I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game.

Joining Forces

We are guiding the special forces dispatched by the institution to the school.

It was surprising that the members followed me without saying a word.

I thought there would be whispers expressing anxiety.

They seemed to fully trust their leader's decisions.

That man leading the group. A veteran for sure.

Still, that is that and this is this.

I can't hide my disappointment that only a small number of people are sent even when the danger has been fully informed.

Even though the existence of the institution I knew was far from complacency.

Hmm...

As I looked at him with a questioning gaze, his eyebrows slightly curved.

He's quick-witted.

"Do you have something to say?"

"There is. That... Um, what should I call you?"

"Call me James."

"Okay, James. You can call me Ella. And there's something I want to ask you."

"Something to ask... I can't promise that I will answer."

"Really? Does an unanswerable question includes the level of your troops?"

At my question, James face looks puzzled. That shouldn't have been a strange question.

"What do you mean?"

"Too few. This is place is so full of monsters that you've already met some, but there's only a few people. At least it's wise to bring an army."

"...I could answer, but it will be quite long. It would be prudent to talk after arriving."

It's good that the answer is simple. I like this guy.

There seems to be a reason for that too.

"Okay. When we arrive... Ah!"

"?"

While talking, I found Ha-rim rummaging through a bag on the floor.

She is doing this again!

"Shin Ha-rim! Didn't I tell you not to blindly investigate missing bags?!"

In this world, as time goes by, monsters become stronger and the environment changes.

In the past, I would have allowed her to investigate freely, but not now.

There is the luck artifact, so I don't have to worry too much...

"Sorry, it's like an instinct... But if its a missing bag, I need to investigate!"

This little girl... Retorted?!

I hit Ha-rim on the forehead with a flick. She became sullen.

"Stop over there, Kim Eun-jeong."

"Uh... Um."

"Eun-jeong, I know you like the scent of flowers, but do you want to even smell the scent of a flower with eyeballs?

"...Hehe, surprisingly not bad."

"I told you not to do anything dangerous. You're trying to slip away again. The pampering has gotten worse lately. Now just cuddle and sleep by yourself when you sleep!"

"No!"

Leaving behind Eun-jeong, who whined like that~, I searched for the next target.

The target was the boys. When my gaze is fixed on them, their shoulders tremble.

These guys are bystanders.

"Suho! Fix the complacent attitude of thinking they're safe because you're watching! That shield is not omnipotent. Kyeong-min, you too were too absorbed in taking notes and neglected stopping the kids."

The children who hesitates and can't easily make excuses.

Obviously, the relationship has grown closer and their performance has improved, but as they become more comfortable with each other, their shortcomings became apparent.

When it's not about this, each of them does well on their own.

It's speculated that my presence plays a part in making the kids relaxed.

Give me a break. The children walked in a line with rigid postures.

The gaze of the woman dressed as a nun became strange.

The corner of James mouth is slightly raised.

I don't know what they're thinking.

But it doesn't matter.

Because now it's all over.

"Is this a safe place?"

"You'll know when you enter."

I quickly moved to the mirror in front of the school gate and came out again.

Being a monster, I am physically blocked, so I have no choice but to do this.

The kids followed me into the school.

James also followed them without question. Then he nodded his head.

"Indeed. When I came in, something felt different. There are no strange plants either."

"Yes, this school has barriers that physically block the monsters."

"Monsters?"

"Let's go in and I'll tell you."

I showed them a place to stay.

I guided them to a usable classroom and informed them that there was a convenience store by the back door.

"There is food brought by us."

"Sometimes snacking is okay."

"Hoo."

James gave me a curious look.

He also asked about the salt placed everywhere, so I introduced it as purifying salt.

When he asked permission to collect some, I granted it.

After doing maintenance, James asked me for a talk.

Is it a conversation between leaders? I told the kids to rest and came back after talking to them for a while.

In an empty classroom, we sat in desks facing each other.

There was me on one side, and two opposite to me.

James and a woman dressed as a black nun.

"Who?"

"I am Agent Maria. From the special forces."

She is the person that talked the most with James, the leader.

"Don't care. Why didn't you bring all the members to this classroom and interrogate them?"

"No need. Excuse me."

James pulled out a recorder. It was something I had only seen in spy moves, but it was amazing to see it in person.

"For convenience, I will call you D-888, not your first name. Do you agree?"

"Sure."

"Good, that makes things faster."

When he pressed the button, it started recording without a sound.

I made eye contact with James to talk, and realized that those eyes were now very sharp.

I have heard that the eyes of people who work as detectives are different from those of ordinary people.

If I had to say, it gives an impression of the eyes of a snake. It feels like my mind is being pierced.

But if I don't have any bad intentions, there's no need to be nervous.

I have to say something.

I hold his gaze and spoke confidently.

"But I want you to keep in mind that this is not a one-sided interrogation. Ella also has questions for you."

James seemed to like my attitude.

