“You can’t eat that!”
Han Seha was the type of person to act before speaking, so even before she finished her sentence, she had already swung her sword in order to sweep the food off the table.
However, Choi Yeonseung was a martial artist, so he naturally predicted her move before she made it. He instantly picked up the bowl and stepped aside.
As a result, only the bowl that Golodat was eating from fell off.
“...”
Golodat didn’t even register what had just happened. He merely blinked in disbelief, his expression dumbfounded.
Choi Yeonseung kindly explained, “These aren’t dishes from this realm. I’ve just cooked them myself.”
“Ah! I see! I’m glad.”
Still in disbelief, Golodat glared at Han Seha, who was sighing in relief.
“What... about the apology?”“Apology? Ah. Sorry.”
“Well, as long as you realize....”
“I can’t believe you spilled the food he worked so hard to cook.”
“...”
Seeing that Golodat was lost for words, Choi Yeonseung casually waved his hand to reassure him.
“She did it out of concern. It happens.”
“Are you joking right now...?”
Golodat burst into anger and tried to argue, but Choi Yeonseung and Han Seha had already walked away.
Kalasnegen summoned a water spirit, seemingly feeling sorry for the werewolf.
Golodate muttered, “...Thank you.”
“Huh? For what?”
“Didn’t you summon it to help me clean myself?”
“No... I summoned it to wipe the table. Don’t you know how to wash yourself?”
“...”
Golodat seriously considered fighting this naga once again.
***
“First of all, several household members are currently being held captive.”
“They were caught because they were stupid. Can’t we just leave them on their own?” wondered Han Seha.
“Among them is your younger sister...”
“I can’t believe they were so stupid that my sister got caught! That’s all the more reason I can’t forgive them!”
Han Seha was genuinely furious, and Choi Yeonseung was slightly impressed by her attitude. Having an unwavering mentality regardless of the circumstances was definitely an advantage for a hunter.
Golodat flinched next to them. It hadn’t been his fault, and he was the only one who had escaped the clutches of the chef constellation.
“Just leave those household members!”
“I can’t do that... In any case, I don’t know what the other household members are planning, but I don’t want us to overdo it.”
Choi Yeonseung was serious. He was going through this realm in order to accomplish his goal, but he didn’t seriously intend to kill the chef constellation.
‘It’s too dangerous if I can’t properly use my powers.’
The primary goal was to rescue the captured household members. That alone would be profitable enough in this raid. After he rescued them, their masters would give him all kinds of rewards.
Of course, the constellations who had been humiliated by the chef constellation would want revenge, but that was none of Choi Yeonseung’s business.
“Yeah, I don’t intend to overdo it either.” Han Seha nodded immediately.
At that, Choi Yeonseung asked quizzically, “Didn’t you come here at the orders of your constellation?”
“No? I’m just here because you asked us to come.”
[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ complains in a frustrated manner.]
The hound constellation grumbled. It wasn’t like it wanted to receive unconditional reverence from its household members like other constellations. It just wished there was less mistreatment...
“You two seem to be close.”
“I guess we are.”
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says they feel as close as the incarnation and itself.]
-I can’t believe they have such a relationship.
In any case, it wasn’t a bad thing that Han Seha had a good relationship with her constellation, given that mortals were bound to suffer in some way after they made a contract with strange constellations.
“Now, have something to eat.”
“Thank you.”
“...?”
Golodat felt something was off.
The bowl Choi Yeonseung gave to Han Seha was different. The dish had a vibrant hue to it, and more than anything, it radiated great magic power.
No matter how Golodat looked at it, this dish seemed to be ten times better than the one he had tried to eat…
“...Choi Yeonseung? Can I ask you something I’m curious about?”
“What?”
“I-Isn’t this dish different from what you cooked earlier?”
“It is different. I used different ingredients for this one.”
What Choi Yeonseung had served Golodat and Kalasnegen was fried rice roughly made from the ingredients lying around.
Of course, even if the ingredients were terrible, the food would still be tasty and have a good effect if the chef was skilled enough. However, if he used proper ingredients, he could come up with something even greater.
Choi Yeonseung had cooked Han Seha a dish with the finest ingredients from his spare warehouse.
“It’s really delicious!”
“Yes, make sure to finish it!”
Choi Yeonseung smiled brightly as he watched Han Seha enjoy his food.
Golodat was drooling so much that a large puddle had formed underneath him.
“Me... Me too...”
“Didn’t you say you were full?”
“...Yes, but...”
Golodat was a glutton, and it probably had something to do with the fact that he was serving the gourmet constellation.
The scent and the waves of magic power emanating from Han Seha’s dish was driving him crazy. It looked so delicious!
He optimistically thought he could eat some if there were any leftovers, but Han Seha swiftly cleaned her entire bowl.
“Thanks for the meal!”
“Alright, then shall we get going?”
“...”
Even though he had eaten, Golodat seemed more scraggy than before.
-Master, please help me! This is really painful!
[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ says to be patient.]
[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ says that you sometimes have to suppress your desires.]
-Is that so?
Golodat reflected slightly after hearing his master’s words. Indeed, being greedy in enemy territory…
[The ‘Endless Gourmet Seeker’ asks if you would like to sell the dish.]
“...Wait, Golodat. Your master is asking if I want to sell my food. Did you tell him you want to eat it? I’ll cook it for you later when I get a chance, but if I also have to do it for your constellation...”
“I never did that?! M-Master??”
The Endless Gourmet Seeker pretended not to hear Golodat.
***
The quick-witted mortals were roughly aware of the rules of this realm.
If they ate food prepared by the chef constellation’s minions, they would get captured. In a way, it was a simple and easy rule to circumvent, but the morals who came in were caught one by one.
