Shia turned on her broadcast and showcased her grand restaurant opening in Green City to her viewers.
At first, it was going well.
She entertained customers while sharing her view with the Hunter Assistant Drone beside her, displaying the lively yet cozy atmosphere of running a restaurant in the dungeon. When no customers were around, she engaged in light banter with the viewers.
As she naturally shared embargo-free information about the Hunter Train with her audience, it became apparent that Shia had gained quite a bit of experience, nearing the level of being recognized as a veteran Hunter streamer.
“I can’t say why the Hunter Train docked in Green City. Honestly, I don’t know much about it either.”
– Aaaahhhh, Green City is getting boring.
– Why aren’t you hunting? Just playing around?
– Didn’t you set any hunting targets? Why are you even there??
– What do you actually know?
“Isn’t chicken delicious?”
– That’s true.
– You know your stuff! Hahaha.
– But the embargo is annoying.
– Isn’t that place trying to destroy Green City or something?
– That seems logical…
– But an orc mafia city sounds kinda cool.
– That’s right.
– The city scenery is really atmospheric.
– It’s just that we’re stuck watching the streamer’s restaurant! Hahaha.
“Well, it can’t be helped. They say we’ll be here for at least a month.”
Of course, there were separate reports and broadcasts covering the activities of Hunters, but they weren’t live.
Finally, through various censorships, the footage was released. Viewers who mainly consumed exciting action and flashy montages from Hunter streamers might feel disappointed with the broadcasted footage.
Anyway, the reason viewers flocked to Shia’s relatively peaceful and unexciting broadcast of running a restaurant in a dungeon was that it was one of the few ways to obtain real-time information about the Hunter Train.
Well, even if viewers weren’t seeking information, they were probably curious about what crazy food Shia, the Gallery Master of Jangheon Gallery, would come up with today.
“Well, if the objective was simply to attack the dungeon, they’d have given the Hunters an incursion order a long time ago. But keeping the Hunters stationed here means they must need their collective force, right?”
– No clue.
– That’s strange.
– If they’re resting, I get it…
– But it seems odd for a resting team…
– It hasn’t been a few months since the Hunter Train started. Just taking a break after taking down Blood Swamp doesn’t make sense.
– Usually, once the Hunter Train departs, it breaks all visible dungeons in sight.
“Really? Just smash all visible dungeons and call it a day?”
– Yep.
– They don’t usually run leisurely like this.
– They clear out a lot of dungeons to recover land for people, but the main goal of the Hunter Train is to destroy every visible dungeon, no matter the casualties!
– They call it a festival, but in reality, they mobilize Hunters like an army, paying them to reclaim the continent!
– Surprisingly terrifying when you consider its original purpose.
– Meanwhile, they throw in competition among Hunters to make it seem like a World Cup.
– Honestly, adding competition among Hunters makes it super fun.
“Well, there must be a reason. Did I mention that I was ranked first in contributions while fighting Blood Swamp?”
– Really?
– I think I saw it before!
– The embargo was lifted just yesterday!
– I trust you, Gallery Master!
“Actually, there is…”
In the beginning, there weren’t that many customers.
She chatted with viewers while conducting a casual interview with Teresa and Menelapie, who were working as waitstaff beside her. They discussed how Shia ranked first in dungeon contribution while delving into Blood Swamp.
Her exciting story about how she got her head knocked back by the dimensional wall when she leaned out of the train to see the invasion left a good impression on the viewers.
– Hahaha!
– LOL!
– Hahaha!
– How absurd!
– No way she did that!
– Haha, leaning out of a train during an invasion is suicide, right?
– Were you the type to want to open airplane windows when you were a kid?
“No, I didn’t expect to get flung out just from leaning my head out. Thanks to that, my neck twisted three times and it hurt like crazy…”
– How do you joke about your neck twisting as if you scraped your knee? Hahaha!
– It seems like she’s not dying no matter what! Hahaha!
– Is this my first time watching? Is this normal?
– No way, it’s a joke!
– Newbie is hilariously lost! Hahaha!
– But isn’t your restaurant just a chicken place? You always sell chicken!
– No clue.
– Didn’t you look at the menu?
“Well, there are other things too! There’s Bladed Centipede Soup, Bladed Centipede Tempura, Smoked Mermaid Tail, and Human Corruption Porridge. Oh, and a samgyetang made by boiling Elder Mandragora together with chicken!”
