Chapter 7

Dungeon Food Truck Owner - Chapter 6 (7/302)

Dungeon Food Truck Owner Chapter 6

"What's that sound?"

*Meow?*

Suddenly, the surroundings became very noisy.

From the distant place where only the terrifying sounds of giant spiders moving around could be heard, something was making a bright, crumbling sound.

*Bang! Rumble!*

As the sound gradually got closer, Ji-eun unconsciously clenched her fists and swallowed hard.

Because the closing time is 5 PM, she is now in a situation where she can neither leave nor stay here.

If necessary, she would drive herself, but her level is still too low, and even with the truck's headlights on, she can barely see a few feet in front of her.

Moreover, this place is the fourth floor of the dungeon.

Although she has never cared about the dungeon or the hunters, she knows that the dungeon has not been fully explored.

She had recently seen news about a large-scale expedition returning after failing to clear the fifth floor.

This means that the fourth floor, right below it, is the most dangerous area that has been explored so far.

She couldn't abandon the safe zone, not knowing what might jump out.

After a moment of loud noise, the surroundings quickly became quiet again.

Perhaps the monsters were fighting over territory. In the pitch-black darkness where the truck's lights couldn't reach, a serene silence descended.

*Thud, thud.*

It wasn't the sound of a monster moving.

It was more like the sound of someone dragging their feet as they walked.

The footsteps began to echo through the serene silence.

*Gulp.*

As the sound got closer, Ji-eun and Kkamangi couldn't help but focus their gaze on the source of the sound, holding their breath. It was as if time had stopped in this place.

And finally, from the dimly lit area where the truck's headlights and the stove's light barely reached, a person appeared.

"A... person?"

*Surprising. A person in such a place... and alone, too?*

A person appeared in the most dangerous part of the fourth floor, and they were alone.

In disbelief, Ji-eun asked Kkamangi if there were any monsters that took human form.

"Is... is this a customer?"

And the person, who seemed as surprised as Ji-eun, took a step inside the red line and looked at her with an expression that said, "Is what I'm seeing real?"

He was a man with a sword in his hand and a spear on his back. Sticky green liquid dripped from his sword, staining the ground.

"A... customer?"

And the trembling voice that made the man flinch was Ji-eun's, asking if he was a customer.

"Welcome to Ji-eun's Food Truck?"

*Why the question?*

"I'm not hallucinating, am I?"

There was a brief, awkward silence.

Whether the man was a monster or a human, Ji-eun realized that closing time was approaching and quickly spoke up.

"Do you want to try a... sandwich I just made?"

"..."

She knew the situation was absurd, even though she was the one running the business.

After all, no one could have imagined such a large food truck inside a dungeon.

"Is this some new kind of monster?"

Ji-eun, realizing that the man she had just met was treating her like a monster, opened her eyes wide in disbelief.

Moreover, why was he suddenly gripping his sword with both hands?

"Hey!"

"..."

"I don't know what you're thinking!! Well, it's absurd, so I can guess to some extent! I'm not a monster, I'm a person!"

"Huh?"

"Could you please not hold your sword so threateningly? Are you going to attack me? No, right? I believe you won't! I'm really a person!"

The frowning man took another step toward the food truck, still gripping his sword tightly.

"How can I believe you? Are you an illusionary monster? I didn't know there were illusionary monsters in Ariadne's Scales..."

"That's not right! Just because you're holding a sword, you're a monster? I'm not a monster, I'm a person!"

"Are you really a person?"

"Psst! Have you been fooled by a person all this time! If you understand, put that sword down. It's scary!"

With one hand on her hip and the other gesturing, Ji-eun spoke, and the man, looking incredulous, obediently put his sword down.

"Your spear too!"

"..."

"Quickly!"

For some reason, the situation felt so surreal that the man obediently put down his spear and held out his hands, showing that he had nothing.

"Is this really a food truck?"

"Yes, welcome to... Ji-eun's Food Truck..."

As the man approached, Ji-eun, trying to smile warmly for her first customer, felt embarrassed saying the name of her own shop.

'This is a trial and error. I won't say the shop name again.'

While Ji-eun was making this resolve in her heart, the man's eyes sparkled as he approached the counter and saw the sandwiches on display.

"This."

"Yes?"

"Is this a model or real?"

"Yes, I just made these sandwiches. Would you like to see one?"

Ji-eun opened the display case and took out a wrapped sandwich, handing it to the man.

As the man, who had taken the sandwich unexpectedly, carefully removed the plastic lid, the fragrant smell of the sandwich quickly filled the air.

"This smell..."

