I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game-Chapter 19: If the danger continues, it becomes everyday life

“Ella. Are you really okay without playing a game today?”

“Well, it’s not like I always want to play either.”

Playing is fun, but when you’re the one constantly preparing the games, it can get tiring.

I was being considerate of the kids.

Ha-rim seemed a little disappointed, but that was probably just my imagination.

“We’re heading out again tomorrow, so make sure you rest up.”

“Okay!... You’re not still upset about what happened earlier today, are you?”

What does Ha-rim think of me? Did she really call me to the restroom just to ask me that?

I exaggerated my response on purpose.

“I. Am. Not.”

“Then... can we shake hands as a sign of reconciliation?”

Suddenly?

It was a random suggestion, but I didn’t see any reason to refuse.

Earlier, during dinner, Eun-jung had also asked for a handshake while introducing some new snack. Was it just a coincidence?

I reached out from inside the mirror and took Ha-rim’s hand.

She muttered, “Success.”

I had no idea what she was scheming, but I didn’t think it was anything bad.

After making me promise that we’d definitely play a game tomorrow, Ha-rim returned to the clubroom.

As for me, my task for tomorrow was to gather the necessary materials for an artifact to give to Kyung-min.

I should be able to collect the synthesis items by tomorrow or the day after.

I wasn’t in a rush.

But that didn’t mean I had unlimited time either.

Because, as expected of a game called Summer Vacation, there was a strict 30-day time limit.

On the 30th day, a massive, horned entity—the demon—would be born, consuming this world as its egg.

Whether it was resurrection, descent, or birth, I wasn’t sure.

But the moment it appeared, the supernatural world collapsed, so I assumed it was birth.

In any case, if we counted from the moment the kids entered this world, we still had plenty of time left.

Even when I played the game, time passed quickly due to its mechanics, but the limit itself was never really an issue.

The real problem was that certain story events couldn’t progress unless time passed.

Except for Ella, who appears early on, the bosses of chapters two, three, and four all had specific conditions that needed to be met.

And the one universal condition was waiting.

Even in the game, there were hardly any hints, making it difficult to understand ‘them’.

Until they arrived in this world, the bosses couldn’t be taken down.

Of course, it was possible to rush straight to a boss.

But that’s way too dangerous.

I remembered the time I tried rushing the boss room, thinking that defeating them quickly might change the ending.

But the bosses were absurdly difficult, blocking any progress, and in the end, I couldn’t beat them.

The bosses were weakened only when they arrived.

It was because they left behind ways to defeat them that even a group of children had a chance to survive.

...Though one of them always died in the process.

If I couldn’t even beat them in a game controlled with simple keyboard inputs, there was no way I could do it in real life.

Even if I maximize the use of artifacts, it’s still impossible.

That’s why, for now, I was just killing time gathering items to prepare for the fight.

But since there was no real story progression, it was frustrating in many ways.

I wish they’d hurry up and get here.

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

How did they even break into this world? How did all of them end up dead? What the hell was that strange, half-destroyed machine they had set up?

I had so many questions.

I understood why they chose a 30-day time limit, considering the summer vacation theme, but...

No matter what I did, the demon would always be born on the 30th day.

It was frustrating.

Like no matter what actions I took, it wouldn’t make a difference in the end.

It reminded me of how annoyed I used to get when I reached the ending.

30 days. 30 days...

That was how long this small world had left before it crumbled.

How long until the demon’s resurrection.

How long until I had to say goodbye to the kids.

Among all the possible endings, the only one that could be called a happy ending was one where the kids survived without getting caught in the destruction.

As for me... I didn’t even know what would happen after the demon escaped into the outside world.

But there was no way nothing would happen.

The outside world would probably be reduced to ashes.

Would the kids even be able to accept it?

After barely managing to survive, only to step outside and see everything burning?

“...”

There was nothing I could do about it.

Not for them. Not for myself.

So I had to accept it.

Just like I did in my unhappy past.

I muttered to myself like a mantra, as if brainwashing myself.

Accept it. Accept it. Accept it.

Don’t act like a child. Face reality.

Once I reached the ending, I would figure something out.

As long as the kids survived, that was enough.

And as long as I made it back, that was enough.

That should be enough.

“...”

My mind quieted.

I erased my thoughts, as if meditating.

And in that silence, a small voice whispered.

(Why are you like this?)

...

(Wouldn’t it be easier if you just cried? If you just frowned, got angry, and threw a tantrum, at least you’d look more like a person.)

...

(You’re completely abnormal. There’s something missing in you. Are you mentally ill?)

...

