I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game-Chapter 3: A temporary alliance

I left behind the children who had escaped the mansion and silently prayed for their souls.

This world is cruel. Even beyond Ella, there are terrifying things waiting for them.

By refusing to intervene, I had essentially become a bystander, ensuring the original story did not twist.

After all, according to the original plot, everyone except the protagonist was supposed to die.

Wishing for the story to remain unchanged... did that mean I was wishing for those kids to die?

And now, am I feeling guilty? ...Honestly, yes.

Even though I was in the body of a girl, as an adult, I felt ashamed to be driving these children toward certain death.

I’m a coward. That’s why the original story must follow its course, and I must follow mine.

I stretched. Feeling down wouldn’t open any paths. I just had to keep walking, because if I walked, the path would reveal itself. I had to move forward on my own path.

One way or another, I needed to find a way out of this mansion and back home.

Besides, even if I helped them while trapped in this mirror, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t die anyway. That was the excuse I gave myself.

The mansion’s silence felt unusually oppressive today.

I picked up a small hand mirror. If it had too much mass, it would be more likely to shatter when thrown outside.

I wrapped the hand mirror in a blanket from the bedroom. Stitching it together, I managed to make a rough, round bundle. I had never sewn before, so it took a while... but the result wasn’t too bad. This should prevent it from breaking.

I would throw this outside, then move down the mountain. When I reached a certain distance, I’d use [Mirror Travel], cut the blanket apart with a knife, and get out.

Since I had a limited number of blankets and only a few hand mirrors, I had to be careful. I had to be precise.

I carried the bundled hand mirror and moved to the mirror closest to the window.

Using telekinesis, I opened the window and searched for the best spot to throw it. I chose an area with fewer trees.

Then, with all my strength, I hurled it out.

I didn’t hear the sound of shattering. Instead, I saw the bundle rolling down. Hopefully, it wouldn’t stop after hitting a tree.

After a while...

By now, the bundle should have reached the bottom. And...

The kids should be at the base of the mountain by now. Did they make it safely?

Creak—

That thought shattered into pieces.

I could sense four sets of footsteps at the front gate.

Why the hell are they back?

Did they fall in love with this body or something? No, no way. Did I pick up Ella’s narcissism?

They were entering cautiously, trying not to be noticed.

Why? What reason could they possibly have?

Or... did I not warn them enough?

If they had come back for some ridiculous reason, I would make sure they regretted it.

I moved to the mirror in the room they had entered.

-----

The [Mystery Exploration Club] had successfully escaped from the insane girl, Ella.

Gasping for breath after their desperate sprint out of the mansion, the exhausted children only regained their senses when their lungs felt ready to burst.

"Hah... Hah... Everyone... Haa... calm down. If we keep running like this and trip, we’ll end up rolling down and dying."

Kyung-min wiped his sweat-dampened glasses and spoke.

Everyone, except Soo-ho, was too busy catching their breath to respond, but they all agreed and came to a stop.

"Yeah, whew... Eun-jung looks like she’s completely spent. I can’t believe we actually ran into an evil spirit... What the hell is happening?"

At Soo-ho’s words, Ha-rim lowered her head, looking dejected.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t know this place was so dangerous... I’m the one who suggested coming here... because of me—"

Kyung-min shook his head.

"When accidents happen, everyone suffers. You can’t just shift the blame onto yourself."

Catching her breath, Eun-jung patted Ha-rim’s back.

"Yeah. Besides, thanks to Kyung-min, we all made it out alive. Thank you, Kyung-min."

"Don’t make it weird..."

Even in the midst of exhaustion, their care for each other eased the fear in their hearts.

Ha-rim couldn’t even imagine parting ways with them. That’s how precious they were to her.

We need to get down the mountain and report this to the police. No matter how strong a ghost is, they can’t stand against law enforcement, right? Let’s just take it slow and keep moving.

"Wait... was the mountain always this foggy?"

At Soo-ho’s words, Ha-rim surveyed her surroundings.

The mist, which hadn’t been there when they came up, was now obscuring their vision.

Did Ella do something?

After what they had already witnessed, any supernatural occurrence felt possible.

"We might not be completely safe yet. Instead of rushing down, let’s find a path with fewer trees. Also, turn off the flashlights."

The club members swallowed nervously but continued scanning their surroundings.

Kyung-min, with his keen eyesight, quickly identified a path.

"This way has fewer trees. There’s a slope, but not many rocks, so even if we trip, we shouldn’t get too hurt."

They carefully began their descent, keeping watch in all directions.

We descended slowly, keeping watch in all directions. But something felt wrong. The air was growing colder, and an unsettling sensation clung to my skin. My instincts were screaming at me. Was I the only one feeling this?

"Everyone, stop for a moment. Look around carefully."

At Ha-rim’s words, the group halted and scanned their surroundings.

That was when Soo-ho spotted something.

Far in the distance—barely visible through the mist—stood a man dressed in black.

Was he... human?

Soo-ho nudged Kyung-min’s shoulder. Kyung-min, having recently gotten new glasses, could see much more clearly.

As he squinted at the figure, his face turned deathly pale.

