Chapter 147: A Failed Hotel Project

Scanning their surroundings, the siblings found a massive tree with a radius of 10 meters.

First, the tree was large enough.

Second, it was very tall; reaching the top would allow them to easily overlook the forest.

Most importantly, they could see the castle from there.

Siloque placed his hand on the trunk, feeling the roughness of the bark.

Magic condensed in his palm as he visualized the necessary shape and transformation.

A hollow opening that looked naturally formed appeared at the base of the tree.

“Ohhh!”

His sister watched him from the side with eyes full of admiration.

Siloque inexplicably felt like a certain blue robotic cat at that moment.

“Brother, is there anything Hill can help with?”

“Come in with me. I need to focus on using my Skill to renovate a room for us to stay in tonight.”

The two entered the tree hollow together, and Siloque used [Alchemy] to reshape the bark and seal the entrance. From the outside, the tree looked no different from any other.

Siloque installed a chandelier on the wall and gave Hill and himself high-powered flashlights, instantly brightening the space.

This was a main hall, with a wooden spiral staircase in the center leading to the upper level.

“Wow…”

Hill let out a soft exclamation of wonder as she walked toward the stairs.

She carefully observed the wood grain extending from the floor to the steps and handrails.

“Is the entire building carved out of a single tree?”

“That’s right. And it was done in an instant.”

“To think such a laborious task could be finished so quickly. Brother, have you considered working for a civil engineering company?”

“Forget it. I’d just be squeezed dry by the Boss.”

Joking together, the siblings climbed the spiral staircase to the top, where there were two rooms.

The interior was in a “rough shell” state, completely empty, but under the influence of [Alchemy], the walls and ceilings were incredibly smooth.

It was true eco-friendly solid wood; there was no need to borrow galvanized square steel from Auntie for a secondary renovation.

“Hill, hold the flashlight for me. The renovation process is next, and it won’t take very long.”

Siloque handed the flashlight to Hill, letting her provide the light.

He then began pulling various items from his Ring Chart: a toilet, glass, a washing machine, a magic-driven generator, surveillance monitors, and other functional props.

The rest would be created by refining the material of the tree itself.

Finally, he produced a blueprint previously inscribed with a Magic Circle.

By activating [Alchemy], he could assemble two treehouse rooms that met the standards of a five-star hotel.

Siloque was confident the result would be on par with a room that usually cost 10,000R a night…

“Wait a second, Brother.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you planning to make two rooms?”

“Yeah. Hill, you’re a girl and I’m a boy. It’s more convenient to have separate rooms, right?”

“Brother, one room is enough.”

“Huh?”

“We’re only staying here temporarily to see when that smelly old man and the others show up. There’s no need to separate specifically. Besides, if we stay in one room, we can look out for each other immediately if something happens. It’s safer, right?”

That actually seemed to make sense. Hill continued her explanation.

“In horror movies or during dangerous operations, it’s always most dangerous when the group splits up.”

“…I see what you mean. Then I’ll just put a door in the wall between the two rooms — “

“No! Brother! We must be able to see each other for it to be the safest!”

“But changing clothes and stuff…”

“That’s not important in the face of danger!”

…Is that so?

At Hill’s strong insistence, Siloque merged the two rooms into one.

It wasn’t difficult; he just had to slightly modify the Magic Circle on the blueprint.

15 minutes later, a room rivaling a five-star presidential suite was fully assembled.

The view was excellent, and the area was spacious.

The entire southern wall had been turned into a large window, providing an unobstructed view of the vast forest on the Third Floor and the surrounding areas from 60 meters above the ground.

The first thing Hill did upon entering the finished room was rush to the window.

After letting out a short cheer, she turned back and shouted to Siloque.

“This is amazing, Brother! We can see the whole forest! But isn’t such a big window too conspicuous?”

