Gourmet Yoo Hwa-yeon (2) [Remaining Debt: 2 Gold Bars]

Damn it all. My debt had doubled.

The convenience store's POS machine fixed itself with a simple repair button press, but that just meant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the debt had ballooned accordingly.

"Haa."

Not only could I not pay it off—it had doubled instead. And it was all that woman's fault.

"I-I'm so sorry, store owner......."

Since I'd issued an expulsion order, Yoo Hwa-yeon couldn't enter the store, but she stood outside, bowing her head repeatedly. I didn't even want to look at her face—it felt like watching the convenience store get wrecked in real time. Still, it wasn't entirely her fault. Those three underworld thugs who came to kill her were the real culprits to begin with.

The three who hadn't died clutched their wounds and fled into the distance. If anyone had actually been killed, my sanity wouldn't have held up.

After staring at Yoo Hwa-yeon with her head bowed low for a while, I opened the convenience store door and stepped outside.

"St-store owner! You're forgiving me......."

"Tch! As if!"

"I-I'm sorry."

Thinking I'd come out to forgive her, she looked at me with a child's bright smile, only to droop instantly.

"Let's at least hear your side. Why were they trying to kill you?"

Yoo Hwa-yeon hemmed and hawed. Ah, she couldn't even put it into words?

As I turned my back, she hurriedly grabbed my sleeve.

"Well, I have a hunch......."

"What is it?"

"I've had this unique constitution since birth called Innate True Taste."

Innate True Taste?

"It's a trait where I sense flavors with extreme sensitivity when I eat. It would be a blessed talent for a master chef, but I'm a martial artist. For someone like me, a hypersensitive tongue is nothing short of a curse."

Listening to her, I could imagine how tough it must have been.

"But what does Innate True Taste have to do with those underworld goons showing up?"

"To find food that suits my palate, I scoured every corner of the land. Nothing ever matched my taste perfectly, but there were some barely tolerable options amid the duds. The absolute worst, though, were the inns that passed off garbage as food. People called it delicious, but to me, every detail—the freshness of ingredients, storage conditions, subtle flavor differences—was crystal clear. So I started giving a little feedback here and there, and before I knew it......."

"Before you knew it?"

"I'd become known as a gourmet critic. One word from me could make or break an inn's fate.... Ah! But after that, I was scared too, so I stopped throwing evaluations around carelessly. I swear! Still, I couldn't take back what I'd already said......."

So, to sum it up: She critiqued inns selling spoiled or fake food, people started following her judgments, the shady ones got exposed, and they hired black-market thugs for revenge.

"I'm fully aware of and regret the mistakes I made in my youthful vigor. And for causing trouble even for a great chef like you... I'm truly sorry...."

Hearing her story, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it didn't feel like entirely her fault.

"This Ghost Soul Great Forest is unorthodox territory. I walked right into it myself, so it saved those ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠underworld bastards the trouble of hunting me down."

Ghost Soul Great Forest? The haunted bamboo forest? So this was underworld turf. No wonder no one came through—they didn't want to die.

"Mm. I heard your story."

Yoo Hwa-yeon gave a faint smile.

"No matter how I think about it, my presence here will only cause you more trouble, great chef. Those underworld thugs will come again, and the store might get wrecked. I should leave. The Namen... it was truly delicious. I doubt I'll find food that perfect anywhere else."

Sadness dripped from her downcast eyes. Was Namen worth that much grief? From a modern person's view, it was baffling, but with her Innate True Taste, I got it.

Yoo Hwa-yeon turned her slumped shoulders and trudged into the forest. Watching her back recede, I opened my mouth but couldn't call out to stop her rashly. I had my reasons too. Pitiful as she was, I didn't want my convenience store smashed either. Like when a cat chooses you but family issues prevent keeping it—my heart started to ache. In the end, I couldn't call her back.

Our first meeting ended with our backs turned to each other.

I grabbed a broom and started sweeping the scattered fallen leaves. Two gold bars. When the hell would I pay that off? Maybe hawk some convenience store goods on foot? As those thoughts swirled, a black shadow suddenly fell over the leaves.

A chill ran up my spine. Turning around—

"Hey, store owner."

Five men in black uniforms stood before me. It wasn't the number that startled me. It was the deep scar across the face of the one addressing me, making his already fierce look even more intimidating.

"Eek!"

At my flinch, he scowled.

"Ah, s-sorry."

"No harm done. Happens."

The man held out a yellowed paper with his sword hand.

"We're looking for someone like this."

The paper bore a portrait of a stunningly beautiful woman. Someone I'd seen somewhere before...

