I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game

Chapter 39

After the party, I had a meeting with James.

However, because he was away for a while, I had to sit in a chair and wait.

Maria was sitting next to me, looking tired.

"You seem to really like that."

Maria spoke to me. I tilted my head. What does she mean?

When I noticed, I was fiddling with the necklace I received from the children.

I got a little embarrassed.

"Well, I don't hate it."

Maria glanced at me as if looking at something cute. I cleared my throat and turned my head away.

Even so, I did not stop touching the necklace.

Creak-

"Looks like you're having a good time."

James opened the door and came in.

Now we can start the meeting.

Let's share the information I got and get opinions from James and Maria who know a lot about demons.

It would be nice if the kids could join too, but since they're civilians, it would be difficult to do that carelessly... Although it seems meaningless now.

"Now, let's start with the radio head demon."

"Good."

Radio head demon. A monster I've never seen before in the game.

We were able to defeat it with our attacks and Pierrot's finisher, but it's strength was that of a boss.

That said, it was a huge threat and there's no guarantee that a similar foe won't appear again.

Under the circumstances, it seems that the radio demon was sent by the half-devil that Pierrot mentioned, but it was strange that a demon created another demon. Is it a concept like reproduction?

The "father" that the radio demon said is also very meaningful.

...Who is grandfather?

"Considering the circumstances, it seems that the radio demon was sent by the half-devil that attacked us."

"For now, it looks like it. But it appears that even the half-devil was in a hurry."

"What are you talking about?"

"It was an improvised demon."

"An improvised demon? It sounds like it was made roughly."

James nodded.

"Yes. Calling it a demon is right, but it can be seen as an imperfect demon. It had no soul, and it's hard to say it even was born. They probably send that demon because they felt threatened by the artifact."

Right. That's what he said when we first met the radio head demon. What else did he say again?

"As long as the story and context are met and the sacrifice is enough, a demon can be born... Was it? They created a demon, albeit imperfectly, with strange materials."

Maria adds a word to explain.

"I remember that the radio demon called itself junk. It collected monsters in the shape of miscellaneous objects. Since the soul was empty, it met the context of worthless junk."

"It's smart."

And they were frighteningly efficient in creating demons. What can we guess with these clues?

What the half-devil wants...

"Hm..."

Haa... I can't come up with an idea. James looks to be the same too.

"For now, let's stop here and look for other clues. Now, who is that clown-looking demon?"

Now it seems it is my turn to speak.

Of course, I said it appropriately while hiding the fact that this world was a game.

"The clown guy is also a resident of this world. There are four powerful beings here, but among them, Pierrot has the strongest power."

"These four powerful monsters..."

"First, Ella. Second is Mary. The third is Miss Spider, and the last one is Pierrot. They are incomparably stronger than the other monsters out there."

In the early stages, Ella is a tutorial boss, so she is weak enough to make you laugh, but now I have become quite strong, so there is no sense of incongruity even if I'm among the other bosses. I'm stronger now!

"And what's your strength between you four?"

Oh.

I was suddenly stabbed in a sore spot. My self-esteem, which had been soaring, collapsed at once.

I scratched my cheek and replied.

"Unfortunately, Ella's the weakest."

James looked at me for a moment and then scratched his head.

"It won't be that easy."

Let's ignore what my image is like in James mind and move on with the story.

"According to the information Pierrot said, Hm... Well... There is a reason the half-devil cannot show themselves, and the radio demon and Ha-rim are hints."

"Hint... Are you saying that the fact that the devil created the radio demon is a hint?"

"I think it has something to do with being haphazardly made..."

The clue...

Demons can be created using sacrifices if the "story" and "context" are met.

A half-demon who is incomplete.

Ha-rim is at the center of it.

I don't know about the other kids, but what's special about Ha-rim... Could it be because she's the main character of this game?

...Game?

'Wait a moment!'

A "story" that will give birth to a demon... Isn't that a concept that also fits the "story" of this game?

This is in the game. That's the original story.

In the story, Ha-rim eventually survives after all the other children die, but the Devil appears with a huge body and brings despair as big as their size.

They are born by satisfying the "story (game)" that breaks the spirit of "Ha-rim" into despair and using some kind of sacrifice that exists in this world.

That's what the half-devil wants...!

Devils in the outside world can only be born in this way. The Devil on this side is no exception.

Why didn't I think of this? They exist, but they doesn't exist at the same time.

It's because they only appear at the end of the game or when the time runs out.

They couldn't be born as a Devil because the story of being a gigantic existence that brings despair to everyone isn't met.

A fragment of the game that exists in the game's setting. That is its true identity.

It may have been some kind of experiment that gave birth to the radio head demon.

Because it must be born in such a way itself.

"..."

I think I know now.

The reason why they sent several monsters was that they needed to kill the children first to break Ha-rim's spirit.

This world is one big story.

A Devil is born in it.

"Oh, I see... I've already figured it out."

If the Devil succeeded in killing the children and breaking Ha-rim's spirit, then it is possible that they would have become the "bad ending" Devil.

I did a small smile, and James got interested.

Oh, I have to explain it to both of them, but I can't explain the element of the game.

"Hmm..."

I took a moment to organize my thoughts.

I'd rather explain it this way.

"I've been to the world of dreams because Ha-rim was attacked by a monster called Monkey Dream in the past. Then I saw a scene in her dream, where various worldlines filled the place."

The place is where Pierrot visited Ha-rim.

Isn't this what Pierrot, who find hints, was trying to convey to Ha-rim?

"The worldline, you mean. Is it the worldline of this world rather than the outside?"

Judging by the fact that James didn't get confused, it seemed that he also had knowledge about dreams.

Indeed, if incidents related to dreams are missing from a secret organization's repertoire, it would be quite disappointing. There must be so many potential storylines to explore!

"Yes. What those worldlines have in common is that the children always fall into this world. They die one by one, and Ha-rim always survives alone. After desperately surviving, she met a giant Devil. It's a cruel story full of despair."

"Are you saying these children were born with such a fate...? Those kids, truly..."

Maria says bitterly.

"...I guess there wasn't your protection in the others worldlines?"

Yes, I'm quite peculiar. My existence has twisted fate.

"When the word fate is added, it feels like things are getting bigger... And it seems like this is the first time Ella is helping."

"A worldline with a really slim probability always exists... In the end, that's what you want to say."

"A worldline unique to this world. In other words, you want to say that the flow of this world works as a story. That's why the Devil is attacking you, Ella."

"That means that only when the story of the children dying and Shin Ha-rim's will is broken can the half-devil be fully born."

"You both understood!"

"There have been cases where a low-level demon fulfills the requirements of a story and becomes a new demon for greater power, but this is the first time something like this happened. It's very complicated."

"Haa... The more I learn, the more I want to see who is responsible for creating this inefficient, stupid world. This place was obviously created intentionally. It must have a purpose."

...Since the imperfect Devil could not have created this world... The culprit is the developer! Watch me, developer! This fucking game, I'll destroy it and go out to my original world!

"What we have to do remains unchanged. Install the artifacts and activate the ritual before the half-devil throw away their tricks. If we shatter the world with the ritual, the concept of story itself will become meaningless."

For now, there are 3 remaining artifacts. We have to place them on the states of Mary, Pierrot, and Ms. Spider... I think I just need to convince Pierrot.

But I don't know where he is. He gets out of the boss stage and wanders around freely.

A way to ask for a conversation no matter where he is...

There is one.

"I need to see Mary."

I feel like the situation is getting complicated, but if I succeed in persuading Mary, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?