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The villa was constructed to face the lake.

It seemed to blend seamlessly with nature, perhaps because it was nestled on a well-shaped mountainside, and all the windows were oriented toward the lake. To capture the sunlight, the windows were quite big, and there was also an outdoor terrace spacious enough to accommodate dozens of guests.

Is this how the fusion of Japanese tradition and modernity looks?

The rich dark brown, almost black, along with bright brown, red, and white tones, created a castle-like atmosphere.

And yet, despite its castle-like appearance, the villa emanated a more ominous vibe than a majestic one.

It was a peculiar villa that gave a sense of discomfort.

It was clean.

It was grand.

It was tidy.

One would expect everyone to exclaim in admiration upon seeing it.

But in reality, that was not the case.

Just approaching made one’s hair stand on end, and despite the absence of dust, it felt dirty and impure, eliciting sighs of unease rather than awe. It felt more daunting than merely living in it; even getting closer was something to be avoided.

People dubbed such a given house…

A haunted house.

A house that, instead of protecting people, kills its inhabitants and brings misfortune.

“This is the infamous 0-yen villa, huh.”

“It’s not even 0 yen. Instead, I’ve heard they offer 1 million yen to buy this house.”

Nevertheless, this villa was quite renowned among haunted houses.

Officially, it was a “tax-heavy property” available for purchase at 0 yen, while unofficially, it was a “haunted house” that had a whole family and guests dying at all hours, making it a place that people wished to sell even for money.

『 House of Death. 』

It was notorious for attracting foolish people seeking to see ghosts at supposed spiritual spots. Yet, after genuine paranormal experiences led to people’s deaths, visits dwindled.

And in that infamous house.

In that terrifying place that barely deserved to be called a haunted house, people were gathering.

All of them were dressed in luxurious clothing and rode expensive cars.

They seemed like individuals who belonged in reputable hotels or high-class ryokans.

“Shall we go in?”

“Let’s do that.”

“It wouldn’t be polite to just stand here.”

Moreover, they were all people of social status befitting their stylish attire.

Businessmen, artists, politicians, celebrities…

Each was a significant figure in their respective fields.

Yet they boldly stepped into a place unworthy of their stature.

Without caring for the haunted house’s infamous reputation, they opened the door and stepped inside, only slightly frowning at the ominous atmosphere; they weren’t excessively frightened.

They entered the villa as casually as if they were visiting a friend’s summer home.

But not everyone felt that way.

“Haha, you all are so fearless.”

There was just one person.

Someone trembling at the thought of stepping into the villa.

A person who recently received a “blessing” and managed to join this gathering, a name known as the head of a celebrity agency.

Yasaki Tokitaka.

In the entertainment industry, he was dubbed “Yasaki the Golden Hand” and “Midas’s Hand Tokitaka.”

A capable producer and a successful businessman, he also frequently appeared on broadcasts, establishing a friendly image and thereby gaining a significant public presence despite not being a celebrity himself.

However, contrary to his outwardly appealing appearance, his private life was rather messy.

It was common for him to have various women around, and he used all kinds of unscrupulous methods in pursuit of wealth and fame.

Spreading rumors was the norm, bribing employees of the agencies to which certain celebrities belonged, and causing mayhem to disorient them, even hiring yakuza for mischief when necessary.

After sowing discord, he would execute hostile M&As to absorb companies or snatch up celebrities considered to be prime assets into his agency, or to utterly ruin someone to the point they couldn’t step foot into the industry anymore.

Thus, despite the seemingly pleasant image he crafted, his notoriety in the industry was considerable.

Nonetheless, the reason he had survived until now was that he had principles.

A principle of not touching the merchandise.

He would bow deeply to the higher-ups but never lay a hand on his people and business.

Indeed.

Yasaki Tokitaka never touched the entertainers and employees he managed, but instead actively protected them against outside pressures. Because of that, despite his notorious reputation in the industry, he enjoyed relatively high regard among the entertainers and employees he managed; others feared him while wishing to be under his umbrella.

