Chapter 14

Chapter 14. Mind-Blowing Sales

Tri-Color Kimchi Fried Rice with Steak, six sets. Saffron Risotto with Steak, one set. A total of seven sets were ordered, and I began cooking. As expected, Kimchi Fried Rice set orders were overwhelmingly dominant. 'They must have been craving spicy food so badly...'

Soon I filled three pans with pre-fried Kimchi Fried Rice and cooked three servings at a time over high heat, rotating between pans and tossing with practiced wok movements. 'I feel like a Chinese chef.'

The cuisines I'm most confident in are Italian and Korean food. Second is French. Then Japanese. The one I'm least confident in is Chinese. Nevertheless, I can handle basic Chinese dishes and wok techniques quite well. So I served the dishes one after another. Even while cooking, I kept my ears tuned to the customers' reactions. 'Honestly, I didn't expect much, but this is freaking delicious!'

'Earlier, I overheard that chef talking with that man about working at a Michelin restaurant, and it's definitely different.'

'The Kimchi Fried Rice I knew wasn't real Kimchi Fried Rice... I guess dishes really do taste better with quality ingredients.'

That's true. Dishes taste better when you use good ingredients. It's what many chefs say in unison. If you use good ingredients and bring out their natural flavors well, the food can't help but be delicious. They say the chef just gives it a slight touch. 'Though I only half agree with that saying.'

Using good ingredients does get you halfway there, that's true. But the other half is definitely the chef's skill. Think of it like painting—using good paints and good paper doesn't automatically make a masterpiece. Cooking is also an art of expressing flavor. While I was lost in these random thoughts. "What is this...?"

Someone approached my food stall location with a puzzled expression. Looking at the shield and sword emblem on the right chest of his armor, he was a guild member from the guild currently guarding the Outpost. The guard looked at me and asked. "How did a food stall appear here?"

A question I'd heard several times today. I answered like a parrot again. "These are things I brought with my Subspace Storage skill."

"What? All this? That's possible?"

"Yes. When I somehow shoved it all in, surprisingly it fit. Haha..."

The lies keep piling up. "Ahem! In any case, you can't open a food stall without permission like this."

It's true that you can't open a food stall just anywhere. But this is a Rift. It's not owned by any nation or anyone. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, not exactly a problem, but still, since you're doing business in a place our guild is currently protecting, you should have asked for permission first..."

While speaking, his gaze was fixed on the food the other Hunters were eating. Then the gourmet scarred man who'd been watching grinned and put his arm around the guard's shoulders. "Now, now, guard. Don't nitpick and try some yourself. It's to die for."

Soon he speared a piece of leftover steak with his fork and shoved it into the guard's mouth. "I'm still on duty—mmph!"

The guard ate the piece of steak that was forcibly inserted into his mouth. His eyes widened immediately. "It's delicious...!"

He swallowed the meat in his mouth and smacked his lips. "Maybe it's because I've only eaten dried meat until now, but why is this cold steak so delicious...?"

"Tsk tsk! That Tri-Color Kimchi Fried Rice is even more delicious—don't you want to try it?"

"...Is it really that good?"

He soon looked at the menu I'd written and asked me sheepishly. "Um... Could you possibly take my order on credit? I'll bring Magic Stones after my shift ends and pay..."

"Yes, go ahead."

In the end, he committed the atrocity of buying food during work hours. So I continued doing business until I'd sold out all forty servings I'd prepared. I sold out completely. "Ah, I should have just eaten without hesitating..."

"I just drooled for nothing."

Hunters expressing regret belatedly. So I successfully wrapped up the first day of business. The gourmet man who'd primed the pump hadn't been visible since the early-to-mid part of business hours. 'Whoever you are, thank you.'

The income I earned was forty Lowest-Grade Magic Stones. I made twelve million won in sales on the first day. 'I haven't even started selling in earnest yet and it's already this much.'

***

The next day, I continued doing business. This time I sold pasta and steak sets. I sold out all forty sets I'd prepared. More than ten of the forty sets were purchased by the guard Hunters. The guard Hunter who'd bought food on credit during his shift yesterday had spread word to his fellow guild members that the food was delicious. 'It's a bit disappointing that the scarred man who helped the day before isn't visible.'

I wanted to treat him to a free meal. According to the guard who'd bought on credit, he doesn't even bring Porters and exclusively hunts solo—a B+-rank Hunter. Apparently he's quite famous here. 'Like a wandering mercenary—that's cool.'

