Chapter 3 Opening in Front of Falstead Castle (2)
Chapter 3 Opening in Front of Falstead Castle (2)
{—Minimum mana required to run the system has been charged. Current mana stored in the Mobile Cooking Facility is 20% of maximum capacity.—}
“Huh?”
{—Since the previous owner has relinquished ownership, registration of a new owner is required. Please state the owner’s name.—}
“……”
Just before coming to this inexplicable world, the artificial mechanical voice Jinseo had heard echoed in his ears again.
{—Please state the owner’s name.—}
There was no one else, and the same voice repeated itself.
{—The owner’s name…—}
“Lee Jinseo.” Figuring it would keep repeating until he answered, Jinseo gave his name.
{—Registering. Please wait a moment.—}
“I don’t know what this is supposed to be.” Jinseo crossed his arms and slowly shook his head.
After about a minute passed in silence, faint particles of light spread out in all directions around the food truck.
{—Mr. Lee Jinseo, I am the artificial intelligence of the Mobile Cooking Facility. I look forward to working with you.—}
At the answer that it was an artificial intelligence, Jinseo was dumbfounded.
“What kind of nonsense is this… No.”
There was no point acting surprised now.
The fact that he was in a world like this to begin with was already impossible to understand.
“Name?”
{—I do not have a designated name. Please assign me a name.—}
“No, there’s no need for that.”
{—You must assign my name to proceed to the next step.—}
“…AI.” Annoyed, Jinseo simply said the English abbreviation for artificial intelligence.
{—Registration complete. When you require my assistance, you may call me AI.—}
“Fine, AI. Explain my situation. Where is this, why did I come here, and how do I get back to Korea?”
{—Before I answer, I have a question. Is this your first time using the Mobile Cooking Facility?—}
“It is.”
{—Then I will begin the basic usage explanation for smooth operation of the Mobile Cooking Facility. Is that acceptable?—}
“No, that’s not what I need right—ugh, I don’t know. Do whatever you want.”
Jinseo answered as if he didn’t care anymore, and as though it had been waiting, AI’s long-winded explanation about the food truck began.
{—This concludes the basic usage explanation. If you require a repeated explanation for confirmation, please tell me.—}
Jinseo sat slumped on the ground, staring blankly straight ahead.
I haven’t had a headache like this since cramming the day before the CSAT.
He needed time to process the flood of knowledge that had been forced into his head.
He also needed to steady himself.
“AI.”
{—Yes. Please speak.—}
“Based on what you explained, you’re saying this is another world. Explain it properly.”
{—Your current location is near Falstead Castle, which belongs to the Kingdom of Doren on the Francia Continent. If displayed as coordinates…—}
“Skip that. You said earlier that it’s possible to return to the world I lived in. Is that true?”
{—That is correct.—}
“Can I do it right now?”
{—With the current mana stored in the Mobile Cooking Facility, it is sufficient.—}
“Hoo… thank god.”
At AI’s answer, Jinseo rubbed his chest in relief.
The problem he’d been agonizing over had been resolved so easily it almost felt empty.
“Then, AI, send me back to Korea right—wait.”
Still seated, Jinseo looked at the food truck.
He’d only half listened at first, but the various features AI had explained about the food truck were surprisingly appealing.
But the explanation had been so long and nonstop that the details were hazy.
“So you’re saying mana is what’s needed to operate this food truck, right?” Jinseo decided to confirm the unclear parts by asking AI again.
{—Yes. It is the power source required for the movement and operation of the Mobile Cooking Facility.—}
“And what were the ways to supply mana again?”
{—There are three main methods. First, it accumulates in proportion to the time the Mobile Cooking Facility remains on the Francia Continent. Second, it accumulates in proportion to the amount exchanged when converting this world’s currency into the currency used in the owner’s original world. Third, it can be obtained each time you complete quests that appear at set times or when entering specific situations.—}
“Ah, quests. That part stuck in my head since it’s like a game.”
Thinking of it as not just selling snacks but also playing a game made it easier to understand.
“Next thing I need to ask…”
The food truck’s purpose was ultimately business.
He needed to confirm “exchange” again—the process of converting profits from selling into Korean currency.
“Where do I do the exchange?”
