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Chapter 302

Delusion Home Shopping Studio #4-168.

In the filming set where the lights had suddenly gone out and darkness and silence had descended, only the pleasant voice of a man echoed from the smartphone in my hand.

The Host's voice.

[Come to think of it, 'Friend of the Talk Show,' you still don't know much about how broadcasting fees are forcibly collected.]

When I raised my head, I saw the Delusion Home Shopping host's face twisted with terror.

Every opening in his face looked stretched wide, like a screaming ghost.

[Shall we take a look? You'll be able to watch it happen in real time, right before your eyes...]

[N-No, don't—]

[First comes the platform fee. Ah, the Late-Night Talk Show is broadcast through the venerable ■■■■■ Network. The price of another company's program attempting to piggyback on that broadcast from such an isolated and remote location...]

His voice remained gentle.

[Hmm. It should amount to roughly the rental deposit for this humble little studio.]

[No!]

I raised my hand.

My hand was trembling

No.

The entire studio was trembling.

[It's begun.]

[Wait! Stop! Just stop!]

As though responding to that desperate scream, vitality began draining from the studio.

"...!"

Like a loaf of bread fresh from the oven suddenly drying out, cooling, and becoming a moldy lump of grain, all the lively energy that made up the studio was being sucked away.

Upward.

Toward something impossible to describe. Strange, vast, deep, distant. A multilayered dimension beyond comprehension.

If the studio had been alive, it would have died at that moment.

For an instant, it felt as though its dying scream could be heard…

Then everything turned cold. 

[There we are. The studio deposit has been collected.]

[Noooooooo!]

[Oh, you can be quite dramatic when you want to be. I thought you had no talent at all, considering you only ever repeated the same lines.]

The host collapsed onto the floor.

His arm stuck to the ground, creating a grotesque and nauseating image.

The alien old-fashioned voice from the smartphone spoke with gentlemanly calmness.

[Now then...]

…….

[The Late-Night Talk Show's broadcasting fee still remains.]

The host suddenly lifted his head.

[The fee for using my program as an advertisement. The fee for broadcasting this home shopping survival program live through my show.]

[Oh, don't worry too much. Just…]

[Simply taking possession of this studio should suffice.]

[Wait! You never said anything about paying money! I only agreed to broadcast it! If I'd known there was a fee, I never would've—]

[Good heavens. Isn't that the sort of obvious thing that doesn't need to be explicitly stated?]

[…!]

His own words had been thrown right back at him.

Pale with fear, the host pleaded with his creditor.

[Wait, wait... Mr. Braun—no, Host. Please listen to me. I've always admired you. [Haha, the entertainer of an era. Do you know how much I've revered your shows?]

[Oh.]

[Haven't I always been cooperative? And we've had a good relationship, haven't we? Delusion Home Shopping even supplied teddy bears to the Late Night Talk Show free of charge!]

[Ah, yes. I remember.]

For a moment, the host's face brightened.

But then—

[Thank you for that. Now I'll begin collection.]

[Aaaaagh!]

Snap.

The sound of fingers snapping echoed through the darkness.

Flames engulfed the cold corpse of the studio. 

Within the inferno, the screaming figure of the host, Red Friday, seemed briefly visible—

[Ta-da.]

Everything vanished.

"......."

As though it had never existed.

Where the studio had stood was now nothing but empty black space.

Only a single A4 notice remained, attached to a door that seemed to lead toward a platform.

Rental Inquiries

■■■■-■■■-■■■■■

[And that's how you collect broadcasting fees from a fraudster!]

Clap clap clap clap!

Holding my smartphone in one hand, I enthusiastically applauded by slapping the back of my hand.

Good heavens, what a magnificent performance!

And what a satisfying ending! I almost regretted that it couldn't be broadcast on the talk show itself.

"Will you be talking about Delusion Home Shopping on your next show, Host?"

[Hahaha. My friend, even being mentioned is a form of attention. There's a reason we've never included jokes about Delusion Home Shopping in our scripts.]

"I see... understood."

But another question surfaced.

"Um, what happened to the host?"

[Hmm. He ran away during collection. He's probably barricaded himself inside Delusion Home Shopping headquarters and crying his eyes out.]

[Now then, shall we take a walk?]

I realized that a giant gentleman in a suit was now walking beside me. 

Like a supervisor praising an employee, he patted my shoulder. He walked across the place where the empty 'Delusion Home Shopping Studio' had once stood.

