It Seems I Must Go to Work Even After Falling into a Horror Story Chapter 039

I took a deep breath and recalled the instructions for the Bloodlust Bath.

First things first, fill the tub with warm water.

1. Please fill the tub with clean water to your desired level.

(The ‘Youth Bath – Foot Massage Edition’ is a product that cannot automatically refill.)

Following that guidance, I filled the sink with warm water enough to submerge a stuffed toy and poured it into the tub.

And…

This is where the main event begins.

2. Once the water has filled to your liking, pour in more than 200 mL of fresh blood.

The fresher the blood from a healthy and vigorous subject, the better the effect.

The very fact that such absurdity is written in a nice and friendly font feels insane, but fortunately, I have a substitute.

I lifted the mountain ginseng.

Then, I cut a medium-sized outer root with scissors.

‘Ugh.’

The thick, purple liquid that looked nauseating oozed from the cut root.

Thank goodness for the rubber gloves.

Trying my best to avoid contact, I leaned the root against the Bloodlust Bath.

Then, a mesmerizing occurrence unfolded.

Bubble, bubble.

The liquid coming into contact with the tub began to froth, releasing a fantastical fragrance.

“…!”

That nauseating purple liquid transformed into a dense and beautiful rosy cream color, sparkling before my eyes.

Strange and otherworldly.

The cozy and luxurious bathwater was ready, enticing anyone to dip their feet in…

3. Submerge your body in the bath and enjoy the soak.

(The foot massage edition revitalizes the entire body.)

From beneath the dark bed, an exciting sound emerged.

– Finally!

It was the laughter of a stuffed toy.

– Ah, no need to lift me and move me around! Doe!

– Please don’t turn around just yet.

I froze.

…Sounds began to resonate behind me.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

It was the sound of the stuffed toy walking.

No, could it be that the stuffed toy… might actually be? It had a slight buoyancy and weight to the step that brushed right past my back, then stopped.

And I heard a splash right next to the tub…

– You can look forward now.

I turned my head.

A small stuffed toy soaked in the bathwater, its cheerful mascot appearance unchanged, floated there with a blank smile…

“…Brown?”

No reply came.

Of course not. You can’t truly converse face-to-face with a toy in reality.

But it must be listening.

“I’m putting the ginseng away for now. Enjoy your bath.”

I removed the ginseng that had ceased dripping and placed it back on the desk, reflecting on the records of those who had used the Bloodlust Bath.

———————=

Usage Record #5

A user in their 40s stirred the water in the Bloodlust Bath with their hand while cleaning a bath product (the blood of a 20-year-old mixed-race Caucasian male).

30 seconds elapsed until the tub was fully drained.

Instantly, the condition of their skin and subdermal tissue witnessed a rejuvenation to that of a person in their mid-30s. Signs of revitalization observed throughout the body.

That night, the user was arrested while attempting to flee with the Bloodlust Bath in their car.

———————=

Hmm, there’s nothing specific about that.

‘As expected, it doesn’t work on toys.’

I should probably grab a towel.

Just as I turned to head toward the dresser…

– Ooh!

A voice?

I turned my head.

In the invisible bath, lights sparkled as if an old TV were flickering.

– Light is entering my powerless limbs!

Bright.

The shadow of the stuffed toy lifted its arms over the tub.

What the heck?

– Doe!

Don’t call me!

– This is truly an entertaining item! Haha, hahaha!

I gulped as I watched the scene.

‘…Is it really regaining strength?’

I had never seen records indicating that the Bloodlust Bath’s rejuvenation could extend to such an extent.

It was a new case.

One I was unaware of.

– Pour in more! More bath product, please!

Bath product.

Instinctively, I grabbed the mountain ginseng from the desk…

[Ahhh, they’re grabbing the mountain ginseng!!!]
[No, noble! Noble! Save me! Please, save me!!]

Ahhh, heck!

‘I broke it!!’

Startled, I reflexively threw the ginseng away.

Thud.

As if in defiance, the ginseng that landed in the Bloodlust Bath seemed to sense its own spilled liquid transforming into a fragrant bath product.

[Nooooooo!]

But that was all.

It seemed the ginseng could no longer perform any silly tricks. Whether the mysterious power of the Bloodlust Bath was suppressing it, or if Brown had some kind of trick up its sleeve, I couldn’t tell.

Crying out echoed.

[Please, save me, noble!! Noble!! I was wrong! I was wrong!]
[I’ll do my best! I’ll do my best! I will serve you!]

