DLC Side Story: Welcome to Hotel the Lamento!

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[DLC Side Story - Welcome to Hotel the Lamento!: You've resolved countless Muksi Saengmyeongche incidents and now know the underbelly of this world. Once you've seen it, there's no going back to ignorance. Things invisible in your ordinary days are now crystal clear. How did you miss them before? While scouring the internet, you stumble upon a bizarre recruitment ad. "Stay one night at our hotel, get 100 million won!"]

100 million won per night at the hotel. It sounds like some childish urban legend, but it's actually a well-balanced anomaly. 'Currency value tanks hard in the late game, after all.'

For instance, a Rank 6 Apocalypse-level monster is practically apocalyptic. In an apocalypse, would 1 billion or even 10 billion in your bank account help more than a single bottle of clean water?

That's why, in the late game, money loses its value dramatically—making it not worth challenging this anomaly. But trying it early game? The difficulty is set a bit high. Earning money ain't easy. It's basically a money grind con.

So, "Hotel the Lamento"—the killer hotel—is challenge content viable only mid-game.

To sum it up in three lines, the monster game devs intended:

1) Farm and grow hard in the early game to prepare solidly.

2) Challenge the "Killer Hotel" right before currency crashes in mid-game.

3) Use the cash from the "Killer Hotel" to buy items and ease late-game difficulty.

In other words, the "Killer Hotel" is an anomaly added in a free DLC to mitigate late-game difficulty.

I planned to tackle it in the early game phase.

"What is this...? Isn't this just a long con...?"

Nao, peering at the notice beside me, muttered.

Why hasn't this girl gone home yet?

"Urban legends always have this vibe."

"It's a real legend, right? ...People scare me more than ghosts."

"It's not like that, so don't worry. But why's a vampire more scared of humans...?"

"Where'd you even find this, unnie?"

Just search "1.3 billion" on a normal part-time job site. It's an old posting, so no one's paying attention.

TMI: Anomalies aren't easy for normals to encounter. Once you experience one, you can recognize them forever after. But the first one? Surprisingly tough.

Most normals probably can't even see this ad.

"Alright, sending the application email now."

I fired off an email to the address in the notice.

For that reason, Taeman would keep living as Mun Taeman. He seemed super unhappy, but he had no choice against the office director's supreme authority.

With that, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠left the office to Taeman and hopped in a taxi. Total travelers this time: six. Me, Ari, Lisa, Taemi, Nao, and Miyeong. The full Liriri Detective Agency roster.

"Cramped."

Taemi fit in my breast pocket, but cramming the other five into one taxi meant tight seats. So the smallest of us—me—ended up on Ari's lap.

Ari whined about it being cramped, but whatever. I feed her and put her to bed daily; deal with it.

We took a train from the station, then another taxi right after getting off.

"...Boring."

Nao scrunched her face.

"How long do we keep moving? When do we even arrive, unnie?"

"...You were excited on the train."

I was baffled. She can't walk under the sun, so for Nao, this was a rare trip. She'd been thrilled just riding taxis and trains in daylight. But our noble vampire Nao was already bored.

People are all like that. Soldiers plan nonstop pre-discharge, then veg at home post-discharge. Same principle.

Still more travel ahead, though.

"Mayuri, right?"

A suited man approached us. Maybe because it's by the sea, but the suit felt out of place.

"Y-Yes, that's me..."

"Thank you for applying to Hotel the Lamento's stay program. We'll guide you right away. This way."

He guided us politely. I observed him discreetly as we followed. A bit aged, but otherwise totally ordinary-looking.

"Mayuri-nim. That man's not human."

Lisa leaned in, whispering.

"Shall I slice him?"

"...Nah, it's fine."

No point eliminating a guy who's not even the anomaly's core. Questionable if he's even eliminable.

I recall a player experiment post: he's a destruction-proof object.

We boarded the boat. Engine rumbling, cutting through the sea. After about an hour, we reached an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠island.

"Keep straight and you'll see our hotel."

Saying he needed to move the boat, the man vanished somewhere.

Phone check: no signal. GPS works, though. Location shows Korea, so if we could cross back over the sea, home's reachable.

'...Impossible, though.'

He took the boat, and swimming's out. If I gave Nao my blood, maybe she could fly us... but no reason to.

I started walking.

"Huh? Yuri?"

Or tried to. Familiar voice. Unexpected, though.

Click-clack. Like wooden joints meshing, it approached. Doll joint sounds.

Finely crafted but artificial odd eyes stared at me.

"Baesena...?"

"Fancy meeting here! Long time no see, Yuri!"

Baesena rushed over, grabbing my hand happily.

"I've been following your agency news! Amazing feats~? What brings you here? This area's rife with disappearances!"

"W-Well..."

"Got it! Here as a fixer, right? Disappearances piling up—knew it was anomalous. Right?"

"...Let me speak."

Ugh, so chatty.

"Why're you here...?"

"'Cause disappearances galore? If it's a real anomaly, report to Special Task Force. Need protectors if civilians approach. So I'm here alone, watching!"

"I see..."

I eyed Baesena tensely. Doll face with joint marks. Eerily artificial, but mannerisms human-like.

I know Baesena's harmless to humanity. No need to fear her.

But her touching me...

"Hm? What's up? Something on my face?"

Baesena tilted her head.

"C-Can you let go of my hand...?"

"Oh, sorry! Held too long?"

She released it.

...Weird.

'Why no system message?'

I blinked. No Cute Girl Mod activation notice.