Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 2

“No.”

 

Day 11 of hotel confinement. 

 

Having judged that he had adapted to his new body to some extent, Lee Yeonwoo began the tutorial. It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t a difficult process for Lee Yeonwoo, a user of 26 years.

 

First, grasp the building’s structure. Second, welcome guests. Third, cleaning. Fourth, how to use the staff. The fifth was to learn how to use the power plant, but…

 

“This hotel doesn’t have a single part that runs legally, does it?”

 

“No.”

 

“My little partner sure has generous standards. Which part is ‘no’? Excuse me, but to my eyes, this is a blatant violation of labor laws.”

 

He wasn’t talking about his own work. He could let it slide since the operator was the owner and general manager. The realistic horror was that the monsters belonging to the ‘staff’ worked without rest.

 

“To think I’m the owner of a company like this, what a bad joke.”

 

It was a textbook ‘black company.’

 

“No?”

 

“I suppose you lack the awareness that this is reality and not a game.”

 

Or perhaps it didn’t matter much even if it was realized.

 

“Of course, it was natural when it was a game, because the developer of this game wasn’t the kind of person who had the leisure to implement rest images for every single NPC. However, what I’m trying to say is that this is… reality.”

 

Unless he was really in a coma, probably.

 

“To apply a game exactly as it is to such a decent hotel, how inflexible. From my perspective, this looks like exploitation rather than work. Do you have any solutions to advise?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“A company with no answer, indeed.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It’s simply surprising that you admit to this.”

 

Coco rolled around in Lee Yeonwoo’s arms as if it were none of its business.

 

With the purring sound it made, it was a truly loathsome yet cute cat. Coco, which felt squishy like slime and had fur soft like a carpet when touched, possessed an exquisite lukewarm warmth.

 

“My heart is quite uncomfortable.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo, having readily admitted his situation, stepped out of the power generation room.

 

“Even though I’m a co-operator in name, the fact that there’s nothing I can do makes my position very awkward.”

 

“No.”

 

“Don’t you think my situation is quite difficult for you to just keep saying no?”

 

This hotel had a high difficulty level for entering specific situations and areas.

 

One of them was the power generation room; just breathing in there polluted one’s mind, increasing the operator’s probability of suicide. In a situation where he couldn’t even take care of himself right now, there was no way he could consider the working environment of the staff.

 

“…I’ve made a shameful grumble.”

 

Securing enough breathing room to at least look around his surroundings should be the priority.

 

Thus, Day 27 of hotel confinement.

 

“….”

 

Lee Yeonwoo eventually reached his limit.

 

“The door won’t open.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Having reached this age and worked as a hotelier—which isn’t even my major—this far in a minor’s body, don’t you think it would look somewhat commendable? It was even unpaid, so how about opening the door instead of giving me that money?”

 

“No.”

 

“I’m getting a bit interested in those words. Let’s get this straight, partner.”

 

He asked dryly, looking down at the four-legged beast.

 

“Is it that you won’t do it, or you can’t do it?”

 

“Hello.”

 

“Excuse me, my questioning method was wrong again. Are you not doing it?”

 

“No.”

 

“Aha, I see….”

 

Lee Yeonwoo rolled his eyes without much of a reaction.

 

“…To think that even my only friend who talks to me doesn’t have the authority to open this door, there’s no disaster quite like this. As the co-operator who was dragged into this, where should I go to negotiate now…?”

 

It had been a long time since he finished all the tutorials.

 

He had done everything he was told to do. He had also mostly mastered the hotel’s functions.

 

‘Even if it has become reality, there is no difference from the flow I remember. I’ve even reached the point of receiving monster guests of a difficulty level that shouldn’t appear in the tutorial, as if the bugs in the game were reflected exactly as they were.’

 

However, there was exactly one stage he hadn’t completed.

 

“…Coco.”

 

He called the monster, whose shape was so familiar he could draw it with his eyes closed.

 

“There are many problems with bringing an actual human here.” 

 

“No.”

 

“It’s not that I don’t know what process the tutorial has to go through. I also remember that after the monster guests, the next step is learning how to serve human guests.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I know, but that is simply not right humanely. And I am a human. If one is a human and not a beast, there is a line that must be kept. Are you familiar with morals and ethics?”

 

“No.”

 

“I see, was today the third day I died of high blood pressure?”

 

“No.”

 

“I was talking to myself.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“….”

 

There were many types of beings that visited or resided in this hotel, but ‘guests’ could be roughly classified into two categories: ‘monster guests’ and ‘human guests.’

 

And human guests were, literally, just… people.

 

“Shall we sit down, Coco?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Let’s have a talk.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I have no intention of bringing any new person here other than myself. There are things possible only because a game was a game, and this game is even more so in that regard. Who would I bring a person here to catch?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did you just state that it is correct to bring people here to catch someone?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Fine, I don’t really want to yield, but let’s say I yield a hundred or a thousand times and agree.

 

“Then can that person resurrect too?”

 

“No.”

 

“Let me confirm one more thing, sir. Is that person a being close to a game character I know? An NPC? Or are they a normal human who wakes up in the morning to go to school or work, has their meals, and endures the day with average emotions?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you saying an ordinary person like me, who can’t even resurrect, has to come here and stay? That it’s part of the tutorial? And I have to learn how to serve such people?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Push an unrelated stranger onto a path of thorns for my sake?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You must be insane.”

 

This kidnapper was now trying to turn him into a murderer.

