Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 283

277. Our Hero

 

As soon as the guests in Room 301 went upstairs, the lounge suddenly became crowded. 

 

Even the guests who had said they weren’t hungry, or that they would eat in their rooms, or that they would skip breakfast altogether, all came down to the lounge. 

 

It was a relief that no one seemed to notice that my eyes were red from crying, despite everyone making a fuss about being hungry. 

 

Of course, little Han Woohyun kept staring at me and didn’t leave my side.

 

Well… at this age, they probably wouldn’t understand these things yet. 

 

“Ugh, I thought I was going to die from hunger.”

 

“….?’

 

I was puzzled by Hwang Misoon’s words.

 

“You said you weren’t hungry…”

 

“It’s not that, it’s just that this little brat asked me to play with him… He said he wouldn’t eat if I didn’t play with him.” 

 

Kim Junsoo pointed at Han Woohyun and said. 

 

“Ugh, this kid. When I have kids later, I’m only having daughters. Three daughters.”

 

“Yeah, a son who looks like you would be terrifying.” 

 

When Han Minhyuk replied briefly, Kim Junsoo chuckled and agreed.

 

“Ugh, it would be awful.” 

 

What should I do? Uncle Junsoo has two sons. 

 

“Could you even get married in the first place? Sounds like you got rejected.” 

 

Just then, Aunt Misoon spoke as she tucked a napkin around Han Woohyun’s neck. 

 

“You got dumped?” 

 

When I asked, Aunt Misoon nodded, but Uncle Junsoo strongly denied it. 

 

“I’m telling you, it’s not like that! I just briefly got a connection earlier and had a call with my Art School Goddess. She said she’s doing well…” 

 

Uncle Junsoo clutched his chest as if just thinking about Aunt Mikyung made his heart tremble. 

 

“How can her voice be that pretty…? It’s crazy… Is there even a part of her that isn’t beautiful?”

 

Knowing full well that I’d be up all night if I kept listening to that lovesick rambling, I quickly cut him off. 

 

“So.”

 

“She asked to be friends with me! She said she’s never met a guy like me. I drive a motorcycle well, have blonde hair, and talk fast, so she wants to be friends!” 

 

….?

 

Is that a good intention? 

 

It seemed like I wasn’t the only one feeling that way, as Minhyuk Uncle let out a short sigh. 

 

“He got dumped.”

 

“Cheer up…” 

 

Geumdong also looked at Uncle Junsoo with a sad expression. 

 

“There are plenty of human women.”

 

It seemed like even Alex felt the need to comfort him.

 

But Uncle Junsoo, or rather, the young man Kim Junsoo, said it as if he couldn’t believe those words. 

 

“Why?! We start as friends! And what do you know about women?” 

 

When Kim Junsoo spoke bluntly, Moon Heeyoung, who was sitting right next to Han Minhyuk, opened her mouth.  

 

“I know. About women.”

 

When Moon Heeyoung came to her senses in the morning, she hadn’t exchanged a single word with Han Minhyuk until she finally spoke these words. 

 

As expected, the two of them were not ordinary people.

 

The atmosphere of the others who felt something similar became cold.

 

Kim Junsoo subtly looked at me, probably because he had heard that Han Minhyuk was my first love. 

 

Of course, Minhyuk, who had dressed neatly since the morning and was drinking coffee instead of having jajjang rice, casually brushed off the meaningful words from Moon Heeyoung. 

 

“Even if I don’t know much about women, I understand people. If not, how could Hwang Misoon understand me?” 

 

“That’s right. I know too. It’s hard when a friend becomes a lover.” 

 

“Come on, what do you know? Do you even know about relationships?”

 

“That’s a line from Season 3 of <Steel Full Pipe>, where Alfonso says that friends can’t become lovers. Boss, what do you think?” 

 

Aunt Misoon passed the ball to me. 

 

I looked at Uncle Junsoo, whose eyes were filled with a desperate gaze, Uncle Minhyuk, whose face showed signs of irritation, and Aunt Heeyoung, who was sitting with a relaxed expression. 

