Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual - Chapter 94

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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 94.

‘I must be losing my mind.’

What was I thinking, saying something like that?

‘That’s not something you say in front of children.’

Lee Yeon-woo mentally cursed himself as he recalled the third-rate villain dialogue that had spilled from his own lips.

‘No matter how I think about it, something has definitely gone wrong with me….’
[Is that so?]
‘Indeed it has.’

He quickly worked backward through the situation.

‘It must be the aftereffects of the body enhancement coding, or perhaps the fallout from the penalty with the Tasteless Guest. Eight months of relentless mental exertion—even I have to admit that’s taxing.’
[Yes.]

Coco didn’t deny that point either.

‘But even so… I never imagined a situation like this.’

What had just happened left even Lee Yeon-woo bewildered.

‘I’ve never coded anything like this.’
[That’s correct.]

Beyond exhaustion lay genuine perplexity.

Because the target before me was obedient and unresponsive to reason, I’d shown those students something they shouldn’t have seen. What crime had those poor students committed?

‘The moment I tried to use administrator authority, didn’t the Hotel General Manager mode fail to activate?’
[Coco. Unknown matter.]
‘If even you don’t know, there’s no one in this Hotel who does.’
[That’s correct!]
‘Switches turning on arbitrarily like this….’
[Hello?]
‘Just now, it suddenly conducted a service satisfaction survey out of nowhere.’

In this Water Ghost habitat, to children who’d nearly been injured moments ago.

‘I don’t know for certain, but it must have been quite an unnatural flow of events.’

I couldn’t explain it properly, but the two students standing behind me were completely frozen.

‘No, it would be more accurate to say they’d noticed I’m a madman. The order got reversed.’
[Yes.]
‘Right now your joint partner’s intelligence is declining in real-time, and that’s your response, Teacher Cat?’
[Hehe!]
[Coco. Guarantee. Useful.]
‘It would certainly be useful for subduing enemies, but it’s not a function I should use on the children I need to guide. It wasn’t a scene I should have shown them.’

I should have ended it by driving them away appropriately. No matter how broken the filter was, I had no desire to show flesh tearing apart in front of civilians I needed to protect.

‘To be precise, I don’t want to frighten them.’

How could a grown adult, one who’d stepped forward to save them, unnecessarily terrify those children? Besides, there was nothing Lee Yeon-woo would gain from doing so.

But if there was a problem.

‘Systematic communication with the monsters in the Hunting Ground is impossible.’
[Yes!]
‘I wasn’t unaware of that either, Coco.’

The monsters here were akin to carnivorous plants without any special intellect. No matter how hard Lee Yeon-woo tried to control them, I couldn’t induce responses more refined than pure instinct.

Their basic behavioral patterns were nothing but ‘attack’ or ‘flee’.

‘Without the Central Control Room’s authority, they would have charged or fled long ago.’
[That’s correct!]

The problem was that this “becoming accustomed to the path” fell squarely within the instinctive domain of beasts—meaning the monsters avoided Lee Yeon-woo himself with peculiar precision. Yet what meaning could there possibly be in my remaining unscathed while everyone else suffered?

‘In a situation where the bloodied wretches hiding behind me become the targets.’

I was told not to strike, and so I didn’t.

[Huh?]

How many times I wanted to demand, “When I’m standing right before them, what becomes of me if they attack my charges?”—but I held my tongue. And so, already burdened with doubt, the student was attacked.

‘For it to charge forward despite the oppressive weight of the Hotel General Manager’s authority, it must have possessed a ravenous appetite indeed.’
[Jellyfish. Flee. No.]
‘That’s why I attempted physical restraint.’
[Yes.]
‘I never imagined the system’s sanctions would manifest in such a manner.’

Communication being impossible, I couldn’t drive it away with words, and intimidation alone wouldn’t make it retreat. Yet engaging in a bloody brawl directly before the students would be inefficient.

‘So I intended to apply pressure with surgical precision solely upon that jellyfish creature, driving it away without affecting the students….’

I reproached myself for my previous action.

‘You just detonated it because the work was tedious?’
[Hehehehe.]
‘This is hardly amusing, Coco.’
[No?]
‘Of course you’d say that, you wretched Cat.’

Had that task truly been so burdensome, I could have simply positioned myself beside the students as a deterrent. Yet because of that laziness, I had struck down an innocent—

[No?]
‘Well, attempted murder hardly qualifies as innocent.’

In any case, to obliterate an innocent creature? And yet, here we are, with the situation having unfolded precisely this way.

“….”

For a moment, I considered it might be better to abandon all pretense of dignity and simply serve as a deterrent.

