WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Escaping the Mystery Hotel ◈
Episode 609: The Stolen World (24)
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- Mi-ro
A strange liquid bubbled like foam, then suddenly turned into opaque smoke.
After a while, it hardened like stone. As more time passed, it began turning back into liquid.
The contents constantly shifted between liquid, gas, and solid. It was a bizarre tool, the Hourglass.
“Come to think of it, we still haven't used the Hourglass, have we?”
At Elena's words, Mook-seong nodded.
“That's right. Wasn't it supposed to help us withstand the Light That Calls the End?”
A-ri shook her head.
“That was just our guess. The Hotel never explained how we were supposed to use it.”
“Then how do we use it?”
Wouldn't Ga-in know?
“The person holding it will know. So, what are you going to do now?”
A-ri was thinking exactly what I was!
Ga-in, who had been deep in thought while holding the Hourglass, looked at us.
“You understand the general idea, right?”
“You’re going to free the Holy Mother, then use Elder Wisdom's death as grounds to repair your relationship with the Moon?”
“After that, all that remains is to enter the Moon's domain, uncover its greatest secret, and turn back time.”
“Are you going alone?”
What he said next shocked me.
“I'm only taking Mi-ro.”
“Eek!”
Just me?
I-I mean, I wouldn't mind doing something alone with Ga-in, but...
The Moon wasn't some amusement park!
He was going to take only me to the most hellish place in the world?
Eun-sol immediately asked, “The Moon has powerful brainwashing abilities. Don't we need the Flute?”
That's right! We needed Eun-sol's Flute!
“The Flute only works if it's played, right?”
“Right.”
“I'm approaching as one of the Moon's loyal subjects. It would be a problem if Eun-sol started playing the Flute beside me.”
I-Is that true?
Then A-ri asked, “What about me?”
“The Moon doesn't like the Management Bureau to begin with.”
“Isn't Mi-ro an agent too?”
That's right!
“Your ranks are different. You're Royalty, and Mi-ro isn't.”
“...”
“Honestly, Mi-ro is in danger too. The Moon might kill her. Still, if I can only choose one person, it'll be Mi-ro.”
“Eek!”
A groan slipped out before I could stop it.
Ga-in looked at me and smiled faintly, as if trying to reassure me.
“Mi-ro, don't worry.”
“Y-You startled me! You were joking about the Moon killing me, right? I'm Ga-in's companion... Don't make scary jokes.”
“...”
“It's okay because I'm the Holy Son's companion, right?”
Even now, A-ri nodded as if she had figured everything out on her own.
“You can't take several people because of mental erosion and similar problems. I'm out because I'm part of the Management Bureau's leadership, and Elena can't go either, since the Holy Mother would grow stronger the moment she died.”
I was scared to death, and what was A-ri even talking about?
“You have Immutability, and with the Time Lender, bringing you is practically like bringing several companions at once. Mi-ro really is the best choice.”
When I glared at her with my eyes wide, A-ri gave an awkward smile and looked away. Ga-in continued.
“Now, everyone focus. Especially Grandpa.”
“Yep.”
“A-ri lost her memories in Room 207, right? When we turn back time with One More Chance, everyone will lose their memories. Only Grandpa won't.”
“You mean I need to remember all the important things?”
“Of course. I've also written the key points in my Status Window.”
He casually ignored my question of whether this was really okay!
I knew that much by now.
Eun-sol spoke worriedly. “Won't the Moon or the Pillagers notice that time has been turned back?”
Ga-in answered simply.
“They will.”
“Ugh! Are you sure?”
“It won't just be the Moon and the Pillagers. The Management Bureau will notice too. Don't forget, One More Chance can't reverse the annihilation of souls.”
“...”
“Millions, no, tens of millions of people will suddenly disappear all over Earth. How could they not notice? From the Moon's perspective, its belly will be full of souls it never devoured. How could it not know?”
“...”
“They won't know exactly what happened before time was turned back.”
Mook-seong looked uneasy.
“Are you sure about that?”
Ga-in smiled bitterly.
“How can anything be certain?”
“I asked a foolish question.”
“One More Chance and the Hourglass are both powers the Hotel gave us. It gave them to us as if to say, ‘This should be enough to solve reality's problems.’ I believe it will be possible.”
For a long time, Ga-in explained everything we had learned so far and what would happen next.
When he first gained Insight, he hadn't explained anything at all. What he was doing now was different.
Why was that?
“I think I've told you everything I needed to say. Grandpa...”
“I memorized it all!”
“That's a relief. Mi-ro, shall we go somewhere quiet for a moment, just the two of us?”
Normally, that would have made my heart race.
Right now, it scared me a little.
“O-okay.”
* * *
Reality was filled with choking dust.
