will-o'-the-wisp.
The being inside the gourd lantern that was lent to me for losing my arm during a mission at the Disaster Management Bureau.
It was also the being that stayed by my side until the moment I drank the Wish Potion.
I sometimes worried about how it managed to return to the Disaster Management Bureau afterward….
'…Thank goodness.'
The fact that it's in front of my eyes now means it returned safely.
I watched the will-o'-the-wisp, which had emerged from the gourd lantern and was hovering before the sliding door.
I was glad.
But that doesn't mean I should expect it to recognize me. After all, my current state….
Whoosh.
The will-o'-the-wisp flew over and stuck to my head.
'…!'
No, it really flew like an arrow, piercing the paper of the sliding door, and hit me almost directly between my horns. It was enough to make a thud sound feel natural…!
'Ah, no.'
As I raised my hand in surprise, trying to gently remove it, the will-o'-the-wisp formed a shape along my horns.
…A blue, warm flame, shaped like a thumbs-up.
It then melted onto my horns and began to drip down.
As if crying.
'....'
It recognized me.
"W-will-o'-the-wisp friend! If you act so rudely…."
Gratitude: A Good Encounter
"...!"
I let the will-o'-the-wisp, which had soon recovered its senses, roam around my horns.
Today's assigned agent, seeing the sight, didn't panic but instead pushed up his glasses and quietly began to watch us….
And then.
Knock, knock.
"Sumaeksae Agent, Gomyeong said he wanted to have a late-night snack and asked if you could tell him why he's not showing up."
A familiar silhouette appeared from beyond the sliding door.
And then looked at me.
"Oh, you seem to be doing well."
Agent Haegeum!
"You seem to have good compatibility with the will-o'-the-wisp. Sister Hong certainly has a knack for this."
She then sat down near the sliding door and spoke casually to my assigned agent for the day.
"If it's because of the will-o'-the-wisp, I'll be here, so I'll go keep that late-night snack appointment."
"Ah…!"
The agent thanked Agent Haegeum several times in a row and left without much concern or hesitation.
"Thank you!"
Glancing back at me and the will-o'-the-wisp, he even waved awkwardly.
The moment the staff member completely disappeared into the hallway beyond the sliding door.
"…See? Now they've come to trust your character to some extent."
....
"From now on, there will be those who try to put things in and see your reaction. I hope you won't look upon them too unfavorably. It's because they're trying to choose what offerings you'd like."
Question: Object of Offerings
"Of course, it's you."
As expected.
I held back a sigh, watching the will-o'-the-wisp, which had been playing near my horns, wander near the yellow lantern by my ribs.
"Well… I'll probably be asked a lot about what you liked when you were a Mascot."
Hmph.
"So, if there's anything you'd like to receive, you can tell me now."
No.
Just by helping me regain my senses and letting me stay here without rent is more than enough….
Of course, I know the Disaster Management Bureau isn't just trying to appease me.
'They probably want my cooperation as a supernatural being.'
Especially if the testimony of this agent, who already knows I am the owner of the Flower Golden Resort, is added.
Borrowing power from supernatural beings friendly to humans was already a systematized disaster response method at the Disaster Management Bureau.
Like the will-o'-the-wisp, Baridegi Workshop, and Beom Janggun, I'm probably being treated as a candidate for a cooperative supernatural being….
The problem is, I'm not in a condition to do so.
Not only was I originally human, but now I'm not some revered entity, but rather… a kind of impure, synthetic mass of flesh, so I'm probably unsuitable.
...And,
"It seems you haven't completely broken free from that awful company."
....
"How about settling down at the Disaster Management Bureau? Whatever you're entangled in, we can try to find a way out together."
Find a way out of the employment contract I made with Director Cheong… together?
That…
I don't know. Is it possible? Director Cheong didn't seem like an ordinary being at all.
Even if it were possible, it would require an enormous investment, and I wasn't a supernatural being valuable enough to repay that cost.
Just the thought of breaking free from the employment contract sends a loud, rule-violation announcement echoing through my head, oozing out of my brain….
Sparkle.
'....'
The will-o'-the-wisp gently circled my head.
As if one hallucination was layered upon another, I heard humming, the sound of a mallet striking, and cheerful footsteps.
The sounds of a goblin.
....
Gratitude
As the announcement sound faded, I gently tapped the will-o'-the-wisp clinging to my shoulder.
Agent Haegeum, who had been watching calmly, smiled and touched the hilt of the Four-Sided Divine Sword.
