Episode 5. Welcome to the Ghost Story Hotel (6)

Life at the hotel continued smoothly and peacefully for several days. It was a bit regrettable that they couldn't leave the hotel building from the moment they checked in, but in truth, the hotel had just about everything one could need inside.

The first floor only had the hotel front desk and golems, but the second floor featured a restaurant alongside a spacious lobby where they could eat and drink tea freely. The third floor had all sorts of entertainment facilities like a billiards hall and bowling alley, the fifth floor boasted a massive casino and a bar, and the sixth floor had a grand bathhouse-slash-hot spring. If anyone got hurt or fell ill, they could head to the emergency medical room on the seventh floor for free treatment. Honestly, it was harder to find something missing than available.

So, they spent those few days thoroughly relaxing and indulging in every pleasure the place offered. Occasionally, while heading down for a meal, they'd spot guests weeping bitterly over a comrade who had died by mistake the night before. Screams echoing down the hallways or the occasional sight of what looked like human bloodstains weren't uncommon either. But no one in their group was unaccustomed to such things.

And then.

"Rookie, the quack and bedwetter are heading to the third floor for some billiards. You coming? Loser plays servant for the day."

"Uwaaaah...! I'm not a bedwetter, it's Eileen...! Call me Eileen, please!"

"Haha... Eileen, miss... Just give up, it's easier that way."

Horn, leading Aberly and Eileen out of the room, paused and asked me, lounging on the sofa. It must've been the day before last when I'd taken him to the third-floor billiards hall. He'd been fascinated, saying he'd never seen anything like it before, and since then, he hadn't stopped going whenever he had free time—it had clearly been a hit. I wanted to join, but I gave an awkward smile and shook my head.

"Uh, yeah. You three go ahead. I can't really right now..."

And for good reason: Asha ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had her head pillowed on my thigh, clinging to my waist for dear life in her sleep.

"Hm, fair enough. Can't fight fate, kid. Alright, we're off! Quack, bedwetter!"

"Kyaaak!! I'm not a bedwetter!!"

"Haha... Th-then we'll be back... Ain, if Asha shows any odd reactions, give her the neutralizing potion I left."

"Got it. Go have fun, don't worry."

I waved as the three headed out and shut the door behind them with a thud. Soon, the room held only me, the sleeping Asha, and the twins napping away.

"...Hm."

With the noisiest trio gone, the place fell utterly quiet. None of the three sleepers snored or fidgeted much, leaving only silence in the room. So, I stroked Asha's head once before picking up my history book and resuming my read.

The soft swish and rustle of turning pages filled the air, mingled with Asha's breath brushing my side. Her arms around my waist twitched, her lips curved faintly in a smile, and sometimes she'd smack her lips as if dreaming before chomping down on my thigh with an ang.

This had somehow become their routine lately. To explain:

Since Aberly's gray magic clinical trials began, Asha had been guzzling the suppressants-cum-cures he'd whipped up, dozing off for hours at a stretch like this. No allergic hives or pain, which was a relief, but it wasn't exactly suppressing or curing her gray magic either. Aberly tilted his head, muttering he wasn't sure if this was right, but kept tweaking and brewing new batches anyway. He still had five vials left over.

Asha would wake, down a vial, sleep again, repeat. And whenever she slept, she'd half-force me onto the sofa, refusing to let go. It was just their unavoidable daily rhythm now.

A little time passed, and as always, the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠twins woke first—not Asha.

"Yaaawn... What time is it...? Uh... One o'clock. Missed lunch... Yaki, get up already..."

"No way... Hmnya... Just a bit more..."

Tori wriggled upright, grabbed Yaki's hair, and shook. Yaki grumbled about sleeping more but slid out of bed anyway.

"I'm hungry... But lunch service is over."

"Yawn... Eutch. Then let's ask Ain-hyung to make some, Tori."

They stretched, hopped off the bed, and headed straight for me, clearly plotting to put me to work. But then:

"Look. Ain-oppa can't get off the sofa again today."

"Oh, yeah. Guess we'll make it ourselves. Eggs and rice fried together should do it!"

Seeing me pinned by Asha, they nodded in understanding and made for the kitchen. Rifling through the ingredient box, they suddenly tilted their heads, then bounced over yelling.

"H-Hey, Ain-hyung! It's gone!"

"Ain-oppa, all the ingredients are gone!"

"Ah... It didn't vanish while we were all out, did it."

""Then we starve?""

"No, hold on. I'll go get them. Stay ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠put ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in the room."

I told the wide-eyed kids that, then carefully lifted the still-clinging Asha onto my back. She resisted like a cat refusing to let go of my waist, so I had to pet and soothe her thoroughly. But it worked.

Just a sec.

"...The potions are gone too."

Aberly's five vials had vanished as well. Greedy bastards took a haul.

This was their first encounter with Rule No. 3 after days of staying. Earlier, puzzled by the vague "right room" instruction—facing the door or back to it?—I'd asked the desk golem.

"No... I mean, what counts as the 'right' room...?"

"...Who doesn't get that?"

Glad we cleared that up. Thank you for using our automated response service.

The golem hadn't given a straight, helpful answer—just that damn canned response. Insane machine.

Anyway. With Asha on my back, I stepped out into the quiet hall. Rules said minimum pairs, so I couldn't leave the kids alone without bringing sleeping Asha at least.

"..."

I pondered briefly in the silent corridor, then decided: Exit and go right means back-to-door orientation. Worst case, shake Asha awake like crazy.

I knocked twice on the right room's door, opened it—and thankfully, it looked like a normal guest room inside. Ten minutes. Just grab the ingredients and five potions in ten. I checked my pocket watch, entered, and started gathering the not-so-well-hidden foodstuffs into a basket.

"Eggs, rice, meat... green onions, soy... Ah. Don't bite my neck, Asha...!"

Meanwhile, Asha clamped onto my neck, gnawing in her sleep—or sleep-talk. She was definitely out, yet a weird hee-hee giggle escaped, her legs kicking before wrapping my waist. No idea why she always goes for the neck when carried.

Whatever. Couldn't waste time prying her off, so I ignored the chomping and kept hunting ingredients and potions.

"Salt, sugar, pepper... cabbage, chilies... nuts, dried fruit, kids' snacks... Damn, who packed this much?"

Time was getting tight. Half the ingredients left, and the potions? Hidden tight—no sign.

Someone else here might've helped, but with everyone out playing, solo-hunting with a sleeping Asha on my back was rough.

"Alright, ingredients done. Where the hell are the potions...?"

Two minutes left, room too big, potions nowhere. One under the bed's deepest corner, one in a drawer. Rushing, opening doors, snagged two more. But the last vial? Gone.

The wall clock ticked to ten minutes without me noticing. Head down, I peered under the dining table for the final one.

"Seriously. Where'd you hide it, you lunatics."

Checked everywhere, but no last vial. Muttering curses, I scanned around.

"This?"

Suddenly, right by my face: the missing potion vial.

"Yeah, that's it!"

"This?"

"Yeah. Been looking forever, thanks... Wha—?"

It was the one I wanted.

"..."

But Asha was still asleep, and I'd been alone.

So who...?

I traced the arm up the body, turning my head.

And there: a woman with her head twisted backward, grinning at me.

"..."

"Found it?"

Agh, fuck.