Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 103

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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 103.

“Official designation: The Devil.”

The Hanging Man continued his explanation.

“Former top executive of the Foundation. Disappeared during the Foundation’s collapse five years ago. Four years ago, the GBC officially closed the case. Cause of death: confirmed deceased.”
“….”
“Identity, nationality, gender, and age all unknown. Notable characteristic: an automaton without a fixed biological body. Not a single person in the entire world has witnessed or knows his true form.”
“….”
“An exquisite puppeteer and exceptional Blood Mage who exhibits behavioral patterns beyond human comprehension. This has resulted in a peculiar affinity—he integrates seamlessly with high-risk Labyrinths and Sentient Species while rejecting ordinary humans.”

He observed the Director’s expressionless face.

“This abnormal affinity applies not only to Sentient Species but to all creatures possessing intelligence above a certain threshold. Due to these characteristics, he remains known as the worst Devil in all of recorded history.”
“The fact that name came up.”

The Director tilted her head.

“You’re saying this incident is connected to that bastard? Is that what you’re telling me, Tarot Master?”
“I’m uncertain.”
“Damn it, I fell for your words.”

She then collapsed onto the sofa with a heavy sigh.

“My head’s killing me. Every bone aches.”
“Energy at the level of a Tarot Card holder doesn’t appear or disappear suddenly.”
“People are dying right before your eyes, and you don’t even care.”
“A geometric mass of energy vanished from Europe. Immediately after, an energy mass of similar magnitude emerged on the Korean Peninsula.”
“So I wasn’t deceived, you’re saying? Come on, now.”

She rubbed her chin against the backrest as she spoke.

“According to the scales, there’s been no meaningful shift in the balance between five years ago and now.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”

The Hanging Man rolled his eyes in a full circle before continuing.

“However, due to the nature of the artifact ‘Major Arcana Tarot Card,’ the holder’s capabilities can influence other holders.”
“Yeah, I know that. That’s why the Tarot Master’s scales wavered when that demon was alive, right? And it stabilized five years ago. Didn’t that play a role in ending The Devil’s life?”
“Significant changes were observed in the ‘Scale of Merit.'”
“….”

The Director and Secretary Director pricked up their ears.

“Could you explain that again?”
“This perspective of the scales is likely attributable to The Devil’s influence,”
“You’re not interested in having a conversation with me, are you?”
“Since a considerable amount of karma has been accumulating since five years ago,”
“That’s a no.”
“We believe there are two possible scenarios.”

Only then did Nak-do Master, standing behind him, interject.

“First, a successor to the reversed position has emerged.”
“Are you referring to a successor of the 15th Tarot Card?”
“Exactly~ And considering all factors, there’s a high probability they have at least some acquaintance.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Even if you inherit the same card, you don’t inherit the karma along with it~?”

The Tarot Cards of Destiny seek out the living human on Earth whose fate best aligns with that card. Calling them a successor is just a formality—in reality, they’re complete strangers.

Yet the karma was inherited as well?

“That means it was overwritten.”
“Overwritten….”

The Hanging Man added his commentary at that point.

“It was one of the Foundation’s projects.”
“In simple terms, it’s like one plus one becoming three. It’s different from transferring to someone else’s body. It’s essentially creating something entirely new.”

As Nak-do Master chuckled, saying, “Everyone’s overwritten a computer file before, right?”, the Director frowned with clear displeasure and asked,

“What’s the point of transferring to a younger body if that’s not what’s happening?”
“From what I heard, it was supposed to be a process of creating ‘talent befitting paradise’… Wasn’t it work they pursued while searching for the conditions that would let them reach heaven, aligned with their stated objectives~?”
“So during that ‘overwriting’ process, The Devil’s accumulated karma was converted into merit?”
“Based on the data, we can only speculate that it’s a possibility.”
“Of all the ridiculous things….”

The Director grimaced.

“Isn’t that a homunculus? It committed literally every illegal act that exists on this planet.”
“It’s the same logic—karma of equal weight being converted into merit. Whatever the project was, it had to ultimately produce results worthy of paradise.”
“A paradise that even sinners can enter, they say. Even hearing it now, the purpose still sounds absurd, but I can at least grasp what they were thinking when they did it.”
“So you understand now?”
“Yes, I do.”

The Director nodded.

