“$%#!”
A rapid-fire explanation shot past my ear like a rap.
Side effects? Additional fees? Money…?
My eyes widened as I tried to make sense of the overwhelming words.
“It’s not like I came here because I wanted to, you know?”
“I… I’m sorry…”
“Side effects? What do you mean by side effects? And how much are the additional fees?”
“We’ll explain the details after confirming the specifics.”
The staff member nervously guided me to the sofa, his hands trembling slightly.
People hurried back and forth, handing out printouts, answering constant phone calls.
In such a tense atmosphere, I could do nothing but sit silently and observe.
I wasn’t the type to cause a scene or demand answers, so I just sat there quietly, letting time pass me by.
I want to lie down…
Unable to bear the discomfort any longer, I eventually stood up and walked over to the front desk.
The employees, previously gathered in a group, scattered and busied themselves with paperwork or pretended to answer nonexistent phone calls.
“Um…”
As I approached, one staff member gave me an awkward smile.
“Yes, customer. The person in charge is on their way. Could you please wait just a little longer?”
It’s been a while since they said “just a little longer.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
Even my dry throat refused the offer.
“…”
The staff gave me an awkward smile and looked at me hesitantly.
No. I can’t take this any longer.
I took a deep breath to gather my courage.
Sitting stiffly, staring blankly at the carpet any longer felt unbearable.
Who cares anymore.
As I turned my stiff body, determined to shake off the tension, someone called out.
“Thank you for waiting!”
With a crisp, professional greeting, a sharp-looking man wearing stylish glasses entered the room.
Instantly, the staff’s expressions shifted to relief.
‘Tch.’
The tension that had briefly eased in my lower back returned as I straightened up again.
“I apologize for the wait, customer. You must’ve been quite uncomfortable. I’m the manager in charge of this department.”
With calm, practiced ease befitting someone of his rank, the manager offered a firm reassurance.
“I can imagine how distressing this situation must’ve been. It’s rare for something like this to happen. Since it’s your first time, we took extra care to find the best way to assist you, hence the delay.”
“I see…”
“It appears the confusion was caused by a system error and a misjudgment by the previous staff. We’ll ensure this doesn’t happen again by reinforcing staff training and thoroughly reviewing the system.”
He continued his explanation smoothly.
But while he spoke, I realized, no one had told me how to return.
“So… is there a way for me to go back?”
As I finally voiced the most pressing question, the manager, who had been smiling confidently, paused.
When he continued, his tone had grown firmer.
“Returning to reality immediately is not possible under our hotel regulations. You must enter a novel’s original story.”
“Didn’t you say there wasn’t one?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
‘If there isn’t one… then how do I go back?!’
My jaw dropped in disbelief. As my face began to tense, the manager quickly added with a calm voice.
“However, we managed to locate one original novel story you can access. Just one.”
Even before he finished, the employees in the back exchanged glances.
The social radar in my head pinged in full alert.
I’ve seen this before…
Like those scenes in animal documentaries where the prey gets singled out from the herd just before getting caught.
They’re all watching me, trying not to make it obvious.
Something’s definitely off here. I need to tread carefully.
“Perhaps it is… somewhere strange?”
“Pardon?”
“A tragedy where everyone dies…? Or seducing the mastermind dragon male lead? Or maybe becoming a cursed villainess? A terminally ill extra…? Or perhaps… am I the one holding the fate of the world?”
I listed every worst-case scenario I could imagine, each more ridiculous than the last.
The manager averted his gaze and let out a quiet sigh.
I might be right… Why is he making me so nervous?!
“That’s not the case. It’s just…”
He trailed off.
The manager then smiled with what looked like genuine fondness and said,
“It’s a return story.”
“What…?”
A return…?! Even a transmigration story can be returned?!
Even a time-limited character doomed to die tomorrow could live well after transmigrating.
So just how terrible must the original story have been… to be returned?
Maybe he read the dismay on my face, the manager quickly added,
“Oh, there’s nothing wrong with the original story. It’s just a simple return story. You will be playing a side character role, it’s not too difficult.”
“……”
A side character role in a simple story? That didn’t sound promising at all.
What I truly needed was a soft bed and complete rest.
“We wanted to offer you a more meaningful role, but… unless you’re willing to wait several years here, we can’t guarantee anything better.”
‘…No. I’ll gladly pass on the important role.’
I rested my chin in my hand, weighing my options.
Well, if there’s no available story, I can just buy the return story.
