Welcome to the Goblin Hotel - Chapter 12

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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 12
Ganglim’s footsteps echoed through the corridor with unusual loudness.
It was still well before midnight—why had he come so early?
‘No sense of compassion at all.’
Ganglim glanced at Jung Yu-ri once before turning to me with a remark.
“Handling souls of the suddenly deceased can’t have been easy. You certainly live up to your reputation as the proprietor of the Dokkaebi Hotel.”
“I simply offered them a meal.”
Ganglim’s eyes gleamed.
“Ah, by any chance do you have leftover rice?”
“Are you going hungry?”
“These days, there’s hardly anywhere that feeds us Afterlife Messengers anymore, and with no travel allowance coming in, I go hungry more often than not.”
Not an Afterlife Messenger—a beggar.
A beggar from the Afterlife.
‘All gloss and no substance.’
Watching Ganglim adjust his traditional hat with such care made me oddly irritated.
I looked at him, lifted one corner of my mouth in a sneer, and asked.
“Tell me—are you a spice wimp?”
“A spice wimp? What’s that?”
“These days, we call someone pathetic who can’t handle spicy food a spice wimp.”
Ganglim’s voice erupted.
“I am not a spice wimp! What do you take me for? I’m an Afterlife Messenger. You think I’m going to shirk from a little spice and get called pathetic?”
“Ah, is that so?”
‘Heh, heh, heh. Caught him.’
An Afterlife Messenger with no sense of compassion, arriving before midnight to escort souls away.
Ganglim had walked right into the trap.
‘Let’s see how you handle this.’
Ganglim drove the point home once more.
“I am absolutely not a spice wimp.”
I asked Min-ju to prepare Ganglim’s meal.
“Min-ju, make our guest here some Buldak Bibim Noodles. He’s definitely—absolutely—not a spice wimp.”
Ganglim nodded with a solemn expression.
Min-ju broke into a bright smile when she saw him.
“You’re quite proud of your spice tolerance, aren’t you? Understood. I’ll prepare something delicious for you.”
A few moments later, a pungent, acrid aroma enveloped the kitchen.
“Achoo—!”
Ganglim’s pupils trembled as the sharp, spicy scent tickled his nostrils.
‘What on earth is Min-ju making?’
I’d hinted she should make it spicy, but this smelled like nuclear-grade heat.
I found myself silently praying for Ganglim’s peace in the afterlife.
‘Here I am, blessing an Afterlife Messenger’s soul.’
Min-ju emerged with a radiant smile, carrying the Buldak Bibim Noodles.
“Buldak Bibim Noodles, coming right up!”
Ganglim looked at me with trembling eyes.
“This is… surely still food, isn’t it?”
Noodles gleaming in a deep crimson.
One bite and you could practically cross the threshold to the Afterlife itself.
“This is the kind of dish spice wimps could never touch.”
Ganglim hesitated, then seemed to steel himself and nodded, picking up his chopsticks.
“Cough—!”
The moment the noodles entered Ganglim’s mouth, his face flushed crimson.
Min-ju, standing behind Ganglim, was beaming with delight.
This was clearly no accident—she’d intentionally made it nuclear-grade hot.
‘How did Ganglim manage to get on Min-ju’s bad side?’
They’d never even had a proper conversation.
Ganglim shoved the noodles into his mouth without pause.
He seemed to think that dragging out the suffering would only prolong his agony.
‘Still, he’s got nerve.’
Ganglim ultimately cleared the bowl completely clean.
His lips swollen and flushed red, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes, Ganglim spoke.
“That was… most satisfying.”
I’d wanted to prank him out of spite, but now I just felt sorry for the guy.
“Next time you visit, I’ll treat you to Korean food.”
Ganglim nodded and drank the water down in long gulps.
I quietly set a glass of milk in front of him.
After draining the milk, Ganglim stood from his seat.
“It’s time for me to go.”
Just then, Jung Yu-ri came into the dining area.
Ganglim spoke as he looked at her.
“Jung Yu-ri. Is everything settled?”
“Yes. Thank you for waiting.”
Jung Yu-ri took her place beside Ganglim.
Then she bowed deeply toward me.
“Manager, take care. I’m checking out now.”
“Very well. Safe travels.”
【 Room 207 has checked out. 】
【 Spiritual Power Points +10,000 】
The two of them walked slowly out of the hotel.
Their footsteps gradually faded into silence.
Min-jae spoke as he watched the darkness outside the hotel.
“This feels strange.”
“It does. Strange.”
After all, I was just sending off a dead person.
Yet I felt both regret and sorrow.
There was relief in watching her leave her lingering attachments behind, and a strange sense of fulfillment.
It was my first checkout.
***
Now it was time to spend the Spiritual Power Points I’d earned from seeing Jung Yu-ri off.
‘10,000 points!’
Was this the normal amount, or did it vary by situation?
I shook my head, thinking I’d find out once I met the next guest.
