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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈

Episode 27: Room 103, The Cursed Room - ‘Animal Farm’ (1)

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[User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)

Date: Day 10

Current Location: Level 1, Room 103 (Curse Room - Animal Farm)

Sage’s Advice: 3]

- Han Ga-in

The evening of our first day on the farm.

After everyone investigated the surroundings as thoroughly as possible, we had learned the following.

1. A family of four lived on the farm: Brian and Amy, their son Peter, and their daughter May.

2. I, Black Bull, Yoo Song-i the goose, Elena the dog, and Kim A-ri the cat were livestock or pets on the farm.

3. Cha Jin-cheol the wild boar, Kim Mook-seong the mouse, Park Seung-yeop the wolf, and Lee Eun-sol the snake were wild animals living around the farm.

Of course, Elena and A-ri had uncovered much of this information.

Ever since I became Black Bull, I'd been locked in the barn, so there was nothing I could do!

Also, while using KakaoTalk with an extremely limited Chat Limit, everyone had naturally learned to communicate using only essential keywords.

Rat King (Mook-seong): Everyone, stay alert. Danger will occur.

Kim Cat (A-ri): I'll keep watch at night.

El Doggo (Elena): I'll check during the day.

Black Bull (Ga-in): Can't leave.

Song Goose (Song-i): Me neither.

Pig Bastard (Jin-cheol): Mouse won't get off my head.

Rat King (Mook-seong): Consider movement efficiency.

Pig Bastard (Jin-cheol): Want to headbutt.

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Don't waste messages.

Wolf Boy (Seung-yeop): Can I sleep?

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Sleep for now. Investigate properly tomorrow.

I was jealous of everyone. They were all so active, talking about keeping watch at night, checking things during the day, and figuring out how to move around.

All I could do in the barn was moo.

With a heavy sigh, I forced my eyes shut.

At least becoming a cow had one advantage.

Grass tasted good.

* * *

- Kim A-ri

The sun was setting.

As its light slowly faded, darkness fell over the entire farm.

Only then did I feel energy fill my whole body. Naturally.

I was a cat.

I climbed out of the little basket that was probably supposed to be my bed and wandered around the farm.

The farm had a strange atmosphere.

There were four people and an absurd number of livestock. There were even eight intelligent animals.

It was the kind of place where noise should have been coming from every direction...

Yet once night fell, the entire farm became strangely quiet.

Just as I was about to slip out of the family's living quarters, someone grabbed me by the scruff.

"Oh my! A-ri, you can't go out at night! Don't you know Goblins come out?"

Ah, seriously. I knew I was in a cat's body right now, but being picked up by the scruff and shoved back into a basket was still disgustingly unpleasant.

I wanted to claw the farm owner's daughter without mercy, but I held back. If I acted like a somewhat well-behaved cat, I'd probably have more freedom to move around.

I waited quietly in the basket and watched for an opening. Eventually, I sensed that May had fallen asleep in her bed as well.

Now I could finally get out.

But Goblins? Had she simply said that to stop me from going outside at night?

There was only one way to find out.

I carefully padded over and slipped out through the window.

Nothing seemed particularly unusual as I sat on the windowsill and looked out toward the farm...

It really was unusually quiet, I thought.

Then I saw a dim, dark shape walking outside.

I could guarantee it wasn't a person, and it wasn't livestock either.

People weren't that large, and livestock didn't walk on two legs.

It was about five to six meters tall. Its outline was too vague to be certain, but it looked broadly humanoid.

Was that a Goblin?

Fortunately, the Goblins weren't prowling through the farm itself.

They merely looked around here and there without much interest, as if observing it.

Even though I was openly watching them from the windowsill, they didn't seem aware of me at all.

That was more information to share tomorrow.

Hadn't I done enough for today?

Maybe because I'd become a cat, I felt like doing what cats did and sleeping lazily for a long time.

I didn't see any reason to do more, so I decided to sleep.

* * *

[User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)

Date: Day 11

Current Location: Level 1, Room 103 (Curse Room - Animal Farm)

Sage’s Advice: 3]

- Elena

Rat King (Mook-seong): Monster only appears at night?

Kim Cat (A-ri): Yeah. Couldn't confirm how dangerous it is.

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Any other information?

Kim Cat (A-ri): None.

El Doggo (Elena): Good work. I'll gather information now.

Wolf Boy (Seung-yeop): Lots of other wolves.

Pig Bastard (Jin-cheol): Wolves might attack farm?

Wolf Boy (Seung-yeop): I'll watch the wolf pack.

