Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 38

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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 38.

After completing the tutorial, Lee Yeon-woo came to understand something unsettling: I had become something caught between a “game character,” a “mass of blood,” and a “human.”

At this point, any person would naturally grow curious.

What would happen if I stepped beyond the Hotel’s boundaries?

“….”

Lee Yeon-woo, attempting to satisfy that curiosity, nearly crossed the threshold of death in a mere thirty seconds.

“Before I become pathetic with durability inferior to cellular units, I must say—this is absurd. What kind of tissue structure would need to be twisted to so casually ignore biological limitations like this? This should be published in a paper immediately.”
“Hello?”
“I never intended to leave completely.”

Of course not. With a body this riddled with penalties, normal social life would be impossible.

I had merely wanted to step outside for fresh air and dispel my doubts about my body now that the tutorial was finished. After all, I had just been released from prolonged confinement.

‘I simply didn’t expect to nearly die the moment I stepped out.’

Me. This body. My weakened soul and biological structure.

“I must be truly insane.”

I should have realized it sooner. I cannot venture beyond the Hotel Territory.

A normal human body, yet without any defensive mechanisms whatsoever—a form that absorbs external impacts entirely. I formed a hypothesis based on this observation.

‘In other words, the system’s rules are forcibly sustaining a body that should be incapable of survival.’

The moment I step beyond the game’s boundaries, I escape the protective rules and become “human tofu.”

‘And if I die that way….’

Good heavens.

“…If I die outside Hotel Territory, will I still be revived?”
“No.”
“That is unfortunate.”

At this rate, I would become a bound spirit of the Hotel. In every sense of the word.

‘This won’t do.’

I could not accept it.

‘If there’s a cause for my body’s current state, there must be a way to improve it. If not, I’ll create one. Biology is my specialty, after all. Given enough time, I should be able to improve my condition to at least manage daily life….’

How quickly?

“….”

How safely?

“….”
“….”

I sighed. Life offered no easy paths.

“…Shall we have a meal?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s have some braised meat.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”

* * *

“Listen to me.”

I had never intended to leave in the first place, but the situation was far more dire than I had anticipated.

“I may be dying soon.”
“…? No?”
“At this point, it’s like running through a minefield while vaguely praying to survive. Just the other day, I was joking that I wouldn’t die as long as I kept breathing, but now it feels like I’d perish the moment I choke on something.”
“Ah, no, no. No….”
“Why can’t you give me a definitive answer?”
“Yes….”
“Yes?”

If you actually agree with me, what am I supposed to do?

“…In any case, it seems the recovery of this body will take far longer than planned.”
“Yes.”
“You sound like you’re actually hoping for that. But for the sake of our friendship—which we’ll be maintaining for quite some time—I’ll chalk it up to my own mood.”
“No.”
“Wicked cat.”
“No.”
“Sure you’re not.”

At least the tutorial had ended—that was something to be grateful for.

‘My body may have become terribly frail, but with the tutorial rewards plus that bug, I should be able to carve out at least minimal breathing room for running the Hotel Management System.’

With the interface now open, I wouldn’t need to venture outside my room for a while.

Ho-won provided various convenience benefits immediately after the tutorial—a method of subjecting players to hellish difficulty early on, then easing the pressure with rewards.

‘Though none of it is truly easy, regardless.’

Lee Yeon-woo sipped his buckwheat tea while observing the system window.

[Tutorial Performance]
Guest Relations: ★★★★★
Guest Room Management & Cleaning: ★★★★★
Staff Management: ★★★★★
Security & Safety Management: ★★★★☆
Facility Operations & Maintenance: ★★★★★
Overall Rating: S

Just as I’d been notified when receiving the Platinum Random Box, my overall rating was S.

“….”

The reward tier wasn’t drastically different, though it fell short of the game’s maximum score.

‘…The failure during the Aqua Park event’s rescue route is reflected here. It’s a bug, so there’s no one to blame, but it’s still disappointing that I didn’t get an S+ rating.’

I scrolled down.

[New Features Unlocked]
Full Interface Activation
Management System Module Access
Sensory Expansion
Existence Detection Enabled

“…Well, the interface is open now….”

Lee Yeon-woo looked at Coco across the dining table.

“This will be of great help to Hotel Management.”
“Management System Module. Sensory Expansion. Existence Detection.”
“Yes, those as well.”

Coco appeared to be synchronized with this system window in real time.

‘After all, she’s essentially the Hotel itself. It makes sense that an entity born from the game would perceive system rewards and notifications in real time.’

