Chapter 31: Question-I have seen a p*rnographic video with an actor who resembles the person I like

The path to the last room was so quiet it made the earlier noisy atmosphere feel like a lie.

The two of them kept a slight distance from me, timidly holding onto the hem of my shirt with their fingertips as they followed. They didn’t want to get too close, but they seemed too scared to be far away.

I felt embarrassed by their behavior and quickly spoke.

“Hey, how long are you going to keep quiet? It’s not like my pants are going to magically pull themselves back up.”

Han Yeoreum’s ears, which had calmed down, flushed bright red again.

“In the first place, I’m the one whose pants came off, so why are other people getting angry?”
“I-I’m sorry…”

Yu Garyeon’s fingers, gripping my collar, began to tremble. Her face, red as a beet, was so downcast it looked like it was about to drill through the floor.

“I told you it’s okay. I’m really not bothered. It’s not like this is the first or second time you’ve done this, Garyeon.”
“Not the first or second time?”

Han Yeoreum narrowed her eyes and glared at Yu Garyeon with disgust.

“Th-Th-That’s not true!”

I casually brushed away Yu Garyeon’s flailing, cotton-ball-like fists as she flared up in anger, and focused my gaze on the room in front of me.
Beside it, there were stairs leading to the second floor, but the entrance was wrapped in yellow caution tape. It was probably a sign not to bother going up since the game area was limited to the first floor.
Having finished my thoughts, I inserted the key into the small hole in the doorknob.

“There. It fits perfectly with the key from that room.”
“S-So, is this the end? You said we could kill the monster with the generator in here.”
“No.”

Han Yeoreum’s face, which had brightened, turned pale again.

“What? Why!”
“That’s right, what do you mean no?”
“We haven’t seen any sign of the monster. And the horror elements, compared to how they scared us at the beginning, were just two fake corpses falling in the previous room. They’re probably planning to unleash it all at once in here.”

A hot flush spread through my veins, heightening my senses.

The monster will attack as soon as we open the door. Is it a typical jump scare? Or will it slowly tighten its grip on our minds using the atmosphere? What about the monster’s design? How will it be implemented? And what will be the escape method?
Just imagining it was so exciting that I felt like I might lose consciousness.

“Well, I’m opening it.”
“Wa-Wa-Wa-Wait, don’t open it. I’m not mentally prepared—”

The door creaked open with a rusty sound. And inside, the monster’s form…!

“…?”

It should be there.

“What, there’s nothing here.”

Han Yeoreum muttered, peeking her head through the doorway.
Suppressing my disappointment, I carefully scanned every corner of the room, just in case, but no monster appeared.
<To those who have come this far, my respects…>

Just as anxiety was gnawing at me, Oh Minseo’s voice flowed from the ceiling.

<Sorry, I’ve been lying to you all this time. Actually, I’m not a ghost or anything, I’m a facility management AI created by the researchers here. As you’ve probably already noticed, this place is actually…>

A mansion secretly built on an uninhabited island to develop biochemical weapons, a monstrous creature born from a research accident, massacred researchers, and a growing number of victims. Oh Minseo began to narrate the story behind the mansion.

Yes, it can’t end like this. Something’s coming now, right?

<Thanks to your efforts, the defeat of ‘It’ is close at hand. See that small door in the corner? The generator is in there, so all you have to do is pull it.>

Han Yeoreum rushed over and pulled the doorknob, but the door was firmly locked and wouldn’t budge.

<But you know, it seems ‘It’ has gained the ability to mimic by devouring people. It might even be hiding among you right now…>

Han Yeoreum and Yu Garyeon eyed each other suspiciously. I was on the verge of bursting into tears.

<So, the door won’t open until all of your innocence is proven. See that machine on the desk? It’s a lie detector made by the researchers before they died.>

As Oh Minseo said, six machines were placed on the long desk in the center of the room. They were dome-shaped machines with something resembling a silver palm resting on top.
Surely, it can’t be.

<Of course, it looks like a toy, but unlike those fakes that simply detect sweat to judge truth or falsehood, this one is specially made. It makes very precise judgments based on the complex reactions of the human body. It might even perform better than the ones used by the police or the military.>

Please tell me it’s not true.

<From now on, you have to use that to prove your innocence. If even one person is deemed to be lying, the door to the room with the generator will not open. And neither will the exit door, of course.>

“It’s true, it’s locked.”
“Still, this seems much more doable than I expected.”

Yu Garyeon clasped her hands together and sighed in relief.

<If you’re ready, sit in the chair and place your hand on that machine…>

With those words, the voice from the ceiling stopped.

Oh Minseo.
You just want to play with the lie detector, don’t you?

