“Phew, we’ve finally arrived. I thought I was going to die holding it in.”
A figure appeared in front of the dungeon.
No, multiple figures.
The large man standing at the front spoke seriously with a hardened expression.
“I’ve endured everything until now for this day. All the oppression and humiliation…”
“All the oppression and humiliation?”
Someone appeared right behind him, their glasses gleaming.
Startled, Kang Hanul quickly turned around and shouted.
“A-Ah! Brother, I misspoke!”
“Pfft.”
Beside them, Jung So-yeon finally let out the laughter she had been holding back.
Ara Hongryeon’s Team 1 and Team 2.
They had gathered to visit Kyu-seong’s restaurant.
All other plans had been postponed for this evening’s gathering.
As members of a top-ranked guild, they were always busy, but everyone had made time to come.
“Leader, stop with the skit and let’s go in already.”
“I’m starving from waiting.”
“I haven’t eaten anything all day! Let’s go!”
Hearing his team members’ outcry, Kang Hanul laughed heartily.
“Wahaha!! So, everyone feels the same as me! I like it!”
“Enough with the nonsense, let’s go already.”
Just then—
Someone stepped out of the dungeon.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Oh!! Kyu-seong!”
It was Kyu-seong, appearing with a bright smile.
The guild members erupted into cheers at his appearance.
“Waaaah!!”
“Mr. Kyu-seong is here!”
“We’ve been waiting for this day!”
Even though their eager anticipation could have been overwhelming, Kyu-seong simply smiled even brighter and nodded.
“You can look forward to today.”
“Mr. Kyu-seong said we can look forward to it!”
“Praise him! Worship him!”
The ones chanting like cultists were none other than Kang Hanul and Jung So-yeon.
“H-Haha…”
It was a sight unthinkable under normal circumstances.
If the public saw this, the reaction would surely be explosive.
“I kept you all waiting too long outside. Please, come in.”
“Then, excuse us!”
Kang Hanul led the way into the dungeon.
Since the dungeon had been remodeled into a restaurant, its entrance had been completely redesigned with an ethereal atmosphere fitting its dungeon theme.
Now, a password was required to enter, so Kyu-seong keyed in the code and opened the door.
As the group stepped inside, they took in the restaurant’s interior.
“Ooooh.”
“Wait, is this really the same place we visited before?”
“The ambiance is incredible.”
Those who had visited before its transformation were stunned by the drastic change.
“Welcome. Allow me to guide you to your seats.”
Seo Sian, who had been waiting inside, led the guests to their seats.
Once everyone was seated, Jae-seong stepped forward and greeted them.
“I’m Lee Jae-seong, and I’ll be your chef tonight.”
“Oh! Chef Jae-seong! It’s been a while!”
“We’ve been waiting for your food!”
A round of applause erupted in response.
After the brief introduction, Jae-seong disappeared into the kitchen while Kyu-seong remained to provide some explanations.
“As you might have guessed, tonight’s course meal is vegetarian. It wasn’t intentional, but all the ingredients I have right now are plant-based. However, we’ll have meat-inclusive courses in the future, so look forward to that.”
“If it’s made with your ingredients, I’ll eat anything, Kyu-seong.”
“And don’t be too surprised by our servers—they’re all well-behaved.”
“Are slimes going to serve us?”
Jung So-yeon asked expectantly.
Kyu-seong playfully pressed a finger to his lips and smiled.
“That’s a secret. You’ll see soon enough, so you can look forward to that too.”
With that, Kyu-seong also headed toward the kitchen.
And then—
Fluffy creatures began to emerge from the back.
White, tricolor, golden, black-spotted…
Rabbits of various colors came out carrying trays.
“R-Rabbits?”
“What the heck! They’re so cute!”
The people reacted with overwhelming enthusiasm.
The rabbits, ears twitching, seemed pleased by the attention.
Click, click!
Everyone was busy taking pictures of the adorable rabbit servers.
Meanwhile, Kyu-seong returned from the kitchen and began explaining.
“The first menu item is a welcome drink. We have a juice made from Layla and strawberries, as well as a small glass of makgeolli.”
“M-Makgeolli?! Kyu-seong, don’t tell me you brewed rice wine yourself!”
“That’s right.”
“I can’t believe I never thought of that! I should have made makgeolli long ago…”
“Well, at least you get to try it now. And since it’s not perfected yet, I’ll serve an even better version next time.”
Kang Hanul gulped and exchanged glances with Choi Young-seong across the table.
