serious at the idea of casually using my blood as a bath additive.
“ – My goodness! I must politely decline. With so many intelligent beings’ fluids around, why does my friend keep trying to use their own blood?”
It seemed that the scare I intentionally gave him last time was still having an effect.
‘Well, I wasn’t planning to use that much this time anyway….’
I wondered if I went too far and felt a bit sorry.
Anyway, we agreed to find another way to get blood.
“ – Good, good…. Let’s find a suitable bath additive, my friend!”
Alright.
It was somewhat better to have something else to focus on amidst the office politics….
‘This is already proving to be helpful.’
I sighed and headed to work.
For reference, Baek Saheon didn’t even return to the dormitory yesterday. I’ll see how long he can keep that up.
Anyway, since I don’t know how long Director Cheong will wait, I need to make a decision quickly….
“Sol-eum…!”
Huh?
While waiting for the elevator, I turned my head and saw a colleague holding a bison mask walk in.
‘Jang Heo-un!’
He’s the colleague I briefly accompanied through a whirlwind of events last night at Sekwang Technical High School.
“You made it out safely!”
“Yes. It seems you made it out safely too, Heo-un.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you. I cleared it successfully….”
Yesterday, I couldn’t even think about others’ well-being because it was just one shock after another, but it’s nice to see him like this.
Moreover, Jang Heo-un seemed to have a surprisingly good impression of the agent, and he responded quite brightly when the topic came up.
“Well, he was a much better person than I expected. He didn’t use me as bait… and I even got an explanation about the management bureau at the end.”
Isn’t that bar set way too low….?
Anyway, he seemed to hold a lot of grudges against Daydream Corporation, but I wondered if accompanying a decent colleague had changed his perspective.
Anyway, since there wasn’t any major issue, Jang Heo-un’s complexion seemed fine.
‘Maybe I can sell some ghost story food again next time.’
I felt a glimmer of hope for some extra income.
“And… that agent seemed worried about you until the end. But don’t worry, I didn’t mention that I gave you the name tag!”
Ah, the name tag!
“I used the name tag you gave me well. Thank you.”
In fact, there were ways to get a name tag even after borrowing the uniform, but thanks to him, I was able to use it quickly and effectively.
“That name tag must have been valuable to you too, Heo-un, but you gave it to me out of concern. I won’t forget that.”
“Oh, no… It was nothing compared to what you did for me.”
“…?”
Me?
At that moment, Jang Heo-un clenched his fists and spoke with a joyful expression.
“Sol-eum, I’ve been reassigned to the general team…!”
“…!”
“Really, after enduring for three months, they finally reassigned me. Truly, thank you so much. I think I managed to hold on because of you!”
Oh!
With so many incidents during the regular reassignment season, I couldn’t check other teams, but this was truly great news.
I asked with a delighted tone.
“Congratulations! Which team are you assigned to?”
“I’ve been assigned to Team F…!”
“…….”
Huh.
“You’re in the same team as Baek Saheon…?”
“Yes! He’s quite kind.”
“…….”
It seems like his standard for what makes a “good person” has dropped drastically after his experience with the Residual Team….
‘No wonder they were sticking together in the last ghost story.’
So they weren’t just running into each other—they were in the same team.
I smiled as I spoke.
“What an amusing coincidence. I actually share a dormitory with him. …Next time, let’s gather with our peers and have dinner together.”
“Oh, thank you… Yes!”
And at that moment, another unexpected encounter happened in front of the elevator.
“Hello, Team Leader Lee Jaheon!”
“Yes. Hello.”
I ran into Team Leader Lee Jaheon on his way to work.
Team Leader Lee Jaheon replied to Jang Heo-un, who bowed politely to him, and went straight to the point.
That meant he was addressing me.
“Sol-eum, there’s a summons for you.”
Again??
“Do I… not need to stop by the office and just head straight there?”
“Yes.”
Feeling like I might develop a neurosis from all these summonses, I ended up pressing the 25th-floor button instead of the 13th as Lee Jaheon instructed.
‘Once again, I’m leaving the Exploration Team floor….’
I really hope it’s nothing serious.
“Have a great day, Sol-eum!”
“Yes, you too, Heo-un.”
After seeing off Jang Heo-un, I got off on the 25th floor with Team Leader Lee Jaheon.
Ding.
“Follow me.”
“Yes.”
I followed the Team Leader, walking along with heavy steps.
‘This seems farther than I expected.’
After turning several corners in the hallway, instead of a meeting room, a door appeared.
