Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 239

233. Goblin NOM-Let’s catch Gildal!

 

Let’s go back to the goblin tavern and review it step by step. 

 

Alex and Merlin chatted for quite a while. 

 

That was possible because Merlin’s first chat started like this.

 

I missed you.

 

Could there be any words more straightforward and honest than this? 

 

The fact that Merlin didn’t ask how she was doing, scold her, or worry about her, and that he was the first to express his feelings rather than explain the situation, made me feel strangely touched. 

 

Daughter

 

Are you crazy? Where the hell are you!

 

Of course, it seemed that Alex felt differently. 

 

Seeing Alex’s furious messages, I glanced at her face and understood when I noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. 

 

They each express their longing in their own way.

 

Though their ways of expressing themselves were quite different from each other. 

 

‘They look at the same thing differently….’

 

Then, is Alex’s love of traveling also in a similar context? 

 

If Merlin’s work in the hotel industry ultimately allows him to meet various people and have diverse experiences, then Alex’s travels achieve the same goal in the end. 

 

‘….’

 

I felt a strange emotion as I looked at the tiled house covered in pure white snow. 

 

So ultimately, they are quite similar.

 

Just as Dad wanted to be a hunter who saves people, I wanted to be a hunter who saves hunters. 

 

‘I miss you, Dad…’

 

I thought of Dad, who would be waiting for me at the Yeongchun Hotel. 

 

I was always the one waiting for Dad, but now he must be the one waiting for me. 

 

The images of father and daughter overlap. 

 

That’s why, no matter how much the father hates and resents his daughter, and the daughter hates and resents her father, they will be the ones who can understand each other the most. 

 

Daughter

 

So you’re saying that you can’t come back because of that damn ‘Guardian of the World’ guy?

 

At that moment, Alex, who had heard the brief explanation of the situation, began to curse.

 

“That damn obsessed fan…” 

 

The one referred to as an obsessed fan didn’t remain silent either. 

 

Demon King

 

That damn scoundrel.

 

The Demon King didn’t stop there and scolded me.

 

Demon King

 

When did you develop a hobby for playing with the system? You’ve become just like the Grey family after hanging out with them. 

 

Playing with the system.

 

It was painful to hear it directly from the Demon King.

 

If it weren’t for Alex, I wouldn’t even have thought of imitating that annoying system window! 

 

But what can I do, those two are like that— 

 

Dad

 

Don’t worry too much.

 

I’ll be back soon.

 

Daughter

 

…Okay.

 

It’s heartbreaking.

 

Dad

 

Oh, and—

 

Daughter

 

And?

 

Dad

 

You liked traveling. The scenery you saw, I saw it too. With those human eyes.

 

Alex looked at me at Merlin’s words.

 

Me?

 

Oh, that’s right.

 

Merlin was in a situation where he had become the system, seeing the world through my eyes. 

 

I smiled slightly at Alex.

 

Dad

 

The scenery you encountered while traveling must have been truly wonderful.

 

Let’s travel together in the future!

 

Daughter

 

That’s great.

 

Alex hesitated before answering and scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

 

Then she opened her mouth at me. 

 

She said thank you.

 

Is she thanking me for being her Dad’s eyes? 

 

Daughter

 

Don’t worry about me. Or the hotel. This person is pretty reliable. I’ll make sure to put her to good use.

 

…Yeah. That’s what she meant. 

 

‘Then, that’s right.’

 

I looked at the chat window with a grim expression, and then a cheerful reply from Merlin came through. 

 

Dad

 

Hahahaha I know too.

 

This father and daughter…!

 

The ‘father and daughter reunion’ chat room that was so touching and heartbreaking ended. 

 

“We have to go out now. Out of the painting.” 

 

Alex was disappointed at my words, but she still accepted it obediently.

 

“We’ll see each other soon anyway.”

 

Indeed. Is that so?

 

I thought about the quest that started with ‘The Power to Protect the World’ that was getting more and more difficult.

 

Was it because my expression darkened a little?

 

Alex’s hand reached out to me.

 

And then, for a moment, my eyes went dark.

 

“‘Stop.’”

 

“?”

 

What is this?

 

As Alex let go, the falling snowflakes stopped, and the world unfolded with Lucifer, who had been running around, frozen. 

 

“!”

 

As if time had stopped.

 

When I widened my eyes in surprise, Alex looked at her own hand as if amazed. 

 

“Wow, this works.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I think it’s possible because we’re in a painting. No matter what, my power isn’t strong enough to stop time. I’m not the ‘Guardian of the World’ or the ‘Guardian of Wanderers,’ after all.”

 

So Merlin or the Demon King can stop time?

 

Haa.

 

It was at that moment, when I felt a throbbing in my head, that I realized I had gotten involved in the battles of such beings. 

