Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 170
Only Krnovel
Episode 170 – Room 201, Room of the Curse – ‘The Cube’ (19) Fin
– Han Ga-in
The moment the finger came down from the vast, boundless sky like a meteor, everything stopped.
Beatrix’s song, which had been screaming in pain in a distant phase, stopped.
The noise made by the books and displays fluttering in the strange space stopped.
The cruel god who filled the world with maniacal laughter fell silent.
In a time and space where all things stopped, a finger came down from heaven and pierced me, who I could not even think of avoiding.
…
When I came to my senses, I realized that I had returned to being the full Han Ga-in.
“What the hell is this-”
“Are you awake?”
I was startled and turned around to see an intelligent man who looked to be in his late 50s.
“you are!”
“Are you a senior researcher? “It’s a bit like the same obvious story, isn’t it?”
“… What is this situation right now? “What on earth are your fingers?”
“It was a kindness shown because it was the first room on the second floor.”
“yes?”
“Did you properly understand the ‘seal’ before entering this room?”
“I heard something vaguely from Ari, but honestly, I didn’t know much about it. Because Ari himself didn’t know much.”
“You started Unit 201 without a proper understanding of the seal system. It’s not your responsibility. The hotel doesn’t have any instructions, so how can you know before trying it? The problem is that if you get caught up in the character’s way of thinking, like this time, your personality may change. “Do you think you could have known about this in advance and dealt with it?”
“…”
“So, there is this kind of consideration in the first room on the second floor. It’s like they forcibly separated you and me. Congratulations! “You have regained your whole self again.”
“I’m really thankful for that.”
“Isn’t it funny? “The hotel is a place where all the absurdities of the world seem to be gathered together, but there is also this strange consideration hidden in such a topic.”
The senior researcher took out a cigarette from his jacket and began to smoke it slowly. He, who had been spewing crumbly mist from his mouth, opened his mouth again.
“You get one too?”
“I’ve never smoked.”
“Do you plan to use this opportunity to learn?”
“…”
“Huh, really, you’re a boring junior.”
“I’m not a junior.”
“okay?”
…
“It’s interesting to look into your eyes. There’s so much I want to say, but I feel like I don’t know what to say. is not it?”
“Is this really the only way? Was it necessary to sacrifice Beatrix and a human being?”
“It seems you really disliked my methods.”
“you are… . I thought about it while I was assimilating with you. He literally uses everyone except himself like a tool.”
“It’s one of the chronic diseases of high-ranking people. And you were mistaken about one thing.”
“Is it an illusion?”
“You treat all humans except me like tools? What are you talking about? “I am the most useful tool, right?”
“…”
“Why on earth do you think I am here?”
“No way, I went to the hotel on my own to get something -”
“That’s enough. You will never see me again in your life, so why bother asking me personal questions? It won’t have any meaning beyond satisfying curiosity. Rather, we should ask the questions that are necessary for you in the future.”
With those words, the chief pointed to my ‘status window’.
[User: Han Ga-in (Jihye)
Date: Day 87
Current Location: Tier 2, Chamber of Curse – Room 201, ‘The Cube’
Sage Advice: 3]
…
This is the first time that anyone other than me has seen my status window.
‘Advice from a wise man’ blinked.
“This… .”
“Use my advice and ask me questions. I feel like I just want to tell you, but I can’t anymore. “You sure you don’t know how to use it?”
“How can you write advice when you’re not an owl?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to ask questions just to satisfy curiosity? A necessary question.”
“…”
“If you’re not sure what to ask, I’ll choose the appropriate one. The first question is… . Yeah, this would be good.”
‘About the system on the second floor.’
[Advice: 3 -> 2]
… I laughed out loud.
Senior researcher, this man who must have been the master of wisdom a long time ago began to use the status window as his own. He even started to practice asking his own questions and answering them himself.
However, it is true that there are many questions I want to ask this man, and the questions were about the ‘second-tier system’. Isn’t this something that will make you curious just by hearing it? I decided to stay silent and listen.
The senior researcher’s first advisory session has begun.
“The second floor is similar to the first floor, with each room having a scenario and a seal at the center. The seal is not only a seal for one of you, but it is also a seal for a character who plays an important role in resolving the scenario. “The moment the seal is lifted, the character’s spirit is awakened.”
