WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈
Episode 276: Meeting Ends, Choosing the Next Room
──────
[User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)
Date: Day 131
Current Location: Level 1, Corridor
Sage’s Advice: 1]
- Han Ga-in
I asked Eun-sol what she thought about our next room.
“My thoughts... I suppose this is how I see it. Even if we change rooms, there’s no way an easy path will be waiting for us. Still, there’s no reason to stubbornly insist on a room where we already know considerable pain awaits. Honestly, I think it’s fine whether we change it or not. It’s only a matter of order, and we’ll end up entering every room anyway.”
There was a good chance we’d enter every room eventually. From that perspective, changing rooms wasn’t such a big problem. It was only a matter of order.
The discussion of our final topic didn’t last long. That didn’t mean everyone easily reached an agreement. It was more like the person with the loudest voice won. A minority desperately hated Room 203, while the majority thought changing rooms was risky. Still, the minority held stronger opinions, while the majority were closer to thinking either option was fine.
I was the same. Even if we changed to Room 204, I doubted anything easy or comfortable would be waiting for us. That didn’t mean I thought we absolutely had to go to Room 203.
As the meeting drew to a close, I used today’s final Advice.
[Advice: 1 -> 0]
‘What do you think about choosing to change rooms?’
Honestly, I hadn’t expected a proper answer when I asked. Sponsors couldn’t possibly tell us about other rooms in advance.
[There is no right answer when moving forward.]
Just as expected, the answer wasn’t particularly meaningful, but it was comforting in its own way. Changing rooms wasn’t an incorrect choice or a correct one. It was, literally, a matter of choice.
At least it wasn’t the wrong answer. I should be satisfied with that. We decided to enter Room 204 tomorrow.
* * *
“Then I’ll open it?”
In front of Room 204, Jin-cheol held the doorknob and looked back at us.
“Open it. We already decided yesterday.”
Click!
The door opened. My consciousness blurred.
* * *
[User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)
Date: Day 132
Current Location: Level 2, Room 204, Mission Room, ‘Hotel Cinema’
Sage’s Advice: 3]
Movie posters filled the walls. Popcorn popped, and the scent of caramel hung in the air. Everyone looked bewildered by the familiar yet chaotic atmosphere.
“Did we just enter a Curse Room? Ga-in, did a scenario appear?”
We woke up in the exact clothes we had worn when entering, unchanged in every way. It was clearly different from entering a Curse Room because this wasn’t a Curse Room.
“They said there was one room that wasn’t a Curse Room. This must be Room 204. It says it’s a Mission Room called ‘Hotel Cinema.’”
“Hotel Cinema? Ah! That’s why there’s popcorn here.”
A huge machine was popping popcorn in real time. Beside it was a button that practically screamed, ‘Press me for popcorn!’ Jin-cheol pressed it curiously, and sweet-smelling caramel popcorn poured out.
“It really is a movie theater. I didn’t expect this kind of atmosphere.”
“Haha! How is everyone? If you’ve picked up your popcorn, why not get a drink from the machine beside it?”
A cheerful voice suddenly rang out, and everyone turned. A being we assumed was one of the hotel’s NPCs had appeared behind us. Eun-sol asked with an amused look.
“Are you this room’s Guide?”
“Precisely! Hotel Party members, I was deeply moved by the conversation you had last night. How much you must have suffered in those cruel and painful Curse Rooms! Don’t worry! Room 204 has no such pain. This is a place filled only with joy.”
“... You were eavesdropping on our conversation. It feels silly to complain about it now, though.”
“Seung-yeop’s especially heartfelt wailing! ‘Do you know what it feels like to be hung from a pole and turned into rotisserie chicken?’ That part made me want to cry alongside you!”
“I-I didn’t say it quite like that.”
At the very least, he hadn’t called himself rotisserie chicken.
“Ha! Aren’t those ignorant primitives cruel? No, if they planned to turn a person into rotisserie chicken, they should’ve at least skewered them and spun them around!”
“W-What difference would that make to me? It sounds like it would hurt more.”
“Seung-yeop, they’re making fun of you. Don’t answer them. All right, Guide. Tell us what this room does already.”
“Miss A-ri, of course!”
The Guide smiled broadly and waved a hand. The scenery all around us changed into the interior of a movie theater. At the same time, each of us found a small pamphlet in our hands.
“You may read it, but I’ll explain it simply. This is Hotel Cinema! A theater that incorporates the hotel’s latest technology. Han Ga-in!”
“... What is it?”
“Do you know what kind of technology goes into a cutting-edge movie theater?”
“IMAX or 3D?”
“As expected of a young person, you know the basics. Older participants should make sure to learn this as well.”
“What the hell did you just say? Hey! I’ve heard of IMAX too!”
“I was speaking to Participant Kim A-ri.”
“Cough!”
“IMAX, 3D! Wonderful. Superb image quality and vivid three-dimensional visuals. They can all be called triumphs of human technology. Yet Hotel Pioneer, which prides itself on being the best in every field, isn’t satisfied with just that!”
“Just tell us already... Why are you dragging this out so much?”
“Interactive films! That is the essence of Hotel Cinema!”
Standing before the massive display, the Guide spun lightly as if having just delivered an inspiring line. None of us gave any special reaction.
“Ahem. It seems you don’t understand what an interactive film is. It’s simple. Hotel Cinema has a total of three films prepared. The hotel is proud of their quality, but... their ‘scenarios’ are somewhat unsettling.”
The scenarios were unsettling. I was starting to get a bad feeling.
“One person at a time will possess a character inside a film. What is the best way to enjoy a movie? 3D? IMAX? Forget it! Going directly into the movie is best! Is there a more vivid way to watch a film?”
