Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 65

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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 65.

‘There is one critical factor in this strategy.’
[Yes.]
‘Blood cannot be spilled.’

If it does, everything fails. The strategy fails, and Lee Yeon-woo fails.

From this exploration onward—having declared war—I couldn’t predict exactly how the Tasteless Guest would manifest in some unconventional manner. Yet by reviewing the events in Room 14, a rough answer emerged.

‘He will appear immediately where blood is spilled.’

There was one saving grace, at least.

‘Blood already buried is not a consideration.’

Seeing that he didn’t react to the dried blood on the experimental table, it seemed what he craved was only Belmarés’s fresh blood.

“….”

Then again.

‘What he covets now is ultimately my blood.’

Blinded by the hunger to devour Belmarés and become whole, stale blood of unknown vintage would never catch his eye.

‘So what matters is that I don’t bleed. I wish it were something I could resolve simply by being careful, but here another massive problem emerges.’
[The penalty.]
‘Precisely.’

Lee Yeon-woo, who coughed up blood as a penalty from the contract with the Wet Person. In other words, summoning the Tasteless Guest on the 14th Floor was an unavoidable, predetermined future.

[Hello?]
‘I’m not doing well at all. This is quite a predicament.’

There were methods to suppress the penalty. However, with the meager amount of ‘nightmare resources’ currently gathered, purchasing the relevant items was entirely out of reach.

‘Instead, I can employ a different approach.’

Lee Yeon-woo withdrew a peculiar blood-drawing apparatus from his inventory.

[No?]
‘Do not misunderstand—this is actually one of the more legitimate blood-drawing instruments available.’
[No?]
‘The needle is rather large, admittedly.’

A single insertion would likely destroy not just blood vessels but muscle tissue as well. The instrument was grotesquely oversized. Yet by comparison, it was almost merciful—far preferable to having one’s limbs torn away entirely, as had happened in Room 14.

‘There is a saying: if fate decrees you shall be cut by a blade, undergo cosmetic surgery instead.’
[Pardon?]
‘I do not genuinely believe such wisdom, but my approach now is similar. If I am destined to shed blood regardless, should I not guide that bleeding according to my own timing and direction?’

Even if the Guest appeared instantly upon blood being spilled, there existed, strictly speaking, a slight delay—the time required for the Guest to reach that location and materialize their form.

‘In a situation like this, where my opponent waits with burning eyes for blood…’
[Six seconds.]
‘Our thoughts align.’

The Guest would undoubtedly appear within six seconds of the bleeding.

‘Moreover, immediately after appearing, they will be momentarily rigid for approximately three seconds while perceiving their surroundings.’

In other words, even if my blood leaked outward, there would be a total of nine seconds before my opponent could begin serious pursuit.

‘That is sufficient.’

This apparatus fills its capacity in merely three seconds. In this dire situation where even 0.1 seconds mattered, those six additional seconds of reprieve were ample time to evade the Tasteless Guest.

‘The instrument is small, so the blood yield will be modest, but it should pose no problem in luring the Guest. They are drawn to Belmarés’s blood itself, after all. They follow the sequence rather than the quantity.’
“….”
‘You appear quite displeased, Coco.’

Coco’s silhouette, walking briskly with eyes downcast, seemed somehow to be grumbling. Well, it was an apparatus capable of filling a thick cylinder in just three seconds.

‘Any ordinary person would be shocked by such an object, so it’s only natural.’
[Coco. Displeasure. Blood draw.]
‘I never thought to apply it this way….’

But to Lee Yeon-woo, my body was nothing more than a blood pouch. Drawing blood with a needle inserted into a blood pack didn’t damage or kill the pack itself.

‘The pain that accompanies it is hardly a significant penalty for me, a playable character.’

Unlike ordinary people, it was merely an inconvenience.

‘But if I can lure the Tasteless Guest this way, wouldn’t it make my work so much easier?’
[Yes.]
‘My prediction is that even if blood doesn’t disperse into the air, the moment blood flows outside my body, the Tasteless Guest will judge it as a bleeding situation. And even if it only counts as bleeding when sprayed outward, I could actually buy myself more time from my perspective.’
[Yes.]
‘So why don’t you relax a bit, Coco.’
[Fine.]
‘I appreciate your concern, in any case.’

Lee Yeon-woo’s plan was this:

Having grown accustomed to this blood-soaked body, I could sense with perfect clarity the moment just before the penalty arrived—the instant before I would cough up blood.

‘So at that moment, I insert the blood draw needle, move to an appropriate location to lure the Guest, and then either relocate to a different area or hide in a suitable spot within six seconds….’

The opponent’s mechanism was simple.

It appeared in the area where bleeding first occurred, but it only sensed the space where blood was spilled, not the target itself. It manifested within that space but didn’t burst forth immediately near the bloodstains.

In other words, if I drew blood with the needle before the penalty forced me to cough it up….

