Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 13

The methods for handling monster guests are divided into about four.

 

1. Contract
2. Exorcism
3. Management
4. Neglect

 

The contract route incurs a semi-permanent penalty. The exorcism route is dangerous and results in great losses. Neglect is something you shouldn’t even think about unless you want to ruin the hotel.

 

Therefore, the safest way to respond is “Management.” 

 

“This has become quite troublesome.”

 

He muttered lowly, looking at the marble floor that had finally regained its original color.

 

“The management manual for ‘The Wet Person’ is clear, right? Strengthen the humidity control system, identify their movement path through plumbing monitoring, and above all, physically block the frequency of contact with human guests.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It’s a perfectly rational method where at least no one has to die… but world affairs are so fickle that things rarely go my way.” 

 

Exceptions always occur.

 

“To think the humidity control system would break.”

 

It was likely due to the weather exceeding critical limits. 

 

“When the system collapses, the frequency of ‘The Wet Person’s’ walks sharply increases. Especially, the probability of it starting to track in reaction to the warmth emitted by human guests rises exponentially.”

 

“Yes, it rises.”

 

As a general manager and as a single human being, it was a far from pleasant development. 

 

“The guests also came down earlier than expected.”

 

If he had followed the manual, he should have fixed the humidity control system first, but he was absolutely lacking in physical time. ‘The Wet Person’ had already occupied the path through the lobby. 

 

In the midst of that, the human guests, knowing nothing, were walking right into a death trap on their own two feet.

 

‘It was a total mess.’

 

There was only one option. The so-called Distraction.

 

‘It’s ignorant, but it’s the most reliable temporary measure.’ 

 

A method where the user themselves becomes bait to intercept the monster guest’s interest.

 

The distraction method against ‘The Wet Person’ is more straightforward than expected; you just stand in its way and issue an appropriate relocation recommendation. The success condition is that the humidity must be 65% or higher.

 

‘Current humidity 65.3% … that was close.’

 

If the distraction is successful, tracking toward human guests is forcibly delayed, and the erosion rate is also adjusted downwards. The fact that ‘The Wet Person’ went up to the 7th floor without a word just now was thanks to satisfying that condition.

 

“If I had been even a little late, a more hideous stain than earlier would have been left on the marble floor. And responding to ‘The Wet Person’ who had already run into the human guests would have been difficult even for me.”

 

“Yes, difficult.”

 

Of course, even if he succeeded like this, there was a price he clearly paid.

 

“Increased frequency of night nightmares, hypothermia, and substantial injuries and excessive bleeding from the distraction…. It’s the typical method of giving up flesh to take the bone.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It’s a relief there isn’t a problem with my memory.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Coco was undulating bizarrely while looking at Lee Yeonwoo’s injury. It was like a living liquid monster. Perhaps it was expressing negative emotions in its own way.

 

“Is the condition serious?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I thought so. My back feels a bit empty.” 

 

There’s nothing to be surprised about. The superficial image of ‘The Wet Person’ is a ‘killer on a rainy day.’ Its true nature is a manifestation of the concept of a ‘drowned person,’ but it actually carries various types of blades.

 

Though it generally seemed to be a kitchen knife.

 

‘If I’m unlucky, I could end up getting chewed out like just now. I have to blame my luck for this.’

 

Suffering an attack beyond blades—that is, ‘biting’—is purely in the realm of probability. A chance of roughly 8% or less. It just so happened that the slim winning ticket was placed in his hands today. 

 

“At least I should be thankful there aren’t any large chunks of flesh rolling around the lobby floor. Thanks to that, I can barely keep up appearances in front of the guests. I suppose I should call this gratitude.” 

 

“No.”

 

“Such decisiveness makes me embarrassed for trying to sublimate this situation with laughter.”

 

“No?”

 

“Well, it isn’t a situation to be laughed off. Thank you for the objective and clear answer. Perhaps because of the excessive bleeding, it’s hard to even spit out a proper joke.” 

