Assistant Manager Eun Haje's emotions were a tangled mess. 'If I'm going to leave, I'd like to go in peace.'
Apparently, that was an impossible wish.
"Hey! Move back! Do you think I didn't notice you already guessed one right?"
"Ack! Move back! I haven't guessed a single one yet!"
'Troll bastards…'
It was utter chaos.
The scene had already been unseemly when everyone acted as if they were watching a spectator sport while fending for themselves. But now, with everyone monitoring and sabotaging each other while yelling, it had gotten worse.
Survival and points.
Two objectives meant double the conflict.
It was like watching a wagon wheel stuck in place, unable to move because of friction, only building up heat.
'Roe, that punk… He's really something else.'
It had been a long time since Eun Haje had seen such excellent political maneuvering.
'Good thing he's a decent guy.'
Judging by the mess in front of her, they might actually stall for more than an hour.
'How long has it been? Twenty minutes?'
_ _ T R A _ _ R
And yet, with only one letter filled in so far…
[Here's the hint for the 6th blank letter!]
[Whose obituary call caused Teacher Eun Haje's airplane trauma?] "Assistant Manager Eun, who passed awa—"
"Oh, shut up."
But what was the point of stalling, anyway?
'Isn't it the same outcome? All my secrets will get exposed, and I'll die.' It wasn't like Eun Haje cared about preserving her honor anymore, but the longer it dragged on, the more bitter and tired she felt.
And the more she thought about what those two hoobaes were planning, the more dizzy she became.
'They're about to do something crazy.'
Eun Haje recalled Roe's earlier whisper.
– During the hanging, remember this…
"..."
It hadn't been a request, but a statement, one that wouldn't take no for an answer.
Still.
If they were really determined to go through with it, wasn't it only fair that Eun Haje did her best to survive?
…Though she couldn't say whether their resolve would hold in a few minutes.
'Let's see how it goes.'
Eun Haje crossed her arms philosophically.
And so, twenty minutes,
Thirty minutes,
Forty minutes passed.
"Hell yeah! It's right! The 'B' in 'Believe'!"
[Correct!]
B _ T R A Y _ R
The word was starting to take shape.
And at this point, it's only natural that someone would catch on. "Wait a sec."
"Huuh?"
The word's true identity.
"This word…"
"Roe, over there."
I looked up.
One hour and eight minutes had passed.
…The word was complete.
B E T R A Y E R
Betrayer.
"..."
[The word that best represents Teacher Eun Haje is 'Betrayer'!] What?
[Four years ago, as a reporter, Teacher Eun Haje betrayed her longtime boss and team, trying to publish an exclusive article on her own. She failed and had her story stolen.]
[And during this process, her false report caused severe emotional distress to her sources, leaving them in despair until some of them actually died!]
"..."
[What's the moral of this story?]
[The answer is, 'People who betray their workplace deserve punishment'.]
Ha.
[Hangman is an excellent educational game used here at ■■ Kindergarten to teach the moral of justice and retribution to our students.]
"This is the one time I really regret not being able to curse."
"..."
"Roe."
Supervisor Park grabbed my shoulder.
"Listening to this, it makes your sunbae sound like such a terrible person, but…"
"You wouldn't know for sure unless you heard it directly from them."
"...!"
"That's just how this kind of Darkness works."
It isolates the victim, inflicts psychological torment, and uses penalties to scare the remaining members of the Field Exploration Team into compliance.
"I think it's not too late to talk about it after we all make it out alive." Supervisor Park's face lit up.
"Exactly! You're right, Roe! That's why… ah."
Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk…
I turned my head.
Eun Haje watched with a conflicted heart.
"…They're coming."
Through the open door of the playroom, figures stepped in unison, moving slowly and fluidly.
There were no melting black substances, no screams.
Just pristine pastel outfits, smiling faces, aprons, and name tags. The brand marks on their foreheads.
[Sunny Class ■■■]
[Chick Class ■■■]
[Dream Sprout Class ■■■]
"…Those people are the ones who were fully contaminated and trapped here. No, the monsters that used to be people… Don't make eye contact."
"..."
"If you get scared, you might be affected."
