Got Dropped in a Ghost Story Chapter 25

“…!!”

In a corner of the theme park locker room, a small plush doll twitched its limbs and spoke.

At first glance, this would normally be the kind of situation where my life was in danger.

Except I was the one who had deliberately caused it.

– Friend?

The plush doll convulsed on top of the hexagram, which had already disappeared.

“Ah—”

That was when I realized it.

The ritual had worked.

I had successfully invited a [Good Friend] into the doll.

The problem was that the thing I had invited was someone I knew.

No.

A monster I knew.

Mr. Host…!

The TV-headed monster who had hosted the Tuesday Quiz Show.

– I hope you’ll join the crew of my new talk show too, Mr. Roe Deer!

I swallowed as I remembered the last thing he had said before I escaped that insane ghost story.

“…Nice to meet you again, Mr. Host. Have you been well?”

– Haha! It’s wonderful to see you again! I still remember how brightly you shone during the quiz show, Mr. Roe Deer. Have you been well? I…

– I.

Silence.

– Well… I don’t really remember.

– Hmm… right.

– I’ve been well. I’ve been hosting the talk show. Yes.

For a moment, the voice coming from the plush doll weakened.

Then its usual friendliness and energy returned.

– What matters is that we’ve met again!

“…Yes.”

I could still feel an overwhelming supernatural pressure beneath that cheerful voice.

It was as if something enormous and terrifying was being gently suppressed before it could erupt.

…Is that because of the [Good Friend]?

Maybe the plush doll and the ritual itself were restricting him somehow.

Still, I needed to be careful.

“Um, Mr. Host. There’s something I’d like to ask.”

– Ask away, friend! Oh, but now that we’re friends, calling me something so formal feels a little awkward!

– Just call me Braun, Mr. Roe Deer! Let’s forget all that stiff formality!

“…Right. Okay, Braun.”

So even the TV-headed monster from a ghost story had a name.

Anyway, that wasn’t important right now.

I spoke as politely as I could.

“Actually, I’m trying to leave this theme park, but I can’t find a way out.”

– Goodness! Theme parks are famous for being huge and difficult to navigate. Don’t worry. I’m excellent at finding my way around!

“…I’m not lost. The mascots are physically preventing me from using the exit.”

The plush doll went silent for a moment.

Even he seemed caught off guard.

– Huh.

– Hmm.

– That’s quite an unusual situation.

That reaction was surprisingly human.

I briefly explained how the theme park worked and what had happened so far.

The teams divided by color.

The separate zones.

And the mascots that had gone out of control.

The plush doll lying on the floor crossed its little arms.

– Hmm. These mascots are quite the divas! You find conspicuously troublesome personalities like that in the broadcasting industry too.

– But there’s one mascot that hasn’t appeared at all, and that bothers me.

One that hadn’t appeared?

I immediately understood.

“…You mean the yellow mascot?”

The final mascot.

It had been mentioned in the attractions, but we hadn’t seen any trace of it.

– Exactly! The yellow flower. Do you know where it is?

“…!”

Right.

If the Blue mascot has its own zone, then there should also be a Yellow Zone somewhere…!

If I could find it and use its exit—

– It’s probably already dead, though.

…

“Pardon?”

The yellow mascot?

“Couldn’t there be somewhere like a botanical garden or greenhouse? Since it’s a flower…”

– Oh, Mr. Roe Deer. I think you already know the answer.

The gentle voice whispered,

– Didn’t you tell me yourself?

– The yellow team also woke up near the outskirts of the Blue Zone.

“…!”

– If a Yellow Zone existed, wouldn’t the yellow team have awakened there?

– Wasn’t that the rule?

“…That’s true.”

The rule was simple.

You woke up in the zone corresponding to the color you drew.

But the yellow team hadn’t.

Which meant…

maybe there really was no Yellow Zone anymore.

I thought about it for a moment.

Then I spoke.

“…I know what I need to do.”

I needed to confirm it for myself.

– Oh? What is it? Let’s go togeth—

The plush doll struggled to stand.

Then immediately lost its balance and fell flat on its face.

