Chapter 37
Day broke.
A refreshing morning.
Today is Monday, signaling the start of a new week
For office workers, it’s a time when labor begins again with deep sighs.
“Master, breakfast preparations are complete.”
“……thank you.”
Since receiving the name ‘Soi’ from me last night, derived from miso soup, her mood seemed considerably better.
“Hmm~hmm~♪”
See that.
In contrast, in my case.
I feel like I could die of exhaustion right now.
Seriously.
Before eating breakfast.
My steps weakly headed toward the shower. The condition of Park Yeon-jeong’s face reflected in the mirror hanging on the shower wall was—.
…Who are you?
In the mirror stood a visual that could be believed to be a ghost story.
His haggard appearance that couldn’t be said to have slept and dark circles reaching down to his nostrils seemed to tell what battle he had fought the night before.
To really summarize in one line the full story of that fierce incident last night.
-Soi’s non-sleep torture.
And the result was my current state.
Through that torture, I could notice that she still had unresolved anger toward me.
Otherwise….
The numerous situations she created wouldn’t be explained.
Last night when she asked if she could hold my hand and sleep together, I politely declined.
But Soi suddenly got angry, adding that she was upset as if I had promised her.
Seeing her strongly insisting that she definitely made a promise with me.
Park Yeon-jeong had a memory that suddenly came to mind, as if broken puzzle pieces were put together at once.
-As for holding hands, just tell me anytime and I’ll hold your hand!
I did say that.
I did.
This mouth of mine blurted out strange nonsense again.
Why is it that these memories I don’t even want to remember always come back at the most exquisite timing.
So inevitably.
Park Yeon-jeong, unable to pretend it never happened since it was a promise he made, thought he had no choice but to grant her request at that time.
But……
She clearly said she would just hold hands and sleep.
Slide.
Slowly.
Slowly approached my body, then immediately stuck to it. Starting with the act of trying to push me off the bed.
‘Master, I’m hot.’
Saying that, she began to loosen and open her kimono.
How much effort I put into stopping that.
After that, Soi began to do all sorts of things to keep me from falling asleep.
-Blowing air into my ear.
-Suddenly squeezing my interlocked fingers.
-Pushing me off the bed.
-Continuously irritating me with incomprehensible sobbing, etc.
So many things happened in just one night that I can’t even remember everything now.
If I went out to capture ghost stories in this condition.
It’s certain death.
So I’m going to die today.
Cause of death: Soi’s non-sleep torture.
I washed my face briefly to maintain my sanity as much as possible and headed to the kitchen.
And what unfolded before my eyes was a delicious eel rice bowl.
“Today I prepared an eel rice bowl.”
“………”
“Master. You’re drooling.”
Tired is tired, but seeing the appetizing eel rice bowl in front of me made me feel like half of my fatigue had flown away.
I immediately sat down and the moment I took a spoonful of the delicious eel rice bowl Soi had made.
……Drip.
As if the saying ‘to shed tears while eating food’ fit perfectly, my eyes became moist.
“This is really delicious! Soi!”
“S-Soi……I’m really glad you enjoyed it.”
I finished all the food she prepared right there at my seat, and after completing all preparations to go to work.
The time was.
08:55 AM.
Despite preparing leisurely, there were still 5 minutes left.
As Park Yeon-jeong was about to leave the house early to digest the food and wake up more during those 5 minutes.
“Have a good day, Master.”
“…Yes, I’ll be going.”
And so I left through the front door with her, Soi’s, send-off.
*****
09:00 AM.
Tap!
The sound of stage lights turning on echoed in my ears, somehow feeling like I hadn’t heard it in a very long time.
Followed by consecutive static noises.
Zzzzt-
[Hello! Employee Park Yeon-jeong! You look like you’ve had a lot happen during the short weekend.]
Yes, a lot happened.
This is the first time I’ve missed you this much.
I felt like immediately telling him everything I experienced during the weekend.
But
There was something I wanted to ask first if I met Noise.
“Um, Mr. Noise.”
[Yes, Employee Park Yeon-jeong.]
“She said she’s a being that hasn’t yet become a ghost?”
[Ah, you’re talking about her. You seem to have had quite a lot of conversation.]
I wanted to ask.
Why did she say she hasn’t yet become a ghost story, why did she make such an incomprehensible statement.
That content wasn’t recorded in the <Ghost Story Record Storage> either.
But somehow, I felt like Noise would know.
With all the eccentric behaviors he had shown so far.
Zzzzzzt-
[Here, conversely, I’ll ask Employee Park Yeon-jeong a question.]
[How do you think ghost stories are created, Employee Park Yeon-jeong?]
The birth of ghost stories?
Honestly, I’ve never seriously thought about it.
I just coincidentally discovered the <Ghost Story Record Storage>, happened to come across stories made up by anonymous people online, and truly coincidentally became immersed in that world.
Not with the grand modifier of ‘fate’.
Just a simple coincidence.
……Yes, it’s a coincidence.
Just as I accidentally came across <Ghost Story Record Storage>.
I had a vague thought that perhaps ghost stories themselves might be similar.
And then, I softly muttered.
“Did someone accidentally discover ghost stories?”
[Yes! That’s right! But it’s only half the answer.]
“Half?”
Crackle-
Noise immediately took over the conversation and began explaining.
[Humans say this about the existence of ghost stories.]
– Ghost stories have always existed around us.
[Of course, some humans used ghost stories for various reasons to suit their tastes, like murder, kidnapping, and so on.]
[The existence of ghost stories has been recognized as something that has existed from the beginning for humans, for various reasons.]
[That’s half of the answer that Park Yeon-jeong mentioned.]
Well then.
