At the restaurant Yu Seong-un led him to, all the employees were wearing hanbok.
"I have a reservation for two under Yu Seong-un."
"Mr. Yu Seong-un, confirmed. I will show you inside, please take off your shoes."
As Yu Seong-un smoothly accepted the employee's service, Jio stood a step back and looked at the restaurant.
The restaurant he had guided him to was a hanok with a strong, antique atmosphere, as if drawn with ink.
The pillars stood out with curves that utilized the natural beauty of the wood and the subtle, bittersweet scent of hinoki cypress and the high, open ceiling put one at ease.
What came into view was not a noisy crowd of customers, but a silent and elegantly arranged wooden hallway.
The individual rooms visible between the hallways had a particularly strong and distinct individualistic aspect.
"...."
This… is a baekban restaurant?
'The definition of a baekban restaurant that I know has clearly changed in the past 31 years.'
Where did my boisterous and cozy baekban restaurant go, where I used to sit cross-legged on a low table and pick at grilled yellow croaker?
"Jio, let's go in."
"We are eating here?"
"Ah."
Yu Seong-un, as if making an excuse for something, said.
"Please ignore the presence of other people. This place is pretty good at blocking out presences and sounds."
"...."
"If you're very uncomfortable, should we move to another restaurant? There are also places where we can have an entire building to ourselves."
What is with this person?
'Does he think I'm a walking nuclear power plant?'
I don't know just how sensitive a being he sees me as.
"I am not uncomfortable."
"Really? That's a relief."
"Is it divided into rooms?"
"Yes, the rooms aren't small, so we should be able to eat comfortably."
"I see."
Unless it was truly unbearable, Jio was not the type of person to refuse a free meal.
'Anyway, it looks like it'll be delicious, so that's fine.'
The world seemed to have changed so much in 31 years, which gave him mixed feelings, but with the permission of his starving stomach, Jio cast aside his worries and followed Yu Seong-un.
"Please press the bell when you have decided on your menu."
"Yes."
"Please enjoy your time."
The employee, dressed in a hanbok with a soft hue as if dyed with flower petals, quietly left the room.
Waiting for a moment as he felt the presence fade away, Jio asked.
"Is this place a baekban restaurant?"
"…Ah, that's right."
It wasn't very obvious, but Yu Seong-un's reaction was one of realization.
Jio's question was simply intended as 'is this flashy place really a baekban restaurant,' but Yu Seong-un seemed to have understood it as 'so what exactly is a baekban restaurant.'
"A meal setting where you eat rice with soup and side dishes is called baekban."
"...."
For a moment, Jio wanted to refute him for the sake of his pride as a teacher, but it didn't seem like a misunderstanding that could be cleared up by doing so, so he decided to just shut up and listen to the explanation.
I pride myself on it having been a mature decision.
"The rice is always the same, and the soup changes daily. Today… I think it's seaweed soup."
Having said that, Yu Seong-un asked with a look of doubt.
"Do you eat seaweed?"
"There are no foods I cannot eat or dislike."
"That's good to hear."
Yu Seong-un opened the menu that was placed on the edge of the table.
"The basic side dishes are all the same, what we have to choose is the main menu. It's mainly divided into meat and fish, which are you more drawn to?"
"Right now, I am more drawn to meat."
Jio, being soft-hearted, could not hunt the animals of the forest.
In the first place, he didn't even know how to hunt, and it was clear that hunting the round, cute-looking illustrated animals would yield a poor return anyway.
Jio, who was happy no matter what he ate, wasn't a picky eater, but since he was out, he did feel like eating meat.
'I should eat it while I'm out.'
Yu Seong-un nodded his head.
"Then let's have the Gwangyang bulgogi."
He pressed the number pad on the edge of the table.
It seemed to be a system where you input the menu corresponding to the number here, and the kitchen receives it directly to cook.
Finally, after pressing the red button, the bell, Yu Seong-un looked at Jio again.
"Out of all the baekban restaurants I've been to, I think this one is the most delicious. And they don't use monster meat."
"Do they normally use monster meat?"
"It's commonly eaten, right? But it feels a bit wrong to eat monster meat even when you come to a restaurant."
"...."
For some reason, it seemed he held 'restaurants' in higher regard than Jio knew them to be.
Jio, the ancestor who had hibernated for 31 years, pondered how to ask about this without sounding strange.
"Why, is there something you want to ask?"
"…Are restaurants differentiated from other facilities?"
"Hmm? Isn't that the case for most of them?"
Yu Seong-un scratched the back of his neck as if it were an unexpected question.
"You're not eating at home and are borrowing someone else's hands to receive a meal. In my case, it's not that burdensome, but it's a bit of a struggle for Grade 2 citizens and below."
"Are all restaurants like that?"
"Mostly. In the first place, the purpose of a restaurant is to have a meal, but more than that, it's for receiving service. There are many people like me who come to a restaurant to eat, but even more people come to be served."
It was a slightly different feeling from the definition of a restaurant that Jio knew.
'Compared to what I knew, it seems similar to fine dining or omakase. Does this mean all restaurants have become high-end….'
No, wait a minute, then what about delivery?
"Do you not use delivery?"
Yu Seong-un looked as if he hadn't expected the word 'delivery' to come out of Jio's mouth.
It made him suspicious of just how much of an ancestor he was being seen as, but Jio, finding it bothersome to explain, kept his mouth shut.
"Delivery… is a frequently used method, too. But that's more expensive."
"Is that so?"
"It's a major accident if you run into a monster on the way. It's also troublesome to avoid them."
What kind of monster is being treated like a stray cat?
The level of damage was definitely not on par with a stray cat, which made it all the more absurd.
"So people don't usually order delivery unless they're having a party. I'm the same."
"...."
If it was a delivery big enough for a party, he had his suspicions that it was just catering.
"…In that case, do most people cook and eat their meals at home?"
"Usually. Just buying groceries costs a lot of money, where would they find the means to receive service as well. The act of going to a restaurant itself isn't that common."
Did the world get destroyed and rebuilt once or something?
"But we have come to a restaurant, have we not?"
"Well, I did say I'd give you a tour…."
"Aha."
It must have meant he was going to give him a fantastic treat.
Jio seriously contemplated the errors that occurred even in simple communication.
'…Do I need to retake social skills education? It'll be hard for me to receive compulsory education at my age, though? Should I re-enroll in university now?'
The world had changed too much in just 31 years.
At this rate, whenever Jio had a conversation with someone else, he would be treated like an alien from the star Sirius.
'Either that, or a shut-in loser who lives isolated from society.'
Damn you, gods of heaven and earth, the latter didn't even seem to be wrong, which made it even more terrifying.
'Is this the heart of the elderly who cannot keep up with a changing society…?'
Grandmother, I have finally understood your feelings.
It truly was a difficult thing to live in tune with a rapidly developing era.
Jio, feeling this deeply, watched the meal being set up by the employee.
"It's hot, so please step back a little."
Saying so, the employee dropped an ember onto the center of the table.
Then, the fire flared up, forming a shape similar to a gas range, and the employee placed a grill on top of the circular flame.
After placing a few pieces of bulgogi on it, they left the room.
"...."
There was nothing there, but a fire lit up.
'It's a wooden table, but it's not burning.'
Correction. Jio didn't need to re-enroll in university, but kindergarten.
Judging by Yu Seong-un's expression, this seemed to be a completely normal occurrence, but for Jio, who had been separated from society for exactly 31 years, it was just astonishing.
"Hmm, it looks like beef."
"…If it is not beef, what other meat is there?"
"Like I said before, there's a high chance it's monster meat, right? It's cheaper than beef or lamb."
"Does it not taste good?"
"It's not that…."
Chiiik―.
Yu Seong-un, stirring the meat, continued.
"It's just the general social atmosphere. There's a lot of meat that there's no reason to avoid as long as it's not a special part with toxins, but still, monsters are creatures that attack people… and most of them are grotesque-looking. It's hard for the meat of a monster that eats people to be welcomed, I guess you could say."
"That makes sense when you put it that way."
"But it's also a meat that's commonly used in households. A cheap and plentiful lump of protein can't be unpopular. Still, my point was that it feels a bit wrong to eat monster meat in a restaurant like this where you come to be served."
"Is it not dangerous?"
"Because not all monsters carry poison in their bodies?"
Yu Seong-un chuckled.
