Our Hotel Is Open for Business as Usual Chapter 62

A contract in the name of friendship.

 

A conversation shared on equal footing.

 

It was undoubtedly a sweet temptation, yet at the same time, it proved the ‘void’ possessed by the master of this castle.

 

‘A strange thing.’

 

If he were a true Belmares, there would be no reason to engage in such troublesome pretenses. It would suffice merely to reign, and taking it upon himself to trample whatever displeased him would be second nature. A single bout of blood’s fury would reduce every impudence at the dining table to ash.

 

And yet, why?

 

‘Why show me taste, promise me safety, and offer the equal standing of a friend? No gift comes without reason. Unless it is a soul pure enough to share flower rings.’

 

And there was no way a soul in a place like this could be so childish. Yes, so childish….

 

“….”

 

…At the very least, he was a being endowed with enough intellect to not be untainted.

 

‘For a soul that was truly such a blank slate could never have succeeded in the Belmares ritual in the first place.’

 

Furthermore, there was no way a completed Belmares would retain the emotional impulse to give a ‘gift without reason.’ So there had to be a reason. A reason to expend so much effort on a mere Riedmar.

 

“….”

 

Shall I trace it back?

 

‘First, he is not arrogant.’

 

‘That is not the demeanor of a Belmares.’

 

‘He also lacks the pride he rightfully should have.’

 

‘Though it could simply be that it is not visible.’

 

‘It may be that he is accustomed to acting human.’

 

‘Yet I shall keep it in mind.’

 

And second.

 

‘He did not look accustomed to being served.’

 

‘Did he look as if he were reluctant, rather?’

 

‘Could it simply be a personal preference, then?’

 

‘It might be, or it might not.’

 

‘If not, that too is strange.’

 

‘Who would ever mistreat a Belmares?’

 

‘Whether before success, or after.’

 

And third.

 

‘His human mindset runs deep.’

 

‘The language he uses is also that of a human.’

 

‘An Asian appearance and an Asian tongue….’

 

‘There should be no need to obsess over imitation to such an extent, should there?’

 

‘Perhaps it is not an imitation.’

 

‘As the general manager.’

 

‘And as a person….’

 

And lastly.

 

“…Rejection reaction.”

 

‘Is that possible?’

 

‘A Belmares who has already succeeded in the ritual, having a rejection reaction?’

 

“Nobody knows what a successful Belmares looks like anyway.”

 

‘What the abilities are, or what the side effects might be.’

 

‘If there were side effects, he could never have become such a perfect Belmares in the first place.’

 

“So what if it’s a rejection reaction?”

 

If it were that, even a ‘perfect Belmares’ could suffer from it. For it was a problem of the interior, not the exterior.

 

“Vomiting blood is a quintessential side effect for a blood mage. But it is far too periodic to be a mere side effect. Above all….”

 

His ‘eyes’ rolled around.

 

“No blood mage hesitates before blood they are rightfully entitled to consume.”

 

He recalled Lee Yeonwoo standing blankly before the ‘blood’ he had vomited. How he had only consumed it with a laugh after the guest pressed him, worried he might snatch it away. From that, the guest had discerned a fundamental aversion to bloodsucking.

 

Ah, yes, but what if all of that were an act?

 

‘The gains to be had are far too meager.’

 

‘Merely to catch a single ant?’

 

‘Insulting his own divinity….’

 

‘Revealing a sickly appearance.’

 

‘And acting out human notions?’

 

It does not stand to reason.

 

‘Even if it were a joke, for the realm of a god, it makes no sense.’

 

‘There is no way he would find amusement in such trivial play.’

 

‘If it were only one, it might be a coincidence, but if all these contradictions exist concurrently.’

 

Only one conclusion remains.

 

“….”

 

He did not become Belmares of his own volition.

 

‘Is such a thing possible?’

 

‘When the very pillar of desire meant to sustain the ritual was missing from the start?’

 

No, it is possible. Theoretically.

 

“Mind and will can be forced.” 

 

Whether through brainwashing or holding hostages. Considering his disposition to persistently carry useless vermin out of that filthy, vulgar space and even harbor them inside his own body, the ways to coerce him were limitless.

 

‘Yet it isn’t that such attempts never existed.’

 

‘There is no way one could endure that ritual through forced brainwashing and intimidation….’