 

“Yes.”

 

“Additional treatment will be necessary… but I haven’t the slightest clue. To have to consider self-surgery as a 21st-century modern man—this is why a labor shortage is terrifying.” 

 

Honestly, it was pure nonsense. He felt as if his brain wasn’t working due to the lack of blood. 

 

“…For now, shall we go somewhere safe?” 

 

Lee Yeonwoo got onto the operator-exclusive elevator. Since the human guests had also left, he intended to use this opportunity to clean up this wretched appearance. To do that, it would be better to move to his quarters.

 

Upon arriving at his room and standing before the full-length mirror, Lee Yeonwoo marveled. 

 

“This is, well, what should I call it.” 

 

“Yes?”

 

“It’s a bit… disgusting.” 

 

“Yes?”

 

The flesh was severely gouged, clearly exposing the bone structure beyond the muscle tissue. Even for Lee Yeon-woo, who had lived through his forties, it wasn’t a sight easily seen. 

 

‘No, in the first place, it shouldn’t be easily seen.’ 

 

Because he is not a doctor.

 

“…It’s the kind of state only practicing surgeons would welcome. No, in this day and age, is this visual quite a discourtesy even to them? This has become troublesome.”

 

During the distraction process, ‘The Wet Person’ attacks the user. At first, it seemed like it was stabbing with a knife, but when he blocked it with his hand, it altogether bit and tore at him like a beast. Were its manners all washed away in the rainwater?

 

“I’m saying this again, but I didn’t know I would end up using this thing called Blood Magic so usefully.”

 

“Didn’t know?”

 

“Yes, well, it hasn’t been long since I started learning it, and it was quite far from the definition of magic I know. The only thing I can do right now is merely make blood move, so….”

 

The most basic of basic stages. Of course, this too would be a miracle and a great development for the medical world, but Lee Yeonwoo is not a doctor. He was just an office worker barely managing to take care of his own body.

 

In the midst of that, he had wondered what he could do just by handling blood a little, but today he keenly felt its usefulness. He was controlling his own blood in real-time.

 

‘To sum it up, it’s about stretching my life out to be a bit longer and thinner….’

 

Didn’t he hold the blood so it wouldn’t pour out from the affected area, and forcefully pump his heart when it was about to stop?

 

“….”

 

That is true, but.

 

“…Summarizing it in a sentence makes it sound like the absolute rambling of a madman.” 

 

“Yes?”

 

“There are things like that.”

 

To think that human anatomy, which he memorized by rote in high school, would be helpful in this way. He feels this a few times a year, but life truly is unpredictable.

 

“Normally, I should have at least fainted from the pain and shock, but I was helped by the fact that this is a game character’s body. Conversely, however, it means the condition is serious enough that I have to rely on the game system.” 

 

“Yes….”

 

“Soon my brain will split into four pieces.” 

 

If he stops Blood Magic, he dies.

 

“It doesn’t matter to me since I’ll just come back to life anyway, but….” 

 

“No.”

 

“The problem is the human guests.”

 

They surely must have felt something strange during the interaction in the lobby earlier. He would like it if they just ran far away like this, but human curiosity doesn’t work that rationally.

 

Especially the glint in Director Lee Seonhae’s eyes he saw yesterday weighed heavily on his mind.

 

“Will those people return to this place?”

 

As his concentration wavered for a moment, drops of blood fell with a pat, soaking the floor.

 

“I managed it so the scent of blood wouldn’t reach them as much as possible. Aside from the sentiment that it was literally ‘strange,’ they probably didn’t realize the truth… but still.”

 

His back is still wide open. It is a truly chilling sight. Perhaps due to blood loss, the face in the mirror was pale. His impression was even fiercer than usual.

 

“Director Lee Seonhae and Writer Hong Gyeongyeon are quick-witted and famous for enjoying danger. They are well-established in the industry for their unique inquisitiveness.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What was that ‘yes’ for?”

 

“Yes….”

 

The cat, staring at him quietly, spoke like a broken radio.