"Of course. And I'll ask first, D-888. Are you a resident of this place?"

"Yes. So I know this place well. I know the countermeasure against monsters. Now it's Ella's turn. Why are you so few? I'm sure I said there was a giant demon. It must be difficult with this level of manpower."

"It's strange."

"Huh?"

"We were constrained by the world when we came here. As if it shouldn't be too easy, the amount weapons and manpower we could bring were restricted from the beginning."

I've never heard of such a thing, is it the Devil? No, not even it can touch the laws of the world that makes the game's background... I see, it's the system!

This is a horror game. Pushing with overwhelming firepower is unacceptable.

If you think about it, it makes sense.

The troops led by James were affected by that.

"Um... Maybe because it is the nature of this world..."

"What does that mean?"

I can't openly say that we're in a game, so I explained in an improvised way.

"Literally. In this world, it's unacceptable to overwhelm the monsters. At least for humans. Perhaps, if it wasn't for Ella, the children and you would have been pushed into extreme situations?"

"That's interesting. Then the next question. You call the monsters outside cryptids. What exactly are they?"1

"Abstract thoughts, and stories about strange fears are gathered to take physical form in this world. Sometimes it exists only as a phenomenon. I am one of them. Now it's my turn. Is it possible to do it with a small group of people? Killing the Devil?"

"..."

I stared at him, who didn't answer.

Are you sure you can't let me know? Then it gets very boring.

To properly help them, I should at least know what their goal is.

As long as the Devil interferes with us, we need to build partnership.

But I was worried for nothing. Because James opened his mouth.

"There is."

"Wait, Agent James. Are you going to tell her everything?"

Maria covered his mouth.

That sounds like pretty important information.

Well, it's strange to say it so easily.

Basically, it's because I'm suspicious. On one side, I'm a monster, and on the other, I'm the one who brought them here.

James removes Maria's hand from his mouth.

"You're too extreme. What's the problem?"

"What's the problem? That you'll tell the demon all of our plans!"

Eh? I feel like I have heard something pretty important?

"We need help anyway. Moreover, the operation we are going to do is so simple that it's embarrassing to even call it one. When we do it, it will be obvious what it is."

"Still!"

"Wait a moment."

At my words, Maria and James simultaneously turned their heads towards me.

Perhaps they can see the bewilderment engraved on my face.

"Just now. Did you call me a demon? Why am I one? Do you name cryptids as demons?"

James looked at me curiously.

Maria had a blank expression on her face.

As if I had said something I shouldn't have.

"Looking at your reaction, it seems like you really don't know. The D-888 I said means demon number 888. The institution has already registered you as a demon."

James took ou a machine with some analog mechanisms attached to it from his chest. 

It is a thing completely apart from modern science, but it seemed more credible because of it.

A small beeping sound is heard.

"It's a measuring instrument. The official name is different, but D-888... As soon as we met you, it reacted. It didn't react to the monsters outside."

I'm... A demon?

Could this be one of the game's hidden settings?

Even if I've played this game for a long time, I don't know everything the creator put in it.

The setting that Ella was a demon... It's strange that only Ella is treated specially, so the fact that the bosses behave differently from other monsters seems to be related to this "demon" setting.

"...I didn't know."

But now, what does it matter whether I'm a monster or demon? I am no longer a human.

"It's also difficult to see you as a complete demon. There is demonic reaction, but it feels like one-fourth is of a demon. I wanted to ask you this, but you yourself doesn't seems to know either."

Maria sees my reaction and puts on a complicated expression.

Curiosity. Shock. Questioning. Doubt. Denial. Those mixed feelings.

James, who didn't have Maria stopping him, explained the operation they were going to do.

6 relics.

They are divided into 2 types of 3 each.

The relic in the shape of an angel plays the role of pushing back the power of demons and punishes them at the same time.

A mechanical device that mixes computers and hands like modern art does the work of modifying reality.

If you place them exactly in the designed positions of a hexagonal form, you can destroy and modify this world itself so that it can be integrated into the outside world.

When both worlds are combined, the power will be dispersed, so the demons will naturally disappear.

It's the surest way of defeating the giant Devil.

It was the correct choice to call them.

However, although the operation is simple, placing the artifact itself is not easy. That's right...

"You have to put it in a pretty awkward position."

This is because the place where you need to put it include the boss stages.

My mansion is a free pass for now.

It seems that Pierrot can be persuaded somehow, but will Mary, who is selfish, allow it?

Right now, they call the boss room their "homes".

The most difficult is Ms. Spider. Seeing the spider-monsters running rampant, it's not normal.

As they are hostile, we might have to fight her.

After all, there is no easy way to do it.

Nonetheless, there is one question that arises.

Why do you believe in me and tell me this much?

A simple task where they just need to place an artifact. The risk of getting caught is great, but there was no need to tell me.

There was also a way to ask me only to take them to the location.

James noticed my question and answered it.

