Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work-Chapter 84

Using the Blood Bath again.

“If I rejuvenate a little more, it’ll be much easier to accompany you, friend!”I had decided to accommodate Braun’s request.

While the plushie might grow a bit bigger, it should be fine for one more use. For now, it was still a typical keychain size.

However, Braun immediately shut down my suggestion to casually use my blood as the bath's main ingredient.

“Goodness! I must respectfully decline. The world is filled with bodily fluids from countless sentient beings, yet you insist on offering your own blood?!”It seemed the scare I gave him last time still had lingering effects.

‘Not that I planned to use nearly as much as last time...’

I felt a little guilty for going overboard before.

In any case, we agreed to find another way to procure blood for the bath.

“Excellent, excellent... let’s search for a suitable bath ingredient, friend!”Sure thing.

This distraction was almost a relief after the whirlwind of office politics.

‘This is already helping.’

I sighed and headed to work.

Incidentally, Baek Saheon didn’t come back to the dorm at all last night. Let’s see how long he can keep that up.

Still, I couldn’t delay my decision for too long—who knew how long Director Cheong would wait?

“Soleum!”

Huh?

While waiting for the elevator, I turned to see a colleague holding a bison mask.

‘Jang Heoun!’

It was the coworker I had briefly, yet eventfully, accompanied at Se Kwang Technical High School last night.

“You’re safe!”

“Yes. It seems you escaped well, too.”

“Yes, yes! Thank you. I managed to clear it...”

Yesterday had been so overwhelming that I hadn’t thought much about others’ well-being, but meeting like this was nice.

Moreover, Jang Heoun seemed to have a positive impression of me, smiling brightly when the topic came up.

“You were a much better partner than I expected. You didn’t use me as bait... and you even explained the Disaster Management Bureau at the end.”

Isn’t that an awfully low bar?

Still, he seemed to have undergone a slight change of heart after spending time with an employee who wasn’t entirely jaded about Daydream Inc.

Considering he looked fine, there probably hadn’t been any major issues.

‘Might even sell him more ghostly snacks next time.’

A glimmer of hope for some side income.

“And... that agent seemed really concerned about you to the end. Oh, but don’t worry—I didn’t mention the name tag I gave you!”

Ah, the name tag!

“The tag you gave me was very helpful. Thank you.”

While I could have found another way to procure one after borrowing the uniform, his gift certainly expedited things.

“I won’t forget your generosity in giving me something so valuable, even though it was important to you.”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing... not compared to what you did for me.”

“...?”

What I did?

At that moment, Jang Heoun clenched his fists and smiled broadly.

“Soleum, I’ve been reassigned to the general team...!”

“...!”

“I really made it! After three months, they finally transferred me. Honestly, I think I endured it thanks to you!”

Oh!

With all the chaos surrounding the recent reshuffle, I hadn’t kept track of other teams, but this was fantastic news.

I asked enthusiastically, “Congratulations! Which team are you on now?”

“Team F!”

“......”

Oh no.

“You’re in the same team as... Baek Saheon?”

“Yes! He seems so kind.”

“......”

It seems his time with the cleanup team has severely lowered his standards for “kindness.”

‘No wonder they were together in the last ghost story.’

Apparently, they weren’t just acquaintances—they were teammates.

I smiled and said, “What a coincidence. I share a dorm with him. Let’s have dinner together sometime, just the three of us.”

“Oh, thank you... yes!”

At that moment, another unexpected encounter occurred at the elevator.

“Good morning, Manager Lee Jaheon!”

“Good morning.”

It was none other than my team leader, Lee Jaheon, who had just arrived.

After acknowledging Jang Heoun with a polite nod, he turned to me, immediately getting to the point.

“Soleum, there’s a summons for you.”

Again??

“Should I head straight there without stopping by the office?”

“Yes.”

Already feeling a sense of dread, I reluctantly pressed the 25th-floor button instead of the 13th.

‘Another summons outside the field exploration floors....’

I could only hope it wouldn’t be anything serious.

After sending Jang Heoun off with a wave, I followed Manager Lee out of the elevator on the 25th floor.

“Follow me.”

“Understood.”

I trudged along behind him, weaving through corridors and turning corners repeatedly.

