Chapter 10
When I opened my eyes, I was back in my familiar home.
Did I… return? Just like that?
“…I even brought the clothes with me.”
These were combat clothes—I should’ve returned them.
I tried opening the system window again, but it said the material collection was complete and blocked entry to the gate entirely.
“What is this?! I didn’t even get to say I was leaving!”
“As long as the objective is achieved, that’s all that matters, nya.”
Hunter Lee Hyun-woo must’ve been completely dumbfounded. I disappeared the moment I finished pulling the grass.
And on top of that, I even took the clothes he lent me… But there was nothing I could do. I didn’t even have his contact information.
‘I should go find him later.’
I hung the combat outfit neatly on a hanger and set it aside. If I tried washing it and ruined it, that’d be a disaster—better to just keep it like this for now.
“Alright, shall I try synthesizing the special effect now?”
I sat on the bed and opened the status window.
Shop Name: Haneul’s
⇒ Menu List
- Red Bean Bungeoppang
- Custard Cream Bungeoppang (NEW)
- Locked
.
.
When I clicked on the Custard Cream Bungeoppang, marked with a blinking ‘NEW,’ a message appeared saying that special effect synthesis was available.
Required material: 20 Solsol Grass. I had gathered everything.
“Alright. Let’s synthesize!”
As soon as I pressed ‘Synthesize,’ a cute pling sound rang out, and a loading message appeared.
Not long after, it completed—accompanied by flashy fireworks bursting across my vision.
I immediately clicked on the Custard Cream Bungeoppang in the system window.
“Oh, there’s a new description added.”
Custard Cream Bungeoppang
: A fish-shaped pastry filled with soft, rich custard cream
Special Effect: Sleepy Drowsiness (Fatigue -50%)
“Fatigue -50%? So it’s not just about making you sleepy?”
A grin spread across my face as I read the status.
“A new effect like this—I can’t not test it.”
I had just returned from my first gate, and fatigue was piled on top of fatigue.
“Oil the pan~ Pour the batter~ Add the custard~”
Humming to myself, I began baking the custard bungeoppang. Unlike red bean filling, custard was a bit runnier, so precise temperature control was essential.
But for me, that was no problem. I’d already baked over 500 of these—I was practically a pro.
‘Perfect, as always!’
I nodded proudly at the golden-brown pastries.
After blowing on one to cool it down, I carefully took a bite. The sweet, smooth custard spread across my mouth, filling it with rich flavor.
“Mmm—! This is seriously delicious!”
It felt like fireworks shaped like bungeoppang were exploding inside my head. I didn’t know something could taste this good!
“Me too! Give me some too, nya!”
“Han-nyang, you want some as well?”
Han-nyang snuggled up beside me and opened her mouth wide.
I tore off a small piece and popped it into her mouth. Her black pupils instantly dilated.
“Is it that good?”
“It tastes like heaven, nya!!!”
I scratched her chin as she purred in satisfaction. After eating a few more…
“Yaaawn… I’m getting a bit sleepy. Is this a sugar crash?”
“No way. It’s the special effect, nya.”
It was only 8 p.m.—a bit early to go to bed.
But strangely, my eyelids felt heavy. Was this really the bungeoppang’s effect?
“Well, I did go to the gate today. I guess I am tired… Yawn, I should sleep early.”
Half-asleep, I rubbed my eyes and pulled the blanket over myself.
‘But didn’t it say fatigue decreases? Why am I so sleepy…’
Before I could finish the thought, I fell into a deep sleep the moment I closed my eyes—as if my consciousness had been cut off entirely.
The next morning, I truly felt the incredible effect of the bungeoppang.
“It doesn’t hurt! Not at all!”
I twisted my neck side to side—no cracking sounds. Then I rolled my shoulders. They felt light!
The muscle soreness from baking all those pastries had completely disappeared. Completely.
“It feels like your body has returned to how it was when you were first born, nya.”
Han-nyang stretched her legs out with a satisfied expression.
It really did feel like being reborn.
“…This is definitely going to sell.”
I smiled to myself, thinking about the custard bungeoppang. The effect was perfect—now I just had to give it to Hunter Ria and complete the mission.
