Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 125

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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 125.

Lee Yeon-woo maintained his smile while swallowing an inward sigh.

‘Even events trigger in this manner.’

The uninvited guest had displayed unpredictable behavior ever since becoming real, but if a formal event like this were to occur, it would be infinitely welcome from his perspective. The variables were diminishing.

Above all, this person had always possessed a gimmick of being easily drawn to the Hotel General Manager.

‘No matter how many times the game repeats, the Hotel General Manager remains in that state, fixed in one place.’

A guest who wishes for happy memories to be eternal. Now that he had become real, I suspected such instincts had only grown stronger. There was likely such a reason behind his willingness to enter the Hotel’s rules.

‘My final objective must be me. Thanks to that, it was easy to redirect his attention from Seme to myself.’

Soon, the Lover of Dawn spoke.

“Tell me of your memories.”
“You once made me a flower crown.”

One.

“What flower was it?”
“Brilliant red poppies.”

Two.

“Do you love me?”
“Perhaps.”

Three.

‘Choosing from the options.’

The Game proceeded with the same conversational method.

[We danced together]
[You once made me a flower crown] <<
[You sang for me]

When I answered correctly, the next set of choices appeared.

[It was a scarlet poppy] <<
[It was a nameless wildflower]
[It was a golden sunflower]

And then, the next choice.

[I pity you]
[Perhaps] <<
[Yes, I love you]

A single wrong answer triggered corresponding penalties. They weren't permanent, but it was better to avoid them if possible.

Given that Lee Yeon-woo's physical condition hadn't deteriorated, it seemed he was answering correctly.

"Ah…."

The Lover of Dawn, resting her forehead against my shoulder, whispered.

"I'm sorry. I can't remember."
"…."

As you can see.

'…Calm, even her reactions are subdued.'

The Monster Guest, who had disregarded reality's constraints and acted as she pleased, became surprisingly cooperative once she entered the Game's rules. Likely, she too had temporarily lost her memories in accordance with the rules.

'Of course, that's only when I answer the predetermined correct responses.'

In the Game's script, she certainly fell into the "gentle" category. But gentleness in reality merely meant not killing instantly—it was far from safe.

Even when I arrive at the predetermined answer, the backlash tears through my chest—what if I'd given a wrong one instead?

'The mere thought of it sends chills down my spine.'

Lee Yeon-woo patted Lover of Dawn reassuringly. It wasn't a calculated move from the game guide—just a reflexive gesture.

Once I navigate through this event safely, Lover of Dawn will become considerably more favorable. She'll regard the Hotel General Manager as a 'lover' capable of filling the void of her immediate longing.

Perhaps because of this, she nestled deeper into my embrace.

"Mm."

A full-grown adult, yet her behavior was utterly childlike.

'Is this inability to mature a defining characteristic of this Hotel's guests?'

They all demanded constant attention. Watching Lover of Dawn's actions, she was no different from my younger sibling returning home after failing an exam. That one had always been prone to such clinginess.

"…Have you eaten?"
"…."
"You're getting enough sleep, aren't you?"
"…."
"You've grown quiet again…."

Only then did Lover of Dawn rise from atop me.

She pressed a bird kiss to my forehead, then left the Dining Area with the same unsteady gait as when she first appeared—as though she hadn't yet fully awakened from sleep.

"…Sigh…."

I rubbed my face.

[How are you doing?]
"Not particularly well."

I say this every time, but Ho-won's difficulty level is absolutely brutal.

"I don't think things will improve anytime soon."

Even success in an event carries its penalty.

'Now that it's become reality, there's no avoiding it. I've already prepared myself.'

The blood that had been mere visual effects beyond the game screen now manifested as genuine organ failure and accelerated blood flow in reality. Something surged backward through my body.

[….]
"…I truly regret this…."

As if waiting for the moment, the blood rushed up, and Lee Yeon-woo clenched his lower jaw.

This is precisely why there are no users.

* * *

[Circulatory Abnormality]
: Love and the heart are kindred.

Vitality Loss: Warmth draining away
Accelerated Blood Flow: A broken heart
Abnormal Hemorrhagic Response: Flushing face

※If stamina is depleted, the event 'Deeper Down' will trigger※

"…Lee Yeon-woo?"
"Cough, cough."
"Hey, damn it, damn it, wait. Why is this happening?"
"Ugh, haa… hack…!"
"Why are you like this…!!"

Hmm.

"Calm down…."

Calm yourself. It's just a penalty.

* * *

Lee Yeon-woo gave the penalty little thought.

Even if something went wrong, pain was merely converted into sensory information. For him, structurally bound to recovery by the system itself, it amounted to little more than a notification. This wasn't a misconception—it was an objective fact.

'In other words, something like an abnormal status….'

But I admit it.

"…."

Those watching couldn't possibly share such detachment.

