WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈
Episode 465: Room 206, Curse Room - The Demon King Who Revives After 100 Days Re (24)
──────
[User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)
Date: Day 552
Current Location: Level 1, Room 105, ‘Rest Room’
Sage’s Advice: 0]
- Han Ga-in
“Hey, you need to fix the way you talk first.”
“...”
At first, it had been an act to seem mysterious in front of the NPCs, but at some point, that oddly pretentious way of speaking had become natural for ‘Sun Ga-in.’
Then the other spoke as though dumbfounded.
“Sun Ga-in? If I'm Sun Ga-in, are you Demonic Path Ga-in?”
“That’s too childish...”
What about Embodied Ga-in and Disembodied Ga-in?
At least for now, I was the only one with a body.
“Who gets the body is too vague. We can switch that whenever we want.”
Suddenly, I realized the other was reading thoughts I hadn't spoken aloud.
“You're the same. Some of your thoughts about my pretentious way of speaking were never spoken aloud. Of course, I don't physically have a mouth right now.”
We shared not only memories but even our present thoughts in real time.
Could beings like us really be considered separate people?
If not, who exactly was I talking to right now?
Was there even such a thing as conversation between us?
Maybe this was no different from hallucinating alone and falling into delusion-
“Stop, stop. I finally know what we should call each other. I'm Normal Ga-in, and you're Psychotic Ga-in.”
“...”
“You thought this earlier, didn't you? That the Grimoire is hyper-rational while the Sun is emotional? That's your opinion. Mine is different. The Grimoire is psychotic, and the Sun is human.”
Ridiculously enough, that didn't seem entirely wrong either.
“Let's go back to what we were talking about at first. Mi-ro's advice. Looking at your psychotic side, I understand now. The Sun's influence isn't properly reaching you.”
Last night, when I realized the Book's Second Sentence and split apart, our roles hadn't been divided as clearly as they were now.
Of course not.
The Grimoire was originally an independent Inheritance, not some tool created to suppress the Sacred Sun's Encroachment.
The clever idea of distributing the Inheritances among our divided selves to create ‘Containment’ had come from Mi-ro.
This was the result.
To use the paint analogy our Sponsor liked, it was like dividing a bowl of water in two and containing the black paint and white paint separately.
“I don't know whether this is a plausible solution, but it seems better than before. Mi-ro's first piece of advice was useful. Let's test the second one too if we get the chance.”
Mi-ro's first piece of advice, ‘Containment,’ had been useful.
What about her second piece of advice, “Too much is as bad as too little”?
“And about the solution for Room 206, it's creative if you put it nicely, but it has way too many holes if you don't.”
“...”
“It feels like we're just praying that every blank part works out in our favor... What else can we do? We'll have to try our best.”
I agreed.
No, since the other’s thoughts were my thoughts, it might be more accurate to say we reviewed the plan rather than agreed-
“Ugh! What are you, Descartes? Stop imitating some depressed German philosopher. You're giving me a headache too. Let's end the conversation here.”
With that, the being that resembled flickering flames slowly faded away.
“Things will work out somehow. I'll fill in the weak points of the plan.”
Who said that just now? Me? Or the other?
... I should get some sleep too.
The next morning, the fourth attempt at Room 206 began.
* * *
- Kim A-ri
Darkness where nothing could be seen, and suffocating silence.
Soon, a mysterious voice echoed out, announcing the beginning of Room 206.
“We pray amid the coming ruin. May unwavering reason uphold the world. May the chaos filling the universe never invade our small birdcage.”
...
“Indomitable Reason! Protect the world with clear and righteous reason!”
This was a kind of prologue.
It must have been the moment Indomitable Reason, installed in Paradise, had first been activated.
After some time passed, I woke up.
“...”
I woke in a modest room.
When I stepped outside, several high-ranking Cult members, including the elders, were discussing various matters.
