Chapter: 124
### 124 – Room 107, The Gate Room – ‘The Secret of the Esper Ship’ (15)
—
– Han Kain
Ahri was holding a strangely shaped music box.
“Is this the kind of style that was popular before World War II? I didn’t realize music boxes had trends too.”
“How do you know so much about the music boxes of the past? Have you even seen one?”
“I once encountered a spirit similar to one that borrowed the shape of a music box while working. Pero seems to be up to something again, so go check on him.”
That age-related joke about Ahri that I used to brush off suddenly felt like a bizarre contradiction.
I slyly checked the status window again.
Ahri’s age was still listed as ???.
…
Let’s drop this for now. Unnecessary suspicions only lead to conflict.
Even if I planned to ask Ahri later, it didn’t feel like the right time while we’re in the middle of this trial.
I approached Pero. Sure enough, he was diligently pecking at the wall with his beak.
If he was in a grotesque form, maybe it made sense, but as a regular parrot, how on Earth would pecking at the wall get him anywhere? Naturally, the wall didn’t budge.
There must be some meaning behind this behavior…
I found it hard to understand at that moment too. I just started inspecting drawers and checking under the bed.
We searched the room for quite a while, but we couldn’t find any suspicious items, unknown documents, bizarre safes, or secret passages.
Eventually, Grandpa Mooksung called us.
“Everyone, put on your outfits again. It’s almost time for this dinner party or whatever it is.”
In the end, without any clear results from our exploration, we left the room for the dinner party.
As soon as we stepped out, a notification popped up.
/From now until the end of the fourth trial, participants’ assets will be sealed./
Now the real deal was starting.
*
– Elena
A gentleman I had never seen approached me, offering a glass of wine.
“Miss Elena, my name is Stevenson.”
Before I could respond, someone else approached from behind.
“Oh my! The star of tonight’s party has arrived! Miss Elena! Would you please join us at our table?”
“Thank you. I—”
Before I could finish, another voice joined in.
“Seeing your noble appearance, one cannot help but—”
…
Ugh! This is chaotic!
As soon as we stepped into the party hall, we were all dazed.
The first room was grand and spacious, but the ship outside was unbelievably extravagant, like something out of a dream.
And the party area showcased the pinnacle of that lavishness.
A small orchestra was playing classical music on one side, while staff strolled about serving fancy champagne and appetizers.
The walls were adorned with paintings I had never seen before and beautiful decorations.
The chandelier overhead sparkled like fireworks, illuminating the entire banquet hall.
The most astounding thing was the golden threads glimmering from the ceiling.
Every time the light grazed them, it seemed like a little galaxy was unfolding in the air, and I found myself inadvertently staring up at the threads for quite a while.
“What are you staring at so intently?”
As I turned my head, a young man, looking like he had stepped out of an old film, was watching me.
“Those glimmering threads from the ceiling. Aren’t they fascinating? How were they made?”
“Oh! You mean the spider webs?”
“Spider webs?”
“Yes, they’ve set up spider webs and lightly dusted them with gold powder. Just perfect for creating ambiance. Of course, nothing compares to Miss Elena’s—”
I couldn’t bear to listen to the rest. Sorry, but I’d heard stories like that at least three hundred times since the party began, and I was completely unfazed by it now.
I turned to look at my companions.
Their situations weren’t much different either. At least five or more people were swarming around each of my friends, introducing themselves and clamoring to present gifts.
The remark I heard earlier: “the star of tonight’s party”—
It seemed to apply not just to me but to everyone in our group.
It was fascinating, glamorous, and the food was delicious, but…
This is still just the ‘Gate Room’—a place for trials.
There’s no time to be lost in enjoyment.
In the end, our most decisive and strongest member, Grandpa Mooksung, began pushing away the clingy guests to gather us.
After nearly thirty minutes into the party, we finally managed to regroup.
*
– Han Kain
What a dizzying experience this was.
I hadn’t realized I’d attract such a crowd, irrespective of gender, as if I were an idol.
Not only that, but people were suddenly tossing gifts at me, bombarding me with questions about who I was and where I came from—almost overwhelming.
Honestly, if I were facing an enemy charging at me with a knife, I’d have the resolve to fight without hesitation. But handling this kind of goodwill was a real challenge.
Fortunately, Grandpa Mooksung came to the rescue, forcibly pulling us away and securing a table, allowing us to finally stabilize.
Songee, who was sipping water in a daze, was the first to speak.
“This is a first for me! It feels like I’ve become some famous singer! Have you ever experienced something like this, Elena Unnie?”
“No way. I’ve never been this popular, you see.”
Grandpa Mooksung sighed as he fanned himself.
“It’s chaotic! Truly chaotic. Have we gathered any useful information?”
Songee immediately opened her mouth.
“I—”
“Wait a moment.”
I cut her off.
“Let me speak first.”
Han Kain: Real conversation should be done via the conversation tab.
“The food is absolutely delicious. Each dish seems to be at a fine dining level, doesn’t it?”
Han Kain: Keep an eye on the reactions of those around us every time we speak.
“Wow! Are you implying you’ve dined at a fine dining establishment before? I bet you just frequent that Kimbap Heaven instead~.”
Kim Ahri: Every time we say something, it gets quiet around us. They’re eavesdropping on everything we say.
