The Demon King, There's a Restaurant Inside the Dungeon!

I handed her the last one, and she peeled it with a look of pure bliss. It was hard to believe this was the same Demon King who'd been exploding monsters just moments ago. She looked so simple, almost childlike.

I let out a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the floor. I'd just bribed the Demon King with two chocolate bars. And it actually worked?

After finishing the chocolate bars, Lucy licked the melted chocolate off her fingers and looked at me with a slightly disappointed expression.

"That was delicious. Daon."

It was the first time she'd said my name. Her smile was much softer than before, but her eyes still belonged to a predator.

"Keep bringing me delicious things like this from now on. If you bring something that tastes bad... you know what happens, right?"

She grinned, flashing her fangs.

"Then you'll become my chocolate substitute."

This isekai black mage life. It looked like it was going to start with me being the Demon King's personal snack shuttle. Still, at least I was alive. I kind of wanted to beat up yesterday's me for muttering about wanting to die, but what could I do? The gallery was already open, the Demon King had descended, and I'd become a black mage.

"...Yes, I'll do my best, Master!"

At my answer, Lucy looked satisfied and patted my head. Like she was petting a dog.

"Good boy. Our little puppy."

What kind of title was that? Fighting back tears, I posted on the gallery.

I sighed and stared at the isekai moon visible outside the cave. There were two moons.

Fuck. This really is another world.

I was lying there, body completely stiff. The soft sensation against my back and the captivating scent filling my nose. Any man would dream of resting his head on Lucy's thighs, but reality was a dumpster fire. Because her fingers were twirling through my hair, playing with it. It felt like a silent threat that she could crush my skull at any moment.

"Daon."

A languid voice came from above.

"Yes, Lucy-nim."

"My mouth feels empty."

Here it comes. I swallowed dryly.

"Didn't you just eat?"

"That was the appetizer. Don't you have any more of those black things?"

"Well... that was all I brought from my homeland."

Lucy's fingers suddenly stopped. The air inside the cave turned ice-cold in an instant. Her red eyes narrowed as she looked down at me.

"Then you're useless now?"

"N-no! I can get more! No, I can make them!"

I shouted desperately. Saying 'I can't' here would lead straight to a bad ending.

"Make them? You?"

"Yes! I'm actually quite skilled at cooking. If I have the ingredients, I can make something even better than those chocolate bars!"

Of course, that was a lie. Two years of part-time work at a convenience store and three years living alone. The only things I knew how to make were instant ramen and microwaving frozen dumplings. But right now, I had to channel a Michelin three-star chef.

Lucy scanned me with suspicious eyes.

"Hmm... If you're lying, I'll rip your tongue out first."

"It's true! But..."

"But?"

"I need ingredients. Very special ones."

I opened the gallery window and glanced at it from the corner of my eye. Black Dragon and the 7th Circle guy had been spamming advice like crazy.

But I had no choice. Going to the village meant getting sliced by the hero, and staying here meant getting chewed up by Lucy. A dungeon was better. The user called Black Dragon had a weird way of talking, but he was one of the oldest veterans in the gallery, known as the 'Strategy King.' I had to trust his judgment.

"Lucy-nim, those special ingredients are in a nearby 'dungeon.'"

"A dungeon?"

Lucy tilted her head.

"That dark, moldy-smelling place? I hate those. They ruin my skin."

"B-but the meat of the monsters that live there... is said to be incredibly chewy and sweet. It's a delicacy from this other world that you can't taste in the demon realm."

I just spouted whatever came to mind. Lucy didn't know anything about this world anyway.

"Hmm... sweet?"

At the word 'sweet,' Lucy's ears perked up. She really was simple.

"Yes. Not as much as chocolate, but the juices are just... incredible."

Lucy thought for a moment, then stood up. As she moved, the hem of her red dress fluttered elegantly.

"Fine. I'll go along with it. But if it doesn't taste good, I'll take a piece of your thigh meat instead."

"Haha... That won't happen."

I wiped away my cold sweat and got up.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

The place we headed to was a low-grade dungeon not far from the cave called the Forgotten Abandoned Mine. According to the gallery, the recommended level was 10-20. My current level was 1. Under normal play, I would've been cut off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at the entrance, but walking beside me was a walking cheat key who was basically the strongest being in this world.

The dungeon entrance was gloomy. Rotten wooden pillars were stuck at the entrance, and from inside came an unpleasant whistling wind.

"Ugh, it stinks."

Lucy pinched her nose and frowned.

"You say there's something delicious in a place like this? Daon, do you actually have a death wish?"

"J-just go in a little further! There should be some well-aged ones deeper inside!"

I gently pushed Lucy's back as we entered. Normally, goblins or kobolds should've popped out near the entrance. But instead...

Tap tap tap! Tap tap tap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tap!

The only sound was something frantically running away in the darkness.

"Huh?"

Lucy created a will-o'-the-wisp at her fingertip to use as a torch and shone it forward. The scene that unfolded was spectacular. Goblins had thrown away all their weapons and were clinging to the walls, trembling. Spider-type monsters had fled to the corners of the ceiling and were playing dead. Even the notoriously ill-tempered orcs had their faces planted on the ground, prostrating themselves.