“What’s the other half of the answer?”
[Indeed, Park Yeon-jeong has excellent academic enthusiasm.]
[Then, as if rewarding a student’s fervent academic passion, I, Professor Noise, will reveal the hidden other half of the answer.]
Noise’s voice seemed quite excited. Just as I was focusing on the Noise’s upcoming answer.
Snap!
!!!
Suddenly, numerous white librarians appeared around where Park Yeon-jeong was standing and pointed their fingers at him.
[The truth is that the beings who created ghost stories were humans—you.]
“…Pardon?”
Teacher, you’re moving too fast.
No, more importantly, if you suddenly skip everything and just give the answer…
Noise, whose enthusiasm seemed to have cooled from his lukewarm reaction, which differed from what it had expected.
Whoosh.
The librarians’ index fingers that had been pointing at Park Yeon-jeong all disappeared.
Clack!
Not far from where Park Yeon-jeong was standing, a desk and chair appeared under a bright light.
[Please sit in that chair for now.]
[I’ll explain step by step, at Park Yeon-jeong’s level of understanding.]
Park Yeon-jeong, who in an instant was demoted from an enthusiastic student to a problem student taking remedial classes.
And so began.
The remedial lesson.
Today’s subject: <The Birth of Ghost Stories.>
Professor Noise’s masterful lecture began.
[I’ll get straight to the point so Park Yeon-jeong can understand.]
[Ghost stories were not ‘discovered’ by humans like you, Park Yeon-jeong.]
[The story is that it all started with humans’ own illusion that they discovered them.]
“……”
[…To put it more simply, it’s all a human illusion.]
There was something there!
Didn’t something pass behind my back?
A shadow behind the door!
[All these illusions of humans gathered together to create beings like us, ghost stories.]
Perhaps Park Yeon-jeong’s frozen neurons were gradually beginning to function again.
He started to verbalize what he understood bit by bit.
“…If ghost stories were created by human illusions, doesn’t that mean humans could eliminate them again?”
Crackle-
[That’s… not wrong.]
Crackle, crackle-
[But Park Yeon-jeong]
[Can you willfully forget memories you want to forget?]
“…Pardon?”
Crackle, crackle,crackle-
Noise’s static worsens.
[Humans deeply engrave memories that leave strong impressions. Forgetting such deeply embedded memories is never easy.]
[And humans are always full of the desire to form a sense of community with others.]
I-I didn’t see it wrong!
You guys should go check it out too!
Seriously, I’ll show you something amazing.
Excuse me, what is this?
[That’s how ghost stories are born. Whether it’s interest or fear of strange beings, small concerns become nutrients for fictional beings, and they continue to grow.]
[That’s why ghost stories continually demand attention from others. Sometimes they invite humans into their space to consume the energy of fear.]
“……”
In response to my silence, Noise continued to lead the conversation with a slightly amused voice.
[You asked me earlier, Park Yeon-jeong. About how to eliminate us.]
[I will tell you. How to eliminate ghost stories, that is.]
!!
At the idea that he, a ghost story, would willingly disclose information that could be his weakness, I.
Didn’t believe it.
There was no way I could believe it.
It was nonsensical to think that someone would freely reveal their own potential weakness to others.
CRACKLE, CRACKLE, CRACKLE, CRACKLE-
The intensity of the static noise, beyond just being irritating, flowed strongly through the speaker like a tearing sound.
[Kill all human beings in this world!!]
[Make them unable to think at all! Return them to their primordial inanimate state! From children to the elderly! Kill all beings that can be recognized as intelligent beings!]
[Stab! Break! Cut! Crush!]
[If you wish, I’ll help you! Park Yeon-jeong!]
[You will become a hero who saves humanity!]
[Hero!]
[Saint!]
[Savior!]
“……”
Crack-
A spark flew from somewhere.
[…Oh my, I seem to have gotten a bit excited.]
Noise’s frenzied outburst subsided in an instant.
[So, Park Yeon-jeong. Did you get the answer you wanted?]
“……”
Park Yeon-jeong might have forgotten for a moment.
About what kind of being he had spent time with, albeit briefly.
Falling into the illusion that he understood that guy completely after just a few interactions.
I had foolishly given the weapon of belief to such an absurd being.
Perhaps Park Yeon-jeong had unknowingly been relying on him.
No, I did rely on him.
Could he be somewhat different from other ghost stories?
I might have unconsciously thought so.
Like a fool.
Crackle-
[I think this should somewhat answer your first question.]
[The woman you’ve been talking with and spending time with until now.]
[Why she showed such a strong obsession toward you.]
[Why that being suddenly appeared before you in the house I provided.]
!!
[Park Yeon-jeong. I only provided you with a space where you could rest comfortably.]
When Park Yeon-jeong first set foot in that house, he thought:
-There must be something inside.
-Since it’s a space given by Noise, it would be strange if there wasn’t something there.
-There’s no way ghost stories wouldn’t exist in such a bizarre space!
And at that moment.
A piece of paper fell in front of him.
“Let’s eat.”
I might have unconsciously thought:
-Of course! I knew it!
It would be strange if there weren’t ghost stories in a place like this.
That’s what I thought.
And so Park Yeon-jeong himself created the being called “Soi” in the space manufactured by Noise.
Crackle-
[Of course, since the space itself was an alien space imbued with my power, it might have been more specialized in creating ghost stories than other ordinary places.]
“…Are you saying I created her?”
[Yes, congratulations.]
[Since you, Park Yeon-jeong, created her, you could think of her as your ‘daughter.’]
…My ‘daughter’?
In the life of a man named Park Yeon-jeong who had never properly dated,
An unexpected daughter was born.
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