It was time to distribute my Spiritual Power.
‘Should I give all 10,000 points to Song-i?’
Just as I was about to allocate the points to Kim Song-i, I remembered what Sam-mi-ho had said.
‘She said if you eat too fast, you’ll get indigestion.’
Since Song-i was young, the backlash might be severe.
I didn’t want anything going wrong.
I raised Kim Song-i’s Spiritual Power by 1,000 points.
【 Employee Detailed Information 】
*Kim Song-i:
Health Status: Good
Spiritual Sight
Trust: 99/100
Spiritual Power – 2,325p
‘Is this about right?’
At least I’d raised her points enough that minor spirits wouldn’t be able to attach themselves to her.
To find a way to close Song-i’s Spiritual Sight, I’d need to raise my own Spiritual Power regardless.
So I spent 8,000 points raising my own Spiritual Power.
【 Manager Detailed Information 】
*Kim Woo-jin:
Health Status: Good
Spiritual Sight
Soul Insight
10,005p
My Spiritual Power Points had crossed ten thousand.
I bounced on the spot a few times.
‘Does my body feel a bit lighter…?’
The sharp, icy cold that had been lingering around my eyes since I’d gained Soul Insight had disappeared.
“I should distribute some points to the kids who worked hard this time.”
I raised Kim Min-ju and Kim Min-jae each by 500 points, bringing them both to 1,000p.
【 Employee Detailed Information 】
*Kim Min-ju:
Health: Good
Trust: 92/100
Spiritual Power – 1,000p
*Kim Min-jae:
Health: Good
Spiritual Sight (right eye)
Trust: 94/100
Spiritual Power – 1,000p
“What—what is this? Why is this happening?”
Min-jae’s condition had changed the moment he received the Spiritual Power Points.
Spiritual Sight had opened in his right eye—the one that had lost its sight.
I’d tried to reverse it, but I couldn’t recover the Spiritual Power Points once given.
‘Ah… I never thought a side effect like this could happen.’
Spiritual Sight had once ruined my life in the real world.
Even though I didn’t anticipate this, it was my fault.
***
“Min-jae, I’m sorry.”
“Yes?”
“Have you noticed your body changing lately?”
Min-jae tilted his head uncertainly, then spoke as if remembering something.
“Oh! Actually, my stamina’s gotten so much better lately. I work till dawn and I’m not even tired anymore.”
I nodded and continued.
“That’s because I shared some of my Spiritual Power with you two.”
“Wow! Spiritual Power?”
“Your health improved thanks to the Spiritual Power, but it caused a problem for you as a result.”
“What kind of problem?”
“Your right eye. Spiritual Sight opened in it.”
“Spiritual Sight—that’s the ability to see spirits, right?”
My heart began to race.
‘Ghost eyes.’
Memories surfaced of how people had pointed fingers at me when I was young.
My chest felt tight.
“…Yes. I tried to reverse it, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry—”
Min-jae cut me off with a bright laugh.
“Boss, even if you find a way to undo it, please never do it. I’m actually happy about this.”
“What?”
“That eye was useless before. Recently I couldn’t even distinguish light from dark anymore. Now it can see something again—isn’t that great?”
…
“Thank you.”
My heart trembled at the steadiness in Min-jae’s voice.
That was when it happened.
Thump.
A light sound came from above.
When I looked up, I saw Sam-mi-ho stepping down along the railing.
Her three luxurious tails swayed as she balanced precariously.
“That’s dangerous. Use the stairs.”
Sam-mi-ho walked to the end of the railing and jumped down to the floor.
— That’s an interesting choice you made.
“What about me?”
— Sharing Spiritual Power with people who aren’t family.
“You did the same thing.”
I recalled the Fox Orb that Sam-mi-ho had given me.
— Foxes have a rule: whatever is received must be repaid in full. Whether it’s a favor or a grudge.
Sam-mi-ho looked at Min-jae’s eyes and laughed with a wink.
— He was lucky, wasn’t he?
“Lucky?”
— That eye of his has been leaking energy this whole time. The Spiritual Sight sealed it up.
“Why didn’t you tell me something that important before—!”
— You’re asking why I didn’t say anything?
“All right.”
— A hunch that things might resolve themselves soon?
Sam-mi-ho flicked her tail and headed for the door.
— I’ll just step outside for a moment.
Before I could even ask where she was going, Sam-mi-ho bounded out of the hotel.
***
A good while had passed since Sam-mi-ho left.
I sat on the lobby sofa with the Min-ju siblings, sipping coffee to pass the time.
Min-jae blinked his right eye several times, checking its condition.
“Everything looks the same.”
“It always does at first.”
Spiritual Sight works that way.
Most of the time, you feel like nothing has changed at all.
Then, at some moment, you start to see things others cannot.
“You’ll understand once you step outside the hotel.”
Min-jae’s eyes were full of curiosity.
I gave him a word of caution.
