NOVPUBThe children who had managed to get out of the mountain safely now had to return to their respective homes. After all, having been out without permission, it was bound to cause a huge commotion.
Perhaps even the police might have been dispatched. But that wasn’t what frightened me—the real terror was what I had just experienced. Whether I’d be scolded or punished, all I longed for was the warmth of a family embrace.
After suggesting to the others that they discuss today’s events at school another time, Ha‐rim returned home.
“I'm back.”
There was no reply. Ha‐rim’s parents had been gone for a long time now. It was a sorrowful truth that even after enduring such frightening ordeals, there was no one by her side.
Yet, there was nothing she could do to stop her friends from going back to their families, and with a heavy heart, Ha‐rim sighed.
She opened the refrigerator and took out the chocolates she had been treasuring. They were rather expensive—chocolates she reserved for special occasions. But when else would she ever indulge? Right now, the only thing that could soothe her exhausted body and mind was that sweet delight.
‘What happened at the mansion... It all seems like a dream.’
If vivid dreams exist, then so too does an almost unreal reality. In a way, it might have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience... yet it’s something she never wished to relive.
Might as well eat the chocolate, she thought. Ha‐rim lay on her bed and began unwrapping the confectionery.
Speaking of chocolate—she remembered the box of chocolate she had left at the mansion. Had she even bothered to read that memo...?
‘If she finds out I broke our promise, what will Ella do to me?’
Ha‐rim imagined Ella thrusting a knife into her. The very thought sent shivers down her spine, making her squirm in discomfort.
Then, she realized there was something in her pocket. A cellphone, perhaps?
Thinking it was about time to contact her friends, she decided to call the one she was most worried about.
‘Eun-jung is a bit weak-hearted. She'll be really shaken up.’
Without much thought, she reached into her pocket and pulled out its contents. But what she grasped wasn’t a cellphone or anything of the sort—it was a small, round hand mirror...
Why on earth is this in my pocket? Ha‐rim peered into the mirror, catching sight of her own reflection. A plain mirror. But if it’s a mirror... then—an ominous thought flashed through her mind. No way... no way!
“!!”
In the mirror, behind her own reflection, Ella was staring at her.
-----
She had successfully escaped from the mansion. Yet, seeing Ha‐rim’s face turn deathly pale—as if she’d seen a ghost—it wasn’t exactly a moment for celebration. Ah, I must have seen a ghost.
I thought I had barely gotten away, but if it had followed me, that would have been terrifying. Still, dwelling on that thought only brought further pain.
Finding the small mirror inconvenient, she transferred it to the full-length mirror beside her. When moving from one mirror to another, unless it’s been “marked,” one cannot shift one’s body.
‘Marking’ simply means that you must have seen that mirror with your own eyes at least once.
Once marked, you can relocate to that mirror—and even if it’s far away, movement becomes possible.
That means you can use it for long-distance travel.
“......”
A creaking neck turned toward me.
“Don’t just stand there frozen—at least offer some sort of excuse, will you? I’ll play the part of the immature Ella.”
“Kids are so easily fooled that even the original Ella might let you off for breaking your promise.”
In an effort to rouse Ha‐rim’s spirit, I took up a knife. “Are you still going to remain frozen?”
Only then did Ha‐rim finally speak.
“Ca... calm down, Ella! Put the knife away!”
That was not the proper reaction. There’s no way a psychopathic girl would comply with such a request.
“Huh~? Are those your final words?”
At that, Ha‐rim broke into a cold sweat and stammered, “No way! I didn’t break our promise!”
Oh. So that’s what you’re saying. I continued, feigning interest.
“So! I mean... you never told me not to leave the mansion, right? I was planning to have fun with Ella—preparing some toys and gifts and all.”
“Gifts?”
“Exactly. Right here!”
Ha‐rim presented the chocolates she had kept close for a treat to the mirror. They were of a quality somewhere between the gourmet kind sold at specialty shops and the everyday ones from convenience stores—a rather expensive chocolate, indeed. Surely, it must be delightfully sweet and delicious.
But Ha‐rim... no matter how childlike she might appear, there was no way she’d be swayed by something like this. Even if she had simply said she’d gone to buy a toy, I might have let it pass.
A psychopathic girl who casually takes lives over something like this... chocolate... chocolate....
Coming to my senses, I found myself frantically shoveling chocolate into my mouth.
The falling sugar in my mouth—like a fruit—was devoured as eagerly as a sprout absorbs raindrops after a parched drought. Modern marvels are truly astounding... even the devil could turn into an angel!
“Do... do you like the gift?”
“.....”
Fuck, I couldn’t even lift my head. What kind of disgrace is this? To be tricked by something as trivial as food! How much did the original Ella love sweets!
No, let’s look at it the other way. At least this gives me an excuse for forgiveness. In fact, it’s all part of the plan. Yeah. Your face didn’t turn red, did it?
I nonchalantly sheathed my knife and asked Ha‑rim,
“Alright, fine. I know you didn’t break the promise~ But where are the others?”
“W-well... they’re still choosing their gifts! If waiting gets too boring, I’ll go buy more chocolate!”
While she was rambling on, a vibration suddenly sounded from Ha‑rim’s right pocket. So, are the strange phenomena finally being noticed?
