Chapter: 117
### 117 – Room 107, The Gate Room – ‘Witch’s Forest’ (8)
—
– Han Kain
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 40
Current Location: First Floor, Room 107 (The Gate Room)
Sage’s Advice: 3]
—
After the first trial, we only got a mere hour of rest.
Naturally, for those of us who had fought against the fakes under extreme tension, that break felt way too brief.
Strangely enough, we started to recover our strength during the second trial.
Due to Arima’s ability to only take human form from midnight until just before sunrise, we basically had nothing clear to do from morning until midnight.
We spent our time making plans and catching up on sleep—note that ‘sleep’ was the kind you can’t really enjoy.
I felt like I was healing quite well now, and Jinchul looked like he could snooze peacefully at any moment.
The “understanding of the scenario” hinted that Arima was realizing something.
Was it really time to make a decision?
Even if Jinchul didn’t wake up, I felt we might need to give up on further treatment and consider eliminating Arima.
I shared my thoughts with my comrades.
—
Grandpa Mooksung reacted indifferently.
“Weren’t you the one who just a bit ago emphasized how important Jinchul is and said we should wait longer?”
“I still think Jinchul is important. But if Arima gets stronger here and Elena can’t hold her back, it will be a danger,” I argued.
“I don’t quite get your worry. You and Ahri were spouting some nonsense off the cuff, and she got a ‘great realization’ from it? Do you really think that’s plausible?”
“…”
“My opinion hasn’t changed since yesterday. Non-experts can’t distinguish between the gloss of a conman’s spiel and a true expert’s words. I mean, even if she’s a witch, if it concerns possession, she probably lacks knowledge in that field. Couldn’t she just be misunderstanding the nonsense you guys spewed?”
“Yet, I sensed a kind of warning in the scenario understanding.”
“I heard that line too, but…”
Grandpa seemed to struggle to understand. I got it. With Jinchul nearing the end of his treatment, it would be hard to suddenly talk about giving up after just a bit longer.
Eunsol, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up.
“I agree with Kain. And I want to share the ominous thought I’ve been having since yesterday.”
“Ominous thought?”
Eunsol took a sip of her tea before continuing.
“Isn’t it a misunderstanding that you called it a ‘bunch of nonsense’ to begin with?”
“Huh?”
“Have you ever been to a temple?”
“Not at all! I attended church briefly when I was little.”
“Then how do you know terms like ‘impermanence’ and ‘non-self’?”
“Uh… it just popped into my head. Maybe I learned about it during Korean history study?”
“My family believes in Buddhism. So I can tell you. ‘Impermanence’, ‘non-self’, ‘Nirvana’, they’re fundamental doctrines in Buddhism known as the Four Noble Truths. There’s no way that knowledge appears on a college entrance exam. Moreover, what you and Ahri taught yesterday explained those concepts rather convincingly. Sure, the details varied a lot, but even those differences felt like they had profound philosophical roots.”
…What on earth does this even mean? Ahri and I exchanged bewildered glances.
“The depth of the knowledge was so profound, it’s hard to believe it was just nonsense. What you don’t even realize is that you both have something in common—you’ve read the grimoire,” Eunsol concluded.
I had read the grimoire several times as its owner, and Ahri had opened it during our first attempt in the horrors of the mansion.
Ahri, looking anxious, spoke up.
“Are you saying that we subconsciously absorbed knowledge from the grimoire without realizing it?”
Eunsol nodded.
“I think so. I may not have an inheritance, but those who do often say that the related knowledge naturally seeps into their heads. The same phenomenon probably happened to you two after reading the grimoire. Normally, only the owner can read it—so Kain would have gained the information. But since Ahri, you managed to read it with your power, maybe some knowledge stuck with you?”
I felt confused.
Are we really saying we absorbed knowledge from the grimoire without even knowing it?
Ahri only glanced at it once, while I had been in the act of reading it over and over.
If her words were true, there should be a whole shelf of grimoire knowledge already crammed in my brain!
—
Grandpa Mooksung interrupted our turmoil.