The Guide continued explaining for quite a while. Perhaps there was no intention of confusing us with the rules, because our questions were answered as well. The pamphlets we had each been given were detailed too.
The rules for Room 204, Mission Room, Hotel Cinema, were simple.
1. View the films prepared by the hotel. There are three in total, and they proceed in order.
2. One of us enters the film. We may bring only one Blessing or Inheritance.
3. If we create an appropriate ending by the time the ending credits roll, we succeed!
4. If the attempt fails, the person who entered loses their chance and cannot try again. Another person may enter that film instead.
5. Since the Hotel Party has nine members, there are nine chances in total. If we create good endings for all three films before all nine chances are lost, the mission is a success. In that case, an appropriate reward will be given.
Eun-sol, who had been listening intently, looked a little tired.
“Isn’t this... like Room 203 again? It’s another solo mission!”
“What do you mean? It’s completely different. This is a Mission Room. You haven’t forgotten what that means, have you? If you aren’t having fun, you may quit!”
The biggest difference between a Mission Room and a Curse Room was that we could stop midway through a Mission Room. But...
“We already tried one on Level 1. Obviously, anyone who fails can’t leave until all the missions are resolved.”
“That alone makes it completely different from a Curse Room. If you fail in a Curse Room, all of you die. In Hotel Cinema, only the person who fails is trapped. Also, you don’t have to clear ‘every film.’ For example, if Miss Eun-sol fails to achieve a good ending in the first film, she will be trapped, correct? You don’t need to clear all three films to rescue Miss Eun-sol.”
“I only need to clear the film where I’m trapped?”
“Correct. It seems you now understand the rules. Shall we see what films await you?”
I hurriedly raised my hand.
“Wait! You haven’t explained the most important part! What counts as a ‘good ending’?”
“That is precisely what I am about to explain.”
The enormous theater display lit up, so large that it was hard to take in at a glance. Three films appeared before us.
1. Taming the Crown Prince
2. Guardian of the Wall
3. Scary Story
The titles seemed to tell us something. That was especially true of the first one.
“Is the first one a romance movie? What about the second?”
“You may consider it a war movie. Everyone, what comes to mind when you see these titles? When you see a title like ‘Taming the Crown Prince,’ you can guess the appropriate ending, can’t you? You must make the Crown Prince fall for you. Of course, survival is essential. The participant must survive until the ending credits roll.”
“... What happens if I enter the first one? Does the title change from the Crown Prince to a princess or something-”
“Hahaha! Ga-in, you may enter if you wish, but are you confident you can seduce the Crown Prince? Getting past the issue of sexual orientation won’t be easy-”
It seemed a woman had to enter the first film. At the very least, I wasn’t confident I could tame the Crown Prince.
Anyway, the condition for a ‘good ending’ was simple. We had to create an appropriate ending based on the title and genre, then survive until the ending credits rolled.
The word ‘survival’ alone gave me an idea of what this would be like. A-ri sighed.
“The third one will be the hardest. ‘Scary Story’ is obviously a horror movie.”
Eun-sol had been staring open-mouthed since she saw the film titles.
“No, no! I’m dumbfounded by the first one! Taming the Crown Prince? What kind of childish setting is that? Is anyone confident they can tame a guy like that? Please leave me out of it. I’d rather try the horror movie.”
Honestly, the moment I saw the title of the first film, someone suitable came to mind. Everyone’s eyes naturally turned to Elena. An aspiring actress with dazzling beauty. Wasn’t she the most fitting person to appear in a romance film? Elena looked at the Guide with an awkward expression.
“If I say I’ll start, does it begin immediately?”
“Before that, you must choose which ability you will bring. I told you that you can only bring one Blessing or Inheritance, correct?”
“I’ll choose my Blessing. Most of the characters will probably be human, and an ability like Lie Detection seems useful.”
“Excellent. Shall we begin?”
The Guide lightly waved a hand, and the entire theater display turned opaque. Elena walked toward it with a wry, incredulous smile.
Just before passing through, Elena looked back at us.
“I’ll go first~!”
--- Sway~!
The display vibrated, and colorful images began filling the space.
“W-We have to watch a movie with Elena in it from now on?”
“Of course. Isn’t this a movie theater? You would all do well to pay close attention. If Miss Elena fails, you must understand why she failed so the next person can resolve it!”
With those ominous words, the first film, ‘Taming the Crown Prince,’ began.
* * *
- Elena
My hazy consciousness slowly returned. Where was I? Right, so-
“Miss! Miss!”
Someone shook me roughly. An older woman wearing a maid’s uniform came into view.
“You must get up quickly! You haven’t forgotten that there is a party at House Verlen today, have you? A party is a war. Even if we start getting you ready now, half a day won’t be enough!”
So now I had to go to some party hosted by House Verlen or whatever, and seduce that damn Crown Prince?
“Haah.”
“Miss?”
“They really make me do all kinds of things! I’m scared to think about what will happen next.”
“Pardon?”
I decided to stop thinking and go with the flow. I could just smile flirtatiously at the Crown Prince or something. If he didn’t fall for me after I tried being nice, should I slap him? When a situation was unclear, slapping someone usually solved things.
* * *
“If he doesn’t fall for me after I try being nice, should I slap him?”
Everyone fell silent as the narration played in Elena’s voice. Grandpa cautiously spoke up.
“I’m already worried.”
“E-Elena! You’re not going to beat up the Crown Prince out of nowhere, right?”
“No, more importantly, does Elena know that her thoughts are being narrated?”
I had a feeling everyone would have plenty of very embarrassing experiences in this room...
Footnotes:
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