Chapter 352 - The Sekwang Sealing Ritual, VI
When I opened my eyes at Flower Golden Resort, the first thing I saw was a gigantic potion-manufacturing machine.
The one I had stored inside my inventory was filling almost the entire warehouse.
Careful not to touch the music box beside it, I opened the golden door of the fully packed storage.
Behind me, I felt the warehouse shimmer and return to a formless mass once more…
And then—
“Good day, Mr. Mascot.”
Standing in front of the door was a manager in a neat suit, wearing a monocle.
The lodge keeper.
The entity whose employment contract I had inherited at the Horizon Lodge was no longer a lodge keeper, but now worked here as my proxy at the resort.
Still carrying the same arrogant air as when I first met him at the lodge, he spoke to me politely.
“Shall I report on Flower Golden Resort’s current profits and operational status?”
“That won’t be necessary.”
I walked down the corridor and out of the resort, my form gradually changing as I went.
By the time I turned the corner and reached the lobby, I had transformed into a yellow, feline mascot with blooming antlers like flowers.
I a m G o i n g O u t
“You’re heading to the Blue Dream Zone adjacent to your territory. I’ll see you off.”
I t I s F i n e
I waved at the standard mascots, then warmly waved both hands at the guests who were not human as they greeted me and headed toward the newly opened theme park. Then I quickly moved on.
I can’t let this influence me.
The moment I entered the resort, a gentle sense of omnipotence settled into my mind.
The feeling that this was my territory.
…This was the first time I’d taken a non-human form since regaining my human body at the Tribunal of Scales.
But to properly talk with the blue mascot, this form was necessary.
Be careful.
I waddled forward in my soft, fur-covered body.
And beyond the resort gate—
As if it had sensed my return and been waiting, a figure pacing back and forth suddenly leapt up and waved.
A blue dragon character.
G o o d C h i l d !
The Blue Dream mascot.
Perhaps because I kept some distance on purpose, its voice came through once again as pure “mascot language.”
I ran toward the gate.
W e l c o m e
When I hugged the mascot, a sweet, cool scent of the sea drifted from inside the adorably deformed giant plush body…
N i c e T o S e e Y o u
It was true.
The eerie discomfort I used to feel when looking at mascots was still there somewhere—but before that, a sense of fondness welled up.
Maybe this is what it means to get used to something.
I
W a n t T o A s k
But I had come today with a question.
When I politely said I had something to ask, the blue dragon mascot nodded.
S u r e
The blue dragon and I sat on a sparkling garden bench in the theme park zone between the water park and the resort, an area that used to be Magic Bunny’s Red Zone.
Guests heading for rides during opening hours glanced at us, smiling at how cute we looked, or even approached.
Using a standard mascot, I drew their attention by handing out small gifts like stickers and balloons, then began our conversation.
I a m C u r i o u s
S u r e
Seeing the blue mascot beat its chest as if to say ask anything, I quietly asked:
O r i g i n a l l y
W h a t W e r e Y o u ?
The mascot froze.
The standard blue mascots guiding guests also stopped moving all at once.
With only the cheerful theme park background music playing, I spoke again.
B e f o r e Y o u
W e r e M a s c o t ?
S t o p
The blue mascot’s costume stared down at me.
The huge, glossy eyes of the plush suit looked without reflection.
W e
A r e M a s c o t s
……
But I saw it.
I t I s
I n s i d e
I pointed at it.
At something inside the costume.
I
S a w I t !
I
What was left inside after the park closed, after the costume lost its liveliness.
The contents.
Though I hadn’t seen it directly due to the warning not to look , I knew from the shadows, the black silhouette, the sounds.
It was… the form of a melting dragon.
A long body, tail, whiskers, scales…
Judging from its deformed appearance, its identity was likely—
… a Blue Dragon.
And—
I S a w
T h e O t h e r s
Magic Bunny.
Originally, what was inside it seemed to resemble a Western dragon—a dragon in the literal sense.
I remembered.
That bizarre construct that looked like it was trying to reconstruct its original form by stitching together the body parts of collected guests.
Of course, Magic Bunny had already completely melted into an amorphous mass of flesh.
As if it had lost all its identity while wearing the costume.
…Maybe the costume itself plays a role.
Magic Bunny wore a red rabbit costume, but the Blue Dream mascot was a blue dragon.
If that alone was what allowed this being to endure without collapsing entirely…
Where did the beings inside these costumes come from?
I had a theory.
F r o m S o m e w h e r e E l s e
D i d Y o u G e t C a u g h t I n A n o t h e r P l a c e ?
Another ghost story.
Cheerful Theme Park was, naturally, a board game created by the Cheerful Research Institute.
— Because ghost stories are influenced by perception and rules, we tried to interpret everything as child-friendly…
Perhaps other ghost story entities were processed into mascots by the Cheerful Research Institute to make them less dangerous toys.
If so, everything made sense.
……
W h y A r e Y o u
A M a s c o t ?
The blue mascot’s horns drooped.
Its round body slumped on the bench, pitifully…
T h e P l a c e I W a s F r o m
I s G o n e
……!
