Welcome to the Goblin Hotel - Chapter 11

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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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Episode 11
Jung Yu-ri answered without hesitation.
“Yes. I’d love to.”
Jung Yu-ri wanted to leave her song behind.
But she didn’t have much time left.
“Let’s practice tonight and record tomorrow night.”
‘Giving Spiritual Power to Song-i was the right call.’
With each passing hour, Song-i’s voice grew clearer.
Thanks to the Spiritual Power, she breezed through the all-night rehearsal without fatigue.
Song-i and Jung Yu-ri’s crystalline voices echoed around the hotel until dawn broke.
During the daytime, when Jung Yu-ri had retreated to her room.
We were busy with recording preparations.
We’d hastily gathered a Video Camera and Recording Equipment, setting them up in an empty room.
“I’m all set,” Min-jae announced.
Min-jae had already opened a YouTube channel in advance, ready to edit and upload the footage as it came in.
Song-i came scurrying out and spoke up.
“I’m ready too.”
A goblin face drawn on sketch paper in crayon.
Song-i was wearing a Paper Mask she’d made herself.
“Wow! Song-i, you really made this well.”
Min-jae scooped her up and made a fuss over it.
Song-i couldn’t contain herself and burst out laughing.
“Hee-hee…!”
Sam-mi-ho came bounding down the stairs.
—So there’s something fun to watch today?
“We needed an audience, and you showed up right on time.”
Everything was ready.
Now it was time to capture Jung Yu-ri’s song.
***
D-9
Late at night.
Song-i and Jung Yu-ri stood side by side at the Microphone, stepping up onto the platform.
Jung Yu-ri’s hands trembled anxiously.
“Come on, relax. Just sing naturally.”
The red light on the camera switched on.
At my signal, Song-i began singing first.
A voice that was rough around the edges but honest and pure filled the room.
Hearing Song-i’s voice, Jung Yu-ri’s tension seemed to ease, and soon her lips parted.
Jung Yu-ri sang with all her might until the very end, knowing her voice would leave no sound.
Can I become a star~
Even if I’m a shooting star destined to fall soon~~
If I can just shimmer, even for a moment~
Song-i knew she wasn’t the lead, and so she sang in harmony with Jung Yu-ri’s breathing.
When the song ended.
Jung Yu-ri stood with tears streaming down her face like stars, smiling.
That very day.
The first video from the channel was uploaded.
Min-jae spoke as if managing expectations.
“Since it’s our first video, the view count probably won’t be very high.”
If the first video exploded in views, anyone could get silver and gold buttons.
I nodded and replied.
“Our goal was to preserve Jung Yu-ri’s song anyway.”
I understood, but it was a bit disappointing all the same.
***
D-8, malatang.
Treating Jung Yu-ri to delicious food was an ongoing daily service.
Macarons, hot dogs, ramen, ice cream.
The days passed one by one.
Three days remained before Jung Yu-ri’s departure.
While I was pondering the next menu, Min-jae came sprinting over, shouting.
“Boss, boss! Take a look at this!”
“Why are you making such a fuss?”
“Look. The view count.”
Min-jae held out his phone.
Jung Yu-ri’s song “Can I Become a Star?” had crossed a thousand views.
‘This morning the view count was in the double digits…?’
“Min-jae, how did this happen?”
“Lina heard our song and posted a cover video.”
“Lina?”
“She’s a member of the hottest girl group right now. You don’t know?”
…….
I don’t.
Lately I can barely tell idols apart anymore, and their names have been a blur for a while now.
When I was in the military, I used to memorize girl group member profiles by heart.
“No, I know. You think I wouldn’t know who Lina is? I just couldn’t remember for a moment.”
Min-jae shot me a suspicious look, then played a video.
“Check this out.”
In the video, singer Lina was performing Jung Yu-ri’s song.
Can I become a star~
Even if I’m a meteor about to fall~
As long as I can shine for just a moment~~
A voice thick with emotion flowed from the video.
Without accompaniment.
Her voice alone felt complete.
When the song ended, I exhaled the breath I’d been holding throughout the video.