"Yes. That way, you can at least put up a fight. With the help of another supernatural being. I even had your clothes mended."
I unconsciously looked at my arm. A patch-like thing was sewn on with silver thread.
The damaged and torn zipper part of my Security Team uniform had already been repaired when I regained consciousness.
It seemed someone from the Baridegi Workshop had come out and mended it.
'I feel a strange energy from it.'
I should check it out later. Anyway….
Gratitude for the Offer: Consideration of Acceptance
It was a lie.
"Yes. It's an honor, Mascot."
I was grateful. Even if the offer was made without knowing I was Agent Grape, the spy.
Of course, it's not a situation where I can truly accept.
'I want to help in some way, though.'
After pondering, I slightly unzipped my arm and put my hand inside.
It was inside the inventory tattoo.
Of course, to the other party, it must have looked like I was suddenly shoving my hand into my body.
"…!"
'This inside is connected to the Resort.'
And to the Caretaker, who is now the manager of the Resort.
'When I called for Jang Heo-un, I definitely felt like the decision was relayed to the manager.'
Then, perhaps this would work too.
I sent a few signals, instructing the manager to place a few items from the Resort in the space connected to the tattoo.
Of course, the Resort is not a divine place either.
So, I ordered items that wouldn't spread contamination on their own, wouldn't suddenly pull the Resort in, were safe, and that I could operate.
I took my hand out from inside my arm tattoo.
On my hand, clad in a black glove, a colorful plastic circle made of plastic glittered.
"That's…."
It was a Pleasant Coin.
Reward for Treatment and Space Provision
Recipient: Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau and Agent Haegeum
"…!"
I poured the coin in front of Agent Haegeum, behind the sliding door.
The other party stood up abruptly.
Usage:
▶ Resort Accommodation
▶ Theme Park Souvenir Shop
▶ Theme Park Restaurant (Not Recommended)
'This should be usable at the Disaster Management Bureau too.'
Given that people regularly fall into the Resort and agents come to rescue them, there must be other means of entry to the theme park.
With Pleasant Coins, agents' movements will be much easier.
In my area, the souvenir shop mainly sells items that are relatively safe for people, so they could purchase and use them.
This amount wouldn't be judged as harmful to the Resort's operation, so there's no resistance.
Reward Item: Pleasant Coin x30
Caution: May cause mild contamination symptoms upon possession. Recommended for isolated storage.
"No…."
Hmph, put it away.
I felt like a commoner offering a bribe as I slipped the Pleasant Coins to the agent.
'This should be a sufficient reward to some extent.'
After the will-o'-the-wisp returned to its gourd lantern, I inwardly nodded as I watched Agent Haegeum leave with the gourd lantern and the pile of coins.
Casually thinking that this was roughly the end of our mutual settlement.
...But this was only my thought.
From the next day, various items from the Disaster Management Bureau began to arrive before me as offerings.
'…!?'
And I realized.
'…I proved my utility!'
If the agents who entered the theme park testified to the utility of the Pleasant Coins, they were now trying to figure out how to use me.
To exchange them for Pleasant Coins most effectively!
Refusal
Recommendation: Give to a Child
This was the third refusal today. I reluctantly refused a basket full of children's toys.
'Do they think I'm a ghost story that presides over the theme park…?'
They're giving me all sorts of amusement park-related items. Or items related to the Resort.
Incidentally, the will-o'-the-wisp has been permanently lent to me. I heard it strongly insisted on it itself.
I'm grateful, but I regret having given a few more Pleasant Coins for this price.
'What if they introduce more supernatural beings as friends…!'
Just as I was deeply worried they might even be interviewing Jang Heo-un, who is undergoing contamination treatment.
The situation has finally come to this.
"This looks like it's from your Resort, is it correct?"
....
...!
"It seems to be."
I saw what was in the basket that came from beyond the sliding door.
A pink body, black eyes like round pebbles. Clean fur that looked well-maintained, and a fluffy rabbit doll…
'Good Friend…!'
W-why is this here?
And.
[Friend! I have returned.]
'…!?'
No.
'Brown?'
[Then who else would it be! Oh, finally, we meet with this magnificent body chosen by Mr. Roe Deer, not some cheap merchandise.]
[Look at this silhouette, it even contains the coins you used in its belly!]
I'm flustered.
As I dazedly took the doll out of the basket with both hands, I realized.
'Could it be… for this?'
[Oh, yes.]
A pleasant voice echoed with a hint of playfulness.
[A true entertainer knows how to wait for a more magnificent moment of encounter!]
