Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work Novel - Chapter 55

A remote lodge, its interior a chaotic mess of dismembered body parts and a pentagram drawn in blood. A civil servant stands over a woman, unconscious again, clutching a butcher knife. And me, watching from the second-floor railing. Had I not known it was fake, this insane living room would have been enough to knock me out cold.

But the lodge keeper, appearing from the back door, was polite.

“Did you have a pleasant stay?”

No way.

But there was no need to exert myself unnecessarily, so I just stood there.

The lodge keeper didn’t utter any of the usual lines like, “I stayed away so you could have your privacy.”

He simply said,

“Three days have passed. The time has come.”

“…….”

“From now on, you may exchange the lodge’s legacy for cassette tapes.”

No one died until this point? A chaotic bloodbath is about to unfold here. It’s unavoidable.

The cassette tapes only release the survivor after sufficient fear and shock of impending death have accumulated.

‘That’s why it was deliberately designed.’

Fear and shock, that is.

It didn’t quite sit right with modern sensibilities, but they made people so scared that they actually believed they were dying.

Those shenanigans seemed to have earned a passing grade.

Judging by the fact that the lodge keeper delivered his lines as planned and the living room remained free from carnage.

Of course, this peace would soon be shattered.

Because the first person the lodge keeper approached was the ‘wife’ who was lying unconscious on the sofa.

“Visitor.”

“…….”

“Will you exchange the cassette tapes?”

“Um, well… uh, uh, uh!? Aaaaaaaaaah!!”

The person who came to their senses ran out of the lodge after stumbling several times.

My, my.

‘It would have been better to remain unconscious.’

The lodge keeper turned without hesitation and gestured to the next person.

“Will you exchange the cassette tapes?”

“…….”

The civil servant looked at the lodge keeper, then slowly opened his mouth.

“I will state my intention last.”

“Understood. Then…”

The lodge keeper turned his head towards the last person.

Me.

I looked at the lodge keeper too. A figure from an urban legend, whose refined Seoul dialect belied his ragged, worn clothes.

“Will you exchange the cassette tapes?”

Exchange them?

“Yes.”

Of course I would.

‘I’ve been working like a shrimp boat these past three days for this.’

The promised substantial financial reward upon a participant’s survival.

For the moment this clause is fulfilled.

The reason I even pretended to be a serial killer…

‘Top priority for exchange.’

I pulled out the cassette tapes from the backpack of one of the college students I had brought along.

The couple’s, the college students’, and even Baek Saheon’s.

“Six tapes. The exchange will be prioritized for you, visitor.”

A fleetingly excited expression flickered across the lodge keeper’s face before vanishing as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual politeness.

“You may now become the owner of this lodge. Will you do so?”

“No.”

“…….”

If a participant who carries out a serial killing chooses the disaster site (Horizon Mountain Lodge) as compensation, their altered disposition becomes permanently tied to it. Even though I only mimicked a serial killer, there’s no need to take on that risk.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I can just exchange anything randomly, refuse, and be done with it.’

Whether I exchanged it for gold, trash, refused the exchange and ran, or even burned the lodge down and watched it burn – the next cycle would begin as if nothing had happened, distributing the serial killer’s belongings and attracting people to this place. The lodge would reappear unharmed as if by magic, and the tragedy would repeat itself.

 

And, furthermore.

‘…I think there’s a gimmick where the people I pretended to kill would all actually die the moment I choose an exchange.’

There’s a record of that.

———————

#6

Personnel: 8 conscripted persons, 1 junior civil servant (Grade 8).

The junior civil servant successfully assumed the role of the serial killer, but in the third murder, made an independent decision to use a special item instead of the provided poison.

He attempted to end the disaster without killing the conscripted persons by rendering them near-death.

Result: 1 junior civil servant survived (refused exchange)

※The participant who had been in a near-death state was confirmed dead after the exchange ceremony due to vomitus blocking their airway.

———————

A fire breaks out, and I lock them in, so they coincidentally can’t escape.

That’s how I became a real serial killer.

‘Even if they were originally people who were going to die in the world of urban legends, I can’t help but feel uneasy…’

Let’s respect my mentality as a human being.

So, after considering various things, the choice I made is this.

This.

“I would like to exchange one cassette tape for the mountain lodge keeper’s employment authority.”

The lodge keeper was silent for a moment, as if surprised.

“You mean my employment contract?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

Did you know?

Usually, the Supernatural Disaster Management Agency aims to eliminate urban legends as much as possible.

Unlike my crazy pharmaceutical company, where employees just escape while cleverly preserving and managing things, that’s absolutely not the goal.

Urban Legends Inc. might consider urban legends as a source of raw materials, but for the government, they are simply disasters.

So, there were quite a few people who created works reflecting that point, Wiki-style.

In other words, urban legends managed by the government… ‘successfully disappear’ as well.

The lodge keeper notified that the contract period ended with this exchange.

The site where the lodge was located became an empty lot, and since then, there have been no signs of supernatural phenomena.

Disaster concluded.

This was the official final exploration record of this urban legend.

In other words, it means that it’s an urban legend where the narrative’s period is marked, and the situation can be concluded.

Then,

‘Shouldn’t I just end it before I have to do it a few more times?’

Like this.

“It seems like you still have a remaining contract period with the previous owner of the lodge, judging by you working here. I would like to take that over.”

I won’t take the lodge.

But if I obtain the lodge keeper’s employment authority and end his contract period, recreating the same situation as the final exploration record?

“…….”

