Song-i shook me awake after I'd dozed off.
"Daddy, wake up."
"Mmm... Song-i, did you sleep well?"
"I think the Goblin took my letter. It's gone."
'Ah, the gold...!'
I was supposed to check whether the Goblin had left gold again this time.
I'd slept in too late.
Tap-tap— Tap-tap-tap—
The sound of rain falling was like a lullaby.
I didn't want to get out of bed.
Still, I had things to do. I forced myself upright.
"Ugyagyagyagak—!"
I got up with a noisy stretch, and Song-i burst into laughter as she looked at me.
"Kyahehehehe!"
"Huh? You're laughing because Daddy stretched...?"
I held my fingers out like claws and moved toward Song-i's sides.
"Kyaheheurgh...! I'm sorry! Kyaheheheugh!"
Smooch smooch smooch smooch—!
I pulled Song-i into my arms and kissed her on the cheek.
"Kim Song-i, you know Daddy loves you, right?"
"Hehe. Yes!"
"Good. Then shall we go see what kind of present the Goblin left us?"
"I already saw it."
"Shh!"
I covered Song-i's mouth with a finger.
"Shhh?"
"Can you let Daddy enjoy the suspense a little longer?"
"Daddy, is your heart pounding right now?"
"Yeah."
Song-i nodded.
We passed the front desk and approached the fireplace.
The Buckwheat Jelly and Song-i's letter were gone, and in their place were three Gold Beads and a wooden bracelet.
My greed-covered hand reached for the Gold Beads first.
'Three again this time.'
It could give me a few more.
The moment I picked up the Gold Beads, a message appeared before my eyes.
【 Service Fee has been settled. 】
【 Service Fee Settlement Details: Gold Bead X 3, Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood Bracelet 】
【 Estimated Value: Gold Bead - 1.63 million won 】
One term among them caught my eye.
'Lightning-struck jujube wood?'
Lightning-struck jujube wood. Jujube wood that had been struck by lightning.
It was said to have the power to ward off ghosts and evil.
These days, it was easy enough to buy objects made from lightning-struck jujube wood online.
But those weren't made by real, natural lightning.
They were made with artificial lightning generated by high-voltage current.
It wasn't as though jujube trees stretched out their arms like lightning rods every time lightning struck.
There was no way naturally lightning-struck jujube wood could be common.
Artificial lightning-struck jujube wood had no evil-warding power.
'How do I know?'
Because I'd used it myself.
I'd spent hundreds on fake lightning-struck jujube wood alone.
But what if it was lightning-struck jujube wood given by a Goblin?
Then it had to be the genuine article I'd wanted so badly.
I picked up the Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood Bracelet.
【 Estimated Value: Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood Bracelet - Cannot be converted. Evil-Warding. Possession Defense 】
That was what made Lesser Spirits so terrifying.
Possession.
They kept appearing and following me around, asking to borrow my body.
It had happened on Song-i's sixth birthday too.
'This really is something good.'
It was wood more precious than gold.
"Song-i, come here."
I fastened the bracelet around Song-i's wrist.
Song-i pouted.
"Daddy, this isn't pretty."
"It's a present from the Goblin. If Song-i wears the bracelet, the Goblin will be happy too."
"Mmm... okay."
Song-i reluctantly nodded.
"Don't take the bracelet off. You have to keep wearing it. Instead... should Daddy buy you a pretty princess dress?"
"Really? Promise!"
"Promise."
Song-i and I hooked pinkies and smiled.
Song-i now had the Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood Bracelet.
The lingering anxiety in one corner of my heart slowly melted away.
The Goblin Hotel, Hwanggeum who chased off Lesser Spirits, and now the Lightning-Struck Jujube Wood Bracelet.
Our defenses were getting stronger and stronger.
If I kept running this hotel....
'Maybe I'll find a way to become completely free from Lesser Spirits.'
I had gained a slightly bigger goal.
***
"Boss! Come eat."
"Oh, Min-ju. You're up early?"
"Pfft...!"
"W-Why are you laughing?"
