Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 100

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 100.

In the sudden chase that erupted, Lee Yeon-woo found himself utterly bewildered.

‘What in the world is this?’

He had suspected there was some hidden agenda. He’d sensed the dissonance in the actions. But he hadn’t anticipated this kind of urgent, tense atmosphere being manufactured.

‘Surely he doesn’t want to sever our connection?’

The Wet Person, as Lee Yeon-woo understood him, was a coward.

A selfish egotist driven mad by loneliness. There was no way such a creature would cross the line now. If he were going to do it, he would have done it long ago. It certainly wouldn’t be at this particular moment.

Just as the two pitiful Mias were about to reach the Elevator.

‘So then, this is….’

Lee Yeon-woo understood the Wet Person’s true intention.

‘A game.’

Madness.

“Yeon-woo, Yeon-woo…!”
“I’m listening.”
“Didn’t you say that Dokkaebi has certain rules he must follow?!”
“Yes, he’s broken the rules.”

But Lee Yeon-woo knew the truth.

‘It was the same with the Tasteless Guest back then.’

Now that the Game had become reality, the rules applied to monster Guests were merely a matter of courtesy.

It was similar to how one shouldn’t get drunk and cause a disturbance in the Hotel Lobby under normal circumstances. It would create mutual discomfort, but it wasn’t impossible.

“Do not draw your weapons.”

But precisely because of this, I could speak with confidence.

“Just keep your eyes forward and run. Don’t look back.”
“Wait, surely you’re not planning to stay behind alone…!”
“I already told you.”

Crash―!!!!
That creature won’t cause any harm.

“Don’t look back.”

Splatter!!
Except for the psychological trauma, that is.

“Ugh…!!”
“It seems you need more time.”
“No, no…!!”
“Then what are you doing?”

I continued defending while speaking.

“Run.”
“…Thank you.”
‘Don’t mention it.’

With Rawi’s fading, vacant voice as the final note, Lee Yeon-woo with his expressionless face thought to himself.

‘I was planning to let it burst when they weren’t looking, but I miscalculated.’

Trying to make up for the mistake from the jellyfish incident, I ended up showing this filthy spectacle again. Lee Yeon-woo continued analyzing the situation while maintaining an attacking stance in mid-air.

‘…The Monster Guests in this Facility don’t break the rules because they lack intelligence. Even though they seem to act recklessly, they all commit incidents they believe they can handle themselves….’

But conversely, it was difficult to prevent even that. I realized this situation was the result of the Wet Person showing considerable restraint.

‘If I restrict even this, it will only lead to greater damage.’

The ‘connection’ between Lee Yeon-woo and the Wet Person wasn’t valuable enough to warrant such protection. Or rather, objectively speaking, it certainly had sufficient value, but….

‘They won’t even consider this level of jest a serious problem.’

The other party was unmistakably Su-gwi. Their very frame of reference was fundamentally different from human common sense. If I were to defend against this ‘jest’ on top of an already irritated state, I couldn’t even fathom how ‘disappointed’ they might become.

“….”

Lee Yeon-woo chose the option with the least damage among those visible to him.

‘Focus on sending them up quickly.’

Whatever task the Wet Person had undertaken here, it wasn’t entirely beyond Lee Yeon-woo’s influence as manager, yet they were distinctly heeding the other’s words.

Perhaps they’d come to view him as merely a middle manager, at best.

‘So for the sake of future relations, if I consider what this Water Ghost desires….’

Lee Yeon-woo’s eyes shifted.

“….”

…I’m hardly a proper person myself.

He too recognized that this current ‘choice’ was far from optimal, yet considering the mental fortitude of the girls would be excessive—the jest felt far too vivid. As I’ve said repeatedly, these monster guests’ jests are,

beyond the bounds of human comprehension.

Whoosh—!!

‘And their tastes….’

It was nothing short of madness.

* * *

“So then….”

Having returned thus and withdrawn his hand from the Wet Person’s head, Lee Yeon-woo continued in his characteristically dry voice.