There, unexpectedly, hung a wooden nameplate with a warm tone….
Fox Counseling Room
“…….”
Wait.
“Team Leader, this place…….”
Thud.
At that moment.
I was pinned against the wall by Team Leader Lee Jaheon.
…?!
“ Kim Sol-eum, answer the following questions immediately and without hesitation.”
“ – Oh my! Is this a situation where my help is needed, friend?”
‘No, wait…!’
The atmosphere feels off.
I looked at the lizard.
Its red vertical pupils were staring straight at me.
“Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?”
I swallowed hard.
“…Yes.”
“What was the topic we ended the conversation with?”
“That Team D could become an Elite Team—”
“That wasn’t the last topic. Answer again.”
What?
“That was the last topic!”
“No, we had another conversation about a different topic afterward.”
No!
Maybe we did. But it was just small talk, not….
“Don’t hesitate.”
“…!”
“Answer.”
Damn it!
“I don’t really remember!”
“…….”
“It was just small talk… wasn’t it?”
A heavy silence and a suffocating tension followed.
And then….
Srrrk.
“I see.”
Team Leader Lee Jaheon released me from the wall.
I don’t know what that was about, but at least it’s a relief….
“ Kim Sol-eum.”
“Yes.”
“You have been contaminated.”
“…….”
Huh?
But, that’s….
“…Well, when you’re exploring, to some extent….”
But I couldn’t finish my sentence.
Thud.
Lee Jaheon swung the counseling room door open and grabbed me by the collar, throwing me inside.
“…!”
“You won’t be able to leave until the counseling session is complete. I’ll be waiting outside.”
Bang.
And then the door shut.
“…….”
No.
No!!
“ – How dare they be so rude to my friend!!”
Wait, hold on.
Let’s calm down, you don’t need to act like that too….
‘It’s fine. There seems to be some misunderstanding.’
I held back a sigh and lifted my head.
Though I wasn’t particularly thrilled about it….
‘Might as well just go through the counseling. It could be good for my mental health.’
As for the side effects… let’s not think about them too much. The chances are pretty low anyway.
“ – Hmm…. If that’s your opinion, Roe Deer!”
Sigh.
It’s decided then.
With a reluctant feeling, I dragged my feet as I walked forward….
The first thing I saw was a space that looked like a changing room.
And a floral sign was attached above the lockers.
Dear client, welcome!
Please change into a gown and come in ^^
And hospital gowns with green grass patterns in various sizes were neatly arranged.
A health check-up outfit…?
“ – If clothing only pursued comfort, we’d all be walking around naked, wouldn’t we?”
“ – In that sense, this is nothing more than a scrap of cloth. It serves no purpose other than covering the body.”
Got it.
‘Still, I have to wear it.’
Outside, the lizard that physically destroys ghost stories was standing guard. I had to go through the counseling before I could leave.
I finished changing.
‘That curtain seems to lead to the counseling area.’
And just as I was about to lift the curtain that seemed to be the exit of the changing room….
There was a sign attached.
From this point on, only clients are allowed ^^.
Friends, family, and guardians must stop here!
‘Ah.’
Hmm… No matter how much they say it’s about welfare, it’s still a ghost story, so it’s better not to break the rules.
“Braun, can you wait here for a moment?”
“ – Oh, it would be a lie to say I’m not worried, but in this case, of course, I must respect your privacy, Roe!”
Okay.
I carefully placed Braun on the table next to the vase in the locker room and pulled back the curtain.
Jingle…
And then sunlight poured over my head.
“…!”
A small and cozy space appeared before my eyes.
A warm midday room that even calmed my mind.
---------------------=
Chronicles of Darkness Exploration/ ghost story
A ghost story listed in <Chronicles of Darkness Exploration>.
Daydream Incorporation ID code: Qterw-E-925
A counseling space composed of a sunny window, a soft pastel-toned sofa, and a small silver bell-shaped doorbell with a clear sound.
As one of the E-grade employee welfare benefits of DayDream Corporation, it has a modest effect on mental stability and contamination recovery.
For detailed usage records of the Fox Counseling Room, refer to the corresponding document.
---------------------=
It’s true, this room does have a nice atmosphere.
“ – I hope this turns out to be a helpful counseling session, my friend!”
Let’s hope so.
I carefully closed the curtain and stepped into the room.
Once again, a guide message appeared.
Sit comfortably on the sofa.
Enjoy the view outside!
I sat down on the sofa as instructed.
And crossed my arms.