"Well, about 20 years ago, the atmosphere was more like, how could you eat something so dangerous. I was young back then, so I don't really know now."
"20 years ago isn't that far in the past, yet people's perceptions seem to have changed quickly."
"Well, the government and the Association did a lot of work in various ways…."
A government that works well enough to change Koreans' perception of the meat they put in their mouths in just 20 years?
'Why have so many things changed in just 31 years?'
It was a more surprising story than Jio himself evolving into a portrait in the midst of flames.
Yu Seong-un's opinion might be different, but that's how Jio felt.
"The government must be competent."
"Well, yeah. They have to be competent if they don't want to get their necks slit."
"...."
"Their necks were already slit a few times, so only the competent ones are left."
Jio was intimidated.
Bro, why are you telling stories like that before we eat meat?
'…Well, I heard Hunters are living war machines, so I guess there's nothing politicians can't touch.'
Jio was quickly convinced and stirred the meat together with him.
"May I eat?"
"Uh, it looks like it's all cooked."
"I will eat well."
"I hope you like it."
"I think I will."
Korean bulgogi is typically divided into 3 types.
First, Seoul-style. Second, Gwangyang-style. Third, Eonyang-style.
Among them, Jio's favorite was this Gwangyang-style bulgogi.
The commonly known bulgogi marinated in broth and sauce is Seoul-style bulgogi, but Gwangyang-style, unlike the Seoul-style which is eaten like a hot pot, is grilled dry on a grate.
It differs slightly from house to house, but most do not marinate it for very long.
'That's why the flavor of the meat is much more alive.'
The beef, pounded several times to tenderize the meat and spread thin.
When you grill that quickly on a grate, the Gwangyang-style bulgogi is complete, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, with living juices.
"...."
A piece of bulgogi lifted from the grill.
Without sauce or rice, Jio put a whole piece of bulgogi in his mouth.
"...."
"How is it, is it delicious?"
"It is very delicious."
It was such an excellent taste that if he had been alone in this private room, he would have given it a standing ovation.
"It seems they use good quality meat. The meaty aroma is not gamey and is rich, and the texture is also excellent. It seems to have been pounded a lot for the tenderizing process, but the fact that it doesn't tear at this thickness means the chef's skill is also excellent."
"You… you become more talkative when you eat something delicious."
"My apologies."
It was just so delicious.
"But it is true that it is delicious."
"It seems so."
"It is a taste I would like to try making."
The surface, quickly grilled as if fried over charcoal, had a brief bitter taste characteristic of burnt meat, but it gave a variation to the subtle sweetness of the properly charred meat.
The moderate amount of fat embedded in the meat had a rich flavor like stock, to the point where you could tell the quality of the meat by that alone.
"The marinade is also seasoned just right."
The mellow sweetness mixed deep into the meat seemed to be from pear.
Perhaps the meat was tenderized by adding grated pear.
There was also a polite bitterness, from some kind of alcohol added, which doubled the luxuriousness of the taste.
"It also goes well with garlic. The aroma is appropriately pleasant, not overpowering."
The sharp scent of garlic, embedded deep in the meat, pricked the back of his tongue, yet its pungency had been gently melted away after being grilled once over charcoal.
It seemed they used good sesame oil as well, as a fresh aroma lingered.
"...."
"Hm? Why?"
"It seems they make their own soy sauce as well."
"Are you a gourmet? How did you know that?"
"Am I correct?"
"Uh… I did hear that from the owner here."
Jio nodded his head.
"The scent of chili was unusually strong, so I wondered."
"So you don't just like to eat for no reason. You have a sensitive palate."
"The dipping sauce is also… delicious."
The ingredients seemed similar to the bulgogi marinade, but this mysterious sweet and sour taste.
The deep scent of green plum was seamlessly infused into the sauce, adding to the flavor.
'It's not green plum syrup….'
It was probably vinegar made from green plums.
"...."
If you lightly dip the meat into the brown sauce with a slight hint of garlic, not too much, and eat it with fluffy, steaming white rice….
"...."
"You like it."
"Yes."
"I see."
As expected, rice was best enjoyed with a mouthful.
-x-X-x-
After finishing our meal, Mr. Yu Seong-un led me to a place called Cheonggyecheon.
"...."
As I expected, it was quite a bit different from the Cheonggyecheon in Seoul that I remembered.
"Alright, this is Cheonggyecheon," he said.
"It is a very natural sight," I replied, looking around.
"Right?"
"To think that flowers are blooming even though it's winter."
I wondered if the world had gone crazy.
'Has the Earth finally started to break down from not being able to endure humans anymore?'
Fortunately, Mr. Yu Seong-un added an explanation, as if sensing my thoughts.
"I don't know what you're thinking, but it's just that they've taken measures to make it like a greenhouse."
"What kind of measures?"
"The city has a separate department in charge of urban landscaping. They ensure that a certain amount of vegetation remains when constructing the city."
"Do they keep it like a greenhouse like this even in winter?"
"That's right, look. The air is very mild, isn't it?"
Mr. Yu Seong-un waved his hand through the air and pointed at the stream.
"It's been treated with magic, so anyone can enter except for Grade 5 citizens, which includes criminals, or threatening monsters. It's a system that truly resembles a greenhouse, blocking the cold winter air and only letting sunlight pass through."
"...."
"Wasn't it pretty warm in front of our company building too? In the case of areas near companies that handle a lot of money or public places where people often gather, they have this kind of magic treatment. In the former case, the company owner installs it privately, and in the latter case, the government provides the money to install it…."
I mulled over his words and then asked a question that came to mind.
"If you say threatening monsters… Can non-threatening monsters enter?"
"Ah…."
After thinking for a moment, Mr. Yu Seong-un nodded.
"I suppose they have to. Even if they are monsters, they are already a part of the Earth's ecosystem and play a role in the cycle of nature, so we can't just exclude them."
From his words, I gathered that monsters were treated half like stray cats or chicken-pigeons.
"It seems monsters aren't something you can only see when a dungeon breaks."
"Huh? Ahh, no matter what, humans aren't that competent."
Mr. Yu Seong-un continued his explanation.
"They say that when I was young, there were many who argued that all monsters should be dealt with. But no matter how many Hunters there are, there aren't enough to protect all of humanity, and even if there is a very strong Hunter, it's inhumane for that one person to chase down and deal with all the monsters."
He shrugged.
"Above all, if such a strong Hunter were to cause a terror attack due to stress, how would we handle it? It's the same even if it's not a strong Hunter. Hunters are people too, how can they only work."
"I see."
"They say most of the endemic monsters that have settled on Earth now are due to the failure to deal with them in the early days of the Great Catastrophe."
"In the early days?"
"Back then, Hunters were much weaker than they are now, the system was flimsy, and there were few people with tracking skills, so it would have been natural."
"So the monsters that weren't killed back then and were left behind…."
"They became a part of the Earth."
Saying so, he gestured with his eyes toward the stream where clear water was flowing.
"Like that fellow over there."
Flap flap flap―.
In the middle of the stream, a round bird was preening its feathers.
"That fellow is a monster, too."
"...."
It was certainly a bird I did not know.
But the System knew.
[Cotton Boll Bird]
[Named by Koreans for its resemblance to a cotton boll. Its wings, torso, head, and neck are indistinguishable, forming a sphere, but this is only because its feathers are fluffed up; its actual physique is similar in structure to a common bird. A bandage can be made by boiling the egg of a Cotton Boll Bird and extracting thread from it.]
"...."
A silkworm cocoon?
'It looks almost like a ball.'
In any case, I was convinced.
"The Cotton Boll Bird is not threatening," I stated.
"…You know that thing?"
"I just learned of it."
According to the System's explanation, it was like a silkworm cocoon in the form of a bird.
Watching the slightly large cotton bolls preening their feathers in the stream brought a sense of peace to my heart.
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who had been staring at me, soon continued.
"…Um, right, things like that. The ones that were numerous and small in size, and were judged to not have a significant negative impact on humans or the ecosystem, have mostly settled as the Earth's endemic monsters."
"It is cute."
"It doesn't look like that at all, so you like things like that?"
"Isn't it nice that being small and round makes it look surprisingly harmless?"
"No wonder your water bird is so round…."
Mr. Yu Seong-un laughed in vain.
