Welcome to the Goblin Hotel - Chapter 4

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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 4
120 million won.
‘The old man was quite the cash collector.’
I’d wanted to liquidate the inheritance as quickly as possible, but seeing the money actually deposited into my account left me oddly disoriented.
“Having second thoughts already?”
“No, sir.”
The Old Man handed me a business card as he spoke.
“Something tells me that Gold Coin won’t be the only thing you’ve inherited. If there’s more to settle, come find me again.”
“Yes, I understand.”
I wonder if luck like this will come around again.
Though this isn’t your average hotel.
The moment I stepped out of Chungpa Seorim, I couldn’t hold back the trembling at the corners of my mouth anymore.
“Heh-hehehehe!”
Laughter kept spilling out.
Song Yi tilted her head, watching me with confusion.
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
I must have looked strange to her.
I rubbed my mouth with the back of my hand and spoke.
“Song Yi, today Dad’s going to buy you all your favorite things. What do you want to eat?”
“Strawberry cake!”
The answer came instantly, without a moment’s hesitation.
“Perfect. Let’s do it.”
I took Song Yi and Hwang Geum Yi with me to the Mart.
Along the way, ‘those things’ flickered in and out of view here and there…
“Woof! Woof woof!”
At the sound of Hwang Geum Yi’s barking, they vanished again.
I couldn’t explain what was happening.
But any hesitation about buying things for Hwang Geum Yi dissolved completely.
‘Let’s splurge today.’
I picked out Song Yi’s favorite snacks, fruits, meat, and vegetables.
And for Hwang Geum Yi: premium-grade food, treats, a plush cushion, a collar, and more.
I filled the cart to overflowing.
And the strawberry cake for Song Yi.
The whole time, I never once looked at a price tag.
On the drive back to the hotel.
I thought about how to manage the hotel going forward.
‘So a Dokkaebi Lair really does exist…!’
I’d heard the old legend before—that living in a Dokkaebi Lair makes you wealthy.
But to earn this much money…
It still didn’t feel real.
Then something occurred to me.
“They say if you fall out of favor with a Dokkaebi, you’ll go bankrupt instead….”
My spine went cold, and the hair on my arms stood on end.
No.
That can’t happen.
The Dokkaebi Hotel was our precious home—Song Yi’s and mine.
I changed course toward the Market.
I held Song Yi’s hand with one arm and carried Hwang Geum Yi with the other.
I’d bought a harness and a collar at the Mart, but Hwang Geum Yi refused to wear them, so I left them off.
The refusal of a VIP Guest.
It wasn’t right to force the issue.
And if that VIP might guarantee Song Yi’s safety, all the more reason not to.
“Dad, why are we here?”
“I want to buy some snacks for the Dokkaebi… I’m not sure if there’s anywhere that sells them.”
“Dokkaebi snacks?”
I leaned close to Song Yi’s ear and whispered softly.
“Our hotel is a Dokkaebi Hotel, after all. There might be a Dokkaebi living there…!”
Song Yi’s eyes widened.
Then she whispered back, barely audibly.
“Really?”
“It’s a secret between us. You understand?”
Song Yi pressed her lips together and nodded solemnly, as if taking an oath.
“Grandmother, do you have any Buckwheat Jelly?”
“This is Buckwheat Jelly. These others are Acorn Jelly and Mung Bean Jelly. They’re all delicious.”
“I’ll take three pieces of Buckwheat Jelly.”
“Looks like you’re planning to treat someone. Here, try this too.”
The grandmother generously added an extra piece of Mung Bean Jelly to the bundle.
“Thank you.”
I’d prepared even the Buckwheat Jelly to offer the Lair’s master.
Everything was ready.
I climbed the winding mountain path and entered the hotel’s front courtyard.
“Huh…?”
I rubbed my eyes and looked again, certain I was seeing things.
The hotel’s exterior had transformed in just those few hours.
The weeds that had been sprawling across the front courtyard were neatly cleared away, and the rusted iron gate and signboard gleamed like new.
【 Automatic Maintenance System in progress. 】
【 Lobby purification and repairs 98% complete… 】
【 Guest room tidying and repairs 92% complete… 】
【 Landscape management 100% complete 】
Song Yi pressed her cheek against the car window and cried out.
“Dad! Our house is beautiful now!”
Our house.
The safest, most comforting sanctuary in the world—the Dokkaebi Hotel.
This place was our home now.
***
I organized the ingredients I’d brought with care.
We could easily get by for a good two weeks without worrying about supplies.
Growwwl—
My stomach had been growling since I’d only grabbed snacks for lunch.
