-This is a side chapter that takes place directly after chapter 125. It is highly recommended that readers finish chapter 125 before reading this one-
-This chapter is written using the First Daughter's POV-
It's so rare to have an interesting guest nowadays... the First Cycle lasted way longer and had many more intriguing results to offer.
Still, I have to wonder how much of this is his fault, and how much is due to your machinations...
Hotel Girl: "You didn't even show up. Are you so afraid of meeting him?"
?????: "I'll meet him soon... but our first meeting should not be here, or now."
Haah... I can already tell how troublesome this will be.
The list of people in creation capable of getting on my nerves is extremely short... and I couldn't point to one guy that makes me more mad than this one.
So much potential... He should be so much more... and yet, he seems so content in doing the most weird and minuscule things. His presence is almost forgotten now... even among my family, it's so easy to dismiss him...
Whenever he's talked about, it's always in an insulting and diminishing way.
It's not without cause too... Ever since the First Cycle ended, he has not done anything meaningful... perhaps it was due to his involvement back then, but he's a complete shell of his former self now.
To think I respected him so much... I feel like such an idiot every time I see him...
?????: "So, what did you think? I bet you're curious about him now."
Hotel Girl: "Eh... I'd say his Gift was the most interesting part, the man himself has his good points but even this Cycle has better ones to offer... I'll admit that the land he's carrying is interesting... Even if I could acquire it, I have no idea in which room I should put it... And even now that we are connected, I can't get any information on it... I've never seen anything like this before."
Gifts were a creation of one of my younger brothers... they are capable of defying all the other laws that move creation. He made it this way because he's extremely competitive with the rest of us.
And it was concepts like this that ended up making the First Cycle fall on itself...
Still, even back then, as long as I managed to connect to a parallel dimension created by a Gift, I was able to fit it inside a room.
The fact that it seems impossible to fit the Kingdom inside the Infinite Hotel bewilders me. I know there must be a reason for that, which is why I planted Angelica in Miwen's Kingdom. She has the ability to infuse him with another Gift, so I may be able to analyze if his body, mind, or soul is responsible for this in some way.
Of course, it could also be this guy's fault.
Hotel Girl: "When I was told that your newest project in this Cycle was... submitting yourself to a human, I thought for sure there was something wrong... Don't you have anything better to do?"
It's almost insulting... He had never stooped so low.
?????: "Hahaha! Yes! I actually don't! Why do you think I'm here? In this forsaken place that no one bats an eye to anymore? I just wanna pass the time now."
To be criticized by him of all people... The first to ever praise and support me when I decided on the Infinite Hotel...
But I cannot deny his words... He's the only one who still comes to visit me. All of my brothers and sisters have either been banned or don't think much of the Infinite Hotel...
As for guests... I'm not like him. I won't fall so low that I permit random people to enter this place. The Infinite Hotel is as big and complete as creation itself, to stand before my work is proof that I have recognized your existence! It's not merit awarded to just anyone.
Hotel Girl: "I'd like to congratulate you for at least having pride in your decisions, if not for the amount of lies you just spilled. You do realize you exist within this Infinite Hotel, right? There's nothing you can hide from me, so why not be honest for once?"
?????: "Well, I told you long ago, but perhaps you need to be reminded... You can have me inside this place, but the day you peek inside my memories will be the end of your life as the Infinite Hotel. So, if you are feeling bold, be my guest!"
And that's reason enough not to do it...
As much as I hate to admit it, he is not a man whose words can be taken lightly. Out of everyone in creation, he might be the only one who instills fear in me.
He is smarter. He knows much more. My brothers, sisters and I are all in agreement... if there's anyone who should rule creation... it should be him.
Yet... he refused to take any responsibility. To use his abilities... what is it that he saw... why does he act this way? What does he know, that no one else does?
I could discover the answers to everything that bothers me if I just searched inside his mind. But... It scares me.
He was so much better than everyone else... and yet, look at him now. Playing the fool. Becoming an engine for a lowly human's Gift...