I turned my eyes away as much as I could from those figures. [Game over!]
[Now, let's hang the Hangman one last time!]
"It's time."
"..."
I recalled the conversation we had during preparations.
– Supervisor, if it feels like too much of a burden…
– You're telling me to push it onto you?
– What?
– Oh, come on. That's not happening. This is my custom equipment. You couldn't use it even if you tried!
'I wasn't saying I'd do it, but… thanks.'
And now, the supervisor was holding his custom equipment. A camouflage cloth.
'Wasn't it called the Mimic Scarf?'
It looked no different from the one he had used to help me during the exhibition, but there was one key difference.
"It's actually sopping wet now, huh?"
It was soaked.
We had dumped all the remaining contents of the drink enhancer onto it.
The same enhancer that doubled the effect of the Smiley Sticker during the Tuesday Quiz Show.
'I drenched that scarf completely without holding back.'
To avoid dirtying the floor with foreign substances—which would incur a penalty—we'd spread my suit jacket beneath it, essentially sacrificing it. And if the enhancer worked…
'The camouflage gear should have tremendous power, even if just once.' At least until the moisture dried.
Since we were racing against time, it was perfect for the job. "Alright, I'll use it now."
"Yes."
I nodded.
The supervisor glanced at the kindergarten teachers climbing onto the stage, then silently pulled the scarf over his face.
And…
He became one of them, perfectly.
[Sprout Class ■■■]
"...!"
– Ah, excellent. A convincing disguise. It won't hold for long, though…
'It only needs to last for a moment.'
About three minutes.
And I had to act, too.
I waited until Supervisor Park had blended in with the teachers and then started moving, slightly delayed to stagger the timing.
'Now.'
I had to get as close to the stage as possible for Braun to use his ability. And if I could draw some attention away, it would make it easier for Supervisor Park Minseong to maneuver unnoticed among the monsters. 'Let's begin…'
But as I raised my head, I froze.
"..."
'Oh.'
I had forgotten something critical.
That I was a coward.
Teacher Kim Soleum, listen to me.
I finished reading the handbook!
1- ■■ Kindergarten is eternal.
2- I follow the rules.
Everything is perfect. I am a perfect teacher.
Everyone is safe, happy, and there are no accidents, no one jumps. Our ■■ Kindergarten is a perfect and safe haven where everyone follows the rules and educates endlessly. Once you finish reading the handbook, Teacher Kim Soleum, you'll be like me. Now just read the handbook quickly.
On the platform.
Countless ■■ Kindergarten teachers stood, smiling. They were not human. They had never been human.
Just looking at them sent an instinctive warning down my spine, that I would X if I were to approach, that I would be grabbed by the back of my neck, that I'd be left with nothing else to do but scream I knew it already. The more I was afraid, the worse the mental contamination would get. I just had to endure.
And I knew I had to stand close to them, attracting their attention. Compared to Supervisor Park Minseong, who had to fully blend into their midst, what I had to do wasn't even that difficult.
But…
Did I hold back a scream?
What… what on earth is this?
They said feeling fear leads to contamination, right?
Is my fear drawing the contamination toward me?
I'm supposed to draw their attention? I'm supposed to draw their atten—
"..."
Drip.
Cold sweat dripped from my chin.
I barely managed to move my left foot forward, taking a single step.
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
Their gazes locked onto me.
NEWTEACHER!
'S-Sticker.'
The tattoo sticker! I need to use it. I need to use it now. There's no way I can endure— No, hold on. I can't use them now.
This is panic talking. What I need isn't courage. It's rationality… No, maybe I should—
– Mr. Roe Deer.
"...?"
– Mr. Roe Deer, I'm curious. What's your favorite fruit?
"..."
– Mr. Roe Deer, a humble admirer named Braun is eagerly awaiting your answer!
A question…?
– Your favorite fruit, please!
...
"Grapes."
– Ah! Excellent choice. A symbol of abundance and nourishment. In ancient Egypt, they were revered as sacred fruit, and in Greece, they were celebrated as a cultural beverage.
– Shall we delve deeper? Let's move forward…
I slowly took another step.
New Teacher Eun Haje will dangle by her neck and die!
