Which Wizard's Hotel (1)

Count Guiltimond got separated on his way back from the Capital.

He had only brought along two knights, just enough to discreetly enjoy the slave he had acquired, and took a side road.

His impatience led to this situation.

The knights were killed by bandits, the slave was taken, and Count Guiltimond found himself being pursued.

A knight being overpowered by bandits was unthinkable.

But these bandits were unusual.

They were incredibly strong.

“Wretched bastards. I will never forgive them….”

Barely having escaped, Count Guiltimond panted heavily as he seethed with anger.

‘That slave cost me a fortune… These slave traders are getting too greedy these days. Expensive… Damn it!’

The word “damn” wouldn’t leave his lips.

He was on the verge of tears from the frustration. The last time, a slave he had bought for a hefty sum died before he could even touch her.

What, was she born weak?

‘How weak do you have to be to die from just a little beating?

It makes no sense at all.

Those bastards sold me defective goods. I tried to track them down to deal with them, but they disappeared. A total scam.

I went through so much trouble to find a new slave trader, and now this time, it’s bandits.

Bandits, against Count Guiltimond!

The moment I dismissed my escort to enjoy myself, bandits appeared. The timing was too perfect.

Things hadn’t been going well for me lately. That girl, what was her name, Melly? I hit her a few times after she struggled, and she died.

Ever since I disposed of her body, things have been going downhill.’

Or so the Count thought.

Since Selly had lied about her name, the Count still believed she was Melly.

‘Bad luck follows me.’

Empire law prohibits private slave trading, but things happen behind the scenes.

‘But where am I?’

Count Guiltimond realized that he was completely lost. The day was getting darker, and the fog was getting thicker.

-Awoo~~~!

He heard the howl of a beast nearby.

He was armed with a sword, but he knew that being attacked by a wild animal in such thick fog could be deadly. Frowning, he tried to find a way out.

Grrrrrr.

But what he heard was the growl of a beast. Spotting a large creature, Count Guiltimond started running blindly.

Then, a huge building appeared before his eyes.

A building in the middle of these mountains?

Count Guiltimond was puzzled, but with the beast chasing him, he had no time to think.

He banged on the door desperately.

Screeech!

Then, the iron door screeched as it began to open on both sides.

No one was opening it. It was almost automatic.

It was a strange sight, but Count Guiltimond was only thinking about escaping the pursuing beasts, so he rushed into the building.

Then the door began to close automatically.

The situation was so urgent that Count Guiltimond didn’t pay much attention to the automatic door. He just felt relieved to be alive and looked around the building.

Inside the building, a luxurious space unfolded, something unimaginable in the foggy mountains.

A red carpet lined the hallway from the entrance. The ceiling was very high, and chandeliers sparkled.

At the end of the red carpet was what appeared to be a lobby. Count Guiltimond walked towards it.

At the end of the lobby, there was something like a front desk.

‘Is this an inn? It’s quite luxurious for an inn.’

A luxurious inn. He thought it suited him as Count Guiltimond approached the woman sitting at the front desk.

“What kind of place is this?”

The red-haired woman, sitting arrogantly – Sereina – began picking her ear at the Count’s words.

She blew on the hand she used to pick her ear, then answered the Count as if bothered.

“What do you mean, what kind of place? It’s a hotel, as you can see.”

“Hotel?”

“Well, some call it an inn. A luxurious inn is called a hotel. Well, if El says so, then it is.”

“What’s with your attitude? I am Count Guiltimond, Lord of the Guiltimond Estate just behind here!”

“Oh, really? So what?”

Sereina snorted and went back to picking her ear. Seeing that she didn’t care about his noble status, Count Guiltimond, enraged, shouted loudly.

“How dare you! That’s insolent!”

“Insolent or not, if you want to stay, give me all the jewels and gold you have. Oh, that includes whatever wealth you’re carrying now. Give me everything! Hahaha.”

Sereina’s eyes sparkled as she burned with obsession for jewels.

“You bastards, you’re with those bandits from earlier, aren’t you? Unforgivable.”

“If it’s unforgivable, why don’t you go back out? Of course, the beasts outside are still there. If you don’t stay here until morning, you’ll be their prey.”

“Silence!”

Daring to speak rudely to a nobleman? Count Guiltimond, feeling his anger rising, drew his sword.

He aimed it at Sereina’s neck.

“Insolent woman. If you want to live, kneel immediately!”

But Sereina just snickered. The Count took it as mockery and prepared to swing his sword.

But at that moment, the intact sword suddenly snapped and fell to the ground.

“Wh-what’s happening…?”

“Sir, the exit is that way. If you want to offer your jewels, come back.”

Sereina spoke as if bored, then clapped her hands. A monster appeared.

“Wh-what is this…a monster?”

“Don’t point at meee! You insect!”

Thud!

“Aaaah!”

The monster delivered a flying kick. Count Guiltimond, startled, stumbled back and fell to the ground after being hit.