– Ahem.

– Mr. Roe Deer, could you help me up?

I cautiously approached and picked up the [Good Friend] keychain with one hand.

It was strangely warm.

Almost like body heat.

– Maintaining balance is more difficult than expected. It may take some time to adjust.

– But don’t worry!

– I’m an extremely capable being!

How dignified.

After thinking for a moment, I placed the plush doll inside the breast pocket of my suit.

It dramatically raised one tiny arm.

– All right! Let’s go!

A pause.

– …Where are we going?

Somewhere that could tell us where to go.

A place you could expect to find in almost any large public facility.

“The information booth.”

Naturally, Cheerful Theme Park had information booths too.

There were several Exploration Records mentioning them.

Most normal amusement parks had them, after all.

The problem was that they never worked properly…

They would tell visitors where nearby attractions were.

But if you asked for anything more complicated, or requested something physical, the response was always the same.

[Members Only]

An ordinary admission ticket wasn’t enough.

The implication was obvious.

The park might treat visitors as customers, but the facilities weren’t truly meant for people like us.

It was another little detail meant to make the place feel unsettling.

Fortunately—

I have a membership wristband now.

In fact, the moment my ticket had changed into a membership, I remembered several Exploration Records involving [Members Only] facilities.

Special souvenir shops.

Restaurants.

Separate entrances that let members skip attraction lines.

There was only one reason I had avoided trying any of them.

Because I’d have to interact directly with the mascots.

Interacting with a crazy mascot that had already locked the exit while knowing almost nothing about it could easily trigger some horrible event.

Just thinking about it makes me dizzy.

But now I had a monster friend who could act as an early-warning system.

That made it worth trying.

“Braun. If the person I’m talking to seems angry or looks like they might hurt me, can you warn me?”

– Of course! That’s hardly difficult.

The plush doll cheerfully agreed.

Then it quickly came up with several hand signals we could use.

As expected of someone from the broadcasting industry, he was quick on his feet.

A short while later—

– Over there.

Braun peeked out from my pocket.

– Oh. It looks quite convincing…

I approached the information booth.

It was made from opaque blue glass with a white service screen.

As I drew closer, the screen slid open.

A blue mascot appeared behind it.

A blue dragon wearing a uniform.

“Hello. I’d like a map of this place, please.”

The mascot seemed pleased.

It waved, then quickly handed me a high-quality catalog.

Inside was a detailed map showing the attractions, restaurants, and facilities throughout [Blue Dream Waterland].

At the top were the words:

[Members Only]

I looked back at the mascot.

“Thank you.”

It seemed strangely proud of itself.

“By the way, do you have a map that shows the entire area?”

Clunk.

The mascot stopped moving.

D-Don’t panic.

“I’m sure you already know this, but I entered this zone from the Red Zone without following the normal procedure.”

I kept my voice as calm and polite as possible.

“I’d rather avoid accidentally getting too close to that area again.”

“So could you tell me exactly where the boundary between the Red Zone and this area is?”

Silence.

Then the mascot reached out.

From here.

Its claw touched one part of the catalog.

To here.

Riiiiip.

The mascot tore the map straight down along its eastern edge.

Just as I thought.

The eastern edge of the Blue Zone and the western edge of the Red Zone were directly connected.

But…

This is terrifying.

My hands were trembling so badly that the torn catalog was practically vibrating.

Please don’t kill me.

What if it suddenly used those claws to tear me in half too?

The instant the mascot lifted its claw away from the map, I quickly nodded.

“Thank you.”

All right.

Next question.

“If that’s the case—”

Thud. Thud.

“…!”

– Shh.

From inside my breast pocket, Braun tapped himself twice.

That was the signal.

The other party seems to be in a bad mood.

…

That was enough!

I immediately changed course and offered the mascot a polite smile.

“Yes. I understand.”

“I won’t go near the Red Zone.”

The blue dragon remained still for a moment.

Then it nodded.

It reached into its uniform and pulled out another neatly packaged bag of [Blue Soda Churros].

“Thank you.”

Good child.

The mascot gently tapped my membership wristband.

