Chapter 45

“A-are you sure it’s okay for us to go on our own? Is this really a good idea?”

“It should be fine.”

Probably.

Understanding the unspoken word, Go Youngeun swallowed a scream.

After persuading his superiors, Kim Soleum had left the terrace room with his two fellow recruits to “use” the item.

‘He must have done that deliberately to make the story sound logical.’

Since he had told them one of us owned the item, it would look strange if that person didn’t go along.

... Though being lumped together with Baek Saheon as “us” did leave a rather sour taste...

‘Still, he’s being strangely docile right now.’

But at the moment, she was far more concerned about what lay ahead.

“I’ll take out the candle now.”

Yes!

Go Youngeun handed back the paper Kim Soleum had given her, and he unfolded it.

Then something astonishing happened.

A hefty cylinder of pale purple wax rolled into his hand.

It was a real candle.

“...!”

The outline drawn in crayon remained like a foil-stamped pattern, making it immediately clear: the candle that had been a drawing had become real.

‘... Wow.’

Forgetting their situation, she marveled at it.

Having heard a brief explanation of what they would do with that candle, she felt anticipation swell in her mind.

“Please wait a moment.”

Kim Soleum took a deep breath, then pulled out a lighter and tried to light the candle’s wick.

FWOOSH.

The flame passed across the wick...

And nothing happened.

“...”

“...”

Why... wouldn’t it light?

Kim Soleum even demonstrated the insane ability to summon The Third Hand by flicking a coin into the air, trying to light it that way, but that didn’t work either.

“... Ah.”

As though something had suddenly occurred to him, Kim Soleum pulled out the candle kit’s instructions and quickly reread them.

“Is something wrong?”

“...”

He lowered the instructions, his expression somehow flat.

“No. I’m not sure.”

Actually, he knew.

One passage under “Handling and Usage Precautions” at the end of the instructions, written in messy dark-red lettering.

The “Recommended Users” section.

※This toy was created to relieve the fatigue of modern-day Earth humans.

For safety reasons, aliens, otherworlders, non-sapient beings, gods, and all other nonhuman intelligences may not use it. :)

‘... I might not qualify.’

Kim Soleum wasn’t actually from this world, after all.

A chill ran down his spine, but he knew that wasn’t the priority.

He needed to hand it to someone trustworthy.

Someone unlikely to act unpredictably, with social skills and a moral compass.

“Ms. Mountain Goat.”

“...!”

“I’m counting on you.”

In the end, Go Youngeun swallowed and took the candle.

Then she accepted the lighter and held it to the wick with trembling hands.

FWOOSH.

The flame passed across the wick...

And it caught fire.

“...!”

Then letters began to appear on the body of the candle, as though light were shining through it.

The keywords from the cards they had drawn.

[Honor] [Obstruction] [Lies]

[“Do you remember the cards we drew while making the candle? They tell us what abilities the finished candle will have.”]

The explanation Kim Soleum had given her resurfaced in her mind as more words appeared on the candle.

The supplicant must raise this candle toward an honorable subject and, through the power of obstruction, present a false guise.

A blessing shall be bestowed upon the supplicant holding the candle.

Impersonator of Nobility.

Go Youngeun raised the candle.

A round ball of fire rose from it like the flame of an oil lamp, circled above her head, then disappeared.

Then her surroundings grew softly illuminated, as though by a small spotlight.

‘Wow...’

“It works exactly as expected.”

Watching with a faint smile, Kim Soleum nodded.

“The candle’s area of effect extends to two people near you, Ms. Mountain Goat. Goat and I will follow behind you.”

“Yes.”

Go Youngeun wondered whether they couldn’t have recruited someone other than Baek Saheon, but Kim Soleum had made the item, so she nodded without complaint.

Kim Soleum whispered again.

“But there’s something you must be careful about. ... Do not look back at us. We must remain hidden behind the candle bearer to receive its effects.”

“... Yes.”

“And don’t look too closely at the candle. ... It could encroach on your mind.”

Go Youngeun nodded slowly.

Tension tightened her shoulders, but she somehow regained her composure.

That was her specialty, after all.

“You said earlier that the exit is aboveground... So we’re starting on the fourth floor, in the middle, right? That will narrow down the possibilities the most.”

“Yes. Good idea.”

They began to walk.