‘I could evade it sufficiently.’

All I had to do was flee from where I vomited blood.

‘The objective is to buy as much time as possible, after all.’
[That’s unfair.]
‘What could possibly be unfair about your situation?’
[Whine.]
“….”

When I glanced downward, Coco’s round head came into view. Walking with eyes fixed only on the ground—it seemed my plan was hardly to his liking.

‘…Is he feeling the same way the other staff members do?’

They had regarded the blood I coughed up as part of me, or as me itself. If Coco felt the same way, then this reaction made sense. Even if they called it a part, it was still ‘Lee Yeon-woo’ after all.

I reached out and drew Coco into my arms.

“….”
“….”

I murmured inwardly.

‘It is my fault for lacking sincerity.’
[No.]
‘Had I been more diligent, I could have devised a better plan. Perhaps my inability to overcome my aversion to Blood Magic is what has brought me to this point.’

Had I not shunned Blood Magic, my achievements would have been greater by now. After all, one excels at what one truly desires to study. But I could not afford such a luxury.

Because mimicking this discipline was far too wretched to surrender to wholeheartedly.

‘So might you not forgive me? I am sorry.’
[No.]
‘What do you mean, no?’

I looked down at Coco nestled in my arms.

“….”
“….”
“…?”
“…??”

After a moment of silence, bewilderment crossed my features.

‘The smile had vanished.’
[Yes.]
‘Wait, it’s not that she’s not smiling… her mouth, her mouth is simply absent?’
[Yes.]
‘Absent?’
[Yes.]
‘That’s a rather difficult situation to overlook, isn’t it?’

Cradling Coco in one arm, I reached out with my other hand and gently traced her face. The crescent-moon smile that usually curved her teeth was nowhere to be found. Without a mouth, there could be no smile at all.

‘Why is her mouth gone? No, how could this even… what principle would allow….’

My thoughts stuttered to a halt, and then I understood.

“….”
“….”

Seeking common sense in this place was itself a luxury.

‘I’ve come too far to question the principles behind it.’
[Yes.]

Right, a monster cat’s mouth could certainly take a temporary business trip. I murmured the magic incantation of ‘that could happen’ and adjusted how I held Coco.

Despite her apparent bulk, she weighed almost nothing.

“….”

A body impossibly light. As she circled around me, anxiously fretting over my wellbeing again and again, I felt my resolve crumble before this clumsy creature.

Showing kindness and affection is never a given. Even with twenty-six years of prejudice clouding my vision, pushing away such an outpouring of love… isn’t that too difficult?

‘I know well what Coco was within the Game.’

I had noticed that the voice I heard in that dream on my first day dragged to the Hotel bore a striking resemblance to Coco’s.

Yet she still seemed so small and fragile….

“….”

Coco, watching Lee Yeon-woo in that state, soon let out a laugh.

“Hehe.”
“…?”

What was that about?

After purring and rolling around in my arms for a while, Coco familiarly leaped onto my shoulder. This was now her designated seat.

Unable to fathom Coco’s shifting emotions, I simply adjusted my glasses in silence.

‘Raising children seems to be a difficult task everywhere.’
[Yes.]
‘Indeed it is.’

Having raised a younger sibling with a considerable age gap, I knew that whether it was children, cats, or monsters, raising them was never easy. Perhaps it was because the very framework of communication differed from that of adults worn down by Society.

‘But if I’m being honest, those above me didn’t have it easy either—they certainly invested considerable effort in me.’

Swallowing such idle thoughts, I opened the next door.

‘This is the General Storage….’

That was when it happened.

“….”
“….”

Thud, thud, thud…
Thud.

‘Footsteps.’

Footsteps echoed. Three in rhythm, then one sound arriving in syncopation. I knew this particular watcher well by that distinctive pattern.

‘We’ve finally crossed paths.’

I gently pressed down on Coco perched upon my shoulder to keep her from leaping away, and inwardly murmured.

‘A visual sentinel.’
[Yes.]

Its head was shaped like a camera—a visual sentinel.

The sentinels of the 14th Floor had grotesquely overdeveloped the senses they were named for, while all other senses had atrophied into near uselessness.

‘But that doesn’t mean they’ve lost all function.’

Just as the auditory sentinel retained a faint glimmer of sight, this visual sentinel before me was merely dull to sound—not completely deaf.

‘At this close range, loud noise would certainly provoke a reaction.’

I surveyed my surroundings.

‘The Cabinet.’

Fortunately, I had a place to hide.

I squeezed myself into the Cabinet and closed the door as silently as possible. Unlike the Game, I could now exercise deliberate control to minimize noise—a distinct advantage.

‘I can still see outside, just like in the Game.’

Despite being sealed within the Cabinet, I could see the sentinel pacing outside with perfect clarity. It was similar to what had happened during the Room 14 event.

‘The sentinel’s movements are predictable.’

