I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game

Chapter 52

A Confusing World

"The time has come. Can you offer her rest?"

Rest.

I think we can do it like we did when we defeated Mary.

At that time, Ha-rim discovered a glowing phone booth.

When I looked at her, it was only then that I realized that the drawing she was holding was glowing.

"The drawing is glowing."

Ha-rim took the drawing and headed to Ms. Spider.

The Ms. Spider that fell and the spider monsters that had gathered to protect her did not attack Ha-rim as she approached.

"The spiders aren't attacking."

"I guess that's what they hope for too."

Ha-rim held up the drawing in front of Ms. Spider's eyes.

"Charlotte worked hard on this! He asked me to show it to you!"

"Charlotte..."

Ms. Spider reacted.

Ha-rim gave a few more names to stimulate her.

"Charlotte. Emily. Pearl. Do you recognize any of these names?"

She searched her memory.

"Emily... Because her jaw had problems, she was only fed porridge every day. But she was a child who kept trying to eat hard food, so I couldn't take my eyes off her."

"Pearl."

"Pearl was always strong even though she was missing a leg and an eye. I had no doubt that she would lead the orphanage children well."

"What about Charlotte?"

"Charlotte had only one arm, but he was very good at drawing. He always used to drawn and show it to me... Yes, just like this."

It seemed to me that Ms. Spider's memory had returned to some extent, so I created a mirror in front of her, just like I did with Mary.

A ghost story that tells the story of a person's fate reflected in a mirror.

It is not necessarily limited to lovers.

"...What?"

I couldn't help but react like a fool to the strange thing that happened while creating the mirror.

Because the spider monsters started getting sucked into the mirror.

The mirror got bigger.

This was clearly a mirror that was larger than I expected.

Beyond the mirror created in this way were children from the orphanage and people presumed to be the villagers.

Ms. Spider exclaimed in surprised.

"It's dangerous! Hurry and get out of there! I repeatedly said that the villagers are dangerous!"

Among the kids, the one without one leg and one eye said.

"We are okay now! Now people don't want to kill us. So there's no need to leave here."

Ms. Spider seemed a little shocked by those words.

She spoke with a trembling voice.

"Still... Don't you hate them? Being around hateful people is tiring and difficult."

A child without one arm speaks.

"We forgave. Mom."

"No way."

"We wanted mom to forgive too."

Ms. Spider was speechless as if she had been hit in the head.

The woman was silent for a moment and then opened her mouth.

"No."

Her first words were denial.

"I shouldn't forgive. No, I won't forgive. I have to hate the one who killed you until they are dead. What parent in the world could forgive the enemy who killed their child? Even if you forgave, I must not."

"But it's hard for mom! You know how tiring and lonely it is to hate others."

"Come here quickly. Everyone is waiting."

Ms. Spider shook her head.

"I am a sinner. A murderer who kills people. A sinner who was consumed by hatred and made an ugly wish to a goat. I didn't even have any remorse. Yes, I don't forgive the villagers. They won't forgive me either. I can't go there like that..."

"Are you stupid?"

I can't listen to you.

I suppressed my irritation and stepped forward. Pierrot watched my actions with interest.

"Ho..."

"Even if it's a bit far-fetched, what's wrong with a happy ending? If everyone is happy, it's a win-win. I can't tolerate it fading away and disappearing."

"What..."

"I want to show only happy endings to the kids. I want to end this journey on a warm note. If you keep acting like that, I'll force you into the mirror. Okay?"

It's a very selfish remark, and some might call me a devil, but I think it was amazing of me to hold back my frustration so much. It's so absurd.

"..."

"Hahahaha!"

Pierrot held his stomach and laughed. What's so funny?

He also seemed quite happy.

"I heard you well. I really like that you are going to force a happy ending. In that case, I will help you."

Pierrot took a breath and began to tell a story.

"I heard your story through a quiz. A long time ago, villagers who regarded disabled children as bugs gave them poisoned food ingredients. The children died painfully after eating that food, and you were so consumed with hatred that you wanted the villagers who treated the disabled children like bugs to be just like them. That's why you made a contract with them and took revenge by resurrecting the villager's corpse as spiders."

Even though spiders are beneficial insects, they are often objects of fear and disgust due to their disgusting appearance.

It was a similar view to how people in the past hated disabled children simply because of their appearance.

That's why Ms. Spider turned the villagers into spiders.

"What do you mean, Pierrot?"

Ms. Spider spoke in a displeased tone.

Pierrot brushed it off as if it was no big deal and continued.

"But before the Devil took something important from you, you loved spiders, even when you were vaguely aware of your past. Do you know what the reason is?"

"That."

Ms. Spider grabbed her head. She didn't seem to remember much.

