Got Dropped into a Ghost Story, Still Gotta Work - Chapter 173

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Even If I Fall Into a Ghost Story, I Still Have to Go to Work Episode 173

The first day of resort operations is flowing smoothly.

‘Phew.’

Though I was sweating buckets inside the mascot’s calm exterior.

‘Th-there are too many troublemakers.’

To be precise, troublemakers written as such but read as terrifying somethings that would appear in horror movies – ominous and sinister guests appeared at a rate of one in three.

-Give me Room 404. It must be Room 404, and never come looking for me

-Let’s burn to death together

-There are so many elevators here… Hehehehehehehehehe

And I was gradually realizing that being obvious like this was actually more comfortable.

…Because gradually, bizarre requests were coming in through room service…

From calling and suddenly hanging up, to pretending to urgently request rescue then laughing maniacally when strange points were pointed out, to incomprehensible bizarre religious apocalyptic stories.

‘So fucking scary.’

This is just a Neapolitan ghost story hotel.

Save me. I’m going crazy.

Still, the one consoling point was that today was gradually coming to an end.

It seems today’s check-ins will end soon.

Let’s check the results of the first opening day after business hours end.

‘I guess the theme park is also approaching closing time.’

The resort seemed to wrap up together with the theme park, except for the night shift.

-Ahahahahaha!!

In the distance outside the window, fireworks were exploding.

…From the Magic Bunny Zone in the Red Zone, some terrible and fun parade seemed to have started, as I could hear guests murmuring in disappointment about missing it…

‘That crazy Red Zone is still operating normally, I see…’

For once, I was grateful that mascots couldn’t leave their zones…

And one more thing I realized was that quite a few of the troublesome guests coming to the resort were those who had mainly enjoyed the Magic Bunny Zone.

For instance, even now.

“Excuse me. I don’t have eyes, and if I don’t have eyes I can’t close them, and if I can’t close them I can’t sleep, and if I can’t sleep there’s no point in renting a room, so give me eyes, eyes.”

“Ju-just a moment, I’ll check our inventory…”

“You have inventory, you do, you have some!!”

“Hueok.”

Get lost!

I barely saved Jang Heo-un, who was on the verge of having his eyeballs plucked out, and chased the terrible something out the front door.

“Eyes!!! Eyes!!”

The thing with empty eye sockets blinking all over its body howled before being pushed out by the Standard Mascot’s threat.

The Vole-masked Employee working as a janitor cowered completely and just pretended to sweep in the corner, as if wanting to disappear from this place.

That was understandable. If I hadn’t been wearing the mascot costume, I might have fainted too…

‘…Can’t we notice in advance and refuse entry?’

I wanted to chase them away faster, before they even entered.

Three items had already been added to the employee work guidelines…

‘Phew.’

While taking advantage of the lull with almost no check-in customers to think about what method to use.

A customer came running through the glass door.

“Save me!”

Actually, they might not be a customer.

A Field Investigation Team Employee wearing a weasel mask saw the Ladybug Employee sitting at the room service call waiting desk, then ran over frantically and clung to them.

“De-Deputy Manager! Deputy Manager. Please save me. I tried to exit through the gate but I can’t get out…”

“Cu-customer? What are you talking about…?”

“No matter what I do, I can’t get out! I can’t enter the Blue Zone again either! It says it’s an already used ticket! Please save me. Please save…”

“…I’m sorry, customer!”

The Ladybug Employee politely discouraged the clinging and pointed to the front desk.

“I’m not Information Staff, so if you’ll excuse me, please inquire at the front desk over there regarding exits.”

“…”

The Weasel-masked Employee froze, then turned their head with a creaking sound.

Our eyes met.

Welcome.

Come here

Don’t worry. I’m an ally.

But the weasel mask turned around and tried to flee outside through the glass door. No, where exactly were you planning to sleep then…

No, how did you even get over here in the first place? Did you cross without scanning the gate?

That’s when it happened.

“…!”

A customer who happened to be entering the lobby caught the weasel mask that was trying to run out.

…It’s Manager Lizard!

Ah, no, why isn’t Team Leader leaving and staying here!

Lee Ja-heon grabbed the neck of the crying employee and strode toward the front desk, looked straight at me, and greeted.

“Good evening.”

Hello

“Can I stay with this?”

And he held out something like a small rectangular paper badge.

It was an accommodation coupon.

‘…??’

Where did you get it

“The Blue Dream Water Park mascot is distributing them as event prizes.”

‘…’

Wow.

‘No, why would they do such a thing.’

No… more than that, is it okay to do that so arbitrarily?

I unconsciously reached for my appointment documents hidden under the front desk.

The pen moved on its own again.