The monster. The intricately designed monster’s lair. The escape sequence designed to make our palms sweat. Where did it all go?
This is something we could do during mealtime or as a light recreation before bed. So why did you, after building up so much anticipation, do something so cruel…

It’s cold. The inner part of my heart, which should have been firmly covered by my shirt, felt chilled. It seemed a cold icicle had pierced through my chest.
This is punishment. Imposed on me for daring to seek happiness despite knowing my own karma…

“What are you doing?”
“Let’s just get this over with and get out. I’m hungry.”

Feeling dejected, I slumped into a chair and placed my hand on the machine.

<Three of you? Confirmed, it matches the information displayed on the heat sensor. Good, from now on, all you have to do is answer my questions honestly. If everyone is judged to be telling the truth, the door will open. Simple, right?>

Since it’s come to this, I can only hope something unexpected happens along the way.

<Before we begin in earnest, let’s have a practice run. Question, I am a human.>

“Yes.”
—Truth.

“That’s right.”
—Truth.

“That’s right.”
—Truth.

As soon as the words were spoken, a cheerful dinging sound echoed through the room.

“What, this is super easy.”

Han Yeoreum blinked, looking deflated.

No, someone like Oh Minseo wouldn’t let it end so easily. The lie detector is just a means to induce carelessness. The real start will be when the monster hidden somewhere in this room appears.
Suppressing my once again pounding heart, I focused on the voice from the ceiling.

<Then, let’s really begin.>

Come on, bring it.

<Question, I have watched an adult video featuring an actor who resembles someone I like.>

“Of course not. What kind of question is this?”
—Truth.

Han Yeoreum, frowning, glared at the ceiling in disbelief.

“I’ve never seen one either. More than that, someone watching an adult video featuring an actor who resembles someone they like? Just hearing about it gives me goosebumps.”
—Truth.

Yu Garyeon’s voice was icy as she replied.

“What are you doing? Answer quickly. You’re the only one left.”

The two of them looked at me with incomprehensible expressions, urging me to answer. I gulped and opened my mouth.

“…No.”
—Lie.

As soon as I finished speaking, a fierce pain shot through my right hand, which was on the machine.

“Aargh!”
“Crazy, pervert.”

Han Yeoreum’s face contorted in disgust. As if a smelly garbage bag had been shoved in front of her face.

“No, th-that’s not it. It’s just, well.”
“Don’t talk to me. I don’t remember becoming friends with a pervert like you. Ugh, I’m going to puke, crazy…”

Dammit. Why did this happen?

“…Who was it?”

Yu Garyeon’s piercing gaze was unbearably sharp as she questioned me.

That day, I was searching for materials on a Japanese online flea market for a design assignment. And when I clicked the shopping cart button to make a payment, I found it.
An advertisement for an AV featuring an actress who looked remarkably like Chae Seolha.

When I came to my senses, I was, as if possessed, entering the site and typing in my card number. I couldn’t watch it more than twice because of the overwhelming guilt.

<Looks like someone lied? Well, it happens. No matter how elaborately made a machine is, it can’t be free of malfunctions. Calm down and let’s try again…>

“See? It can malfunction.”
“Yeah, right.”

I spoke as brazenly as possible, but the gazes of the two women were soaked in disgust.

“Well, what’s wrong with a grown adult watching an adult video? And I even bought it legally.”
“Ah, yes. Of course, you would.”

This is punishment. Imposed on me for daring to seek happiness despite knowing my own karma…

<Now, I’ll ask again. I have felt jealous when seeing a friend’s friend, thinking, ‘I can treat them better than that jerk. Why don’t they hang out with me?’>

It was embarrassing, but compared to the previous one, this question was much easier to answer.

“Yes.”

This too was a feeling I experienced when watching Chae Seolha talk to other people.
No, if I hadn’t been ashamed of that feeling and hidden it, if I had revealed it confidently, it might have been creepy, but it wouldn’t have become like this.

Just in case, I squeezed my eyes shut, but unlike before, I didn’t feel any pain.

—Truth.

“Pfft, hey you, since earlier, seriously…!”

Han Yeoreum, unable to contain her embarrassment and burying her face, was incredibly annoying as she giggled.

“I haven’t. I never even had the chance in the first place.”
—Truth.

Yu Garyeon answered in a calm voice, but her expression looked somewhat complicated. Did something happen after all?

“Hey, stop laughing and answer quickly.”
“Ah, okay, okay… Ooh, my stomach hurts.”

As I urged her, Han Yeoreum, drooling disgustingly, placed her hand on the machine.

“No, no. Unlike you, I’m not that narrow-minded.”
—Lie.

“Ayayaya!”

Zzzzzzt—! Startled by the sudden pain, Han Yeoreum quickly removed her hand from the machine.

“No, huh? Wait, that can’t be right? Me?”

She looked bewildered, clenching and unclenching her palm as if she couldn’t believe what had just happened. I didn’t miss that opportunity and declared confidently.

