Welcome to the Goblin Hotel - Chapter 38

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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 38
A shaded sanctuary beneath the trees by the stone wall beside the Hotel.
I sat sprawled across a wide straw mat, savoring a moment of peace.
A cool breeze.
Sunlight glinting through the leaves.
This was my favorite spot in the whole place.
I took a sip of Mix Coffee with its mocha aroma and tilted my ear toward the birds’ calls.
Tweet-tweet-tweet-tweet.
My head had been heavy from the day before, so the clear birdsong felt especially welcome.
Tweet-tweet—
I answered the bird’s call with a whistle.
“Whee-it— Whee-it—”
Tweet-tweet-tweet.
“Whee-it—”
Tweet—
The back-and-forth exchange was oddly entertaining.
I was about to whistle once more with a faint smile when the troublemakers appeared.
“Boss, boss! Look at this!”
“Take a look, I found it!”
“It was buried in the ground…!”
Min-joo, Min-jae, and Deok-gu came bounding out from behind the Hotel, shouting.
Song-i, who had been sitting with Hwang-geum-i on the Swing Bench, sprang up with sparkling eyes.
“Wow! It must be treasure! Deok-gu found treasure!”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
Flap-flap-flap—
The bird I’d been communing with took flight at the same moment my rest time flew away with it.
“Sigh… my peaceful moment….”
‘One more person and they’re making this much noise.’
The children came skidding to a stop in front of me.
I shook my head and drained the now-lukewarm Mix Coffee before asking.
“So what is it?”
All their eyes fixed on what was in Min-joo’s hand.
Min-joo thrust it forward, his hand covered in dirt.
“It’s a bell.”
“A bell?”
I tilted my head and took what Min-joo offered.
Yellowed like a bronze bowl.
Inside the shallow depression hung a metal clapper that could ring.
The surface was rough and uneven—clearly a piece of old handwork.
But unlike the hopeful faces the children wore, no notification appeared.
“…A wind chime? Or maybe… a cow bell?”
“What’s a cow bell?”
“It’s a bell you hang on a cow’s or horse’s neck. There’s even a movie called ‘Wohlnang Sorry’—you don’t know it?”
They looked as if they’d never heard of it.
The children’s heads tilted in unison, like dominoes falling in the same direction.
“…What is that?”
“You really don’t know? It’s the one that moved an entire nation to tears…. Never mind, I don’t think you’d get it anyway.”
My mood suddenly darkened.
‘Feeling the generational gap over something like this….’
I exhaled slowly through my nose and shook off the melancholy before asking.
“Where was this found?”
Min-jae turned back and said.
“In the empty lot next to the Vegetable Garden.”
‘Was it there before the Hotel was built?’
No notification had appeared.
Yet something told me this wasn’t just an ordinary object.
A faint warmth spread across my palm as I held the bell.
I brushed off my clothes and stood.
“Let’s clean it up first.”
Using a soft brush to scrub away the deep-set dirt, then rinsing it with water, the bell’s true form began to reveal itself.
Ding—
The long striker hit the inside of the bell properly, and a deep, resonant tone rang out, heavy for its size.
“Wow…!”
The children’s eyes lit up with wonder at something so simple.
“Min-jae, grab the toolbox for me.”
“Deok-gu, go get a clothes hanger from the laundry room.”
While Min-jae sprang up without hesitation, Deok-gu wavered, unsure where to go.
Min-jae grabbed Deok-gu’s arm and pulled him along.
“Come on.”
The two of them headed into the Staff Dormitory.
Song-i asked with a shy smile.
“Dad, can I touch it too?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t you?”
“Hehe…!”
Song-i grasped the bell and shook it.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding—
The bell rang out loudly as it swung back and forth.
“Oof… Song-i, gently like this…!”
Min-joo, watching Song-i, lightly took her hand and guided it to move slowly.
Ding—
Ding—
Min-joo seemed pleased by the gentle sound and asked me with a slight smile.
“Boss, why did you ask us to bring the toolbox and the hanger?”