 

‘As expected of a monster cat, does the concept of a conscience simply not exist?’

 

Naturally, Lee Yeonwoo had no intention of serving a real person.

 

Eventually, he gave up on playing fair. Life has many variables, and it was better to find another way to survive than to become a murderer.

 

‘There must be a way even if I don’t clear the tutorial.’

 

As time passed, Day 34 of hotel confinement. 

 

“The realization that I’m adapting is unpleasant.”

 

“No.”

 

It was somewhat bearable.

 

“It’ll be quite a sight to see what happens once the tutorial is finished.”

 

‘Ho-One’ has a different progression method than typical games. Even a proper interface only appears after the tutorial is over. There are many bugs as well, matching its unique system.

 

The situation Lee Yeonwoo was in was exactly like that.

 

‘If left alone, currency just piles up without end.’

 

Originally, the tutorial for this game ends in 4 days at most. However, if you intentionally stall for more than 13 days in this short section, the system overloads and several fatal bugs occur.

 

The first is the type of guests. High-difficulty monsters that should appear gradually according to the user’s level rush in from the beginning. It’s not a welcome thing for an already high-difficulty game.

 

‘And the second is the accumulation of currency.’

 

The amount of currency that can be stored is fixed according to the hotel grade.

 

However, since there is no interface in the tutorial stage, there is no upper limit to the currency. It’s like goods being piled up randomly when there is no warehouse.

 

From the perspective of a long-time user, it’s something one can adapt to…

 

“…I don’t know the exact figures since there’s no interface.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“But the amount won’t be small.”

 

Resources that far exceeded the tutorial average would already be stagnant in this hotel.

 

‘Then will that be reflected as well?’

 

Usually, such accumulated excess resources are reset upon completion of the tutorial. The problem is that ‘Ho-One’s’ error-handling code is poor.

 

To process the currency that hasn’t been deleted, the system forcibly converts them all into experience points.

 

‘There was a time I reached level 666 all at once using this method.’ 

 

In a normal level-up, one must consume special items every 5 levels to perform a ‘Limit Break.’ However, this bug ignores that process and makes the level skyrocket.

 

And naturally, various side effects and conveniences follow.

 

‘In this situation where the game has become reality, those points will feel even more significant.’

 

How far will the level go up this time?

 

“Since it’s just the two of us, I’m being quite honest—I’m looking forward to it quite a bit. And that makes me very displeased. It’s clear that 26 years of affection is clouding my reason.”

 

“No.”

 

“The fact that living like this isn’t as bad as I thought makes me reproach myself. Unless one is quite crazy, there’s no way to enjoy this unreasonable situation….”

 

“Yes.”

 

“….”

 

He looked at Coco with an indifferent gaze.

 

“Sometimes I wonder if you, Coco, are expressing a desire to fight with me. Of course, you’ll say no.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I shouldn’t get used to this sort of thing. I will reflect.” 

 

It was a game he had played for over 20 years. He was so sad to see the service end that he inquired about the publishing rights and even had the copyright transferred to him. Now, hadn’t he entered the game he cherished enough for it to become a part of his daily life?

 

‘Admit that it’s impossible not to have affection.’

 

There was no risk of death, and no problem making a living. Although he was in a state of kidnapping and confinement, it wasn’t impossible to generously consider it a vacation.

 

‘This isn’t too bad. It’s no different from having entered an immersive studio produced in secret for my game, which had no updates, let alone merchandise.’

 

If he thought of it as staying in a theme park or a haunted house, it was okay in its own way.

 

“Still, I do want to return to my original life.”

 

“No.”

 

“How firm. But I understand what you mean; it would be difficult to expect my original life in this state of a 19-year-old looking like a piece of wet paper. Even if I were to escape from here.”

“Yes.”

 

“Can I really live the life of an ordinary human? Is there no risk of being caught by the National Intelligence Service? Whether people would even recognize me in this suddenly younger form… actually, I don’t really know.”

 

“No.”

 

“Hearing that makes me even less confident. If this was an attempt to make me unable to think about leaving this place, I’d like to say it wasn’t half bad….”

 

He muttered.

 

“…I wonder when that door will open.”

 

Time passed like that. Before he knew it, it was Day 52 of hotel confinement.

 

“Now, follow after me.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo painted a ‘picture-perfect smile’ over his dry expression.

 

Managing his facial expressions was one of his specialties. As always, the corners of his mouth rose smoothly.

 

Then, he said in a pleasant tone.

 

“Hello.”

 

“Hello.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo nodded at Coco’s response.

 

It was a signal of mutual understanding. He had taught the language of society.

 

“You’re doing well. Remember that the human language can express many things through intonation alone. Since you understand my language, you will surely be fast at learning intonations as well.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“In that situation, if you nod your head, you can express your intention to understand more clearly. For reference, the head I’m talking about here refers to everything above the neck, especially the chin….”

 

Lee Yeonwoo began a full-scale interaction with the hotel.

 

Since Ho-One had become reality, there was no reason he couldn’t aim for something more than just the game. More than anything, the reason was that he was bored with nothing to do.

 

‘The fact that the tutorial feels boring means I’m in a relaxed situation. It’s something to be thankful for.’

 

If he had entered the main play, he would have been busy enough to spin his head. He would have been out of his mind serving guests and managing the hotel. But that wasn’t the case right now.

 

He still hadn’t finished the tutorial.

 

“Hello!”

 

“Excellent, Coco.”

 

He couldn’t become a murderer for the sake of his own comfort.