A video spills across the glass wall.

Unbelievable! I’m trapped in a bizarre prison! Where even is this place?

Aha, this is the Crystal Cavern in ■■ City? Thanks, Brown!

What? You’re even going to explain how to escape? Wow, thanks! We really are the best of friends!

It’s a miniature-style retro animation.

The protagonist, dressed exactly like I am right now, chats with a rabbit plush identical to mine.

Something’s wrong.

Something’s really wrong...

I turn my head. But the video plays there too.

I see! You break open the surrounding glass marbles to kill the other prisoners and use them as bait to lure out the Warden!

‘…!’

The video follows my gaze, no matter which way I look.

It plays from every single glass surface.

What an easy way out!

You’re amazing, Brown!

The rabbit plush, same size as the main character, helpfully flits through the space, explaining the escape method.

How to move as a sealed glass orb.
How to torture the Warden.
Maps and routes of escape.

It lays everything out in shocking detail, narrating viciously cruel methods with the tone of an educational children’s show.

...Like instructions from a preschool cartoon.

Ah.

“That’s right! Isn’t it just your style, Deer? The immersion is working beautifully. Splendid!”

The ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ animation—now taken to an extreme childlike art style—shows blood, screams, the Warden’s severed limbs, and Disaster Management Bureau staff fleeing in panic.

It ends with the ‘main character’ and the rabbit plush Brown giving each other a high-five.

That’s it! That’s how you escape!

The final line echoes in my ears—
And then: applause.

Clap clap clap.

The light, crisp sound of gloved hands.

“Phew! A short, but intense journey, wasn’t it? So, friend—are you ready to escape, just like Mini-Brown showed you?”

“……”

It was loud, flashy, and retro—
Which somehow made the TV-style video even creepier.

Classic Brown.

But—I noticed something.

“Oh, don’t worry! Like I said—watching TV is the most normal, everyday thing there is!”

No.

“Hmm?”

I looked at the shadow of the rabbit plush.

‘You didn’t actually break the rules of the Glass Prison.’

“Oh.”

Because—

‘The video was played from outside the glass prison.’

It was merely projected inward.
Just like when I spoke to Agent Cheongdong through the glass wall.

‘You copied that.’

That’s how it bypassed the rules.

You made it feel like something was happening inside the prison, when it wasn’t.

‘All to make the presentation more shocking…’

After a brief silence—

“My goodness… You’re right, friend! Your sharp eyes and keen deductions—surely a nightmare for any magician!”

“A truly magnificent talent. Really, it makes me wistful…”

“But that’s not the point right now, is it? I haven’t heard your review of the program yet!”

“……”

“Well? What did you think?”

I opened my mouth.

‘I had a question.’

“Oh? A question about the escape method?”

“No.”

That’s not it.

The thing I really wanted to ask…

‘How much of my thoughts do you actually know?’

……

“Ah.”

“Only as much as I need to, to be a good friend!”

“...Thought so.”

That was the answer I expected.

Ever since the Late-Night Talk Show incident, I’d known—
This ‘host’ could read a disturbing amount of what was in my head.

Maybe even information I only accidentally thought about.

The escape video we just watched?
It was probably built on exactly that—my own knowledge.

But...

‘That’s all it is, huh.’

“…….”

“Deer. I detect a troubling implication in your words... No, no—surely it’s just my imagination. You’re not saying this Brown doesn’t understand you well enough, are you?”

“No.”

A faint smirk tugged at my lips.

“You understand exactly what you need to—for your own purposes.”

You’re picking and choosing.

Based on your most important criterion.

‘Entertainment.’

The chipper voice returned.

“What could be more important for an entertainer!”

“Besides, this was part of your promise too, wasn’t it? I clearly remember—you swore to entertain me…”

“Yeah. But…”

‘I… was mistaken about something.’

“A mistake? Could you explain what you mean by that?”

I held back a sigh and said it aloud.

I could finally admit it.

‘I unconsciously thought you’d put me first before the fun of the show.’

That you’d think about my situation.

That you’d care.

And that was absurd.

What was I expecting from a ghost-story-world talk show host?

But… we’d shared so many secrets.
Gone through so many crises together.

We’d even agreed to escape together.

And somewhere in all that, some irrational part of me started believing.

That feeling you get when you convince yourself someone will care, just because they’ve been around long enough.

