Chapter 246: Ch 246: Debt
"Summing up, here are our optionss."
Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae, eyes bright and clear, laid out our
choices.
Option 1.
"Figure out some way to clear the ’Forest of Final Moments’ in the
concourse above the stairs and see if we can return!"
And option 2.
"Follow the tracks to find the train and head to another station! We saw
people on the train!"
...Well then.
"Neither one’s easy..."
Agreed...
Watching the veterans let out their sighs, I felt the same helplessness, and at
the same time, a kind of gratitude.
’If we had someone experiencing a ghost story for the first time, someone
would’ve already freaked out and tried to chase the train on their own...’
No troll-like impulsiveness, no dog-like brawling. In that respect, at least,
my mind was at ease.
"Got a cig on you?"
"Aigoo, I quit recently. And even if I had one, probably better not to smoke
in a situation like this."
Agent Bronze, who’d been silently watching the two smokers, declared.
"It would be better to eat something."
"Ah."
And so we began a light meal.
"I do keep a few things like this on me."
"Ooh. You’ve come prepared?"
"You think only government folks do that?"
Given the nature of our jobs, where the need for emergency rations comes
up often, most of the group had some shelf-stable food.
I used to as well. I remembered sweeping a bunch of instant food into my
tattoo-inventory when I went into Looky Mart...
"Oh, puffed rice."
"They don’t smell and they store easy. Hahaha! Bronze doesn’t like them
though."
I was the only one who had nothing.
Of course.
Up until just now, I’d had a ’body that didn’t need to eat’.
So I was on the receiving end of a unilateral distribution.
’...At times like this, I kind of miss it, actually.’
That body that didn’t need food, it’s a bit...
"Roe Deer-nim!"
"...!"
When I turned my head, Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae, face bright with
a smile, was holding something out.
A small, individually wrapped yakgwa.
"Here. It’s my favorite snack!"
"Then you should have it, Dolphin-nim..."
"I want to see your reaction!"
"..."
In the end I took it with a wry smile.
"Thank you."
And as I put it in my mouth, I realized it was the first food I’d eaten in six
months.
"..."
Sweetness, a toasty richness.
Texture.
’Ah.’
Right.
This is what it feels to taste something.
"Is it good?"
"It’s very good. Thank you."
They also shared their biscuits and chocolate bars with me.
And lighthearted banter.
"Grapes-ie. When we get out, let’s go eat something spicy. We should go
back to that tripe hot pot place, yeah?"
But,
After getting out of this place, I...
...
"Yes. Thank you."
I couldn’t let my mind go there now.
’Focus everything on escape.’
Earn my keep.
Amazingly, once the calories hit, my brain started working again.
I realized I’d been operating under extreme tension and hollowness.
It was only because my head had finally gone clear for the first time in ages
that I hadn’t noticed how off my condition was.
’I was wringing myself dry, huh.’
And the sugar in my brain quickly brought to mind more things to check.
The tattoos.
Are they intact?
’I actually thought about them moments ago and then somehow didn’t
check.’
If the lodge keeper tattoo still functioned, in a pinch I might be able to pull
everyone out to the resort.
I subtly lifted my sleeve and the inside of my shirt collar to check the
tattoos.
’...They’re there.’
For now, everything seemed to be in place.
And if I check the urgent lodge keeper tattoo’s function first...
...
’It probably won’t work.’
More precisely, the ’inventory’-like function seemed to be somewhat alive,
but I couldn’t check if it’s still linked to the resort.
At the very least, I could tell I wouldn’t be able to send other living beings
from here to the resort via the tattoo...
’Hmm.’
Feeling a faint regret that the easiest escape route might be gone, I took my
hand away.
But.
[Oh, isn’t there another method left?]
Yeah.
’Honestly, this also... might not work either.’
But I’d at least confirmed it exists. No harm trying.
I felt under my tongue once, then looked around at the still-eating group
and spoke.
"About Option 1 that Dolphin-nim suggested earlier."
"Ahh. Clearing the Forest of Final Moments?"
"Yes."
That one.
"If we have the right supplies, since we have experienced people here, there
should be a few approaches we can try. Even without a manual."
"...That’s true, but."
