Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Yongsan-gu: Always Clear, Then Cloudy
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"…."
The man stood in front of the counter with a splashing sound the moment he entered the shop.
His vibe screamed "not your average guy," so I sharpened my gaze and glared at him right away.
"……."
He just stood there blankly at the counter, dripping water that never seemed to stop.
His dangling arms trembled like they were uneasy about something.
Why's an Anomaly showing up here?
This thing that belonged in the dead of night had appeared in the morning.
The owner was blissfully unaware, making a burger just for me.
"……."
Should I chase him out? I was about to stand up with a piercing stare when—
"Been waiting long? Oh, a customer. One sec."
The owner finished cooking and brought over the burger.
Unlike the usual ones, this had a bit more variety in toppings.
And it was kid-sized, perfect for easy eating.
"The ingredients are beef patty with mozzarella cheese on top, two strips of bacon, and then…."
"Hey."
"…Yes?"
The man cut off the owner mid-explanation of the burger fillings and shoved his hooded head in close.
At the same time, he placed a hand on her shoulder, making the table jolt!
"Take my order. Order."
"…Yeah, okay. Hang on, Lua. I'll take his order first and then explain yours."
"No. Mine first."
"…Yeah. I'm taking it, aren't I?"
"Take the order."
Ignoring the owner's attempt to pry his hand off her shoulder, the man muttered like a madman.
"Order. Order. Order."
He kept muttering, pushing the owner toward the wall. On the way, he bumped the table, ruining the burger's shape.
"Order… I'll take it."
"You should've died instead of me—set."
"S-sorry, but we don't have that menu… Ugh… It hurts…!"
Mi-ra Owner bit her lip, helpless against his freakish strength.
"……My burger."
I stared blankly at the ruined burger and let out a hollow sigh.
The perfectly balanced sauce was oozing onto the floor, wrecking everything.
"How dare you touch my burger…!!"
This damn gutter rat messing with my burger—my owner?!
"Take the order! You should've died instead of me seh-ku-hek!!"
"Quit with the order order!! Order my ass!!"
I whipped my tail at the guy who was forcefully pinning down the owner's shoulder, sending him flying to the corner of the shop.
Crash!! He rolled across the floor, buried under the scattered tables.
"Owner! You okay?!"
"Uh…. Yeah…."
Her legs gave out, and her shoulder was slightly red.
"This damn gutter rat…!!"
Unbearable rage boiled up, and I approached the buried man.
With each step, pale pink flames—dragon fire—flickered from my mouth, leaving a trail.
Clatter—The man struggled up from under the table.
I closed in on the guy who was generating this much water without any source and pinned his upper body with my tail.
"Hey. What's your problem."
"Guh…!"
"I get you've been waiting, and she's taking your order. But what? 'You should've died instead of me set'?"
Even if he was an Anomaly, I'd have let him order quietly like a normal person. But the moment he attacked the owner, he crossed the line.
I pressed down on his chest with strength no mere brute force could escape, feeling his ribs crack little by little.
"Sorry, sir. We don't sell that crap here."
"…Graaah!"
Before becoming a dragon, I'd worked part-time at a meat joint.
Guys ordering off-menu there always had egos through the roof.
"How about we talk outside? No point if other customers see."
"Kieee!! Spare me!!"
I wrapped his legs with my tail and dragged him out of the shop.
Anyway, dealing with assholes like this?
"Come on. You messed up, so take the spanking."
Just bruise their ego like scolding a kid.
Of course, back when I was human, I never actually hit anyone.
My size intimidated them—that was it.
"Graaah!!"
Bam!! I lifted his body with my tail and slammed him down hard. The raincoat guy flopped like a freshly caught fish.
Vivid as a documentary scene.
Freshly caught today—super fresh!
Every hit burst water from his coat, giving that satisfying game-like impact feel.
"Hah! Hah! Summoning this much water without any around!"
"Kiek! Hweeeek!!"
The man could do nothing but flop on the ground over and over.
Under the earth-shaking force, he soon went limp.
I flicked up his soggy raincoat with my tail to peek underneath.
"…What?! He's a real fish!"
His head wasn't human—it was a fish. A disgustingly ugly, month-boiled catfish.
"Ugh…. Stinks."
I gripped his legs tight with my tail and spun him like a hammer throw.
"Hweeeeeek!!"
"Go be a star in the universe!"
The moment centrifugal force kicked in at max speed, I launched him sky-high.
Whoosh—!
The arc from his water trail became a little shooting star from Earth.
"…Phew. Don't ever come back to our burger shop."
I shook the gross water off my tail, restoring its soft sheen.
