episode_0043

“What, what? So the main character also inherited the blood of the Deep One?”

“So, you’re going back to the deep sea to accept the devil’s call and become a Deep One?”

ends with a shocking twist that audiences could not have expected

The story of an eerie old fishing village, its grotesque fish-like inhabitants, and the fish demons they worship succeeds in drawing the audience into the atmosphere of Lovecraftian horror.

… … Of course, people’s reactions have so far been average.

“It definitely gives me goosebumps. But it’s not so much that I can’t stand it.”

“That’s right. It’s not much different from Vanderbühne’s usual performances, right?”

“Hehehe, I told you. This hyung has the best courage? Even the horror story of the great writer Phantom can’t bring him down, this is it.”

is a medium-length novel that competes with a dark atmosphere and cool setting.

That was also the reason why Phantom chose this as an appetizer for the .

Appetizers are simply food served before the main course to whet the appetite of the guests.

It is enough for the audience to get a general sense of the flow of the work through .

Just as the level of danger in internet communities (words that should never be searched for) increases by one level, the level of horror presented to the audience will also gradually increase.

[So, what do you think? Did you find the story of young Olmstead, who got entangled with Innsmouth, interesting?]

Suddenly, the set changed and the young gentleman Lovecraft appeared and spoke.

[This time, I’d like to tell you a story about a family being torn apart by strange colors that came flying in from another world. It’s going to be scarier than Olmstead’s previous story, so everyone, pay attention.]

The Vanderbühne troupe is a group of technicians who have been performing only short, one-act plays since ancient times.

Although short but powerful short stories are his specialty, he is vulnerable to the rhythm of a long story.

That’s why Phantom wrote the script for by haphazardly linking together several short plays, in an attempt to turn their weaknesses into strengths.

Several short stories and novellas written by Howard Phillips Lovecraft during his lifetime.

By dividing these into individual stories, we created an omnibus universe.

Shhh!

In keeping with the format, the fog rises again and the curtain rises on the next one-act play, Colors from Space.

One day, an unidentified meteorite fell from the sky.

The story of how an unknown color flowing from it leads the good farmer Nahum’s family to ruin.

And from this point on, the audience’s reactions gradually became divided.

[Down there… … Down there, colors are moving, Mother!]

[It’s in the well! The color lives in the well, huhuhu!]

The unknown colors expressed in a grotesque way through appropriate mixing by members who are skilled in the grotesque.

The way it devours a family of farmers as if it were a living creature gave a shock on a completely different level from .

As a result, a small number of people started to appear, one by one.

“Me, I’m done here. I think I should go back now.”

“Damn. I slept a lot today. That damn color won’t leave my head.”

“Then how can we drink the water from the reservoir in our neighborhood? Nahum’s family also drank the water from the well and ended up like that.”

Beep!

Spectators signal their intention to surrender by pressing a button attached to the stands.

The emergency team waiting at the rear approaches, unbuckles the seat belts, and leads them outside.

This was also an option added by Phantom to allow for systematic response to emergency situations.

“Huh? Are you giving up already?”

Some people laughed heartily as they watched those leaving.

“Oh, and to declare surrender at this level? You’re like cowards.”

“Are you all so weak-hearted? I, I can’t see the end like a man.”

“But why are you stuttering? You’re drenched in sweat?”

“Be quiet!”

But they didn’t know.

Those who give up quickly at this less scary stage are actually the wise and lucky ones.

Because from now on, monsters from short stories personally selected by Phantom would continuously pour out.

And as if to prove this.

Dduk dduk!

“Eww! What the? Hey, why is the chair like this all of a sudden?”

“Ehhh! Oh, sea water?!”

As soon as the Goblin Machine Announcement Motion Chair started working, a tidal wave occurred on the stage.

Amidst the pouring salt water and cold wind, something huge slowly rises in the middle of it all.

The faces of the audience who saw that sight turned pale.

“What, what is that?!”

“What, what, a fish?! No, is that a person?! Oh, it’s huge!”

Dagon, the Great Old One who appears in Lovecraft’s short story “Dagon.”

Amid the dim lighting and eerie dissonance that bewilders his mind, he raises his hand and mutters strange sentences in an unknown language.

Woof-!!

And then, the next moment, an earthquake occurred, and the large model of an island in the center of the stage shattered into pieces and sank into the deep sea.

A demon who literally causes natural disasters and then glares at the audience with an eerie gaze.

Watching that sight, the audience was at a loss as they felt a primal fear surge from within them.

“Hey, is that a real doll? What’s so big and lifelike about it!”

“Could it be that you’re a real monster?!”

… … Of course, this is not simply because Dagon’s model is so well-made.

Cheee… …!

In fact, a light mist had been spraying from the motion chair all along.

This is none other than a weak hypnotic spell created by the witch Morgan. It is a medicine made by mixing it into powder form and mixing it with water.

This was the identity of the ‘magic option’ that Phantom added specially during the production process.

It is harmless to the human body, but it slightly confuses the five senses and reduces the ability to perceive reality.