“Hey, are you ignoring me, Ahri? Our family does well. I even went there when my dad got a promotion!”
Han Kain: They’re very invested in us. They’re bombarding us with gifts and questions amid this noisy party while trying to pry into our personal info.
“Realistically, I might have been once throughout my life. Okay, I’ll consider that I have. The food here does taste good. But what’s great is the alcohol.”
Kim Ahri: You’d think they’d engage with each other, but they already seem to know each other well.
“Speaking of alcohol… this Irish whiskey is quite a fine item. But you all can’t have any!”
Kim Mooksung: Doesn’t it seem that people are a bit lacking compared to the size of the ship?
“What? Lacking in numbers—”
Songee said that out loud, then quickly covered her mouth in surprise.
Yu Songee: I’m sorry. Aren’t there a lot of people?
Kim Mooksung: It’s evidently low regarding the ship’s size. The reason it seems crowded is because the ship is ridiculously large.
He seemed to gather some sense of the ship’s size without even browsing around it.
In moments like these, I think to myself that the experience accumulated in the Administration Bureau isn’t for show.
“I don’t know much about alcohol, but this champagne is delightful.”
Elena: As we came over, I noticed plenty of rooms seem to be empty.
“I can’t judge the taste of champagne very well. It just feels like a dizzying soda to me.”
Han Kain: Everyone, stay cautious in your actions. I’ve seen quite a few staff members wearing revolvers at their waists. They aren’t empty guns, I assume.
After this exchange, silence fell over the table.
Engaging in normal chat while secretly communicating through the conversation tab was surprisingly taxing.
Summarizing the gathered information so far:
1. The ship’s passengers seem familiar with one another. They take a keen interest in us.
2. Despite the ship’s size, the number of people aboard is scarce. There are many empty cabins.
3. A fair number of staff are armed with revolvers.
All this feels rather ambiguous. Nothing really strikes me.
A slight chill began to creep up on me. Once I started paying attention, it was hard to ignore.
Each time we uttered even the most nonchalant comment, the vicinity fell into silence, and if any of us made even the slightest move, all eyes swiftly turned to us.
What on Earth are those people’s motives?
In the end, we couldn’t stand the uneasiness and returned to our cabin before it was even 10 PM.
Not long after stepping out of the party hall, the music played by the orchestra that had been faintly reverberating around the ship came to a halt.
It was as if the purpose of the party had vanished, so there was no reason to keep the music going.
*
After that, we also rummaged through the room and wandered the ship, but with no notable findings.
We confirmed a few facts.
As Elena mentioned, there were many unoccupied cabins, and the ship was absurdly large.
Is this the standard size for a luxury cruise ship?
According to Ahri and Grandpa Mooksung’s insights, a ship of this magnitude is rather rare in the world.
The facilities on this luxury liner felt endless.
There was a pool, a botanical garden, and even a casino. It left me in awe.
We were assigned two cabins on the Esper Ship.
Presumably, it was meant to separate men and women.
But there was no way we would separate in this ominous ship.
Besides, every single room was so spacious, so we decided to bunk together in one larger room instead.
As midnight approached, none of us had fallen asleep while we waited for the next “scenario” to appear on my status window.
…
— Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Midnight struck with the sound of a cuckoo clock, and just as I was about to check the scenario, something unusual happened.
[Advice: 3 -> 2]
[Immediately lean against the wall and cover the front with a filter.]
Before I could even process what was happening, my instincts took over, and I acted according to the advice.
I quickly pressed against the wall and enlarged the status window filter to cover the front.
Just as my companions looked at me with puzzled expressions—
— Ding di ding di ring~! Ding di ding di ring~!
The twinkling sounds of the music box filled the room.
From under the bed, behind pillows, beyond the wall, and beneath the table.
It was indeed coming from all directions.
When I turned my gaze back to my companions in confusion, I realized why the ‘advice’ had bothered to alert me again after a long time.
In an instant, all my comrades had fallen as if knocked out by sleep.
The fact that only I had managed to withstand meant that the music carried some magical power within.
?
I felt a strange shift behind me. Something was squirming—
[Advice: 2 -> 1]
[Play dead.]
I immediately relaxed my body and only cracked my eyes slightly open.
…
I can’t breathe. Faces began emerging from the walls of the room.
Suppressing the urge to vomit, I held on.
From those faces came eerie voices.
“Is there anyone awake? I sensed some movement.”
“No way! George, go and check.”
“No need for that. It’s obviously that parrot. I’ve wanted to twist its neck ever since it kept pecking the wall all day.”
“Can a bird even sense anything?”
“Who knows? It seems everyone else is asleep.”
Deep voices echoed.
“Hmmm. Have all of you found someone you fancy? If not—”
A slightly higher-pitched voice chimed in.
“I have my eye on one.”
“That blonde girl? It’s true, I’ve never seen such a beautiful lady before.”
— Squeak.
A noise sounded as if something heavy was pressing down on the floor.
Simultaneously, all the voices echoed in the room went silent.
Even though there were five of us, the room suddenly felt incredibly cramped.
Each of them bore nails the size of a child’s fist, beaks large enough to fit my head, and bizarrely monstrous bodies that looked like a cross between an ostrich and some tentacled abomination.
The grotesque had appeared.
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