At some point, it had become even more hellish than the Hotel.
Ga-in stared up at the ominously glowing crimson sphere, then suddenly lowered his gaze to examine me.
“...”
His eyes slowly traveled from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.
It felt like he was trying to read every possibility within me.
After nearly thirty uncomfortable minutes, Ga-in spoke.
“Sorry.”
“...”
“That was uncomfortable, wasn't it? I had a lot to think about...”
“I-I'm going to report you to the police. Isn't this some kind of crime?”
Sexual harassment, or something!
Ga-in looked a little flustered.
“... What you just said wasn't in any possibility I saw.”
“Really? Then do you know how frogs and tadpoles are related?”
“What?”
“Seung-yeop said tadpoles don't know what frogs were like! So if a tadpole is in a tank...”
“No, no. Mi-ro, just stay quiet. If you add strange information, I'll get confused.”
Ha! This was it!
Insight or not, it couldn't keep up with my creative thinking!
Thinking that way made my instinctive discomfort toward Ga-in and Insight disappear.
“Hehe...!”
Ga-in wore a very complicated expression when he saw my reaction.
“... I don't know why, but you seem happy, so that's a relief. That's better than being afraid of the Moon.”
“Hmph! This is who I-”
“Don't open your mouth. Every time you do, I get confused.”
“...”
I was starting to feel bad again.
“Mi-ro.”
“...”
“Mi-ro?”
“You told me not to talk.”
“... Look, can you see this?”
In one hand was the Hourglass we had seen at the Hotel.
In the other was a fist-sized object that looked like a mix of living tissue and machinery?
“Oh! That's the Living Camera, right? Isn't it A-ri's?”
“That's right. I'll explain how to use them.”
At that point, I realized something too.
“D-Don't tell me I have to use both?”
“Yeah.”
“Ga-in! T-Think calmly!”
“I'm thinking very calmly.”
“Aren't you trusting me too much? You're taking only me to an incredibly dangerous place, and you're putting the most important tools in my hands too!”
I tried to steady my pounding heart as I looked into Ga-in's eyes. Then I heard his calm voice.
“The difference between Elder Wisdom and me.”
“Huh?”
“Actually, there's one more.”
“What...”
“I trust you. If I don't trust my companions, who am I supposed to trust? So don't worry.”
“...”
“I saw the possibility of you succeeding through Insight. Do you believe me now?”
I felt a powerful intuition.
Was he lying?
No. It was closer to him only telling part of the truth.
He had probably seen a possibility where I did something well, but also one where I failed.
Still, what was the point of talking about ominous things now?
“I believe you!”
Ga-in smiled brightly.
I smiled back at him.
* * *
「User: Han Ga-in (Wisdom)
Date: Day 238
Current Location: 1 Uisadang-daero, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul
Sage’s Advice: 3」
- Han Ga-in
Day 238, one day before the Moon's Descent.
I released the sealed Holy Mother.
The moment Aedia awoke, she radiated wild fury and grabbed me by the collar.
“I'll chew your flesh while you're still alive...”
“Please hear me out! My flesh probably doesn't taste very good.”
Looking at the Holy Mother burning with rage, I calmly delivered the lie I had prepared.
It took less than a minute for the Holy Mother to be shocked.
“W-What did you say? You killed Elder Wisdom, that old geezer?”
“His body is right here. You can see it, can't you?”
Elder Wisdom usually did not appear in reality.
I had worried the Holy Mother might not recognize the body, but it was needless concern.
She gently stroked Elder Wisdom's severed head, her face full of complicated emotions.
“It really is true. You really killed that disgusting old man!”
Despite calling him disgusting, the Holy Mother looked somewhat sad as she closed Elder Wisdom's wide-open eyes and pressed her palms together.
“I hope he found rest at the end of his harsh life...”
Were they closer than I thought?
They had merely clashed because of their official positions, one as the Moon's Holy Mother and the other as a Pillager. It didn't seem like they held any personal grudge.
Or perhaps she was simply showing mercy to the dead.
“I'm sorry. Fighting Elder Wisdom was extremely dangerous, so I thought the Holy Mother would oppose it...”
“Enough. There is no need to bring up the past any further. Killing that monster is a truly tremendous achievement. The Prince will accept you magnanimously as well.”
I had already realized it after observing the Moon several times.
The Moon no longer showed anger toward me.
“The Prince will probably... descend tomorrow.”
The date provided by the Hotel had been correct after all.
“Prepare yourself. The time of victory is now approaching.”
* * *
「Date: Day 239」
From early morning, the color of the sky began to change.
The ominously glowing crimson Moon looked ready to drive away the sun even in broad daylight.
Following the Holy Mother's instructions, I bathed and purified myself, then waited on my knees. Suddenly, space began to split apart.
