Chapter 34.2

‘Would it be possible for you to do the same for someone else?’

– For someone who isn’t a friend?

Braun’s voice twisted momentarily, as if I’d made an unpleasant suggestion, but he responded in his usual cheerful tone, like a true entertainer.

– Well, maybe I could, but I wouldn’t take that risk!

– Mr. Roe Deer, everything has its limits, and the more you share, the less you keep for yourself, don’t you agree?

It seemed that if Braun were to extend his power to someone else, its duration or strength would diminish.

‘So, to stay safe, it’s really just a one-person solution.’

Still, leaving the kids behind gnawed at my conscience as a modern person who’d received public education.

Plus…

‘Braun, if we can’t bring Section Chief Lee Byeongjin out with us, our budget will face serious issues.’

– …Hm?

‘We won’t be able to buy the Bloodbathtub…’

Capitalism was holding me back.

– Ahh… that can’t be!

– But if we dim two lights, any sensitive observer will notice easily! It’ll ruin the scene’s quality!

Yeah.

‘I’ll look for another solution, then.’

Of course, if things got urgent, I’d hit Braun with an SOS and bolt out with at least one other person.

‘I’ll do what I can.’

– Regrettable! But, understood.

I rummaged through my pocket. Thankfully, a few essentials I always brought to work were still there, even after changing into the security uniform.

The Smiley Sticker, Alice’s buff-debuff food items, and even some of Snow White’s apples. I’d lost the fork from my Bloodsucking Cutlery set, but…

‘It’s originally a pair.’

Right, I still had the knife.

I pulled out the remaining piece of the Bloodsucking Cutlery from the opposite thigh pocket.

And I was surprised.

‘…It grew!’

The knife was no longer the size of a dessert utensil. It now featured intricate craftsmanship on the handle, with a small, elegant red gemstone embedded as an accent.

It had clearly leveled up.

‘Maybe the blood that the fork absorbed have somehow transferred here?’

After all, they were a pair.

“……!! I-Is that the Security Team’s suppression weapon?”

I didn’t respond, letting Section Chief Lee’s misunderstanding stand.

I carefully wiped the now-cutter-sized knife on my clothes and slipped it into the front pocket of my jacket, where I could reach it easily.

Please, let me not need it.

“Well then, I’ll begin searching the house.”

“A…Alright!”

When I moved, Section Chief Lee quickly stepped aside.

I stared directly at him as he stood frozen.

“……?”

“I’d like you to accompany me.”

“W-What?! A-Ah, no. I, um, already looked everywhere…”

“You’ve already looked, so I’m asking you to guide me.”

“U-Uh… Yes, sir.”

Section Chief Lee hesitated, but he obeyed, glancing nervously at me as he started walking.

Good. I avoided the chance of having a panic attack or fainting alone out of fear.

“This place, um… is probably the kitchen, sir. There wasn’t any food, though.”

The old house, rusty and dust-covered with mold creeping in, was filled with nothing but talismans on every wall.

It reminded me of those abandoned houses along mountain roads, halfway up a hill, neglected and no longer inhabited.

“You stayed here for a week. Did you not feel uncomfortable?”

“Well… I never felt thirsty or hungry…”

His face turned pale.

“Whenever the g-ghost came every night, it was strange—I felt like my energy was drained each time…”

“Did you ever try to go outside during the day?”

“…I mean, I did, but… no matter how far I walked, I just saw forest after forest… I was terrified that the sun would set while I was out there, so I kept coming back here.”

His account aligned with other exploration records.

In that case…

“W-Where are you going?”

I headed to the end of the corridor, which had no doors, until I reached a dead end.

“There should be an upper floor.”

“Huh?? No, there’s no staircase or anything leading up! I’ve searched every inch of this place over the past week, and there’s not even a trace of stairs…”

I summoned the remote hand, then placed the remaining Bloodsucking Knife in its grip and flung it into the air.

More precisely, toward the ceiling.

Gaaasp!

There was a snap as something gave way, the knife lodged in a fine crack in the ceiling. With a loud noise, the ceiling opened up, and an old ladder clattered down noisily.

‘Found the attic.’

“G-Gracious! Truly the Security Team… y-your eye for space is, is beyond that of an ordinary person!”

“……”

Not at all.

I just read a lot of exploration records…

Abandoned houses always have attics.

‘It’s only natural that someone who knows what to look for sees differently from someone who doesn’t know anything…’

Anyway, it definitely seemed like this led to the attic.

‘Wow.’

I seriously don’t want to go.

‘It feels like entering an ominous room that opened on its own in a haunted house.’

But I was already acting like I was with the Security Team, so I had essentially committed myself to being the tank. I grabbed the ladder and climbed up, pretending to stay calm.

Screeeech.

‘Please follow me!’

Unsurprisingly, no one followed.

‘I’ll sear this Security Team act into my brain…’

I forced my legs to stay steady, barely managed to reach the attic, and quickly finished my search before coming back down in a hurry.

It was as if I’d wrapped up my investigation swiftly and efficiently.

‘Phew.’

That probably looked natural enough.

“H-How was it?”

“It’s just an old attic. There wasn’t anything unusual…”

I held up my only discovery.

“This was lying on an old tray.”

It was a worn-out book bound in an ancient style.

[活路]

“P-Path to survival! Could it actually contain a way out?”

Oh, he can read classical Chinese.

I carefully opened the brittle, ancient book.

The entire book was in classical Chinese.

‘Classical Chinese… the best I did was pass the Level 2 exam in high school…’

– Hoho. This is interesting content.

“……!”

Could he actually understand classical Chinese?

– Goodness, Mr. Roe Deer. A capable host like myself must be able to communicate with all the people in the universe… well, almost all.

That sounded pretty unrealistic, but what mattered was this:

‘…Can you read it aloud for me?’

– Of course!

After a brief sound as if Braun were clearing his throat like a classic announcer, his voice took on a more formal, deep tone.