Chapter 78: What Ahri Went Through (2)
“Penguin!”
I’m exhausted. Does Mom still not know the basic etiquette of Shiritori?
Should I scold her and tell her that she can’t start with a word like that?
…
Fifth Round. Those terrifying notifications that popped up at the start of the round.
[The enemies are aware of the contestants.]
[The power of the curse has been enhanced.]
[You cannot escape.]
Seeing that gave me goosebumps, which isn’t something that happens to me often. I readied myself in case my mom came charging at me right off the bat.
… But nothing happened.
What’s going on?
There’s no way those notifications meant nothing. Kim Sangmin doesn’t seem to have any intention of attacking me, and the power of the curse doesn’t seem to be growing stronger either.
Is it because I’m in the ‘Hotel,’ which is cut off from the outside world?
Then how on earth did Mom get infected by the curse in the first place?
I’m increasingly confused. I just sat there blankly, waiting for the place to crumble down, hoping for the resolution notification to pop up.
Good luck, everyone~!
“Penguin! Hurry up and respond!”
Ugh, whatever. We’re supposed to head to the TV Station for dinner anyway, so why bother?
Mom will probably just break down the door and come in. By then, I’ll be at the TV Station, right?
…
It feels like quite a long time has passed.
Mom hasn’t come in, and I still haven’t seen the resolution notification.
That’s strange. Mom is not the type to be patient.
To check what she might be up to, I opened the door and stepped outside. After leaving Room 103, I walked down the corridor towards the main entrance of the Hotel, and then I finally spotted Mom.
…
This is weird. The atmosphere feels off.
Mom is not the sort to quietly stand there and admire the scenery.
…
Ever since entering Room 101, doubts have been bubbling in my mind.
‘How did Mom get infected by the curse in a hotel that has no way of communicating with the outside world?’
‘All sorts of penalties kicked in when the Fifth Round began, so why am I not seeing any changes?’
And then there’s Mom’s bizarre stance over there.
Suddenly, it struck me like a lightning bolt. I realized something that pierced through all my doubts in an instant.
“You! Who the heck are you?”
“What a disappointment.”
“Excuse me?”
“Aren’t you on your second round at the Hotel? I never expected you to be this slow on the uptake.”
“….”
“In the beginning, I could understand you being fooled since you didn’t know what the curse’s medium was, but to still be fooled knowing it’s a form of media? Isn’t it obvious that some other entity must be the cause of the curse?”
“….”
“Let that slide for now. More importantly, this scenery is quite extraordinary. Are we in the depths of the ocean? I see some interesting fish here and there.”
“Show your true self!”
“Fine. I’ve been bored out of my mind waiting behind your mother’s childish facade.”
And at that moment—whump—Mom’s body split ‘vertically.’
Even knowing she wasn’t my real mom, I felt a surge of anger wash over me as I witnessed that horrific sight.
What emerged from within Mom’s body was a tall man.
Forties? Fifties? He was skinny and wearing glasses.
Well, the physical appearance doesn’t really matter. If I’m right, that creature isn’t even human.
“So you’re the ‘Convict’ of this room.”
“Convict? Is that what the Administration calls us? Well, it’s not entirely inaccurate. This place is, indeed, my prison.”
“Did you grant power to Kim Sangmin? ‘Director’?”
“He was a pathetic boy. For no reason, he faced relentless bullying from his peers and even fell into mental illness as a result. After that, thanks to that very condition, he ended up being a target for reporters, leading to his public shaming. Doesn’t that make you feel sorry for him? He deserves a chance to make the world pay for what it did to him.”
“Did you genuinely feel sympathy for him?”
“Of course not. But it was amusing, wasn’t it? To think a single stone could make the world so entertaining! You folks from the Administration should be thanking me for that.”
“So why are you here in this place? My teammates went after Kim Sangmin. The resolution is about to show up, and Room 101 is going to collapse. Are you here to enjoy a last cup of tea before it happens?”
The ‘Convict’ looked around the Hotel with a wistful expression.
“How wondrous. Do you understand how extraordinary this Hotel is?”
“….”
“I can tell you don’t. A puppy following its owner into a building wouldn’t discern that it was the product of advanced architectural knowledge. Likewise, you have no idea how transcendently magnificent this Hotel is as a piece of art.”
“Did you come here to flaunt?”
“Flaunt? Absolutely not. I am unimaginably superior to you. It’s a fact.”
“….”
“Isn’t it truly mystifying? This entire existence we inhabit is merely a small part of Room 101. However, when you entered, another Hotel formed within Room 101. A hotel inside a hotel! Do you think you can proceed in this hotel within a hotel? You didn’t even consider entering other rooms besides the Room of Rest. How timid of you! Here’s a stunning fact: this hotel inside the hotel has recreated everything, including the Cursed Rooms and the Gate Room.”
“That’s quite interesting.”
“It’s truly lamentable that your poorly conditioned mind takes this extraordinary miracle so lightly. Let me explain it in terms you might understand: Have you heard of a black hole? When a star significantly larger than the Sun reaches the end of its life, it collapses to form a black hole. Its gravity is so intense that not even light can escape.”