Finally, instead of a meeting room, we stopped in front of an unexpected door.

It had a warm wooden plaque that read:

Fox Counseling Room.

“......”

Wait a second.

“Manager... is this...?”

Thud.

Before I could finish, I was suddenly pinned against the wall.

...?!

“Kim Soleum. Answer my questions immediately, without hesitation.”

“My friend! Is this a situation where I should intervene?”‘No, wait...!’

The atmosphere was tense.

Looking up at the lizard-like man, I met his piercing, vertical pupils.

“Do you remember the conversation we had yesterday?”

I swallowed hard.

“...Yes.”

“What was the final topic we discussed?”

“About Team D potentially becoming an elite team—”

“That wasn’t the final topic. Answer again.”

What?

“That was the last topic!”

“It was not. We spoke about something else afterward.”

No!

Well, maybe we did, but it was just idle chatter, wasn’t it?

“Do not hesitate.”

“...!”

“Answer.”

Damn it!

“I don’t remember clearly!”

“......”

The most uptodate nove𝙡s are published on frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓.

“It was just small talk... wasn’t it?”

The heavy silence and pressure dragged on.

Then...

Whoosh.

“I see.”

Manager Lee released me from the wall.

Whatever it was, at least it seemed over for now.

“Kim Soleum.”

“Yes.”

“You are contaminated.”

“......”

What?

But that’s...

“Well, when you work in field exploration, there’s bound to be some degree of—”

I didn’t get to finish my sentence.

Thwack.

Manager Lee threw open the counseling room door, grabbed me by the collar, and tossed me inside.

“...!”

“You will not leave until the counseling is complete. I will wait outside.”

Bang!

The door slammed shut.

“......”

No.

No!!

“The audacity to treat my friend so rudely!”Wait, Braun, calm down... let’s not escalate this.

‘It’s fine. I think there’s been some misunderstanding.’

Suppressing a sigh, I looked up.

As much as I hated this...

‘Might as well go through with the counseling. It’s supposed to be good for mental health, right?’

Let’s not dwell on potential downsides—the chances were minimal, weren’t they?

“Hmm... if that’s your stance, then very well!”With the decision made, I shuffled forward reluctantly.

The first thing I noticed was a changing room-like space, with a floral sign on one of the lockers:

Welcome, dear client! Please change into a gown before proceeding. 😊

Rows of green, leafy-patterned hospital gowns hung neatly in various sizes.

“Ah, clothing designed purely for modesty. If comfort alone were the goal, we’d all walk around bare. This? A mere scrap of fabric.”Understood.

‘But I have to wear it.’

A lizard who could physically destroy ghost stories was standing guard outside. There was no leaving without complying.

After changing into the gown, I looked toward what seemed to be the entrance to the counseling area, separated by a curtain.

As I reached to pull it aside, a notice caught my eye:

Beyond this point is for the client only. 😊 Friends, family, and companions, please wait here!

‘Ah.’

Even if this was supposedly for my well-being, it was still a ghost story—better not to break the rules.

“Braun, can you wait here for a bit?”

“Oh, I’ll admit I’m a little worried, but of course! I shall respect your privacy, friend.”Satisfied, I carefully set Braun down on a small table beside a vase and stepped through the curtain.

Jingle...

Sunlight poured over me, warm and golden.

“...!”

What lay before me was a small, cozy space.

A room filled with soothing light and a midday warmth that seemed to calm even my uneasy heart.

***

-------------------

Darkness Exploration Records / Folklore

[Fox Counseling Room]

A piece of folklore cataloged in the Darkness Exploration Records, identified within Daydream Inc. as Qterw-E-925.

An inviting space characterized by soft pastel-toned sofas, warm sunlight streaming through windows, and a delicate silver bell chime at the entrance.

Listed as a Level E employee welfare service, this room offers a moderate degree of mental stabilization and contamination recovery.

For detailed usage logs of the Fox Counseling Room, refer to the accompanying document.

-------------------

Indeed, the room was... pleasant.

"May this be a useful counseling session, my friend!"I hoped so.

After pulling the curtain closed, I ventured further inside. Another instruction awaited:

“Please sit comfortably on the sofa and enjoy the view outside!”

