Episode 47: Room 104, The Cursed Room – ‘Preparatory Selective Hotel High School’ (7) – Ahri’s Side (Fin)
The day broke.
My consciousness, which had been drifting around like a ghost, slowly seeped back into my body. Bit by bit, the awkward remnants of consciousness that lingered faded away as I regained control of my body. It was dawn, but I headed straight outside. Was he waiting for me? I spotted Kain nearby. We discussed our final plan for this room. Today, I will burn this annoying school to the ground.
*
Ding Dong Ding Dong—
Even though I had confidently vowed to burn down the school from the morning, the actual plan would only commence after classes ended. When embarking on something suspicious, the chances of success are always higher when it’s dark and fewer people are around.
In the end, I had to silently attend class until today. Kain was aghast at this being his second time as a senior; honestly, I found it hilarious.
I’ve graduated high school at least ten times after all~!
Thanks to that, I became quite proficient at studying. Anyone would probably improve after attending high school ten times.
Tap!
Coffee again.
Initially, it seemed like the guys were only interested in Songee, but starting yesterday, they started dropping stuff on my desk too. Honestly, this cracked me up. Do they even realize they’re just actors being recycled by the Hotel after their flop? Probably better for them not to know.
As I flipped through books and pretended to study, Seungyub and Songee approached. Naturally, they struck up a conversation and while chatting, Seungyub’s eyes widened at the sight of the coffee on my desk.
If I let him know who gave it to me, would he start a fight?
The absurdity of it never fails to amuse me. I know they’re both fake and yet they still act this way. Well, they don’t know they’re fake, so rather than ridiculous, it might be more accurate to call it a tragicomedy.
Turning my head, I noticed the chairs for Elena and Kain were both empty. Elena was brutally murdered by the angel before she managed to create a fake version, so I assume the school will devise some excuse soon. As for Kain… I hope he’s managing okay. He’s the last remaining survivor left with me in this utterly maddening place, tasked with something potentially more important and difficult than my own mission.
I had sensed it back at the mansion, but while Kain may seem a bit dim most of the time, he occasionally shows flashes of exceptional cleverness. This morning was one of those moments.
*
“I’ve been vaguely formulating this thought for a few days, but after watching Elena’s fight and the police yesterday, I am certain.”
“It seems like we all have similar thoughts, so why don’t you go first, Kain.”
“This school is quite sensitive about how it appears to the outside world. Fundamentally, their goal is to send a large number of people to the Old Main Building to do ‘something,’ so they established a prep school, conducted real preparatory education, and bought a large chunk of land.”
“If I may add, after pulling off something so insane yesterday, they suddenly manipulated the scene and passed it off to the police in order to treat it as a mere traffic accident. It was as if they were trying to handle everything as naturally as possible. It’s like…”
“It’s like there’s an Administration outside.”
“It’s like there’s an Administration outside.”
Looks like we really sync up. Anyway, this ‘stage’ is set up in such a way that there exists an organization similar to the Administration that can even deal with angels. Therefore, even beings like these ‘angels’ meticulously conceal their actions.
“I felt that yesterday too. But does that even matter? We can’t contact them anyway.”
“Aren’t you an agent of the Administration, Ahri?”
“When I was outside, I could genuinely contact the real Administration, but I can’t reach the fake one of Room 104.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have a substitute anyway.”
“A substitute?”
“You saw them yesterday, the police.”
“So we should report to the police and ask them to rescue us?”
“That’s insufficient. The police see us simply as ordinary students in a regular school, right? If we suddenly ask for help, they’ll probably think it’s a prank call. Besides, if they even do come, it’ll only be one officer, and what’s to stop the school from just mind-controlling or swapping them without breaking a sweat?”
“We need a major incident. We have to report it ourselves—a colossal event that requires tens, hundreds of police to respond. Would a secret organization like this try to kill off dozens of officers? And could they hide that from the outside? This school thinks we’re being controlled mentally. I seriously believe they would just send us outside and give up.”
