MFLE 5

Chapter 5. New Employee Recruitment (5)

[from: Son.

Mom, Dad, I hope you’re both doing well. I’m doing well. (Well, I was doing well…) The reason I’m writing to you so suddenly today is… I got a job. (At a sweatshop company.) To the parents who raised and cared for me all this time, your eldest son, Park Yeon-jung, has finally become a fine man taking on his role in society. You’re happy, right…? …Ah, the introduction ran a bit long. I think I have to go now. Please take care of your health, both of you. With this final farewell, I will… try my best to live well moving forward.

P.S. — …Save me.]

Park Yeon-jung, a job seeker who had been mired in the employment market for several years.

Finally!

He had managed to cross that massive threshold called employment. He was now a proper member of society, carrying his own weight in the world.

And what were Park Yeon-jung’s initial impressions upon becoming a working adult?

‘…Damn it!!’

—I’d love to hear how it feels to become a regular employee, New Recruit Park Yeon-jung.

That damn question about his “feelings” again.

How did he feel?

“…”

He barely managed to swallow down the stream of curses itching to burst from his throat. (…Come to think of it, didn’t I already swear earlier?)

…Regardless.

He couldn’t go on like this.

His original plan—escaping from the interview room—had gone completely up in flames.

Squeeze.

He clutched his head with both hands.

He had to think.

No, he had to remember!

Another way to escape this place.

Move!

My legion of neurons!

[<Exploration #15 Record> Employee Kang Hoon escaped the interview room following the exact procedure outlined in the manual…]

No, not that.

There was definitely another way!

[<Exploration #1■ Record> Employee Kim ■■ used ■■■ on the ■nterviewer to ■■…]

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

Gaps were opening in his memory.

It wouldn’t… come to him.

More than that, was there… was there really any other way out besides the interview room in the first place?

He began to doubt himself.

Even the information he had painstakingly recited until now was warping, threatening to shatter his grip on sanity at any moment.

—Employee Park Yeon-jung.

“!!”

His frozen gaze snapped toward the speaker.

The PA system called out to him in a strikingly stable, calm tone.

He tensed up like never before, holding his breath completely until the next announcement came through.

It felt as though time itself had stopped.

—Could it be… you’re still worried about the remaining applicants?

…Excuse me?

No.

Of course not.

When my own life is on the line, how could I possibly have the luxury to care about anyone else’s?

—You truly are an altruistic individual. A rare type of human in this day and age.

…Thank you for misunderstanding me so generously.

—To commemorate Employee Park Yeon-jung becoming a regular employee of our company, I shall allow you to say your proper goodbyes to them.

Snap!

Once again, the lights went dark.

Not all of them—every light except the one illuminating the spot where he stood cut out simultaneously.

Snap!

When the lights flickered back on—

“…W-Where are we?” “W-We’re back where we started!” “We’re saved! We survived!”

Every single one of their faces was ashen, looking as though they had lost a screw.

Apart from himself, everyone else must have been dragged into the interview room to undergo the interview.

‘…Six people?’

Their numbers had shrunk.

A group that should have numbered twelve—excluding himself—had been halved.

Which meant…

They were dead.

It was obvious without even looking.

The remaining six who weren’t here were now cold corpses lying inside the interview room.

He quickly scanned the condition of those he had shared a brief ordeal with.

The woman in the horn-rimmed glasses was drenched in cold sweat, while the schoolgirl he had inadvertently saved sat slumped on the floor in terror alongside her friend.

None of them looked to be in good shape.

However, they were still breathing.

While those gathered didn’t seem to understand why they had been brought back here, a few let out sighs of relief, perhaps because it was a familiar space.

Crack–

The cheerful voice echoed from the PA system once more.

—Applicants! My sincere apologies for pulling you out in the middle of your interviews. However, right now, we have a truly joyous occasion to celebrate, so I have committed a slight rudeness!

Snap!

A few more spotlights switched on, beaming intensely down onto the spot where he stood.

—That is to say! Applicant Park Yeon-jung has officially become a ‘Regular Employee’ following an executive board meeting! —Now, everyone, a round of applause!! —Congratulate him! Bless him! Look forward to his bright future! —Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap…

An over-the-top reaction unlike anything before, accompanied by mysterious bouquets of flowers flying in from nowhere.

“A regular employee…? Then, does that mean he can leave this place?” “Don’t tell me he used us?!” “So… everything he did to help us up until now was for this…? Damn it! I knew it!”

…What?

They were misunderstanding it that way?

It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand their reaction.

They were human beings consumed by terror, after all. Had he been on the other side, he might have acted the exact same way.

…However.

Understanding a reaction didn’t make it a cheat code that excused everything.

Unconsciously, his brow furrowed.

Seeing the situation heat up, the woman in the horn-rimmed glasses, who had been quietly observing, tried to intervene.

