Chapter 102.1

Winning against the elevator mirror ghost in rock-paper-scissors granted me one reward—a single question answered.

But naturally, the truths revealed by ghost stories weren’t always good.

They might be answers I didn’t like or ones that were completely useless.

For example, if you asked when humanity would go extinct, you might get an answer like, ‘Long after you’re dead’.

That would still technically be the truth.

So, if I were to ask, ‘What’s the way back to my original world?’ it could easily respond with something extremely vague and simplistic.

Instead, it was better to confirm whether the method I was already pursuing could truly return me to my original world.

Daydream Inc.’s Wish Ticket Potion.

My heart pounded as I waited.

The answer, guaranteed to be truthful, appeared painfully slowly on the glass window:

Returning is possible. Certainly.

A clear and absolute affirmation.

“……!”

I let out a deep sigh of relief and slid to the ground.

‘Wow.’

The tension in my body finally eased.

To be honest, I’d been worried it might give me an ambiguous or negative response.

I’d tried not to think about it, but sometimes doubts crept in…

– What if the Wish Ticket Potion can’t bring me back after all?

– What if I mess up the conditions, and it works in some twisted way?

Still, I had tried to suppress those thoughts.

Doubts wouldn’t change the fact that the Wish Ticket was my best chance.

‘Even if I’m scared, I have to keep going.’

And believing it would work was the only way to endure the terrifying jobs I had to complete here.

“……”

Now, with this assurance, I could work with even more determination.

‘Let’s do this.’

I could do it.

I’d gather the remaining points as quickly and safely as possible!

I stood up, bolstered by newfound resolve.

‘For once, I feel motivated to work…’

But I wasn’t out of the ghost story just yet.

‘I still have to complete the ritual.’

If you have safely received your answer, it is now time to conclude the ritual and return.

The steps required to return safely will depend on the number at which you won rock-paper-scissors to reach the top floor:

If you came from 1 : Proceed to 10.
If you came from 6 : Proceed to 11.

Number 1 was the scenario for when the person playing rock-paper-scissors had won immediately and reached the top floor without a hitch.

So after that, when proceeding to number 10, the story would end with something like, ‘Take the stairs down, avoid elevators with double-sided mirrors for the next three days, and you’ll be fine.’

But…

‘I failed along the way.’

Failure made the next steps scarier and more painful.

“…Huu.”

I decided to check the company-provided manual to clarify the steps.

Number 11.

11- If you reached the top floor by winning a game led by the entity in the mirror, your escape process depends on how many questions you answered.

First, board the elevator again.

I swallowed hard and turned back to face the elevator doors.

The elevator was still stopped on the 12th floor, and when I pressed the button, the doors slid open.

Ding.

Inside, the right mirror was shattered, revealing the grimy, rusted interior of the elevator.

At this stage, you must hold the ‘door open’ button continuously while inside the elevator.

Do not release the button under any circumstances.

Instead of looking at the mirror you faced during the rock-paper-scissors game, direct your gaze toward the opposite mirror.

I shifted my gaze to the left mirror.

The shattered right mirror no longer reflected an infinite repeating space.

Instead, the fragmented reflections glinted across the elevator’s dim interior, and…

Something strange was there.

I saw myself.

My head hung low, unnaturally so.

I was wearing a tattered suit, standing unnervingly still.

It was the ghost that had played rock-paper-scissors with me.

……

The reflection began to lift its head slowly.

Its expressionless face locked eyes with mine, and it started to move closer.

Closer.

Until it was almost pressed against the mirror.

You must endure until the elevator emits a sound. Do not move or avert your gaze until the sound ceases.

Be aware that the more questions you have answered, the longer this phase will last.

I held on.

But there were limits.

Even though a glass pane separated us, the ghost felt like it was creeping closer—impossibly close.

My trembling hand clung to the ‘door open’ button.

I had to think about something else.

‘Is that… the thing that answered my question on the glass?’

Yes. It must have been.

Bang!

I nearly let go of the button.

The ghost pressed its head against the mirror and glared at me.

Its mouth moved soundlessly.

IwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetoutIwanttogetout

I quickly shifted my gaze slightly downward to avoid meeting its eyes.

Sweat dripped from my chin.

But through the fear, the effect of the silver ring shone through.

I stayed calm—barely.

Wants to get out?

‘…Because it’s trapped in the mirror?’

My mind raced.

‘Come to think of it, that ghost couldn’t make the scissors hand gesture, could it?’

Why?

Why couldn’t it make scissors?

I thought about the hand gesture for scissors in rock-paper-scissors.

Whether you lift your thumb or middle finger along with it, the index finger always takes center stage.

And when I thought about the hand gestures involving the index finger in an elevator, one action immediately came to mind.

Pressing buttons.

‘…That ghost, can it not press buttons?’

Sure, it could physically press them by hitting them with its fist or banging its head against them, but this wasn’t about physical action—it was about the concept and intent.

A ghost trapped in the infinite mirror world of the elevator.

A completely sealed space created by the two facing mirrors.

And the warning in the manual about failing the ritual by losing rock-paper-scissors.

Exercise caution every time you ride an elevator from this point forward. The entity in the mirror will seek you out and attempt to meet you.

Was it, perhaps…

‘…Because it wants to get out?’

Bang!Bang!Bang!Bang!BANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANGBANG!

Fuck, seriously…!

I tried not to look directly at the ghost smashing its head against the mirror and continued to think.

…Maybe, just maybe.

‘That ghost is trapped in the elevator?’

Then, it happened.

Beep— Beep— Beep—

The alarm for holding the elevator too long sounded.

When this sound is heard, exit the elevator immediately and use the stairs. Never use this elevator again.

If possible, attach an <Under Maintenance> sign to prevent others from riding it until the next day’s sunrise.

Additionally, when using elevators with double-sided mirrors, do not look at the mirrors for more than five seconds.

It will come for you.

In that case…

I hesitated, then stepped out of the elevator and let go of the open button.

At the same time, I lightly tapped one of the floor buttons.

[1F]

As expected, since it was a mirror, the elevator in the reflection also lit up the 1F button.

Without looking at the expression of the ghost that wore my face, I quickly bolted out of the open doors.

Screech.

The doors, no longer held open, slid shut, and the elevator began to move.

[Going down…]

From the 12th floor, I took the stairs down to the 1st floor.

As I rushed down the creaking steps, I thought I heard the elevator’s cheerful announcement, ‘First floor. The doors are opening.’

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