“So, you mean it’s time for us to blow up the school together?”
“No, that’s something you can do yourself.”
“What about you?”
“I need to stop the biggest flaw in this plan.”
*
When laid out, it’s a rather uncomplicated plan. Just wreak havoc on the school as I please, dragging in dozens of police and getting arrested. Ironically, the very act of being arrested could signify escape.
Separation from the school could indeed count as an escape, and being confined to a juvenile facility would also eliminate the possibility of being sent to the Old Main Building, thereby marking it as an escape as well.
The crux of the strategy lay in letting the school give up on saving one or two students they had fully indoctrinated with the angel’s mind control, rather than risking an insane move like eliminating numerous police officers and replacing them.
Now that I think about it, it was on the first day when Seungyub suggested that Kain and I just beat up the teachers together. I gave him a piece of my mind back then for saying something so foolish. Yet, here we are, with our final escape plan being to annihilate this school. Ironically, Seungyub’s offhand remark might have been closest to the real answer. If we make it out, I’ll have to give him a pat on the back.
As for the plan’s effectiveness… I’m not sure.
Even upon a casual glance, several flaws popped into my mind. The principles governing the cult’s actions were merely layered assumptions. The most significant flaw that Kain had taken on was still a question mark as to whether he could manage it or not.
But what else could we do?
We can’t just sit back and die, right? We had to act. I’d mentally prepared myself the moment I chose to return to this Hotel. I thought the likelihood of stumbling out unscathed was far lower than dying a wretched death.
Still, I came back seeking something far more precious than my own life.
*
The sun was setting.
Oh, wait—is this the right time?
After classes wrapped up, I made my way to the dormitory to grab a candle lighter and some pepper spray. It wasn’t bedtime yet, so it posed no problem going back to school.
Where should I start the fire? Obviously, the staff room!
Creek Crack!
“Huh? Ahri? Students aren’t allowed to barge into the staff room!”
“Sorry! But I really struggled with a problem while solving exercises and I’m hoping to ask just one question!”
“Come on… You should’ve asked that at the end of class. What subject is it?”
“Math.”
“Hmm. Come in.”
Inside the staff room, there were about six or seven teachers. In the corner sat the math teacher.
“You have a question? Which problem is it? You didn’t bring your book?”
Sorry, but I don’t need any textbooks now. Just yesterday, as I was banging my head against your problems, I nearly lost it!
Chiiiiiiik!
“UAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! UAAAHHHHHHH~!”
“Uhhh! What the hell is happening??”
“Mr. Han! What’s going on here?”
“No! Ahri? What are you—”
Chiiik! Chiiik!
As I sprayed the teachers, they began rolling around on the floor. Screams and yells echoed in the room.
This is genuinely hilarious.
How did I never think of demolishing the school despite attending more than ten times? If I ever go to another school, I definitely need to blow it up at least once.
One of the male teachers rushed in, using his shirt to shield his face.
I made brief eye contact with him.
Without breaking his pace, he turned back around and started punching other teachers. Sure, it’s a much weaker version compared to Songee’s bracelet and costs me a bit of blood, but this is still more than enough to deal with regular folks.
I wrapped things up with the teachers…
As expected of the staff room, there are quite a few books around. I pulled out my gas lighter.
*
Ah. So warm.
I don’t know what season it is, but the weather at Hotel High was pretty chilly; however, my numerous campfires made the entire school feel cozy.
Everyone should understand and appreciate my affection for this school, right?
After repeating what I did in the staff room a few more times, the school was now engulfed in chaos. Fire alarms blared from every direction. People were frantic trying to escape. I pulled out the phone I found earlier.
“Gangdong Police Station, how can I assist you?”
“Our school is on fire~!”
“Excuse me? Could you clarify that?”
“I’m burning down our school right now, you see?”
