Building the Inn at the End of Times

"Yor Briar?" Yue Wei muttered softly. No wonder the young woman felt familiar. He recognized her from the Spy x Family anime. However, the realization that anime characters actually existed surprised him. Subconsciously, he hadn't fully believed it, even when seeing Yor in front of him.

If Yor exists, does that mean other anime characters do too? What about manga or other fictional worlds? Yue Wei mused, intrigued by the possibilities. The thought of meeting characters from various fictional universes brought a smile to his face.

As he yawned, fatigue began to weigh on him. He wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep, but he couldn't neglect Yor. If he failed to make her experience memorable, she might not return, making all his effort a waste.

"Now that you've finished eating, how about I give you a proper introduction to this Inn?" Yue Wei offered with a tired smile. "Don't worry, time flows differently here compared to your world."

That last part was a lie, but it seemed Yor believed him.

That must explain why there's sunlight here, even though it's nighttime in my world, Yor thought, following Yue Wei upstairs.

"Let me introduce myself," Yue Wei began as they climbed the steps. "I'm Yue Wei, the manager of this Inn. Do you believe in the existence of different worlds, Miss Yor?"

"Different worlds?" Yor tilted her head thoughtfully. "Not really... but I've heard of things like the moon or Saturn. Is that what you mean?"

"Eh... not quite," Yue Wei replied, suppressing another yawn. "I mean worlds with intelligent life, similar to your own, existing in entirely separate universes or dimensions. This Inn connects to those worlds, allowing people of all kinds to visit and rest here."

Yor still seemed confused, so Yue Wei simplified it further. "Think of it as a hotel where you can meet people from other neighborhoods and countries. But my inn is on a whole different level."

He led her through the second floor, showing her the rooms. There were only six guest rooms, along with shared bathrooms for men and women. The rooms themselves didn't have private bathrooms, something Yue Wei assumed was standard for a Level 1 Inn.

Even Yue Wei was surprised by the interior as he inspected it properly for the first time. The rooms weren't luxurious, but they were beautiful, neat, and cozy. Each had a warm, soft bed, a desk with a lamp, a mirror, a cabinet, and a small dining table. The atmosphere was inviting, and Yue Wei thought even a recluse would feel comfortable staying there forever.

After the tour, Yue Wei persuaded Yor to give the Inn a chance. Back at the counter, she finally asked, "Um... How do I pay?"

Before Yue Wei could reply, a voice came out from the outside. 

"Ayase-san, are you sure about this?" a boy's voice called out. Suddenly, the entrance burst open, and two kids stepped in—a girl and a boy. The boy, wearing a black uniform and glasses, trailed behind the girl.

The girl scanned the room before her gaze landed on Yue Wei. She pointed at him and demanded, "You there! What's the deal with this place? And why the hell did you drag us here?"

Yue Wei raised an eyebrow, his eyes carefully assessing the new arrivals. Despite being just kids, they radiated a hidden power. After a moment of thought, he replied, "I'm the manager of this inn. Me? Drag you here? You've got it backward. You're here because the key chose you."

The girl, Ayase, pulled out two silver keys from her pocket, scrutinizing them like they might bite. "These things? They're just... keys, right? You're telling me these are magic or something?"

"That's what he's saying, Ayase-san," the boy whispered from behind her, nervously pushing up his glasses. "I don't think this guy's normal. Maybe he's an alien. Or worse... Turbo Granny's buddy?"

Ayase paused for a moment before replying, "Oh, shut it, Okarun. That hag wouldn't work with someone this... suspiciously chill." 

She turned to Yue Wei with a sharp look. "Alright, mister manager, If you're so smart, what's this key got to do with us? And what's this inn for?"

Yue Wei motioned for them to come closer. "You two have a lot of questions. Why don't you come over here so I can explain everything? And don't worry, this place isn't dangerous."

Ayase and the boy, Okarun, approached cautiously. Ayase placed her hand firmly on the counter as if trying to establish dominance, while Okarun hid nervously behind her, fiddling with his glasses. 