…
“Is lifting the seal necessary to resolve the room? That’s not right. However, it is best to aim for lifting the seal at all costs. In Room 201, your colleagues were obsessed with unlocking the seal. Although they may not have done it with exact knowledge, it turned out to be the correct answer. “I guess everyone has developed their own feelings about staying in the hotel, right?”
…
“The moment you break the seal, the room is practically solved. “Someone who knows the answer to the room, like the ‘chief researcher’ in room 201, wakes up.”
…
“However, there is one problem -, oops. The next answer is beyond the limit of one piece of advice. I need to write one more piece of advice to explain further. “Do you have any other questions?”
“Just write one more thing and explain it to me.”
“good idea. “That’s enough for the second question.”
‘The problem with the correct answer that the characters know’
[Advice: 2 -> 1]
“After breaking the seal, the character who will wake up with your companion knows the answer to that room. The problem is that the answer is not a very good one.”
“yes?”
“What is ‘yes?’ You’ve been complaining to me since a while ago, right? “Is this the only way?”
“…”
“Same in the other room. The moment you lift the seal, you will know the answer to that room. At the same time, you will also realize that there are many problems with the correct answer. Well, usually I don’t have time, so I’ll just follow the correct answer to that many questions. Like you this time. but… . “If you can afford it.”
“if you can spare time?”
“Let’s think about whether there is a better answer. For your information, I understand that there is a reward when you find a better answer.”
My head became confused. She concentrated all her mind on organizing what she had said so far.
On the second floor, like the first floor, each room has a scenario, and one of us is sealed. When the seal is lifted, the companions are released, and at the same time, the character who knows the answer to the room is also released. Therefore, the moment you break the seal, the chances of solving that room increase exponentially.
However, the correct answer that the character knows is incomplete. If we find a better answer, we can get additional rewards.
Is it like this?
While I was wondering if I had missed something, the status window blinked again.
‘On the limits of advice.’
[Advice: 1 -> 0]
“What without words -”
“I’m sorry. “I don’t have time anymore.”
Indeed, as the saying goes, the world that had stopped began to move again. As the cursed room was resolved, the entire space began to slowly collapse.
“The last answer is probably nothing. “When I recalled your memories, it seemed like you were quite dissatisfied with the owl.”
“…”
“As someone who once owed a lot to him, it would be good to clear up any misunderstandings. The reason why the owl sometimes gives you puns is not to tease you. “It also had its own limitations, so I had no choice but to choose it.”
“Choice?”
“An answer that is easily understandable and clear, but contains only one meaning, and an answer that is ambiguous, like a Zen question, but can reveal multiple meanings depending on interpretation. I just chose the latter. “It’s to include more information in one answer.”
“…”
The space around me slowly began to collapse. A solution is coming. The end of the long, long episode 201 has arrived. Finally, when even the scaffolding he and I were standing on was about to collapse, he couldn’t hold back and opened his mouth.
“I don’t want to be like you in the future.”
“Good idea. “I’m rooting for you, junior.”
/You succeeded!
The Cube. A place where people who have been kidnapped in an unidentified, strange place are dying endlessly at the hands of monsters.
The reason this terrible place was created was, surprisingly, the salvation of humanity. People who could not find a way to deal with the uncontrollable source of evil with strength or wisdom ended up choosing to beg for their lives by offering a living sacrifice.
Was this really the only way? You never know. But don’t worry! You’ve definitely solved the room!
A monster lurking in every room, a girl who seemed more like a living, breathing natural disaster than a person! Moreover, there is even a laboratory where an unknown secret is hidden.
After overcoming all these trials, his performance in protecting the world from the zero-dimensional eyes was impressive.
.
.
.
.
Final solution occurs among colleagues! congratulations! A final solution occurs and all members return safely.
You decide for yourself which treasure you will receive and who will receive it!/
???
After reading for a while, my eyes widened in surprise at the last line!
Can you choose ‘what treasure to receive’? Moreover, there was even a question of ‘who would receive it’. Was there anyone else alive besides me?
After the resolution of issue 101, the ‘time of choice’ has come again. Soon the next notification appeared.
See next episode