“The number of believers grows with every gathering, truly a joyous thing-”
“Elder Odian is scheduled to deliver the sermon at tonight's gathering-”
“There have been many reports of Enforcers sighted along Route 17, so be careful-”
Naturally, running a cult in this brutal dystopia was never easy.
“Oh, Apostle A-ri! You slept late today.”
“... Yes, Raymond. I'll be more careful.”
“Ha ha! Careful about what? You're still at an age when you need plenty of sleep. Rest more if you'd like.”
Thankfully, I didn't need to handle such bothersome work myself.
It was probably because I was young in this setting.
--- Creak!
When I headed toward the Cult's treasure vault, a few people looked my way, but nobody stopped me.
I was fairly high-ranking, and until that very morning, I had been a devout and kind girl.
Besides, it wasn't as if the vault held any incredible weapons.
“...”
At least, that was what the Cult members believed.
They thought it was only a place with a few old historical items.
I had thought the same during the first run.
“...”
“Hmm? Apostle A-ri, have you taken an interest in the spacesuit?”
Seeing the elderly person smile so warmly made me smile too.
They had stored a Protective Suit for two hundred years and mistaken it for a spacesuit?
It did look somewhat like one, but its function was completely different.
Of course, these NPCs couldn't use the Protective Suit, but anyone could tell it was abnormally durable without even using it.
The stage created by the Hotel often revealed this kind of flimsy plausibility in small details.
“...”
I stroked the Protective Suit and considered it one last time.
Was there anything else I could get from the Demon King Cult?
...
No.
The Sacred Sun had finished charging, so there was no longer any reason to consume the Cult, and the plan to worship the Demon King had also been discarded.
The only place with a remaining loose end was the Sacred Domain, but I could go there without these people.
So...
It would be best to deal with people who might create unnecessary confusion for the coming plan in advance.
--- Click!
“Huh? Ah! Aahhh! Wh-what is this? H-how did you-”
I put on the Protective Suit.
“Whoa! Could it be, Apostle, that you received a revelation from the Demon King-”
--- Crunch!
The neck of the elderly person who managed the old treasure vault snapped.
I thought the elderly person probably hadn't felt any pain.
... Probably.
“Aah! S-someone died- Mmph!”
“You lunatic! Apostle A-ri has gone mad!”
One person, then another, then another.
The Cult's leaders fell one by one.
Many were people with supernatural abilities who normally couldn't be killed so easily.
But this was inside Paradise, not outside it.
Within the domain ruled by Indomitable Reason, they all became ordinary humans.
On the other hand, I had confirmed during the second attempt that the Protective Suit functioned regardless of Indomitable Reason.
Why? Because it was a product of pure science?
Then what about Final Flash or the bracelet?
There was no point dwelling on it.
Room 206 was only a stage recreated by the Hotel.
Either way, none of them could stop me.
“Aah! P-please spare me! Apostle, my son-”
“A spy! That crazy bitch must have been sent by Kadyrov-”
If they had been ordinary people, they could at least have reported me to the Enforcers. But they belonged to the Demon King Cult, so they couldn't even do that and were slaughtered helplessly.
Several people who realized they couldn't possibly win ran toward the narrow passageway.
I was getting a little tired, so I didn't bother stopping them.
Was that why?
Someone who saw me letting them escape realized something.
“Ha! Is someone waiting in the passageway too?”
“... Raymond.”
Raymond, the Demon King Cult's most senior elder and someone who was effectively its leader.
Raymond certainly had insight.
Kim Sang-hyeon was waiting in the passageway.
“H-heh heh! What in the world is happening...? Is this where the Cult's fate ends?”
“...”
“It can't be! It absolutely can't end like this...! You wicked temptress, Kadyrov's witch!”
Someone else had said it earlier too, but Raymond apparently believed I was an assassin sent by the mayor.
They didn't know anything, so they had no choice but to misunderstand.