‘…I didn’t want to make this any more terrifying than necessary, but there’s no helping it. No matter how careful I am, there are limits to how vigilant I can be against every monster in this Hunting Ground.’

Resignation came swiftly.

‘I can adjust the scale and direction of presence through the system.’

He quietly opened the coding window. A lifetime devoted to science and engineering—I’ve certainly tried every absurd thing imaginable.

If I had committed from the start to becoming a guide, none of this would have happened. As Lee Yeon-woo with zero combat experience, even with the Hotel System’s assistance, such operational errors were inevitable.

‘My long years in the ivory tower of logic have rendered me crude in such methods.’
[Hm?]
‘It appears the tedious overtime will stretch on, sir.’

The future loomed dark, yet what I had to do remained unchanged.

I had a system that would resurrect me even if I died, but those students did not. They were fragile creatures who would perish from the slightest contact. A single minute miscalculation on my part could result in permanent injury for them.

‘Since I’ve taken responsibility, I’ll bring them out alive.’

He simply carried out the meager sense of duty that remained to him. Even when the world was a mess, saving people in the end—that was the method Lee Yeon-woo had chosen.

“….”
[Hm.]

Yet his emotionally parched nature overlooked one crucial fact: the two lost ones feared him far more than the monsters of the Hunting Ground.

A jellyfish-like monster was a danger comprehensible within their ‘common sense.’

But Lee Yeon-woo….

“….”
“….”

…was an existence beyond all common sense.

* * *

Like spreading mist, a presence began to press naturally upon the air.

“….”

If I could speak freely, Rawi wanted to ask, ‘What exactly are you scheming?’

‘This is strange.’

He observed the senior he was conversing with and the ‘senior’ themselves.

“Is it really safe to move around so openly like this?”
“He won’t chase us immediately. His hunting has a sort of cooldown period.”
“Hearing you say cooldown makes this feel like an actual game.”
“Indeed.”

His voice was measured, yet carried a chill as if frost had settled into it. Up to that point, everything seemed natural. He certainly appeared to be someone of high standing in this Labyrinth, and given how eerie this place was, such a demeanor suited him well.

‘A clipped tone like a soldier or operative, with no unnecessary flourishes—cutting straight to conclusions with a dry manner of speech….’

But.

“….”
“Staying in one place is difficult. Once he draws his blade, he won’t stop hunting until his prey leaves his territory. However, if you understand his pattern, you can evade him quite easily.”
“…Yes.”

Watching Seme’s expression, Rawi found himself in agreement.

‘His tone is far too honest.’

There’s something subtly earnest about him.

‘Almost excessively refined, even.’

His voice is cold, yes, but the way he keeps dispensing advice so readily—it all feels out of place for someone who should be a ‘dignitary’ or ‘official’ of this Labyrinth.

‘The fact that he offered to help us in the first place was already strange….’

The way he moves through this place as if it were his own home, or how he repelled subordinates who could rival ghosts with just a few words.

‘Wait, are they even subordinates? The dynamic didn’t quite feel like a simple superior-subordinate relationship, did it? One acting like a Fanatic and the other seeming fed up—that impression was definitely there….’

Rawi thought the current situation was unfolding in a deeply abnormal manner. It felt like watching a machine forced to turn despite its gears never having meshed properly.

“….”

Including ‘that’ which I had just witnessed.

“Do not enter any house that appears intact. From now on, I will hide my body in structures reduced to mere frameworks—shops and hardware stores primarily.”
“Is there a reason?”
“In sealed spaces, this damp mist tends to devour one’s cognition. I have no desire to witness hallucinations drive people to madness, drilling ventilation holes through each other’s skulls.”
“I, I see.”

After the blunt explanation, he turned to regard the two of them with eyes dulled by fatigue.

“Your complexions appear poor.”
“That is not the case.”
“Before you collapse, would rest not be necessary?”
“…We….”

Seeing no apparent issue, Rawi interjected as Seme hesitated.

“I would like to rest.”
“…Yes, so it seems.”

Seme, appearing lost in thought, continued with a question.

“Could we take a brief rest?”

Lee Yeon-woo gestured with his eyes toward the ruined shop.

“Go inside. I will stand watch.”
“Will you be alright?”
“I have no intention of being difficult with exhausted people.”
“There cannot be just one or two monsters inhabiting this place.”

To that, Lee Yeon-woo added, glancing at Seme.

“It is something I can do.”

Perhaps it was simply a habit of speech.

“I hope you find adequate rest.”
“…If you would do that for us, I would be grateful for your consideration.”

Lee Yeon-woo opened the door to the damaged Shop instead of answering.

