Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 106

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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 106.

To Lee Yeon-woo, the Wet Person held a certain significance. Even now, with the emotional big data gone, that remained unchanged. After all, he was Lee Yeon-woo’s first contractor.

“This time I focused on cakes. How does it taste?”
“What is this?”
“It’s called opera cake. It’s characterized by espresso or coffee liqueur, and I added quite a bit of coffee syrup. It appears rather sweet.”
“It is sweet.”
“I’m glad my intentions came through.”

His words had become far more intelligible, yet nothing had truly changed. The Wet Person still descended into the deepest swimming pool of the Aqua Park to eat Lee Yeon-woo’s dessert.

“….”

Today he appeared as a young man roughly Rawi’s age.

“…On what cycle does that form change?”
“Whichever is best.”
“That’s rather vague criteria.”

In the end, wasn’t that simply caprice?

‘Truly befitting the Wet Person.’
[Yes.]

Coco had taken the form of a coat again. Ever since the Tasteless Guest incident, the monster guests had begun to perceive Coco. The Wet Person was so concerned about it that Coco had temporarily changed appearance.

Unlike in the Basement 7th Floor Hunting Ground, this was a thick coat. Did the type of coat change with each transformation? The only commonality was a black approaching Vanta Black.

[Coco. Cake.]
‘I’ve placed it in the refrigerator.’
[Hello?]
‘I’ll prepare some additional portions.’
[Approved.]
“Mm….”

Lee Yeon-woo patted the coat draped over his shoulder and opened his mouth.

“So,”

he asked.

“Has your anger subsided?”
“Hardly.”
“I made six large cakes for you.”
“It didn’t even touch my heart.”
“Your manner of speaking remains quite uninhibited.”
“We’re naturally talkative.”
“Are Water Ghosts particularly chatty?”

The rumor that Water Ghosts lure people into the depths came to mind.

“I’m suddenly curious—is it true? That you drown the living?”
“Comparing me to such trivial creatures is quite insulting.”
“The scale and depth differ, but aren’t we essentially in the same line of work?”
“Only you would make such jests to Su-gwi, friend.”

Su-gwi swallowed a sizeable chunk with his mouth wide open and continued.

“There is some truth to it, though. Those creatures are merely a handful of water droplets, yet they are drawn to the repugnant warmth of the living just as I am.”
“Drawn to it?”
“Yes, yes. They drag the living floating in water downward, grow stronger on rainy days, or persistently torment those who harbored grudges against them in life.”

Su-gwi waved the fork in his hand.

“Or they go mad if they don’t receive offerings.”

Watching the disproportionately large chunk impaled on that fork, Lee Yeon-woo asked.

“Was this also part of an offering?”
“Ultimately, Eastern rituals are just feeding ceremonies for the dead, aren’t they?”
“I understand some of ‘our kind’ are Western-born?”
“Just because one is born in the West doesn’t mean they don’t eat.”
“That may be true, but…”

Lee Yeon-woo removed his glasses and pressed his fingers against his eyes.

“….”
“What is it?”
“…I’m experiencing an odd sensation.”

I’m not entirely sure what this feeling is, to be honest.

“Next time, I’ll bring a proper meal instead of dessert.”
“I prefer sweet things.”
“If I may be frank, I find my position quite uncomfortable.”

Just because he prefers sweetness—the opposite of tears or the sea—I’ve been feeding him only sweet things. If this is what I call an offering, what does that make me?

“While you’re not my ancestor, I feel like an unfilial son in the Confucian sense.”
“I’m literally every drowned person in the world, and yet you manage to bring up Confucianism?”
“No, perhaps my actual ancestors might be included in that too….”

There was no guarantee that none of Lee Yeon-woo’s ancestors had died by water. This made me even more uncomfortable.

“Do you enjoy a traditional full spread?”
“Ugh.”
“Is there a reason you dislike it so intensely?”
“It’s not sweet.”
“Should I add sugar when cooking the rice?”
“Ugh.”
“I also considered that an abomination of cuisine.”

Despite appearances, the Wet Person only ate delicious things. Truly a finicky spirit.

Lee Yeon-woo tidied the wet hair of the young man. It seemed to be bothering him while he ate.

“From now on, you should eat three meals a day.”
“Too bothersome.”
“You really don’t listen obediently to anything, do you?”
“You don’t eat either.”
“My case is different—I have a physiological aversion to consumption itself, so our situations aren’t quite the same.”

Lee Yeon-woo smiled softly.

“Nevertheless, if you wish, I could set an example and dine with you.”
“The taste of blood wouldn’t be unpleasant.”
“I’ve already taxidermied the body’s circuitry—such an error couldn’t possibly occur.”
“How harsh.”
“Don’t try to use me as an excuse.”
“Ahhh….”

