Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 92

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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 92.

“Do you require assistance?”

The formal speech was stiff, the voice polite yet devoid of warmth.

“….”

Rawi’s gaze trembled as it swept across the man.

His eyes were devoid of any trace of humor—deep-set yet narrow and elongated. Jet-black hair and jet-black irises. His skin was pallid, and despite the ominous nature of this Labyrinth, he wore nothing but a black coat draped across his entire frame.

It was peculiar how, even within this water mist, only he appeared distinctly parched.

“….”

The man glanced briefly into the void before adding, accompanied by a shallow sigh.

“It seems your grasp of the situation is incomplete. Time is scarce, so I’ll ask again.”
“Ah, well, yes.”
“Do you require assistance?”

Rawi, belatedly regaining his composure, stiffened.

With nowhere left to retreat, he sat pressed against the wall, his movements clumsy. An entirely unforeseen situation and figure. Rawi turned to look at Seme.

“….”

But Seme, too, was in no position to offer counsel to his junior.

‘Who is this?’

Perhaps it was the deep shadows beneath his eyes. At first glance, the stranger appeared merely like a young man of acute sensibility. Aside from his robust frame and considerable height, his expression was sharp and austere.

Yet his composed demeanor commanded attention.

‘He appeared powerless, but that was not the case.’

He possessed the quiet, weighty presence unique to someone who had cultivated themselves over many years.

It was the result of his naturally upright posture combined with Game character bonuses and physical enhancements—though Seme, of course, could not have known this. He could only tense at the appearance of this mysterious master.

“….”

And it was true that this man had saved them both.

‘…Whether it was caprice or jest, I cannot discern his true intent, but despite our eyes meeting, he told an obvious lie and bit at both of us. Saying there was no one.’

Seme hesitated before rising to his feet.

Though he should have hidden his body from the Raincoat Girl, recalling those who had just unleashed that terrible cry, now was not the time to consider such things.

‘Those staff members wanted to kill us, but this person, who appears to be of higher rank, suppressed it. Yet in a place like the Labyrinth, why would a superior and subordinate have differing opinions….’

After deliberation, Seme carefully opened his mouth.

“May I ask who you are, sir?”

As respectfully as possible. With courtesy, without the slightest discourtesy.

“We are mercenaries employed by the Haeyoung Agency. We were carrying out a 2-star difficulty contract when we were swept from the Mist Flower Cathedral to this place, though it was not our intention.”
“….”
“It has been two days since we lost our way. Just now, we discovered an Elevator with an appearance incongruous to this place, but we could not board it due to an attack from the Raincoat Girl standing before it—likely a Dokkaebi.”

After explaining their situation, Seme took a breath and continued.

“You asked if we needed help.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“We need help.”

This action was a considerable gamble for Seme.

‘I cannot discern the other’s identity.’

There were far too many possibilities.

So Seme decided to give an answer that suited the immediate opponent before him. It was because of their peculiar nature—distinctly inhuman, no different from the two Staff Members he’d encountered.

‘It’s true they possess the characteristics of an artist. Every cell in their body serves that person.’

Mages are inherently drawn to artists and devoted to them. Moreover, the more refined the vessel of the artist, the closer this devotion becomes to reverence. It was a mage’s instinct when facing an artist.

‘I asked boldly if they needed help.’

And I actually did.

‘Separate from the Labyrinth’s nature, they’re in a position to help us. Yet their equipment is unremarkable. It means they can exist in this Labyrinth without special gear, whether through ability or status….’

Or.

“….”
“In other words….”

Or.

“….”
“….”

Seme shook off the unpleasant memory and continued thinking.

‘I took them for an artist, but they could actually be a Dokkaebi wearing an artist’s mask.’

Even a mage couldn’t distinguish that far.

Dokkaebi skilled in mimicry were not uncommon. But regardless, since they’d come wearing a human face, I had to treat them as human.

‘Even if this is a Dokkaebi’s trick, I need to play along for now.’

I had a Junior to take responsibility for, after all.

“…Will you help us?”

Contrary to my hesitation, the answer came back calm and unhesitating.

“Let’s do that.”
“Ah.”
“However, until we leave this territory, you’ll need to listen carefully to what I say.”
“Ah, yes, of course. I’ll do that.”

Even as Seme exhaled in relief, a thought crossed his mind.

‘He might not be human at all.’

The stranger had deliberately sought their ‘answer’.

‘This is the classic method a constrained being uses to induce situations where rules can be circumvented.’

If Lee Yeon-woo had realized his identity was being questioned over a single response, he would have found it quite tiresome. In this brazen world, even consideration required explicit mutual consent.

