I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game

Chapter 19

"Ella. Is it really okay not to play?"

"Well, Ella doesn't always want to play."

It's good to do that, but it's going to be tiring for the children if we play everyday.

I cared for the kids.

For some reason, Ha-rim seems to be regretful, but it must be because of my mood.

"We'll be leaving tomorrow, so let's relieve the fatigue."

"Okay!... Are you still upset about what happened in the morning?"¹

Who does Ha-rim think I am? Was this what she wanted to say when she called me to the restroom?

I deliberately emphasized it.

"No. I. Am. Not."

"Then a reconciliation handshake... Can you do it?"

Suddenly?

The offer came out of the blue, but it's not like I can't do it. Eun-jeong also asked this when she introduced me a new snack. Is it a coincidence?

I reached out from the mirror and shook Ha-rim's hand.

Success. She muttered. I don't know what the plan is, but I believe it's not a bad thing.

After Ha-rim said that we should play games tomorrow, she went back to the classroom.

Tomorrow's task is to get some of the items necessary for an artifact and give it to Kyeong-min...

The required components needed for synthesis can be acquired tomorrow and the day after.

Time is not tight.

But it wasn't infinite either.

Because this game has a time limit of thirty days, befitting the title of summer vacation.

On the 30th day, a gigantic being with horns, in other words, the devil, is born from an egg in this world.

Actually, I don't know if it's a resurrection, arrival, or birth, but I think it's the latter because this worlds collapses at the same time it appears.

Anyway, if I count from the time the children fell into this world, there is plenty of time left.

When I played the game, there was time skips because of the system, but the time limit itself isn't a problem, but instead the opposite.

The thing is, the story cannot be finished unless time passes.

Except for Ella, who you meet from the beginning, there are conditions to deal with each boss in the chapters two, three, and four.

One of the conditions is to wait.

Even in the game, there are almost no "foreshadowing", and one of them shows "they" will arrive in this world.

Of course, I could go to the boss right away.

'But that's too dangerous.'

Wouldn't the ending be different if I kill the boss right away? I remember charging into the boss room with that thought

The boss fights the player with an unreasonable level of difficulty, and I was unable to defeat it in the end.

The final boss was weakened by "them", and because of the conditions to trigger and get the way to exorcise it, it was possible for mere children to fight back and defeat the devil in reverse.

...Although they die one by one.

It's impossible even in a game where you simply operate with a keyboard, so it's even harder now that it became reality.

'Even if I make full use of the artifacts, it's impossible.'

For that reason, I am spending time farming items to clear the final battle, but it's frustrating in many ways because there is no progress in the story.

'It would be nice they arrived soon, but how did they break into this world and how did they all die? There's so many things I want to ask.'

I understand that summer vacation is based on thirty days, but I don't like the fact that the devil is born on the 30th regardless of whether or not the boss is defeated.

As if whatever we do, nothing affects it.

Thanks to that, there were times when I was annoyed that I had to wait like this every time I had a new playthrough.

Thirty days. Thirty days... The period when this little world collapses. The period of the rebirth of the devil. The period of separating from the children.

An ending that can be called a "happy ending" between multiple ones is one in which you survive without being caught up in the collapse of this world.

In fact, I don't know what happens to the monsters after the protagonist group gets to the outside world.

Perhaps nothing will happen. Or maybe the outside will be in chaos.

Can the kids who see the outside after surviving the best they could accept it?

"..."

It's unavoidable.

For the children and me.

So let's accept.

Just like I did in the past when I was unhappy.

I muttered as if brainwashing myself, recalling how I coped with past misfortunes.

Accept it. Accept it. Accept it.

Don't resist like a child. Adapt to reality.

If I reach the ending, it's enough.

It's enough for the children to survive, and it's enough for me to go back.

I'm satisfied with that.

"..."

The mind settles down.

Calmly clear my consciousness as if meditating.

Then I hear small voices in my subconscious.

'Why the hell are you doing this?'

...

'It's easier if you just cry out loud. At least you will look like a human if you frown, get annoyed, and shout.'

...

'You're completely abnormal. You're just missing something. Are you mentally ill?'

...