Is this a measure that indirectly makes you feel your ‘Spirit Level’ drop when you encounter the Great Old One?

… … Thanks to this, the audience members who did not get off during the stage had to go through a test of will as the one-act play progressed.

[Take it! Take it!!]

‘Shogus’, a being in that appears while reciting a bizarre alien language.

A monster that chases an expedition that dares to set foot on a forgotten ancient site in the North rushes towards the audience.

“Eww-!!!”

“What the heck is that!? Why does it look like that?!”

“Ugh! I feel like I’m going to throw up!”

The audience screamed in horror as they watched the amorphous demon approaching them, barely touching them.

And that fear was further heightened in the next episode, .

Kwarung! Kwakwang, bang-!!

A giant reptilian demon, ‘Bokrug’, appears from a whitish cloud with flashing blood-red lights and thunder and lightning.

The head of the great water lizard, with its fiery eyes, looms right in front of the audience.

And then he let out an incomprehensible scream in a voice that made you want to pee yourself just by hearing it.

By causing a great flood, the great human civilization, ‘Sanas’, was swept away and destroyed in an instant.

[Y’ai ng’ngah, h’ee-l’geb f’ai throdog uaah-!!]

[Ogthrod ai’f geb’l-ee’h ngah’ng ai’y zhro –!!!]

Although it was a phrase that was clearly indecipherable, the audience following the narrative of could vaguely guess the intention.

A race of hideous amphibians that once thrived in the land of Sanath and followed Bokrug.

That he was slaughtering them, taking their lands, establishing a kingdom there, and pouring out hatred on the human settlers who insulted his idols.

“Wow, woo, woo, we didn’t kill them! Sa, sa, the Sanas people killed them-!!”

“I was wrongI was wrongI was wrongI was wrongI was wrong-!! I won’t bother frogs or salamanders anymore-!!”

“Ha, surrender! Hangbo-ok!! Let me out quickly, ugh-!!”

The being that appeared as the next typist was the famous king in yellow, ‘Haster’.

In the play-within-a-play of the Cthulhu Mythos, the being summoned during the performance of sweeps across the stage, swinging its tentacles.

And amidst the mad flashes of yellow, red, and blue lights in a haphazard manner.

[Wz-y’eil! Wz-y’eil! Y’kaa haa bho—ii!]

[Wz-y’eil! Wz-y’eil! Y’kaa haa bho—ii!]

The alien race, the Mi-Go, who worship Hastur, danced and exchanged mind-boggling telepathic songs.

“No, the king in yellow! The ruler from another world… … ! Worship the king of demons… … !!”

“Hehehe, no, yellow! My soul is yellow too! The whole world is yellow!”

“What are you talking about, Pink!”

Hastur’s worship ritual, performed like a mad ancient ritual.

In the midst of ecstasy where it was difficult to distinguish between reality and fantasy, some people lost their composure and started talking nonsense that didn’t make sense.

It is also the mission of the emergency team on standby to quickly rescue these people and bring them to the priests.

As the Cthulhu Mythos reached its conclusion after going through one-act plays after another, a significant portion of the audience seats were left empty.

… … But there were quite a few horror fans who refused to leave until the very end.

“This is fake, this is fake, this is fake, this is fake… … !!”

“Great God, protect me! Do not let false fears take away my reason… … !!”

“Ah, it’s not scary! It’s not scary! I’m not scared of the devil in the play Aaaah-!!”

People who keep on going, even while being drenched in sweat and even peeing themselves.

Because I had developed a tolerance for fear throughout my life, I was able to endure it even when others were running away or being carried away.

For enthusiasts, courage is the result of accumulated challenges and a symbol of pride.

Because it was that stubbornness that I couldn’t give up even if it meant I would die from a heart attack.

… … However, the stubbornness of the problem became useless in front of the highlight, .

Gooo~♪

As the eerie yet majestic music echoed with increasing intensity, something happened in the fog of the vast ocean.

“Eekiyaaaak!!”

“What the?! What the heck is this time?!”

People screaming as the audience seats shake in response to the strong waves.

Before their eyes, a shadow of a different dimension than that of appeared.

And then the ‘shadow’ began to emit a creepy, monstrous sound that was created by magically mixing the voices of several voice actors.

[Ph’nglui Mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn!]

“Kkiaaaak!! Let me out! Let me out quickly-!!”

“We’ll all die like this! The devil of hell! It’s not a model, it’s a real devil who has appeared-!!”

“How can that be a shape that a human could imagine?! That’s not a product of imagination! It’s a real demon! Let me go of this-!!”

A giant doll that left even those who held out until the very end in confusion.

His height reached the top of the Vandebühne tent, and his size almost filled the inside of the theater.

A demon with blazing eyes like torches, a cephalopod-like head, a scaly body, and huge wings.

This is the incarnation of Cthulhu, the alpha and omega of the Cthulhu Mythos.

[Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn~ Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn~♬]

[Ph’nglui Mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh Wgah’nagl Fhtagn~♪]

A terrifying hymn sung in a haunting register by singers hidden behind the stage.

At the same time, a Lovecraftian actor shouts out mad lines in a voice amplified by amplification magic.