“I’ve already installed surveillance tools on the outside, along with a barrier to increase our concealment. Even if we hang clothes on the balcony, it won’t easily attract the attention of Monsters.”

“This is too great. It’s like Brother turned on a ‘Creative Mode’ where he can install anything anywhere.”

‘Does this count as a compliment?’

Overlooking the scenery with his sister, Siloque ran his hand over the raw wood table, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment.

While other Explorers were sleeping in tents, Siloque and Hill were living in a hotel.

***

The siblings finished an early dinner, and the time reached 6:00 PM.

“Oh, right. I have to send a message to Mom first.”

Hill had changed into her hooded Rabbit Pajamas.

She first stood by the window to take a photo, then began typing on her smartphone.

“Hill, do you want to shower first?”

It was a bit early for a bath.

“No! You go first, Brother! After doing all that construction, you must be exhausted. I want to talk to Mom for a bit, and I need to clear today’s quests.”

She was likely talking about the daily mission rewards in her mobile game — the kind designed by developers to force Player retention.

“Alright. Say hello to Mom and Dad for me.”

‘I really have a considerate sister.’

In truth, after releasing magic so many times in succession, Siloque didn’t feel physical fatigue, but he did feel mentally drained.

***

Siloque soaked in the hot water of a wooden bathtub, dazing out.

He could hear various thumping sounds from the next room; Hill was likely wandering around out of curiosity.

He had indeed put a lot of effort into designing this place, referencing various architectural materials for the details.

If he took a photo and posted it on social media, he could easily pretend to be a rich heir.

His Ring Chart vibrated. Siloque opened it to look:

— It’s the first night staying in the Dungeon. Just checking, you’re not dead, are you? —

It was a message from Beiren.

Because of how they had parted earlier, Siloque had planned to wait for her to calm down before messaging her tonight.

He hadn’t expected her to reach out first.

Siloque’s lips curled into a pleasant smile as he typed quickly:

— I’m dying. Only one breath left. I need your Cleansing Ritual to be Resurrected. —

— If you still have the energy to joke with me, you’re clearly not dead. —

This was followed by the usual trivial banter.

“This is…!”

Uncharacteristically, Beiren sent two photos.

Usually, she would send photos of cats and dogs she found, or strange buildings and landscapes.

But this time, she sent photos featuring herself — selfies.

— Just look at these and endure for a bit. —

Beiren! You’re the best!

‘It must be because of those things I said earlier that she’s giving me this fanservice…’

Siloque, having learned absolutely nothing from his past mistakes, sent a message on a whim:

— Since we have the chance, why don’t you send a selfie showing your face? —

Knock knock —

A knocking sound came from the frosted glass door.

“Hill?… I’m almost finished. Just wait a second — “

Siloque froze. He saw something he shouldn’t have.

Behind the frosted glass, the silhouette of a girl’s graceful curves appeared.

Long yellow hair brushed against the glass from time to time.

At first, Siloque tried to hide in denial, wondering if the pattern on the frosted glass was just playing tricks on him.

Then, he decided to face reality.

“Hill? Are you undressing?”

The moment he spoke, the door clicked open.

There was a sound as it slid; it seemed it needed more oil…

” — !”

Hill wasn’t wearing her Explorer gear.

Nor was she wearing her warm, long-sleeved Rabbit Pajamas.

She was wrapped only in a bath towel.

Her pale feet and slender arms were exposed as she stood there nervously.

She whispered in a faint voice, “No… well, Brother was very busy and tired today. Hill can help you… scrub your back?”

Siloque closed his eyes and cupped some water to wash his face.

When he opened them again, Hill’s skin looked translucent and fair under the faint glow of the twilight.

‘How should I put this? I already thought my sister was developing well, but looking at her like this, her figure is beyond imagination.’

Because she usually played badminton, Siloque could see that her waistline was very well-toned.

As he soaked in the tub, Siloque couldn’t help but think: ‘Damn! I forgot to install a lock!’