Chapter 28

How a Regressor Conquers the Tower of Urban Legends

Chapter 28

I looked at the three items inside the glass cases.

A spray deodorizer.

A mini fan.

And a headset.

"..."

Let's start with the deodorizer.

[Spray Deodorizer]

[Hides your scent.]

[Your pursuer will be completely unable to find you for three hours.]

[Can be used five times in total.]

"Oh."

Not bad.

Thinking about the monster we'd encountered on the sixth floor, wouldn't this basically give me three free hours against something like that?

How much did it cost?

I glanced downward.

"That's cheap."

"!"

There was only one small pyramid-shaped slot.

One ornament.

Maybe it was cheap because it had a limited number of uses.

For the effect it gave, the price was extremely reasonable.

If I have anything left over, I'm definitely buying this.

After making that decision, I moved to the next item.

The mini fan.

[Miniature Fan]

[You will always remain cool.]

[Maintains your body temperature at a normal level under any circumstances.]

You should've given me something like this before the second floor.

The price was...

Two slots.

"Hmm..."

"...!!"

"You think so too, right?"

It was awkward.

The item was good.

But at the same time, it felt strangely difficult to justify.

For now, let's leave it.

I could decide after checking the final item.

"..."

I slowly turned toward the headset.

Was it supposed to let me enjoy some music?

Thinking something stupid like that, I read the description.

[Silent Headset]

[No music will play.]

[Blocks all distracting sounds and frequencies.]

[In particular, it nullifies all symptoms that disturb the mind.]

[Warning: Its effects are greatly reduced against mental disturbances caused by visual stimuli, or against mental disturbances that exceed the headset's blocking capacity.]

"...That's broken."

It worked against every effect that interfered with the mind.

In other words, it was practically the same thing as having a mental barrier.

Something capable of dealing with almost any unexpected variable.

The fact that it couldn't protect me from visual hallucinations was a weakness.

But if it could do that too, then it probably wouldn't be a headset anymore.

"Hmm."

There was only one problem.

The price.

"Four..."

That's right.

I'd have to spend everything I'd risked my life to earn just to buy it.

Which meant I had to choose.

"What do you think?"

"?"

"I'm deciding between buying the first two items and keeping one ornament, or spending everything on this headset."

"..."

The mascot placed a hand against its chin and looked back and forth between the items.

"..."

And naturally, it didn't actually offer any advice.

That was very much like the mascot.

Fine.

Then I had to choose for myself.

It didn't take long.

I took out the four ornaments and inserted them one by one.

The moment I inserted the final one...

Clunk.

The glass case shook.

Then it opened.

"Phew..."

The headset emerged.

I'd spent a huge amount on this thing.

The phone I'd bought for two ornaments had already proven incredibly useful.

If this cost four, then surely it would be even better.

I examined it.

It was simply a black headset.

"Doesn't look particularly special..."

"!"

Maybe its effect was something I wouldn't understand just by looking at it.

Still, I was sure it would work.

Sooner or later, I'd probably have a reason to use it.

Not long after I took the headset, the other two glass cases descended with a mechanical sound.

"..."

I was honestly pretty disappointed about losing the spray.

I clicked my tongue.

The mascot patted my back.

"Thanks."

"!"

Right.

There was nothing I could do about it.

I continued staring at where the cases had disappeared.

Then...

Clunk.

Something rose from below.

[This round of products has ended.]

[Thank you for waiting.]

Once again, a single lemon candy appeared.

Alongside it was a card written in elegant handwriting.

[Your continued purchases provide great support to our finances.]

"...What is this?"

I didn't remember seeing anything like this last time.

I examined the card.

It was surprisingly well made.

The gold embossing was beautiful.

And yet on the back...

"...A stamp card?"

A cheap-looking sticker sheet had been attached to it.

The kind a neighborhood fried chicken shop might give you when you ordered delivery by phone.

And six stamps had already been marked.

I'd only bought two items so far.

Which meant...

"It must count the number of ornaments I've spent."

I'd bought the phone for two ornaments and the headset for four.

That made six.

I examined the card more closely.

There were three rows of five spaces.

Fifteen in total.

Usually, if this were a fried chicken coupon, collecting fifteen stamps would get you one free chicken.

I looked at the fifteenth space.

Tiny writing had been printed there.

[Collect all fifteen stamps to receive a complimentary service.]

[Thank you for using our shop.]

"..."

What kind of shop has a loyalty card system?

The more I climbed, the less I understood this miserable place.

For now...

I put the lemon candy in my mouth and walked away.

Thirty-six hours remained.

I'd already slept enough.

"Let's have a meeting."

"!"

The mascot immediately sat down on the floor.

"The next floor is apparently a hospital."

"!"

"Do you know anything about it..."

"..."

"Of course you don't. Right."

There was no helping it.

I clicked my tongue and sat beside the mascot.

Wow. So fluffy.

"..."

"..."

We had nothing.

All we knew was that the next floor was a hospital.

We had no idea how I was supposed to deal with whatever happened there.

"Would it kill that guy to call at a time like this?"

He'd called me on Floor 0.5 before.

And the moment I thought that...

Bzzzz...!

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

"...I think he can read my mind."

"..."

The mascot shrugged with a strangely displeased air.

I answered the phone.

"You're not secretly watching me through a camera somewhere, are you?"

<I don't have that kind of hobby.>

Are you sure?

<I came because you needed me. If you'd rather I leave, I can do that.>

"Who told you to leave?"

Why was he getting offended again?

The voice continued.

<You've heard that the seventh floor is a hospital, I assume.>

"That's right."

<And you wanted advice about the hospital.>

"That's also right."

