Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 109

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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 109.

“You’re the Hotel General Manager.”
“….”

At the Aqua Park, where the sound of splashing water rang out crisply.

“What kind of game is that?”
“The fact that even you’re questioning me is truly depressing.”
“I’m asking what kind of game it is.”
“Sigh….”

Lee Yeon-woo, seated in a chair the Staff Members had provided, set his coffee down on the Table. The Staff Members had arranged that as well.

He adjusted his glasses and muttered to himself.

“It’s becoming increasingly clear that these people intend to eliminate every task I have to do.”
“That’s an odd concern.”
“I’m genuinely worried I’ll start taking others’ service for granted as something perfectly natural.”
“Your children?”
“Yes, the Staff Members.”

Lee Yeon-woo continued speaking to the Wet Person, who was perched at the edge of the Swimming Pool.

“But hearing you call them children makes it seem rather like a warm family business.”

One wouldn’t typically run a company with people at the “children” stage of family relations. The Wet Person, who had been observing Lee Yeon-woo’s murmuring, rolled his eyes and spoke.

“The family businesses I know are usually anything but warm.”
“How is someone so knowledgeable about worldly matters usually so childish?”
“You should be on my side.”
“That’s precisely the problem.”

He lacked maturity.

Lee Yeon-woo, who had been writing something, soon tapped his fingers against the closed book and fixed his gaze upon the Wet Person.

“I intend to have those two people experience ‘nightmares’ directly by my hand before sending them away. So if it wasn’t something I initiated, then nothing in this Hotel should cause harm to my guests.”
“Hmm―….”

A laugh like a slow, lingering hum.

Su-gwi rested his chin on the edge of the Swimming Pool, his eyes crinkling with amusement. Water and fish were one body, were they not? He had little difficulty discerning Lee Yeon-woo’s true intentions.

“So you’re saying you’ll shove the Hotel General Manager’s terror into them with your own hands.”
“My, that’s quite harsh language.”
“When those rats later discover you’re the same person as that terrifying villain, I wonder how shocked they’ll be. When that time comes, be sure to show me.”
“Please don’t expect too much.”
“Besides, once you’ve paid for the nightmares and driven them out in time, their memories will be completely wiped clean anyway. There won’t be any lingering consequences.”
“It’s still a plan without a proper script.”

It was sharp mockery befitting a Water Ghost, but Lee Yeon-woo countered without wavering.

“First, I need to think through exactly how to do it.”

Actually, this worked out well. If his guests could sever their unnecessary attachment to him and leave this mad Hotel without hesitation, that would be far more efficient.

And upon hearing that, the Wet Person—

“….”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing….”

He simply thought it looked rather amusing.

“Can’t you let me join in?”

* * *

A damned plan.

‘It’s bound to fail at some point.’

Water and fish were one body. They could not help but know each other well. It was less intuition than the raw domain of instinct—something that rarely proved wrong.

That only piqued my interest further.

“Words are easy to say….”

He continued.

“You don’t really want to get your hands dirty and expose your true form in the process, do you?”
“You’re quite the smooth talker.”
“Even if you’re bound here and numb to suffering, it would sting rather badly if those children came to despise you.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“So let me help you—there’s no need for only you to be the villain.”

Su-gwi whispered sweetly, offering to willingly stain his own hands with blood instead.

“Just like at the Hunting Ground, I’ll do a little ‘mischief’ myself, and you can remain the kind person.”
“You even know how to play dumb.”
“How cold.”
“That would be your assessment, wouldn’t it?”

I let out a short laugh.

“I have no intention of making my friend a criminal for my own purposes. Getting my hands dirty, staining them with blood—I’ll handle that alone.”
“….”
“Everything that happens in this Hotel is under my control, and I take full responsibility for it. Your careless games are fatal to humans, so please refrain from laying a hand on my guests.”
“….”
“Our Water Ghost here needs to mature soon.”

Even if I knew how absurd those words sounded.

“Wouldn’t you agree?”
“….”

After a long silence, the Wet Person spoke again.

“You certainly live a tiresome life.”

Su-gwi scoffed.

