I Became a Hotelier at the Goryeo National Hotel - Chapter 33

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

Episode 33

 

“A, a reward? I was just doing what I should do as a member of Hyeeumwon.”

 

After hearing Seo Rin’s words, Eun Cheon put down the documents and stood up from his seat. Then he slowly began walking toward where she was.

 

‘Huh? Why, why is he coming this way?’

 

Seo Rin stepped backward with each step Eun Cheon took toward her. Then her back touched the bookshelf.

 

When Eun Cheon stopped walking in front of Seo Rin, the scent of frost from a dawn forest wafted over.

 

‘Wow, what is this scent. It’s so good―! No, that’s not it! Why are you suddenly coming forward?!’

 

Seo Rin’s heart pounded wildly.

 

Behind her was blocked by the bookshelf, and in front was a picture-perfect man blocking her way. As Eun Cheon slowly leaned his upper body toward Seo Rin, shadows fell across his face.

 

‘Co, could it be that this, this situation is?’

 

What she had consumed over the years wasn’t just orthodox historical dramas. Seo Rin, who had also watched heart-fluttering fusion historical romantic comedies without fail, was familiar with this kind of scene.

 

This is definitely that!! The, intimate contact time between lips!

 

The pleasant fragrance came closer and closer.

 

‘…To have my first kiss in a dream! Oh Seo Rin, have you been sexually frustrated all this time?!’

 

Seo Rin thought, whatever, I don’t care, and clasped her hands tightly together while squeezing her eyes shut.

 

‘….’

 

But.

 

‘…Huh?’

 

The expected(?) event didn’t happen.

 

‘…What?’

 

When she gently opened one eye, she saw Eun Cheon’s back as he pulled out a book from the bookshelf and returned to his desk.

 

‘He, he was doing that to get a book?!’

 

‘Aaah! How embarrassing!’

 

Seo Rin turned red up to her neck from embarrassment.

 

‘Oh Seo Rin! Are you crazy? Why did you close your eyes! He must think I’m weird!’

 

When Eun Cheon looked over, sensing her gaze, Seo Rin unconsciously hung her head low.

 

In doing so, she failed to notice that the tips of Eun Cheon’s ears had turned red.

 

“…Ju, just as punishment is given to wrongdoers to warn a hundred people, I intend to give rewards to those who do well to serve as an example to everyone. So do not refuse.”

 

That he had stuttered for the first time as well.

 

“Ah, if that’s the case….”

 

Seo Rin just wanted to quickly leave this room from embarrassment, regardless of any reward.

 

Unaware of Seo Rin’s feelings, Eun Cheon took out the prepared reward money from the drawer.

 

“It’s an amount equivalent to 10 percent of Won Ri’s salary.”

 

At Eun Cheon’s words, Seo Rin raised her head.

 

’10 percent would be… quite a lot, wouldn’t it?’

 

However, Seo Rin didn’t seem very happy about receiving the reward money. That was understandable since it was money she couldn’t even use once she woke up from the dream anyway.

 

Then a good idea occurred to Seo Rin.

 

“…If it wouldn’t be rude, could I request something other than money?”

 

“What is it?”

 

Seo Rin carefully asked about Eun Cheon’s intentions first.

 

“General Manager, are you planning to hand over the children you brought yesterday to the Government Office?”

 

“Why do you ask that?”

 

‘Because I want to avoid the nightmare ending?’

 

She didn’t want the dream’s conclusion to end with the death of children who had no choice but to steal because they were hungry.

 

“Well… couldn’t you not hand those kids over to the Government Office?”

 

“…Are you telling me to turn a blind eye to those who have committed crimes?”

 

At Seo Rin’s request, Eun Cheon’s expression hardened.

 

“What? Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I was wondering if there might be a peaceful way. Like paying the reward money I’m supposed to receive as a fine…”

 

“…In cases of simple theft, light corporal punishment or fines can be imposed. However, when people band together to steal, it’s not such a simple crime.”

 

A cold wind instantly blew from Eun Cheon.

 

‘Well, this is Goryeo after all. It might be different from our time when circumstances like criminal motives and environment were taken into consideration.’

 

But even so, this is a matter of children’s lives!!