"Name's Yoo Hwa-yeon. We're in a hurry to find her. Seen her?"

What to do? Tell the truth? I replayed the recent fight between Yoo Hwa-yeon and those underworld thugs. A clash so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠intense, my internal energy-less eyes couldn't even track it. If I told these guys, would they fight too? After hearing her side, I didn't want to rat her out. Even for money, trying to kill her over bad reviews? Humanity's gone to shit.

"Never seen her."

I averted my eyes quickly and resumed sweeping. I figured they'd leave, but these new underworld guys just stood there, unmoving. Pacing thoughtfully, the scarred man spoke up.

"First I've heard of an inn like this on Black Eagle Gang turf."

I froze mid-sweep. Oh no, this was that scenario, right? Street vendor sets up, thugs roll in yelling, "Who said you could sell here?"

"When did you open this inn? Without a word to the Black Eagle Gang."

Ah, bingo. Shit.

"I-It hasn't been long since I opened here, so...."

"Ah, so new you didn't know?"

The fierce-looking man toyed with the greatsword on his back, then drew it in a flash.

Boom!!

The plastic table outside split in two.

"Eeeek!!"

"'Didn't know' doesn't fly. Everyone knows—even a newborn—that this area's Black Eagle Gang territory."

I'm an isekai'd modern guy who knows less than that baby!

"Store owner."

"Y-yes?"

"Do I look like a fool?"

Terrified, I shook my head.

"I heard our Black Eagle Gang boys came back wounded from a fight with Yoo Hwa-yeon here. You must've seen it. But 'never seen her'? You expect me to buy that?"

His eyes turned murderous. He smashed a plastic table—think he can't smash the store? These sword-wielding killers murder like it's breakfast. My life was on the line. I'm a powerless ordinary person. No OP martial arts or heavenly body from webnovels just because I'm isekai'd. To survive, I had to bow.

"I-I'll talk! She's in the forest over th—"

I dropped to my knees and lied outright. She was far enough; they'd never find her. No time to think with my life hanging by a thread.

Then—

"Hey."

A furious voice came from behind me. The scarred man peered over my shoulder.

"Ho, Yoo Hwa-yeon?"

"What're you doing?"

"Finally found you. No hard feelings, but business is business. Die."

The two sword bearers clashed. I scooted sideways on my knees. No way another poisoned dagger flies my way—store or not, no antidote here.

"Charging like rabid dogs for a few coins. Pathetic for the Black Eagle Gang."

"What?"

"How much did they pay? Enough to waste a lifetime of honed martial arts on cowardice?"

A wrinkle creased the scarred man's brow. He dragged his greatsword toward her.

"All that mouth from a viper tongue—you must lack confidence in your skills."

"Hmph! Babbling to stall while your buddies join? Confident much?"

"You bitch......."

Yoo Hwa-yeon was a total spitfire. She raked their pride raw. Bluntly put, no manners; nicely, she knew how to bait anger. Sure enough, deep furrows formed between his brows. Pissed off big time.

"Fine. Your yap ends today. Hey!"

"Yes!"

"Cut off that shit-talking mouth and offer it to the gang leader."

"Understood!"

The three Black Eagle Gang goons with him leaped forward, short daggers dripping dilute poison. Yoo Hwa-yeon gripped her sword hilt at her waist and stepped back.

"Your pettiness astounds even the heavens. Come on, all of you."

Her movements were too fast for my eyes to follow. The scarred man looked strong, but his three warriors did too—even more than the earlier poison-dagger trio. Could she take three alone, plus him? She'd lose, right?

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than the three charged—right flank, left, center. Pincer attack. But the leisure on Yoo Hwa-yeon's face didn't fade.

Her sword unsheathed like a river's stream, tracing an elegant arc through the air.

"Keurk!"

The three warriors tumbled to the ground simultaneously. A clean strike. So beautiful, you'd miss it without wide eyes. The wind swelling along her blade gently parted the thick bamboo leaves. Her skill matched her beauty.

Yeah, with moves like that, she might protect this convenience store from future blade-wielders.

Combining that with my earlier regret, I shouted loud.

"Yoo Hwa-yeon!!!"

"Yes?"

"Win this!! Beat them, and two bowls of Namen! Hell, three!"

"...You forgive me?"

"The bad guys are the ones scamming customers and sending assassins! Win! Please, you gotta win!!"

A gentle smile crossed Yoo Hwa-yeon's face.

"You heard him? From now on, I'll protect this store."

The scarred man twisted his lips.

"I'll kill you with the inn."

With those vicious words, our second encounter began.