It wasn’t like I wanted to be charged extra fees just for staying here longer—and who knew how many years that might take?
Return story or whatever, it seemed better to just enter something rather than stay stuck here.
But as I remained silent, apparently growing more and more anxious, the manager began to speak faster.
“You seem worried, and I apologize. Would you feel better if I told you… you can customize your hair and eye color?”
My eyes widened.
For a prisoner trapped in the prison called ‘company’, who couldn’t even dream of dyeing their hair a luxurious color, this was an unexpected opportunity.
Wait… I can choose any color? What would look good?
As I began to imagine the possibilities, the manager, feeling uneasy and unable to bear the silence, opened his mouth.
“Guidebook! We will also provide a guidebook that includes the world’s background and character introductions.”
‘Huh?’
Startled, I blinked and widened my eyes.
Wait… did they just say they’re giving me a guidebook?
As a romantic fantasy novel reader, a minor character, and someone who doesn’t know a thing about the original story, you’re giving me a guidebook? Isn’t that basically a cheat code?
With that guidebook, I could probably live my new life as a homebody in that world, without ever getting involved in the original story.
I sat up straight and glanced at the manager suspiciously.
‘If I stay quiet a little longer, will they throw in another bonus?’
But the manager looked like he had played all his cards. He shrugged slightly, as if to say, ‘This is all we’ve got’.
“This is the limit of the help we can offer. So, what will you do?”
I quickly spoke up, afraid he’d suddenly take back the offer.
“So, when the story ends, I go back to the real world? What happens there?”
The manager gave me a calm, reassuring smile.
“Time will have paused there. You’ll return to the exact moment you left, as if nothing happened.”
That was all I needed to hear. I nodded in determination. Good. If that’s the case, then the sooner I jump into the story, the better.
As I moved to follow the manager’s lead, all the staff who had been standing by the door stepped aside and bowed.
Among them, I spotted the staff member who had been inside the crowd.
Her face was still pale, and her eyes were red, like she’d been crying.
For some reason, it reminded me of myself back in elementary school, getting scolded too harshly by a teacher. I instinctively looked down and said to the manager.
“Thank you for helping me. And… things worked out in the end, so… please don’t be too hard on her. Please.”
I bowed my head low.
Meanwhile, after Ji-yoon left, an awkward silence settled over the front desk.
As the manager let out a sigh, the staff member who had bowed earlier flinched.
“Miss Elle.”
“I’m sorry.”
Elle’s voice trembled as she bowed deeply.
“This isn’t your first time, is it?”
“Pardon? Last time, I… that was…”
“Fortunately, it ended without much trouble this time. But what if it had escalated into a major claim breach, like with that previous customer?”
“…”
“I’ll let it slide since the customer asked me to, but please be careful from now on. Keep monitoring closely.”
“Yes.”
“What are you standing there for? Go write up the guidebook.”
Elle bit her lip and quickly stepped away.
“I’ll escort you to the powder room now.”
“Thank you.”
Inside the powder room was a woman in a beautiful dress, like the ones seen in romantic webtoons, waiting for me.
“Hello, customer. I’m your assistant, Layla. Please come this way.”
As I walked timidly, Layla gently placed her hand on my back and led me toward the vanity.
Wearing pajamas and barefaced, while Miss Layla stood beside me in her dress, our figures reflected together in the mirror.
It looked like a strange pairing between a honeybee and a fairy.
‘…Could someone as shabby as me really dare to receive a transmigrator’s privilege?’
Unable to hear my thoughts, Layla smiled brightly and gently stroked my hair.
“I was informed that you would be allowed to choose your hair and eye color. That is quite a privilege, only a select few customers are granted such benefits.”
While I nervously fiddled with my gown, Layla rought over a large powder case and held a puff in her hand.
“Please close your eyes for a moment.”
As I closed my eyes, the soft puff touched my face.
Her careful hand traced from the edge of my jaw to my temples with delicate precision.
“You can open your eyes now.”
“Eek.”
As soon as I opened them and met her eyes, I took a sharp breath.
On a night when darkness had fallen thick and heavy,
the moon, once hidden behind clouds, revealed its face, casting light through the window of a grand mansion.
Inside a room untouched by human presence, a man sat alone.
His face was pale and flawless, as if shaped to perfection by countless sleepless nights.
The moonlight traced the high bridge of his nose and the sharp line of his jaw, making even his slightly parted lips glisten.
Deep within his eyes, crimson pupils caught the light and shimmered ominously.
“Grrr…!”
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