Since Choi Young-seong was a man obsessed with alcohol, his eyes sparkled with excitement at the makgeolli.
“…There’s not much of it.”
“It’s just a welcome drink.”
“You’re too strict.”
Gulp.
They started with the juice first.
The comb ination of Layla, strawberries, and a subtle herbal note created a refreshing flavor that filled their mouths.
“This has Embergril in it, doesn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow, I guessed correctly!”
Jung So-yeon stared wistfully at her now-empty juice glass.
Then, she took a sip of the makgeolli.
“Hm?”
The familiar scent and taste of makgeolli.
But it was much more savory.
The sweetness was still there, and it had a refreshing finish.
More than anything, the rich aroma and nutty flavor of the rice stood out.
“Wow, this is delicious.”
“It’s so clean. I could keep drinking it.”
“What a shame. I want to drink it by the bowl.”
Everyone praised it.
Even Choi Young-seong, who called himself a traditional liquor sommelier, nodded approvingly.
“There are still a few areas for improvement, but it has unique qualities you won’t find in other makgeolli. Excellent.”
“You could’ve just said it’s tasty! No need for the lecture! Wahahaha!!”
Guild leader Han Seok-jun also closed his eyes and savored the drink.
Smiling in satisfaction, he turned to Kyu-seong and asked.
“Would it be okay if I bring my family next time?”
“Of course. Let me know the available time, and I’ll prioritize your reservation.”
“Thank you.”
As the welcome drink ended, bite-sized food was brought out.
“What’s this?”
“Fried food?”
A single piece of tempura.
It was the perfect size for one bite.
“This is cucumber wrapped in seaweed, coated in rice flour, and deep-fried. It’s served with a carrot purée. Please enjoy.”
An unfamiliar dish.
But it was impossible not to be intrigued.
Fried cucumber wrapped in seaweed?
And it wasn’t just any flour but Kyu-seong’s special rice flour.
They spread a bit of the carrot purée on top.
Jung So-yeon eagerly picked it up and took a bite.
Crunch.
Crisp.
The rice flour coating was perfectly crispy.
The inside had the fresh crunch of cucumber.
And then, the texture of the seaweed mixed in, making every bite exciting.
The subtle sweetness of the smooth carrot purée complemented it beautifully.
Crunch.
Crunch, crunch.
The burst of cucumber juice and the oceanic aroma of seaweed.
Combined with the nuttiness of the rice flour, it was a heavenly combination.
“I’ve never eaten cucumber this delicious before.”
“It brings out the essence of each ingredient while blending them together. And the texture is incredible—this is culinary art.”
Since most Awakened individuals had extensive dining experiences, they could appreciate the dish’s depth even more.
As they savored the flavors, Park Jun-gyul emerged from the kitchen to assist with wine pairing.
Of course, the “wine” was actually all brewed by Kyu-seong.
“Haa… I’m already in heaven.”
Ending the cucumber tempura with a sip of Kyu-seong’s drink.
Just one plate, and everyone was already satisfied.
But as if they wouldn’t tolerate delays, the rabbits hurriedly brought out the next dish.
“This is a cold appetizer.”
What could it be this time?
Looking at the plate, it was impossible to guess.
“It’s toast.”
“Toast?”
This was toast?
No matter how they looked at it, it resembled soup.
Kyu-seong added an explanation.
“What looks like a sauce in the bowl is actually melted toast. I made it by liquefying bread. On the side, you have grilled green onions that have been chilled. Spread the toast sauce on them. I’ve also sprinkled a bit of dried tomato powder on top.”
“That’s fascinating.”
They had spread things on toast before, but spreading toast on something? That was new.
Intrigued, they picked up the pre-cut green onions and dipped them into the melted toast.
Crunch.
“Hm!?”
The texture of the cooked green onion was unique.
It seemed slightly frozen.
Spreading the warm toast sauce onto the chilled green onion created an unexpected temperature contrast.
“This is so interesting.”
“But it works. It’s delicious.”
“If it’s made with Kyu-seong’s ingredients, there’s no way it wouldn’t taste amazing!”
If it had been made with ordinary ingredients, who knew how it would taste? But since it was made with Kyu-seong’s produce, the quality was guaranteed.
The texture, temperature, and flavors were all unfamiliar yet incredibly enjoyable.
“The next dish is biscuits. Tomato is placed on top of each biscuit, and inside, there are different sauces made with soy sauce, doenjang, and gochujang. On the side, there’s a paprika purée.”
Three biscuits.
They were a bit large for a single bite, but Kyu-seong explained that eating them in one go would bring out the best flavor.
