𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐌𝐘 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄? (𝗵. 𝗮𝗸𝗶) ✓

20

"Here's the rundown of our situation."

The dismal group of seven had all gathered in one of the hotel's dingy rooms, the sparse decoration and ageing wallpaper adding a certain 'mood' to the congregation. Since the discovery of the building's existence as an infinite space, they had retired to a suite to consolidate what they had learned so far; which was not only very limited information, but also not at all reassuring.

"No matter how many stairs we climb up or down from the eighth floor, we always end up in the same place."

They had tried this multiple times, including when both Arai and Himeno found this out.

"We can't use the elevators for some reason."

This one was more straight-forward. But still, no less disheartening.

"We can't get outside through the rooms or windows."

Almost immediately after Hanasaki had made her statement on the endless staircase, Aki had raced into the nearest room and tried to escape by climbing out of the window and clambering down the side of the building.

However, upon entering said room, he found that nothing lay beyond the glass but yet another room — a perfect mirror version of the one he had been in before. And, upon setting foot into said mirror-room, and opening the space's own door, he found himself exiting through none other than the doorway opposite the one he had first come through. And, standing in between both entrances, in the middle of the hallway, was Kobeni, who had a funny way of welcoming him. Namely, screaming.

"We tried climbing up through the ceiling, but the eighth floor was above that, too."

The 'we' in this case had actually been Denji, as he was one of the few people who still had any stomach for adventuring.

"Isn't it because Power went and killed that Devil?" he questioned now, having already made himself comfortable by tucking himself into one of the beds. "I bet that Devil used its power to trap us here, and then it died without turning it off!"

The Fiend, who had been sitting beside him with her legs dangling off the mattress, lunged at him immediately.

"You said to kill it!"

"Did not!"

Aki shook his head, unamused by their bickering. "Devils' powers are undone when they die, so that's impossible."

He was standing near the 'window', and would be leaning against it if it weren't for the sheer tension in his posture. Himeno was nearby, and had taken out a cigarette to relieve her stress. The smoky vapour permeated through the still air of the room, filling it with the distinct smell of tobacco. When it reached Hanasaki, she began to pray that, for her sake, it was the last one in the pack.

As if on cue, the senior lowered the cigarette from her mouth and turned towards Aki.

"Any movement from the flesh piece?"

Pursing his lips, he shook his head again. "About that... it completely stopped moving."

Surely enough, the bullet chunk was motionless on its string. Himeno sighed, raising her cigarette-holding hand once more.

"So we walked straight into a trap, with that Devil as bait..." she mused, and paused, as if considering taking another draw. "This is the first time I've had a Devil try anything this tricky."

The two human rookies seemed to be coping with the situation the worst. Arai stood to the side of Himeno, trying to remain authoritative in appearance, despite him visibly sweating. Meanwhile, Kobeni was sitting on the second of the two beds, the one next to the wall, her expression frozen into one of perplexed horror.