In this way, Yasaki Tokitaka succeeded in creating his own castle, his own realm, and he wielded the sword of power freely while indulging in decadent pleasures.

And there were those who partook in his decadent pleasures, through whom he could receive “blessings” that invigorated his body and enhanced his sexual prowess.

This too was something he could not have achieved had he not obtained power, built reputation and honor, and expanded his connections.

Thus, it was only natural for him to join in on the discussions about disparaging Korea, supporting more aggressive actions, and that was precisely what his connections hinted at.

Because they were the ones who granted him “blessings” and had developed reciprocated bonds, and their connections and powers were substantial.

However.

“Should I’ve spoken negatively back then…?”

Who would have known?

That agreeing with their opinions for the sake of connections and friendship would lead to such results.

He had merely supported the opinion of someone he knew, never expecting to be invited to such an ominous place.

Had he known, he would have surely made some excuse to escape that gathering.

“No, even if I had known, I probably would have gone along with it anyway…”

Tokitaka let out a slight sigh.

He knew that the outcome wouldn’t have changed, regardless of whether he knew or not.

He wasn’t an elementary school student to be scared of merely stepping into a haunted house. He had long passed the age of being afraid of ghosts or haunted houses; instead, he should fear ruining relationships with influential figures that could greatly impact his business.

Thus, even if it was in front of the gates of hell, he would have agreed with their words, played along, and subtly scratched at their grievances.

“Ugh. I suppose I should go in.”

Despite feeling a chilling sensation creeping over his arms, Tokitaka raised his head to enter.

What met his gaze was a line of people entering the villa one by one.

They were orderly and impeccably polite, as one would expect from the Japanese people, standing neatly in single file and entering each one with deliberate movements. Commonly, people stepped over the threshold and then moved about freely.

One person.

Two people.

Thus, people stepped into the villa like those waiting in line at a famous restaurant, and soon it was Tokitaka’s turn at the end of the line.

As he stepped to cross the threshold, just as others had done before him, he suddenly recalled an old story his grandmother had told him as a child.

“Listen, dear. You mustn’t step on the threshold recklessly.”

“Not only stepping on it but also placing anything on it is forbidden.”

“The threshold is a kind of boundary that separates the inside from the outside, and it forms part of the door.”

“So, the moment you step on it, the boundary between inside and outside blurs, allowing ‘uninvited guests’ to come and go.”

Tokitaka’s grandmother had traveled throughout Japan with his grandfather, running a business.

Among those places was Okinawa, where his grandmother had befriended a shaman known as Yuta, through whom she heard various tales.

The story about the threshold was one such tale told by Yuta.

Now, hearing them seemed to revolve around superstitions or urban legends…

As a child, it had scared him tremendously.

“But why suddenly…?”

But why did it come to mind now?

Why was that “urban legend” surfacing now, as if his deceased grandmother was warning him like a protector spirit?

Tokitaka felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

And he decided to trust his instincts.

His “instincts” held a value entirely different from that of others.

Instincts were his lifeline, the treasure that had aided him in achieving success.

Thus, Tokitaka chose not to step on the threshold, instead entering the villa.

The moment he did, the unsettling feeling faded, replaced by a sense of inexplicable awkwardness.

“Cough.”

Stepping over or not stepping over the threshold—

Thinking about it made him wonder if it even held any significant meaning at all.

It felt almost as if he were regressing into an elementary school student.

Back then, when playing a game of only stepping on white lines, he truly believed that falling outside it would bring about dire consequences.

Was it just an illusion that he found this situation oddly reminiscent of that?

Feeling embarrassed, Tokitaka lightly coughed, looking around.

The people who had entered before him were scattered about, engaging in conversation with one another.

Some were chatting over by the window, while others were heading toward what seemed to be a dining area, and some were ascending the stairs.

Yet…why did he sense a sense of incongruity?

“Did those people always have that sort of atmosphere?”

 

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