Chapter 124 |
"Oh, Yeon-woo."
The man bowed courteously.
"Is this area not yet open?"
"It may not look it, but this hotel is still in its Soft-Opening Period."
"Haha, you jest."
"How unfortunate that it sounds like a jest."
A door distinguished by ornate yet refined intaglio carvings.
"I am curious to see this place opened."
The Guest Without Taste stood before the 2nd floor, the Grand Banquet Hall.
"You said the same during your last visit. You seem to be awaiting the banquet hall's launch."
"Does it not resemble a grand colosseum or opera house?"
"I can appreciate your refined taste, but expecting the banquet hall to open before a stable resource supply line has been established is premature."
"For such a claim, this hotel's service is already splendid."
Nearly two meters tall. Yeon-woo wasn't short, but his counterpart was enormous. The Guest Without Taste looked down at Yeon-woo with curved eyes and a smile.
"I consider you a person of great capability."
"I merely operate a hotel. Capability is too generous a word."
Quite a humble thing to say.
'While he alone props up this massive castle.'
What Seome and Rawi had been thinking, The Guest Without Taste was more than capable of thinking too.
He took no payment from Monster Guests or Human Guests alike. Which meant the only remaining 'source' of 'capital' that could be conceived was Yeon-woo himself.
'He does look tired, to be sure....'
And yet, was he not composed?
"......"
...As expected, this one was honorable.
"...I did say he had grown stronger than before...."
The man turned to face Yeon-woo directly.
"Still a fragile body, though. There could be no greater inconvenience in operating this place."
"Even so, I have no intention of taking you on as this hotel's head chef."
"That is a considerable shame. I am confident I would be of help."
"I've reconsidered multiple times, but I still believe that with you running the restaurant, it would be humans, not livestock, hanging from the hooks."
"You distinguish between livestock and humans?"
On what basis?
"Humans aren't included among the livestock?"
"...That sort of thing...."
Yeon-woo returned the smile.
"Is precisely what makes you so tiresome, dear guest."
"How heartless."
The man shrugged.
"But I think it is admirable."
"Praise this time — rather transparent for The Guest Without Taste."
"I can only be transparent."
Obviously.
"In all my life, those who had every emotion consumed by me yet still clung to things like justice and conviction — I could count them on one hand."
"Should I take pride in that?"
"Why not? You are fully deserving. Strong, honorable, deeply patient. Those are not virtues just anyone can possess."
That was why The Guest Without Taste had come here.
"When I am with you, I learn... so many things."
He was arrogant and obsessed with honor, yet craven enough to kneel and lick blood from walls and floors if it served his purpose. Beneath the shell, he was instinctive, his desires laid bare.
To such a Guest Without Taste, Yeon-woo was a precious talent.
"If 'Teacher' is disagreeable, how about 'sir'?"
At the brazen suggestion, Yeon-woo let out a breath of disbelief.
"No matter how you phrase it, it's wordplay."
"I pride myself on being a student worth teaching."
"I am no teacher."
"Then?"
"A mere researcher who doesn't even know how to fix anyone."
"A researcher...."
A flash of strange elation, perhaps. Over the human shell, an instant of wrongness flickered.
"Are you not the 'General Manager' now?"
Neatly swept-back black hair faded to ash-grey and jutted wildly out of place, and the smile spreading across his lips tore long past the limits of a human skull, baring a glimpse of the true form's sharp fangs.
"......"
"Is that not so, ■?"
Blood bled into the black irises, and murky wine-colored pupils rolled greedily.
"And it is also true that there is a vacancy in this ■■."
"This hotel already reeks of blood as it is. Taking on someone like you would only add to the burden."
"If I promise not to let any blood scent linger?"
"That is hardly something that suits you."
"Ahh."
What a peculiar thing to say.
"It sounds as though you affirm even my sins."
"I neither affirm nor deny. Too many stories exist in this world, and law and ethics are thoroughly anthropocentric."
"Then it must be respect."
"I'm not kind enough for that. I'm no saint who can embrace sins. I am human, and I follow human law and ethics."