That's what the Hangman game is about!
Staring at the ground, I moved forward.
– How about wine? It's a beverage that has evolved alongside human civilization, shaped by the grape variety, harvest timing, and aging methods. – Over millennia, it has been refined, driven by the desires and determination of producers and consumers to perfect its methods and results…
One step.
Another step…
"..."
Soon, the edge of the stage came into view.
I had reached just below the platform.
– Mr. Roe Deer, your steps are no different.
I lifted my head.
– In this show, boldness is essential. Without it, you vanish. – And Mr. Roe Deer, you've proven to be a participant who won't vanish. Ah, it's all coming back to me now. Yes… you were the MVP. – This time too, let's follow your desires and determination. Braun spoke cheerfully.
– Now, let's play our assigned roles brilliantly, shall we?
...
Right.
'Thank you.'
– Encouraging my crew is my specialty!
I was genuinely grateful.
I took a deep breath.
Though the smiling teachers' gazes landed on me again, it felt more bearable.
The whispers and phrases didn't burrow into my brain enough to overwhelm me with fear or contamination.
'Don't let fear consume me.'
I can do this.
I steadied myself and stood, looking up at the teachers crowded on the platform.
[New Teacher Eun Haje, please step onto the platform~] The execution had begun.
The kindergarten teachers stood in abundance atop the colorful, cheerful stage.
It looked as though an event was about to take place, but what they surrounded was an executioner's block.
A black execution scaffold.
At the scaffold, a black line extended straight ahead.
At the end of the line were assembled body parts.
Both legs, both arms, thighs, waist, chest, neck, and finally, a head. The moment the head appeared on the stage, the parts merged, and Assistant Manager Eun Haje exhaled deeply.
Then, looking at the teachers surrounding her, she clenched her teeth.
GOODBYE!
The teachers clapped gently with smiling faces.
Likely holding back a stream of expletives, Eun Haje's face was pale as she moved her feet.
Not by her own will.
The black holographic ropes forced her limbs to move, guiding her toward the scaffold amidst the crowd of teachers.
And then…
'This is the moment.'
Did you know?
Of course, any contact with the teacher chosen as the Hangman was strictly forbidden.
Any attempt to rescue them, even a last handshake or an item exchange, was prohibited.
Even if someone tried to risk a penalty, their actions would be blocked just before the attempt.
So, the only opportunity to act was during one specific moment… [The Hangman is ascending the scaffold! This is what happens when you guess correctly!]
When Eun Haje appeared on the stage and began ascending the scaffold, at the exact moment she passed directly beside the 'teachers'. Tuk.
One teacher gave her something.
"..."
Supervisor Park Minseong, perfectly disguised as a kindergarten teacher, handed something to Assistant Manager Eun Haje.
Since Eun Haje's arms and legs were bound by ropes, she couldn't use them. Only small, movable parts of her body were functional. For example…
Her mouth.
The 'something' handed over in passing disappeared into Eun Haje's mouth in an instant.
As if nothing had happened.
Eun Haje continued walking, expressionless, and finally stepped onto the gallows.
This is where the second critical moment came.
[Now, let's begin the execution.]
'Braun!'
Now!
– Understood.
– Let's see your mask in a whole new light! Reframing the familiar… I frantically looked up at Eun Haje.
No change.
Thunk.
The black holographic rope around her neck gained physical form and texture.
[Hangman~!]
And then, it pulled upward.
'Damn it.'
I wanted to avert my gaze so badly, but I forced myself to watch, pretending to be unaffected.
The rope pulled with a disturbingly immense force, and then— Ting. Thud-thud-thud-thud…
"..."
The headless body tumbled down from the stage.
Thump.
The lifeless body part fell right in front of me, and I caught it. It was limp, devoid of any signs of life.
Then, it gradually faded until it completely vanished.
"..."
[The game has ended!]
[New teachers, please wait for your evaluation!]
"Ah, it's finally over."
"So you won the bet, Supervisor Roe Deer. Man, how'd you stop anyone from guessing twice?"
The other staff, who had been waiting at the back per the kindergarten's instruction to 'watch the Hangman's final moments in the playroom', approached with relieved sighs and complaints.
