Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 336 - Webtoon Side Story: Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Branch 4 (7)

Webtoon Side Story: Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Branch 4 (7)

 

We decided to trade the room upgrade for the floral shirt.

 

Which basically meant: forget the room upgrade, and we’re not wearing the floral shirt.

 

‘All I have to do is check in one guest… right…?’

 

I looked around the front desk on the first floor.

 

Though they called it a front desk, it was really just a place where a hastily written guest register and keys—more like prison keys than room keys—were kept in a drawer.

 

In short, it was more accurate to call it a warden’s desk than a front desk.

 

I opened the first drawer of that desk.

 

‘If you look in the drawer under the desk, you’ll find the hotel operation guidelines. There’s nothing unusual, so just check them over.’

 

The owner of the fortress said that and disappeared toward the nearby hospital.

 

Since someone had been injured, and the winery’s secret was known only to that person, all I could do was wait for them to recover and return—there was no way I could refuse to let him go.

 

And on top of that, he wanted me to run the hotel in his place.

 

Thinking about doing the same tasks I do every day, but in France, it didn’t seem too difficult.

 

The only problem was—

 

‘This…’

 

I pulled out the worn piece of paper that had been in the drawer.

 

1. Before midnight, make sure all guest room doors are properly locked. 

 

2. Also check that the windows in the hallways are securely closed.

 

3. After midnight, do not respond to any sounds coming from doors or windows that are open.

 

4. Between midnight and dawn, do not greet any living creatures roaming the fortress.

 

5. Never go down into the basement.

 

Well, these instructions sure make you want to break them.

 

Seeing the operation guidelines, all plastered with “Do not ~” commands, my impression was simple:

 

‘These are the kind of instructions you read right before a ghost shows up in a horror movie.’

 

Of course, I don’t believe in ghosts or spirits. 

 

This is how I interpret stories about ghosts or spirits. 

 

A fortress by the sea.

 

Built around the 10th or 11th century, so even if the exterior walls had been repaired several times, there was no way to avoid the creaks and noises caused by the natural aging of the structure.

 

So, many people who heard the groaning sounds of an old building probably went around saying things like, “It’s haunted.”

 

And it’s only been barely a hundred years since wars like the world wars swept across this land.

 

Especially in this village, which never had a dungeon break, everything had to remain old-fashioned and analog.

 

So any tragic legends tied to the horrors of war likely clung to these ancient buildings, prolonging their “shelf life,” so to speak.

 

This fortress, too, probably picked up a sad legend or two, and the stories of “ghosts or spirits” attached themselves as if they were true.

But why—of all things—focus on windows and doors?

I stared out the window at the waves crashing toward the fortress as if trying to swallow it whole.

 

The sea wind battered the windows incessantly.

 

The sound almost resembled the knock of an angry person.

 

‘That must be it.’

 

It made sense that staff or guests who heard it might frequently mistake it for a ghost.

 

And the reason they probably insisted on keeping doors closed? Most likely the rats that live in the fortress, with whom you make eye contact several times a day.

 

Being an old fortress, it was inevitable that it was full of rats.

 

Those rats would move not only between floors but also through the doors, and to prevent those little creatures from silently brushing past your feet, the doors had to be kept shut.

 

The basement was probably the same story.

 

A damp, dark basement that few people visit would be perfect for rats to live in.

 

But even so, this place was definitely strange.

 

It was because of rule number 4.

 

Given that this is a hotel operating 24 hours, any “living creatures” moving around inside are most likely guests.

 

And yet, we’re told not to greet the guests.

 

Why?

 

Just as I was thinking that, Han Woohyun pointed to the cuckoo clock on the first floor.

 

Cuckoo.

 

Cuckoo.

 

When the clock struck ten, the cuckoo came out ten times and cried.

 

Han Woohyun let out a small chuckle as he watched it.

 

“That thing used to be at my aunt’s house back in the day.”

 

“Classic, right?”

 

I suddenly looked around at the objects nearby.

 

Wasn’t there an old knight’s armor on display?

 

Wasn’t a chandelier, probably from the medieval era, hanging from the ceiling?

 

Were there not silver candlesticks and silverware scattered around?

 

Honestly, a place like this should probably be run as a museum, not a hotel.

 

“Now that I look, it’s also listed on Air CNC, right here.”

 

Han Woohyun seemed to scroll through his phone for a moment, then showed me the screen.

 

“Air C&C?”

 

Ah. That must be the overseas lodging-sharing platform.

 

Nowadays, the hotel business is closely tied to various booking platforms.

 

Since Yeongchun Hotel’s structure makes partnerships with platforms impossible, we don’t plan to collaborate—but even I often check platforms when I come across a good accommodation.

