Punishment

There wasn't any monsters invading the school, but as I was patrolling from mirror to mirror, I heard people talking.

The place is the men's restroom.

Looking out of the mirror, I saw Suho and Kyeong-min chatting.

What are they talking about?

"On second thought, is Ella really a girl?"

When I overheard it, he was talking about something really unexpected.

What are you saying. Aren't I a girl?

Could it be that they found out that I was originally a man!

"What do you mean?"

When Suho said that as if he didn't understand, I calmed down my panicked mind and focused my ears.

"The monsters we met. Most of them had to do with ghost stories. To be precise, something like an ominous rumor or idea."

"...Go on."

"If we hypothesize that an abstract concept called a story gained strength and formed psychical form... Ella is also a girl only in form. It means that she might not really be a girl.

"...That makes sense! Lee Kyeong-min, aren't you really smart? And not only because you read a lot of books!"

"Heh."

God, I never thought these kids would have such profound thoughts.

Even I am concerned about my identity. They didn't find out that I was originally a man, but isn't this just as shocking?.

Are monsters like me, no, Ella, rooted in "concepts"?

The moment I had this thought.

In ghost stories, is the "ghost" first or the "story"?

A person who sees a ghost gets surprised and spreads it. In this case, the ghost must exist first.

It must exist to be witnessed. However, the monsters lurking here are not things that can exist in common sense.

First of all, this world is a horror game, but let's put aside the option of "just because" and think about it.

Now that this world has become a reality for me, I desperately need information about the world in addition to the knowledge of the game.

Hypothesis one.

In fact, all the monsters actually exist, and the ones wandering around in this small world are the culprits of stories spread by those who witnessed them.

In this case, beings that are closer to "phenomenon" than monsters, such as the [Police Monster] and [Suicide Wannabe], cannot be explained.

These entities are not something that can be "seen" like ghosts. In the first place, it doesn't even have a clear enough substance to spread like a ghost story.

This is because, in particular, [Police Monster] is derived from the fear caused by the disappearance of the police who would protect them in times of danger.

It's closer to a "phenomenon" than a "monster" like Slenderman.

'This kind of entity is based on abstract concepts from the root.'

Now, let's move on to the next hypothesis.

Hypothesis two.

In fact, monsters do not exist in reality, and all abstract concepts such as ghost stories or disturbing imaginations have acquired physical form within this small world.

In this case, everything is explained.

Whether it's Slenderman, a toilet ghost, a police ghost, or even a slice of mint chocolate pizza, it's okay to say that a disturbing concept created by people has taken shape.1

But.

"But it's only a hypothesis, and there's no way to confirm it, right?"

Right. In the end, it is only a hypothesis and there is no way to prove it. However, it seemed that the answer that would satisfy my curiosity existed in the brain of the clever Kyeong-min.

"...I didn't think of that. Hmm. If it's only taking shape, it might not have anything where it's not usually visible."

"Like when you enter a building in a game using a bug, and there's nothing inside?"

Oh? Oh oh? So there was such a thing. Anything worth trying?

I thought in my mind what things I could give it a try. For example...

"Yeah! That's right. Ella's inside must be empty! For example... Underwear!"

I see! Like Kyeong-min said, my underwear...

'?????????"

"I see! The underwear! You mean the panties? If so, just check Ella's panties..."

Wait a minute, what the hell are these kids talking about?! Why are my panties in this conversation!

For a moment, I forgot that I was a man and felt a crisis for my chastity. So, without realizing it, I was holding down my skirt.

You really don't want to try, do you? No matter how much boys have a perverted side, it's not like that, right?

How am I supposed to react if you really try!

"Oh wait, that sounds strange."

Fortunately, Suho noticed the problem.

It seems that they did not intend to lift my skirt on purpose.

They, who had been chatting happily until just now, suddenly became gloomy.

...They seem to be reflecting. I'm glad they're pure children.

Just in case, I'm not angry. Actually, the high-level conversation was a little fun.

However, it seems that I can take advantage of this situation.

So, I spoke to stop the boys who were about to go back.

"Go on, it's fun."

At my unexpected appearance, the boys made expressions as if they had seen a demon instead of a ghost.

I wasn't angry, but it didn't change the fact that they did bad things. Did they had the guts to make fun of ghosts?

"Ah~ Don't be so surprised! Because I'm not angry. Actually, it surprised me? I never thought you guys would be looking at me with such eyes."

"Ah.. No! You got it all be wrong! Really really I can explain! Just one chance... Huh? You're not mad?"

Kyeong-min, who was hurriedly making excuses not knowing that his glasses were slipping, wondered why I wasn't angry.

"Yes. But since you said that, you'll have to take responsibility. All you have to do is listen to my simple request."

It was only then that Kyeong-min corrected his glasses and asked me nervously.

"If it's a simple request..."

I smiled and instructed them. The first thing is that the two of them wait apart. And cover their ears to not hear a sound.

What we are going to do now is a very simple experiment.

My body is also fundamentally the same as the monsters that roam outside.

If my body is a man-made abstract concept that has acquired a physical form, wouldn't it be likewise changeable by a person's thoughts? That's the idea.

First of all, I got out of the mirror and went to Suho first and asked.

"Imagine that Ella's nails are long."

"Okay."

Suho imagined it so strongly that it made him frown. However, there was no change in my nails. Is it because he had already seen it?

Unobserved areas may be different.

"Imagine Ella has a mole on her wrist."

When I checked before, there was no mole on my wrist. But what about now?

...Still nothing.

Or maybe not only the person, but also the part I perceived was not affected.