 

“—Director Lee Seonhae and Writer Hong Gyeongyeon. Enjoying danger. Inquisitiveness. Will those people return to this place? Yes. Yes. Yes.”

 

He roughly understood.

 

“…I learned for the first time today that you, Coco, are a cat capable of speaking at such length.”

 

“Hello?”

 

“Yes, I am so proud I feel like crying soon.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“….”

 

He feels a little frustrated inside.

 

“…Ha….”

 

He swept his hair up with a hand completely covered in blood.

 

The appearance in the mirror is a mess. His hair, which had been neatly pushed back, was soaked in blood water, and dark red stains soiled his shirt collar. This appearance, so disheveled because he couldn’t even self-censor, gave him immense displeasure.

 

It was truly filthy and messy. 

 

“…Right.” 

 

He doesn’t like it.

 

“Things are truly… turning out to be tiring….”

 

It is slippery, damp, and even lukewarm.

 

“…Let me calm down first.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I must start with treatment.” 

 

“Yes. Treatment.”

 

“I’ve been saying this often lately, but if I knew it would be like this, I would have become a doctor. And among them, a surgeon or an anatomy professor… someone like that….”

 

“….”

 

“Alright, I can’t receive guests with a hole in me. Where should I start?” 

 

There is no problem with the ‘increased frequency of night nightmares,’ which corresponds to mental abnormalities among the penalties.

 

‘I know because there have been a few similar situations before. There’s no way a penalty caused by the Wet Person would be much different. At most, a cutscene of drowning during sleep will pass by, and that’s it.’ 

 

It is truly a ‘game cutscene’ in the literal sense, so there is zero damage.

 

‘It’s too early to be certain, but there is a high probability that hypothermia is also fine. Because this is just a setting. And usually, the operator doesn’t die from the status ailment called hypothermia. Unless the hotel’s temperature drops further from here, but it’s not that kind of situation.’

 

This body has ‘such a setting’ because it is a game character, but there are no actual additional symptoms resulting from it. It means there is no shivering, impaired judgment, or muscle stiffness. It really is just that the body is cold, and that’s all.

 

‘But injuries from attacks and the resulting excessive bleeding, even if it’s a setting, are directly connected to the user’s life. Of course, even in the game, excessive bleeding is a status ailment where death is possible. Moreover, since it’s not just a character but an actual physical body in reality… if I make a mistake, I could really die.’

 

What if he considered the time it took to die and be resurrected? The human guests could fall into danger in the meantime. That had to be prevented. Furthermore, he couldn’t face the human guests in this state. 

 

‘Even so, what method is there? There was a section on over-regeneration in the Blood Magic book, but I haven’t learned it. It’s impossible to aim for regeneration with this sort of ability.’

 

Then the next method.

 

‘Was there a regeneration item somewhere in the hotel? No. Advanced recovery items are locked in the tutorial stage. To recover from an injury of this level, the shop must open. Then this is difficult, too.’

 

What about utilizing the bed in the quarters?

 

‘It can resolve the minimum amount of status ailments. But the penalties from monster guests common to both versions do not fall under those minimum status ailments. I’ll just wake up with my empty blood refilled.’ 

 

He feels like even that is something, but it’s not enough. Once he lies down, a whole day might pass by completely.

 

“….”

 

Soon, a conclusion came out.

 

“…I have no choice but to wrap my body in bandages to reduce the sense of incongruity of the sunken body, and use Blood Magic to buy as much time as possible so this body doesn’t die.”

 

“No?”

 

“In the tutorial, the time for resurrection is at least three days. If the human guests come in during that time, they will surely be seriously injured. Or die. I can’t let that happen.” 

 

“No. No.”

 

There are almost no games where an injury gets better if you just leave the game character alone.

 

‘This game is like that, too.’

 

Unless the injury is recovered, ‘excessive bleeding’ doesn’t disappear, either. Damage continuously comes in, restrictions arise on movement, and this body easily falls into panic.

