Chapter 5: The Knocking at the Door

Knock, knock, knock.

[Hey! Ares!! What are you doing?! Aren’t you going to open the door? You said you would!]

“……”

From outside, she continued to knock on my door, refusing to leave.

It had been an hour already.

But was it truly her out there?

Was the voice claiming to be Lana actually Lana?

****

Author: Ares

Title: This damn b*tch still won’t leave, what do I do;;;

They’ve been knocking for over an hour.

I haven’t answered for more than 40 minutes, but they’re still knocking.

I feel like I’m going crazy.

I’m seriously losing my mind.

Is there any way to make them go away???

Comments

[An hour is pretty intense lololol]

[Night Rat: If you don’t want to die, just ignore them and sleep. Don’t you have earplugs?]

[Ares: What? They’re out there doing that, and you’re telling me to sleep right now???]

[Night Rat: Well, what else can you do? Are you going to stay up all night and go to school to study?]

[Wow, that Korean-style academic fervor seems to stick with you even in death.]

[Student Council Terrorist: But if you fail, you’re screwed, so studying is important.]

‘No, is studying important right now…!’

Yet, I had no choice.

As Night Rat had said, if I stayed up all night like this, it would surely impact my studies the next day.

Especially since I had to memorize entirely new subjects and historical facts I’d never encountered before.

For me, wasting even a single day was a luxury I couldn’t afford.

After all, failing would lead to a dead end, in the worst-case scenario.

‘They also said I could get caught looking at the gallery during the exam…’

Cheating would result in an automatic zero.

A guaranteed failing grade.

Although the gallery screen was only visible to me, the proctor could apparently detect it during exams.

In any case, nothing seemed to be going well.

****

Author: Ares

Title: Going to sleep now, baby

I’ll try to sleep, using that b*tch’s voice as a lullaby.

f*ck.

Comments

[Wow, they’re actually going to sleep lololol]

[Night Rat: Good call. If there’s no other way, that’s the right choice.]

[Hikikomori: This new recruit adapts very quickly, which is good.]

[ForGlory: Falling asleep listening to the obsessive voice of a female classmate ooh-la-la ooh-la-la]

****

The moderately cheerful comments on the post were at least a small comfort.

The thought of having comrades made my heart settle a little.

However.

Knock, knock, knock.

[Hey, Ares. You’re not planning on opening the door, are you? Huh? Why aren’t you opening it? Why? Why on earth?]

“……”

The ensuing knocking on the door made my tranquilized heart begin to tremble once more.

I pulled the blanket over my head and covered my ears.

‘Please just go away… please…’

But the entity outside the door did not cease.

Knock, knock, knock.

[I get it… it’s you, isn’t it? Ares… what did you do to the kids every week? That’s why you’re not opening the door, right? …If you don’t open this door, I’ll assume you’re the culprit. Aren’t you going to open it? Ares, are you listening?]

****

Author: Ares

Title: This goddamn b*tch??

I don’t open the door, and they’re saying the reason is because I’m the culprit behind the disappearance case???

You b*tch!!! You’re the one who killed them all!!!

Comments

[Night Rat: Didn’t you say you were going to sleep?]

[Ares: What can I do when I can hear the sound…?]

[Being framed and suspected by the actual culprit?? That’s not easy lololololol]

[This looks like a face-slap situation for tomorrow.]

****

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

The knocking continued relentlessly, and Lana’s voice persisted from beyond the door.

Eventually, she even resorted to shouting.

Her words were mostly threats.

She vowed not to leave me alone, to avenge Mia.

‘Oh, I don’t care, I’m sleepy…’

Yet, as more than three hours passed, even I, who had been trembling in fear, seemed to grow accustomed to it, and drowsiness washed over me.

Ultimately, I drifted off to sleep, using the entity’s genuine demands to open the door as a lullaby.

****

Author: Ares

Title: A Refreshing Morning

I woke up, and I don’t hear a voice.

…It should be okay to open the door, right?

…That damn b*tch isn’t there, right??

Comments

[Student Council Terrorist: You suffered lololol]

[They actually fell asleep, wow wow wow]

[Seriously, what a strong heart.]

[Night Rat: If the sun’s up, they won’t be there.]

[Ares: What if they are??]