[When the stars find their place and alien flesh is free again! Cthulhu will awaken from his dream and have a glorious resurrection!]

Dduk dduk!

The giant Cthulhu begins to bend down towards the audience.

His two wings spread out to the left and right, and a huge, scale-covered hand slowly approaches.

The audience screamed as they watched the creepy eyes getting closer and closer.

“Ahhhh! No more, no more! Get this out of here-!!”

“Oh my, oh my, my God! A real devil has appeared! Please save me, Gyaaah-!!!”

“Pa, Panglu… … Glunapha… … Cthulhu Rllye Ganaggl Patan, Grluk… … !!”

Cthulhu, the most terrifying and wondrous of the demons in the Cthulhu Mythos.

In front of it, the audience couldn’t help but feel helpless and fearful, like insects before a typhoon.

Some people unconsciously follow the lyrics of the Cthulhu Hymn, rolling their eyes.

Despite this, the ever-approaching behemoth of Cthulhu does not stop.

It was at that moment that Cthulhu’s hand moved above the audience’s heads.

“Eeee-!!!”

A boy’s suddenly piercing scream is heard.

Then, bang! Someone lost consciousness and collapsed at the special table reserved for VIPs.

The next moment, the voices of panicked people came out one after another from the surroundings.

“Stop! Stop the show now!”

“Oh my! Your Highness! Come to your senses!”

“Air ambulance! Come here quickly!”

Dddd… … !

The Cthulhu doll stopped working as soon as the commotion broke out.

Then, one by one, the magic lanterns of the extreme turned on, the surroundings became bright, and the leader, Fluffy, came running out.

“What, what’s going on! Why are you doing this!”

“Can’t you take this belt off quickly?! We need to heal His Highness! Hurry up!”

As the lights came on, the true nature of the situation was finally revealed to the world.

Prince Wolfgang von Clausewitz comes to see Vanderbühne’s horror play at the invitation of the playwright Phantom.

A 13-year-old horror fanatic who persisted to the end despite his entourage telling him to go passed out, foaming at the mouth and wetting his pants.

“Thank goodness. There are no major health problems.”

The doctor’s diagnosis after examining Prince Wolfgang’s condition.

He said this as he stood up, packed his bags, and took the patient’s pulse.

“You have lost consciousness for a moment, so you will wake up soon if you rest. There is nothing more for me to do, so I will take my leave now.”

Immediately after fainting, the prince received emergency treatment from the ambulance team and was taken to the palace.

Afterwards, the royal physician came running and examined his condition in detail.

“Thank you for your hard work, congressman.”

Bernhard, the prince’s confidant, sighs with relief as he makes the sign of the cross.

And I, the Phantom, the cause of all this trouble, was standing hunched over next to the bed.

“It’s okay, Phantom Writer. I won’t hold you responsible, so don’t worry.”

Bernhard, who had been glancing sideways at me while I was fidgeting, spoke in a deep voice.

“It was your highness the prince who pushed ahead with the commission to create the Cthulhu Mythos, and your insistence on going to see it. His Majesty the Emperor will not hold anyone else accountable for what was clearly your highness the prince’s fault.”

“I am speechless.”

If that’s true, then that’s great, but I can’t just shout ‘Oh, that’s so cool!’ so I pretended to reflect and sighed.

‘Hey, you little brat. Why didn’t you go out earlier and why are you acting all stubborn by yourself?’

Would you do something like this to scare a 12-year-old, or even a 13-year-old, if you weren’t some kind of psychopath?

I thought that if I held out well, I would be able to press the surrender button and run away at the level of or .

The surrender button was originally an option that had the little prince press it like crazy.

It was at that very moment when I was muttering to myself in a very complicated way.

“Ugh… … !”

“Your Majesty! Are you awake?! Your Majesty!”

Prince Wolfgang frowned and began to toss and turn.

Bernhard, who discovered this, hurriedly ran to check on his master’s condition.

And I also followed him and stood guard at the prince’s bedside.

“Ugh, ugh, huuuu… … !”

The prince kept tossing and turning, seemingly regaining consciousness.

The next moment, he suddenly opened his eyelids, screamed, and jerked his upper body up.

“K, K, Cthulhu Lllye Ganagle Pataaaan-!!”

“Your Majesty! Why are you doing this?”

“Huk, huh… … Hey, hey, where is this?”

“This is the Imperial Palace! How are you? Is there anything that hurts or is injured?”

The prince does not respond to Bernhard’s questions.

I just gasp, breathing heavily, and rubbing my forehead, which was dripping with sweat like rain.

“P, Phantom? Hey, hey, is that you?”

The prince’s lime green eyes, which had been gathering his wits for a while, turned towards me.

At that moment, I was roughly clearing my throat, thinking that I should do something similar to apologize.

“Ahem, Your Highness? Are you okay? I have nothing to say… … ”

“Phantom!”

Prince Wolfgang grabs my two hands tightly.

His eyes sparkled and he suddenly shouted.

“Please be my brother-in-law!”

“… … Yes?”

Why do you suddenly want me to be something?