"Even so, the current endemic monsters are left alone because they're already part of the cycle, but all recently introduced foreign species are being dealt with. In the first place, the existence known as a monster greatly despises Earthlings."
"Is that so?"
"Usually. Even without hostility, they can be a sufficient threat to humans. The endemic monsters remaining now are ones that have already completed safety inspections by the Association and are managed at the government level."
He pointed at the Cotton Boll Bird one more time.
"Those things, perhaps from staying on Earth for a long time and adapting, their hostility toward humans has softened to the level of an ordinary wild animal. I heard they were dangerous monsters that would eat human flesh in the early days of the Great Catastrophe, but now they're about as harmless as a pigeon."
"Aha."
"Since they're monsters, it's illegal to touch or personally raise them… but it means coexistence is possible. It seems they judged that this is better than unconditional exclusion, as dungeons and the Earth have an inseparable relationship."
Coexistence with monsters.
It seemed Earthlings had become quite tough while I was gone.
"That's enough explanation, shall we walk around for a bit? The water quality is thoroughly managed, so it won't cause any harm. The monsters and animals here are all on the harmless side, too."
"...."
Looking at the clearly sparkling stream, I soon moved my feet.
'It's as clear as liquid glass.'
The stream, seen up close, was even more beautiful with the sunlight shattering on its surface.
The weather was mild like spring, and large trees, vines, and flowers filled the place like a large greenhouse.
A pastel-toned butterfly sat on a flower petal, and a creature resembling a squirrel gnawed on the fruit of a tree.
I wondered why the sparrow-like birds were pecking at the tree's flowers.
They could be doing it for fun, or they could be trying to eat the nectar inside the flowers.
"…If you change the seasons as you please like this, are there no problems for the ecosystem?"
"There was a time when there was a lot of talk because of that, but I heard they've somehow adjusted everything now. Above all, there are many cases where they deliberately create seasons to prevent the Earth's original animals from going extinct due to monsters."
"I see."
In many ways, it was different from the time I lived in.
"If you're okay with it, try dipping your feet in," Mr. Yu Seong-un suggested.
"May I do that?"
"There are rules about not picking fruits or flowers, but there are no particular regulations in that regard. In the summer when there are a lot of people, many come here to enjoy playing in the water."
"For that, there is no one here today."
"Who would play in the water during peak work hours, when it's neither vacation nor a holiday? In the first place, many people probably don't want to get their bodies wet in the winter."
"You are right, Mr. Yu Seong-un."
I took off my shoes and socks, and just like that.
I dipped my feet in the flowing water.
"...."
It was cool.
'And soft.'
There was a sweet scent.
I couldn't tell if it was the scent of flowers, trees, or a monster living in this water.
Perhaps, unlike the colorless and odorless water of the past, the water of the stream had evolved.
But the sight of pebbles rolling in the water like in a summer valley….
"...."
The tiny, finely moving, small life forms.
They made me, Giovanni, happy.
"…It is beautiful water," I murmured, my voice feeling distant.
My eyes seemed to hold the color of the water itself.
"Clear, and deep."
"...."
"It's deeper than I thought."
"...."
"Why does this place smell of the sea?"
I felt Mr. Yu Seong-un's gaze on me, but my focus was on the water.
"…Jio?" he called out.
"It smells of the sea. A little fishy like the surface of iron, cool like pine needles, and like the fierce wind that scatters the sand…."
"Jio."
"It resembles that place."
My voice was gentle, but emotionless.
"The color of the sea."
At that moment.
"...."
"The color of a mermaid."
To my feet, all sorts of underwater creatures gathered silently, swimming around my ankles as if they were a part of the stream.
"Cared for by the deep sea…."
At some point, my feet had become as transparent as the water itself….
"―Jio."
"...."
The voice of a 'friend'.
I blinked twice, the world sharpening back into focus.
"…Yes."
"…You…."
"Did you call for me?"
I looked back at Mr. Yu Seong-un.
"...."
"...."
"…You're Seo Jio, right?" he asked, his face contorted strangely.
I nodded my head.
"That is correct."
And then, as if from a will not entirely my own, I added.
"My name is Jio."
After that, we left for the hotel.
On the way, the wind blew so strongly I felt myself lift off the ground for a second.
It was an odd feeling, being so light.
Mr. Yu Seong-un grabbed my arm quickly, a strange look on his face, but he didn't say anything.
A little time passed, and we were standing in front of my hotel room.
Mr. Yu Seong-un handed me a card key marked 'Room 4501'.
"Here, this is yours."
"Thank you."
"I'll be in the room right next door, so call if you need anything."
"Yes."
"Dinner is reserved for 6:30… so we can probably meet around 6."
I had one last question.
"What is the dinner menu?"
"French. It's a restaurant with a set course, so you just have to go and eat."
"Understood."
"Then get some rest."
After he went into his room, I entered on my own.
"...."
It was spacious and clean. I walked over to the large window and looked out at the city.
"It's the 45th floor," I said quietly, pulling Honey out from under my cape.
"Kkurururuk!"
I placed the little bird on the windowsill, and we both looked down at the sprawling city lights.
I wondered what Mr. Yu Seong-un was doing next door.
He seemed very tense after we left the stream.
Maybe he was tired from the tour.
I hoped he was resting well.
That's right. I had no other thoughts at all.
-x-X-x-
We traveled to dinner by boat.
"This is the boat we'll be taking."
"Oh."
As a young man of romance, my heart pounded.
'To think we're traveling to the restaurant through a waterway….'
It felt just like I had come to Venice.
"It is a peculiar sight to see roads and waterways together."
"Is it? Then again, I did hear that there were almost no waterways in the Republic of Korea before the Great Catastrophe."
"Why were they created?"
Thud.
I asked as I followed Mr. Yu Seong-un onto the water taxi.
"You would need a large amount of water to create a waterway."
"It's actually the opposite. They didn't draw in water to create the waterway, but rather, there was just too much water, so they created the waterway to control it."
"Are you saying there was that much water?"
"Because the water level is considerably high compared to the country's land elevation."
To think it was at a level where they couldn't endure it without building waterways.
Just how far was this hellish Republic of Korea going to go?
Mr. Yu Seong-un continued his explanation.
"Most of it is still an area that humans can't explore, but there are so many dungeons that formed in the sea and monsters that came from them. I've heard that the water level rose because the volume inside the sea physically increased."
"It would be difficult for just one or two monsters to cause that."
Just how many, and how large, were the monsters that had settled on Earth that they couldn't endure without building waterways?
Mr. Yu Seong-un, having understood my question, opened his mouth.
"There are many underwater monsters large enough to easily surpass a single building in size."
"I see."
"It's not just one of those monsters, but many of them of various types, so the water level has likely risen compared to before the Great Catastrophe. In fact, I heard our country wasn't originally a place where the seawater rose so easily…."
"How do they manage the rising seawater in the provinces?"
"I know that they've dug waterways to the extent that it doesn't have a major negative impact on farming and various other aspects of life. They said they created paths in various ways to prevent the salinity of the seawater from seeping into the land, but of course, they don't have as much capital as the city… so they probably can't farm near the waterways, right?"
"...."
"So in areas where the seawater comes in excessively, I heard they've been fishing instead of farming from the very beginning. Fish from some famous regions are even imported to the city."
It seemed that despite the situation, everyone had found a way to survive.
'The adaptability of humans is tremendous.'
In any case, I was intimidated.
'I need to stay cooped up in my portrait.'
The Earth had now become a world where it was difficult to survive with only romance, passion, and hope, without any real physical power.
Just how strong did one have to be to live in this tough world, paying rent on time every month?
It was surely a level I couldn't even dream of.
"I believe you said the restaurant itself is floating on the water."
"Actually, it's less that it's floating and more that it's a restaurant built on a small island…."
"I heard it was located within the Han River."
I asked as I sat down in the taxi seat.
"Was there an island in that location originally?"
I knew that even 31 years ago, there were small islands like Nodeul Island.
But Mr. Yu Seong-un had said there was only a single restaurant sitting there with no other land, which made me curious as to how such a location came to be.
Mr. Yu Seong-un answered without difficulty.
"That's because that spot was originally the site of a fixed-type dungeon."
"…A fixed-type dungeon?"
"…Ah, do you not know much about dungeons?"
Seeing his surprised face, it seemed he thought I would naturally know.
But unfortunately, that was not the case.