"…Could you perhaps explain what just happened?"
'They must be quite shocked.'

I thought it was unfortunate, but the emotional penalty from the Tasteless Guest prevented me from feeling it deeply. Lee Yeon-woo pondered what an appropriate response would be.

"It's not contagious."
"Pardon?"
"You two won't be affected, so please relax."
"That's not what I meant."
Disruption of business
Seme, his expression hardened, continued speaking.

"I was asking why your condition suddenly deteriorated."
"My heart ruptured."

Seme fell silent, while Rawi stared at Lee Yeon-woo. To which I added,

"I'll reattach it shortly, so there's no need for alarm."
"A patient spouting blood fountains shouldn't say things like that—it only makes us more anxious, not less."
"Now that you mention it, that's a fair point. Objectively speaking, when someone covered in blood says such things, they do sound mad."
"You just sound mad, period."
"I apologize. I had hoped to inspire confidence, but it seems I've failed."

As Lee Yeon-woo wiped the blood from his lips, Seme asked,

"…Would you mind explaining in more detail?"

At those words, Lee Yeon-woo, wiping away bloodstains with a towel, rolled his eyes flatly.

'To ensure the Hotel's safe operation, I drew the attention of the Monster Guests, and an abnormal state occurred as a result….'

Should I even say that?

'It might sound strange.'

With the absence of most emotions, I had no sense of what would be received well and what poorly. But from experience, I had learned that when I spoke honestly about what I had endured, people's reactions were rarely favorable.

'All I did was adhere faithfully to the Hotel's rules.'

I never imagined I would be portrayed as someone so utterly unhinged. A sudden wave of emptiness and injustice washed over me.

Then Coco's guidance window appeared.

[No.]
'What?'
[Sanity.]
"…."

Lee Yeon-woo inwardly nodded. So he truly was unhinged.

"If this is a difficult topic to broach, you needn't force yourself. There's no obligation for you to tell us… and since your episode just ended, we should consider your stamina…."
"No."

I reflexively denied the grandiose word.

"It wasn't dramatic enough to be called an episode."
"But…."
"I was simply struggling with how to explain it."
"Then I'm relieved."
"You must be aware that this Hotel houses several Monster Guests."
"Of course."
"I…."

Lee Yeon-woo stopped again, having barely begun.

"I…."
"…."
'…Wait.'

Doesn't that sound strange to you as well?

'I contracted with multiple Monster Guests and exchanged with them, and as a result I fell into a semi-permanent state abnormality?'

Apparently, because I once made a water affinity contract while trying to save someone, water accumulated in my lungs. And since my body is composed of blood, it mixes in when I cough. Then this new state abnormality overlapped with that, causing my heart to rupture.

'There's nothing more embarrassing than being treated like a patient when I'm not even in pain.'

If I just say this as it is, would these guys be able to brush it off with an 'I see'?

[No.]
'I agree.'
[Yes.]
'No matter how I say it, it's going to sound strange.'

Just as Lee Yeon-woo fell into contemplation again.

"…."
"…."

…In that awkward silence, Rawi thought.

'I've learned that such things exist.'

A prohibition—a binding curse.

'I never imagined I'd witness this on my very first assignment at the Agency.'

It was literally a type of contract that forcibly prevented certain actions from being performed. My Uncle had told me about it, saying, 'Don't get swindled somewhere with such strict terms.'

'But seeing him continue to attempt speaking suggests he might not even be aware that a prohibition has been placed on him. Either it was imposed without his knowledge, or perhaps forgetting it entirely is part of the condition….'

A slight sense of weariness crept over me.

'That Hotel General Manager fellow has a sinister side to him.'

Then it made sense why Lee Yeon-woo's condition was like this. Just as Rawi and Seme had speculated before, hadn't he undergone 'something' for the sake of operating this Hotel?

"You should rest a bit. Why don't you come inside?"
"I'll have to decline. I only came to see your face."
"Still, wouldn't it be better to rest for a while?"

If I left now, I'd only return tattered and worn down anyway.

"I don't understand why you're in such a hurry. This Hotel doesn't fall apart without Lee Yeon-woo, and you're the same kind of 'Guest' as us. I can't fathom why you're leaving so urgently~"

He spoke those words thinking of the 'something' that innocent Lee Yeon-woo endured to maintain the Hotel. But from the perspective of the Hotel General Manager—not a 'Guest'—it was a statement that left me speechless.

"…."
[Pardon?]
'Be quiet.'

My conscience was already aching enough.

"Was there anything amiss with your room?"
"As always, it was simply a luxurious hotel guest room."
"I apologize for breaking the promise I made last evening to visit again. An unexpected matter arose."
"That's…."

Seme hesitated, then shook his head.

"That's not something we should be apologizing for."
"I see."
"Is that what's kept you so busy all this time?"
"I'm also searching for a way for you all to leave this Hotel."