Then withdrew its arm.

Drip.

A moment later, the information booth’s screen smoothly slid shut.

“…”

Huu.

Done.

I lowered my head and clutched my pounding chest.

I felt like I was going to die from fear alone.

– You’re smiling, my friend!

Braun sounded delighted.

– Are you feeling better? Did you find what you were looking for?

I had.

“Yes.”

I raised my head and immediately started running.

“Now I just need to move.”

I could probably have saved time by asking the mascot more questions.

But safety came first.

From here on, I would rely on the most dependable method available.

My own two feet.

Let’s hurry.

There were only a few hours left.

I looked up at the theme park sky.

It was already beginning to darken.

======================

A few hours later.

The sun had completely set.

“Huuuff…”

I was still running.

My legs trembled from spending hours sprinting around the enormous water park, covering nearly half its perimeter.

– Mr. Roe Deer, you look terribly exhausted.

“I’m fine.”

Braun’s voice carried a hint of concern.

– I think it’s finally time for me to ask.

– Where exactly are you trying to go?

I wiped the sweat dripping from my chin.

“The Yellow Zone.”

– Hooh!

– But didn’t we both agree that no Yellow Zone exists?

– Why did you change your mind?

“I didn’t.”

I was still convinced there was no Yellow Zone.

“But there must have been one before.”

I lowered the map and looked ahead.

First—

“It probably wasn’t directly connected to the Red Zone.”

East of the Red Zone was forest.

North was the entrance.

South was a cliff.

And west was the Blue Zone.

The terrain fits perfectly. There aren’t any gaps.

Which meant…

“The Yellow Zone must have been connected to some part of the Blue Zone instead.”

“There should have been some kind of passage between them.”

If I excluded the north, which was also the park entrance, and the east, which bordered the Red Zone…

that left—

– So you’re thoroughly searching the west and south!

Braun laughed.

– Haha! That makes sense.

Unlike in the Red Zone, no mascots were chasing me down and trying to kill me here.

So I could afford to use this slow, exhausting method.

And eventually—

I found it.

At the edge of the northwest section, hidden behind a flower bed beside a restroom.

A rough dirt trail climbed toward the mountain.

It looked like an abandoned hiking path.

– Hmm.

– It seems this used to be an open passage.

Braun paused.

– The problem is that crossing it would almost certainly violate the theme park’s rules.

[No Entry Except for Staff]

I stared at the sign.

Then I cautiously leaned out from behind the restroom and looked around.

My eyes met those of a mascot stationed in front of a children’s attraction some distance away.

– Hmm. Is that mascot bothering you?

“Yes.”

“If I enter the restricted area, I’m sure it’ll notice.”

– Then simply don’t get caught!

“…”

That was much easier said than done.

– Oh, cheer up. It won’t be difficult!

– After all, you have me, don’t you? Your friend.

The [Good Friend]’s voice took on a slightly sly tone. His characteristic confidence, cunning, and friendliness came through clearly.

– I’ll help you. First… it would be best if you took me out of your breast pocket for a moment!

I did as he said.

The plush doll sat on my palm and raised one tiny hand toward me.

I immediately flinched.

For a moment, I remembered how the host had incinerated people during the Tuesday Quiz Show.

But this time, something different happened.

Ta-dak!

A small snapping sound came from the fingerless hand.

At that moment, a strange shadow-like veil fell heavily over me.

“…!”

My presence grew faint, as though I were sinking into the background.

– There. Now they won’t be able to notice you.

– Come on, let’s go.

Braun’s voice sounded slightly weaker than before.

“This is…”

– I turned off your lighting, Mr. Roe Deer.

– We agreed not to pay attention to anyone who wasn’t under the lights during the show, remember?

So incineration wasn’t the host’s only ability.

Was he controlling the entire filming set by himself…?

A chill ran through me as I looked down at the plush doll.

But that wasn’t important right now.

First, I had to escape.

“Then I’m going.”

– Very good!

I went back toward the restroom and stopped in front of the closed-off narrow path.

Then I stepped past the [No Entry] sign.

“…”

Nothing happened.

