Chapter 17: Welcome to Hell’s Finest Hotel (Now Hiring Suckers)Morning: New Job, Same PovertyI woke up.

  Checked my bank account.

  Still empty.

  Looked at my paycheck from Burger Castle.

  ￥3.42.

  I sighed.

  Then my phone buzzed.

  Demon King: “New job opportunity. Pay is slightly better. Show up or suffer.”

  I blinked.

  Then sprinted out the door.

  8:00 AM – Welcome to the Underworld HotelI stood outside a massive, five-star luxury hotel with a glowing red sign:

  "HELL’S FINEST HOTEL – NOW OPEN"

  Kenji whistled. “Bro… this pce is fancy.”

  Melodia nodded. “He actually did it.”

  The doors swung open, and the Demon King walked out, arms crossed.

  “Welcome,” he said. “You now work here.”

  I frowned. “Wait, don’t we get a say in this—”

  “No.”

  I sighed. Of course not.

  8:15 AM – Employee Orientation (Also Known as Suffering)The Demon King led us inside.

  The lobby was huge, with gold chandeliers, a marble fountain, and floating torches that whispered ominous secrets.

  Kenji gasped. “BRO. FREE WATER IN THE LOBBY?!”

  Melodia narrowed her eyes. “What’s the catch?”

  The Demon King smirked. “Nothing. Except the water whispers your worst fears if you drink it.”

  Kenji took a sip.

  The water hissed, “You’ll never pay off your student loans.”

  Kenji choked.

  Melodia patted his back. “Tough luck, bro.”

  8:30 AM – Job AssignmentsThe Demon King handed out uniforms.

  Melodia got Head of Security (because she likes stabbing things).

  Kenji got Bellboy (because he can carry things and be dumb at the same time).

  And me?

  “You shall be the Front Desk Manager.”

  I blinked. “That… doesn’t sound too bad?”

  The Demon King smirked. “You’ll see.”

  …That should have been my first warning.

  9:00 AM – First Guest, First DisasterA rich noble walked up to the front desk.

  He wore a fur coat, a golden monocle, and an expression of pure entitlement.

  “I demand the finest suite in the hotel!” he decred.

  I forced a smile. “Certainly, sir. That will be ￥50,000 per night.”

  He scoffed. “I refuse to pay.”

  I blinked. “…Then you can’t have a room?”

  The noble gasped like I just spped him.

  “DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!”

  I sighed. “No. And I don’t care.”

  He turned red. “I demand to speak to your manager!”

  The Demon King appeared behind me.

  “I AM the manager.”

  The noble immediately fainted.

  Kenji whispered, “BRO. I NEED THAT POWER.”

  10:00 AM – The Ghost ProblemA shady-looking elf checked in.

  “This hotel has a ghost problem,” he muttered.

  I frowned. “What?”

  He pointed behind me.

  I turned around.

  A transparent ghost in a maid outfit floated past the lobby.

  Kenji waved. “Yo.”

  The ghost nodded back.

  I turned back to the elf. “Uh. Is that a problem?”

  “Yes! This pce is haunted!”

  I sighed. “Sir, this hotel is literally owned by the Demon King. What did you expect?”

  The elf paled.

  Then ran out the door.

  The ghost maid floated over and whispered, “Thanks for scaring him off. Less work for me.”

  I groaned. “I don’t get paid enough for this.”

  11:00 AM – Kenji Almost DiesKenji ran up to me, sweating.

  “BRO. HELP.”

  I sighed. “What now?”

  “I took a guest’s luggage upstairs and—”

  A giant mimic chest came crashing down the stairs, screaming.

  Kenji hid behind me. “IT’S ALIVE.”

  I looked at the Demon King.

  He sipped his coffee. “Oh. The guest must have brought a pet mimic. Happens.”

  “HAPPENS?! IT JUST TRIED TO EAT ME.”

  The mimic hissed.

  The Demon King gred at it.

  It immediately stopped and rolled away like nothing happened.

  Kenji gawked. “BRO. I NEED THAT POWER.”

  12:00 PM – Lunch Break (or So I Thought)I sat down in the breakroom.

  Opened my bento.

  Prepared to eat.

  Then—

  “FIRE! FIRE!”

  I sighed. “Of course.”

  I ran to the kitchen.

  Melodia was holding a fmethrower.

  I stared. “WHY?”

  She shrugged. “Some guests wanted their steak extra crispy.”

  Kenji coughed. “BRO. I CAN’T BREATHE.”

  The Demon King walked in.

  Paused.

  Then calmly snapped his fingers.

  The fire disappeared.

  The steak was perfectly cooked.

  Kenji whispered, “BRO. I REALLY NEED THAT POWER.”

  3:00 PM – The Demon King Holds a Staff MeetingThe Demon King gathered us in the breakroom.

  “Now,” he said, “feedback time. Any compints?”

  I immediately raised my hand.

  “Yes, Rento?”

  “I HATE THIS JOB.”

  The Demon King nodded. “Understandable.”

  Kenji raised his hand. “Can I learn that finger-snap world-fixing magic?”

  “No.”

  Melodia raised her hand. “Can I get a bigger fmethrower?”

  “No.”

  The ghost maid floated in. “Can I get a raise?”

  “No.”

  We all groaned.

  5:00 PM – Closing TimeAfter hours of dealing with entitled nobles, angry ghosts, screaming mimics, and magical disasters, it was finally time to go home.

  I checked my paycheck.

  ￥5,000.

  I gasped.

  Kenji peeked over my shoulder. “BRO. THAT’S MORE THAN BURGER CASTLE PAID US IN A MONTH.”

  Melodia whistled. “Wow. We’re rich.”

  The Demon King smirked. “Told you it was slightly better.”

  Slightly?!

  I was still broke, but at least now I could buy instant noodles instead of just stealing Kenji’s leftovers.

  …Progress.

  Epilogue – I’m Stuck Here Forever, Aren’t I?As we left, I turned to the Demon King.

  “Sir, do we get days off?”

  He smirked.

  “No.”

  …

  I sighed.

  Looked at my paycheck again.

  Then screamed into my pillow.

  To Be Continued…