Chapter 150
According to the fan, the full story went like this.
While filming a vlog about his life in the mountains, my uncle mentioned in passing the unknown story about the early days of the current first generation of famous Hunters.
“He’s like, ‘what’s so scary about goblin?’ But what kind of idiot goes into the water and uses electricity on them? Do you think you’re an electric eel?”
As this was before the days of mainstream media availability, little was known about the first generation of Hunters. Moreover, it’s a secret story from when they were just rookies. The stories of tthis early days are priceless, because they wouldn’t have gone around telling their ridiculous stories. It’s no wonder people were interested in Uncle’ stories.
While my uncle was going through various problems after returning from living his mountain life, the video was accidentally discovered and became a hot topic in the internet.
If he had only talked about Ranker’s funny past, the person concerned might have felt uncomfortable and blocked him.
“Still, this friend did a lot of hard work when the Awakening Center collapsed and was in chaos, and he was one of the first to take care of the criminals when they started to go rogue. Well, even now I’m sure there are still a lot of people who would be scared of an electric fly swatter.”
However, my uncle, who was bored while filming the video, also added a touching story to the mix. Koreans are notoriously bad at self-PR, so this is another valuable piece of information.
The fan expressed their excitement and asked Uncle, “When are you going to post your next video? I really support you! If you don’t mind, I’d like an autograph…….”
After hearing the story, my uncle….
“Son, niece, I’m sorry, but I’m going first.”
He quickly signed the fan’s autograph and winked. Kwon Jiwoon quickly reached out and tried to grab his father.
“Father, I mean, Honorary Deputy Guild Leader Kwon Seokmin, where are you going!”
“Ding, please call me soon-to-be Silver Button Youtuber Following The Wind Along The Mountain Seokmin!”
Whooosh. My uncle, who predicted Kwon Jiwoon’s actions, ducked to the side. Looking at it this way, he’s truly a great man.
“So, where are you going all of a sudden?”
“My gosh! I need to buy a camera to take videos in the future, so, Adios!”
“What kind of trouble are you going to get into again?!”
“Hahahahahaha!”
My uncle’s eyes were full of life as he waved his hand. We watched him walk away with a wistful glance.
Well, at least he looked like he was having fun…….
It was time to leave the restaurant after learning such a surprising fact.
“Are you okay?” Kwon Jiwoon asked me.
I asked back with a smile as if nothing matters, “Oppa, are you okay? Didn’t Honorary Deputy Guild Leader Kwon Seokmin just get retired?”
“Not that … never mind. If anything happens, don’t hide it and tell me.”
His hand lightly touched the back of my head and then fell away. He must have noticed that I looked a little down.
“……Yes, okay.”
So I smiled as if nothing had happened.
***
Today is the long-awaited last day of the Cafe Rieul’s Ginger Festival. All the customers have left and it’s time to close the store.
“It’s done!”
I cheered as I looked at the box of freshly harvested Mandragora dungeon ginger. The inside of the box was empty, which meant we had finally finished with the ginger that had grown so much. Customers were disappointed that they couldn’t try the unlimited ginger set now, but that’s just the way it is. A limited menu always tastes better because it’s limited.
Most importantly, after a few days, my apron and hands smelled like ginger, not to mention the entire store. I’ve had enough of ginger. I won’t be making anything with ginger in it for a while.
“Hehehe……”
As I was smiling in satisfaction as I looked at the empty container, a system notification popped up.
[Achievement: You have achieved ‘The Master of Ginger’.
Please collect the reward.]
[Achievement: The Master of Ginger
You have defeated the Ginger without leaving a single one behind.
Mandragora Dungeon Ginger worships you. You are the Master of Ginger.
Reward: 10 consecutive Golden Draws]
Master of Ginger……? I sold some ginger drinks and became such a person?
If that’s so great, I guess that’s great…….
Aside from the achievements, the 10 consecutive golden draws given as a reward caught my eye. It’s been a while since I played a lottery. I received the reward with excitement.
There was a slight difference between regular golden draws and 10 consecutive golden draws. The difference is that after 10 consecutive draws, you are guaranteed to get at least one good item of 3 stars or higher, the so-called golden item!
Nine miscellaneous items appeared with sparkling and colorful effects, and finally the last one!
Bba-bba-bam! A sound effect sounded and the result appeared.
[Item: Authentic Coffee Making Cart (★★★☆☆)
You had a hard time making coffee in Dungeon, right?
This cart will solve your problems!
It is fully equipped with all the tools for making coffee.
Note: Includes mini refrigerator that connects to the cafe’s refrigerator]
“…….”
I put the full-fledged coffee-making cart into my inventory.
“Nyaaaa….” When I didn’t show any reaction, Mieum looked at me from the side.
“What’s wrong?”
“Why aren’t you reacting, waeoong!”
“How should I react?”
“Waeoong! Why aren’t you whining about how you don’t want to go to the dungeon in the first place, or how you don’t like being asked to make coffee in the dungeon!”
“……I’ve graduated from that.”
“Kyaaaong?”
Mieum’s shocked reaction confirmed what I had been suspecting all along.