“You assumed that since harming the human mind doesn’t constitute material damage, I would overlook such pranks with a smile… Is that a fair summary?”

The Wet Person, still bowed at the waist, merely grinned in response.

“I see.”

Lee Yeon-woo made no attempt to seek understanding.

“I do appreciate that you avoided direct killing out of consideration for my face and adjusted the difficulty accordingly. Yes, I’m grateful for that. Thanks to you, I didn’t have to witness innocent people dying. But something troubles me.”
“….”
“Who was it?”
“….”
“Who orchestrated today’s situation?”

[External Surveillance Level: 4 → 5]

“Ah.”

Displeasure washed over me.

“So this wasn’t an incident you orchestrated alone after all, was it? Am I correct?”
“I’m telling you it was.”

Even from beyond the water, Su-gwi’s voice reached me.

“You’re so heartless, really….”
“I regret that’s the impression I gave.”
“Your guests hate it when you’re too clean.”

He twisted his mouth into a smile, covering his still-bleeding throat with one large hand. Despite the revulsion the contact provoked, Lee Yeon-woo gazed down at it with indifference.

“After all, to send them out, you need to frighten them into squeezing out ‘nightmares’ somehow, don’t you?”
“I’m not unaware of that.”
“As the administrator of this Facility who lets them in but doesn’t let them out, you’re complicit in deceiving them too.”
“I know that as well.”
“Since you’re going to get dirty anyway, why not abandon it all and play with me?”

It was a provocation that struck at the heart of the matter.

“Hm? My friend….”
“….”

To let The Human Guest live, I paradoxically had to torment them. If I was to ensure no harm came to their life and mind, then Lee Yeon-woo had to take a more active role.

A rotten dilemma indeed.

“…It is filthy water, I’ll admit.”

Lee Yeon-woo made no excuses.

I brushed away Su-gwi’s hand that had covered my neck, then used that same hand to wipe the blood caked across my throat and face. As my hand moved, the blood was drawn back in completely.

“But just because I’ve waded into the mud doesn’t mean I intend to let this Hotel descend into chaos. I have that much control.”
“You must be exhausted?”
“I draw the line myself.”
“It will hurt.”
“If I do well enough, it will resolve itself, won’t it.”
“The living are selfish and self-righteous.”

Su-gwi spoke with hatred.

“And yet you’ll still lie to them in the end.”
“Eventually, yes, that will happen.”
“Hypocrite.”
“If that is the burden of my responsibility, I will bear it willingly.”

Lee Yeon-woo turned away without hesitation.

I had no luxury for self-recrimination at this point, and yet I couldn’t afford to waver when there was still so much left to do. I had to take responsibility for my actions and my position.

“I should head back up now. They must have been quite frightened by your vicious games, so I should show them I’m still in one piece, shouldn’t I.”
“Come with me.”
“I prefer solid ground after all.”

Unlike him, I still preferred people.

“If there’s a reason to do it, and if I’m capable of doing so… there’s no reason not to.”

An individual’s innocence could never be weighed against a human life.

“For the time being, don’t linger around my guests, Friend.”
“How cold-hearted.”
“Appearing close to you would damage my reputation.”
“And you play favorites too.”

Su-gwi whispered.

“You’ll regret this.”
“I’ll see you later.”

Doing what could be done.

It was what Lee Yeon-woo did best.

* * *

“….”
“Lucy?”
“Yes.”

Hair in a round bob cut that fell to the jawline swayed gently.

“Is something wrong?”
“I’m in a good mood.”

The Girl drew a soft, youthful smile as if lost in a dream.

Skin as white as pearl dust suspended in warm milk. Irises of ash lavender gray tinged with a faint violet hue. Hair of silver-white resembling dandelion seeds or moonlight….

With an appearance like that of an angel, a Singer had murmured as much.

“I’m going to see him.”
“Wait, suddenly? Who are you talking about?”
“My respected teacher and….”

My Dear Doctor.

“We must reconcile.”

He would accept it willingly.

Not for himself or the Tongueless Song.

