Chapter 24
I was walking through a dark space.
There were no monsters or objects in the place that I was sent by the elevator monster.
Mirror shift doesn't work. It was as if I was cut off from the world.
If I don't return to the mirror before the materialization time ends, my body might disappear.
An elevator monster that takes the player to a random location in the game, but there was no place like this.
But more important than anything else, the children were in danger.
In particular, a physical method is needed to get rid of Jangsanbeom. Usually, this type is a monster made to run away like Slenderman.
I got impatient and started running.
There was nothing I could do but run in the endless dark space.
Then I stepped on something.Do objects exist in this space?
I picked it up.
...A curtain?
A stage curtain used to announce the start of a performance. why is this here?
Besides, it is not an ordinary curtain. It is an "item". An item used by monsters that cannot be obtained in the game.
The monster who uses this is [Pierrot]1
It was another boss-level monster.
Chapter one boss is Ella.
Chapter two boss is Mary.
Chapter three boss is Spider Lady.
The boss of the last part, chapter 4, is Pierrot.
Why is his stuff here?
I rummaged through the curtains and found a note.
This is also a note that I haven't seen in the game.
[Who is reading this note? Arachne? Mary? Or is it Ella?
It doesn't matter who it is. Since you are trapped here, it seems that you have done something useless too.
But don't worry! Because I've prepared an escape tool!
Use this curtain to escape. If you're late like me, you won't be able to use your hands.
Fuck. On the subject of a half-demon. I failed! I should have been more careful. I hear his voice in my head.
I'll have to cut this short. I'm still being pursued.
PS: Mary, the answer to your last question is no.
And Arachne, stop your nonsense before your precious things are taken away.
If a third party find this, please pass this note to them.]
This concludes the content of the note.
I don't know what the heck is going on in here, but I'm pretty sure it's not the game I used to know.
Still, there is no time to think.
I quickly channeled my supernatural power to use the curtains. Then they twitched as if it were alive and covered my view.
The curtain opens. A classroom appears before me.
I took a step and returned to the school.
As soon as I got to the original world, I moved to the mirror.
Children. Need to find the kids. They're not in the club room. Where are you?
Bam!
A sound came from below. Perhaps the place is the classroom sprinkled with salt.
Go immediately to the mirror. As soon as I move, what I see is a woman with a torn mouth holding scissors. Floating objects. An elevator.2
And Suho, Kyeong-min, and Eun-jeong with scratches.
It seemed that they were barely holding on by relying on the shield of protection.
Angry.
I felt the anger boiling inside me.
I jumped out of the mirror and shouted as if spitting out flames.
"Don't think about going back unscathed!!!!"
The classroom shakes. Dust falls from the ceiling and the floor creaks.
Red mask pointed a pair of scissors at me and came running. I kicked it.
Bam!!
The red mask fainted for a moment as it collided with the desks, making a dull impact noise.
I ran to the elevator monster.
It tried to close the door that had been opened, as if to hide itself.
I slashed my knife to prevent it from closing completely and kicked the door to pieces.
The forced event of moving location, as consequence, can't be triggered without closing the door.
The elevator monster that lost its doors was incapacitated and finally destroyed.
After that, floating objects tried to attack me. I didn't even dodge it.
Then, with my telekinesis, I tied them together. Then I press down the resisting monster as much as possible.
If it can't cause a "phenomenon", it's the same as not existing. Especially for a monster like this!
The poltergeist lost its phenomenon and disappeared as its existence faded.
[Am I prettyprettyprettypretty!!!]
The red mask, which fainted for a while, tried to stand up again.
I grabbed it by the head before it stood up.
And then, I poured out my anger by pushing it down to the ground.
[You dare! This small fry!! Die!! I'll kill you!!!]
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Every time I hit its head on the floor, blood spurts out.
I threw away the sunken head and took a deep breath.
The monsters turned into smoke almost instantly and were absorbed into me.
"...Woah."
I feel like my head is spinning.
I looked up to see the condition of the children.
There were Suho and Kyeong-min who looked shaky.
"Ah."
It was too extreme. Especially when I brutally killed the red mask.
This is what happens when you become scarier than the monster. Of course.
I don't know why my heart hurts
Then someone hugged me.
It was Eun-jeong.
"I was scared! Ella!"
The uneasy feelings that remained were subdued. I gently patted her back.
Eun-jeong, who is the most timid in the club, tends to rely on others.
It warms my heart that the target is me.
It was only after the bloody atmosphere was over that Kyeong-min and Suho approached me.
"Thank you for helping, Ella. But Ha-rim is still in danger!"
Come to think of it, she was nowhere to be seen.
"Ha-rim lured Jangsanbeom by herself. We have to help her."
I immediately removed Eun-jeong from me and told her that I would be back soon.
Ha-rim. I don't think she's going to be easily defeated because she's the main character, but I have to be safe!
Knock. Knock. Knock...
A knock was heard.
I told the kids to knock on the mirror when calling me.
