I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game

Chapter 100

"...Hypnosis? Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?"

Eun-jeong, as usual, is spouting nonsense that seems to come out of nowhere.

Come to think of it, she's the one who says the strangest things the most.

Why don't you just become Alice?

"It's trending on YouTube!"

What Eun-jeong showed me was a Youtube short with nearly 5 million views.

The content claimed to be a real hypnosis method, showing a repeating pattern on the screen, and then the person in the video became dazed, acting all surprised.

"Oh, that thing that was popular on Youtube. You know, the one where people say that looking at this toy makes you feel dizzy."

Kyeong-min seemed to know about this short too.

As I stroked my chin with a strange sense of familiarity, a memory that had been tucked away in a corner and considered unimportant suddenly came to mind.

Last time, when I asked Carol why she looked so busy, she said some lunatic had dug up patterns from an ancient ruin and uploaded them as a video, nearly hypnotizing tens of thousands of people.

The anomaly had been neutralized, so it wasn't harmful, but it seemed the remnants of the video were still around. Looking closely, it wasn't even the original.

"That's all well and good, but why are you shoving this at me?"

"I want to raise Alice as my pet."

Also, Eun-jeong is intentionally saying things that will make me feed her chestnuts.¹

But this time, it won't work!

I brushed off Eun-jeong's words and said,

"Ha... Hypnosis? There's no way I'd fall for something like that. Well, aside from that, it seems like this can make some people feel hypnotized, though."

"Is it a supernatural phenomenon?"

It's both right and wrong.

The method the Institution used to neutralize this pattern's sequence was to destroy the anomalous entity that held power in the ruins.

In other words, the dazed feeling comes from the power of the pattern itself, not because it contains some evil magic.

But since the pattern originated from an ancient ruin, it's still a bit ambiguous.

I answered anyway.

"No. It's just an illusion that makes you feel that way. There's no magical effect."

"I see... That's kind of boring. Hmm... Are there any monsters in Alice's world that can use hypnosis?"

Eun-jeong, having understood that it wasn't real hypnosis, asked.

Among the countless beings living in the mirror, there were quite a few that could use hypnosis.

"Of course there are. Having your body and mind taken over by hypnosis is an indescribable terror, so how could there not be?"

"Bring it out!"

"...? You really have some weird tastes, don't you?"

I felt like Doraemon pulling out a monster, but by now, I've gotten used to it.

I pulled out a small monster from a tiny hand mirror.

It was a humanoid with overly large eyes and a tiny body, holding a coin on a string and swinging it around.

It seemed to dislike bright places, hiding in the shadows and giving us a sinister look.

"It's the type of monster that kidnaps kids. Monsters that use hypnosis especially look sinister. Are you satisfied now?"

"Hey you..."

Eun-jeong didn't answer my question and instead approached the timidly hiding monster, whispering something to it.

But I could hear everything.

"Hey, I have good ears, you know? I heard you asking the monster to hypnotize me into becoming your pet."

"Fire!"

"What the?!"

A strange beam shot out from the monster and hit me square in the face.

I ended up falling backwards along with my chair.

Wait, is the coin on its hand just for show? Why is it shooting beams?

Once again, I realized that even I don't know everything about the monsters in the mirror.

"Done. Alice, you're mine now! Let's use the wings on your back to escape school!"

"Are you serious?!"

Eun-jeong. This girl's antics are getting more out of hand.

I jumped up and scolded her.

But Eun-jeong, unfazed, calmly said,

"Huh. It didn't work."

"Do you think I'd fall for hypnosis cast by my own subordinate?! It just gave me a bit of a headache, that's all!"

"Too bad..."

Instead of reflecting, her disappointed expression only made me angrier.

I'll really have to teach her a lesson someday.

"Too bad, my foot... You shouldn't just do everything Eun-jeong asks! Go back to the mirror!"

Though I was annoyed that the monster prioritized my friend's command over mine, I wasn't in a bad mood, so I scolded it with a softened voice and sent it back.

I guess I'm not the only one who thinks of these kids as friends.

I was pondering how to punish Eun-jeong for her constant, excessive pranks when.

Creak.

The clubroom door opened.

Suho and Ha-rim came in.

Did they go feed those guys again?

Once a day should be enough, but they make sure to feed them three meals a day.

I guess they think of them as pets.

Though if they saw their true forms, they'd never treat them like pets, but if they're happy, then it's fine.

They look like a lion and a unicorn, so it's not unreasonable for them to react that way.

"You went to feed them again. You didn't put them together, did you? They'll try to kill each other if they meet. If they do, we'll have to start raising them from scratch again."

"Of course not. By the way... Eun-jeong, were you messing with Alice again?"

I nodded before Eun-jeong could answer.

I even pouted my lips, and Ha-rim said.

"Just get revenge with a monster."

