Chapter 276: Meeting’s End, Choosing the Next Room

– Han Kain

As we debated our next room, I asked Eunsol-noona for her thoughts.

“My thoughts, huh…? Here’s what I think. No path is ever going to be easy, no matter which room we choose. But there’s also no reason to stubbornly stick to a room when we already know unbearable suffering is waiting for us. Honestly, whether we switch or not doesn’t really matter. It’s just a matter of order. In the end, we’re going to have to go through every room, anyway.”

She was right. The likelihood of us entering every room was high. From that perspective, changing rooms wasn’t that big of a deal—it was simply a question of sequencing.

The discussion on this final topic didn’t last long.

Not because everyone immediately agreed, but because, in the end, the loudest voices won.

There was a clear divide: a few people hated Room 203 and desperately wanted out, while the majority were indifferent—leaning towards staying but not completely opposed to switching.

Take me, for example. I wasn’t convinced that switching to Room 204 would be any easier, but I also wasn’t set on forcing our way through 203 either.

Sensing the meeting was coming to an end, I used my final Advice for the day.

What do you think about switching rooms?

Honestly, I didn’t expect a clear answer.

The Patrons would never spoil information about a room in advance.

As expected, it wasn’t a particularly meaningful response.

But in a way, it was reassuring. It confirmed that switching wasn’t a wrong choice—it was simply a choice.

At the very least, I was satisfied knowing that it wasn’t a mistake.

Tomorrow, we will enter Room 204.

“Opening it now?”

In front of Room 204, Jinchul-hyung gripped the doorknob and looked back at us.

“Open it. We already decided yesterday.”

– Click!

The door opened.

My consciousness blurred.

-Han Kain

The walls were covered with movie posters, the sound of popcorn popping filled the air, and the rich aroma of caramel lingered.

Everyone looked bewildered in this oddly familiar yet chaotic atmosphere.

“Are we really inside a Cursed Room? Kain-oppa! Did the scenario pop up?”

Our clothes remained unchanged, exactly as they were before we entered.

This was different from the Cursed Rooms.

Mainly because it wasn’t a Cursed Room at all.

“So there really is a room that isn’t a cursed one. That must be Room 204. It’s a Mission Room called ‘Hotel Cinema.’”

“Hotel Cinema? Ah! So that’s why there’s popcorn here.”

A massive popcorn machine stood in plain sight, actively popping fresh kernels.

There was an unmistakable button that screamed, “Press me for popcorn!” Jinchul-hyung curiously pressed it, and a wave of sweet caramel-scented popcorn poured out.

“It really is a movie theater. I wasn’t expecting this kind of atmosphere.”

“Haha! How is everyone enjoying themselves? Now that you’ve gotten your popcorn, why not grab a drink from the dispenser next to it?”

A cheerful voice rang out, making everyone turn their heads.

A figure presumed to be an NPC of the Hotel appeared behind us.

Noona, amused, asked a question, “Are you the guide for this room?”

“Precisely! Hotel Party members, I was deeply moved listening to your conversation last night. The harsh and painful cursed rooms—how much you’ve suffered! But don’t worry! There is no suffering in Room 204. This is a place filled only with joy.”

“…You were eavesdropping on us. It feels weird to complain about it now, though.”

“Especially Young Seungyub’s heartfelt lament! ‘Do you know what it feels like to be hung from a pole and roasted like a rotisserie chicken?’ That line nearly brought me to tears!”

“I—I didn’t say it exactly like that!”

At the very least, he hadn’t described himself as a rotisserie chicken.

“Ha! Those ignorant savages, how brutal! If they truly wanted to turn someone into a chicken, they should’ve skewered you properly and rotated you evenly over the flames!”

“H-how does that make it any better? That just sounds even worse.”

“Seungyub, don’t entertain him. Alright, guide, let’s get to the point. What kind of room is this?”

“Ah, Miss Kim Ahri! Of course!”

With a beaming smile, the guide waved his hand, and the scenery transformed into the interior of a grand movie theater.

At the same time, each of us found a small pamphlet in our hands.

“You can read it, but I’ll give you a brief explanation. This is Hotel Cinema! A movie theater boasting the latest technology of the Hotel. Now, Young Han Kain!”

“…What is it?”

“Do you know what kind of technology is featured in the most advanced cinemas?”

“Probably IMAX or 3D?”

“As expected of a young man! At least you have some awareness! Older participants should also pay attention.”

“What the hell did you just say? Hey, punk! Even I know what IMAX is!”

“Ahem! That was directed at Miss Kim Ahri.”

“C-cough!”

