Chapter 69: The Marquis’s Counterattack? (2)
Chapter 69: The Marquis’s Counterattack? (2)
(69/225)
Vrrrm.
As Jinseo drove the food truck forward, his view filled with trees sprouting fresh buds.
By Korean standards, February was still far too early for spring, but in the Doren Kingdom on the Francia Continent, signs of the season were already everywhere.
I figured spring would arrive early here.
Because of that, Jinseo ended sales of steamed buns, roasted sweet potatoes, and roasted chestnuts—items that had been limited to winter—earlier than planned. Some customers still sought them out regardless of the season, but since those foods were best enjoyed in winter, he told them to wait until the next one.
Afterward, Foltan left word that he could be called anytime if needed, then returned to the guard unit.
Come to think of it, this is my second on-site catering job.
It’s been quite a while since the first one at Marquis Hasrak’s estate.
After moving to the teleportation point closest to the requesting estate, Jinseo covered the remaining distance by food truck.
“Wow… seeing the scenery like this is amazing.”
Jason, seated in the passenger seat, was completely absorbed in the rapidly passing landscape. At first, he had leaned his upper body far out the window, but after being scolded by Jinseo, he sat properly in his seat.
Oswald, who had arranged this on-site catering, was riding in the additional trailer. Aston was with him as well, but this time, instead of acting as a cook, he was serving as his father’s escort.
It’s already been about three weeks since I came back to the Francia Continent…
Yet the week I spent on the Ashred Continent feels like just yesterday.
Jinseo glanced at the object hanging beneath the rearview mirror and flicked it lightly with his fingertip.
It was an accessory given as a symbol of goodwill by the dwarves. The thumb-sized, hip-flask-shaped item, made of Adatium, concealed an unexpected effect.
{Name: Dwarf Mini Hip Flask Made for a True Friend}
{Effect: When installed on mobile cooking equipment, protects the mobile cooking equipment from powerful external attacks.}
{Additional Effect: If the Essence of Beer inside is consumed, the damaged body is instantly restored at the cost of temporarily losing memories for a certain period.}
They say beer is the water of life…Does it really have the power to restore life?
Jinseo briefly considered testing whether the Essence of Beer truly had such an effect, but quickly dropped the idea. There might come a time when he would genuinely need it, and it wasn’t something he could afford to waste.
“Look over there! That deer is running alongside the food truck at the same speed—ah, it fell behind.”
Jason was still utterly captivated by the scenery outside.
Seeing him unable to stay still like a child, Jinseo let out a small chuckle.
“At least you don’t seem as tense anymore.”
Jason, who had wanted more than anyone to participate in the on-site catering, had grown visibly agitated once departure day arrived. Even so, up until the previous day, he had cut down on sleep and devoted himself to cooking practice so he wouldn’t become a burden to Jinseo.
He had even quit TeXris for quite a while because of it.
“This is my first on-site catering job, after all. I’m fine right now, but I think I’ll get tense again once we arrive. And it’s my first time traveling by food truck, too, so that made me nervous in a different way.”
“Was that so? Ah—come to think of it, you’re right.”
Jinseo had traveled to many places with Jason while running the business, but it had always been via teleportation points.
“Besides, I didn’t expect us to go this fast. I was really scared at first, but now this sense of speed feels incredibly refreshing. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to ride another carriage again.”
“Want to go even faster?”
“Even faster than this?”
“It’s possible if we use the nitro booster… but since others are riding with us, let’s refrain for now.”
He sometimes forgot, since Oswald was such a familiar regular customer, that Oswald’s actual status was Lord of the Castle.
He couldn’t let others see him vomiting the moment they arrived.
When the food truck appeared inside the garden of the estate, where the party was already in full swing, everyone’s gaze converged on a single point.
“Oh, so that’s the food truck we’ve only heard about in rumors…”
“I heard they only sell something called bunsik near Falstead Castle. I never thought I’d encounter it here.”
“They say bunsik is incredibly delicious. I’m really looking forward to tasting it.”
Amid the concentrated attention, Jinseo stepped down from the food truck and surveyed the garden.
This may be the second time, but it’s still an atmosphere I can’t get used to.
Gentle music drifted through the air. Guests dressed in attire that proclaimed their noble status at a glance mingled throughout the space, and on tables set up everywhere were dishes that looked crude to Jinseo’s eyes, yet were considered luxurious by Francia Continent standards.
In Korea, this would have been a setting where bunsik could never be served.
But since the request had come through Oswald—and since the atmosphere here clearly held bunsik in high regard—Jinseo had no reason to dislike it.
“Then first… Jason?”
“……”
“Come on, relax. Let’s change clothes first.”
Jinseo led Jason, who stood frozen with cold sweat dripping down his back, into the additional trailer.
A short while later, the two of them—now changed into cooking uniforms—entered the kitchen and began preparing the bunsik. Instead of the familiar green plates typical of a bunsik shop, Jinseo carefully took out the high-quality plates Oswald had procured, laying them out one by one.
“Today, I can’t mess up… can’t mess up…”
Still unable to fully relax, Jason muttered to himself as he skewered sausages onto wooden sticks.
“Jason? There’s no need to prepare hot dogs today. You didn’t forget that today’s menu is limited to the tteokbokki set, did you?”
“Ah! Right! I’m sorry!”
Startled, Jason hurriedly put the sausages away and took out the rice cakes instead.
Once he finally collected himself, he prepared the bunsik as he always did, carefully maintaining his focus.
Even so, Jinseo’s expression remained stiff.
He still couldn’t understand the demand made by Count Wilson, who was speaking with Oswald in the distance.
No matter how I think about it, something’s strange. Only the tteokbokki set, and nothing else?I expected him to ask for something new.
Count Wilson, who had requested the on-site catering, had insisted that the food served at the party be limited exclusively to the tteokbokki set. Another odd point was that the original request—scheduled for a week later—had been postponed twice at the client’s request.
“The tteokbokki is ready!”
“What about the gimbap?”
“All the ingredients are sliced. We just need to roll them as orders come in!”
Once a request was accepted, the top priority was always the same: to serve delicious bunsik.
After finishing preparations in no time, all that remained for Jinseo and Jason was to bring joy to guests who had never tasted bunsik before.