"It's fine. Feeding Chestnuts is enough."

"Ouch."

"You're too lenient with your punishments, that's why she keeps doing it."

I ignored Suho's muttering as Eun-jeong lightly rubbed the spot I hit.

I know she enjoys getting a reaction and does mischievous things because of it, but it overlaps with the psychology of monsters that scare people, so I can't help but react.

It's hard to ignore when I know exactly what she wants.

"Hmm..."

"What are you thinking about, Ha-rim?"

Ha-rim stared at me for a moment before asking lightly.

"Alice, can't you be hypnotized?"

"Of course not. My mental structure is different. If hypnosis is an invasion, then I have a solid wall."

"Inducing habits or behaviors doesn't seem to count as hypnosis to Alice."

"Why do you think that?"

"Alice stays awake during class all the time now."

Why is she bringing up such a random topic?

I thought back to what happened every time I tried to doze off during class.

During Korean class, when I was about to fall asleep, Ha-rim handed me a sweet snack.

During math class, when my eyes were slowly closing, she gave me paper cranes, stickers, and quiz notes she made by tearing up her notebook.

During science class, as if overflowing with academic enthusiasm, every time I slumped over, she raised her hand to ask questions or make presentations...

"...Huh."

Ha-rim brought over another notebook, not the diary I had seen before, and opened it for me.

"Ta-da!"

"Huh...?"

It was filled with what looked like experiment records.

[[Chocolate dosage for tired Alice: 3~4 pieces per hour

(Too much will make her fall asleep instead)

Seems to prefer food-related quiz games.

Awakes on her own as lunchtime approaches.

If there's a favorite menu, let her know in advance to keep her awake during the 4th period.

She's good at reading the teacher's mood, so intentionally call on her to present to keep her awake.

Going to the bathroom will wake her up, so give her lots of water.

(For some reason, Alice doesn't go to the bathroom even after drinking 5 liters of water.)

Failure!

By the 7th day, the effects are starting to show.

Now, just rustling to take out a snack is enough to wake Alice up.

...(omitted)...

Day 20

Alice doesn't fall asleep during class! Experiment successful!]]

"Are you trying to get scolded?! Why are you experimenting with someone else's body!!"

"Huh? Didn't you know?"

I didn't know! It's because you guys do weird things all the time anyway.

I just brushed it off, thinking it was nothing!

If I had known you were openly training me like a pet, I would've taken the notebook right away.

As I was about to get up to stretch Ha-rim's cheeks, Kyeong-min grabbed my shoulder to stop me.

"...Alice. You really need to learn to stay alert sometimes. This time it's fine, but when you're out hunting anomalous monsters, you sometimes get hit by attacks, right? You're immune to mental attacks and all, but... It makes my heart drop every time I see it."

"Why am I suddenly the one getting scolded here?"

"Even if it's not something as grand as hypnosis, you need to be wary of subtle suggestions or behavior inductions."

Ha-rim closed the notebook and said that.

Then she quickly hid the notebook in her bag.

She must've thought I'd take it.

...She's quick!

"No, no, no. Why is there no sympathy for me, the one who got trained?"

"Alice is too easily swayed."

"Uh? Is it really my fault?"

Is it really the victim's fault?

I kept trying to seek sympathy from the kids, but all I got were cold responses.

"I'll experiment with various things to help you stay alert. It's all for Alice."

"Uh?... Oh... Okay?"

I felt a little disappointed.

...

"There was that incident."

"Just two days ago, we were talking grandly about the Ruler Freeman, but hearing these everyday conversations feels strange. By the way, Alice is weak to hypnosis. I'll make a note of that."

"Hey!!!... If you try anything on me, I'll ruin everything!"

As usual, I'm chatting with Carol.

We've become quite close lately.

I brought out some terrifying monsters in front of Carol as a mix of warning and joke.

"Eek! Can you put those monsters away?! They're just plain scary!"

...

"Phew..."

After putting the monsters away, Carol, seemingly reminded of something she had been curious about, asked me about the monsters.

"These guys don't kill people, right? I know Alice is controlling them, but still."

"Are you asking if I can guarantee they won't harm people even if I look away? If that's the case, don't worry too much. Even though they're terrifying beings, as long as they're my subordinates, they won't try to kill people."

"...Your subordinates? They don't look like it at all."

Carol didn't seem to understand.

She must be the type of person who doesn't enjoy horror games or movies.

I briefly wondered how she managed to work in an organization filled with terrifying things.

"Carol. Why do you think people watch horror movies or play horror games?"

"Like a rollercoaster... To give a sense of false crisis in life and gain pleasure from it. I can't understand it, though."

"That's right. These guys are under the authority of play. If a monster really comes out through the screen in the game, it's no longer a game. For the game to remain a game, it must never cross the premise of taking lives."