– How can you be so rude and noisy!

Another spark flew in the Bloodlust Bath.

It was as if the TV screen was glitching…

From within, the furious announcer’s voice rang out.

– Cut off its head, friend! Make it quiet. Don’t ruin this scene!

“……”

I stood up.

And without looking into the tub, I replied.

“I can make it quiet without doing that.”

-……

“I don’t need to resort to extreme methods.”

– In a show, a single moment can influence every reaction and feeling.

“But this isn’t a show, is it?”

– Well…

The sparking from the tub began to settle.

– I see. Yes. That’s true.

Huff.

‘If the new usage record for Bloodlust Bath was registered as an irregular like this…’

What a ridiculous situation it had turned into.

A pitiful, sobbing voice filled the tub.

[Thank you… Thank you, benefactor.]
[Kind noble! Please, take me out of here, and save me from this wicked monster’s clutches…!]

I crossed my arms.

“I never said I would save you.”

[…?!]

Who’s going to suffer halfway through a horror story?
It’s the innocent fool who relaxes at such a moment!
‘If you feel your heart soften at the ghost’s wailing, that’s when the real horror begins!’

In times like this, one needs to stay calm and maintain superiority. I stared at the ginseng abandoned in the Bloodlust Bath, focusing beyond its ceramic edge.

“What do you think will happen if I save you?”

A whimper was heard.

[Then, um, how about this? I can tell you about a precious item around the field where I was!]

“I don’t need that.”

I had a feeling it was a cursed item possessed by a spirit.

[W-well then…]

I sighed.

“Just prove that you won’t harm anyone yourself. Be quiet.”

[…….]

The ginseng closed its mouth.

It seems I’ve bought myself some time with that.

For several minutes, I held my breath (and Brown probably enjoyed himself during that time)…

‘10 minutes.’

Just as I checked the time…

– Hmm. That was a good bath.

“……”

Is it over now?

Just as I turned to see if I should take Brown out of the tub…

– Ah, wonderful…. Thank you, Doe.

The voice from the stuffed toy took on a sinister tone.

– Thank you for waiting until my bath was finished!

BAM.

[KYAAAaah!!]

A deafening noise and scream erupted from the tub.

What the hell!

– Just a moment! Friend, don’t move. If someone sees, this fluffy body will be too embarrassed to move!

[You said you’d save me! You said you’d save me!]

– Hahaha! Doe never said they’d save you, did they!

“Wait!”

I dashed toward the tub.

I could have sworn I heard a tsk, but as I leaned over the tub, it vanished.

The only thing visible was the ginseng trapped in the corner, shaking its fruits madly as if it were going insane.

The fruits appeared half-squashed from being kicked, and the root looked like it was squished as if an attempt to extract its liquid had been made.

[Save me, save me….]

The ginseng seemed to have entirely exhausted its energy, moving its fruits slower.

[Please, let me go….]

…Let you go?

I fished around for the ginseng in the tub using my gloved hands.

‘Not tied up or anything.’

[Save me….]

Following the order from the ginseng, a vibration pulsed through my hand.

“……”

Vibration, huh.

Come to think of it, when this ginseng spoke, I also felt these vibrations in my hand.

It wasn’t strange since a voice is a form of wave too.

However, there was something odd about it.

‘The roots aren’t shaking.’

Now that I think of it, even when I first saw it on the field, only the leaves and fruits would tremble while it spoke.

The roots simply stretched out like infected tentacles.

“……”

In that case…

I instinctively reached for the ginseng and snatched its fruits.

At that moment…

[HOooooo!!]

The fruits trembled like mad and leapt from my hand.

“…!”

And they seemed to twirl in sheer joy, hovering around my hand.

[I’m free!! I’m free! The tiger’s maw is disappearing! It’s disappearing!]

[Thank you, benefactor!! Thank you!!]

The fruits gradually took on a translucent form, shimmering as they floated into the air and vanished out of the window.

“……”

Was that its true form?

– Oh no! It escaped. What a pity.

Huff.

– Such a lowly and despicable creature should not be given the opportunity!

“Is that so? Still, let’s please agree on things next time…”

– Even in moments that require quick thinking like this?

“If no one dies, then sure.”

– …Understood, friend.

Though its voice sounded sulky, at least I had received a definite answer.

Satisfied with that…

– By the way, look at this! I’ve rejuvenated quite a bit now!

I looked back into the tub.

To my surprise, the stuffed toy was eerily silent.