I did as told, settling into the sofa and crossing my arms.

The ambiance was undeniably calming, but...

‘I already know exactly what’s going to happen.’

"It’s amazing. It helped me rediscover my lost motivation and reminded me of things I’d forgotten...."

— Excerpt from an interview following Lee Jung-eun’s counseling session.

Someone would appear outside the window to counsel me.

What showed up varied by person, custom-tailored to their circumstances. Most likely, I’d see a figure or object tied to my trauma, creating a scenario of resolution.

People immersed in the experience often walked out with tearful catharsis or tranquil expressions, the hallmark cliché of this room’s usage logs.

‘Knowing everything ahead of time, will this even work on me?’

I doubted it.

Still, I folded my arms and gazed at the expansive window, which framed a beautiful outdoor garden bathed in sunlight.

Suddenly, someone emerged from the garden.

“...!!”

It was... me.

A weary, somber version of myself stood under the bright sunlight of the garden. Then, this “other me” turned to look inside at me... and waved.

“...!”

I instinctively started to raise my hand but stopped halfway.

‘What is this?’

This wasn’t just eerie—it was repulsive.

Yet the "me" in the garden didn’t stop there.

After glancing around, they grabbed a nearby chair and brought it right up to the window, sitting down directly across from me.

They smiled warmly.

“......”

‘Maybe I should just leave.’

The door wouldn’t unlock for another hour, but standing idly by it was still an option.

The unease was mounting when suddenly...

“Mr. Kim Soleum.”

“...!!”

“Thank you so much for coming to counseling today. I’ll be your counselor.”

The figure outside the window, which looked exactly like me, began speaking.

“You seem quite tired today. How have you been sleeping lately? How many hours do you usually get?”

I gritted my teeth.

“...Decently enough.”

“I see. Could you provide a more specific number? More than five hours?”

“...Sometimes.”

“Hmm... do you think the occasional short sleep might be related to the stress of work?”

Wow.

‘This is absurd.’

Forcing myself, I replied, “I’d rather not answer. It feels wrong hearing these questions from someone who looks like me.”

“Why do you think that bothers you?”

“Doesn’t it make sense to feel existentially threatened by someone who looks exactly like oneself?”

“But I’m not identical to you. I’m a distinct, intelligent entity.”

What?

“Would you like to find out how we’re different?”

I reflexively scrutinized the figure: eyes, nose, mouth, body, clothing.

“...You’re identical.”

“Why not compare more closely in a mirror?”

Rrrk.

Suddenly, the bookshelf beside my sofa slid aside, revealing a full-length mirror.

I found myself glancing into it.

A tired office worker stared back.

“......”

“Why not compare thoroughly?”

The mirror showed no differences—it was me, down to the last detail.

Or... was it?

“......”

“...I look...”

I hesitated, peering into the reflection.

“Paler than you.”

Was it just my imagination?

“Interesting.”

The garden figure nodded.

“Why do you think there’s a difference?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s observe more closely. You might notice something else.”

I alternated between looking at the window’s reflection of “me” and my mirror reflection: eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms...

Wrists.

“Tattoo.”

I mumbled, almost entranced.

“You don’t have a tattoo.”

I still had the tattoo I’d acquired at the theme park.

But...

:恩主:

The tattoo that had served as my inventory space wasn’t there.

“Oh, that tattoo! I see it now.”

“Yes.”

“What’s the reason behind having that tattoo? What purpose does it serve?”

“It lets me store items.”

“Fascinating. Do you currently have items stored in it?”

“Yes.”

“Could you show me? If you’re uncomfortable displaying them, just place them out of my sight.”

“...Alright.”

I removed the stored items from the tattoo: tools, gear, coins...

Everything I knew was there.

“It’s all out.”

What was the point of this exercise?

“Mr. Kim Soleum.”

“Yes?”

“I believe there’s still something left in your tattoo.”

Excuse me?!

“Please, extend your hand. Let’s see what’s there together.”

I don’t want to—

“No, you do. You’re curious, and you’re capable of finding out.”

“......”

I stood from the sofa.

Approaching the window, I reached out.

“You’ve done so well.”

The garden version of me grasped my hand.

Then, they plunged their hand into my tattoo.