[Someone who discovered that the origin of this stuffed body was your humble and charming Resort eventually led this Brown to Mr. Roe Deer, I believed. Oh, what a wonderful fated encounter!]
Wait a minute.
'Did someone have a Good Friend?'
[Of course, it was those agents who dreamed of Segwang Metropolitan City with you.]
Ah.
Aaaah!
'So that's how it happened!'
Perhaps rumors spread within the company that they were looking for items related to the Pleasant Theme Park to give to me, and a notice might have been posted.
Then, I don't know how they tracked me down, but the agents of Team Hyumoo 1, who possessed my 'Good Friend' (highly likely), would have gladly given up the rabbit.
After all, they knew it would go back to Kim Soleum anyway.
They might have been satisfied that it could be officially delivered instead of being taken out.
[How is it? Friend. Do you like my surprise?]
Looking at the rabbit doll, which seemed somewhat triumphant, I felt a strange sense of longing.
Affection.
'Could this… be the effect of the Good Friend item too?'
It might be.
'Yes. It was impressive.'
[As expected!]
The rabbit doll rejoiced.
'But, you know.'
[Oh, do you have a question?]
'You knew entering Segwang Metropolitan City was a dream, right?'
The rabbit doll stopped.
'One hundred million… you made me waste it on purpose!'
For fun!
[…Friend! How can you suspect such a thing!]
It's not suspicion, it feels like the truth!
[Good heavens. Alright, then let's think….]
[If Mr. Roe Deer, impressed by my brilliant insight, told someone else that this place was a dream, would everyone have committed suicide together?]
'...!'
[Oh, my friend wouldn't expect a plot development that even the comedy corner of a show would question the plausibility of.]
[Naturally, your companions would have been divided by suspicion, doubt, and pain! More people might not have woken up.]
[You wouldn't want me to do something so dangerous, would you?]
That…
It's true, though.
'Still, you could have told me that the 100 million-won Amulet Dried Pollack wasn't necessary….'
Sob.
[Mr. Roe Deer. Please don't forget that it was you yourself who insisted on repaying this Brown, whom I clearly offered as a gift….]
....
Yes....
'Let's make… money.'
It might be impossible to remove the phone grip stuck in my body, but I could at least search for sources of money by looking through the wiki….
[You can repay me slowly, so please restore the trust you owe me, Friend!]
Despite everything I've been through, the fact that I don't find those words offensive suggests that the words of a Good Friend do indeed have a more friendly effect.
'Sigh.'
I put the rabbit doll, which felt a bit closer than when it was merchandise, into my pocket.
130666's mind, numbed by fear, didn't sense the chill even from the Host of the Ghost Story, who had become a creditor, and the Good Friend was attached somewhere in my front pocket.
"It does seem to be from your Resort. You seem quite happy about it?"
I'll go with that….
"Actually… it was originally owned by someone else."
...Huh?
Agent Haegeum asked, hesitating slightly.
"Do you happen to know an Agent Grape?"
…!!
"I suspect that agent visited your theme park and acquired that doll. Their whereabouts are currently unknown."
I'm breaking out in a cold sweat.
"The team members were keeping that doll too… If you could possibly track it, I'd appreciate it. Or at least its current situation."
....
Unable to Track
Reason: Ownership Already Transferred
"…As expected."
My conscience aches!
Purchaser's Current Status:
Alive, Peaceful
"...Yes. That's a relief."
Agent Haegeum listened calmly as I handed over a few coins in exchange for the rabbit doll and provided information (e.g., this doll is no longer available as an event item at the Pleasant Theme Park).
Then, she stood up with a smile.
"It's fortunate that you're friendly towards humans too."
....
"Then, rest well."
Agent Haegeum disappeared back into the hallway beyond the sliding door.
Clack*.
As I heard the door close, I finally let out a sigh and reached a conclusion.
'I can't stay here any longer.'
It's not good to signal to the Disaster Management Bureau that I will fully register here and cooperate as a supernatural being. It would be a waste of time and money. Especially for such a busy organization.
Moreover, the call of the Daydream is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
But time keeps flowing, and Deputy Lee Seong-hae still hasn't woken up….
'…I think I have to go in alone again.'
For the rescue.
To Segwang Metropolitan City.
Considering all this, there's only one answer.
And so, a few days later.
I announced it during an outing that Team Hyumoo 1 had arranged again.
Declaration:
Establishment of an Independent Segwang Metropolitan City Exploration Team
(Including Ho Yuwon)
"...!!"