'That's why you didn't shed a single tear when your parents died.'

...

'...Won't you cry even if I die?'

......

When I went to the children, the were already prepared to depart and waiting for me.

In the middle, Ha-rim was wearing a bag, as if she remembered how they handled the mass-produced monsters and prepared to pack some item drops.

I was a little happy because it looked like they were getting used to it.

Ha-rim put the mirror where I was in a place where the children could see and went back to where she was sitting.

"Hmm?"

However.

I found a bandage on Ha-rim's finger.

I asked why she got hurt.

"Haha. It's just a paper cut."

Is there any paper here? It was a trivial thing, so I decided to just skip it.

I explained the operation to them. The place is not too far, but I said it's necessary to be careful because of the nature of this world, which becomes more dangerous as time goes by.

After the explanation, Suho raised his hand. I nodded as a sign for him to talk.

"What ability does this shield have?"

"It's a simple but powerful ability. It is just a shield that helps you block well. It can't block curses, but it should be able to block ghost attacks that pass through walls. But don't be overconfident."

Suho seemed satisfied with the answer. He was a kid who always tried to be at the front. I feel like my mind is at ease now.

The time has come. We ate a simple meal and set off.

They touched the artifacts I gave them as they came out of the school.

"Ella, was that sign originally there?"

There was a sign that Ha-rim had never seen before. "Go this way" it said.

In response to Ha-rim's question, Kyeong-min said he had never seen it. The words of Kyeong-min, who has a meticulous personality, are highly reliable.

Then...

"The sign over there. You were caught, so can you disappear?"

...

I drew my knife. Then, bug legs appeared from the signboard, and like a cockroach quickly hiding in a corner, swoosh! It ran away.

Ha-rim and Eun-jeong resisted screaming.

I see, it seems that the time has come for those to appear. It was a creature that pretended to be an object and attacked whenever an opportunity appeared.

There are a lot of these guys, too, but they're annoying creatures who won't give you items when you catch them.

The children got tired of having to question everything in the road, so it is a good decision to secure a safe place first.

Occasionally, I caught a frog monster and went looking for the hiding child ghost. The loot that came out got into Ha-rim's bag.

Looking at Eun-jeong, she appears to be okay, acting cute. I'm glad she seems to be adapting well.

After passing through the alleyway, I see a crosswalk. There was a traffic light next to it, and if you don't cross at the red light nor raise your hand, you'll die instantly in a car accident.

I also raised my hand in the mirror just in case.

[Ttadan ttan ttalalan~ Ttadan dandan~]²

Before we even cross the street, we could hear a music box that toddlers would like. It was such a sweet and disturbing sound at the same that it made me feel uncomfortable.

Hmm. This... It's that guy.

I instructed the children to hide. We hid behind a mailbox next to us.

And a certain truck passes by. There was a giant ice cream ornament at the top of the vehicle.

At the side, a picture of a mascot was drawn and colorful letters were written, looking very childish.

[Mefi's Exciting Ice Cream]³

This appearance is often used for abducting from abroad, and it is said that there were often cases in the past when children approached an ice cream truck were kidnapped in an instant.

A monster derived from the paradoxical image of an ice cream truck for kids.

Poor taste in many ways.

Except for Ha-rim, who has a curse resistant artifact, the eyes of the children became hazy. All that they have in their heads should be the desire to eat ice cream.

It's a monster that inflicts such mental attacks, so it can't be helped.

"Ha-rim, wake up Eun-jeong and ask her to purify."

"Okay!"

She shakes Eun-jeong.

"Ice cream...?"

You haven't come to your senses yet. Ha-rim muttered that and pinched her. Then Eun-jeong shouts in pain with tears in her eyes. Looks like Ha-rim gets radical when it comes do issues directly related to life.

-Jingle.

Urgh. It tickles. After all, purification isn't good for my body.

When Eun-jeong shakes the bell, the children's mind clear up. Thankfully they didn't run at the truck. Looks like they paid attention.

"I'll be gone for a while."

I slipped out of the mirror and approached the ice cream truck.

There, an old man in a mascot clothes was smiling brightly. I was disgusted with the fact that the mascot looked good.

