Nothing Happened
Nothing happened. My name is Mayuri. Born in 00, the cutest girl in the universe. My most standout feature? My face, obviously. But is that my only strong suit? Nah, I'm a resilient cutie with unbreakable will. You can't survive a horror game if you're swayed by petty emotions or crushed by fear...! As the protagonist of a horror game, self-control is key.
Repeating that to myself like a mantra, I shoved the Ordinary Coin into my bag, tears of blood streaming down my face.
"Farewell, rice-eater's dream."
With that, I bid goodbye to the dream of endless rice. Using the Ordinary Coin might've revived the killer hotel and let me indulge in 1.3 billion won worth of rice dreams... But hey, it's not like I'm broke. If I really need cash later, I can always revive the "Killer Hotel" with it then.
Above all, the Ordinary Coin is one-use only.
...Might need it to revive some other monster later.
For example, storming the cult headquarters and reviving "Kunekune" to unleash it? Turn all the cultists into Kunekune and wipe out the cult that way. Something like that.
Anyway. Who knows what monster I'll need in the future? Reviving the "Killer Hotel" now could screw me over later.
Gritting my teeth, I zipped up my handbag.
Hoo... Yeah, people should earn money honestly. Screw rice dreams.
"Whoa, that scared me!"
Baesena yelped from beside me in surprise.
"It's a hotel haunted by an anomaly, so you straight-up demolished the whole thing to make it vanish! Never thought of solving it like that! Yuri, you're amazing!"
"Uh, y-yeah..."
I nodded ambiguously. Truth be told, I hadn't expected this solution either.
It actually worked...
But thinking it over, I realized it was a pretty solid method.
The most common example? "Haunted property" ghost stories. The superstition about ghosts haunting apartments where someone died, called "haunted properties" in some places—though that's not super common lingo in Korea. Anyway, everyone’s heard tales of bad luck befalling residents of those places. But demolish the haunted house, and poof—nothing happens anymore. Guess the ghost scatters without a place to haunt.
This case was similar.
Couldn't turn the Killer Hotel into a cutie, couldn't chase rice dreams... but at least I gained some fame.
With my brilliant performance wiping out the anomaly, that is. No more victims now that it's gone. In other words, I saved lives.
Isn't that worth more than money?
"But sis, that email you showed me before. Didn't it say they'd send us home on a dedicated transport ship after the program ends?"
Nao said that, so I checked the email again.
...Maybe because the anomaly vanished, the email had gotten all glitchy and unreadable. Give it a bit more time, and the whole thing would probably disappear.
"But now the anomaly's gone—how do we get home?"
Nao asked.
...Good question. How do we get back?
Entity Name:Killer Hotel
Estimated Management Rank:Death (Viriditas)
Hostility:Slightly hostile (estimated)
Current Status:Extinct
: Executive Director, sir. Reporting in.
The Muksi Saengmyeongche "Killer Hotel," under long-term tracking and surveillance by HQ, has been confirmed extinct.
Per MimeNet records, this incident was resolved by Mayuri, director of Liriri Solutions Agency.
Perceived as a joint operation with the Special Task Force, but investigation shows Liriri's solo contribution was greater.
Task Force sources state only their Muksi Saengmyeongche "Baesena" was deployed, and she testified that Director Mayuri led the extinction.
Specific methods withheld by Liriri as trade secrets.
With the Killer Hotel's extinction, the related business project has been fully canceled. All participants shifted to standby; budgets recovered.
In the end, Baesena called the Special Task Force, and we got rescued by their staff.
"Y-You're from Liriri Solutions Agency, right...? Heard so much about you..."
One of the Task Force staff approached me. The only woman among the boat-arriving crew, she had this unreliable vibe. Newbie, maybe? Her ID badge read "Yoon Ji-su."
"Thanks for resolving the anomaly... We'll take you back on the boat right away."
Following Yoon Ji-su, we boarded. Felt like a step up from the "One Person Factory Manager" rescue—no instant drag to HQ for questioning this time. Guess they see me as a pro now; they even let me rest easy.
"I'll handle the report! Yuri, just relax!"
Baesena took care of the paperwork. She even kept my powers under wraps—relief there.
Meanwhile, Nao trembled beside me.
"Nao, you okay?"
"That's what I wanna ask. Am I okay...? They won't kill me, right?"
Scared of getting offed by Task Force folks, apparently. I reassured her. Seemed like only Baesena knew our "cuties'" true natures. Plus, we all had resident registrations now—no more illegals; background checks would clear us. Worth the 30 million won each.
Though Nao needed a bit more caution.
Her ID said BigNao, but the one glued to me was Small Nao. Photo mismatch was worrisome, but luckily, no one checked IDs.
"But sis, couldn't we have just flown on me?"
Still uneasy, Nao asked.
"Flown on you?"
"Y-Your fatigue... I could've grown big and crossed the sea."
"That'd just tire you out. Don't like being treated like a mount?"
"Not at all?"
She looked baffled.
"Feel free to treat me like one? I'd love that."
"Uh... Okay. Next time, then..."
What kinda conversation is this? Guess she really hated the Task Force boat. Note to self: Spoil Nao next time.
After a long boat ride, we parted with Baesena.
"Great work today, Yuri! See ya!"
Got her contact for office follow-up, light warnings, and we were free of Task Force.
Then, retraced our steps: taxi, train, taxi. Safely back at the office.
Finally home.
"Ugh, wiped."
I flopped on the sofa. Just riding transport, and I'm beat. Long trips suck. With my trash stamina, this frail cutie body probably bruises easy from travel fatigue or whatever.
Why's the trip harder than the ordeal?
Looking back, didn't do jack.
Minus last-ditch grabs for the hotel, zilch. Failed to claim it—half-destroyed it instead. Total ho-cation. Felt like a vacay.
Anomalies resolve this easy?
"Lisa."
"Yes, Mayuri."
"The Killer Hotel—tough, right?"
"Not at all? Nothing happened."
Lisa smiled. I glanced at Nao.
"You too, Nao?"
"Nope? Nothing."
"Really...?"
"Wasn't Miyeong tired?"
"Miss, do you know the opposite of 'tired'?"
"What're you on about...?"
"Her descend."
"......"
Apparently not tired. Scanned faces— all normal.
Killer Hotel: Late-game content for difficulty relief, brutal early on. Thought it'd tax Lisa and Nao, monsters or not.
Was it actually easy-mode?
"Everyone saying nothing happened? Guess it was total trash-tier."
"Yep."
"Yeah, sis is right."
"Should've rushed it sooner?"
"Nothing happened."
"Yeah, zilch."
"......? Really nothing?"
"Nothing. Didn't even need to wake you, Mayuri."
"Yeah, nothing. At all."
Nothing happened, they insist.
Later, light call from Baesena—Task Force follow-up stuff. Casually asked if anything went down at the hotel.
So, nothing happened! I trust my girls!
Office peaceful as ever!
"So sis, when we moving?"
Nao asked amid my musings.
...We?