Su-gwi, having finally abandoned the Water Ghost strategy, insisted forcefully.

“Give me a snack, a snack. I liked that white cake you gave me last time—the one that’s all fluffy and airy.”
“You mean pavlova, I presume. I’ll make note of it, but I still believe a proper meal would be preferable.”
“Ugh….”
“Is he a child?”

Or perhaps there was a legitimate reason for his aversion to ordinary meals.

“I simply don’t understand the physiology of Water Ghosts.”
“Life is too short to eat only sweet things.”
“Your life, however, is scarcely brief. If you truly object, I won’t press the matter.”

I’d sensed it before with the Tasteless Guest—whether through death or sorcery, beings who’d transcended humanity possessed incomprehensible ways of thinking.

The problem was that such distortion stemmed from their very structure. Just as a wild predator naturally devours its prey, they simply regarded the world in that manner.

“…This is something I’ve been curious about, but you are….”

I chose my words carefully.

“…not a fish, are you?”
“I am.”

He answered readily. Beneath the deep, fathomless waters of the pool, I glimpsed a long tail undulating.

“Since I’m in the water, I’m a fish.”
“Is that a Western influence?”
“Who knows.”
“I see.”

I accepted it.

‘The Western world has a rather vague concept of the Water Ghost.’

The Kelpie, a water horse in form. The Nymph, with legends of luring human men to their deaths. The fairy from Die Lorelei, who enchants sailors into drowning. Similar beings like the Siren or Mermaid.

‘If there’s anything in the East comparable to the Water Ghost, it would be the Russian Rusalka—the spirit of a drowned woman….’

Sometimes they take human form, but often they appear as animals.

‘Some are unmistakably mermaid-shaped.’

Thinking it through this way.

“….”
“What exactly is this, anyway?”
“…Such a waste of years….”
“Why do you keep treating me like a child?”
“Indeed, sir.”

…The Wet Person must be an immense being.

‘Fundamentally different from an ordinary Water Ghost.’

A collective entity of everything that had ever died by water. Such a being could hardly be anything but formidable. That inconsistent manner of speech was likely influenced by ages of existence.

“Do you possess no concept of dignity?”
“Stay in Guchen as long as I have, and you’ll see if dignity matters anymore.”
“If people have been dying from water since humanity’s birth, you must have existed just as long….”
“Exactly,”

Crack.
A fork pierced the back of my hand.

“You should be on my side.”
“….”

Lee Yeon-woo’s gaze fell upon the fork embedded in the back of his hand. Pain was not the issue, but the blood seeping out and staining his shirt—that filth—grated against Lee Yeon-woo’s sensibilities.

This morally bankrupt creature again.

“…Damaging another’s body without prior agreement—how discourteous of you.”
“How sudden of you to say such things.”
“Handling what is mine and allowing others to handle me are entirely different matters. I would appreciate it if you remembered how deeply displeased I was.”
“Why would I need permission to touch you?”

The Water Ghost insisted.

“Aren’t you water too, in the end? We’re one body!”
“If you wish to claim your share so badly, then bring me a legally binding lifetime contract first.”

Bring a lawyer with you—they’d understand your position far better.

“In any case….”

Lee Yeon-woo exhaled a weary sigh as he spoke.

“You certainly have a harsh way of saying our friendship will never change, friend.”
“….”

The Wet Person, who had been staring at him intently, nodded.

“Can I eat it?”
“You’ve lost your mind.”

In that moment, the Tasteless Guest flashed through my mind, and a chill ran down my spine.

Without permission, the Wet Person sucked the blood from the fork with a soft slurp. That innocent expression while casually drinking someone else’s blood—the visceral disgust made Lee Yeon-woo’s brow furrow.

“Why does everyone keep doing this with my blood?”
“Because it tastes good…?”
“You’re all perverts.”
“Ah, I’m practically a gentleman compared to others.”

If a gentleman was like this, Lee Yeon-woo’s future was certainly bleak.

“….”

Ah, it was always like this anyway.

Lee Yeon-woo gazed at his bleeding hand with a disgruntled expression.

“…Since things have come to this, I might as well ask. What’s your impression of this place?”
“My blood?”
“Including that, I mean this Hotel.”
“Ah.”
“I haven’t had the chance to ask until now.”

This Hotel receives visits from monstrous guests.

“You might say it’s a customer satisfaction survey.”

According to Baek Mu-jin and the two Mias, they were likely entities presumed to be Dokkaebi. Considering the Wet Person and the Tasteless Guest, they’d be among the stronger ones.

So why did they come to this Hotel? What was so appealing about it?

