Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 3

Episode 3.

 

Since there was no answer, I decided to think positively for the time being.

 

“The weather is nice.”

 

“No.”

 

“….”

 

Tuk, tuk….

 

The faint sound of raindrops.

 

…Right, I was talking nonsense. I admit it.”

 

The weather outside the window of this hotel was basically stormy. 

 

No matter when I looked out the window, I only ever saw thunderstorms, heavy rain, or fog. Considering there was a misty rain falling today, it was relatively mild by this place’s standards.

 

That doesn’t mean it was good weather, of course.

 

“It’s just that I’m in a state where I want to find peace of mind even by spouting such nonsense. If you cooperate, you won’t have to see me die from failing to manage my blood pressure, at the very least.” 

 

He rolled his eyes toward Coco, who was on his lap.

 

“Wouldn’t frequent deaths of a co-operator be quite a hassle for you as well?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’ll take that as an affirmative answer.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

There had never been a humiliation like this.

 

“It’s been a while since I visited my main home…. If I had known my life would become this dramatic, I would have visited a long time ago. The price of putting off people instead of work is being repaid in a truly astonishing way.”

 

“….”

 

“Have you chosen silence now?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I don’t know if your perceptiveness has improved or if you’ve learned consideration, but either way, that was quite helpful.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I must be a strange person, finding this blunt response cute.”

 

“No.”

 

“Of course, from your perspective, it’s a fairly good strategy. Gaining the favor of a colleague is a fundamental of social life. I feel like praising you.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo got up from the bed. It was a large, soft bed.

 

“Shall we change the subject a little?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I think about this every time I wake up—what do you think the principle behind this bed is? By what logic does simply taking a nap allow one to recover from basic status abnormalities?”

 

“Hello.”

 

Does it not know, or does it not want to answer?

 

“…But personally, I think it’s a research topic worth digging into.”

 

The same goes for this body.

 

“It seems like a result of the game being reflected… but that’s the result, not the process.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I’m glad you agree with my opinion, Coco.”

 

As expected of a horror game, the operator experiences various status ailments while playing. From mental contamination to coughing up blood or weeping blood. 

 

And most of them recover after sleeping in the ‘Operator’s Quarters.’

 

‘There are status ailments that don’t recover even if I sleep or die, but that’s a story for later.’

 

As long as no problems arise due to bugs, it was a setting that didn’t need to be worried about in the current tutorial. 

 

‘But that doesn’t mean this is a body that requires sleep.’

 

The same went for meals. It was simply a matter of resolving status ailments that couldn’t be fixed by sleep through eating. Essential sleep and meals were not required as they were for an average human. 

 

“….”

 

…It was indeed an interesting topic.

 

“If possible, I’d like to try cooking as well.” 

 

“No.”

 

“Yes, I remember. Unless I finish the tutorial, I won’t be able to cook either. Since there are separate cooking recipes available for each level….” 

 

He rolled his eyes dryly.

 

“In this case, I suspect you’re going to tell me to finish the tutorial first, am I right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I cannot cooperate with a structure based on unnecessary sacrifice. Still, I am diligently serving the monster guests, so shouldn’t that be enough?”

 

“No.”

 

“This is what you call compromise when you need it.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo didn’t even have the common interface.

 

Since the game became reality, it might have disappeared entirely. However, ‘Hotel One’ was a game that only provided a proper interface once the tutorial was finished.

 

‘In other words, once I finish the tutorial, additional conveniences might appear in my current life.’

 

When the interface opens, various functions are unlocked. Cooking, hunting, playing music, etc. Even locked areas will open. The underground hunting ground was a prime example of that.

 

‘Then the hotel’s front door will naturally open as well.’

 

That is why Coco keeps saying it. Bring in human guests.

 

I understand the intention, but.

 

“How could I bring a person in here unless I was insane? It’s not like I’m young, and to do such a shameless thing—well, I’m someone who’s had a fair bit of education.”

 

“No.”

 

“So, this is a matter before morality and ethics.”

 

He spoke dryly.

 

“I find it hard to endure causing trouble to others.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Beyond that, if I think about someone getting hurt or dying right in front of my eyes… it makes my head spin. My stomach churns so much I feel like I need to find my gastrointestinal medicine immediately.”

 

“No.”

 

“Aha, is that so. I suppose I look fairly sturdy in your eyes. Well, 19 is an age where one could digest stones.”

 

That’s an excessive amount of trust.

 

“If I may offer a rebuttal, this isn’t exactly a hotel that treats its operator gently, is it?”

 

He could lose his mind at any moment.

 

“I might truly lose my mind and open the hotel doors to people. I have clear limits, and beyond that, my judgment could become clouded, and I could cause absurd accidents.”

 

“Yes.”