“Th–this is a telephone—a device that lets you talk from afar. Looks like our friends are picking out their gifts! So, just wait a moment!”
“Of course I know! Who do you think I’m treating like some relic? Must be because of my outfit, huh?”
After all, I’m an old ghoul. I never expected to be misunderstood like this.
Oh, right. If a ghoul like me just stands around, electronic devices like telephones won’t work properly.
I suppressed my uncanny powers as much as possible and nodded. Reassured, Ha‑rim answered the call.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
“Yeah. Hello, is this Su‑ho? Uh, what?”
[So, there’s no one at home. No little sister, no parents—absolutely no one! I tried contacting the others, but everyone said they’re nowhere to be found.]
Ha‑rim’s expression grew serious.
“Why is everyone suddenly...? What about the police? Did you try calling them?”
[...They’re not answering calls. Not just the police—the convenience store owner, the locals... no one. It’s like we’re the only ones left in the world.]
“This is unbelievable...”
I decided to say something to the confused Ha‑rim. It’s best to take the harsh criticism first. As painful as it is to reveal the brutal truth, acting clumsily wouldn’t do any good.
“Oh, didn’t you know? I always figured Ella knew everything.”
Upon hearing my loaded remark, Ha‑rim ended the call with a promise to gather everyone at school, then turned her gaze toward me.
“Ella... What do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean? I’m saying this isn’t your world!”
The stage of the game [Mystery Exploration Club]. This is a place where the uncanny gather—a barrier just a stone’s throw from the real world. A paradise for urban legends.
I’m sorry to say, but you’ve fallen into a nightmare world.
“What?!”
“Can’t you believe it—even after seeing a monster you’d never met before? From a certain moment on, you all fell into this world.”
“.......”
“To survive, you’ll have to fight with every ounce of strength you’ve got! This is a place teeming with terrifying monsters!”
“Monsters... there are so many of them...?”
Ha‑rim’s eyes fluttered wildly. Please, steel your heart, Ha‑rim. You haven’t even begun, and your resolve must not break. Compared to the despair you’re about to face, this is just a taste.
That’s right. Bite your lips, clench your fists. You are the protagonist of this world.
...That’s the spirit.
Ha‑rim steeled herself. For an elementary schooler, her mental strength was remarkably formidable. I just hope it holds.
“Ella, what should we do? Can you help us?”
That request was rather unexpected. Asking me for help—as if this old ghoul knew everything—while from your perspective I was trying to kill you? Besides, it did feel like I was about to kill you just a moment ago.
“Why should I be the one to help?”
“Heh. Because... we want to be friends with you, Ella! If we die, you’ll get bored. Weren’t you looking for someone to play with?”
Ha‑rim continued without hesitation.
“If you help us, we’ll be your best friends. We’ll introduce you to delicious snacks and set you up with fun games!”
There was an earnestness in Ha‑rim’s eyes. She seemed to believe that sticking with me—the one who took down Slender Man—would at least save a few lives.
What guts you have, trying to recruit a ticking time bomb as your ally. Since I’m already involved in the original storyline, I have no intention of backing down.
Unexpected situations like those with Slender Man are problematic enough... but the real issue is Ha‑rim.
Can this kid really survive until the end? She’s the protagonist of this game, but it’s the player who truly controls the action.
If the player messes up, she dies in a pretty ordinary way. The absurd number of death scenes proves it.
Maybe Ha‑rim isn’t even a player at all, just a playable character—and thinking she could have survived even if things had gone according to the original plan is nothing short of naive.
Besides, I’ve died a few times myself while playing.
“So please!... Help us...”
According to game-based novels... the proper way to return home is to see the ending. And every ending needs a protagonist. Even if it’s a jittery one, it’s absolutely essential.
I’ll take these kids all the way to the ending.
Let it be so—that thought eased the guilt in my heart.
I replied in a sly voice,
“Alright then~.”
“!”
Why are you surprised? After all, it was your own idea. I smiled ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) and said to Ha‑rim,
“If you want to be Ella’s friend, I won’t refuse to help. But you’ll have to keep me entertained, got it? You know what happens if you break your promise.”
I reached my hand through the mirror in a gesture of goodwill. Ha‑rim was startled by the tangible arm before her, but she quickly grasped it and replied,
“Yeah! Got it!”
Contract sealed. Shall we get started right away?
“Alright, now let’s go.”
“Go? Where to?”
“Obviously, to the school. Oh—if your friends have already arrived, they’re in danger.”
“What?!”
Ha‑rim immediately called Su‑ho, the friend she’d just been talking about. But there was no signal.
This kind of phenomenon happens when either the sender or the receiver is near something otherworldly. Since I suppressed my ghastly power, it means Su‑ho must be close to that uncanny presence...
The reason the kids heading to school are in danger is that the school is riddled with urban legends.
And since elementary schools are usually not far from home, it wouldn’t be surprising if they’d already arrived. Once they step through the main gate, they’ll be within the attack range of the ghouls, so it’s best to hurry.
Apart from that, Ha‑rim was wise to gather the kids there.
Just like in zombie games or novels, survivors usually set up a base—and that’s exactly what they’re going to do.
To the ghouls inside the school: make some room, will you?
“Kick...”
‘Ella is laughing...’
Ha‑rim felt an overwhelming urge to run away immediately.
