Welcome to the Goblin Hotel - Chapter 40

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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 40
Thump.
I sank to the floor and exhaled a long sigh.
“Phew… this is harder than I thought.”
The fragmented memories of the Lingering Spirits pressed down on my mind like dead weight.
I shook my head gently, trying to scatter that heaviness.
Miho approached slowly and stood across from me, bowing her head.
— Thank you. I’ve reclaimed my territory because of you.
“Well, I had a debt to settle with that creature anyway.”
As I said it, something occurred to me.
This had always been Miho’s place.
Did she mean to check out?
I hadn’t considered that possibility.
Though it stung, I couldn’t force someone who wanted to go home to stay.
“When are you planning to check out?”
Miho tilted her head.
— What are you talking about? Why would I check out?
“Well, you’ve recovered your territory, so you’ll be staying here from now on, right?”
— This is my main residence. The Dokkaebi Hotel is my vacation home. Why do you have less flexibility than a fox?
‘Being lectured about flexibility by a fox. That’s a first.’
“Ah, I see. That works then.”
I let out a rueful laugh and looked up, but something about Miho’s tail caught my eye.
Three full, lengthy tails swayed in the air.
And.
Beside them, a fourth tail—impossibly small—peeked out.
‘Four tails?’
Noticing my gaze, Miho flicked her tails and laughed.
— I’m a Sami-ho now.
‘When did she grow so much?’
— I found the spiritual energy I’d planted in the barrier.
“But you already had three tails before that.”
— I accumulated quite a bit of spiritual energy at the hotel.
“Ah…!”
It seemed the energy bound to the barrier, combined with what she’d accumulated over time, gave her more spiritual power than before.
“Our hotel’s been quite helpful then, hasn’t it?”
— Yes. I think it’s because the Dokkaebi Hotel sits between life and death—the energy there is potent.
Miho perked up her ears and smiled, then turned away.
— Come along.
“Where are we going?”
— Aren’t you going to collect your service compensation?
“Huh? Service compensation?”
I’m not some unscrupulous manager.
I don’t demand payment on a whim.
Miho spoke as she walked slowly ahead.
— You helped me today. I owe you. Foxes must repay kindness in full measure.
‘If that’s what she wants to do, I should accept.’
“But how far up are we going?”
After that battle, my exhausted body couldn’t handle a grueling mountain trek.
— Just a little further. It’s right nearby.
I nodded and followed Miho up the slope.
One hour later.
I realized something.
‘Right nearby.’
‘Just ahead.’
‘Not much further.’
These are phrases you can never trust.
“Huff… huff… huff… Hey, you said it was right nearby…?”
— We’re almost there.
“That’s the fifth time I’ve heard that.”
— Your pace is too slow.
“Me? Slow?”
My spiritual energy-hardened body had given me speed that outpaced an ordinary human’s as I climbed the mountain.
The spiritual power I’d burned through during the fight was gradually replenishing itself too.
And yet keeping pace with Miho remained impossible.
‘Unfair,’ I thought.
You couldn’t very well compare your stride to that of a fox who’d lived deep in these mountains.
I wanted to complain.
Instead, I drew a deep breath and swallowed it down.
‘Sigh… patience. I have to collect what I’m owed.’
Though come to think of it—
Did I really need to climb at all?
Last time, Miho had brought back the ginseng on her own just fine.
She’d coughed up the precious Cheonjongsam like it was nothing, but still.
I opened my mouth to call her back.
“Miho, wait. Do I really have to come—”
Before I could finish, she stopped and turned around.
— We’re here.
“…Already?”
— Yeah.
I scrambled up to her and looked around, searching.
“Where? Where is it?”
— There.
Where Miho gestured with her chin, a crimson berry caught my eye.
It was nearly within reach.
Mountain ginseng again, just as I’d expected.
“Bingo…!”
Beneath the thick undergrowth—
one, two, three, four… eight.
Eight stalks of mountain ginseng growing in scattered clusters.
“A full-grown root and all her seedlings…!”
I reached out slowly to harvest one, then stopped.
Conscience held my hand back.
“I can’t… do this.”
Miho tilted her head, questioning.
— Why? What do you mean you can’t?
“Harvesting without the owner’s permission—it’s wrong.”
—
I own this mountain. What permission do you need?
“Humans have laws, all right? Taking anything from someone else’s land without leave—that’s illegal.”
— Honestly, you’re being impossibly rigid today. There’s no one around. Just dig. What’s the harm?
“This is a matter of conscience.”
— To hell with conscience. You live on the boundary between life and death, and still you prattle about human law?
“I’m human regardless.”
— Idiot. Nobody knows this ginseng exists here. Without my word, no one would ever find it. Not ever.
“That’s… true enough.”
Miho sighed heavily and approached the ginseng, gently scratching away the soil with her foot.
“What are you doing?”
— Harvesting the ginseng. What else? Human law has nothing to do with what I do.
“Well… I suppose you’re right.”
Miho dug as she spoke.
— The time will come soon when you’ll have to choose.
“Choose what?”
— To step beyond the hollow rules humans cling to.
After that, Miho dug in silence while I gathered moss to carefully cover the ginseng she’d unearthed.
【 Service Usage Fee Settlement: Cheonjongsam (112 years old) 】
【 Estimated Value: Cheonjongsam — 380 million won 】
‘My God…! 112 years old?’
This one was older than the Cheonjongsam I’d received before.
Come to think of it, the air was thick with the rich scent of ginseng.
【 Service Usage Fee Settlement: Cheonjongsam (86 years old) 】
【 Estimated Value: Ancient Ginseng ― 210 Million Won 】
【 Service Usage Fee Settlement Details: Ancient Ginseng (95-year vintage) 】
【 Estimated Value: Ancient Ginseng ― 260 Million Won 】
One after another, ginseng roots aged nearly a hundred years emerged from the earth.