 

It’s really strange.

 

It feels like everything would be just fine as long as I’m with baby Junghyo fan, no matter where we are. 

 

I smiled and spoke with that thought in mind.

 

“Well… I guess it’s a bit hard to go from friends to lovers. Somehow… hmm…”

 

I tilted my head, searching for the right words before speaking.

 

“Maybe the relationship becomes a bit more wholesome.”

 

Of course, whether I found the right words or not, it seemed like Kim Junsoo, who was still in his clueless days about romance, didn’t quite understand.

 

And then, Dad came down. 

 

“Junghyo… N, no, boss… Is there anything I can help with—” 

 

“Oh? You’re the guest who arrived yesterday. Hello!” 

 

Kim Junsoo waved at Dad. Dad looked a bit awkward and lowered his head, as if feeling strange about Junsoo’s gesture.

 

“Have you already eaten? At least have another cup of coffee.”

 

Han Minhyuk, who had closed his book with a loud thud, looked up at Lee Semyung and said.

 

“Yeah. You’ve been through a lot—have a cup of coffee.”

 

Dad looked at Minhyuk with a face as if he couldn’t quite get used to the affectionate side of him.

 

“Um, but how is it that everyone is gathered here…”

 

“We’re all here because the boss saved us. We’re grateful. Thanks to her, we all survived.”  

 

Hwang Misoon pointed at me and smiled. 

 

“So we gathered here to save others from now on. We’ve been saved, so it’s our turn. The boss here is like our hero. So don’t act disrespectfully… I heard you almost spoke informally just now.” 

 

Dad’s expression slightly distorted at the words she said with a calm expression, but soon a smile spread across his face. 

 

Dad must have known.

 

I realized that what Hwang Misoon said about me was also directed at him. 

 

The phrase our hero. 

 

* * *

 

Merlin Grey took care of the guest in room 302.

 

The solution was simple.

 

It wasn’t like last time when it involved killing; this time, the satisfaction was fulfilled through the services of the Gyeongseong Hotel.

 

100

 

Is a 5-star hotel owner a bit different? 

 

I was quite impressed by Merlin’s exceptional service.

 

That even the strict human king was purified by it.

 

‘The Guest in Room 302’ was so moved by the service that they were purified! 

 

 

“It’s frustrating. I never could have tasted such comfortable sleep, delicious coffee, and food even in the palace…” 

 

With that peculiar line, the human king disappeared.

 

Should I call this cruel, or should I call it cute? 

 

“Now that she’s completely purified, there shouldn’t be any chance of her falling again.”

 

Merlin said with a proud expression, and I couldn’t help but express my pure respect.

 

“The owner of a 5-star hotel is different.”

 

“Huh? You’re now the owner of a 5-star hotel too?”

 

“Yes?”

 

Oh, that’s right.

 

I completed the final quest. So I’m now the owner of a 5-star hotel?!

 

“Reward, how do I get my reward?!”

 

In response to my question, Merlin said calmly, as if telling me to settle down.

 

“First, let’s log out of the game. Only then can we either get our reward or go deal with that snake bastard.”

 

Ah, the game.

 

I looked at my dad, who seemed fascinated by the conversation between the two of us. 

 

“Did you greet Mom properly?”

 

“No.”

 

“….”

 

Dad brushed my hair back and laughed.

 

“How could we possibly say a proper goodbye? We couldn’t do something like that… but it’s okay. Even while missing someone deeply, we can still enjoy living in the present.” 

 

I realized that those words from Dad were meant for me. 

 

He was telling me not to be too upset about not being able to greet her properly. 

 

I nodded, biting my lip.

 

Now, the people I cherish are waiting for me.

 

I have my hotel waiting for me.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Exit the game

 

I pressed the window Merlin showed me.

 

Would you like to see the ending?

 

Y / N

 

Ending?

 

What does that mean?

 

—but before I could choose either of the two, a red marker suddenly appeared.

 

Y

 

My choice was made without my permission, and my eyes turned white.

 

* * *

 

Crunch. Crunch.

 

A seagull’s cry echoed across the docks lined by vast open plains.

