WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈

Episode 174: Party Time - Elena's Concerns (1)

──────

- Han Ga-in

Everyone's expressions hardened as they carefully read the notification.

The top section contained the usual ceremonial congratulations and Party Time notice we'd heard many times before, but the truly important information was all in the “Additional Information.”

“Check the ticket? You mean the Gate Room reward? Where is the ticket now?”

Eun-sol immediately rushed over and brought the ticket back.

A pale glow was already emanating from it. The moment the ticket arrived, another small notification appeared.

/You had to give up one treasure from among several different treasures! Isn't that regrettable? Don't worry! You can use the ticket in the Mirror Room to obtain the reward you missed./

That notification confirmed it.

What else could it mean that there was a separate Mirror Room for missed rewards?

Choosing one of two rewards wasn't unique to Room 201!

In other rooms on the second floor, we'd also be able to choose between two rewards, and use tickets to obtain the ones we'd missed.

It also made A-ri's guess that there would be other ways to get tickets more convincing.

With so many uses and even a room for tickets, there was no way this one ticket was all we'd get!

“The missed reward means the Irregular Polyhedron, right?”

Eun-sol answered, her eyes wide.

“That must be what it means. If we use a ticket in a place called the Mirror Room, we can get a reward we missed. Where is the Mirror Room? A-ri?”

A-ri's blessing, Secret, was a power specialized in uncovering Hotel Secrets, in addition to protecting her own secrets.

“Wait a second.”

A-ri seemed to focus for a while, then kept tilting her head.

“There's nothing.”

“Huh?”

“It says there's nothing. Normally, it shows something like a few hidden NPCs and a few hidden rooms. For example, the first floor's NPCs were the Merchant and the Doctor, while the rooms were the Sanctuary of Blessings and the Souvenir Shop.”

A-ri walked over to the whiteboard and wrote on it.

‘Real, Real’ Secret Information (Second Floor)

Hidden NPCs: --/?

Hidden Rooms: --/?

Location Information: ?

Function Description: ?

“An image sort of like this appears in my head. As you can see, all the important parts are question marks. Before I find a room or NPC, it gives me a hint to help me find them, but even those hints aren't appearing.”

Come to think of it, wasn't that blessing why A-ri had found the Sanctuary of Blessings before anyone else? And why Grandpa had suddenly taken us to the Hiking room before finding the Souvenir Shop?

“How can there be nothing? The ticket notification says there's a place called the Mirror Room.”

Listening to Eun-sol and A-ri talk, I got the idea.

“It seems like it won't properly activate until the Hotel Repairs are finished.”

In the end, we were back where we started.

Every hotel notification was focused on the Hotel Repairs that would restore the broken second floor to normal.

Jin-cheol let out a deep sigh.

“What kind of hotel is this? If the facilities are broken, shouldn't they refund our money, apologize, and send the customers home?”

In the quiet atmosphere, Seung-yeop finally spoke with a tired expression.

“Party Time starts tomorrow anyway, right? How about we talk about the rest tomorrow?”

We'd only just come out of Room 201 today, and after discussing headache-inducing things throughout dinner, I was truly exhausted.

Right before we split up, Eun-sol talked about tomorrow's schedule.

“Get plenty of rest! Everyone, come out as soon as you wake up tomorrow! Let's go to the Sanctuary of Blessings first. Once Party Time starts, we need to enhance our blessings.”

Starting tomorrow, I'd also have to think about where to use Sage’s Advice.

A-ri suddenly asked a question.

“Elena said she was going to sleep first, right? Does that mean she's alone in the bedroom?”

“Probably. Guys, be careful. There are still a few minutes left of dinner time, so Elena will be there if you go to the bedroom.”

“Okay.”

“Han Ga-in.”

“Hm?”

A-ri suddenly called me.

* * *

--- Cuckoo!

... So loud.

--- Creak! Creak!

... Should I check?

I shouldn't. Every time I checked, things only got worse.

...

“Eek!”

--- Crash!

The instant I could no longer bear it and opened my eyes a little, I was so shocked that I stumbled backward and hit the wall.

No, seriously, what was this thing doing under the blanket?

I'd thought the cuckoo clock sounded strangely vivid, but a living cuckoo with a saw-bladed beak popped out.

The picture of mountains and a waterfall hanging on the wall warped little by little until the waterfall turned red.

I didn't remember there being any doll on the table, but at some point, an unfamiliar clown doll had appeared and was staring directly at me.

And just now, the moment I opened my eyes because I couldn't stand the noise anymore, a hand had shot out from under the blanket!

My stress instantly shot through the roof. I felt like I was losing my mind.

The bedroom door opened.

“D-Don't come in! It's dangerous in here-”

--- Slash!

The clown with blood dripping from its mouth turned, vomiting up something sharp. At that moment, a translucent blade sliced through the air and tore the clown doll to pieces.

“What danger? It's nothing much.”

...

