Chapter 563 – The World I Can’t Remember (2)
—
– Han Kain
Looking back, Grandpa talked almost nothing about the Administration Bureau while in the hotel.
If I were curious about information related to the Bureau, my target for interrogation would be Ahri, not Grandpa.
But Grandpa Mooksung has served in the Bureau far longer than I could imagine.
So, it’s only natural that he knows some substantial secrets.
This conversation is proof of that.
“So, while doing things similar to an exorcist, you found a place where the location information was coming up weird?”
“That’s correct.”
“Once you mentioned that, a thought came to mind. Kain, have you ever wondered about this?”
Before pondering any questions, here’s a thought.
If you really think about it, the biological age gap between Grandpa and me has long since become meaningless.
Adding up the time spent in Room 203 might mean I’m technically older.
Of course, now that it’s been revealed that Grandpa is also a ‘Returnee,’ maybe not, but it’s clear that neither of us matches our appearances with our ages.
Yet, I naturally regard Grandpa as the elder, while he sees me as the younger one.
Now that I think about it, it feels a bit odd that I spoke so casually to Ahri but addressed a clearly younger Grandpa with such respect.
“What kind of place is the ‘other world’ that appears in all sorts of urban legends and ghost stories?”
Urban legends, ghost stories, myths.
Humans have been imagining other worlds since ancient times.
In grand terms, there are heavens and hells, and the Chinese tale of Mu Containing Heaven is a good example.
Speaking of modern ghost stories, it’s like making peculiar adjustments to an elevator and ending up in another world.
Some supernatural phenomena from reality do actually exist.
“The other worlds spoken of in ghost stories are real. I mean, ‘Hotel Pioneer’ could also be considered a type of other world.”
“Sounds reasonable.”
“The principles behind their creation and how to construct them— well, we— oh, I’m not part of the Bureau anymore, so I can’t speak to that. But the Bureau has successfully learned how to use a few of those other worlds.”
“Using other worlds?”
“It can be quite useful if you know how to use them. For example, how about shoving a troublesome monster into an other world and closing the entrance?”
“… I’ve seen that once.”
“You’ve seen it?”
“In Room 202, I went with Ahri to a place where a horrible monster was sealed, just for the sake of sealing that chaos being.”
So there was a purpose for that.
“Is there any other use?”
“Storage.”
“Excuse me?”
“Have you ever thought about how the Bureau preserves information through loops?”
“Uh?”
“A tiny number of agents can retain their identity while looping, but computers can’t.”
When I thought about it, his point made sense.
You need tons of information to manage the world, but the storage media for that info wouldn’t last post-loop, would it?
“Aren’t the agents’ memories enough?”
“Ha! Do you have any idea how many agents there are on Earth?”
“No idea.”
“Honestly, I don’t know either.”
“…”
“More than 100, but fewer than 1,000. That’s what I gather.”
“That’s a really wide range.”
“Sorry. My rank wasn’t high enough to know for sure. Ahri might know better.”
Apparently, Ahri was on the verge of being promoted to the highest rank, while Grandpa wasn’t at that level.
“Whether it’s 100 or 1,000 agents, you know human memory is pretty predictable, right? Just in terms of basic information, if you add up what 1,000 people remember, it wouldn’t even match the storage on your smartphone.”
Given that a USB the size of a thumbnail can hold thousands of textbooks, he’s got a point.
Right.
There’s no way the memory of some agents could accumulate enough information to manage an entire civilization.
This meant the Bureau needed special places, like books or computers, to store information.
I realized that there are indeed other worlds that seem straight out of ghost stories, and the Bureau has secured a few of those places for various purposes.
“The place we’re heading to now is one of those other worlds. A location that the Bureau hasn’t been able to secure!”
“The World I Can’t Remember.”
It’s one of the other worlds outside the Bureau’s control, and apparently, the entrance is near Seoraksan.
“If it were just a typical hell filled with monsters, I’d assume they’d control the entrance. But it’s not anything like that.”
“That’s quite the phrase, isn’t it…?”
“This place is different. Many of the infiltrating staff and agents returned unscathed, with hardly any signs of battle.”
In other words, it’s not a setup where ridiculous monsters jump you the moment you enter.
“The issue is that not just the staff, but even the agents have no recollection of what happened inside.”
“So that’s why it’s called the World I Can’t Remember.”
“Exactly. The Bureau was— whoa, I keep saying ‘we.’ The Bureau has been curious about the secrets inside.”
“That makes sense.”
“So they sent in agents with strong mental defenses.”
“Like how Eunsol has that flute?”
“Similar but much weaker. Treasures like that flute are exceptionally rare in the world.”
“That person lost their memories too?”
“Most of them did.”
Most and all are different things.
It might mean that some managed to retain their memories.
“What did they say?”
“They only remembered one sentence: There’s a possibility of salvation here.”
“…”
Salvation.
A word that’s mysterious yet also slightly unsettling.
I’ve heard promises of saving humanity from the hotel countless times, but never once was it a real salvation.
“That’s all. After sending a few more people after that, it became increasingly rare to see anyone return alive.”
“Hmm….”
“At some point, the Bureau gave up. Honestly, there are so many mysterious and bizarre locations in this world that clinging to something like this isn’t worth it.”
Would visiting such a place be of any help?
…
What we aim to do in the future is also about preventing a looming doom.