“Should we have Nak-do Master continue explaining our Tarot Master?”
“Oh, what an honor, Director~”
“It’s much easier to understand. Though I think it myself, that man speaks far too little—he’s turning perfectly normal people into idiots, I tell you.”
“Ah, how could I not understand that feeling?”
“From what I’ve seen, that fellow doesn’t understand the human heart at all.”
“He’s not human—he’s a ghost~”

When the Secretary Director muttered, “You two certainly get along well,” The Hanging Man opened his mouth.

“A long-term assignment to Gangwon Province has been scheduled.”
“Right, let me finish explaining.”

Nak-do Master leaned against the sofa’s backrest and continued.

“I lost my nephew and have been searching for him.”
“I wondered why you two were so close, but well? An assassin by trade raising a child? A man who’s skinned over a hundred artists—where did he find such courage?”
“He came from outside and wanted to join us, so I just took him in.”
“That’s something to be proud of. So the place where that nephew disappeared is this New Labyrinth?”
“That’s what it looks like, so I’ve been asking around here and there.”

He shrugged with a good-natured smile.

“First, Baeksan is paying close attention to this Labyrinth.”
“I heard that ages ago, so what?”
“Second, Baek Mu-jin, the representative of Baeksan, has a nephew he’s quite fond of—Director Lee Sun-hae.”
“Director Lee Sun-hae… Lee Sun-hae….”

The Director turned to look at the Secretary Director.

“Who is that?”
“A renowned film director active in the civilian sector.”
“How did I not know such an artist existed?”
“We believed her to be a civilian, but this is surprising to me as well.”

Nak-do Master held out his hand to him.

“No, she really is a civilian.”
“Huh?”
“That’s why there’s a third point.”

He continued, holding up his third finger.

“That woman is currently producing a horror film, and as it happens, I have connections everywhere. From what I’ve heard through the grapevine, there was something interesting that happened before she started making this film.”
“What kind of behind-the-scenes story?”
“She’s so diligent that she has a habit of scouting her own filming locations. During this location-scouting process, she apparently stayed a few nights at some strange hotel.”
“Wait….”

She turned to look at the Secretary Director again.

“If it’s a hotel, isn’t it connected to that one?”
“If you’re referring to The Previous Devil, who is recorded as deceased, then yes. The place he primarily frequented was a hotel.”
“I heard he even pretended to be a manager or something.”
“That’s correct. Because of this, many people mistook him for a Sentient Species during The Previous Devil’s first appearance.”
“Right, right—it became known he was human thanks to the Tarot Card.”

The Tarot Card never chose a Labyrinth. They divined only the fates of ‘humans’.

“So if we consider the primary stage of the subject at that time, this new Labyrinth is likely to be in the form of a hotel, is that it? But if it’s a film director, then the people who stayed at that hotel would also be civilians, wouldn’t they?”
“That’s right, they’re civilians~”
“If that hotel is really a Labyrinth connected to the Foundation, then that shouldn’t be possible, should it? Or are Sentient Species playing tricks? Though there are certainly some who enjoy that sort of thing, but it would take considerable effort….”
“No, no, that’s not it.”

Nak-do Master waved his hand dismissively.

“What did we say up there?”
“Hmm… overwriting?”
“If that were possible, he would’ve needed excellent synchronization with The Previous Devil, so I’m thinking he was probably either a direct disciple or an experimental subject.”
“But you said he was kind.”
“Exactly—so maybe the odds lean more toward him being an experimental subject, don’t you think~?”

The Director’s face twisted.

“That makes even less sense.”

And rightfully so.

“I know what those Foundation bastards do. Even if there’s blood feud between parent and child, they don’t treat people like that. Someone who suffered that kind of treatment and became a Labyrinth—and then spares outsiders who crawl into the Labyrinth?”

There might exist humans born with innate goodness, but the Director didn’t believe in it. Human kindness typically springs from abundance. It would be strange if someone who’d lost everything, even their body, didn’t succumb to malice.

“That doesn’t make sense….”
“It’s a deformity-scale accumulation of good karma.”
“―…it could be.”

At The Hanging Man’s interjection, the Director’s face, which had been lost in thought, sagged with exhaustion.

“I’ve lived long enough to hear that kind Labyrinths exist too.”

Nak-do Master laughed awkwardly with a carefree expression.

“Well, I’m half-convinced myself~.”
“But.”
“If my Nephew really did get caught up in that, I’d rather hope it’s a Labyrinth with a gentler disposition. It puts my mind at ease.”
“That much I understand.”

Even beasts cherish their young.