It appeared to be conducting a routine patrol rather than searching for something specific.

‘I was slow to notice, but it seems I wasn’t spotted. Perhaps it was the silence that saved me.’
[Yes.]
‘That’s fortunate.’

It truly was fortunate—but then the problem erupted from within.

I touched my throat.

“…Ah….”

A faint gasp escaped my lips.

‘Damn it.’

My stomach lurched, and nausea rose in my throat.

‘Of all times?’

The timing was terrible, as if orchestrated in advance.

I clamped my mouth shut. My exhausted eyes closed as my other hand pressed against my solar plexus. A vicious vertigo and deteriorating condition overwhelmed me.

I hadn’t failed to anticipate a situation like this.

‘If there’s truly no other way… I’ll have to seal every opening to prevent blood from leaking out.’

From my throat to my blood vessels, even down to my pores.

But such an extreme measure would place severe strain on my body, now weakened to the consistency of acorn jelly. My current form maintained only a precarious balance.

If I resorted to such a crude method, my body would collapse before I could even begin the conquest.

‘In the end, blood will seep through the ruptures. In the long run, it’s a losing proposition.’

Even with my resolve, my mouth tasted bitter.

[Huh?]
“….”

Noticing my deteriorating state, Coco, who clung to me, spoke up.

[Hello?]
‘Wait… I need to take a deep breath.’
[Hello…?]
‘This won’t help me endure the penalty, but let me focus for a moment.’
[Hello!]
‘Just give me a moment to concentrate, Coco.’
[No! No! No!]
‘I can’t vomit here.’

* * *

“….”

Tiny things blinked their eyes.

‘Are they awake?’
‘They’re awake.’

Within the dim, warm, and tranquil Abyss.

‘They’ve woken from sleep.’
‘Here too.’
‘Here as well.’

One by one, they regained consciousness.

They possessed no organs that could be called eyes, no form that could be called a body. They were merely tiny droplets drifting through their cozy sanctuary. Or rather, not droplets of water at all.

They were blood. Monsters of Room 14 who had gained freedom by borrowing the form of blood.

‘It’s swaying….’
‘Why is water filling this place?’
‘This shouldn’t be happening…?’

Even within their faint consciousness, survival instinct burned bright. An unwavering certainty that this home they had barely obtained must not be damaged or harmed. Without understanding why, they watched the ‘water’ rising with growing dread.

As the cold foreign substance mingled with their blood, the small, delicate monsters stirred anxiously. What do we do? What do we do? In their panic, they clumsily pressed their forms together.

‘Should we consume it?’
‘Let’s try to stop it.’
‘If the water fills completely, we’ll be driven out.’
‘That’s right.’
‘We can’t let that happen.’

It was not some grand sense of loyalty. They lacked even that degree of will. They simply did not wish to abandon this comfortable sanctuary they had barely managed to claim.

‘Swallow it.’
‘Just consume it all.’
‘Yes, soon.’
‘I can do this.’

Though I wouldn’t be able to endure it for very long.

‘Still.’

It seemed like I could manage it.

* * *

“…?”

Lee Yeon-woo gently pressed his fingers against his solar plexus.

[Hello?]
‘…No.’
[Hello?]
‘No, that’s not it.’
[Hello!]
‘It doesn’t hurt.’

The words were all the same, yet their meanings were entirely different.

‘Could you give me a moment to understand the situation?’

Strangely, the turmoil within me subsided.

Lee Yeon-woo patted Coco in his arms, soothing her. She had been particularly restless lately, and I was growing somewhat concerned that our bond was deepening.

He continued speaking in his heart.

‘The water that filled my lungs has vanished.’
“…?”
‘…I think I understand why.’

The monsters from Room 14 that I harbored within my body. My expression grew peculiar. Should I call this fortune?

‘Ever since I coughed up blood in the Dining Kitchen last time, they seem to be gradually awakening. It appears they’re all frantically bailing water to avoid being swept away again by the typhoon that’s returned, taking their meager possessions with it.’

That brief experience of being forcibly expelled outside had clearly been quite terrifying. They were keenly observant, and indeed, such behavior made sense.

‘Having been forcibly evicted from peaceful slumber, it’s only natural they’d react this way.’

They seemed intent on completely preventing the situation where I would cough up blood in the first place.

Of course, with their sense of self so faint, they couldn’t perfectly block the contract penalty from the Wet Person, but I felt genuine gratitude for this unexpected assistance.

‘If this continues, the frequency of coughing up blood will decrease.’
[Yes.]
‘Then consequently, the hassle of having to use blood extraction equipment will also diminish.’
[…! Yes!]

Coco seemed delighted that the parasitic entities dwelling within my body were finally earning their keep.

“….”

I suddenly wondered: when the day came to extract these beings from my body, would Coco and they truly be able to coexist peacefully?

Within the dark Cabinet, I sensed an even darker future looming ahead.

—————
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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