### Chapter 415 – Room 104, The Curse Room – ‘The Preparatory Elite Hotel High School’ Re (14)
—
— Kim Ahri
Before stepping in, we had the same conversation countless times.
Resolving Room 104 is actually quite simple.
The condition for resolution is the complete destruction of the cult hiding underneath the Old Main Building.
During our first attempt, the thought of taking down a cult armed to the teeth was overwhelming, but that’s just old news now.
With our current strength, even dozens of armed soldiers wouldn’t pose much of a challenge.
There’s no need to engage in a dangerous fight ourselves.
If a couple of us escape outside and draw in the Administration Bureau, they’ll take care of it one way or another.
An easier method would be to simply assassinate Aurelia to summon the sacred sun.
Ju’s goal isn’t to keep this room intact forever like that crazy whale in Room 203.
He desperately wants to resolve Room 104.
Once 104 disappears, the reward granted will be the sacred sun, which is Ju’s avatar.
Thus, he considers the act of the sacred sun leaving the curse room as his own escape.
This is the biggest issue with Room 104.
It’s not that resolving it is difficult; rather, the reward that comes after resolution seems sketchy.
Of course, Elena and Mooksung had already shared similar thoughts.
—
“From the perspective of Floor 1, the sacred sun could brainwash us, but… isn’t that impossible now?”
“Since Elena obtained ‘Clear Mind,’ I doubt it’ll have much effect on someone like Kain.”
—
But Kain showed a completely different reaction.
—
“There’s a saying that even a light drizzle can soak your clothes. The influence of the inheritance is definitely like that.”
“We might change without even realizing it?”
“The moment we obtain the sacred sun, it’s not like I’ll suddenly turn around and say, ‘I’m no longer Han Kain; I’m Ju now. Bow before me, or perish.’ But I might find my grandfather praying for me every evening.”
“Cough!”
—
That was an oddly convincing example, like something we’d been through before.
Anyway, for reasons like this, we ended up concocting a rather complicated plan.
“What’s going on? What’s happening?”
“Kain just punched the teacher out of nowhere!”
“Did he just teleport or something?”
“No way, you must have imagined it!”
“Call the teacher!”
—
The classroom turned into chaos, and before long, teachers rushed in and dragged Kain towards the Old Main Building.
Amid the confusion, we awaited his signal.
*
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 275
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 104 – The Curse Room ‘The Preparatory Elite Hotel High School’
Sage’s Advice: X]
—
— Han Kain
“Kids these days!”
“…”
“Just because a teacher lost her temper, you throw a punch? Are you out of your mind?”
“…”
I pondered whether I should just dismiss the supervising teacher and head to the Old Main Building alone, but for the sake of keeping things neat, I chose to stay patient.
Fortunately, the Old Main Building wasn’t too far away.
“We’ve brought her!”
“Let her out.”
Aurelia was already waiting for me.
Did Ju give her a revelation or a precognitive dream?
I went ahead and asked openly.
“So, what did my father say?”
Aurelia had a strangely enigmatic look on her face.
“… My father said, ‘Have you finished wandering yet?’”
To me, it sounded like,
‘Hey you, are you ready to bow your head before me now?’
“Father. I have exhausted all the power you granted me. However, I face a heavy trial ahead, so I earnestly seek your assistance.”
I replied like this,
‘Aww! I used up all my powers, yet I still have this curse room remaining. I think I need more inheritance, so please help me out.’
“My father said—”
—
“Let’s skip that line for now.”
“… Where did that arrogant attitude from before go?”
‘Hey you! Don’t forget the last time you pressed the escape button and left me hanging in the middle!’
“I’ve realized how weak I am standing before this trial. Father, can you forgive your sinful son?”
‘Oh please, let’s forget the past! Give me a break!’
“My son, your appearance is most pitiful. Yet, even when children make mistakes or show unruly behavior, parents wait for their children to repent.”
‘You fool. Just try bumping your head once!’
— Bam!
The moment I heard those words, I immediately knelt before Aurelia.
“Father, I repent for my past sins. Please grant me one chance.”
‘Is that enough? Hey, if you take any more hits, we’ll both get tired, so let’s just move on.’
“Resentment is akin to ink dropped into flowing water; the past is forgotten. My son, it’s truly a joyous day that you seek mercy from me. Will you follow me now?”
‘You got lucky.’
“Of course. However, the power you granted me previously has all been spent. Therefore, since you cannot take direct action, may I handle things?”
‘I used up all my powers. This time, you can’t take part, so I’ll deal with the cult myself.’
“Go ahead.”
“It seems we’ll need to take the life of ‘her’; is that acceptable?”
‘I’ll start with Aurelia.’
“I allow it.”
‘Kill her.’
While conversing, a chuckle escaped me.
This dialogue between me, Ju, or the sacred sun feels like a casual chat right in front of Aurelia, yet she’s completely oblivious.
She just assumes the god she’s served all her life is plotting something she cannot grasp and is merely conveying the divine will to me.
“…”
When I focused on Aurelia’s face, she tilted her head, puzzled, as if to ask what I was up to.
From all the information gathered so far, my conclusion was clear.