Well, the atmosphere is nice, but….
‘I already know what’s going to happen anyway.’
It’s truly amazing. It helps me regain the motivation I had lost and remember things I had forgotten….
– Interview after the counseling session with Manager Lee Jung-eun.
Someone will appear outside the window to conduct the counseling.
What appears is customized for each individual.
Most likely, it will show me a person or object related to my trauma and create a scenario where it’s resolved for me to witness.
Those who deeply immerse themselves ultimately experience some kind of emotional healing, either leaving with tears streaming down their face or with a calm expression. This is the cliché often found in the usage records of the ‘Fox Counseling Room’ ghost story.
‘I already know everything; will it even work?’
Thinking about it now, I’m skeptical of that as well.
I crossed my arms and looked at the giant window that offered a full view of the sunny, beautiful outdoor garden….
And at that moment.
Someone appeared beside the garden.
“…!!”
It was….
Me.
The weary and gloomy version of ‘me’ stood in the sunny outdoor garden and turned to look at the me inside the room.
And waved a hand.
“…!”
I instinctively raised my hand… and then lowered it.
‘What is this?’
It’s not like it’s some kind of doppelgänger.
A sense of unease and rejection rose within me.
However, the ‘Kim Sol-eum’ standing in the outdoor garden didn’t stop there. Looking around, they grabbed a suitable chair and sat right in front of the window.
And then, with a bright smile, they looked at me and laughed.
“…….”
‘Should I just get up?’
The door won’t open for another hour, but I could just stand by it and wait….
Just as the seat was starting to feel more uncomfortable.
“Mr. Kim Sol-eum.”
“…!!”
“Thank you so much for coming to the counseling session today. I am your counselor.”
Something that looked like me outside the window began to speak.
“You seem quite tired today. How have you been sleeping recently? How many hours do you usually sleep?”
I clenched my teeth.
“…I manage to sleep.”
“I see… Could you give a specific figure? More than five hours?”
“…Sometimes.”
“I see. Could it be that sometimes sleeping less is related to the stress from work?”
Wow!
‘This is driving me crazy.’
I barely managed to reply.
“I don’t want to answer. Seeing you say such things in my form only makes me feel repulsed.”
“Why do you feel repulsed, Mr. Kim Sol-eum?”
“Isn’t it natural for people to feel a sense of existential threat when they see someone identical to themselves?”
“But… I am an intelligent being with clear differences from you, Mr. Kim Sol-eum.”
What?
“Why don’t you take a look? What differences can you find?”
I unconsciously scanned them.
Eyes, nose, mouth, body, clothes.
“…They’re identical.”
“Then how about taking a closer look in the mirror?”
Whirrr.
Suddenly, the bookshelf next to the sofa I was sitting on shifted, revealing a full-length mirror.
I absentmindedly glanced into it.
A weary office worker.
“…….”
“Would you like to compare again?”
Whether I compare or not, they’re completely identical….
“…….”
“What do you think?”
“…On my side,”
I looked into the mirror.
“…It seems… my complexion looks worse….”
Is it just my imagination…?
“I see.”
But the version of me outside the window nods.
“Why do you think there’s such a difference?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then let’s observe a bit more. Maybe you’ll notice something else.”
I alternated my gaze between the version of me outside the window and the one in the mirror.
Eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms….
Wrists.
“Tattoo.”
I murmured as if in a trance.
“You don’t have a tattoo.”
There was a tattoo left from the theme park.
But….
: Gracious Master :
This wasn’t there.
The tattoo that served as my inventory.
“What kind of tattoo is it? Ah, that one!”
“Yes.”
“There must be a reason for having such a tattoo. What kind of effect did it have?”
“I can store items inside it.”
“I see. Do you still have various items in it?”
“Yes.”
“Could you show me? Ah, if you’re uncomfortable, it’s okay to just put it down somewhere I can’t see.”
“…Okay.”
I took items out of the tattoo.
Items, equipment, coins….
They’re all things I’m familiar with.
“I’ve taken everything out.”
I don’t understand why I was told to do this.
What’s different between this and the version of me outside the window?
“Mr. Kim Sol-eum.”
“Yes?”
“I think there’s still something left in the tattoo.”
Silence!
“Could you extend your hand to me?”
I don’t want to know—
“No, you do want to know, and you can do it.”
“…….”
I stood up from the sofa.
Then I walked right up to the window….
I extended my hand.
“You’ve really worked hard.”
The version of me outside the window took my hand.
And then.
They swiftly reached into my tattoo.
