I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game-Chapter 66: Chase in Everyday Life

Creak. Clatter. Clunk.

The sound of metal gears grinding and wooden joints creaking filled the dimly lit room.

A figure, half-mechanical, half-human, paused mid-motion, gripping a spanner in one hand.

"That petty thief... must have failed. I assumed the Agency would be too occupied with the Rulers to intervene, but things never go as smoothly as I'd like. If only problems unraveled as easily as screws."

‘I let them get away with stealing the doll, but all I got in return was a loss. This is exactly why fools who rely solely on anomalous abilities always overreach...’

A wooden hand twitched, and a glass eye rolled within a mechanical skull filled with gears and artificial sinew. It was clear at a glance—this was no ordinary human.

His jaw creaked as he muttered to himself, his words slipping out involuntarily due to a malfunction that had long since become impossible to fix.

"Still, the fact that the Agency remains intact is good—for both humanity and myself. It means I can work undisturbed... Ah, peace really is the best."

‘Though it’s a shame I couldn’t acquire the necessary material...’

What he sought from the Agency was the Golden Gear.

An essential component for strengthening his power—one he required to prepare for the inevitable threats ahead.

Someday, when all the materials were gathered, his wish would be realized. And for that to happen, no one could be allowed to interfere.

It didn’t matter whether that interference came from the Agency or some other organization.

"...But it won’t be long now. The usual ticking of gears is being drowned out by an unpleasant metallic noise. The first to emerge will be that self-serving, mechanical god, obsessed only with dominance. Tch... how irritating."

-----

‘I'm bored.’

Due to the cognitive disruption device, the only people who ever spoke to me were Ha-rim and her group. If someone met my eyes and actually engaged in conversation, they might perceive me better—but that was rare.

Just seeing my face wasn’t enough to bring emotional closeness, and even if someone got too close, that would be its own problem.

And if no one talked to me for long enough, they'd forget about me again.

"Alice, what are you thinking about?"

Ha-rim approached me as I sat idly. I answered with something vague.

"I was thinking about how I don’t want to think about anything."

"Wow, that’s deep."

Ha-rim chuckled, saying she sometimes felt the same way.

She must have noticed my boredom—something I wasn’t exactly eager to admit myself.

After a brief pause, she offered a suggestion to help pass the time.

"Hmm... Sometimes, when I'm bored, I just look around. See those scissors on the desk?"

I followed her gaze.

There was nothing special about them. Just ordinary scissors.

"If you pick them up, they might come in handy later. You never know when you’ll need something sharp. Sometimes, you can even use them to unlock a bathroom door."

Unlock a locked bathroom door? That thought had never even occurred to me.

I didn’t bother asking how.

Ha-rim continued.

"You can’t see it from here, but there’s also a bottle of hand sanitizer in the bathroom. If you pour it on the floor, anyone chasing you might slip on it."

"That’s... actually pretty clever."

Not soap, but hand sanitizer? Well, it was still slippery.

It was obvious, but I hadn’t thought of it.

Ha-rim had a knack for creative problem-solving that outmatched mine.

"And most importantly, look at all the abandoned bags and worn-out clothes in the schoolyard! Don’t you want to check them out? There could be something useful inside!"

"No... You're the only one who thinks rummaging through trash or discarded bags is a good idea."

"Huh? Really?"

"Yes. Really."

She was still operating under the mindset of a game protagonist—interacting with every suspicious object.

Honestly, she’d probably already investigated everything in this school.

Of course, she must have restrained herself from rummaging through personal desks to avoid being accused of theft.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she even knew where the secret crawlspaces were.

"Well, if objects don’t interest you, how about people? See those two over there? There’s a rumor they’re dating."

She nodded toward a young couple chatting sweetly in the hallway.

I was shocked.

"They’re already dating?"

"What do you mean 'already'? That’s normal."

"Is it...?"

I must have looked genuinely confused because Ha-rim interpreted my reaction as interest.

She immediately launched into questioning me about romance.

"Alice, are you interested in dating? Do you have a crush on someone?"

"Hmm..."

Men.

I had been a man. The idea of seeing men as a potential romantic interest felt... unsettling.

Yet, I had no problem teasing Soo-ho and Kyung-min before, using my current body as a weapon.

Thinking back on it, I was definitely getting too used to this female perspective.

But at the same time, the thought of loving a woman felt... odd.

Neither option felt right.

It was an uncomfortable aversion—neither this nor that.

Was I really struggling with my gender identity at this age?

It was confusing.

"Was that an uncomfortable question?"

Noticing my hesitation, Ha-rim asked cautiously.

"Why do you ask?"

"I learned in class that love takes many forms and should be respected. But realistically, if you belong to a minority group, it’s hard to be honest about your feelings. Even if you speak up, it rarely benefits you."