"Why, did a good idea pop into our Grapes’s head?"
After a brief hesitation, I nodded.
"I might have a way to obtain items that can serve as required supplies."
"Oh?"
"Reallyy?"
"Yes. But... this attempt also needs prep."
"What is it?"
I avoided direct eye contact.
"Does anyone have something we could turn into cash?"
"..."
"I take cash too. About... five thousand."
"..."
"..."
"Is this some kind of scam...?"
"Oho."
I nearly cried from embarrassment.
* * *
Fortunately, despite my recent track record (spy, disappearance, identity
swap), the group trusted me a fair bit.
So I finally attempted it. Namely...
’Space Shopping Mall.’
Using the VIP cell mounted under my tongue to do personal shopping.
"..."
I’d felt this once before.
I remembered perceiving the cell and pressing it, but everything after that
was hazy, like I’d nodded off for a moment...
"Dear customer."
I raised my head.
There, beside the subway platform where my companions had somehow
vanished, stood someone in a suit.
A lizard’s head turned toward me.
"Shall we begin personal shopping?"
Good.
"Yes."
’I thought the odds were high it wouldn’t work out here, since we’re
’outside’.’
But since it’s implanted in the body, I figured it might, so I’m glad I tried.
With a small, satisfied unclenching of my fist, I met the lizard’s eyes.
Hm.
’This time it’s dark brown.’
Below the blunt-looking vertical pupils, the lizard’s mouth opened.
"For smoother shopping, we recommend proceeding somewhere with a
table."
"...Right."
Given the environment, this is what we’ve got.
"By the way, how are we connected? Out here, any item or gear that draws
power from an external source doesn’t work."
"You mean this is a space where external, unreal influence is cut off?"
"That’s right."
"The Space Shopping Mall is not an unreal, imaginary space. It is a real,
actually existing store of ours."
Um. Then.
’Aliens... count as real entities...?’
Come to think of it, Section Chief Lee Jaheon was extracting Dream
Essence without issue. That means they’re judged as people.
’...Hmm.’
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic...
something like that?
My interest perked up, but this wasn’t the time to dig into it. I nodded.
"Thank you for the explanation."
"Yes, dear customer."
And from here... the conversation got harder to start. I spoke very carefully.
Because the moment I realized the Space Shopping Mall existed, a memory
struck me like lightning.
Debt!!
"I have an item I consigned to the Space Shopping Mall."
A sacred-law scripture fragment of the Church of the Luminous Unknown.
Because the Mimicker Scripture had harmful effects on me, I previously
paid the Space Shopping Mall a storage fee to hold it.
...Nearly 9 million won per month.
(Approx. 6,400 USD)
"The storage fee... accrues monthly, correct?"
"Yes."
"And if I fail to pay, I owe interest too?"
"Yes."
Ha.
Ha...
’The principal alone has easily blown past fifty million won...’
I’m only surprised alien lizards didn’t storm Daydream’s isolation ward.
Do alien lizards have a concept like statutory interest rates?
’Please don’t let it have crossed a hundred million.’
Feeling a cold sweat coming on, I looked up at the lizard and pleaded.
With the earnestness to drop to my knees if needed!
"Could I be late just a little longer? To get out of here and access funds, I
need the item first..."
"You have no delinquency on record, dear customer."
"...?!"
H-Hang on.
"How... No, did someone pay on my behalf?"
"Yes."
What?!
"Who was it?"
And back came an answer I never anticipated.
"One of us."
No way.
"...Could you be more specific."
"Yes. I refer to the entity named Lee Jaheon, employed at Daydream Inc. at
the rank of section chief."
"..."
"That entity is currently covering your storage fees."
I stared at the lizard, feeling like I’d been smacked in the back of the head.
’...Why?’
Was that even allowed? There was no need to do that.
’Wait.’
...Did he appraise the gear and items I handed over and pay an
equivalent amount to cover it?
Really?
’...Section Chief!’
A surge of respect for that reliable reptile welled up from deep inside me.
Thank you. Thank you so much...!
"Um, do you happen to know how Section Chief Lee Jaheon is doing?"
"That entity is currently at a boarding school."
"..."
Out of nowhere?
’What boarding school, all of a sudden.’
