Chapter 170

Chapter 170.

Amid the tens of thousands of feeds on the monitors.

The General Manager, who had been watching Director Seon-hae and consultant Seung-jae, spoke.

"This part I did not foresee."

"Yes...."

"How regrettable."

He failed, for once, to hide his surprise.

"I think I might be displeased."

So vague it was hard to pin down, yet if he had to name it, the feeling would be displeasure born from variables. Because his preparation and predictions had been insufficient.

'And right from the start, no less.'

"Hello?"

"Of course."

Even such a feeling was faint for 'the General Manager.'

"Though it is inconvenient that even a single emotion like this requires foundational knowledge and separate interpretation."

"Eing."

Coco swiveled on the General Manager's shoulder and pressed itself flat against his face. He politely nudged the tail blocking his view, and Coco flopped limply back onto his shoulder.

Interpreting even that gesture was not easy for him in his current state.

"......"

"Coco."

"Yes, it's you."

For now, that was enough.

"It's regrettable. I thought I'd studied the outside world extensively, sharing diverse knowledge with the Guest Without Taste and the Lover of Dawn."

"Yes."

"But since both are also labyrinths, their information must inevitably be limited. The Guest Without Taste would have been better, but he wasn't as deeply shared as the Lover of Dawn. Regrettable indeed."

"Yes. Limited. Regrettable."

"The misstep in this run is therefore clear."

The General Manager, who had been watching the Lover of Dawn devour Seung-jae's corpse, took the Golden Bell in hand.

"Drawing things out wasn't a good idea either."

Jingle--

A 'flower' bloomed.

***

"Hkk, hrrgh...!"

"Director...?"

A metallic rasp, as if her breath were catching, tore from Seon-hae's throat.

Her pupils were grotesquely dilated toward the empty air--toward the Black Script. It looked as though she were seeing through something 'vast and terrible' beyond the room.

Gyeong-yeon, who had barely freed herself from Seon-hae's grip, froze mid-adjustment of her clothes.

"W-wait. Something's...."

"This really isn't easy."

"Director? Director! Director Seon-hae!"

He shook her shoulders in a panic. The touch, gentle at first, quickly turned urgent, but Seon-hae's focus showed no sign of returning.

Gyeong-yeon instinctively swept the Black Script from her line of sight.

"What are you looking at right now...!"

"This labyrinth's immense narrative?"

"Wh-what? What did you say?"

"I get it, though. When I first came here too, there was so much piled up I couldn't fathom what it was. Years and years of it, no telling how long, and then it just detonates."

FLUTTER--

Meanwhile, Do-hyeon had sent a black paper bird.

"......"

Rolling his dry eyes, he approached and immediately nudged Gyeong-yeon aside.

"Out, Ms. Hong."

"What in the world is...."

Even as she said that, Gyeong-yeon moved quickly--almost desperately, yielded the spot. She knew that in moments like these, you defer to the one who knows.

"Smart."

Do-hyeon smiled as if praising her, then locked eyes with Seon-hae.

"Director Seon-hae. Look at me?"

"Hrrk, gkh...."

"I know, I know. Seeing strange things? Revolting smell too, sounds that hurt your ears. It's crushing, like something's tearing into your brain, and the anxiety is driving you insane."

"Haahk,"

"Can't look away from the script, can you?"

This was clearly directed at Seon-hae, yet Gyeong-yeon, clutching the Black Script, went white. But Do-hyeon paid her no attention, and neither did Seon-hae.

"......"

"Here."

Do-hyeon raised his large palm and forcibly blocked Seon-hae's line of sight.

"Kill the camera, kill the monitor, kill the lights. Now close your eyes."

A voice both easy-going and resolute.

"Lee Seon-hae, 'Director.'"

"......"

"That's it, good."

Do-hyeon curved his eyes into a smile. When he slowly pulled his hand away, Seon-hae's eyelids were trembling shut. He then gripped her shoulders and sank her deep into the sofa.

"Ms. Hong, hold the Director's hands."

"H-hands...."

"Don't freeze up. Squeeze hard and knead. Press until it nearly breaks the bones. Her brain's soaked in the labyrinth's ecstasy, so we need to shove physical pain in to drag her back to reality."

"What kind of insane...!"

Gyeong-yeon, snapping alert, grabbed both of Seon-hae's hands.

