Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 36

Random Box.

 

In Hotel One, rewards like this rarely appear.

 

“It’s a probability-based reward, but still.” 

 

“Yes.”

 

It appears in the tutorial rewards as well. However, completing the process doesn’t mean it’s just given to everyone. This is because the quality of the reward varies slightly depending on what the administrator rating is. 

 

“It really is a game filled with all sorts of malicious elements, isn’t it?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“So you admit it….”

 

And the ‘Random Box: Manager’s Welcome Package’ was a product granted starting from a tutorial rating of B.

 

“….”

 

Bronze (B), 

 

Silver (A), 

 

Gold (A+), 

 

Platinum (S).

 

“…So I did have a lingering suspicion, but.”

 

“A lingering suspicion.” 

 

“Is this insane?” 

 

“Yes?” 

 

“Whose idea was it to make the box itself out of actual platinum? Was it yours, Coco?” 

 

“No? No?” 

 

“Are you sure it wasn’t?”

 

The colorfully decorated box glittered. The light from the illumination reflected almost like a mirror. Looking at the surface, which was smooth enough to make one’s eyes hurt, made him wonder about the creator’s brain structure. 

 

“To think someone could lack flexibility to this extent. It seems whoever implemented this box failed to consider that only the color of the box could be platinum.” 

 

“No.” 

 

“I’m not listening. More importantly, I wonder if I can even open this. A motion for opening boxes wasn’t implemented in the game, was it?”

 

Even the ribbon was made of platinum. It was an incredible feat of technology.

 

“Shall I tell you a surprising fact?” 

 

“No.” 

 

“The Mohs hardness of platinum is approximately 4.3, which is harder than gold at 2.5. And it’s heavy.” 

 

“Coco, no.” 

 

“But, it’s correct. It has ductility, so processing it isn’t very difficult. If made thin, it’s quite flexible for a metal. Even so, whether one can undo that directly by hand is a completely different matter.” 

 

In fact, it was quite thick for a ribbon.

 

“….” 

 

“….”

 

Coco looked back and forth between the Random Box and Lee Yeonwoo. He seemed to be gauging the mood before he slunk forward. He then firmly bit the end of the ribbon and slowly unraveled it.

 

Eventually, the ribbon was completely undone.

 

“Oh.”

 

Clang.

 

“I had never imagined that the sound of ribbons clashing against each other could be this heavy, but after being kidnapped to this hotel, I seem to be having a variety of novel experiences.” 

 

“No.” 

 

“As I say every time, please tell me exactly what it is you are negating.”

 

It was still a mystery how it unraveled like a ribbon despite having the density of metal. Lee Yeonwoo’s common sense lost its value day by day. It was a disastrous matter. It was a miserable state of affairs.

 

However, leaving such a collapse of common sense behind, Lee Yeonwoo was able to safely check the contents of the box.

 

[Initial Resource Set] 

Nightmare Assets ×500 

Emotional Stabilizer (Medium) ×3 

Purification Kit (Disposable/Room use) ×2 

Ingredient Box (S)  1

 

[Response Protocol Set] 

Facility Automation (S) ×3 

Resource Warehouse Sorting (A) ×1 

Surveillance Circuit Relocation (B) ×5

 

A list appeared the moment the heavy box was opened.

 

“…?”

 

And, a single card.

 

“…What’s this?”

 

He took it out and examined the card.

 

It was quite large, Classic, And luxurious.

 

“….” 

 

“Even in-game, cards or files did occasionally come out of random boxes… but it seems the type is completely different from those. Isn’t that so?” 

 

“….” 

 

“It’s not in the guide list either.” 

 

Memory Cards, Contract Fragments, Closed Records, Emotion Straps. Usually, such collectible items appeared in Platinum Random Boxes. Naturally, that too was within the realm of probability.

 

‘But it doesn’t look like the same kind as those.’

 

Even to him, a 26-year veteran hardcore user, this was a very unfamiliar item. 

 

Lee Yeonwoo muttered.

 

“…The Devil.”

 

Tarot card, number 15.

 

‘It’s a card I don’t know, as I thought.’

 

If an iconic item like a tarot card had appeared in this game, there is no way I wouldn’t have remembered it, so where on earth did this come from. 

 

‘Or is this also one of the concepts in the game that I’m unaware of?’

 

Suspicions followed one after another. Lee Yeonwoo soon formed a hypothesis that was close to instinct.

