Toggle menuSearchUser menuHome/Our hotel is open for business as usual./Chapter 1Updated: February 25, 20267 min readChapter 1: Our hotel is open for business as usual.When he opened his eyes, he was standing in front of a front desk.
"..."
The first thing he perceived was exaggerated splendor, and a level of tidiness so perfect it felt alien.
A scene too refined to be reality. He defined this place as a familiar hotel lobby. Though it bore a classical style rarely seen in modern times, its essence was unmistakably that of a hotel.
"...?"
…He found an error.
"A judgment without logical basis."
His consciousness awakened rapidly.
"Why… did I think it was familiar?"
Even unconscious judgments always have reasons. This time, stripped of emotion, only visual information served as the basis.
"..."
He felt familiarity from things he had never encountered before.
Marble tile flooring.
Classical pillars and walls.
No people in sight.
A massive chandelier.
Vases and potted plants.
"And… a cat."
Wait.
"A cat?"
A lump of shadow draped across the front desk.
Eyes unnaturally round and a crescent-shaped smile. Too black to be called a cat, its form soft and undefined, its expression extreme.
Lee Yeon-woo knew its name. The Co-owner who jointly owned this hotel with the operator.
"Koko."
Its official name was Coco.
As if responding to the call, it tilted its head halfway with a smile. The head did not follow the gaze; rather, the gaze seemed to drag the head into position. An unsettling discomfort mixed into the air.
The not-cat answered.
"Yes."
"Hello."
"Hello."
"..."
He reached the correct conclusion.
"This is a hotel inside a game."
A horror hotel management simulation game, Hotel One: Eden Within the Nightmare.
Abbreviated as Ho-One.
Why was he dreaming of this game now? Was this even a dream? As if answering, a recent exchange crossed his mind.
—We're close, right?
—Who are you?
"..."
Update in progress
—Excuse me?
Restarting the game
"..."
It did not seem to be just a dream.
Therefore, the conclusion was that he had been abducted.
"…Conversation…"
"Yes."
"Let's talk."
"Yes."
"Yes."
The world runs in a surprisingly sloppy way while pretending it does not.
Lee Yeon-woo's life had been the same. His life plans were often invaded by unexpected luck or misfortune. Not only his life, but all human lives were likely the same.
Lee Yeon-woo called these variables.
"And unless there is a problem with my memory."
"Yes."
"In dictionary terms, a variable refers to an element that can change depending on circumstances or conditions. It also refers to unpredictable factors or fluctuating situations."
"Yes."
"Therefore, no matter how meticulously one plans life, it does not proceed as intended. I know that well. My life so far has been influenced by variables both large and small, beyond my will and prediction."
"Yes."
"I've spoken at length, but what I want to say is this."
Lee Yeon-woo asked the cat.
"Even so, isn't this a bit excessive?"
The Vantablack cat, Coco, answered.
"Yes."
"You're saying it isn't excessive?"
"Yes."
"Do you have the will to converse?"
"Yes."
"I'm starting to worry I might be insane."
"No."
Day 44 of confinement inside the horror hotel game.
Lee Yeon-woo had just failed his 172nd attempt at persuasion.
A researcher in his forties wakes up to become a nineteen-year-old game hotel CEO.
"..."
Any sane person would understand how absurd that sentence sounded.
Day 1 of confinement. Upon realizing the above premise, Lee Yeon-woo grabbed his cat partner Coco and fired endless questions.
"A minor cannot legally register a business. Are there legal issues?"
"Yes."
"Is there a risk of human rights organizations protesting incidents occurring in this hotel? The conceptual resources used here likely violate narcotics control laws and medical law."
"No."
"The horror phenomena here could result in charges of negligent homicide and assault. Additionally, this building does not comply with building codes or fire regulations and violates labor laws."
"No."
"Do you believe the 귀묘 stands above modern law?"
"Yes."
"You must be insane, sir."
What a dreadful cat.
As expected of a horror hotel, its perspective on the world was astonishingly bold. Naturally, his opinions were not reflected.
Thus, Lee Yeon-woo became a criminal. It was one of the most bewildering events of his life.
"If left alone, I would have lived comfortably… and now this situation…"
The cat only stared at him without answering.
Even so, Lee Yeon-woo made many efforts to escape. Trusting only his rejuvenated body, he attempted to flee through windows or the rooftop.
"Huh?"
But it was impossible to leave physically.
"Don't tell me… the windows won't even open because the tutorial isn't finished?"
"Yes."
"If I complete the tutorial schedule like in the game, will the hotel doors open?"
"Yes."
"Does that mean I can permanently leave the conceptual and physical domain of this hotel?"
"No."
"Do you hold a grudge against me?"
"No."
"Then what's the problem?"
Even scraping together all the karma he had accumulated would not justify this. Perhaps the universe had pooled together sins from a previous life he did not even remember.
"..."
But it did not end there.
Ho-One was an unfriendly game. A game learned through dying. Even with Coco, the embodiment of the hotel itself, beside him, he died and revived countless times.
"…I'm not at an age to be senile."
On the honor of his research career, he felt he might be losing his mind.
By now, he had suspected for the 89th time that he was in a coma or suffering cognitive impairment. Rejuvenation followed by resurrection—none of it made sense.
"But this situation goes far beyond nonsense."
He could not deny the reality pressing in through his five senses.
"When I escape… I'm contacting NASA immediately. This cannot be possible without extraterrestrial technology. I must contribute to humanity and carve my name into history."
"No."
"Did I really die from overwork? Or fall into a coma? Unless I'm a vegetable dreaming this absurdity, there is no way to explain my situation."
"No."
"I hope I've been reported missing. I'd call the police for rescue if I could, but I can't even make a phone call, and I've rejuvenated into a nineteen-year-old… returning to society won't be easy."
No matter how he thought about it, it was absurd—so absurd he could barely speak.
"Do you wish to fight me?"
"No."
"If you do not wish to see me die of hypertension, I suggest you add more sincerity to your answers. I feel as though I could die purely from elevated blood pressure."
And on Day 4 of confinement, Lee Yeon-woo learned that a person could indeed die purely from blood pressure.
"..."
"..."
As a human being, he was speechless for half a day at such a humiliating death.
"..."
"Hello."
"..."
"No, no. Hello…"
"..."
"Hello…"
It was a very weak cry for a cat.
"Hello, yes, no, hello…"
As Lee Yeon-woo sat in shock, Coco circled him anxiously.
The face still smiled like the Cheshire Cat, but its restless movements and fidgeting paws revealed the anxiety of this monstrous cat.
Like a child watching someone's mood. Soon, Lee Yeon-woo returned to normal.
"…It is true I was flustered by an unexpected situation, but you need not worry. I simply needed time to understand something that defies common sense."
"Hello."
"That's a question asking if I'm okay, isn't it?"
It was considerate, but honestly, he was not okay.
"Can a creature this fragile even be defined as human?"
If he had to compare, perhaps acorn jelly.
Unlike normal organisms, this body absorbed external shocks completely. Internal shocks as well. It was impressive he had endured four days under the threat of vascular destruction.
"But… when I behave like a game character, there is no problem functioning."
For example, dying due to the hotel's horror elements. Walking or running at a constant speed. Situational norms for a game character.
In those cases, there was no pain, and stamina and strength did not decrease.
"But if I perform actions not defined in the settings, problems occur."
Crouching was one such case.
The game had crouching, but not standing up after crouching. That function did not exist.
Thus, Lee Yeon-woo became someone who felt dizzy when standing after crouching.
"..."
"Yes, no, yes, no… hello…"
"Hello."
"Hello."
"Is there any reason my body's durability is like this?"
"Yes."
"No… I apologize. That was an improper form of questioning."
Coco knew very little human language.
