Chapter 48.
On an entertainment program, they once conducted a hidden camera prank where people had to skydive from 3,500 meters above ground.
Sitting in my room watching the terrified cast members, I vaguely thought to myself:
‘If it were me, I would have jumped boldly!’
I could guarantee that I would have jumped from there without any hesitation, like a real man.
“AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
I’m sorry…
I sincerely apologize for my rash behavior.
And Mr. Noise… today is supposedly your memorial day! I’m so sorry!!
Miss Soi! This unworthy father is leaving first! Please be happy!!
I guess this is the end for me now.
And… once again, I’m sorry.
I think today might really be my memorial day.
– Park Yeon-jeong’s Ghost Story Escape… Resignation Ending
So please, anyone, save me before I die!
Sob.
Tears blur my vision.
The powerful wind created by falling toward the ground made it impossible to even open my eyes properly.
While engraving the fear of death into my entire body with the thought ‘I’m really going to die’ flashing through my mind every moment.
Soft.
When I turned my head at the sudden soft feeling against my back.
“T-Teddy!”
What embraced Park Yeon-jeong was none other than our cute multi-talented teddy bear.
But now there was less than 1 meter left to the ground.
And—
BOOM!!
With a sound like a large explosion, Teddy and Park Yeon-jeong burrowed straight into the ground.
“…M-my back.”
In the dusty smoke, Park Yeon-jeong held his back as he got up with a stiff body.
Fortunately, it seemed he hadn’t crossed the threshold of death.
Since our Teddy had absorbed all the impact while falling, I wasn’t badly hurt.
Our Teddy with its incredible performance that puts any airbag to shame.
“Oh, right!”
Having been momentarily lost in admiration for our excellent Teddy’s airbag-like performance, Park Yeon-jeong belatedly checked on the condition of the teddy bear that had absorbed all the impact from falling from such a great height.
“Teddy!”
At his desperate voice calling that rather cute name, something gradually revealed itself through the dusty soil.
Wobble, wobble!
Our Teddy, standing firmly on two short legs facing Park Yeon-jeong, completely unharmed.
Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any major changes in appearance, like burst stuffing or tears.
I stretched my palm toward the ground.
Hop!
Teddy jumped onto my outstretched palm with all its might and I placed it on my shoulder, then slowly examined the surroundings.
In this current situation, seemingly isolated in the middle of a hiking trail surrounded by dense trees.
The scenery I had looked down upon from the sky just before falling into this inexplicable place was just an endlessly stretching field of grass that primarily caught my eye.
This time it seems I’ve fallen in a difficult-to-identify location. Unlike other situations, I had no choice but to start moving.
Thump.
As Park Yeon-jeong started walking, he couldn’t help but think:
Why did the Judge send me here?
And what on earth did that guy Noise, whom she kept elevating by calling him ‘Him,’ do in his past life?
It was truly puzzling why he was mentioned by so many ghost stories.
And lastly, Jeong Da-ram…
I’m a fool for worrying.
Let’s pretend she doesn’t exist.
That’s the most comfortable for my mind.
Currently, rather than that, if I manage to escape from this place safely no matter what happens, should I seriously ask Noise about who this ‘Him’ really is?
While Park Yeon-jeong was seriously contemplating this,
As his curiosity about Noise kept swelling like a balloon.
Tap, tap.
I wondered about Teddy’s action as it lightly tapped my cheek with its small stuffed arm.
Wave, wave!
A gesture as if pointing somewhere.
Turning my gaze in the direction it pointed.
Rustle… rustle.
Creeeeak-
My attention began to focus on a strange creature moving gradually among the dark undergrowth.
When something that at first made sounds like a rusty machine gradually raised its heavy body from the bushes.
Creeeeak-
“…A knight?”
That one word flashed through my mind.
It looked like a knight covered in armor as might be seen in medieval times.
Moreover, the armor he was wearing had an orange tint.
Step.
It moved.
Is there really a person inside that?
“Excuse me?”
“……”
“Excuse me?!”
“……”
No answer came to my question.
Even if it wouldn’t answer my question.
Step.
Our knight started to move his steps little by little.
Step… step… step, step, step, step.
Huh?
Somehow the steps seem to be getting faster, or is it just my imagination?
“Ar-“
“Yes?”
As the distance shortened, our knight’s voice began to be heard more clearly.
“Ar-“
“What? What did you say?”
It seemed like he was saying something, but I couldn’t hear properly, so I stretched my neck toward the direction where the knight was approaching.
“Arm.”