Something that even I don't know and others may not know either... There is one.

Body odor. The body odor is something that I myself can't notice and the only ones close enough to contact with it were Ha-rim and Eun-jeong.

In other words, the boys never smelled me.

"Have you ever smelled Ella?"

"Huh?! No, I didn't... Why?"

Great.

Hands smell different as they touch other things, so pass. If so, this part.

After loosening the collar of my clothes a bit, I pushed the nape of my neck against Suho's nose.

"?! Wait, Ella!"

It was quite itchy with the breath blowing on my neck. I also felt a little strange.

"Shh. Now tell me what does it smell like?"

Suho was taken aback for a moment, but when he saw my serious expression, he hesitantly said with a blushing face. Is the day hot?

"Smells sweet... Like cotton candy."

"...I see"

Is it really? I can't smell anything when I sniff myself.

Do I really smell like that? Now we check with Kyeong-min if the smell Suho felt is the same for him.

"You wait."

I went to where Kyeong-min was standing. He was covering his ears.

"Did you hear what I talked with Suho? I won't get angry even if you heard it, so just tell me. It's something important."

"No, I didn't listen at all."

"Good. Now it's a very simple thing, answer a question."

"Yes!"

"Have you ever smelled Ella?"

"Eh?! No, I never have."

Nice. As I did with Suho, I loosened the collar of my clothes and pushed the nape of my neck.

"?!!"

This guy! Don't resist! I pressed Kyeong-min's head and made it close to me. Urgh. It tickles.

After confirming that Kyeong-min breathed in and out, I released him.

"What does Ella smells like?"

"Urgh... It smells like a mixture of a strong rose scent and a sweet smell like cotton candy."

His face turned bright red and he spoke like he was dying.

However, I couldn't pay attention to Suho's or Kyeong-min's face because I was getting excited.

This is because the joy of approaching the truth made people easily drunk on success.

The reactions of the two are different! The smell of cotton candy and the smell of roses are distinctly different.

Kyeong-min must have thought that I would smell like roses. That's what he thought when he saw my headdress.

Perhaps the scent of cotton candy was the result of experimenting with Suho first, so the smell remained.

Other people's thoughts or beliefs won't shake my roots, but now I know that a very small concept like smell is affected.

Monsters are an abstract concept, and it has been proven that it is a being influenced by thoughts!

Of course, you won't be able to weaken or exorcise them just by thinking. Still, this was a great discovery.

I put on a satisfied face as I looked at the two.

They shuddered, unable to meet my eyes. Do you think I'm mad?

I need to tell a joke to ease the tension.

"Aren't you still curious about what's inside a ghost's skirt~?"

I laughed as I said that. They flinched.

Still not enough?

"Isn't bad to call my body empty?"2

"""Ella!"""

They explode at my high-level joke. I found it funny and started laughing.

"Hahaha! It's a joke, a joke!"

I returned to the mirror to recover because the materialization time was ending. Now I'll have to go back to patrolling.

"Hey... Hey Ella!"

Then Suho calls trying to stop me.

"What you heard, to Ha-rim and Eun-jeong..."

Aha. It was obvious how the girls would react to the boys if they were caught saying such things about me.

Of course, I am male too. I knew the fear all too well.

"Well, what should I do~?"

But the playfulness kicks in again. I played with my hair and murmured as if I was thinking about telling them. It's so fun to see the expression the two despairing.

I'm sorry though, so I will stop.

"If you follow me well, I won't tell them. It's our secret!"

"Thank you..."

Suho and Kyeong-min are finally relieved. The tension in their faces was all gone. It's pretty emaciated. I'm slightly sorry.

"See you later, perverts~"

Giggles.

After one last teasing, I moved to another mirror.

Oh, I'm relieved. I even paid back for when I lost against Ha-rim with words. Am I disqualified as an adult?

But after possessing this body, teasing others is so much fun.

It's all because you guys are great for teasing.

POV Switch - 3rd person

Ella teased them until the end. Even without saying a word, Suho and Kyeong-min were thinking the same thing.

A promise to not say anything strange like that again.

They went back to the club room only after a long time when Ella went away.

It was because the experiment left the two flustered, so they had to take time to calm down.

Of course, they're in an age where they already had sexual education at school, but hearing and experiencing it yourself were two different things.3

When they returned to the club room, they had to listen to Ha-rim's words that she was worried that they took a long time.

They lied they were late because they tried completing the assigned task. Ha-rim was surprised that they had already done it.

At mealtime, Ella ate together. Whenever Kyeong-min and Suho met her eyes, they both blushed and avoided her stare.

And Ella played pranks on them, wondering if they were still afraid of the topic.

Like slightly fluttering the hem of her skirt or saying that her neck was itchy.

Eun-jeong was at a loss and somehow managed to get over it by offering a drink.

Suho and Kyeong-min had a strange and indescribable feeling for a girl named Ella, together with a desire for revenge for the nasty teasing on them.

But do they know? That their feelings when they first met Ella were quite different from now.

Like all friends, the distance of their hearts became closer without their knowledge.

And at the side, Ha-rim looked at the scene as it seemed the boys and Ella quickly became close.

She had no idea that the task she gave them would be so effective.

However.

'I think I talked to her the most, but why...'

Ha-rim was sulking a little.

"Hey, Ha-rim."

Eun-jeong approaches and whispers to her.

"Ella's smell has changed. At first it smelled like cotton candy, but it also smells like roses now."

"Huh?"

"I only secretly said this to Suho, but now it has changed. Does this mean I lied?"

Sometimes, she doesn't understand Eun-jeong.