“Phew…! Hearing it in a different voice changes everything.”
“Boss, Lina sent a message. She wants to meet the original artist.”
It wasn’t an easy decision to make.
“Hmm, I’ll need to think about that.”
The view count for the video we’d made to preserve Jung Yu-ri’s song began climbing rapidly.
A thousand views became fifteen hundred, then five thousand in no time.
But Jung Yu-ri had to leave soon.
What if watching the view count rise made her more reluctant to go?
I scrolled through the comments beneath the video one by one.
— It feels like there’s someone beside me.
— I cried so hard listening to this song.
— Came here after watching Lina’s video. The original is great too.
— If they did a proper recording, it would be a massive hit!
— The lyrics sound like there’s a story behind them.
— So when is she debuting?
— You’re responsible for my tears!
— Sounds different from Lina’s version. Better taste.
— Who’s the composer?
‘These… these are things Yu-ri should read.’
Was it good that her trace was spreading out into the world?
Or was it something more cruel?
It wasn’t my place to judge.
As the sun set, Jung Yu-ri emerged from her room.
“Boss, what’s on the menu today?”
Jung Yu-ri was well enough now to start conversations on her own.
“Today it’s pork cutlet. Cheese overload style.”
Jung Yu-ri broke into a bright smile.
Shortly after finishing dinner, I showed her Lina’s cover video.
“Lina wants to meet me?”
“Yes. If you’d like, I can arrange a meeting with her.”
Jung Yu-ri opened and closed her lips several times, hesitating over her answer.
I opened the comment section of our video and showed it to her.
“This might help you decide.”
Jung Yu-ri looked up after reading through the comments one by one.
“I want to meet her. Boss, please set it up for me.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I rose from my seat and paused for a moment.
“…Would you perhaps like to meet your family?”
Jung Yu-ri shook her head.
“No. They’ve only just begun to settle their hearts… I don’t want to confuse them further.”
***
D-2.
Time was running short.
After tomorrow passed, Jung Yu-ri could no longer remain in the living world.
“Min-jae, did you hear back from Lina?”
“Yes. She said she’d come around seven this evening.”
A little past seven o’clock.
A black van pulled up to the Hotel Entrance.
Only Lina stepped out.
We’d arranged it that way beforehand with her.
“Hello. I’m Lina.”
I gave a light bow.
“Thank you for coming such a distance.”
Song-i, standing beside me, placed her hands on her belly and bowed.
“Hi! I’m Song-i!”
Lina bent down to meet Song-i’s eyes.
“So you’re the goblin who was singing in the video.”
“Hehe… yes.”
“I enjoyed your song.”
I guided Lina to the sofa in the Hotel Lobby and got straight to the point.
“I’d like to ask that you listen to what I’m about to say without preconception—all the way to the end. Even if it seems unbelievable, please hear me out completely.”
I made this request of Lina.
Lina nodded.
“Understood. Will I be able to meet her once I’ve heard the full story?”
“Yes.”
I began to speak about Jung Yu-ri.
The grueling years as a trainee.
And a lonely death.
Right up to the fact that she had only a little time left to remain in this world.
Lina listened without changing her expression as I spoke.
‘No strong reaction.’
I couldn’t tell whether she believed me or not.
Once I’d finished, I turned to Min-jae.
“Min-jae, go bring Jung Yu-ri here.”
Soon enough, Jung Yu-ri emerged into the lobby.
During her stay at the hotel, her face had gained expression and her eyes had come alive, yet
her skeletal frame and pallid complexion remained unchanged.
Lina, seeing her, opened her mouth.
“…Is it her?”
Lina approached Jung Yu-ri slowly.
“I really enjoyed your song.”
With those words, Lina gently wrapped her arms around Jung Yu-ri and stroked her bony back.
“You went through so much.”
Jung Yu-ri answered in a trembling voice.
“Thank you for singing the song I wrote.”
“When I first heard that song, something felt strange. It made me emotional, kept bringing back memories from my trainee days.”
Lina paused to collect herself before continuing.