"...?!"

They were ice cold.

'Why are they this...?'

Abnormally cold, to the point of disbelief.

Cold and stiff beyond what a living person's hands should be. Ignoring his own chattering teeth, Gyeong-yeon kneaded her palms to fingertips, generating friction heat with rough, haphazard strokes.

"How, how hard... fuck, why is it so cold, no. Director, snap out of it. Can you feel my hands? God... Seon-hae, Seon-hae...."

"More, harder."

"I think I'm going insane, genuinely...!"

Gyeong-yeon rubbed until his own palms burned red, pressing as hard as he could. Watching the rough, clumsy pressure, Do-hyeon looked back at Seon-hae.

"Hh, urrk...."

"Director Seon-hae, focus on my voice."

Do-hyeon directed with a flat voice.

"Inhale, four seconds. One, two, three, four."

"Hrrgh...!"

"Hold. Seven."

He counted the beats with clinical monotony. A primal breathing technique that forcibly activated the nervous system.

"Exhale. Eight. Slowly, all the way."

"Hh, nngh...."

"Good. One more time."

Several deep breaths, and the pain of Gyeong-yeon's crushing grip. When Seon-hae's focus finally began returning, Do-hyeon picked up the coffee cup that had been cooling on the table.

"Drink."

"Hgh, urk."

He pressed the cup to Seon-hae's lips, and they parted.

"Cough, gkh...."

The sensation of cold liquid sliding down the esophagus was viscerally sharp between trembling lips. The jolt of bitter flavor and chill hitting her stomach finally anchored her spinning vision.

Do-hyeon gripped her shoulders firmly and held her gaze.

"Now name five things. Things you can see right here. Ordinary and boring."

"...Wh... what...?"

"Out loud? Come on, just five. Not hard."

Seon-hae bit her trembling lips and fumbled her gaze around.

"...Carpet... pattern... Gyeong-yeon, glasses frames...."

"Two more."

"Over there, rolling... fountain pen... your, shoes...."

"Four sounds."

"...Rain... Gyeong-yeon crying... clock ticking... your, rattling voice...."

"Tch. I'm famous for my voice, you know. But fine, I'll accept it."

Despite looking affronted, Do-hyeon kept guiding.

"Three things you can feel."

"Hands... hurt. Sofa leather... cold... and...."

"That's enough. Two smells."

"...Ink... and... coffee."

"Last one. One taste lingering in your mouth."

"...Bitter."

"See? You're doing great."

Watching them, Gyeong-yeon thought.

'Grounding...?'

It was a Grounding technique--anchoring the senses to reality.

Between Gyeong-yeon's bone-crushing massage and Do-hyeon's practiced guidance, Seon-hae's ragged breathing finally steadied. Do-hyeon, stepping back, leaned against the sofa and spoke.

"Listen well, Director."

"......"

"This is someone else's set, nothing more. It's not your film, and it's not reality. Those things wandering around are just extras caked in makeup, and this is a set that crumbles the moment someone yells cut."

"......"

"Art is art, and scripts are scripts. There's no reason for us to be consumed by that shoddy excuse for theater."

Do-hyeon raised an eyebrow.

"Get it? Does what I'm saying make sense?"

"Haah...."

At last, a long breath like a groan escaped Seon-hae's lips. Her rigidly locked shoulders crumbled and dropped.

"D-Director, Director. Are you okay? Can you see my face?"

Gyeong-yeon waved his hand before Seon-hae's eyes, ashen-faced. Seon-hae, still breathing roughly, scrunched her face and smacked the back of Gyeong-yeon's hand.

"Hey, you're going to break my hands."

"Breaking them would be better...!"

Gyeong-yeon finally released her hands and collapsed into the seat beside her. His face was as white as Seon-hae's. Seeing that, Seon-hae swept the sweat-soaked hair from her face.

"I think I'm losing my mind."

She gave a hollow laugh.

"I feel like I just got sucked into some black hole and spit back out."

"That right?"

Do-hyeon, who'd unfolded a returned paper bird, rose leisurely.

"That's one of the classic precursor symptoms fresh civilians experience right before Awakening as an Artist in a labyrinth. Goodness, it's a wonder you didn't go mad?"

"Is that comfort or mockery? Pick one. Honestly, you're kind of rotten, Mr. Cha."

