Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 636
Only Krnovel
EP.636 Episode 636 – A Road for Everyone (1)
Episode 636 – A Path for All (1)
“User: Han Ga-in (Jihye)
Date: Day 234
You are currently: Searching… .
Wise Man’s Advice: 0”
– Han Ga-in
Prince Emilio and Aleph, two people fell into a long sleep.
It means that the long journey that took place in reality is coming to an end.
Of course, there are still many remaining problems.
If we start with the situation of our most important colleagues, fortunately, no one died.
“Isn’t it?”
“Hyung? What are you talking about?”
“I’m sorting things out in my head, and I think Elena is biologically dead -”
“Eww! I, I told you! Your soul is in the box -”
“Okay, okay. Just wrap the bandage well.”
It is said that Elena’s body was destroyed while wrapping herself around Seungyeop.
Thanks to that, Seungyeop reacted sensitively to what Elena said, and seemed to feel both gratitude and regret.
It’s a serious blow, but not an irreparable one.
Since we have already collected Elena’s ‘body parts’ scattered here and there in the Moon Church, I believe that if we use the technology of the Management Bureau, we can recreate a genetically identical body.
As the dream effect faded, Jincheol Hyung returned to being similar to ‘Cha Jincheol’.
No matter how I looked at it, the physical condition was strange, and the mind also seemed to be filled with confusion… .
I don’t think it’s an irreversible problem.
If you use the flute of regeneration and peace, you will be fine again someday.
The person I was most worried about was Ari, who seemed like she might die at any moment.
Since I couldn’t be contained in the soul box like Elena, it seemed like there was no answer other than the ticket if I died like this.
Fortunately, Aidia managed to complete the emergency treatment by using the crystal in a strange way.
“Miss Ari, the real treatment needs to be done outside again.”
“thank you.”
“Please remove the crystals as soon as you go outside.”
“huh.”
“Don’t fall asleep until it’s removed. Concentrate with all your might!”
“why?”
“If you lose consciousness, a mini Aidia will be born in your body -”
“Eww! Don’t transplant such nonsense without permission!”
“Don’t worry. Ari will take care of it.”
“What if it doesn’t work out?!”
“Wouldn’t a mini Aidia be cute too?”
In addition, he looked at Eun-sol, who was just waving her hand with a tired expression, and Miro, who was crying next to Ari, and organized the things to do in the future.
*
In the evening, my colleagues, my ancestors, and the Virgin Mary gathered together.
The first person to speak was Seondae.
“Finally… it feels like the moon-related issues are coming to an end.”
“Yes, indeed, Virgin Mary.”
“yes?”
“The dream of eternity was instantly destroyed.”
This is the first thing I did after uniting with Aleph and obtaining the crown.
Why did the prince inflict hellish torment on the poor souls trapped on the moon?
It is to purify the soul into white and swallow it.
On the other hand, Aleph and I came to one conclusion at the last moment.
‘It is not my path to become a god through the principle of soul unification.’
Therefore, there is no reason to continue meaningless torture.
“… That’s fortunate. Really.”
The elder nodded his head firmly.
“There is no prince anymore.”
“I’m a researcher too.”
Strictly speaking, neither of them disappeared, but I didn’t refute it because I didn’t want to create unnecessary anxiety.
“The biggest problem has been solved.”
“Sir, shall we have a congratulatory party?”
“Go out and do that. I’d be happy to participate. There’s still work left to do…”
After a brief silence, the old man spoke bluntly.
“Now tell me. Your real plan.”
“…”
“I’ll be leaving the moon soon, and as soon as I do, the Federation will ask me how things are going. But before that, I need to understand the situation.”
My predecessors already know that the plan I told them in the past was a lie.
I knew it, but I turned a blind eye to it because I thought it had nothing to do with my true purpose.
As the old saying goes, you can’t hide it forever.
“A long battle between the Administration, the Marauders, and the Moon! To summarize roughly -”
“It’s a fight for the chair.”