Moreover, he's supposedly a former executive at a major corporation. In any case, by doing business for two days I earned a total of eighty Lowest-Grade Magic Stones. And business day three. Today is the decisive day. The day I sell food with actual stat bonuses attached. 'Apparently quite a few parties and guilds that went hunting far away are returning to the Outpost today.'

There's even supposedly a ranker guild returning from hunting on the third floor. I got that information from the guard who'd bought on credit. According to him, most Hunters stationed here are low-ranked Hunters who hunt relatively safely only in areas near the Outpost. 'So their income is inevitably relatively low. Though it must be more than the first floor.'

On the other hand, parties or guilds that go hunting far away for several days apparently make quite a bit of money. Their Hunter ranks are correspondingly higher. They'll be the main customers for today's business. The main ingredients for today's cooking are two things. For the stat dish: Drake sirloin. For the buff dish: Applecherry. Both are things I obtained from the Rift floor where I was with Ria. 'To succeed with the Blessing of Dexterity skill, making the food well is important, but rare ingredients were most important.'

No matter how well I cooked, if the ingredients were ordinary, the skill would never activate. Especially for status-increasing dishes—even using rare ingredients, the difficulty is extremely high. On the other hand, buff dishes have very easy difficulty. 'I never imagined buffs would attach even when made into juice.'

From the first day through the second day, after finishing business I'd put up a partition and researched dishes using Applecherry. The research results showed that Applecherry succeeded in creating buff dishes every single time it was used. Even when made into juice and put in empty bottles, buffs attached. 'I should have looked for more Applecherry trees with Ria.'

Unfortunately, there weren't many fruits left. The tree I'd picked fruit from had been cut down and turned into Smoking Chips, so it could never bear fruit again. 'If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have cut it down.'

So I turned all the remaining fruit into juice. I ground the fruit with a manual blender, then strained the contents through a sieve. To eliminate any possible toxicity, I boiled it once and let it cool. Then I added expensive pine honey to make fresh fruit juice. 'That way I got fifteen 500ml bottles.'

And I made five sandwiches with the Applecherry sauce I'd made before. I'm planning to sell these for one Low-Grade Magic Stone each. 'If I sell out, that's twenty Low-Grade Magic Stones!'

One and a half million won each. Twenty would be thirty million won. But the main dish is even bigger than the buff dishes. 'Seven servings of Drake Steak.'

I'm planning to sell the steak with stats attached for one High-Grade Magic Stone per serving. An incredible price of over fifteen million won per serving of steak. If I sell all seven servings, I'll make over one hundred million won. 'Of course, I don't know if they'll all sell.'

Sometimes I wonder if I'm selling too expensively, but thinking about how frantic Hunters are to raise even one combat-related stat, it doesn't seem expensive at all. Rather, I'm planning to sell even more expensively next time after seeing the reaction. 'I've heard information about Hunters with cooking-related skills, but I've never heard of cooking that raises stats.'

When rarity is high, value rises accordingly. While waiting for business time. I heard Hunters nearby chattering. "The Red Lion Knights guild has returned!"

"Has it been two weeks since they left? The third floor is supposed to be tremendous, but no casualties?"

They're here, the guild I've been waiting for. 'The domestic ranking seventh guild, Red Lion Knights.'

Hearing that news, I immediately started preparing for business. As I took out cooking utensils from Arkresia, Hunters began gathering one by one. Among them, a female Porter Hunter who'd bought food two days in a row asked me. "Chef An, what's the menu today?"

"Today it's sandwiches, juice, and steak, but the food prices will be very expensive today."

"What? If it's more expensive than one Lowest-Grade Magic Stone, I can't afford it..."

The sorrow of a Porter. Since I'm a Porter too, my heart aches. But it can't be helped. Instead, I whispered quietly to her. "Come secretly to where our party is later at dinner time. I'm planning to make spicy cold noodles for my party members, so I can just make one more serving."

"Really? I really love spicy cold noodles! Yes, you're the best, Chef!"

"Porters have to help each other."

Other customers either left disappointed after hearing it would be sold more expensively today, or some remained out of curiosity. Soon I took out a box of bottled juice and a transparent case containing wrapped sandwiches that I'd made last night and stored in Arkresia. 'All foods with buffs attached.'

