WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈

Episode 547: One Ticket, Ten Dreams, and the End of the Line (3) Fin

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「User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)

Date: Day 0

Current Location: Gate Train

Sage’s Advice: 3」

- Han Ga-in

“I want to take a picture of you with this. What do you think?”

It was so out of nowhere that I didn't know how to react.

“If you're going to joke around, just finish putting it together.”

“Oh my!”

A-ri gave a light laugh, as if she'd made a mistake.

“It looks like an impressive tool, but what does it do?”

“It’s a kind of sealing tool.”

“A sealing tool? You take a picture with the camera, and the monster gets trapped inside the photo?”

“... Did you see that with Insight?”

“It’s a camera, so I figured it might work like that.”

“Close enough.”

It could seal a Chaos Entity with just a click?

Now I understood why A-ri and Grandpa had reacted so dramatically to the camera.

Still, it probably had limits.

There was no way it would work on a divine being, and the fact that it had supposedly been destroyed in reality was especially telling.

Would an organization like the Management Bureau really lose such valuable equipment because of an employee's mistake?

Of course not. Some insane monster must have torn free of its seal and done it!

“Ga-in, are you thinking of using the Dream too?”

“I'm considering it. What about you, Grandpa?”

“...”

A quiet silence followed.

Reviving someone you loved with the power of a Dream.

For some people, it must have been a miracle they would give their lives to obtain.

“... I'm thinking about it too.”

Would a loved one revived by a Dream be fake?

That depended on how you looked at it.

Song-i certainly didn't see it that way.

Would it be meaningless because they would disappear after the Loop?

That was like saying life itself was meaningless because people died when their time came.

If Grandpa were the kind of person to think that way, he probably wouldn't have gotten married in the first place.

I didn't bother asking A-ri.

I didn't think there was anyone she wanted to bring back-

“Why aren't you asking me?”

“... Because Mi-ro is already alive.”

The Mi-ro A-ri loved was already alive, as certified by the Hotel itself.

“Well, that's true. I don't plan to use it.”

“Really?”

“No, I mean I won't use it to revive a family member.”

For another purpose?

That was possible.

Even Eun-sol seemed likely to use hers for something other than reviving her family.

Soon, A-ri ran her fingers over the Dream, which shifted between bubbling foam and a pale flash of light. She couldn't hide her awe.

“This is...”

“...”

“As far as I know, it's one of the most powerful consumable items in the world.”

“I suppose it is.”

It was a second-floor reward given by the Hotel.

There couldn't be many things comparable to it.

“I want to use it at a critical moment.”

“Okay.”

A critical moment.

What kind of moment did she mean?

After lightly shaking my head, I brought up something I'd wondered while talking with my companions.

“Based on your explanation, A-ri, agents are immortal in a sense.”

“That’s right.”

“... When Sang-hyeon gave up Unknown Cells and received Final Flash, I thought he'd regret it.”

Unknown Cells had countless functions, the first of which was eternal youth and immortality.

“Looking at it now, giving it up was the right choice. The moment we leave the second floor, we'll have effectively secured eternal youth and immortality anyway.”

“You could see it that way.”

“You could?”

With a slightly gloomy expression, she muttered, “Agents have something called Forced Retirement too.”

“Forced Retirement?”

“It's a term we use among ourselves. It means the moment an agent's continuity breaks and they meet a true death like an ordinary person.”

“... When they encounter an extremely powerful Chaos Entity?”

“That’s one of the main causes.”

There was unease and a trace of fear on A-ri's face.

She must have encountered a Chaos Entity like that before.

The ultimate Chaos Entity that could put an end to A-ri's eternal cycle.

Even an agent could meet an irreversible end if they encountered a sufficiently powerful Chaos Entity.

Perhaps uncomfortable with the subject, A-ri changed the topic.

“About Room 207, it feels like it ended somewhat vaguely.”

“...”

“I wondered if the Hotel would accept your answer, but it did. It feels like you only offered a possibility rather than a fundamental resolution.”

“I'm sure there’s a fundamental answer too.”

I hadn't found a fundamental answer inside Room 207.

Still, problems similar to Room 207's were probably happening in reality as well.

“I hope I can find it out there.”

“I'll do my best-”

“I don't mean you should do it alone. Let's do it together. This time, all of us will pool our strength.”

When I met her eyes, A-ri was smiling brightly.

Her smile was so radiant that I thought we might truly find a definitive answer this time.

Well, maybe not!

“I should get going. It looks like there's one last guest left for your counseling session.”

--- Clack!

“It's okay. Sis and Grandpa can listen too.”

* * *

The last guest had arrived.

“Look at this. This is the ‘choice’ you mentioned, right?”

“... I think so. A-ri, am I right?”

“Yeah.”

Seung-yeop held a small object that looked like a catalog.

It probably contained the question of how much memory from Room 207 he wanted to keep.

“What do you think I'll choose?”

“I don't know.”

“Can't you see it even with Insight?”

I couldn't.

Because I had no intention of looking.

“I don't intend to look. So there’s no way I could see it.”

“Huh?”

“What happens from here on will be your own choice, not something like fate or possibility.”

Grandpa snorted.

