Escaping the Mystery Hotel - Chapter 680
Only Krnovel
EP.680 Episode 680 – Room 301, The Cursed Room – ‘The Origin of Species’ (24)
Episode 680 – Room 301, The Cursed Room – ‘The Origin of the Species’ (24)
– Lee Eun-sol
Early in the morning, as usual, I took a quick shower and got ready for work.
Naturally, as I was about to go to work as an executive director of Ocean Group, someone grabbed my arm.
“mom?”
“Would you like to take the day off from work today and go on a date with me?”
I was upset because I got into an argument with my brother yesterday and got scolded by my father… .
Isn’t that enough to suddenly take a vacation and rest?
“It’s okay. Just -”
“I already told you everything.”
“yes?”
“I told your dad you had the day off today.”
I was confused for a moment, but then I realized that the situation was already over.
“Didn’t your father say anything?”
“then.”
If I think about it, my house has always been like this.
When people think of the Daeyang Group, they think of the father’s strong leadership and charisma.
Naturally, one might guess that the family atmosphere would be patriarchal, centered on the father… .
In reality, it’s quite different.
My mother rarely voiced her opinion on any matter, but on the rare occasions when she did speak, no one, including my father, ever said a word.
It was just the law the moment you said it.
Thinking back to this point, I felt like I should listen to my mother.
Plan B is to act like ‘Daeyang Group Managing Director Lee Eun-sol’ rather than ‘Hotel Contestant Lee Eun-sol’, because Daeyang Group Managing Director Lee Eun-sol is also her mother’s daughter.
“great.”
*
Around lunchtime, I rented a VVIP room at a 5-star hotel for the first time in a while.
Normally, it would be impossible to make same-day reservations here, but there are exceptions to everything in life.
The Ocean Group family is obviously an exception.
As I sat on the comfy sofa, a couple of models from HT Department Store came in and started a fashion show for me and my mother.
“Manager! It’s been a while!”
“I know.”
“Oh my, oh my! Your speech is so harsh~!”
Look at the atmosphere where she seems like she’d say ‘Unnie Eunsol~!’ right away if I allowed her to.
I feel like this model was quite close to my past self.
Dude! Sorry, I don’t even know your name anymore!
Would you be shocked if I said this?
“Ahem…! It’s a little hot.”
“Sister, should I turn down the air conditioner temperature?”
Already your sister?
I really don’t know who this person is.
“It’s okay. More importantly, could you move away a little bit?”
“Yes! By the way, how about this coat? It’s a new item that recently came out at XX Galleria -”
“…”
I didn’t really notice it before, but now that I’ve climbed up to the hotel and taken in the emotions of ordinary people, I can feel it a little.
The models sent from the department store haven’t been saying the prices of their clothes.
10 million won? 30 million won? Surely it’s not over 100 million won?
It’s a ridiculous situation where you sell something and there’s no mention of the price.
Actually, there’s nothing strange about it.
In the past, I would have just bought it if I liked it.
— Valid!
Then, suddenly, the clothes and plates containing simple snacks on the table shook.
“uh?”
“what?”
I thought it was a poltergeist this time too, but it wasn’t because it was over in just 1-2 seconds.
If Ga-in wasn’t trying to joke around, wouldn’t she have caused such confusion?
“Oh, oh, oh! I’m sorry. I heard there was a problem with the outdoor air conditioner unit.”
“okay?”
Suddenly, I looked to the side to see if my mother was okay.
Mother was looking at the ceiling.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m glad.”
“yes?”
“Eunsol, even if something difficult happens, stay strong.”
“Mom said it wasn’t really a big deal!”
“Don’t forget that there are always people cheering you on. It’s fun to watch.”
“Say something embarrassing….”
I’m not even a middle school student, but my mom always cheers me on, so cheer up! It’s a little embarrassing to hear things like that.
*
‘I’m going crazy. Eunsol doesn’t know, but it seems like only the prisoner noticed!’
‘…’
‘How can I make Eunsol notice?’
‘It seems like it will be difficult.’
‘Why?’
‘Just looking at the situation just now, we were shopping with my mother, but Eunsol only bought her own clothes. Isn’t that awkward?’
‘It’s strange when I hear it.’
‘If you look closely, there are more than a few strange scenes. Like when you’re eating, you only order your sister’s food, or the only drinks on the table are your sister’s… .’
‘…’
‘And yet I am completely unaware of it.’
‘I wonder if I’ll come to my senses only when I have something to play the flute?’
‘It seems like it’ll be more dangerous if I come to my senses.’
*
During the meal, the story of the fight I had with my brother naturally came up.
“Oh really! Isn’t that absurd? When things don’t go well for your little brother, you don’t comfort him, but rather laugh at him!”
“Okay. Should I scold you?”
“Pfft! What are you talking about! Jinwook oppa isn’t even twenty years old… .”
“Well, I don’t really feel any difference whether I’m twenty or forty.”
They say that parents still look young even when their children are 60 years old, and to my mother, that’s exactly what we look like.
As we enjoyed talking about work and family gossip, this story naturally came up.
“I guess the eldest brother will inherit the group, right?”
“You think so? Why?”
“Why… If there are no special problems, isn’t succession to the eldest son the norm? It’s also true that that’s the way to reduce conflict.”