With a pounding heart, I eagerly waited for Monday when I could open the shop.
“Hunter Ria! You’re finally here!”
“Ah… yes… You seem very excited to see me.”
Startled by my enthusiastic greeting, Hunter Ria averted her gaze awkwardly.
Whether she was embarrassed or not didn’t matter to me. There was only one important thing.
‘Give her the custard bungeoppang!’
I was really curious how she’d react, considering she’d been suffering from insomnia ever since awakening.
“I told you before, right? That I prepared something special.”
“Ah… the one that helps you sleep?”
“Ta-da! Custard bungeoppang that brings on sweet drowsiness!”
She accepted it somewhat hesitantly, wearing a skeptical expression.
Well, that made sense—it looked completely ordinary.
“It just looks normal on the outside…”
“I used very rare ingredients that were really hard to obtain. Please, give it a try!”
I gestured encouragingly as she hesitated.
“…I wonder if it’ll really work.”
With a small sigh, she took a bite from the tail of the pastry.
She stared quietly at the cross-section filled with yellow custard and said,
“It tastes good, but I still don’t feel any special eff—”
Her body slowly tilted to the side and collapsed.
“What?!”
“Hunter Ria?!”
Nearby hunters rushed over in alarm.
W-What just happened? Did my bungeoppang cause this?
“T-This wasn’t supposed to happen…!”
I hurriedly removed my apron and ran over.
“Hunter! Are you okay?!”
“…Hold on.”
One of the hunters checking her condition slowly looked up at me.
“I think she just fell asleep.”
“…What?”
“Sleeping. In other words—deep sleep.”
Looking down at her face, she seemed incredibly peaceful.
Her chest rose and fell steadily. Her breathing was soft. Her expression completely relaxed.
Anyone could tell—she was in a deep sleep.
“The bungeoppang works this well?”
She had only taken one bite—not even finished one.
Before long, medical staff arrived and confirmed she had simply fallen asleep, then prepared to move her to the ward.
The surrounding hunters exchanged glances.
“That Hunter Ria fell asleep from just eating bungeoppang?”
“This effect is insane…”
And just like that, the shop descended into chaos.
“Boss! One custard bungeoppang, please!”
“Wait, I was first!!”
“I’ll take custard too!”
I barely had time to check on her before rushing back to the shop and tying my apron.
“Aaah! Please line up! I’ll serve you in order!”
Custard bungeoppang here, custard bungeoppang there—no matter how fast I baked, orders kept pouring in.
‘If I didn’t have the stamina skill, I’d be dead by now.’
I was frantically handling the endless orders when suddenly, the noise around the shop dropped to an unnatural silence.
I looked up.
“…Hunter Lee Hyun-woo?”
And there he was—the familiar figure standing in front of the shop.
The same Hunter Lee Hyun-woo I had parted from without a word in the gate.
“Hunter Lee Hyun-woo! Perfect timing—I’ve got a new bungeoppang to—”
“How could you disappear without saying a word?”
“…Huh?”
He was still wearing the same outfit as in the gate.
Don’t tell me… he stayed there the entire time? Even after I left?
Only then did I realize how serious the situation was, and I lowered my head quietly.
“I’m sorry. It was unexpected—I was shocked too…”
How was I supposed to know I’d be forced out the moment I finished collecting materials?
Still… leaving without a word wasn’t exactly polite.
“I wanted to contact you, but I didn’t have your information… You must’ve been surprised. I’m really sorry.”
“…Sigh. Forget it.”
He shook his head tiredly. It seemed that after clearing the gate, he came to check if I was safe.
I really should’ve found a way to contact him. I felt genuinely guilty.
He turned around as if his business was done.
Watching him leave, I called out urgently,
“Ah! I’ll return the clothes next time!”
“Keep them.”
“What? But they looked expensive…”
He didn’t respond and disappeared toward the management office.
As I stood there blankly watching his back, I noticed the strange looks from the customers.
“Were you two… together over the weekend?”
“You have to return his clothes? What exactly happened…?”
W-What are you even implying?!
I waved my hands frantically to stop the misunderstanding.
But since I couldn’t exactly say I had entered a gate alone, the misunderstanding only grew deeper and deeper.
