Chapter 35

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Wjin

Chapter: 35

Chapter Title: Delivery into the Dungeon

-----------------------------------------------------------------

What the hell is this guy saying?

The administrator or whatever—Moon Chae-ryeon nearly cursed on the spot.

But thinking of the ears of her cute, lovable, innocent summoned helpers, Mimi and Manager Sol-chan, she held it back.

'He's no tail-wagging fox.'

Just for eating well, hearing that would make anyone feel so wronged.

And above all, Chae-ryeon had been feeding him nourishing food with the mindset of coaxing a prickly wild animal, which only made her more exasperated.

'Yeah. That's more like it.'

The quick apology soothed her mood.

In the meantime, Han Joo-oh had polished off a full bowl of Wanja stew without leaving a single drop of broth, his face now glowing with health.

The dungeon poison tormenting him had been devoured by the effects of the premium sandworm meat, vanishing completely.

"Uh, c-can I have one more bowl...?"

"Of course. I told you earlier, right? I'll give you as much as you want."

One thing I'd learned bone-deep lately, despite knowing little about hunters, was this:

Hunters ate mercilessly more than regular, unawakened folks.

I'd realized it painfully at the hunter market selling baby sandworm meat.

I'd priced a pack for one adult serving, but hunters treated it as half a serving and swept them up in bundles.

'Can you even eat all this? It's great for me as the seller, but...'

'Hm? This is barely a side dish portion for a hunter.'

'Huh?'

'Hm?'

I remembered my bewilderment clearly.

'Even Yi Seo-ro vacuumed up the tasting dumplings like nothing.'

Birdseed-sized eater that he looked, he'd elegantly devoured dozens, leaving Chae-ryeon to grimly pack an enormous sandworm chunk.

Preparation for the unexpected wasn't wrong. Han Joo-oh's eating pace didn't slow, while the Wanja stew I'd prepared steadily revealed its bottom.

"One more bowl!"

"One more!"

"One last bowl!"

"Yes, yes. Coming right up."

Every time Han Joo-oh enthusiastically demolished a bowl of Wanja stew, alerts popped up for me.

At the same time, one item in the main scenario Chapter 1 was fulfilled.

Having scraped the last spoonful perfectly, Han Joo-oh looked up at me with his glossy face.

"By the way, Chef."

"Yes."

"Just curious, can I ask something?"

"Go ahead."

"What meat went into this amazing Wanja stew? Feels like chicken... but kinda shrimp too."

"Oh, that. It's actually sandworm meat from the dungeon."

"...Oh."

Crash.

Hearing Chae-ryeon's answer, Han Joo-oh collapsed straight onto the bed.

"Hey? Hey? Mr. Han Joo-oh?"

Chae-ryeon had done nothing but answer honestly.

Han Joo-oh just found the novelty of monster meat too alien still.

After Yi Seo-ro returned, Chae-ryeon explained she hadn't assassinated Han Joo-oh and headed home.

"What a total mess of a day."

"Agreed, Senior Mimi."

"...Me too."

What an exhausting day.

That night, Chae-ryeon crashed without even dinner.

'That person protecting me... was it Shin Ha-rang?'

The question shattered and scattered in her sleepy eyelids.

When Han Joo-oh woke again, the woman who'd cooked so amazingly well was nowhere to be seen.

'...A dream?'

Eating monster meat didn't make sense, yeah.

But dismissing it as a dream didn't fit—his body felt incredibly light. Still being in Yi Seo-ro's annoying workshop proved it wasn't a dream either.

The clearest proof was the lingering taste memory in his mouth. Wanja stew from sandworm meat? Han Joo-oh, infamous for picky eating, knew no monster meat tasted that fantastically. Revolting, chewy, horribly bitter like guts.

But hers was different. Savory, springy Wanja stew he craved again. Savoring the memory, Yi Seo-ro suddenly shoved his face into his gut.

"If you're awake, get up already, Han Joo-oh."

"Damn it. Move your ugly mug."

"Who saved your ass? No thanks at least?"

"From the snide look, Mom and Dad must've dragged me here begging treatment. Not grateful."

Han Joo-oh haphazardly fixed his outer clothes and stood. The sweat-soaked shirt was gross but wearable.

'...Wanja stew smell.'

The scent clinging to his clothes mixed with her Wanja stew. Savory, chewy. A simple dish, yet its heart-stirring taste lingered.

"...Hey."

"What."

His gruff tone omitted 'Hurry up and scram.' Yi Seo-ro, uncharacteristically, peered at his tablet with a satisfied smile.

'Records? Scheming what?'

Han Joo-oh knew his old rival wore that face when plotting.

"...The woman who cooked that delicious stuff and left, her name was Moon Chae-ryeon, right?"

"What do you care."

Yi Seo-ro's curt chill was as ever—no scoff worthy.

But Han Joo-oh sensed a subtle shift. Years as a mercenary sharpened his instincts, picking up Yi Seo-ro's fishy vibe.

"Just wanna eat her cooking again. Half-dreaming, but I saw clear. Portable shop item, strength to carry me—she's no ordinary person, right? A hunter."

A cooking hunter—probably at a top restaurant, Han Joo-oh thought lightly. Didn't know her spot, but he'd start today.

"So tell m—"

"Nope."

Yi Seo-ro removed his signature monocle. His eerie green eyes gleamed darkly.

"I staked claim first."

Yi Seo-ro's blatant possessiveness carried obsession beyond madness.

"So don't show interest in Moon Chae-ryeon anymore. I'm making her mine. This is your warning—don't approach half-assed."

"...Still collecting talented people like trophies?"

Han Joo-oh asked with faint contempt and genuine pity. Yi Seo-ro's steady smirk twitched.

"'Fix it'? Don't talk like it's some grave flaw. Annoying."

"If not seeing people as people but useful tools, what is? You're a top alchemist now, but plenty whisper 'Talent Collector' behind your back."

"Not worth hearing."

To Yi Seo-ro, awakened S-Rank young, people brought misfortune.

Parents exploited him like a cash cow near-abuse; the golden-egg alchemist kid was always a kidnapping target.

So he learned to pick shields from obstacles. Even now, few blocked him, that obsessive defense drove him.

"...This is real worry for you."

"Worry, handy excuse."

Having seen humanity's ugliness, Yi Seo-ro heard only hypocrisy—even from rare true confidant Han Joo-oh.