“okay?”
“It seems like all the directors are lining up to my older brother.”
As I spoke, I found myself laughing in vain every now and then.
In the past, I was very interested in who would inherit the Ocean Group.
So, I am bringing up this topic in front of my mother too… .
Because it’s a topic that I’m not interested in at all right now.
To be honest, I don’t know what big a deal it is whoever takes over as a subcontractor for the management office.
“Do you think there is no problem with ability?”
At least I can answer this question confidently, whether now or in the past.
“Of course. Oh, because I ruined the Shanghai project? Ha! If you add up all the businesses that my older brother ruined -”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
“At least 200 billion was lost – yes?”
“I also think you are the best of my children.”
I was momentarily taken aback.
Something about this now feels like more than just lip service.
It’s not strange.
Because at some point, my mother started to favor me to the point that not only my brothers but even my father could feel it.
Of course, I felt that way often, and sometimes it was burdensome.
“… Ahem. Mom, thank you, but aren’t you being too favoritism?”
My mother answered me with great seriousness as I spoke with a smile.
“It’s not favoritism. I love all my children equally.”
“yes?”
“You’re the only one who became the vessel.”
I felt a little uncomfortable telling this story because I thought it might be unpleasant for my brother or sister to hear it.
When I think about the current hotel contestant I am, it seems right to be called the ‘most successful child’!
At that time, my mother brought up a religious topic.
“In Buddhism, it is said that a person’s destiny belongs to the six paths of reincarnation.”
“That’s what I say.”
Christian families often discuss the Bible naturally during everyday conversation.
It’s not much different from a Buddhist family. Instead of the Bible, Buddhist doctrines come out.
“Mortal life cannot escape the shackles of suffering. Neither you, nor your brothers, nor your father… there are no exceptions.”
“Yes.”
“Rest is momentary, suffering is long. Happiness is only a contrast to the suffering of hell.”
In the past, I think I would have just put my hands together without thinking much and mumbled the Buddhist doctrines that I vaguely remembered.
Something felt awkward now.
Because of the hotel, Buddhism, or more precisely, the concept of ‘Buddha’ itself, felt completely different from the past.
At that moment, my mother smiled and asked.
“How can I break the cycle of constant suffering?”
“Well, they say I need to get rid of it.”
Liberation refers to a state of permanent liberation from the suffering and pain of body and mind.
It would not be wrong to say that it is the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
“Then, which class of being is the easiest to escape from in the six realms of reincarnation?”
The six realms of reincarnation.
The six paths of life that unredeemed mortals repeat like a wheel for eternity.
Heaven, human, asura, animal, ghost, hell.
“I was human.”
“Why is that?”
“People who are too happy have difficulty achieving liberation because they do not worry about suffering. Therefore, people who have a good balance between suffering and happiness are in the best position to achieve liberation. I remember learning this.”
“Do you think so too?”
“Well, to be honest, wouldn’t it be right to say that the person who wrote the doctrine was a human being?”
Aren’t all those words just added words?
It’s just that, since the doctrine was written by humans, it’s said to be most advantageous to humans.
“ah.”
Suddenly, I realized that what I was saying just now might sound unpleasant to religious people.
As I stayed at the hotel, my belief in Buddhism became blurred, so I unknowingly said cynical things.
“Oh, please take what I just said as a joke. I -”
“…That’s not necessarily wrong.”
“yes?”
“There may be a life that is easy to achieve and a life that is difficult to achieve.”
“Is that so?”
“Have you ever thought about this?”
The following story is one that I have never once thought about since I was born.
“Isn’t there someone somewhere in the world who was born with an easy path to liberation?”
“That’s a really unique idea. What kind of person is he?”
My mother smiled brightly, reached out, and took my hand.
“It must have been born through a very meticulous process.”
“yes?”
“It must be a being created through extreme effort and a meticulous process.”
I felt like we were having a really unique conversation.
It seemed like we were just talking about the stress we received at work and religious topics… .
It seemed like we were talking about something completely different.
Was that why?
The last words were really strange.
“I love all of you. Even the greed and jealousy deep in your heart…”
For a moment, an incomprehensible vision passed through my mind.
It’s a memory I’ve long since forgotten.
There was a moment when I desperately wished for something in the sky.
Greed, envy, and the desire for wealth and honor.
*
‘This situation is like….’
‘like?’
‘It seems like the prisoner is trying to awaken his sister’s wish.’
‘…’
‘Do you think it’s necessary for progress? Of course, the progress the prisoner wants may be the progress we want – huh?’
‘Why are you doing that?’
‘No, what is this all of a sudden!’
*
– Yoo Song-i
Late at night.
I returned home after wandering around the city with Ari until late at night.
I’ve been wandering around without contacting you until this hour, so even if my parents scold me, I have nothing to say.
So what were you thinking?
What should I do? I should just get in trouble!
Even if my mom yelled at me, I thought I would just quietly bow my head and get scolded.
That’s what I thought until I met my parents.
“Songiya, are you a little late today?”
“…”
“10:40 without any contact is too much! Just call me next time. Okay?”
“…”
“Yoo Song-i! Aren’t you going to answer?”
“… sorry.”
I realized this as I felt the cool night air rushing in through the open front door.
There is only one ‘human’ in this house.