"I have been working on this line of work for a long time. What I mean is that I am somewhat free of prejudice. Agent Maria trembles when it comes to demons, but there are some among my acquaintances."

Maria's expression hardened.

"It's the first time I've heard of a demon among your acquaintances."

"Agent Maria. You're the only one that knows. But your affiliation is too radical."

"..."

"I'm- no, Ella is grateful. Ella will help with the operation."

"Good. This meeting is over. Can I send Maria to you?"

"...Surveillance?”

"There is that too."

"Don't care."

It's a small thing anyway.

The talk just now had the feeling of a conversation, not an interrogation, so no coercive means had been used.

James added an apology before turning off the recorder.

"Oops, I almost forgot the most important thing. D-888, where is the Devil you speak of?"

POV Switch - Maria

I was organizing my thoughts in the women's restroom.

Mainly D-888. It was about whether the demon called Ella could be trusted.

The demons I have met attacked people in bizarre ways.

However, the demon named Ella, let alone a strange appearance, looks like a charming girl... Was there a child demon in the succubus line?

To put it bluntly, the monsters roaming outside looked more demonic.

I heard that high-level demons have human form, but the demonic reaction from Ella is low-level... Above all, the problem was that the behavior was too human.

Even clever demons show in their reactions.

A selfish and evil personality.

It's hard to fool people's eyes unless you're a really old demon.

Even I and James have often identified demons with just a few words.

However, the way she took care of the children in detail was very human-like.

...No, it's only been a day. It's too early to be sure.

"James... Should I thank him?"

I was sent to guard Ella's group for 2 reasons.

First is monitoring.

Report their behavior when in private.

I was sent because I would be more skilled than the other members in the field of demons.

The second is convincing.

James seemed to think of Ella as a trustworthy demon.

If it was someone else, I would think he was hypnotized and hit him in the head.

However, knowing James eyesight is amazing, I let it go.

Even though James knows I still didn't trust her, he sent me, so I must confirm it myself and convince him.

'He could just order me to obey, but he has a strangely soft side.'

I left the restroom and walked to the club room. As I walked down the hallway, I was within sight of the door to the room.

A boy wearing glasses jumped out of the room and ran towards me as soon as he saw me.

"Nun Teacher!"

"Te... Teacher?"

Teacher! It sounds good.

Although I now work to exorcise demons, I used to think that when I retired, I would like to teach children.

That's because innocent children are cute.

Being called a teacher by kids was on my bucket list.

I coughed once to hide the corners of my mouth that kept rising.

"Ahem... What happened?"

"Can you help calm Ella down?"

"!"

The demon is a being that is "selfish". It's not strange when it changes its attitude.

It seems that it is an emergency now that it is not even clear why she is protecting the children.

"Let's go!"

I opened the door to the club room with the boy.

Swoosh!

"Guys, I brought the nun!"

In my mind, I imagined a scene where the demon was savagely threatening children.

Because a demon was such a being.

But the unfolding scene was quite underwhelming.

"Give me the candy from my locker! Where did you hide it!"

She was threatening children. I didn't even know why I got called.

"But, Ella, it's been two weeks since you neglected it! Bacteria and mold grow!"

"Seeing you're the one saying that, it was you, Ha-rim!!"

"Ah... No, that's not the case..."

When the girls were in trouble, a large boy came over to calm her down with a gentle smile.

"Come on, calm down."

"Was it you, Suho?"

The boy, who had been placed in a situation where he was being interrogated together, desperately made an excuse while embarrassed by the sharp gaze.

"It wasn't me!"

"You guys really! Ella already told several times that it's okay because she's not human! I was trying to save it, but you took advantage of Ella's absence...!"

"Um... Are you doing it for candy?"

Only then did the demon realized that I had come and froze.

Like an adult caught doing something childish.

After a moment of silence, the demon muttered without looking at me.

"...You can throw it away. So, um..."

Ella spoke gibberish, then bowed her head and ran away into the mirror.

I couldn't find the laid-back attitude of an adult she had when conversating with James.

You... Are you ashamed?

Did you run away because you were ashamed of being upset over something so trivial like candy?

"It is a strange demon..."

Even had a human mind, so I felt a little strange.
TL notes
1. As said before in the start of the novel, while I translate monsters as, well, “monsters”, the literal translation is “weird”. For the sake of distinguishing between the two, I will sometimes refer to the parallel world monsters as “cryptids”.

My head hurts with all this demon/Devil mumbo jumbo… Even more when the two are written the same way and I myself need to understand the author’s meaning. As D-888 can either mean Devil or demon, I decided to specifically make the last boss “The Devil” and the entities the institution deals with as “demons”.

So, a Devil (or THE Devil) is a demon, but not all demons are a Devil, get it?

Another thing cuz it’s a little confusing, “monsters” are just straight up non-human entities in the real world, while “monsters (cryptids)” are any supernatural entity plus phenomenons in the game world.

As always, any errors just say, and I hope you liked reading it

—Chi