Along with the sound of his dress shoes.

Then a black-and-white poster suddenly appeared on a wall in the empty space.

A Friday Gift Just for You

Miraculous Prices! Magical New Products!

Delusion Home Shopping

[Originally, Delusion Home Shopping was simply an advertising program that aired randomly on Fridays. At some point, however, it seems to have lost sight of its identity.]

A gloved hand swept across the poster once and disappeared like a lie.

[Now that it's lost its newly built studio as well, it'll probably remember its place and return to doing business modestly.]

[Yeah. 'Returning to one's roots.' what a wonderful phrase.]

"You're amazing, Host!"

[My, you don't have to call me that, my friend. I'm your friend Braun, after all!]

Still, wasn't it natural to want to express genuine respect? 

My heart swelled for a moment. Then I remembered something important.

"Um, what about the temporary contract workers who were in the studio... and us? What happens now?"

[Oh, the Late Night Talk Show acquired this studio's employment contracts as part of the acquisition. They'll soon be transferred to the talk show studio.]

"Then do the residents of Segwang Special City who were trapped here become part of the Late Night Talk Show crew too?"

[If they're willing to work hard, opportunities will be open to them.]

What a relief!

'They're giving them a chance to work for the Late Night Talk Show. And they'll be able to escape Segwang Special City too!'

It felt wonderful knowing that the citizens of Segwang Special City, who had spent such difficult days bound to a Delusion Home Shopping studio that could never have offered them much fulfillment or joy, would be given a new opportunity.

"Then what about our group?"

[After working one day on the talk show, you'll be paid and sent home. Oh, naturally we must honor the employment contract.]

"Thank you!"

I smiled brightly and bowed.

'This turned out really well.'

Everyone would get to enjoy a fulfilling day working on the Late Night Talk Show.

So then……

…….

'Huh?'

An odd sense of discomfort twisted in my stomach.

Wasn't I forgetting something?

[Now, now, my friend. It's time to enjoy your reward. Have you forgotten? You're the winner!]

"Ah!"

I let out an exclamation. Then my expression darkened slightly.

"But Host, the studio's already gone now... I don't think I'll be able to receive the prize money I was promised."

Unless I went all the way to Delusion Home Shopping headquarters and filed a lawsuit, it seemed unlikely.

"That's a shame. If the prize was a percentage of the sales revenue, it would've been a pretty substantial amount. I thought I'd finally be able to pay back the money I borrowed from you, Host…"

And on top of that, hadn't the Host purchased all those gift boxes for me?

I'd have to repay that too...

[Good heavens! You truly don't need to worry about that. Didn't I tell you that you could pay me back slowly? My friend, as for the gifts, let us count them as genuine gifts. Now then...]

Snap.

With the sound of fingers snapping together, a warehouse door suddenly appeared in the empty space where nothing had existed before.

Inside... it was filled with Delusion Home Shopping merchandise. 

“...!"

[There you are. These are the assets collected from this studio. Take whatever amount corresponds to your prize.]

Oh my god.

[I'll bill Delusion Home Shopping for the cost later. Now then, hurry and choose whatever you like!]

"Thank you!"

I quickly opened the warehouse door and stepped inside.

My heart was racing.

There were so many items. Some made my heart pound because I could infer their purpose from things I'd read on the wiki. Others were so strange that I desperately wanted to open them despite having no idea what they did.

The first thing that caught my eye.

'Happy Maker.'

A necessity. I hurriedly grabbed a dozen of them. And then, and then…

'...Holy crap.'

Something enormous occupied an entire section of the warehouse.

A bathtub.

Not the modest foot-bath version I had purchased before.

Its body was elegantly curved and decorated with a black lattice pattern. The pristine white ceramic tub gleamed beautifully. Its feet were finished with luxurious gold trim.

Even the faucet shone with heavy golden brilliance, looking as though steaming hot water might pour from it at any moment.

Wrapped in plastic, the Bathtub of Youth seemed to grab hold of my feet.

'...Should I take it?'

It felt like it would make a wonderful gift for Braun!

But I forcibly tore my gaze away.

'N-No. First, I need to pick things that'll help with exploration.'

Right. Things that would make exploring Segwang Special City easier. Things that would help my companions and me uncover its secrets more safely and quickly…

…….

Ah.

"Host." 

[My friend is calling for me.]

"...What happens to my companions who died?"

[Oh, we'll do whatever they wish. They may work for a single day and go home according to their contracts. Or they may continue striving to work for the Late Night Talk Show.]