For a moment, she sounded like a philosophy professor rather than a high school student.

The way she spoke so logically and deliberately caught me off guard.

Before she could go any further, I interrupted.

"Wait! Can we not get all deep and serious all of a sudden?! I’m not even interested in dating!"

"To be honest, me neither. But everyone has an ideal type, right? I like someone who stays with me, someone who’s a good person. If they’re fun, even better."

"Hmm... I guess for me..."

Love comes in many forms, right?

Maybe I had been thinking too physically about it.

I imagined someone genuinely confessing their love for me.

A man, a woman, someone young, someone old—it didn’t matter.

I came to a conclusion.

"Honestly... If someone told me they loved me, I don’t think I’d be able to reject them. I just... wouldn’t be able to turn them away."

Would that sound strange?

I waited for Ha-rim’s reaction.

She gave me a knowing smile and said:

"I read in a book that being too easy makes you less attractive!"

"What kind of book are you reading?!"

I couldn’t help but protest.

She even teased that I sounded like some kind of divine being.

With one topic exhausted, she immediately looked for the next one.

Since class was about to start, this would be the last.

Ha-rim pointed to a boy in the corner of the classroom, dressed in black clothes and a hoodie, lying on his desk.

"Alright, let’s see... How about that guy watching anime during break?"

"Huh?"

"I used to watch 'Card King Earth' when I was bored. Wasn’t the character’s name Yong Tak-gu? Let’s go ask him what he’s watching!"

"Wait. No. Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

‘There’s a reason he’s watching in secret, Ha-rim!’

"He might be shy. Let me ask him alone."

If a cheerful girl suddenly invaded his space, asking about his anime, he’d probably panic.

I imagined his reaction.

‘Uh, uh... That’s kinda...’

Not that I would know from personal experience.

I had never had anyone approach me back then.

As someone who was once an outcast, I understood.

"Uh... hey, can I ask what you’re watching?"

I kept my tone gentle.

"Uh, uh... That’s kinda..."

...Huh?

I felt betrayed by my own thoughts.

But instead of making a fuss, I simply apologized.

"Ah... Sorry! Didn’t mean to interrupt. I was just curious."

"No, it’s okay. I can show you a little. It’s not actually anime, though."

His attitude shifted.

I had backed off, proving I wasn’t someone who would mock him.

Outcasts have a bit of a persecution complex.

I should have remembered that.

"Oh, a Virtual YouTuber?"

"Wait, you know about this?"

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

"Of course I know. I watch a lot of gaming livestreams. These days, streamers switch platforms all the time."

On the screen, a 2D character moved around, playing a game.

A Virtual YouTuber—someone who performed as a cute animated character while streaming, blurring the line between reality and animation just enough to make things more entertaining.

"Wait, this is from the Monster Hunting series, right? The one that came out recently?"

"You know about this? It was released overseas first."

"Yeah, I watch foreign playthroughs while waiting for the Korean localization."

For about five minutes, I chatted excitedly with the guy.

Then, I suddenly noticed a disgruntled presence behind me.

Ha-rim was staring daggers at my back, pouting.

"...Alice... Are you having fun without me...?"

"Ah! Sorry!"

"Hmph... Hmphhh...!"

I quickly wrapped up the conversation.

"That was fun. Let’s talk again later."

"Uh... yeah."

As Ha-rim and I returned to our seats, the hoodie-wearing guy pulled his hood up and focused back on his phone.

["Where are you looking? If you're my fan, you should be watching my stream! I hate seeing you fawning over some girl!"]

"Sorry... sorry, Lost."

By the time school ended, I found myself walking home with Ha-rim.

Normally, I would’ve refused. I didn’t want to get too close.

But since the others had gone [N O V E L I G H T] home early, leaving Ha-rim alone, I couldn’t just abandon her.

Taking the opportunity, I asked her something that had been bothering me.

"Hey, Ha-rim. Did you buy a crystal ball from that occult shop before?"

"Oh, yeah! I did! But I think I dropped it while playing by the window. When I checked, I found it shattered outside the clubroom window. But... how did you know?"

"Just a hunch. When you think 'occult item,' the first thing that comes to mind is a crystal ball."

"Right?! Alice, you get it!"

I could easily guess what went through their heads when they bought it.

That crystal ball... It definitely had some anomalous properties.

I had heard a strange song coming from it.

Even with my higher resistance, it had affected me. Which meant it was a residue of something powerful.

I had already asked James to investigate the occult shop again. He had probably retrieved the broken pieces as well.

"Did you notice anything odd about the crystal ball?"

Ha-rim tilted her head, thinking.

"Hmm... When I slept with it, I had a weird dream."