“See? I told you the machine was weird.”
“Th-That seems to be the case. It’s less accurate than I thought… No, you said you really saw it. How dare you try to ride on my coattails so brazenly.”
“Ahem.”

I should have insisted earlier.

<Did you fail again? Well, it happens. Then, one more time. Question, when a friend says something pathetic, I sigh, but secretly feel good thinking, ‘That person really can’t do without me!’>

The questions have been strange since earlier, but I have nothing left to lose, so whatever.

“Yes.”
—Truth.

As soon as I finished speaking, smelly saliva burst from Han Yeoreum’s mouth.

“Puhahaha!”
“…I thought you were far from being that kind of person.”

Yu Garyeon, her eyes wide, looked at my face.

“I’ve just been hiding it until now.”

Even I think it’s creepy, but what can I do? That’s me.

“I’ve never done that.”
—Truth.

Yu Garyeon’s expression, as she answered, looked somewhat sad, just like before.

“Hey.”
“Ah, okay. Don’t rush me.”

Han Yeoreum took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

“Pfft, no! I’m not you, why would I think such creepy thoughts?”
—Lie.

“Attattatta!”

The sound of sparks echoed through the room again. Han Yeoreum, who had hastily removed her hand, couldn’t say anything and just blinked her large, round eyes.

“Hey.”
“No, I mean, this is weird. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not like it’s someone else, how could it be me?”

Han Yeoreum flinched at my sharp gaze and then waved her hands in the air, protesting. Yu Garyeon, seeing this, started laughing heartily.

“Ah, ooh, ahahahaha! Sh-She was acting all innocent by herself…”

I too, as if resonating with Yu Garyeon’s laughter, opened my mouth wide and began to laugh heartily. I couldn’t miss this opportunity. Serves you right, you damn brat.

“I told you it’s not true! I’m really innocent! In the first place, I don’t even have friends, what kind of nonsense is this!”

As we were laughing like that for a long time, a voice flowed from the ceiling.

<If you keep failing like that, even I can’t help but be suspicious. Now, again. Question, I have smelled someone’s scent while pretending to help them exercise.>

Yu Garyeon’s laughter, which seemed like it would go on forever without any sign of stopping, ceased.

“What’s wrong, are you okay?”
“I-I, I suddenly choked. Cough, cough.”

While Yu Garyeon and I were talking, Han Yeoreum, whose face had turned like a tomato about to burst from the aftermath of the previous question, cautiously opened her mouth.

“No, I’ve really never done that!”

She had squeezed her eyes shut and trembled like an aspen leaf, just in case.

—Truth.

“Phew…”

Han Yeoreum, her hands neatly clasped, let out a sigh.

“Isn’t it broken?”
“No, it’s not.”
“That’s a shame.”

That brat needs to suffer more.

“Hey, I was just kidding about laughing. I did it because I thought you’d feel awkward.”

Han Yeoreum whispered with a hypocritical smile.

“Ah, yes. Of course, I know. After all, we’re ‘comrades’ in the ‘That person really can’t do without me’ club.”
“AaaaaahI’msorryyyyyy!”

I looked with satisfaction at the brat, who was on the verge of exploding from shame, and opened my mouth. The result was, of course, truth. Even I didn’t have that kind of fetish.

“Garyeon.”
“Yes, yes. What is it?”
“We’re all done. Now it’s just your turn.”
“Ah, yes. Yes.”

Yu Garyeon very slowly placed her arm on the machine and spoke softly.

“…No.”
—Lie.

An intense spark danced across Yu Garyeon’s hand.

“Garyeon?”

Yu Garyeon, who had been trembling for a moment, soon smiled and replied.

“Ah, did we finally succeed in escaping? Well, it would be strange to get the last question wrong anyway.”
“B-But it said it was a lie. Your answer.”

Yu Garyeon lowered her head at my words. Han Yeoreum, watching her, jumped up and started pointing at the machine.

“See? I told you this machine was broken! Right?”
“U-Uh, yeah. I think so. Hey, you think so too, right?”

I was suffocating under the unspoken pressure from the two of them. The ones who weren’t even pretending to believe me just a moment ago.
As I hesitated for a moment, another voice flowed from the ceiling.

<Question, I have buried my nose in a blanket left behind by someone else and lain there for a long time.>

“N-No.”

Zap.

<Question, I have secretly swiped someone else’s belongings to smell them.>

“No!”

Zzzzzap.

<Question, I feel sexually aroused by the smell of human sweat.>

“No, no, th-that’s impossible!”

Zzzzzzzzzzzap—!

“N-N-N-No, I told you, no, noooo!”

Zap, zap, zzzzzzzzzzap——!

“Noooooooo!”

Yu Garyeon’s screams echoed through the room for a long time.