I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 16

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 16

 

“I, I, I just, just placed my sp-spoon on the dining table that everyone pre-prepared for me…”

 

“Puhup! Puhahak! What’s with this sudden spoon nonsense!”

 

“…Remove him.”

 

At Lee Eun Cheon’s instruction, the Nok Sa rushed out and dragged Jeong Jun Gyeong away.

 

Afterwards, Seo Rin received the heavy reward pouch given to the top candidate and put on a performance of stumbling magnificently on the last step as she descended from the platform.

 

Thus ended the eventful ‘Goryeo National Hotel Hyeeumwon Manager Selection Exam.’

 

* * *

 

“…Pup! Keu! Keuhahak!”

 

Even though the exam was completely over, Jeong Jun Gyeong was still in that state.

 

Lee Eun Cheon no longer felt it was worth responding to him.

 

“But she was quite impressive, that top candidate.”

 

When Wang An Hyeok brought up the topic of Oh Seo Rin, Jeong Jun Gyeong brightened and sat down beside him.

 

“Right? Right? During the interview, those things she spread out with that swoosh— where did they all come from? I’ve never seen objects like that in my life. And that, language certificate? Qualification certificate? Did the state ever issue such things?”

 

“What would such things matter? She showed everything directly with her skills. I was more amazed by her talent for speaking so many different languages. Didn’t she converse quite fluently with you too, Eun Cheon, who’s called a genius?”

 

Lee Eun Cheon also nodded at the accurate observation.

 

Not just one, but Dashi Kingdom, Wa Kingdom, and even Song language. To speak them so freely would be difficult without professional education. But she self-studied all that?

 

“…That candidate’s family doesn’t seem to be from an interpreter family.”

 

He recalled what Seo Rin had said during the interview.

 

“I lost my parents early and went through difficult times raising my younger brother alone, but I didn’t give up and continuously learned and worked hard to achieve my dreams.”

 

He couldn’t imagine how fiercely she must have lived as a woman without parental care. And that sight of her crying for her parents at dawn in the stable…

 

Lee Eun Cheon quietly looked at the hand that Seo Rin had grasped at that time.

 

Then suddenly, last night’s events came to mind.

 

A single drop of water flowing down the delicate woman’s neckline.

 

Eun Cheon abruptly stood up from his seat.

 

‘What am I thinking right now…’

 

“Hm? Why are you acting like that?”

 

When Jun Gyeong asked with confusion, Eun Cheon made up an excuse on the spot.

 

“…I was thinking that if she were a man, I could recommend her as an interpreter at the Translation Office.”

 

At Eun Cheon’s words, Jeong Jun Gyeong recalled the scene of Seo Rin taking the exam earlier.

 

“No, what interpreter. She seemed like she was born to work at Yeokwon Inn… Pup!”

 

“…Aren’t you tired of it? Stop laughing already.”

 

“Hah. It’s been so long since I had something to laugh about. This is really… nice, isn’t it? Eun Cheon, it seems I…”

 

Eun Cheon looked at Jun Gyeong with an ominous feeling about what he might say.

 

“I think I’ll be visiting here often, so give me a room. It’s quite a distance from Gaekyeong to here. I’ll come and help with your work too. When you’re first getting established, you’d appreciate even one extra pair of hands, wouldn’t you?”

 

Eun Cheon’s eyebrows twitched. Extra hands, indeed! It would be fortunate if he didn’t come and cause chaos.

 

“No, there’s no need to—”

 

“I’ll also come to see if there’s anything I can help with. Ah, of course, unlike Jun Gyeong, I have some shame, so I’ll come as a paying guest.”

 

“Wang An Hyeok, you too!”

 

* * *

 

“Ah! Room number 2! We’re in the same dormitory room!”

 

Da Sim looked at the room numbers assigned to the successful candidates and hugged Seo Rin and Gap-i tightly.

 

“Y-yes! That’s really great!”

 

Gap-i also smiled brightly with joy as the two she had become close with during the competition became her roommates again.

 

Seo Rin also felt relieved.

 

Having experienced early on how miserable life could become when you didn’t get along with people you shared a workspace with, it was truly fortunate to be sharing a room with people she got along with.