"If this place's so safe. What's your angle? And are you a yokai, an alien, or something worse?"

Hearing this, Yue Wei sighed internally. Today had been far more draining than he'd anticipated. All he wanted was to lie down, but as the manager of the Inn, he took his responsibilities seriously—especially when it came to his benefits.

I need to hire a receptionist. Why didn't I think of that sooner?

"Let me explain," he said. He repeated the same explanation he had given Yor earlier.

By the time he finished, shock and surprise were evident on Ayase and Okarun's faces. 

"So, each world has its currency. However, you can exchange your world's money for Inn Credits," Yue Wei explained.

Different worlds meant different currencies, each with unique exchange rates. To make transactions fairer, Yue Wei created a universal currency exclusive to this world—Inn Credits. He proposed the idea to the system, which approved it without hesitation.

He also emphasized the importance of Inn Credits. To increase their value, he explained the concept of the Inn World. As this world grew and more people conducted business here, Inn Credits would become the primary currency, allowing visitors to buy anything they needed.

For now, the Inn was just the beginning.

 "This place is wonderful," Yor said. 

Ayase nodded. "So, this whole setup... it's like some interdimensional Airbnb but with magic money. Sounds sketchy."

"Maybe," Yue Wei shrugged. "But you'll find out soon enough that it's more than that."

Ayase tapped her fingers on the counter, then nodded. "Fine. But if you try anything funny, don't think I'll let it slide, pretty boy." 

Yue Wei glanced upside down at Ayase, then sighed and nodded. 

He then glanced at Yor. If all customers were as gentle and quiet as her, he wouldn't mind spending more energy explaining things in detail. He wasn't particularly offended by their questions; after all, he wasn't Elder Wei.

Okarun whispered, "Ayase-san, is it okay to trust him? He's... way too calm. Like one of those shady guys in detective dramas." 

She sighed. "Okarun, stop being a wimp. If he wanted to kill us, we'd already be dead." She glanced back at Yue Wei. "We want to rest, how much?" 

"That will be 10 credits for each room," Yue Wei said as he pulled out three cards from behind the counter. These cards, bearing the name BRI (Boundless Realm Inn) and featuring a picture of the Inn, were items he had purchased from the Achievement Store. He took a moment to explain the exchange rate. After some discussion, the three customers exchanged their money for Inn Credits.

Each room costs 10 IC (Inn Credits). Yue Wei explained the payment options: guests could pay 10 IC for a room to rest or 20 IC if they wanted to include dinner, breakfast, and lunch. The two decided to pay a total of 40 IC.

"This card can only be used in this world," Yue Wei added. "If you lose it, you'll need to pay for a replacement. Now, you can head upstairs and use your keys to open your rooms. Your rooms number are 1 and 2."

The Keys of the Inn had several functions. First, they were used to select potential customers and provided identity recognition to the system, allowing it to identify guests upon entry. The keys also served as access to the respective rooms. For instance, if a guest chose Room No. 1 and stayed for one night, their key would only work for that room. Once their stay ended, the key would lose its functionality unless they paid for an extension.

Yue Wei didn't fully understand how the system worked, but as long as it functioned properly, he didn't see the need to question it further.

As Ayase and Okarun walked off, Ayase muttered, "Weird guy, weird place. But at least it's better than Turbo Granny's hellhole."

Okarun hesitated, glancing back at Yue Wei. "Um... thanks, I guess?"

Yue Wei waved him off lazily. "Just don't break anything."

He turned to Yor and smiled gently. "Sorry about that. How much would you like to exchange?"

However, the entrance opened again before Yor could say anything and a young man carrying a sword stepped in. He was handsome, though not as striking as Yue Wei, with long, messy, spiky hair and a sword at his waist. His expression was stoic.

"Excuse me, are you the owner of this place?" the young man asked. 

"Yes." Yue Wei nodded.

"What is this place?"

Hearing the question, Yue Wei's lips twitched, and he let out a sigh. He needed to hire someone to handle this—otherwise, he'd be stuck explaining everything every time a customer walked in.