<Hmm.>

"...If you've heard that much, couldn't you just tell me something useful?"

<I would love to tell you everything plainly. Unfortunately, if I did, my neck would become very plainly separated from my body.>

"..."

Seriously, who was behind this phone?

Why did he keep saying certain things were forbidden every time he tried to explain something?

"Then why even call me in the first place—"

<Give me a moment. I'm thinking.>

Apparently, he only gave answers after being pressured.

After a short silence, he spoke again.

<When you think of a hospital, what comes to mind?>

"...Hmm."

A hospital.

For me, hospitals had always been the same.

Places I hated going.

When I was young, I hated them because they were scary.

As I got older, I hated the very fact that I had a reason to visit one.

And whenever I had to use paid leave just to go to the hospital, it felt like I was carrying all the sadness in the world on my shoulders.

"A place I hate?"

<Exactly.>

"That's painfully obvious."

Of course I hated hospitals.

Why was he saying it like he'd uncovered some deep truth?

<Why do you hate them?>

"Because you're sick when you go."

A hospital was somewhere you generally didn't visit unless something was wrong with you.

Naturally, I hated it.

<Think carefully about that.>

"What?"

<Think about the kinds of people you'd expect to find in a hospital.>

"..."

Only then did I understand what he was getting at.

"There are patients."

<Who knows?>

"..."

So he couldn't confirm it directly.

Seriously, what exactly determined what he could and couldn't say?

Still, I understood the meaning.

"Then what I need to prepare is..."

<Your heart.>

"What?"

The calm voice came through the speaker.

<Do not pity them. Do not become emotionally involved.>

"..."

<Never forget. Your highest priority is survival. Nothing else.>

"I'm not exactly some saint—"

<This has nothing to do with being a saint. Empathy is one of humanity's strongest weapons.>

"..."

<But never forget that the things in this place will use even your empathy as a tool to devour you.>

"...I understand."

<Besides, it's already too late.>

"What?"

<I don't think I'm permitted to say more than that.>

"Wait, then..."

<Could you put me on speaker so the mascot can hear?>

"..."

That came out of nowhere.

Still, it wasn't difficult.

I tried switching to speaker mode.

"How do I turn this on?"

<Press the speaker button.>

After a little fumbling, I managed to activate it.

<Ahem. Can you hear me?>

The voice echoed through the room.

"..."

The mascot crossed its arms and stared at the phone with obvious displeasure.

"We can hear you."

<Good.>

The voice cleared its throat and continued.

<We agree that our most important objective is keeping this man alive, correct?>

"..."

The mascot silently nodded.

<You and I may be standing in different positions, but the principles behind our actions are fundamentally the same. So let's both take appropriate care.>

"..."

<In particular, mascot, I'm counting on you to keep an eye on him.>

The mascot slowly nodded.

"Why are you talking about me like I'm some fragile package marked 'Handle With Care'?"

Neither of them seemed interested in my opinion.

The mascot kept nodding.

The voice let out a quiet laugh.

<Excellent. Then that's settled.>

Click.

The call ended.

The mascot remained there with one hand against its forehead.

Looking at it, I couldn't resist asking something I'd wondered for a long time.

"Do you two know each other?"

"..."

Unfortunately, the mascot gave me no answer at all.

Rest time always passed too quickly.

I hadn't even done much.

Yet in what felt like the blink of an eye, I was already about to be kicked out onto the seventh floor.

"Completely unfair."

"?"

"Just talking to myself."

I looked away from the confused mascot and stared at the elevator.

It was already open, waiting for me like a hungry mouth.

"...How many floors do you think there are before the exit?"

"?"

"The thought just crossed my mind."

If they were going to trap me in this incomprehensible place, couldn't they at least tell me where the exit was?

What a miserable building.

"...!!"

The mascot raised a fist encouragingly.

"Do you know what the highest floor is?"

"...?"

"Right. I figured you probably wouldn't."

Please let it be a low number.

I stepped into the elevator.

It began moving with a heavy rattling sound.

I opened the notebook and waited.

Then...

<Seventh floor.>

The mechanical announcement played.

The elevator doors opened.

"...?"

Wind blew inside.

Not the smell of disinfectant.

Wind.

"What?"

The elevator had stopped outdoors.

It looked almost like a courtyard.

Wasn't this supposed to be a hospital?

I opened the notebook and stepped forward.

Then...

"...?"

A sign appeared before me.

Its writing looked strangely out of place.

[Jeina Tree Hospital Guide]

[From this point onward, returning is impossible. Continue moving forward.]

"..."

Without lowering my guard, I slowly continued forward with the mascot.

Soon, another sign appeared.

Unlike the previous one, this looked old and weathered.

[Jeina Tree Hospital]

[If you're sick, come to Jeina Tree!]

"..."

I opened the notebook.

[9. There are a lot of doctors and nurses. I'm going to die here.]

[11. Read the guide in front first. That's your top priority! Do that before anything else!]

The moment I read No. 11's warning, I looked ahead without hesitation.

There was indeed a guide.

[Jeina Tree Hospital Guide]

[If you have reached this point, there is no turning back.]

[Use the enclosed item at the appropriate time and place.]

[If you escape from this hospital or die, the item will return to its original location.]

"..."

Below it was a black bundle.

I searched inside.

"...Uh."

Something hard and cold touched my hand.

I slowly pulled it out.

"...Why is something like this here?"

"?"

A handgun was resting in my palm.

There was also a note beneath it.

[One shot to the temple.]

[Do not miss.]

[Sometimes, an easy death is salvation.]

"..."

The smell of disinfectant gradually began filling my nose.