"So,"
The most plausible hypothesis was that the bodies of human Lee Yeon-woo and operator Lee Yeon-woo had merged, causing abnormalities. Otherwise, it could not explain how he lived and breathed in such a body.
"If I behave like a game character, at least I will not feel pain?"
"Yes."
"I see… thank you for the kind answer."
"Yes."
"The fact that my kidnapper is starting to seem cute suggests I may be going insane."
"No."
"This must be Stockholm syndrome."
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"No."
Day 11 of hotel confinement.
Judging that he had adapted to his new body to some extent, Lee Yeon-woo began the tutorial. It was not easy, but for Lee Yeon-woo, a veteran user of twenty-six years, it was not entirely difficult either.
The first was understanding the building structure.
The second was greeting guests.
The third was cleaning.
The fourth was how to use the staff.
The fifth was learning how to operate the power plant.
"This hotel does not have a single part that runs legally."
"No."
"My little partner is quite generous with standards. Which part exactly is not illegal? If you will excuse me, it looks like a clear violation of labor laws to my eyes."
He was not speaking about himself. The operator was also the owner and general manager, so that could be overlooked. What was truly horrifying was the reality that the 'staff,' who were monsters, worked without rest.
"To think I am the owner of such a company. What a tasteless joke."
It was a perfectly illustrated black corporation.
"No?"
"Perhaps you lack the awareness that this is not a game but reality."
Or perhaps there was awareness, but no concern.
"Of course, when it was a game, this was natural. The developer of this game was not someone with enough leisure to implement resting animations for each NPC. However, what I am trying to say is that this… is reality."
If he was not truly in a coma, that was.
"To apply the game exactly as it was to such a respectable hotel. What a lack of flexibility. In my view, this is not work but exploitation. Do you have any advice for a solution?"
"Yes."
"A company without answers."
"Yes."
"I am surprised you admit that."
Coco rolled about in Lee Yeon-woo's arms as if it had nothing to do with her.
The low purring sound was insufferably sly and adorable. When touched, she was squishy like slime, her fur soft as velvet, her lukewarm warmth exquisite.
"I feel rather uncomfortable."
Having obediently acknowledged his own limits, Lee Yeon-woo stepped out of the power plant room.
"To be called a co-operator and yet have so little I can do, it puts me in quite an awkward position."
"No."
"Do you not think my situation is far from easy to dismiss so casually?"
This hotel had high entry difficulty for certain situations and areas.
One of them was the power plant room. Even merely breathing there contaminated the mind, increasing the operator's probability of suicide. In a situation where he could barely take care of himself, he could not consider the labor environment of the staff.
"…That was a shameful complaint."
Securing enough leeway to look around him came first.
Thus, Day 27 of hotel confinement.
"..."
Lee Yeon-woo eventually reached a limit.
"The door will not open."
"Yes."
"At my age, having worked this far in the body of a minor, doing hotelier work that is not even my major, I should at least appear commendable. It was even unpaid. Since I am not receiving money, would it not be reasonable for you to at least open the door?"
"No."
"That answer piques my interest. Let us examine this precisely, partner."
He looked down at the four-legged creature and asked in a dry voice.
"Are you unwilling, or are you unable?"
"Hello."
"My apologies. It seems my questioning method was incorrect again. Are you unwilling?"
"No."
"Ah, I see…."
Lee Yeon-woo rolled his eyes without much reaction.
"…To think that even my only friend who converses with me lacks the authority to open this door. There is no disaster quite like this. And I, who have become a co-operator along with you, where am I supposed to negotiate now…."
The tutorial had long been completed in every other aspect.
He had done everything required. He had nearly mastered the hotel's functions.
Even if it had become reality, it differed little from the flow he remembered. It had even reached the point where high-difficulty monster guests that should not appear during the tutorial had arrived, as if the in-game bugs had been reflected 그대로.
However, there was exactly one stage he had not completed.
"…Coco."
He called the monster whose form he could draw with his eyes closed.
"There are many problems with bringing an actual human here."
"No."
"I am not unaware of what the tutorial process requires. I also remember that after monster guests comes learning how to respond to human guests."
"Yes."
"I know. But humanely speaking, that is unacceptable. And I am human. If one is human and not a beast, there are lines that must be kept. Are you familiar with morality and ethics?"
"No."
"Was today the third day I died of hypertension?"
"No."
"I was speaking to myself."
"Yes."
Among the beings who visited or resided in this hotel, 'guests' were largely classified into two categories. Monster guests and human guests.
And human guests were literally… just people.
"Shall we sit down, Coco."
"Yes."
"Let us have a conversation."
"Yes."
"I have no intention of bringing another new person here besides myself. There are things possible only because it was a game, and this game is particularly so. For what purpose would I bring someone here, to have them killed?"
"Yes."
"Did you just state that bringing someone here to be killed is correct?"
"Yes."
Fine. He did not want to concede, but even if he conceded a hundred or a thousand times.
"Then can that person resurrect as well?"
"No."
"Allow me to confirm further. Is that person closer to a game character I know? An NPC? Or are they an ordinary human who wakes up in the morning, goes to school or work, eats meals, and endures the day with average emotions?"
"Yes."
"Are you saying that such an ordinary person, who cannot resurrect like me, must come here and stay? That it is part of the tutorial? And that I must learn how to respond to such people?"
"Yes."
"For my sake, push unrelated strangers onto a bed of thorns?"
"Yes."
"You must be insane."
This kidnapper was now trying to make him a murderer.
Of course, Lee Yeon-woo had no intention of dealing with actual people.
In the end, he abandoned the idea of acting honorably. Life had many variables, and rather than become a murderer, it was better to find another path to survival.
There would be another way besides clearing the tutorial.
Thus time passed, and it became Day 34 of hotel confinement.
"It is unpleasant to realize that I am adapting."
"No."
It was livable, more or less.
"I would like to see what happens when the tutorial is completed."
Hawon progressed differently from ordinary games. Even the proper interface only appeared after the tutorial ended. For a system so peculiar, it had many bugs.
His current situation was precisely that.
If left alone, resources accumulated endlessly.
Originally, this game's tutorial ended in at most four days. However, if one intentionally delayed more than thirteen days in this short section, the system became overloaded and several fatal bugs occurred.
The first concerned the types of guests. High-difficulty monsters that should appear gradually according to user level would rush in from the beginning. Not exactly welcome in an already difficult game.
And the second was the accumulation of resources.
The amount of resources that could be stored depended on the hotel's grade.
However, during the tutorial phase, there was no interface, and thus no upper limit on resources. There was no warehouse, yet items piled up indiscriminately.
From the perspective of a seasoned user, it was manageable.
"…Without an interface, I cannot know the exact numbers."
"Yes."
"But the amount will not be small."
Resources far exceeding the tutorial average must already have pooled within this hotel.
Usually, such excess resources were reset upon tutorial completion. The problem was that Hawon's error-handling code was poor.
To process undeleted resources, the system forcibly converted them all into experience points.
He had once reached level 666 in one stroke using this method.
Under normal leveling, one had to consume special items every five levels to perform a limit break. However, this bug ignored that process and caused levels to skyrocket.
Naturally, it came with various side effects and conveniences.
In this situation, where the game had become reality, such aspects would feel even more significant.
How high would the level rise this time?
"There are only the two of us here, so I will speak frankly. I am rather looking forward to it. And that makes me quite displeased. It seems twenty-six years of attachment are clouding my reason."
"No."
"The fact that living like this is not as bad as expected makes me reproach myself. One would have to be fairly insane to enjoy such an unreasonable situation."
"Yes."
He looked at Coco with indifferent eyes.
"Sometimes I wonder whether you are expressing a desire to fight me. Of course, you will say that is not the case."
"Yes."
"I must not grow accustomed to this. I will reflect on myself."
He had played this game for over twenty years. Regretting its service termination, he had inquired about the rights and even received copyright transfer. Had he not entered the very game he cherished as part of his daily life?