In the blink of an eye, I had become an ancestor from 31 years ago and I had been left behind, unable to develop in step with the changing times.
'How did I, who once injected social skills into the sprouts of the Republic of Korea, end up like this?'
Kids, your teacher misses you.
Fortunately, Mr. Yu Seong-un quickly returned to his usual nonchalant expression and began to explain.
"Dungeons are usually divided into fixed-type and mobile-type. Literally, a dungeon that is fixed in one place, and a dungeon that moves according to its own rules. In the case of a fixed-type dungeon, it can sometimes create terrain that wasn't originally there."
"In that case, is the restaurant we are heading to now also built on a terrain created like that?"
"Yeah, that's the restaurant's theme, in the first place. The dungeon that was there was related to cooking, and it was a dungeon that was cleared after being moved by the food of a civilian chef who was dragged in by chance, despite not being a Hunter…."
"Aha."
The narrative was deeply moving.
"A grand restaurant was left at the location that was cleared like that and the chef who participated in the clearing at that time took over the restaurant and is still running it. He's already 92 years old, but he's still active on the scene."
"92 years old?"
"Seems long-lived for a human, doesn't it?"
Yu Seong-un smiled once and continued.
"In the first place, he's a person who awakened as a chef after the dungeon clearing, so he would have been less affected by age. Besides that, there would be assistance from skills or items. If you saw him in person, he'd probably look to be in his 50s."
"...."
"He also often participates in national-level clearings and takes responsibility for the team members' meals. So that means his basic combat skills aren't bad either. I've never seen it myself, but I heard his main weapon is a baseball bat with nails in it."
"A baseball bat…."
"Surprising, right? I thought he'd use a kitchen knife. But he was interviewed saying how he could use a knife for cooking to slice up monsters. I guess chefs really have a different mindset."
"Oh."
I think I knew what kind of mindset that was, but in any case, I was intimidated.
Humanity has grown stronger.
"Do Awakeners age slowly?"
"As far as I know, most do. At least, if they're a C-Class Hunter or higher."
"Is the standard for a good Hunter divided starting from C-Class…."
"The average situation and perception itself is like that."
It was truly a scary world.
'There isn't a single thing my grandmother said that was wrong.
Let's always live humbly and politely.'
I didn't want to live a perfectly fine life only to be exorcised as a haunted portrait.
I pondered.
'I need to plan my own survival strategy well. I don't know what will happen to my cabin if the portrait burns down, and it's not like I can prevent all mishaps just by acting conscientiously myself….'
But then again, I didn't want to receive a passing grade as a human and live on Earth again either.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I was thinking that the Earth is a scary place."
"Uh…?"
It was really, really scary.
"Why are you suddenly getting scared, it's not like you're a target for subjugation."
"That is true."
But conversely, it meant that if I became a target for subjugation, my limbs could be torn apart.
'I like things the way they are now.'
Was there a way to maintain my status as a haunted portrait without being criticized or attacked by people?
I decided to think about it for the sake of my own comfortable survival.
"...."
First, after I eat.
"…It smells good."
"It does, even though we can't see the restaurant. Isn't it strange?"
"Is this a scent that only comes from this waterway?"
"I think I've heard that it's a kind of promotional strategy."
"Understood."
The waterway that exuded a rapturous scent from afar without being unpleasant was strange, but what was stranger was the fact that the scent of the sea and the scent of food could be smelled separately.
'…The scent of the sea in the middle of a city like this….'
If I lowered my head a little, only the scent of the sea came through.
It was the scent of seawater, sharply piercing the brain.
I felt a sense of longing.
"...."
I leaned my body close to the water's surface.
"Jio, that looks dangerous."
"The scent of the sea was nice, so I was just smelling it for a moment."
My voice, lost in old memories, became much gentler.
"It's strange that it smells of the sea even though it's a waterway connected to the Han River."
"Well, unless it's a mountain, the streams and waterways in places like this are all strongly mixed with seawater…."
"Is that so?"
Giovanni, he liked this kind of scent.
The scent of the sea.
"...."
The scent of a mermaid.
"…Just once…."
To the point of wanting to fall into those depths.
It was heart-wrenching.
"Jio, stop."
"...."
"…The driver is getting flustered, too."
At those words, I looked at the water taxi driver.
"...."
With a very flustered face, looking a little scared, he was looking at me.
"…I see."
I admitted that I had acted rudely.
"I am sorry, it was my first time in a waterway like this, so my curiosity was stirred."
"It's okay, I was worried you'd get hurt, I wasn't angry."
"Thank you for your understanding."
While Mr. Yu Seong-un said 'worried,' the driver's face looked closer to 'fear,' but I decided to just let it go without thinking.
It was natural to be scared if a passenger you were carrying was about to fall into the water.
'Like a passenger who suddenly opens the door and tries to jump out on the highway….'
I successfully convinced myself.
'Anyway, if it's not that, then I must have let out some strange energy again.'
Just like I had done without realizing it from time to time at Mr. Yu Seong-un's company.
I sat down properly in my seat again.
I was reflecting on the fact that I had caused a nuisance by being distracted by the strange waterway.
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who was watching me as if observing me, hesitated with a face that said, 'can I ask this,' before carefully asking.
"Do you like the sea?"
"…Pardon?"
No? Not particularly?
"I do not particularly like it."
"But both at Cheonggyecheon and here at the waterway, you seemed to particularly like the scent of the sea. Of course, if I was mistaken, I'm sorry."
"There is nothing to be sorry about. I do not dislike the sea, but I do not particularly like it either…."
Having said that, I then changed my words.
"…Now that I think about it, that might be the case."
"Hm?"
"I think it is ordinary, but I also like it."
It was a strange thing to say, but it wasn't wrong either.
'Jio' didn't have strong feelings about the sea, but 'Giovanni' did.
So, to the question 'do you like the sea,' I could only say yes and no.
Since both were my own thoughts, it was hard to deny either one.
But then, a thought suddenly came to me.
"Are there mermaids here, too?"
"…A mermaid, you say."
Meanwhile, Yu Seong-un sensed the anomaly he had felt at Cheonggyecheon once more.
'He definitely said, here, too.'
It seemed that Jio had some kind of connection with mermaids.
"Hmm…."
After thinking for a moment, Yu Seong-un slowly nodded his head.
"Sometimes, that kind of monster pops up. Even if it's not strictly a monster… there are also certain beings that take that form."
"...."
"In a world where idol worship, legends, or myths can create real monsters, mermaid-related monsters pop up here and there on Earth."
"Is that so?"
"The story of 'The Little Mermaid' by a very old author is a famous fairy tale."
The Little Mermaid.
At the appearance of the familiar words, I was lost in thought again. It was a thought about 'Giovanni's' request.
'Come to think of it, I think there was a quest related to The Little Mermaid.'
But for now, I decided to put it aside.
"I think we are almost there. It is a spectacular restaurant."
"Oh, it is."
"The building is more wonderful than I imagined, so I am looking forward to it."
They say you shouldn't worry at the dinner table.
***
A luxurious restaurant that seemed to be made of a mixture of ivory and marble.
It was beautifully decorated like a single castle, yet the structure was inefficient, with multiple rooms, stairs, and lobbies mixed together in a way that felt like it wasn't made by human hands.
But ironically, that strangeness solidified the concept of this restaurant.
"...."
White and pink, light green, sky blue.
The pastel tones, spread out like a patchwork quilt on an ivory base, made one feel drowsy as if they had entered a dream.
It was dizzyingly beautiful.
"There is something I was unable to ask earlier…."
And in the meantime, Mr. Yu Seong-un and I had taken our seats at a cream-colored table.
After sitting down, I asked.
"Did you not say that this place was made from the remains of a fixed-type dungeon?"
"Hm? That's right."
"In that case, do fixed-type dungeons originally leave behind terrain or buildings like this even after being cleared? And that dungeon left this land and this restaurant?"
"Ahhh… uh, yeah. It's something like that."
Thinking it would be best to resolve all my questions before the main meal came out, Mr. Yu Seong-un explained with his characteristic nonchalant smile.
"There are various types of dungeons, regardless of whether they are fixed-type or mobile-type. They are usually divided into virtual dungeons, villa dungeons, and entry dungeons."
"There are as many as 3 types?"
"Actually, there are more, but these 3 are the representative types of dungeons."
Yu Seong-un continued his explanation, folding his fingers.