A-ri giggled as though nothing had happened. Before long, she tore down the picture frame and snapped the living cuckoo's neck.

“You were having fun all by yourself?”

“A-ri...”

The moment A-ri jumped onto the bed, a hand shot out.

“What is this one?”

A-ri yanked the hand out from beneath the blanket, and it vanished like dust.

“Looks like you couldn't get any sleep at all.”

“...”

“Ah, this is the first time I've seen such a fun ability. It would've been so much fun if I'd gotten it!”

...

This girl really was different from me. I already knew that, but I'd never felt it so clearly.

How could she laugh off monsters like these? Even I, the one who created them, was so scared I could barely endure them!

Watching A-ri act as though nothing was wrong, I felt my own heart gradually settle.

A-ri looked at the clock for a moment.

“Dinner time ends in about two minutes. We'll be separated into our own spaces.”

“That's right.”

“Come sleep with me near the sofa by the tea table on the first floor tonight.”

“A-ri?”

“You won't get any sleep like this. Am I wrong?”

I couldn't possibly refuse. A-ri took my hand and pulled me out of Room 105.

* * *

- Han Ga-in

Watching from a distance, I saw A-ri lead Elena out of Room 105.

Just as A-ri predicted, Elena didn't seem to have slept at all. It couldn't have been easy to sleep peacefully while constantly creating monsters around herself.

I joined them as naturally as I could. With those two together, it genuinely felt like the space itself was glowing.

If I'd run into them on the street in the outside world, wouldn't even making eye contact have felt intimidating?

“Elena! How many times have you tried using your ability?”

“... It didn't feel like I used it. It just activated on its own.”

“Wow, I'm curious. It looked like such a fun ability earlier! You made a wolf with your eyes? Isn't that amazing? It was even really cute!”

“Honestly, I don't think it looked cute....”

--- Tap!

A-ri kicked my thigh and gave me a look, telling me to act natural.

She's been expecting far too much from me since earlier.

We sat near the tea table and began chatting about what life had been like before we entered the hotel.

“When did you start dreaming of becoming an actress, Elena?”

“Ever since I was young! I followed my parents from country to country, so I didn't have many friends.... Watching plays or movies sometimes was my only pleasure. And, um, I thought I might be able to become an actress.”

Even I thought that if I'd been born looking like Elena, I'd have considered becoming an actress or celebrity every time I looked in a mirror.

A-ri cut in.

“Isn't it about time you two started speaking more casually? Out of everyone in our party, you two still sound the most awkward when you talk.”

A-ri was the greatest destroyer of social hierarchies in our party. She spoke casually to everyone, and everyone spoke casually to her, so she sounded very convincing when she told us to relax.

“Hehe.... I think I'll need a little more time.”

“Ga-in, call her Big Sis Elena right now.”

“... Big Sis Elena?”

“Please don't actually do that.”

“Better not.”

Then why did you make me do it?

The topic naturally shifted to me.

“So, Ga-in, have your grades been good since your second year of high school?”

“Hahaha! That's right. Actually, until my first year-”

“Ga-in, tell a more interesting story. Don't you have anything to say besides your high school studies?”

“...”

“Oh, I was enjoying it. Hearing about high school reminded me of my own childhood....”

This was ominous! Ominous! Elena's “childhood.” Wasn't that forbidden territory?

Similar topics included A-ri's “age,” Jin-cheol's “dream,” and Seung-yeop's “League tier.”

A-ri's expression instantly darkened.

“Back then, I couldn't even drink a cup of tea in peace because I worried it might be poisoned.”

Purple foam began to rise in Elena's teacup.

“Even when I was walking around, I kept wondering whether someone was behind me.”

Something began writhing in everyone's shadows.

Just as A-ri's face was about to turn pale, I made a decision.

“This tea must be black tea filled with the warm love of Elena's homeland, right?”

I snatched Elena's teacup and poured it into the shadows.

--- Sizzle! Grrrraaaah!

For a long time, bizarre sounds and smells spread across the floor, as though I'd poured sulfuric acid onto it.

“...”

“...”

“...”

A-ri finally laughed again.

“Hahaha! Elena, your ability really makes everyday life fun! Even drinking a cup of tea can become something so tense, no, so entertaining!”

“I'm sorry....”

“No, Elena, it's really fun. This is the first time I've found drinking a cup of coffee this entertaining too.”

Tea time ended amid the awkward atmosphere.

As I let out a sigh and returned to my room, I recalled the conversation A-ri and I had shared earlier.

“Elena's ability is fun, isn't it?”

“What are you talking about? I've never seen such a terrible ability.”

“Don't ever say terrible again. Fear is contagious. From now on, think it's fun. Just believe it's fun. Until Elena believes it too.”

“...”

... It looked like everyday life would be full of fun for quite a while.

I recalled the Chief Researcher's memories. What kind of training had they given Beatrix to help her control that power?

Footnotes:

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