Chapter 4
Chapter 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Hamburgers and Anomalies
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The hamburger patties were so overflowing it was hard to even eat them, juices dripping everywhere.
Is this the power of a 28,000-won hamburger?!
And I get to eat this for a mere 5,000 won?
"I'll eat well!"
Drooling uncontrollably at the incredibly generous setup, just as I was about to dive face-first into it, the owner flicked my forehead.
"Kiiing!"
"There's a fork and knife right here, so don't mess up the table. Ah... do I need to show you how?"
She must've thought I'd lost all humanity and turned into a beast.
In response to her kind offer to teach me, I picked up the fork and knife to show I knew how.
"Eek, ack..."
They weren't particularly heavy, but... my hands were just too small, and I kept fumbling the grip.
The fork was fine, but my shaky hold on the knife wasn't cutting the burger—it was just squishing it flat.
"Sigh, give it here."
"Ming?"
I was desperately trying to turn the hamburger into ham/burger pieces when the owner, fed up, snatched the utensils from my hands and started slicing it with expert ease.
As her skilled hands made contact, the burger parted smoothly like cake.
"There. Now you can eat."
"......"
"What're you staring at? Don't tell me you want me to feed you?"
A halo seemed to glow around the owner as she held out the fork, offering to feed me directly.
A goddess.
The Hamburger Goddess!
"...Wueeng."
"W-Why are you crying?! Did I do something wrong?"
"I... I've had it so rough... Waaah!!"
Seeing that, a wave of pent-up grievance hit me, tears streaming down as I shoved the long-awaited first bite into my mouth.
"Ungnyang... All I wanted was one hamburger... Sniff... But that weird old man kept chasing me away..."
"R-Right, I see..."
The owner looked stunned watching me eat my tear-soaked burger, then wiped the grease from my mouth with a napkin.
"Th-Thank youuu... Angnyang..."
"Either eat the tears or the burger, not both."
"Krueng..."
If this kept up, I'd only remember the taste of tears instead of the burger, so I forced back my sobs.
It had only been three days, but those three days without the concept of hamburgers had been utter torment for me.
"...Mmm!"
"Is it good? Tasty enough?"
As I savored the burger in bliss, the owner, subtly curious about my reaction, asked about the taste.
"Yes! Super delishy!!"
This burger was tastier than any I'd eaten back in my human days, hands down.
The handmade beef patties struck a perfect balance—not too salty, not too greasy.
The veggies and sauce complemented each other in perfect harmony, without overpowering one another.
"Even an anomaly thinks it's good. Glad to hear it."
With my cheeks puffed out like a hamster's, I nodded vigorously, and the owner gave a shy smile.
Now, for the moment of truth: the french fries...
"Hic! Urk!"
I went for a bite of the fragrant fries, but the instant my tongue touched them, a chilling revulsion twisted my senses, making my tail curl up.
Not again.
Whenever I tried anything but burgers, my body always rebelled like this.
"Don't like the fries? They're super tasty too."
The owner picked one up and crunched into it, the sound like biting into a potato chip.
"No... I want to, but I can't..."
"Allergy or something? Got it. I'll eat these for you."
She pulled out the chair across from me and sat down, starting a belated dinner together.
A pinkish dragon girl with red-rimmed eyes devouring her burger.
A cool beauty with snow-white hair elegantly munching fries.
A bizarre yet harmonious scene unfolded in the hamburger shop.
"Ungnyang..."
"Drooling again."
"Sorry... Chomp... It's just too good, I can't help it!"
"Fine, fine. How could I complain when you're enjoying it this much?"
No matter how small she cut the burger, my tiny mouth had its limits. As the meal progressed, the table turned into a glorious mess.
"Puhah... I'm stuffed..."
After finishing, I let out a cute little burp and patted my slightly plump belly.
I'd missed this taste so much.
The violent, calorie-laden bliss that ignored any thought of health...
"Grrrng..."
My predator slit pupils shifted back to the round ones of a herbivore.
My tail drooped limply, wings folding neatly against my back.
Even my sharp horns felt a bit duller now.
"Hey. Meal's over—want to clean up?"
"...Huh?"
"I need to head home soon. It's way past closing time."
Following her pointing finger, I spotted an antique clock on the wall.
"...9 o'clock!"
"Yeah, 9 PM. We close at 8."
Any normal restaurant would've shut down ages ago.
I felt bad for making her waste her precious time on me.
"Um... excuse me..."
I timidly pressed my index fingers together, peeking at her expression.
Just maybe, if I was lucky...
Would she take me in?
I was confident I'd make a great custom pet.