I heard the Blue Dream Mascot arbitrarily held an event for experience reviews. Could it be a gesture of welcome?

Though it’s close to overstepping authority, since they’re a mascot from the same theme park, I decided to tolerate it this time.

I never did that though.

It would also help with promoting the resort’s opening.

Do we really have to do this…?

And that mascot seems to have pledged to pay the accommodation fees themselves for the coupons they issued.

Ha.

I suppressed a sigh and forcibly controlled the pen that was trying to move on its own.

Down to the last coin I decided to only charge the discounted price for personnel.

‘Let’s maintain friendly relations anyway.’

No matter how I looked at it, it was a gesture of goodwill.

But how do I receive it? I can’t cross over to that side.

During theme park operating hours, you should be able to meet the mascot if you go near the gate that leads to the Blue Dream Water Park area.

Thanks for letting me know about this.

I suppressed a sigh and finished organizing the documents.

Then, while receiving the coupon, I faced the blank-eyed lizard in front of me again.

No, please go outside.

Why did you come

“Blue Dream Water Park is currently undergoing maintenance on all other gates, and only the gate leading to this resort is operating.”

This is insane.

‘No wonder there were so many guests from the very first day of opening!’

Why are we doing forced customer solicitation!

“And those who have received event coupons cannot leave.”

“…!”

“It’s presumed that they’re judged as not having consumed all their boarding passes.”

Ah.

‘They haven’t enjoyed the ‘theme park’ enough.’

So that’s why Lee Ja-heon and the employee he’s dragging around couldn’t leave either.

‘Hmm.’

Welcome

I can’t just let them go missing in a closed theme park.

I took the coupon from the sobbing employee’s hand and gladly assigned deluxe rooms to Lee Ja-heon and the unknown weasel-masked employee.

I even helped by assigning a standard mascot to guide them to their rooms.

‘I should put them on a floor with only well-behaved guests…’

Including our employees.

I really hope none of them are found dead the next day…

“Um, Mascot.”

Then, during a brief lull in guests, Jang Heo-un whispered quietly.

“Thank you. For helping us…”

It’s okay

I’m just amazed by his character – saying thank you for receiving a little help from his employer even though he was forced into an employee contract.

‘How did you survive at Baekillmong…’

It was at that moment when I was looking at Jang Heo-un with pity.

-♩♪♬♬~♩♬♬~♩♪♪

The theme park’s background music changed.

‘…!’

A cheerful… ending song.

-See you again next time~

The dazzling lights of the colorful and enchanting theme park outside the window go out one by one.

Spreading wider and wider.

‘…Operating hours are over!’

The theme park stops functioning.

The standard mascots close and lock the glass doors of the lobby.

At that moment.

“Let us innnnnn!!”

More than ten shadowy figures frantically ran to the glass door and began pounding on it.

…They seem to be theme park visitors who couldn’t get out in time.

But the lobby door doesn’t open.

The standard mascots just wave their hands in farewell like friendly theme park costume suits.

Blood forms on the glass door, and those with crushed hands cry while bumping or banging their heads.

But still, the door doesn’t open.

And the resort streetlights begin to go out as well.

Tick.

Ticktickticktickticktickticktick.

The customers outside the door, who watched the lights going out from afar with terror-stricken eyes, eventually fled somewhere as if pushed by the extinguishing lights.

Where they’re going, I don’t know either…

‘…’

My heart was pounding.

Meanwhile, the light from the huge chandelier in the lobby also went out.

Only the soft gas lamp light remains, gently and cozily enveloping the resort building’s lobby.

Today’s business has ended.

‘Phew.’

A cool sigh mixed with fear and relief escaped from my mouth.

‘Day 1 complete.’

Anyway, I endured it.

Good work

At my words, the employees either collapsed as if their legs gave out or hung their heads low.

Now

Break Time

Everyone except the night shift can go rest.

By the way, I’m on night shift duty… The mascot seems fine without sleeping. Ugh.

‘This is the right approach to handle any emergencies.’

It’s scary as hell, but let’s endure it. If I delegate this because I’m scared, I might end up seeing the resort turn into a complete mess.

I assigned rooms one by one to the employees who looked exhausted and weary.

‘I hope you get some good rest…’

Please abandon any unnecessary curiosity and just sleep.

After sending everyone off, I remained alone in the lobby for a moment before returning to the manager’s office.

‘Phew.’

I briefly considered taking off the mascot mask… but decided to endure it for now in case I might lose my mascot qualification.

Besides, this costume was becoming strangely more comfortable to wear.

‘It feels like I’m wrapped in a fluffy comforter.’

The slight weight and stuffiness were bearable. Eventually, I sat down at the office desk and picked up a pen.

It was time to calculate today’s business results.