“Song Yi, are you hungry? Just wait a bit. Dad will make you some food.”
“Can Hwang Geum Yi and I go play?”
“Don’t go far. Stay in the front courtyard, all right?”
Song Yi nodded and called out to Hwang Geum Yi.
“Hwang Geum Yi, play with me!”
Once I’d sent Song Yi outside, I looked over what I had to work with.
‘Something quick, as fast as I can make it.’
After a moment’s thought, I soaked the dried pollock in water to soften it.
Then I cracked eggs into a bowl and beat them—sizzzzz—
I oiled the frying pan and spread the egg mixture thin across it.
As bubbles rose gently, I folded the thin omelette at even intervals.
Egg in, fold. Egg in, fold.
A Large Rolled Omelette was born.
“Song Yi will love this.”
I smiled warmly and set a pot of water to boil.
After rinsing the softened dried pollock under running water several times, I dropped it into the boiling water.
Bubble-bubble.
Once it came to a proper boil, I fished out about half of it.
“This batch is for our VIP Guest.”
I poured beaten egg into the broth, which was now foaming gently with milky white.
A sprinkle of green onion, a pinch of salt.
The Dried Pollock Soup came together in no time, fragrant and rich.
“Oh…! I forgot to cook rice.”
It only struck me as I was about to set the table that there was no rice.
Of all things.
‘I wanted to give them a proper meal…’
Disappointed, I pulled out a packet of instant rice and heated it.
“Song Yi! Time to eat!”
At my call, Song Yi and Hwang Geum Yi came bounding inside.
“Pant… pant… pant… pant…!”
Hwang Geum Yi’s tail wagged in rapid circles at the scent of the delicious food.
I pulled out some premium kibble and offered it to him.
“Eat this first. Then you’ll get the special treat.”
“Woof!”
Hwang Geum Yi barked toward where the dried pollock soup was, but I didn’t budge.
“No. This comes first.”
Crunch—crunch—
Hwang Geum Yi scrunched up his face and chewed the kibble.
Song Yi returned after washing her hands and spotted the rolled omelette, throwing both arms up in the air.
“Wow! A giant rolled omelette!”
I placed a piece into her small mouth, and it filled her cheeks completely.
“Mmm…! It’s delicious!”
Hwang Geum Yi, who had already finished his kibble, let out a sound.
“Woof!”
(Bring out the special treat already!)
“Your meal, sir.”
The moment I set down the dried pollock soup, he bounced with excitement.
Hwang Geum Yi’s tail spun in circles.
Song Yi’s pigtails fluttered side to side.
***
Starting today, I decided to use the room on the left side of the lobby as our living space.
Song Yi and Hwang Geum Yi were sitting on the living room floor, rolling around together.
As I watched them with a contented smile, words appeared before my eyes.
【 Automatic Maintenance System has completed. 】
【 Lobby Purification and Repairs 100% Complete 】
【 Guest Rooms Organization and Repairs 100% Complete 】
【 Landscape Management 100% Complete 】
Every item on the hotel’s automatic maintenance checklist had reached one hundred percent.
“Automatic cleaning and repairs too. This place really is incredible.”
While I marveled at the hotel’s remarkable system, words appeared before my eyes once more.
【 Automatic Maintenance System : OFF 】
“Huh? It turned off…? Does it shut down automatically once it hits one hundred percent?”
So when does it turn back on?
Can I switch it on myself?
“Automatic Maintenance System, turn on.”
“Automatic Maintenance System. ON.”
“Status window!”
“System!”
I tried calling out whatever came to mind, but nothing responded.
I heard Song Yi whispering something to Hwang Geum Yi.
“…Dad’s acting weird, Geum Yi.”
“Woof!”
So does it run automatically once a day?
Today made two days.
There was still so much to learn about this hotel.
***
It was while I was still getting to know the hotel.
Song Yi came over carrying her sketchbook, which she’d been using to draw.
“Dad! Do you think Dokkaebi will like this?”
The drawing, done in crayon, showed a cute little dokkaebi.
Round eyes, a chubby face.
‘So this is what the dokkaebi looks like in Song Yi’s imagination.’

A short note was written on it.
“Dokkaebi will love it. Should we put it out with some Buckwheat Jelly?”
“Yes!”
I thought about where to place the Buckwheat Jelly and decided on a spot beside the fireplace.
Song Yi’s note was folded in half and stood up next to the Buckwheat Jelly.
There’s a tradition in Korea of giving rice cakes to the neighbors when you move into a new place.
Since I couldn’t give the dokkaebi red bean pastry, though,
this would have to do.