 

“But my power is still growing stronger. It’s amazing…”

 

“What do you…” 

 

“Even if it’s in a painting, there’s a limit to my power to stop time, so listen closely. The ‘Guardian of the World’ has a significant weakness.” 

 

….!

 

Only then did I realize why Alex had stopped time.

 

My gaze naturally shifted toward the notification window that seemed ready to burst with messages. 

 

The group chats with the Demon King and Merlin.

 

No notifications have arrived since time stopped.

 

The reason is simple.

 

The Demon King and Merlin in it are looking at this world through my eyes, so if the time of the world surrounding me stops, the Demon King and Merlin will also stop. 

 

“That’s because that guy loves this world. Whether it’s the human world, the dragon world, or the elf world. If he wants to destroy the world, even that is because of love.”

 

Alex’s red eyes flashed.

 

Her eyes had long, vertically slit pupils, like those of a reptile.

 

At that moment, I felt an illusion that my heart was tightening along with it.

 

Even though I had somewhat anticipated it, Alex’s words about the feelings of the “Guardian of the World” sent a chill down my spine. 

 

The heart that loves so much that it wants to destroy it.

 

What on earth is that?

 

The reason I couldn’t understand that twisted heart was, ironically, simple.

 

I had never possessed anything I loved enough to destroy it, even once. 

 

Destruction is a privilege that only those who possess it can enjoy. 

 

Because the things I loved always felt like they were disappearing little by little in my fist like dry sand.

 

Just like hotel guests come to the hotel for a short rest, I could only hold the things I loved in my hands and enjoy them for a very short time.

 

“So you’re doing well, human. Just do it like you are now.”

 

“Like…now?”

 

“Right. You just gave up your reward to let me and Dad meet, didn’t you?” 

 

Are you talking about the time I asked them to create a chat window with Merlin and Alex instead of the quest reward? 

 

But that would slow down the reward settlement tremendously if it continued like that, so I was going to try testing the Demon King. 

 

I was checking to see if there were moments when he was moved by emotional logic. 

 

And the answer was ‘yes.’

 

“That would touch that brat’s weakness. You have something in common with the ‘Guardian of the World.’ Both you and the ‘Guardian of the World’ love things in the same world. That’s why you get hurt easily.” 

 

Love?

 

Me?

 

No, rather—

 

What exactly is the way to touch on his weakness?

 

I wanted to ask, but I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. 

 

The next moment, cold snow touched the bridge of my nose.

 

The white snow fell furiously, and I could hear Lucifer running around.

 

“Let’s play more, please~!” 

 

The time that Alex had stopped had ended.

 

* * *

 

And as soon as I returned, I heard that Gildal, who had been working at the tavern, had disappeared. 

 

“Gildal… No, the manager is gone! The boss has also disappeared, and the reaper… No, even Young Master is gone, so the manager must be feeling quite frustrated—” 

 

Oh my.

 

That’s why Gildal, worried that he would take over the tavern if we disappeared, ran away.

 

“Don’t you have any idea…on how to handle this?” 

 

I glared at Bihyeong next to me. 

 

However, Bihyeong seemed distracted by the ‘Healing Sprout’ he found in the goblin’s pouch, either unaware of the gravity of the situation or confident in his ability to catch Gildal, as he said this. 

 

“Look what I found in my pouch! This thing is giving off a ton of energy. Let’s make a bet with it!” 

 

“Energy?”

 

Are you talking about the healing power from the Healing Sprout?

 

“Yeah, this energy… This much is enough for an eight-tailed fox to become a nine-tailed fox and an imoogi to ascend to heaven.” 

 

Healing Sprout (B)

 

“Did you hear? I’m this great.”

 

I snickered as I watched the Healing Sprout arrogantly shedding its tiny leaves.

 

But a bet, seriously? Looks like he still hasn’t come to his senses.

 

“Then let’s do it.”

 

Healing Sprout (B)

 

“You’re betting on me? You’re out of your mind.”

 

“Instead, if I win, grant me my wish.”

 

“Okay~” 

 

Bihyeong immediately agreed with what I said. 

 

“Shall we make the bet about that thing from earlier? You know, the one where you were throwing those binding ropes around. It looked pretty fun.” 

 

It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

 

So the bet was once again set to ‘Goblin NOM’, and this time, the winner was the one who found Gildal first and captured him with a rope. 

 

“Where Gildal would go, it’s obvious! Who knows Gildal as well as I do? He must be wandering the mountain path trying to escape from me right now.”

 

Bihyeong confidently said and went out to the entrance with the rope. 

 

I half admired him as I watched him and— 

 

I half-sighed, wondering how he could possibly be so clueless about his own subordinate. 

 

I stood behind the counter designated as the ‘Front Desk’ and felt the folding screen covering the back of the counter with my hand.

 

Then I grabbed the end and folded the folding screen—

 

“….”

 

“….”

 

Gildal’s yellow eyes, filled with deep thought, met mine.

 

I knew this would happen.