– Hey, you troublemaker!
– You absolute fiend! Hahaha!
“Hey!!! Are you all like this too?! If you’ve been watching my broadcasts, you know how serious I am about food!”
Actually, Shia knew she didn’t lack common sense, but she couldn’t deny that her food preferences might be considered bizarre by normal standards.
However, despite being considered bizarre, her food was quite tasty, leading to her feeling greatly disappointed by those who didn’t understand her culinary vision.
Menelapie eats her food just fine, though!
“Oh, wait! Is that it? A genius born in the wrong era is not appreciated and ends up isolated because no one understands them…”
– Huh?
– What now?
“Yeah, that’s it..! Now I understand!”
– ?
– What now?
“My sacred monster cuisine is still too advanced for modern humans to accept!”
– Um, with all due respect, do you have any morals?
– Is this what a saint is…?
[‘KawaiiHorned’ donated 5,000 won!]
– I get you’re sincere, but please enjoy it by yourself as much as possible…
“…….”
What is wrong with these people…
Shia wanted to cry out to Menelapie, but unfortunately, timing is everything.
Right now, Menelapie was outside guarding against any external threats aiming to raid the restaurant, so she shouldn’t bother her.
And Teresa, standing a distance away with a smile on her face, seemed likely to spur the chat’s vile commentary rather than side with Shia.
After all, Teresa is originally a wicked and fearsome Black Witch determined to tease Shia as much as possible!
– Honestly, I’d eat chicken too if I saw that on the menu! Hahaha!
– If I see Bladed Centipede Soup and Mandragora, how could I order that?!
– For real! Hahaha!
– I’d honestly be tempted just to try the Bladed Centipede Soup.
– From earlier broadcasts, people only seemed disgusted before they ate but ended up enjoying it!
– Reviews on Jangheon Gallery state it’s surprisingly decent!
– There are centipede legs floating on the soup! Gross!
Eventually, faced with continued ridicule from the viewers, Shia let out a sigh.
“…Did you guys know the saint can shoot a hair loss beam?”
– ?
– ??
– What?
“What, do you think I can’t? I shoot purification beams, so you think I can’t shoot a hair loss beam?”
– Okay, that crosses the line.
“Eh, the line was crossed by you guys. The purification beam erases everything I consider impure. If I treat hair as impure, wouldn’t it just disappear?”
In truth, even Shia was curious if she could shoot a hair loss beam.
The output of the purification beam and determination of what’s considered impure varies from moment to moment. If she designated hair as impure… Oh, it’s entirely possible it could cleanly obliterate the roots!
Thinking it over, it didn’t seem entirely impossible.
If conducted properly through a blessing ritual with the Hunter Assistant Drone held on the altar, she could perhaps bestow the miracle of hair loss beams or baptismal blessings on anyone witnessing her broadcast or affected by her signal.
While they might ask what that would entail, a saint is supposed to achieve impossible miracles.
If Shia firmly establishes that ritual, it wouldn’t be out of the question.
Shia clasped her hands in prayer and slightly closed her eyes.
‘In the name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and brave…hair loss beam?’
– ..?
– What is that?
– What the hell is that?!
– No way, is that real??
Gathered in her palms were the buoyant divine powers charged with some unknown miraculous essence, indicating she could indeed unleash a hair loss beam if she focused correctly.
‘Oh wow, it actually works…. I thought it was just a joke…?’
Wow, this is actually happening.
– Oops.
– Oops, my bad!
– Save me!
– Sorry! Sorry! I’m so sorry!
– Oops! Oops!
– Is she a saint or a curse caster? Hahaha!
– Ah, so it begins, the saint’s curse!
“Eh, careful there. You might get hit by a hair loss beam.”
The viewers seemed to sense the grim atmosphere as the holographic drone flooded with countless apologies in the chat.
They probably didn’t want to be hit by an actual hair loss beam.
“Ah, a customer is here.”
– Phew.
Luckily, the appearance of a customer dispersed the divine energy lightly manifesting the hair loss beam in Shia’s hands.
“Well then, today’s broadcast ends here!”
– Aaaaahhhh!
– Don’t leave me!
– Mom, where are you? Mom, where are you? Mom, where are you? Mom, where are you?
– Am I being abandoned? Am I being abandoned? Is this happening again?
– It’s not like the Grasshopper Chef does all the cooking anyway, why would I go in there, you troll!
– The viewers are leaving as naturally as breathing now.
With the broadcast ended, the familiar faces that approached Shia were quite recognizable.
“Creeeak!” (It’s me, damn.)
Yane looked a bit cheerful but also pretty reluctant.
“Sis.”
“Shia, have you been doing well in your business? I heard you’ve been quite popular on the train, so I decided to drop by.”
Shia’s mother Yoonjeong, along with Yeonhwa, who seemed busy with the Hunter Train’s operations, visited Shia’s restaurant right in the heart of Green City.
Though it hadn’t been long since they last saw each other, their presence was always a delightful change for Shia.
Originally, Yoonjeong had decided to stay within the train for safety reasons after arriving in Green City, but having S-grade Hunter Yeonhwa and Yane to escort her rendered that concern obsolete.
“Whoa, sis. You’re doing better than I expected!”
“Hehe, really?”
“Word from the train was you’re running a restaurant, and honestly, I wasn’t sure. But it’s this busy… Should we just go back? It seems too hectic for us to take up your time!”
“If Mom came, you have to spare some time! ”
Shia replied cheerfully while gesturing to Teresa, who was taking other customers’ orders.
As an aside, Teresa had also gained quite a bit of fame amongst the Hunters.
Seeing a girl as pure and graceful as Teresa take orders while donning a cute apron and wearing an unabashed expression certainly made it unimaginable for her not to be well-known.
“What kind of madness have you… Oh! Mother?”
Teresa, showing a bothered face at first, perked up and quickly donned a polite mask upon recognizing Yoonjeong, hastily scurrying over to her and bowing with her hands graciously clasped.
“Greetings, ma’am! Welcome to Alley Shia’s Restaurant!”
“Oh my goodness… Seeing you in an apron makes Teresa look quite virtuous.”
“Please don’t mind my outfit. I had to match Shia’s antics. And if you’re going to praise me, at least say ‘virtuous’ instead of ‘looking virtuous’!”
While Teresa was just being a troublemaker at first, if Menelapie saw her flirting in front of Shia’s mom, even the Hero would surely display a great deal of displeasure.
Of course, in Yoonjeong’s eyes, regardless of how anyone looked, compared to Shia, they would indeed seem considerably more virtuous.
“Okay, okay. You do look quite virtuous regardless.”
“Oh, so you’re here too, Yeonhwa?”
“Hello, Teresa.”
“Just a moment, I’ll show you to your seats.”
“Creeeak!”
Yane didn’t seem to know much what was happening, but it appeared she felt quite well leaving the suffocating Hunter Train to enjoy a meal alongside Yoonjeong.
At that moment, Yane’s extraordinary sensory perception focused on the menu of another customer.
It’s only natural to check what meals are available before placing an order.
“Creeeak…I can’t see well…”
Well, Teresa would soon be bringing the menu over anyway…
“Uh, huh?”
Then, shortly after, Yane sensed her intelligence had spiked significantly for some reason.
The increase felt both instantaneous and beyond reason.
Once inside Shia’s restaurant, Yane couldn’t shake off a sense of chilling dread that was inexplicably overwhelming.
What was that about?
Why do I feel an imminent threat to my life?
What is it? Is there something I don’t know lurking here?
There were no threatening elements or monsters around—she had only just entered a restaurant—yet why did her mind suddenly become razor-sharp with fear?
Attempting to grasp this sudden spike in intelligence, Yane struggled to pinpoint its cause but came up empty.
Usually, her intelligence heightened under the sensation of a looming life threat.
“Yane!”
“….?”
Then, from beyond the kitchen, with both hands filled with divine power, Shia beckoned Yane over.
Come here.
Come here.
Yane felt droplets of sweat pooling in her palms as she understood what was happening.
“I need your help with an order!”
“…Creeeak…?”
What is it?
Why so suddenly?
“There’s a first order for the monumental Bladed Centipede tail tempura! I need your assistance!”
“………..M-Me?”
Ah, that was the reason.
Understanding based on her heightened intelligence, Yane quickly drew one conclusion.
…It was time to flee.
