Chapter 1
When he opened his eyes, he was standing in front of a front desk.
“……”
The first things he noticed were excessive luxury and an unnatural level of neatness.
It was too refined to be reality. He defined this place as a familiar hotel lobby.
Though it had a classical style rarely seen in modern times, its essence was clearly that of a hotel.
“……?”
…He found an error.
‘That judgment has no logical basis.’
His mind quickly awakened.
‘Why… did I think it was familiar?’
Even unconscious judgments always have a reason. This time, the only basis was the visual information he had accepted without emotion.
“……”
He felt familiarity from things he had never seen before.
For example—
A marble-tiled floor.
Classic pillars and walls.
No people anywhere.
A massive chandelier.
Vases and potted plants.
‘And… a cat.’
Wait.
‘A cat?’
A shadowy lump sprawled on top of the front desk.
Round eyes to a strange degree, and a crescent-shaped smile. It was too black to be called a cat, its form was vague, and its expression was extreme.
Lee Yeon-woo knew what it was called. The co-owner of this hotel alongside the operator.
“Coco.”
Its official name—Coco.
As if responding to the call, it smiled and tilted its head halfway.
Its head didn’t follow its gaze—instead, it looked as if the head was being forcibly dragged by the gaze. An unsettling discomfort filled the air.
The not-a-cat spoke.
“Yes.”
“Hello.”
“Hello.”
“……”
The answer was clear.
‘This is a hotel inside a game.’
A horror hotel management simulation game, Hotel One: Eden Within the Nightmare.
‘Shortened as HOWON.’
Why was he dreaming about this game now?
Was this even a dream?
As if answering that question, a recent memory flashed through his mind.
—We’re close, right?
—Who are you?
“……”
[Updating…]
—Excuse me?
[Restarting the game]
“……”
It didn’t seem like just a dream.
Therefore, he reached a conclusion.
‘I’ve been kidnapped.’
“…Conversation…”
“Yes.”
“Let’s talk.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
* * *
The world pretends otherwise, but it actually runs quite roughly.
Lee Yeon-woo’s life was like that too. His life plans were often interrupted by unexpected luck or misfortune.
He called these variables.
“And unless there’s something wrong with my memory.”
“Yes.”
“In dictionary terms, a variable refers to something that can change depending on conditions or situations. It also means unpredictable or changeable factors.”
“Yes.”
“So no matter how carefully you plan life, it won’t go as intended. I know that well. My life has always been influenced by many variables beyond my will and predictions.”
“Yes.”
“That was a bit long, but what I want to say is—”
He asked the cat:
“Isn’t this a bit too much?”
The pitch-black cat, Coco, replied:
“Yes.”
“Not too much?”
“Yes.”
“Do you intend to have a conversation?”
“Yes.”
“I’m starting to worry that I’ve gone insane.”
“No.”
Day 44 of being trapped in the horror hotel.
Lee Yeon-woo had just failed his 172nd attempt at persuasion.
* * *
A researcher in his 40s wakes up and becomes a 19-year-old hotel CEO inside a game.
“……”
…Anyone sane would know how ridiculous that sentence is.
On Day 1, after realizing this, Lee Yeon-woo grabbed Coco and asked countless questions.
“Minors can’t register businesses. Are there no legal issues?”
“Yes.”
“What about human rights complaints regarding incidents in this hotel?”
“No.”
“These concepts violate drug laws and medical laws.”
“No.”
“These horror incidents could count as manslaughter or assault.”
“No.”
“This building violates construction, fire, and labor laws.”
“No.”
“Do you think you’re above modern law?”
“Yes.”
“Are you insane?”
What a ridiculous cat.
No wonder it belonged to a horror hotel—it had an absurd worldview.
As a result, his opinion was ignored.
And just like that, Lee Yeon-woo became a criminal.
“…You bring someone who would’ve lived peacefully and put them in this situation… what is this?”
The cat just stared at him.
Still, he tried everything to escape. He even attempted to jump out windows or off the roof, trusting his younger body.
“…Huh?”
But escape was impossible.
“Don’t tell me… the windows won’t open because the tutorial isn’t finished?”
“Yes.”
“If I complete the tutorial, will the doors open?”
“Yes.”
“Does that mean I can leave forever?”
“No.”
“Do you have a grudge against me?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
Even gathering all the bad karma in his life wouldn’t explain this.
‘This goes far beyond nonsense.’
Yet, the realism made it impossible to deny.
“If I escape… I’ll contact NASA immediately. This has to be alien technology.”
“No.”
“Did I die from overwork? Am I in a coma?”
“No.”
“I hope I’ve at least been reported missing…”
Day 4 of confinement.
Lee Yeon-woo learned that a person can actually die from high blood pressure alone.
“…Hello.”
“…No… Hello…”
The cat circled him anxiously.
Despite its creepy smile, its behavior showed nervousness—like a child reading the room.
“…I was just shocked. I just needed time to understand this situation.”
“Hello.”
“Are you asking if I’m okay?”
Honestly, he wasn’t.
‘Can this even be considered a human body?’
It was like jelly.
This body absorbed all external and internal shocks.
Yet strangely—
‘If I act like a game character, there’s no problem.’
For example: dying from horror elements, walking at fixed speeds.
No pain. No exhaustion.
But—
‘If I do something not defined in the game, problems occur.’
Like crouching and standing up.
That action didn’t exist.
So now, standing up made him dizzy.
“Is there a reason for this weak body?”
“Yes.”
“…Ah, wrong question.”
Coco knew very few human words.
“So…”
‘The most likely theory is that my human body and my in-game body merged abnormally.’
“Then if I act like a game character, I won’t feel pain?”
“Yes.”
“I see… thank you.”
“Yes.”
“…I’m starting to find my kidnapper cute.”
“No.”
“This must be Stockholm syndrome.”