I was wondering why they keep giving me dungeon-related items like this. System bastard, you were making fun of me. They enjoyed seeing my reaction.
And I wasn’t actually upset about any of this.
Whether it’s making coffee in a dungeon or rolling around in a cave, all of it…….
All of it is something that could be done only if you are alive.
“Hey, what’s this?” At that time, Ash called me. He pointed to the bottle of ginger ale on the counter.
“Oh, leave that. That’s for something else.”
“What else?”
Just in time, the door clicked open.
Ah, there they are.
The last guests of the day were the Choi siblings, Cedric and Rona.
“Hmmm, long time no see.”
Choi Cedric looked nervous for some reason.
“Wow, Eonni, how have you been?” Choi Rona was still floating about ten centimetres in the air, shimmering and sparkling. The girl who had walked into the air, looking weightless, smiled, “Actually, I haven’t quite got the hang of controlling the power of the Grimoire yet.”
“That’s okay, Rona. You look great, you look like an angel!” From the side, Choi Cedric poured out silly comments with one hundred per cent purity and sincerity. Rona returned the gesture with a bubbly smile.
I suddenly remembered that Hunter Jijon and Kim Jina are also siblings. I am also a cousin with Kwon Jiwoon. If Hunter Jijon said something like that … to the Kim Jina I’ve seen so far, I think she would have bitten her tongue. If it were me, ugh, I’m creeped out just thinking about it. Siblings can be so different.
“Please make yourself comfortable. Ash, pass me the bottle of ginger ale.”
I made the last of the ‘Unlimited Ginger Set’ with the ginger ale I had set aside. Choi Cedric and Choi Rona took a sip of the ginger milk and looked impressed.
“Wow…..! It tastes amazing. This taste makes my mouth tingle and soothes my senses!”
“Ahaha, thank you.”
“After all, you’re a coffee ten…….”
No, thank you. I appreciate the compliment, but please, stay away from the word ‘coffee tentaku‘. The same mistake is only allowed twice, not three times.
“Oops. You told me not to call you that. So, umh …… um…… you’re the Master of Ginger!”
“…….”
I won’t deny it this time. I actually got the achievement of “The Master of Ginger”.
“Hehe. I’ve been dying to come here, it’s a great cafe.”
“That’s right. We actually wanted to come earlier. I’ve been cleaning up my surroundings so I ended up being this late.”
Duk! Just then, Choi Rona jumped up from her chair.
“Rona, what’s wrong? Do you need anything?”
“No. Hey, Kim Ash.”
“What? Me?”
Ash, who had been engaged in his own hobby in the distance without paying attention to this side, looked up. He looked surprised to hear his name being called out of the blue.
“I’d like to take a stroll through this cafe. Ash, you can show me around.”
“What? Why should I?”
“Eonni, can I do that?”
“Sure. There’s not much to see, but …. Ash, I’m sorry, but I need your help to show Rona around.”
“….Cih, okay.”
Ash rose up with the expression as if he wanted to say ‘why would I do this strange thing?‘, but he led Choi Rona around with no words, and was amused when she showed interest in the demon castle miniature he had made.
“You’re actually nicer than I thought for a demon.”
“What……! How could you say such harsh things……!”
The chattering children’s voices drifted away towards the warehouse. Choi Cedric stared at Choi Rona’s back for a moment with a beaming expression on his face, then turned his head to me again.
There was so much I wanted to say to him when we finally met, but it was hard to break the ice. I thought about it for a moment, then asked.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Choi Cedric replied with a firmer look than before.
After the incident was over, a lot happened for C&L Corporation and the Choi siblings.
First, Lee Sein, the leader of C&L Corporation and the mastermind behind the monster branch incident. She has lost most of her memories of the time before she vomited up the black liquid. Not only that, she also lost her language and cognitive abilities, making it impossible for her to communicate. Of course, it became impossible to investigate the case, and at that rate, she’s in a state of being ruined.
At that point, Choi Rona asked me to make lemonade.
Why would you use a lemonade that I usually use to catch a shady salesman? Although I had such doubts, I made lemonade as she requested and sent it to the officials of the Dungeon Management Office.
They said that after drinking the lemonade, Lee Sein coughed a few times and came to her senses.
─ It was a kind of disinfection, removingthe Abyssal waste remaining in the body and and purifying it so that it doesn’t erode the soul again.
That’s how Rona explained it to me on the phone, but I still have no idea how it works.
─ Thank you, Eonni. It’s all thanks to you. Thank you…….
In any case, Rona was happy, so I guess it worked out.
Despite regaining her cognitive abilities, Lee Sein hasn’t regained all of her memories; she testified that her body was taken over by a being called Aeon, and that the chain of events was not of her own volition.
But even so, a wrong is a wrong. She admitted all the charges against her and remained in custody. The punishment would be severe, perhaps, but after all the delusions she had been through, she now had a clear conscience.
And the first order from Choi Cedric, who became the acting CEO on behalf of the detained Lee Sein, was…….
“As of today, C&L Corporation is officially disbanded.”
… that was his final decision.