(That’s why, when your parents died, you didn’t shed a single tear.)

...

(...Would you not cry if I died, either?)

...

I opened my eyes.

My mind was clear again.

-----

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

When I arrived, the kids had already finished preparing and were waiting for me.

I noticed that Ha-rim was carrying a bag, likely because she remembered how we had to fight low-tier entities and collect items along the way.

Seeing how accustomed she had become to this routine made me feel slightly happy.

Ha-rim placed my mirror somewhere visible for the group and then returned to her seat.

“Hm?”

That’s when I noticed a bandage wrapped around her finger.

I asked her how she got injured.

“Hehe, I just got a paper cut.”

A paper cut? In this world?

It was a minor thing, so I decided to let it go.

I explained the plan to them.

The place we were heading wasn’t far, but since this world became more chaotic over time, I warned them to stay cautious.

After my explanation, Soo-ho raised his hand. I nodded for him to speak.

“What kind of ability does this shield have?”

“It’s simple but powerful. It just helps you block attacks more effectively. It won’t stop curses, but it should let you defend against ghostly attacks that phase through walls. Just don’t rely on it too much.”

Soo-ho seemed satisfied with that answer.

He had always been the one ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ who wanted to take the lead—now he finally seemed at ease.

Once everything was set, we had a quick meal and departed.

Each of them clutched the artifacts I had given them as we stepped outside the school.

“Ella, was that signpost always there?”

Ha-rim pointed at a sign I had never seen before.

It read: THIS WAY.

Kyung-min, who had a meticulous nature, said he had never seen it before either.

If he said so, then...

“You over there, signpost. You’ve been spotted, so why don’t you disappear?”

...

I drew my blade.

Immediately, insect-like legs sprouted from the signpost, and it scurried away into the shadows like a cockroach—shushak!—vanishing in an instant.

Ha-rim and Eun-jung barely stifled their screams.

So, it was already time for these things to start showing up.

These entities pretended to be objects, waiting for the right moment to strike.

There were a lot of them, and worst of all, they didn’t even drop items when defeated—truly annoying creatures.

The kids looked exhausted at the thought of having to doubt everything, even the objects around them.

It was a good thing we had secured a safe place first.

We continued forward, taking down frog entities and uncovering hidden childlike specters along the way.

All the loot went into Ha-rim’s bag.

Eun-jung, after seeing so many of them, muttered that some of them were actually kind of cute.

I was glad to see that she was adjusting well.

After passing through a familiar alleyway, we reached a crosswalk.

There was a traffic light beside it, and if you crossed while the light was red or without raising your hand, you would instantly die in a car accident.

Just to be safe, I raised one hand from within the mirror.

[Dadan-dan~ Dalaran~ Dadan-dan-dan~]

Before we had even crossed, an eerie, childlike music box tune played in my ears.

The melody was sweet and dreamlike—but it was precisely that unnatural sweetness that made it unsettling.

I knew this one.

I ordered the kids to hide.

They quickly ducked behind a nearby mailbox.

A moment later, a truck drove past us.

Mounted on the truck’s roof was a massive ice cream decoration.

The side of the truck featured a mascot character—a cartoonish, smiling figure.

Bright, colorful letters were scrawled across its side, but the design was unbearably childish.

[Mephi’s Thrilling Ice Cream]

This entity had originated from real-world urban legends about ice cream trucks being used to abduct children.

A monstrosity born from the paradox of a vehicle meant to bring joy, yet associated with child abductions.

It was, in many ways, a particularly nasty one.

Aside from Ha-rim, who had a resistance artifact, the other kids’ eyes turned hazy.

Right now, their minds were completely consumed by the thought of eating ice cream.

That was the kind of mental assault this entity specialized in.

“Ha-rim, wake up Eun-jung and purify them.”

“Okay!”

Ha-rim shook Eun-jung’s shoulders.

“...Ice cream...”

She still wasn’t coming to her senses.

Ha-rim muttered something, then pinched Eun-jung—hard.

“Oww!” Eun-jung yelped, tearing up.

Ha-rim never hesitated to be rough when it came to survival matters.

—Jingle.

Ugh, that tickles.

Purification always felt weird on my body.

Eun-jung rang the bell, and the kids’ gazes cleared up.

The fact that they hadn’t run out into the street already was a small victory, so I decided not to scold them.

“I’ll be right back.”

I stepped out of the mirror and approached the ice cream truck.

A man in a mascot costume stood there, flashing a friendly smile.

His appearance was so likable that it made me want to throw up.

[What kind of ice cream would you like, little lady?]

