How to Seduce S-Class Hunters with Bungeoppang - Chapter 30
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 30
“Ha-nyang, did something happen to Sky yesterday?”
“Well, I’m not sure, meow.”
“You seem to have something on your mind….”
I let their whispered conversation drift past me as I recalled yesterday’s discussion. No matter how much I thought about it, his final words kept nagging at me.
‘Why is he so confident there are no better conditions elsewhere?’
He couldn’t possibly manage all the other investment prospects himself. That meant only one option remained: make the other investors not want to invest in our shop.
In other words, he intended to diminish the shop’s value and turn it into an undesirable investment target.
‘But I can’t just sit back and take it.’
I rapidly ran through what they might do to our shop. Thinking of my parents’ shop, the answer came to me immediately.
I called out to Ari, who was diligently threading fish cake skewers.
“Ari! Let’s close the shop early today and do a deep cleaning.”
“A deep cleaning all of a sudden? If we close early, what about today’s reservations?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already adjusted the schedule.”
After talking with Shin Manager yesterday, I’d felt precautions were necessary, so I’d already reduced today’s reservations to half the usual amount.
Ari looked puzzled by my sudden proposal but nodded in agreement. We quickly tidied the shop around 2 PM and hung up the “Closed” sign.
“Alright. Shall we get started?”
I pulled on cleaning gloves with a determined expression and put on a mask. A cloth in one hand, cleaning solution in the other. Perfect.
Ha-nyang regarded me with an indifferent expression.
“What sudden wind blew in to make you clean, meow?”
“Preparation for a comfortable future? Oh, there’s plastic over there.”
As I picked up the plastic from the floor, Ari murmured, “Preparation for the future?” It made sense for her to be confused. I’d suddenly decided to close the shop and do a deep cleaning.
Since I normally maintained everything so meticulously, I carefully wiped the grease-free stove until it gleamed and spoke cautiously.
“Actually… someone came by yesterday wanting to invest in our shop.”
As I briefly shared yesterday’s conversation, Ari’s eyes widened like saucers.
“An investment of 20 billion won!?”
“Yeah, and they said they could invest more depending on circumstances.”
“Wow….”
The figure of 20 billion seemed so dreamlike that Ari hastily covered her mouth. Even Ari, who’d been indifferent about investment, couldn’t help herself before such an enormous sum.
Seeing my meaningful expression, Ari’s eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t… reject it, did you?”
“…I did reject it.”
“Why would you reject that!”
Ari raised her voice in indignation. Even so, her hands didn’t stop, cleaning every corner of the shop.
“The contract terms were too strange. And it doesn’t make sense for someone to suddenly invest such a large amount in such a small shop.”
“…But it’s still 20 billion won. I’m so disappointed.”
Listening to the regret dripping from Ari’s voice, I smiled.
“Don’t worry. Our shop can grow plenty without investment. After all, it’s a special shop for Hunters.”
Ari suppressed her disappointment and nodded. Ha-nyang, who’d been quietly observing us, suddenly asked.
“What does that have to do with cleaning, meow?”
It made a huge difference. I picked up a dish towel and grinned widely.
“You’ll find out soon enough. The power of a deep clean.”
* * *
The next day, as I handed out fish-shaped pastries to customers, I noticed a group approaching from a distance and nodded knowingly.
“Speak of the devil. They’re already here.”
“Who came? Wait… who are these people?”
Ari tilted her head in confusion just as the cheerful chime of the door rang out and a group of people in white coats rushed in. All the customers turned to stare at them with bewildered expressions.
They flashed their government IDs without hesitation.
“We’ve received a complaint about poor sanitation. We’ll need to conduct an inspection, so we appreciate your cooperation.”
Before we could even respond, they began thoroughly searching the shop interior. They were so rough that several items clattered to the ground with loud crashes.
“No, wait! Hold on! What are you doing!?”
Ari frantically tried to stop them, then looked at me with a distressed expression, silently asking what we should do.
‘I knew this would happen.’
I gave Ari a small shake of my head to indicate there was nothing to worry about. In fact, I actively guided them through the shop.
“This is our cooking area. The lower section here is where we store supplies. Feel free to look around, and let me know if you need anything.”
It was easier to show them the layout from the start than to let them rummage through random places.
Soon enough, they donned white gloves and began meticulously sweeping through every corner. They were clearly desperate to find something wrong.
‘The pattern never changes.’