“Are you trying to give me a physics lesson?”
“The fact that no light can escape, even though it’s the fastest thing in the universe, signifies that a black hole is a place completely isolated from the external world. Depending on your perspective, it also implies that there might be another world inside the black hole. Similarly, some say this universe we inhabit could potentially just be the interior of a gigantic black hole. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Just like this hotel inside a hotel?”
“I have no clue what you’re trying to convey.”
“Think about it with that dim mind of yours. What happens if you can progress through this hotel inside the hotel? Would you be able to carry off the inheritance?”
“Maybe, but I can’t do it alone.”
“That’s true for you, but what if I were the one doing it? What if I were to bring this hotel to ruins? What if I released all the imprisoned beings here?”
From your viewpoint, this is still within Room 101. Each room is, as you so aptly put it, a cell that restrains a ‘Convict.’ Would it be possible for a single cell to contain multiple convicts at once?
!
“My teammates will handle this room before you can even pull that off! The only ending left for you is to be trapped in the collapsing space forever.”
“Did you really believe in your teammates so much? That’s quite different from what I remember in the body I borrowed. I can come and go from this place as I please. The depths of the ocean might be a tough environment for humans, but I could easily make it so your teammates can’t do anything at all.”
“You think your bravado will work on me? If the devilish convicts like you could rampage freely inside the rooms, there’s no way any of them could ever be resolved. You’re surely forcing yourself to show up here, aren’t you? Besides, it’s probably only possible because it’s the Fifth Round, with some limitations lifted. Am I wrong?”
Did I hit a nerve?
Looking at him casually scanning his surroundings, it didn’t seem like he was bothered by my words at all.
Rather… it felt like he found our conversation to be utterly dull.
“Even though you escaped the Hotel by nothing but sheer luck, your thinking capacity isn’t too bad. As you mentioned, my little tricks are indeed possible only due to this being your Fifth Attempt. But truthfully, I have no intention of hindering your team. In fact, I wish for them to resolve things quickly. I’ve already dealt with the hospital; the nurses won’t interfere too aggressively, and since Sangmin was busy making dolls, I broke all of them except one. As for the one I left, you should understand—it’s more fun if there’s the semblance of a fight, right? One of your larger teammates is currently tussling with that remaining doll. It should wrap up soon.”
What does that mean?
The Head Director spoke as if he were trying to help us, much like the Devouring One.
“Your face is all scrunched up with confusion. Honestly, your expressions amuse me to no end. But I’m a kind soul, so don’t worry. Since my plan is nearly complete, there’s no reason not to explain. When you resolve the room, the entire world within it will start to collapse. This ‘hotel inside a hotel’ will collapse too.
Naturally, as a result of this hotel inside a hotel’s collapse, the ‘Convicts’ will equally face destruction. However, since I’ll be relatively ‘free’ compared to them, I plan to lend a helping hand in ensuring they can endure that collapse. It might be just for a fleeting moment, but once I, along with a dozen or more other ‘Convicts,’ regain their freedom! Do you think Room 101 can withstand that?”
I understand.
When my teammates resolve the room, the internal structure of the room will crumble. Thus, he plans to take advantage of that moment to destroy Room 101 alongside a multitude of other Convicts.
Is such an escape even feasible?
I have no idea. It’s all beyond my understanding, leaving me with no way to assess it.
However, one thing is for certain.
If not just one but several Convicts from this hotel within a hotel break free, how long would it take for Earth to find itself in ruin? Ten minutes, maybe?
—WHOOSH!
The sound echoed like a massive wave crashing. A sound from outside that seemed to penetrate even the Hotel’s supposedly impenetrable walls.
Looks like my teammates have done it.
Everything began to collapse.
The hotel inside the hotel was slowly starting to fall apart….
In that moment, the Head Director, who had been quietly waiting, lifted his gaze skyward.
An indescribable radiance began to emit from his body.
Were there five colors? Seven? No, the light was something I couldn’t possibly express with any color I’m familiar with.
Wrapped in a light that doesn’t belong in this world, the Director stretched his arms out to the sides.
In an instant, dozens of arms erupted from his body, each flying towards the rooms of the Hotel.
—KABOOM!
The doors of the Hotel began to melt.
—GROAAAAR!
—RAHHHH!
—KKKAAAAAH!
A deafening roar echoed throughout the hotel. The cries reverberated through the collapsing walls and extended out to the world beyond.
I stood agape, completely mesmerized by the surreal sight unfolding before me.
What on earth am I supposed to do? Would attacking him even matter?
Do humans stop construction because of an ant? Would they even notice it?
At the moment the Hotel began to collapse, and as each room disintegrated, I found myself ensnared in the shimmering hands of the Head Director, beholding countless Convicts holding their forms.
Each one of them esteemed mortals as mere pests, wicked and malevolent beings.
The overwhelming presence of these monstrous gods shook heaven and earth.
And then it happened.
From the distant heavens above, a pillar descended.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.