Chapter 567 – Two Strategy Meetings
—
A grand mansion under the gray sky.
Arthur Reynolds, enjoying his noon coffee while waiting for news from outside, suddenly clutched his chest.
– Twitch!
“Ugh!”
“Arthur?”
“Graaahk! My, my heart—”
An indescribable, intense pain gnawed at his heart!
Olivia hurriedly rushed to fetch emergency supplies. The children, startled, were at a loss, unable to help as Arthur’s screams continued unabated.
Fifteen minutes? Twenty minutes?
By now, in the outside world, the sound of an ambulance would be on its way; finally, Arthur’s screaming ceased.
But the pain was far from over.
The ‘Arthur’ who screamed was simply gone.
“Heeeek! Kyaa! Kyaaaah!”
“Daddy, daddy!”
What burst forth from Arthur Reynolds’ body like a balloon was a grinning old man.
“Ha…! This has been quite a hassle!”
“A monster! What have you done to Arthur—”
Seeing Olivia and Joshua scream in horror at him, Ryan Reynolds bitterly smiled.
After all, aren’t they a daughter-in-law and grandson?
Yet, they didn’t recognize Ryan.
— Clap!
With a light clap, Olivia and Joshua collapsed, and silence enveloped the surroundings.
In a situation where even the son didn’t recognize him, it wasn’t all that strange.
Just as the ‘young friend’ had realized, the world they couldn’t remember was an artificial hotel created by Ryan after a lifetime of effort.
Thinking back to the cursed room.
Just as in the hotel where NPCs’ memories were manipulated at will, Ryan had only meddled with the NPCs’ memories for this ‘play.’
So, the fact that his family couldn’t recognize him was, strictly speaking, Ryan’s responsibility.
“…”
Suddenly, Ryan pondered.
How could these beings be considered family?
Using Arthur’s mouth, he had once told the ‘young friend’ that a ‘dream-crafted illusion’ is not real family. That was a sincere statement.
“…”
Long ago, the old man had loved them.
They were indeed his real son, daughter-in-law, and grandson.
When did they stop being so?
Ryan couldn’t tell.
The human heart is like a lake, often freezing over before one realizes it.
However, Ryan always needed genetically linked relatives.
This was the condition for his second legacy, ‘Fatherly Affection.’
In that moment, as Ryan bridged the gap between death and resurrection—
‘You’ve acted carelessly this time.’
A voice echoed in the old man’s head.
“…Thank you for your help.”
‘There’s not much time until the Ark is completed. I warned you not to act recklessly.’
“What do you mean I acted recklessly? I was just minding my own business when that brat barged into my space!”
‘Stay still. The opponent will be quiet for a while as well.’
Unilateral directives.
A gaze looking down from above.
Ryan always found this attitude of the opponent unpleasant.
‘Ryan, reflect on the fight just now.’
“What?”
Uncertain of the meaning, the old man tilted his head, only to become greatly startled.
Despite fighting fiercely with treasures and legacies, many memories faded away!
The owner of young wisdom.
His name, his appearance, his legacy – all of these memories grew hazy.
Meddling with others’ memories.
Though Ryan often did that, standing in the receiving position left him near breathless.
“How could this happen—”
‘Still don’t understand? The opponent is not to be taken lightly.’
Thus ended the short conference or ‘order delivery.’
“….”
Suddenly, Ryan thought.
Those blessed with wisdom all seemed similar.
Having interacted with the ‘opponent’ for countless lifetimes—enough to span several lifetimes of a normal person—but Ryan still didn’t know the name or face of his conversation partner!
He always appeared alongside the light of reason.
——
– Lee Eunsol
It has been a week since Hotel Delight collapsed.
As help poured in to extinguish the immediate fire, it was agreed to hold a proper strategy meeting for the first time since the escape.
“Hey, Songie!”
“Sis, it’s been a while!”
“Grandpa, are you okay? I heard you were held captive.”
“Nothing much. Shame is the real problem here.”
「Agent, what’s there to be ashamed about?」
“What’s this? A video conference?”
“Seunghyun is currently residing in America.”
“Hello, Noona Ahri!”
“Long time no see. How’s Miro doing?”
“… Hasn’t been coming to school much lately.”
“…”
After quick greetings, I scanned the faces of my colleagues gathered in the secretive meeting room.
Me (Lee Eunsol), Yu Songee, Elena, Kim Mooksung, Park Seungyub, and Kim Ahri were present in person.
“Beeep! I’m here in this form due to the ongoing matters—”
“Ugh! Kain-oppa, it’s scary how smoothly you speak with a beak.”
