NOVEL NEXT WORLD Welcome to Dungeon Hotel
Chapter 197
“The Dungeon Hotel’s benefits are truly amazing. I even obtained a skill that can force people.”
The manager revealed everything in her status window. Actually, I already knew without her saying it. Manager —Lv.5 —Talent ‘Marketing skills’ can help you attract attention to your hotel. You can force a reservation. (NEW!) Although it’s a bit vague, I understand what you’re talking about. This is the forced reservation skill that the manager is talking about. “By the way, is there any change in your class?” I think there is a change in my grade as the level goes up. Although the grade is hidden, the ranking goes up when measured by the association. “Yes. I leveled up. I’m now a C-Class hunter.” As expected. I grabbed the steering wheel and glanced at the manager in the passenger seat. “Why, why? Are you worried that I might get scouted and leave now that I’ve been promoted?” She knew my heart very well. While stopping at a red light, I leaned lightly on the manager’s shoulder. “…Don’t abandon me.” Of course, it was a joke. I could tell without using the Mind Communication skill that the manager was quite satisfied with her work at the Dungeon Hotel. Her voice, facial expression, and eyes were more vibrant than ever when dealing with customers. But still— “That’s why… That’s why… Hunter Han Woohyun….” “Yes?” While the manager muttered to herself, the light turned green. I held the steering wheel straight again and started the car. “Anyway, it’s a shame that the forced reservation skill is limited to those whose names I know.” The manager smacked her lips. “They said that it was dangerous to activate the skill even if you knew Georg Schulze name, but I think you could have called in at least one of Georg Schulze’s messengers.” That’s right. The manager’s skill, ‘forced reservation’, had operating conditions. First, you must know the person’s name. And one more thing. If the other party rejects the forced reservation, the manager will receive the reaction. It was a skill with considerable risk, making it too dangerous to use on Georg Schulze. Still, as the manager said, summoning a messenger is possible, but we don’t know their name. “…That’s what I mean.” I wish I had used the guest list view when I met the guy using illusions in the market. Well, it’s already happened. It’s much better to focus on what I can do now than to dwell on the past. It’s not that there’s nothing I can do. Jan Schulz gave me the information the Federation knew about illusionists around the world. Practitioners of magic can manifest only illusions that they have personally experienced with their own senses within the last 1 or 2 months. For example, this means that an illusionist who has never seen an alien cannot create one through illusion. However, it is possible to watch an alien movie or see an alien doll and create something like that. At this time, illusionists who have only seen aliens in movies cannot embody the sense of touch or smell. ‘The illusion that Toto used was excellent.’ While it’s not possible to manifest things that one has never seen through magic, it is possible to recreate them to feel like they’re experiencing them through smell and touch. Anyway, according to Jan Schulz, the illusionist who kidnapped me had seen Yoojun before. Not just seen, but had conversations and even light contact within the last 1 or 2 months. I considered this and spoke to the manager. “It wouldn’t be completely impossible to find out the messenger’s name.” If my prediction is correct, that person is still near Yoojun. * * * – A marvelous composition, an unmissable opportunity! Hurry, seats are filling up fast! Yoojun made a fuss at the noise he could hear from the seat next to him. “Really focusing hard, huh?” All the way from getting in the car to the guild building, Shim Jiyoon’s black eyes were fixed on the S-Class hunters who were filming eating shows on their phones. It seemed like she contacted the home shopping company directly to receive that video and then watched it on her phone while carrying it around. Yoojun’s Odd Eye turned back through the car window as if he couldn’t bear to see it, but Shim Jiyoon responded as if it was natural. “It’s fun, isn’t it? Watching it makes you feel like you’re getting an appetite even if you didn’t have one before?” Shim Jiyoon chuckled slightly after closing her phone. Then she asked the guild leader’s dedicated knight sitting in the front row. “Earlier, it seemed like Driver Jung was watching this video too, wasn’t he?” “Yes? Ah, haha… Yes, well…” Driver Jung glanced at Yoojun in the rearview mirror and smiled awkwardly. “You looked cool. You’re even more handsome in person though.” Yoojun asked, touching his face. “Am I… handsome?” “Well, that’s right.” Driver Jung said in a tone that conveyed the feeling that he was asking about everything. Yoojun looked at Shim Jiyoon and asked again. “Really? Am I handsome?” As Driver Jung was slightly taken aback by the absurd question, Shim Jiyoon casually squeezed Yoojun’s chin with two fingers. Then she narrowed her eyes, looking at it as if she were looking at a work of art. As the distance got closer, Yoojun unconsciously stiffened at the gaze blatantly looking at him. However, Shim Jiyoon spoke without any hesitation. “So-so.” Yoojun’s expression became subtle. Meanwhile, the car stopped. “….?” Shim Jiyoon and Yoojun both finally looked ahead. A large association vehicle was standing near the main gate where the guild leader’s car should have parked. Driver Jung looked embarrassed and said he would come after checking the situation, but Shim Jiyoon stopped him. “The association president must have arrived. We’ll find out what’s going on when we go up. Let’s go to the underground parking lot.” “Yes.” Driver Jung obediently stopped his hand from opening his car door and drove the car again. “I wonder what the association president came for? Judging by the size of the car, it seems like the association officials are all here too.” Shim Jiyoon leaned against the backrest of the car, and her eyes lit up. “It must be related to the Dungeon Hotel. Looks like there have been some changes in the boss’s circumstances.” “Change?” Driver Jung looked surprised. But he didn’t ask for more details. It was like a habit that had become ingrained from serving