"..."
"Ah, is this your first time seeing a team member die?"
"Honestly, Eun Haje wasn't the kind of person who'd live long anyway." One of them gave my shoulder a light pat.
"Well… don't take it too hard, okay? She's dead now."
"..."
I smiled.
"…What?"
"Why are you smiling…?"
"She's not dead."
"What, what?"
"Huh?"
They stared at me like I'd lost my mind.
But then.
"Ugh, what is this?!"
Screams erupted from those who looked up at the stage. Not because they saw Eun Haje's severed head.
Rather…
"This, this!"
One of them pointed at the stage with a trembling voice.
"Why… is it a hand?"
Exactly.
"But, but it was definitely a head!"
I looked at Eun Haje's severed left hand lying on the stage and chuckled. I never thought I'd laugh at the sight of a severed body part, but I couldn't help it.
It worked!
– Ah, what a remarkable piece of craftsmanship!
– And what an amusing idea—switching the head and hand. Exactly.
The plan was to switch Eun Haje's head and hand while concealing it from everyone's eyes.
So during the execution, instead of her head, one of her hands would be severed!
– Using hands or feet to substitute for other body parts is a classic stage trick.
Braun, muttering about doing this only for a friend, was unexpectedly brilliant in this moment.
But this isn't over yet.
For the Hangman to 'escape', they have to die and leave as a corpse.
If Eun Haje had somehow survived the execution, the system would have noticed and enforced another way to follow the rules.
So…
– All I have to do is place this plum-sized apple in her mouth, right?
Supervisor Park Minseong had been essential to the plan. While disguised as a teacher, in that fleeting moment that Assistant Manager Eun Haje passed by, what he had slipped into her mouth was none other than a Snow White Mountain Mini Apple.
It was an item I carried, designed to induce 'death-like sleep'. 'It was a stroke of luck that the wrist storage upgrade let me carry a whole apple instead of just juice.'
That's why I was able to give these instructions.
– Assistant Manager, when the apple enters your mouth as you ascend the scaffold, swallow the final piece just before your wrist is severed. – What?
– It will happen in that moment… That's all.
Eun Haje followed the instructions to the letter.
At the exact moment when her wrist—mistaken for her neck by everyone— was severed, Eun Haje swallowed the last piece of the apple.
This put her in a state identical to death.
Her body, now indistinguishable from a corpse, was recognized as having been 'executed as the Hangman' and successfully ejected from the ghost story.
Exactly.
Outside that outcome, no other possibility could have worked in this situation…!
…Success.
"Ha…!"
I pressed my hands against my face.
Even so, I wanted to leave and confirm his survival as soon as possible. What if someone mistook the body for a corpse and transported it away? It felt too early to feel catharsis or relief. I just wanted to get out of here quickly.
[The evaluation is ready!]
Thankfully, the TV displayed the final signal.
Soon, it would announce which participants contributed to completing the Hangman word and which didn't, assigning penalties or granting a pass accordingly.
From the looks of it, no one seemed contaminated enough to fail escaping. "Roe!"
As the teachers on the platform disappeared, Supervisor Park Minseong finally jumped down from the stage.
"W-We did it, right?!"
"Yes."
"Waaaah!"
The supervisor collapsed onto the ground in relief and joy. "It was worth squeezing into that gap…"
Even though his face was pale, Park Minseong grinned earnestly as he finally removed the camouflage equipment.
"Supervisor, you didn't guess a letter, so you'll probably get another penalty…"
"Ah, I can handle up to the second one."
As we had discussed earlier, the supervisor nodded, accepting the consequence.
"Honestly, it doesn't feel great, but… well, taking one penalty for missing a correct answer is way better than letting the Assistant Manager die! I'll stop at the second—there's no way I'll get a third, so I'll be fine…" [Goodness. Ding! Wrong!]
"..."
"..."
Wait, what?
[New teachers must remain at the bottom of the platform! Stepping onto the stage is prohibited.]
[As a penalty, you must read the handbook aloud for 10 minutes!] Park Minseong looked back up at the spot he had just stepped down from.
"…Ah."
The platform.
"I'm caught…"
And then, he was dragged away.