[Night Rat: That girl?? Then it must have been that girl genuinely knocking on the door in the middle of the night.]

[Lololololol, it wasn’t a 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon), but a real person after all.]

[Hikikomori: It’s unlikely, but it would be so absurd it’d be funny lololol]

****

I began my refreshing morning with the gallery.

The reason was simple.

“……”

I had to open the door soon, but I was terrified to do so.

“……”

Was there truly no one on the other side of the door anymore…?

Of course, I knew there was no need to worry this much.

But having experienced such a terrifying ordeal yesterday, I was exceptionally cautious.

“……”

Oh, f*ck it, it’s morning.

If I die here, then it’s fate.

With a sudden push.

I finally ceased my hesitation and threw open the door with force.

“……Phew.”

I exhaled, gazing at the empty, deserted hallway.

How foolish.

****

Author: Ares

Title: That ghost b*tch ran away lololol

[Photo]

That idiotic b*tch.

She begged me to open the door all night.

In the end, she got tired, gave up, and left.

Comments

[Hikikomori: Just from the post, she sounds like a pure, innocent girl who got shafted by a total asshole lololol]

[Ares, the bewitching one, whom even a 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon) obsesses over wow wow]

[RedNightSky: Now she’ll keep wagging her tail like that until her arms and legs are scattered to the four winds lololol]

[Ares: Hey, you fucker, that’s not a joke!]

****

The academy during the day was incredibly peaceful, as if the night had been nothing but a lie.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

The chirping of birds mingled with the faint scent of grass.

The cool morning air invigorated even my chest.

“Hello, Ares! You’re up early today?”

“Oh, yeah. Hello, Levin.”

The cute 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon) NPC, Levin, greeted me as usual.

It was a perfectly peaceful morning, no different from any other.

“……”

“Oh, it’s Ares? Hello.”

However.

The moment I arrived at the classroom and encountered Lana, who was just about to leave, my refreshed mood vanished without a trace.

Her voice, which had relentlessly called out to me from beyond the door last night, now greeted me warmly.

“Hello…”

“What’s wrong? Your expression is strange. Did something happen?”

“What…?”

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.”

Yet, Lana’s reaction was peculiar.

****

Author: Ares

Title: Hey, what’s up with this girl??

That girl, Lana, who was knocking on my door yesterday.

I met her in the classroom this morning, and she’s denying it??

I asked if she wasn’t constantly knocking on my door yesterday, and she said I must have dreamt it, f*ck….

What the hell is this???

Comments

[Night Rat: It’s one of two things.]

[Night Rat: Either that 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon) imitated Lana yesterday.]

[Night Rat: Or Lana is completely lying.]

[Ares: I’m already confused as hell, and this game is f*cking terrible;;;]

[Wow, the highest praise lololololol]

[Night Rat: Can’t be helped. Judge the female student based on what you observe when you meet her during the day.]

****

I was in turmoil.

The possibility that Lana, whom I had definitively believed to be non-human, might actually be human had resurfaced.

“Hey, did you find out anything?”

“……About what?”

“What else? About the kids who disappear every week!”

“It’s only been one night, how would I know anything?”

“……Is that so? ……Right, I’m sorry.”

“……”

Was this an act of feigned ignorance?

Or was she genuinely unaware?

****

Author: Ares

Title: This goddamn b*tch, please just be honest!

You’re the one who came to my door yesterday!!!

Why are you pretending not to know and playing detective, huh?!

Comments

[Student Council Terrorist: I know that feeling well.]

[Student Council Terrorist: Want to set something on fire too? It’s definitely effective!]

[Ares: Where is this bastard looking for a partner in crime?]

[Lolololol, reminds me of when that bastard was setting fires even though everyone was trying to stop them.]

[Student Council Terrorist: Hmph… I’m serious.]

[In some ways, this guy seems more like a 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon) himself.]

****

I was bewildered as to whether Lana was human or a 괴이 (TL Note: A mysterious, often supernatural, entity or phenomenon).

However, that wasn’t the immediate problem I needed to solve.

The answer to whether she was human or not could wait until before graduation.

The pressing issue now lay elsewhere.

Knock, knock, knock.

[Hey, Ares. Are you going to keep the door closed today too? Are you just going to keep running away?]