Of course, Seme hadn’t forgotten such nuances.

‘Perhaps he simply needed confirmation.’

That was likely the truth, but Seme refrained from concluding. There were too few clues to determine the stranger’s true nature, so his hesitation was only natural.

‘I still don’t understand why he helped us in the first place.’

As Seme struggled to organize his thoughts, a cold, emotionless voice dropped like a stone.

“I’m Lee Yeon-woo.”
“Ah….”

Lee Yeon-woo. Three bland syllables with no title, no affiliation.

‘The name of an outsider.’

Rawi, almost certainly an alias, probably had a three-syllable real name as well.

“We are….”
“It would be better to use titles when addressing each other.”
“Then, uh, Lee Yeon-woo?”
“Call me whatever feels natural.”
“Then I’ll call you Lee Yeon-woo….”

They had exchanged names, but he didn’t extend his hand as if offering a handshake. His hands clasped behind his back, maintaining a controlled distance. Seme, who had stiffened for a moment, had to respond with an awkward bow.

“I’m Seme.”
“I’m Rawi~”

Behind Seme, Rawi waved his hand enthusiastically. The cunning Junior had observed Seme introduce himself and apparently judged that this much should be safe as well.

Lee Yeon-woo gave a shallow nod, as if confirming it was the right choice.

“Let me offer you some advice first.”
“Yes?”
“Wherever that Elevator leads, it won’t be pleasant enough to risk your life for.”
“Ah….”
“It would be better to find another route if possible.”

A faint curve played at the corner of his mouth—whether mockery or consideration, it was impossible to tell.

“Do you agree?”

That dry question cut through the humid air.

* * *

Lee Yeon-woo believed he needed to maintain a professional distance from these people. Clumsy intimacy or a sense of debt would become poison threatening their survival, so he mustn’t cross that line.

But simultaneously, it was a fracture. The aftereffects of eight months of somatic coding and the emotional penalty from the Tasteless Guest had left his neural pathways frayed, causing them to overload constantly and clouding his mind.

Ultimately, this conscious distancing and unconscious abnormality meshed together….

“―Do you agree?”

…and his filter had broken.

“…?”
‘His face has gone even paler.’
[…No….]
‘Of course, meeting a stranger in a situation like this would be frightening.’
“….”
‘Before he encounters any more trouble, I should guide him outside quickly….’

Coco’s act of playing dumb!

[…Yes!]

The effect was spectacular!

* * *

I couldn’t let these two ascend to the Hotel.

‘If they go up there, sadistic maniacs wielding blades swarm the place.’
[Ugh.]
‘Surely you don’t want to watch those blood-soaked brats get pulverized.’
[Ugh-ugh.]
‘Unfortunate, truly.’

The cleanest solution was to find some ‘mysterious exit’ hidden somewhere in this wretched Hunting Ground and toss them back outside.

‘Children who should be protected no matter where they end up, yet here they stand reeking of blood and gripping weapons.’

It was a worldview beyond the common sense I knew, but I had no intention of exhausting myself by playing the role of a kind adult. What good could come from staying with Lee Yeon-woo in ‘this state’?

‘I’ll draw the line—just a guide to be used and discarded appropriately.’
[Ingratitude.]
‘That way, my own safety is assured.’
[Betrayal of kindness.]
“….”

How does Coco even know classical idioms like ‘betrayal of kindness’?

‘…Well, anyway.’

Setting aside Coco’s murderous intent toward the uninvited guests for now, Lee Yeon-woo—his lower jaw clenched, eyes rolling dryly—slowly wiped the blood-stained corner of his mouth and spoke.

“The person in the raincoat you just encountered.”

My brain’s synapses twisted, and casual speech disguised as formality tumbled out.

“Were they holding a blade.”

Seme nodded awkwardly.

“That’s… correct.”
“And it was completely soaked in water.”
“Yes, at a glance…”
“Indeed. So it really is The Wet Person.”
“The Wet Person…?”
“A Su-gwi—the vengeful spirit of a drowned corpse coalesced into a water ghost.”

There was no point in explaining every tedious detail; it would only exhaust me.

“How long has it been since your last encounter?”
“At most, less than ten minutes…”
“Then there’s no need to panic. Let’s move.”

Lee Yeon-woo uncrossed his arms and gestured with a nod.

“We’ll avoid the Coastal Area and hide in the Abandoned Building instead. We need to cut our trail before it can track us by scent and pinpoint our location.”
“What? But it was chasing us just moments ago…”

Lee Yeon-woo didn’t slow his pace, even as Rawi asked in confusion.