He was skilled at lying.
"I'm that ordinary a person."
Was that why he could deceive even himself so effortlessly?
"An interesting story. And so?"
"With such ordinary sensibilities, I can't help but be wary of someone like you."
"I see."
And yet you call even something like me a 'person.'
"I am neither as strong as you say, nor honorable, nor deeply patient. Not once in my life have I ever felt that I pursued justice."
"......"
"I do not believe every person in the world deserves to be happy. My own safety and convenience matter most, and I don't care if someone else gets hurt or dies. It's not my concern."
He hadn't looked like that at all, though.
"However... if it's right before my eyes, that changes things."
Yeon-woo looked up at the man.
"If you truly desire this vacancy that badly, how about this."
"Do tell. I enjoy a good deal."
"Give me your trust."
Hands clasped behind his back, gaze unwavering.
"If my guests are pursued by calamity and find themselves in trouble, you will escort them to their rooms without a single hair harmed. A gentlemanly proposal, wouldn't you say?"
"A fine opportunity."
"Without spilling a single drop of blood, if you demonstrate the impeccable hospitality befitting the hotel I manage... I will overlook your previous discourtesy and give favorable consideration to your tenancy."
"How very strange."
The man spoke.
"You act like a dominator who keeps every situation beneath your feet under control, yet whenever it comes to those insignificant little lambs, you're always the first to tear off your own flesh and offer it up."
Yeon-woo wouldn't want him nearby. Of course not — who knew when The Guest Without Taste would create another danger? Yeon-woo was not the type to enjoy variables like him.
And yet you make a choice like this, shrewd as you are.
"Your head is cold as ice, but your body is foolishly merciful — that contradiction makes me smile. In the end, even the conclusions your reason produced are this soft...."
To that unchanging expression, he continued.
"How generous of you."
"Something I always think."
Yeon-woo's brow furrowed subtly.
"Do you have some kind of condition where your monologues get longer every time you see me?"
"A novel form of mistreatment."
"No amount of theatrics from the poster child of business disruption...."
"I can never seem to stay serious."
"I'm not one for sentimentality beyond what's necessary."
And,
"I prefer things clean."
"......"
...Eyes of golden amber, like the sun.
"You are plenty clean, sir."
"Believe it or not, before coming here I was a law-abiding citizen of impeccable record."
"That was my good fortune, though being trapped here must be quite vexing."
Spite twisted his lips into a long grin.
"Such fierce mercy bestowed upon mere lumps of flesh."
How grating.
"Do you still consider yourself human?"
"Even if I no longer am, it doesn't matter."
"Then why do you act this way? They are ill-mannered beasts."
"In terms of ill manners, can anyone match you?"
It was an offer he simply couldn't refuse, and yet he said,
"I am not as merciful as you."
"Just once will do."
"This is the kind of proposal where refusing makes you the fool."
"Then remain a courteous guest even where my eyes cannot see."
The 'General Manager' of this hotel commanded.
"I'd rather not get angry."
"......"
Not strong, he says?
"Very well."
"I appreciate your understanding."
"Likewise."
He gazed into the eyes that had returned to black. Within those narrow pupils, a sun was trapped.
"...Thank you."
And so he thought.
'I really should make this place my home.'
And he'd call his family.
Live a human life here, earn an honorable name.
And devour him.
***
— Is what he's probably thinking, Yeon-woo mused.
"Not a single easy customer among them."
Back in the Operator's Quarters for the first time in a while, Yeon-woo collapsed.
Hotel management alone was overwhelming, and now he had to play mind games with guests too.
"There's no Black Company quite like this one."
"Yes!"
"One of these days, I'll tear it all down."
"Yes?"
"And then I'm quitting."
"No?"
Indeed, Yeon-woo was busy.
"How unfortunate."
"No?"
"This rotten cat."
It wasn't about unspeakable circumstances, or being exploited on behalf of guests who'd never come.
'I'll sue.'
He was just purely, genuinely busy.