{—It proceeds automatically when inserted into the location where you deposited the coins.—}
“You said I can only exchange money earned from selling things that are edible, right?”
{—That is correct.—}
“Then what about money I receive from selling things that aren’t edible?”
{—Exchange is not possible, and the amount will disappear after a certain period of time, or the moment you return to your original world.—}
“So there’s no point selling anything other than food. What if I get this world’s currency through other means—can I exchange that?”
{—It is not possible.—}
“So I really can only make money by selling food. And the mileage that accumulates each time I exchange—what did you say it’s used for?”
{—It is consumed to upgrade the performance of the Mobile Cooking Facility.—}
“Upgrades? Like what, specifically?”
{—If you press the air with your right index finger, the Mobile Cooking Facility’s status window and a list of available upgrades will be displayed.—}
When Jinseo did as AI said, a rectangular, semi-transparent status window appeared.
{—Owner of the Mobile Cooking Facility: Lee Jinseo
Mobile Cooking Facility Level: 1
Additional Flavor Boost Grade: F-
Achievements Obtained: None
…
Current Upgrade List: None.
Available Upgrades: Additional gas stove installation (Grade B), Dedicated beverage refrigerator installation (Grade C), Beverage vending machine installation (Grade B+), Large speaker installation (Grade A+, can be linked to a large TV)…—}
As Jinseo checked the listed items one by one, his expression twisted into something oddly complicated.
“…Nitro booster? A coating that lets it withstand a dragon’s breath?”
Reading options that had nothing to do with a food truck made an incredulous sigh spill out.
“I don’t know who made this, but the worldbuilding is a total mess.”
Scratching the back of his head, Jinseo looked at the food truck.
“No. Let’s just think about this simply.”
In a situation like this, arguing logic or principles was pointless.
He bought a food truck to sell snacks, so he shifted his focus to what else he could do with this food truck.
With the current setup, it was difficult to sell additional snacks beyond tteokbokki, fried snacks, and soondae.
If he could solve those problems with mileage instead of paying out of pocket, there was nothing bad about it.
“So the key is how quickly I can earn mileage.”
Jinseo slowly scanned the available upgrades, beginning his own analysis.
What he should upgrade first to expand the menu.
Or what upgrades would let him efficiently travel multiple regions, true to the name “food truck.”
“But nitro boosters and durability-enhancing coatings—why would anyone put those on the upgrade list… no, actually, I might need them.”
Just today, Jinseo had been chased by monsters and barely escaped to the area near Falstead Castle.
As that fear resurfaced, Jinseo decided that safety came before business.
“AI, where’s the nearest monster from here?”
{—Within a 10 km radius centered on Falstead Castle… calculating… There are no monsters. Searching beyond that range is not possible at the current level of the Mobile Cooking Facility.—}
“How strong were the monsters I ran into earlier?”
{—They were all Grade E or lower monsters. They do not possess the power or abilities to destroy the Mobile Cooking Facility.—}
“Grade E? Then what about anything above that?”
{—With the current durability of the Mobile Cooking Facility, it can withstand attacks up to Grade A monsters.—}
“I can’t really picture what that means. Fine—if it were you, would you say I should start by upgrading the food truck’s durability? You’re an AI, so you can make that kind of judgment on your own, right?”
{—If it were me… calculating… I determine that unless you leave the Kingdom of Doren, a durability upgrade for the Mobile Cooking Facility is not necessary.—}
“Alright. Got it.”
{—If you have additional questions, please speak.—}
“Just in case—after I go back to Korea, when I come back here again, do I need mana then too?”
{—The required power source is different. It is possible with the original power source.—}
“Ah. So I just need to fill up with gas.”
Only after confirming that returning from this other world to reality—and coming back again—was easy, did Jinseo finally relax.
And it was also reassuring that doing business in this other world with the food truck wasn’t forced or mandatory, but a choice.
“That’s enough for now. I’ll ask if I don’t know something later.”
{—If you need my assistance, you may call my name, or you may press here to summon me at any time.—}
The moment AI finished speaking, the cash box—the same one where he had inserted the coins—sparkled.
With his head throbbing, Jinseo pressed his right hand to his temple and leaned back against the food truck.
“I really don’t know what’s what…”
He couldn’t understand his situation at all.