“No matter how many spirits come at you, never make eye contact with them. Just ignore them.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Then the hotel door swung open, and a thick smell of earth rushed in.
Sam-mi-ho walked through, her paws caked with dirt.
“…What have you been into? Look at the state of you.”
Sam-mi-ho shook herself, flinging dried leaves and soil from her fur.
Then she spat something out of her mouth.
“Hack…! Hack…!”
Plop—.
Was she actually throwing up?
I stared at Sam-mi-ho with a look of disgust.
“What are you doing right now?”
I could control the automatic management system however I liked now.
Even so, this was a bit much.
— What’s with that look? You’re not going to charge me room fees?
“This is room fees?”
I picked up the grass root that Mi-ho had spat out.
Letters appeared before my eyes.
【 Accommodation Fee Settlement: Heavenly Mountain Ginseng (106 years old) 】
【 Heavenly Mountain Ginseng – Estimated Value: 350 Million Won 】
Mountain ginseng? And over a hundred years old at that.
‘Mi-ho, I really did believe in you.’
“Min-jae! Get our guest some hot water so they can bathe comfortably.”
I spoke to Sam-mi-ho with the warmest smile I could muster.
“Guest, once you’ve washed up in warm water, I’ll prepare a delicious meal for you.”
‘Is there any beef left in the refrigerator…?’
Sam-mi-ho stepped back and spoke.
— Boss. Something’s off about your eyes.
I blinked rapidly, trying to project utter harmlessness.
“What’s wrong with my eyes? They should be very clear.”
— Your eyes are full of greed.
I called out to Sam-mi-ho in a friendly tone.
“Mi-ho, humans and material desire are inseparable things. So, what I’m asking is….”
I smiled faintly as I asked.
“Do you have another root like this?”
“Kyang…!”
Sam-mi-ho let out a mocking sound at me, then leaped up the stairs.
I shouted after her.
“That’s three months of room fees! Bring me one more root in three months! Did you hear me, Mi-ho?”
Min-ju approached and asked.
“Boss, what is that? You got so excited.”
“This. It’s Heavenly Mountain Ginseng. Min-ju, keep this safe. I’m going outside to get some moss. We can’t leave it like this…!”
I shouted to Min-ju as I bolted out of the hotel.
“Give Sam-mi-ho beef!”
I searched through a shaded rocky area until I found moss covering the stones.
Setting the Heavenly Mountain Ginseng atop the green moss, it seemed to glow, and its fragrance grew richer.
‘Sam-mi-ho paid her lodging properly. Hehehehe…!’
Just looking at it filled me with pride.
Now that I think about it, our hotel’s very first long-term guest was actually someone else?
I watched Hwang-geum-i chewing on the dried pollack that Min-ju had boiled.
“Hwang-geum-i. When are you going to pay your additional lodging fees?”
Hwang-geum-i tilted her head quizzically.
Usually she understood everything I said, but today she was playing dumb.
I reached over and gently stroked Hwang-geum-i’s head.
“You play so nicely with Song-i, so I’ll let it slide. Understood?”
***
Right about the time I’d grown accustomed to the hollow feeling of sending off my first guest.
My phone vibrated.
Buzz—
The name on the screen:
A name that had once been half my world now felt like a stranger’s.
I hesitated for a moment, then pressed the answer button.
“What is it?”
My voice sounded a touch cool, perhaps even cold.
Silence stretched across the line.
“If you have nothing to say, I’m hanging up.”
“How… how is Song-i doing?”
Hearing the tremor in her voice, old memories surfaced.
The way she’d spoken when she said being with Song-i frightened her.
Even the sight of her back as she left without a single word of goodbye to Song-i.
“She’s doing well.”
“I saw the YouTube video. The Dokkaebi Mask is Song-i, isn’t it?”
So she’d seen it.
The view count had been steadily climbing anyway—it made sense.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Um, Woo-jin… could we meet sometime? I miss Song-i.”
‘Now she misses Song-i?’
My grip on the phone tightened.
Pins and needles pricked at my fingertips.
“No. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Caught off guard by my refusal, her ragged breathing came through the speaker.
“But I’m Song-i’s mother…!”
“You forfeited that right long ago.”
“That, that was beyond my control!”
“Are you certain you wouldn’t be frightened if you saw her again?”
……
“The world we live in now is different from yours. You couldn’t handle it.”
“But if I try hard enough…!”
“No. That effort should have come before. Before Song-i was hurt.”
She fell silent for a long time.
“If Song-i seeks you out first, I won’t stop her. But not now.”
I hung up first.
We were already severed. There was no reason to cling to what was already broken.
After that, I never heard from her again.
The Dokkaebi Hotel Inheritance
Author
: whynotnoraul
Created
: August 25, 2026
Publisher
: ACIS Media Co., Ltd.
Editor
: ACIS 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. in accordance with the copyright holder’s contract,
and the content may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.
This e-book is a copyrighted work protected under copyright law, and unauthorized reproduction or duplication 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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