Seondae nodded in agreement with Ari’s words that had been inserted slyly.
“Yes. A colorful force that yearns for a single chair, the reality of an ongoing loop. What are you going to do about this?”
The moon problem has been solved.
This simply means that the person who ‘breaks the chair’ has been excluded from the board.
The fight for the throne between the administration and the looters, the looters themselves, still remains.
— Bam!
After lightly tapping the table to gather attention, he began to explain.
“First, let’s divide the problem into two.”
“hmm?”
“First, there are no more arks.”
“…”
“that….”
“You told me before, didn’t you? That the Ark was the first to cause the Fall.”
A story told by our ancestors.
The Ark refers to the process of gathering the souls of numerous people to create a pseudo-god, enduring the loop in this state, and then splitting the pseudo-god with a mirror to return to being a human.
At this point, the problem begins when the ‘mirror’ does not return to its original state.
This is a fact that was already discovered in issue 207.
The first fall began with the first ark.
All common sense didn’t collapse at once.
Suddenly, all of humanity didn’t turn into cephalopods or grow tentacles instead of hands.
The common sense of the world slowly flowed away like ice facing the sun.
Some were so entranced by the voices of distant worlds that they summoned strange monsters.
Some people rise from the grave after death to seek revenge on their grudges from their lifetime.
Someone suddenly jumped into the sea and a fin grew on his back.
Only after this had happened over hundreds of years did the seers accept it.
That humanity has deviated ‘a little’ from its original purity, and that because of that, the common sense of the world has changed ‘a little’.
At first, I didn’t think it was such a big deal.
Because I could defeat small monsters without much difficulty.
The first ‘little’ wasn’t a serious threat, so the ark was rebuilt.
A little became two, then three.
When I came to my senses, it was now.
“What was the world like before the ark was born?”
“I think you would know better than me. You must have the prince’s memories.”
“Even then, there was the so-called occult science. At the time, it was a part of science. Like physics and chemistry.”
“…”
“It was much easier to control back then. It was also much more logical.”
“…”
“Science has turned into the occult as corruption spreads? Let’s leave the old story at that. After all, the events of ancient times are too distant a memory for even the prince.”
“Okay.”
“The Fall is only one of the problems with the Ark. The bigger problem is the fight for the chair itself. It was caused by the Ark.”
After saying this, I took a deep breath and looked around for a moment.
Not only his colleagues, but also his ancestors and the Virgin Mary did not object.
That’s a given.
Why did my ancestors say this to me in the first place?
This is because the ancestors also realized over eons that building the ark itself was a problem.
I remember the earnest words my ancestors spoke.
Also, I now agree with that statement.
*
‘We are paying the price of reversal… .’
‘I built the ark because I was afraid of the end, because I was afraid of the sandcastle of civilization collapsing… But think again. It is natural for the ice to melt when summer comes. It is natural for the sandcastle to collapse when the waves crash.’
‘When the end came, it was only natural that the sandcastle would collapse. I should have just let it collapse… I tried to forcibly maintain the sandcastle, but it ended up being a disaster.’
*
“Isn’t that what I said in the first place? It’s true, but… The question is ‘how.’”
The Virgin Mary nodded and answered.
“There are many things that threaten the world. The moon is the biggest threat, but there are others.”
I remembered the ‘note’ that Aleph gave me just before he died.
The moon is not the only thing that scares humanity.
… maybe this is just the beginning.
“As you all know, I am from what you call the first civilization -”
“He was the first person to discover the mirror. Could he be the root of all evil, surpassing even Cain?”
The Virgin Mary laughed awkwardly at Ari’s sarcastic words.
“Ahem, I didn’t know that something like this would happen later on. As I told you before, at a certain point, I was taken to a place called the school – a hotel, you guys.”
It is said that when he returned after being captured, the end and restart had been repeated many times.
After that, there must have been many stories before the Virgin Mary met Prince Emilio.