"Because the corpses that turned into spiders included the corpses of the children."

"That's!"

"After becoming unable to distinguish, you decided to forgive the villagers and love all spiders. What the Devil stole from you was your love for the kids. Because of that, all the remains is an aversion to bugs. So, even though you controlled spiders, you didn't keep them around, and the spider monsters ended up in a pitiful situation."

Wait, if that story is true.

"...You have already forgiven the villagers. For loving the children."

Ms. Spider muttered as if she couldn't believe it.

"I forgave them?"

"Mom..."

I asked Ms. Spider in order to make her feelings more honest and admit it.

"You. Weren't you happy when the villagers gave you food ingredients?"

"..."

The final blow... It felt like that. She was silent for a moment, then she answered honestly.

"That's right. Actually, I was happy... I thought people were finally acknowledging the children. It's truly amazing how I used to hate them so much, and now it all changed with one gift."

The villagers probably didn't like the children.

That's why Ms. Spider must have hated them so much.

"I thought I didn't have to hate people anymore, so I ran to the orphanage even though my legs hurt. And then I boasted to the kids like a child who had received praise. There was no need to worry anymore. Now we can be happy not just among ourselves, but with everyone."

The woman's hand were shaking as she spoke.

"Why couldn't I be more honest?

Why didn't I act more selfish?

Even if it couldn't come true, I want to see the dead children again.

And, and..."

Ms. Spider finally admitted.

"I want to see the children hanging out with the villagers. I'm done with hatred, I want to be with everyone..."

Disliking others is difficult and tiring.

She, too, was exhausted.

From hating the villagers.

Her true wish was not to take revenge on the villagers.

But living together with all the children and villagers.

That is truly the ending Ms. Spider wanted.

Both the mirror and the drawing Charlotte drew showed everyone getting along together, which was the outcome Ms. Spider had hoped for from the beginning.

The children in the mirror spoke to Ms. Spider.

"Hold my hand, mom. And smile. Together. Let's laugh together."

"...Okay."

They held hands.

They became a bunch of lights and disappeared.

[Chapter 3 Cleared.]

[Obtained 1 Devil seed. (Qty: 3)]

[A word from MP: The ending is coming soon. The curtain of her stage will be lifted and she will descend. Are you ready?]

...

"What are you two doing in a place like this?"

"Oh, Mister Pierrot."

After seeing Ms. Spider's end, Ha-rim and I were staring blankly at the sky when Pierrot came from behind and spoke to us.

"I'm just sorting things out because my feelings are a bit complicated."

"I just wanted to be with Ella."

"I understand how Ella feels. There are probably more than one or two strange things happening that don't make any sense."

"Really? I don't know because Ella doesn't tell me."

I glared at Pierrot. Annoying. That shameless attitude.

"I think you kind of know that."

Pierrot laughed softly.

"I got caught."

"Eh?"

I left Ha-rim, who could not follow the conversation, behind me and continued.

"First of all. My mirror ability. The mirror ghost story I dealt with was clearly a ghost story that reflected the target's fate. It's normal to not be able to even talk to that person, let alone hug them. That is clearly beyond the scope of my capabilities. Answer me. Pierrot. Why did you do that then? When I used my ability, I heard you laughing softly in anticipation... You're not even trying to hide it."

Pierrot didn't care at all when I glared at him.

"I'll answer your questions. First of all, that's your ability. Well, it's not the power of a mirror monster."

"What on earth is it?"

I tried to argue with the incomprehensible words.

However, I was speechless because Pierrot glanced at the sky for a moment and then looked at me with pitiful eyes.

I don't know why he suddenly gives off a sad atmosphere while speaking in a dark tone.

Even though I see it, I still don't understand at all.

"Ella, do you remember? I told you two things. The first was that I was looking for a director. The second..."

"I said the breakup was going to be sudden."

Rumble.

Suddenly the world began to shake.

It's different from something like an earthquake. Something more transcendent is about to move.

"Ella!"

I protected Ha-rim, who was anxious. Who the hell is this? The guy who would do something like this...

Half-Devil?

"Why are you like that? Now all we have to do is go to the department store where the relics will be placed and install them. Do you think it's too much to do this right at the end?"

"You were complacent. Trying to solve everything using methods brought in from outside in the first place. Look at that giant cocoon of spider webs."

I looked where Pierrot's finger was pointing.

A giant spider web cocoon. Now that I think about it, it was strange.

Why does the spider web remain even though Arachne is gone?

Although that is a bit large, it is clearly an object that was also present in Ms. Spider's boss stage. It also has no function.

If the boss is defeated, it is normal for it to disappear.