“Now I understand why.”
Lina sat down on the sofa with Jung Yu-ri beside her.
“Would it be alright if I recorded this song?”
Jung Yu-ri asked carefully.
“…Didn’t you already record it?”
“Ah, if Yu-ri is willing, I’d like to record it officially and release it.”
A brief silence fell.
I took the opportunity to speak.
“There’s one condition. The songwriter and composer credits must be under Jung Yu-ri’s name.”
Lina nodded firmly.
“Of course.”
I smiled slightly, looking at Jung Yu-ri.
“Jung Yu-ri. You’ve made your official debut. Congratulations.”
Jung Yu-ri’s eyes, which had been glistening with tears, crinkled as she broke into a wide smile.
“Handle the copyright contract for me, please. I’ve been so worried about how to pay back all the lodging fees, and now I can settle it this way.”
At that moment, a notification appeared.
【 The Lost Guest has ended their wandering. 】
【 Status: Stable, D-2 】
【 Lodging Fee Settlement: Copyright to “Can I Become a Star?” 】
I received lodging fees I hadn’t anticipated.
Lina spoke, looking at Jung Yu-ri.
“I’ll do my best to capture the spirit of the original song.”
The contract didn’t take long to finalize.
I signed the documents on Jung Yu-ri’s behalf.
Once the business was settled, Lina’s eyes sharpened.
“Yu-ri. What agency were you with?”
“The agency I was signed to?”
“Yes. That one.”
“…Gold Entertainment.”
Lina spoke in a cold voice.
“Gold… Gold Entertainment…. I’ll remember that.”
***
The final day.
A last meal was prepared for Jung Yu-ri.
Spicy Chicken Bibim Noodles.
The red oil glistened on the noodles in the bowl, and the sharp heat hit the tip of my nose first.
Jung Yu-ri laughed when she saw today’s menu.
“I’ve been wanting to try this.”
With that, she picked up some noodles with her chopsticks and put them in her mouth.
A moment of silence.
Then Jung Yu-ri’s face flushed crimson in an instant.
“Agh! It’s so spicy…. Oh….”
Her eyes soon glistened, and thick tears began to fall steadily.
“Uwaaah…!”
Jung Yu-ri cried out loudly.
“Ugh! It’s so spicy. The tears just keep coming because it’s so spicy…!”
Jung Yu-ri’s tears streamed down her face.
I handed her a tissue and spoke.
“You can cry all you need to.”
“Ugh! I’m crying because it’s so spicy…!”
“I know.”
Even as she wept, Jung Yu-ri didn’t put down her chopsticks.
Slurp—
Slurp—
Tears fell onto the noodles.
Jung Yu-ri sniffled but didn’t stop eating.
She understood that if she didn’t cry now, she might never cry again.
So she wept aloud, freely.
Eventually, the bowl was empty.
As the bowl emptied, perhaps something knotted in her chest emptied too?
Song-i approached and took Jung Yu-ri’s hand.
“Sister, let’s go see the stars.”
It was a night with an unusual abundance of stars.
The two sat side by side on the Bench in Front of Hotel.
Song-i hummed softly.
Can I become a star~
Jung Yu-ri sang along with her.
If only I could shimmer, even for a moment~~
Their clear voices overlapped and then scattered.
The song grew softer.
Song-i, who sat pressed against Jung Yu-ri’s side, tilted her head and looked at her.
“Older sister.”
“Yes?”
“Does it not hurt anymore?”
Jung Yu-ri paused for a moment before answering.
“No. It doesn’t hurt now.”
A few hours before midnight.
Thump-thump. Footsteps echoed as Kang-rim arrived.
【 A Messenger from the Afterlife has arrived. 】
Inheriting the Dokkaebi Hotel
Author
: WhyNotSurprised
Date of Publication
: August 25, 2026
Publisher
: ACES Media Co., Ltd.
Editor
: ACES Media Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by ACES Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder.
The content may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher and author.
This e-book is a copyrighted work protected by copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or copying may result in legal liability.
UCI
: G720:N+A129-20260730113

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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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