Escaping the Mystery Hotel

Chapter 146: Rest and Reorganization (2)

“Attention! Everyone!”

Ahri shouted loudly in front of the Protective Suit as we all stood there, unsure of what to do.

Once everyone’s attention was on her, Ahri continued to speak, “The issue with the Protective Suit won’t be solved by avoiding it. We need to come to a decision now.”

Eunsol-noona spoke up hesitantly, “Then, how about we discuss this over a meal—”

“No. If we discuss this over a meal, someone will suggest that we think about it more and decide later. We need to make a decision right here, right now!”

Ahri’s tone was more resolute than I had ever seen before.

“The core issue regarding the Protective Suit is about who will manage it. We’re all afraid that the person managing it might wear it and secretly escape, which is why no one has dared to touch it.”

She was right. Everyone silently nodded in agreement.

“But we absolutely need to utilize this suit. You all know it’s more than just an escape tool, right? It’s “Invulnerable to Blades,” and “Impervious to Fire and Water”. These two features alone show it’s an extraordinary piece of armor. Now then, why do you think the hotel gave us such an item?”

“Correct! We will definitely need this item somewhere on the second floor. We might have to enter an active volcano or push through an extremely cold blizzard. We might even need to navigate through sharp objects that we can’t approach without this suit.”

Jinchul-hyung, who had been listening quietly, spoke up, “You’re bringing this up because you want to be the one to manage it, right?”

“That’s right. The biggest concern with the Protective Suit is that the person managing it might secretly escape at night. Trusting someone based on emotion alone isn’t enough. The person managing it needs to have a more concrete reason not to escape.

“I’ve already escaped from the hotel once. But I returned because there was someone I needed to save. I believe I’ve already proven through my actions that I won’t leave until I’ve rescued my mom.”

It made sense.

Ahri was someone who had already escaped but returned for her own purposes.

She was more determined than anyone to stay until she fulfilled her goal.

Songee raised a point, “What about after you save your mom? Oh! I’m not accusing you of planning to run away with it! Just—”

“It’s okay. We also need to clarify that. Even after saving my mom, nothing will change. The Protective Suit’s escape function is for one person only. So, even after I save her, it doesn’t change anything. Of course, if we were to be extremely cautious, you might worry about me escaping with just my mom. If that’s a concern, we can discuss it again after Miro is revived.”

“Are you also planning to always use it?” Jinchul-hyung asked with some concern.

“No, not necessarily. The person most suitable for the situation at hand should use it. Just look at the suit’s appearance. It’s not something you’d wear while walking around casually, right? It’s meant to be worn when needed, and the right person should use it at the right time. However, they should return it to me afterward.”

The room fell silent for a moment.

It seemed like we had finally set some guidelines for using the Protective Suit.

Firstly, the person who was best suited for the situation at hand should make use of it.

Secondly, when not in use, Ahri manages it.

Lastly, After Ahri’s mom, Miro, was revived, we’d discuss it again.

It seemed reasonable. No one appeared to have any objections.

With the issue of trust regarding the Protective Suit resolved, the discussion quickly gained momentum.

Everyone had too many questions about the Protective Suit during the days we had been avoiding it.

We even set aside our meal to gather and test the suit’s features one by one.

***After struggling for a while, Jinchul-hyung removed the Protective Suit.

“This is harder than I expected.”

“You seem clumsier than usual,” Grandpa Mooksung commented.

“It feels like this suit is hindering my movements rather than helping.”

Ahri, who had been fiddling with the Suit’s operating system, spoke up, “It’s somewhat similar to the Administration’s enhanced suits. This thing weighs over 100 kilograms. It’s not designed to be moved by human strength alone. It seems that the suit’s sensors read the wearer’s movements and the suit moves accordingly. In other words, the strength exerted while wearing the Suit doesn’t come from the user but from the suit’s operating system itself.”

I understood what she meant.

“So, if someone strong wears the Suit, it could actually reduce their strength?”

“That seems to be the case, though it’s not a common occurrence. Even Seungyub seemed stronger when he wore it. Generally, wearing the suit makes you stronger. It’s just that one person among us is too strong for the suit’s system to keep up with.”

Songee interjected, “I find it fascinating how the size changes. When Seungyub put it on, it adjusted to fit him perfectly. When I wore it, it fit me just right. And when Jinchul-oppa put his arm in, it grew larger on its own. Is it magic?”

Ahri offered a different perspective.

“Not exactly to this extent, but the Administration’s equipment also adjusts to the user’s body to some degree. Given that the weight remains the same regardless of size, it might not be of occult origin but advanced science...”

That seemed irrelevant.

Since coming to the hotel, advanced science and occult power have felt indistinguishable.

The term “Administration’s Enhanced Suits” that Ahri kept mentioning intrigued me more.

Are those things real?

– Bang! Bang!

Two gunshots rang out.

Grandpa Mooksung was impressed.