"In the case of a virtual dungeon, a game proceeds in a virtual world by eating up personnel who satisfy arbitrary conditions without a clear boundary. For example, under the condition of 10 men in their 30s who stopped by a convenience store at 9 PM sharp, the clearing proceeds on a game board that is implemented similarly to the convenience store."
"That sounds very unreasonable."
"Right, other Hunters also find this part very troublesome. How many Hunters suitable for clearing a dungeon would there be among those 10 men in their 30s? Virtual dungeons appear quite rarely, but they are difficult to grasp and the damage is large, so they are one of the worries of modern people."
I can't help but think that a world where something like this is called a 'worry of modern people' is a bit terrifying.
Unaware of me being thoroughly horrified thanks to my atrophied facial muscles, Yu Seong-un calmly continued his explanation.
"Next is the villa dungeon. An arbitrary terrain and rule newly appeared on Earth."
"Is that the case with this restaurant?"
"You seem to understand well. As you said, this restaurant building was created as part of a villa dungeon. A single restaurant suddenly appeared in the middle of the Han River where there was originally nothing."
Yu Seong-un rolled his eyes as if recalling a memory.
"As far as I know, this restaurant wasn't just a restaurant that appeared on a newly created terrain. It's an excessively long restaurant with a basement deep enough to reach the bottom of the river. However, since the only part visible above the water is the restaurant, it was given the name 'the restaurant floating on the water'…."
He nodded his head and continued.
"In this way, a villa dungeon is like an alien dimension's villa being suddenly built on Earth. It's already been replaced with that terrain, so it can't be restored. So most villa dungeons, once they appear, remain as they are with only the rules disappearing even after being cleared. How to handle and utilize them is up to the people of Earth."
"...."
"Last is the entry dungeon, I guess? This one is similar to a game. Though I do wonder what kind of games you know and what they might be…."
Yu Seong-un said, wagging his last finger.
"It's a bit different from a virtual dungeon, which has no physical boundary at all, and a villa dungeon, where the boundary exists but its line is ambiguous. It's a case where only an entry passage appears, and if you go inside, you can proceed with the clearing of another dimension."
"Aha…."
It was certainly like the dimensional gates commonly seen in games.
The kind of game where there's only a door, but if you enter, you can move to a different map.
I understood completely.
Yu Seong-un, as always, continued in his nonchalant and kind manner.
"But cases like this restaurant, where the remains of a dungeon are utilized as a restaurant, are very rare."
"It seems unique and nice, so that is surprising. Why are they not utilized in this way?"
"Humans are fearful beings."
Hyung, are you going to keep treating me like a haunted portrait?
"Problems could arise when letting in ordinary people, there are few people with the guts to live there and utilize the remains of a dungeon, and above all, the remains themselves are quite picky about people… so they usually try to demolish them somehow."
"Is it picky about people?"
"Like making someone who they don't like feel a chill when they enter?"
"It sounds like a haunted house."
Said the haunted portrait.
"...."
That's right, I was actually inwardly acknowledging my own identity.
'Well, ordinary humans don't build a cabin inside a portrait and live a healing life.'
Not that I had any intention of strongly asserting that I was human anyway, I slyly made an excuse.
"…I do not make people feel a chill."
"Right, right, because Jio is a person. Right?"
"That is correct."
I was so grateful that he was coddling me like a 4-year-old cousin that I could have cried.
-x-X-x-
'I have been to French restaurants a few times in the past, but….'
I looked around the inside of the restaurant once more.
'They really nailed the concept here.'
As someone with more romance than fear, I was not deterred by the words, 'this is a restaurant made from a dungeon where dozens of people died.'
'Why should I be scared when delicious food is coming out?'
To me, this restaurant, 'Istua,' felt like even the air was sweet.
"...."
"Do you like it here?"
"The atmosphere is nice."
It was fun to appreciate.
It was chaotic yet clean, dreamlike yet neat.
The temperature of the colors, which felt cool yet affectionate, was likely the skill of a designer who had appropriately mixed white and pastel tones.
It was a design both bizarre and fantastical, as if it had given shape to a person's beautiful dream.
'Although there's a high probability that the one who designed this building was not human….'
The complex and beautiful building, like a dream given form, and the sweet air that made my mouth water, as if a fantasy had been realized.
This unique experience, which I had never had in my life, made my heart flutter as if I had come to an amusement park.
Even in the past, there was something called immersive dining on Earth.
It referred to a restaurant where one could watch a performance in a theater designed with a single concept and have a meal that was assimilated with it.
Should I call it a participatory play where you can enjoy a meal?
'Furthermore, this is a restaurant with a story related to a single dimension called a dungeon. Unlike a pure play, which can be called a lie, I am in a sense inside a story that really existed. He even said the chef here was the protagonist of that story.'
This restaurant was quite tall, but its center was open, so you could see the ceiling directly even from the first floor.
But it wasn't as if the center was wide open in a circle.
There was a round lobby without railings and stairs connected in layers.
Customers could have their meals there.
The people enjoying their meals sitting in the aerial lobby were placed in a good position to be seen, as if they had been chosen as the protagonists of this play.
"...."
The seat Mr. Yu Seong-un and I sat at was on the edge of the 5th floor.
"...."
"Um…."
Mr. Yu Seong-un asked with a look of doubt.
"Did you want to sit in the lobby, perhaps? It's a popular spot because it's where the dungeon's story took place."
"No."
"Ah, a quick answer. You kept looking at the aerial lobby, so I thought you might have preferred that side."
"I was appreciating the structure of the building because I liked it. There is a joy in looking at it."
I couldn't refuse strongly due to decorum, but I definitely did not want to eat in the aerial lobby.
'To receive that much focused attention would be too harsh an experience for a soft-hearted person like me.'
Recalling immersive dining, that too could be called a part of the play, but I didn't want to eat in a space like that where the gazes of strangers I didn't even know reached so clearly. I was shy.
"I was simply appreciating it."
"Then that's a relief."
At my neat yet firm tone, Mr. Yu Seong-un inwardly sighed in relief.
'…I can't expose Jio to such a public place.'
I was still wearing the hood as he had wished, but that couldn't hide my physique and aura.
No matter how much I lowered my class to imitate a human, where would my essence go?
'There are about 19 people watching… among them, 11 are Hunters. About 4 are feeling wary and preparing for a possible situation. There's 1 C-Class, 2 B-Class, and 1 A-Class.'
Istua was a unique restaurant that utilized the remains of a past dungeon, so most non-awakened civilians tended to refrain from entering.
The hurdle was high to just come and enjoy a meal casually.
The price was one thing, but above all, the fact that it was a place where a large number of people had died in the past was a deal-breaker.
'There were many who said they'd have nightmares if they ate in a place like this.'
For Hunters, seeing people die was a part of daily life, so more than 70% of Istua's customers were Hunters.
But even among them, people's reactions were divided.
'The influence of the remains is still present.'
The building of Istua could cause anything from hallucinations and auditory hallucinations to, in severe cases, schizophrenia.
It wasn't an easy thing to happen unless one caused a disturbance in the restaurant, but there were many customers who couldn't stand the subtle pressure emanating from the building itself.
"...."
This Jio fellow.
'If you're going to imitate a human, you should do it properly.'
If I looked around and enjoyed the restaurant so casually like this, wasn't it obvious that I would attract the customers' attention?
I was openly showing that I wasn't human in a space where the strangeness intensified the more you looked.
'…Besides….'
Even without such a creepy atmosphere or behavior, there was something noble about me.
'Maybe it's because he really looks like a nobleman that he fits in better with a French restaurant like this.'
Should I call it elegant, or should I call it imposing?
I didn't intend for it at all and was rather trying to lower myself, but there was a dignity that emanated from my every action.
'In the past, we only talked while he was in the portrait, so I didn't feel it much, but now that he's outside, the noble atmosphere really comes alive. He also has a neat feeling, like the priests of a temple.'
Did he really think the words 'ordinary person' suited him while exuding this kind of atmosphere?
'In the first place, there are few people like this even among humans….'
Although I had a high level of respect and understanding for humans, there were still clumsy spots here and there. Seeing the lack of detail, it seemed I really wasn't human.
"...."
Of course, I had no such thoughts.
'It's been a while since I've been to a restaurant like this.'
That was the extent of my thoughts, for a moment, as Giovanni.