[What kind of ice cream should I give you, little lady!]

"Cherry flavored ice cream!"

[Excellent choice!]

He handed me a carefully prepared cherry-flavored ice cream.

At that moment, I jumped and cut him from the chin to the head with my knife. The blood oozing out became the topping for the ice creams that had been taken out.

I laughed, saying "The topping is nasty!", and two tall men who were hiding in the ice cream storage compartment rushed at me.

"Are you guys going to kidnap me?"

I leisurely dodged their attacks and slashed at them. These child criminals bastards!

After they turned into smoke and were absorbed by me, only the ice cream they gave was left behind.

I took it. Another monster may come because of the commotion just now. After looking around, I went back to the kids.

"What is that ice cream?"

Suho asked.

As they could see, it was an ice cream. Of course, I also added an explanation that eating it doesn't only end with pain.

Ha-rim wondered why I brought it if I couldn't eat it, but he thought I had an idea.

It's a cone-shaped ice cream, so I can't put it in the bag she brought. It's annoying, but I have to hold it.

I held it in my hand and entered the mirror to guide the children.

However, the sweet smell of it tickled my nose because I kept holding it.

Hmm...

It's summer, so it's hot.

It doesn't melt because it's treated as an item drop.

A little bit.

Can't I taste it a little bit?

I'm a monster so I will be fine.

My body is different!

I slowly brought the ice cream to my mouth.

"Ella...!"

Then Ha-rim gives me a warning in a small voice.

I almost dropped the item in a fright like a child caught doing something bad.

"If you eat that, it won't only end with pain."

"...You seem to have forgotten. I'm a monster. I won't die like this."

"..."

"And I was just trying to get a little taste."

Ha-rim stares. I averted my eyes.

She held out her hand to me in the mirror. Do you want to shake hands?

"Ella, isn't it heavy? I'll hold it."

"...I'm fine."

POV Switch - 3rd person

Ha-rim's expression becomes serious at Ella's curt reaction.

Becuse she remembered that the curse of the Buddha statua also posed a threat to Ella.

Couldn't the mental attack from the ice cream truck affect Ella?

That's what she thought.

Looks like they need to purify her.

"Eun-jeong, purification."

"Eh... What?"

"Purification."

-Jingle.

Divine aura spreads. It sounded pleasant for the children, but it tickled Ella who is a monster.

"What?! Wait, Ha-rim, you!"

"Ella, are you okay now? Give me the ice cream."

"No, you're-"

When she was about to say "misunderstanding", Ha-rim took Eun-jeong bell and kept shaking it. In this type of situation, she has no mercy.

-Jingle jingle jingle.

POV Switch - Ella

"Aah?!"

A bell that sways rhythmically. My body trembles and shivers.

Tickle! Tickle! I hurriedly passed the ice cream before an embarrassing sound came out of my mouth.

I never though Ha-rim would do this to me. And when I got a little upset and tried to open my mouth.

"Sorry. I was worried about Ella. Are you okay now?"

It's cowardly. The worried eyes were pitiful.

"...Don't make so much noise with the bell in the streets."

Ha-rim nodded and gave me the candy in her pockets.

I put it in my mouth.

Moving forward again, there's a crossroad. As long we sneak past here we will arrive at the place.

The kids froze for a moment. Because of a very strange sight.

What they were looking at was the other side of the fork in the road where we were supposed to go, which was a park filed with trees.

It was too much to call it an eco-friendly park. The vines invaded where people could rest, and it was unpleasantly damp.

The park is dark both during the day and night thanks to the growing trees that block even the sunlight.

But that isn't the most peculiar thing.

Like fruits, mobile phones, earpieces, walkie-talkies, etc. Any electronic for calling were hanging in clusters. In addition to that, there were dozen of old public phone boots under the trees.

Some were broken and some were intact, but most were rusted out and no one would want to use them.

A space where items of human civilization and eerie nature meet to create a surreal atmosphere.

I have no doubt that it has the magical power of bewitching people.

I said, guiding the children who were staring blankly to that direction.

"Even if you have to run away, never go in there."

If you don't want to meet the second boss.

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