GSGW c258
Chapter 258
“Grapes?”
……
“Why aren’t you answering. I’m really curious about your friend Braun’s talk show.”
It feels like I’m showering in a cold sweat my body should never even be able to produce.
[Oh. So you watched today’s live broadcast. It wouldn’t be bad to take this opportunity to meet a viewer!]
[However, I must say that grabbing my cotton-filled body like this is rather excessive physical contact. Fan enthusiasm is a fate one must endure, but could you please tell him to put me down, my friend?]
As expected, I’m practically sweating buckets.
“Ah, is this how it’s supposed to go? Hello, children! I’m Braun!”
[Good heavens.]
"Agent."
Agent Bronze, who had been stopping Agent Choi from imitating Braun’s voice, lifted the rabbit doll as if snatching away a toy.
However, his movements were extremely careful—as if he were handling a bomb—and he soon placed it on the main wooden floor of the hall.
[Hm. This isn’t bad!]
Wait, now that I look closely, a silk handkerchief had been spread across the floor.
And on top of it, a circular formation resembling a directional ward had been made using blue pebbles, placing Braun precisely at the center.
No matter who looked at it, it was clearly the kind of improvised measure used to appease or suppress something unclean….
And then they looked at me.
"......"
……
That gaze—sharp enough to pierce a person straight through… no.
‘How did they know?’
The Black Tortoise Team 1 agents shouldn’t even know that Braun’s late-night talk show even exists.
And even if they did, connecting it to my rabbit doll Braun would be too much of a logical leap….
Besides, today’s live broadcast was officially hosted by Section Chief Lee Jaheon!
‘Were they probing me?’
I decided to deflect it for now….
“Grapes, I can hear the sound of your brain working all the way over here.”
Damn it.
“…Let’s move it for now.”
And so, the Black Tortoise Team 1 agents silently stood up, stepped on something resembling an organizational mark, and transported both me and Braun outside.
I could faintly sense their intent to leave Braun at the Disaster Management Bureau headquarters just in case of any unforeseen incident.
Not a single word was exchanged during the process….
No—there was one sentence when I tried to pick Braun up.
“Remove your hand.”
…Yes.
At least the one relief was that the agents were not trying to attack or dispose of Braun.
They simply carried the doll with extreme caution, almost reverently. Thanks to that, no disturbance caused by Braun occurred.
Of course, rather than treating it like a VIP escort, it looked more like they were carefully transporting a cursed doll sealed inside a temple….
‘If anything, it just shows they fully understand how serious this is.’
With a feeling like swallowing saliva that wasn’t there, I was transported.
The destination was a shabby alley at the far edge of Seoul, a neglected and nearly deserted backstreet where redevelopment rumors floated around.
It was one of the Disaster Management Bureau’s field dispatch rest sites—a small, old, inconspicuous container unit.
And there, I finally learned the reason for this catastrophe.
“Roe Deer.”
Because inside that container, across from a worn desk, Assistant Manager Eun Haje was sitting!
It struck me like lightning.
‘Information flowed both ways!’
This disaster must have happened because Assistant Manager Eun Haje—who knew both the Tuesday Quiz Show and the Late-Night Talk Show—and the agents who knew the rabbit doll was called Braun had met and collided like this.
And that meant….
‘There’s nowhere to escape.’
I’m screwed.
“Sit.”
……
I quietly sat at the prepared desk.
Assistant Manager Eun Haje looked at the rabbit doll on the handkerchief with troubled eyes.
“That Braun… is that Braun?”
……
Yes…….
Affirmative.
The Assistant Manager was silently cursing me with her eyes.
She had already seen me working in a completely contaminated state during that Late-Night Talk Show, and now seeing me carry around a rabbit doll named after the talk show host—what must she be thinking? It was terrifying….
And if she had seen the marriage variety show that resembled that Late-Night Talk Show while I went off to rescue Section Chief Lee Jaheon….
‘……Hoo.’
[My, Roe Deer. You seem to have a lot on your mind.]
[Why not take this opportunity to introduce how useful and charming your good friend is?]
That is….
Wait.
Wait a second…!
Request: paper and pen
Reason: explanation of the situation
Right. Hadn’t I realized while communicating with Baek Saheon using paper boats that I could speak like a human through writing?
And a very precise explanation suddenly came to mind.
“…Do you have paper here?”
“Hoo.”
I took the paper handed over by Agent Bronze and grabbed the pen offered by Assistant Manager Eun Haje, then began writing urgently.
So, Braun is…!
Braun is an existence like General Tiger.
"...???"
“What kind of nonsense is this?”
It means it is a supernatural being I receive assistance from.