“However, as of now, by my standards, that is clearly a crime. Personally, I suspect you, Coco, are suggesting I bring in human guests for my own development and convenience….”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Still, I don’t feel like it.”

 

Day 100 of hotel confinement. 

 

“…Let’s stop the small talk here.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo still hadn’t finished the tutorial.

 

* * *

 

“Thank you for visiting.”

 

“…”

 

Humanoid. Refuses to attempt conversation during service.

 

Long, limp hair was disgustingly wrapped around a thin physique. Ordinary clothes, heavy and clinging to the body from being soaked, water droplets dripping with every step.

 

Faint eyes could not reflect any light at all, and the complexion was already no different from a corpse.

 

‘So….’

 

As if by habit, the appearance conditions lined up in his mind.

 

‘Increase in use of plumbing and water facilities. Condition not met.’

 

‘Activated upon check-in by someone with drowning trauma or survivor guilt. Condition not met.’

 

‘External humidity over 60% and rain forecast.’

 

A faint sound of rain began to mix in his ears.

 

“….”

 

Condition met.

 

“How may I help you?”

 

In response to Lee Yeonwoo’s question, the ‘guest’ answered with silence. Instead of all surrounding noise dying down as if in a vacuum, only the sound of rain became vivid, as if pressing against his eardrums. Water system noise enhancement confirmed.

 

A fishy, metallic scent of blood mixed in with the smell of water and humidity stung his nose. Humidity contamination warning. It was a sign that stimulation through emotional contamination was beginning. At the same time, Lee Yeonwoo’s fingertips turned as cold as ice.

 

‘Hypothermia reaction confirmed.’ 

 

Detection of water-attribute binding risk. The instinct to flee the spot surged, but it was an irrational rule of this hotel that movement was impossible during check-in. 

 

His body temperature continued to drop. His ears felt muffled, as if he were submerged in water.

 

‘Water system binding pressure confirmed in succession.’

 

Simply put, it was mental contamination.

 

‘…It’s quite aggressive today. Or perhaps my fate is just wretched. Well, in life, bad things always tend to come in bunches anyway….’

 

In his heart, he wanted to write a letter of resignation, but since when was that an easy task? There would be nothing more foolish than searching for a human resources department to process a resignation letter in a place where even the exit door was closed.

 

‘Let’s see,’

 

Type: monster guests common to both versions.

Grade: High Danger.

Collective erosion-tracking entity.

 

‘Name.’

 

『The Drenched Person』

 

“….”

 

…This is not a guest that should appear in the tutorial.

 

‘It seems my hundred-day prayer reached hell instead of heaven.’

 

He organized his thoughts while checking for a suitable room.

 

‘The monster guests who visit this hotel are divided into three types.’

 

Open version, common to both versions, and Close version.

 

The further down you go, the more the difficulty of service skyrockets. In particular, the Close version is content exclusively for so-called ‘veterans,’ and most users broke off with this game there.

 

‘But right now, it’s the tutorial.’

 

Normally, only low-grade monster guests corresponding to the Open version should appear. But standing right in front of his eyes was ‘The Wet Person.’ A mid-grade guest corresponding to the common Yang versions.

 

A clear system error, a product of a bug that occurred after holding onto the tutorial for 100 days.

 

“Yes, guest. Could you please wait a moment?”

 

However, he was not surprised.

 

‘Though rare, guests common to Both versions have come a few times before. There were no major accidents then, either.’

 

If you know your opponent well, countermeasures always emerge. Aren’t these regular customers I’ve been watching from across the screen for 26 years? Even with the addition of realism, it didn’t feel very unfamiliar.

 

Lee Yeonwoo examined the ‘guest’ again.

 

‘The intended length of stay is….’

 

In the original game, a guest’s requirements appeared as a brightly glowing guide, but now it was just understood instinctively. Even if that guest were a silent person who didn’t say a single word.

 

“…A stay of three days and two nights, confirmed.”

 

The standard procedure is to guide them to a room on the 7th floor. However, Room 707 must be avoided at all costs. Because the moment you put someone in that room, the hotel floods with water for an entire week, and accidents and incidents occur nonstop.

 

‘In the end, I’m the one who ends up cleaning up the mess.’

 

It is a problem if the operator dies in an incident involving a guest, and the cleanup is also a hassle. In particular, if ‘The Drenched Man’ leaks into the swimming pool or shower room, there is a 100 percent chance someone will die.

 

‘Since there are no other people in this hotel right now, that would mean I’m the one who’s picked.’

 

What if he assigned a room other than the 7th floor? The ‘operator’ would drown in short order.

 

‘I’m not in a situation relaxed enough to cater to a water ghost’s whims.’

 

Not only would he gain all sorts of status ailments, but it would also gnaw away at precious hotel resources. Above all, he did not wish to confirm through experience just how unpleasant and suffocating the pain of drowning was.