“The most absurd thing when I came back. The people whose world was almost taken over by the ark that came crashing down in the previous loop… .”
“…”
“When they thought the world was going to end, they built an ark and set out to take over the next world.”
If you do it, it’s an invasion, but if I do it, it’s an inevitable choice for humanity.
This has happened countless times throughout human history.
“Building an ark is nothing less than humanity’s survival instinct in times of crisis. How can we stop this?”
“The ark’s construction principles are the soul gathering circuit and the mirror.”
“Yes.”
“Double, the soul-gathering circuit is a technology. It is one of the providences of the universe itself, and when the time comes, humanity will naturally discover it.”
“That’s right.”
“This is out of control.”
The soul binding circuit is uncontrollable.
Because the basis is the providence of the universe, and it is a kind of science and technology that civilization will eventually figure out when the time comes.
It’s not a mirror.
An unknown alien god – a great treasure bestowed by the practitioner, something that even the first civilizations used without knowing its principles.
“Therefore, mirror control is key.”
“…”
“Let’s gather all the mirrors in the world on the moon.”
The ancestors muttered.
“Is that what it meant to combine the moon and the plunderer?”
“People on Earth will never touch a mirror again. They will live without even knowing that mirrors exist.”
“Let’s say this loop is like that. You got the moon, and if you get my help and absorb all the raiders, you’ll get all the mirrors in the world.”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do about the next loop? Just in case, don’t say things like, ‘I’ll stop the apocalypse, so there won’t be any more loops.’”
“Haha! Am I an idiot?”
I’ll prevent all apocalyptic crises, so there’s no next loop?
This is the most meaningless thing to say.
Who would want to be ruined and fail?
Think of the marauders and poor refugees who have appeared in the skies of the Earth.
They too were once the masters of the world, and they probably never thought about the end of the world.
It is a world where a meteor suddenly falls from the sky and an alien god awakens.
— Bam!
I lightly tapped the floor with my hand.
“The last ark left in the world – the moon acts as its manager.”
“… What does that mean?”
“Let’s say an alien god suddenly descends from the sky. Let’s say you try to stop him, but fail and the world falls to ruin.”
“…”
“We’re going to the next loop. Under the Iberian Peninsula again – oh, this is confusing. Do we get a mirror under Spain every loop?”
“Not every time. It happens sometimes. Or, it happens every time, but sometimes it gets destroyed by earthquakes or something.”
“Let’s say it happens. The moon can either destroy the mirror or take it back.”
“…”
“The moon no longer devours the soul of the earth. It simply lights up the night sky and governs the earth.”
Ari, who had been listening, asked to confirm.
“Is this a position like the Management Bureau above the Management Bureau? Eliminating the causes of destruction like mirrors, and properly dealing with demons that seem too difficult for humanity to handle?”
“Similar.”
“What can I say, it’s very divine. It seems natural that a lunar church will be established on Earth again.”
“There’s nothing I can do about that.”
At that moment, the Virgin Mary spoke with a somewhat dark expression.
“In simple terms, it means that after the moon swallows up all the raiders, it will govern the world and prevent any more arks from being born… .”
“It’s similar.”
“Would that be a happy ending? I mean, what about the moon and the plunderers? They were also a group that desperately wanted their own world… .”
Our Lady’s words are simple.
The Moon and the Marauders are also a collection of souls who wanted to settle in the world, so what happens to them?
To shine forever in the night sky and serve humanity on earth?
It is not a happy ending for the countless souls contained in the Moon and the Ravager.
“It’s time for the second story to come out now.”
“second?”
“If the first story was ‘There is no future ark,’ the second story is the question, ‘What should we do with the ark that has already been born?’”
“…”
“It evaporates.”
“yes?”
“The moon and the plunderers will slowly evaporate. They will no longer devour souls, and those that have already been devoured will slowly settle into the world.”
“…”
“If you just count the souls sleeping on the moon, there are at least hundreds of billions. If you add up the souls contained in the plunderers, it’s also enormous. There’s no way for this many souls to settle on Earth at once. But!”
