Chapter 42
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Delivery Into the Dungeon
-----------------------------------------------------------------
With hands as delicate as fern fronds, Delicious Waitress Mimi tied the wrapping cloth into a perfect ribbon in the blink of an eye. Manager Sol-chan packed some complimentary sikhye and paper cups for the service.
"Huuuuh."
"It looks all done, ma'am!"
"Yeah. Perfect."
They gazed proudly at the fifteen sets of snack bento boxes they'd prepared in perfect sync.
"I hope they enjoy it."
"Of course they will, ma'am."
"Anything less than five stars would be shocking. Don't worry about a thing, Boss—just head out and make the delivery!"
"Right."
Invincible Delivery Knight
Moon Chae-ryeon slid the bento boxes into the delivery box of the bright red motorcycle and turned the key. This time, with Sol-chan driving up front and Chae-ryeon riding behind, there were two helmets.
Mimi slipped quietly into the box on the back seat.
"Mimi's Humble Bento Shop, departing!"
Entering Dungeon, Harpy-Eye Tropical Rainforest.
About fifteen minutes after placing the delivery order...
Another massive notification window appeared before the dungeon raid team members resting at base camp.
Delivery has started.
"Whoa. It's running on the exact same algorithm as the delivery apps? This is wild."
"How long till it gets here?"
"...Wait, we're already inside the dungeon. How's it supposed to get all the way here?"
Did we get scammed?
As murmurs rippled through the group, someone approached them.
Min Hae-yul didn't hide his rising excitement as he spoke to them, his face utterly relaxed. Like he had zero worries. No, more like he was thrilled to death.
"Everyone, don't worry. Just look up at the sky."
"The sky? Why...?"
"It's coming right here, now."
The dungeon sky rippled, then tore open with a sharp crack.
Someone has entered the Sudden-Type Dungeon, Harpy-Eye Tropical Rainforest.
"Hallelujah."
The long-awaited bright red motorcycle burst through the sky above the dungeon, speeding straight toward the group.
"...A motorcycle?"
Vroooom.
Ignoring the laws of gravity, the bike descended steadily as if there were a road in the air, landing with the "Mimi's Humble Bento Shop" delivery box strapped on.
"Delivery huuunters here~!"
Min Hae-yul rushed forward like he was reuniting with long-lost family, but he froze for a second upon seeing them.
"Huh?"
Two delivery hunters...?
Our delivery hunter can't be two people, right?
There were two people in helmets. One was the Chae-ryeon that Min Hae-yul recognized, and the other was Sol-chan in human form—but of course, he had no way of knowing that.
"Phew. Lucky. If they'd landed near the harpies, that would've been bad."
"I-It was good luck, Chae-ryeon."
The two chatted casually as they spotted Min Hae-yul standing there frozen, then waved happily.
"Customer! Time to hand over your order!"
"Uh... yeah..."
What the heck was going on?
Hae-yul shot a confused glance at his guild master, Shin Ha-rang.
But Shin Ha-rang's face mirrored the bewilderment perfectly.
"Who...?"
"Why are there two?"
Huh?
Shin Ha-rang whipped his head around at the voice voicing the exact same question, spotting a red-haired man in a hood.
That's the tamer from Mirage's short-term team.
He looked like he knew the delivery hunter or something?
It made sense.
That tamer was Han Ju-oh, utterly smitten with Chae-ryeon's cooking.
...What? Shin Ha-rang? Why's he staring at me?
And with such a displeased glare, too?
Shin Ha-rang's expression toward Han Ju-oh screamed, "What are you doing here?"
As Han Ju-oh debated flipping him the bird, Shin Ha-rang abruptly turned away.
He stared piercingly at the two who looked like delivery hunters. More precisely, at Sol-chan standing beside Moon Chae-ryeon.
...And who the hell is that guy.
Han Ju-oh had recognized Moon Chae-ryeon the moment he heard her voice.
That famous gourmet hunter chef's restaurant had been nowhere to be found after wandering for ages... He never imagined running into her here in a dungeon making money.
Delivery hunter. It was an utterly novel job. He'd never heard of it before, but Han Ju-oh was relieved at the chance to escape dungeon slop.