 

“…Sending them to the Government Office isn’t the only way to pay for their crimes.”

 

“It sounds like you’re saying there are other ways to pay for crimes without sending them to the Government Office?”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“Isn’t that right?”

 

“Yes, that’s right! There are! Of course there are!”

 

Seo Rin began frantically racking her brain.

 

Seo Rin concentrated so intensely on retracing her memories that she momentarily forgot about Eun Cheon’s presence in front of her.

 

And Eun Cheon’s gaze quietly rested on Seo Rin’s appearance.

 

‘What is she thinking about this time…’

 

Eun Cheon found Seo Rin’s constantly changing expressions fascinating.

 

When she entered the room, she looked dazed like someone who had stepped into another world, then suddenly closed her eyes tightly while leaning against the bookshelf.

 

Eun Cheon recalled what had just happened.

 

He had merely approached the bookshelf to briefly examine some books needed for approval. But Seo Rin suddenly closed her eyes tightly and raised her head, causing him to pause for a moment.

 

Her trembling eyelashes looked like delicate butterflies fluttering their wings, and he almost unconsciously reached out to touch them.

 

Eun Cheon quietly looked down at Seo Rin’s face with her eyes closed.

 

But suddenly, he felt like this moment wasn’t the first time. Seo Rin with her eyes closed, and himself looking down at her.

 

A vague familiarity like a fragment of very old, dim memory.

 

‘…That’s nonsense.’

 

Coming to his senses in an instant, Eun Cheon hastily pulled out a book and returned to his seat with a nonchalant face. Though he had pulled out the wrong book.

 

‘What was that déjà vu just now…?’

 

Eun Cheon came to his senses and deliberately spoke more coldly to Seo Rin. Then, even with a frightened face, she said everything she had to say.

 

And now she was groaning with a furrowed brow.

 

‘How many emotions are contained within that small frame for her expressions to change so variously?’

 

For some reason, Eun Cheon found her fascinating.

 

The abilities she had shown during the Won Ri selection exam were impressive, but when he heard the story about how she had handled the situation after the Head Cook collapsed, he had thought it was somewhat exaggerated.

 

However, upon verification, the Deputy Commander, who was known for being stingy with praise, and the Nok Sa who had been involved in the exam were all competing to tell the story as if recounting a heroic tale, so he had no choice but to believe it.

 

Moreover, they even showed signs of trying to claim her first, saying they planned to bring her to their department soon.

 

At this point, he became curious. What could this other method that woman was thinking of be?

 

In fact, Eun Cheon had never intended to send the children to the Government Office either.

 

It was just that as a ruler, facing people who had been driven to take up weapons because they could no longer endure hunger weighed on his mind.

 

But even so, he couldn’t just leave them alone as if nothing had happened, so he had brought them here for now.

 

“I heard something about the background of Hyeeumwon’s establishment during education time.”

 

Eun Cheon emerged from his thoughts and looked at Seo Rin.

 

“I heard that relief for the common people was included among the reasons this place was built. Since we have subjects for it, shouldn’t we just implement it?”

 

“Providing relief… What method?”

 

“Method? Well… Ah!!”

 

A single word suddenly came to mind in Seo Rin’s head.

 

“Hotel security, no, how about having them handle Hyeeumwon’s security work!”

 

She recalled the children she had seen in the Monk’s room yesterday. Though thin, their frames had looked solid.

 

“…Assign them security work?”

 

“Yes. Have them handle the security and safety of the Yeokwon Inn. Make them conduct regular patrols to prevent dangerous elements in advance, and control unauthorized entry by outsiders, such as invasions by bandits. Besides that, they could be deployed to various tasks depending on the situation. They would be manpower with literally endless potential for utilization!”

 

After Seo Rin finished speaking, a brief silence flowed between the two.

 

“…You mean to have them work at Hyeeumwon to atone for their crimes.”

 

Admiring Eun Cheon for immediately grasping the core point, Seo Rin continued her words.

 

“Yes, that’s right! Since Hyeeumwon is also a national institution, couldn’t work here be recognized as labor service? Then we could obtain locally-based manpower, and the children would be spared punishment, so I think it would be killing two birds with one stone.”

 

Seo Rin glanced at Eun Cheon’s expression.

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