I waited for the lodge keeper’s answer, and…

“Theoretically… it’s possible.”

That’s right.

“However, with all due respect, my employer requires certain qualifications.”

“Qualifications?”

“Yes.”

A hint of arrogance mixed with the lodge keeper’s polite speech, then disappeared.

“Innate, existential nobility is required.”

The person in charge of running a murder lodge?

I think their ethics and morals are quite different from those of ordinary modern people…

– Haha! This worker at this small lodge is acting like an 18th-century butler, mistaking the owner’s authority for his own!

– Let’s just take over this lodge and fire him!

Braun… that’s why I’m going through all this.

‘Wait a minute. I think there might be another way.’

-You’re very patient, Mr. Roe Deer!

Yes, yes.

I replied vaguely and rubbed my chin.

‘…Nobility.’

Actually, I did have something in mind.

It’s true that I didn’t bring the items, but since it was so small, there was only one thing I always carried in my pocket.

‘My goods.’

The ‘Silver Heart’, which had recently popped out of the goods box, rattled in my hand.

An item that increases the speaking power of a good person.

‘I had to test it anyway.’

I carefully moved the small silver badge with one hand and opened the tweezers in my pocket.

And ‘wore’ it on the fabric of my clothes in my pocket…

“…….”

“…….”

The other person doesn’t react at all.

‘Ah.’

Is it a matter of the application range?

‘That guy isn’t human, is he?’

The wearer gains the awe of others according to their accumulated altruistic actions.

Well, I had doubts about the definition of nobility anyway, so I just tried it out.

I quickly changed my strategy.

Then…

“Does that mean I lack innate, existential nobility?”

I had no choice but to speak up.

“It’s more difficult to find someone who possesses it, so I hope you won’t be too disheartened.”

“No. That’s not the important point. So you’re saying the exchange is difficult? Because I lack qualifications?”

“That’s right.”

“I don’t quite understand.”

I deliberately frowned.

Like a complaining customer.

“Surely, ‘If you bring a cassette tape, I’ll exchange it for anything I have’… wasn’t that the condition? I’m surprised that you’re suddenly changing your words.”

I deliberately sighed as if tired.

Three days. That’s how long I’ve been here. But suddenly, at the last minute, you’re saying I need qualifications, going back on your word.”

The lodge keeper seemed slightly flustered.

“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”

“What misunderstanding?”

“The agreement remains the same. However, if you only inherit my hiring authority, there will be difficulties in actually employing someone.”

The lodge keeper explained kindly.

“If you receive the lodge itself, I will work here according to the existing contract. However, receiving ‘hiring authority’ means it can only be used when that authority is valid.”

In short, ‘Yeah, I only work according to the original contract, I won’t listen to you.’

“So it means the contract could just be a document? Not actually usable?”

“Yes.”

Wow.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“…….”

This is even better!

Invalidation!

“Then, if I understand this, we can exchange. If I want to exchange even knowing this, isn’t there no way to stop me?”

“……Then.”

The lodge keeper held out both hands.

“The visitor is correct.”

He conceded.

“Please present the cassette tapes you wish to exchange.”

Yes.

I quickly presented the tapes I was holding.

Thud, thud, thud.

Six tapes left my hand and fell onto the lodge keeper’s rough hands.

The lodge keeper gently stowed the tapes into his ragged clothes. Then, he neatly adjusted his worn sleeve and pulled out a thin, old object from within.

It was paper.

It seemed to be made of a type of Eastern paper, like Hanji, but strangely, it was cut in a Western style, rolled up, and sealed with red wax.

“This is the original copy of my contract.”

The moment I took it.

The old paper caught fire.

“…!”

The paper burned to a crimson color, leaving only sparks that shot into the air.

 

And they enveloped my wrist.

Specifically, the spot with the mascot tattoo from the theme park!

‘Wait a minute.’

: Socius :

The tattoo glowed with color as if heated.

The sparks clashed with the tattoo as if wrestling, then, as if conceding defeat, bounced off.

Then, it descended to a position closer to my forearm and naturally settled vertically.

: 恩主 :

“…….”

I have two tattoos now.

‘This wasn’t what I wanted.’

I had intended to keep the physical contract as an item.

It feels strangely incorporated… but honestly, this is better in terms of mobility.

– ‘恩主.’ That’s an archaic expression too.

Braun didn’t say anything ominous either.

Judging from the last case, this tattoo won’t be visible to government officials anyway, so it’s fine.

It’s even better if it seems like the contract disappeared into thin air.

‘Anyway, they won’t call me.’

I raised my head.

As expected, the lodge keeper had vanished like a phantom.

All that remained was a blood-soaked lodge that looked like something out of a horror movie.

And me and the government official standing there.

‘It’s all over.’

It’s really funny, but at that moment, a soft light began to enter through the window.

It was sunny.

“The weather has cleared.”

“…….”

Okay, everything is settled.

The atmosphere is good, so I’ll disappear, and the government officials can go their own way. The government will figure out the identities of the people tied up and unconscious in the basement.

‘Since the legend itself has disappeared, I don’t think I’ll be registered as a separate target for investigation or have my personal information recorded in detail.’

Usually, governments and companies don’t put in much effort for cases that don’t require follow-up.

‘Even if it’s recorded as something unusual, it’s okay since I didn’t kill anyone.’

If I just behave myself and give a good explanation to the government officials here, I can get away with this…

“Excuse me.”

The government official came up the stairs from downstairs.

He strode towards me, grabbed my arm, and asked seriously,

“Are you considering a job change?”

Excuse me?