“N... No! No!”
“Shit! I took a sip of water!”
The mortals who got very hungry and thirsty mistakenly broke the rule.
The power of the realm gradually wore down the mortals. In Choi Yeonseung’s case, he could solve the problem by cooking himself, but now all mortals could do that.
“...”
Joseph Grant, an A-grade hunter from the United Kingdom, ate an energy bar that had been made from all sorts of foods essential for dungeon raids and drank some water. He hadn’t expected that the basic rations for hunters would prove so useful in this situation.
“That’s where I saw it earlier. Did you check it?”
“Yes.”
“Step aside. I’ll tear it down and make a path.”
There were many labyrinths in the dungeon that prevented intruders from entering, but an A-grade hunter was bound to find a few ways to overcome such an obstacle.
[The ‘Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield’ presents ‘A Commander’s Intuition.’]
Among the repetitive terrains, Joseph Grant found a place with particularly potent magic power and swung his weapon.
With the crashing sound of shattering stone, Joseph Grant created a new path.
…But it just led to another food alley.
“...”
“...”
The hunters who followed Joseph Grant looked like they would pass out at any moment.
‘These sorry bastards might not last much longer.’
All the hunters that were with him also served the Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield. However, this didn’t mean they had the same status as Joseph. He was part of the constellation’s household, whereas the rest were just ordinary subordinates.
In the first place, there was no way that the general constellation, who was cold and strict, would treat a bunch of servants the same way he treated an A-grade hunter.
‘I’ll sacrifice them if necessary.’
Joseph Grant thought it was best to use these hunters before they succumbed to their hunger. If they would go missing anyway, wasn’t it better to be useful before that?
‘I must be the one who rescues the hostages.’
Joseph Grant had originally come here to represent the Iron-Blooded General Who Shakes the Battlefield, but the hostage situation was far more important.
First of all, household members were always valuable, especially if they were hunters from Earth. This time, a large number of high-level hunters had been captured!
If he somehow managed to save them, Joseph would gain tremendous power and popularity on Earth.
Of course, Joseph Grant wasn’t a terrorist, so he wouldn’t declare something like “If you don’t come up with a good price, I won’t give them back.”
He could just stay put because the governments of their respective countries would come with an appropriate price on their own. That was how valuable those hunters were.
“Ben Nacht!”
Joseph Grant’s expression hardened when he spotted a familiar face in the distance.
He was the German A-grade hunter, Ben Nacht. There was no way Joseph wouldn’t have recognized a man who looked more like a soldier than a hunter.
Why was this bastard here?
‘Is he here to get his hands on the hostages?’
Joseph Grant became anxious. He couldn’t afford to be slower than other hunters, even if they were also household members.
If someone got ahead of him, he would lose all those juicy rewards…
“It’s been a while, Nacht. Good to see you.”
“Don’t come any closer, Grant,” replied Ben Nacht in a cold tone.
Joseph Grant had a reputation for using and discarding hunters like chess pieces. In addition, Ben Nacht wasn’t very close to him to begin with.
Since they were in an unknown corner of the Abyss, Ben had to be even more vigilant. He couldn’t tell when this guy would swing his sword at him.
Joseph Grant wondered, “Are you here to rescue the hostages?”
“...”
Ben Nacht was silent, which confirmed Joseph’s suspicions. Ben was a terrible liar, so he didn’t even bother.
‘Shit, he’s actually here to rescue them! I didn’t think I’d have competition.’
Joseph Grant thought he had to take advantage of this situation. They were both A-grade hunters, but they were also very different.
If Ben Nacht was more like a soldier who always faithfully carried out his duties, Joseph was the type of hunter who always tried to maximize profit.
Of course, Ben wouldn’t trust Joseph and let his guard down...
‘It doesn’t matter. It’s enough to mess with him.’
“Hey Ben, it looks like your subordinates are hungry and exhausted. It must be heartbreaking, huh…”
Ben refused to answer, but Joseph didn’t back down.
“Well, people are bound to suffer if their leader is incompetent. Don’t you feel sorry for your subordinates? I know the secrets of this place.”
“!”
Of course, that was a lie, but it wouldn’t matter once he bested them all. They were both A-grade hunters, so Ben Nacht wouldn’t manage to just jump and kill him...
“What is it?” Ben asked reluctantly after a while.
At that, Joseph Grant suppressed a smile and said, “Of course, I can’t just tell you. Will you cooperate? I’ll only help you if you do that. I need you and your subordinates to be my tankers.”
“...”
Ben Nacht gritted his teeth and thought about it.
“Nacht! You don't have to listen to him. We can solve it without help.”
“That’s right!”
His subordinates tried to dissuade him, but Ben Nacht wasn’t sure how long they could keep going. What if his stubbornness led to the death of his peers…?
“This isn’t Earth. Why do I see so many hunters?”
Right then, Choi Yeonseung suddenly appeared from behind and curiously looked at both A-grade hunters.
“...Choi Yeonseung!”
“I see some familiar faces. What are you doing here?”
“Joseph Grant apparently knows the secrets of this realm... We were trying to negotiate.”
“Oh, is that true?”
Choi Yeonseung was surprised. He had found his way here using his strength and skills, but apparently this guy knew the secret of this realm.
If he found out what it was, his mission would get significantly easier.
“What is it?”
“...I can’t tell you.”
Joseph Grant was taken aback by the unexpected guest, but he didn’t back down.
At his refusal, Choi Yeonseung and Han Seha exchanged looks.
“Then we’ll have to force it out of you.”
“Wow, I was about to suggest just that! I had the same intention!”
The two of them immediately drew their weapons.
Joseph Grant went ghostly pale.
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