Chapter 125: Room 107 - The Gate Room, The Fourth Trial (16)

Chapter 125: Room 107 - The Gate Room, The Fourth Trial (16)

User: Han Kain (Wisdom)

Date: Day 45

Current Location: Floor 1, Room 107 (Gate Room)

Sage's Advice: 1

- Han Kain

I pretended to sleep as I eavesdropped on the strange conversation. Perro had transformed into his Grotesque form.

The faces, which had been quiet for a while, started speaking ominously again.

“What is that? Do such creatures exist?”

“In a world with demons, a monstrous bird isn't surprising.”

“You speak lightly. Have you forgotten that we need to offer someone today?”

“...Why isn’t that bird asleep? Does the music box not affect animals?”

“That can't be. It always worked on dogs and cats before.”

“Perhaps it’s different because it’s not an ordinary animal. Should we just kill it?”

“Lady Amiens, fighting might wake these people. Besides, seeing that they control such a monster, they don’t seem like ordinary people. Let's avoid making a fuss. Let’s subdue that monster quietly when we get the chance. We do have a suitable ‘cage’, don’t we?”

“Then for tonight...”

“Let’s use the ‘reserve’. It was always a tricky situation to offer someone tonight anyway.”

“That’s true. They were all tight-lipped. We barely even learned their names. We need to gather more information.”

Since I was peeking through squinted eyes, I couldn’t distinguish the speakers precisely.

Based on their voices, there seemed to be two older men, a woman called “Amiens” with a high-pitched tone, and a younger man who suggested using the “reserve”.

After finishing their discussion about needing more information, the ominous presence left the room.

Still, I didn’t move a muscle until morning, just in case.

I analyzed the conversation I had overheard until I was about to fall asleep.

***When I came to, my companions were already awake and having a simple breakfast.

Grandpa waved at me as I woke up.

“Hey~! Finally awake? Come and have some bread.”

“Kain-oppa, you’re up? You must have been tired. We couldn’t wake you this morning.”

...Why is everyone in such a cheerful mood?

Shouldn’t they have sensed that something was amiss, considering they fell asleep waiting for the Scenario to update?

Yet, they all sat there with no suspicion, looking relaxed.

I immediately pointed out what happened last night.

As I started explaining, everyone’s eyes widened, and they stopped eating to listen to me.

I relayed the conversation of the “faces” as I remembered it.

Afterward, Grandpa shared his thoughts.

“I didn’t notice anything before you mentioned it. You’re right. We suddenly passed out while waiting for the Scenario to update at midnight, so we should have been suspicious as soon as we woke up.”

Ahri seemed to intuitively grasp the cause.

“We all fell asleep when the music box played, right? It must have some kind of hypnotic effect. Perhaps it suggested for us to feel as if nothing happened and we had a restful night?”

“Kain-oppa, did you check the scenario?”

“I couldn’t open my eyes last night because I had to pretend to sleep all night. I’ll check it now.”

Scenario: The Gate Room - ‘The Secret of Esper Ho’

At midnight, the Hotel Party faced danger, falling asleep due to the power of the music box.

Fortunately, they survived the first night of the contract thanks to the Grotesque Parrot’s intervention.

However, the claws of those who seek them draw ever closer.

Can the Hotel Party survive tonight’s crisis?

Check the next part at midnight.

The first two lines described what had already happened, with the phrase “first night of the contract” catching my eye.

What does “contract” refer to?

It also warned about “tonight’s crisis”.

This likely means we will face a similar danger tonight.

But Songee seemed slightly annoyed with Ahri and instructed Perro to do “something”.

Perro, the ever-obedient minion, tried to bite Ahri’s ear over ten times before the morning was over.

***When we threw the collected music boxes out the window and into the sea below, a bell rang from outside the door.

- Ding!

Tension filled the air.

After glancing at each other, Grandpa opened the door.

“Who’s there?”

Two people who looked like the ship staff members were standing outside.

“Good morning. Did you have a good time last night?”

“The sleeping arrangements were a bit unsettling. Do you have something to say?”

“We received complaints from guests staying in nearby rooms last night.”

“Complaints?”

“They mentioned that you have a bird making quite a racket.”

A chill ran down my spine.

The conversation I overheard last night about subduing the bird came to mind.

“Our bird isn’t noisy. You must be mistaken.”

“No, it was definitely this room.”

“What nonsense... Do you have any evidence? If not, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say.”

-Thunk!

Ignoring the staff member’s words, Grandpa attempted to close the door, but the staff member wedged his knee between the door.

The staff member casually put his hand on his waist, revealing a threatening gleam on the revolver.

“What’s that? Are you threatening us?”

“Haha! Sir, it’s not a threat. We have a duty to maintain order on this ship. Please cooperate.”

While we had a gun too, their numbers were greater.

In the end, Grandpa reluctantly stepped back.

The other staff member held a rusty birdcage.

It looked ordinary at first glance, but I was certain it was the “suitable cage” mentioned in the conversation last night.

The tension in the room was palpable.

The staff member with the revolver suddenly burst into laughter.

“There’s no need to be so tense. We’ll take good care of the parrot. We’ll provide high-quality nuts daily, so you don’t need to worry.”

The staff member holding the cage approached nonchalantly.

What should we do?

As everyone’s gaze shifted to Perro, Songee casually petted Perro and seemed to communicate something.

-Flap!

Suddenly, Perro took flight!

Before we could react, Perro flew straight out the open window.

Just as the staff member with the revolver drew his gun, Grandpa quickly diverted the gun’s aim.

-Bang!

“What is the meaning of this!”

“That’s what I should be saying! You bastard! You think it’s okay to shoot just because a bird flew away?”

Grandpa took advantage of the situation and started whaling on the staff member.

From an outsider's perspective, it would look like the bird just flew off on its own, and the staff member immediately tried to shoot at it.

Clearly, we had the moral high ground. The staff member, who now had blood flowing from his nose, retreated.

Regaining his composure, the staff member bowed his head.

“S-sorry. I panicked when the bird took off. This is entirely my fault.”

The other staff member also apologized profusely, and they both left the room.

We turned to Songee with our mouths agape.