 

“I will guide you to Room 703.”

 

On the key rack inside the front desk, classical-style keys were hung neatly. Checking the nearest slot, the key for Room 703 was grabbed in his hand.

 

It was a convenient system that reminded him of the game even though it had become reality.

 

“…Hmm.”

 

After checking the key number attached to the key, he handed it to ‘The Drenched Man.’ Cold moisture touched his hand, but he maintained his smile without blinking an eye. 

 

“Please have a comfortable stay.”

 

In the spot where the soaked guest had left, water pooled like a puddle.

 

“Goodness.”

 

One of the characteristics of ‘The Drenched Man’ was leaving traces with every step. He was a typical guest of ‘Both versions’ difficulty who, just by existing, broke the building’s plumbing or caused accidents large and small.

 

‘The staff is going to be busy again; it’s a perfect situation for gossip after work.’

 

After indulging in such mundane delusions unbefitting of this hotel, he rang a small bell to summon the staff. Soon after, staff members dressed in suits just like him approached silently.

 

“I ask for your assistance.”

 

He glanced at the damp floor and smiled, his eyes curving into narrow slits.

 

“As you can see… the floor is a bit slippery.”

 

At the brief request, the staff began to wipe the floor in perfect order. It was a skilled performance, both prompt and without even unnecessary noise, as if demonstrating the essence of service.

 

After finishing the cleaning, they bowed to Lee Yeonwoo in a disciplined manner and returned to their places. Watching their backs as they walked away, Yeonwoo thought.

 

“….”

 

…They resemble humans a lot, but they are not human.

 

“…Though they don’t seem like androids, either….”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I think of it as a rude curiosity, but I am curious nonetheless. There’s no sound of breathing, let alone the sound of machinery running, and I can’t even hear the small noises that should occur when moving.”

 

At this point, it felt like some sort of spite.

 

“As if they want to advertise that they are mass-produced goods stamped out of the power plant.”

 

It was as if everything was screaming at him not to view them as ‘human.’ If so, whether that could truly be called ‘spite’ was something that needed to be pondered. 

 

“In the game settings, didn’t it only express them as ‘a part of the hotel born from the hotel’s resources’?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“At the time, since it was a game, I accepted it, but now that it’s reality, this is a structure that is biologically hard to accept. It looks like they are neither living things nor non-living things….”

 

They have different faces and physiques, but they all have similar heights, builds, and the same smile.

 

“…Well.”

 

Lee Yeonwoo had never heard their voices.

 

“Is it a prejudice to think they would have vocal cords just because they look like human?” 

 

“No.”

 

“Since it became reality, I thought we might be able to exchange at least a word or two. I might look like a person who doesn’t act my age, but from a veteran user’s perspective, it’s a sad thing.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It would have been nice if we could have communicated more actively.”

 

The monsters of this hotel can be defined in various ways. First, there are the monster guests he mentioned earlier. They are classified into Open version only, common to Both versions, and Closed version only. 

 

Next are the Master-Servant monsters. These, which exist only in the Close version, which is veteran content, are literally the owners and servants of each floor.

 

Adding the horror elements that inhabit all versions to this….

 

66 types of Monster guests.

13 types of Master monsters.

13 types of Servant monsters.

16 types of Major phenomena.

 

‘Leaving aside the secondary horror elements.’

 

A total of 108 entities.

 

“Coco, you….”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Which monster do you think you belong to?”

 

“No.”

 

“Are you perhaps one of the employee monsters outside of that? One that I can command?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then do you truly not belong anywhere?”

 

The more monsters there are, the more ‘Nightmare’—the hotel’s power source—is filled. In other words, every monster in the hotel is a resource. However, Coco’s existence did not particularly fill the power source.

 

“It might be because you are the hotel itself.”

 

Well, if one had to be precise, Coco was closer to being the building owner than a salaried employee. 

 

“Yes.”

 

“I see, no wonder your attitude was exceptional.”

 

Then has it fulfilled its role?

 

‘It’s the same for me.’

 

As the user—that is, the owner and general manager—Lee Yeonwoo oversees the operation of the hotel. It isn’t for nothing that Coco is in the form of a cat. It could be called, truly, a butler and a master. 

 

‘In the end, since it’s a game, even that is a hotel that stops when the user disappears.’

 

Lee Yeonwoo stroked Coco. Whether it likes the touch, it skillfully burrows into his arms.

 

“Really….”

 

A texture and weight that he was now used to. This has become Lee Yeon-woo’s daily life of its own accord.

 

“It’s ironic.”

 

He holds the hotel’s leash, and the hotel holds his shackles.

 

“When will you open the door?”

 

“No.”

 

“I must be crazy.”

 

He might get attached at this rate.