"What kind of dream?"

"It felt like I was at an idol concert?"

"Huh?"

"That’s all."

Now that she mentioned it, the music coming from the ball did sound like some kind of pop song.

Step. Step.

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Since the others had gone home early, any lapse in conversation left us in complete silence.

Being alone together made us chattier than usual.

I pulled random topics from my mind.

Until, without realizing it, I blurted out something unusual.

"You like the occult, right? What if you were actually surrounded by paranormal things?"

"That’d be fun, wouldn’t it?"

"Even if they were far bigger and more dangerous than you imagined?"

"Like what?"

"Like... what if a mountain-sized monster was watching us from inside the clouds?"

"Okay, that’s creepy..."

I thought so.

If Ha-rim ever found out that this world was similar to the strange world I had fallen into before, how would she react?

Would she despair? Would she cry?

I had to protect her from that.

As I rubbed my chin, deep in thought, Ha-rim mimicked me—rubbing her chin and scrunching up her face.

Was I making that kind of face?

Because she was squinting so hard, she didn’t see what was in front of her.

Which made it inevitable that she bumped into someone.

"Ack! Sorry!"

"..."

We looked up.

The person she had bumped into was taller than us.

A group of three middle school boys stood in our path, blocking the sidewalk.

"Well, well, look who we have here. A wallet just walked right up to us."

"Huh?"

The tone of their first words already set off alarm bells.

The lazy, drawling way they spoke was textbook delinquent behavior.

I instantly sensed the cliché unfolding.

"Hey, we need some money for cigarettes. Hand over your wallet, will you?"

...This was new.

I had faced countless monsters, but I hadn’t dealt with petty extortionists in ages.

The last time I had been mugged was back when I was still a healthy, full-grown man.

Memories of that moment suddenly resurfaced.

"...No, thanks."

Ha-rim hesitated but refused.

"Come on, don’t make this difficult, yeah? Just give it up before you get your ass beat."

"Hey, your face alone is enough to make someone cry."

"Pfft. What a joke. What a bunch of losers. Hah!"

The delinquents laughed among themselves, spouting whatever came to mind without much thought.

They weren’t thinking about us at all. Their brains were stuck on autopilot, fixated solely on getting money.

Not that I was bitter about having been mugged before or anything.

My internal audience was politely staying silent on the matter.

Then—

"Okay, fine. I’ll give it to you."

Ha-rim reached into her bag.

I was about to stop her and put these punks in their place.

But I hesitated.

...Was this really my place to intervene?

This wasn’t an unbeatable situation.

She could just hand over the wallet, and I could slip some money into it later.

No one would die or even get seriously hurt.

This was just a small, everyday event—not a life-threatening crisis.

I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself by showing my strength.

So, I simply watched as Ha-rim pulled something out of her bag.

...And what she pulled out was not a wallet—

It was a bug repellent spray.

In one swift motion, she sprayed it directly into the eyes of the nearest thug.

"AAAAAARGH!!!"

The delinquent let out a piercing scream.

Before they could react, Ha-rim grabbed my hand—

"WAAAH! ALICE, RUN!!!"

"Y-Yeah! Got it!"

I ran after Ha-rim.

I could have outrun her easily, but I didn’t.

I let her lead.

"You little shits! You’re dead!"

The thug who got sprayed yelled obscenities, stumbling after us.

With his two friends joining the chase, that made three middle schoolers chasing after an elementary school girl.

Honestly, there was no way they could catch us.

We were faster, and even in terms of raw strength, they weren’t much of a threat.

I glanced at Ha-rim.

Was she scared?

...No.

Her face was dead serious.

"Turn right here, then climb up the slide!"

The moment we turned the corner, an old playground came into view.

Following Ha-rim, I scaled the steep slide with pure leg strength.

It was old and worn out, which made it less slippery—a lucky break.

We landed on the second floor of a castle-like play structure.

Just as the first thug climbed up after us—

WHAM!

Ha-rim kicked him down.

But the other two took the stairs.

Then, without hesitation, Ha-rim slammed her foot down on the floor—

CRACK.

The rotting wood collapsed beneath us.

We fell through the floor.

For a moment, I was stunned.

Ha-rim had just broken through the ground with pure strength.

"What the hell is up with this kid?!"

One of the thugs yelped.

Ha-rim just laughed and kept running.

"This playground’s been broken for ages! There’s a sign warning about collapse hazards!"

Even so, I doubted anyone expected it to give out in one stomp.

Behind us, the thug who had slipped earlier was back on his feet.

Ha-rim dug into her bag, focused intently, then suddenly threw something.

A hard, round baseball.

The timing was perfect.

Just as the thug’s foot landed, the baseball wedged between his shoe and the ground—

WHUMP.