“Worrying about the grimoire can wait. After listening to Eun-sol’s words, I’ve changed my mind. If it’s true that you both conveyed part of the grimoire’s sinister knowledge to the witch, and she gained enlightenment from it, this is a serious situation. Elena?”
“Should we utilize power the moment the witch comes in?”
“I think that might be wise.”
Songee offered a slightly altered suggestion.
“How about just sticking to treatment today? I really feel like Jinchul’s about to wake up, so wouldn’t it be a waste? Just ask for treatment, not lectures.”
Would that work?
“The witch seems pretty calculating. Do you really think she’d comply with just that?”
Songee gazed at me, her expression enigmatic.
“If today was the first day, maybe not. But now…”
“Now?”
“At this point, if you say Jinchul is a bit tired and just ask for treatment, I reckon she’d let it slide.”
What does that even mean?
Surprisingly, Eunsol also replied in agreement.
“I do think that right now, she’d probably oblige if you just asked for treatment. Let’s do that. Just ask for treatment today, and once it’s done—whoosh!”
Eunsol made a swiping gesture with her hand, and Elena nodded back.
Tension mounted as midnight approached.
*
– Han Kain
Arima stepped in.
“Arima-chan. Today I must say something rather presumptuous.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think I’ll need a day to prepare for the lectures. It seems your progress is extremely swift, and I need to provide higher-level teachings, which means a little more time for thought.”
“Oh! I totally understand. Since I’ve been following the path of exploring visions, I’ve never met anyone as wise as you! If it’s knowledge of such a high order, surely you would need time to prepare.”
“However…”
“Treating your comrade is an issue that cannot be postponed. I shall gladly assist, so you need not worry.”
Wait, really?
I was anticipating some back-and-forth banter, but Arima readily accepted, leaving me bewildered.
What’s even weirder is that my comrades seemed to have anticipated this flow already.
I felt like a lone fool standing there as Arima began treating Jinchul.
—
Leaning against the wall, I observed Arima and the surrounding people.
…
Was today the fifth day since Arima started coming?
There were so many differences since that first day.
For instance, Songee, who wanted to kill Arima on the first day, was now playing with Perro, casually hanging out with her.
Perro was mimicking a few of Arima’s words, and when the bird rubbed its beak against Arima’s cheek, she smiled like an ordinary girl.
Seungyub was casually tossing cards, fooling around, while Eunsol chatted with Arima about various topics.
Grandpa Mooksung and Arima discussed all kinds of ideas for Jinchul’s treatment.
Only I and Elena seemed to maintain the tense atmosphere similar to the first day.
It felt like the tension had eased both from us and from Arima.
Since the first day, Arima had stopped bringing her guards along.
While she might believe she could overpower us as a monster, I sensed she was now less worried about us doing her harm.
Moreover, the witch, who once relished in peeling the skin off a slave while we watched in horror, was no longer present.
While treating, Arima would now warn us to turn away if blood splattered.
… How could things have changed so quickly?
—
I could guess.
Arima had been treating Jinchul for several days now.
It’s hard to keep being hostile toward someone who is actively healing your comrade.
Was it really magic research that led her to sacrifice slaves? Even now, she was sacrificing them for Jinchul’s treatment.
At the point where we requested that horrific treatment ourselves, it grew difficult to keep condemning her.
Despite her being a villain, you’ve got to admit, she was honestly pretty cute.
And so I was convinced.
We need to eliminate her before the ‘washing machine’ in our heads started spinning more about her.
It just feels right that today is the day to kill her. It seems to be the condition for passing this trial, anyway.
While contemplating this, Arima spoke up.
“We’re at the final stages of treatment, and from now on, it might get a bit gruesome. How about everyone step out of the mansion?”
When Arima says ‘gruesome,’ that usually means something too graphic for regular people to handle.
—
Had around two hours passed? It felt like she was doing something longer than usual.
“Come on in!”
As I entered, I subtly gestured to Elena. She nodded back, as if she understood.
Just one final check to ensure Jinchul was good to go.
As soon as I walked in, I approached Jinchul.
Steady breathing, a soft cough sound, among other checks confirmed he was nearly at the end of his recovery.