The mere thought of what they were about to do sent ice down her spine, but Go Youngeun gritted her teeth.

She seemed to be the biggest coward here, yet she was carrying the candle.

‘I have to do my best.’

She never imagined that the biggest coward of them all was right behind her!

TAP, TAP.

Three sets of footsteps echoed through the brass-colored hall. Eerily, they heard no sign of an attendant machine all the way up to the fourth floor...

But that was no comfort.

Because their destination was...

“Found it.”

Right in front of an attendant machine.

“...”

After reaching the fourth floor, the new recruits of <Daydream Inc.> followed the mechanical sounds until they finally located the attendant responsible for the fourth-floor corridor.

SCREEEECH.

“If you run outside the candle’s range now, it’ll come after you.”

“I know that, okay?”

The chilling exchange between Kim Soleum and Baek Saheon chilled Go Youngeun’s heart as well.

It looked ready to move those needlelike appendages and pluck out their eyes at any moment, but...

Swallowing, Go Youngeun advanced.

One step at a time.

With every step closer, the machine’s image wavered in the candlelight.

Standing before the grotesque spider-shaped machine, she gave a slight nod.

“Hello.”

SCREEECH.

The attendant moved.

Its eight needles rose into the air...

Then neatly arranged themselves and settled gently around its body.

Lifting its head, the machine politely shone its gas lamp near Go Youngeun’s feet.

“...!”

It worked.

Go Youngeun swallowed.

The candle’s blessing was successfully taking effect on her.

A blessing that allowed her to impersonate someone honorable.

[“The first card drawn determines the effect’s purpose, the second its method, and the last its essence.”]

[“Putting them together properly, it creates a lie about something honorable that obstructs others...”]

[“It’s probably an ability related to impersonation or deception.”]

And right now, Go Youngeun was impersonating the most suitable “honorable person.”

The person an attendant machine treated most favorably.

Namely...

‘A guest who’s paid their fees in full!’

In the calmest tone she could muster, Go Youngeun addressed the attendant.

“Please stay still if the answer to my question is no, and nod if it’s yes.”

Silence.

“... Did guests heading home after finishing their visit go upstairs from this fourth floor aboveground?”

...

“Did guests heading home after finishing their visit go downstairs from this fourth floor aboveground?”

It nodded.

“...!”

It was working!

Elation swept through the candle bearer, but she barely managed to finish the conversation.

“Thank you. I’ll go back to viewing the exhibition now.”

The attendant stood quietly in place until all three people within the candlelight had left.

The moment they rounded the corner, Go Youngeun couldn’t help exclaiming.

“It worked...!”

“Take your time. The candle burns for about two hours, so the important thing is not to let it go out before then.”

“Yes!”

Then they repeated the process.

“Did guests heading home after finishing their visit go downstairs from this third floor aboveground?”

It nodded.

“Thank you!”

It worked again. Now the three recruits walked on, buoyed by the thrilling hope of escape.

At this rate.

‘Either the first or second floor...!’

The same prediction took shape in all their minds.

Go Youngeun bit her tongue, doing everything she could to keep from getting carried away.

‘Careful. Be careful!’

If she tipped the candle over, it would be all over.

Unless she wanted to escape with her eyes and tongue—or her limbs—ripped out, she had to stay calm.

The very moment she calmly took another step, something seized her foot.

Go Youngeun froze and looked down.

There was a human with telephoto lenses jammed in place of their eyes.

Disheveled and struggling, the person had crawled across the floor and grabbed her trouser leg.

“Mountain Goat! Ms. Mountain Goat!!”

“...!!”

“Take me with you!”

The leader of Team R.

Go Youngeun’s superior.

* * *

I looked at the person who had stopped in front of me.

I knew why.

Someone clutching her trouser leg was shouting desperately!

“Ms. Mountain Goat! Equipment—I’ll make you equipment if you get me out! You’ll get to use section-chief-level equipment right away! Huh?!”

‘Ms. Go Youngeun was on Team R, wasn’t she?’

This was probably Team R’s section chief.

But the figure was far too wretched to look like the leader of a Field Exploration Team unit.

The limbs hadn’t been collected as payment, but perhaps they were all broken, because the team leader couldn’t get up off the floor.

‘Was there some kind of infighting?’

A team leader should have been able to hold out to the end using equipment and items, moving from hiding place to hiding place. Seeing this one alone in such a state made it almost certain.

