Chapter 23
Episode 23
Chapter 23 – Room 102, Cursed Room – ‘Mansion of Fear’ (9)
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 8
Current Location: Floor 1, Room 102 (Cursed Room – Mansion of Fear)
Sage’s Advice: 0]
I messed up. The same mistake as before.
If I brought a dagger, the opponent could show up with a blade too.
If I hid a move, the opponent could very well have one up their sleeve too.
I thought he was unarmed because he dropped the skewer while flailing about from the agony caused by the spray.
I was just too exhausted. With extreme tension, hiking through the rain, and a bloody brawl, my stamina was shot! While I was slowly approaching him with depleted energy, the priest managed to calm his pain.
The moment I got close, a kitchen knife suddenly popped out from his waist and stabbed my thigh.
At least, I was wearing a thick raincoat, and the priest was weak, so the knife ended up rolling on the floor instead of going deep.
“Huff… Ugh… Seriously, Priest, did you roll around in a war zone for ten years or something?”
He didn’t even have the strength to answer and approached me without a word.
Ah… My body wouldn’t move. I had to dodge somehow!
Honestly, I felt completely drained from head to toe.
The priest’s hand gripped my neck. Had the judgment day bell come early? I heard a distant bell toll…
Wait, what? A bell?
The priest’s gaze drifted off into the air, his dazed eyes lost in thought.
‘Someone else’ appeared.
Just like before. Identical. It was also a ‘bell’ before, and now it’s the same?
His body was the same, yet clearly different. The old man before me wasn’t the composed butler or the priest filled with bottled rage…
But rather, it was ‘someone I had never seen before’.
An expression I’d never encountered.
It seemed to be both mocking and sneering. A playful grin that neither the butler nor the priest would ever make.
“You made a mistake, haven’t you? Too tired to answer? Hah, kids these days just can’t keep up.
You shouldn’t let your guard down in a hotel. One moment of carelessness can lead to your death, you know?
Sure, when you have trustworthy allies around, you can relax a bit, but aren’t you practically alone now?”
“Well, it didn’t go badly. Your stamina may be pathetic, but your brain seems to work just fine.”
‘Hotel’
The old man just said ‘hotel’ instead of ‘mansion’.
This old man…
He knows that everything we’re facing is simply the interior of Room 102 of the hotel. I stared at him, shocked, and he chuckled, giving my head a playful tap.
It felt strangely friendly. Was he planning to kill me or not?
“You were thinking of taking care of three sacrifices with your own hands before the Sir could, right? Not bad. You’ve shown determination. But your skills leave much to be desired. You’ve got to level up!
I’m a bit worried, but I think you’ll manage to escape. To be honest, I’m not exactly a genius either. We all started as ‘characters of the mansion’ and can’t escape by ourselves.
I’ll trust you to lead the way. ‘Let’s meet outside.’”
The one who was neither the butler nor the priest said this before walking away from me, heading towards the cliff without a second thought and jumping right off.
*
My vision was blurry.
Slowly, I pushed myself down the mountain with every last ounce of strength. Hiking through the storm, then a desperate fight—what a ride!
I honestly didn’t feel a shred of strength left in my body.
Whether I was climbing or sliding down from gravity, I was rolling down when a figure finally came into view from afar—
A small frame, long black hair flowing down to her waist. When I saw Ahri approaching, I barely managed to utter a sentence.
“You rang the bell, didn’t you? Thanks!”
“I had a feeling you wouldn’t manage it on your own.”
“That bell. What on earth is it? At first, I thought it was just some tool the hotel gave us to suppress the demon’s power… but now it feels like there’s much more behind it?”
“The bell itself is just as you think, but I’ll let you know there’s a method grandpa and I have to awaken it.”
“Awakening from the role dictated by the hotel… Is that really possible?”
“Just focus on what you need to do. You know what you have to do, right?”
“It’s not about knowing or not—I seriously can’t do anything. I can’t even lift a finger!”
No sooner had I finished my sentence than Ahri handed me a small bottle.
“Drink this. It should restore your poor stamina enough for you to stand.”
It had a bizarre taste—reddish-black, with a distinctly fishy smell.
Don’t tell me this…
I quickly pushed aside any nauseating thoughts and just drank it down.
A strange sensation washed over me.
I felt warmth spread inside me. The liquid traveled down my throat, filling my entire body with heat.
Bit by bit, the warmth starting from my throat filled me up.
I wasn’t exactly refreshed, but according to Ahri, I had enough energy to stand again.
Pushing myself up a little, while loosening my stiff body, Ahri approached me.
“Ah~ This wretched mansion is finally nearing its end.”
“And you… Who are you really, you and the one playing the priest?”
“You’ll find out when we get out of here. And you must have some inkling already? Quit wasting time and do your job.”
Looking at this fairy-like girl made me feel frustrated. Is this really the best choice for us?
