It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story 084

I decided to try the Bloodlust Bath once more.

-If I rejuvenated a bit more, it would be much easier to hang out with Doe!

I accepted Brown’s proposal.

The plush doll might get a bit bigger, but… hmm, once more should be fine. It’s still a regular keyring doll size.

However, Brown was quite serious about the idea of casually using my blood as a bath additive.

-Goodness! I politely decline. I mean, there are countless bodily fluids from sentient beings around me, so why does my friend keep wanting to use their own blood?

It seems the scare I deliberately gave last time was still having an effect.

‘Well, I wasn’t thinking I’d spill that much this time….’

I felt a bit sorry, thinking maybe I went overboard.

Anyway, since that’s settled, we agreed to find blood by other means.

-Sounds good, sounds good… Let’s search for a suitable bath product, friend!

Alright!

It was a bit better that something else cropped up to distract me from the political games among the guys…

‘Already proving to be helpful.’

I sighed and went to work.

By the way, Baek Sa-heon didn’t even come to the staff quarters yesterday. I wonder how long he can hold out like that.

Anyway, I didn’t know how long Director Cheong would wait, so I needed to make a decision soon…

“Sol-eum!”

Huh?

While waiting for the elevator, I turned my head to see a colleague holding a buffalo mask come in.

‘Jang Heo-woon!’

She was the employee I briefly adventured with last night at Seokwang Technical High School, and wow, that was a whirlwind of an experience.

“You made it out safely!”

“Yes. It looks like you managed to escape too, Heo-woon.”

“Yes, yes! Thank you. I cleared it well….”

Yesterday, I was so shocked that I didn’t think about anyone else’s well-being, but it really was good to see her here.

Moreover, Jang Heo-woon seemed to have an unexpectedly good impression of the agents since she answered quite cheerfully when the topic came up.

“Well, they were better than I expected. They didn’t use me as bait… and we even got to hear about the management department at the end.”

Isn’t that a bit too low of a standard…?

Anyway, it seemed like she still had many regrets about that Daydream Corporation, and I wondered if being with a decent colleague had changed her mindset.

Well, since there weren’t any big issues, I figured Jang Heo-woon was doing okay.

‘Maybe there’s a chance to sell horror-themed food next time.’

A glimmer of hope sparked for some extra income.

“And… that agent seemed to worry about you until the very end. I didn’t mention that they gave you a name tag!”

Oh, the name tag!

“I used the name tag well. Thank you.”

Honestly, after borrowing the school uniform, I could have found a way to get a name tag, but thanks to that, I used it quite quickly.

“It must have been a valuable name tag for you too, so I won’t forget that you gave it up for my sake.”

“Oh, no… it was nothing. Compared to what you’ve done for me.”

“…?”

Me?

At that moment, Jang Heo-woon clenched her fist and spoke with delight.

“Sol-eum! I’ve been assigned to the regular team…!”

“…!”

“They really changed me after I lasted three months. Really, really… thank you. I think I made it through because of you!”

Oh!

There had been so many incidents during the regular assignment season that I hadn’t checked on what team others were in, but this was fantastic news.

I asked happily, “Congratulations! What group are you in?”

“I got assigned to Group F…!”

“…….”

Huh.

“You’re in the same group as Baek Sa-heon, huh.”

“Yes! He was really nice.”

“…….”

Somehow, it appears this person really has lowered their standards significantly after being in the Final Team…….

‘So that’s why she was hanging around him during the last horror story.’

They didn’t just bump into each other; they were actually in the same group.

I smiled and said, “What a funny coincidence. I actually share the staff quarters with that guy. …Let’s plan on having dinner together sometime.”

“Oh, thank you… yes!”

And at this point, another unexpected encounter occurred right in front of the elevator.

“Good morning, Manager Lee Ja-heon!”

“Yes. Good morning.”

I ran into Manager Lee Ja-heon on the way to work.

He responded to Jang Heo-woon, who bowed to him, and then jumped straight to the point.

It meant he was addressing me.

“Sol-eum, you have a call.”

Again??

“Do I need to stop by the office, or can I just move directly?”

“Yes.”

Feeling like I might get a neurosis from these calls, I pressed the button for the 25th floor instead of the 13th, as he instructed.

‘Again, I’m leaving the Field Exploration Team floor….’

Please let it not be anything major.

“Have a great day, Sol-eum!”

“Yes, you too, Heo-woon.”

After seeing Jang Heo-woon off, I descended to the 25th floor with Manager Lee Ja-heon.