Checked for other Anomalies nearby, then headed back inside.
"Owner, I'm back… Eek…"
The shop was a disaster.
Tables and chairs from the collision were all toppled everywhere.
Ketchup packets, tissues, pepper shakers scattered haphazardly….
"………."
My pupils narrowed to slits as cold sweat dripped. I turned my head.
My eyes met the owner's—fury, relief, and regaining composure.
"I'm sorry!!"
I slammed my head to the floor in apology.
I'd stepped up to protect her, but ended up making a mess.
A rampaging dragon….
"…It's fine. At least we're alive."
"No…! The shop because of me…!!"
"Surviving an Anomaly like that is a miracle. If not for you, Lua, I'd be gone already."
The owner said it was okay and got to cleaning without another word.
"I'll help!"
"Sure? Pick up the pepper shakers from the floor then."
"Yes! H-heh-choo! Hngh!"
"…? Why sniff pepper all of a sudden."
"Not that—my wings…! Wings flapping, pepper in my nose!! Puhehng!!"
The culprit helped tidy with tiny hands.
My wings wouldn't calm down, so I inhaled a ton of pepper as a bonus.
The shop was spotless now—no trace of the chaos.
"Less damage than I thought. Good job helping."
"Yesh…. Owner too hard work…."
"Nose okay? It's super red."
"F-fine…."
Too much pepper up my nose triggered allergy-like symptoms, giving me a stuffy voice.
"Here. Sniff."
"Sniff!!"
The owner held tissue to my nose. I sniffed hard, blowing out the pepper.
…Wait, I'm a 30-something dude inside. Is this okay?
"Nose clear? Now eat your burger."
"Weh?!"
As self-loathing hit, she scooped me up and plopped me back at the table with my burger.
…Right. I'm not human anymore.
I'm an Anomaly. Acting like a kid's fine.
"……."
My simple brain looped as I eyed the burger waiting patiently for its owner.
"…?"
I spotted something: bun, patty, veggies separated into ham/bur/ger bits.
"Nooo, my burger!!"
I clutched my head in despair.
The vibrations from disciplining Fish-head had wrecked it more.
"My burger… Wuung… All gone…."
Still a burger, so I reassembled it with tiny hands and shoved it in.
Cold now, no warmth left—but the juices were intact.
Salty, fishy cheese aroma with crisp cabbage and tomato harmony.
Plus bacon and beef patty combo? What can I say.
"Violence…! This is violence!"
Like a cop holding you at gunpoint, forcing you to gorge.
"Yum…! Uhhehe!"
"Tasty, huh?"
"Yes! Delish!"
Even cold, a burger's a burger.
I savored it, never forgetting that.
One regret: sauce everywhere, soggy bun.
Missed that subtly soft, shape-holding bread.
Fish in the raincoat… Come back, and I'll slice sashimi with my claws.
Kid-sized, so I finished quick.
"…Haaah. Thanks for the meal!"
Worried it'd leave me hungry, but it filled me up fine.
Tiny body perks.
Belly full, I waddled over with the tray as she refilled pepper.
"All done already?"
She took the tray with a warm smile.
"Yes! All gone! I'm heading out!"
"Already? Digest first."
"Still… Feels like I caused trouble today…."
"Nah, it's fine. Don't worry. Get home safe."
"…Yes! See you tomorrow!"
Expressing no more trouble, she patted my head reluctantly and saw me off.
The stunning white-haired beauty watched the dragon girl fly into the sky, then went back in.
This graceful form…! Burger goddess!
"Hmm…. Anything I can do to help…."
Felt like I was just racking up debt. Needed to do something.
Can't hand over gold bars realistically. So, pondered immediate help for her livelihood.
"…Dragon taxi? Nah, wings not skilled enough. Crash? Disaster."
Transport savings? Current flapping level—nope.
"Peep?"
Cute dragon girl as mascot for promo….
"Forget promo—I'd get nabbed by the Management Bureau…."
Unrealistic ideas drew a groan.
How to actually help the owner?
I floated high among clouds, away from eyes, clenching and unclenching fists thoughtfully.
"……."
Gaze fixed on the distant burger shop.
"…Huh?"
Suddenly noticed lots of people passing the back alley.
But weirdly, none entered the alley itself.
"They go into other alleys fine…?"
Even darker spots than the shop area.
Something's keeping people away, I sensed.
Then, something staggering appeared in the alley.
Wobbling walk like a childhood roly-poly toy come alive….
Narrowed eyes to slits, analyzed closely. Judgment clear.
"Gotcha."
Without that guy… Mi-ra Owner's burger shop would boom.