The butler or the priest, Ahri, and me. Is the best option really for the three of us to die before being devoured by the devil?
As I hesitated, Ahri stepped closer and locked eyes with me.
“You’ve come this far, and you still can’t make a decision. I’ll help you.”
Her crimson eyes were suddenly close enough for our noses to almost touch, and I was left dumbfounded.
SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING SPINNING *
Oh no! My hands seemingly acting on their own, reaching to wrap around the child’s neck. Like a warm scarf, I’d cover her neck and snap it in a flash, sending her off peacefully…
BEChapter: BEChapter: BEChapter: BEChapter: ..
*
After barely recovering my stamina, I trudged down towards the mansion.
This maddening mansion was finally drawing to a close.
The rain was nearly finished too. As I walked slowly, I spotted the bizarre statue we encountered on the first day. Next to it stood a familiar face.
“Oppa! Are you okay?”
“I’m managing. At least I’m still alive.”
A silence enveloped us. We both knew enough about the situation, making this puppet show feel ridiculously absurd.
Songee reached out her arm and caressed the heart of the statue.
“What do you think when you see this, oppa?”
“I think the owner’s taste is absolutely dreadful! It’s worse than the clay dinosaur I made in elementary school.”
“Ah, kikikik. I apologize for that. I thought it had a sort of primitive charm.”
“Let’s leave it at that. Where’s Seungyub?”
“And where are Ahri and Mr. Butler?”
“Somewhere in the mountains.”
“Wow, this is just hilarious, right? Everyone else is dead, and only the killers remain. I never expected my long-awaited moment to play out like this. Who would’ve thought there’d be a crazy sacrifice that kills others with their own hands?”
“Murderer? Let’s get this clear. You’re the murderer, and I’m the victim. Sir? I don’t know how you got into Songee’s body, but you might want to zip it.”
“Such a sharp tongue for a kid. You’ve entertained me enough, so I’ll let it slide.”
“Stop the nonsense. I’m genuinely sick of this.”
“Sure, sure. We both need to see this through to the end. But let me ask one thing: why didn’t you just kill yourself?”
“Not that it’s your concern, you freak!”
In an instant, we both darted toward our respective targets. While running towards the cathedral, I thought.
The Cathedral Bell
When I saw the word ‘bell’ on the memo left by my sister, I asked the butler about it, and he told me.
He said the bell was just left unattended in the bell tower. No one would ring it, belonging to the cathedral, so it was neglected.
What a ridiculous story! The ‘elder’ didn’t hate the sound of the bell simply because he disliked ringing it.
There’s clearly some supernatural power in that bell that shatters his defenses.
Would someone who plans to summon a devil neglect such a crucial weakness over some ‘legal issue’?
Not a chance in hell.
Perhaps he and his minions cannot approach the bell at all?
Turning my head, I saw Songee touching the mansion’s statues, and all of them began to rise.
Oh! Those must be the “defense cards” that showed up in my card game with Ahri!
For the first time, I was grateful for the days’ relentless rain and storm. While this wasn’t exactly part of the plan, the ground was soaked and soft. Because the statues were sinking into the muddy ground, they weren’t following me very well.
I dashed ahead, finally arriving at the cathedral.
However, it was still too soon to relax.
The butler, once a servant of the elder, could also enter the cathedral. The bell, not the cathedral itself, was the crucial point.
After climbing up the ladder and touching the bell, I could finally take a breath.
At this moment, the role I was assigned in this plan was complete.
Soon the elder arrived with the statues following behind him.
“Are you planning to hold out with that bell?”
“If you’re bothered by my resistance, why not come closer?”
“Such arrogance! I’ll admit it’s still difficult for me to lay a hand on that sacred item… but what good is it? Should the situation arise, I’ll just follow you around so you can’t sleep or eat.”
“My apologies.”
Looking at me suspiciously, the elder pondered.
“Thinking back, even though you’ve been vile, you’re still older than me. In a nation that respects hierarchy, I should at least provide an answer to that question.”
“What question?”
“Earlier, you asked me why I didn’t kill myself. It wasn’t about surviving, and I’m not trying to beat you or anything. I was merely waiting for the right moment to die.”
“Waiting for the right moment to die, huh? Is that a riddle? Why are you—”
GROOOOOOAN…
The earth trembled in response to the thunderous roar.
From the deepest pit of the mansion, I could hear the cries of the one who was never meant to be born.
At that moment, I finally knew it was time.
I reached for my dagger.
This was no easy feat. I’d resolved to take my life countless times, and yet somehow… it wasn’t happening.
Closing my eyes, I convinced myself I wasn’t dying. I was merely sinking into a brief yet profound slumber, waking up from this nightmare to reunite with my comrades.
The dagger sank deep into my neck. In an instant, unbearable agony washed over me. All I could do was pray for the pain to quickly dissipate.
This was my second death since arriving at the hotel.