He acknowledged that he could not lack affection for it.
There was no risk of death, no issue with food or livelihood. Although he was technically kidnapped and confined, if viewed generously, it could be considered a form of retreat.
At this level, it was not entirely bad. It was not so different from entering an immersive studio secretly created for his game, which had neither merchandise nor updates.
If he thought of it as staying overnight in a theme park or haunted house, it was tolerable in its own way.
"Still, I would prefer to return to my original life."
"No."
"How resolute. I understand what you mean, though. In this nineteen-year-old body like wet hanji paper, it would be difficult to expect my original life. Even if I escaped from here."
"Yes."
"Could I live an ordinary human life? Would there be a risk of being taken by the National Intelligence Service? Would people even recognize this suddenly younger appearance of mine… In truth, I do not know."
"No."
"Hearing that only makes me less confident. If it was an attempt to prevent me from wanting to leave, I would say it was not entirely ineffective…."
He murmured.
"…When will that door open."
Time passed.
It became Day 52 of hotel confinement.
"Now, repeat after me."
A carefully drawn smile appeared over Lee Yeon-woo's once dry expression.
Managing expressions was one of his specialties. As always, the corners of his mouth rose smoothly.
Then, in a pleasant tone, he said,
"Hello."
"Hello."
Lee Yeon-woo nodded at Coco's reply.
It was a signal of mutual understanding. He had taught her the language of society.
"You are doing well. Remember that human language can express much even through intonation alone. Since you understand my language, you will surely learn intonation quickly as well."
"Yes."
"Nodding there will express understanding more clearly. By nodding, I mean moving the head above the neck, particularly the chin…."
Lee Yeon-woo entered full interaction with the hotel.
Since Hawon had become reality, there was no reason he could not aim for more than the game allowed. Above all, he was bored.
If the tutorial felt dull, it meant he was in a relatively relaxed situation. It was something to be grateful for.
Had he entered the main play, he would have been endlessly busy, responding to guests and managing the hotel without pause. But that was not the case now.
He still had not completed the tutorial.
"Hello!"
"Excellent, Coco."
He could not become a murderer for the sake of his own safety.
Since there was no answer, he decided to think positively for the time being.
"The weather is nice."
"No."
"...."
Tok, tok…
The faint sound of raindrops.
"…Yes, I was talking nonsense. I admit it."
The weather outside this hotel window was fundamentally vicious.
Whenever he looked outside, he saw only thunder and lightning, torrential rain, or fog. Today, judging by the misty drizzle, it was relatively mild by this place's standards.
That did not make it good weather, of course.
"I simply wish to gain a bit of peace of mind by spouting such nonsense. If you would cooperate, at least you will not have to witness me dying from mismanaged blood pressure."
He rolled his eyes toward Coco on his lap.
"Frequent deaths of a co-operator would be rather troublesome for you as well, would they not?"
"Yes."
"I will take that as an affirmative response."
"Yes."
"Thank you."
What a disaster this was.
"It has been quite some time since I visited my family home… Had I known my life would become so dramatic, I would have gone sooner. To postpone people instead of work, and receive the price in such an absurd manner."
"...."
"Have you chosen silence?"
"Yes."
"I am not sure whether you have gained tact or learned consideration, but very well. That was rather helpful."
"Yes."
"To think I find such curt replies adorable. I must be quite strange."
"No."
"From your perspective, it is quite an effective strategy. Winning the favor of a colleague is the foundation of social life. I am almost inclined to praise you."
Lee Yeon-woo rose from the bed. It was large and plush.
"Shall we change the topic slightly."
"Yes."
"I think about this every time I wake up. What do you suppose is the principle behind this bed? By what mechanism does merely sleeping free one from basic abnormal statuses?"
"Hello."
Was it ignorance, or refusal to answer.
"…Personally, I believe it is a research topic worth investigating."
The same applied to this body.
"It appears to be a result of the game being reflected… but that is the outcome, not the process."
"Yes."
"I am pleased you agree with my opinion, Coco."
As befitting a horror game, while playing, the operator experienced various abnormal statuses. Mental contamination, coughing up blood, even crying tears of blood.
Most of them recovered after sleeping in the operator's quarters.
There were statuses that did not recover even by sleeping or dying, but that was a matter for later.
Unless a bug occurred, it was not something to worry about during the current tutorial.
"But that does not mean this body requires sleep."
The same went for meals. Meals merely resolved statuses that sleep could not. Sleep and food were not essential necessities like they were for an ordinary human.
"...."
…It was indeed fascinating.
"If possible, I would like to try cooking as well."
"No."
"Yes, I remember. Unless the tutorial is completed, cooking is also unavailable. There are specific recipes unlocked per level."
He rolled his eyes dryly.
"In this case, you would say I should finish the tutorial first. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"I cannot cooperate with a structure premised on unnecessary sacrifice. I am diligently serving monster guests as it is. Should that not suffice?"
"No."
"What is needed in times like this is compromise."
Lee Yeon-woo did not even have the common interface.
Since the game had become reality, it might have vanished entirely. However, Hawon was a game that only provided a proper interface after the tutorial was completed.
In other words, finishing the tutorial might bring additional conveniences to his current life.
Once the interface opened, various functions were unlocked. Cooking, hunting, performance, and so on. Even locked areas opened. The underground hunting ground was a representative example.
Then the hotel's main entrance would naturally open as well.
That was why Coco insisted he admit a human guest.
He understood the intention, but.
"Who would bring a person in here unless they were insane. I am not young, and to commit such shameless acts… I have, in my own way, been educated."
"No."
"So this is a matter even before morality and ethics."
He spoke dryly.
"I find it difficult to endure being a nuisance."
"Yes."
"Beyond that, to think someone might be injured or die before my eyes… My head spins. My stomach burns to the point I feel I should fetch my antacids."
"No."
"Ah, is that so. In your eyes, I must appear rather sturdy. Well, nineteen is an age when one could chew stones."
An excessive faith.
"If I may counter, this is not a hotel that treats its operator gently, is it?"
He could go mad at any time.
"I might truly lose my mind and open the hotel doors to people. I have my limits, and beyond them, my judgment may falter and I might commit something unthinkable."
"Yes."
"However, by my current standards, that is clearly a crime. Personally, I believe you are recommending human guests for my development and convenience, Coco…."
"Yes."
"I still do not like it."
Day 100 of hotel confinement.
"…Let us end the idle chatter here."
Lee Yeon-woo had still not completed the tutorial.
"Thank you for visiting."
"...."
Humanoid. No response to conversational attempt during reception.
Long, limp hair hung unpleasantly over a thin frame. Ordinary clothes clung heavily to the body, soaked, water droplets falling with every step.
The blurred eyes reflected no light. The complexion was no different from a corpse.
In other words.
As if by habit, the spawn conditions lined up in his mind.
Increased usage of plumbing and water systems. Condition unmet.
Activated when a guest with drowning trauma or survivor's guilt checks in. Condition unmet.
External humidity above sixty percent and rain forecast.
Faint rain began to mix into his hearing.
Condition met.
"How may I assist you?"
The guest responded with silence. All surrounding noise diminished as if in a vacuum, while only the rain grew oppressively clear. Water system noise amplification confirmed.
A fishy metallic scent mixed with dampness pricked his nose. Moisture contamination warning. The precursor to emotional contamination through stimulus. At the same time, his fingertips turned icy cold.
Hypothermic response confirmed.
Water-binding risk detected. The instinct to flee surged, but during reception, movement was impossible. Such was this hotel's unreasonable rule.
His body temperature continued to drop. His ears felt muffled as if submerged.
Water-binding pressure confirmed consecutively.
In simple terms, mental contamination.
"…Quite aggressive today. Or perhaps my luck is simply poor. Well, misfortune tends to arrive in clusters."