the guild leader for a long time. Because his superiors didn’t like it when people around her wanted to know too much. But surprisingly, Shim Jiyoon spoke leniently this time. “There was an attempt to kidnap the boss.” “Is that true? Who did that to the Dungeon Hotel CEO…!” Driver Jung, who had raised his voice without realizing it, cleared his throat as if he was embarrassed. “Oh, I got too excited. If it’s the CEO of the Dungeon Hotel, they’re the top ranker in the country. But who would dare—” “That’s right. Some people dare to dream dreams they shouldn’t.” Yoojun answered those words in a cold, subdued voice. There was something like living in Yujun’s Odd Eye. In an instant, the air inside the car froze. Driver Jung began to cough quietly. Shim Jiyoon gently took Yoojun’s hand. “Jun. Please restrain yourself.” “…Sorry.” Yoojun answered while looking at Shim Jiyoon’s hand, which was holding his hand. Driver Jung stopped his car, got out, and opened the car door for Shim Jiyoon. Shim Jiyoon said with an apologetic face as she looked at Driver Jung, whose face had turned white. “Sorry. As you know, Jun is a bit temperamental.” “It’s okay, guild leader. It’s not even a day or two—” It was then. Shim Jiyoon got out of the car and held Driver Jung’s hand. “…What are you…” Before Driver Jung could say anything, Shim Jiyoon’s black eyes sparkled. “Your hands are cold.” “….?” Strong mana. Did Shim Jiyoon have this much power? It was at that time that Driver Jung’s spine sent shivers down his spine. Something jumped onto the roof of the car. A very quick…white hairball. “…What is this…?” It was the moment when Driver Jung looked at the two ears sticking out of the fluffy tuft of fur with a puzzled look on his face. “Kyu! (What did you see!)” The rabbit’s hind foot punched mercilessly. Toto, who mercilessly struck off Driver Jung’s face, jumped back onto the shoulders of Shim Jiyoon, no, the woman with Shim Jiyoon’s face. Then she spoke with a somewhat proud look on her face. “Kkyu! (I can feel the magic power in that human body, boss!)” Of course, it was something that Driver Jung couldn’t understand. Shim Jiyoon, no, Junghyo, who understood what she said, answered by borrowing Toto’s illusion and changing her face. “I feel it too.” And not even just feeling— “What did you just say…” Driver Jung, who was pretending to be embarrassed while holding his face, suddenly changed his eyes. He noticed something strange. ‘That rabbit. That…!’ And in the next moment, Driver Jung’s eyes began to turn red. His lips twitched and he even started muttering something. Just like the time when Junghyo was brought to Georg. Boom! However, this time someone’s hand covered the Driver Jung’s mouth and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him up. “…Keugh!” Driver Jung looked down at the man who had effortlessly lifted him with just one hand. Odd-Eye, shining coolly, was also looking at him. “Yoo… keugh, Yoojun?” No, it’s not Yoojun. The mana he feels from Yoojun is also on a different level. This… At that time, Junghyo, who was behind Yoojun, spoke. “I haven’t told you who that person is yet.” “It’s this brat. Illusionist.” There was no emotion in the eyes of the man holding Driver Jung’s neck. Something is strange. Yoojun also seemed to have turned slightly, but this guy seemed to have his own way of turning. Thinking like that, Driver Jung activated one of the ‘stolen’ skills. It is a skill that summons him to a designated location. And there, waiting for him, was ‘him’ with the same red eyes as himself. Driver Jung said, looking down at the man who was glaring at him as if he was going to kill him. “U, uh… cough… stupid… Doesn’t matter… cough… anyway.” As soon as Driver Jung’s skill was activated, Driver Jung’s body disappeared. At the same time, the tendons on Yoojun’s thin, white forearms also disappeared. “It’s gone.” Yoojun—no, Han Woohyun with Yoojun’s face looking at his hands. But he didn’t look very disappointed. It was natural. Because they found out the name. Junghyo recalled the name she had seen in the guest list. View the guest list for ‘Frank Luciano (Dangerous Potential Guest)’. As expected, it is as expected. Dangerous potential guests. Driver Jung’s true identity was Georg Schulze’s minion. An illusionist who has seen Yoojun recently. Junghyo believed that the candidate would be inside the Baekho Guild, especially near Shim Jiyoon. The reason was simple. If he sticks close to Shim Jiyoon, he can monitor at least three people. Shim Jiyoon, Yoojun, and Moon Heeyoung. All three of them were significant figures worthy of Mara Cult’s attention. And among them, the one with the most information is Shim Jiyoon, so of course it is best to stick next to Shim Jiyoon. It’s possible that there was even a plan to sway Shim Jiyoon to their side. So Junghyo contacted Shim Jiyoon and asked if anyone around her had been sick recently or had been replaced. Since hunters regularly undergo stat checks within the guild, it might be better to target civilians such as housekeepers, secretaries, drivers, etc. And the most influential among them was Shim Jiyoon’s driver. She said he was in a car accident two months ago and took about a month off before returning. One month was enough time for him to change people. And her prediction was correct. ‘Shim Jiyoon will be in charge of finding the actual person named Jung.’ “I can make a reservation now.” Junghyo spoke bitterly as she looked at the empty space where the Driver Jung had disappeared. Then, as if needing comfort, she hugged Toto. Now, Toto doesn’t get tired even after using an illusion for a long time. She used her reputation to raise Toto’s level by one level. “Kyuu! (All my strength is back!)” Toto chuckled wickedly, looking at her fluffy feet as if pleased with her abilities. “Cute.” As Junghyo muttered that without realizing it, Han Woohyun, who was in front of her, sneakily pushed his face in. To be exact, Yoojun’s face. “Who are you just saying that to?” Yoojun’s face was slightly crooked. “Don’t tell me… are you talking about this face?” Han Woohyun’s voice lowered as he pointed to Yoojun’s face. Hello! You can also buy the advanced chapter in Ko-fi now, just click the ko-fi button and look for the title of the novel in shop. Thank you for your support!
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