I turned my attention back to the window.

“…Hmm….”

There were quite a few options. All familiar functions, but their weight felt different now.

Tools that granted operational control, closed information gaps, and enabled prescient judgment. As intervention became easier against previously difficult-to-detect entities, far more options opened before me than ever before.

‘And all the areas have been unlocked.’

[Open Area Guide (Open Version Exclusive)]
25th Floor: Rooftop Garden
23rd Floor: Aqua Park
22nd Floor: Sky Lounge & Dining
3rd, 5th~6th Floors: Lifestyle Zone
2nd Floor: Grand Banquet Hall & Buffet
B1: Staff Break Room
B5~??: Hunting Grounds

Aside from the fact that it floated in mid-air, it was identical to the layout diagram from the game.

‘So this is how it was implemented.’

Lee Yeon-woo slowly scanned through the list.

“…Right, this was the area where I chose facility automation.”

The Aqua Park on the 23rd Floor.
The Dining Area on the 22nd Floor.
And the Buffet on the 2nd Floor.

‘These are the facilities that require the most hands-on work and are used most frequently in the early stages of Hotel Management.’

It was only natural to pour the automation rights I received as a tutorial reward into these areas first.

‘Next, I’ll explore the Non-Existent Floors where the necessary facilities are located, and once I satisfy the conditions and complete all the strategies up to the Closed Version, I’ll achieve the most stable operation.’

The most stable operation….

“….”
“Pardon?”
“No, it’s just that the future has become uncertain.”

It felt as though massive tasks were pouring down upon me.

‘…It is intriguing, though.’

The unknown is always a subject of study. More than anything, this Hotel was not one I had cherished in a game for over twenty years.

The areas I’d only ever seen rendered in dot graphics now sparked my curiosity as both a user and researcher—what textures would they possess in reality?

I decided to investigate that gradually.

Besides, I’d already set the difficulty to “Open Version,” so managing the Facility itself would be considerably smoother. Thanks to the activated interface, I could now oversee guests remotely from the Lodging.

In this physical condition, survival was the wisest strategy. I’d need to restructure my operational approach to handle all duties within the Lodging whenever possible.

Yet changing my methods didn’t diminish the accumulated tasks.

“….”

Lee Yeon-woo swallowed a shallow sigh.

[Status Change Summary]
Manager Rank: Lv.1 → Lv.763
External Surveillance Level: 0 → 3
Accumulated Resources: ■■,■■■,■■■
Total Playtime: 1,770 days

“…Your level has exceeded 700.”
“Yes.”
“That’s hardly welcome news.”

An abnormal level-up caused by a bug. Resources that shouldn’t exist at the tutorial stage had accumulated excessively, and the system had converted all those values into levels.

There would be benefits, certainly, but proportional risks would follow.

The greatest advantage was that securing the Hotel’s cooperation had become far easier.

In this game, level represented a manager’s “standing.” The higher a Manager’s level, the more sensitively the Hotel System responds to the user’s inclinations.

Monster guests would likely show me favor as well. That blood-thirsty guest who withdrew so readily at my refusal earlier—that was ultimately due to this level difference. It would have been unthinkable in my previous state.

He was quite a persistent guest, after all.

‘And….’

Beyond that, there were substantial practical benefits: skill unlocks, shop access, and more. Functions that should have opened sequentially by level were now all accessible at once thanks to this bug.

However, the drawbacks were equally apparent.

“….”
“….”

Lee Yeon-woo set down his glass quietly.

“…I’ve lost my appetite.”
“No.”
“When that happens, you should simply say it won’t do.”
“It won’t do.”
“I never expected you to look after my meals too, Coco. How considerate of you.”

My gaze lingered once more on the notation [External Attention: 0 → 3].

“…Truly, I hadn’t anticipated this either.”

This game was rife with meta elements.

The most troublesome aspect was that even when starting a new file, certain guests would remember the player. Of course, this only occurred when specific demanding conditions were met.

And I—

‘I have.’

Been playing this game alone for twenty-six years.

“Sigh….”

This was the side effect of the tutorial bug that I found most troublesome. Guests who met certain conditions would recall the ‘records’ of the past.

‘In other words,’

The accumulated records from all those game files across twenty-six years.

‘How many guests’ conditions have I satisfied in total.’

The Wet Person I’d contracted with this time was one of them. Given that the game had become reality and external attention had risen, it meant quite a few guests had actually recalled him.