 

“If he himself had something to gain by becoming Belmares, it would be possible.”

 

For example.

 

‘If it could save someone.’

 

‘Perhaps there was no other way for a greater gain, or for the lesser of two evils.’

 

‘If his innate willpower were abnormally strong….’

 

It could have been possible.

 

‘Though I have never once seen such a thing succeed.’

 

If one were to imagine it, that was how it would be.

 

“Yet if that is the case….”

 

‘I can hunt him.’

 

‘I can devour him.’

 

‘It is weak blood.’

 

“Yes, weak.”

 

Not his innate ability, but his ‘ego’ as Belmares.

 

“And historically, Blood Magic has always been a battle won by those with bloated egos.”

 

For example, the ‘Guest Without a Sense of Taste’ had been such a case.

 

“….”

 

His mind grew quiet.

 

He took in the lodging filled with tranquility. Reflected in those dark-crimson eyes were none other than the petits fours Lee Yeonwoo had pressed upon him as a gift.

 

How much time had passed? Soon, he rose to his feet.

 

‘For this is not a matter to decide my future upon mere hypotheses.’

 

…There was something he needed to verify.

 

* * *

 

Though the situation had grown complicated.

 

“….”

 

“Having had a proper meal for the first time in an age, his desire to reclaim a normal human sense of taste must have grown as well. Then he might ultimately arrive at the conclusion that he wants to devour Belmares.”

 

He could fully understand what kind of feeling, what kind of thought that would be.

 

‘Since I’m someone who loves delicious food too.’

 

Rationally, winning the favor of the goose that lays golden eggs was the right choice. Since that would directly correlate with his own peace and honor. The ‘Guest Without a Sense of Taste’ was surely running those calculations as well.

 

“Serving a meal is a transaction possible only on the premise that both sides maintain decorum.”

 

“Correct.”

 

“If he tries to devour me, he surely knows that I have no reason to meekly prepare meals for him either.”

 

“Correct.”

 

But if he were to abandon compromise and charge at me to slit open my belly and become a ‘complete god’, there would be no immediate, sharp solution. Now, it had come down to what choice he would make.

 

“….”

 

After coming all this way, is it a gamble again in the end?

 

“Bitter.”

 

“Eeng.”

 

“It’ll be the very picture of mending the barn after losing the cow.”

 

Having left the hall immediately after concluding the hospitality, he was currently in the safe zone reserved exclusively for staff.

 

“Wouldn’t you say so? There is no way to physically stop a rampage, nor any clever trick to appease him. He is not the type of opponent one can become safe from merely by groveling and serving him hand and foot.”

 

“Regrettable.”

 

“Yes, regrettable.”

 

He had already done everything he could do.

 

“All I can do right now is wait for him to arrive at his own ‘conviction,’ or willingly ‘choose’ compromise.”

 

“Eeng….”

 

“….”

 

Stripping off his gloves, Lee Yeonwoo murmured quietly.

 

“…Depending on that choice, the clear difficulty of the Central Control Room will vary wildly.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“A pity.”

 

With the hand that had been operating the system, he pressed firmly against his mouth. He felt his body temperature, chilled by the water-attunement penalty.

 

“I wish he would be moved and snap up my proposal of friendship on this end, if possible.” 

 

“No-yes?” 

 

“I agree. He’s a monster who maintains his reason even in that state; he isn’t likely to be won over so easily. Ever since coming here, my luck seems rather terrible, which makes me uneasy.”

 

Wasn’t he a monster guest who could skillfully tell lies just to preserve his honor and physical form? He was by no means an easy opponent.

 

“Of course, had I not done even this much, I wouldn’t have bought even the bare minimum of time. If I had started clearing the 14th floor right away without treating him….”

 

“A mess!”

 

“Spot on. Yes, that’s what would have happened.”

 

Hadn’t he already experienced it during the Room 14 event? The man would certainly have barged in midway to enjoy a frenzied feast, and he would have become the sacrificial lamb of that festival.

 

‘So it’s fine. There’s nothing wrong.’

 

Lee Yeonwoo had been doing well so far.

 

“There’s much more I want to say, but… now we truly cannot delay the clear any longer.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How much time did I lose just preparing this?”