The man's eyes widened as he recognized the smell of 'food,' something he had never smelled inside the dungeon. As he instinctively raised his other hand to take the sandwich, Ji-eun quickly reached out.

*Click.*

Ji-eun grabbed the man's wrist as he was about to touch the sandwich.

With her body stretched out from the display case, their faces were quite close, and the man had to lean back.

"Payment is required in advance!"

Unlike the man, Ji-eun spoke firmly.

The man, realizing he had tried to eat the sandwich without paying, nodded and said,

"Hehe. Well, if it's an illusion, I should go along with it. How much is it?"

"Seven thousand won."

"Seven thousand won?"

"Is it too expensive? But I used a lot of ingredients, and it's bigger than other sandwiches... and... it should be delicious!"

When the man asked about the price, Ji-eun, thinking he was complaining about the cost, started to explain.

She mentioned that each sandwich had at least two eggs, and the lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon were of the highest quality. Listening to her passionate explanation, the man's stomach started to growl.

He had never smelled real 'food' inside the dungeon, and this sandwich looked delicious even to his eyes.

If what this mysterious woman said was true, this was a precious meal that couldn't be considered just seven thousand won.

As the man's face showed he was considering the purchase, Ji-eun became anxious.

She was worried about the penalty if she didn't complete the three-day tutorial, and she couldn't afford to lose a customer in a place where the [Go Where the Wheel Takes You] skill could bring her to such an isolated spot.

At least one out of ten!

She couldn't afford to lose this first customer. So, Ji-eun decided to break her own rule this time and put on a pitiful expression.

"Six thousand five hundred won...?"

"..."

"Come on, it's your first visit, so I'll make it six thousand won! I just started my business today?"

"..."

"Actually, I need to sell to ten customers. Could you please buy one?"

"Um..."

"Hey, really! Six thousand won! I can't go any lower! I won't even cover the cost of ingredients!"

It was a lie.

A clear lie.

Thanks to the [Today's Special Dish] skill, she didn't spend any money on ingredients, but she still put in the effort, and she couldn't go below six thousand won.

'Thinking about the 200 servings of ingredients I prepared, even a thousand won discount is too much!'

Even though she had reluctantly lowered the price by a thousand won, Ji-eun glared at the man, who still looked hesitant.

"Six thousand won, I understand. I'll buy one."

"Good choice! You won't regret it!"

Fortunately, the man agreed to buy the sandwich after the thousand won discount. Ji-eun, who had been glaring at him, smiled brightly, let go of his wrist, and extended her palm.

"Credit card payments are also welcome! Customer!"

"But I don't have a card or cash right now."

Ji-eun, who was about to take out the [Error-Free Card Reader (Lv.1)] from her inventory, paused at the man's words.

What, you were thinking so hard without any money?

"Instead, can I pay with this?"

Ji-eun, who had been trying to grab the sandwich back, frowned at the large rock the man held up.

"It's just a rock."

It had a faint sheen, but to Ji-eun, it was just a black rock.

The rock, about the size of her fist, looked no different from a smooth rock you might find by a river.

The man, trying to suppress a laugh, continued.

"A rock... a rock... Yes, you could call it a rock."

"Ha... Okay. Since I have plenty of ingredients, and this is the first person I've seen here, and the first customer of my shop today, I'll take the rock."

"Thank you."

Ji-eun, worried that the rock might break the display case, tried to catch it with both hands. She was surprised by how light it was.

"Wow, it's really light for its size! This isn't a rock, is it?"

"Well, it's a matter of perspective."

"Enjoy your meal! But no more than once! This is a one-time deal!"

Ji-eun's body, which had leaned out, retreated back into the display case.

The man, finding her expression amusing, burst out laughing. He bowed with the sandwich in his hand.

"Thank you, owner. I hope you do well."

"Yes, if we meet again, please pay properly next time."

"I look forward to it."

The man, after picking up his sword and spear from the ground, disappeared back into the darkness. Ji-eun, resting her chin on her hand, watched him go and clicked her tongue.

"Bartering on my first customer..."

- Current Progress: 10% (1/10)

Fortunately, the customer count decreased by one, thanks to the light black rock she received instead of giving it away for free. The system window appeared.

"At least it counts as a customer."

*Meow. Did you just trade a sandwich for that rock?*

"Well, it was the first customer, so I gave a lot of service."

*Hmm... I think the customer gave a lot of service, too.*

"What do you mean? What use is a rock like this?"

*Meow. Cats don't know much about it.*

"Don't tell me you don't know! I'm just too nice!"

*No, you're really mean.*

"Why! I had to let it go because of the quest!"

*Meow~*

Kkamangi, pretending not to hear Ji-eun, stretched lazily and poked the rock left by the man.