He tripped and collapsed.

"AARGH! MY ANKLE!"

"Sorry! That was completely intentional!"

With one down, two left.

But the remaining two were furious.

They weren’t even thinking anymore.

Their faces were twisted in rage.

"KEEP CHASING! IF WE CATCH THEM, THEY’RE DEAD!"

These guys were middle schoolers.

Ha-rim was just a kid (well, except me).

The speed gap was clear.

Even though Ha-rim was fast, they were faster.

Some delinquents actually did sports—this wasn’t surprising.

Ha-rim took a deep breath as if making a big decision.

Then—

"...Alice, I'm really sorry, but be brave!"

"What?!"

And then, to my absolute horror, she veered off course and ran straight into the road.

Not a small street—a wide main road.

She dodged every single moving car with perfectly timed steps.

Horns blared, but she didn’t stop once.

She calculated the traffic flawlessly and crossed without a scratch.

I broke into a cold sweat.

Not for myself—but for Ha-rim.

‘Ha-rim, what the hell?! Are you actually an elementary schooler?! That was way too calculated!’

She casually apologized to the drivers as she ran, completely unfazed.

I always knew she wasn’t normal, but she kept shattering expectations.

We ducked into an alleyway, stopping between two buildings.

Only one thug had managed to follow us.

Panting, he grumbled—

"Damn... Fine, I’ll give you credit. But this is the end of the line."

Ha-rim fished through a trash can and pulled out a long stick, pointing it at him.

"Ha! You actually think you can fight me? Hilarious."

The thug charged at her.

Unlike him, Ha-rim was calm.

Almost too calm.

I saw her eyes darting rapidly, reading his movements.

She was tracking his shoulders, arms, and gaze.

And then—

She dodged his punch easily.

Then, in one swift motion, she struck his head and gut in quick succession.

"AAARGH!"

While he was staggering, I sprayed him in the eyes with the repellent spray.

As he clutched his face in pain, Ha-rim kept hitting his legs and feet.

She wasn’t trying to beat him up—she was making sure he couldn’t chase us.

It was a little unsettling.

If she had been just a bit crueler, she might have broken his ankles completely.

"You idiot! Stop getting your ass kicked!"

"Damn it...!"

The other two finally caught up.

For a moment, I thought, "Here we go again."

But then—

"...Officer~?"

"Hm? What’s wrong?"

A police officer stood across the street, directing traffic.

Since the school was nearby, Ha-rim had greeted him often.

Which meant—

She had deliberately led the chase toward him.

"These guys tried to rob me. They told me not to tell anyone, but I thought it was suspicious... Should I have given them my money?"

"...You three. Come with me."

—Game Over.

Ha-rim wiped her sweat and grinned.

"Phew... That was close."

"Liar."

She had been way too composed.

I thought to myself—

‘She really is the protagonist.’

Ha-rim stretched her arms, looking satisfied.

Then, as if remembering something, she said—

"Oh yeah! You never answered my question earlier."

"Huh? Oh... Yeah, I kind of dodged it."

"Hmm... Even though I like the occult, I don’t think I’d like living in a world full of scary things. Especially if they were everywhere, threatening my friends."

"Yeah... I figured."

"But, you know, when you actually have to face something scary, it means you had no choice, right? It’d be weird if I got to decide when something bad happened."

I nodded.

You couldn’t predict hardships.

And you couldn’t always prepare for them, either.

"Yeah. No one gets a choice."

"I don’t want to live in a world where terrifying things roam freely. But if I did, I’d fight to overcome them. If I keep trying, I might win. Just like today!"

That was who she was.

Even in the original game, she never gave up—not until the very end.

"And you know, it felt amazing when I won. Like I was actually saved, you know?"

"Yeah. You did great on your own."

"What do you mean, ‘on my own’? You were there, Alice!"

"Huh? Well, yeah, but—"

She had handled everything herself.

I didn’t expect what she said next.

"It was more special because you were with me. Those thugs were scary, but... that chase turned into a fun memory with you. And... you looked really happy!"

"...I did?"

"Yeah! That was the first time I saw you really smile! If making you smile is the reward, I’d go through a hundred more chases!"

Ha-rim beamed.

And as I watched her grinning face, I had a sudden thought.

If I had stepped in... would she have lost this joy?

Had I been taking away their adventures in the name of safety?

Was I erasing their happiness?

I had always thought it was the right thing to do.

But was it really?

"I..."

Something deep inside me wavered.

My power trembled.

Alice does not stop adventures.

"Oh! A street vendor! Let’s get a snack!"

Suddenly, Ha-rim grabbed my hand and pulled me along.

I didn’t resist.

And with that, the tremor inside me quieted.

“...You really are something else.”