“Everyone, please calm down—”

The moment she tried to quiet them down—

—…Honestly. Didn’t I, just now, tell you? TO CLAP YOUR HANDS.

Snap!

The lights cut out.

To be precise, the light illuminating the three people who had raised their voices shut off instantly.

“…W-Wh—!” “W-Wait a second!”

CRACK!

Along with the blackout came a sickening, bone-snapping rupture.

Though everyone instinctively recognized the horrifying nature of that sound, not a single person screamed.

It was undoubtedly to avoid provoking the PA system announcer any further.

As if staying quiet in terrifying situations had already become second nature.

Crack–

The announcer spoke up again.

—…Ha. Why is it that humans can never simply bless another person’s happiness?

Genuine disappointment dripped from the voice.

—Employee Park Yeon-jung. Contrary to your thoughts, it seems a few of these individuals were simply not a good fit for our company. —Please do not be too disheartened, however. You are merely a person who trusts others too easily.

“…”

The moment he witnessed three people die before his eyes simply for being a nuisance, he was reminded once again that he was trapped inside a Ghost Story.

And…

His celebration time was far from over.

—The rest of the applicants aren’t the type to be consumed by ‘jealousy and envy’ like those before, correct? —You will congratulate your colleague on becoming a regular employee, won’t you?

“…”

The woman in the horn-rimmed glasses locked eyes with him the moment the tragedy unfolded right beside her and the announcement ended.

Her pale, bloodless face was filled with desperate entreaty.

…Right.

It wasn’t over yet.

A chance still remained.

Very slowly, he nodded his head up and down toward the woman.

At his signal—

Clap!

Without a second of hesitation, the woman began to clap.

“C-Congratulations, Mr. Park Yeon-jung. Congratulations!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The sound of applause echoed through the hall.

She rushed over to the two schoolgirls collapsed on the floor, forcefully pulling them up onto their feet.

Then she shouted:

“You two need to congratulate him, too!” “…” “Hurry!”

Though a smile was plastered across her lips, an unspoken, frantic desperation burned in her eyes.

…Clap.

Seeing the look in her eyes, the short-haired girl named Min-ji weakly brought her trembling palms together.

“C-Congratulations… Congratulations, mister.” “…”

Watching her friend, the other girl, Hye-sun, made eye contact with him through her swollen, tear-stained eyelids.

He forced a faint, subtle smile onto his face.

‘Do it if you want to live.’

He didn’t know if his mouth movements conveyed the message properly, but—

Clap.

‘…Good.’

Fortunately, that last girl began to clap with agonizing effort as well.

Would this be enough?

It had to be.

Everyone, including himself, held their breath in anticipation for the next announcement.

—…Sniff.

A sob echoed through the speaker.

Stiff!

Everyone froze in unison at the sound, swallowing hard.

—As expected… seeing everyone congratulate one another with pure sincerity like this is truly the most beautiful sight. —Wouldn’t you agree! Employee Park Yeon-jung!

“…Yes, I… agree.”

He couldn’t think of a better response.

If he added anything careless now, there was no telling what horrific fate would befall the three remaining people before him.

He was terrified that someone else might die because of him.

‘What should I do…?’

How could they escape this place?

Was escape even possible?

Was it… already over…?

A barrage of chaotic thoughts scrambled his mind.

He wished he would never have to hear that grating static again.

Crack–

…Damn it.

—Now then, since the farewells are complete… —The three remaining applicants should finish up what they were doing, shouldn’t they?

!!

No.

If this pattern held, they would be dragged back into the interview room.

At this rate, all three of them were guaranteed to die.

Chaos… flooded his head.

Three people are going to die. So what? They’re strangers, aren’t they? People are dying! What, are you trying to play the hero now? You murderous bastard! I did everything I could. I did more than enough, you idiot!

“W-Wait a moment!”

He shouted out before he could stop himself.

The lights on the three people… hadn’t turned off yet.

Fortunately, it seemed the PA system had shifted its focus back to his voice.

—…That makes twice now.

Chilling.

A cold shiver ran down his spine.

Twice?

That was undeniably… a warning.

A warning sign sent by the very entity that had been favorable toward him until now.

There wouldn’t be a third time.

His lips trembled.

His thoughts froze, shattering his ability to think rationally.

Closing his eyes tight, he swallowed dryly over and over before opening his mouth once more.

“W-Wouldn’t it be better… to reschedule the interviews for the remaining applicants for another day?”

…You crazy bastard.

“A lot has happened today, after all…”

Nonsense kept spilling from his lips.

“…It feels like a waste… for these people to be eliminated here just yet…”

He was merely repeating the same sentiment as before.

“Don’t you… agree?”

—…

Ending with those words, he let a foolish smile slip onto his face.