The sacred sun emerges only when the cult faces an existential crisis.
In other words, when the cult isn’t in danger, Ju can only intervene indirectly through the ‘saint.’
So…
— Swoosh!
“Kain, what’s that sword for?”
If I take her down while the cult is still intact, Ju will have no way to intervene unexpectedly.
— Slash!
The dagger I brought from the hotel grazed the saint’s neck in an instant.
“Ahhh! W-what’s going on—”
I intentionally delayed my attack and spoke clearly.
“Aurelia, didn’t you hear? My father commanded me to take your life.”
“And, w-what nonsense—”
“If you don’t believe me, try telling my father to spare you.”
— Swoosh!
Another dagger flew, and Aurelia rolled on the floor, trapped in shock and fear.
The blade repeatedly sliced her torso, but none of the wounds were fatal.
“Ahhh! Father! Father!”
With a desperate expression, the saint prayed vehemently to Ju.
As I looked back, realizing she was half undressed, pierced and bleeding, I found her hyperbolically curvaceous—
… Get a grip.
Anyway, amidst the dire condition, Aurelia’s eyes were filled with despair.
“It seems my father is not providing any assistance.”
“Ugh!”
“Are you really that foolish? Can’t you see the conversation from earlier and your current impotence? If you were a truly devoted daughter, you should obediently strip and present your neck before me.”
“W-why would I take my clothes off?!”
“… Never mind the clothes. What I mean is, just die quietly already!”
As I approached the bloodstained saint lying on the floor, I contemplated.
When commanded by the god she’s served all her life to ‘die for me,’ how would she behave?
It was something I discovered in the second attempt.
Aurelia’s eyes, which were previously filled with despair, flared up with defiance.
“Yah!”
— Thud!
The fallen saint kicked her leg out, catching me just as I was about to fall over, timing it perfectly, and finally, sounds of people from the underground city’s cult began to emerge.
“Aurelia! What’s happening!”
Hearing the footsteps of the approaching devotees, the saint regained her composure and glared at me.
“You vile wretch! I’ll make you pay—”
That’s enough!
“See ya~!”
I instantly got back up and bolted out of the Old Main Building, thinking.
Now Aurelia knows that her father intends to achieve something, even ‘if it means killing her.’
I planted the seeds of distrust within the saint’s heart.
*
— Kim Mooksung
[Han Kain: Now!]
The signal dropped.
Soon, loud noises began to erupt all around.
— Crash!
“Ahhh! W-what’s going on, Teacher Cha?!”
Cha Jinchul began smashing supply rooms without restraint.
“Butterfly, it’s a butterfly! Suddenly, there’s a butterfly—”
“Ahhh! The butterfly touched me, and I fell!”
“W-Wait! What on earth is this teacher doing?!”
Eunsol used ‘Dream of the Butterfly’ to scare off the teachers in the administrative office.
Are the kids doing well?
Taking a stroll on the upper floor to assess the situation, it looked decent.
Songee was encouraging the kids to throw punches at each other, and Seungyub was smashing the windows with a chair.
As for Ahri…
“How do I look? Am I pretty?”
“Wow, you look super pretty!”
“Yah!”
“Did you draw that line next to your mouth on purpose?”
“…Ugh!”
Watching Ahri’s antics was utterly bewildering.
It seems she was trying to scare the kids by mimicking the ‘Red Mask’ urban legend…
Honestly, she just looked too cute to pass off as a ghost.
Drawing a red line next to her mouth didn’t make her look like a monster.
So Ahri just started hitting the kids instead.
“Ugh, Ahri, your taste is something else…”
In any case, within just a few moments, the entire school was turned upside down.
Now, it’s time for me to get moving—
“Round and round!”
“Round and round!”
“Twirl and dance!”
“Clap your hands!”
“Sing along!”
Suddenly, dozens of kids burst out of classrooms singing.
I wondered who orchestrated this, only to find Miro at the front, grinning widely.
It seems she enchanted the kids with her unique “voice.”
Soon, Miro led the kids outside to the playground, chanting ‘Round and round’ while having fun.
“Hmmm. Miro’s taste is a bit better than Ahri’s.”
“Hey, that was just a bit awkward.”
Before I knew it, Ahri stood beside me, looking bored.
“This should make the cult members think some demon has invaded. Don’t you think so?”
Ahri nodded.
“Ahh~ Probably. They’ll start praying and calling for their deity soon enough.”
Normally, if such bizarre happenings turned a school upside down, Aurelia would have taken charge.
I wonder what she’s up to now?
If Kain played his cards right, Aurelia must be engulfed in internal turmoil…
As usual, in the Curse Room, not everything is guaranteed to go as we expect.
Regardless, I should also start doing my part.
“Take care, I’m heading down first.”
“Take care? When did you start calling me that?”
“Next time, don’t mimic a ghost and instead imitate a vampire!”
— Thud!
Ahri tossed a ball at the back of my head.
*
Returning to the administrative office, I found dozens of teachers in utter chaos.
As things spiraled out of control, some teachers directly affiliated with the cult gathered together.
Now it’s time to take charge of these guys.
[Mob Psychology Activated!]
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