Chapter 1
A mobile simulation game, “Hotel Merpia.”
It’s a management game where you have to turn a rundown, falling-apart hotel into a luxury resort.
The game is set in the city of Arcenio in the fictional Kingdom of Heria.
“Basically, it’s a magical fantasy world.”
The game has stunning illustrations, background music, fun events, and plenty of things to do.
But despite all its strengths, players mostly talked about one thing first:
The crazy hotel manager, Sedeon, and raising his affection level.
In “Hotel Merpia,” the player can only pick one role:
A seemingly noble daughter of a minor baron, who is basically just a hotel manager with no real backing.
In other words, you start as an intern with no connections and have to work your way up to vice president, building a management career from the ground up.
You have to care for the hotel as if it’s your own while also keeping the manager happy and raising his affection—a tough job.
Sedeon Zente, the hotel’s manager, was the hardest character in the game.
“You really had to work hard to increase his affection.”
Unlike guest affection, which stays once earned, Sedeon’s affection could drop at any time.
“He’s got a terrible temper.”
If your affection falls too low, Sedeon would enter rage mode.
In this mode, guest complaints would spike, staff efficiency would drop, gold earned would decrease, and hotel satisfaction would fall.
In the worst case, you’d get fired, triggering a bad ending.
Sedeon had insane looks and an even crazier personality. He was truly a wild character in the game.
“I don’t even know why a simulation game needs this kind of affection system.”
Honestly, this game was weird in every way.
But still, I, a hardcore player, was addicted. I played day and night, completely absorbed.
My nickname was famous among players: “BoniBest”
Today marks Day 5 since I got trapped in “Hotel Merpia.” My name in the game: Boni Chegou.
“Damn it.”
I had a traffic accident—or so I thought—but when I opened my eyes, I wasn’t dead. I was inside the game.
Ridiculous as it sounds, I had just gone to the bathroom while playing, and somehow… I ended up inside the game.
“I’m not dead… how is this even possible? Are you kidding me?”
Is this how the game punishes over-immersed players?!
At first, I thought it was a vivid dream. I explored the lobby, did a few quests, but after a day passed, and then two days, I still hadn’t woken up.
Then things happened in the game that never occurred before.
Unable to accept reality, I stood still for a full day until it finally hit me like lightning:
“I’m inside the game.”
Once I realized that, my next thought was clear:
I have to get out.
I sat on the ground using a large suitcase as a chair.
“So, I have to reach the true ending to finish the game.”
That sounded like my only way back to reality.
“Then, of course, I’ll go for it! The true ending!”
I can’t be trapped here forever.
Who am I? I’m obsessive, persistent, and I never give up until I finish what I start.
So in the real game, I was a hardcore player, obsessed with Sedeon’s affection, even though it made the game insanely hard.
Now, escaping the game was just another quest. And of course, I would succeed.
“But… what is the true ending?”
Even I, an expert, didn’t know what the true ending was.
“Where was I… I must have been close if there was an ending.”
I had made the hotel famous in the kingdom, but I hadn’t maxed guest ratings. I could only unlock high-ranking nobles, not royal guests from neighboring countries.
“Oh, that’s right! I got trapped before getting the King’s recommendation.”
You needed the King’s recommendation to host royal guests from neighboring kingdoms.
Getting that recommendation was extremely difficult.
Sedeon was obsessed with inviting royal guests. On the quest board, he always left notes like:
“Invite the royal family of the neighboring kingdom Renciard.”
“That’s the true ending, then. Invite the Renciard royals to complete the guest record.”
No wonder he was so obsessive.
“But wait… does that mean I got trapped right before the true ending?!”
Damn it.