Ding.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

I followed the manager, trudging along.

‘This seems farther than I thought.’

After turning corners multiple times in the hallway, a door appeared instead of a meeting room.

It had a strangely wooden sign with a warm hue attached to it…

Fox Consultation Room

“…….”

Wait.

“Team Leader, here….”

Thud.

At that moment, I was pinned against the wall by Lee Ja-heon.

…?!

“Kim Sol-eum. From now on, answer my questions immediately without any hesitations.”

-Oh no! Is this a situation where I need help, friend?

‘No, wait…!’

The atmosphere is tense.

I saw the Lizard.

Its red vertical pupils were staring intently at me.

“Do you remember our conversation from yesterday?”

I swallowed hard.

“…Yes.”

“What was the last topic we discussed?”

“Group D could become the Elite Team,”

“That is not the last topic. Answer again.”

What?

“That was the last topic!”

“No, we had other discussions afterward.”

No!

I guess we did. But that was just small talk…

“Don’t hesitate.”

“…!”

“Answer.”

Damn it!

“I don’t remember clearly!”

“…….”

“Was it just chatter… wasn’t it?”

Heavy silence and pressure followed.

And then…

Slurp.

“I see.”

Manager Lee Ja-heon released me from the wall.

I don’t know what’s going on, but at least I’m relieved….

“Kim Sol-eum.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve been tainted.”

“…….”

Huh?

But that’s…

“Well, it happens to some degree while exploring….”

But I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Thunk.

Lee Ja-heon abruptly opened the door to the consultation room, grabbed me by the collar, and threw me inside.

“…!”

“You cannot leave until the consultation is finished. I will wait outside the door.”

Bam.

And the door closed.

“…….”

No.

No!!

–How dare you be so rude to my friend!!

Wait a second.

Let’s calm down a bit…

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

I held back a sigh and lifted my head.

I wasn’t really keen on it, but….

‘I might as well just have a consultation. It’s good for mental health anyway.’

Side effects… let’s not think too hard about that, the odds are still very low, right?

-Hmm… If Doe thinks so, then alright!

Phew.

It’s decided then.

Even though I wasn’t keen on it, I moved my feet reluctantly…

The first thing I saw was a space that looked like a changing room.

And a flower-patterned sign was stuck above a locker.

Dear Client, you’ve come to the right place!

Please change into a robe and come in^^

And there were rows of hospital gowns with green floral patterns in various sizes.

Health check-up attire…?

-If clothing only pursued comfort, we’d be wandering around in our birthday suits.

-In that sense, this is worse than a mere scrap of cloth. It has no utility beyond covering the body.

Got it.

‘But I’ll have to wear it.’

There was a Lizard outside, guarding against horror destruction. I had to go in for a consultation before leaving.

I finished changing.

‘That curtain seems to lead to the consultation area.’

Just as I was about to lift the curtain that looked like the exit of the changing room…

There was a sign attached to it.

From here on, it’s a space only for dear clients^^

Friends, family, and guardians are allowed only up to this point!

‘Ah.’

Hmm… No matter how much it’s for welfare or whatnot, since it’s about horror stories, it’s probably better not to break the rules.

“Brown, can you hold on for a second?”

-Oh, saying that you are not worried would be a lie, but in this case, I definitely have to respect Doe’s privacy!

Okay then.

I carefully placed Brown atop a vase on the table around the locker room and pulled the curtain back.

Jingle…

Sunlight poured over my head.

“…!”

A small, cozy space revealed itself before me.

The calming warm afternoon room.

———————=

Dark Exploration Records / Horror Story

[Fox Consultation Room]

: The horror story appearing in Dark Exploration Records, the identification code for Daydream Corporation is Qterw-E-925.

A consultation space filled with warm sunlight through the window, a plush pastel-toned couch, and a small bell-shaped doorbell with a clear sound.

It is one of the E-level employee welfare of Daydream Corporation, somewhat effective for mental stability and pollution recovery.

For detailed records of the Fox Consultation Room’s usage, please refer to the document above.

———————=

Indeed, a pleasant room certainly is… a positive thing.

-I hope it will be a useful consultation session, friend!

Let’s hope so.

I walked into the room after properly closing the curtain.

Once again, I saw a guiding phrase.

Sit comfortably on the couch and enjoy the view outside!

Just as it said, I sat on the couch.

And crossed my arms.

Well, the atmosphere is nice, but….