Section Chief Lizard’s at least in his thirties, right? He looks like a lizard to
me, but if he’s a section chief he’s not in his twenties. What the...
...
...!!
A reply flitted through my head.
– Oh! As for Section Chief Lee Jaheon, I think he went on a long-term
Darkness exploration a couple of days ago. Some... boarding school ghost
story, I think?
An update on Section Chief Lee Jaheon.
When was that again?
’That was when I was assigned to the annex.’
Then he should have come back long ago. Why was he still inside that
Darkness?
"Is he in danger?"
"I cannot say."
...In that case.
"Is it voluntary?"
"It is not our will."
"..."
I have a bad feeling.
"...Thank you for telling me."
Those aliens are bound together under a single identity of ’we’. If Section
Chief Lee Jaheon was in danger, would they really respect and try to save a
mere fragment of that collective mind?
’I should look into Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s whereabouts as soon as I get
out.’
My nerves tightened.
We needed to find a way to return from Sekwang City, fast.
At any rate, there had been a passage like a ’well’, so the idea that if we
cleared the ghost story we could return to the point of entry seemed well
worth testing.
’As for my condition... I’ll find some way to patch it up.’
The bell had worked, after all.
For now, I chose to believe that.
’Let’s procure what we need to clear this.’
"Then I’ll tell you what I want to purchase."
"Yes."
First, top priority.
Something usable regardless of the circumstances.
"Can I buy the ’We Can Help!’ item?"
The option where the alien lizards help directly.
It was the very item that got me out of Braun’s Late-Night Talk Show.
However.
"Is your reason for purchase to escape from your current coordinates to a
safe location?"
"That’s right."
"We do not recommend it."
"...!"
"There is a recorded instance of unsuccessful escape."
A surprisingly conscientious answer.
Truly a vendor of previously validated goods... though at a ludicrous price.
But still.
’If there’s a ’record’, that means someone tried to use ’We Can Help!’ to get
out of Sekwang Special Metropolitan City and failed.’
A chill ran through me.
It really did seem that something unprecedented was happening outside
Sekwang City.
’Damn.’
Gulping once, I nodded.
"Alright."
Next.
"...I need an item imbued with spiritual energy."
The dark-brown lizard looked at me.
"One that does not draw power from outside, but contains sacred,
auspicious energy in and of itself. Something I can use even where I am
now."
I wasn’t done explaining.
"And it should be portable and shaped so that a single person can carry it,
of a suitable size to move with."
Indeed.
"Do you have such a thing?"
"Yes."
...!
"By authority of a personal shopper, a suitable item shall be recommended."
...And from several candidates, I finally chose the one most appropriate for
what our party was about to attempt.
’Got it.’
Hope flickered through my head.
But there was one problem.
The price!
"Ninety-four million, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred
ninety-nine won."
"..."
’Just call it 95 million...’
In effect, a hundred million.
(Approx. 70,600USD)
– I’ve got a wad of 50,000-won notes. It’s project funds anyway, not even
my own money.
– Do you take cardd?
– Ah, this is solid gold with gemstones, yeah? It’s a piece from Baridegi
Workshop...
– Agent, isn’t that a rental?!
After all that rigmarole, we scraped together just over sixty million won at
buying price.
(Approx. 42,300 USD)
Even that was more than an ordinary salaryman could have managed.
’Huuu.’
"If I give you an account number, can you just withdraw it from there?"
"Is it an account in your own name, dear customer?"
"..."
No.
It’s Assistant Manager Lee Seonghae’s account...
’Wow, what do I even do.’
There was no helping it. I was just about to try, somehow, to dress up the
shameless words ’installment plan’ as something reasonable.
[Goodness, it seems my friend is in a bind.]
’...!’
In the darkness beyond the platform lights,
A glove-lit hand appeared at some point.
That hand slid out a classic-looking, oxblood chair from the shadows of the
platform and, with impeccable poise, its owner perched upon it.
A silhouette in a fine suit.
His head was hidden in shadow, but I knew what sat there...
The voice that has followed me as a part of myself.
"...Braun?"
[Lacking funds for your shopping, Friend?]
[Then let me make a sensational proposal... How about an advance from
this Braun here?]
"...!!"