In fact, the dignity and whatnot that I had shown so far all came from 'Giovanni,' who was a nobleman, a doctor and a priest.
I just hadn't been aware of the habits and atmosphere that came out naturally.
"Appetizer bread."
"Thank you."
My heart pounded.
'Bread.'
I couldn't believe how happy I was to see a lump of flour after such a long time.
The memory of the meal I had shared with my disciples when I was living as Giovanni came to mind, making my heart feel even better.
Mr. Yu Seong-un also seemed to have guessed how I was feeling.
"Do you like bread?"
"Do not worry, there is nothing I do not eat, and I am not a picky eater."
"You really do like to eat…."
"I do."
I tore off a small piece of the bread and placed it on my side plate.
'It's small and round.'
Then, instead of eating it all at once, I broke it into small pieces to eat.
At my, Giovanni's, action, Mr. Yu Seong-un stared at me.
"...."
Mr. Yu Seong-un was inwardly convinced.
'A nobleman… or maybe he belonged to a class equivalent to that.'
Judging by the etiquette he showed, paying attention to every little thing he ate.
'It wasn't very noticeable at the baekban restaurant. Did he have a connection with France? Or, separate from that, maybe there was something related to Western-style food….'
Leaving the pondering Mr. Yu Seong-un, I continued my meal.
"The bread is delicious."
"Is it? The aroma is certainly nice."
"It is plain and savory."
The crust of the bread was dry to the point of being brittle, but it wasn't hard or tough like poorly made bread.
Inside the crust, which crumbled crisply like a pastry layer, was a fluffy flesh from which steam was rising.
'It's definitely not like white bread or a morning roll, and if I had to find the most similar thing, it would be ciabatta, I guess. But even for that, it's unbelievably fluffy, a little different from what I know….'
A delicate chewiness could be felt between the fluffiness, as if the texture was made by puffing up meringue.
The crisp crust provided one variation, the soft and fluffy texture another, and the gently seeping chewiness a third, making it fun to chew.
The plain and savory taste of the bread itself, which brought out the natural aroma of the grains, and the subtle woody scent from the stone oven were also excellent.
'It's not excessive and is harmonious overall.'
I want to kidnap the person who made this.
"The aroma of this oil is nice, too."
"Ah, right? It's an oil made from a mix of olives and mushrooms."
"Olives and mushrooms?"
"Both are improved varieties from a dungeon. Maybe this will be more to your taste."
"It is certainly a unique attempt, so I like it. I think it is good."
Usually, the oil used for dipping appetizer bread like this was often served with balsamic.
Balsamic, which could be called a sticky grape vinegar, was excellent for its sour and deep flavor, but unusually, this oil had salt in it instead.
'It's also like eating sashimi.'
I was suddenly reminded of the navy-haired mermaid.
She was a proud and sensitive child.
'…Aria particularly disliked strong flavors and liked to dip her bread in oil without vinegar, it would have been fine if I had added salt like this… I didn't think of it back then.'
Then again, salt was expensive back then, so it was difficult to keep a large stock of it. Even though they lived in a seaside village, salt was a precious ingredient.
"...."
It really is like sashimi.
The bread, with its remarkably vivid and tender texture.
Just like eating a fatty tuna belly, with its fine marbling of fat, dipped in a salt and oil sauce, this lively bread also gave a similar impression.
'…Perhaps because the oil and salt are in it together, the aroma is amplified, and the sweetness of the grains is further highlighted. It's certainly an attempt that goes well with the texture of freshly baked bread.'
As I was nibbling on the bread, the second dish came out.
"Onion soup with three types of cheese on top."
Unlike the creamy soup that most people think of, it was a brown, transparent soup that relied solely on the sweetness and umami of onions.
"...."
The deep yellow and orange cheese, spread so wide that the inside of the soup was not visible, was melted to just the right color.
I gently spooned the soup.
'The cheese isn't that thick.'
Unlike the crisply baked surface of the cheese, the inside was delicate and soft.
Perhaps because it was the side touching the onion soup, it was stained with the deep umami characteristic of well-sautéed onions.
'The texture of the onion is also well-preserved. To think that the original shape of the onion is this visible even though it's cooked enough to be mashed with the tongue means that the soup was made very meticulously. It must have taken quite a lot of time.'
Cheese on top of onion soup.
It was an obvious combination, if anything, but I didn't particularly like it when the cheese on top was thick. It was a personal preference, but I didn't care for cheese that became rubbery and tough as the soup and bowl cooled.
'Some might say that it's like the radish or meat in a beef and radish soup, or that it enriches the texture… but that's not me. I want to eat the soup.'
But the bowl of this soup maintained its warm temperature, and the cheese, while not very thin, was not thick either, making it very good for spooning up.
Thanks to that, the original taste of the onion also seemed to be highlighted better.
"...."
"You like it?"
"It feels like my body is warming up, so it is good."
"Onion soup definitely has a bit of a restorative food feel to it."
"I think so, too."
The process of sautéing pristine white, firm onions until they turn a deep caramel color.
That process is the biggest key to onion soup, and if the onions are burned or under-sautéed at this stage, you'll end up with bland onion water instead of umami.
But this soup, which had squeezed out every last drop of all the sweetness, umami, and flavor of the onions, was worthy of being called a restorative food.
It would be impossible to draw out all the flavor of the onions to this extent with ordinary effort and time.
'Kidnap.'
Let's kidnap the chef.
"Cheese Flower salad with Amra purée."
At the new dish that came out soon after and the unfamiliar word, I naturally looked back at Mr. Yu Seong-un.
A salad of beautiful appearance, with a light yellow sauce drizzled over it, cheese in the shape of flowers sprinkled on top, and clean, trimmed flower petals surrounding it.
"...."
"...."
An explanation was needed.
"...."
"Ah… are you curious about the ingredients?"
"If you do not mind, may I ask what Amra is?"
"It's one of the representative fruits that was brought from a dungeon and successfully improved. Do you know what an avocado is?"
"I do."
"It has a soft flesh similar to that, but it's a fruit with a strong savory aroma like a nut. The amount of oil contained in the flesh is enormous, and I know that such oil doesn't burn at ordinary temperatures, so it's often used in Chinese cuisine."
"Then the flesh itself…."
"You're right, this is the first time I've seen a place use Amra as a purée. In the first place, they had a fruit salad just last season. The menu at Istua changes every four months, so it's fun to seek it out."
"I see."
The fruit called Amra had a lighter yellow color than a chick.
'…The savoriness is on a similar level to peanuts or walnuts.'
But it didn't immediately bring nuts to mind.
If anything, it resembled the savoriness and sweetness felt when chewing on rice for a long time.
Then, at the end, a deep sweetness like honey and the unique sourness of a fruit would hit, giving a variation to the taste.
'It's certainly very oily, too. It's also like the marbling of beef….'
This sweet oiliness, somehow reminiscent of bone broth, went very well with the refreshingly spread flower petals.
My gaze naturally fell upon the Cheese Flower, which had a shape similar to an azalea.
"...."
When I gently split the Cheese Flower, I could see that this was a 'flower' that had grown this way from the beginning.
"…The Cheese Flower…."
"Are you interested? Should I get you a seedling later?"
"I would appreciate that."
"Alright then. I'll buy one for you on our way back after the trip is over."
"Thank you."
A flower that grows from cheese, it was a story that made my heart flutter, gathering all the childhood innocence I had and didn't have.
Wasn't it an existence that would only appear in the fairy tale books I read as a child?
'Considering the cumbersome process of humans making cheese, it's a very attractive flower.'
What is cheese in the first place?
Isn't it a symbol of effort, where you can only obtain a meager amount after roasting and rolling milk until you can't anymore?
So I couldn't help but be surprised that such a processed product was coming out as a flower.
The petals were thin and as beautiful as a work of art.
'What's the principle? The taste itself seems similar to Tête de Moine….'
A semi-hard cheese that maintained its shape but would crumble at a touch.
It was a cheese that boasted a soft and savory taste characteristic of milk, but also a strong nutty aroma and a sharp spiciness.
The Cheese Flower had a slightly stronger spiciness on the tip of the tongue, but it wasn't to the point of being unpleasant.
Should I say it was at a level that could refresh the oily taste of the Amra purée and the unique richness of the cheese?
'The harmony is a work of art, is the chef perhaps an Intangible Cultural Heritage?'