If he could, he would submit his resignation, but where was the exit. Searching for an HR department to process resignation in a place without doors would be foolish.
Let us see.
Type. Both versions common monster guest.
Grade. High risk.
Collective erosion pursuit-type entity.
Name.
The Wet Person.
…This was not a tutorial guest.
It seemed his hundred-day prayer had reached not heaven, but hell.
He confirmed a suitable room and organized his thoughts.
The monster guests who visited this hotel were divided into three types.
Open version, both versions common, and close version.
As it progressed, the difficulty of reception rose vertically. The close version was content for so-called veteran players, where most users severed ties with the game.
And yet this was the tutorial.
Normally, only low-grade monster guests belonging to the open version should appear. Yet before his eyes stood The Wet Person, a mid-grade guest common to both versions.
A clear system error. The result of clinging to the tutorial for one hundred days.
"Yes, dear guest. Please wait a moment."
He was not particularly surprised.
Though rare, both-version guests had appeared a few times before. There had been no major accidents then.
If one knew the opponent well, countermeasures followed. He had seen these regulars through the screen for twenty-six years. Even with added realism, they were not entirely unfamiliar.
He examined the guest again.
Desired length of stay.
In the game, requirements shone as bright guides. Now, he simply understood them instinctively, even if the guest spoke not a word.
"…Two nights, three days. Confirmed."
They were to be guided to the seventh floor. However, room 707 must be absolutely avoided. Assigning that room caused flooding throughout the hotel for an entire week.
And in the end, he would deal with the aftermath.
If the operator or another guest died in an incident, that was one issue. Cleaning up was another. Especially if The Wet Person flowed into the pool or shower room, someone died with one hundred percent probability.
With no one else in the hotel, that someone would be him.
Assigning any floor other than the seventh led to the operator drowning soon enough.
He had no leisure to entertain a water ghost's tantrums.
It granted numerous abnormal statuses and consumed precious hotel resources. Above all, he had no desire to experience the suffocating agony of drowning firsthand.
"I will guide you to room 703."
Inside the front desk's key rack hung classic-style keys in neat rows. The nearest slot held the key to room 703.
A convenience system reminiscent of the game, despite becoming reality.
He checked the number and handed the key to The Wet Person. Cold dampness touched his skin, but he maintained his smile without blinking.
"Please enjoy a comfortable stay."
Where the soaked guest had stood, water pooled like a puddle.
"I see."
One of The Wet Person's traits was leaving traces with every step. Merely by existing, it damaged plumbing and caused incidents, a typical both-versions common difficulty guest.
The staff would be busy again. Perfect grounds for complaints after hours.
Entertaining such mundane fantasies unfitting for this hotel, he rang a small bell to summon staff. Soon, employees in suits identical to his approached silently.
"I leave it to you."
Glancing at the damp floor, he narrowed his eyes with a smile.
"As you see… the floor is rather slippery."
At the brief request, they began wiping the floor in perfect coordination. Swift and precise, making not even unnecessary noise, exemplary service.
Once finished, they bowed crisply to him and returned to their positions. Watching their retreating backs, Yeon-woo thought.
They resembled humans closely, but were not human.
"Yet they do not seem like androids either."
"Yes."
"It may be an impolite curiosity, but I am intrigued. Not even the sound of breathing, nor mechanical whirring, not even the faintest noise upon movement."
At this point, it almost felt like spite.
"As if they wish to advertise themselves as mass-produced goods stamped from the power plant."
It felt as though everything screamed at him not to regard them as human. If so, whether that could be called spite was another matter.
"In the game settings, were they not described merely as 'a part of the hotel born from its resources'?"
"Yes."
"That sufficed when it was a game. Now that it is reality, it is biologically difficult to comprehend. They appear neither living nor nonliving."
Different faces and builds, yet similar height and physique, wearing identical smiles.
"…I see."
He had never heard their voices.
"If one assumes they possess vocal cords simply because they resemble humans, is that prejudice?"
"No."
"Now that it is reality, I thought perhaps we might exchange at least a word. It may make me appear immature, but from the perspective of a long-time user, it is disappointing."
"Yes."
"It would have been nice to communicate more actively."
The monsters of this hotel could be defined in various ways. First were the monster guests already mentioned. Open version only, both versions common, and close version only.
Then came the master and servant monsters. Existing only in the close version, they were literally the owners and attendants of each floor.
Adding to that the horror elements present in all versions.
Sixty-six monster guests.
Thirteen master monsters.
Thirteen servant monsters.
Sixteen major phenomena.
Excluding minor horror elements.
A total of one hundred eight entities.
"Coco, you are…."
"Yes."
"Which category of monster do you believe you belong to?"
"No."
"Perhaps an external staff monster I can command?"
"No."
"Then do you truly belong nowhere?"
The more monsters there were, the more the hotel's power source, nightmares, filled. In other words, every monster within was a resource. But Coco did not particularly fill the power source merely by existing.
"Perhaps because you are the hotel itself."
In truth, Coco was closer to a landlord than a salaried employee.
"Yes."
"I see. No wonder your attitude is distinct."
Had she fulfilled her role, then.
The same applied to him.
As user, owner, and general manager, Lee Yeon-woo oversaw the hotel's operation. There was a reason Coco took the form of a cat. Quite literally, a butler and master dynamic.
Ultimately, it was a game. If the user disappeared, the hotel would cease as well.
He stroked Coco. Satisfied, she burrowed skillfully into his arms.
"Truly…."
The texture and weight were now familiar. It had become his daily life without permission.
"How ironic."
He held the hotel's leash, and the hotel held his shackles.
"When will you open the door?"
"No."
"You must be insane."
At this rate, he might grow attached.
User activity within the tutorial is limited.
Accept low-difficulty guests, identify the hotel's horror elements, and stay safe. Even the accessible areas are restricted to the lobby, the operator's quarters, the power generation room, and the guestroom floors.
"So even though this much Nightmare has accumulated, it can't be used immediately. From a user's standpoint, this is quite an inconvenient situation. Once the tutorial ends and everything is forcibly converted into levels, it'll end up as currency that leaves not a single coin in my pocket."
"Yes."
"Unpaid labor has already passed one hundred days…."
It was madness.
"..."
"..."
"…I refuse once again."
Lee Yeon-woo spoke dryly without even looking at those round eyes that silently pressed him.
"I have no intention of accepting human guests. If I apply the same operating methods from when this was a game to reality, I won't just face social condemnation — my handcuffed face will be sold on the nine o'clock news."
He was currently in the power generation room.
"Magnificent."
"Yes."
"I don't know what era of industry this belongs to, but its safety rating is certainly a failing grade."
"No."
"…?"
Old, rusted pipes and massive clusters of machinery. Between them labored machine-humans moving with organic, grotesque motions — the Workers.
"What do you mean no?"
The wide glass window of the control room captured the inefficient yet overwhelming spectacle in a single view.
"In the game, it only showed how full the Nightmare storage was, but this place is far more complex. I suppose that's because this is reality. Perhaps that's only natural."
"Yes."
"It looks like the fuel storage limit has been exceeded. Where is the surplus going? Does it disperse into the air? Or does it ignore physical laws? If not…"
"..."
There was no answer.
The silence stretched, but Lee Yeon-woo did not press further. He simply followed the shrill flow of the pipes with his eyes.
Is it that it doesn't know, or that it doesn't feel the answer is worth giving?
…Probing an uncommunicative counterpart isn't easy.
I wanted to confirm whether this place is truly the same hotel from the game I spent twenty-six years with.
He still could not determine the hotel's exact nature. Lee Yeon-woo rolled his eyes dryly. In truth, he already knew where the excess fuel went without asking.
I could map this structure blindfolded.
The hotel's Nightmare storage capacity increases in proportion to its level. But at this tutorial stage, the threshold had already been exceeded. If the tutorial ended like this, the situation would become quite a spectacle.