For the countless lives that would be saved.

* * *

“….”

When the Elevator doors slid open.

A scene of opulence unfurled before my eyes.

The aesthetic was somewhat classical in nature. The expansive Lobby floor was marble, its surface reflecting candlelight with a soft, ethereal glow.

‘The walls….’

Deep crimson hues interwoven with gilded ornaments.

‘And the ceiling.’

An ornate chandelier hung suspended above, its countless crystals scattering fragments of light with every tremor, filling the space with radiant brilliance.

‘The pillars too.’

Intricately carved with meticulous precision, they resembled works of art. Yet upon closer inspection, indistinct forms seemed to writhe within the shadows, instilling an unsettling unease.

Luxurious furnishings and silken sofas gleamed with lustrous sheen. Even the heavy, elongated curtains exuded traditional elegance, yet simultaneously betrayed an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

“….”

…The Labyrinth is like a theatrical performance, they say.

‘A record of history and a reenactment of legend alike.’

Rawi’s eyes took in the full expanse of the Hotel Lobby.

The splendor remained unchanged. Yet beneath that surface, something unfamiliar crouched in waiting. I could see it. It was not a trace of humanity. A lukewarm, alien presence.

It seemed to have seeped deeply into the very roots of this beauty.

“….”
“Junior.”
“Ah.”

Only then did I become aware of their gazes directed toward me.

“Um, yes.”
“Calm yourself.”
“What do we do now?”
“I’m not sure.”

Lee Yeon-woo had only told them to “go up.”

“That….”

Rawi pulled the corners of his mouth upward. But his facial muscles trembled, and the smile could not hold. My heart pounded irregularly, a sensation I could feel even in my neck.

Seme’s murmuring entered her ears with a buzzing sound.

“This is frightening.”

The Staff Members’ eyes were superficially polite and smooth.

Yet suppressed discomfort was visible within them. Sharp gazes as if verifying something. That was restrained hostility. It was bleeding through at the edges of their expressions and postures.

“….”
“….”

Rawi fidgeted with the equipment strap.

“….”
“…Pardon me.”

It was Seme who spoke first.

“We’ve come here on the recommendation of Lee Yeon-woo.”
“….”
“Would it be possible for us to stay here for a while?”

Rawi sensed it—the subtle shift in the air the moment the name “Lee Yeon-woo” was spoken.

Was it connected to that? The figure who had been watching from the Lobby approached them. A woman in a flowing white dress.

Her footsteps were silent, yet they resonated with a heavy weight.

“….”

Now that he thought about it, it was truly strange.

There were quite a few guests in this place, yet not a whisper could be heard.

Even as the woman before them moved her lips.

“Junior.”
“…Yes.”

A warning not to act rashly—he understood perfectly.

The White-Haired Woman’s gaze was long and deep, descending from above as if dissecting him. The tension of a predator observing its prey, taking time before the final strike.

As pale, skeletal fingers drew slowly toward them,

“….”
“Ah….”

A Staff Member blocked her path, and the woman exhaled a faint sigh.

Moments later, she withdrew her steps. She turned her gaze from Rawi and Seme, returning to her seat. The Lobby’s air grew quiet once more.

Yet the lingering echo of that gaze remained upon their skin.

“….”
“…Thank you.”

A Staff Member guided Rawi and Seme, who stood awkwardly in place, to a sofa positioned slightly apart from the other guests in the Lobby.

Even as I settled onto it safely, I couldn’t shake the tension of being evaluated.

“Senior.”
“What?”
“I think I’m going to be sick.”
“Me too.”
“Ah….”

The sensation of being a foreign object in an isolated world. I had visited several Labyrinths, but never had I felt this dizzy.

“Do you think he’s dead?”

Seme, unaware that the subject of the sentence was Lee Yeon-woo, answered.

“There’s no way.”
“Really? Even with injuries that severe?”
“This is a Labyrinth.”
“But that….”

I didn’t understand what that meant in the face of such grievous wounds.

“….”

I was confused.

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