I Became A Ghost In A Horror Game-Chapter 17: Going off out of nowhere

Ha-rim thought to herself.

This is bad.

The eerie aura radiating from Ella and her glowing red eyes made it painfully clear—

She was furious.

We had managed to get by without upsetting her too much until now, but this time, we had definitely crossed a line.

"Uh... Ella? It’s not that I was trying to ignore you..."

"But in the end, you didn’t listen, right? Am I seeing things~?"

I had meant to calm her down, but to Ella, it must have sounded like a weak excuse.

A cold sweat ran down my back.

Why was she so mad?

...Should I try giving her some chocolate?

As I hesitated, Ella’s glare grew even colder.

I had heard that when snow falls too cold, it stings like needles.

And right now, her gaze alone was sharp enough to physically hurt.

"Why? Why didn’t you listen to me? Oh! I get it now!"

Ella suddenly smiled brightly.

Normally, her beauty would be mesmerizing, but at this moment, it was far more terrifying than when she was openly angry.

"You’re not scared of me anymore, huh? That’s why you ignored me, right? Right?"

Her voice dripped with sweetness—

But her eyes remained ice-cold.

"I’m asking you a question, aren’t I? Hm?"

I instinctively took a step back.

Shit.

This isn’t the kind of anger that can be solved by offering sweets!

Stay calm!

If I untangle this carefully, like a knotted earphone cord, I can fix it.

Let’s think.

Why is Ella angry?

I had helped her when she was struggling.

Sure, I went against her orders, but would she really be this mad at someone who saved her?

Even Ella wouldn’t lash out just because someone helped her.

We had defeated the ghost successfully, so what exactly was the problem?

I couldn’t figure it out.

And if I gave the wrong answer now, she’d only get even angrier.

At that point, it wouldn’t be about guilt—it would be a matter of survival.

Come on, think!

Just then—

My necklace emitted a faint glow.

So faint that only I noticed it.

Why now?

[Survival]

A memory surfaced in my mind.

I had been walking down the street when I saw a cat limping across the road.

Its leg seemed injured, and it dragged itself slowly—

Then, the sound of a car approaching fast made my heart leap.

A vehicle was speeding toward the cat.

I wanted to save it, but I was too far away.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact—

But the cat never got hit.

When I opened my eyes, it was safely cradled in the arms of a child.

A kid I’d never seen before had jumped into the street to save it.

But instead of praise, the child’s mother scolded them harshly.

Ah.

I think I understand why Ella is angry.

"I’m sorry, Ella."

"Oh, so now you think saying ‘sorry’ is enough?"

"But I didn’t have a choice!"

"...What?"

Ella’s eyes widened.

Had I just made her even angrier?

No.

I needed to push forward now.

I grabbed her hand and spoke firmly.

"Because I don’t want you to get hurt!"

"I don’t ever want to see a friend get hurt!"

Ella looked genuinely taken aback.

She faltered for the first time.

She even took a step back.

To be honest, I had no idea where I found the guts to do this.

But if I backed down now, I’d never get another chance.

So every time Ella stepped back, I stepped forward.

I saw the other club members watching in shock, but I didn’t have time to worry about them.

I just had to keep going.

Eventually, Ella backed into a wall—

She had nowhere left to escape.

"Ella, you were mad because you didn’t want us to get hurt, right?"

"No, that’s not—"

Before she could finish, I cut her off.

"And you keep trying to take all the pain yourself! You did it before, too! I felt awful watching you fight alone!"

"Just like you’ve cared for us, we care about you too!"

"Who cares about who—!"

"Ella, don’t you feel the same? We care about you."

I wasn’t just saying this to get out of trouble.

I was saying it because it was true.

No matter how much of a ghost she was—

She had protected us.

And I didn’t want to see her get hurt anymore.

I looked straight into her crimson eyes, no longer afraid.

For the first time, I didn’t feel the need to avoid her gaze.

Instead of demanding answers from us—

Now she was the one being questioned.

The entire dynamic had flipped.

Ella, clearly flustered, looked away.

She hesitated, then mumbled under her breath.

"...Do whatever you want."

"Huh? What did you say?"

I hadn’t quite caught it.

"I said do whatever you want! If you wanna butt in and get yourselves killed, be my guest!"

With that, Ella vanished into the mirror and turned her back to us.

She didn’t seem angry anymore—

She seemed... pouting?

I exchanged glances with the others, then decided we should head back to school.

Kyung-min carried the mirror this time, since Soo-ho was still holding the shield.

As we walked—

Ella’s voice suddenly spoke from the mirror.

"...Not that way. Go left."

"Huh? Oh—uh, thanks, Ella."

"..."

She didn’t respond.

But watching her grumpily guide us back safely, I couldn’t help but think—

She’s kind of cute.

-----

Ignoring my orders and interfering in a fight was a reckless move.

Especially when physical combat was the only way to exorcise that ghost.

I wanted the kids to stand beside me as comrades, not remain as burdens to protect—

But it was too soon for that.

They didn’t have all the right artifacts yet, and even the shield I gave Soo-ho wasn’t fully powered.