With the penalty already making emotions hit far more vividly than they should. On top of managing Monster Guests who were nothing short of end-times-level problem customers — he truly felt like he might go insane.
In summary: business was annoyingly good.
'Thanks to that, Nightmares are accumulating far better than before.'
[Yes!]
'I wish everyone would just leave.'
[No!]
Whose side was this cat on, really?
Tired, perhaps — his thoughts were growing increasingly dark. For a moment, Yeon-woo understood The Drenched One, who'd whined 'You should be on MY side!'
"......"
"......"
For about two seconds.
'Let's calm down.'
He calmed down.
"But at this rate... I can certainly open the Greenhouse ahead of schedule."
He'd earned fine rewards but hadn't been able to use them. The Guest Without Taste had recommended opening the Grand Banquet Hall, but what nonsense. Establishing a stable supply line by opening the Greenhouse came first.
"This was an early-stage goal, and we've finally reached it."
"Yes."
"Human life is a collection of variables, isn't it."
"Yes? Yes."
"There were even trees that grew meat."
"Yes!"
Coco seemed thoroughly pleased with the current situation. As the guide-type NPC that had always wanted the user to enjoy the game fully, it was perhaps a natural reaction.
"......"
Yeon-woo alone was just tired.
"......"
"......"
"Hah...."
Time again to go attend to guests.
***
Yeon-woo's play style was fundamentally this:
'No other guest can die before I do.'
Drawing Monster Guests' attention to himself, thereby ensuring the relative safety of others.
This was a calculated element of risk management. If an external variable like Seome or Rawi got hurt or died, he'd have to heal them, manage their mental state, and redesign the collapsed strategy from scratch.
'Rather than pay that massive administrative cost, utilizing myself is a far more efficient approach.'
Above all.
'If side effects hit someone else's body, I have to clean it up, but malfunctions in my own body I can monitor in real time and control. Predictable defects are far easier to manage.'
Attracting their attention wasn't difficult, as long as he knew each guest's strategy.
The difficult part was the health management afterward — namely, how much of the system overload called 'penalties' he could withstand.
[Yes!]
'I was thinking to myself.'
Anyway, in that sense.
"......"
"......"
The approach to Lover of Dawn was surprisingly simple.
"...I didn't expect such a warm reception."
"......"
"My love."
He just had to court her.
'To be precise, it's a love confession.'
Yeon-woo reached out and swept the curtain of snow-white hair behind her ear.
An action informed by the data of the in-game 'General Manager.' Now that it was reality, following the verified script was the only way to reduce variables.
To produce an error-free result, systemic optimization had to take priority.
'Not exactly an action I relish.'
Because their current location was the Dining.
"......"
He really wanted to clock out.
'At least there are no other guests around.'
Yeon-woo wasn't exactly the sweet type by nature. While he tried to treat her sincerely and speak courteously, honestly, it was awkward.
So what was he supposed to say now?
"......"
"...I suppose I wasn't acting too strangely...."
He wasn't sure this was right.
'I should have watched a few romance films beforehand.'
The emotional penalty made it even harder to gauge what to do.
'But if the response is this favorable, perhaps my behavior so far wasn't as awkward as it felt.'
He'd need to repeat the experiment a few more times, but she didn't seem displeased. And with the sincere 'love' born from twenty-six years of play records, he wasn't dealing with her dishonestly.
'The results aren't bad.'
It was just Yeon-woo who felt awkward and embarrassed.
"......"
He blinked in the shadows. Wrapped in Lover of Dawn's embrace, the face he saw from below was corpse-pale.
"You're much more affectionate than the last time we met."
"...But I'm seeing you for the first time...."
"Yet I remember you."
If The Drenched One was a guest who expressed loneliness as hatred, Lover of Dawn was a guest who tried to fill oblivion anew. A monster for whom the phrase 'pouring water into a bottomless jar' was apt.
Perhaps because of that.
"......"
The woman asked.
"...Were you happy?"
"...Shall I let you guess?"
A question-and-answer event: 『The Answer of That Day.』