I asked one last time,
“Think he’ll wake up soon?”
“Certainly within two to three hours.”
Was it because the treatment was ending? Arima had a somewhat sentimental expression on her face.
I was about to bring up something to Elena—
“Teacher.”
“Yes?”
“I need to say something important, is that alright?”
“Go ahead.”
“I have something I want to say just between us two. It won’t take long.”
… I was momentarily taken aback. The dialogue box chimed in.
Kim Mooksung: Stop blabbing and just kill her already, Elena!
Elena: I’m not lying. It really seems like she has something to say.
Kim Ahri: We might be uncovering a secret—since she’s not lying, let’s hide and see.
In the end, we decided to step outside for a brief conversation. Though it left me feeling uneasy, I decided to trust Elena, who could skyrocket at phenomenal speeds the moment judgement was passed.
Something felt suspicious was about to leap from Arima’s lips.
— Thud!
I heard the door close behind me.
Finally, following Arima’s suggestion, we stepped out to talk.
Was there even a point in talking when I was going to kill her anyway? Yet, I couldn’t help but be curious about what other hidden truths might come to light.
“Do you have something to say?”
After a brief silence, Arima began her lengthy tale.
She spoke of how her parents had sold her as a child, how a wicked sorcerer bought her and used her along with other children as both assistants and experimental subjects, and how through twists of fate she managed to kill the sorcerer and steal the fruits of his research…
Was she wanting to share her story?
“Sounds like a tough time you had.”
“Do you know what I envied most while treating your comrade?”
“What is it?”
“Your students have a strong bond with you. It feels less like a teacher-student relation, more like a friendship. While there’s respect and love, there’s also a feeling of camaraderie.”
Well, that’s because we’re not strictly teacher-student!
“Really?”
“If the sorcerer had been such a person, would I have lived a different life? Would I have been able to genuinely respect my teacher? Discussing the truth over endless nights?”
I couldn’t say, since I haven’t lived that life either.
“Perhaps.”
“If only I could be your pupil! To learn of your wisdom and share my meager knowledge with you.”
“….”
The surrounding air became heavy with silence. Was this witch suggesting she wanted to follow me?
To be honest, I had just been pondering when to kill her, and I felt a tinge of guilt.
… Eyeball pickles. Human sausages.
Upon reflection, I realized I shouldn’t feel guilty at all.
—
As our conversation looked to wrap up, I decided to ask a question that had sparked my curiosity over the last few days.
“Have you gained any insights from the recent teachings? It seems like you’ve made some uncommon progress.”
Had she been waiting for that question? In an instant, Arima’s face lit up.
“Of course! In just three or four days of learning from you, I’ve gained far more than from years of research. Non-self! The mind of man is merely an illusion; like a flowing wave. There’s no immutability of self, only an assembly of ever-changing fluidity. Why was I so attached to something that lacks real substance?”
I don’t even get how she understood my words to begin with.
“You’ve probably guessed, but I’ve cast away the fixation on an immutable mind. The continuity of memory and self is meaningless. Why should I have to obsess over it? I’m nearly ready to be reborn.”
What the heck is she rambling about? Be reborn?
“There’s just one lingering hesitation. This one thing is probably due to my inadequacy compared to you. I’d like to experience living as a woman just a bit.”
Arima shyly smiled at me.
? Something feels off about this atmosphere—
…
She approached me in a tender, warm manner.
In an instant, she leaned in, and something soft brushed against my lips.
I was utterly dumbfounded.
The first kiss I experienced in the hotel, filled with hints of mint and rose aromas.
“A-A-Arima-chan?”
Arima smiled demurely.
“I’m sorry. I thought that if I kissed the most wonderful person I’ve met, it might lighten my regret about leaving.”
Now, I can’t hold back anymore! What have you been saying all this time!?
“What do you mean by ‘be reborn’ and ‘letting go’? What are you trying to—”
Arima didn’t answer. She simply smiled slightly and placed her right hand on her head, invoking an incomprehensible power.
In an instant, her head melted before my eyes.
The lovely girl who had just shared a fragrant kiss with me a mere moment ago was now a headless corpse sprawled out before me.
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