"Your hair, Boss...! Pffhehehe...!"
I felt my hair with my hand.
It was sticking straight up.
For now, I still had to maintain some dignity as the boss.
"Ahem. I'm going to wash up after breakfast. Since it's raining, I should also take a look around the hotel."
The rain that had started before dawn showed no sign of stopping.
"It's raining really hard. There won't be a landslide or anything, right?"
"Don't say something so horrible."
This hotel was on top of a mountain.
If a landslide swept us down...?
'Then it'd become a hotel halfway down the mountain, or a hotel at the foot of the mountain.'
I erased the absurd thought from my head.
Just then, Min-jae came out of his room holding Hwanggeum.
"Hwanggeum was in your room?"
"I think it wandered around outside in the rain. It got dirty, so I washed it."
I scratched the now-fluffy Hwanggeum under the chin.
"You little rascal. It's raining, so don't go out today."
"Woof!"
Hwanggeum barked as if displeased at being grounded.
Song-i met Hwanggeum's eyes and spoke in a firm voice.
"You'll get sick if you catch a cold. No. Big Sis will play with you."
"Woof woof!"
I looked at Min-jae and Min-ju and said,
"Looks like the Goblin came by before dawn."
"The Goblin did?"
"It took the Buckwheat Jelly and the letter Song-i wrote. It left a present behind."
"Ah, there were gold-colored beads and a bracelet on the plate over there this morning. Those were presents from the Goblin?"
"Yeah. Looks like it enjoyed the Buckwheat Jelly."
Min-ju's face flushed red, while Min-jae's mouth dropped open.
"Wow...!"
"No... way...!"
"Come on. We should taste the Buckwheat Jelly too."
The Buckwheat Jelly was delicious.
As I tasted it, I said to Min-ju,
"Let's make Buckwheat Jelly every day."
"Every day?"
"Yeah. If we make it every morning, it'll be set by evening."
I couldn't let a vending machine that dispensed gold take a day off.
Min-ju nodded.
"Boss, should we try making other things with buckwheat too?"
"Other things?"
"Buckwheat tea, buckwheat noodles, buckwheat pancakes... things like that."
"The Goblin would probably like those too, right?"
The corners of my mouth rose on their own as I imagined the Gold Beads piling up day after day.
'Gold, come out with a snap!'
Raising a Goblin was surprisingly fun.
***
The rain continued without pause until around sunset.
I sat on the lobby sofa drinking coffee as I listened to the rain.
Song-i was playing tag with Hwanggeum.
"Hwanggeum— try to catch Big Sis!"
Song-i ran with her twin braids fluttering.
Hwanggeum followed behind her, hopping along with her.
Then, suddenly, something went wrong.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Hwanggeum suddenly ran out into the pouring rain.
"Hwanggeum! Where are you going?!"
I'd let my guard down because it had been playing so nicely.
It suddenly dashed through the open door.
"Hiiing...!"
Song-i stood at the doorway, anxiously shifting from foot to foot.
I walked over to her and said,
"Daddy will go bring Hwanggeum back."
"Hiiing... Scold Hwanggeum when it comes back."
"Yeah. It's raining this hard and it's dark out too. Hwanggeum deserves a scolding, doesn't it?"
I grabbed an umbrella and went outside.
Tap. Tap. Tap-tap-tap.
The rain hammered hard against the umbrella.
The hems of my pants were soaked in no time.
I called Hwanggeum loudly.
"Hwanggeum—!"
"Woof! Woof!"
I heard Hwanggeum barking through the roar of the rain.
Hwanggeum was in front of the hotel's iron gate.
"Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!"
"What are you doing here? Let's go inside."
Hwanggeum stayed where it was and scratched at the iron gate with its paw.
"Is there something outside?"
"Whine...!"
Hwanggeum looked at me once, then scratched at the gate again.
"All right. I'll check. Wait here."
I opened the gate only a crack so Hwanggeum couldn't run out and looked outside.
【 This guest requires rescue. 】
【 Status: Bleeding (Hind Leg), Exhaustion 】
【 Lodging Fee: Fox Bead 】
【 Allow lodging? 】
'That's a guest...?'
