Munch, munch.
"How is it? Edible?"
"Mhm, it's good."
I fed energy bars to Backrooms as she sat cross-legged.
With her cheeks puffed out, Backrooms eagerly accepted every bar I handed her.
"Tell me if anything feels uncomfortable. Like if you don't know how to breathe or something."
"...I know thad much, okay?"
Yellow eyes glared irritably at me.
Of course, her mouth kept moving even as she did.
How fascinating. She doesn't just look human—she's practically a real human.
I thought as I studied Backrooms closely.
Her shoulders and chest rose with every breath.
Her protruding lips pouted with undisguised displeasure.
Even her figure, full where it should be full and slender where it should be slender.
She looked even more human than a human. You'd never imagine that body belonged to an anomaly.
"..."
Then Backrooms' white cheeks suddenly flushed red.
"What's wrong? Want another snack?"
"...You're too close."
"Oh."
Oops. Had I been staring too openly?
I just couldn't contain my curiosity.
A location-type anomaly that had become human—this was the ultimate research subject for the head mod of the Ghost Story Minor Gallery.
"Sorry. You're just so fascinating. I'll stand back and watch from a little farther away."
"Y-you don't have to do thad..."
Huh? What had she just said?
Was it because she'd been a building until recently? Her pronunciation was still a little slurred, so I couldn't make out what she was saying very well.
"Anyway, you said the Head Mod gave you that body?"
"Mhm. Id's not my power."
Backrooms said, rubbing the sleeve of the dress shirt I'd lent her.
The Head Mod.
The administrator of the Ghost Story Minor Gallery, and the very embodiment of terror to its users.
I'd looked up a post for more detailed information.
[Info] Let's Learn About the Head Mod ★
Author: Archivera
Before I explain, let me make clear that this post was written with the Head Mod's permission and understanding.
My loyalty to you, Head Mod! ^^7
Though I call this an explanation, hardly anything is actually known about the Head Mod.
Whether they're male or female, humanoid or location-type—
no one even knows their fixed username.
The moment they became a moderator, they changed it to [Head Mod] ←←←.
Pretty ironic, yeah.
They're that famous, yet no gallery user knows anything about them.
But one thing is certain.
The Head Mod is the strongest ghost story currently in existence.
Recognition above 600.
Bureau classification: Catastrophe-rank.
A genuine heavyweight whom even the Bureau gave up on subduing and surrendered to.
So don't any of you go picking a fight with the Head Mod.
If they come after you in real life, you won't even have bones left to gather. Shudder...
[Total comments - 6]
Archivera: Is that what I'm supposed to write???
└[Head Mod]: Hmm...
└[Head Mod]: Good. Not bad.
└Archivera: Thankyouthankyouthankyou
└AshesMimic: No, no, you're fabricating information LOL
└ThreeThreeDrot: Is this government corrupt, or is it just way too transparent? LOL
"I don't know what kind of anomaly they are. I know they're strong, but to even give someone a human body..."
"She's nod normal."
I simply couldn't understand it.
What kind of anomaly would give Backrooms a human body?
And what could they possibly gain from doing something like that?
Tap, tap.
"Ah."
Just as I was deep in thought, I felt something poking my cheek.
When I turned, Backrooms was pointing at her own mouth.
"Good grief. Are the energy bars really that tasty?"
"Mhm, they're really gooo..."
"...If the words are too difficult to pronounce, you can talk through the wall."
「O k a y」
Right. This wasn't a problem I could solve just by thinking about it now.
Setting those concerns aside for the moment, I focused on unwrapping energy bars and feeding them to Backrooms.
"As expected, you're so kind."
"Huh? What did you say?"
「N o t h i n g」
...I should probably buy her a pronunciation workbook or something.
**
Meanwhile, in the courtroom located within the Bureau.
A judge sat atop the central dais, while jurors packed the galleries on either side.
Their cold gazes were fixed upon one place alone.
Twitch, twitch.
"Suspect Yoon Chaewon. Is that correct?"
"...Yes."
The woman answered the judge's question as her rabbit ears twitched.
Yoon Chaewon, head of the Bureau's Seoul Special City Branch.
A loser who had failed her conquest in spectacular fashion.
"Good. We will now begin the first round of questioning."
The judge announced it solemnly to everyone in the courtroom.
Whoosh!
The rabbit ears shot straight up in surprise.
"Before we begin, although we are using this courtroom for the questioning, I would like to make it clear that the suspect will not be treated as a criminal like actual Bureau criminals."
"Of course. We're only making use of this place's properties."
Yoon Chaewon added absently, staring into empty space.