I C o u l d n ’ t P r o t e c t I t
A sharp, stinging pain transferred over.
Homesickness.
Ah…
An image surfaced reflexively.
The mascot sitting across from the tattoo artist at Moonlight Tattoo Shop.
That tattoo artist… was from Mermaid’s Grave.
The deep sea.
Underwater…
I looked around.
At the seaside-themed park.
At Blue Dream Water Park.
……
That deep-sea city contaminated by a biological disaster had another name—albeit born of hallucination.
The Twinkle Twinkle Ocean Palace.
The name itself was proof.
…It was a place where dragons had existed.
M e r m a i d P r i n c e s s !
!
D i d Y o u
C o m e F r o m T h e r e ?
The blue mascot froze like a still-life painting.
Then, as if checking its surroundings—afraid of being overheard—it glanced around the theme park…
And took my hand.
Those words
are correct.
~!
The searing pain didn’t come this time, but the overwhelming presence was immense.
I… slowly processed and understood it, as a being that occupied a similar role.
I was right.
This blue mascot was an entity from that mysterious deep-sea city—destroyed as the biological disaster spread and turned into Mermaid’s Grave.
And that biological disaster…
— Don’t worry. The function of that music-box melody has already been thoroughly tested in a deep-sea city!
It was instigated by Director Cheong.
To test the music-box melody Angel’s Sigh , which caused the Sekwang Special City disaster.
Likely… a dark state “developed and refined” at the Daydream Research Lab.
……
I had a standard mascot fetch me a piece of paper and showed it to the blue mascot.
It bore the smiling emoticon logo of the Cheerful Research Institute.
D o Y o u K n o w ?
I K n o w
They knew what group of people had created this cheerful theme park and pushed it into the role of a mascot.
…I sensed a faint antipathy from them, but it felt more like resignation than hatred.
I K n o w
Because they had nowhere else to go.
I felt a thin sadness from inside the costume…
Then—
T h e n
D o Y o u K n o w ?
T h i s ?
I took the blue mascot’s hand.
…I could feel it restraining its thoughts so the immense being inside wouldn’t overwhelm me.
Slowly, I moved my fist over its hand, forming letters.
G w a n g c h e o l
Along with it came layered meaning, conveyed like mascot language.
The image of Director Cheong, filled with my fear and wariness—something tied to this theme park ghost story.
The blue mascot looked at me.
I heard it.
I
D o n ’ t K n o w T h e N a m e
I don’t know that being’s name.
B u t
I K n o w O f I t
That a separate entity was involved in this.
At that moment—
From the tightly held hand, strange images flooded in.
Low-resolution videotape visuals. Mascots spinning mindlessly in front of dark rides. Flesh being injected into empty mascot suits. A massive creature being crushed. Screams. The shaking theme park music. Someone’s boisterous laughter…
The process of creating mascots.
This time, I endured the image bomb as if my eyes were being forced out. The information—including the pain the other had felt—violently rattled my brain…
But the laughter was familiar.
…It was the same sound recorded on the machine atop Sekwang City Hall.
Director Cheong.
I realized, through the shock, that my deduction was correct…
The mascots really were dragons from different origins.
Powerful entities that would be classified as “dragons” within ghost stories were extracted and forcibly stuffed into this theme park.
… As mockery?
No—something had felt off from the start.
Could the being in front of me really be such an evil, dangerous ghost story?
Maybe it was because I’d seen so many insane legends and horrific entities, but while the blue mascot was strange, it didn’t feel malicious.
Rather, they felt closer to a spirit.
That doesn’t align with the Cheerful Research Institute’s original intent.
Their priorities didn’t match this outcome.
Which again suggested Director Cheong’s involvement…
Did she deliberately contaminate them with a biological disaster to make them dangerous?
Why?
Does she want to suppress dragons?
A clear pattern emerged.
Once I got back, I decided to research every ghost story related to the imoogi called Gangcheori.
It was what I did best.
Remembering and applying the rules of ghost stories was the essence of the catharsis behind clearing Darkness Exploration Records.
Understanding Director Cheong’s logic might also help end the Sekwang Special City disaster.
There’s no time.
Three days remained until the lockdown breaks and hell arrives.
Move fast.
T h a n k Y o u
As I stood to leave after saying thanks, a sudden premonition brushed past me when I looked at the blue mascot.
Azure Dragon.
Cheongryong.
And due to the Sekwang Special City incident, a disaster management team had been completely erased—even its name.
That name was—
Azure Dragon Team.
……
I looked at the blue mascot and spoke.
Y o u R e m e m b e r ?
B l u e C l o t h e s
The garish colors of the theme park reflected in the mascot’s black eyes.
D o k k a e b i F l a m e
But—
I D o n ’ t K n o w
The mascot replied.
I D o n ’ t K n o w A n y m o r e
……
I S e e
I simply hugged the mascot once.
It seemed surprised, but waddled into the embrace, slightly shy yet pleased.
I heard visitors laughing, and the refined click of a tongue.
[Hoo, what an act. Even through a camera, this would come off as unbearably affected.]