"Whimper...."
A rain-soaked animal lay collapsed in front of the gate.
When I opened it, the animal raised its head and looked at me.
It was a fox.
Its white fur, drenched by the rain, was a mess of mud and blood.
The fox looked up at me with frightened eyes and whimpered.
Its brows trembled, then its eyes closed.
The Lodging Fee was a Fox Bead.
'Don't tell me... the Fox Bead of a Nine-Tailed Fox?'
On the off chance, I checked the fox's tails.
It only had one.
Just then, Hwanggeum tugged at the hem of my pants with its teeth.
"You want me to save the fox?"
"Whiiine... whine...."
"Haah... all right. Let's take it in."
I closed the umbrella and approached as slowly as I could so I wouldn't startle the fox.
The fox opened its eyes again when my fingertips touched it.
"Hang in there a little longer. I'll treat you."
I picked up the fox and carried it into the hotel.
The moment I entered the lobby, Song-i's eyes widened and she ran over.
"Daddy! What's that? Is it a puppy?"
"No, it's a fox. Go get Big Sis and Big Bro."
"Okay!"
The lobby quickly became hectic.
I spread a blanket in front of the fireplace and laid the fox down on it.
Using the warm towel Min-ju brought, I first cleaned the injured hind leg.
Blood was slowly seeping from the torn wound.
"That's a relief. The wound is deep, but I don't think the bone is damaged."
I took disinfectant from the first-aid kit Min-jae had brought and sprayed it on the wound.
The fox flinched and lightly bit my sleeve.
"Whine...."
Song-i slowly stroked the fox's back and soothed it.
"It's okay. Good fox... just hold on a little longer...."
Blood continued to seep out.
When I took out hemostatic powder and sprinkled it over the wound, the bleeding gradually stopped.
"Phew... the bleeding has stopped now."
I carefully applied ointment over the wound and wrapped it with a bandage.
Min-ju looked over the fox and asked,
"Is the treatment finished now?"
"Not yet. Min-ju, could you bring me some Tree-Hollow Honey?"
According to the status window, it had been suffering from bleeding and exhaustion.
I'd dealt with the bleeding, so now it was time to handle the exhaustion.
I scooped up a spoonful of Tree-Hollow Honey and brought it to the fox's mouth.
The fox flicked out its tongue and licked up the Tree-Hollow Honey.
【 Status: Hunger 】
Another notification window appeared before my eyes.
Its status had changed from Bleeding and Exhaustion to Hunger.
"What should I feed a fox...?"
Min-jae answered my muttering.
"There's chicken in the fridge. I'll get it!"
Min-jae brought finely chopped chicken.
When I placed the bowl of chicken in front of the fox's nose, the fox sniffed.
"Eat. Slowly."
The fox twitched its nose a few times, then took a piece of chicken into its mouth.
One piece, then two.
Then it gradually began eating faster.
The fox wolfed down the chicken and licked around its mouth.
"Min-jae, take the fox to Room 201."
"What? The fox goes in a guest room?"
"It's a guest too."
Min-jae tilted his head as though he didn't understand what I meant.
But soon, he picked up the fox and went upstairs.
Min-ju let out a long sigh.
"Haah... it's been one hectic night."
I looked at Min-ju and chuckled.
"The day you two came was even more hectic."
Min-ju's face turned bright red at my words.
Then she suddenly grabbed Hwanggeum and headed to the room.
"Hey! Hwanggeum, why are you so wet? You need a bath. Song-i, let's go wash Hwanggeum."
"Okay!"
The lobby suddenly became quiet.
My eyes fell on the dirty lobby.
"Good grief, when is Automatic Maintenance finally going to turn on?"
As if it had been waiting for those words, text appeared before my eyes.
【 Automatic Maintenance ON 】
【 Automatic Maintenance in progress. 】
【 Lobby Purification 51% in progress... 】
【 Guest Room Cleaning 92% in progress... 】
【 Landscaping Maintenance 80% in progress... 】