“Arm?”
Finally hearing something in the voice, I listened even more intently, and soon after, what the knight said was as follows:
【Give me your left arm!! The princess wants the prince’s arm!!!】
!!
The voice that until just now had been circling my earlobes now pierced through my eardrums and began to shake my entire brain.
It was a ghost!
Step, step, step, step, step!
Park Yeon-jeong started to flee in the opposite direction from the knight who was approaching with increasingly faster steps.
But.
With his embarrassingly slow escape attempt, it would only be a matter of seconds before he would be caught by the knight.
“Ahhh! Teddy! Go! Gooo!!”
Swish!
Along with Park Yeon-jeong’s urgent voice.
The bear grew in size instantly and lifted me up with both hands, starting to run.
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!
[Arm… give me your left arm! The prince’s left arm!!!]
Would you want to give it to me, you crazy knight!
In the first ghost story, they’re gambling with body parts.
In the second ghost story, there’s this knight using all his strength just to get my arm.
My body is not a toy that can be detached and reattached as you please!
Tap-tap-tap!
[…arm! …ar… …!]
The sound fades away.
I peeked out slightly to check, and it seemed our bear had successfully shaken off the knight to the point where his figure could no longer be seen behind us.
“He’s not following anymore. Put me down.”
Thud-
When I said he was no longer following us, the bear stopped right there.
And that knight passes through my mind.
When Park Yeon-jeong first stepped on this ground, he couldn’t immediately identify what kind of ghost story this was, but after seeing the knight just now, he could tell.
Calling me prince.
A crazy ghost story that spouts nonsensical proposals about wanting body parts.
———
/Ghost Story Journal
[Seven Knights]
:Identification Code Cd-B-7
Only for the princess!
Only for the princess’s happiness!
Only for the princess’s love!
The seven knights move to gather what they believe the princess needs.
The Red Knight wants the head.
The Orange Knight wants the left arm.
The Yellow Knight wants the right arm.
The Green Knight wants the torso.
The Blue Knight wants the left leg.
The Indigo Knight wants the right leg.
The Purple Knight wants the heart.
They vowed not to return to the princess until they obtained the gifts they each seek.
But instead, the princess feels burdened by such excessive gifts from the seven knights.
Physical restraint is impossible.
No mental damage.
Additional note.
Even the most physically capable priest should avoid fighting with the knights at all costs.
No one has ever made a scratch on the armor they wear. (Needless displays of strength only lead to death.)
The Purple Knight is the only communicable ghost story among those knights.
———=
Escaping from a C-grade ghost story only to be promoted to a B-grade ghost story.
Tears just cloud my vision.
No, I just want to cry.
The one who targeted my left arm just now was the Orange Knight.
And the fact that I caught the Orange Knight’s eye means my information has likely been passed to the other knights.
Rustle-
[R…right leg! The prince’s right leg!!]
What is this, some kind of relay race?!
Tap-tap-tap-tap!
I started running through the forest again, being carried by the bear.
[Head! Give me the head!]
No!
[Left leg! Give me the left leg!!]
I said no!!
[And, left arm!!]
You again?!
Once more, I started being chased by the Orange Knight who appeared again.
“Aaaagh would you please stop chasing me-”
Park Yeon-jeong’s scream-filled voice echoed throughout the forest.
After that, for several dozen minutes, I ran around this vast grassy forest while being carried by our bear.
*****
How long have we been running?
The fatigue has built up so much.
…I know.
In reality, the one who escaped from all those knights wasn’t me but our cute and versatile bear.
But.
But you know.
The psychological stress that comes from being chased consumes an unimaginable amount of mental strength.
-…What? You’re asking if I don’t have glasses that prevent mental damage?
You’re all too much.
While Park Yeon-jeong was fighting with unknown voices in his mind.
Rustle.
!
Again!
These damned knights, why do they tirelessly target my body parts? Just as I was about to grab the bear’s arm, thinking we’d enter another endless chase.
[Prince…?]
?
“Wait!”
The bear stopped abruptly at my voice.
Unlike the other knights who demanded my body parts as soon as they met me, this one had a calm tone.
Park Yeon-jeong immediately checked the color of the knight’s armor who had spoken to him.
Purple.
“…There’s no law saying I have to die.”
[The princess is waiting for you, Prince.]
———=
/Ghost Story Journal
[Seven Knights]
:Identification Code Cd-B-7
..
.
The Purple Knight wants the heart.
.
.
.
The Purple Knight is the only communicable ghost story among those knights.
———=
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