Kain appeared borrowing the body of Perro, while Seunghyun, who lived in America, joined via video conference.
The only missing members were Miro—who had unavoidable circumstances—and Cha Jinchul, who was undergoing training at the Administration Bureau.
Of course, the meeting details would also be conveyed to those two.
Seeing my colleagues gathered in one place brought a wave of nostalgia.
Though I had contacted them individually, it felt like ages since we were all together like this.
“Okay, let’s start the meeting!”
*
First, the story of having properly fought the owner of the communication blessing and his ally was shared.
“Wow… You mean to say they manipulated conversation names and spread horrific information?”
“More shocking is that they edited memories, right?”
Songee and Elena exclaimed in awe.
It was the first time I learned that the communication blessing could be used so aggressively.
“What have you been doing all this time, Mooksung?”
At Ahri’s teasing, Grandpa simply countered.
“Want me to display what’s going on with the communication window right now?”
Immediately, everyone fell silent.
The direction of the blessing’s growth is influenced by the participants’ inclinations.
Manipulating conversation names and polluting the communication window proved that Ryan Reynolds actively used communication for ‘team member control.’
Could it be that this process gave rise to abilities like ‘memory manipulation’?
“Memory manipulation must be a product of ‘strong enhancement,’ right?”
“Absolutely.”
It was certainly a power that must have been difficult for Grandpa Mooksung to acquire.
“The treasures in his possession are a flicker lighter and three mobile drones?”
“They say they’re noble guardians.”
Ahri interjected.
“Don’t forget about the heart’s twitch at the end. There’s one more legacy for regeneration or resurrection.”
“Anything else to add?”
“The world filled with forgetfulness. That’s where his base is—a mock hotel.”
Ryan Reynolds’ information was organized on the whiteboard.
Ryan Reynolds
1. Blessing (Communication): Vivid Communication (1) Memory Editing (2) -> Estimated Stage 3
2. Legacy: Noble Guardian, ??? (Regeneration or Resurrections)
3. Base: World of Forgetfulness – Mock Hotel
Looking at the organized content, Kain exclaimed in disbelief.
“Was everything a lie?”
“What do you mean?”
“No, he said he escaped through Arthur’s mouth by the entrance to the second floor. But both the blessing and legacy are fully intact.”
“Umm… Then did he proceed all the way to Room 207?”
“I don’t know.”
As always, when it came to the hotel, there was much more that remained unknown than known.
“How about the other guy?”
“Beep! The other owner of wisdom, right?”
“Oppa, why do you keep beeping?”
“Why are your wings flapping so much?”
“… Mimicking a parrot has become a habit, I guess.”
I wondered how often he borrowed Perro’s body that flapping wings and beeping had become a routine, but whatever.
“It seems like he has a legacy similar to Indomitable Reason. And…”
“Until his real name is revealed, let’s just call it Indomitable Reason. And?”
“… There’s insight or a similar power. He realized that the Sacred Sun had instantly vanished.”
「???
1. Blessing (Wisdom): Estimated Stage 4
2. Legacy: Indomitable Reason (Similar)」
I wanted to write more, but there wasn’t much to add.
“Not enough information.”
At that moment, Perro Kain answered again.
“Very…”
“Very?”
“Very old participant, I think.”
“What does that mean?”
“When I received insight, the Owl said that I might be a participant who can rarely obtain the fourth enhancement.”
The fourth enhancement of blessings was an exceedingly rare occurrence even in the hotel.
“If this was the previous hotel or maybe two or three hotels ago when the fourth enhancement occurred, the Owl wouldn’t have said that.”
“You have a point.”
“He must be a very… very old participant.”
Just then, Ahri muttered with a horrified expression.
“Then, how old could that old man be?”
Everyone’s faces grew slightly dark.
A participant who gained the fourth enhancement in the hotel surely wouldn’t have just one legacy.
This monster had repeatedly looped countless times in reality, accumulating power.
It was hard to fathom how strong he really was.
At least one good thing was that he hadn’t abruptly turned hostile toward us.
“I’ll tidy up info on the guy I encountered too.”
“That’s the guy who threatened Eunsol Noona in the other world?”
“I learned his name. It was possible because he was a participant from the Administration Bureau.”
Only one person among us could provide information about the Administration Bureau.
Consequently, Ahri nodded, and everyone gestured in approval.
Patrick Biederman
1. Blessing (Courage): Mutation Ability – Estimated Stage 3
2. Legacy: The Book of Oaths
3. Affiliation: Administration Bureau
“Blessing of Courage?”
Ahri replied.