Above all, the Cheese Flower, which had double the sweetness and savoriness of Tête de Moine, also had a hint of honey flavor.
It was a delicate sweetness like the one you can taste when you turn an azalea flower over and suck on it.
It went frighteningly well with this flower salad.
I was excited at the thought of planting this flower when I returned to the cabin.
"You look really happy."
"Yes."
What an obvious thing to say.
"Humans are happiest when they eat."
"Uh… really?"
"At least, I am."
It's been that way since I was picking up and eating potatoes my grandmother roasted for me in the furnace. I couldn't escape from this extremely primal pleasure.
After that, a fantastic course continued.
A gratin with a deep truffle aroma and French fries with a little cheese on top.
Brisket that was slowly roasted at a low temperature and then infused with the scent of wood, and garlic that was made into crispy chips and placed on top.
For French cuisine, which is famous for being oily, it was a course with exquisite harmony that didn't get tiresome.
"Was it decent enough?"
"It was not decent, it was very good."
"I'm glad you seem to have enjoyed it…."
If you're going to imitate a human, how about pretending to care about your surroundings?
'Humans are more social creatures than you think….'
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who had been enduring the 'what on earth is that' gazes on my behalf all this time, smiled bitterly.
-x-X-x-
"Shall we head to Gyeongbokgung now, then."
"...."
Gyeongbokgung, he says.
'I took my class there for a field trip a few times. The kids hated it, saying it was boring….'
Recalling that boisterous time, I asked.
"Did you say there was a night market?"
"That's right, there's no better place to feel the Korean atmosphere."
"It sounds like it will be fun."
"Do you want to try a hanbok (korean clothing) there?"
"A hanbok…."
Memories that were not so old bubbled up.
I had never gone out of my way to visit unless it was a school-organized trip, but still, Gyeongbokgung had the fun of dressing the kids in hanbok and taking pictures of them.
'Especially the last class I was in charge of, they even showed me a spectacular court intrigue in real time.'
I was lost in reminiscence.
The bloody battle between Her Majesty the Queen and the eunuch had been the highlight.
Thanks to having been in charge of cute and noisy students, I had many good memories of Gyeongbokgung.
I had never worn a hanbok myself as I was the one leading them, but that didn't mean I disliked the experience of trying one on.
"That sounds good."
"It does?"
At my response, Mr. Yu Seong-un inwardly sighed in relief.
'I was worried he might find it unpleasant to change his attire, since his essence is that of a portrait.'
Fortunately, I seemed to be the type who didn't have a great aversion to various experiences.
"Alright, I know a good place."
"Are you talking about a hanbok rental?"
"That place doesn't have many people, so it should be fine to take our time."
"I am looking forward to it."
"Then shall we get on the overground train? It should be arriving at the stop soon."
"Is there a set arrival time?"
"It's not a mode of transport that comes that often…."
As he led me to the stop, Mr. Yu Seong-un was lost in a strange thought.
'He introduced himself as Jio, so I thought he was imitating Korean culture, but was the culture he was imitating not Korean?'
The table manners I had shown at the restaurant were ambiguous to be considered Korean.
No matter how you looked at it, they were closer to Western-style, which was peculiar considering my previous remarks that made me seem well-versed in Korea.
"…Hmm."
But at this point, it didn't matter.
"How was the restaurant?"
"It was delicious."
"That's a reaction that makes the guide feel proud."
When my class of existence was so high, it was difficult to see what kind of expression I was making with that face, but now, he could tell that I was enjoying the situation in my own way.
'Thanks to that, the tour is going smoothly.'
Mr. Yu Seong-un continued his thoughts.
'He's acting quite human-like, so as long as other Hunters don't try to pick a fight, there shouldn't be any problems. According to Guild Master Bisabeol, Jio is the type to avoid friction as much as possible….'
I voiced my impression.
"The overground train passes through buildings."
"Isn't it more convenient for commuting that way? It's convenient if it drops you off right inside the building."
"That is true."
"After two more stops, there's a stop that goes right through a department store."
"Are there no noise issues?"
"Well, it's been soundproofed. The magic department would know what exact treatment was done…."
Seeing me enjoy everything he guided me to, it seemed I liked this human world.
'A man close to 190 cm tall could look childish acting like that.'
The line of his turned neck or the fingers gently touching the window strangely did not look childish.
It was true that I was quite enjoying myself, but it felt less like the pure admiration of a child and more like that of a severe bystander.
'Is it because of the heavy atmosphere?'
Not smiling on an equal footing, but rather, with his hands behind his back, looking down from somewhere….
"Are we getting off soon?"
"Ah, that's right."
Mr. Yu Seong-un got off with me at Gyeongbokgung Station.
He pointed below the platform and said.
"This is Gyeongbokgung."
One of the advantages of the overground train was that it offered a clear view of the city's scenery.
Sky lanterns, floating gently at a not-too-high altitude, swayed as if they were alive and below them were Gyeongbokgung Palace and the hanok village.
Perhaps because of the characteristic of lighting the night with fire instead of electricity, the entire area was filled with a gentle light.
People who had stopped by after work or had come for sightseeing were buying and eating food at the night market stalls lined up inside and outside Gyeongbokgung.
The hanboks they wore, matching their desired roles, fluttered even in the winter wind.
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who had waited until I had taken in the entire view, opened his mouth.
"If you've come to Seoul, you have to stop by Gyeongbokgung. It's a world-famous tourist spot, you know."
"...."
"Why? Is it too crowded and hectic?"
"No, I just did not think the atmosphere would be this good."
"I'm glad you don't seem to dislike it. Then we should enjoy it too."
Mr. Yu Seong-un took a direct elevator down and led me to the hanok village.
In the not-so-wide alleys, people, some wearing hanbok and some not, were milling about.
The winter hanboks rented from rental shops are all treated for warmth.
Perhaps because of that, people's attire was not very thick even in the middle of winter.
"Come this way, let's change our clothes first."
"Are we going to a place that rents hanboks?"
"That's right, if we want to enjoy it properly, we need to prepare a few things."
The Gyeongbokgung village, with its intertwined hanoks, was a place where a novice could easily get lost, but since he had been there a few times before, it was easy to find.
Tourist spots with many such 'stories' were overflowing with work for Mr. Yu Seong-un.
'…Is he rather excited today? It doesn't seem like he'll cause trouble, but he's quite active, unlike usual….'
'Stories' came into view, pretending to clear snow from the roof of a hanok, or perhaps mimicking a scholar or a noble lady while also wearing a hanbok.
"...."
Mr. Yu Seong-un, having confirmed the thing wearing a wooden mask, turned his gaze away.
They generally didn't attack first, but the ones at Gyeongbokgung were not the kind you wanted to make eye contact with for long.
A courtyard with plenty of silk hung up and gentle-colored lanterns hanging from the ends of the eaves.
Mr. Yu Seong-un pulled me, who was silently admiring the surroundings, inside a hanok.
"Ma'am."
"Oh my, isn't it Mr. Seong-un."
A middle-aged woman, beautifully dressed in a flower-dyed hanbok, welcomed him.
"It's been a while. Entertaining a guest again?"
"It's a company-level guest, so I need to be more mindful."
"Then our house's hanbok is perfect."
The woman smiled elegantly and looked back at me.
"Is this the guest?"
"We'll be walking around the night market more than playing games, so please pick out something comfortable."
"Why not enjoy the games? They're doing a lot of fun things this time."
"We've been walking around all day, so I'm completely drained."
"Then I'll have to dress you up as a scholar, right? Let's go with a light scholar's robe, since it'll be uncomfortable if the clothes are too thick or heavy."
"That sounds good."
Mr. Yu Seong-un said to me.
"What do you want to do about your face? Is it better to keep it covered, or…."
"I would like it to be covered."
Please guarantee the anonymity of the portrait.
I was intimidated by the larger-than-expected crowd.
I, who always wished to be far from people's attention, wanted to cover my face to block their gazes.
He didn't know my timid heart, but in any case, Mr. Yu Seong-un guessed that I wouldn't like a hectic and noisy situation. He understood roughly and asked the owner.
"Do you have a mask?"
"Should I give you a generous one?"
"That would be more comfortable, right? Yes, please."
"Then let's pick out the clothes first."
The owner looked at me and asked.
"Could you take off your cape for a moment? It's fine if you keep wearing it later, but I need to see your build to choose a hanbok."
