Chapter 5
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Delivering into the Dungeon
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There were no people or regulations enforcing food hygiene laws on awakened hunters, but Moon Chae-ryeon was an upstanding law-abiding citizen and a well-prepared chef.
Trust level has increased by an additional +5!
As if the system appreciated Chae-ryeon's diligence, it boosted her trust level.
Of course, Chae-ryeon was far too busy to notice such a minor notification.
It went without saying that she pulled out the cabbage kimchi her mom had made and sent from their family home.
"Ah! This too!"
While rummaging through the cupboard, Chae-ryeon swiftly grabbed a can of tuna. She didn't forget to pop the lid open in a flash.
Watching Chae-ryeon bustle about, Delicious Waitress Mimi—who had already set out a cutting board and knife on the sink—asked,
"Master, what dish do you plan to prepare?"
Portioned carrots and potatoes, green onions, a bit of onion. Three eggs. One can of tuna and some leftover Spam.
In response to Mimi's question, Chae-ryeon grinned and replied.
"I'm going to make the basics done right: Spam kimchi fried rice and tuna veggie onigiri! For sides, fluffy rolled omelet and grilled Vienna sausages."
"Is it okay to make two kinds of rice?"
Koreans draw their strength from rice, but was this too much?
Chae-ryeon confidently assured Mimi, whose red eyes were wide with concern.
"This customer has a big appetite."
'I saw the customer's status when I activated my skills earlier!'
Chae-ryeon had been able to glimpse Min Hae-yul's status window, albeit roughly, when she used the skills [Where Are You, Customer?] and [Taking Your Order, Customer!].
It wasn't the standard stat window; it was information detected by her skills, related to his hunger level and eating habits.
"So, two rice dishes should be fine for him."
Koreans live on rice power, after all.
With that, Chae-ryeon picked up the green onions and began finely chopping them with the kitchen knife.
"Mimi, if it's okay with you, could you handle cooking support?"
"Of course! I am Delicious Waitress Mimi. As a summoned helper, I exist to assist with your cooking and deliveries!"
Mimi's eyes blazed red, and she zipped through the air at lightning speed to prep the ingredients Chae-ryeon had laid out. No one knew where she got them from, but she pulled out her own cute little knife and cutting board.
Even without any instructions from Chae-ryeon, Mimi diced the carrots, onions, and Spam as if their minds were linked.
Her skillful knife work neatly sliced everything into uniform pieces with orderly precision.
"Ooh, looks like I don't have to worry about assistance."
"Just leave it to me! The new and improved Mimi will do her utmost to support you, Master!"
Reassured by her competent waitress's skills, Chae-ryeon drained the oil from the tuna can and pulled out some mayonnaise. She also grabbed jars of sesame oil and sesame seeds.
"Alright, let's get started."
Sizzle. She wiped down the frying pan and coated it with cooking oil.
'I'll finish this in one go!'
A cluster of bright stars sparkled around the motivated Chae-ryeon.
A new skill has been unlocked.
<Coming Right Up!> has been added to your skill list.
<Coming Right Up!>
Dramatically shortens cooking time for deliveries. Helps you serve dishes at superhuman speeds.
For a while, a savory aroma wafted through Chae-ryeon's kitchen.
'Only 35 minutes of free time left...'
Min Hae-yul glanced anxiously at his wristwatch. The relentlessly ticking second and minute hands only fueled his frustration.
'...Can the delivery food I ordered really make it all the way inside the dungeon?'
Anxiety washed over him. Despite ordering from a hunter named 'Delivery Here' with that bizarre nickname, Hae-yul suspected it might be a scam.
'It's ridiculous. A hunter delivering into a dungeon? I've never heard of such a thing.'
Even if it were possible, entering a dungeon alone was extremely dangerous.
The dungeon Hae-yul had entered with his guildmates to conquer was A+-Rank.
For a mid-tier hunter to go in solo was nothing short of a novel suicide method.