Seme and Rawi entered cautiously, but as expected, there were no traps. No monsters either. Lee Yeon-woo simply withdrew into the thick Water Mist outside the Shop.

“….”

Rawi found a suitable chair and sat down, resting his chin in his hand.

“….”
“….”

Before him, Seme held out a notebook and pen.

Rawi, despite being new, had sharp instincts. He took the pen Seme offered and wrote on the damp paper, careful to keep his voice from carrying beyond the damaged wall.

[It’s not just me who thinks something’s off, right?]

Seme wrote a reply below it.

[Something’s definitely off]
[Does the Labyrinth usually have cases like this?]
[If you’re lucky, there are these things called guides—NPC-like entities within the Game—but]
[You’re saying that person is one?]

No, the possibility that he wasn’t even a ‘person’ at all was far greater.

‘His actions are just oddly human, that’s all.’

A kind of humanity that felt considerate despite appearing indifferent.

‘Human-like, a sense of duty perhaps….’

Seme seemed to feel the same way and answered without difficulty.

[I’m not certain. The situation is unusual, and above all, we have too little information]
[Understood]

Rawi moved the pen silently once more.

[Why are they helping us at all?]

Even setting aside that ‘something’ I witnessed and felt just now—that peculiar quality of the individual.

I remember the terrible killing intent displayed by those subordinates standing behind Lee Yeon-woo, those he commanded. If permission had been granted, Seme and I would have died silently and without a trace, or been broken into something worse than death.

Rawi also understood the fate of humans entangled with Dokkaebi.

[He forcibly restrained his own subordinates who were trying to kill us]
[It wasn’t a natural situation]
[What should have happened in a normal situation?]
[I was praying for death within a day, at least]
[So that’s the extent of it]
[Looking at the subordinates’ expressions, a clean death seemed unlikely]
[Ah]

The last one was written out of having nothing else to say.

“….”

Rawi rubbed his face.

[What exactly is his identity?]
[Who knows]

After writing that, Seme continued the text a moment later.

[There are too many possibilities to consider]
[If you had to list some?]
[The sense of incongruity makes me think he might not be a Dokkaebi belonging to this Labyrinth]

Damn.

[So he is a Dokkaebi?]
[His attire and demeanor seemed to match well with that misplaced Elevator]
[That was the case]
[Either a Dokkaebi from the Labyrinth connected to this place]

“….”

[Or perhaps the one who created the Labyrinth here or near the Elevator]
[We still don’t know if they’re human or a Dokkaebi, right?]

In response to Rawi’s question, Seme—who had been pondering with pen in hand—continued.

[Did they appear human?]
“….”

Rawi’s hand, gripping the pen, stiffened.

“….”

[I’m not sure]

I couldn’t even understand how such words could escape my own lips after witnessing that form.

‘Despite the fire just moments ago, that something beyond comprehension, those golden irises.’

Had I lost my mind? A defense mechanism forcing incomprehensible things into riddles? Or was it simply that he served as my only escape route and shield, making me want to believe in him?

Yet Lee Yeon-woo—who had returned to black eyes and exhaled a weary sigh—was far more than mere escapist delusion.

‘His actions were, simply.’

…too upright.

“….”
“….”

Watching Rawi like that, Seme continued writing.

[There are many hypotheses we could consider, but honestly, the disadvantageous scenarios outnumber the hopeful ones]
[So it’s time to die after all?]
[But setting aside all those disadvantages, the very fact that someone appearing to be connected to the Labyrinth would help insignificant mercenaries without compensation defies common sense]

Rawi understood that much. But Seme seemed to think further explanation was necessary for the newcomer, continuing with a gentle hand.

[A Dokkaebi can contract with humans, but controlling one is difficult]
[I’m aware they’re like natural disasters that don’t listen to reason]

I’d heard it hammered into my ears enough times.

[You can’t treat them with common sense]
[Even if it weren’t a Dokkaebi—even if it were some other kind of Artist or anything else—the mere fact that it’s connected to the Labyrinth means it should have killed us]
[For it to take the lead like this, playing guide and even standing watch]
[is unprecedented]

Seme, who had been twirling his pen, continued writing.

[Still, if it really is an Artist, there are occasionally cases like that]

The pen paused briefly before resuming.

[Including what you saw]
“….”

Rawi looked at Seme, then wrote a response.

[That golden… eye?]
[I’m not sure what you mean, but those golden eyes]
[You know what I saw in them]
[Since you’re an Artist, you’ve probably seen far more than I have]
[Not that I’ve properly seen anything myself]
[But anyway, things like that]

Seme, lost in thought, continued writing.

[There definitely exist Artists who have transcended humanity entirely]

This was why Seme hadn’t definitively concluded that Lee Yeon-woo was “not human” despite witnessing “that.”