 

“To think there are dormitory rooms inside the Administrative Office…”

 

“Of course! You’re part of this place now! The Administrative Office only has buildings related to those who work at Hyeeumwon.”

 

The three who had been assigned to the same room went to find it together, and when they arrived, they all smiled. Hyeeumwon had already warmed the room in advance.

 

Although it felt simple and inferior to Anbin-gak, which had a strong ‘government housing’ feel to it, thinking that this would be their home from now on made it feel endearing.

 

“It’s w-warm.”

 

“Right? Ah, my body is thawing.”

 

Seo Rin stretched and lay down on the warm ondol room floor.

 

‘I heard that ondol wasn’t used in earnest during the Goryeo period, but I guess that’s not true?’

 

Gap-i, who had taken off her shoes and entered, giggled when her feet felt warm, then lay down at the warmest spot and smiled happily.

 

“I’ve never used such a spacious room before.”

 

Seo Rin turned on her side to face her friends as she spoke.

 

“Hmm, when you think about three of us having to use this room, it’s not that spacious though?”

 

Da Sim replied while organizing her belongings.

 

“I lived with my three siblings and parents in a room smaller than this one.”

 

“Yeah, me too.”

 

Since she had lived with her younger brother in a one-room rental.

 

‘That thoughtless kid always whined about wanting his own room.’

 

Seo Rin, who had been momentarily lost in worry about her brother, saw her friends organizing their belongings and began opening her chest to organize her own things.

 

Only now did Seo Rin become concerned about the ‘outer garment.’ The hanbok that had been covering her body when she was lying in the stable.

 

Who on earth had covered her with it? Could the owner of the clothes be looking for it?

 

“…Um, girls.”

 

“Y-yes?”

 

“What?”

 

“About these clothes. What kind of person do you think they belong to?”

 

Gap-i picked up the men’s clothing Seo Rin was looking at and examined it carefully.

 

“This looks like the finest silk! And the embroidery work here is extraordinary!”

 

The spot Gap-i pointed to was inside the sleeve, where a blue butterfly was delicately embroidered.

 

“Really? Hmm. Do you think we could find the owner of these clothes?”

 

“Isn’t that your clothes? Where did you get them?”

 

“Oh, I pi-picked them up somewhere.”

 

“Huh? Where?”

 

Da Sim asked in surprise.

 

“Uh, near the stable…?”

 

“They look obviously expensive. Who could have lost them?”

 

“I… guess?”

 

“And, and these are men’s clothes.”

 

“I thought so… That’s what it was.”

 

Seo Rin decided not to tell the truth.

 

‘If I say I fell asleep covered by a man’s outer garment in the stable, that would be perfect for causing misunderstandings, wouldn’t it?’

 

Seo Rin decided to keep quiet about the clothes and folded them neatly before putting them deep in a corner of the wardrobe. Since Da Sim and Gap-i didn’t ask any more about the clothes, Seo Rin changed the subject.

 

“They said our education starts tomorrow, right?”

 

“What if the Four Great Chefs teach us directly? Then I might faint from excitement!”

 

“Y-yes! I’m really lo-looking forward to it!”

 

“…Right. Me too.”

 

If only I don’t wake up from this dream.

 

The three of them ate the simple rice balls that came out for dinner while looking at the moon floating outside the window.

 

A very pleasant dream that she wanted to treasure in her memory forever, even if she woke up from sleep like this.

 

Seo Rin gazed at the moon as if enchanted and murmured softly.

 

“…Since I even passed the test, I wish I could work here as a hotelier for even just one day. I don’t want to wake up yet.”

 

* * *

 

Chirp, chirp—

 

The next day, Seo Rin’s dream came true.

 

Seo Rin, who had slept refreshingly while sweating profusely from how much Hyeeumwon had heated the room, woke up to see Gap-i and Da Sim still lying beside her, smiled broadly, and got up from her spot.

 

“Fortunately, I’m still in the dream? It’s been a while since I’ve had consecutive dreams like this, hasn’t it?”

 

Seo Rin had memories of having long and vivid dreams that felt like reality before. It was when she had fallen asleep exhausted from crying on the night she held the funeral after suddenly losing her parents.

 

Footnote

 

1) Dormitory Room : Dormitory.

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