‘It’s the most expensive when you consider the original price.’
Besides, considering that Section Chief Lee Jaheon’s butter knife was for ‘resource supply’, I hoped that this ‘currency’ would create some interesting synergy.
I brought the coin close to the machine.
The lizard’s pupils widened as they saw the silver glint.
“That?”
“A commemorative coin. I bought it as a souvenir during a trip… but it just felt right.”
“…I see.”
…Did he realize it was an ‘item’?
It didn’t matter. This is a world where encountering ghost stories is commonplace. It’s not too far-fetched for someone to unknowingly carry a supernatural object…
‘And it’s just a coin, so it doesn’t look suspicious.’
It’s a small, everyday item.
“It looks easy to carry. Seems like a good fit.”
“Thank you.”
I listened to my superiors’ words of encouragement as I completed the scan.
[Plant information stored]
[Give me plants 2/2]
“Oh, now we’re at the final step.”
[Please provide the gardener’s information]
That’s why it’s called ‘custom equipment’.
I don’t know what effect it has, but apparently, it requires the genetic information of the ‘gardener’ who will tend to the plant.
‘This step seems to have different effects depending on various factors.’
Though conflicted, I completed the scan.
[Information confirmed]
Here it comes.
[Combining genetic information]
[Kit in progress…]
Colored smoke billowed from the machine, accompanied by the creaking sound of gears turning.
[Sowing complete]
Hiss.
The front drawer of the machine opened, revealing a small object.
A gray coin.
It looked like a toy coin you’d use in an arcade. Its shiny surface bore the engraving of a glove on the front.
“Oh, it’s out.”
“Congrats, Roe.”
I carefully reached out and picked up the item.
It was my first piece of custom equipment.
* * *
I headed straight back to the company dormitory afterward.
My superiors also left, saying, “Get some rest, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”
It seemed they didn’t want to make me do something stupid like test the equipment’s abilities while still recovering from entering the Darkness.
“…Alright.”
I sat on my bed and took out both coins.
One was the Silver Serpent Coin I had used as the “parent plant”.
The other was the gray coin that had been created by combining the Silver Serpent and the Section Chief’s butter knife.
Everything was great. But then…
“…How do I activate this?”
It wasn’t moving at all.
‘Now that I think about it, the Silver Serpent Coin wasn’t exactly an item with explicitly stated supernatural powers either.’
Could this toy coin, which looks like it should be used as currency, really be the equipment I got? Sweat began to form on my forehead.
Fortunately, my worries were soon dispelled.
“So it does work like this.”
I tried a classic action.
I flicked the coin with my thumb.
At that moment, the glove engraved on the front of the coin popped out, becoming real.
“……!”
A translucent silver glove appeared in midair.
The glove moved as if miming, writing something in the air.
[Insert coin]
…It’s asking for a coin?
I rummaged through my wallet and pulled out a 100-won coin, offering it to the glove.
But the glove rejected it.
“What?”
Is it asking for a different currency? Or perhaps…
“How about this?”
I offered a 500-won coin.
The hand happily accepted the coin, slipped it between its fingers, and vanished with a magical gesture.
‘Was it about the amount?’
This equipment operates strictly on capitalist logic.
As I stared in disbelief, the translucent glove floated toward my hand and merged with it, as if it were being worn.
“……!”
A strange sensation washed over me.
‘A third… hand?’
In front of me, a shadow-like projection of my hand appeared.
It moved according to my will.
I could push against walls, open bathroom doors, even write with it.
‘Its strength and precision are… about the same as mine.’
In summary, if I feed it a coin, it becomes a telekinetic third hand that can move for a few seconds.
The range is roughly… about 3 meters.
“If 500 won gets me 5 seconds, that’s not bad.”
Soon after, the shadow hand disappeared, and the translucent glove smoothly detached itself from my hand.
With a wave, as if bidding me farewell, it re-engraved itself onto the front of the coin.
“Hmm.”
Not bad at all.
This isn’t a tool that overcomes spatial limitations between ghost stories and reality, like the Section Chief’s butter knife.
But in exchange, it feels like I have a wider operational range within a ghost story itself, making it seem quite versatile.
Of course, there’s the limitation of how many 500-won coins I can carry in my suit while running around…
‘But this is a successful pull.’
It’s great that the coin didn’t reveal itself as a supernatural item and just blended in.
“Work hard for the 1,000 points I invested.”
I pocketed the coin alongside my other items.
While I was at it, I restocked my used-up ‘Smiley Sticker’ and grabbed another ‘Can’.
‘Humans really are creatures of adaptation.’
I lay down on the bed.
Surprisingly, I felt pretty good.
Even though closing my eyes brought back vivid images of that terrifying talk show, I could sleep decently as long as the lights were on.
Maybe it’s because the situation ended well.
‘…I did have some decent luck.’
My squad assignment worked out well, too.
‘Maybe because I earned so many points at once, things feel a bit hopeful…’
Sleepiness started to wash over me, and I blinked slowly.
But then again, I still had a mountain of points to earn for that Wish Ticket, and I had no idea how many more ghost stories I’d need to clear.
Still, for the first time, I felt like I might be able to survive through it.
‘Maybe I can quietly endure this.’
* * *
…That naive optimism lasted until only the next day, when I arrived at work and saw a company notice.
[Wow! A new recruit on their second day clears an A-Class crisis!]
“Roe, have a seat. It looks like we… well, your position is about to change.”
“Pardon?”
I’ve only been working here for three days though?