 

It will be uncomfortable in many ways.

 

‘But I can cover the week or so that Director Lee Seonhae’s party will stay before leaving.’ 

 

Do not have lingering attachments to what you don’t have. It is definitely possible to resolve it with what has been given to me.

 

‘Utilizing the bed in the operator’s quarters to refill the depleted blood, managing the blood so I don’t reach death, and if I imitate the lost organs with blood instead….’

 

Yes.

 

That should work.

 

‘No matter what status ailment I have attached, the operator never dies in the bed in the quarters.’

 

There is always a way.

 

‘If I focus on the movement of blood immediately after waking up, it won’t lead to death. The guests might feel a sense of incongruity, but as long as I keep this life attached, I can manage to tidy things up to some extent.’ 

 

Fortunately, there is no pain.

 

“If it had even been painful, I wouldn’t have been able to make such an ignorant choice. What a relief.” 

 

“No?”

 

“How strange. It’s the same dry tone I always hear, but why does it sound so panicked today?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

“Alright, remember this, Coco.”

 

Yeonwoo rolled his eyes dryly to meet eyes with Coco on the table. A faint smile soon spread across his bloodless face.

 

“If another guest enters this hotel, I will consistently respond in this manner.”

 

Who let people in here? 

 

Shamefully and unpleasantly, Lee Yeonwoo in reality couldn’t answer that question.

 

He doesn’t know Coco’s inner thoughts, or whether ‘this thing’ is really the game data he knew. He cannot even be certain of how the value of the existence called Lee Yeon-woo was evaluated in this hopeless space.

 

However, he had the right to issue this much of a warning. 

 

“I will get hurt instead of those people, I will get angry, and I will suffer from all sorts of status ailments and then die. Then I will come back to life and protect the guests again. Because I have decided so.”

 

“….”

 

“I don’t know why you’re giving me special treatment. Whether it’s because of those 26 years, or because I’m the copyright holder of this game, or if there’s another reason you kidnapped me here. What does it matter? My conclusion does not change.” 

 

“….”

 

“When a guest comes, I will die as much as they would have had to die, and get hurt as much as they would have had to get hurt. I won’t let anyone die here, and I won’t let people be treated like game data. As you know, that is my way of operation.” 

 

“….”

 

“Then one day, I—whom you cherish so much—might break, unable to maintain this current form. I’m not infinite data like a game character; I’m a trivial human being who wears down and erodes easily.” 

 

“….”

 

“Did you understand?”

 

Coco tilted its head.

 

“Yes.”

 

A bizarre gesture that tells him its true nature is not a cat.

 

“Yes. No. Human.”

 

“….”

 

“Yes. No? Yes, yes. Yes. Yes. Hello? Hello. Hel, yes? No. No? Yes. Did you understand: Displeasing enough to be displeasing. Anyone. Will protect. Decided. Understand? Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand.”

 

“…….”

 

“Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Understand. Under-.”

 

It cut off abruptly.

 

“Did you understand?”

 

“…And they say cats are creatures hard to understand.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo, too, tilted his head.

 

“Indeed, it seems so.”

 

It didn’t seem like it would back down easily.

 

* * *

 

“Oh my, you are still in the lobby?”

 

And Director Lee Seonhae returned.

 

“Um, today… we brought things to eat.”

 

“That’s right, we did well, didn’t we?”

 

Together with Writer Hong Gyeongyeon.

 

“I’m so sorry about this, what do we do? Something came up in another area for our kids, so I sent them there. You lent us two rooms, but I felt like I was ignoring your favor, so my mind was so troubled even while coming here.”

 

Director Lee Seonhae smiled, holding up a grocery bag with easy affability. However, behind that bright smile, her characteristic stubbornness was faintly radiating through.

 

Lee Yeonwoo quietly had this thought.

 

“….”

 

That there was someone else besides Coco who wouldn’t back down.

 

“…No, serving the guests comfortably is what I rightfully must do.”

 

That something might really happen.