I Returned, and Now I See Strange Things-Chapter 50: Gray

Ayun recalled what had happened right before it appeared.

“It started when the stuff began falling....”

The moment she found the fortune pouch and the book landed on it.

Ayun crouched down and began rifling through the mess.

Nothing here... not here either... Where’d it go?

Hyunseo and Hyeyeon gulped as they watched Ayun suddenly rummaging around on the floor.

Hyeyeon, of course, made sure to keep it all in frame.

All the while, the knocking on the window continued, and the scattered items kept subtly shifting.

Eventually, Ayun lifted a thick textbook and found the pouch, now flattened.

“...It’s fainter than before.”

That probably meant this was the cause.

It wasn’t the time to hesitate over hot or cold choices, so Ayun asked Hyunseo in a careful voice:

“Is it okay if I open this?”

“Ah... yes, that’s fine.”

– Show it show it show it!!

– MODS!!!!!

– (This message has been deleted.)

Hyeyeon was too focused on Ayun’s actions to keep up with chat.

Thankfully, Hyesung was still swinging the mod hammer, slicing away any lines that crossed boundaries.

Oblivious to the chaos in chat, Ayun nodded at Hyunseo’s permission and untied the pouch.

From inside, a voice burst forth:

[Did I not tell you to get out of here already?!]

“...Huh?”

At the same time, a vague, misty human figure appeared, still tethered to the pouch.

At the center of it was a crumpled slip of yellow paper.

The irate voice—clearly that of an old man—softened as he looked at Hyunseo with distant eyes. His face turned bitter.

[I gave you every sign to leave this place... and now look what it’s come to.]

...Most likely, it was Hyunseo’s grandfather.

As Ayun stared speechlessly at the elderly apparition, Aslan’s voice echoed in her ear.

[It doesn’t appear to be a fully intact soul.]

“...Then what is it?”

Ayun whispered in a voice the others wouldn’t hear.

[It’s likely a lingering sentiment. One soaked with that girl Hyunseo’s worry.]

So the lights turning on, the faucets running... were those warnings from her grandfather to get out?

...Looking back, it made a strange sort of sense.

Even if he wasn’t a ghost, no one would want their family living in a place like this.

But even that couldn’t outweigh Hyunseo’s circumstances.

...Sad, really.

Ayun offered a bitter smile and spoke to the spirit, who was still watching Hyunseo with a heavy gaze.

Of course, she kept her voice low enough that no one else could hear.

“Sir.”

The blurry figure turned and locked eyes with Ayun.

Then his eyes widened with rage as he glared at her.

[It’s you! You’re the one!]

“Eh?”

Startled by the sudden hostility, Ayun responded—but it was clear the old man wasn’t lucid enough for a coherent conversation.

He kept repeating his concerns for Hyunseo and blaming Ayun.

“...What’s supposedly my fault here?”

[For now, let’s focus on resolving the current situation. With that spirit’s cooperation, it should be possible.]

Yeah, sure—if he can be reasoned with.

Ayun’s lips twitched into a reluctant pout, but she spoke to the grandfather again.

“Before anything happens to Hyunseo, how about we work together to get that thing out of here?”

“Huh? Did you say something to me?”

“No.”

“Okay...”

And then, at last, the old man stopped monologuing to himself and turned to Ayun.

[What should I do?]

[Let it in once we’re ready—I’ll take care of it.]

It wasn’t a real conversation, but for Ayun, that was more than enough.

“Finally time to use this.”

Clutching the fortune pouch, Ayun walked over to Hyunseo and Hyeyeon.

“You’ve been muttering something for a while now....”

Hyeyeon gave her a cautious look. Ayun moved her lips silently.

“N, o, w.”

Hyeyeon somehow managed to understand and gave a small nod. Chat was going insane, but neither of them looked at it.

Then, from behind Hyeyeon, Hyunseo piped up:

“S-So... what was inside?”

...Your grandpa.

Ayun glanced at her phone screen, then deflected.

“A talisman.”

She still wasn’t sure if this was the kind of thing she should mention to a public audience.

“A talisman? From my grandpa...?”

Hyunseo looked understandably confused.

“I’ll explain everything later.”

“O-Okay...”

Ayun smiled gently at the ever-obedient Hyunseo, then rummaged through her bag and pulled out a container of salt.

“...This is what I bought for times like this.”

Expensive sea salt, no less. The kind no one ever eats, but costs more just for the label.