 

“…I don’t know if it’s just my imagination, but….” 

 

“….” 

 

“Does this belong to this hotel?”

 

Lee Yeonwoo held the card out in front of Coco.

 

“….”

 

Crunch. 

 

Coco bit the card.

 

“….” 

 

“….”

 

Chew, chew. 

 

“No.” 

 

“It’s not, then.” 

 

“No.” 

 

“Yes.”

 

It seemed so.

 

‘How can he look this displeased?’

 

Coco originally had no expression. He always just had a smiling face and round eyes. Nevertheless, his emotions were usually quite evident, but even considering that, it was too obvious now.

 

‘…Then it means it’s an object from outside this hotel and the game system. It’s not in the information list, either. To me, who hasn’t even adapted to the hotel yet, this is an incredibly ominous object.’

 

Of all things, it had to be ‘The Devil.’

 

‘Evil desires, corruption, obsession, addiction….’

 

Or materialism and helplessness.

 

Lee Yeonwoo remembered the meaning of the card that way. It was mostly negative.

 

‘Since it’s a tarot card, there would be separate good meanings as well, but it doesn’t come to mind that far.’ 

 

This certainly wasn’t his field of expertise.

 

Lee Yeonwoo pulled the card out from between Coco’s teeth.

 

“Hmm….”

 

It was perfectly fine despite being chewed like that. 

 

No matter how much he tried to hypnotize himself, it didn’t look like an ordinary card. A fragment of paper with an unidentified ominous aura. Lee Yeonwoo carefully put it back into the box.

 

“Let’s leave this for now.” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“Unexpectedly, you aren’t telling me to throw it away despite that violent reaction.” 

 

“Yes….” 

 

“Aha, is it an object that cannot be thrown away? Does it come back like a boomerang or something?” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“My.”

 

It was no different from a cursed doll.

 

“Anyway.” 

 

“Anyway.” 

 

“As expected of a platinum, the rewards are excellent. The initial resources are good, but the fact that a response protocol set has already come out is a very encouraging matter. It was worth going through that hardship.” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“With this, there will be more breathing room in the operations.”

 

Surprisingly, an automation system exists in Hotel One. To put it simply, it’s a feature that allows the system to automatically handle the minute processes that the user would normally have to take care of one by one.

 

‘It’s just that it consumes a lot of resources.’

 

In the game, these were called ‘Protocols.’ It was a cumbersome task where the player had to personally design the automation circuits and calculate every necessary personnel and resource value.

 

However, the item that allows one to skip all those complex processes and apply them immediately is this ‘Response Protocol.’ Areas where this is used proceed with guest hospitality autonomously through an optimized structure.

 

“Facility Automation… Resource Warehouse Sorting… Surveillance Circuit Relocation. There are three like this.” 

 

“Resource Warehouse Sorting.” 

 

“Calm down.” 

 

“Menu. Ingredients. Warehouse.” 

 

“Calm down.”

 

You pig of a cat.

 

“I believe it would be a waste to use the ‘Response Protocol’ on the food ingredient warehouse when we haven’t even opened the greenhouse yet. We aren’t exactly in a position to afford such luxuries, are we?” 

 

“Menu… Warehouse….” 

 

“We are still in the early stages of operation. The number of guests is small and the risk level is low. In times like this, we should put more effort into facility management. Sorting out the consumables or medicine warehouse first will increase the satisfaction of guests and staff.”

 

“Menu…! Ingredients…!” 

 

“You’re going to be eating three meals a day with me anyway, so why… do you have to be this stubborn? If you saw the tutorial completion notice with me, you’d know that the fate of the hotel is currently at stake….” 

 

“Ingredient warehouse!!” 

 

“My goodness.” 

 

It was rare for Coco to raise his voice. And also for him to lie face down on the floor and flail around like this, mimicking a crying sound to get his way.

 

“….”

 

For the first time in a long while… Lee Yeonwoo tasted the pains of parenting.

 

‘My mind is dizzy.’ 

 

Why did he have to experience this kind of pain while looking at a monster cat that looked like it had been drawn halfway?

 

He tried his best to pull himself together and persuade him.

 

“Listen to me. Guests in the early stages of operation rarely use the buffet or dining. Since the recipes have barely been unlocked, it’s even more so. Coco, you know this too. I don’t know why you’re being like this, but the warehouse that requires the most attention in the early stages is actually for items or medicine….” 

 

“Ing.” 

 

“….”