Noticing Kyung-min’s reaction, Soo-ho whispered cautiously.

"What do you see?"

Kyung-min, speaking in the smallest voice possible, replied.

"A tall, gaunt man. He's wearing a suit, but... his skin... it's pale. No, beyond pale—it’s completely white, so white that I can see him even in the dark...!"

After a moment of hesitation, Kyung-min added:

"And... if my eyes aren’t playing tricks on me, he has no face."

A suffocating silence fell upon them.

Until now, they had thought Ella was the only monster in this nightmare.

But this?

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They had almost walked straight past it without noticing. If not for the sparse trees, they might have never realized it was there.

They had yet to be spotted. They still had time to escape.

"Guys... is it looking for us?"

At Eun-jung’s question, Ha-rim felt certain.

Even from a distance, it was clear—the thing was searching for something.

The lack of trees had helped them spot it, but it also meant there was nowhere to hide.

Lower your posture. Stay as close to the underbrush as possible. Move slowly.

"Damn it... why is it after us?"

"Keep your bodies low and slowly move away from it."

Following Ha-rim’s instructions, they crouched and carefully widened the distance between them and the figure.

Squeak. Squeak.

A wild rat’s cry echoed from a distance.

Fortunately, it was in the opposite direction.

The creature turned toward the sound but... remained still.

Was it not sensitive to noise?

Just as that thought passed through Ha-rim’s mind—

It vanished.

Ha-rim inhaled sharply.

A split second later, it reappeared at the exact spot where the sound had come from.

It swung its arm.

The force of the movement split a thick log in half, shattering it.

The rat inside?

Reduced to a crushed lump of flesh.

This thing... might be even worse than Ella.

Ha-rim’s mind raced.

There was no way they could escape without making any sound. And they were four people. The chances of avoiding detection while moving through the forest were slim.

But inside the mansion... as long as they weren’t seen in the mirrors, survival was possible.

Hiding inside was the safest option.

Probably...

"We... should go back... to the mansion."

"......!"

Kyung-min wanted to protest, wanted to say it was too dangerous.

But then, he saw it.

The thing was moving toward them.

Kyung-min’s face went even paler, his breath hitching.

Maybe there was a better way.

Maybe if they were extremely careful, they could escape without being noticed.

But that didn’t matter anymore.

They just wanted to get away.

The fear of the creature breaking through trees like they were nothing, the overwhelming presence of death looming over them—

It was enough to push them into accepting Ha-rim’s decision.

They crept toward the mansion, moving as quietly as possible.

The problem was...

The creature was faster than them.

If they ran, it would teleport.

If they walked, it would catch up.

Biting their lips, they forced themselves to keep moving.

Kyung-min, unable to contain his nerves, glanced back.

It had gotten closer.

Before, it had only been a shadow in the mist.

Now, it was close enough to see clearly.

"Hngh...!"

As they neared the mansion, the trees and bushes began to obscure them.

If this keeps up, we’ll be seen.

What do we do? What do we do?!

Just then—

Something rolled down the mountain.

A bundle wrapped in a blanket tumbled down the slope, catching the creature’s attention.

Its head snapped toward the movement.

That momentary distraction was all they needed.

They increased their speed, slipping through the mansion gates undetected.

"Move carefully inside."

Everyone silently agreed.

They cautiously pushed the front door open.

The countless mirrors inside greeted them once more.

But...

Ella wasn’t in them.

Taking this as an opportunity, they quickly slipped into one of the many rooms.

Only then did they allow themselves to breathe.

"It’s not over yet. It went after that bundle, but it’ll eventually come this way. There’s nowhere else it could go."

Who threw that bundle?

Ella? No... There’s no way she would save us.

Or... is someone else hiding in this mansion?

"Either way, we need to stay out of Ella’s sight and wait for morning. This room only has one mirror."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

They covered the mirror with a fallen piece of cloth.

If Ella couldn't see them, she couldn’t attack them.

Hopefully.

On one side, a faceless, towering monster.

On the other, a sadistic ghost girl.

A waking nightmare.

They sealed their lips and prayed for morning to come.

But then—

The cloth over the mirror... split.

As if sliced by a knife.

They had been too naive.

Thinking they could hide had been nothing more than wishful thinking.

Despair filled their eyes.

Ella had found them.

As soon as I arrived, the cloth blocked my vision, so I slashed it apart with my knife.

Seeing their stunned, hopeless expressions made my emotions twist in strange ways.

Did they really think they wouldn’t be found?

What was the point of all that dramatic acting to chase them away?!

Annoyance boiled inside me, but for now... I had to ask.

"Oh my! Did you miss me so much that you came back to play? But what should I do? I just feel like killing you~"

I smiled sweetly, twirling the knife between my fingers.

Ha-rim trembled violently.

Kyung-min, frozen in fear, seemed completely paralyzed by the memory of my chase.

Soo-ho instinctively shielded the others with his body.

Eun-jung... had already started crying.

Kyung-min, desperate, shouted as if trying to justify himself.

"There was a monster outside that could teleport! This was the only place we could hide!"

