Mistaken for a Catastrophe-Level Ghost Story Employee 38

Chapter 38

In an instant, Park Yeon-jeong became the father of a daughter he never had.

And apparently, his daughter is a ghost story.

Static noise

[Now it seems to be my turn to ask questions, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

[Did you rest well over the weekend?]

“Yes, well…”

He’s still in shock from the bombshell revelations he just heard.

The origin of ghost stories.

Followed by the secret of Soi’s birth.

It reminds him of a famous line from an old drama that went viral as a meme.

-Soi is Yeon-jeong’s daughter!

Though he wasn’t sipping orange juice, it was still quite the shocking twist.

This isn’t some ghost story morning drama! This plot is too much!

The father of the girl still couldn’t recover from the considerable shock.

Noise continued speaking as if the previous revelations weren’t a big deal.

[How was your night with her?]

“…”

His mouth closed automatically.

And Mr. Noise, do you realize you just said something extremely problematic?

After Noise just said with his own mouth that Park Yeon-jeong himself is the one who gave birth to ‘Soi’ in his heart.

And now he’s asking if the night with her was good?

…I feel dizzy.

Maybe it’s because he stayed up all night. He feels a wave of fatigue hitting him all at once.

Perhaps it was because too much information had rushed at him like a flood?

As Park Yeon-jeong’s pupils began to dilate…

[I’ll take your silence as confirmation.]

[Please keep your relationship with her from interfering with your work.]

……

Just do whatever you want.

He was too tired to even make excuses anymore.

Static noise

The sound brushes past his ear.

Soon after, the white librarian appears holding a book.

[Let’s start the new week with energy!]

“……”

[You’re still so shy today.]

[But unfortunately, Employee Park Yeon-jeong’s job today isn’t ghost story capture.]

“What?”

He responded without realizing it.

“If not ghost story capture, then what?”

[The job you’ll be doing today is…]

[Selling our products!]

“S-selling, you say?”

Me?

Wasn’t that your job?

I’m already overwhelmed just capturing ghost stories.

[I understand your surprise.]

[I was planning to handle the sales myself… but.]

[The customer who wants to purchase the product specifically requested you, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

Upon hearing that a customer wanting to buy a product had specifically requested him, Park Yeon-jeong immediately had a question.

“By any chance, this customer…”

[Is a ghost story.]

I thought so!

Since you’re selling ghost items, I figured the customer would be a ghost story too!

More importantly, he wondered why they specifically requested him instead of Noise.

Could it be that his notorious reputation had already spread among ghost stories?

He desperately hoped this terrible assumption wouldn’t become reality.

As an inexplicable anxiety slowly tightened around him, Noise seemed to have been watching his worried expression and gave him a hint about the ghost story he would meet.

[It’s someone you remember, Employee Park Yeon-jeong. Do you recall the person who formed an amicable relationship with you when you first joined our company?]

I remember.

Of course I remember.

It would be problematic in its own way if I couldn’t remember something that happened during my short employment period of barely a week.

When thinking about the ghost stories he encountered after his forced employment at Noise’s company, two ghost stories came to mind:

-I don’t like darkness!

The A-class ghost story child who gave me the cute ghost item called ‘Little Friends.’

And another A-class ghost story he met there:

-The Shadow Man.

Meeting two heavyweight A-class ghost stories from his first day, and somehow returning safely.

Looking back, it was truly a lucky first day.

[They said they wanted to personally thank you for helping their child.]

Their child?

For a moment, his daughter… Soi… flashed through his mind.

His head started spinning again.

Let’s stop thinking about that.

Hearing the modifier ‘child’ in the story of the customer who wanted to thank him, if it matched a ghost story, then…

“It must be the ghost story child.”

[Yes, specifically, it’s someone who could be called that child’s birth mother.

The moment I heard about the ‘birth mother’ of the ghost story child, I thought: here it comes.

I was certain that someday they, or she, would summon me, even if not for the purpose of sales.

Swoosh.

The white librarian quickly flew toward Park Yeon-jeong and handed him the book they were holding.

Soon after receiving the book and checking its cover…

There was a musical note symbol engraved on it.

It was a book containing that conductor.

[The customer said they enjoy listening to music.]

[Employee Park Yeon-jeong, you just need to sell that product to them, have a brief conversation, and return. That’s all!]

[Easy, right?]

Yes. This means today will be extremely difficult too.

Don’t worry, I understand perfectly well even when you explain things terribly.

After all, not once has anything Noise claimed would be ‘easy’ ever actually ended easily.

“May I ask how the product sale will proceed?”

[Oh! You’re not showing much agitation anymore. It’s good to see you gradually adapting to our company’s work, Employee Park Yeon-jeong☺.]

“……”

I’d like to correct that statement about adapting.

I’m not adapting to the current situation.

A more accurate expression would be that I’ve abandoned numerous emotions.

Since being forcibly employed here, Park Yeon-jeong had to let go of many emotions.

And the very first emotion I abandoned was the feeling of ‘absurdity.’

-If you give up, it gets easier.

I’ve made that phrase my life motto, and I’m still thoroughly practicing it.

Static noise

[I’ve already arranged the location. Let’s move right away. The customer should already be there.]

[And please take this with you as well.]

The white librarian soon handed me a small, elongated piece of paper.

It was a rectangular object with a black background and gold trim.

The moment Park Yeon-jeong saw this, he instinctively thought:

A ticket?

[I believe you’re already familiar with how to use it.]

“……”

Isn’t that a bit irresponsible, Mr. Noise?