If this is what happened to him, what would be of me, once I understand him?
Just thinking about understanding him... agreeing with him... or even becoming like him... sends shivers down my spine.
Hotel Girl: "I regret letting you in now... Actually, is there any reason for me not to throw you out?"
?????: "C'mon, don't be like that. I know that deep down you still love me. You're the one I liked the most too, you know?"
To go there... you were the first to accept me, of course, I would love you more than anyone else. That's not even a question!
I just wanted you to share whatever is troubling you with me... I wouldn't mind stepping away from the Infinite Hotel for a while to help you.
You're the only one I'd do that for...
I want you to be back to the way you once were...
But I know you will reject this, so...
Hotel Girl: "Shut up! I don't want to hear any more lies coming from you."
He hurts me in a way I didn't think was possible, and in turn, I hurt myself even more...
It's because I still respect him that I allow this man to come and go as he pleases... Sadly, I can never let go of my feelings from back then, as they can still be found inside me. And what's more, they are much stronger than any hate I could have toward him.
?????: "Look, I'm trying my best to make things right, okay? It's been hard on me too... I've endured this for many Cycles now, but it's finally going to pay off... I want to restore our friendship, at the very least. I even allowed you to interfere with Miwen, right? You know I could tell the rest of the Endless about this if I wanted to. But since it's you, I made an exception-"
Hotel Girl: "Pfft! Hahaha! Do you think any of the Endless would take your side over mine? Wake up. You have lost all the respect anyone ever had for you. Did you know? I'm not the only one messing with Miwen right now. If anything, I was quite tame. The Second Son and the Fourth Daughter are having a field day with all that they've prepared."
...I hope this information helps you...
I'm sorry for delivering it this way...
I don't know how to treat you anymore. I barely recognize you now...
But I still know how to acquire plausible deniability... if my brothers and sisters are so keen on playing, as the oldest sister I must ensure they follow the rules and don't end up hurting themselves.
?????: "The Second Son always had it out for me... As for the Fourth Daughter... well, you know... I'll allow them to play around since they underestimate me. They have no idea how far I'm willing to go for Miwen... And if you are wondering, I'm willing to do anything."
She's the embodiment of chaos that girl... whenever the Fourth Daughter sees a chance to cause conflict, she goes for it without thinking twice.
Every time she came to visit me, she tried to use the Infinite Hotel as her own little simulator, looking for ways to mess with the projects of the other Endless while still having some plausible deniability...
She's a complete idiot... one of the main reasons the First Cycle failed was precisely because we kept adding and changing concepts, even ones we weren't responsible for creating...
The system of non-interference we have going right now, while still untested thanks to Asdrea destroying the Cycles anyway, should be way more stable... can't she just accept the rules and move on? We have to be better than we were on the first Cycle if we want to fulfill our task...
It was the only thing we were told to do... it's what we must become, it's what we must make.
I thought banning her from entering the Infinite Hotel was for the best, but... seems like she's attached to my younger brother now...
Well, I can't be asked to solve all the problems of this family. I'm busy trying to figure out the kingdom and where the hell Miwen's mind went when he summoned Angelica and Cassandra.
As for this guy threatening the two of them... I don't know... He might be able to do something. I'm just glad he's not aiming for me.
I might be the only one who still takes him seriously, but I was always the smart and responsible one, if anything, I'd say the Second Son and the Fourth Daughter are being quite reckless by provoking him.
?????: "Not like I can do anything anyway since I'm glued to Miwen now..."
Haah... as if that was any impediment to you...
I don't know if I overestimate him too much, but deep down I think he would be able to deal with them while still doing his job as the engine for [Gacha Kingdom Building].
But in case this really restricts him so much... just why... why would he do that to himself, willingly?
Seeing the path Miwen is going toward, I can only think of one reason...
Hotel Girl: "Are you trying to kill Asdrea? Why don't you do it directly? Strengthening a random guy's Gift seems to be so beneath you..."
