After thoroughly inspecting the site with the jellies, I lost track of time. It was wider than expected to look around, and there was much to fill in, so it was natural.
Anyway, after pondering this and that, a few days later, I issued a “business permit” to Han Seori, who looked exhausted.
Through Electric Scent, issuing such a “permit” to Han Seori felt oddly satisfying.
It felt like I’d become a landlord because the large wooden hotel (?) seemed like it was my building.
Isn’t this what an ordinary person would dream about?
Despite living in a world where most people give up on acquiring a house after a lifetime of work, surely the desire to own one doesn’t completely disappear.
It’s simply impractical, so people give up and live with that.
Perhaps I was happy for the same reason.
On closer reflection, it struck me that it really was my home, wasn’t it?
If anything, since I remodeled what was originally a tree potentially dangerous to people into a habitat, doesn’t that make it my home?
Besides, if it weren’t for me, who else would have made this tree into a house? And without me, it wouldn’t ever have become a house, now would it?
So it really is my house, huh?
At this realization, the jelly seemed all the more grand. In my human days, owning a house seemed like an unattainable dream, so it was natural the jelly was all puffed up about it.
But wait, that’s not the point.
It is, though, in a way…
Hmm…
Turns out I secretly yearned for my own house. At first, when the tree transformed and Golden Jelly appeared, I was confused, but now that I realized this, I was incredibly happy.
Indeed, life changes depending on how you view it.
Perhaps when I renovated (?) the interior of the tree, my hidden desires influenced it.
Anyway.
Through Electric Scent, I announced plans to remodel the inside, and Han Seori, though pleased, looked somewhat skeptical as she asked:
“Um… but are all those things you mentioned really possible? We’re not overdoing it, are we?”
Han Seori seems unaware that such words stimulate not just men… but me especially.
A man, when hearing the word “scared,” instinctively straightens his chest and puts up a front—even though he might actually be nervous.
Now I may not be entirely human anymore, but as a former human, I couldn’t just sit idly by at Han Seori’s implicit “scared.”
Even though her worried face seems genuine, my jelly was already bubbling.
“It’s fine, as you say.”
“Then that’s a relief and…”
For some reason, her expression looks satisfied, but is that just my imagination? It must be…
Anyway, since the construction is being handled by the jellies and not me, I feel no burden.
Isn’t it usually like this—success is my doing, but failure is someone else’s fault?
I don’t know how I learned that, but that’s the way it is.
At my nod toward the jelly, Han Seori seemed to recall something and said:
“By the way, Lime. You might not know since you haven’t seen it yet… but, um, is there a restroom? I mean—what exactly is a restroom?”
…What?
Speaking of which, I hadn’t considered a space for “waste” management.
Not even a place to clean oneself.
It’s just a vacant room with windows. Though it’s redolent with the aroma of phytoncides, that’s all.
I had assumed that creating something like a simple bed and an elevator-like thing would be enough, but I’d missed something crucial.
Whoa, I almost didn’t…
Anyway.
I was shocked to realize I’d forgotten that vital detail.
Even if maintaining a soft, powdery body and not remembering the last time I excreted waste might seem plausible, I couldn’t have imagined forgetting altogether.
It’s something a person would naturally do. So, the realization was a shock.
Although I’m no longer human, I feel… like I’ve truly become something other than human.
There’s nothing explicitly racial about it, but it’s more of an unhygienic…
Ah, but as long as it doesn’t have to be done, it’s something I can’t do anything about, right?
“Do, does something not sit well with you, Lime?”
Startled by Han Seori’s slight tilt of her head, I quickly shook the jelly. Despite her relaxed face, I felt oddly uneasy, so I immediately returned to the tree and began construction.
The construction proceeded as follows:
First, I collaborated with Golden Jelly to sketch out the essentials of the Wooden Hotel, creating a rough outline of what was needed.
I made rough shapes, like beds, tables, and chairs, giving the diligent jellies a visual example before letting them loose across the entire building.
Since the previous “direct reports” jelly had shown they could handle tasks like disassembling fans, I trust these will perform just as well.