I understand that you’ve arranged a location, but Noise didn’t mention where that location is.

“Mr. Noise, where exactly is this place…?”

Suddenly!

But before I could finish speaking, the white librarian abruptly thrust something else forward.

Swish, swish!

Three teddy bears enthusiastically waving their hands at Park Yeon-jeong from the white librarian’s palm.

Commonly known as: Little Friends.

[Since it’s a place where they’ll meet their owner after a long time, I’d like you to take them along. They would also serve as appropriate bodyguards.]

Swish, swish!

The Little Friends excitedly waved their small plush arms up and down, as if thrilled by Noise’s suggestion to take them along.

…Hmm, seeing these guys is always healing.

“I understand.”

I didn’t bother refusing.

This was the first time Noise had directly suggested taking these Little Friends along.

The fact that he specifically, insistently mentioned taking these guys along means…

You’re telling me I’m going somewhere potentially deadly, aren’t you, Mr. Noise?

Just as my face was turning pale at the thought that this sales visit wouldn’t be easy either…

Squeak-

The white librarian opened the lone white door again.

Step.

As I was about to extend my feet, which felt completely devoid of strength…

Static noise!

[Oh right!]

Freeze!

I was startled by Noise’s urgent voice coming through the speaker.

[I recommend wearing glasses when you go.]

“…Why?”

Could it be that the place I’m visiting would inflict severe mental damage upon entry?

While I was extremely on edge…

[First impressions are important when you’re in a selling position. And glasses suit your face well, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]

“…Yes, I understand.”

Really, the chaotic prelude to this sales visit has begun.

But before that.

I put the Little Friends into my employee ID card.

After all, these guys will be my only lifeline.

*****

Now I felt an inexplicable coziness in this dark space.

‘…I don’t want to leave here.’

After all, at the end of this darkness, places designed to kill people in new, ingenious ways would be waiting.

I’m already anxious.

Every day is just a continuation of anxiety.

Press, press!

?

Suddenly feeling a soft sensation on my chest, my gaze turned downward.

There, I saw the three teddy bears who couldn’t wait and had emerged from the ID card, patting Park Yeon-jeong’s chest.

But their gesture conveyed an unspoken message that seemed to say, ‘Don’t be nervous.’

…As expected.

You guys are the only ones who care about me!

Sniff!

Yes, let’s keep going!

You can do it! Park Yeon-jeong!

Let’s return home alive!

Park Yeon-jeong, who had been wilting until just a moment ago, regained his vitality and began to move forward confidently.

After a few more steps…

Flash!

An intense glare hit my vision, preventing me from properly looking ahead.

As I gradually adapted to the light, the first thing that entered Park Yeon-jeong’s view was…

A small lobby.

An extremely confined space where you could barely take 10 steps.

All that was there was a single-person elevator for moving between floors and a small counter right next to it.

Despite the very limited information…

For some reason, looking at that narrow space, I recalled the ticket Noise had handed me.

And I could quickly deduce where this ghost story space I was currently standing in might be.

———

/Ghost Story Journal

[Check-in time is 666 o’clock.]

:Identification Code Cd-E-666

Our accommodation welcomes all guests.

ALL guests.

Check-in time is 666 o’clock.

Check-out time is ■■■ o’clock.

Upon entering your room, all noise is completely blocked. Don’t worry about others. Enjoy whatever you want in your room.

Even your screams won’t be heard.

If you need anything during your stay or have any questions, please use the phone provided on the ■■ floor.

Inquiry number: 666-6666.

We hope you enjoy your stay.

<Note>

-Let’s not make the mistake of entering the wrong room, even accidentally. Someone might be doing something they don’t want others to see.

Additional note.

You can only enter the accommodation with a visitor ticket. (Priests without tickets have safely returned to the institution.)

———

I never thought that the place Noise had prepared would be here.

Despite being a low E-grade due to these strange settings,

I remember this as one of the ghost stories often used to portray extremely graphic gore scenes and lewd scenes that cannot be mentioned.

This place is also counted as one of the places that people within the institution visit to enjoy secret rendezvous, like the ‘Ghost Story General Store.’

But the reason Park Yeon-jeong himself is visiting this place now is none other than

door-to-door sales.

And in this situation, I’m selling items to ghost stories.

My gaze turned toward the small counter where no one was standing.

———

Guests with tickets, please place your ticket on the counter.

———

……Footsteps.

Park Yeon-jeong’s footsteps headed toward the counter.

And he gently placed the ticket he had kept in his chest at the center of the counter.

After blankly staring at the ticket for a while with no detectable change,

Scratch scratch scratch scratch.

!!

Words began to appear on the wooden surface of the counter.

<130>

Splash!

Soon after, as if there was a hole in the ceiling, a key with the number  ‘130’ written on it fell right above the counter, landing before his eyes.

And after confirming that the ticket placed on the counter had disappeared at some point, Park Yeon-jeong

Grabbed it.

He carefully picked up the key placed on the counter.

Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch….

The tearing sound was heard again.

This time the sound continued longer, and when the scratching sound finally stopped,

<Another guest is eagerly waiting for you. Please go straight to room ‘130’ without taking any detours.>

“…….”

I have no intention of taking detours either.

Park Yeon-jeong’s stiffened gaze soon turned toward the elevator, the only means of transportation here.

Footsteps.

As I stepped into the elevator,

What caught my sight was

The floor buttons covered in red blood that captured my attention.

……This place has a unique interior design.

I hope it was just interior design.

Park Yeon-jeong already wanted to go back.