Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 517

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈

Episode 516: Room 207, Gate Room - Fourth Trial ‘The Fallen King’ (2)

──────

- Cleanup Agent, Kim Min-a

I'm Kim Min-a, a Cleanup Agent in the Demon Disaster Response Team of the Holy See's Inquisition Bureau.

‘Holy See,’ ‘Inquisition Bureau,’ ‘Demon Disaster,’ ‘agent.’

Don't those words sound grand just by themselves?

It's just a shame I never get to use any of those cool terms when introducing myself.

In the past, I usually went by identities like ‘a solo study room part-timer,’ ‘a Happyhappy Convenience Store part-timer,’ or ‘a Star Cafe part-timer.’

Since my job involves carrying out all kinds of secret work behind the scenes of the world, I know hiding my identity can't be helped, but it's still a shame.

Anyone observant would've noticed that the role I usually played was ‘part-timer.’ The reason was simple.

I looked incredibly young, to a supernatural degree.

Put me in a school uniform, and everyone would mistake me for a high school student!

“Min-a, good morning!”

“Morning!”

* * *

Whether someone had a happy or bitter school life depended on the person, but my opinion was firm.

If you didn't worry about test scores, high school was a pretty fun place.

This was my eighth year at Hotel High, and I'd been through graduation twice. Everyone should respect the opinion of Korea's foremost high school expert.

How had I ended up attending a school with the strange name Hotel High for eight whole years?

I used to sigh because I couldn't understand it at all, but now I vaguely knew why.

I'd heard a secret rumor circulating among veteran agents.

According to the rumor, someone in the upper ranks of the Holy See could see the future.

They said the ‘Prophet’ had lived for an extremely long time and grown stronger over the years.

The Prophet had seen the future.

They must've discovered that a terrible Demon Disaster would occur at this school someday!

They just didn't know exactly when, so they planted a single Cleanup Agent here.

...

Thinking about it that way made me feel better.

It made me feel like I wasn't wasting my time for nothing, but performing some great service for humanity.

All right!

Shall I cheerfully enjoy another day of endless student life?

“Yaaawn!”

--- Smack!

“Who said you could yawn during class?”

“... Sorry.”

“Hold your hands up!”

* * *

Toward the end of the boring fourth-period Korean History class, I forced my drooping eyelids open and looked around.

Sure enough, the boys were already poised to sprint away the instant the bell rang.

--- Ding! Dong! Daeng! Dong!

“Wooo!”

How could these idiots do the exact same thing for eight years straight?

Was the cafeteria food really that good when they ate it every day?

Of course, I had no intention of running around like an idiot.

Even if I went slowly, there'd still be plenty of side dishes left-

--- Crash!

“Ah!”

“Ugh! S-sorry!”

“...”

“S-sorry. I d-didn't know you were there. I mean, I-”

“It's fine. Go eat.”

One of the dumb boys had run into me from behind.

Looking at his face, he was one of the kids I'd categorized as a ‘model student’ at the start of the semester.

Why was someone like him running at full speed?

After sighing once, I reached the cafeteria at my leisure, just in time for the first ‘strange thing’ to happen.

“Argh! That's hot!”

“I-it's hot!”

“...”

It looked like one of the cafeteria ladies had made a mistake while ladling out hot soup.

She must've spilled quite a lot, because a student was glaring and snapping at her.

Ah, I remembered that kid.

One of the students I'd categorized as a ‘delinquent’ at the start of the semester.

Well, after serving meals thousands or tens of thousands of times, anyone could make a mistake.

Wouldn't a quick apology settle it?

The student was a delinquent, so things might get a little loud.

“You...”

“Ma'am, my blazer is soaked-”

“You disrespectful little shit! Is that how your mother raised you?”

For a moment, silence fell over the cafeteria.

Not only the delinquent who had been complaining, but even the students beside them who had been watching and snickering stood there with their mouths hanging open, their eyes darting around.

“You bastard, I'll rip out your guts and fry them! You whore-born bastard! I'll pour boiling oil down your throat-”

Words weren't enough, so the cafeteria lady actually dipped the ladle into the fryer where pork cutlets were being cooked!

“Argh!”

“W-what's gotten into you?!”

“They're crazy! They're crazy!”

Red with rage, the cafeteria lady scooped up boiling oil!

At this point, even if the delinquent had been an active gangster, they would've backed away first.

Naturally, the startled students hurried out of the way. The other cafeteria ladies and teachers nearby were so shocked that they rushed in to hold her back.

Did this really have to get this out of hand?

If she'd just said, ‘I'm sorry, student. I made a mistake,’ the student probably would've complained a little and then gone to eat...

Everyone barely touched their food before lunchtime ended.

* * *

Was it my imagination?

For it to be nothing more than someone failing to control a momentary burst of anger, it had been too sudden and without warning.

If it wasn't my imagination...

* * *

Fifth-period English.

The instant the teacher entered, some rough boys started with, “Do you have a boyfriend?” and began throwing out embarrassing jokes I couldn't bring myself to repeat.

“G-guys! Please quiet down. This part will definitely be on the midterms!”

I sighed as I watched the English teacher helplessly flounder.

It might sound old-fashioned, but honestly, I was old-fashioned. Kids only listened after getting hit. Talking to them gently didn't mean a thing.

What? It'll be on the midterms?

Did these idiots care about something like midterms?

--- Tap! Tap!