I wondered why he’d been quiet…
But strangely, that cold, sweat-inducing jab made my heart feel lighter.
G o o d C h i l d
B e C a r e f u l !
The blue mascot, having finished the hug, spoke seriously.
S t a y H e r e
I t ’ s S a f e
……
Indeed.
If I stayed inside this theme park, even if the Sekwang Special City disaster spread nationwide, I’d probably be safe.
If I were to redefine my identity as the manager of the resort…
If I gave up being human.
I could even bring all my acquaintances to safety.
Just hire them all as resort staff.
No—before dying, I’d have to hire them quickly. Then they could survive here peacefully, retaining their sense of self…
But no.
I knew people who would never accept that.
And I wanted to survive as a human.
…And then, I wanted to go back home.
I ’ m F i n e
So I tapped my chest confidently.
A r e Y o u
O k a y ?
Won’t you melt down like Magic Bunny?
I
I C a n H o l d O n
A voice of resolve answered.
G o o d C h i l d
W e A r e T h e S a m e
Yes.
You could say we’re in similar situations.
Thanks to Director Cheong.
Still, the blue mascot looked like it wanted to say something more.
R e m e m b e r
M y G i f t
Ah. It meant the scale I’d received before.
It probably came from its original form…
…Thank you.
T h a n k Y o u
G o o d C h i l d
I stood from the bench and left the blue mascot.
The lively, waving blue dragon mascot looked adorably small, as befits a theme park ghost story, but now I could imagine what lay beneath the costume.
Suppressed. Hidden.
So inside my own mascot suit, I wore a complex, aching expression—
Emotions that couldn’t surface beyond the costume.
After returning to the resort, I immediately prepared to leave.
But the manager stopped me, saying he had something to report.
“This is a regular report regarding my remaining employment contract period.”
…..
Wait.
Considering I’d been missing for 293 days, plus all the time before that spent bouncing between the security and project teams…
That should be around 600 days…!
— The employment contract you inherited has 1241 days, 6 hours, 11 minutes, and 23 seconds remaining by solar calendar.
Phew.
No—there was still over a year left.
T h e r e A r e S t i l l D a y s L e f t
R i g h t ?
“That is correct.”
With three days left on the Sekwang Special City countdown, this felt more than generous—almost excessive.
“Shall I report again once the remaining period falls below 365 solar days?”
Y e s
Hmm.
Did he perhaps want to continue working at the resort?
I sensed desire from the manager, but I had no capacity to care right now. I turned to leave—
“Would you like to hear another report?”
……
“What report?”
I reverted from mascot form to human.
Thankfully, it worked without much trouble.
It felt uncomfortable and cold, but I forgot that feeling when I heard his words.
“It concerns the resort pop-up store established in the underground leased space.”
……!
The space in Sekwang Special City’s Twilight Station where the two Heoun were residing.
“Is there a problem?”
“Good news. In three days, due to a reduction in transmission fees, the store’s profitability may improve.”
A chill ran down my spine.
That meant the Sekwang Special City lockdown would be lifted.
Once lifted, reception fees would change.
“…Is that all?”
“I also have a proposal.”
The manager continued.
“With your permission, we could use this opportunity to actively acquire additional resort land through the pop-up store.”
…What?
“By purchasing the entire underground area, we could develop it into a complex resort centered around a monorail.”
It took me a beat to understand.
He was suggesting devouring all the Sekwang subway ghost stories and turning them into Flower Golden Resort branches!
Insane.
If I continue to grow the cheerful theme park ghost story, my own condition would—
“No. That’s fine. Please put it on hold for now.”
“…I will comply.”
The manager withdrew.
[It may sound presumptuous, but isn’t that a good proposal, my friend?]
No.
Huu, if I did that…
[All those who have fled underground will be able to enjoy your lovely resort—more than they deserve! Just like how Mr. Roe Deer advertised it through dreams on the train.]
……!
[Of course, it’s your choice, my friend!]
……
In the worst-case scenario… maybe…
……
……
“Manager.”
I turned back.
“Explain how it would work.”
It was nearly midnight by the time I left the resort.
“Grapes.”
“……”
“Where on earth were you all day—?”
Agent Choi stopped mid-sentence when he saw my face.
I rubbed my face, then smiled.
“I’m fine. …I was just doing more research on how to bring this to an end.”
“……”
“And you, Agent… were you talking with Ho Yuwon in the Counseling Room?”
“…You could say that.”
I knew he was hiding something.
…And he probably knew—
That I was hiding something, too.
Agent Choi set down the researchers’ Potion Manufacturing Machine Repair Log and spoke again.
“Grapes. About the termination method you’re trying… swapping the rooftop machine, that’s what it comes down to, right?”
“Yes.”
And I added firmly, “And it’s best if only one person does it. The more people involved, the more vectors for contamination.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Speaking from direct experience. And…”
I met Agent Choi’s eyes.
“For the same reason, it’s most efficient if I handle it quickly myself.”
“……Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“……”
“……”
“Alright. Let’s do that.”
Agent Choi stepped back.
I slowly held in a sigh.
“Then let’s prepare.”
“…Yes.”
D-2 until the day of disaster.