If so, this signal must be from her. Thank god. You're alive.
POV Switch - Ha-rim
It was after I defeated the Jangsanbeom and started searching for the others. I saw something pass by in the bathroom mirror
"Ella, are you here?"
I approached the bathroom mirror. And then the mirror changed.
It was like a phenomenon where two mirrors are placed facing each other and the images continue infinitely.
The infinite me who looks at myself.
The 4th reflection started to get closer as it crossed the mirror.
This is one of the famous mirror ghost stories.
I mistakenly assumed that Ella would be the only mirror monster and was caught off guard.
"Ah..."
The body does not move. Is this its ability?
Since Eun-jeong isn't here, I'm powerless against this type of monster...!
[Survival]
The necklace glows. My body resisted the monster's ability, and I was able to move little by little.
But it doesn't seem like I can escape. If so...
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I knocked on the mirror.
The method used to call Ella.
Calling Ella, who hadn't appeared until now, is almost pointless.
Still, it's better to try everything I can.
Better an uncertain possibility than a sure failure.
Please, don't be defeated by a monster. I prayed inwardly.
Right before the reflection completely crossed the mirror. Someone grabbed its head.
"It's you. The one that moved the monsters inside the barrier."
It was Ella!
She looked very angry.
The mirror monster struggled and spewed a bloody aura.
Ella's expression blurred slightly.
"You... Are you fighting for territory? With me?"
This time, Ella radiated a tremendous aura.
It was much more powerful and darker than the mirror monster.
This time, the mirror monster's appearance began to blur.
A territorial fight between the mirror monsters. When the derived areas overlapped, they seemed to deny each other by force.
"Losing to a small fry!"
The monster screamed. Its appearance gradually faded, and then it turned into smoke and was absorbed by Ella.
The monster in our house is stronger!
"...Ha-rim is safe."
"Ella."
I felt pure joy at Ella, who had rescued me.
Having someone to rely on was such a relief.
I felt it even more when it was gone.
"By the way, what about Jangsanbeom?"
"I dealt with it!"
When I said that, Ella put on a slightly surprised expression, then gave me a smile. It's pretty.
"...That's good."
"It's over there."
Ella got out of the mirror and looked out her window.
There, she saw Jangsanbeom, who flinched as it hadn't died yet.
"What about the others?"
"It'll be safe for now. It looks like all the other monsters have been eliminated. Go down and collect the kids."
Just as Ella said, I gathered them.
Even though it wasn't long, it was a reunion I missed enough to bring tears to my eyes.
After hugging the members one by one, I went with Ella to the place where Jangsanbeom was.
Ella frowned and asked.
"Now tell me. Who sent you here? Don't act innocent. I know you can talk and I know that none of you have the ability to command a monster.
[...]
"Answer me."
[...]
"Answer me!!!"
Ella's voice rang out loudly. My body trembled slightly.
Jangsanbeom opened its mouth. It was smiling.
Like a child excited about the idea of telling a secret.
A monster like this listened to someone else's orders?
I don't know if monsters have a hierarchy, but Jangsanbeom is definitely not the type to obey someone.
Suspicious.
[...Kill...]
At this moment, Jangsanbeom mouth opened.
It was imitating someone's voice.
The voice was like a machine, so it was awkward to consider it as human.
It's very unique, you wouldn't mistake it as anyone else.
[...Go to school and run amok... Kill the children...]
[...However... That child...]
Crack...
Before it could finish its words, Jangsanbeom head fell off.
Blood spurted out and we backed away stunned, the spilled blood on the floor moving and taking shape.
A reverse pentagram. And a half-goat face with a carved horn in the center.
If you investigate the occult, you'll know what this means, even if you don't like it.
The Devil.
...
We returned to the classroom. Ella told me to go sleep, but I honestly couldn't rest that easily.
Even though I was mentally exhausted, I couldn't sleep because of nightmares.
And then, Eun-jeong grabbed Ella and asked.
"Can't we sleep together, Ella?"
Ella looked perplexed. She didn't refuse though.
"There is not much time left for materialization..."
"Then, just until we fall asleep?"
"...Okay."
Eun-jeong seemed to be completely dependent on her.
Ella, who quickly took down the monsters, was reassuring.
It has been a long time since I had the feeling of relying on someone.
Come to think of it, why did Ella go to a different place every time we went to sleep?
In fact, maybe it was because she was afraid that we would be uncomfortable.
If so, from the beginning... Ah, I'm overthinking it.
It's just because we're friends.
With the blankets collected by searching each classroom.
We lay down in a formation surrounding Ella.
Eun-jeong fell asleep while holding the hem of Ella's skirt.
She seems to have a sleeping habit, but it felt strange to see Ella pampering her.
How many opportunities will there be in life to be taken care by a ghost?
I also sneakily grabbed Ella's soft hand.
She was startled and flinched, but didn't stop it.
The red eyes that stare at me are soft.
Warm. Pretty.
I fell asleep easily, with eyes similar to those of my mother, whom I missed.