"High praise. As expected of our Mr. Baek's niece."

He grinned.

"How's it going? A bit calmer? Still hearing screams and bloody tears from the script?"

"No."

Seon-hae shook her head.

"I'm fine no-- oh."

"What, what is it, what's wrong now?"

"No, not that--our exploration team...!!"

Seon-hae bolted upright, and Gyeong-yeon went pale again.

"R-right now...! Right now!!"

"Relax, you two. It's a bit late to panic."

Do-hyeon jutted his lip and shrugged.

"I sent a paper bird ages ago."

"Wh-what? Paper bird?"

"......"

Rolling his eyes, he flashed his trademark smile. He picked up the Black Script that had fallen to the floor and spread it open before them.

"I had a feeling I should. Here, look. Everyone's perfectly fine."

"Ah...."

In the script, the 'characters' were walking safely through the boiler room. Seung-jae and Do-heon.

"Ah, wh-when... when did you send it? The cue sheet, the paper bird."

"While you two were in crisis. The setup and flow were more or less down by then. Director Seon-hae had already briefed me in advance. A good actor memorizes even cue sheets in under a minute."

"Not every good actor can memorize an entire script like you, Mr. Cha...."

Even as she said that, Gyeong-yeon looked relieved.

"I feel bad that you two are doing all this while I'm so useless."

"If sorry's how you feel, write tighter for the next scene. The closer it is to a proper 'script,' the easier it is to get the labyrinth to approve. No matter how much pull a 'friend' role gives me, there's a limit to winging it."

Do-hyeon grimaced.

"This labyrinth's owner is so picky~ This time it only passed because the other side poked me first, but who knows about next time."

"I still genuinely don't understand how your ability works."

"Figuring it out would hurt. Don't go analyzing my signature technique."

"But, um."

Since there was a moment, she might as well ask.

"What was... what was that just now?"

Don't have your own private conversation and leave me out.

***

Gyeong-yeon's inner thoughts drew nods from the General Manager and Coco.

"Agreed."

"Yes. Agree."

The guests of this hotel had always been prone to using jargon only they understood. For a General Manager whose only window to external knowledge was a labyrinth population with an average lifespan measured in centuries, it was a sorry state of affairs.

'At least with the Monster Guests, I can ask.'

The Human Guests needed to be considerate of the two eavesdropping owners.

***

"Uh... ah, that?"

Pulling one of the wax plugs from his ear, Seung-jae spoke.

"Phew, goosebumps. Thought my ear was bleeding."

"So?"

"That thing, it's Director Seon-hae's line. The person from the Baeksan side who introduced herself as Lee Seon-hae. It's obvious then."

Strolling through the boiler room, Seung-jae shrugged.

"Artists have this thing called 'Sensitivity.'"

"Sensitivity?"

"Yeah, it's a double-edged sword in this world."

"The explanations keep getting grandiose."

"It actually is grandiose."

He added.

"They go mad easily."

That's the kind of creature Artists were.

***

Truly, they go mad so easily.

"You're not the one in question, so what's there to agonize over?"

"I have much to say but I'll hold back."

At the time, there really had been much to say. The vampire thought so.

"It is 'the Devil,' after all."

The vampire knew how much Yeon-woo hated that misunderstanding. This young spirit with no memories was not so poor at calculation as to shoulder a stranger's sins on top of his own.

"Anyone can see the question isn't about the card."

"I'd rather not lie to the guests I'm inviting to my banquet."

"Says the man who lies like he breathes?"

Naturally, the reason wasn't something so crude. What need was there to prove innocence to the living lumps of flesh being invited to a banquet? The old vampire simply knew.

He knew that Yeon-woo understood what acknowledging 'the Devil' would do to him. And that for 'Yeon-woo,' it would be disadvantageous.

'And he knows it now, too.'

He would be treated as a capital criminal. Feared wherever he went. For Yeon-woo, whose fastidiousness had been severe enough to abandon his humanity in pursuit of 'the right path,' that was anything but welcome.

Even so,

"But it does seem fun."

"Looks like more Human Guests will come."

You,

"It'd make clearing the current guests' route easier too."

chose the option that was unfavorable to yourself.

"I am 'the Devil.'"

"Yes!"

In other words, he chose 'the convenient path.'

"......"

...That was not a choice the Monster Guests found agreeable.