### Chapter 265 – Room ???, The Cursed Room – ‘????’ (3)
—
– Han Kain
There was once a time when infinite glory was bestowed upon the children of the heavens.
A cruel fate has driven us into a rugged wasteland!
But what truly matters is an unyielding spirit.
Someday, we will return to paradise! To a land flowing with milk and honey!
The echoes ring in my ears. After seizing the Wriggling Teeth, as proclaimed by Old Wolf Claw, a feast was held in the tribe. Though, to be honest, calling it a feast is an exaggeration—there were no sumptuous dishes or fancy decorations. Just a few campfires crackling here and there, and folks dancing and singing.
But the dance and song still brought some lively atmosphere.
To the children of the heavens, infinite glory—
“Is this the only song we have?”
“Ah… that’s not true, it’s a song loved by many.”
I expected some grand secret tucked away in the lyrics, but the song had snippets as uninspired as “great ancestors,” “children of the heavens,” and the “paradise to come.” Honestly, isn’t that kind of stuff in every mythology?
If there’s anything that might be worth pondering, it’s probably the location of this ‘paradise’?
“Does anyone know where paradise is? I mean, you’re saying this like you know something?”
“Actually, no. I don’t know what inspired you to sing this, but… it’s just a song. Even the old people when I was a kid didn’t believe places like ‘paradise’ existed.”
Old Wolf Claw seemed to think that the lyrics about paradise were merely dreams exhausted tribesmen clung to after a tough life.
“Come on, quit feeding me this nonsense and tell me something useful. Any silly ramblings are fine. Also, I mentioned that the term ‘divine being’ seems a bit off, right?”
“Ah, my apologies, young lord. It’s just a habitual term for me. I really don’t understand why you’re interested in such futile tales. It’s a waste of your valuable time.”
“I had a dream.”
“Yes?”
“While I was out cold for days…. I had a very long dream. I felt my ancestor lead me to a distant place. A red comet sliced through the sky as darkness engulfed everything…”
I just strung together some mystical-sounding words. Sure, if any ordinary university student said such things, they’d be labeled as delusional. But for a descendant of a god pulling miracles, saying I had a prophetic dream could sound credible, right?
“That’s it! I’m sorry. I must lack the wisdom to—”
“Nah, just bring in someone who knows more about stuff.”
Finally, Old Wolf Claw decided to summon the oldest crone in the tribe. Moments later, an elderly woman, with skin like wrinkled parchment and looking at least seventy, appeared. Of course, she might be younger considering how rapidly people age in such an environment compared to modern standards.
“Oh, young divine being—”
“Okay, that’s enough. You heard me, right? You seem to know a bit more about paradise. Even if it’s absurd chatter or fluffy clouds, I’m down for it.”
Just saying that made me chuckle.
Both Old Wolf Claw and this granny were at least two or three times my age, yet they naturally showed me such disrespect. If I’m not going to live as the head of this tribe forever, getting used to such insolent speech isn’t good.
“Well… This may be useless information, but I remember some lyrics from that song.”
“Song lyrics?”
“When I was young, the lyrics were longer. It used to say, ‘Beyond the Scarlet Mountain, we shall return to paradise.’”
Scarlet Mountain, huh.
“What’s the Scarlet Mountain? Is it nearby?”
When the old woman’s eyes widened in confusion, Old Wolf Claw quickly intervened.
“Young lord, your jokes are rather amusing! Oh, let’s move on!”
“Ah, understood. It’s an honor—”
— Thud!
As soon as the old woman left, I turned to Old Wolf Claw.
“Did I make some kind of mistake just now?”
“No. Young lord, considering your memory might be hazy, it’s forgivable. However, sharing such stories with just anyone wouldn’t be advisable.”
“Thanks. So where is this Scarlet Mountain?”
“It’s quicker to show you.”
Stepping outside the tent, I saw people dancing and singing, bowing their heads and clapping as I passed. Seeing that made me feel a sense of fulfillment, so I waved back.
“That way.”
Only then did I realize the old lady’s earlier panic. Just turning around outside the tent revealed a mountain in plain sight, so asking “where is it?” was rather foolish.
“Wait, but it’s not scarlet? It’s just blue!”
“When it gets colder, the whole mountain will glow red.”
“How massive is this mountain?”
“I couldn’t say. The tribe wandered for years many epochs ago, even when my grandfather was just a boy, searching for food and water… But no matter how far they walked, the mountain was always there.”
If a mountain could be seen no matter how long a primitive tribe wandered for over a hundred years, it had to be gigantic enough to stretch across the whole continent.
“Is paradise beyond that mountain?”
“Uh… young lord…”
“Why?”
“The Scarlet Mountain isn’t something you can simply cross.”
“Is it too high and rugged?”
“Geographically, yes, it is high and rugged. But the bigger issue is the monsters. It’s filled with absurd creatures that the Wriggling Teeth would seem almost as tame as bunnies.”
“…”
Assuming the song lyrics held any truth, it seemed like this stage’s humanity had been expelled from the ‘paradise’ on the other side of that mountain, much like how ancient ancestors were banished from Eden according to the Bible.
Shouldn’t we be trying to return to paradise? Yet if the place is crawling with creatures that the Wriggling Teeth seem tame compared to—
Even if we gathered every member of the hotel party, crossing that territory seems daunting. It’s not a place I could lead these tribesmen into alone. In fact, if it’s that dangerous, even as a ‘divine being,’ no way I could convince them to go.
My head began to throb. Whether it was the side effects from relying on a weakened status window after using the grimoire or the frustration of not knowing what to do, it was unclear.
*
After returning to the tent, sitting on the relatively soft bedding made me naturally think of my companions. I wonder if they’re okay? It’d be a luxury to expect them to survive in this environment.