“It would be easier if you just compromised reasonably and comforted yourself by saying there was no choice. Why do you always have to count the days with all this talk of choices and such? I can’t understand it.”
“How could I dare to glorify compromise committed in such an unethical and abnormal place as the best course of action? I’m not shameless enough to do that.”
“That too is your choice, isn’t it? Not saying until the end that ‘it was the best I could do.'”

Most humans would package the act of becoming a hypocrite to save children as ‘holy sacrifice’ or ‘salvation.’ But his friend never spoke that way.

“You know exactly what state you’re in.”
“…What state?”
“Extremely arrogant and petty.”

He knew the fact that his moral purity had been compromised. The evidence was his refusal to glorify deception and intimidation within corrupted ethics as ‘the best choice.’

“That disgusting perseverance—not evading pangs of conscience, plunging into filth yourself while somehow trying to maintain the line….”
“….”
“It smells like well-refined self-loathing.”

And the scent of cold reason.

Did he know that such a thing stimulated the destructive urge of a being like Su-gwi? He probably did. Yet he would endure it anyway. Simply because it didn’t suit his taste.

Su-gwi jabbed Lee Yeon-woo’s ankle with a water-soaked finger.

“Trying to stay clean alone in contaminated water will only torment you.”

Crunch.
Fingernails dug into the ankle.

“If you were just a bit weaker, I would have dragged you away like this.”

Blood welled up and began to flow, but Lee Yeon-woo didn’t so much as frown. He simply gazed down at Su-gwi with indifference, his ankle still gripped.

“Let go, please.”
“Acting as though you don’t know pain.”
“Blood is spilling out.”

He glanced toward the Swimming Pool.

“The water will become dirty.”
“―….”

The Wet Person, who had fallen silent for a moment, soon smiled and asked.

“Will you descend into the abyss with me?”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“But you understood what I said.”
“I will not.”
“Hm.”

He fixed his gaze upon Lee Yeon-woo.

“….”

This was truly a vexing problem for Su-gwi.

Because he was strong, they had become friends—yet for that very reason, I cannot drag him into the waters. Had he been weak, I could have done so, but then he would never have become my friend in the first place.

Ah, as I thought….

“…The living are so repugnant.”

Lee Yeon-woo shows such blatant favoritism.

Enough to make one spiteful.

“A friend?”
“Yes, why?”
“A friend.”
“Tell me.”
“If I speak, will you listen?”
“I am listening.”
“You will only listen.”

His friend spoke with dry resignation.

“I’m telling you again—let go.”
“….”
“Enough with the spite. You’ve gone too deep. Your finger touched bone a while ago.”
“….”
“Are you serious? You’re not actually insane, are you….”
“….”
“…Ah.”

* * *

Immediately after, Lee Yeon-woo rushed to the Two Students’ room.

“You’ll need to be careful around water.”

They asked, startled by Lee Yeon-woo’s sudden arrival.

“…Ah, yes? Water?”
“The Wet Person might act spiteful.”
“The Wet Person—that’s the Dokkaebi you saw in the basement, isn’t it? He’s here too?”
“You understand correctly. I should have handled this better.”

Lee Yeon-woo felt like he was losing his mind.

“I apologize.”

This Hotel was filled with nothing but shameful creatures.

“The bathroom included—for now, it’s best to be cautious around sinks as well. And absolutely avoid the Aqua Park….”
“Hey, um.”
“…I’ve been doing all the talking, haven’t I.”

Lee Yeon-woo wiped his face. He’d changed clothes in a rush and wasn’t thinking straight.

“I apologize for pushing in so abruptly. You must have been startled. Let me apologize once more.”
“That’s not it.”
“Yes? Yes.”
“Why is your ankle….”
“….”

Damn.

When I lowered my gaze, I saw a pool of blood pooling beneath my feet. Turning my eyes, I traced the bloody footprints that led all the way here.

‘…I was too out of it.’

I had momentarily forgotten that I was supposed to be healing.

* * *

…
…
Forgot?

【Me?】

* * *

“Karel!”

Henri, the middle-aged chef, urgently searched for Karel.