“H-hey! Sang-min, the teacher's getting mad!”

“Eek! Hehe! Sorry, teach!”

“What? Wow! Are you going to hit us, teacher?”

“That's child abuse! Child abuse!”

If you couldn't use a switch, you needed to overwhelm them with sheer presence. Unfortunately, not just anyone could do that.

Only a big male teacher or someone with years of experience could pull it off. It was impossible for a pretty teacher in their mid-twenties.

The English teacher was doomed to suffer for years to come-

--- Stab!

Huh?

“Ugh, ah-”

“Eek!”

“C-crazy! T-teacher! What the hell are you doing-”

--- Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!

“Gaaah!”

Have they lost it?

Didn't the teacher just stab a student more than ten times with a pen?!

“P-pull the teacher off!”

“Get the Korean teacher from next door!”

“Argh!”

“T-take Sang-min to the nurse's office!”

By the time the students and the well-built Korean teacher from the next classroom barely managed to subdue the English teacher and drag them away, Sang-min's upper body was covered in blood, all because he'd run his mouth.

...

By the time the police arrived, the English teacher wore a dazed expression.

As if the teacher had no idea what they had done.

“Min-a... Isn't school really weird today? Should I leave early?”

“... If you can.”

“Hehe. I'm joking. Leave early, my ass-”

“No. If you can, do it.”

“Huh?”

The first time was suspicion. The second was certainty.

Something strange was happening at this school!

* * *

The cafeteria lady's sudden burst of rage without warning.

The English teacher's violence, as if they had no concern for the consequences.

Neither had acted of their own will.

Someone was definitely using a Grimoire.

So this was what they meant by ‘Retrieve the Grimoire’!

* * *

Before long, the students began to believe that what had happened that day was a disturbing incident.

It was true, wasn't it?

The world had always been full of senseless violence.

They caught some lunatic stabbing people in the subway and asked why, only for the answer to be, ‘Life sucks so fucking much today.’

Compared to that, the cafeteria lady had been insulted by a student, and the English teacher had been subjected to verbal abuse. In their own way, they had some justification for their anger.

By the time regular classes ended, the students were chatting as though they had completely forgotten the bloodshed from a few hours earlier.

Evening self-study began in that atmosphere.

--- Bang!

“Everyone, sit down!”

A massive figure slammed a baseball bat against the teacher's desk and shouted, glaring at the class.

It was the school's gym teacher. Apparently, he had been a baseball player before becoming a teacher.

He'd retired after drifting around the minor leagues and never made a name for himself, but as a former athlete, his build was extraordinary.

But... what was with the baseball bat?

The students, instantly intimidated, plopped down in their seats with confused noises.

The class president, who belatedly realized something was wrong, raised a hand.

“Um... Teacher, why did you bring a bat?”

When the gym teacher didn't answer, the class president frowned and stood up.

“Excuse me! Why did you bring a bat into the classroom-”

“You rotten little bastards! Get back in your seats right now!”

“No, what-”

“Class president! If you don't sit down this instant, your head's going to fly off!”

The class president had a fairly solid build and a strong presence among the students.

Even so, they couldn't withstand that insane pressure and sat down with a confused stammer.

What the hell was going on?

The huge teacher looked around the classroom and began speaking as though lecturing them.

“Have you ever thought about how hurt the English teacher must've been because of your rotten behavior? Class president!”

“Y-yes!”

“Answer me!”

Having regained some composure, the class president answered calmly.

“First, I'm sorry. There are a lot of kids who take their jokes too far, so the English teacher must've had a hard time. As class president, I'll, um, make sure this doesn't happen again-”

“Who was it?”

“Excuse me?”

“What bastard was making jokes, you idiot?”

While the class president hesitated, the gym teacher moved with the bat as though he already knew the answer.

Then, when the huge teacher stopped beside a desk at the back of the classroom-

--- Crack!

“You little shit! I'm going to beat you into a bloody pulp today!”

The baseball bat flew down like lightning and smashed into the head of one of the troublemakers!

What followed looked like a scene from a B-grade horror movie.

The impact to the student's skull was so powerful that an eyeball popped out and rolled across the floor, while teeth came loose in a shower and scattered everywhere.

...

When I came to my senses, the classroom had descended into complete chaos.

Overwhelming terror spread rapidly, filling the entire room with screams. Some students had even collapsed after wetting themselves.

I bolted out of the classroom!

* * *

It was strange and brutal.

Someone who had luckily obtained a Grimoire seemed to be using its power to hurt students, but I didn't know why.

Revenge for what the English teacher had suffered?

That didn't seem right. The violence caused by controlling the English teacher had probably half-ruined the teacher's life.

* * *

As I ran down the hallway, panting, the school was truly going off the rails.

The announcement over the speakers sounded like something a madman would say!

‘Ah, ah! Microphone test. Hotel High students, every English word you memorize today will change the face of the spouse you meet in the future. You've heard that saying before, haven't you?’

‘Did you know the following sentence was omitted?’

‘It won't just change your spouse's face, but yours as well!’

‘Gaaaaah-!’

--- Click! Click!

“Why of all things... Why...”

Who the hell was doing this?!

I was an agent.

I had a weapon to protect myself in an emergency.

I'd also been trained in when and how to use it.

But at that moment, I had no idea who the enemy was!

--- Ring! Click!

Thankfully, the Inquisition Bureau's Korean Branch answered the phone.