Yes.
This doll was not something I simply received from Braun, but rather an item I personally obtained that functions as a spiritual medium.
“What?”
“Keep listening!”
Do you remember? I was reported missing for a month and processed as having died and resigned from Daydream Inc., correct?
And you also remember I testified that it was true while inside the glass prison…!
I stared intensely at Agent Bronze. He flinched.
“…I do remember, but.”
In truth, I wasn’t merely missing for that month. I was working inside a supernatural phenomenon called the Late-Night Talk Show.
And I persuaded Braun, the host of that show.
As a result, Braun accepted my resignation request, and afterward he came to inhabit this doll, helping me during my investigations of supernatural disasters….
Just like—
Like an agent receiving help from a dokkaebi.
“...!"
Yes. This is the Disaster Management Bureau method.
‘If they can soothe and manage agents, then they can also borrow the power of supernatural beings…!’
Among those beings were powerful and dangerous entities. Even General Tiger, whom Agent Choi once summoned, was the manifestation of a White Tiger-level catastrophe.
‘Braun is no different!’
[Oh ho.]
Although the subject did not seem pleased at all, if this metaphor could pass….
“So that’s what you’re saying?”
“That’s nonsense. That guy almost died in that talk show.”
No!
There were many times Braun helped me survive death.
Assistant Manager, do you remember that insane exhibition ghost story? Braun played a major role with the megaphone there—we all got out safely!
And the reason I survived the theme park incident was also because of Braun!
“But you almost died because you wrote it wrong.”
That’s….
It wasn’t death, it was contamination—
“Be honest.”
Cough.
‘Yeah. Even I think this sounds absurd….’
To Assistant Manager Eun Haje, who had seen my contaminated condition firsthand, it must sound even more ridiculous.
But still.
It’s true that, as a supernatural being, his emotions differ from humans, and that sometimes causes complications.
But if that’s the case, then my current condition is no different.
“…!!"
I felt the smoke drifting beyond my gas mask.
The thick horns above my head, the amorphous mass of flesh beneath my clothes.
The fact that there is something that stays with me during isolation has helped me more than I thought.
…Strange.
Even though I was clearly constructing a convincing sophistry, once I wrote it down, I realized I might actually believe it myself to some extent.
I cannot claim it is safe, nor that I fully trust Braun.
But at least, I am certain I am in a better state than before.
And this was only possible because Assistant Manager, Supervisor, and Section Chief came to find me even in high-grade darkness.
Thank you.
"......"
I believe the Braun inside this doll is my friend.
At least, I think it is acceptable to call him that for now.
I put down the pen.
A complex, subdued silence lingered inside the container.
And then….
[Mr. Roe Deer.]
[Could you do me a favor? As a friend.]
……
I nodded.
After asking for permission, I exhaled black smoke that coiled across the desk.
A space formed from the supernatural entity’s essence.
Inside the ghost story, the rabbit doll slowly stood up.
"...!!"
The good friend inhabiting the doll looked around at the Disaster Management Bureau agents and Assistant Manager Eun Haje one by one, then bowed deeply.
A slightly exaggerated gentleman’s bow.
As if introducing itself.
As if thanking the audience, it tipped an absent hat and brought it down toward its waist—a polite gesture performed by a tiny plush doll.
Then it waved its hand and sat neatly back down on the handkerchief.
Silence fell.
And then—
“Grapes.”
Agent Choi spoke.
“So you’re saying that, as a friend, you’re ‘hosting’ the talk show host and borrowing his power?”
……!
Affirmative
“How strong is this being?”
“Strong enough that a single snap of its fingers can turn a person into ashes.”
…!
“…Okay.”
At Assistant Manager Eun Haje’s added comment, a faint smile appeared on Agent Choi’s lips.
It was not a positive smile.
‘That’s…’
The kind of tense, anticipatory smile one shows when preparing to face a high-grade supernatural disaster.
“Does it require any other conditions to be hosted? I saw it doing a hat-tipping gesture earlier. How about we get it a nice fedora?”
[Oh ho.]
[Mr. Roe Deer. This one has some manners. Of course, considering their budget constraints, we shouldn’t expect much from the quality of the gift!]
Braun seems pleased.
“Really? Okay.”
I looked at Agent Choi.
Agent Choi maintained a perfectly ordinary expression that revealed nothing, and asked me:
“So, how was it for the six months it stayed with us? We kept it in the Black Tortoise Team 1 waiting room.”
……
I relayed Braun’s description.
Not bad:
▶ Occasionally placed on a cushion and helped with grooming
▶ Shared updates on Agent Grape’s movements
“Hmm.”