The way his voice cracked at the end almost made me laugh.

I had to respond to that, of course.

"Ahaha! Did you really think explaining would save you? That’s adorable~"

Even as I spoke, my mind was in turmoil.

Another monster?

In the original story, Kyung-min was supposed to die here, leading Ha-rim and the others to return to school, drowning in grief.

The first chapter ended with them slowly realizing the strange events happening around them.

Which meant... they weren’t supposed to encounter another supernatural being just yet.

Was it because I saved Kyung-min?

For now, I had to set that thought aside.

A monster capable of teleportation... There were a few like that. Some of them even had weaknesses that could be exploited.

If I could figure out what it was, maybe I could help—

No. Wait.

If I help them, what happens to the original story?

It was already twisted beyond recognition. Would making it worse really be okay?

I could coldly throw them out of the mansion.

But what if they all died?

The protagonist might survive, but the rest could be wiped out entirely.

You idiot!

The original story is already about everyone except the protagonist dying! What are you even hesitating for?

But... letting them die...

As I wrestled with my thoughts, something entered through the mansion’s front door.

Long strides.

Its head slightly dipped as it stepped inside.

It’s tall.

And despite its height, its footsteps are nearly silent.

Tall, gaunt, and capable of teleportation...

Ah. This monster is... Slender Man.

One of the most infamous urban legends.

A creature from Western horror folklore, known for abducting children.

But it wasn’t supposed to appear this early in the game.

Just like Ella, it was a boss-level entity.

But its true terror lay in its lack of weaknesses.

Ella’s weakness was the mansion and the destruction of mirrors.

Slender Man, however, had none.

This game was brutal—no matter how skilled the protagonist was, they were still just a child. If the developers hadn’t provided a way to fight, running was the only option.

And with a teleporting monster... any encounter meant an instant difficulty spike.

In the game, you’d rely on saving and reloading, memorizing its patterns, and escaping its line of sight.

But in reality, there were no do-overs.

And now that Slender Man had entered the mansion, escaping his sight was impossible.

There were four of them.

At least one, if not all of them, would die.

His footsteps grew closer.

He was heading directly toward us.

A predator hunting for children.

The others trembled violently.

They truly believed they were about to die.

Now... what should I do?

Protect them? Watch in silence?

No time.

Bystander. Responsibility. Adult. Child. Original story. Disruption. Conscience. Decision. Confusion.

I couldn't decide.

Then—

A small voice broke through my thoughts.

"Please... save us... I beg you..."

Eun-jung’s voice was shaking.

"........"

I made my choice.

A monster helping humans... some agent out there would have a good laugh about this.

"Get behind my mirror. Now."

"!!!!"

The playful, mocking tone I had been using was gone.

The kids hesitated.

I scowled.

"I won’t say it twice."

That got them moving.

One by one, they hurried behind my mirror, their backs pressed against the wall.

It was large enough to hide them completely.

Creeeeak...

The door slowly swung open.

A tall, faceless man slithered inside, moving like a spider burrowing into a hole.

He surveyed the room, then approached the mirror.

CRASH!

Somewhere else in the mansion, glass shattered.

And just like that—

Slender Man vanished.

I reappeared in another mirror, using telekinesis to quietly shut the door.

"You can come out now."

Slowly, hesitantly, they emerged from behind the mirror.

I could see it in their eyes.

Confusion.

Why did I help them?

Just moments ago, I had been ready to kill them.

Now, I had saved them.

I would be wondering the same thing if I were them.

They watched me carefully, like rabbits fearing a predator’s next move.

Pathetic.

What the hell was I supposed to do with them now?

With this, I had completely shattered the original plot.

This was my fault—my own contradiction.

If I had truly wanted the story to stay intact, I should have killed one of them from the start.

No paradise awaits those who run away.

I should have known this would be the result.

But...

I don’t regret it.

Could I really have let them die?

Absolutely not.

"Haa..."

My sigh made all four of them flinch.

Did they even understand the mess ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) they were in?

Then again, when you're staring death in the face, you don’t have time to think about anything else.

"Do you want to live?"

They exchanged glances.

Ha-rim, the de facto leader, nodded.

"Yes. We do."

I had an idea.

Even if Slender Man was unbeatable in the game, I had thought of a way.

But it required their cooperation.

Which meant... I needed insurance.

"Then make a promise with me—no, with Ella."

"A promise?"

I grinned.

"You’ll do exactly as I say. No funny business. And... you’ll offer me a playmate. If you do that, I promise I won’t kill you. Really, I mean it~"

It was the perfect line.

Something Ella would say.

A creature like her wouldn’t just help for no reason.

She would make them think she wanted something in return.

Of course, the moment Slender Man was dealt with, they would try to run.

They cared about each other too much to offer someone up.

But I had already broken my own promises, so could I blame them if they broke theirs?

Honestly, I wanted them to.

"Fine. We promise. Just let us live."

"Great! It’s a deal~"

I smiled brightly.

They looked horrified.

That stung a little.

Ella’s face was pretty, after all.

Oh well.

They should be grateful.

They were about to witness something rare.

A battle between monsters.