"I've been thinking about a problem this whole time."
Hayato's voice was calm and measured as he spoke.
"That is, when facing the hotel's supernatural staff members, aside from running away, what other methods do ordinary guests actually have available to them?"
"After all, simple physical damage doesn't seem to have much real effect on supernatural entities."
"But supernatural entities could definitely harm other supernatural entities."
This was also one of Hayato's main purposes in trying so hard to persuade the female receptionist earlier. Although this game was rapidly nearing its end, that didn't mean he didn't need to continue collecting more useful intelligence for potential future situations.
"But if guests have absolutely no means whatsoever to harm supernatural entities, then... wouldn't that be too unfair to the guests? No, it should be too unbalanced is the better way to put it. Both sides of this game would be completely unbalanced if that were the case."
Sawanaga Taisuke broke out in cold sweat that immediately began running down his face.
This guy was treating this entire life-or-death situation like it was just some game to be analyzed and figured out!
"And the ten rules listed in the 'Check-in Rules,' from Rule 1 all the way to Rule 10, have all been thoroughly verified and demonstrated through actual use. But only the content of the final friendly reminder hasn't actually been put into practice yet."
Hoshino Ai's gaze slowly moved downward to look at the lubricant and vibrator currently in Hayato's hands. Her face gradually turned slightly red as realization dawned. Faced with these obvious adult toys, she instinctively felt shy and embarrassed despite the situation.
Hoshino Ai suddenly recalled that moment when Hayato had examined these items with her before and casually said, "We'll use them in the future." He was talking about right now! He'd been planning this the entire time!
Hoshino Ai felt simultaneously shocked and deeply admiring of his foresight.
(Friendly Reminder: All of this hotel's adult toys are complimentary. Please feel free to use them. May joy accompany you through this wonderful evening. On the Hidden Rules.)
"So, Sawanaga-kun, please help me verify my theory!"
"If I'm wrong about this, I'll stay here in this hotel with you. But if I'm right, then you die..."
Hayato gripped the heavy weapon, the legendary vibrating holy sword, and walked forward step by deliberate step.
"Ha-Hayato-san..."
Sawanaga Taisuke swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.
"Joking, just joking around. What I... just said was all... completely a joke."
"Let's talk this out like reasonable people. Really, let's just talk this out calmly... harmony is precious, and violence solves nothing!"
He kept backing away from Hayato's steady advance, desperately showing an ingratiating smile.
"Please just let me go. Really, let me go... You all can leave freely, everyone can leave... I promise..."
"Really?" Hayato asked skeptically.
"Really. Truer than real gold, I swear it."
"What about her?!" Hayato suddenly pointed.
"Of course she can too."
But after agreeing so directly and automatically, Sawanaga Taisuke suddenly realized with horror that Hayato was actually pointing at the female receptionist, not at Kuroda or Hoshino.
"She can't leave, she already has her problem," he said quickly, trying to backtrack.
"She really can't leave. Unless..."
In that exact moment, Sawanaga Taisuke's mouth suddenly sealed itself completely shut as someone had physically blocked it with invisible force. His hands flew up to cover his mouth desperately, and he couldn't say anything at all, no matter how hard he tried. After a long while of struggle, he finally recovered his ability to speak.
Right now, his entire forehead was covered in thick beads of cold sweat, as if he'd just experienced something absolutely terrifying.
He'd accidentally touched upon information that the hotel's rules strictly forbade anyone from mentioning out loud.
Hayato understood what had just happened and filed that knowledge away.
"Just as I suspected... the figure in front of the hotel front desk is not a hotel staff member, due to the initial contradiction rule."
Rule 3: This hotel is an unmanned establishment. There are no staff members. If anyone claims to be staff, please ignore them, especially at night.
Rule 4: If you encounter an emergency situation, you may use the stairwell passage to reach the first-floor lobby and seek help at the front desk.