“Well, that’s—”
Just as I was about to answer.
Tap-tap. Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap.
Min-jae and Deok-gu came hurrying over, almost running.
Rushing toward us, they both stretched out their hands quickly, as if competing.
“Boss, here!”
“Here it is!”
Their hands kept reaching forward, each eager to be the first to deliver their item.
A soft laugh escaped me.
“Thanks, you two.”
I stretched out both hands and took the hanger and toolbox at the same time.
Tap. Tap.
They exchanged elbow nudges, their eyes speaking volumes.
Mine was 0.1 seconds faster.
No, mine was 0.3 seconds faster.
‘Is Min-jae teasing Deok-gu on purpose?’
Min-jae had a thoughtful nature.
Because of that, Deok-gu seemed like he’d adapt quickly.
I began cutting and bending the hanger into shape.
I formed a loop and connected it to the bell.
Min-jae’s eyes widened as he asked.
“Boss, you’re going to hang it somewhere?”
“Yeah.”
“Ah….”
“What? Does it look odd?”
“Well, it’s just….”
“Rough-looking, isn’t it? Not pretty?”
Min-jae scratched his head.
“Yes.”
Deok-gu muttered from beside him.
“It’s beautiful though… some people just don’t have an eye for these things.”
I ignored Deok-gu’s remark and turned to Min-jae instead.
“It’s not pretty, but there’s something endearing about it. I like the sound it makes.”
Min-jae pondered for a moment, then pointed outside.
“What if you hung it on the Swing Bench?”
I turned the metal loop attached to the bell and laughed.
“That’s a great idea.”
The eaves’ edge above the Swing Bench.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
I drove nails into the wood and hung the bell.
Click.
The fixed bell swayed gently in the breeze.
Dong—
A low, sustained note drifted slowly across the hotel courtyard.
“Oh….”
Min-jae breathed out softly in wonder.
I tapped Deok-gu on the shoulder, grinning.
“You’ve got a good eye, Deok-gu.”
Deok-gu turned away, trying to hide his pleased expression.
The wind picked up again.
Dong—
A deep tone.
It carried a weighty resonance that seemed to settle the mind.
“It’s perfect. Exactly the kind of sound this hotel needs.”
I stood beneath the bell, gazing up at it for a long while.
My eyes kept drifting back to it, for no reason I could name.
‘There’s something unusual about this bell….’
That was when—
Buzz—
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
The screen showed it was Rina.
“Hello?”
“Boss, it’s Rina. ”
“Are you finished with what you were busy with?”
“Yes. Ye-na and I are about to head over now… is that okay?”
“I was actually thinking of coming to get you—”
“Oh, no! We’ll come to you!”
Rina cut me off quickly, her voice bright.
“Very well. Come to the hotel, then.”
“Yes! Really? Thank you so much! We’re heading there now!”
Her excitement seemed out of proportion to what I’d said.
“…Please drive carefully.”
I ended the call.
Min-jae, who’d been watching from beside me, asked with bright eyes.
“When are they arriving?”
“Right away.”
While Min-jae’s face lit up, Deok-gu’s darkened abruptly.
……
Deok-gu was picking at the skin around his nails again.
“Deok-gu.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hide.”
!
Deok-gu flinched and quickly tucked his hands behind his back.
“Just lie flat on your stomach and grovel. Surely she won’t kill you.”
***
“I’m sorry.”
Deok-gu threw himself flat on the ground before Ye-na.
Rina, standing beside a bewildered Ye-na, lunged at Deok-gu.
“So it was you? Die! You bastard!”
Rina grabbed Deok-gu’s green hair and shook him roughly.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
“Do you have any idea what Ye-na went through because of you?”
“…I apologize.”
Rina’s eyes glinted fiercely as she spoke in a low, menacing tone.
“No need to apologize. Just die.”
Then she grabbed Deok-gu’s hair again and shook him harder.
“…Ugh! I’m sorry!”
And so the beating began in earnest.
Smack!
Thwack!