[You seem confused because you clearly sensed something distinctly human in what you witnessed]
[I can’t deny that]
[Artists never deny their own judgments—understand?]

Seme knew such Artists existed. Rawi had sensed “benevolent humanity” within it. Both were caught in confusion.

The world was spiraling into madness to such a degree that I couldn’t muster any certainty.

[But either way, it’s a miraculous situation]
[It seems rare]
[And it was clearly someone with ties to the Labyrinth, of all things]
[That’s certainly true]

If anyone else learned of this situation, they’d mock us for “laying such an elaborate con.” The circumstances unfolding were that absurd.

“….”

Rawi moved his pen.

[But that doesn’t mean we can just ask outright what his true intentions are]
[You’re right, the risk of backfiring is far too great]

Seme was correct.

Rawi had simply seized the moment after witnessing Seme’s initial gamble succeed to some degree. What could they accomplish by pushing back anyway?

‘As long as we don’t end up executed for insolence, I’ll count it as a blessing.’

No matter how suspicious the situation, a lifeline had been thrown down. Below was nothing but an endless abyss, so realistically, there was only one choice.

How sturdy this lifeline truly was would only be discovered by clinging to it with all our might.

[Logically, we should probe each other about what we know and how much we know of this situation]

Rawi wrote a reply to Seme’s words.

[Better to pretend ignorance for now than accidentally trigger a bomb and die together, wouldn’t you say?]
[I don’t know if this situation will end quickly, but for now, yes]

It was a sentence that conveyed a sigh even without vocal support.

[Besides, he’s drawing a line too]

Lee Yeon-woo would also sense the strangeness of this situation. If he’d intended to reveal anything, he would have done so already. The fact that he hadn’t meant either he saw no need to disclose it, or there was something he needed to conceal.

Either way, there was no reason to overstep and go against his wishes.

[After all, he said he’d let me live and even stand guard, so shouldn’t I keep him satisfied until things go wrong?]
[That does seem right.]
[Especially if the other person is a Dokkaebi.]
[To avoid seeing something worse than death, that’s what we should do.]
[Yes.]

Seme, who had been hesitating, added a brief line.

[Rest.]

Then he closed the notebook and tucked it into his pocket.

“….”
“….”

Rawi leaned heavily back in his chair, watching In-young beyond the hole in the wall.

‘…If it weren’t for this situation, he’d be dangerous enough that I wouldn’t even look back before running….’

The way his face and tone shifted in an instant suggested he was either completely insane or had a split personality. Recalling those eyes—The Caretaker’s eyes—Rawi observed the silhouette standing outside the door.
East
Recalling ■, Rawi saw the back figure standing outside the door.

“…Hmm….”

His impression was so heavy that Rawi only now noticed it. Despite his tall, well-built frame and broad shoulders, his gaunt body was all bone with no flesh clinging to it, and Rawi’s brow furrowed.

‘Why does he keep looking like someone I could lean on…?’

Strangely, he kept wanting to grow closer to him.

‘I must be losing my mind.’

With that thought, Rawi quietly averted his gaze. Even if it was written down, The Caretaker surely wasn’t unaware that they’d had a secret conversation, so it was better to start being careful.

Rawi swallowed hard, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss.

‘No matter how much they’re being looked after, there’s no guarantee how long that will last.’

I had no desire to die from a momentary misjudgment.

“….”

Struggling to stay awake, I closed my weary eyes.

* * *

Whether the two inside were exchanging written notes or collapsing into unconsciousness was none of my concern as Lee Yeon-woo. Had I known they were finding their own path to survival, I would have simply been impressed.

‘…So then….’

I rolled my eyes, continuing my thoughts.

‘This distance should be about right.’

At the entrance of the abandoned building where water mist seeped in, I leaned diagonally against the wall, vigilantly scanning the darkness while methodically reviewing my next escort plan.

The trial and error I’d experienced sending out Director Lee Sun-hae and her group in the past was an exhausting precedent in many ways. Shallow intimacy or a sense of debt only became shackles that clouded each other’s survival judgment in this place.

‘To send those two lost souls outside as quickly and safely as possible, I need proper positioning. Just enough shallow trust to follow my instructions and enough distance not to become personally dependent… that should suffice.’

I mustn’t let them panic from fear, yet I couldn’t allow them to cross the line either.

[Yes.]
‘Like before, I’m declining any entanglement with The Human Guest. A clean rescue and then becoming strangers—wouldn’t that be better for both our mental health?’
[Yes!]
‘Thank you for the enthusiastic response, Coco. It’s comforting.’

Making a hot iced Americano.

Well, that was the situation.

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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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