"You look like you don't know why Arachne disappeared and the cocoon still remains. It's simple. That was made with Arachne's power, but it was not created by her."

...I rolled my head. And one possibility came to mind.

Trap.

Something completely different that only resembled the appearance of an object that I ignored due to my knowledge of the game.

Pierrot said as my complexion turned pale.

"...Let me tell you something. The Half-Devil was not such a weak creature. I also had a hard time when it first attacked me. Then, they hid and fought in a place where they couldn't reach, but suddenly their attacks became weaker."

"..."

Tick.

The sound of a clock hand was heard in my ears.

"That's why you met the Radio Head Demon. What was the Half-Devil doing after ordering Mary and Arachne to attack you?"

Tick. Tock. Tick.

"That is the cocoon of time. A cocoon made by gathering and processing monsters related to time. And I presume that the creation of that cocoon began when you brought in humans from outside."

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick.

"..."

"Are you getting now? They became desperate because you came in with such a threatening weapon called artifact."

When it comes to time in this game, there was only one thing that came to mind.

Count down.

As soon as 30 days have passed, one condition for the birth of the Devil has been fulfilled.

It was believed that the Devil would not be born unless a story and context were estabilisherd.

However, doing this meant that, in the worst case, it might be possible to be born, even if imperfectly.

...I didn't want this ending.

Pierrot patted my trembling shoulder.

"Well, don't blame yourself too much. Honestly, there was no other way at the time. even if we knew in advance, there is no way to stop it. This world was meant to have this damn boring ending."

...So you won't break down like this, right?

"...!"

I remembered why Pierrot didn't say this from the beginning.

Pierrot hated dull shows.

And Pierrot doesn't find hopeless endings fun.

At least he didn't hide it because he wanted us to despair.

Yes, there's no way he wanted us to give up from the beginning.

There's still something. Something that Pierrot looks forward to in this situation!

I came to my senses and called Ha-rim.

"Ha-rim. Stick with me. Hurry!"

"My wish didn't change. What I'm looking for is a director. A being who will change this despair. There is only one thing you can do. Prove it. Director inside Ella."

Tick.

Time passes.

D-7.

D-6.

D-5.

D-4.

D-3.

D-2.

D-1.

Tock.

D-day.

Time skipped. What was in front of us was the worst opponent.

"It's been a week since I saw you."

Pierrot was completely eroded.

"Are you ready to prove it?"

...

POV Switch - 3rd Person

"Wow, the power has reached its peak to the point it can be seen with the naked eye, and the worlds have completely overlapped."

Meph was observing the small city-sized world he had created overlapping with the real world.

It feels good to know that it has grown so quickly that it is breaking down the wall and becoming reality.

"It's time."

"You damn bastard!"

"It's noisy. Lab Director Brian."

Meph got irritated at Brian, who was hurt and crawling on the floor.

Either way, Brian got angry and screamed.

"I should have noticed a damn long time ago. It definitely showed signs! Why did I miss it? That's ridiculous!"

"It's not your fault. If you ask me, it's everyone's fault. Everyone has become complacent."

"What?"

"In the world I created, more and more powerful monsters appear as time goes by. And the materials from which monsters are created are the disturbing thoughts, stories, and fears from outsiders. Because you put the ingredients in, you get results. And the materials are consumed. It's simple, right?"

Meph spoke kindly to Brian, who did not understand.

"What this means is that all fear of what you experienced has been taken away and you have become complacent. Well, I'll come back after work is done."

"You... Are you saying I was just taken advantage of?"

When Brian, who was weakened by the open wound, said that, Meph laughed unpleasantly.

"Hahaha... Let's console ourselves like that. It doesn't change that you became complacent and pressed the nuclear missile button yourself. But don't worry too much. The reason I do this is not for the same purpose as I Will Stand In The Sky."¹

"Who the hell are you..."

"You mean me? I am part of that force that always want evil but always creates good."

Brian remembered that phrase. That's because it is recorded that the most important person the organization is keeping an eye on is always saying that.

What was that person's name?

"Mephisto Pheles..."

He muttered as he watched the missile fly towards the world Meph created and fully materialized.

"Now is the final step."

1. Yes, that’s the translation of “내가 하늘에 서겠다” (What Meph says).

Sheesh, what a chapter! I have no words… By the way, do you guys remember when Kyeong-min got controlled by a ghost and talked rubbish? It was foreshadowing to Arachne’s past!

As always, any errors just say, and I hope you liked reading it.

—Chi

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION, I CHANGED SOME WORDS, PUNCTUATIONS AND THE FORMATTING TO WHAT I BELIEVE MAKES IT FLOW BETTER WHILE TRYING TO FAITHFULLY MAINTAIN THE AUTHOR’S MEANING.

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