Are they even alive?
With my messed-up status window, I had no clue whether my companions were alive or dead. Considering the current situation where blessings were messed up but the items or inheritance remained intact, my concern lingered on their plight.
Arin and Songi should have no issues.
Arin fights merely with her inheritance within the cursed room. I bet she managed to deal with a monster like the Wriggling Teeth. She’s been facing monsters for much longer than I have.
Songi is likely with Pero. Although her affinity has diminished, making it tough to communicate with Pero, with the bracelet and Pero’s abilities, she should be able to handle most monsters.
The same can’t be said for elder Mooksung or the doctor since they lack inheritance. But they have excellent physical abilities and experience as their weapons.
The stage’s backdrop is primitive, just by looking at the pathetic offering I’m getting as ‘food’ shows how severe the food shortage is. So, even the tribe’s mightiest warrior barely makes it past a height of 170 cm.
Among such people, having elder Mooksung with the ‘Arm of the Abra Warrior’ should suffice to take on about five warriors easily. The doctor, a special forces veteran, could do the same. Combined with their excellent judgment and combat experience, they’d likely manage to handle the monsters somehow.
Then comes the next issue. Jinchul Hyung and Eunsol Noona seemed stable but there were risky factors involved.
If Jinchul Hyung’s blessings and body are okay, he would be the safest among us. With just his body, he could lead the tribesmen, and could probably beat up any monster like the ‘Wriggling Teeth’ I had a hard time with just using his fists.
The issue lies with his condition. Before entering the room, he had blessings messed up and didn’t utilize his inheritance. I’m worried about his physical state. He could very well be dead.
Eunsol Noona is also worrying. She holds various tools, including inheritance, and possesses the ‘Charisma of a Master Chef,’ so controlling the tribesmen shouldn’t be an issue. But monsters are the problem. Can she take on a monster like the ‘Wriggling Teeth’?
Sungeob… let’s just hope he hasn’t kicked the bucket yet. I can’t help but doubt whether the tribesmen will believe and follow him regardless.
Elena is worrisome in a different way. In a state where she can’t even use clear consciousness, while my ominous thoughts reached their peak, she must be going insane. She hasn’t turned into something akin to a demon king, has she? Please don’t tell me she’s killed all the tribesmen herself!
There’s no way primitive folks would stand a chance against Elena rampaging with nightmarish thoughts. Even if she creates something similar to a moth, it would lead to a massacre of even 100,000 tribesmen.
“… Let’s just escape. We can deal with solutions on the next go. Beyond that, I’m curious about who’s been sealed. Right now, I hope it’s not me. Rather, if Elena was sealed, I’d find that quite lucky.”
— Thump!
“Who is it? Old Wolf Claw?”
“Erm… can I come in?”
The deep voice of old Wolf Claw was replaced by a surprisingly lively tone.
And the next moment, something shocking happened! A girl, nearly half-naked, entered my tent with a beaming smile.
*
– Lee Eunsol
“Burn it all. Anyone craving meat is to be sentenced to death, got it?”
“Understood!”
It’s been a grueling time.
Suddenly waking up in the midst of a stone-age tribe surrounded by primitives viewing women as weaklings. Remembering the absurd standoff with a hulking primitive who could be either a savage bear or a wild dog, I found it utterly ridiculous.
What? Marrying me to bear the ‘Child of the Divine’ sounds appealing? This is what a bear cub with a head the size of a melon would spout!
“How’s our savage bear doing?”
“Ugh! Well… he was impaled, so… couldn’t last through the night.”
“Oh dear! That’s such a shame. The savage bear did well to depart—”
“Excuse me?”
Wait! Gotta watch my mouth! That thing is regarded as a hero around here.
“The savage bear did a splendid job at scouring the plains for the ‘Five-legged Bull.’ That’s our story. His bravery will be an example for all of us!”
Yup! That bear did a fine job at getting himself killed!
I was starting to think his tenacious life would somehow keep dragging on. But really, it’d be far more glorious for him to die at the hands of that monstrous bull that threatened our tribe rather than hanging around.
Let’s settle down now.
Regardless, the savage bear was gored by the massive horns of a bull larger than a truck, and the other tribesmen, after witnessing me sneak up on that bull using my invisibility badge to knock it out with a butterfly brooch, had already kneeled in submission, so the major crisis had passed.
But now, I need to figure out where to go next. According to the legends passed down through the tribe, there’s a sacred land across the ‘Twilight Mountain’… Should I head that way?
But the moment I mentioned crossing the Twilight Mountain, the tribesmen turned pale, muttering about it being a hell for sinners who die. The mountain likely isn’t the afterlife, but
Thinking back, this place could be entirely different from Earth. Who knows, it might just be a real afterlife? Either way, one thing’s clear: it’s filled to the brim with horrifying beings.
As I wandered the plains, glancing at the clear morning sky, something strange caught my eye.
“What’s that? Hey! Black Hand!”
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
The black hand looking up at the sky froze in confusion.
“What are you talking about? Is it a cloud?”
He couldn’t see it from his perspective. I slowly shifted my focus further away.
An indigo shape that no human vision could grasp gradually came into view. But that was still insufficient. Just a little more effort.
… A surge of heat flowed through my eyes. It felt like someone plunged a needle into my head and twisted it, sending violent pangs through me. Right at that moment, as the clarity in my single-minded gaze reached its limit,
I saw a divine being soaring through the skies.
—
I will return with sincere updates.
Also, I always feel amazed by AI illustrations. Everyone seems to create cute and beautiful images effortlessly with programs like Midjourney, but whenever I try, I end up getting only monster images. I guess I should just stick to posting monster art since I’m portraying a work full of monsters.
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