Death was breathing down the team leader’s neck.

Then a recruit from the same team had appeared carrying a very unusual-looking item, prompting this sudden emergence.

Instinctively recognizing a final lifeline.

“Ms. Mountain Goat! That’s an item, right! Haaah, l-looks good. Uh, let—let me come along too, huh?”

“Wow. Not scared at all? What a racket.”

Baek Saheon muttered under his breath.

Then he said to Go Youngeun,

“Why don’t we test whether the monster machines respond to sound? Doesn’t look like this one can run away anyway.”

“What? What kind of bullshit...”

“...”

Team R’s leader, who had been pleading with Go Youngeun, looked up at Baek Saheon.

The telephoto lenses flashed.

“Which team are you a rookie on?”

“...”

“Ah. Right. Doesn’t matter... What matters is getting out. But you know... that item my recruit is using—it’s a candle? A consumable, then.”

“...!”

“The flame... it works through the flame, hmm, for protection? Yes, looks like it... Then what if I shake her like this—like this! And the flame goes out?”

“Ah!”

Go Youngeun, nearly thrown off balance, swiftly steadied the candle.

‘You crazy bastard.’

Just as I was about to summon my Exclusive Equipment into the air and use three hands to pry Team R’s leader off her, the team leader clung to her foot again.

“Even like this, you think I know less than a bunch of rookies?? Take me with you!”

“... But you left me behind, Team Leader.”

Go Youngeun murmured in an ominously quiet voice.

“When the machine appeared, you shoved me aside and ran.”

“...!”

Since the employees had all entered separately, I had assumed Ms. Go Youngeun had been alone because she hadn’t run into anyone from her team...

So that was why she’d been on her own.

“No! I did everything I could! I left you because I couldn’t die just to save a rookie! You can take me with you now! When circumstances allow it, a human should act like a human!”

The team leader clung to her, shouting in desperation.

No tears flowed from the eye sockets that had become lenses.

“If you don’t take me, it’s murder! Murder! Just try leaving me behind. I’ll destroy that item. Whatever it takes!! Huh...!”

THUD.

“...!”

Team R’s leader went limp and slumped sideways.

Baek Saheon lowered his left foot back into place after striking the team leader’s temple.

“...”

And I, too, recalled The Third Hand into my glove after striking the back of the team leader’s head.

‘H-he’s still breathing, right?’

Only one of us should have hit him. Of all times for us to act together.

At any rate, the situation seemed to have settled down.

I looked at the shabby office worker in his forties lying on the floor.

‘... I guess field exploration experience does count for something.’

He had spouted sophistry with just the right balance of pleas to prick a rookie’s conscience and threats to frighten them.

Go Youngeun held the candle steadily, but her eyes seemed to waver as she looked down at her direct superior’s miserable state...

Then Baek Saheon spoke lightly.

“That’s settled. Now let’s just take his head.”

... What?

“No.”

“He’ll die soon anyway. It puts him out of his misery, and we get payment for a plan B if we need one. There’s literally no downside.”

“Think of Ms. Mountain Goat’s emotional distress when cutting his head off. It would be difficult for her to stay composed after personally killing someone she knows.”

The more Baek Saheon and I spoke on either side of her, the paler Ms. Go Youngeun’s face became.

“No, what is this, no...”

“What are you talking about? People can do anything to survive. I’m telling you, she’s perfectly capable.”

“She isn’t. Don’t listen to him, Ms. Mountain Goat.”

“Mountain Goat...”

“Wait!”

“...”

“...”

“I’ll just... do this.”

Gripping the candle tightly, Go Youngeun kicked Team R’s leader into a shadowy corner by a sofa.

Then she heaved a sigh.

“This way, the machines won’t find him right away... Let’s go. Before the candle burns down.”

“...”

I nodded.

But Baek Saheon frowned.

“You’re making this complicated. He’s going to die anyway.”

“... If a good person saved your life, how about not saying things like that?”

“...”

Go Youngeun let out a long sigh.

“Still, thank you both. I nearly let myself get dragged into that with my eyes wide open.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Surprisingly, Baek Saheon kept his mouth shut. I’d expected him to sneer or try to extort something. That was unexpected.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

We went down the stairs again.

That bout of trouble and interference was over.

The finish line was in sight.