 

Lee Yeonwoo closed the cover of the completed ‘little book’ and opened the system window.

 

“It isn’t merely a matter of my condition. Coco, do you see? Perhaps because operations have stabilized, the guests are steadily increasing.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“It might just be my imagination, but you look quite satisfied.”

 

“Satisfied.”

 

“I don’t think that was the point of what I said, was it?”

 

“Eeeng.”

 

Coco’s eyes scanned the wide-open system window. The monster guests utilizing the hotel had visibly increased.

 

“This won’t do.”

 

The automated sectors were still few. Problems were bound to erupt unless the user intervened directly. Remote control alone could not handle all these events.

 

‘And the Guest Without a Sense of Taste as well….’

 

Gathering his thoughts, Lee Yeonwoo spoke.

 

“Even if he rejects the offer, it cannot be helped. Regardless of the outcome, proceeding with the clear of the Central Control Room to obtain administrative authority is the right move. I should wrap this up before he finishes sorting his thoughts.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Things like this must be settled quickly while there are no human guests around.”

 

As long as he succeeded, he could also proceed with physical enhancement research and become almost completely safe from that guest. For he would gain power and prestige exceeding what the other possessed.

 

“….”

 

“Hello?”

 

“…No, my stomach is just a bit….”

 

Lee Yeonwoo clutched at the pit of his stomach. Thinking of the physical enhancement research, he felt a surging sensation in his blood.

 

“….”

 

A faint will was felt.

 

‘Is it fear, or anticipation?’

 

The new family member inside his body squirmed weakly, then soon drifted back to sleep. Back in the kitchen, it had clearly opened its eyes. Apparently, it had no intention of waking unless an emergency arose.

 

Taking his hand from his solar plexus, Lee Yeonwoo spoke.

 

“Shall we wrap it up at this point for now, then?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I hope it concludes as peacefully as possible.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“It would be nice if we could become friends.”

 

Was that too hopeful a thought?

 

* * *

 

“May I eat it?”

 

It was far too hopeful a thought.

 

‘Resolving things through dialogue, that is.’

 

“May I eat it?”

 

“Haha….”

 

He smiled, as though dealing with a child throwing an unreasonable tantrum.

 

“No.”

 

Negotiations broken down.

 

I should just go and finish clearing the 14th floor.

 

* * *

 

Atop the closed little book in the kitchen, a pure-white foot descended like a ghost.

 

“…….”

 

『…Hence, the second course cannot help but be related to temperature.』

 

『To summarize, in the end, desire announces deficiency, and body temperature announces life.』

 

『Now that awareness of deprivation has begun, the next step is ultimately…』

 

“…Warm….”

 

A hem of white clothing brushed over it.

 

“A warm, scent….”

 

That was all.

 

* * *

 

[Card Inscribed with Wordless Warmth]

 

* * *

Winter in the hunting grounds was merciless.

 

The boy stared down blankly at his own fingertips, frozen red. They looked like shards of frozen glass. They were cold enough to numb sensation, and the air he inhaled mercilessly scraped his throat like an icy blade.

 

Immediately upon returning home frozen through. Before he could even shed his heavy overcoat laden with layers of snow, ■■■ led the stiffened boy before the colossal fireplace.

 

“….”

 

The crackling firewood’s glow licked at the darkness of the living room, yet the dreadful chill embedded deep within his bones showed little sign of fading. It was when the boy was fidgeting with his frozen hands before the fire.

 

“Come here.”

 

When he knelt on one knee, the boy approached. He enveloped the boy’s pale hand gently between both of his own.

 

“Is that a little better?”

 

Instead of answering, the boy nodded.

 

“Yes, as it should be….”

 

There was no reprimand for ruining the hunt, nor any frantic fretting.

 

Only, ■■■’s palms cupping the boy were hot enough to burn. A heavy heat, as if transferring an ember itself, surged through every joint of his frozen hands.

 

The faint pain that arose as frozen blood vessels were forcibly awakened subsided quickly. That stinging ache soon melted into a languid sense of relief.

 

The boy gazed out the window amidst the warm silence. A hazy sky where a blizzard still raged. The boy knew all too well how cold, dry, and ruthless that outside world was.

 

Even so, so long as this burning warmth lingered, the world would surely never collapse.

 

He just had such a silly thought….