 

Lee Yeonwoo clamped his mouth shut.

 

‘It’s a truly honest “ing” even hearing it again.’

 

But it was true that it sounded quite cute.

 

“…It’s such a waste to use the ‘Response Protocol’ to manage the food ingredient warehouse when it isn’t even connected to the greenhouse and automation yet….” 

 

“Ing.” 

 

“Even so, for stable operation, the safety of ourselves and the staff managing things must be guaranteed to move in a better direction….” 

 

“Ing. Iing.” 

 

“….” 

 

“Iiiing.” 

 

…Then again, the food ingredient warehouse is about third on the priority list.

 

‘…Since the level rose so sharply, I don’t know what kind of bug might burst forth. If the greenhouse and automation just get connected, it wouldn’t be strange for food ingredients to be considered the number one priority among the warehouses.’

 

It wasn’t a standard way to play. In the early stages, the dining utilization was low because there were few long-term guests.

 

‘But facilities or services aren’t the only important things in hotel operation. Meals enjoyed by guests are certainly an area included, and at any rate, I was intending to start dining operations even if just for appearance’s sake….’ 

 

Come to think of it, it was the same for other areas not being automated yet. Even if he could make items in the power generation room, he still had to buy recipes and touch them one by one.

 

“….”

 

No, but still, the room consumables warehouse should be automated first.

 

“….” 

 

“Iing….” 

 

“…I will consider it.”

 

Am I finally going mad, thinking that I could just die a few times and be done with it?

 

‘To become this generous regarding my own death. If this was a sophisticated trick to make me voluntarily abandon my humanity, it deserves praise.’

 

But it was the early stage of operation.

 

‘There is definitely some room to breathe.’

 

The room consumables warehouse at this stage was manageable manually.

 

‘…Since it handles inventory cleaning, automatic recommendations and refills, tagging… and even Nightmare asset recovery… if I’m investing in the future, investing in the food ingredient warehouse could be considered more profitable in some ways.’

 

The greenhouse was one of the high-tier areas among the ‘floors that do not exist.’ Consequently, the food ingredient warehouse linked to it had diverse functions, and usually, a vast amount of resources had to be poured in just to unlock those functions.

 

“Alright, let’s do that.” 

 

“…!”

 

Coco jumped up. His Vantablack eyes seemed to sparkle today. It was likely just his imagination, though.

 

Lee Yeonwoo smiled.

 

“I will try to conquer the greenhouse first if possible.” 

 

“Yes!” 

 

‘Though I don’t know when I’ll have the luxury to do that.’

 

So, [Resource Warehouse Sorting (A)] would be used for the food ingredient warehouse.

 

‘Facility Automation….’

 

[Facility Automation (S) ×3]

 

“Three of them.”

 

The areas of concern were the 23rd, 22nd, and 2nd floors. As for the rest, there was no need to put much effort into them at the beginning of the game.

 

“…While we’re at it making the greenhouse our target, let’s use the automation tickets on the aqua park, dining, and buffet. For the remaining facilities, we can map out circuits and deploy staff gradually.” 

 

“Yes.” 

 

“I’m glad there seems to be no disagreement on this part.”

 

The two of them clasped each other’s hands and concluded the contract.

 

* * *

 

“Oh, I’m telling you. I was so shocked because she called me so suddenly.” 

 

“….” 

 

“Yes, yes. Right. Of course I trust our Writer Hong. Since I can check the materials if you send them… Yes. I’ll be going back there soon as well.” 

 

“….” 

 

“…Oof course.”

 

Director Lee Seonhae held the cell phone tight to her ear. Her forced smile twisted awkwardly at her colleague’s single expression of worry.

 

“There’s no problem at all.”

 

The call soon ended.

 

“….”

 

Lee Seonhae lowered the phone and stared blankly at the ceiling. She tried to sigh but forced it down. A wearying fatigue pressed down on her entire body.

 

Throwing the phone onto the seat beside her carelessly, she leaned back on the sofa as if lying down and asked.

 

“Do you like it?” 

 

“I do.”

 

The robust old man nodded.

 

“The Master of the Labyrinth was kind enough to show consideration; it wouldn’t do for us to ruin things on our end. You know as well as I do that there is absolutely nothing good for your young friends to know about this. And above all….” 

 

“….” 

 

“Seonhae, you were very lucky.” 

 

“…I know.”

 

A smile filled with loathing leaked out.

 

“I know it too.”