If one solid hit landed, their bones would have shattered.

If anyone besides Soo-ho had taken that blow—

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

They would have died instantly.

I had been able to step in and help during the Rabbit Ghost incident,

But in unexpected battles like this, it was harder to react.

I didn’t want to be too harsh, but this needed to be addressed.

"Uh... Ella? It’s not that I was trying to ignore you..."

Oh?

Trying to sweet-talk me?

How bold.

"But in the end, you didn’t listen, right? Am I seeing things~?"

I dragged out my words on purpose, letting my voice turn sharp.

She still thought I was going to let this slide?

Ha-rim didn’t respond.

Hmph.

I decided to press harder.

"Why? Why didn’t you listen to me? Oh! I get it now!"

"You’re not scared of me anymore, huh? That’s why you ignored me, right? Right?"

"I’m asking you a question, aren’t I? Hm?"

I saw Ha-rim gulp.

Good.

I swept my gaze across the rest of them—

Soo-ho, Kyung-min, Eun-jung—

All accomplices.

If any of them ever pulled something like this again—

I wouldn’t let it slide.

"Say it. You won’t ever disobey my orders again."

"I’m sorry, Ella..."

Hah.

That’s not the answer I want.

I need a promise—not a meaningless apology.

I opened my mouth to correct her—

"Saying ‘sorry’ isn’t enou—"

But Ha-rim cut me off.

"But I didn’t have a choice!"

"...What?"

I was genuinely taken aback.

Did she just... talk back to me?

This Ha-rim—

The one who used to flinch every time I looked at her?

The one who always hesitated when I spoke?

Before I could say anything,

She grabbed my hand.

...What?

Why was she holding my hand?

This was the kind of thing counselors did to comfort kids—

Not something that was supposed to happen to me.

And worse—

Her energy felt different.

She wasn’t scared anymore.

She was determined.

"I don’t want you to get hurt!"

"I don’t ever want to see a friend get hurt!"

Her face was completely serious.

‘What kind of embarrassing thing is this kid saying?!’

Is this just how kids are?

Are they too young to feel second-hand embarrassment?!

"W-What are you suddenly—"

Ha-rim’s face kept getting closer.

I instinctively stepped back.

She followed.

Step after step, she kept closing the distance—

Until I felt my back hit the wall.

I wanted to yell at her.

But for some reason,

The words wouldn’t come out.

"Ella, you didn’t want us to get hurt, right?"

"N-No, that’s not—"

She cut me off again.

"And you keep trying to take all the pain yourself! You did it before, too! I felt awful watching you fight alone!"

"Just like you’ve cared for us, we care about you too!"

"Who cares about who—!"

"Ella, don’t you feel the same? We care about you."

Her voice was unwavering.

Her gaze was steady.

And suddenly—

The roles had reversed.

I was the one being questioned.

How had this happened?!

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

I was supposed to be scolding her!

I was supposed to be the one in control!

But instead—

I was trapped.

Pinned by her words.

Her eyes locked onto mine.

And I saw it.

Her sincerity.

Damn it.

She really meant it.

She really, genuinely, wanted to protect me too.

Why?

Why would she care about me like that?

I wasn’t even alive.

But the way she was looking at me—

As if I was worth saving—

It felt strange.

Something warm.

Something I couldn’t remember feeling for a long time.

I had no idea how to handle it.

So I did the only thing I could.

I looked away.

She had won.

Not just in confidence—

But in words too.

I felt humiliated.

But if I got angry now—

It would only break everything I had built with them.

And as pathetic as it was—

I knew that.

So I gave up.

But I couldn’t just let her have the last word.

So I grumbled.

"...Do whatever you want."

"What?"

She hadn’t heard me.

I turned away and snapped.

"I SAID DO WHATEVER YOU WANT! If you wanna be reckless and get yourselves killed, BE MY GUEST!"

With that, I vanished back into the mirror and turned my back on them.

I could feel my face heating up.

Damn it.

If I still had my real body, I wouldn’t be acting this childish!

Do I...

Do I even have the right to treat them like kids?

This is so annoying.

And yet...

It feels...

Strangely comforting.

When was the last time I even argued like this with someone?

(Hey, why do you look so pissed? Did someone put tacks in your shoes again?)

(Don’t act so friendly with me. I don’t associate with criminals.)

(Tch... You need some camaraderie, kid.)

(Oh, screw off! A head flick isn’t ‘camaraderie,’ dumbass!)

(Didn’t you say before that misfortune passes eventually? That’s why you brush off all the bad things that happen, right?)

(What kind of twisted logic is that? And you expect me to brush THIS off too?! You wanna die? And for the record, I WON’T be unlucky forever!)

(Nah. You were born unlucky. That’s just your fate. You’ve felt it your whole damn life, haven’t you? ...Want me to kill you and give you a new body? Hehe. Possession!)

(Stop reading so many damn novelkisss!)

‘Why am I even remembering this?’

-----

After returning to school, Ella wordlessly disappeared into the full-length mirror in the classroom.