His rigid, frozen face dropped toward the floor.

…It was over.

Or so he thought.

His argument just now was an absolute stretch by any standard. It was nothing more than a desperate attempt to buy time through mindless babbling.

They were all going to die here.

Clap.

…Huh?

—Clap-clap-clap-clap.

Had he finally lost his mind?

—Clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-clap!!

Artificial applause echoed loudly through the speaker. At first, he thought he was mishearing things.

Did that garbage excuse—an argument so thin it was entirely useless—actually work?

—Selflessly thinking of others until the very end, even at your own expense! That quality of Employee Park Yeon-jung! —As expected, you pass! You pass! Employee Park Yeon-jung, you are the absolute model candidate this company has been searching for!

It really… worked?

—Just as Employee Park Yeon-jung suggested, let us postpone the remaining three interviews to another day. —We shall meet again on the day the next interview date is set.

The white-gloved hand that had been holding up the banner earlier now grasped the handle of the library entrance.

Creeeeak.

Accompanied by an eerie, haunting sound, the white glove stood silently beside the doorway, as if pointing out the exit.

“…” “…” “…”

Though the three people stared at the wide-open entrance they had been desperately praying for, not a single one took a step forward.

The woman in the horn-rimmed glasses exchanged glances with him several times, but this time, he couldn’t offer her a clear answer either.

He wasn’t sure of anything himself.

“…”

The woman stared at the pitch-black entrance for a long moment, then…

Bows.

She bent deeply at the waist toward him. That was the last image he saw of her.

Striding forward, the woman in the horn-rimmed glasses was the first to pass through the exit.

The two schoolgirls, watching the scene blankly, exchanged hesitant glances before following after her, slowly walking toward the entrance.

Everyone passed through the exit.

…Everyone left, leaving only him behind.

The white glove—where had it even gotten one?—drew a handkerchief and mimed wiping away tears.

“…”

He held his breath, waiting for the entity’s next reaction.

Crack–

The guy certainly wasn’t going to make things easy.

—…Haah.

A deep sigh.

A suffocating atmosphere descended, making it feel as though even the act of swallowing saliva was forbidden.

—Employee Park Yeon-jung… do you have any idea how long I’ve waited for this day?!

…Huh?

Why was he flying off the handle out of nowhere?

Hearing it through the terrible audio quality made the madness beyond the speaker feel all the more intense.

Though he had prepared himself for death to some extent after being left alone, he was reminded once again that a Ghost Story was a realm where nothing could be predicted.

Snap!

The lights cut out.

Just as he felt himself sinking into the thought that death had finally arrived—

Snap!

When the lights flickered back on to illuminate him—

What lay before his eyes was not a gallows.

On the contrary, a lavishly decorated dining table was waiting for him.

—I sincerely congratulate you on joining our company! Employee Park Yeon-jung!

“…”

A kindness so excessive it was suffocating.

“…T-Thank you.”

He blurted out the words of gratitude on instinct, but he was still utterly incapable of processing the situation.

Crack-crack–

A screeching, distorted voice followed through the speaker.

—Employee Park Yeon-j■ng! To be honest, the ot■er applicants didn’t mat■er to me from the start! —It was o■ly yo■! You were the only one I had my eye on from the very beginn■ng.

…Excuse me?

Why someone like me?

I’m just an extraordinarily average person who fits the label ‘Job-Seeker H’ better than anyone else.

Yet, as if sensing his bewildered face that practically screamed ‘I have no idea what’s going on,’ the PA system announcer kindly explained the reason he had been chosen.

For this moment alone, the audio quality returned to crisp clarity.

—Employee Park Yeon-jung! Let us be honest with each other. You already know, don’t you? About me… ah, or should I say ‘us’?

…Don’t tell me.

It couldn’t be.

No way.

There was no chance.

He prayed with everything he had that the entity’s words weren’t heading in that direction.

Even if he had let a few subtle hints slip, there was no way a entity of an F-grade Ghost Story possessed the intelligence required to make that kind of deduction.

It was an F-grade Ghost Story, wasn’t it?

Besides, the entry on the website hadn’t mentioned anything about it being an intelligent entity in the first place.

No matter what happened, he had to deny it right now.

“What are you talking about…”

—No lying allowed.

“!!”

The entity cut him off abruptly.

—…My, my. —I thought it was strange. Right from the moment you filled out our company’s application, up until you used every ounce of strength to urge others to fill out theirs as well. —It was almost… like a person who already knew what would happen next if they didn’t write an application.

…It was on to me from the very start?

—Employee Park Yeon-jung… let me ask you once more.

The static from the speaker grew violently intense.

—L-Let us be h-honest with each o-other. —Y-You… know about us, d-don’t you?

A route far worse than death itself.

To a Ghost Story…

His true identity had been exposed.