Not particularly pleasant:
▶ Pretended to feed it food
▶ Referred to as “Pink”
“Ah.”
And then….
Areas for improvement:
The cushion material was excessively cheap.
"......"
"......"
“Would cashmere be acceptable?”
Acceptable.
“So it has very clear preferences…”
That much was true….
In any case, thanks to the cushion complaint, the atmosphere that had been about to turn tense loosened slightly.
‘Maybe it’s because Braun, as a “good friend,” didn’t cause trouble for six months.’
That was certainly a positive point.
But then—
“And one more thing.”
Agent Choi’s faint smile slowly faded.
“…There were casualties during the talk show, right?”
……
Yes.
“The host… he’s not some classy gentleman who knows how to live like General Tiger, right?”
I struggled to answer.
That is correct.
If it involved his broadcast, he does not easily compromise.
“…So you did try to persuade him. Okay.”
The agents exchanged glances in silence.
‘…Are they communicating through eye signals?’
A moment later,
Agent Choi spoke again.
“Grapes. We don’t fully trust your ‘wonderful friend Braun.’ You understand that, right?”
Of course.
“So going forward, we’d like you to show us something more reliable. As a friend.”
…!!
“We’ll be watching. You understand, don’t you, Mr. Braun?”
I realized it then.
This was absolutely not “Sure, let him stay because he’s your friend.” It was more like:
‘If we let this thing roam freely, something catastrophic could happen.’
When kept still, it was “generally harmless”—but they were afraid even a small misstep could escalate into disaster.
As proof, Agent Bronze looked at me like he was about to stab me with his gaze.
[My, this feels like dealing with a relic guest who believes they hold all the authority.]
[Of course, a reliable friend like myself is rare, so it’s understandable they find it hard to trust!]
“What did Mr. Braun say?”
…Haa.
Positive answer.
“Okay~ …Of course, we believe our Grapes isn’t just making up doll responses on the spot, right?”
Of course.
“Right. Did he say anything else?”
……
Honestly, this might be easier.
I gave up and relayed everything as-is.
Braun’s correction requests:
His talk show aims for high-class entertainment and targets a broad, general audience—not just children.
“Ah… I see.”
Correction request 2:
There is no connection between a vegan lifestyle and being stylish; Braun is a generous and cheerful being.
“Oh, there’s a second one?”
He confirms he never disclosed Agent Bronze’s concerns from the waiting room to anyone, nor will he use them as broadcast material without permission.
“…Wait a second.”
Correction request 3:
The comparison between a rough, aging zoo tiger and a legendary host with refined speech, culture, and charm is misleading.
(This description is Braun’s personal opinion and does not match the sentiment of 130666.)
“Hey, our General Tiger isn’t—”
Correction request 4…
“Just tell him I got it.”
Good decision….
And so I spent a while in the container relaying Braun’s messages.
Fortunately, by the end of it, Braun was returned to me without any bloodshed.
“…Alright. You can take it for now.”
The atmosphere had improved somewhat.
Of course, this wasn’t the end.
“Oh, it’s not a fedora, but we’d like to give Braun a commemorative gift.”
Agent Bronze carefully extended something toward Braun.
It was a thin silk cord—small enough to be tied like a ribbon charm.
Originally, it looked like something meant to be wrapped around a human ring finger.
“They say kids these days decorate keyrings and stuff. Since you’re a talk show host, you’re probably quite trend-sensitive too.”
I can guarantee it. That’s a tracking item.
[Oh, then I shall accept it as a memento!]
Fortunately, Braun agreed readily. The agents only moved after confirming that I personally attached the charm near Braun’s head, on the keyring fixture.
“Let’s go.”
Thus, the pink rabbit doll was registered at the Disaster Management Bureau as “130666’s Friend Ghost Story”—a haunted item originating from the Cheerful Theme Park doll.
The “Braun identity exposure incident” was, for now, concluded.
‘Haa…’
For reference, throughout all of this, Assistant Manager Eun Haje only said “I understand,” and silently watched the doll.
But when she left the container, she returned to her usual demeanor.
She only added one line:
—Don’t trust it.
……
After some thought, I nodded.
Thus, the Segwang Special City expedition team all came to know of the existence of the good friend Braun.
What impact this would have later… well, only time would tell.
***
And some time later.
“Soleum.”
‘Section Chief!’
At last, Section Chief Lee Jaheon arrived, and preparations for entry into Segwang Special City were finally complete.
…Or so I thought.
“Good. There’s a recommended personnel for this expedition.”
“Oh? Who is it?”
“Supervisor Baek Sahaen.”
I almost jumped out of my gas mask.
Thanks so much for TLing this chapter ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
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