Ch.125Kind Hotel (4)

“Is the building itself alive?”

Lim Yebin looks around.

I place my palm against the wall, as if checking a pulse.

“Yeah. It’s warm.”

Hot blood circulates through the veins beneath the wall.

This time, I gently press against the wall with my hand.

The pressure must be quite high, as liquid gushes in, breaking through the compression.

If the entire building is alive, that would make sense.

Blood needs to circulate throughout the body, so it must be pumped with considerable force.

The puzzle pieces are slowly coming together.

A massive life form mimicking the appearance of a building.

People making nests inside its body, seeking shelter.

What I need to discover is this creature’s intention.

Why did it create this hotel?

Why is it luring people here?

It could simply be “just because.”

Or it could be a trap. This option is more dangerous. Like a carnivorous plant luring insects with honey. Disguising its body as a friendly hotel to catch prey.

Or perhaps it’s a symbiotic relationship.

Though unlikely, this massive creature might possess will and intelligence, extending goodwill toward us.

“Isn’t it dangerous to keep doing that?”

“Just a moment. A little longer.”

Squeeze.

I push against the wall with force.

The blood vessel has elasticity, so when pressed lightly with my palm, it immediately bounces back strongly.

But that’s all.

No matter how I look at it, there’s no response.

“Yebin. Can you take out the knife you brought?”

“…”

Yebin says nothing and just lowers her head, looking worried.

“It’ll be fine. I’m just going to examine it.”

“Here it is.”

Pale fingers touch my fingertips.

I quickly receive the survival knife.

The emergency exit stairs still sway.

With the knife in one hand, I take Yebin’s hand with the other and place it on the stair railing.

“It might shake violently, so hold on tight.”

“Yes, Dabin.”

Then, raising my arm high,

Stab!

I drive it downward.

Again and again. Repeatedly.

“Huff, huff…”

The vessel wall was much tougher than I expected.

Only after I became short of breath could I finally inflict a wound.

“Seems like it’s not reacting.”

“Yes. I didn’t feel anything either.”

“That’s a relief.”

If there had been a reaction, we would have had much more to consider.

It would mean the hotel isn’t just alive, but can respond and deal with stimuli on its own.

Or was it simply too weak a stimulus?

Due to the strong pressure, the wound slowly begins to open.

Soon, what was flowing inside leaks out.

Pssh-

Splash!

“Huh? What?”

“Dabin?”

“Ah. Aah…”

“Are you okay?”

I wipe the liquid from my face and look back at Yebin.

“Yebin.”

“Dabin.”

What’s on my cheek and sleeve isn’t red.

“It’s not blood flowing. I naturally thought blood would flow, but this is strange.”

“What do you mean?”

It wasn’t blood flowing.

From the repeatedly stabbed wall, liquid streams out like a water gun.

It’s a metallic-shining liquid, like mercury.

“I was wrong. I was thinking too simply.”

Haha. Ahaha.

Ahahahaha.

Uncontrollable laughter escapes me.

A sense of exhilaration rushes through my nerves, like instantly solving an extremely difficult problem I’d been struggling with for days.

“This hotel isn’t some giant monster. It’s not a friendly trap set by a monster. I was completely mistaken.”

“Each and every part.”

“Everything.”

“It has a gaze.”

In my hazy consciousness, Yebin’s words echo loudly.

“Dabin! I’m initiating mental restoration right now!”

“Ahahahaha. Hahaha. Haha.”

Librarians of the Infinite Archives risk unintentional exposure to extremely dangerous information.

For this reason, the Library provides several “devices” for librarians.

These “devices” are means to protect librarians’ safety while improving management efficiency, and their usage methods and specific applications are included in the librarian’s work manual.

Fragments of thought emerge in my jumbled mind.

Mental restoration is the most representative safety measure. When a librarian is exposed to memetic kill agents, dangerous information, etc., and reaches a state where normal work performance is impossible (mental erosion), the library management system “reboots” the librarian’s mind. The targeted librarian immediately loses consciousness and takes a certain amount of time to regain it. Mental restoration is a useful means to escape from most erosion states, but sufficient caution must be taken regarding various physical dangers due to fainting. Unexpected side effects include ■■■■■ state of ■#!■■%■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■

My mind, which had sunk into the abyss, slowly rises again.

But it can never return to what it was before.

“Why isn’t the system opening? My hands, my hands aren’t moving properly…”

“So this is how it happens. I think I understand now. Picking up takantakan with bare hands, placing it on the hwanjip and hwatu. Hwatu. Hwatu. Hwatu. Hwatu.”

I mutter words that even I can’t understand, and I hear Yebin speaking desperately.

“Dabin. Please come to your senses. Please.”

I can hear what she’s saying clearly.

I understand Yebin’s feelings and the current situation perfectly.

But I don’t even think about trying to hold onto my sanity.

Without any thought, I’m swept away by the torrent of information.

“I don’t know what to do if I’m left alone is it because I’m in a child’s body if it had been before I could have managed somehow on my own I’m sorry I’m sorry for having this body I’m sorry this happened because I insisted on getting a body I’m sorry Dabin I’m sorry so please. Please help me.”

Extremely dangerous information that a librarian may encounter at any time.

These replicate themselves while harboring secrets that cannot be interpreted, and they crumble the reason of those who understand them like sandcastles.