“Wow! A gun doesn’t even leave a scratch on its surface. It’s a pity we can’t test it with more firepower. Jinchul, how about your strength?”

“I’ve tried punching the wall while wearing it, and I’ve tested the suit’s strength, but it doesn’t budge. However...”

“However?”

“Although the suit itself is incredibly tough, the person inside can still feel the impact. It’s significantly reduced, though.”

Now it was time for the final test.

Songee, Jinchul-hyung, and I exchanged glances and nodded.

Ahri was the one inside the Protective Suit.

Songee went first.

As soon as a pale light flashed from her bracelet, Ahri frantically waved her hands inside the suit, signaling to stop.

Defense failed.

Next, I took out the Grimoire.

As soon as I felt my mind floating, I found myself inside the Protective Suit.

I pinched Ahri’s cheek and left.

Defense failed.

At this point, we had a sneaking suspicion, but we had to confirm it.

We moved to the front desk, and everyone stepped back as Jinchul-hyung briefly summoned the Star.

In just a moment, the paint on the Protective Suit began to peel off, and Jinchul-hyung quickly put it away.

Surprisingly, once the Star disappeared, the suit’s paint slowly restored itself.

Defense failed.

With that, we concluded the performance tests on the Protective Suit and drew some general conclusions.

Firstly, everyone except Jinchul-hyung became slightly stronger when wearing the suit.

Secondly, the suit adjusted to the wearer’s body, regardless of size.

Thirdly, while the suit itself is nearly invulnerable, a strong impact could harm the person inside.

Lastly, the suit couldn’t defend against the power of an Inheritance

Finally, Ahri left the room while still wearing the Suit.

As everyone was contemplating the Suit’s features and uses, Eunsol-noona spoke up in a concerned tone, “If we need to use it, do we have to carry it around while progressing through the Cursed Rooms?”

“Probably.”

“It’s heavier than a person. I don’t have a scale, but it’s much heavier than Jinchul. It must weigh well over 100 kilograms. How are we supposed to carry it?”

“We’ll have to see, but if possible, someone should wear it.”

“Wear that flashy thing? Casually? Who?”

It seemed like, aside from Ahri managing the suit in the hotel, we also needed to decide who would wear it during the Cursed Rooms.

Fortunately, someone who had a useful Blessing but lacked the physical capability to properly utilize it came to mind.***

- Lee Eunsol

By the time we finished analyzing the Protective Suit and wrapping up our meal, Kain came to me with the suggestion of using the “Hand of Greed” once more.

Looking around, I saw that Elena, Songee, and Jinchul were all nodding in agreement.

They must have already discussed it among themselves.

In the end, I agreed to use the Hand of Greed.

My comrades prepared for combat in their own ways and gathered near the front desk.

After surveying the area, I focused on making a “wish” to the Hand of Greed.

“…”

Hand of Greed: 1

I often find myself realizing that my comrades and I are changing.

The decision to create potentially life-threatening events to pursue the goal of “becoming stronger”.

Can this mindset truly be considered normal?

It was a judgment only superhumans who had gained power beyond that of ordinary people could make.

My comrades have already twisted reality with the power of the Star, summoned scales to crush armies, manipulated people’s senses with a single gesture, borrowed the power of the heavens, or taken over someone’s body.

At times, my comrades throw around comments, half-joking, half-serious.

They say, “As expected of someone from a rich family, you can’t understand us common folk!” or something along those lines.

Before entering the hotel, I might have agreed if they’d said that.

But after entering the hotel, I wondered what they meant.

What does it even mean to be from a rich family?

Any of them could step out of this hotel and topple a conglomerate in a day.

I sometimes struggled to understand.

Why do they still listen to me so attentively?

Isn’t it a universal truth that communication becomes nearly impossible when the power gap is wide enough?

To be honest, even I never paid attention to anyone speaking up at a shareholder’s meeting with a tiny share.

And yet, here they are, always listening to what I have to say, making me feel grateful and sometimes wondering who they really are.

When I think about it, Ahri’s joke about the party being chosen because “they’re nice” was probably a cold, accurate analysis.

“...”

Weakness.

It’s my weakness.

In a hotel where everyone is turning into superhumans, I’m still trapped in the realm of humans, which is why I’m consumed by such weak thoughts.

I stared at the Hand of Greed, wishing to cast off this helplessness.

The butterfly brooch I obtained before—I haven’t even used it properly, but it wasn’t enough.

Help me move forward.

Help me so that I don’t fall into these weak thoughts again.

Lend me the strength to avoid feeling inferior when I look at my comrades.

Hand of Greed: 1 → 0

Your wish has been granted

Choose for yourself. It will come at a considerable cost.

Due to the request of a participant, a surprise event has occurred in spite of the rest time.

Surprise Event: Strange Shop Open!

A familiar figure appeared, and an annoying voice rang out, “Ahaha! Well, well~ You must be the VIP customers! Were you that desperate for my help?”