 

A woman in an old-fashioned Western dress stepped off the ship.

 

「19XX. Juliette Delphie, wife of missionary Gaspard Delphie, entered Jemulpo.」 

 

Like the ending screen of a game, antique-looking letters appeared before my eyes.

 

What is this…?

 

I could recognize the screen, but I couldn’t move my hands or close my eyes.

 

Just like when I viewed Han Woohyun’s memories through memory communication. 

 

Soon, the screen transitioned after showing the missionary couple riding a carriage in Jemulpo.

 

The missionary couple, who had settled in a hanok where the French diplomat was staying, engaged in a troubled conversation with the French diplomat. 

 

▷The Joseon people don’t welcome the foreign missionaries. They call us “sheep.”

 

▷Isn’t that something the sheep brought upon themselves? It’s obvious what the great powers want from this tranquil Eastern land. 

 

Juliette Delphie’s words appeared like a game screen— 

 

▷Darling, could you bring me a little more coffee?

 

At the same time, the words of the husband, who stopped the woman’s speech, appeared.

 

The two men continued their political discussion, and Juliette stepped out alone. 

 

▷The Joseon people don’t understand my words, and the French people are not interested in what I say. 

 

At that moment, Juliette encounters a woman making a herbal medicine in the yard.

 

「The moment I met the Joseon woman inside the fence, she said this—」 

 

▷Coréen.

 

「Juliette could tell. This woman, too, had been waiting a long time to speak with someone.」  

 

▷I am Han, a Joseon woman.

 

▷What’s your name?

 

▷Young.

 

After that, the two grew close very quickly. It became common for them to spend entire nights chatting, using a mix of broken French and Korean.

 

「Juliette realized that she had fallen in love with Young. She also knew that this love would soon spread like wildfire, growing into a love for the land of Joseon itself.」 

 

Under the moonlight, the two leaned against each other, casting a strange and delicate shadow.

 

It was a shadow that was neither woman nor man, neither Joseon nor French—just the shadow of two people who had become one. 

 

After that, the times changed rapidly.  

 

Han’s husband, who had participated in the independence movement, died, and Han stole the last remaining family money to begin her own fight for independence. 

 

Juliette ignored her husband’s final warning and stayed in Joseon to help Han. 

 

▷You should go back. You’re someone who doesn’t need to suffer here.

 

▷Don’t say that…!

 

▷This is not your homeland!

 

However, in the face of Han’s harsh words, which were spoken out of concern for Juliette’s life, Juliette was unable to participate in the final operation and returned to France.

 

However, Juliette, who had not been able to settle down in France, learned of Han’s death through a letter one day—

 

 

「Finally, I understood your heart there. I could also understand mine. I want to wait for you. No matter how much you tell me not to wait, I cannot stop waiting.」 

 

As Juliette wept while reading Han’s last letter, just as I had seen in my memory, she eventually met Alex during World War I and was persuaded to enter the hotel business. 

 

Using all the connections she had made during the independence movement, Juliette returned to Joseon. She transformed the Western-style house her husband had disdainfully abandoned into a hotel, where she would wait for a woman named “Young.” 

 

▷Meet again in the liberated homeland…

 

Juliette, with a lonely expression, stared straight at the screen.

 

It was as if she was looking straight at me.

 

▷I will protect your homeland, your world.

 

A new window appeared before my eyes, accompanied by the brightly blinking vision. 

 

Destroyed City ‘Ending….’

 

—You have inherited the spirit of Juliette Delphie and have successfully preserved the destroyed world’s Gyeongseong Hotel. As a gift for bringing closure to the waiting of your loved ones, the ‘Special Revolving Door (S)’ awaits you.

 

At the same time, a flashing purple light emerged in the gradually darkening space.

 

YeongChun Hotel

 

It wasn’t just a flicker, but rather— 

 

Special Revolving Door (S)

 

—The hotel manager can place the revolving door anywhere they want.

 

—Wherever the revolving door is installed, it becomes a hotel. 

 

It was a sign so bright that it lit up the dark night like daytime.