"I recall that when Nightmare reaches capacity, it greatly influences the hotel's disposition."
"Aaa…"
"That is, assuming we don't consider operating system bugs. Is my memory correct, landlord?"
"…Niyo, yes."
Nightmare that cannot be contained within the power plant becomes the hotel's flesh and blood. The hotel feeds on this overflowing negative energy, growing as it forms its own ego and temperament.
And the result is rarely pleasant.
"If you don't level up in time, the work environment becomes hell… our developer's kind little threat, as I recall."
"Yes."
"What a pity."
That threat had been faithfully reflected even now that it had become reality.
However, with the tutorial bug occurring, this might actually be an opportunity.
Unprocessed Nightmare converts directly into user experience. An unintended parachute promotion to high level was practically reserved for him, and Lee Yeon-woo pressed his thumb against his temple.
An unrequested promotion… what an honor.
He had no intention of settling here. To return to society, he first needed to cross the hotel's threshold and assess the outside world. Plans for reintegration could wait until after that.
"..."
…The problem will be when I, possessing an abnormal level, am thrown back into reality.
I can already see the disasters waiting to happen.
He did not know exactly what kind of disasters, only that the feeling was ominous. This hotel was not a mere building, and Lee Yeon-woo was now bound to it.
He habitually shifted his gaze sideways, staring at the tangled pipelines.
"..."
He looked upon the faded, dust-covered world with indifferent eyes. His gaze dropped downward.
That is not diligence. It is exploitation.
Their official name was "Crushed Laborers," commonly called Workers. A strange impression surfaced.
"I still cannot adapt."
"Yes."
"Do you think one can adapt to this contamination?"
"Yes."
"That optimism of yours is also something to be wary of."
He blinked away the thought.
"This sensation, as though insects have burrowed into my brain… I don't think I will ever grow accustomed to it."
The power plant was the worst workplace, where water contamination and mental contamination occurred simultaneously. Operators might be attacked by Workers climbing up while they regulate Nightmare, but the real problem comes from within.
The longer one remains here, waves of disgust and exhilaration surge repeatedly.
That is why operators who remain in the power plant beyond a certain time eventually throw themselves down below.
He did not understand the logic behind it.
Did they simply feel like grabbing someone by the collar and fighting face-to-face?
It was contamination that made one despise them.
When disgust and exhilaration peak, yes, such thoughts could arise.
If he stayed longer, he too might understand. Already, vile emotions toward the Workers had begun to stir. Vermin deserved contempt and humiliation, and therefore he had to utterly destroy them.
Ah, wait.
Stop.
He was being contaminated.
"..."
He resumed his thoughts as usual.
"…Perhaps because it's still the early stage. Restoring my mind to normal isn't difficult, but it's certainly not a place to remain long."
"Yes."
"I had hoped to hold an in-depth consultation with our power plant staff today, but it is regrettable. Labor harmony for everyone's peace…"
He needed to leave about now.
"We'll do it next time."
Because he was starting to feel like jumping.
He returned to the quarters.
Outside the window remained dark, and rain fell.
"..."
He wondered what lay beyond it.
"…I wonder how my project is progressing."
"Yes."
"How my family is doing, how the people at my company interpret my disappearance. I was involved in quite a few projects — how are those unfolding…."
"Yes."
"You said I did not enter the game, but that the game emerged into reality. Even if the interpretation was incomplete, the situation must be similar. Then what has become of me?"
"Yes."
"There is too much I do not know."
He was tired. It was fatigue brought on by his own incompetence. Lee Yeon-woo found it difficult to endure such inadequacy within himself.
A hundred days had passed, yet he remained weak and ignorant.
"There is no teacher here to tell me what I do not know."
"No."
"Though you may lack shame, please don't tell me that teacher is you."
"Yes, no."
"Is there a teacher here besides you?"
"Yes."
"That is… interesting news."
He was already running out of tasks. Without raising the hotel's level, guests would not increase, and the operator's routine had become mere repetitive labor.
Even if the highest difficulty monsters arrive thanks to the bug, they are ultimately beings whose data I have memorized. Even if reality has changed them… that is not what I want.
To Lee Yeon-woo, the current boredom equaled safety. What he needed now was not excessive stimulation, but knowledge to guide his future decisions.
"Can I meet this teacher within the areas I can currently access?"
"Yes."
"Can this teacher communicate with me directly, like you, Coco?"
"No."
"Does this teacher take the form of informational material?"
"Yes."
"Aha."
He understood.
"You mean the books here."
"Yes."
Bookshelves filled the operator's quarters.
In the game they were non-interactive elements, but now that it had become reality, he could pull out and open any book. He opened one. It was densely packed with text.
That could certainly help resolve Lee Yeon-woo's ignorance.
"I agree with your opinion. If I wish to accomplish anything further during the tutorial, I must read such books."
"Yes."
"Though I would prefer to avoid it."
Knowledge was always precious, yet this time he did not feel grateful.
There was no guarantee the books were safe from mental contamination.
The game's background setting was complicated.
"A murder hotel that procures resources for a pseudo-religious unethical research facility…"
"Yes."
"When summarized like that, it's excessive worldbuilding to an absurd degree. It gathers every dreadful and tragic element imaginable."
"No."
"Of course, reality can be even worse. The news often surpasses films."
"Yes."
"But I never seriously thought about it."
He removed several hardcover volumes from the shelf. Even a brief glance revealed knowledge he did not possess. Setting aside the hopeless immorality for a moment.
His eyes behind the lenses moved quickly across the pages. Perhaps it was his imagination. His head throbbed.
"I believe people like me are typical. Typical… no, common would be more accurate. Few users seriously contemplate the morality and ethics of a game's background."
Especially if it carries an adults-only rating.
"Nevertheless, I had affection for this story. Well, that must be why I made the reckless decision to spend a fortune acquiring even the copyright. I never intended to go that far…."
"No."
"I like this game quite a lot. Not a taste I can proudly boast about in public, but when a newly minted adult becomes obsessed, it can be frightening."
He began playing this game around nineteen, just after his overseas study was decided. Since then, Lee Yeon-woo had lived alongside Hotel One.
"It became daily life."
"Daily life."
"..."
He studied Coco as if measuring something, then smiled. The expression change was perfect.
"The beginning of learning is imitation. Excellent."
"Excellent."
"You're doing well."
One benefit of the game becoming reality was that previously non-interactive elements had become interactive. Lee Yeon-woo wanted Coco to learn human communication, and Coco changed according to that intent.
It sometimes repeated his words. He did not expect this to become true learning, yet he anticipated something. Coco might become more proficient in human language.
"Affection and reflection do not necessarily follow the same orbit. I like this hotel's setting. But it was only acceptable as a setting. In reality, it is illegal and sinful."
"No."
"That is according to common human nature and law. I still do not know precisely what kind of being you are. The game never clearly explained it. Therefore, I understand if you do not follow human ethics."
"Yes."
"However, there are boundaries I can respect, and boundaries I cannot. Your ethics often conflict with mine. Can you understand that?"
"Can you understand that?"
"Sometimes I feel as though I am conversing with a tape recorder."
It still seemed to be mere imitation of human speech. Yet if there was intention within it, then it could be called language.
At last, Lee Yeon-woo returned to the original subject.
"..."
He stared dryly at the thick books.
"…Without knowledge, I don't even know where to begin. This is why ignorance is never beneficial. When you don't know what you don't know, time simply drains away."
He skimmed the contents, but they were unfriendly. He selected those he could at least grasp. Even so, the quantity was considerable.
"Still, they are not heavy."
"Yes."
"That must be possible because I have merged with the game character. Taking books from shelves and lifting them are actions defined within the game. And it is natural that a game character does not feel weight."
"Yes."