“D-don’t hit me… You bastards! I will never forgive this!”

He vowed to return with his army and destroy this place, but for now, he retreated to the door.

The door automatically opened again.

Grrrrrr.

But the Count immediately ran back inside. Outside, numerous beasts were gathering, their eyes gleaming.

“Aaah!”

Terrified, Count Guiltimond scrambled to get back inside with all the strength he had left.

Amazingly, the beasts couldn’t enter the building. The door closed again, and soon the beasts disappeared.

Pant, pant!

He barely survived. Thinking this, Count Guiltimond looked around again.

There’s no choice. He would have to make false promises and wait until morning in this unpleasant inn.

He thought that if he could just get back to his estate, he’d wipe everything out, promises or not.

“Fine, then. You there!”

Count Guiltimond, trying to stay calm, looked again at the strange figure standing by the front desk.

Upon closer inspection, the figure he thought was a monster wasn’t a monster at all. It was more like a mascot costume. There was a person inside.

The person with black hair was wearing a costume that looked like a dragon.

The dragon’s mouth was the face, and hands, legs, and wings were drawn on the costume. A woman’s face was visible in the dragon’s mouth.

A stunningly beautiful girl.

Yet, despite her beauty, Count Guiltimond’s usual 90% lust didn’t kick in.

“I told you not to point at meee!”

The dragon costume flew up into the air again.

Thud!

Crash!

The second powerful flying kick sent Count Guiltimond flying across the lobby, rolling and crashing into a wall.

Count Guiltimond had to lie down again.

“I’m a dragon! Hahaha!”

“Hey, weren’t you supposed to wear that… What was it? The penguin? Why are you running around in that outfit?”

Sereina scolded Rurin, who was flying around in the dragon costume, and Rurin raised her eyebrows as she answered.

“Penguin? That flappy thing?”

“It’s padak padak, not padang padang. Are you an idiot?”

Rurin began flapping the wings, which were attached to the hands of the dragon costume, imitating a penguin.

Then she tripped over the long tail of the costume and fell forward.

“Gwaaaa! Owww! It hurts!”

She stood up with tears in her eyes, and to release her frustration, she delivered another kick to the Count, who had just managed to get back on his feet.

Thud!

“Aaah!”

The Count was knocked down again, rolling in pain, and after a while, he finally managed to get up and shouted in frustration.

“This time, I didn’t point! Why did you hit me? This Count has been wronged!”

“Because I’m a dragon, it’s fine! Roar!”

A crazy woman in a dragon costume shouting “Dragon! Dragon!”

That was the Count’s assessment of Rurin.

After all, no one could imagine a real dragon in polymorph form running around in a costume like that.

“So, do you plan to stay? Then hand over your treasure, Your Excellency the Count? Hohoho.”

“Ugh, there’s plenty of treasure at my estate. Will that do?”

“Hmm, do you have a lot?”

Sereina showed interest as she grabbed the Count by the collar.

When the Count, still held by the collar, nodded, she tossed him onto the lobby sofa and pulled out a piece of paper at the table in front of it.

“Then, shall we write a transfer deed here? All of your treasure will belong to Lady Sereina. Write that you’ll transfer all the treasure from your estate. Sign, stamp, and whatever else.”

“Then…will you guarantee my safety?”

“Well, yeah. By tomorrow, the monsters will be gone, and you’ll be able to go home. Those beasts don’t move around during the day.”

“R-really! Then…!”

Count Guiltimond, hiding his intent to kill them all once he returned to his estate, hastily scribbled the deed on the paper.

‘This ridiculous deed, I’ll just claim ignorance and tear it up. Once I get back to my estate, it’s all over.’

But for now, to survive, he forced a smile, wrote the deed, and handed it to Sereina.

“Let’s see, hmm.”

After putting away the deed, Sereina began inspecting the Count’s body. Then she gave an order.

“Take off that ring you’re wearing. It’s mine now. Hehe.”

“You…you bandits!”

“Who are you calling a bandit?”

Sereina frowned and grabbed the Count by the hair. Unlike the less experienced Rurin, Sereina could control even the slightest tinge of Dragon Fear.

So whether one met her gaze or stood beside her, as long as Sereina willed it, one wouldn’t feel the terror caused by her Fear.

But this time, Sereina deliberately let her Fear leak out. As a result, Count Guiltimond trembled in fear, unsure of what was happening.

“Hey, Rurin. Give this guy a few more kicks.”

“Roar! Should I eat him!”

“Stop cosplaying as a dragon and kick him! Or actually eat him.”

“No, I won’t eat this filth. It’s dirty. And you are a bandit. A bad guy! Hehehe, Roar!”

Rurin opened her mouth wide and pretended to bite Sereina.

Crash!

It was fine until she started laughing. But then, as she spun around, she tripped over the tail of the costume and fell again.

“Roar! I’m going to cut off this tail!”