“We! We will never end like this! You may think you've won today, but the Demon King will once again-”
“That’s right. You won't end like this.”
I didn't know whether those words could comfort Raymond.
Still, I considered the elderly person a good person, so I wanted to say at least this much.
“Think of it as a dream. A somewhat long and painful dream. We're all just going to sleep for a while.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“When you wake up again, nobody will remember what happened today. Good night.”
--- Crunch!
Now, it was time to begin in earnest.
* * *
- Yoo Song-i
“Ha ha, Mayor. According to last quarter's financial settlement-”
“This is the report that came up from the mines yesterday-”
“There was a large-scale embezzlement case at Pleon Company-”
Reports from civil servants and Paradise's senior officials continued without end.
Mayor Leon Kadyrov handled his work without wasting even a second.
During the second and third runs, I had practically taken over the mayor's role midway through.
How did I compare to Leon now?
...
Ahem.
I had to admit this part honestly.
Watching the mayor work now, my past self had been doing little more than playing a somewhat complicated game of house.
W-well, it couldn't be helped.
Leon was already an incredible genius, and he had over thirty years of administrative experience. How could I compare?
Either way, I was once again reminded of what an outstanding person Leon Kadyrov was.
“Song-i.”
“...”
“Song-i Kadyrov.”
“Huh? Oh? Yes?”
Startled, I raised my head. The mayor had paused his work and was looking at me.
“It’s a little early, but you're done for the day.”
* * *
After we returned to the Floating Mansion, a mysterious place where Indomitable Reason couldn't suppress the supernatural, the mayor spoke.
“So, what did you think after observing my work for half a day?”
“...”
That morning, as soon as I woke in Room 206, I asked the mayor if I could observe his work.
I had been considering second and third contingency plans in case he refused, but surprisingly, he agreed readily.
Then again, looking back on the second run, the mayor did seem to consider me something like a candidate to succeed him.
Perhaps he thought I was old enough to learn about such things.
“Dad, you're really fast and accurate at handling work.”
Leon replied with a light smile.
He didn't seem displeased.
“Starting tomorrow, I'll arrange for summarized reports to be brought to you as well.”
“...”
What was this?
His daughter showed an interest in important matters, so he was suddenly starting successor training because he was proud of her?
Don't do this.
You're making it harder for me to steel myself.
“... Dad.”
“Yes?”
“I have... a plan.”
“A plan?”
“A plan to save a country facing the End Times.”
“I see.”
“I don't know if it can succeed. But there is a possibility.”
“What kind of plan is it?”
“I, I can't tell you that.”
“Go on.”
“The problem is, carrying out the plan will cause enormous sacrifices.”
“...”
“Not just dozens or hundreds of deaths. More than an ordinary person could even imagine-”
“One million people?”
“Far more than that.”
“Hmm.”
“There's a high chance they won't die peacefully either. It will be incredibly painful. Is it all right to carry out such a plan-”
“You mean, is it all right for the sake of the city?”
“...”
“Can people living in the present be sacrificed for an uncertain future? Is that what you're asking?”
“... Yes.”
The mayor lowered his head for a moment.
He seemed to be choosing his words carefully.
“Song-i.”
“Yes.”
For some reason, his voice was gentle.
I hadn't even used Beloved One.
“That is the most important role of a ruler. To face painful concerns and decisions the weak cannot make, rather than running from them.”
“...”
“I don't know exactly what is troubling you, so I can't tell you what to choose. But at the very least, don't avoid making a choice. Even if you die, die on the path you chose.”
Don't avoid a choice, no matter how grave the situation.
Even if I died, I should die on the path I had chosen.
It was an answer fitting for the mayor.
A last word fitting for the mayor.
“Did that help?”
“Yes. Thanks to you, I've made up my mind.”
“I'm glad, even if I don't know what this is about.”
“Dad. Good night.”
“What? It isn't time to sleep yet-”
--- Bang!
Footnotes:
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