“Cherry-flavored ice cream, please!”

[Excellent choice!]

The man cheerfully handed me a carefully scooped cherry-flavored ice cream.

And in that instant, I lunged forward and sliced him cleanly in half, from his jaw to the top of his head. Schlaaak!

Blood sprayed out, splattering onto the exposed ice cream outside the truck, turning it into an absolutely vile topping.

"What a disgusting choice of toppings!" I sneered.

At that moment, two burly men who had been hiding in the truck’s storage compartment rushed at me.

“Oh? Were you planning to kidnap me, mister?”

I effortlessly dodged their attacks and sliced them down with ease.

A bunch of child predators, huh? Not on my watch!

They dissolved into smoke, their essence absorbed into me, leaving only the cherry ice cream item behind.

I picked it up.

Hopefully, the commotion didn’t attract other entities. After scanning my surroundings, I returned to the kids.

“What’s with that ice cream?”

Soo-ho was the first to ask.

I told him it was, well, ice cream, just as it looked.

But I also added that eating it wouldn’t just hurt—it wouldn’t end at just pain.

Ha-rim seemed to wonder why I would bring along something inedible, but from her expression, she decided I must have had a reason.

Since it was a cone-type ice cream, it wouldn’t fit inside the bag we were carrying.

Annoying. I guess I’d have to hold it.

I led the group from within the mirror, still holding the ice cream.

But the longer I carried it, the stronger its sweet scent tickled my nose.

Hmm...

It was summer.

And since it was treated as an item, it wouldn’t melt.

Just a little taste...

Really, just a tiny bit.

I was an entity, so it should be fine.

My nature was different.

I slowly lifted the ice cream toward my mouth.

“Ella...!”

Ha-rim’s quiet warning made me freeze like a kid caught doing something bad.

I nearly dropped the item in surprise.

“You said eating that wouldn’t just hurt, remember?”

“...I must’ve forgotten. I’m a ghost. I don’t die from something like this.”

“...”

“And I was only going to take a small taste.”

Ha-rim stared at me.

I averted my gaze.

Then, she reached out her hand toward me, as if asking for a handshake.

...What was this about now?

“Ella, isn’t that heavy? I’ll hold it for you.”

“...I told you, I’m fine.”

At my curt response, Ha-rim’s expression grew more serious.

She remembered that curses could affect me too.

She was probably wondering if the mental attack from the ice cream truck had also worked on me.

She must have thought I needed purification.

“Eun-jung. Purify her.”

“Huh? O-okay?”

“Purify.”

—Jingle.

Ugh, itchy.

Sacred energy always felt weird on me.

As the sound of the bell rang, I flinched.

“Wait, Ha-rim, you—”

“Ella, are you okay now? Now, hand over the ice cream.”

“What the he—”

I was about to explain the misunderstanding, but Ha-rim snatched Eun-jung’s bell and started shaking it non-stop.

She showed no mercy when it came to things like this.

Jingle jingle jingle—

“Argh?!?!”

The rhythmic ringing sent shivers down my spine.

Ticklish! Ticklish!

I hurriedly handed over the ice cream before something embarrassing came out of my mouth.

I hadn’t expected Ha-rim to pull something like this on me.

Just as I was about to complain, she spoke.

“...Sorry. I just got worried about you, Ella. Are you okay now?”

...

That was unfair.

That worried gaze of hers was unfair.

“...Just don’t go ringing that bell so loudly outside.”

Satisfied, Ha-rim nodded and handed me a candy from her pocket.

I popped it into my mouth.

We pressed forward.

We reached a fork in the road.

Almost there.

We just had to slip past this area.

The kids hesitated.

The scenery before them was deeply unfamiliar.

They weren’t looking at the path we were supposed to take—but rather at the other direction.

A dense, overgrown park stretched out before them.

Calling it a nature park wouldn’t do it justice—it was overrun with vines, suffocating any space where people might rest.

The air was unnervingly humid.

The thick canopy of trees blocked out all sunlight, keeping the park perpetually dark, regardless of day or night.

But that wasn’t even the strangest part.

Among the branches, phones, receivers, and walkie-talkies dangled like fruits.

And beneath the trees...

There were dozens of old public telephone booths.

Some were shattered.

Some were intact.

But most were rusted, their surfaces corroded by time.

It was a surreal, almost hypnotic sight—where relics of human civilization clashed with something deeply unnatural.

It had an undeniable allure—as if it was meant to captivate people.

The kids stared blankly into the park.

I quickly guided them toward the other path.

“Even if you need to run, never go in there.”

Unless you want to meet the boss.