“That creature’s hunt operates on a kind of cooldown. It chases, stops, and searches repeatedly until its prey tires or makes a mistake. Right now, we’re in that ‘search phase.'”
“A search phase? What exactly does that mean?”
“If we can escape this Territory during this window, we can at least temporarily break its pursuit.”
“But…!”

Seme asked, clearly struggling to understand.

“For a Dokkaebi with such an aggressive nature, isn’t that hunting method far too inefficient?”

The suspicion and wariness were unmistakable. True to his mercenary training, Seme had identified the contradiction between mindless bloodlust and a rhythmic cooldown pattern.

Lee Yeon-woo glanced back at Seme while walking, his dry eyes flickering with the briefest hint of weary amusement.

“I’m glad you’re perceptive.”
“Ah…”
“It’s not hunting—it’s a game. Inefficiency is inevitable.”

Lee Yeon-woo added in a voice heavy with languor and exhaustion.

“If that is indeed the rule.”

Lee Yeon-woo gestured indifferently with his eyes.

“You’ll remember what I said earlier. That you must listen carefully to my words until we leave this territory. Isn’t that right?”
“…Yes, you did say that.”
“I assure you, keeping that in mind will be advantageous for your survival.”
“….”

Amid the confusion, Seme bit his lip.

‘So there are rules governing this place.’

That would explain why the ferocious Water Ghost hunted its prey in such a careless manner. If it were being forced to follow some constraint like that….

Seme asked cautiously.

“Is this place… a game-type Labyrinth?”
“….”

At Seme’s careful question, Lee Yeon-woo’s footsteps faltered.

‘A game, he says.’

The true nature of this Hotel was indeed a game.

The thought struck me as amusing. Why it was amusing, I couldn’t quite explain to myself. Perhaps it only meant my threshold for ‘enjoyment’ had grown dangerously low.

‘Would it seem strange to laugh at a time like this?’

But still….

“That’s an amusing story.”

I meant it sincerely.

“In that sense, let’s say you’re right. But don’t become dogmatic about finding one or two rules. It’s an antiquated system—you never know when an error might occur and create variables.”
“…An antiquated system….”
“I recommend adapting your survival strategy to the circumstances.”
“…Thank you for the advice.”

Seme answered awkwardly.

‘It’s difficult to discern what he’s thinking.’

It felt as though I’d heard a joke, yet there was something oddly resigned about his tone. The way he carried himself—as if he saw through the entire nature of this Labyrinth—left Seme’s mind churning with complexity.

‘Then is this Lee Yeon-woo a guide to this place? Or its master?’

Rawi, who had been observing the situation from behind Seme’s calculations, interjected with casual boldness.

“May I call you senior?”
“….”

Seme, who had briefly considered telling him to be quiet, ultimately let Rawi be. Even if the other person truly wasn’t human, there was no reason to object when they were willing to play along on his terms.

As expected, the response came readily.

“Please, feel free to call me as you wish.”
“Yes, Senior Yeon-woo.”
“And this is a personal question, but….”

Lee Yeon-woo suddenly stopped walking and turned to face them both.

“How old are you two?”

Seme flinched with caution, but Rawi grinned and beat him to the answer.

“Ah, I’m nineteen this year. And our tiny senior here is sixteen!”
“I see.”

Lee Yeon-woo suppressed an inward laugh.

‘Sixteen and nineteen—the world’s gone mad.’

Children still in school uniforms wielded blades and guns, rolling through this blood-soaked Hunting Ground as if it were nothing. It was a world utterly divorced from any rational framework he understood.

A sense of revulsion that any adult should naturally feel welled up within him, but as always, Lee Yeon-woo consciously suppressed it. His gaze, heavy with exhaustion, swept across the two figures in turn.

‘Perhaps it was a mercy that my emotions have been dulled….’

An absurdity suddenly pressed forward. Beyond his recalibrated emotional framework, a flicker of discontent surfaced unbidden. These little flesh-and-blood creatures wielding weapons like that.

Yet it wasn’t enough to turn my stomach inside out.

“….”

A sudden question prompted Lee Yeon-woo to speak in a dry voice, the words dropping flatly.

“So.”
“Yes?”
“What about me?”

Doubt about his own humanity and a malfunctioning mental state laid bare in his gaze. He regarded the two of them with quiet, dark eyes and spoke softly.

“In your eyes, how old do I appear?”
“….”

At the sight of Rawi frozen in place, Seme wiped her face.

He might not be human at all.

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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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