“……Get lost.”

[Why? If you’re so confident, open the door. It’s you, isn’t it? You took Mia, didn’t you? Tell me the truth. Otherwise, there’s no reason not to open the door—!!!]

—Bang!!

“Gah, you damn b*tch!! Do you think I’d open the door?!”

[Open it—!! Open it!! If you don’t, then you’re truly the culprit…!! I’ll tell everyone and kill you!!]

****

Author: Ares

Title: It’s already the third day

There’s a saying about ‘Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage’ (TL Note: A historical anecdote where Liu Bei visited Zhuge Liang three times to recruit him), but

f*ck, Liu Bei at least brought gifts when he came.

This damn b*tch just keeps endlessly knocking on the door, really!!

Let me sleep!!!

Comments

[Night Rat: Absolutely do not open it.]

[Night Rat: If you open it, even out of anger, you’re screwed the moment you do.]

[Unlucky Zhuge Liang wow wow]

[Student Council Terrorist: I said, let’s set a fire?]

[Ares: You think I’d actually do that, you bastard?!]

****

Every single night, she would come to my door.

She would knock and scream at me to open it.

She claimed that if I didn’t open the door, I was the culprit who had taken the people.

She threatened to kill me if I didn’t open it.

To be honest, the knocking and talking from beyond the door no longer really frightened me.

The real issue was that I needed to sleep at night, but she wouldn’t let me, constantly banging on the door.

And so, as time passed, it was the fifth night.

Knock, knock, knock.

[Ares… please open the door… If you open it now and we talk properly, your misunderstanding will be cleared.]

“Misunderstanding, my ass…”

Overwhelmed by an onslaught of sleepiness, I felt my mind slipping.

****

Author: Ares

Title: Taking Questions

Not me, but that damn b*tch.

She comes every single day, and thinking about it, that annoying b*tch is really pissing me off???

Why is it always you asking questions and me answering??

Can’t I ask questions too??

So, I’m taking questions.

Sexual harassment is OK too.

Honestly, where else would you get an opportunity like this?

Try throwing some vulgar questions at a high school girl.

Comments

The comments exploded.

[This crazy bastard finally lost their mind lololololololol]

[Wait and see, I’ve prepared something just for this day.]

[That b*tch, it reminds me of when I did that?? I’m dead.]

[Hikikomori: I’ll impregnate them with questions.]

[Night Rat: What should I ask…?]

Having received everyone’s collective sentiments, I attempted to engage her in conversation.

Knock, knock, knock.

[Ares, aren’t you going to open this door? Open it now. This is truly, truly your last chance.]

“Alright, I’ll open the door.”

[Really? That’s a good decision.]

“If you answer my questions.”

[What is it? Ask anything.]

“Have you had s*x?”

“……”

No answer came back.

“What, you haven’t? That’s surprising.”

—Bang!!

[Are you playing games right now?!! Open the door!!!]

“No, you f*cking idiot b*tch. I said I’d open the door if you answered. Don’t you want me to open it?”

“……”

And a moment later.

After some thought, she soon replied.

[…I haven’t.]

“Okay, next question.”

—Bang!!

[You bastard!! You said you’d open the door if I answered the question!!!]

“When did I ever say ‘one’ question? Are you perhaps lacking a bit in intelligence? Did you think opening the door would be that easy?”

“……”

“Alright, then, here comes the next question~.”

I had already lost sleep for five nights.

You damn b*tch.

If I didn’t do this, my anger wouldn’t be appeased.

“What are your preferred girth and length, in centimeters? ……Ah, you wouldn’t know, since you haven’t done it. Pass.”

[You bastard——!!!]

****

Author: Ares

Title: I brought the Q&A answers.

1. Haven’t done it.

2. Average, too long would be unpleasant.

3. Not yet.

4. Three times a week?

5. Being pinned down is my preference.

6. After trying it a bit, I’d probably allow it.

7. Pink.

…………

………

……

Comments

[ForGlory: Is Ares a god…?]

[Are they truly insane?]

[You can get like that if you lose sleep.]

[Student Council Terrorist: Can you really handle this??]

[Ares: That damn b*tch started it first.]

[Night Rat: This is seriously dizzying.]

[Lolololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololololoulou““json 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