'And... how would they even know exactly where I am?'
Dungeons provided a rough map via the status window upon entry, but without being in the same party, pinpointing another hunter's location was nearly impossible.
Electronics like cell phones didn't work inside dungeons, so unless the delivery hunter had location-tracking skills, finding Hae-yul would be tough.
If they ran into his guildmate seniors while searching for him... Hae-yul would have no choice but to confess everything.
'I'm screwed...'
Forget the delivery. He should just give up and head back to base camp.
It was just as Hae-yul resigned himself and started to stand—
"Ah! Found you! Customer!"
"...Huh?"
A woman tore through space right in front of Hae-yul's eyes.
She was a delivery girl riding a sleek red motorcycle.
"Sorry for the wait! Here's your ordered food delivery!"
Her identity, of course, was none other than the Dungeon Express Delivery Person, Moon Chae-ryeon.
"Ah, ah..."
Overwhelmed with relief and joy, Hae-yul's legs nearly gave out, nearly sending him crumpling to the ground. His eyes grew misty.
Rice, rice was here!
'I can tell just from the smell! That's delicious food!'
Warm rice that put the bitter, gut-wrenching monster hindquarter meat to shame.
Seeing the miracle right in front of him, his eyes welled up with emotion.
"Sniff, hic. Th-thank you..."
"Gasp, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"N-no, sniff, nothing like that..."
Chae-ryeon had rushed here with a sense of duty to fill her first hungry customer's belly. She figured she'd get paid and leave quickly, but this... Was he some overly emotional young man? Crying out of the blue like this?
"The rice... real rice with that delicious smell... it made me so happy and relieved..."
'How hungry must he have been...'
Tsk tsk. You have to eat before you work. How much stress had he endured without proper meals in the dungeon?
Unable to just leave the crying Hae-yul be, Chae-ryeon awkwardly patted his shoulder to comfort him.
"Here, your order. Eat this and dry those tears quick."
"Th-thank you... Sorry for the embarrassing display."
With reddened eyes, Hae-yul opened the plastic bag Chae-ryeon handed him.
"Whoa..."
Inside were two glass containers.
On the first layer, Spam kimchi fried rice generously topped with sesame seeds. On the second, twelve tuna veggie onigiri, fluffy rolled omelet, and slit Vienna sausages arranged invitingly. Even a small parchment packet of ketchup for dipping.
The kimchi, lightly stir-fried with sesame oil, seemed to scream "eat me!" The salty Spam harmonized perfectly with the potatoes, onions, and carrots in the fried rice—it looked utterly mouthwatering.
And the tuna veggie onigiri? Finely chopped veggie scraps stir-fried to perfection, mixed into seasoned rice with sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds. No way it wouldn't taste amazing. Surely stuffed full of tuna, one bite would be heaven.
The rolled omelet and Vienna sausages as sides looked like perfect matches for the rice too. The omelet, enriched with veggies, was moist inside and crispy outside. The sausages ignited his intent to pair them with the onigiri on sight.
There was no hesitation. No time for it.
He found a flat rock, set the bento box atop it, and swiftly popped the lid to savor the aroma.
The savory food scent froze Hae-yul's brain.
"Time to dig in...!"
Grabbing the chopsticks and spoon set Chae-ryeon had brought from home, Hae-yul shoveled food into his mouth furiously.
First up: the Spam kimchi fried rice.
It was a common, everyday dish. The kind you make at a snack bar or at home when there's nothing else.
But right now, in this moment, it was different. He scooped a big spoonful, shoved it in, and chewed. Tears nearly spilled again.
'Delicious.'
It was so delicious.
'Not monster hindquarter meat or those nasty dungeon fruits... Real rice made outside.'
The perfectly fermented kimchi delivered umami, while the tender Spam boasted that familiar, beloved flavor.
'Yes. This is the taste!'
Overcome with emotion, Hae-yul's teary eyes didn't stop as he crammed more bento into his mouth.
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