“I look forward to working with you from now on.”
How much time had passed since then?
“Snoooore—”
“Wheeeeze—”
By the time Woo Jin, Song Yi, and Hwang Geum Yi had fallen into deep sleep in their rooms.
Whoosh—
A blue flame suddenly materialized in the empty space beside the fireplace.
It drifted closer to the Buckwheat Jelly, then pulled away.
Then it drew near again, retreating and advancing several more times.
Fssssht—
After a moment, the blue fire extinguished, and smoke curled upward, gradually taking human form.
The smoke became a blue-skinned Dokkaebi with a mischievous grin.
The Dokkaebi picked up a lump of Buckwheat Jelly.
Munch-munch, smack-smack—
The Buckwheat Jelly vanished in an instant.
It had been such a long time since tasting something this delicious.
The Dokkaebi had taken a liking to the newcomer, Kim.
“Hmm…?”
The Dokkaebi’s gaze turned to a picture placed beside the food.
<Dear Dokkaebi, hello. Let’s be friends.>
At the sight of the crooked letters and drawing, the corners of the Dokkaebi’s mouth twitched upward.
Then it folded the picture-letter and tucked it inside its clothes.
The Dokkaebi transformed into a blue fireball, which blazed brightly with a roaring sound—then vanished.
On the plate where the Buckwheat Jelly had been.
A gift left behind by the Dokkaebi remained.
***
Early the next morning.
After sleeping so deeply, he woke early.
He opened the door, breathed in the dawn air, and stretched languidly.
‘The air is so fresh out here in the forest.’
Then he noticed the Buckwheat Jelly on the plate had vanished.
It wasn’t just the Buckwheat Jelly that had disappeared.
Song Yi’s picture-letter was gone too.
“…Is there really a Dokkaebi living here?”
He rubbed his eyes and checked again, but the plate was empty.
There was no way Hwang Geum Yi had eaten it.
The picky Hwang Geum Yi would never eat Buckwheat Jelly.
“Huh…?”
Looking more closely, the plate wasn’t empty after all.
A yellowish gleaming lump sat upon it.
The moment he picked it up, a message appeared before his eyes.
【 Service Fee Payment has been settled. 】
【 Service Fee Payment Details: Gold Bead x 3, Forest Honey 】
【 Estimated Value: Gold Bead – 1,600,000 won 】
Yesterday he’d found a Gold Coin, but this time it was Gold Beads.
Four million eight hundred thousand won in return for just three lumps of Buckwheat Jelly.
Would offerings of Buckwheat Jelly continue to bring such rewards?
‘Going downstairs every time is a bit much… I should learn how to make Buckwheat Jelly myself.’
This time he picked up the small earthenware jar sitting beside the Gold Beads.
【 Estimated Value: Forest Honey – Conversion Unavailable. Instantly Restores Vitality 】
An aroma vastly different from any honey sold in shops—a rich, deep forest fragrance—spread through the entire Lobby.
Song Yi, roused from sleep, came over sniffing the air.
“Dad, what’s that wonderful smell?”
“You’re up early?”
“Hwang Geum Yi woke me up.”
He put some of the honey into Song Yi’s half-drowsy mouth.
Her cheeks flushed rosy like peaches, a healthy glow blooming across her face.
‘Now I understand why it came up as “conversion unavailable”…!’
“Wow…! It’s so delicious. Can I have more?”
“Song Yi, this is… um… something you only eat on days when you’re truly exhausted or unwell.”
“Is it medicine?”
“Yeah. How do you feel after eating some? Getting stronger?”
“Oh…? That’s right! I feel strong all of a sudden!”
“See? Let’s save this for when we really need it, all right?”
I want to give her as much as she wants.
But the earthenware jar was small.
Really, impossibly small.
Suppressing my regret, I licked the empty spoon Song Yi had used.
The delicate fragrance of forest honey melted across my tongue.
‘Maybe just one more spoonful…?’
I was still deliberating when it happened.
Bang, bang, bang!
The sound of someone hammering against the hotel’s iron gate echoed loudly through the air.
“Help! Please, open the door!”
A woman’s voice, desperate and pleading.
The screams shattered the peaceful dawn silence.
I Inherited the Dokkaebi Hotel
Author
: Whygraenolla
Production Date
: September 3, 2026
Publisher
: Acesmedia Co., Ltd.
Editor-in-Chief
: Acesmedia Editorial Team
Address
: 10F Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by Acesmedia Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder.
No part of this content may be used in any form or by any means without permission from the company and the author.
This e-book is protected by copyright law. 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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