“Fine, let’s say it’s a kind Labyrinth. At minimum, one with enough compassion to let innocent civilians go unharmed. Then it really is connected to that Devil bastard?”
“Since all the Dokkaebi are gathering on the Korean Peninsula, the pattern resembles when that guy was alive, according to our Captain friend. She’s The Hanging Man by title, so let’s trust her judgment.”
“I trust our Tarot Master’s eye, sure. I trust it, but the moment the Foundation name comes up, my trauma flares. Europe’s far away, but Korea wasn’t exactly peaceful back then either….”

She looked as though she might be feeling nauseous.

“So that’s where the long-term business trip to Gangwon Province came from? The hotel hidden behind all this is located in Gangwon,”
“I only have a rough idea of the location—I don’t know exactly where that cursed hotel is. We’ll have to investigate from here on out. If we’re dealing with the Gangwon Branch, getting their cooperation should be manageable.”
“Anyway, the regional office gets pushed around like a punching bag. In any case, that’s why we need time to gather proper intelligence and then mount a rescue operation for my nephew. So the pretext of a long-term business trip came up, right?”
“That’s about the size of it~?”
“Hold on.”

The Director asked.

“So what’s the second scenario?”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you say earlier that ‘two possibilities seem likely’?”

The Hanging Man answered.

“The case where The Previous Devil was actually a good person.”
“Do I really have to keep listening to this?”

Her gaze grew distant. She was beginning to look tired.

“Now I understand why you’ve been keeping your mouth shut all this time.”
“It’s certainly difficult to bring up a story like this without solid testimony or evidence~….”
“Fine, fine, I get it. I understand. So either someone genuinely became pitiful, or they were actually pitiful to begin with, right? That’s it, isn’t it? Tell me I’m right, you young things.”
“Yes, that’s correct, ma’am.”
“But what if it’s not?”

The Director straightened up.

“All I have to boast about is the years I’ve lived, but do you think I don’t know what kind of man The Devil was? That bastard could pull off any outrageous scheme imaginable. He was dreadfully clever, that son of a bitch. And his execution was even better.”

There were still many ways in which he had orchestrated various incidents that remained unexplained. Some people had gone mad or died trying to analyze them.

“Since no one bearing the fifteenth card has ever been discovered after him, you’re right—your theory could hold water. But what if it’s not what we expected? Hmm?”
“….”
“What if he pulled off some unimaginable scheme and actually succeeded in transforming the headquarters into a Labyrinth? What if the master of that living hell is still that bastard, The Devil?”

Across the weathered face of the seasoned veteran, an old, indelible scar throbbed with a deep, visceral revulsion and a biological chill that swept through in an instant.

“Then what do we do?”

The Director’s voice had grown parched and brittle.

“The Labyrinth is structurally harmful to people—that’s independent of the owner’s disposition.”
“I understand.”
“As you age, all you feel is fear. Everyone you know dies one by one, and the loneliness becomes unbearable. The Foundation’s share in all this was enormous, and the absurdity knew no bounds.”
“Are you attached to them, sir?”
“I bought the Tarot Master a few meals, and you’re asking if I grew attached? Of course I did.”

The Director chuckled softly.

“I told you—I have trauma.”

She too had been deployed in the annihilation operation.

If anything, this was the aftermath of war. Through that ordeal, she had lost her superior, lost her subordinate, lost her colleagues, and gained only the position of Gangwon Regional Director. She hadn’t asked for it, yet it came to pass.

For nearly five years, she had never fallen into deep sleep.

Not a single night.

“Anyway, those stubborn fools—no matter how long-winded the explanation, I just can’t bring myself to believe it.”
“My, our Director is quite the good person~”
“With that kind of character, you shouldn’t even be a director, you fool. What obvious nonsense are you spouting?”

Her laughter faded into something hollow.

“It’s not entirely unconvincing, but the story is too convenient, so this old woman’s ears won’t accept it. And if the Tarot Master is right, that’s a problem in its own way.”

The former would be pitiful; the latter would breed chaos.

“I’ll speak with Headquarters and give you plenty of time. Just come back in one piece.”
“What about me? Will you worry about me too, Director?”
“Damn nonsense. Should I just break your legs right now? How dare a civilian making a living through private work butt into a conversation between government employees?”
“The Resonance Bureau really does have strong bonds between family members~ I’m envious~….”

Nak-do Master laughed good-naturedly and tapped the Captain’s shoulder.

“That sounds good.”
“Yes.”

He nodded in agreement.

“Very well.”

He had never once objected.

With respect woven into a faint bow, he turned and left the room.

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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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