Even right after the contract, the lack of any particular action—was that thanks to him recovering his memories? But I couldn’t afford to feel reassured simply because he remained quiet. Not if he remembered my twenty-six years of history.

The monster Guest’s attention and focus were fundamentally akin to a penalty.

“…It’s rather unsettling that The Wet Person hasn’t been seen since the contract was established.”
“Hm?”
“If a contract was made, they should at least show their face as a staff member. Are they at the Aqua Park? Or perhaps wandering the Restricted Area?”
“No.”
“You seem unwilling to elaborate.”
“Yes.”
“To speak candidly, I’m not entirely certain I’ll survive this.”

Not with a body as fragile as silken tofu.

As I muttered this, Coco—who had been engrossed in eating with her face nearly buried in her plate—lifted her head. Then, with the same confidence she’d shown before, she made her declaration.

“Guarantee.”
“Ah, you will?”
“Coco. Guarantee.”
“I appreciate the reassurance.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”

At least the situation hadn’t reached its worst point yet.

Even if countless monster Guests remembered me, they were only in the stage of “recalling”—nothing more. No matter how many variables I anticipated, the state wouldn’t be identical to before.

Just because a contract was established in the past files didn’t mean it would automatically take effect in this world.

All I needed to do was exercise a bit more caution.

But beyond that, the playable character itself would likely experience bugs frequently. I had no sense of how this would manifest in reality. Could my physical condition deteriorate further?

If so, it would be a miracle in the worst sense.

Or perhaps my current state was already the result of a bug. Nothing was certain, so a detailed investigation was necessary—though I wasn’t sure I’d have the opportunity.

Even without the luxury of time, a physical examination and improvement were essential. No matter how much I’d benefited from rewards and bugs, this frail condition would inevitably lead to serious complications before long.

Lee Yeon-woo picked up his spoon with an impassive expression.

“Yes.”
“….”
“Yes!”
“Thank you for the enthusiastic response.”

Such a reaction the moment I resumed eating.

‘The intent is transparent.’

Eat more and stay healthy—that’s what this is about.

‘Coco takes considerable interest in my physical and mental well-being. I can sense the determination not to let me deteriorate while accommodating the Hotel. At least it means I won’t need to be a puppet manager.’

I sink into another contemplation.

‘Regular meals, consistent sleep rhythms, appropriate activity levels and hydration, balanced nutrition—I’m not ignorant of these being the hallmarks of a healthy life.’

Yet I’ve been neglecting them, uncertain whether such universal wisdom held any value for this body.

‘But certainly… I’ve confirmed that my body responds more immediately to proper maintenance than it did during the tutorial. If I don’t live like an ordinary person, something could collapse without warning.’

Even if this body exists in an ambiguous boundary between the living and the inanimate.

“….”

I suppress another sigh.

“I need to attune myself.”
“Attune?”
“Yes, attune.”

This too is part of the method to maintain ‘myself’.

‘Now I can use the Kitchen freely.’

Clink.

Lee Yeon-woo gazed down at the empty bowl, its bottom now exposed.

“…I suppose I should plan out my diet first.”

Even during my researcher days, when I barely had time to breathe, I’d always maintained a balanced diet. Now that I had more leisure than back then, I could manage my sleep schedule with equal rigor.

I decided to begin taking proper care of myself in earnest.

“At this level, there should be quite a few recipes available for free.”
“…! Yes!”
“I didn’t expect you to be this enthusiastic.”
“Diet! Ingredients! Recipes!”

Despite her appearance and the fact that the game had never described her this way, Coco surprisingly loved eating.

‘A gluttonous cat….’
“Yes.”
“Ah, you admit it?”
“Yes.”
“How surprising.”

My thoughts had been read. It seemed my privacy didn’t exist.

“….”

Rain fell beyond the window.

‘…It will be difficult to see another person’s face from now on.’

I could no longer venture outside.

‘What a shame.’

With that thought, I finished my meal.

* * *

“…Hmm….”

The Elder lifted his gaze toward the Hotel, studying it from below.

“…Even now, it makes for quite the convincing nest.”

A tall building rising sharply into the sky. A rooftop submerged in rain and mist, reduced to mere silhouette. And encircling it like a barrier—a dense forest.

For someone as curious as Lee Sun-hae, it was a composition she could not pass by without stepping forward as though entranced.

‘And yet.’

He felt it.

“….”

The thick stench of blood wafting through the air.

‘Gold built upon screams.’

He knew places like this.

“…This is hardly an appropriate place for a Young Goblin to dwell.”

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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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