"If you won't say it, then just help me test this theory out instead!"
"It really won't work! Your Lordship doesn't remember the faults of petty people like me. Please spare me. I'm literally begging you on my knees!" Taisuke pleaded desperately.
"Then kneel..."
Thud...
Sawanaga Taisuke didn't hesitate for even a single moment and dropped to his knees right there. But the very next second, with his head still lowered in apparent submission, he revealed his true vicious side. His eyes filled with ferocity and pure rage. His entire body suddenly launched itself forward and shot directly toward Hayato like a missile.
[Time Stop]
The world froze completely.
Only Hayato continued moving normally through the frozen time.
He calmly unscrewed the cap of the lubricant bottle and directly poured the entire contents straight into Sawanaga Taisuke's open mouth.
Next came the spray directly down his throat.
Then the steel wool scrubbing pad forced in after it.
Finally, the vibrating holy sword was positioned exactly where it would cause maximum damage, to his hole.
Hoshino Ai watched the whole thing happen with a completely dumbfounded expression on her face.
This, this was... way too ruthless and brutal!
But she didn't feel even a shred of sympathy for what was happening to him. Sawanaga Taisuke's terrible fate was purely what he deserved after everything he'd done.
Everything was the direct result of his own evil actions coming back to haunt him.
When the time stop effect finally ended and time began flowing normally again, Sawanaga Taisuke, who'd been so ferocious and prepared to erupt violently and completely humiliate Hayato just a moment before, instantly covered his throat with both hands and started continuously coughing and choking violently.
Liquid. Slippery liquid was everywhere.
Crash...
"AHHHHH!"
"It's HURTTTT HELP ME...."
His entire body fell heavily to the ground with a sickening thud. His eyes widened to their absolute limits. His face went deathly pale. His body convulsed several times in rapid succession.
"I... can't die... but it's hurt!!!"
He stared up with bloodshot eyes and somehow still managed to grin through the pain.
"Wait for you... Next time you come... to the hotel. I'll... be waiting for you."
Thud.
He stopped moving completely. He couldn't possibly be more dead.
"Is he dead?" Hoshino Ai asked quietly.
She took small, careful steps until she reached Hayato's side.
"Yeah, he's dead. But he should be able to revive eventually. Having already become a permanent staff member of this hotel, as long as the hotel itself continues to exist, he probably can't actually die permanently! But at the very least, he won't appear before us again right now or anytime soon."
Hayato looked over at the female receptionist standing nearby. Yesterday, he'd kicked her completely out of the hotel entrance more than once, but each time the receptionist had been able to refresh and reappear as if nothing had happened.
"Dead."
A cold female voice spoke up clearly. The female receptionist had decided to clarify.
"Violated rules. Permanent death."
So the Taisuke really died permanently this time?
Hayato mourned silently for approximately half a second but secretly decided to set off celebratory firecrackers once they got safely outside.
If this guy had somehow lived through all that, then Hayato's entire trip to this anime world would've been completely for nothing. But now it was good. He'd really finished the bastard off permanently.
"Thank you for everything. If it weren't for your words, I might have been hesitant about the cleaning service."
Hayato once again expressed genuine thanks to the female receptionist.
She actively walked until she stood directly before Hayato, quietly watching him with an intense stare. Her eyes seemed to be trying to express something important.
Following her focused gaze carefully, Hayato noticed that the female receptionist was looking directly at the lubricant that had spilled all over the ground.
A certain disturbing idea suddenly emerged in his mind.
No way! That can't be right!
Hayato felt somewhat doubtful of this wild idea, but based on the female receptionist's current reaction and behavior, he had the sinking feeling that he'd actually guessed correctly.
"You want to die... don't you?!" he asked directly.
She didn't affirm his question, but she also didn't deny it either. She didn't even show the slightest change in her facial expression at all.
But Hayato had already gotten his answer just from that non-reaction.
This female receptionist... she really wanted to die and be free!