 

The problem is—

 

“This is it?”

 

I frowned as I looked at the Air C&C screen Han Woohyun handed me.

 

Historic XXXX Coastal Accommodation

 

Accommodation Info

 

A beautiful, spacious room located on XXXX Beach, featuring a king-size bed and antique furniture. No traffic and very quiet. Close to the winery and the sea, easily accessible by car.

 

…Spacious and elegant rooms.

 

I suddenly thought of the room I had stepped into just to hang up my wet top.

 

It was true the room was spacious, even if cobwebs were strewn everywhere and the stone walls, cold as a dungeon, greeted me.

 

The bed looked like something an iron-masked prisoner would lie on during torture—but yes, it was king-size. The furniture creaked, sure, but it was indeed antique in style.

 

Traffic? Impossible. Nobody came here.

 

“It’s not exactly wrong…”

 

I interrupted Han Woohyun’s hesitant words.

 

“But it’s not exactly right either.”

 

It was the kind of marketing that would make the general manager clutch the back of their neck in frustration.

 

The general manager always said that marketing shouldn’t be just “well-packaged lies.”

 

It has to contain at least a kernel of truth.

 

Ah—come to think of it, I hadn’t contacted Manager Kang Miyeon.

 

I remembered the last message I’d sent that morning when I was at the candidate hotel for Dungeon Hotel Branch No. 4.

 

I think I had sent a ton of hotel photos—but…

 

General Manager

 

The hotel photos look wonderful. The morning sunlight coming in is beautiful. It seems like it would be a great place to work. I’m looking forward to it.

 

I smiled warmly as I read the message from the general manager that had come in while I wasn’t looking at my phone.

 

If the general manager thought it was a place worth working at, the guests would surely enjoy it too.

 

I’ll have to buy a few bottles of Liber wine on the way back. 

 

General Manager

 

(Photo)

 

Along with that, a few photos of Geumdong and Toto had been sent as well.

 

Geumdong had recently been buying sweet treats with Yeongchun Coins and had put on some weight again.

 

These days, thanks to various SNS posts spreading the “elastic weight” of Geumdong, no one mistook me for a pet abuser anymore—but a new nickname had appeared.

 

#Pet_Enlarger 

 

Of course, most of the faces captured in the reports linked to that hashtag weren’t mine.

 

The chairwoman of the neighborhood association feeding the leftover sashimi.

 

The village head gives chocolate to the dog, saying it’s bad for dogs but fine for spirits.

 

And Geumdong happily ate it all.

 

Once the culprit was revealed, I had no choice but to put a collar on Geumdong.

 

[No Snacks!]

 

‘Kkiyu… (I feel my spiritual energy just drop….)’

 

‘If you want your spiritual energy back, stop eating snacks.’

 

‘Woof woof! Woof woof! (Why?! I’m a spirit with no patellar luxation at all!)’

 

I almost gave in to Geumdong’s protest, but…

 

‘You’ve slowed down running around. You need to greet the guests looking healthy. If they ask you to bring something and you can’t deliver it on time, wouldn’t that make them sad?’

 

‘Kkiyu… (Just thinking about it makes me tear up… hnnng….)’

 

Fortunately, I won.

 

A spirit that enjoys working in the service industry.

 

No matter how long I look at it, I still can’t get used to it.

 

Anyway, the now-chubby Geumdong was running along the beach in the photos, together with Hyeyu.

 

Looking incredibly happy.

 

What the? It’s cute. 

 

As I kept mashing the download button, Han Woohyun chimed in beside me.

 

“Focused, huh.”

 

“Well, just.” 

 

It was only then that I realized I’d been too focused and lowered my phone.

 

“Ah, sorry. Because of me, we’re staying in such a shabby place.”

 

Han Woohyun glanced around the lobby and said,

 

“Well… it does feel like a place ghosts might appear… but it’s okay.”

 

He placed his hand over mine, which was resting on the desk.

 

“Because we’re together.”

 

“…!”

 

When I glanced to the side, Han Woohyun wasn’t looking at me—he was watching lights approaching from afar.

 

The headlights of two cars.

 

“Guests are coming.”

 

I could tell from the tone of Han Woohyun’s voice—way too playful—that he was teasing me.

 

I quickly pulled my hand away.

 

“Yeah… they’re here.”

 

Han Woohyun looked down at his hand with a hint of disappointment.

 

It wasn’t until the darkness got very close that I could make out the type of car.

 

A black Jeep and a gray SUV.

 

Ten guests got out of them.

 

“…What the heck.”

 

Nobody said anything about a group booking.

 

This guy…

 

“Hello! We’re a folklore club from England!”

 

And they’re not even regular tourists…!