Would she be tricked or caught up in something by doing this?
Go Yeongeun hesitated for a moment but then reached out.
So far, there hadn’t been anything suspicious or unpleasant about Kim Soleum’s actions, and objectively speaking, he had always treated her with goodwill.
‘Let’s try it.’
Her brain, which she trusted as a reliable data processor, urged her forward.
She flipped over one of the scattered cards on the floor without much hesitation.
The card’s face depicted a vibrant blue figure raising one hand. At the top of the image, a white star sparkled like a jewel.
[Honor]
A faint smile appeared on Kim Soleum’s face.
“You picked well.”
Did she?
‘I don’t think I particularly need honor right now…’
Anyway, if he said it was good, that was a relief.
Kim Soleum then turned his head and, in a voice that sounded less than enthusiastic, called out to Baek Saheon.
“Pick a card.”
“……”
Baek Saheon seemed to be calculating the situation in his head, narrowing his eyes as he reached out his hand.
The card he flipped over showed a grinning mouth and a red iron cage.
[Interference]
“Suits you.”
“What?”
Kim Soleum ignored him and continued with the process!
“I will now flip over the remaining cards.”
“Yes, yes.”
Whatever it was, let’s just do it!
Go Yeongeun watched as Kim Soleum swiftly flipped over the cards with his precise movements.
There were ten cards left.
Confusion, Healing, Meditation, Wound, Deceit, Dream, Rage, Protection, Strike, and Gaze… the ten remaining cards were revealed and laid out on the floor.
‘What in the world is this?’
After having them draw cards as if it were some kind of tarot reading, why reveal all of them at the end?
Seeing Kim Soleum’s next action, she understood.
The last card could be chosen directly.
[Deceit]
Kim Soleum picked out a card with a golden gear drawn next to a black heart.
He then burned all three cards they had chosen using a lighter.
Flames burst into vivid colors as the cards turned into shimmering ashes.
“……!”
Gathering the ashes from the cards, he carefully spread them over the crayon-drawn candle outline he had created earlier and folded the paper.
“It’ll need about 30 minutes to set now.”
Kim Soleum lifted the folded paper off the floor, tucked it neatly into the front pocket of his suit, and gave a faint smile.
“This thing you just made…”
“This candle will help us get out of here.”
“……!”
“If it doesn’t work, I was planning to try again a few more times, but the keywords turned out well on the first attempt—”
Screeeeeeeeeeeech—
“……”
“……”
All three of them turned their heads at once.
In the distance, under the bronze light, a massive shadow emerged.
Eight straight legs resembling those of a spider.
And then…
Screeeech—
The glowing eyes of a machine, leaking light like that of a gas lamp.
“……”
“……”
“Run!”
The three of them immediately bolted in the opposite direction at full speed.
* * *
I knew.
Even in a lounge, the machines could appear.
Still, I guessed that they would patrol less strictly than in the exhibition hall and had been willing to take the risk…
‘There wasn’t even anywhere to hide like in the vents, but why now of all times!’
Clenching my teeth, I sprinted across the corridor.
Once we’re detected, even hiding in another vent wouldn’t help—the machine would simply follow.
It was equipped with that level of tracking capability!
“Should we keep going straight?!”
“For now!”
Straight ahead led to the main exhibition hall.
Once there, they could only hope to draw the machine’s attention away with a higher-priority problem… frёeωebɳovel.com
‘But who knows how much more dangerous the exhibitions have become now that we’re in the basement!’
And then.
Fwick—
“……!”
Baek Saheon grabbed for my suit.
‘What now, you lunatic?!’
The punk shouted right at me,
“That item! The candle! Let’s offer it up! It’s valuable, isn’t it?”
I slapped his hand away and yelled back.
“No, you idiot!”
“What?!”
“Look at the exhibition theme!”
+++
This exhibition is being conducted free of charge for one hour under the open spirit of admiration for art.
+++
“Art!!”
“……!”
“Specifically, living beings, civilization, and history!!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“What does this item have to do with that? Why would they accept it as payment?!”
If items had any real value, wouldn’t the employees of our company have already offered their own equipment before getting their eyes gouged out?!
Besides, the candle wasn’t even finished yet!
But Baek Saheon once again reached for my bag, and Go Yeongeun, clearly fed up, let out an exasperated groan.
“Let’s at least try! What’s the alternative—dying here?!”
“Ugh! Seriously! Stop it and just keep running—”
I turned my head.
At that moment, our feet…
…crossed through the large doors into the main exhibition hall.
“……”
Catching my breath, I lifted my gaze.
Starlight twinkled everywhere
No . . . were those fragments of stone ?
Countless pairs of glowing circles, all the same color, lined the walls and ceilings, gazing down at us
The walls were packed, covered in countless human eyes staring back at me…
The eyes… taken by the usher machines.
“Eek—”
I stopped in my tracks and lowered my head. Beside me, I could hear Baek Saheon striking his remaining eye in frustration.
My chaotic thoughts slowly settled.
– Ah. They’ve arranged them like stars in the universe. It’s called ‘Glistening Gaze’. A rather cliché yet popular name! They must have been mindful of the contributors to the materials for this piece.
“……”
Three walls of the vast black exhibition hall were completely covered in eyeballs, with not a single gap visible.
The only entrance or exit was the door we had just come through.
And through that very door, the usher machine was steadily advancing… without pause.
We were trapped.
– Mr. Roe Deer, your choices intrigue me! You’re at a dead end now. A place to run… Hmm, seems like there’s none. Fascinating!
– But my friend, you can escape anytime, anywhere. Because you have me, Braun!
That much… I already knew.
If I were alone.
I could escape safely anytime.
Braun would gladly use his ability, which he called ‘Lights Out’, to erase my presence entirely.
Then, while the others drew its attention, getting their eyes and ears gouged out, I could carefully slip away.
– In that case, wouldn’t it be fitting for Mr. Baek Saheon to pay the price? After all, he doesn’t have much of a life left anyway!
True. We successfully created the candle, which required a recommended group of three, so Baek Saheon was no longer necessary.
‘I mean, I only kept him along to avoid a mental breakdown after all.’
Honestly, would it even matter if he died? In fact, his death might even be a net positive for society.
In the chaos, perhaps Go Yeongeun might also manage to escape…
…Wait.
Hold on.