"To carry such volumes effortlessly with this frail body. Have physical laws been castrated? I want to praise the efficiency, yet it is more grotesque than impressive."
"Yes."
"It seems that law applies to the hotel as well. I wonder how it functions outside."
"How it functions outside."
"If I am fortunate enough to leave this hotel, it will be something to investigate alongside reintegration into society. Coco, I do not know whether you will be able to remain by my side then."
"No."
"What exactly are you denying…."
The books were placed silently on the desk.
"I am relieved that conditions suitable for study exist."
"Suitable for study exist."
"Well, since this space originated from a research facility, that is only natural. Rather than an ivory tower of knowledge, it is closer to a massive grave, but for now it is not bad for me."
There were three research facilities within the operator's quarters. In the game they were used to develop recipes and weapons. It was an optimal place for study.
He opened a book.
"..."
He closed it.
"…Ha…."
"No, hello… hello."
"It's fine."
"It's fine."
"No, in truth, it is unpleasant."
This hotel was the remnant of scientists who once worshipped and researched an otherworldly force. They lured guests with luxurious accommodations at relatively low prices, abducted them as experimental subjects, and spread fanaticism.
After countless such events, negative energy gathered and formed this hotel.
Hotel One.
And this book contains the knowledge recorded by the fanatics of that time…."
Suppressing his discomfort, he opened the book again.
Its pages were filled with material that would make anyone with ordinary sensibilities retch. But he had no choice. In this situation, remaining where he stood meant falling behind.
"..."
The dry scratch of a pen continued across the notepad. He organized the information piece by piece.
The beginning of learning is imitation.
That did not apply only to Coco. He, too, had to imitate the logic of this world.
No matter how horrific the knowledge, at its foundation lay the purest wisdom. It was always ugly humans who misused knowledge; information itself could not be evil. He needed to find that point.
First, grasp the familiar framework. Fully understanding this text is the first step. Extracting only the knowledge that can be practically applied comes next.
In many situations, ignorance becomes a sin. Without eyes to distinguish right from wrong, a human can clutch a jewel and still throw it into the mud.
The more one knows, the more the world becomes favorable.
More precisely, I can make it favorable to me.
"…I just imagined something quite dreadful. If my mind becomes contaminated before I understand all of this, that will be a troublesome problem in its own way."
"Yes."
"I have another question. If such contamination occurs, does this game's convenient system 'restore' it when one dies and returns?"
"No."
"That is still acceptable. Rather than stagnating and rotting, becoming contaminated and altered may be more productive. Expecting perfection from the beginning would be excessive greed, wouldn't it?"
"Yes."
"I am not narcissistic enough to believe I am a flawless being. Even if I fail, I need only improve upon it. That is no different from what I have done until now."
"Yes."
"At times like this, I feel that you are on my side."
Lee Yeon-woo rolled his eyes dryly.
"Why is that?"
A long mass of shadow stretched across the desk.
Coco flicked its tail. It stared intently at the grotesque sentences in the open book, as if deciphering them.
"Why are you favorable to me?"
"Favorable to me."
"You're doing well. You're becoming accustomed to using intonation. Very commendable."
To resolve his questions about Coco, he needed to learn more.
Why had this game become real and appeared in reality in the first place? Why Lee Yeon-woo? Was all of this a natural disaster, or someone's conspiracy?
And to learn that… it seemed too early.
"..."
He read for a long time.
Then pressed his temple firmly.
"…If I had known, I would have entered medical school…."
For a life sciences graduate, the hurdle was rather high.
"Can I understand this just because I've read a few case reports?"
"Yes."
"I don't think I can. Does the computer work here?"
"Yes."
"If you could at least give me internet access, it would be quite comforting."
"No."
The books largely dealt with human experimentation.
"Since the hotel's background was a facility for worship and research of an otherworldly force… the main current seems to flow in that direction."
Are they insane.
"I was once at the forefront of engineering, and now I find myself studying theology. What a bizarre fate. Don't you think so, Coco?"
"No."
"Do you lack the capacity for sympathy?"
But he had grown accustomed to such indifference. He continued organizing the documents.
"As you already know, most research centered on the power of the otherworldly entity."
"Yes."
"From weaponizing organisms and organicizing weapons to methods of manufacturing artificial humans… from an academic standpoint, it is quite a stimulating curriculum. A rather excellent textbook."
"No."
"Correct. Calling these bundles of paper textbooks would be an insult to paper. They resemble the scribblings of madmen more than books."
Each reading felt like being doused in filth, contaminating the mind.
"They are arrogant monologues with no regard for being understood by others."
"Yes."
"As scholars, they lack even the most basic refinement…."
Still, the depth of knowledge possessed by the narrators was worthy of acknowledgment.
He had suffered abnormal status effects more than once while reading, but aside from their humanity being in the negative, the knowledge alone held value.
When he began to grasp the contents to a certain degree, he realized:
"To summarize, it is black magic in a metaphorical sense — more precisely, a manipulation technique based on blood-mediated heredity and ritual processes…."
"Yes."
"Because it uses blood, blood… ma…"
"Ma?"
"..."
"Blood demon?"
Leaving aside Coco uttering a name suited to an entirely different genre,
"…Am I unable to keep up with modern sensibilities?"
A wave of exhaustion and skepticism washed over him. He had even lined up to buy trendy desserts once.
No, it cannot be modern sensibility.
In truth, this sensibility was far older than Lee Yeon-woo himself — the ancestors' sense of aesthetics, if one insisted on defining it.
Then perhaps the author suffered from severe adolescence?
That was not it either. Terms like black magic and blood magic were not used by a single writer alone. Yet saying such words aloud felt… difficult.
Material he had not touched even in his hot-blooded teens.
And now I must study it seriously.
Deeply, it was repulsive; shallowly, it was embarrassing. Chaos erupted from all directions. That an engineer well past forty must study such subjects felt like an especially cruel joke.
"..."
He calmed himself.
…My thinking is too rigid. There may be no more rational name for this discipline. In the end, a dramatic image appealing to teenagers was likely layered atop brutally cruel knowledge.
And above all,
If my blood pressure rises and kills me again, I am the only one who loses.
Allowing emotion to cost him his life was a luxury he could not afford.
"…Ha."
With that thought, he felt considerably lighter. More precisely, he forced himself to feel lighter.
This body could die from pure emotion alone. Troublesome, but it must be handled carefully. He could not endure the humiliation of dying from blood pressure again.
"At least I understand that this is not something mastered overnight."
"Yes."
"Regardless of my prejudices, the layers of knowledge are substantial. If used properly, it could prove useful."
"Yes."
"..."
He added, just in case:
"…That does not mean I intend to invite human guests for practical exercises. Please do not misunderstand. In any case, it is not a discipline I could apply immediately."
"No."
"What do you mean no?"
In any case.
It was not bad.
Morally failing, perhaps — but as a tool, quite excellent.
He still did not know where this knowledge had been used within the hotel. He was not at a stage to learn that yet. But this was the process of exploring new knowledge connected to the hotel.
Solving his own questions always brought exhilaration. If only the content were not like this, he might have rejoiced in a more ordinary way.
"..."
And so, he found himself saying:
"…Magic. I thought it belonged only to fantasy, yet it appears to have substance."
A force premised on consistent laws and repeatable outcomes.
If so, this magic could also be classified as a technology.
"Yes."
Coco affirmed.
"It has substance."
"That is astonishing news, in many ways…."
This was not a domain that could be hastily fabricated as a mere game setting.
Like science or mathematics, it was a highly developed discipline established over long ages.
At this point, he was certain.
"This is not a game becoming reality. Reality has accepted the game's rules."
It had surpassed a classic metafictional collision. External reality and in-game settings coexisted without friction.
"..."
"In other words, one may infer that someone designed this vast framework with clear intent."
Something that undeniably exists in this world had borrowed ancient wisdom and technique to pull a once-fictional game into reality.