?????: "Asdrea...? Oh yeah, I totally forgot about him! Hm... I suppose he's going to be a problem soon... It's been six Cycles already, can't he move on? Also, why do you guys keep voting in his favor? He's literally preventing creation from going on endlessly."
Hotel Girl: "You know the reason. We can't interfere with him."
?????: "So she still counts, huh..."
...!
Don't.
Don't talk about her.
Not in this form.
Go back to being what you used to be, only then can you say anything about her.
Right now, she's the best of us. By far. The only one who was willing to sacrifice.
Hotel Girl: "Don't you dare. I shall allow no one to besmirch her name... that includes you!"
I might be crazy... talking to him like this...
He said he wanted to restore our friendship... that's so close to all that I've ever wanted...
But... I can't allow anyone to say anything against her. By all means, as the most useless between the Endless, it should've been me and not her... I failed to take responsibility when it mattered the most... and now, creation suffers due to my selfishness...
The least I can do is protect her reputation.
And vote in favor of keeping Asdrea... even though I really wish to kill him myself for destroying the very thing she protects.
?????: "Fine, fine... no need to get angry alright? Your smile gives me a reason to keep on living, so you should do it more often!"
Hotel Girl: "Ugh... I might have to remove my lips."
I hate how he talks as if nothing changed.
Does he still see himself as the same?
After everything, how can he act like this?
Where does his shamelessness come from?
Hotel Girl: "I think I'll never understand you..."
?????: "If everything works out, you will. But it's gonna depend on you too. Which is why I'm here. I was serious, ok? When the time comes, I'm going to need you. I'd love nothing more to restore our bond. It's really important to me, and I swear I'll explain everything to you when it's over. I just need you to trust me. Can you do that? When the time comes, will you follow me?"
...We're so unfair... we all had high expectations for him... and when he declared he wasn't interested in carrying them... we just abandoned him.
He never complained. He never asked for retribution.
Unshaken, he kept doing things that disappointed us, to the point where almost everyone lost hope in him.
Some are mocking him, others are purposefully getting in his way, even though he never did anything wrong.
He just... never did what we expected of him...
As for me... I still feel so betrayed... we were so close... He was the only one who understood me, the only one who supported my idea when I decided on the Infinite Hotel... I thought that as long as he took charge, everything would work out... I was counting on him...
And now, as if fate was playing a prank on us, the tables have turned.
He comes to me, asking for my support...
Hotel Girl: "If I decided to look into your memories, what would-"
?????: "Don't do it. Seriously. It would seal both of our fates, and I'm not sure if I could fix it. If it's worth anything to you... I would also hate you."
As I thought...
I could use the Infinite Hotel to run simulations of what will happen from now on, but it might make me discover whatever he's trying to keep hidden, which would bear the same result as looking into his memories...
This guy is seriously restricting me while still being restricted himself, or so he claims.
If I told the others about this feat they would probably laugh at me not understanding the magnitude of his actions.
They would say that I'm once again creating expectations for him and that he's a lost cause.
In any case...
I don't know if I should betray his expectations like he did mine and I'm afraid of the consequences of going against his will. I think there's meaning in his words, and I don't want to regret my decisions after being warned.
But if things could go back to how they were... that would be nice...
Hotel Girl: "I'm sorry. I won't get in your way, but I also won't facilitate things for you without a good reason... I'll at least keep the doors of the Infinite Hotel open for you... come visit any time... and we might be able to discuss a little more... Who knows? You might even be able to convince me!"
My act has to work here... don't notice the tears... please...
Please... I really want you to come again...
?????: "Well, this went better than last time. I knew I could count on you, thanks."
I didn't agree to anything though...
?????: "...I didn't get to taste the cookies you made, so prepare them and I'll come immedietely, alright? For now, I need to go back to my job."
Did it work? Or is he just being considerate?
Whatever the case may be... Thank you...
I knew I could count on you...
As his figure left the Infinite Hotel, I was once again completely alone.
This time, however, two guests had promised to come back.
If even one of them does, I'd be happy...