“Can you two stand against the wall?”

“The wall?”

“Yeah.”

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

As the knocking continued, Hyunseo and Hyeyeon pressed together.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Ayun opened the salt container and made a wide circle around them.

“W-Wait, isn’t that stuff flammable?”

“...It’s fine.”

Ignoring the twinge in her conscience, Ayun finished the circle.

“Technically not a lie.”

There was some spiritual resonance in it, at least.

It was mostly a bluff—but not fraud.

At least, that’s what Ayun told herself.

With both girls safely ringed in salt, Ayun turned around with a grim face.

Time to deal with the bastard.

She pretended not to hear Hyunseo mumble “Who’s gonna clean this up later...” behind her.

“...Better than getting possessed.”

Stuffing the empty salt container back into her pocket, Ayun ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) walked steadily to the window.

Tap. Tap.

The thing knocking outside rolled its eyes toward Ayun.

Its inky-black pupils writhed like the scribbles of a child with a permanent marker.

When Ayun placed her hand on the latch, the thing curled what might have been a mouth into a grotesque grin.

“...Disgusting.”

What had a poor student done to deserve this?

Click.

The latch released.

Creeeak—!

Everything in the room froze.

The wind blew in through the open window, curtains whipping.

SCREEEE—!!

With an inhuman scream, the thing hurled itself into the room like a shadowy missile.

Everything exploded into motion again, items flying and crashing.

It had a target—it dove for Hyunseo like it knew exactly who it wanted.

Snap!

But that was all.

The thing couldn’t push its revolting body past the threshold, and it blew air in frustration.

...Kinda a blessing no one can see it.

They all flinched, sensing something was wrong—but at least no one screamed.

If anyone had seen that thing’s gaping maw up close, there would’ve been chaos.

Well, I guess that’s why people like me exist.

Balance in the world, right?

With that thought, Ayun took the pouch in one hand, the black stone in the other.

At that moment, the thing stopped gnashing at Hyunseo and turned its head toward Ayun.

“Oh, for fuck’s...”

She had been too casual. Ayun dove out of the way.

Pain seared across her side—she’d scraped herself on the mess on the floor.

“...That hurts.”

Her now-fragile skin stung.

“U-Unnie?!”

“Ayun-nim?!”

The two girls looked terrified as Ayun hit the floor.

When they moved to cross the salt circle, she shouted:

“Don’t move!”

Ayun clutched her stinging side and forced herself up.

“...Smart little shit.”

It had deliberately gone after her to bait Hyunseo out.

Ayun let out a bitter laugh.

Standing up straight, she clenched the black stone tight and infused it with power.

Black smoke erupted, wrapping around the pouch and the lingering form of Hyunseo’s grandfather.

Sensing something wrong, the creature lunged at Ayun.

But the gray mist stopped it cold.

Its form began to disintegrate—like sand caught in a storm.

Wind howled through the room.

Ayun stumbled toward the others, clutching her injury.

It was no longer in her hands now.

As she approached, Hyeyeon and Hyunseo asked in anxious voices:

“Are you okay?”

“Y-You’re hurt...”

“I’m fine. Spit heals everything, right?”

“...What?”

That was something straight out of a comic book.

But before they could press further—

Crash!

Furniture flew and clattered everywhere, silencing them.

Ayun leaned against the wall and watched as Aslan, the grandfather, and the creature merged in the center of the room.

The colors—one dark with malice, the other warm with concern—swirled together.

The creature shrank. The spirit of Hyunseo’s grandfather shrank.

Ayun’s mouth felt bitter.

Because she knew what the end of Aslan’s power meant.

Even if he was already dead... it didn’t feel right.

“...I hope he’s in a good place now.”

Rest well, old man.

The two souls—malice and goodwill—collapsed into one.

And then vanished.

The wind died.

The ceiling light flickered back to life.

Outside noise filtered in—the murmur of people stirred by the ruckus.

“...Probably time to end the stream.”

Ayun wiped cold sweat from her brow and turned to Hyeyeon.

She nodded and held out the phone.

“...What?”

“You have to say you’re ending it.”

The chat was in chaos—furious that Ayun hadn’t explained anything yet.

Thanks to Hyesung’s moderation, things looked civil—but the anger was real.

Like the wrecked remains of Hyunseo’s room.

Hyunseo herself stared blankly at the aftermath.

Ayun sighed and opened her mouth to speak.

She had a feeling... maybe they’d better hold off on indoor streams for a while.