The location-type ghost story, the Fair Courtroom.
Here, no one could speak anything but the truth.
Not the prosecutor, not the jurors, and not the suspect.
Swoosh.
The judge turned an icy gaze toward Chaewon.
"Suspect Yoon Chaewon. Is it true that you knew other information about Void beyond what the Bureau provided?"
"Yes."
"Why did you not inform explorer Kang Seoyun of that information?"
"Because it was better for both of us that way."
After that, countless questions and answers passed between them.
Had she known about Void for a long time?
Why had she pushed Kang Seoyun through the door?
Why had she requested that The Untouchable's codename be changed?
Solemn yet uneventful time passed.
"Very well. One final question."
Only one question now remained.
"Did the suspect intend for the conquest of Void to fail?"
"..."
After the question, Yoon Chaewon's lips moved soundlessly for quite some time.
As everyone in the courtroom watched her, her answer was as follows.
"Yes. I intended it, in part."
"Hah..."
Someone in the gallery let out a breath.
"...Understood. During the second round of questioning, we will ask about the suspect's betrayal of the Bureau."
Bang, bang, bang.
The judge lightly struck his gavel and left the courtroom.
Once he vanished beyond the door, the jurors who had watched in breathless silence rose one after another.
"Damn it. I kept hoping otherwise, but she really was a traitor."
"Isn't it still uncertain whether this counts as betrayal?"
"It's practically confirmed. A conquest isn't some game—does it make any sense to deliberately make one fail?"
The jurors chatted among themselves as they filed out one by one.
Before long, only Yoon Chaewon remained in the courtroom.
Step, step.
"You're looking pretty rough, Branch Chief."
Her and Kang Seoyun.
"My, why did you stay behind?"
"Because I have something to ask. I couldn't possibly wait until the second round of questioning."
Kang Seoyun slowly walked up to Chaewon.
Her footsteps sounded like heartbeats.
And when her sigh sounded like a cold blade of wind,
Kang Seoyun asked the one question she had been most curious about throughout the conquest.
"Branch Chief... are you an enemy of the Bureau?"
"..."
Crumple.
A sheet of paper was crushed in Seoyun's hand.
[Bureau Exploration Team Special Recruitment Candidate]
Recruitment Target: ( Undecided )
**
[Info]: Guys, I heard the Bureau is in complete chaos? Shudder
Author: Doppelganger
(Photo of Bureau personnel patrolling the amusement park entrance)
I listened in on those guys in the picture,
and apparently the Seoul Branch Chief came back after attempting a conquest and failing?
I asked what the big deal was.
Conquests aren't easy, and isn't it a good thing that she returned alive and well?
But fuck, it wasn't just an ordinary failure.
They're saying she went in intending for the conquest to fail from the start!!!!
Nothing's certain yet, but it's basically betrayal, yeah.
Most of the personnel seem to think so too.
Anyway, they'll probably be hunting anomalies less while they focus on that.
Gallery users with low recognition can finally breathe a little easier.
[Total comments - 10]
FenceLover: Wait, how are you even holding a conversation with them??
└AppleMango: Holy shit, it was so natural I didn't even notice.
└[Author] Doppelganger: My ability works in that kind of way, yeah.
└[Author] Doppelganger: I'll be dropping information here often from now on.
└Archivera: Don't overstep... I'm the authority on info posts...
└[Author] Doppelganger: We'll see about that. Lol.
└Christmas: Why are you suddenly having a turf war? LOL
"Oh, right. I need to get compensation out of her."
"...Compensation? Don't tell me loan sharks are bothering you again!?"
"No, no, it's nothing like that."
While I was working at the convenience store,
I waved off the owner's worried concern and remembered an anomaly I'd forgotten about.
MadamRabbit. I've got a mountain of things to ask her, and a mountain to collect from her.
What I needed to ask was why a gallery user was pretending to be a Bureau agent.
What I needed to collect was compensation for breaking into my home without permission.
I can't just let this slide. Look how hard our Backrooms worked to protect the house.
Or, in this case, had she protected herself?
Anyway.
"You're all right, yeah? If anything happens, make sure to tell me. I'll go get some stock from the supply room."
"Okay. See you later."
When Owner Seoa slipped into the supply room, I sent MadamRabbit a private message.
ㅇㅇ(999.1): Hey.
└ㅇㅇ(999.1): Let's talk for a moment.
└MadamRabbit: You're here.
└MadamRabbit: No, you've arrived.
└ㅇㅇ(999.1): ?
└MadamRabbit: As it happens, I've been waiting for you.
└ㅇㅇ(999.1): ???
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