“Aaargh!”
“You bastard!”
Ye-na stood beside Rina, her expression complicated.
“…….”
Watching Rina vent on his behalf, it almost seemed to ease something inside her.
And seeing Deok-gu sprawled in the dirt, begging forgiveness, her hatred appeared to soften.
Just then, a cool breeze swept through, and the bell hanging from the Swing Bench swayed.
Ding—
Ding—
At that clear, pure chime, Rina paused mid-strike.
In that moment, Ye-na took hold of Rina’s hand.
“Stop now.”
“Huh? Already? Aren’t you still angry?”
“No. You got angry for me. I’m not angry anymore.”
“Sigh…. This idiot deserves worse, but if you say—”
“It’s finished now. I want to move past it.”
“Hmm….”
“He apologized.”
“Well, if that’s what you want….”
Rina released her grip on Deok-gu’s hair.
A pitiful shower of green strands fell to the ground as if caught in a hurricane.
‘Wow…. How many hairs was that…!’
Mourning the departed locks, she tapped Deok-gu’s leg.
Deok-gu quickly twisted around and bowed deeply before Ye-na.
“I’m sorry! Please forgive me! As a gesture of my sincerity, I will stand by you whenever you need me from now on!”
Ye-na’s lips quirked into a faint smile as she placed her hands on her hips and asked.
“Is that a threat—that you won’t help unless I forgive you?”
“No, no, that’s not it…. I will be on your side forever, with or without your forgiveness!”
“Ah, so you’re saying I don’t need to forgive you then?”
“I… well, that is to say… I’d prefer it if you forgave me, but even if you don’t….”
Deok-gu’s eyes darted back and forth as he stumbled over his words.
‘Good grief, this fool.’
“Pfft…!”
Unable to contain her laughter at Deok-gu’s bumbling, Ye-na turned away and spoke.
“Fine. I’ll forgive you halfway for now. I’ll be watching to see what you do next.”
What did it even mean to forgive someone halfway?
Deok-gu bowed repeatedly, grateful for even that much.
“Yes! Thank you. Thank you so much…!”
Min-jae and Min-joo helped Deok-gu up with words of encouragement, while Song-i and Hwang-geum-i spun around laughing and chasing each other.
Rina flexed her fingers regretfully, as though wishing the beating had lasted longer.
Watching the noisy lot, I suddenly looked up at the sky.
‘Come to think of it, isn’t the Full Moon soon?’
The Full Moon guest would be arriving before long.
***
I spoke to Miho, who wagged her tail as she gnawed on jerky.
“How’s your body feeling?”
— Fine. Why?
“Let’s go tomorrow.”
— Go where?
“Samyoung Mountain.”
— Already? Will it be all right?
“The Full Moon’s in a few days. When the new guest arrives, we’ll be busy for a while. Better to handle things beforehand.”
Choi Il-ju eventually made a full recovery and was discharged.
It took considerable time and everyone’s effort to get him there.
This new guest who would soon arrive might be even more difficult.
Since the situation was unpredictable, it was better to tidy up what we could in advance.
I smiled faintly at the hesitant Miho and opened the Management Window.
【 Spirit Power Points: 8,000p 】
【 Use Spirit Power Points to enhance? 】
‘Yes. All of it.’
After sending off the ghost, I spent all 8,000 points I’d earned to strengthen myself.
【 Administrator Details 】
*Kim Woo-jin:
Health: Good
Spirit Vision
Soul Insight
30,305p
In that instant, a tingling sensation spread through my body.
“How’s that? Think you can handle me now?”
Miho, who had been staring at me with narrowed eyes, slowly nodded.
— Yeah. This should be worth a try.
I Inherited the Dokkaebi Hotel
Author
: Wae Geurae Nol Rae
Publication Date
: August 25, 2026
Publisher
: Acesmedia Co., Ltd.
Editor
: Acesmedia Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by Acesmedia Co., Ltd. in accordance with the copyright holder’s contract,
and the contents may not be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.
This ebook is 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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