“……!”
Each time Miho handed me a freshly unearthed root, my hands trembled.
Watching the appraiser’s calculations unfold before my eyes made it hard to stay calm.
“Phewwwww….”
I set down the final eight roots with care and released the breath I’d been holding.
That’s when Miho brushed the dirt from her feet and asked.
— Is this enough? Will this suffice?
Eight ginseng roots wrapped in moss lay arranged across the discarded outer robe.
‘How much does all this come to?’
The figure was so enormous I couldn’t process it at first.
“This isn’t just sufficient….”
In that instant.
Miho’s ears drooped.
— I see. Is it still short? Though I can’t very well give you a Fox Orb….
“No, it’s perfect. I don’t want a Fox Orb anyway.”
‘Not sufficient—it’s overflowing with abundance.’
I wasn’t the only one who wanted to settle this matter with the Lingering Spirit.
I never imagined compensation would come like this.
I swallowed hard, gazing down at the ginseng roots, and murmured to Miho.
“Welcome to an extended stay with us, honored guest.”
Miho’s four tails swished with delight as she spoke.
— From now on, prepare premium jerky for me. That stuff the banned human brought was delicious.
“Of course. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure your satisfaction.”
***
Miho had evolved.
Every eye in the hotel lobby turned toward her as she strutted through with unmistakable pride.
“Wow…!”
“Congratulations!”
“She’s beautiful…!”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
Everyone gathered around to offer their congratulations, but Deok-gu stood apart, unable to join in.
“……!!!”
Deok-gu’s eyes bulged wide open like saucers.
Watching his eyes widen like that, I could sense a bout of PTSD coming on.
‘I’m so sick of those bulging eyes.’
I gently swept my hand down over Deok-gu’s eyelids and asked.
“Deok-gu, you’re seeing Miho for the first time?”
“I, I…! Three tails… no, four, right? They’re real, aren’t they?”
“That’s right. She’s a Four-Tailed Fox. Who knows—she might become a Nine-Tailed Fox someday.”
“Wow…!”
Deok-gu’s jaw dropped.
I pushed his chin back up and asked.
“Didn’t the others tell you?”
Deok-gu, eyes still glazed, mumbled.
“They said all the hotel’s guests are special… and to be respectful and serve well….”
‘Good grief. It’ll be a while before he comes back to his senses.’
Shaking my head, I called for Min-jae and Min-ju.
“Min-ju, how much food do we have left?”
“About two days’ worth. Oh, we need to buy buckwheat flour too. We have about a week’s supply of that.”
“All right. Min-ju, write down what we need, will you? I’ll have to go shopping tomorrow.”
“Min-jae, let’s leave early tomorrow. Get your things ready.”
“Yes, boss.”
I’d need to stock up on premium jerky for Miho too.
‘Might as well settle the Ancient Ginseng matter while I’m at it.’
I pulled out the business card that Teacher Park from Cheongpa Seorim had given me.
<Jang Young-seok>
It was a simple business card with only a name and number.
But the owner of this card was not a simple person.
‘He was a big spender who wired large sums without hesitation.’
When we’d dealt in the Cheonjongsam last time, Chairman Jang had asked me to contact him if anything good came up again.
Trusting his word, I pressed the button without a second thought.
Ring—ring—ring—
After several tones.
Through the receiver came the voice of Chairman Jang, exactly as I remembered it.
“This is Jang Young-seok.”
“Chairman, this is Woo-jin Kim.”
“You…! Why did it take so long to hear from you?”
‘Huh? That’s quite a reaction.’
I’d been ready to explain “I’m the Woo-jin who sold you the Cheonjongsam” in case he didn’t remember my name.
But this heated response.
I hadn’t expected it.
“Were you perhaps waiting for my call?”
“Well…? Didn’t Park tell me that I was looking for you?”
“Yes. No, I mean…”
“Ah, is that so? Since Park said he didn’t have your contact information, I left a message for you through him.”
“I see.”
“When your call wouldn’t come through, I was just about to have Secretary Kim track you down.”
“Now that I think about it, I never gave you my contact information. I was supposed to have new business cards made. I completely forgot.”
“Well, you’ve saved me the trouble by calling now.”
“What did you need to see me about?”
“I need your help.”
“What exactly do you mean by my help?”
A deep sigh came through the receiver.
“I have something…unpleasant. I was hoping you could take care of it for me.”
“What do you mean by something unpleasant?”
“Something like a mirror that Park had.”
“Ah…”
‘Did he hear about it from Park?’
His voice was urgent, almost desperate.
“Please, I really need your help. I’ll make sure to compensate you properly.”
“Let me examine the item first, and then I’ll tell you if it’s something I can handle.”
“Understood. When do you have time? I’ll send a car for you.”
“No need. Just send me the address. I’ll head out early tomorrow.”
“All right. I’ll send the address by text.”
Before hanging up.
I remembered the original reason for my call.
“Oh, Chairman.”
“Right, you must have called for a reason yourself. Ha ha ha, I went on about myself. So, what did you need?”
“Do you happen to need Cheonjongsam?”
“I do. Bring it to me.”
“I have quite a lot of it.”
“That’s fine. Bring it all.”
I Inherited the Dokkaebi Hotel
Author
: WhyAreYouSurprised
Created
: August 25, 2026
Publisher
: ACES Media Co., Ltd.
Editor
: ACES Media Editorial Team
Address
: 10F, Urban Bench Building, 325 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Email
: [email protected]
※ This work is published by ACES Media Co., Ltd. under contract with the copyright holder.
No part of this content may be used in any form or by any means without authorization from the publisher and author.
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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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