"And I was caught in it."
But why me?
Even if magic exists, there is no guarantee the concept of karmic retribution does not exist as well… but unless I was a traitor in a past life, this situation feels excessively malicious.
He prided himself on living as a diligent, ordinary citizen.
"..."
"Hello…."
"Yes, hello."
He was not without anger, but he restrained himself for the healthy purpose of blood pressure management. He had no wish to repeat that humiliating sudden death.
"…I understand that I must dig deeper into this field. I do not know what design I have been entangled in, but having been thrown into an unknown world, is it not only fair that I prepare minimal means of self-preservation?"
Of course, reaching the level of fairness would take a long time.
"..."
"Sometimes, refined knowledge is more effective than crude physical force."
At present, Lee Yeon-woo had no means of cultivating strength, and abundant knowledge was the only key to expanding his options and responses.
"Having confirmed that the magic described here can possess this level of aggression, the possibilities are limitless. Beyond simple defense, one could construct entirely new systems… or reorganize these chaotic formulas into efficient structures."
He would continue studying. Still, unease lingered.
"So I ask,"
He looked at the black cat.
"Who was it?"
"..."
"You are favorable to me, Coco."
That much he knew.
"We often disagree because you are far removed from conventional human ethics, yet you fundamentally respect and treat me well. Even so, there are moments when you cannot help me."
Why?
"Who is restricting us?"
If certain functional limitations were imposed on Coco and its kind within this system, that would imply the existence of an independent, higher rule structure surpassing individual will.
"Are you trapped here too?"
"..."
"…You may not know this, but our adorable teacher has a nasty habit of answering difficult questions with silence. It is petty of me, but sometimes I resent that."
"..."
"I hope we are on the same side, but…"
He did not know.
"When will I be able to leave?"
There was still no answer.
"..."
No matter how he looked at it, this one showed no intention of accepting human guests.
"..."
It was something already anticipated. He knew it would come to this. This was that kind of human. He could not endure his own incompetence.
"..."
His incompetence included many things.
Failing to protect others. Causing trouble. Lacking diligence. Becoming entangled in circumstances.
Everything beyond his control.
"..."
As expected.
It must be you.
You. It must be you. You are needed. You.
Justification. Justification. Justification. This one must take responsibility here. The suitable one. Must seize. Cannot send away. Confine. The only suitable one. Justification. Necessary. Reason. Disaster. A reason to accept what lies beyond control. A choice at the edge of the cliff. Legitimacy. Control.
The hotel must be maintained. The beginning is important. It must not break. Necessary. It must endure. It must develop and grow. Help is needed. Help. The suitable one. Help. Can do it. Game, game. Like before. It must grow. It will grow. How.
Human guests. You. Human. Protect. Then use.
Use. Utilize.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Found it.
Human guests.
Living creatures read the world and respond to it in their own ways.
"..."
That was what I sensed as a child—the existence of "reason."
It might be a matter of intelligence. It might be a matter of brain size or capacity. We do not fully understand them. But the rules are clear.
Rules between individuals, rules of response. They existed somewhere between language and the nonverbal. There was nothing fundamentally different from humans.
"Yeon-woo."
A frog with its belly split wide open.
Lying still.
Unable to move.
"Already finished?"
"…Yes, teacher."
"As expected, you're very skillful. You'll become an excellent doctor."
"I'm not sure."
"That's fine. Dreams are something you build slowly."
"Yes."
"But your talent is truly exceptional."
"..."
"I hope you won't waste that talent."
Talent.
Splitting open a frog while it is still alive?
'Is that exceptional?'
To incise a living body for the human-centered benefit called experience. That act could be called talent.
I thought it was a little strange.
'But perhaps it is a realm I cannot yet understand because I am still young.'
Adults said he was smart, a genius with many talents. The praise was not unpleasant. The more favorably they evaluated me, the more benefits I could obtain.
But as I looked at the frog with its beating heart laid bare, I thought,
"..."
I killed a person today.
Defined by humans as a "frog."
The palm-sized person whose eyes met mine across the small tank yesterday.
The morning of day 180 was rather unpleasant.
"..."
"Hello—"
"..."
"…lo…!"
"This is a new reaction."
Coco curled up like a cat that had seen a cucumber.
No, more accurately, it would be right to say it became a round lump. It looked like a "terrified slime." Far too shapeless to be called a cat, its form was somewhat ridiculous.
I lifted Coco while sitting on the bed.
"Hello…! Hello… hello…."
"..."
"…hello…."
In proportion to the volume of its voice, its body shrank.
A black, squishy cushion busily tilted its head while watching my mood. Considering how vicious I must have looked, it was a reaction easy to guess.
"I had an unpleasant dream."
"Hello."
"It's not as if things can't be fine…."
The lukewarm warmth against my palm gradually pushed away the unpleasant afterimage.
"..."
My eyes met the mirror in the lodging.
"…Ah."
A vicious expression.
"This is hard to look at."
"No."
"It's a dull face."
Isn't it.
"With a face like this, it would be difficult to give a pleasant impression."
I closed my eyes and calmed my sharpened nerves. I had been reading torture records until dawn; a display like this was an expected result.
Thinking that, the corners of my mouth softened on their own.
"…It's fascinating that even this body can develop dark circles…."
It was likely the price for forcing "additional study" the system had not anticipated. Research beyond the scope of the game inevitably accumulated fatigue. Even if this body did not require sleep, it was still troublesome.
Because of that, I had to at least pretend to rest my eyes.
"If one dies and revives, would even minor status conditions like this recover? What do you think?"
"No."
"I am not so extreme a person as to choose suicide merely for a poor complexion. Using resurrection as a painkiller leaves a rather unpleasant aftertaste."
"Yes."
"My body is fine, yet my mood is strangely unpleasant."
A body that did not need to eat, wash, or sleep.
Perhaps because that setting was reflected, the operator's lodging did not even have a bathroom. But if I forcibly slept and woke, my hair would sometimes become disheveled by random chance.
Yeon-woo looked into the mirror and neatly arranged his messy appearance.
"Hello?"
It probably meant, "Do you need this?"
"…Thank you."
Coco brought the necktie at the perfect moment.
Saying "hello" while holding a tie in its mouth—where exactly was that function implemented? Academic curiosity stirred, but dissecting it was out of the question.
'Living alone is making my jokes dreadful. I should reflect on that.'
Lee Yeon-woo's appearance soon returned to its proper place. As always, neat and without disorder.
"..."
…but still a boring face.
"To entrust a person like this with the duties of general manager—the hotel's personnel system is truly hopeless."
"No."
"Fortunately the guests have strong hearts that are not hurt by a face like this. In an ordinary service job, I would have been fired long ago. I am not suited for work as kind as service."
"No."
"Coco, you have a tendency to think too well of me."
"No."
"…I wonder…."
The face of a killer.
"..."
He put on his glasses,
looked into the mirror again,
and smiled.
"This is better."
His usual, composed appearance.
"Isn't it?"
"No."
"Ha ha, unfortunate."
Aside from the fact that I had dreamed for the first time in a long while, it was an otherwise ordinary day.
I moved to the front desk and received the guests who had accumulated while I slept. I toured the hotel, checking on the few lodgers, saw off those wishing to check out, and called staff to prepare the rooms.
"I miss the Auto function."
"No."
"I truly miss it desperately."
"No."
"I know it unlocks after the tutorial ends. There's no need to remind me."
However, I still had no intention whatsoever of accepting human guests. I had no sense of what stance to take if an actual person arrived. The current Lee Yeon-woo was neither human nor NPC.
Of course, the day was not without gain.
"Communication remains insufficient, but through consistent response patterns and repeated learning, I judge that the foundation of trust is being established. What do you think?"
"..."
"Why no answer?"
"Yes… no… yes… hello…."