And getting to eat Moon Chae-ryeon's delicious food again is a bonus.
Overjoyed, Han Ju-oh started toward Chae-ryeon.
"Excuse me."
"...?"
Shin Ha-rang rushed up and planted himself in front of Chae-ryeon first, snatching the delivery package.
"Hand it to me. That looks heavy."
"Oh? I was going to deliver it to the customers who ordered from over there... That's part of my job."
Chae-ryeon tilted her head, wondering what was up with this guy. She'd felt it before, but Shin Ha-rang was overly nice to her just because she'd saved his life once.
"No, I placed the order as representative, so I should carry it. Here, let me have it."
"Ah, sure..."
Shin Ha-rang practically yanked the hefty package from Sol-chan. Even with its bulk, it was feather-light in an S-rank's palm, which he showed off.
...Flexing?
Han Ju-oh clicked his tongue at Shin Ha-rang while regretting not approaching first himself.
Why's the guild master acting weird today? He's not the type to volunteer for random chores.
Min Hae-yul and the other Wing Guild members floated question marks over their heads.
"Alright, everyone. Let’s eat up and get back to clearing the dungeon."
But all those questions evaporated the moment Shin Ha-rang unpacked the steaming, mouthwatering bentos.
"Whoaaa."
"That smell... it's killer."
The neat square bento boxes held white rice, the ordered mains, kimchi, pickled radish, and a simple salad.
To an outsider, they might seem like ordinary takeout bentos. But inside a dungeon? The hunters went wild, like explorers stumbling on El Dorado.
"No way... Am I dreaming?"
"Want me to pinch you?"
"Nah. With your grip strength, you'd rip my cheek off."
The hunters sat in a circle, passing out their personalized bentos.
Thanks to the speedy delivery, the warmth was still piping hot. Everyone gulped. Chae-ryeon, Sol-chan, and Mimi in the box stepped back to give them space.
The raid hunters were still baffled, but no one hesitated to grab disposable utensils and unwrap their meals.
"What luxury is this?"
"Right?"
"Did dungeons finally evolve to grant wishes? Like, maybe they installed some AI that gets our hunter struggles..."
"Doubt it. Still, who knew a day like this would come."
"I'm touched..."
The teary-eyed hunters silently thanked the two delivery hunters in their minds. How they'd ripped through the dungeon barrier to bring outside food was a mystery. But they didn't need to know.
Shin Ha-rang, as representative, snapped his chopsticks apart.
"Let's eat before it gets cold."
"Yes, sir!"
At his go-ahead, the hunters dove in, chopsticks flying. One bite, two bites. Their pupils dilated, taste buds screaming "This is the stuff!"—and they buried their faces in the boxes.
"Holy crap. This is insanely good..."
"Mind-blowing."
"I could buy this outside too, right?"
The chadolbaki doenjang jjigae had a rich, beefy broth aroma like no other. Slurping it down, the hearty soup blended perfectly with the veggies—pure bliss.
"Gotta do soaked rice with this, no question..."
Min Hae-yul gleefully scooped soaked rice and broth into his mouth. Happiness flooded his face.
"This. This exact taste."
Stuffing his face greedily, Min Hae-yul praised the cooking and delivery hunters. Even those who'd normally scold him for overdoing it just ate quietly, letting out gasps of delight.
"Wow... seriously... these knife-cut noodles are amazing."
The chewy noodles screamed handmade. The clams were plump and fresh. The side dishes—seasoned spinach and radish kimchi—added crisp, refreshing crunch that made every bite a party.
"How's the pork stir-fry? The ultimate classic. Bet you're regretting not ordering it."
"Boiled pork is the truth. The radish namul and onion salad are perfection."
The spicy pork stir-fry burst with fresh, chewy meat in a balanced sweet-spicy sauce loaded with veggies, topped with sesame seeds that screamed care.
No off-flavors in the boiled pork. A slice on rice with rinsed aged kimchi and spicy radish wrapped in cabbage... Pure paradise.
Not a scrap left behind.
The licked-clean bento boxes stacked neatly in a pile.