“Yep. It was hard-earned information.”
Perro Kain tilted his head, continuing.
“He’s a tall, handsome guy, right? When I gained insight to look back into the past on Esper Ho, he spoke to ‘future me,’ so I definitely thought he had precognition.”
“Perhaps he didn’t see it himself.”
Seunghyun reacted to that statement.
[That’s strange. If I understood correctly, Ryan Reynolds and ‘another wisdom’ are on the same side.]
“Right.”
[Ryan said he left the Administration Bureau, right?]
Ahri nodded.
[So, Ryan who left the Administration Bureau and the other wisdom are allies, but Patrick, from the Administration Bureau, received future information from the other wisdom?]
Ryan Reynolds had indeed left the Administration Bureau.
Patrick Biederman was still a major player in the Administration Bureau.
Yet, this unknown ‘another wisdom’ had ties to both.
At first glance, the relationship seemed odd.
“What’s strange about it?”
Ahri’s voice.
“Look at the strange people around us. I’m an agent of the Administration Bureau, Mooksung has retired from it, and Jinchul is set to join as a freshman.”
Next, Ahri pointed her finger at the display.
“People who dislike the Administration Bureau.”
[… The Administration Bureau is a necessary evil.]
“Two middle schoolers without sense.”
“NOONA!”
“A weird high schooler creating an unusual Japanese manga in reality.”
“What the heck are you saying!”
“Two businesspeople enjoying themselves in hotels and cruises.”
“How leisurely… How busy can they be?”
“And! AND! The crazy parrot human has started more crazy antics!”
“…”
Looking around, it truly was a gaggle of oddballs.
Moreover, we had both Administration Bureau haters and agents in one spot.
“If we’ve gathered like this, isn’t the ‘other party’ going to be any different?”
Indeed.
This was the nature of hotel parties.
——
Just as the discussion about all participants was nearing completion, a few personal requests were exchanged.
Mostly from Ahri, regarding the Administration Bureau.
I kicked things off.
“I asked the local head to support the funding for the restoration of Hotel Delight.”
“What did you say?”
“He asked what the reason was. Claims that I can’t misuse Administration Bureau resources for personal reasons?”
“I’ll handle it.”
“Oh!”
“I can conjure up any reason.”
“What about the local head’s opposition—”
“That person is soon going to be under me.”
This is it!
Hey, Park Hyunmin, the head of the Korea branch!
Your superior is on my side, yet you’re out here showing off?
Wouldn’t that mean Hotel Delight would become the top hotel in Korea thanks to the Administration Bureau’s funding?
Seems plausible yet dubious…
“Noona! Noona! Sofia has made a decision.”
“Really?”
“She can provide a reality-based body for Sofia to move to, right?”
“It’s possible, but it’ll take some time. And… you understand the implication of that request, right?”
“… Yes.”
“Then we’re good to go.”
Thus, Seungyub’s request was accepted too.
Next, the ‘weird parrot human’ opened its beak.
“Beep! I also have a request—”
“Too difficult.”
“… I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“I know what your request is. It’s not about wanting me to close my eyes, is it?”
“…”
“Instead, I’ll listen to it in another way.”
Kain’s request was for the Administration Bureau to turn a blind eye toward his ‘currently ongoing business.’
Ahri stated she couldn’t ignore him but could approach it from another angle.
“Another angle?”
“Yeah, the agent dispatched to your business, I selected them.”
“If you selected them—wait! Don’t tell me!”
“Jinchul is going to go.”
“Oh my! Ahri! I believed in you!”
The flapping parrot seemed to propose a thank-you kiss but ended up pecking Ahri’s cheek instead.
It was so unexpected that Songie, Elena, and I all burst into laughter uncontrollably.
“Oh, come on! Don’t!”
Thanks to Ahri’s reaction, it became even more enjoyable.
…
By the way, I heard about Kain’s new business, but it was such a strange tale.
I understood the purpose.
Having fought with all participants, the Sacred Sun was now empty, so he needed to regain strength somehow.
Yet, now that the situation arose, the wish of oblivion as a dream was a hindrance.
If the followers turn away, how can Kain grow any kind of faction?
“…”
Amazingly, there were methods for everything.
Perhaps Kain wished for oblivion while foreseeing everything until now.
“Kain.”
“Yes?”
“What was the name of the partner you’re working with currently?”
The parrot’s beak tilted slightly.
“Ixthus. An incredibly reliable business partner.”
In my ears, it sounded like “an extremely trustworthy sucker.”
“…That person, isn’t the god you were serving dead?”
“The god can be replaced.”
What in the world does that mean?
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