‘I considered whether it was because they could torment human guests, but no. From their perspective, the Hotel actually imposed more restrictions than the world outside.’

So harming people couldn’t be their purpose.

“Surely I’m permitted to ask such impressions of a former guest who became my staff member?”
“Impressions, you say? I’m not sure how to answer phrased that way….”

The man who had devoured five slices of cake tilted his head.

“Paradise.”
“….”

Clink.

As Lee Yeon-woo cleared away the empty plate, he pressed further.

“Paradise?”
“Because it’s comfortable.”
“What is?”
“That differs for each guest.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
“As for me….”

Su-gwi fixed his gaze upon Lee Yeon-woo.

“I felt less lonely when I was here.”
“Why do you suppose that is?”
“I couldn’t say. I truly have no idea.”

He rolled his eyes to the side.

“Heavy things become light, and filthy things are washed away.”

The Wet Person extended his fork, as if to say he enjoyed that sensation.

“Clear this away for me too.”
“You really don’t act your age….”
“Wet footprints are heavy to bear.”
“I suppose they are.”

Lee Yeon-woo smiled.

“We find it rather troublesome to clean up the water channels you leave behind, after all.”

He handed the cleared plates and fork to a Staff Member waiting nearby—one stationed permanently at the Aqua Park. The Hotel was gradually running more smoothly.

“Though we can hardly strip away every trace of moisture a fish leaves in its wake.”
“That’s precisely why we like it here.”
“Is that so?”
“It is.”

Su-gwi leaned against the edge and laughed.

“When I’m here….”
….
“Just a little….”
….
….

He left his words unfinished and simply closed his mouth.

But Lee Yeon-woo already understood what he had left unsaid.

* * *

Being here makes me feel alive.

* * *

“Senior, senior.”
“I’m listening.”
“This bed is insane.”

It was what Rawi said the moment he rolled off the bed and got up.

“I’m jealous.”
“If you’re confident enough to handle the resentment of those terrifying Staff Members, go ahead and steal it.”
“I’m not so reckless as all that.”
“I thought you had some bad habit since you mentioned wanting it so badly.”

Seme stood before the window where rain pattered softly against the glass.

“Before I fell asleep, it was dark evening so I couldn’t get a sense of it, but we’re in the middle of a rainy forest.”

Rawi moved to stand beside him.

“I can’t hear the rain very well though.”
“Neither can I.”
“…? Even though you have water affinity?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”

Seme carefully placed his hand against the glass pane.

“Either we’re cut off from the outside to that degree, or everything beyond this window is nothing but illusion.”
“It could be both.”
“That’s possible too.”

Water existed just beyond a single pane of glass, yet I couldn’t sense it. For Seme, whose water affinity was strong, this was an unsettling anomaly. Water visible to the eye yet imperceptible to the senses.

“A call came through to the room earlier.”
“I have a feeling I’m not going to like this.”
“They asked how I wanted to arrange meals.”
“Oh, now that’s truly the hotel experience….”
“Well, it is a hotel, after all.”

Seme muttered under his breath.

“Even if it is a hotel where Dokkaebi come.”

The voice through the phone was unmistakably mechanical. The Staff Members here rarely spoke, so perhaps they had resorted to this method because they couldn’t produce sound.

Rawi asked him then.

“What did you tell them?”
“I said I wasn’t hungry, that it was fine, and I apologized.”
“I’m hungry, though.”
“Do you have any idea what could happen if you ate food from a place like this?”

Seme shook his head and stepped back from the window. He continued speaking.

“You should avoid consuming food from the Labyrinth as much as possible.”
“I know—you said it could lead to servitude if I’m not careful.”
“If you’re unlucky, it could go further than that. You could end up being treated as an offering.”
“What….”

Rawi turned to look at Seme.

“Not servitude, but an offering?”
“Right. You become something openly presented as a sacrifice.”
“I’ve never heard of that before.”
“You’re from the Outside, so you wouldn’t know the examples of offerings.”
“Goodness, I have much to learn.”
“Mm.”

Seme, who had been contemplating, looked up at Rawi.

“That sort of thing happens fairly often in Japan. When someone steals an offering prepared for a god, they sometimes become the offering themselves.”
“Wow, that’s creepy.”
“The West has its share of examples too. Just as the myth goes that Persephone ate pomegranate seeds and became bound to the Underworld, eating food from the Labyrinth carries significant meaning.”
“So we just have to wait until we starve?”
“That’s rather fortunate, in a way.”

Seme shrugged.

“I’m joking.”
“It sounds like you’re serious.”
“I should seek some advice.”
“Advice, you say….”

Rawi, who had been staring at the Guest Rooms door, let out a quiet laugh.

“I understand.”

Ding dong—
The bell chimed.

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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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