“Hah! How old are you, to be making prank calls—BEChapter: Who is this student?”
The operator’s tone suddenly shifted. It seemed like I wasn’t the only one making reports.
“It was freezing, so I thought I’d warm it up a bit. I’m on my fifth classroom right now, and everybody should come enjoy the warmth~!”
Click.
That should do it. I suspect there’ll be plenty of fire trucks and police on their way soon.
*
The biggest flaw in our escape plan.
“The angels or internal strike force of the cult subduing us before the police take action.”
I guess that flaw has been resolved without trouble. Kain seems to have handled his end in the Old Main Building.
If this momentum keeps up, escape should proceed without issue. Now that I’m finally free to leave this room, new worries arise.
First Songee, now Kain. They’re both clearly suspicious of me and have started issuing warnings. I can already anticipate that they’ll interrogate me to no end about my actions once we get out. I had known a day like this would come eventually.
I’ll need to consider how to respond.
By the time I was demolishing my seventh classroom, the police and firefighters arrived.
There seemed to be at least one hundred outsiders gathered outside. Given their numbers, the cult should have no plans of attacking them. And not being one to take a bullet, I simply raised both hands in resignation.
*
It took longer than I expected for my escape to be recognized. Nevertheless, I gained clear insight into the conditions required for escaping.
It appears the condition for escape is “Complete elimination of any possibility of being taken to the Old Main Building.”
Tap Tap.
“Kim Ahri, are you planning on cooperating with this trial?”
I beg you, Judge! Just pass a sentence already. I want to get out of here as soon as possible!
“Are you not listening? Do you find the trial amusing? Why did you set fire to the school?”
“I’m not sure why you keep asking me. I told you already. I said I lit it up because it was cold.”
“Does that even make sense?!”
“Your Honor, as you can see, the defendant is not of sound mind. She has suffered immensely under the oppressive atmosphere of the prep school for far too long; her psychological state…”
“Please, lawyer, keep your mouth shut! Haven’t I told you five times to just stay silent?”
“As you can see, Your Honor, she is clearly not clear of mind. The defendant is still young. Instead of sending her to juvenile detention, if she receives treatment from a doctor, she can recover and benefit society in the future…”
“Oh, please! Stop the nonsense! I’m telling you I’m going to burn this ridiculous world to ashes!”
I was rapidly losing patience. After being taken away by the police, I thought it would count as my escape once I was physically distanced from the school. Yet, it seems that mere physical distance isn’t enough for an escape ruling. It looks like I might need to be confined somewhere else, perhaps a juvenile facility or hospital, until graduation. Only then can escape be confirmed as there would be no chance of returning to school.
While everyone else was relaxing in their post-death phase, I, on the other hand, am left here to suffer alone for almost a month.
Kain—he’s probably dead too. How frustrating! Why is it that whenever it’s just the two of us, I’m always the one stuck with all the hard bits? As if I’m destined to have this drama unfold, he’ll probably think he’s entitled to ask me questions when we get out! Unable to contain myself, I launched a pen that was sitting nearby.
Thud!
Right on target!
“What the hell are you doing?!”
Does it hurt? Good! I’ll request an extended sentence as part of the service.
That day, I was handed an eleven-year sentence due to arson, injury, murder (did someone die?), and also for assaulting the judge with a pen.
Wow! I burned a school down, killed people, and hit a judge, yet only got eleven years? Isn’t Korean law a touch lenient?
/You have successfully escaped!/
Arson, murder, violence—you name it, I committed them all! What happened? Did you hold such a grudge against the school? But that’s still fine! The Hotel is thoroughly impressed by your ruthlessness and determination. Such traits are essential when overcoming trials.
With this, you have completely escaped from the mysterious ritual of a strange cult.
You have escaped from the curse, but you still feel the root cause of the curse lingering.
…
…
…
…
Congratulations! One of your companions has successfully escaped! The success of your escape ensures the safe return of all members./
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