Buff dishes need to be easy to store during transport. Also, they shouldn't spoil easily. The reason is that buffs have time limits. 'Even if they eat here and depart for hunting, the buff might end before they even encounter a Monster.'

That's why sandwiches and juice—synonymous with picnics—are perfect for eating on the move. Soon I even took out the menu I'd made in advance. [Buff Sandwich]

[Price: 1 Low-Grade Magic Stone]

[Buff Effect: Agility +9%, Stamina +25% for 3 hours]

[Buff Applecherry Juice]

[Price: 1 Low-Grade Magic Stone]

[Buff Effect: Mana Recovery +32% for 2 hours]

When I put out the menu, the Hunters who'd been watching stirred. "What? Is that real?"

"Buff food...?"

"Isn't that bullshit? The buff cooking skill I know has a very short duration of thirty minutes."

"Even so, one Low-Grade Magic Stone is a bit—that price is unconscionable."

Haha... Unconscionable. It's a price I set conscientiously after much deliberation. But whether my conscience really was lacking, no one seemed to want to buy. 'Is it expensive...?'

I wavered for a moment. Still, I have to maintain my resolve. Soon I also put out the next menu. ['Grilled Sous Vide Drake Steak' Limited Sale of Seven Servings]

[Price: 1 High-Grade Magic Stone OR 3 Mid-Grade Magic Stones]

[Effect: Strength Stat +1 Permanent Increase Upon Consumption]

[Cooked Immediately Upon Order, Approximately 40 Minutes Required]

When I put out the menu, the Hunters began stirring greatly. "Huh? Permanent stat increase?"

"Does that make sense?"

"Is it like elixirs made by Hunters with alchemist skills? I heard the success rate is low and materials are expensive, so it's a loss even if you're lucky enough to make one."

"Even if that's real, one High-Grade Magic Stone is a bit..."

"Let's ask if it's real."

Soon Hunters came asking if what was written on the menu was true. "Yes, it's real. Touch the plate yourself and check."

I took out one serving of Drake Steak with stats attached that I'd made before from Arkresia. I'd prepared it in advance by covering the plate with a transparent lid so it wouldn't get contaminated even if they touched the plate. The Hunters who touched the plate began freaking out. "It was real. Crazy!"

"It's not a scam. Why is this real?"

"If only I had money...!"

As the commotion grew, more Hunters gathered. And that commotion became a wave that began spreading outward. And that commotion summoned a certain group. 'They're here.'

That group was none other than the Red Lion Knights. As a group wearing red heavy armor approached, Hunters parted like the Red Sea to make way. 'The prestige of a ranker guild.'

They stopped in front of me. Soon the Hunter at the forefront center removed his helmet. A middle-aged man with very striking red eyes. He had a manly strong jawline with a handsomely grown beard. 'This person is the Red Lion Knights guild master, Kim Cheol-yeong.'

His red eye color is supposedly due to the influence of the 'Berserker' skill. His Hunter rank is an incredible A+. He pointed at the menu and asked me. "Is what's written here true?"

"It's true. This is the food written on the menu, so check it yourself."

Soon Kim Cheol-yeong touched the plate. Then his red eyes widened greatly. "It's true. But what kind of meat is this Drake thing?"

"It's the meat of a Monster that resembles a Western dragon in appearance."

"Hmm, a Monster resembling a dragon... Then it must be very strong—where did you obtain this meat?"

Kim Cheol-yeong looked at me with suspicious eyes. "I have a connection with someone very strong, at S-rank Hunter level, and that person hunted it and gave it to me."

I didn't exactly lie. Ria being strong is true, having a connection is true, and her hunting it and giving it to me is also true. "Can you tell me who this strong person is?"

"I cannot tell you, because that person doesn't wish to be revealed."

"Hmm, understood."

After remaining silent for a while, she spoke. "Give me five servings of this Drake Steak dish."

"Five servings...? The stat effect doesn't stack—is that all right?"

It does stack. By ten percent. "I'm not the only one eating it—I'll give it to our guild executives, so don't worry."

"Understood. Five High-Grade Magic Stones, payment upfront."

Soon he gestured behind him, and one guild member came forward with a pouch full of something. Kim Cheol-yeong took out six High-Grade Magic Stones from that pouch. "Why six...?"

"With one serving, I'll also purchase those sandwiches and drinks. Give me what's worth the value as you see fit."