“IMAX, 3D—wonderful! High-quality resolution, immersive depth! Truly a triumph of human innovation! But here at Hotel Pioneer, a place that prides itself on being the best in every aspect, we weren’t satisfied with just that!”

“Just get to the point already. Stop with the dramatic build-up.”

“Ahem! I present to you—interactive cinema! This is the essence of Hotel Cinema!”

Standing in front of the massive display, the guide twirled theatrically, as if delivering an inspirational speech.

But none of us reacted.

“Ahem. It seems you don’t quite understand what interactive cinema means. It’s simple. There are three films prepared in this theater. The movies themselves are of exceptional quality, but… their ‘storylines’ are somewhat flawed.”

A flawed storyline?

A bad feeling started to creep in.

“Each of you will take turns entering a movie as one of its characters. What’s the best way to experience a movie? 3D? IMAX? Forget that! The best way is to become part of the movie itself! Can there be anything more immersive than that?”

The guide continued explaining at length. He wasn’t trying to confuse us with complicated rules—he even allowed questions, and the pamphlets provided detailed descriptions.

Room 204, the Mission Room — Hotel Cinema followed these simple rules:

Eunsol-noona let out a weary sigh.

“Is this another Room 203-like situation? More solo missions!”

“What do you mean? This is completely different! This is a Mission Room! You remember what that means, right? If you find it boring, you can just quit!”

The key difference between a Mission Room and a Cursed Room was that Mission Rooms could be abandoned midway.

However—

“We already tried this on the first floor. If someone fails, they’ll be stuck inside until we clear the mission, right?”

“Exactly. But unlike a Cursed Room, failure here doesn’t mean all of you die. In Hotel Cinema, only the failed participant gets trapped. And, you don’t need to clear all the films to rescue someone.”

“So if I get stuck in the first movie, you only need to beat that one to get me out?”

“Correct! Now that you understand, let’s see which films await you!”

I raised my hand urgently.

“Wait! You still haven’t explained what makes a ‘good’ outcome!”

“That’s what I was about to explain!”

The massive theater screen lit up, displaying the three films we’d be entering.

Just from the titles, I already had an idea of what was coming—especially the first one.

“So, is the first one a romance? What about the second?”

“It’s a war film. Now, looking at these titles, what do you think? Taming the Crown Prince—what would be an appropriate ending? The prince must fall for you, right? And of course, survival is mandatory. The participant must stay alive until the credits roll.”

“…If I enter the first one, does the title change to Taming the Princess—?”

“Hahaha! Young Kain, you could enter, but do you have the confidence to seduce a prince? Overcoming one’s gender identity isn’t easy—“

It was clear that a woman had to enter the first movie.

And I wasn’t about to take that role.

The moment we realized who would be perfect for it, everyone’s gaze naturally landed on Elena.

An aspiring actress with stunning beauty.

She was the obvious choice.

“If I say yes, does it start immediately?”

“First, you must choose: Blessing or Inheritance? You can bring only one.”

“Blessing. Most of the characters are probably human, so things like lie detection should be useful.”

“Very well! Let’s begin!”

As the guide waved his hand, the massive screen shimmered.

With a slight chuckle, Elena stepped forward.

“I’ll go first, then!”

– Whoosh!

The screen rippled, filling the room with vivid light.

“A-are we really about to watch Elena star in a movie?”

“Of course! This is a movie theater, after all. Pay close attention. If she fails, you’ll need to understand why so the next person can succeed.”

With that ominous statement, the first film—Taming the Crown Prince—began.

– Elena

My hazy consciousness slowly returned.

Where am I?

Right, so—

“Young Lady! Young Lady!”

Someone shook me roughly.

An older woman dressed in a maid’s uniform came into view.

“You must wake up quickly! You haven’t forgotten that today is the day of the ball at the Berlen Ducal House, have you? A ball is a battlefield, my lady. Even if we start preparing now, half a day won’t be enough!”

So, I have to attend a ball at this Berlen Ducal House and… seduce that so-called Crown Prince?

“Haaah.”

“Miss?”

“Really, they make me do all sorts of things. Just thinking about what’s coming next makes me nervous.”

“Pardon?”

I decided to stop thinking and just go with the flow.

I guess I just have to throw some smiley eyes at the prince.

If he doesn’t fall for me after that, should I just slap him?

When in doubt, a slap usually solves the problem.

The moment Elena’s voice and narration played simultaneously, silence fell over the group.

Grandpa hesitantly spoke up, “This already feels like a bad idea.”

“E-Elena-unni! You’re not really going to hit the prince, are you?”

“Wait, does Elena even realize her thoughts are being narrated?”

A shared realization dawned on everyone.

This room was going to be very embarrassing for all of us…