The interior design supervision fell to Daesik.
There was no one else I could entrust this to.
Frankly, do you think someone like Sosik can manage supervision properly?
I doubt it.
Jung-sik too. That one just doesn’t suit management roles. A hotel mascot, perhaps?
The only capable person, or “jelly-resource,” for monitoring across multiple floors and ensuring the jellies are working correctly was Daesik.
Daesik is diligent and, thanks to his doll-making hobbies, has a decent aesthetic sense.
This was quite straightforward.
The most challenging part of opening the Wooden Hotel was constructing the elevator and…
…the restroom.
This turned out to be a bigger issue than I anticipated.
The fact that I had somehow forgotten their existence was a problem just as significant.
I’ve used elevators quite a bit, but I have no idea exactly how they work.
I know something about a cable pulling it up…and other mechanisms, but as for which parts and by what principles it operates, I don’t know.
Isn’t it something that just moves when you press a button?
I don’t think anyone would question my ignorance here. How many people understand exactly what’s happening inside their smartphones?
It’s the same with restrooms.
While I know the concepts of plumbing, sewers, and water supply, how all those are connected isn’t something I’m expected to know.
If someone thinks reading a wiki and going “Ah, I see” would make one knowledgeable, then that seems like knowing quite a lot.
But it wasn’t an issue.
“Are you saying we need something like that here?”
After all, don’t I have a supercomputer-level genius in Electric Scent?
If Electric Scent, who scoffs at modern civilization, can find a creative way to construct these, then it’ll likely be fine.
…But if not, there’s nothing I can do, right?
“…I’ll try thinking of a plan.”
Oops, my hand didn’t let go. Mistake, mistake.
Absolutely, it wasn’t about stirring any competitive spirit.
“Perhaps the help of Golden Jelly will be necessary here.”
Nodding, Electric Scent began murmuring as if deep in thought, together with Golden Jelly.
Now, I’ve dealt with the headaches.
All I have to do is wait for the hotel’s finishing touches, conduct a final inspection, and inform Han Seori.
Han Seori will manage attracting customers on her own, so there’s nothing left for me to do.
Well, some may accuse me of being consciencelessly lazy, but…
Isn’t my usual self actually the hardest worker? Who do you think has been roaming around to handle singularities and earn pudding money?
…Now that I think of it, did I actually receive payment in pudding? Still, I’m sure they must’ve given me something in return for handling them.
After all, worrying about food has never been an issue for me.
Anyway, I feel like I’ve forgotten something.
But I can’t think what it might be.
Whatever.
After finishing the construction bidding process, I moved casually to the top of the tree. Upon reaching the summit and gazing down at the village far below, the idea of abandoning this to open a hotel (?) seemed absurd.
Ah!
Since it’s relatively high up, precautions for high-altitude issues—like altitude sickness—might also be necessary, right?
I chuckled inwardly and resolved to request solutions for this later, then started admiring the view outside the window.
By the way…
I felt good.
*
Lime thought that after setting the construction on autopilot, it would be a simple matter of relaxing, but that was a misconception.
After letting the construction run its course, Lime had to head out to deal with minor singularities.
These were subtle singularities that humanity or the foundation could handle with their usual capabilities, but Lime still had to go.
This was an activity aimed at showcasing Lime’s safety and goodwill towards humans.
It was also partly for promoting the newly named “Wooden Hotel.”
With an increasing interest in the Wooden Hotel’s success, Lime set off toward the singularity with a few jellies in tow.
Though it was a tiresome task, Lime appreciated not needing to hide as in the past.
And after all that effort…
“Mom! Dad, hurry up!”
“Huh, okay… Be careful! Don’t fall!”
“Is it really safe?”
“Considering how the world is turning, this might be the safest place in the world.”
“…Let’s go in.”
The opening of the Wooden Hotel was drawing near.
Han Seori had worried that people would hesitate to come due to past threats.
However, her concerns were unfounded. The “Wooden Hotel” was unexpectedly packed with visitors.