Rat King (Mook-seong): Pig and I are searching for the Escape Route.

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): I'll watch around the farm.

Black Bull (Ga-in): Good work, everyone.

Song Goose (Song-i): Thank you.

When the brief conversation ended, Elena felt herself tense up without realizing it.

Everyone's roles had more or less been decided.

Kim A-ri the cat: Gathering information at night

Elena the dog: Gathering information during the day

Cha Jin-cheol the wild boar and Kim Mook-seong the mouse: Searching for an Escape Route

Park Seung-yeop the wolf: Tracking the wolf pack's movements

Lee Eun-sol the snake: Watching the area around the farm

Song-i and Ga-in were trapped, so it was difficult for them to take on a role for now.

Ah! It was finally my turn.

Honestly, how guilty had I felt after dying on the first day of the House of Horror in Room 102 without doing anything?

I hadn't said anything, but hearing about all the hardships Ga-in and Eun-sol had gone through afterward made my heart ache.

Unlike everyone else, whose movements were limited because they had become livestock or wild animals, I was a golden retriever!

Cats were suited to the night, and dogs were naturally suited to the day.

I resolved to actively gather information and help everyone.

What was the first step of any operation?

Wouldn't it be making them love me?

People naturally let down their guard around something lovable, and they tended to take whatever it did in stride.

As an adorable golden retriever, I licked Brian's palm while he busily tended to the farm fence.

"Goodness, Elena, it's a little dangerous here. Hehe, what a good girl. Go to your mother now."

Brian patted my head, then gave me a little push in Amy's direction.

If I did this a few times, everyone would probably like me.

But... what information was I supposed to gather?

A-ri had seen Goblins as soon as night fell, but I couldn't see any monsters. I had no idea what I should be doing.

I wandered around for more than three hours afterward.

Honestly, it wasn't hard. I just wagged my tail and barked, and before I knew it, food was set in front of me while everyone patted my head.

The life of a beloved dog was so easy.

While I was wandering around, I heard Brian and Amy having a serious conversation.

"Let's pluck some feathers from a few of the geese this evening. I think a few of them have enough feathers by now."

"I don't think it's the right time to sell yet... Wouldn't it be better to wait a little?"

"Will prices just keep rising if we wait? It's better to pluck them and sell them as they become ready."

"Then I'll tell Peter."

That was roughly what they said. A normal conversation on a farm.

I was about to think nothing of it when I suddenly froze.

Song-i was a goose.

As far as I knew, geese were plucked alive for their feathers. Some even died from it.

What should I do? First, we needed to talk.

El Doggo (Elena): Emergency emergency.

Rat King (Mook-seong): What's wrong?

El Doggo (Elena): Geese getting plucked tomorrow.

Song Goose (Song-i): Whaaaaaaat????????????

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Quiet. Any plan?

Kim Cat (A-ri): Hide Song-i in corner when they come to pluck?

Rat King (Mook-seong): If she hides, they'll pick another goose.

El Doggo (Elena): I'll follow them, just in case.

Song Goose (Song-i): Please help me, everyone...

Black Bull (Ga-in): Moooooo.

The rough discussion ended.

First, Song-i would hide in a corner when they came to pluck the geese, hoping they would catch another goose instead.

If Brian still chose Song-i to pluck...

Then I'd have to do something somehow. It was time to repay the debt I owed for doing nothing in Room 102.

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Anything else found?

Rat King (Mook-seong): Forest unbelievably big.

Pig Bastard (Jin-cheol): Keeps going forever. Requesting nickname change.

Wolf Boy (Seung-yeop): Wolves hunting deer nearby.

Black Bull (Ga-in): Mooooooo!

Smart Snake (Eun-sol): Cow, don't waste letters.

Everyone carried out their roles in silent tension for about three hours.

I could feel evening approaching.

I suddenly wondered.

The farm couple poured feed for me at every meal, but how were the others eating...?

If I asked, I'd probably only hear sad stories about them catching and eating bugs or small animals. Better not to ask.

Protecting Song-i from the evening's goose plucking was more important.

In the long term, we had to solve this entire situation somehow... but honestly, I still had no clue how.

For now, the only path was to survive by protecting each person one at a time.

As I half-heartedly ate my feed and watched the farm family, the couple and their son Peter got up.

This was it!

If I obviously followed them, they might lock me in a room, so I approached as carefully as I could.

If I got caught, I'd just lick their hands. They'd probably let it go.

And...

I had worked out a small plan with Seung-yeop in case the worst happened.

Now I could finally relax. In Room 103, I would definitely prove myself and have everyone thank me.

Footnotes:

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