“Thank—”

– Save the thanks for later. Move first!

I was almost moved to tears by how reliable he was.

I sprinted up the steep hiking trail as fast as I could.

Broken pieces of plastic and old decorations flashed past beneath my feet, half-buried in the dirt.

– Something definitely used to be here.

I pushed myself even harder.

Higher.

Further up.

And finally, the end of the path came into view.

Tak.

I stepped out onto the top of the hill and looked down.

Below us was…

– A resort.

A huge resort complex stretched along the dark coastline.

…

Did major franchise theme parks normally operate lodging facilities this enormous too?

The sheer size of it was overwhelming.

[Flower Golden Resort]

But the entire place had been abandoned.

Once, the golden-lit resort must have looked like something out of a dream.

Now, the paint was peeling, the buildings were old, and the whole complex looked deserted.

I stared at the cracked sign depicting a smiling yellow flower.

And beneath it—

there was something familiar.

An old gate system.

– There’s a gate at the resort entrance too!

“Yes.”

Just as I’d hoped.

A route leading from the theme park back into the resort would also count as an exit.

Found it…!

Forgetting how exhausted I was, I started running again.

The shadow concealing me suddenly peeled away, but I only quickened my pace.

– Hmm. The gate here is turned off too. Can you still use it?

“Of course.”

I inspected the old gate mechanism and opened its emergency control panel.

Just like I had done with the attraction earlier.

Then I switched on the emergency power.

Ziiing.

With an old mechanical groan, several lights on the gate flickered to life.

I couldn’t try something like this earlier because the mascot was watching me.

But this much I could manage on my own.

I stood in front of the gate whose scanner seemed to be functioning best.

Still, I wanted one last confirmation.

“Braun. If I enter that resort using my membership, do you think I’ll be required to use its facilities?”

– Haha! Those run-down buildings?

– Their business clearly ended long ago. It’s already abandoned property.

– It isn’t a theme park anymore. It’s just land!

Thank you, friend, for that sharp and reassuring assessment.

Without hesitation, I held my membership wristband to the gate.

Click.

The old scanner read it.

Ding.

The machine’s lights flickered.

[◎ Goodbye ◎]

Done.

A shiver of relief ran through me as I started forward.

Then—

– Goodness. It followed us.

I turned around.

Far in the distance, a blue figure was crawling up the narrow trail.

…The mascot!

It was the blue dragon.

The uniformed mascot I had seen at the exit gate was approaching at a terrifying speed.

Then it stopped.

It was…

staggering.

“…”

– Tsk, tsk. That mascot seems to think it’s the protagonist of some drama.

– Let’s get out of here quickly!

Still, I felt uneasy.

This feels like obvious revenge foreshadowing.

Nothing good could come from being hated by a creature from a ghost story.

Thinking that, I searched my pockets and found one item I still had left.

[Alice’s Picnic Set – Cookie]

The flat cookie I had never used before.

I lightly tossed the paper-wrapped cookie toward the mascot.

…

– Mr. Roe Deer, you are far too kind…

No.

Anyway, I gave you something, Dragon.

After confirming that the mascot had caught the cookie, I crossed through the gate.

Good child.

And I escaped the ghost story.

As the world twisted around me, I faintly heard Braun’s voice from the [Good Friend].

– Hmm… I’m starting to regain my strength!

– I feel like I can move again…

I opened my eyes.

I was sitting in Research Team 1’s conference room on the seventeenth floor.

The room was dark and empty.

And I was back in Seoul.

…I survived.

I had escaped!

“Haah!!”

An overwhelming sense of freedom washed over me, all the way to the tips of my hair.

I immediately shot to my feet.

Is nobody here?

Several hours had passed, so everyone must have already left the conference room.

I was about to call someone and let them know I had made it back when—

Huh?

I looked at my wrist.

[◎ (Cheerful) Fantasyland Membership ◎]

The band was still there.

“What the—”

Then it started to burn.

“…!”

In an instant, the membership wristband disappeared.

But something remained behind.

Exactly where the band had been, a black inscription was engraved into my wrist.

: Socius :

What the hell?