They picked up a biscuit, spread a generous amount of paprika purée on it, and took a big bite.
!!
An explosion of flavor!
So far, the dishes had highlighted the natural flavors of the ingredients.
But this one was an assault on the senses.
First, the tomato on top.
It wasn’t just a regular tomato—it had been pickled into a jelly-like texture, concentrating its flavor to the extreme.
Paired with the paprika purée, the taste hit in an initial burst.
But the real explosion came next.
Beyond the chewy tomato was the crispy biscuit.
As they bit into it, the hidden “bomb” in side detonated.
Han Seok-jun’s first biscuit contained soy sauce.
It was recommended to eat them in the order of soy sauce, doenjang, and then gochujang, so he started with soy sauce.
And just from the first one, he was already overwhelmed.
A subtle yet profound soy sauce flavor.
Not overpowering, yet not weak either.
‘How does this work so well together?’
“Hm?”
The sweetness of paprika, the concentrated tomato, the nuttiness of the biscuit, and finally, the finishing touch of the soy sauce.
Each flavor had built up step by step, culminating in perfect harmony.
“Wow.”
“Now I understand why we had to eat it in one big bite.”
The group, lost in the lingering flavors, finally spoke up.
But this wasn’t the end.
Two more biscuits remained.
With growing anticipation, they picked up the next one.
Chewy. Crunch.
Boom!
The taste of doenjang exploded.
It was familiar, yet strangely different.
The doenjang, transformed into a sauce, had shed its usual heaviness and instead blended seamlessly with the biscuit.
While the soy sauce biscuit had felt like a four-part symphony,
The doenjang biscuit melted into perfect unity with the biscuit itself.
“Amazing…”
“N-Next is the gochujang.”
The third biscuit.
At this point, even if they wanted to lower their expectations, they simply couldn’t.
Crunch.
The last biscuit burst open with a stimulating spice.
The bold heat of the gochujang swept through their mouths like a refreshing cleanse.
Unlike the previous sauces, this one made its presence unmistakably clear.
Crunch, crunch, crunch.
Their jaws worked non-stop.
“Huh? W-We ate it all?”
“That’s it? Already?”
As the group sat in stunned disbelief, Kyu-seong smiled in satisfaction.
Then, he poured a small amount of a new drink for a light palate cleanser.
“The next dish is onion steak.”
“Onion steak…?”
Unlike the previous, more unconventional dishes, this one sounded straightforward.
The main dish—an onion.
At first, they thought it was simply grilled like a steak, but its appearance was closer to fried food.
“The exterior is wrapped in tofu. The sauce is made from cabbage.”
“Ohhh.”
With the tofu coating, it almost looked like a piece of meat.
Cutting into the warm steak-like portion with a knife, steam escaped, revealing the soft onion inside.
They sliced it into pieces and dipped them into the cabbage sauce.
“Mmm.”
A smooth, tender texture.
Juices—no, vegetable juices—burst forth with each bite.
With their eyes closed, they could almost imagine it was meat marinated in onions.
As for the flavor—there were no words needed.
It was absolutely delicious.
Especially the cabbage sauce—it was phenomenal.
It had the richness of a thick soup and paired exquisitely with the onion and tofu coating.
“I feel so happy.”
Someone murmured.
Everyone else nodded in agreement as they savored each bite.
“As much as I hate to say it, the next dish is dessert.”
“A-Already…?”
Their stomachs were full.
Surprisingly, this course meal had been more filling than expected.
But because everything had been so delicious, they still longed for more courses to come.
“Dessert consists of ice cream, rice cakes, and cookies.”
“I’m sad… so sad.”
Everyone agreed.
But there was also hope.
Because as long as they made a reservation, they could return and enjoy this incredible food again.
“How can even the dessert be this good?”
“This must be made from dungeon plants… wow, this is fascinating.”
“Ahh, rice cakes are always the best. This injeolmi is amazing.”
With the dessert beautifully rounding off the meal,
The group sat in a satisfied daze, sharing their thoughts.
“So, how was the meal for everyone?”
“Absolutely fantastic!!”
“I want to come here every day!”
“Reservations! I need to make a reservation right now!”
Jae-seong, Orié, and the other staff members emerged from the kitchen to greet the guests.
The rabbits joined them as well.
“Wow, even the workplace benefits here are incredible.”
“Should I just work here instead?”
People happily stroked the rabbits.
Kyu-seong watched the scene with a contented smile.
Tonight’s restaurant—
A complete success.
Cliche Novel 