From that wet fluff emerged a strange sheen.

“……?”

Whoa, it genuinely looked a bit more valuable. Should I say it looked of better quality?

It seemed slightly bigger, just as it said.

‘…It better not grow any larger.’

If it grows more than the size of a key ring, I’d have a hard time carrying it without raising eyebrows.

It’s already hard enough to not attract attention at the office as it is.

‘Let’s think about this before using the Bloodlust Bath again.’

No, I would prefer to get home before then.

“Indeed. Nice.”

I carefully took Brown out and dried it using a hairdryer, then set it down on the bedding towel.

As I returned to clean the tub, I was astonished at what I saw.

“…There’s still the ginseng root.”

After the fruits had flown away, I expected the ginseng would disappear too, but it remained intact.

In fact, it looked even better.

The discolored ginseng that seemed tainted had, by now, regained its clean ivory color.

‘It even seems to smell good.’

It gave off a magical aura. The complete opposite attribute of a horror story.

“Hmph.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I collected it and placed it into the desk drawer.

It might come in handy for something.

“Well, is this… the end?”

‘One task completed…’

I sprawled out across the bed.

Wow, I felt like my lifespan had decreased by twenty years since entering this horror story world.

‘As expected, I need to gather points quickly and skedaddle.’

It’s amusing how I need to actively tackle horror stories in this contradictory situation…

– Doe.

Yikes! You scared me.

– Moving my body and mouth feels a lot easier now!

– Ah, please don’t look this way.

I almost turned to look before catching myself and fixing my head back on the pillow.

Then Brown started chattering again.

– Now that we’re here, as long as we don’t lock eyes directly, we should be able to converse.

– Isn’t that a rather shy style? It’s frustrating but intriguing in its own way.

Yeah. Go ahead and chatter away…

‘Once I get back into the story, I’ll have to repay my life…’

– You seem quite tired! Sweet dreams, friend.

I fell into a deep sleep like I was fainting.

It was a refreshing nap, relieving the fatigue accumulated over the days.

…But when I awoke, more problems had surfaced.

That same afternoon.

While Kim Sol-eum was engaging in chit-chat with his superiors in the Group D Office, a certain employee who had recently been quite relevant to his circumstances was wandering the hallway…

“Ah, Manager Lee Byeong-jin.”

Yes. The manager who was missing and rescued by Kim Sol-eum.

“Yes, yes!”

And the one who called for him was one of the directors.

It wasn’t the most pleasant encounter for an office worker, but the manager forced a bright smile, desperately trying to maintain his composure while shaking hands.

There was no alternative.

He had a lifeline to clutch from his company.

Above all, the very top of the food chain in this bizarre, terrifying corporation!

‘Director Ho!’

The director, who had called him in the hallway, smiled back.

“You’ve returned after going missing. Are you alright?”

“Ah, I’m doing well, Director. Thanks to your concern, I’m back to working hard for the safety of our company, yes.”

“Haha.”

The director didn’t comment on the fake expressions. Instead, he spoke gently and elegantly.

“You were lucky. Many can’t escape once they fall into darkness.”

“Ah, that’s so true… I was fortunate to be rescued.”

“Rescued? Did you happen to receive assistance from the Disaster Management Bureau?”

Although the director’s tone remained unchanged, Manager Lee Byeong-jin jumped at the question.

This director had an extreme aversion to anything related to the government and would seek revenge for it if possible.

Cold sweat trickled down his back.

“W-well, that can’t be! An employee from our company found me!”

“I see.”

“Yes, yes. Ah, this new member of the field exploration team. He’s a really good kid! Really!”

I never would have expected such a statement to escape from the lips of this self-preserving man.

The director smiled and asked.

“Do you remember their name?”

“Ah! It’s Kim Sol-eum…. D group newbie. Kim Sol-eum.”

From the perspective of Manager Lee Byeong-jin, this was a significant act of courage.

To repay the life-saving gratitude!

‘Although Director Ho can be a bit creepy, he’s not a bad superior.’

As long as the triggering keywords are left untouched.

“He’s a very promising newbie. Yes.”

Little did he know, connections were being formed in places even the main person was unaware!

Manager Lee Byeong-jin sniffled.

‘Sol-eum will surely thank me later!’

But that wasn’t the case!

Regardless, Manager Lee Byeong-jin’s actions led to quite a substantial butterfly effect…

“Oh, I need to remember that.”

Just a few days later, an incident erupted at the company.

More specifically, within the Field Exploration Team.