“This brat just made ‘do whatever you want’ sound fancy.”

“...”

That was an accurate interpretation.

Had Seung-yeop wanted my advice on what choice he should make?

The boy gave a bitter smile and leaned back in his chair.

“What will happen if I erase my memories?”

“The first thing that comes to mind is that your martial arts will weaken?”

“I guess so. Honestly, though, that isn't a big problem.”

To Seung-yeop, weakened martial arts were not a major issue.

“I'll move faster down a path I've already walked. You did too, didn't you?”

“I did.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

The boy answered A-ri's question.

“... I'm afraid of losing my memories of Yumi.”

What he feared was losing his memories of the person he loved.

I couldn’t tell him what choice to make, so I didn't jump in carelessly.

A-ri and Grandpa silently looked out the window as well.

Soon, Seung-yeop stood up again.

“Bro.”

“I'm listening.”

“Sis.”

“Yeah.”

“Grandpa.”

“Mm.”

“This feels awkward. Bro, Sis, Grandpa. All three feel really strange.”

“...”

I had guessed as much when he mixed up our names earlier.

Still, hearing him say it directly made my breath catch.

“But this is the last time too.”

“You...”

The boy smiled.

At this moment, he was exactly the immature Seung-yeop everyone knew.

“After I get off the train, I'll go back to being the kind and smart Seung-yeop!”

“Pfft!”

“Huh? That was a pretty serious declaration!”

“Sorry, but you weren't smart to begin with.”

“Was he kind, though?”

“Mook-seong. He may be a little lacking, but he has a good personality.”

“T-that was so cruel!”

Watching Seung-yeop leave the train car with a giggle, I felt relieved.

Then, at that very moment.

Insight showed me a faint vision.

“Ah...!”

I could see it.

I could see it!

The moment the boy found love once again!

I was about to rush out and ease Seung-yeop's final worry when-

Grab!

Grandpa quickly stopped me.

“Stay still.”

“Urgh! Wh-why are you stopping me?”

“Brat! I said stay still.”

“No, you don't even know what I was about to do-”

“I do. I think I do. That's why I'm telling you to stay still.”

“What?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

A-ri opened her eyes wide, wondering what this was about.

Then the only married person among us spoke.

“Leave him be. A flower that blooms once will bloom again anyway. If you force the answer on him, it loses its romance.”

“What does romance have to do with-”

“You brat! What's left of love if you take away the romance?”

That was how such a complicated matter came to an end.

* * *

The next morning.

Everyone stood before the train doors, ready to get off.

The moment we had waited so long for, when we would return to reality.

We even held tools that could reshape reality and grant each of our wishes.

Right on cue, the Merchant appeared.

“Congratulations!”

“Uh, well, thank you.”

Even Grandpa, who always tried to eat the Merchant on sight, managed to say thanks.

Maybe because the mood was so warm, the Merchant gave a faint smile and added a few words.

“This much falls under my discretion, so I'll offer you a few guidelines.”

Guidelines?

“Rest for around six months.”

What did that mean?

A-ri carefully asked, “The Light That Calls the End phenomenon happens outside too. Then why are you telling us to rest-”

“Ahem!”

“...”

A-ri fell silent at the Merchant's sharp ahem.

“When will you learn the meaning of decency in that tiny body of yours? Asking so directly, are you? Shouldn't you reflect on yourself?”

The Merchant had graciously decided to offer us some advice, and their attitude made it clear that A-ri was not to interrupt.

It was absurd, but at this moment, the Merchant held all the cards.

“... I'll put my hands up.”

A-ri obediently raised both hands, and the Merchant added a few more words.

“For six months, rest without thinking about anything and let time pass. During the next six months, only gather information. The real game begins one year from now. And...”

“...”

“From now until you arrive, focus all your attention!”

“Huh?”

--- Bang!

Suddenly, without warning, without even time to react!

The train doors flew open.

Then it was as if an invisible giant hand grabbed us all and hurled us out the door!

“Argh!”

“Uaaah!”

“Aaaah!”

--- Screech!

I gave up on controlling my body, since that was impossible anyway, and focused all my attention as I forced my eyes open.

What was there?

There was something, right?

The Merchant wouldn't have told us to focus otherwise!

...

...

...

???

What was that?

A hotel?

Buddha?

Or-

Hell?

“Now!”

What?

“Now is the time to use your Dreams!”

Use the Dreams now?

Weren't we supposed to use them after arriving?

“You can use them after arriving too, but if you plan to use one this time, I recommend using it now if possible!”

As we flew through the air in confusion, my companions, looking dizzy, fumbled for their Dreams.

--- Flash!

The Dreams of seven people shone.

The Great One’s enormous brush painted over the world.

...

Was this perhaps my final memory of the Hotel?

--- Crash!

* * *

「User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)

Date: Day 0

Current Location: Unit 203, Singil Apartment, Seocho 3-dong, Seocho District, Seoul

Sage’s Advice: 3」

- Han Ga-in

“...”

I woke up in a soft bed.

I, we...

At last, we had escaped Hotel Pioneer!

--- Beep! Beep! Beep!

“... Why are you here?”

--- Beep!

Could Song-i and Pero somehow not be together?

Footnotes:

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