Chapter 50: Behold, Euphoria.

Fwoosh.

The flames spread with a sudden burst, growing larger as Marcus continued to ignite anything he could reach.

Using the scented candles and an aerosol spray he had found in the cabinets, he turned the room into a blazing mess.

And it was not just this room, in the rooms where the other members of Team F-5 had been assigned, fires had broken out as well.

The hotel’s workers rushed through the corridors, desperately trying to put them out.

— Blasphemy! Blasphemy! You dare bring death and ruin into the presence of [Euphoria]?!

— The sanctuary burns! These guests have committed arson against [Euphoria]!

A faceless butler lunged towards Marcus, its arms reaching out to seize him.

However, Marcus swung the suitcase in his hand and struck the butler squarely in the body, knocking it aside.

’Fuck! Stop using me as a weapon! If I were a real Supernatural Entity, I’d have cursed you a million times already!’

As though he had somehow heard my complaints and realized how inappropriate it was to use a Supernatural Companion as a weapon, Marcus quickly took me out of the suitcase and tucked me into his pocket.

Before he could even catch his breath, another butler rushed towards him.

Marcus shoved it aside with his shoulder and continued running, leaving the suitcase behind as the flames spread through the room.

Since this was only an F-ranked Supernatural Space, the entities inhabiting the hotel seemed to be extremely weak and poorly suited for combat.

Their only truly frightening qualities were their uncanny ability to regenerate at an alarming speed and their sheer numbers.

Even with Marcus’s combat capabilities, he could do little more than keep running while setting everything he passed on fire.

The others were in much the same situation, darting through the corridors as they ignited whatever they could.

...It was honestly a ridiculous scene.

Was this really an A.E.G.I.S. Response Unit, or had they turned into a team of arsonists?

Seriously, not even the lamest Response Units I’d read about in [Arcana] were this ridiculous when carrying out a mission...

The entire hotel continued to burn, and panic spread throughout the building.

One after another, guests began emerging from their rooms.

Quite a few of them were dressed in bathrobes and pajamas, while others wore black uniforms that unmistakably belonged to government teams.

It seemed the fire had finally broken of the comfortable, "homely" feeling the hotel had been manipulating in its guests.

Faced with the sudden chaos, they could no longer remain content in their rooms.

Realizing what was happening, many of them began running through the corridors as well, adding to the confusion.

Guests, servants, and government personnel all scattered through the burning hotel, turning the once orderly sanctuary into a scene of utter disorder.

Amid the chaos, Marcus noticed Jonathan lagging behind.

The younger man was trembling, his gaze darting nervously between the burning corridors and the servants rushing after them.

"Snap out of it!"

Marcus reached out and caught him by the arm, pulling him along before he could fall behind.

Jonathan tried to keep pace, but his movements were stiff and unsteady.

It seemed the fortune I had given him earlier was still weighing heavily on his mind.

Even with the hotel burning around them, he couldn’t seem to shake the thought that he was going to die.

Marcus said, giving his arm a firm tug.

"We’re getting out of here. Don’t let that little doll’s words get inside your head."

Jonathan struggled to nod, the fear in his eyes hadn’t quite disappeared but he tried his best to stay calm.

Up ahead, Elias had been keeping an eye on the flames spreading through the hotel. He turned back towards the others, his expression growing increasingly serious.

"The fire’s spreading faster than I expected. If this keeps up, the entire building will be engulfed before long. We need to head downstairs, now!"

Team F-5 followed his lead, rushing towards the stairwell. The smoke was beginning to thicken, and the heat grew more unbearable with every passing moment.

Behind them, the servants continued their frantic pursuit, their cries of devotion to [Euphoria] growing more desperate as the hotel burned.

Despite the chaotic and dangerous situation, they managed to make their way down to the ground floor.

And just as they had hoped, the entrance had changed.

The massive hotel doors, which had remained firmly locked since their arrival, were now slightly ajar.

A narrow gap had appeared between them, and the doors continued to creak open, slowly revealing the darkness beyond.

"The door! It’s open!"

Jonathan’s voice spoke out filled with sudden and heavy relief.

After everything they had endured inside the hotel, the sight of an opening was enough to make him believe they had finally found their way out.

Perhaps it was because of the fortune I had given him earlier, or perhaps the fear of his own impending death had simply become too much for him to bear.

Whatever the reason, Jonathan suddenly broke away from Marcus and rushed towards the entrance.

"Jonathan, wait!"

Marcus reached out, but he was already too far ahead.

Jonathan’s eyes were fixed on the opening as he didn’t look back.

He didn’t even seem to notice the others calling after him.

Just then—

Crunch.

A gigantic face emerged from beyond the doorway.

It was the face of a woman, her features resembling a sculpture made from smooth, pale ceramic.

Her skin was flawless, without a single blemish or crack, and her enormous eyes remained gently closed.

Despite her immense size, her expression was one of peaceful contentment, almost as though she were enjoying a pleasant dream.

The sight was so surreal that, within that moment of time, I couldn’t even comprehend what I was looking at.

The woman’s face descended towards Jonathan.

Her mouth opened, revealing a darkness far deeper than a dark night in the sky.

Before he could reach the threshold, she took a bite out of him.

Not a single one of us could react.

Even I couldn’t move.

This...

[Behold [Euphoria], the gentle hand that cradles your sorrow. It shall take from you every grief, every fear, every desire that brings you pain. And when you have nothing left to mourn, you shall finally understand what it means to be happy.]