Checking out a place that has the potential for ‘salvation’ might be worthwhile.
— Thump!
Grandpa lightly tapped my shoulder.
“It’s a story older than thirty years, so I had forgotten until you brought up the topic of other worlds.”
“… It’s all because of the Status Window.”
“Did you bring the pen?”
“Yep.”
Pens that can write anywhere and the Status Window.
Combining these two creates an unbeatable notebook that even prisoners can’t edit.
Even if my memories fade, at least the records will remain.
*
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 37
Current Location: Taebaek City, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province
Sage’s Advice: 3
—
– Han Kain
Grandpa wasn’t lying when he said it was a place the Bureau had given up on.
There were no armed staff around the entrance of the other world, just a simple fence with ‘No Entry’ signs plastered on it.
“That security seems pretty lax, doesn’t it?”
“Usually, a single flimsy fence is enough to keep regular folks at bay.”
He’s not wrong, but it still feels irresponsible.
“Do you think there aren’t bizarre places in the world? There aren’t even enough people to guard a pond that spews flesh-eating monsters every day!”
“…”
“There might be no people around, but the security system is still operational.”
With that said, I found myself speechless.
If we go by priorities, it’s clear that blocking the pond with the flesh-eaters should come first.
As I walked beyond the fence, a shabby little hut came into view.
“Looks pretty worn down. Did they build this for camouflage?”
“Uh, the dilapidation isn’t for camouflage; it’s simply because nobody maintains it.”
“… I see.”
“Hold on. Even so, there are security sensors here and there.”
In thirty minutes, Grandpa could disassemble the Bureau’s security system.
It’s a weird thought, but I doubt the Bureau ever thought a former agent would dismantle their own systems.
And then, we halted at the entrance of the hut.
“Feeling a tad uneasy about entering.”
“You said most people who came out did so without incident, right?”
“We can’t really be sure if we’d be the same, can we?”
“…”
“If too much time passes, Ahri will come to rescue us. After all, there is a Kingdom of Dreams out there.”
“Let’s stop with the gloomy talk and just go in.”
— Thud!
I paused at the door, holding onto it for a moment.
Wouldn’t an alert pop up the instant I opened it if it’s dangerous?
“Hey! Didn’t you just say to stop with the gloomy talk, and now you’re doing this?”
“… I’m opening it now.”
*
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 37
Current Location: Searching….
Sage’s Advice: 3
The first thing I noticed was a space filled with gray.
I realized that Grandpa and I were trapped in a suffocating room without any signs of exits.
While searching for a way out, the conversation window flickered after a long while.
“Look up! The ceiling!”
As I raised my head, I understood why Grandpa’s eyes had widened.
“That’s…!”
A mirror!
It’s a mirror!
Considering that in Room 207, the mirror was a major source of the light that announces doom during the mock exam, I had suspected it was possible that one existed here too.
Could it really be in a place like this?
Are mirrors from reality outside the Bureau’s control?
Or perhaps the big pieces are owned by the Bureau but there are still shards lying outside of their control?
Just as my head was about to spin with confusion— the conversation window flickered again after a long time.
A customer is arriving from a distance.
Right next to me, and it’s via the conversation window?
Just as I was about to panic, I heard Grandpa’s urgent voice.
“That’s not me!”
Only then did I narrow my eyes to check who the “speaker” was, and a hazy figure popped up glaring at me.
Searching: It’s unfortunate that we weren’t prepared for guests. However, I believe you understand since you came without prior notice.
“What is this…!”
It’s communication.
It’s not Grandpa, but another owner of communication who has come to this place!
Searching: They say there is a saying in Rome: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I hope you’ll abide by the laws I set in my house.
Follow my own laws? What is this—
— Crackle!
At that moment, a chilling sensation scraped my mind, overwhelming me with an incomprehensible force.
If I had been oblivious, I would’ve wondered what this could be.
But I recently learned about the characteristics of the World I Can’t Remember, so I understood right away.
Someone was trying to manipulate both my and Grandpa’s memories!
The Status Window’s mental protective measures weren’t enough to withstand the kind of attack I was facing now.
Without hesitation, I summoned my grimoire.
Wasn’t this exactly the moment I absorbed Serena’s enlightenment for?
— Flutter!
My mind, spirit, and soul coalesce into a single point.
As Serena’s enlightenment sought to protect my psyche, the warning alert activated.
Warning: Advisor: 3 -> 0
Accept the interference. Look at the bigger picture; that’ll be beneficial.
“…”
A suggestion not to resist.
If it were the usual me, I wouldn’t hesitate for even a second.
But now, I had a thought for the first time.
The master of the World I Can’t Remember is a former participant, the master of blessings and communication.
Whether it’s an inheritance or a blessing, it seems this person has memory manipulation abilities that Grandpa lacks.
Will the Owl, even during a clash with another participant, give me advice for “my sake”?
“…”
I should trust.
This time, I feel like it’s okay to believe.
Because the opposite party is the master of communication, the Owl might side with me.
If that’s the case, if the other person is another owner of ‘Wisdom,’ whose side would the Owl choose?
Grandpa murmured with a hint of despair.
“Ah! I never thought there could be such potential in communication!”
… Some blessings only perform at their best in the hands of someone with a wicked heart.
Just before consciousness faded, I left the first record.
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
My Memory Manipulation.
Doubt It.
Sage’s Advice: 0
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