Why a seemingly ordinary food truck had the function to travel to another world.
What kind of place the Francia Continent actually was.
There were countless unanswered questions, but since thinking about them wouldn’t solve anything, Jinseo stopped.
“Either way, I can do business far away like I wanted.”
It was far, far beyond what he’d expected, but since he could return to Korea, it wasn’t a problem.
“And it seems safer than I thought.”
He had encountered monsters on the way here, but when he asked the guards, they said monsters didn’t come near the castle, which reassured him.
If he went to other regions, that might change, but that was a problem for later.
“Hey, AI.”
{—Yes. Please speak.—}
“Calculate how much the money from selling two tteok-twi-sun sets would be if exchanged into Korean currency.”
A moment later, the calculated amount appeared in the status window, and Jinseo’s eyes widened.
“Even after subtracting ingredient costs and factoring in other expenses… there’s this much left? Selling food here is way more profitable than selling in Korea.”
If he could secure a certain level of sales, there would be no need to keep doing business in Korea.
More than anything, the way people ate his snacks so deliciously had left a deep impression.
Even the old regulars from Jinseo Snack Bar hadn’t eaten with that kind of enthusiasm.
But that only applied if business really did go well here.
He couldn’t be sure the tastes of the two people who had visited his food truck represented the tastes of those living in this unknown world.
“Let’s go back first and think afterward.”
The sun was already half sunk below the horizon, and the evening glow spread wide.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Jinseo suddenly felt exhaustion wash over him. He leaned back into the seat and closed his eyes.
The tension drained out of him so sharply he felt dizzy, but he pressed beneath his tear ducts and forced himself to stay steady.
“Ah, I almost forgot!”
Just before pressing the button inside the storage compartment, Jinseo remembered something and quickly pulled his hand back.
“AI, who made this ridiculous food truck?”
{—The answer to that question is…—}
AI stopped mid-sentence and fell silent.
It wasn’t a question that should require any special calculation, but no answer came.
After about ten minutes, Jinseo began to grow anxious.
Did it break? Don’t tell me I won’t be able to go back to Korea…
{—The answer to Mr. Lee Jinseo’s question is…—}
“Ah! So it’s not broken!”
{—It is currently not possible. I apologize for the delay due to an unexpected issue in the processing procedure.—}
{—And the Mobile Cooking Facility is currently operating normally.—}
“If it breaks, what happens to me?”
{—If the Mobile Cooking Facility enters an irreparable state, magic stored by the original owner will activate and forcibly transfer the current owner to the original world.—}
“So even if it breaks, I can still go back safely, right?”
{—Yes, that is correct.—}
“Fine. Even if I find out who made it, it’s not like I can do anything about it. Either way, I bought it with my own money, so I should just use it well.”
After checking the time on his smartphone, Jinseo reached into the storage compartment and pressed the button.
A powerful light poured down over the food truck.
“L-look over there!”
“Isn’t that the carriage Jason talked about? It just disappeared—what the hell happened?!”
The guards who had been watching from a distance ran over in shock, but not a trace remained.
As the light vanished, Jinseo’s restored vision was swallowed by darkness.
The food truck, with the engine off, was parked on the shoulder, and there were hardly any cars passing on the highway.
“The timing… seems about right.”
The time displayed on his smartphone was 9:35 p.m.
It matched exactly the time Jinseo had left the other world.
The navigation system that had been frozen was now functioning normally, pointing toward his original destination.
Everything else worked fine too.
“I really did come back.”
Jinseo leaned back in the reclined driver’s seat.
Now that he had returned to Korea—his real reality—the events of the other world, the Francia Continent, felt like a dream.
“Hm.” Jinseo pressed his lips together and fell into thought.
Now that he was back in Korea, he didn’t have the courage to head back to the other world again.
This time, he’d gotten back safely thanks to luck, but there was no guarantee it would be the same next time.
“But…”
The sense of accomplishment was completely different.
Up until now, Jinseo had been selling snacks the same way every day, like a machine.
But the faces of the two guards—marveling at his snacks and eating them with such enjoyment—wouldn’t leave his mind.
Food that was treated as nothing special in Korea, dismissed as “just snacks.”
“Yeah. Let’s do this properly.”
Jinseo started the food truck again.