Origin-Level Hierarchy Detected
Origin-Level (根源) Hierarchy detected. Calculating growth potential of target hierarchy... Unable to compute... Retrying... Initiating forced computation. Requesting authorization to use ■■'s ■■■. Request approved. Recomputing. Computation complete.
— Hierarchy exceeds allowable range.
— Estimated margin of error: ±??%
— Result reliability: Distorted.
— System reconfiguration required: Confirmed.
Resetting system for this hierarchy. Implementing system update. Notification to system user scheduled post-update.
Progress: 1% Progress: 2% ……
Tomorrow... I'd finally be starting my first day at the Roijir Guild.
The junkyard's roof had been ripped clean off in the storm, leaving it in no shape for anyone to crash in—new wallpaper and all that jazz needed first. So here I was, buried in the plush bed of a five-star suite at a top-tier hotel near Roijir Guild HQ.
And of course, I wasn't footing the bill.
Kuku, what a nice guy. My account's overflowing anyway, and he's rolling out the red carpet. Can't complain.
I was savoring the feel of the premium goose-down duvet, eyes closed, but sleep just wouldn't come. Random thoughts kept chaining together.
Everyone has those nights, right? The ones where you lie awake fretting over absurd, low-probability disasters: What if Baekdu Mountain erupts tomorrow? What if an asteroid hits? What if a massive earthquake strikes out of nowhere?
That was me tonight.
Earth's doom, huh...
Decades after gates popped up worldwide simultaneously. Countless hunters awakened and grew stronger; humanity had tamed most gates, turning societal consensus into "we've got this under control." But now I knew better.
I knew about beings on a whole other plane from Earth's hunters.
Even those guys went extinct...
Cosmic horror crashed over me like a wave, plunging my mood into endless gloom. Fuck. What good were tens or hundreds of billions in the bank? If aliens or ancient demons invaded tomorrow and split the planet in two, it was game over.
That's it! Time to splurge!
I bolted upright, snatching the room service phone from the bedside table.
"Yes, room service. Mr. Kwon Daesung, how may I assist you?"
"Hey, you guys have a dessert menu, right?"
"Yes, of course, sir. Our 'Blanc Boutique' offers a wide selection of desserts befitting a five-star establishment. If you check the room service menu and give us the numbers, we'll—"
I cut off the polite staffer mid-sentence. "Just bring everything on the menu."
"......Pardon?"
"Every single dessert in this hotel's kitchen. Pastries, baked goods, drinks—everything. No exceptions. Send it all up here."
"S-Sir? You mean all of them...? Apologies, but even just the standing desserts at Blanc Boutique number over fifty kinds. Preparing and delivering them all at once would take considerable time, and fitting them on the room tables would be—"
The staffer's flustered voice came through, but I replied indifferently. "Doesn't matter if it takes time. Just keep sending them up in batches as they're ready."
"Ah... U-Understood!!"
When you're down and anxious, nothing beats sugar. And speaking of sweets, one name popped into my head on reflex.
"Let's see."
While waiting for the desserts, I pulled up my smartphone and logged into the Multidimensional Secondhand Market community.
"Puhaha, right on cue."
My inbox was bombed with dozens of unread messages, all from one sender. Naturally, the sweet-obsessed dragon, big bro Jermad.
Messages from the apex predator of a continent... really? For a dragon, he seemed a screw loose, but what can you say? A brawling, loaded, well-connected neighborhood bum with a massive appetite? Yeah, that comfy, approachable vibe.
I grinned and fired back.
No sooner had I hit send than the 1:1 chat exploded.
Ridiculous logic that'd make your jaw drop, but the guy's a mighty dragon. And considering what he'd done for me—from Dragon Words to advice and magical boons—lifetime free dessert buffet was a steal.
Jermad's rant flipped to excitement instantly.
I snorted at the screen.
Suddenly, official little bro to fantasy's top dragon. Solid backing? Felt pretty damn good.
Right on cue, the suite doorbell chimed cheerily.
Ding-dong~!
Humming, I opened the door. The hallway featured three luxury silver trolleys packed to bursting with dessert splendor.
"......Wow. Looks killer."
200,000-won gold-dusted premium chocolate mousse cake. 150,000-won hotel bingsu piled with fresh apple mango. 100,000-won truffle-infused handmade chocolate chunk. Pure sugar-fueled capitalist indulgence flooding in.
"Your first batch of desserts, as ordered. Shall we... set them all up on the room tables?"
The hotelier—clearly manager level—masked his bewilderment with politeness. Fair enough; fifty people's worth cramming into a solo suite was absurd.
"Nah, no need to set up. Just park 'em in the hallway here and go."
"Pardon? Sir, we should at least plate them properly..."
"I'll tip fat. Don't ring the bell till I call you after I'm done. Same for the rest—quietly stack the carts out here. Got it?"
I slipped him a fat wad of 50,000-won bills. The hotelier and staff bowed 90 degrees like mimes and bolted.
Door shut, I popped a glistening slice of cake straight into my mouth.
"Mmm~! Fucking delicious. Save a few for me, the rest to big bro."
Smirking in satisfaction, I opened the market's 1:1 mail exchange. With a sweep of dragon mana, three trolleys' worth vanished into the void.
Ding~!
Three seconds flat. The massive dessert haul accepted into Jermad's inventory and gone.
His texts oozed tail-wagging dragon hype.
Daily room service like this would bankrupt me and shatter the patissiers' spirits. Clever cover: "limited edition."
Jermad's heavy sigh seemed to echo through the text.
Kidnapping? Adorable for a dragon.
I swallowed hard, then broached the main topic—carefully.