Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 52
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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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52. Yong-yong Samgyeopsal
And a few days later.
“Han Hye, are you ready?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking Yong-yong instead of me?”
“Yong-yong, are you ready?”
“Roooar!”
With Yong-yong’s powerful cry, Mister and I left the house early in the morning. It was for the opening of Yong-yong Samgyeopsal.
Originally, we could have left a bit later, but we came out this early because of reservation calls from acquaintances.
‘There were just so many of them.’
After some deliberation, I decided to accept reservations from acquaintances before the official opening time.
The official opening was at 11 AM, but we would do a soft opening from 9 to 11 AM to accommodate our acquaintances.
This decision came about because the way we received customers had changed.
The moment the Dragon Charcoal Samgyeopsal article was published, people started setting up tents in front of Yong-yong Samgyeopsal.
‘I was genuinely shocked.’
Mister had hired two store managers and a sufficient number of staff members, preparing well.
However, looking at the situation, it was clear that even more crowds would flood in than expected.
-This won’t do. We’ll have to use a lottery system.
The method we decided on was to accept customers through a lottery draw.
There were other options—accepting only reservations or simply forming a waiting line—but each had its merits and drawbacks.
They all had pros and cons.
If we only took reservations, there would be too much disparity in online applications. There were macros and all that.
‘I experienced that unfairness firsthand when I first worked as a porter.’
Back then, with no connections, I could only watch recruitment notices, and I couldn’t compete against porters using macros.
From what I heard from people around me, with an online reservation system, some people simply couldn’t get in at all.
-A first-come, first-served system is absolutely impossible when people set up tents the moment the article drops.
The first-come, first-served system was rejected due to concerns about excessive competition and inconvenience to surrounding residents.
The lottery system we settled on was simple.
Identity verification would be conducted for both those with reservations and walk-ins. For foreigners, the name had to match their passport.
There might be better methods, but this was the best we could do.
‘We’re hunters, not people who specialize in business.’
The lottery site that opened crashed on the first day. Apparently, 20 million people flooded in simultaneously, including from overseas.
– U.S. President: “Considering visiting Korea to try Dragon Charcoal Samgyeopsal”?
– British Royal Family….
Because it became such a global sensation, leaders from various countries were showing interest.
I was bewildered, wondering if it had really come to that, but thinking about it, it made sense.
Dragon Charcoal Samgyeopsal. Even if I were president, I probably couldn’t resist it.
Though it was a lottery system, I even worried whether we should accept reservations if a country’s president showed up.
[Yong-yong Samgyeopsal Companion Pass. 1,111 won]
[Yong-yong Samgyeopsal Companion. 999,999,999 won]
Resellers even appeared among the winners. We couldn’t let them through with identity verification, but companions were allowed.
The store managers hired by Mister immediately sprang into action.
-Accompanying guests who purchase used items and report it at the store receive complimentary meals with priority reservation tickets. Sellers are permanently banned from entry.
It seemed like a good call hiring multiple people. Since we’re Hunters, we brought on quite a few, and they handled everything without needing instruction.
And at 9 o’clock, people began arriving.
“Han Hye! We’re here!”
“….”
“Nice to meet you!”
Seo Seung-yeon and Kim San arrived with two familiar Saebyeok Guild members and four from the Iron Wall Guild.
Even with acquaintance reservations, I’d set certain limits.
Four from Saebyeok and four from Iron Wall showed up—all familiar faces. They’re the top two guilds in the country, after all.
As we exchanged greetings, the Iron Wall Guild Master approached me.
“Space Mage Han Hye, Dragon Knight Choi Chul-gi. I’m Jo Seok-hun, Guild Master of Iron Wall. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Seeing Hunters I’d only watched on TV was fascinating. Of course, they were sizing us up as well.
It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. Both Mister and I were figures of public interest, and so were they.
“I’d be delighted if we could meet again when the opportunity arises.”
Despite being the Iron Wall Guild Master, his greeting was brief. More people kept streaming in.
“…A sparring match soon.”