I even forgot the line I always used to convince you:

“For the betterment of the show.”

That was your language, not mine.

But I’d let it slip.

Because every time—
You showed up.
You helped me.
You made it through with me.

And I became biased.

Toward this ‘Good Friend.’

I’d started trusting you, irrationally, by default.

‘I won’t anymore.’

Of course, even saying that doesn’t mean much.

I just need to be more careful.

But still...

I’ll say this much.

‘You said you were hurt, right? Well, me too.’

……

“...My word.”

A soft sigh came from the host.

“So that was it… I did suspect. But now I understand.”

“Deer—you were deeply disappointed when I refused to help you a few days ago.”

Whew.

“What a tragic misunderstanding! But all I wanted was to help my friend the best way I could. Let’s think this through again…”

The host’s voice dropped to a low murmur.

“If I had just helped you ‘normally’ back then, what would have happened?”

“You would’ve vanished, like magic. No context. No meaning. Just gone.”

This is insane.

“All the story you’ve built up until now—it would’ve just ended. Abruptly. Pointlessly. A finale so hollow it might as well not exist.”

“Is that… really what you wanted, Deer? No, right?”

“That’s…”

Just then, the dokkaebi flame that had been huddled on the wall floated over to me.

…Huh?

“What is it?”

I carefully picked it up in one hand.

It hovered, then, with trembling effort, stretched out toward the rabbit plush—forming a single gesture.

A thumbs-down.

“……”

Then it nuzzled into my side—
(Hiding its face, I think.)

“…Oh dear.”

‘Don’t get mad. That was funny. You knew the risk.’

“……”

‘Sorry. But isn’t this kind of what you would say, too?’

It was probably reckless to be this blunt.
But… I felt a little clearer afterward.

‘Anyway—that’s all I wanted to say. I’m not saying you were wrong.’

And I expected this kind of reaction.

So… I won’t be disappointed again.

I’ll just be content knowing there’s someone I can talk to, someone who might help, if the odds are right.

“…Friend. You don’t believe in me anymore.”

“…Fine. Every relationship has misunderstandings. I suppose this, too, is something I must endure…”

There were a few footfalls—unpleasant in their clipped cadence—but they soon faded away.

That was… a little surprising.

I didn’t think he’d hold back.

“Because there’s something more important right now, maybe.”

There’s something far more urgent than squabbling among the parties involved, you see. Watching my friend continue to be left in this cramped and stifling place is not, I must say, a very delightful sight.

Escape.

Have you made up your mind?

Hm.

I stood up from my seat.

The small, round solitary cell—a single glass orb—is visible.

And now, strangely enough, the method for escaping this infamous Glass Prison is etched into my mind, as though engraved.

If I did it like that, it would undoubtedly be classified as an irregular incident in the Dark Exploration Records.

But….

…….

No.

I thought about it.

And I made my decision.

To choose the best possible action I could take right now.

Surely you don’t mean to go through with the interrogation as is?

…….

I do.

I sat back down in the chair.

“…I’ll go through the interrogation.”

***

“……”

Agent Choi lowered his head.

Prisoner ID: 37-999
Prisoner: Kim ■■ (Agent name: Podo)
Affiliation: Dispatch & Rescue Squad, Hyeonmu Team 1 (Suspended)

The updated interrogation records were in his hand.

As he flipped page after page, a grueling week’s worth of documentation lay before him.

Refusal to testify. Deteriorating health. Increasingly extreme interrogation protocols.

But beyond that stretch of agony, something changed.

Like this:

Day 8
Prisoner status: Poor (Recovering)
Noticeable change in behavior following the previous day's interrogation.
Significant reduction in uncooperative reactions—no longer deliberately inducing audiovisual disturbances or maintaining silence.
Sleep and meal patterns approaching recommended levels.
Observed caring for dokkaebi flame and plush doll (referred to as “friend”).
Attributed to new interrogator with personal ties.

That was after Ryu Jaegwan began his visits.

Personal report from staff:
Prisoner appears to be stabilizing. Rather than increasing interrogation pressure, a natural confession approach is likely more effective.
This assessment was agreed upon by the majority.

More pages followed.

Day 9
Prisoner status: Poor (Recovering)
Special meal (short rib soup) permitted. Interrogator brought identical meal to eat with the prisoner during the session.
Prisoner cooperated with questioning.
Acknowledged that signs of contamination were from separate supernatural disasters prior to their Disaster Management Bureau employment.