The easiest way to damage a shop’s reputation was to nitpick about sanitation. Food establishments could be contaminated so easily that it was simple to find fault, no matter how carefully you maintained things.
When my parents’ shop was thriving, complaints came in almost weekly. Later, I discovered the complainants were rival businesses and deadbeat investors. I couldn’t believe how absurd it all was.
‘Remembering those difficult times is making me angry again.’
Dealing with the Health Department officials had been harder than running the shop itself. I forced my lips upward into a smile.
“Since you’re here, please take a thorough look around. A real thorough look.”
There’s one thing worth noting: not every complaint results in a health inspection.
But the fact that they showed up at such a conveniently suspicious timing? There was a very high probability of an inside collaborator.
‘The officials in the Item Business Division are all corrupt, after all.’
I finally understood why Shin Manager had looked so confident. He had backing.
But I wasn’t particularly worried. There was a reason I’d spent all of yesterday sweeping and cleaning the shop.
‘I didn’t expect it to be this clean.’
They were whispering among themselves, clearly flustered by the impeccable condition of the shop. Apparently unwilling to accept this, one of the men’s eyes darted around until he spotted Ha-nyang in the corner and pointed accusingly.
“Oh no! There’s a cat in the shop!”
They raised their voices excitedly, as if they’d finally found their opening.
“A cat in a food establishment! The sanitation is completely compromised!”
“Ugh, that means all the food must be covered in cat hair….”
Ha-nyang stared blankly at them, utterly indifferent to their accusations. I had no choice but to step in.
“Look at this first.”
“What, is this supposed to be ‘our cat doesn’t bite’ or something?”
That made no sense. And besides, Ha-nyang actually does bite. I thrust the document in front of his face.
“…A special entity companion permit?”
Since special beings like Ha-nyang required certification, I’d obtained the documentation in advance. It turned out such permits allowed them to accompany their owners in food establishments.
Ah, and one more thing!
“Ha-nyang isn’t an ordinary cat, so you don’t need to worry about shedding.”
I removed my gloves and gently brushed through Ha-nyang’s tricolor fur. Naturally, nothing came away in my hands.
If Ha-nyang had shed like a normal cat, I would have kicked her out of the Shop no matter how adorable she was.
“See?”
They alternated their gazes between my hand and Ha-nyang, their eyes widening.
“Hmph, what foolish expressions you’re making, meow.”
“Eek! The cat—the cat is talking!”
“What is this cat? What is it?”
Upon hearing Ha-nyang’s voice, they stumbled backward in shock. Of course, what I had prepared wasn’t finished yet.
“Here are the business license, sanitation certification, and item sales permit.”
I presented the documents I’d prepared in advance before they could even ask. They examined the papers awkwardly before eventually nodding.
“…You’ve managed things well. We’ll inspect these and notify you if there are any issues.”
“Ahem, let’s go.”
As they left the Shop, still casting glances at Ha-nyang, the Customers who had been holding their breath began to murmur.
“A sudden inspection? That gave me quite a fright.”
“Tell me about it! I nearly choked on my fish cake.”
“Who on earth reported us? What kind of lunatic does that?”
The quiet Shop interior erupted into commotion. Ari leaned close and whispered to me amid the flustered Customers.
“How did you know we’d be reported?”
“How did I know?”
“You cleaned yesterday. Every nook and cranny, thoroughly! You must have known it was coming.”
I shrugged and poured batter into the fish cake mold.
“Just intuition, I suppose? I thought an inspection might come around eventually.”
Of course, that was a lie.
Without my experience working at my Parents’ Shop, I would have been completely defenseless. The best strategy was to prevent any potential scandal before it could happen.
I swallowed a sigh and patted Ari reassuringly with an unbothered expression. Ari, who had worked many part-time jobs, said this was her first experience with something like this and pressed her hand to her chest in relief.
“Still, I’m glad it ended without incident.”
“Mm, well.”
“What? Do you think the results might come back unfavorably?”
No. I had a feeling this wasn’t over.
But I wasn’t particularly worried. Everything they would attempt, I had already experienced once before.
Just as I predicted, useless surprise inspections and articles with strange undertones continued to pour in afterward. Of course, none of it affected the Shop.
Except for one question that suddenly emerged during an official interview with a Hunter.
-Hunter Park Jae-min! There’s been a rumor recently that an F-rank Awakener illegally entered a Gate. Is that true?
Wait. Could that be about me?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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