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

It’s really amazing. It helps me regain the motivation I lost and brings back memories I had forgotten……

-Lee Jung-eun (Chief) Post-Interview after Consultation

Someone appeared outside the window to give me a consultation.

What shows up is customized for each person.

Anyway, the chances are high that they will show me characters or objects related to my trauma, staging scenarios where those things get resolved well.

The typical trope from the “Fox Consultation Room” horror story records is that someone immersed in this eventually receives some sort of emotional healing and leaves either in tears or with a peaceful expression.

‘Now that I think about it, I’m skeptical about whether it will actually be effective.’

Honestly, thinking back, that too sounds doubtful.

I crossed my arms and looked out the giant window showcasing a beautiful outdoor garden full of sunlight….

And at that moment.

Someone appeared by the garden.

“…!!”

That was….

Me.

The ‘me’ with a tired and dark demeanor was standing in the sunlit outdoor garden, looking back at the ‘me’ inside the room.

And waved.

“…!”

Without realizing it, I raised my hand… then lowered it.

‘What the heck is this.’

It’s not like it’s a doppelgänger.

A sense of unease and rejection rose within me.

However, the ‘Kim Sol-eum’ standing in the outdoor garden didn’t stop there; it glanced around, picked up a suitable chair, and came right in front of the window to sit down.

And smiled broadly at me, facing me.

“…….”

‘Should I just stand up?’

They say the door opens only after an hour, but could I just hang around waiting in front of the door?

It was precisely then that the seat became increasingly uncomfortable.

“Teacher Kim Sol-eum.”

“…!!”

“Thank you so much for coming in for a consultation today. I’m your counselor.”

The ‘something’ outside resembling my own figure began to talk.

“Today, you seem quite fatigued. How have you been sleeping recently? How many hours do you sleep?”

I gritted my teeth.

“……I sleep alright.”

“I see…. Could you possibly give me a specific number? More than 5 hours?”

“……Sometimes I do.”

“I see. Could it be that sometimes sleeping less relates to the difficulties of work at the company?”

Wow!

‘This is maddening.’

I struggled to respond.

“I don’t want to answer that. Hearing you say it using my appearance just makes me feel averse.”

“Why do you think you feel aversion, Teacher Kim Sol-eum?”

“Isn’t it natural for someone to feel a sense of existential threat when seeing someone exactly like themselves?”

“But… I am a sentient being with clear differences from you.”

Huh?

“Would you like to find out? What differences might there be?”

I absentmindedly scanned her.

Eyes, nose, mouth, body, outfit.

“……They’re identical.”

“Well then, let’s get a better comparison by using a mirror, shall we?”

With a sudden sound, the bookshelf next to the couch I was sitting on moved, revealing a full-length mirror.

Without thinking, I looked into it.

A weary office worker.

“…….”

“Let’s compare, shall we?”

Whether I compare or not, they look completely the same……

“…….”

“How does it look?”

“……I think I look,”

I gazed into the mirror.

“Rather more… pale than you….”

Maybe just an impression…?

“Exactly.”

But the ‘me’ outside nodded.

“What could be the result of that difference?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then let’s observe a bit more. There might be something else that shows up.”

I started alternating my gaze between the ‘me’ outside and the ‘me’ in the mirror.

Eyes, nose, mouth, shoulders, arms……

Wrist.

“Tattoos.”

I murmured as if entranced.

“You have one tattoo missing.”

The tattoo I got from the theme park was still there.

But….

: Master :

This one was not.

The tattoo that had served as my inventory.

“What kind of tattoo is that? Ah, it’s that one!”

“Yes.”

“It must have had a reason for being there, what kind of effect did it have?”

“It allows me to store items inside.”

“I see. Is there anything inside now?”

“Yes.”

“Could you show them to me? Oh, if you’re hesitant to show, you can just set them down out of my sight, that’s fine too.”

“……Sure.”

I pulled out the items from the tattoo.

Items, equipment, coins……

Nothing I didn’t already know.

“I’ve got it all out.”

I had no idea why I was being made to do this.

What’s different from the ‘me’ outside?

“Kim Sol-eum.”

“Yes?”

“I think you still have something left in your tattoo.”

Quiet!

“Could you extend your hand to me?”

I don’t want to know.

“No. You want to know, so you can do it.”

“…….”

I stood up from the sofa.

Then, I walked right up to the window…

And extended my hand.

“You really went through a lot.”

The ‘me’ outside took my hand.

And then.

It swiftly shoved its hand inside my tattoo.