As I showed them around, the only notable comment came from Shin Chang, the sparring enthusiast.
Next came Park Seo-ung, the Association President, and two Association Staff members.
“It’s an honor to meet you both. I’m Association President Kang Seok-du. I’m grateful for your contributions and genuinely looking forward to great things from you.”
Association President Kang Seok-du walked forward confidently despite wearing a prosthetic leg and extended his hand. Having once been one of Korea’s heroes, I respectfully shook it.
“We’re simply grateful for the consideration the Association has shown us.”
“It’s only natural. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Then came guests from Recovery and Emergency Guilds, acquaintances of Mister and his Sister-in-law, and friends of Lee Shin-hee and Min-jae.
I wondered if Lee Shin-hee’s father or grandfather might come, but it seemed only her friends showed up. Min-jae came with his girlfriend.
Oh, and Daeup had called too. Since I’d blocked their number, they reached out to Mister instead.
Mister told them all the reservations were full and it would be difficult.
-Will it be okay? They’re the third-ranked guild.
-How could I accept a reservation from people like that to you?
I asked just in case, and Mister shrugged with a wry smile.
-Besides, what’s so special about third rank? They’re not top two like Iron Wall and Saebyeok.
* * *
All the guests were seated. Now it was time for Yong-yong to ignite the specially constructed facility placed in the center of the store.
There was a place to light a fire in the middle, surrounded on all sides by special fireproof glass—an expensive safety installation.
“Ooh.”
“Dragon!”
Nearly everyone who came today stood up from their seats to watch.
After all, most of them had never seen a real dragon before.
“Insane, so damn cute.”
“Really small.”
I pushed Yong-yong forward.
“Yong-yong, fire!”
“Grrrrr!”
-Whoooosh!
As flames poured from Yong-yong’s mouth and ignited the charcoal, people burst into applause and cheers.
“Wow!”
“That’s real dragon fire!”
The sight of a dragon breathing fire drew cheers from everyone—hunters and ordinary people alike.
And the charcoal that Yong-yong had lit with dragon fire burned brightly.
This was the best approach. Even Yong-yong couldn’t light every single piece of charcoal as it burned out.
Soon the staff began grilling the meat, and the reaction came immediately.
“Insane…”
“This is absolutely delicious!”
“Is this really the best samgyeopsal of my life?”
Naturally, the praise was unanimous. Yong-yong’s fire was different from ordinary flames. Well, we didn’t really do much in the process.
We’d hired plenty of managers and staff for the restaurant. We paid them well, so the service was impeccable.
“Thank you for the meal.”
“We’re looking forward to this.”
“We’ll be back next time!”
“Let’s enter a Gate together!”
My acquaintances left one by one without lingering. The Iron Wall Guild Master and the Association President seemed eager to have a longer conversation with me…
But with so many people around, I read the room and exchanged light greetings before parting ways.
There were countless people outside the window. Now it was time for the lucky winners from the lottery drawing to enter.
Since the official opening was beginning, I lit the central charcoal again.
“Waaaah!”
“Crazy!”
“Amazing!”
Unlike before, over 90% were ordinary people, so the cheers were even louder when Yong-yong lit the fire.
Many people were filming too. In any case, business had begun.
“There are so many people!”
Min-seok, who had come to watch, was amazed at the sight of the restaurant.
I hadn’t noticed, but my sister-in-law and my uncle were quietly wiping away tears behind them.
‘I see.’
They must have been through a lot of emotional hardship.
Not just my uncle, but my sister-in-law too. She’d been through those difficult times with him.
“This is what I wanted…”
Yong-yong Samgyeopsal had its good days, but it had never done business this well before.
From the start, it was awkward to use high-quality meat at a budget samgyeopsal restaurant, and the location wasn’t great either.
“Are you thinking of retiring?”
“What?”
“Well, you said that’s what you wanted.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I’ll light the fire with Yong-yong for you.”
“You brat!”
Mister playfully shoved me.
“Why? You said you were retiring.”