Carol listened quietly to my words.

"If they really killed people, it wouldn't be called a game anymore. So as long as they're under me, I hope you can focus on their essence rather than their appearance or personality."

...Even if I say that!

Even if they don't intend to kill, they could accidentally kill someone.

Like causing a heart attack or carelessly stepping on someone...

Plus, these guys aren't that smart, so it's still worrisome.

I've had well-behaved and broad-minded monsters keep watch, so there haven't been any major issues, but I worry about the monsters I've spread outside, so every night I emphasize the slogan "Safety is good! Life is good! Humans are good!" to the monsters in the mirror.

They're problematic kids, but I don't dislike them.

Because.

"They're bizarre yet fun... They're like jokes. So don't dislike them too much."

Carol's shoulder twitched slightly.

No. Was it my imagination?

[Still don't get it, Carol? The world is the funniest joke! So don't dislike this world too much.]

"I see..."

Carol listened to everything I said and then had a blank expression for a moment.

Like an adult who stopped in their tracks while walking, catching a nostalgic scent.

Carol's demeanor looked so foreign.

"Why the blank face? You're the one who brought up hypnosis, but it seems like you're the one hypnotized, huh?"

"No way!"

She didn't seem focused, so I teased her, and Carol playfully retorted.

"During the Machine God incident, you called out Peter Pan and got summoned by the higher-ups, right? Did they brainwash you then~? To tell you not to cause trouble!"

Uh? Now that I think about it, the punishment was light, and it's really suspicious, isn't it?

"..."

As I was thinking with a serious expression, Carol also spoke in a frightened tone, as if she had no trust in the Institution.

"N-no way! Please stop saying such scary things!"

...The attendant that Carol carried around with her.

Did he always look like that?

I subtly glanced at the attendant.

His face was shadowed by a hat, so I couldn't see it well, but I felt a strange aura and my gaze lingered.

I don't think there were any agents with that kind of vibe.

...Nah, no way!

"Just kidding. Just kidding. You're so easy to scare."

"Alice is the one who's too bold."

"Huh?"

What's that supposed to mean?

"Honestly, did you think you wouldn't get caught spreading monsters all over the country? The anomaly levels in Korea are unusually high."

Ah. What should I do? I got caught.

"Hmm... So you can detect that too. I wonder how they do it... No wonder you were asking about the monsters."

"The things from the 0th base in the dream realm- no, that's not important. The imporant is: what are you even thinking? Even those things the children over there are raising seem to be part of it.

If she's talking about what the kids are raising, it's probably the lion and unicorn monsters.

These guys are keeping an eye on things better than I thought~

Why didn't you help when Freeman showed up~?

"Sorry for not telling you. But it's necessary. The rulers... They're more dangerous than I thought, so I'm just preparing for the worst."

There are two reasons for spreading monsters nationwide.

First, spreading my subordinates forms a territory.

By suppressing the energy of other beings within my territory, I can relatively easily subdue monsters with anomalous traits.

It could also hinder Rulers like Freeman who create their own territories.

Second, it's for the formation of special monsters.

Special monsters require special conditions to summon.

The only way to induce those conditions is through monsters, and by scaling it up, I can quickly create an environment to summon a trump card using the pre-deployed monsters as sacrifices.

"Hmm... If Alice says so, then it must be true... But the higher-ups aren't taking any measures, so I'm worried."

Whether the higher-ups are incompetent or have a plan, I can't tell, so I'll pass.

If they're tolerating it, then it's fine.

"But it's a pity, whatever you're planning to do."

"Huh? What's a pity?"

"You won't be able to use it anytime soon. Here, a request from the higher-ups."

It's been a while since I got a request.

Is it another Ruler like the Machine God?

I tensed up, but when Carol told me the details, it was an unexpected character.

"...Neutralize [Little Red Riding Hood]?"

One of the fairy-tale devils.

Me. Peter Pan. Ariel. Jack. Pinocchio. Little Red Riding Hood. (Unknown).

There are seven tale devils.

So if I meet Little Red Riding Hood, that's everyone except one.

I've heard of Little Red Riding Hood since the era of Ella.

Little Red Riding Hood, who turned tens of thousands into wolves and cities into forests, she seemed just as dangerous as Peter Pan.

"James was dispatched there... And he's gone missing."

"...Hmm."

"I'm sorry. I assured you he'd come back, but this is the result."

James isn't someone I need to protect.

He's an adult who can shoulder the burden of danger and dive into it.

So there's no premise to blame Carol.

"The location is Troyes, France. That place has also been filled with countless wolves and trees. Please stop Little Red Riding Hood."

"Alright. I'll go this time too."

And so, the next day, I left for Troyes.

The kids have to go to school, so I'll have to call them out when they're free.

Unicorn and Lion Illustration: