The blue mascot raised their hand.

Their ceremony was fireworks.

Beautiful lights exploding over the waterpark, reflected on the water’s surface, evoking memories of his beloved deep sea ■■, though now faded… Wait, what?

‘A-Anyway. It’s some sort of signature theme park event.’

Apparently, you can choose the ceremony to fit your mascot’s taste. For example… Magic Bunny’s seems to be a parade.

It’ll probably be similar for me.

The blue mascot looked even more pleased.

Then they hurriedly grabbed something else brought over by another version of themself and handed it to me.

Snacks.

A bunch of treats sold at the waterpark. From hot dogs to chocolate. And just like before… churros, too.

‘…!!’

Wait a minute.

[Blue Soda Churros]

A product that, when eaten, causes you to vomit out sea water as a form of contamination.

The item’s description isn’t very precise, but since it originated from a ghost story, I haven’t used it except in desperate, urgent situations where there was no other way… but now the creator is right in front of me!

I picked up the churro and waved it.

The blue mascot looked at me blankly, as if confused by the question.

Wait a minute.

They’re saying there isn’t any special intended effect…?

‘……’

I looked at the churro.

If it’s just a natural description…

Usually, when you eat ghost-story food in a ghost story… what happens?

In countless legends, what happens if you eat food from a strange and mysterious place?

—You become a part of that world.

Right.

If a human eats food from the theme park, they gradually change into a being suitable for this theme park…!

‘So that’s why all those other contaminations were vomited out.’

Things that don’t belong in the theme park!

The realization sent a jolt through my head, but instead of excitement, a cold shock took over.

‘Then…’

It’s completely useless for Jang Heowoon.

The Jang Heowoon, who was revived as a staff member, is already a being perfectly suited for the theme park.

Because he’s a ghost story now.

‘……’

There won’t be an effect, at all.

I don’t know.

‘…I need to do what needs to be done.’

I moved on to the next topic.

I used my forepaws to gesture the shape of a soft, plush doll as I desperately appealed.

The Good Friend Doll.

It originally came from the Cheerful Theme Park’s souvenir shop, and it was one of my main reasons for coming here.

But the blue mascot shakes their head.

Ah.

Right, it wouldn’t really fit the theme to sell a plushie in a water park. They’d sell cute tubes instead. Damn it!

Then is there any way to get it from the Magic Bunny zone?

To summarize what the Blue Mascot said:

Magic Bunny is a lunatic.

Do you really think something from that souvenir shop will actually help you?

‘…Hearing it like that is a bit…’

Either way, the Blue Mascot wasn’t wrong. But still, the Good Friend’s power was proven in the <Dark Exploration Records>.

It shouldn’t be any different no matter the zone of the theme park.

You said you’d help with anything!

Finally, the blue mascot drooped their horns and ears, but nodded.

But it seemed like they would try.

Still, they kept reminding me to absolutely avoid Magic Bunny and never go near that zone.

Of course, I’ll keep that in mind, too.

‘It’s a relief that the blue zone is in between, at least.’

I grew quiet, recalling the terrible sight of the red team where only Supervisor Lee Seonghae survived.

Now that I think about it, it’s really a mystery how Supervisor Lee managed to survive outside after business hours ended…

Oh?

I turned my head.

Just now.

Something happened at the resort.

The yellow mascot could sense it. Something had happened in my area. I need to know!

Time to return!

The blue mascot looks at me calmly.

…!

Come to think of it.

It’s impossible to tell amongst the blue mascots which one was a special individual and which ones were just standard mascots.

Every mascot costume is the Blue Dragon, and the blue mascot can freely move all of their bodies as they please.

All the blue mascots are them.

The blue zone is theirs.

And…

The yellow zone is mine.

I understood that lesson as if under a spell.

And thus, the me who was in the resort.

I focused my consciousness on one of the standard mascots. And then…

I became myself.

‘…!’

When I blinked, I was a mascot standing guard inside the resort.

‘Oh my god.’

But before I could even be surprised or disoriented, I was confronted by a shocking scene.

Section Chief Lee Jaheon was restraining Supervisor Lee Seonghae in the lobby.

‘…?!’

And that wasn’t all.

Next to the tied-up Supervisor Lee was someone’s limbs strewn about like garbage.

Blood, soaking the lobby.

Employee Ladybug, dead.

A knife was stuck in his neck, blood gushing out in spurts.

He must have died trying to stop the bleeding, hands also covered in blood…

‘…!!’

And blood had also splattered onto Supervisor Lee Songhae’s uniform.

Every sign pointed to one conclusion.

…Supervisor Lee Seonghae killed Employee Ladybug.