“Absolutely not. How could I give up a dragon I’ve obtained?”
“Pardon? You should say you brought it here, and I’m borrowing the dragon.”
Mister gave me a slight glare before surveying the restaurant once more. Then he put his arm around my shoulder.
“Thank you, Hye.”
“No need to thank me.”
“Let’s do this for life.”
“Were you planning not to go for life?”
“You really know how to ruin a touching moment, don’t you?”
Mister extended his fist toward me just like old times. Before my awakening, I used to dodge that playful punch out of fear.
Even in jest, an Awakened’s fist packed tremendous force.
My strength was formidable now, but memories of those days made me hold back slightly.
“We have to go for life. Let’s not die.”
* * *
After that first day, we decided that Yong-yong would visit Yong-yong Samgyeopsal every week to refresh the fire.
For the remaining six days, the fire was maintained in a specially constructed facility. We also hired someone dedicated to managing the flames.
Naturally, sales skyrocketed. It couldn’t have been otherwise—every single ingredient prepared from day one until now had sold out.
It was a massive success.
-Dragon Charcoal Samgyeopsal’s Explosive Popularity! Win a lottery and dine with your favorite celebrity!
-It’s not just about seeing the dragon—the taste is exceptional!
-Famous food critic: This is the best meat I’ve ever eaten in my life.
-Is dragon fire really that different?
Both the media and the internet were in an uproar.
-Seriously, no exaggeration—this is the samgyeopsal of a lifetime. Beef brisket? Not even close. This tastes way better.
-Legit insanely delicious
-Man, I’m so jealous. Lost every lottery draw
-But if it tastes better than beef brisket, what happens if you grill beef brisket over dragon charcoal?
-Huh?
-Right?
Mister and I, who were reading the internet reactions together, immediately locked eyes.
“This is…”
“Should we try grilling beef brisket too?”
“Let’s do it right now.”
Come to think of it, we’d been foolish. If samgyeopsal tasted this good, beef brisket would taste even better.
We’d been so focused on Yong-yong Samgyeopsal that we hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Yong-yong!”
“Krrrr!”
And there, in that identical state, grilling beef and eating it, we both spoke the same thought aloud.
“Let’s open a second location. With Yong-yong beef.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
“Should we start looking for a place?”
I wondered if we could open a second location already, but truthfully, aside from the opening preparations, there wasn’t much else demanding my attention.
We were hunters to begin with, so we’d set everything up to run without us.
My sister-in-law handled the periodic inspections. The only occasional task was having Yong-yong breathe fire once a week or so.
Well, even so, the second location wouldn’t open anytime soon. Finding a location and everything else had taken quite a bit of time for the first one too.
“Phew!”
After opening, I threw myself into training like a true hunter.
It was during this time.
“Huh?”
“Huh huh?”
“Huh huh huh?”
While conducting guild training, the guild members suddenly gasped in astonishment.
I’d been practicing consecutive uses of Mister’s Dragon Fang Strike, just as I had against the Flame Sentinel before.
-Flap flap!
Yong-yong fluttered her small wings, attempting to take flight.
She’d fluttered her wings when in good spirits before, but this was the first time she’d actually tried to fly.
Her expression was intensely focused, her eyes gleaming with concentration. The sudden development drew everyone’s attention.
Cheers naturally followed.
“Yong-yong! You can do it!”
“You’ve got this!”
When Yong-yong ultimately failed to take flight and everyone expressed their disappointment, the usually quiet Chun-bae opened his mouth.
-It appears she’s attempting to grow. The recent battles seem to have been the catalyst.
There had been signs. Ever since we drove off the Ghouls, we’d encountered many formidable foes. The Ogre and Grendel, of course, and even the Apostle we’d just met.
According to Mister, each time Yong-yong had growled as if ready to pounce, her eyes fixed intently on the enemy.
‘It’s time to harvest the Semi-Young Elixir too.’
The Semi-Young Elixir had fully matured at just the right moment. In other words, it was time to verify Yong-yong’s growth.
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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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