Day 1 Business Results

Visitors: 78

Guests: 45

Rooms Used: 27

Satisfied Customers: (Calculating)

Revenue: Pleasant Coins x51

Pleasant Coins?

‘Are they referring to the plastic coins we received as payment?’

I requested the Standard Mascot to transport the coins to the office.

Indeed, there were exactly 51 of them.

‘Seems right.’

And if this is based on a board game… these coins should have somewhere to be used.

Would you like to use Pleasant Coins to purchase resort supplies?

As expected.

Or you could modify resort facilities or make them more luxurious.

I decided to choose whichever option would be more helpful for operations.

Hmm.

I crossed my arms. It looked a bit clumsy, but it was possible.

‘…To make this resort safe, it seems important to prevent troublemakers beforehand.’

Then what method would be most effective?

If I could modify the resort, it was actually a simple problem.

‘Just make them not want to come.’

I started adding other items below the existing resort usage rules.

2. To ensure peaceful rest for our guests, all disruptive behavior is prohibited within the resort.

All amenities, welcome gifts, and services are provided immediately upon check-in, and afterwards you can enjoy dignified and peaceful rest in your room without any disturbance.

Thorough distancing!

‘It’s like acting like a clothing store where not soliciting customers is the selling point.’

This way I can naturally add this sentence.

If you disturb other guests’ peaceful rest, your room reservation may be cancelled.

But this is a resort attached to a theme park.

Telling people to rest well after playing at the amusement park is quite reasonable, but if done wrong, there might be many dissatisfied customers complaining about insufficient service or boredom.

I need to care about customer satisfaction too, since I can add new facilities to get additional stamps and escape…

Good.

I decided to purchase premium amenities and welcome gifts with Pleasant Coins.

Additionally, I will replace all room bedding with the highest quality.

Going with the freebies strategy.

Facility investment? That’s only for people who plan to operate this place long-term, and for a mascot like me who wants to maximize satisfaction and escape, it doesn’t apply.

Let’s cover everything with game money!

Hahahaha!

Ha…

Phew.

‘…But where do I really get additional staff?’

Unless they’re crazy, the people who came for coupons today will all run away tomorrow.

There’s no answer. Ugh.

‘Let’s just focus on selecting items for now…’

And so the night shift hours passed.

Several dozen minutes before Kim Sol-eum went on his frenzied supply shopping.

Lee Ja-heon took the antique wooden elevator of Flower Golden Resort and was assigned a room on the 3rd floor.

The Standard Mascot that had guided him opened the door to his room, then waved several times in a somewhat friendly manner before politely disappearing.

Thus he was left alone in the room.

“…”

Though somewhat narrow as hotel-type accommodations tend to be, it was an atmospheric baroque-style room befitting part of a theme park.

Bronze decorations and glass crafts dimly reflected in the dark lighting.

He passed by the crystal stand lamp and headed toward the bed.

On the bedside table in the bedroom was a beautiful guide with golden flowers engraved on it.

Guide for Guest Lizard

We sincerely welcome you, our guest, to the fantastic rest space, Flower Golden Resort.

To help ensure your comfortable and pleasant experience, we have prepared a simple resort usage guide.

We hope you enjoy all the pleasures this resort has to offer.

Item 1, which could be summarized as maintaining courtesy and dignity, continued below. And…

Lee Ja-heon’s gaze moved downward.

…Item 2 was being added to the guide in real time.

2. To ensure peaceful rest for our guests, all disruptive behavior is prohibited within the resort.

“….”

And at that moment.

Knock knock knock.

Someone knocked on the room.

Lee Ja-heon immediately put down the paper and approached the door.

The knocking continued without stopping, at increasingly shorter intervals….

Knock knock knock….

Click!

He opened the door without hesitation.

If Kim Sol-eum had seen this, he would have been tearing his hair out saying ‘Should I have included a cliché item about ignoring sounds asking to open the door?’, but Lee Ja-heon remained calm.

And the person standing in front of Lee Ja-heon’s train car door was….

“Ah, hello.”

An employee wearing a buffalo mask.

It was Jang Heo-un.

Since work hours had ended, he had taken off his uniform and was wearing a business suit again, but the golden bow tie tucked into the front pocket of his suit was slightly visible.

He glanced nervously and anxiously down the corridor, but soon quickly opened his mouth again.

“I’m sorry for visiting so suddenly, Manager. The thing is….”

He lifted his head with a determined expression.

“By any chance, would you consider working at this resort? …We need more employees.”

Lee Ja-heon stared at him with vertical pupils.

The next morning.

“I want to work at this resort.”

“…?!”

The yellow mascot spilled all the welcome gifts they were carrying onto the floor!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————