She didn’t seem particularly angry, so there was probably no danger—

But that didn’t stop my club members from reacting with concern and frustration.

"What the hell were you thinking?"

Soo-ho spoke in an exasperated tone.

I could only laugh awkwardly.

"Haha... yeah..."

To be honest, if my plan to push through had failed, things could have gone really badly.

But...

I felt that Ella was different now compared to when she haunted the mansion.

She felt warmer, less unpredictable—

And, most importantly...

She was cute.

That’s why I had confidence in taking that risk.

Even if it was reckless, I had to own up to it.

"I’m sorry. My brain must’ve short-circuited..."

Kyung-min simply waved a hand dismissively.

"It turned out fine in the end, so whatever. Honestly, I thought Ella was going to pull a knife on you."

"Right? She totally would have before, but now..."

Eun-jung tilted her head.

"She’s... softer. And she smells nice."

Soo-ho raised an eyebrow.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Eun-jung ignored him.

And honestly?

I agreed with her.

She was always good at reading people, so I trusted her instincts.

When we asked Soo-ho and Kyung-min for their thoughts—

We all reached the same conclusion.

Ella definitely cared about us now.

"I still can’t believe it. A few days ago, she was threatening to kill us!"

Kyung-min adjusted his glasses, his eyes gleaming with intrigue.

"But seeing how she let today slide... that proves it. The more we treat her like a friend, the more she changes."

"So what you’re saying is..."

Kyung-min nodded.

"We need to get even closer to Ella."

That was unexpected.

Kyung-min had suffered the most from Ella’s antics, yet now he was saying we should close the gap?

If even he thought so, then it must be true.

"Alright! Time to think of a new strategy... Hmm... I got it!"

A brilliant idea struck me.

Sticking together as a group was good for bonding—

But if we didn’t form individual connections with Ella, she might still feel like an outsider.

Which meant our next mission was clear:

"One-on-one conversations and physical contact!"

""...What?"

"Got it! I’ll do my best!"

Unlike the confused boys, Eun-jung immediately agreed.

"Uh, Ha-rim... do we really have to do... um, physical contact?"

Soo-ho hesitated.

"Huh? Of course! If you're physically close, you feel emotionally closer too! That’s how it works!"

"That’s... not wrong, but..."

"Then it’s settled! Even if she’s scary, we just need to get closer to Ella! Let’s go, team!"

The boys shut their mouths.

Maybe physical contact was normal between girls,

But for them, it was the most awkward thing imaginable.

Meanwhile, in the Boys’ Bathroom...

Before lunch, Kyung-min and Soo-ho went to the bathroom together.

I had paired everyone up, just in case something weird happened.

"Hey..."

"Hm?"

"Ella's... a girl, right? Can you actually do the whole ‘physical contact’ thing with her?"

"...No."

Kyung-min sighed.

Ha-rim’s judgment was usually reliable,

But sometimes she had such innocent ideas that they ended up causing problems.

Just thinking about fulfilling that mission properly felt impossible.

It would be too awkward.

They were about to move on and agree to silently ignore that part of the plan—

But then, Kyung-min suddenly spoke again.

"Actually... now that I think about it, is Ella really a girl?"

"...What?"

Soo-ho frowned.

"Think about the ghosts we've encountered. Most of them came from urban legends, right?"

"Yeah. So?"

"Urban legends are fueled by belief. They aren’t living things—they’re just °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° stories that became real."

"..."

"So if Ella is just a ghost shaped by a story... then maybe she’s not actually a girl—just something that looks like one."

Soo-ho’s eyes widened.

"That... actually makes sense. Kyung-min, you’re a genius!"

"Hmph."

Kyung-min smirked, adjusting his glasses.

"But it’s just a theory. We don’t have a way to prove it."

"...Wait. If she’s just mimicking a human form, then maybe she doesn’t actually have a proper—"

Soo-ho froze.

"Like a bugged building in a game?"

Kyung-min snapped his fingers.

"Exactly! Some parts might not be ‘rendered’ properly!"

A realization hit them both at the same time.

"Which means..."

"Ella might not have underwear!"

"Eureka!"

Kyung-min practically shouted his discovery.

The thrill of uncovering a hidden secret was intoxicating.

Even Soo-ho got caught up in the excitement.

"So if we check if she’s wearing—"

Wait.

Something felt off.

They had been using vague terms, like "underwear"—

But the second Soo-ho actually said ‘panties,’

The reality of their own conversation hit them.

And their blood ran cold.

They had become perverts.

The two of them froze.

If Ha-rim or Eun-jung had overheard,

They would have been executed on the spot.

There was no greater shame than being treated like a disgusting pervert by their trusted friends.

"......"

"......Let’s never speak of this again."

"Agreed."

This conversation would be buried in their minds,

A secret funeral for their fleeting stupidity.

If they never mentioned it again, no one would ever know.

"Keep going. This is getting interesting."

""?!!!""

The blood drained from their faces.

The worst possible person had overheard them.

They slowly turned toward the mirror above the sink.

And there she was—

Ella, smiling sweetly.

"Go on. Don’t stop now."

They almost passed out.