The prisoner confined in the Glass Prison began to share more and more.
Hints of deeper conversations with the interrogator emerged throughout the report.

Personal history, personality traits, affection for the Bureau, fear of supernatural phenomena, even feelings of relief and fulfillment when rescuing civilians.

And then, eventually….

It arrived here.

Day 12
Prisoner admitted to formerly working for ■■■ Corporation.
Confirmed that there had been external pressure in applying to the Bureau, and that separate objectives were to be achieved during employment.
However, also confirmed that a nearly-deadly geumje (binding curse) had been cast.
Pronounced no intent to harm the Bureau.
Confirmed: no actual damage to the Bureau during their tenure.
Pronounced truth: prisoner desires to continue working for the Bureau regardless of initial intent.
Interrogator reported the testimony to higher authorities.

“……”

Agent Choi stilled the tremor in his hand and turned the final page.

Day 13
Prisoner status: Stable

And then:

Testimony verified by interrogation protocols.
Prisoner 37-999 (Agent name: Podo) has had their detainment lifted.
Authorization granted to reinstate agent status.
Release scheduled for the following day.

And that day… was today.

Clack.

Agent Choi closed the folder.

His tired expression flickered with tension and relief in equal measure.

“They’ll be out soon.”

“Yeah.”

“Please stop pacing.”

“I know.”

And yet, Agent Choi kept pacing around the waiting room.

Because in his head, the next steps were already taking shape.

“This isn’t the end.”

The spy’s status had been all but confirmed.

A number of difficult procedures would follow.

But those would be internal disciplinary matters—the kind handled only for Bureau agents.

Kim Soleum would now undergo that process as a member of Hyeonmu Team 1.

“That means I can help.”

That was what mattered.

Now the Glass Prison administrator would retrieve the orb that had held Agent Podo, release the geumje, and transfer custody to them.

Before any formal penalty could begin, there were things they had to talk about—about Baekilmong Corporation, about the secrets and items Soleum had been hiding, about the strange abilities he might possess….

But that could be handled slowly.

The most important thing was that the interrogation had ended.

And that Kim Soleum had stabilized.

It was a long road back, but they’d made it.

Agent Choi finally exhaled a breath of relief.

The past two weeks had been soul-crushing.

He didn’t know how many lines he’d crossed to get to this point.

And….

“…Jaegwan.”

“……”

“Thank you. You did a lot.”

Agent Cheongdong gave a small nod.

It was a stiff gesture, but Agent Choi caught the quiet offer of reconciliation behind it.

He looked at his junior agent warmly.

A smile touched his lips.

A mixture of guilt and gratitude.

“First thing—once all this is done, the three of us are going to a hot spring. I’m paying. No excuses.”

“Yes, sir.”

Just as Agent Choi patted Ryu Jaegwan on the back—

Knock knock.

“…!”

The door opened, and the administrator appeared.

“Detainment has been lifted.”

“Then…”

“Yes. Agent Podo is currently waiting in the prep room.”

“Thank you.”

Agent Choi shook the staffer’s hand quickly and moved with purpose.

“W-Wait—!”

He already knew the location.

Without hesitation, he made his way into the cavern depths toward a steel door with a nameplate.

Soleum would be inside.

“……”

…What to say first? He still had no clue.

To be honest, he still didn’t even know who Soleum truly was.

What the hell was that?
That strange laboratory. That unnatural form. That entity.

But one thing he was sure of:

That night, under the curse—

Kim Soleum had tried to save him.

Even at the risk of dying.

“……”

“Then I’ll just have to figure the rest out now.”

Without hesitation, Agent Choi flung the door open.

And—

There was no one inside.

“……”

The empty prep room showed no signs of human presence.

Like no one had ever been there to begin with.

“Agent?”

Agent Choi stood frozen.

Then turned back to look inside.

On a steel chair lay something starkly out of place.

A neatly folded sheet of paper.

On the front was a single word:

Resignation.

Agent Choi picked it up.

A few small items tumbled to the floor—
a googly-eyed candy, a stick-type syringe.

They looked like junk, but each one… clearly an item.

“……”

He froze again, then slowly unfolded the paper.

Inside, written in pressed, deliberate handwriting:

Hello, Agent.

I wanted to properly apologize for everything that has happened.

I’m truly sorry.

—Agent Podo.