"Understood."
I obediently took off the cape and draped it over my arm.
Having listened diligently, I looked at the owner proudly.
"...."
"...."
"…Ma'am."
Mr. Yu Seong-un called out to the owner, who had turned into a stone statue.
"The guest will run away at this rate."
"…Oh my, I've made a disgrace of myself."
The owner finally reacted.
"The guest is so handsome that my breath stopped for a moment."
"Don't say strange things to my guests."
"He has a great frame for clothes, so it's a pleasure to choose such a handsome guest. Please wait just a moment."
Not long after, the owner came out with two young women, pushing two hangers with hanboks on them.
One side had hanboks with a cool blue hue, and the other side had hanboks that were mostly achromatic.
"Both are silk woven from our house's silkworms. They're smooth and won't irritate the skin."
"The blue one must be mine, right? Isn't it a cold color for winter?"
"I only brought the clothes that would suit you best. Who else but you, Mr. Seong-un, would wear such a color in winter?"
"I'm not sure if I'm being taken advantage of…."
"I'd be grateful if you could do a little promotion while you're walking around in it. Anyway, Hunters have such great frames for clothes."
The owner looked back at me.
"Seeing as you're dressed so lightly in this winter, you must be a Hunter, right? Our hanboks are made to be sturdy and light so that Hunters can move around without any problems, so don't worry."
"I was not worried."
In the first place, I wasn't even a Hunter.
'Would it be strange to say I'm not, now?'
The owner smiled, fanning herself with a fan.
"Hunters don't really like cumbersome clothes, so I was just being considerate. Seeing as I don't recognize your face, you must be unofficial or have gotten your license not too long ago, right?"
"...."
"It's okay if you don't want to say. Seeing as you want to keep your face covered, you must hate having your personal information exposed. I'll hide you very stylishly."
Personal information exposed?
'I guess it's common for the job of a Hunter to have their personal information exposed?'
What a scary world this is.
Deciding to ask Mr. Yu Seong-un later, I draped the black hanbok recommended by the owner, who had her hair stylishly put up with a hairpin, around myself.
A black short-sleeved outer robe (dapo) with a grey formal outer robe (dopo). The waist tie was a clean white.
"If you're going to Gyeongbokgung, you have to wear a hat, too. There, it suits you well. It would also look great with a lot of pendant (norigae). This one is made of coral, try one on."
"Thank you."
"This is a scarf. Oh my, white suits you so well. It's pretty, maybe because your skin is so clear. This is a purse to put old Korean coins (yeopjeon) in when you go inside, tie it well so it doesn't fall off, okay?"
"...."
"Alright, and a head covering."
I was a little taken aback by the wide, jet-black cloth. I knew what a head covering was, but I had never used one before.
"…How should I wear this?"
"I'll have to help you. Ms. Dan-woo, please put the head covering on our handsome guest."
"Yes, Ma'am."
A young woman wearing a pink ribbon came over and wrapped the black cloth around my hat.
Strangely, I could see in front of me as if nothing was covering my view.
"You said you'll be mostly walking around the night market. Then you'll be eating often, and it would be inconvenient if your mouth is covered with a mask. For people who don't want to reveal their identity, a long head covering like this is perfect."
"...."
"A customer with your kind of aura might be recognized, but your clothes are so flashy and you have so many things attached, who would look at your face that closely?"
"I see."
"The scarf is so thick that it covers most of your lower face, so with this, you've covered everything you need to cover. Enjoy our village with a comfortable heart, scholar-nim."
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who had changed into a blue-toned hanbok on one side, asked the owner.
"We'd like to buy some lanterns, too."
"Oh my, you're really going all out, aren't you? What kind of lantern do you like?"
"I haven't really thought about it. What's the most popular these days?"
"Well, the young ladies do like the moon lanterns."
"Uh… what about men? We're not young ladies."
"Do you think it's common for two men like you, Mr. Seong-un, to come and play by yourselves?"
After thinking for a moment, the owner called one of the ribbon-haired women.
"Ms. Hong-yeon, could you bring the fish tank?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
The woman called Hong-yeon soon pushed over a large glass box.
Inside, several lanterns made of traditional hand made korean paper (hanji) were moving as if they were alive, submerged in light and the owner scooped up two small fish from among them with a net.
The finely fluttering things looked just like real fish.
"How about goldfish? They're small and subtle, so they won't be hard to carry around."
"That's a good idea."
I was experiencing culture shock.
'The lanterns are alive?'
When Mr. Yu Seong-un said 'lantern,' I was thinking of a sky lantern you could hold in your hand or a hanging lantern.
But the goldfish lanterns that Mr. Yu Seong-un bought fluttered in the air, and soon, one of them settled next to my face.
"...."
The lantern, wagging its tail, didn't hurt my eyes even when I looked at it directly.
"Then have fun, you two."
The owner waved her hand and saw the two of them off.
Leaving the courtyard where silk was draped here and there, we could stand on the bustling village road again. Mr. Yu Seong-un called out to me as I looked around the village with interest.
"How is it, is it not uncomfortable?"
"It is very comfortable."
"If you want to look around the village before going inside Gyeongbokgung, let's do that."
"The village?"
"The village market closes earlier than Gyeongbokgung. The village lights will probably be off by the time we come out from the night market."
"Then may we look around the village for a bit?"
"Of course."
Mr. Yu Seong-un, who seemed unfamiliar with this environment, stopped by a fan shop.
"...?"
I blinked twice for a moment at a group of figures standing idly next to the shop, peeking around while wearing crude wooden masks.
Their movements weren't stiff, but they were uniform, like machines with commands inputted.
They didn't exactly look like people.
As I tilted my head, unable to identify them, Mr. Yu Seong-un spoke to the shop owner.
"Sir, please show me some fans here."
"Aigoo, some fine scholars have come. What shall I show you?"
"Something sturdy would be good…."
"Then this one is the best."
Soon turning my gaze away from the milling group of masks, I looked around the village market with curiosity.
'All the shop merchants are wearing hanbok.'
Traditional hanbok, or modified hanbok Or there was a merchant who was wearing modern clothes inside but only had a durumagi on the outside.
They catered mainly to the tourists walking around in hanbok and matched their tune.
Mr. Yu Seong-un soon gifted me a black fan.
"Here, take it. You're dressed as a scholar, so you should have at least one fan."
"…Is a fan an essential item for a scholar?"
"Maybe, maybe not. It's a souvenir without any special meaning."
"Souvenirs from tourist spots are special."
The fan, made of black ribs and cloth, was quite luxurious.
I wondered if a black fan would make me look too much like a grim reaper, but in any case, as someone who liked the color black, I obediently accepted it.
"The Gyeongbokgung village mostly sells souvenirs or food ingredients. They lay out chunks of meat or sell agricultural and marine products they've grown themselves. They're much fresher than the goods distributed from the provinces, so many people deliberately use the shops here."
I nodded my head.
"The atmosphere is really nice."
"Right?"
After wandering around the village for a long time, the two of them finally entered Gyeongbokgung.
"Wait, we have to exchange money before we go."
"Money?"
"The owner gave you a purse. That's a basic service, for you to put old Korean coins (yeopjeon) in. Inside Gyeongbokgung, you can only use old Korean coins (yeopjeon) , so it's better to exchange as much as you'll use."
"What happens if there's any left over?"
"You can take it as a souvenir, or you can get it back at the exchange office."
Mr. Yu Seong-un soon came back with the purse filled to the brim.
"They say it's an old Korean coin (yeopjeon) that's been lightly modified, but it still has some weight to it."
"Do people not find this method cumbersome?"
"Well? There might be people like that if you look for them, but people come here to enjoy this kind of atmosphere in the first place. The Gyeongbokgung merchants also like it because if they receive payment in old Korean coins ( yeopjeon) , they can receive more than the marked price."
"How can they receive more?"
"The government supports the merchants."
Mr. Yu Seong-un smiled faintly.
"That way, they'll utilize old Korean coins (yeopjeon ) more actively."
"I see."
"Here, take it. This is your identification tag."
"...?"
There's a tag, too?
I could understand the old Korean coins (yeopjeon) since it would be used as currency, but what was the purpose of an identification tag?
When I looked at Mr. Yu Seong-un, he shrugged.
"A free pass."
"Aha."
That was very good.