“Damn it, Karel! So you were here!”
“What is the matter?”
“I thought you had disappeared entirely.”
“That’s not entirely wrong.”

Karel answered with a smile.

“I’ve decided to leave this place, and today is the day.”

Henri stammered before asking.

“Why have you made such a choice?”
“I’ve held my tongue several times, and yet you ask that question again.”
“I know this is a rather personal question, but I understand that Karel’s contributions to this Restaurant have been considerable. You were here before I arrived….”
“If you’re asking about tenure, I was here from the beginning.”
“That’s right—one of the Opening Team. The Head Chef won’t want to let you go. I never imagined you would leave this place.”
“Oh, I apologize, Henri….”

Karel smiled sadly, his expression tinged with remorse.

“But I hope you understand that this is a decision I’ve reached after long deliberation.”
“Well, you’re Karel, after all. I have no doubt whatsoever that this was a thoughtful choice. Of course not.”
“I cannot express how grateful I am for your trust in me.”
“But I didn’t want to simply let you go like this. You are our Sous Chef. If you disappear like this, everyone will be so confused….”

Henri, who had been hesitating, asked a question.

“Is there perhaps a health issue?”

Having said that, Henri quickly waved his hand in alarm.

“No, I apologize. I shouldn’t have asked such an impertinent question.”
“There’s no need to be so hard on yourself. Henri, your question is entirely reasonable. But both the Head Chef and I trust you.”
“Karel….”
“That’s why the Head Chef must have told you about this first.”
“Will you not tell me the exact reason until the very end?”

Henri spoke in a tone of half resignation.

“Damn it, what the hell is that magazine going to say? My heart already feels heavy. I believe our restaurant has that much influence.”
“In the end, you just don’t want to part with me.”
“For someone who understands so well….”
“I’m truly sorry.”

Karel drew a bitter smile across his face.

“I can’t go into detail, but personal circumstances have arisen.”
“Oh, good heavens, surely not….”
“It’s not as significant as you might think. It’s just that my family matters have become entangled as well, making it difficult for me to remain here any longer.”
“Tell me you’re going to open a new restaurant somewhere else.”
“I’m planning to rest for a while.”
“Ah, that’s….”

To Henri, whose face had crumpled as if troubled by some regret, Karel spoke with a smile.

“And once I’ve rested sufficiently, I’ll need to start working again. A chef’s delicate hands mustn’t grow stiff, after all. Don’t you agree, Henri?”
“…! Of course, you’re right.”

Henri spoke with a slightly improved expression.

“Please invite me if that happens. Or I’d be happy to return here. I’ll strangle the Head Chef myself to secure your position.”
“Poor Head Chef. I’ve always thought he’d end up hanged by a coup d’état staged by the staff. She was a difficult challenge for me as well.”

Karel threw out the grim joke with a shrug.

“But Henri, the position I’m leaving behind will soon be yours.”
“Karel.”
“If I had to return, I’d need to take your position, but unlike the Head Chef, I’m too soft-hearted to compete so fiercely.”
“By then, I might have become a better chef than you.”
“Dreaming is a good thing, isn’t it?”
“You’re really unlucky right to the end….”

Even as he said this, Henri laughed, and eventually pulled Karel into a tight embrace.

“I’ll believe you’re not truly unwell, Sous Chef.”
“It seems every adult already carries enough chronic ailments.”
“You never give an inch, do you.”

Henri sighed and asked.

“…Are you really leaving like this?”

Karel held light luggage in his hands. He’d moved all his personal belongings the day before; what he carried now was merely photographs taken with the staff and farewell gifts he’d received.

“…Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll bring all the others here. They’re obsessed with drinking, but we can’t part with you like this, Karel. Just wait a moment….”
“Henri, is there any need to make such a fuss?”
“But.”
“The sooner the farewell, the better.”

He shrugged.

“It’s not as if we’ll never see each other again.”
“…I’m not sure you’ll even answer if I contact you.”
“Did you think our trust was so shallow?”
“You’ve always been rather cold in the past.”
“That’s certainly my responsibility.”

Karel stared at Henri for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“Let us go lightly.”

I’ve done all I can.

I didn’t kill you.

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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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