Seme continued gravely, his expression hardened.

"Is there a condition attached to what I saw earlier?"
"What do you mean?"
"Your condition worsened."

His grip tightened around the sword he held.

"The timing is far too coincidental. If I saw correctly, you showed that state right after your eyes met with Rawi, who opened the door."

There was a hint of unease in his expression.

"It felt similar to curses I witnessed back when I worked as a mercenary."
"A curse."
"As you know, mages perceive such flows best. Perhaps I could be of some assistance."

Seme arrived at the same conclusion as Rawi.

'A restriction.'

But I went further than that.

'A constraint preventing him from building bonds beyond a certain threshold with outsiders.'

Within the Game system, he was in an abnormal state in front of an NPC with high favorability toward the user. But there was no way Seme could know what kind of abnormal state the Lover of Dawn inflicted at Ho-won.

"So if we knew the conditions…."
"My blood flow becomes abnormal when I'm with someone who likes me."
"I see."
"Both of you."

In Lee Yeon-woo's golden pupils, the faces of Seme and Rawi were reflected.

"You're more favorable toward me than I expected."

The tone was like reproaching a child running too close to a car, and Rawi's eyes narrowed.

"This doesn't seem like the time to worry about us."
"Perhaps not."
"That's quite an inhumane curse, isn't it?"
"It may be."

Lee Yeon-woo brushed off the curse laid upon me without resentment, as though it were nothing.

"Most of this Hotel aren't human anyway."
"Ha, well…."

His heart ruptures when he sees someone kind to him?

'No matter how much of a Blood Mage he is, something like that can't be without consequence.'

The night I brought Seme back, his spirit shattered, Lee Yeon-woo looked exhausted. Though he could regenerate quickly even from fatal wounds, he would certainly feel pain and fatigue.

In the end, this was a curse designed to isolate Lee Yeon-woo.

"…I'm not sure how well you understand your own condition, but this is genuinely serious."
"I'll leave the interpretation to your discretion."

In truth, the "Abnormal Blood Flow" penalty was designed to frighten players—a penalty concentrated on visual shock through blood streaming from the eyes and nose. In short, it was merely an image.

But when implemented in reality, it became actual blood circulation, connected to the heart itself. And since Lee Yeon-woo was already in a vulnerable state, he suffered double the damage from this penalty.

"…."
"…."

Of course, this was not something Rawi and Seme could have known.

"…Allow me to examine it."

Seme stepped forward.

"It's not a curse designed by methods I'm familiar with, but if I spend time reverse-engineering it, I might be able to discover a countermeasure. I'm a mage of sorts, after all—I've picked up all manner of obscure knowledge."
"I must decline."
"Why? If this continues, it will deal a severe blow to Lee Yeon-woo, and you may never escape this Labyrinth. You understand the meaning of this curse, don't you?"
"Yes, of course."

Lee Yeon-woo answered flatly.

"It's a declaration of affection."
"That's…."

Seme continued.

"Where in this world do they call a curse that ruptures the heart a declaration of affection? I don't understand why you defend the Labyrinth's wickedness so thoroughly."
"Don't misunderstand."

Lee Yeon-woo looked down at him.

"I simply act in whatever manner is most comfortable for me."
"Comfortable? Even with such a curse?"
"More so than watching another person torn to shreds and having to clean up the mess."

Seme fell silent.

"…."
"I maintain complete control over all of this. These are merely the means I require, so this is not a matter for you to interfere with so carelessly. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"…Lee Yeon-woo."
"If you clumsily meddle in this chain of causality and both of them get swept up and hurt, how do you plan to take responsibility? Set aside your misplaced sympathy and focus on how to survive."
"And you."

Then what about you.

"Do you have no intention of surviving?"
"Of course I do."

Lee Yeon-woo hastily buttoned his blood-stained shirt and rose from his seat.

"I have matters to attend to before sunset, so I'll take my leave for now. This time, I'll return to see you once night falls."

He added as he moved toward the door.

"I've concluded my conversation with the Lover of Dawn. Unless you seek her out first, she won't be coming to this room again."
"Would you be willing to explain what you did and how?"
"I'd rather not."

His tone was austere.

"So it would be better if all of you kept your distance from me."
"…That's…."
"What we need to escape this place safely is proper distance and proper trust."
"Lee Yeon-woo?"
"I forgot that for a moment."

He smiled—a smile that felt somehow unfamiliar—and spoke.

"People truly are difficult."

With those words, Lee Yeon-woo left the Guest Rooms.

"…."
"…."

And when Rawi looked down, Seme was.

"…Oh dear…."

wearing a terrifying expression.

* * *

Good people die young.

In the most horrific and miserable of ways.

"…."

Then perhaps instead….

—————
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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