Feed me one burger a day—no fancy stuff needed.
I was cuter than I thought.
And I was a dragon.
"Sorry, but no matter how you look at me, I'm not adopting you."
"Kiiing?! How'd you know!?"
"Your eyes give it away. Stray cats picking their mark look just like that."
"Still...! Can't you keep me!?"
The sharp-eyed owner deftly cleared my table while shaking her head in refusal.
"I can't even afford a pet. Let alone live with an anomaly—too scary."
"I-I don't eat people!"
"What if your eyes roll back and you try chowing down on me?"
She had a point.
Asking a total stranger I just met today to take me in was ridiculous.
This back-alley burger joint didn't get much business anyway. And I was an anomaly, not human.
"Sorry for bothering you..."
"Nah, it was fun."
She flashed a kind smile and patted my head.
"C-Can I come back?"
"Anytime you have the cash. No more freebies, though."
"...Yes! I'll repay this kindness someday!"
"That'd be great for me."
I gave a rumbling purr and bowed deeply to the owner.
28,000 won... Just 28,000 won, and I could eat the Hamburger Goddess's burgers again!
"Take care!"
"You too. Get home safe."
Fully recharged and smiling happily, I left the shop.
The ruddy evening sky had turned deep blue before I knew it.
What a tumultuous day—my life flashed before my eyes.
"Some lady I bumped into treated me like a monster... Then that weird old man chewed me out..."
Warmth lingered where she'd stroked my head.
"But... I met a good person at the end..."
A fateful encounter in the back alley.
I'd never forget this bond.
I'd repay it and make that shop thrive.
"I'll succeed someday and buy burgers there every day!"
With that, I left the legendary burger joint behind and found a spot worthy of a hideout to curl up for the night.
Wrapping my tail around as a pillow was always so comfy.
The next morning.
"...What the hell is that?"
Flying high, I headed back to Lua’s Hamburger—only for my eyes to behold a horrific sight.
"Why are those things there...?"
I thought I'd peeled off all the grotesque flesh clumps, but somehow they'd grown rampant, blanketing the entire alley.
Even the entrance was packed solid with the stuff.
"...!!"
Catching a faint whiff of hamburger from there, my pupils narrowed to slits, and I dove in.
Squiiiish!! Charging the flesh blocking the entrance, red skin exploded everywhere.
"Owner...! Owner!!"
Calling desperately for the kind owner from last night, I pushed through the writhing mass.
A hellscape in broad daylight—but strangely, the area felt eerily peaceful.
Even in a back alley, this much flesh should've drawn cops. Why was everyone ignoring it?
"Is this visible only to me...?"
Slipping past the flesh trying to keep its distance from me, I reached the hamburger shop.
The once elegant sign now flickered irregularly, its pristine vibe gone.
"......"
Slowly parting the flesh feast, I opened the shop door.
Ding~ The chime's pleasant ring now grated discordantly.
"...Ugh. You're... back..."
The owner lay bound to the wall, engulfed in flesh.
"Did you... bring money...?"
Utterly oblivious to her own state.
I remembered clearing all the flesh yesterday.
So why was there more today—worse than before?
I peeled off the flesh devouring her bit by bit. It screeched in ugly protest.
Plop— Carefully freeing her limbs, then her head and torso last, she collapsed limply into my arms.
"...Don't touch the owner."
As the flesh moved to reclaim her from me, I bared my teeth and glared.
"She's the one who gave me a hamburger! Get lost!"
The flesh recoiled from my rising killing intent. I scorched them all to ash with ferocious flames.
Whoosh— Cherry blossom flames swirled, bringing silence.
"Owner...! Owner!"
"Mmm..."
Laying her gently on the floor to check, I saw no major injuries.
"Where'd you pick these things up from!?"
"Dunno..."
Stroking her cheek with my tail, she grabbed it and murmured softly.
"Nothing weird last night? Like your shoulders feeling light again, then heavy?"
"That... happened right after I got home yesterday..."
"Home...!"
That was it.
Yesterday, after I removed the flesh, she said she'd felt lighter.
But it got heavy again once she reached home.
Putting the clues together, I was sure where these flesh things spawned.
"...Tell me your home address!"
"Yongsan-gu, Moonlight Villa 403..."
"Moonlight Villa 403...!"
Her sanctuary, where she should rest easy.
That's where the grotesque flesh was coming from.
"Rest up!!"
"...Mmm. Let me pet your tail more..."
I pried her hand off my tail, substituting a similar-textured plastic bottle, then rocketed into the sky.
"...Found it!"
It didn't take long to spot the villa—now so ominously creepy my tail stood on end.