What I saw was one of the oldest secrets.

Something everyone has, but no one can properly figure out.

Initiating mental restoration.

Consciousness will terminate shortly. Unsaved memories may be lost.

3.

2.

1.

Termination.

Beeeeeep-

I opened my eyes.

The sharp ringing in my ears gradually subsided.

“…”

Around me is the emergency exit filled with floating dust.

The emergency light dimly illuminates the stairs, and unknown noises faintly echo.

It feels like waking up after a long sleep.

I sit up, staring blankly ahead for a while.

Perhaps due to my dazed state, I can’t clearly recall what just happened.

First, what I remember.

We took the elevator and arrived at the hotel.

The room prepared at the hotel was safe and cozy as long as we kept the key card.

But the corridor was tilted…

And now I’m here.

I went down the emergency exit stairs to the lower floor of the hotel.

Yebin.

Where is Yebin?

“Ah.”

White fingers suddenly appear in the darkness.

It’s Yebin, looking tired.

Though I didn’t say anything, Yebin answers in a faint voice.

“No matter how much I climb, we can’t go back.”

“…Yeah.”

“Don’t just say ‘yeah.’ We’re trapped here.”

My condition gradually returns to normal.

I’m still tired, but my thoughts are sharper and faster than usual.

“I passed out.”

“Yes. I executed mental restoration on you.”

“What?”

I was momentarily surprised.

Mental restoration.

My ability to use this is a recent development.

The Wanderer’s Library is very stingy about granting permissions to librarians.

Information can be dangerous but also infinitely valuable.

When wandering through dimensions carrying vast amounts of information, it becomes difficult to trust anyone easily.

But recently, I was granted quite a few permissions.

The Library must be in an urgent situation.

Though it feels a bit late, I can’t say it’s not helpful.

What surprised me was that Yebin already knew about this.

“So you could use it. I never told you.”

“Yes. I can handle that much without you telling me.”

Yebin puffs out her chest and smiles lightly.

She seems to be showing off, but it looks like it’s her first time making that expression.

“You did well, really.”

If it weren’t for Yebin, I would have been in serious trouble.

Just as I was about to get up, Yebin presses down on my shoulder, preventing me from rising.

“Hm?”

“Say more.”

“…”

I didn’t ask “more what.”

Instead, I raised my head and met Yebin’s gaze.

“Yes. Thank you.”

It’s almost like receiving a deep bow, but Yebin seems pleased.

Seeing her grinning makes me smile involuntarily.

Though I still don’t know whether the situation remains dangerous.

“But didn’t you say earlier that you climbed the stairs? Did you drag me up the stairs?”

“Yes. It was hard.”

Only then could I examine Yebin closely.

She must have exerted herself considerably; she’s completely drenched in sweat.

I quietly approached and removed the hair stuck to her face.

“Dabin!?”

“Stay still. I’m going to wipe you.”

I took a towel from my bag and wiped Yebin.

It’s cute how she flinches every time the cloth touches her.

After finishing, there’s a moment of awkward atmosphere.

“Um…”

The awkwardness doesn’t last long.

I soon stood up, heading toward the light—the emergency exit stairs.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Yebin, regaining her energy as if she was never tired, comes to my side and tells me what she’s discovered so far.

“But it was the same no matter how high I climbed. I thought we just needed to go up one floor.”

“Really? How many floors did you climb?”

“One floor.”

“Let’s try climbing more.”

I still can’t properly understand what’s happening here.

Maybe if we climb a bit more, we might discover something.

Above all, staying put won’t change anything.

We need to see what happens first before we can analyze and plan our next steps.

The wall is still alive.

Though not as prominently visible as the veins were earlier, it’s clear that something is pulsating inside.

It even heaves as if breathing.

“Phew… This is tough.”

“Dabin!!!”

An unusually loud voice from Yebin.

When I place my hand on the wall, Yebin, turning pale, pulls my arm.

“Huh?”

“Don’t touch there.”

“…Alright.”

Let’s not do anything reckless.

Earlier, I completely misjudged and almost died.

This space is much more conceptual than I thought.

We continued climbing the stairs.

But no matter how much we climb, only the same emergency exit repeats. Nothing changes.

“The emergency exit light.”

“Hm?”

Yebin raises her hand, pointing down the stairs.

“See that light there?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s getting dimmer.”

“Oh? You’re right.”

As she said, the green emergency exit sign that was clearly visible is now indistinguishable.

Even approaching closer for a better look, the green figure appears pixelated and unclear.

“I guess continuing to climb isn’t the right approach?”

“Yes. That’s what I think too.”

“Sigh…”

With a sigh, I slumped down on the floor.

Yebin carefully sits on the landing next to me.

“Let’s think of another method.”

“Stabbing the wall is not an option.”

“Yes. I won’t do that.”

Yebin must have been quite anxious.

If the situation flows even slightly similar to before, she immediately blocks my path.

“The same scenery keeps repeating. And the sign is getting dimmer.”

Thump. Thump.

As I quietly sink into thought, I hear a heartbeat.

It’s the sound of blood vessels pulsating beneath the concrete wall.

“And the building is alive.”

Though I lowered my voice, the echo spreads without fail.

Perhaps because of that.

Something falls in front of me with a thud.