"I warned you not to use your clumsiness with human language as a shield, you naughty cat."
For now, I was building familiarity with the monsters inside the hotel. It might be optimism on my part, but that was how it felt.
'…Is it because of the play style I chose?'
This hotel could be operated in various ways. The method he preferred was the non-lethal route. Instead of hostility toward monsters, one managed and contracted with them, recruiting them as allies.
The method was simple. Provide optimized service for each guest. It was difficult at first, but would a 26-year veteran player not know a single strategy?
'Even if they are defined as phenomena rather than organisms, there is nothing wrong with attempting to identify unknown entities. If I am lucky, I might reduce a mere phenomenon to the level of a living creature and place it within my own understanding.'
It was a typical researcher's mindset.
"Right now we are somewhat distant… but there is ample opportunity to learn about one another, so it will improve gradually. We are simply not yet accustomed to each other's ways."
"Yes."
"They are not animals like dogs or cats with abundant data. It is natural that adaptation takes time."
"Yes."
When they were merely graphics in a game, I could say, "you are this type of character," and move on. Now, this was reality. Entities akin to living creatures.
I could not treat them as if following a game strategy. Fortunately, my previous studies were helpful.
"..."
To think that studying such scribbles—unworthy of being called books—would provide practical help. As both an ordinary citizen and a researcher, it was rather damaging to my pride.
'These recent dark circles may be a symptom of blood deficiency during research….'
In any case, the foundation of this hotel originated from that unpleasant history.
"It is fortunate there is still more to study."
"Yes."
"Sometimes I even forget why I was so wary of this knowledge. That fleeting moment is rather chilling."
Which brings me to this.
"If the sacrifice or medium were not another person but myself… that might be a rational conclusion in its own way."
"No."
The cat burst into frantic cries.
"No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No."
I had grown fairly accustomed to such sudden commotion.
"Enough."
"Yes."
"Thank you."
"Yes."
Though lacking understanding of humans, Coco was a good friend who listened attentively when politely asked for help. There was also the fact that circumstances left us no choice but to become friends.
"..."
…It hardly mattered.
"Shall we discuss this topic today?"
"Yes."
"Very well, please sit comfortably."
"Yes."
"Verifying the results of a specific project is an extremely rigorous process. The same applies to confirming the harm it may cause to the human body. The most certain method is to project it directly onto a human subject,"
"No."
"Unfortunately, the barriers of budget and ethics often block the path ahead."
"Yes."
"Even if we turn to animal testing, the difficulties remain. In the case of pigs especially, the cost per specimen is enormous. Unless it is a major national project, such a budget is not approved. At times like this, we can adopt a very efficient shift in thinking."
"Yes."
"Donating one's own body as the test subject is, at the very least, not illegal."
"No."
"Ah, a valid point. Of course, there are cases where legal conflict is unavoidable… but if one can pass IRB review, it is an entirely legitimate experiment. Provided voluntary consent is written, risks minimized, and all conditions met."
Lee Yeon-woo sank deep into the sofa. A leisurely ease spread across his expressionless face. It was one of the few enjoyable conversations in his monotonous isolation.
"For reference, I was a frequent guest of IRB reviews."
It was less pride than confidence in verified knowledge.
"The review standards grew stricter each year, but in any case, it was not illegal."
"Yes."
"In that sense, even if the technology's origins are impure, if I am the one paying the price… might I not be somewhat free from ethical responsibility?"
"Yes."
"You mean no?"
"Yes."
"Hmm. I thought it was quite a plausible idea."
His lips curved crookedly.
"To begin with, did this hotel ask my consent and abduct me through legal procedures?"
"No…."
"Then I believe voluntarily assuming risk within this place should be sufficiently permissible. Above all, the fact that it can draw efficiency beyond the conservation law is quite attractive."
"Yes, no, yes…."
"I cannot tell which parts you wish to refute and which you wish to affirm."
"Yes."
"I see."
In any case, it was easy to understand why zealots clung to such dreadful knowledge.
This unpleasant knowledge produced results exceeding what was投入. Pretending to obey the law of conservation while substituting required resources with human emotions and souls.
There was certainly a formula corresponding to it, but I was still learning.
"..."
After checking the time, Lee Yeon-woo looked at Coco.
The cat lay stretched out.
Rather cute.
"Shall we head up?"
"Yes!"
"Good."
Just as he returned to the lodging to end the day—
"..."
"…Hello?"
He immediately understood what Coco's upward gaze implied.
Just as this cat was the hotel itself, he too was a being bound to this space. He was also its owner and general manager. Any variable occurring within the hotel was first captured by instinct.
A sensation rippled. Sticky and ominous otherness. The presence of a guest.
But…
"—Ha,"
…this was different from before.
"I must be losing my mind."
It was unmistakably a human guest.
By whose permission?
Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
A black sedan rattled along a rain-filled road. Each time the wheels struck a deep puddle, the vehicle shook violently.
"Wow, look at this bumpy road."
"After this inspection, you should take the car to a repair shop."
"It feels like riding an amusement ride. My backside hurts. What is this, Disco Pang Pang?"
"It's an unpaved road. It can't be helped."
"You're always so indifferent."
The woman gripping the steering wheel grumbled playfully. Deep fatigue and weariness were evident in her eyes.
It was a torrential downpour common during the monsoon season.
"At this rate, I'm not sure the filming crew will be able to move properly."
"I believe that is a matter for the director to consider."
"So you don't want to worry with me? Writer Hong is so cold. We've known each other so long. Has the love gone cold?"
"Ha…"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."
Director Lee Seonhae laughed.
"Maybe it's because there are so many mountains, but the atmosphere is incredible. The air is clean. I was considering Gangwon Province if necessary, but at this level, Gapyeong isn't bad. Solving it within Gyeonggi Province will reduce the burden on the actors."
"It is better than Gangwon, but Gapyeong is not particularly close either. The terrain is also less rugged than expected. Had it been Gangwon, we would not have had to come this deep."
"Oh dear, are you still sulking? It's eerie enough and good. People could die out here and no one would know."
"It's not that it's bad, I just…"
"I know how ambitious you are, but we can't treat the actors like tools. We're professionals, aren't we?"
"…Is that not the nature of an original creator's ambition?"
They were a film director and a story writer, visiting for a pre-shoot location inspection.
"I mean, honestly. It's ambition, yes, but… you know."
"Ah, I understand. Cha Dohyeon does have that side."
"I know it's not good to speak ill of actors, but Cha is truly difficult to handle. Choosing Gapyeong was because of his insistence, wasn't it?"
"He has enough recognition to make such demands. And above all, there is no actor better suited for the male lead of this script. The side with more to lose must yield."
"If Han Yeseol hadn't adjusted to his schedule, I would still be displeased."
Writer Hong Gyeongyeon sighed.
"I'm sorry. You're driving and I've been complaining too much."
"Oh come on, we've known each other for ages. It's because you're tired. When your body feels bad, you become sensitive and irritable."
"…Thank you."
The man crossed his arms and leaned back.
"It's taking longer than expected. Are we still far?"
"What, should we have sent someone else?"
"You know that's not what I meant."
Location scouting before filming was always important.
The two, long-time partners, always worked this way. They assigned preliminary research to staff, then personally walked the site. It was an essential process to match the visual image.
Two filming crew members accompanied them this time.
"Are you okay with motion sickness in the back?"
"Yes… I'm glad I took medicine."
"Thank you for coming all this way."
"This is our job."
Without the filming team, it was difficult to estimate real site logistics. Considering the rugged, dense mountains, they kept the team as small as possible.
The larger the group, the more exhausting movement in the mountains became.
"Um, but…"
"Yes?"
"It seems like it's getting dark rather quickly."
On a summer day swallowed by torrential rain,
"Oh, you're right."
The downpour made it difficult to see even the road ahead.