At that moment, the Holy Mother wore an expression of overwhelming joy.
“Holy Son, the time of victory has finally come.”
“Congratulations.”
“I'm not the one who should be congratulated. It is something everyone should rejoice over!”
Something everyone should celebrate...
The Holy Mother's idea of everyone was probably different from the usual meaning of the word.
In any case, I also did my best to look happy.
“Um... Holy Son.”
“Yes?”
“... Do you really have to bring this girl? Bringing a Hotel companion as an attendant is acceptable, but this girl...”
When the Holy Mother glared at her, Mi-ro hid behind me as if frightened.
“Is it because she is from the Management Bureau?”
“... The Prince does not think favorably of the Management Bureau.”
“Please. She is quite a useful companion. She will be of help to the Prince.”
“Hoo...”
Aedia let out a quiet sigh and gently closed her eyes.
It looked like she was asking for the Moon's will.
“The Prince has graciously agreed to accept her in consideration of the Holy Son's achievement.”
I immediately knelt and lowered my head.
Mi-ro, who had been standing there blankly, belatedly knelt beside me.
“Holy Son, that is enough. Let us enter.”
* * *
Beyond the entrance awaited an endless fall.
I covered Mi-ro's mouth as she nearly screamed, and we fell without end.
Was it because I had recovered my complete Insight and Wisdom had become sharper than ever?
I realized one absurd fact.
Ah...
The faint shape of the Moon in the sky was not the Moon's true form.
When the Moon confronted Elder Wisdom before, it had merely stuck out its tongue while drawing out only a part of its body.
The Moon had never once emerged from inside Earth!
Wasn't that obvious, if I thought about it with common sense?
If something as huge as the Moon came out from underground, Earth might physically shatter!
Humanity would be wiped out immediately, and that would be a great loss for the Moon, which wanted to devour the souls of survivors.
Ha ha!
Common sense, huh...
If I was going to care about common sense, the problem started with the Moon being inside Earth!
How had anyone put it there in the first place?
No matter how advanced primordial human civilization had been, how could it chew through science like a snack...
“...”
Then another Enlightenment suddenly came to me.
The ones who imprisoned the Moon inside Earth had been Primordial Participants!
Chewing through science like a snack?
With power gained from the Hotel, it was more than possible.
In exchange for granting humanity dozens, perhaps hundreds of Loops, they earned the qualification for Ascension and left reality forever.
What about Elder Wisdom?
Hadn't he also made quite a few contributions?
Was there a reason the Elder's approach was absolutely impossible?
My mind, clearer than ever, stretched endlessly in search of a single answer.
- Rumble!
I heard thunder.
And I knew it was not a physical sound.
It was the greeting of a living typhoon welcoming an old friend.
Joy at gaining the upper hand in a war that had seemed destined never to end.
The emotions of the Great One.
The reality of the Great One.
It could instantly bring what it thought into reality, so the two realms were one and the same.
Enlightenment.
Enlightenment.
Enlightenment.
...
This wasn't the knowledge I wanted.
I hadn't come here to learn how magnificent and powerful the Moon was compared to me!
I had experienced the overwhelming power of Prisoners enough to be sick of it at the Hotel.
I needed a different Enlightenment.
Something that would help me reach the answer...
At that moment.
「You came.」
「Savior.」
「Researcher.」
「Magician.」
「Teacher.」
「Traitor.」
「Returned Holy Son.」
Countless voices rang out at once.
It was a conversation, yet not a conversation.
It was the will radiated by a living star, a sound from a realm where the boundary between thought and reality had collapsed.
“Ugh!”
Perhaps even Immutability had its limits. Holding Mi-ro's hand tightly as she groaned, I concentrated my mind on a single point.
...
I gained one strange Enlightenment.
There was a limit to the number of souls an Ark could swallow.
If there were no limit, there would be no reason to eliminate survivors in advance under the pretext of stopping the Moon's growth.
They could simply put all humanity aboard the Ark. There would be no reason for a Selection process.
The Arks created by the Management Bureau had a capacity limit, and even the Pillager Arks had one.
Even the Sacred Sun had a capacity limit.
Then why did the Moon have no such limitation?
I knew of a being similar to the Moon.
At the Hotel, I had seen a being containing the condensed souls of incomparably more Mortals than the Moon!
As my consciousness blurred under a dizzying sensation, I heard a voice for the first time in a very long while.
「My son.」
「Do you understand now? I set you on the path long ago.」
「Now that you have finally begun to attain realization, I have no regrets. Expand, then expand again. Understand that life evolved from single-celled organisms into multicellular ones.」
Was it an auditory hallucination?
Or the last voice remaining within the Sacred Sun?
I could not tell.
Footnotes:
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