[If they're afraid of disappearing once their contracts end, that is!]

"......."

Wait.

Wait, wait, wait...!

"So... when their employment contracts end… they die?"

[Hm? Hahaha, my friend, they can't die again.]

[They're already dead!]

My blood ran cold.

[They were working while dead. When the contract ends, they simply return to their original state. Unable to move. Without will. Without a sense of self... A corpse.]

"......."

Just like Mr. Jang Heoun at the resort, who had been employed by a ghost story and gradually become part of it himself.

Either becoming a ghost story or returning to death.

But if that happened after working for the Late Night Talk Show, then that meant…

'They'd be dying outside Segwang Special City...!'

That was simply death.

The end.

'No.'

Then couldn't they simply continue working for the talk show forever? No. No, that wasn't right either.

I pressed a hand against my chest. The contamination. I needed to escape the contamination. Right now I was thinking as a member of the Late Night Talk Show crew. My judgment was being distorted— 

[My, my... don't force yourself so much, my friend.]

Braun patted my back.

Then spoke warmly.

[Haven't you already achieved enough? Wonderful showmanship. A thrilling climax. And catharsis exploding like fireworks! It was magnificent.]

[Enjoy that accomplishment, my friend!]

[Perhaps... perhaps this is simply the end of a chapter. An ending where you return to the workplace where you truly belong.]

"......."

[Of course, it's difficult to celebrate in a place like this. Come now. The crew is already cheering and preparing a party. We should return to the talk show studio as well—]

"No."

I shoved the contamination back into the tattoo.

The overwhelming resistance felt as though my skin were being peeled away and my flesh torn apart.

"...!"

The contamination of the Late Night Talk Show was forcibly organized and compressed.

The magical happiness, the comfort, the anticipation, the soaring enthusiasm. All of it vanished like a lie.

And in its place returned emptiness, fear, worry, and pain. Just like this vacant rental space.

"Haaah..."

I gasped for breath.

"Sorry, but I'm going to refuse. Braun. I… want to keep exploring this place."

[…….]

"I need to explore it. I need to learn the truth."

The truth behind the Cheerful Research Institute. The truth behind my summoning and this Catastrophe-Level disaster. 

And a way to save the people trapped here.

…….

[Very well.]

Braun's hand withdrew. 

[Didn't I tell you? I said that a good friend would always accompany you on your adventure.]

"...Yeah."

Though at the same time, the moment he saw an opening, he'd try to drag my journey to an end and force it into a talk-show finale.

And if helping me would 'ruin the entertainment' value of the scene, he wouldn't help, no matter how much I begged.

'That's how it'll always be.'

In the past, that realization had left me confused. Frightened. Even disappointed. But now I knew there was no need for that. 

This television-headed friend of mine was a ghost story.

That truth would never change.

But I shouldn't forget that he was also my friend.

"...That aside."

I spoke.

"Thanks for today. You had fun too, right? We actually make a pretty good team."

[You're stating the obvious! Have you forgotten where your showmanship came from? Wasn't it learned from none other than Braun himself...?]

It was a delicate balance. But we just had to keep it balanced. 

Without losing trust. Without losing friendship.

'Phew.'

Then, swallowing hard, I spoke again.

"So... about that first-place prize."

[Hm?]

"Can I choose something other than the items here? Like... employment contracts."

[...Employment contracts, you say?]

"Temporary employment contracts. You counted labor as an asset when you seized everything, right? Then I should be able to take them as part of my prize. Not many..."

Just two people.

"...I want Agent Bronze's contract. And Assistant Manager Falcon's contract."

[The dead ones.]

"......."

[Yes. My friend, I understand what you're thinking. You want to obtain their employment contracts and set them free. Allowing them to escape this sealed city through death.]

[...But is that truly possible?]

What?

[Mr. Roe Deer. You are not a studio. You don't operate a facility within this isolated place. So how exactly do you intend to 'release' them from here?]

The world turned white before my eyes.

[It's impossible. They would simply become minds remaining within dead bodies.]

[Unable to escape this city through death ever again. Yes. Exactly so.]

"......."

[Even if you summoned them back to this empty place that was once a studio and tore up their employment contracts… Nothing would change.]

"...Then."

My face had gone pale. My voice trembled.

"They're trapped?"

[Correct.]

Agent Bronze and Assistant Manager Falcon could no longer awaken from the nightmare of Segwang Special City.

 

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