The senior who was listening answered as if it was fun.
“There’s no need to settle down all at once.”
“Yes. Slowly, slowly, we can settle down. How about scattering about 30 million people a year all over the world? Is that too much? I’ll think about the specific number later… .”
“What are you? An orphan of unknown identity?”
“Let’s leave that to the management. There’s someone right next to us who’s silent.”
Instead of answering, Ari smiled bitterly.
It’s not easy, but I feel like it’s not impossible if you have the right numbers.
“Isn’t that taking too long?”
“What does it matter? It’s time for the moon to rot away at the point where it can withstand the loop.”
Eunsol, who had been listening blankly until now, muttered.
“You never know. If we hold out for a long time, the era of space exploration may open someday.”
“The Age of Space Exploration?”
“When we open up another constellation, let’s seed it with a billion people at a time. That way, it’ll be over in no time.”
To be honest, up to this point it feels like I’m grasping at straws.
But, well, isn’t it a possibility that could happen if things go on for thousands of years?
A moment of silence.
Soon, the ancestors summarized the conversation so far.
“In short, this is your plan.”
“Go ahead.”
“Collect the moon, the plunderers, and all the mirrors of the world. Then, manage the land and prevent the ark from being born again.”
“you’re right.”
“The moon and the predator that have become one evaporate over a very long period of time. They no longer devour souls, and the souls that have already been devoured are gradually spread out into the world over a long period of time, giving them new life.”
“That’s correct. How is it?”
The worried ancestor answered.
“It looks good in the grand scheme of things. It does have a happy ending, as you say. The humans on the surface no longer need to fear the invaders from the previous loop, and the members of the ark who were already born will one day gain a new life.”
“…”
“It’s a shame that it takes so long, but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“As I said before, the Jade of Eternity has long since ceased. There will be no more suffering for the souls waiting for reincarnation on the moon. It will simply feel like a fleeting dream.”
The fight for the chair is over, and it’s a ceasefire.
There are no more arks, and the members of the ark that have already been born will receive new life over a long period of time.
“But, I see exactly two problems.”
“Go ahead.”
“First, what happens after the moon and the raiders disappear? If the administrator disappears, everything that has happened so far will be repeated again -”
“Huh!”
At that moment, I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sir, even if the plan goes off without a hitch, it will take eons for the moon and the raiders to evaporate.”
“…”
“Maybe after several loops, that’s when it happened -”
“Leave it to the people of that era?”
“That’s right. Do you really think you’re going to single-handedly punish all the evil in the universe? That’s not true!”
He raised his hand calmly and pointed to the ‘sky’.
“Let’s leave it to the great man who sheds tears for the three thousand worlds. We just have to finish what we can.”
“I understand that. Then the second. Actually, this is the key.”
“Go ahead.”
“Who will be in charge of the moon and the raiders during the ‘eons of time’ you say?”
“…”
“Well, there’s no need to ask who it is. To rule the moon, you need a crown, and the crown is in your hands!”
“…”
“Are you planning to watch the world with the moon for that long?”
“…”
“I… feel a little bit afraid. I wonder if you can do it, and even if you can -”
“Are you afraid of falling?”
“…”
“Like Aleph, are you afraid that you will be consumed by an incomprehensible madness and drive the world into hell?”
“… If that happens, no one will be able to stop it.”
I understand the intentions of my ancestors, who are concerned about me but also suspicious.
Because Aleph, who created all the problems in the first place, is another age.
Time is scary.
When you do something that may take a thousand or ten thousand years… .
At some point, I might transform into something unknown and try to swallow the whole world again.
“Who watches the watchers?”
“That’s an ancient Roman proverb.”
“Your concerns are reflected in this sentence.”
“…”
“If I rule the world, who will watch over me?”
“…”
Fortunately, the answer to the last question was also prepared.
“Your concern is flawed from the start.”
“what?”