Chapter 49

The most popular menu at this restaurant.

It was the mysterious greenish chunk placed right in front of me.

I observed the food intently, sinking into deep thought.

‘Hmm…’

Generally, food is enjoyed in three stages.

The first stage: looking at it.

This is the process of checking its shape, color, and texture.

If the food’s appearance is appealing, it can stimulate one’s appetite.

‘First, the visual is a no-go.’

Next, the second stage: smelling it with your nose.

The aroma of food is so important that it can be said to account for half of its taste.

A good aroma stimulates saliva and increases appetite, but a bad one can evoke rejection and disgust.

‘Surprisingly, the aroma is good. Smell passes.’

The battle is now one-on-one.

Now, the long-awaited final stage.

The most decisive step remains.

Tasting it with your mouth.

Chewing the food slowly to feel its temperature, taste, and texture.

‘It’s worth a try.’

I picked up a fork and knife.

And glanced at the chat window.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Why did you pick up a fork and knife? Are you really going to eat that?

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! You’ve got a strong stomach!

【Yoho】─The Room Master can eat anything, right?

【Maid】─Wow!

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─What’s with the determined face? LOL

【Jujijoa】─Just order something else. That doesn’t look like human food.

【Handsome Licker】─Even a stray dog would pass on that.

【Qkrnfl892】─LOL, even our unit’s military rations would reject that.

“You never know. It might taste good despite its appearance.”

I spoke in the lowest voice possible.

The surrounding gazes were still fixed on me, so I had to be cautious.

【Maehwa Tree】─Nope, that visual is definitely not appetizing.

【Big Girl】─If it didn’t move, it might’ve been edible…

【Min Ji】─Could it… taste good…?

“At least it won’t taste bad. It’s the most popular dish here.”

【Drifting AI】─I’ll say it. Maybe it’s popular because no one eats it, so it ends up in the trash.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─LOL, the speculation king.

“Anyway, the staff recommended it, so I’ll try it. I can’t just throw it away without tasting it.”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Today might be Gyesekkihoon’s last broadcast. F***ing hell.

【Yoho】─Don’t jinx it. Don’t even joke like that. -_-

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─K.

After taking my eyes off the chat window.

I stabbed the greenish chunk with a fork.

Then, a bizarre scream erupted from the chunk.

［Kyaaaah!］

“……”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─??? What was that sound?

【Qkrnfl892】─Did the food just scream?

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow… The food is screaming…

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─LOL

I didn’t care.

It must’ve just been the sound of oil sizzling, sounding like a scream.

I secured the chunk firmly with the fork so it couldn’t move.

［Kyaaaah!］

Next, I started slicing it thinly with a knife.

About two minutes passed.

The food no longer emitted any screams.

“Phew. Mission complete.”

【Handsome Licker】─Mission complete LOL

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─What the hell is that? I’m a bit scared.

【Yoho】─What an innovative dish. Haha.

【Maehwa Tree】─Is that even food?

The chunk no longer squirmed.

It seemed completely lifeless.

Since it wasn’t moving, the sense of rejection lessened.

“Now, time to taste it.”

I put a thinly sliced piece into my mouth.

***

The first bite was chewed slowly to savor the flavor.

It was spicy and sweet, with a slightly chewy texture, but not unbearable.

‘But this tastes familiar.’

I slowly racked my brain.

Then, a similar dish came to mind.

‘Ah. It’s like that.’

The dish that came to mind was grilled beef intestine.

A popular dish easily found in South Korea.

‘Is this green seasoning like wasabi?’

If you added wasabi to grilled beef intestine, it would probably taste like this.

And since I like grilled beef intestine, this dish also tasted good to me.

“Guys, this is tasty. I guess it’s just the appearance that’s weird.”

I gave my honest evaluation.

But the viewers didn’t seem convinced.

【Handsome Licker】─?? No way.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─What’s not tasty to this guy?

【Yoho】─As expected, the Room Master can eat anything deliciously. Haha.

【Balloon Gum Collector】─Wow! Have you lost your sense of taste?

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─For real, last time he lied about some weird coal dish being tasty. I tried it and got food poisoning.

【Qkrnfl892】─Guburi, you can cook? LOL.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─I used to be a chef, you idiot.

【Jujijoa】─Is it really tasty? What does it taste like?

“It’s like grilled beef intestine. It tastes like that with wasabi added. The texture is the same.”

【Jujijoa】─Wow.

【Min Ji】─Ah, it tastes like grilled beef intestine? Then it must be good.

【Big Girl】─If it’s similar to grilled beef intestine, it can’t be bad.

【Reverse Rape Mania】─How does that thing taste like grilled beef intestine? WTF!

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Don’t trust Gyesekkihoon’s taste.

【Handsome Licker】─For real, his taste buds are different from normal people.

【Maehwa Tree】─We should doubt his claim that Pyongyang cold noodles are tasty too.

“If you don’t believe me, then don’t, you damn Guburi.”

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Huh? Why are you only picking on me, you bastard? -_-

【Yoho】─Maybe because Gyeongsaeng is the easiest target? Haha.

【Handsome Licker】─LOL, poor Guburi. *lick*

After that, I finished the rest of the food.

And called the staff to reorder the same menu.

As if to prove that my positive review wasn’t a lie.

***

In the backstage of a massive performance hall in Seoul.

In the waiting room of the world-renowned circus troupe, a woman lay on a sofa, intensely staring at her phone screen.

“Ah, I want to visit the Drifting Restaurant too.”

The woman twirled her red-dyed hair while muttering to herself.

“So lucky… How did he find the Drifting Restaurant on his way home?”

On the phone screen, a man was eating food.

The man was none other than the internet broadcaster, Gye Se-hoon.

“Besides… His face is really something. How is he so handsome? Hehe…”

The woman smirked mischievously.

She kept taking screenshots, saving Gye Se-hoon’s images.

Perhaps her behavior seemed pitiful.

A curly-haired woman nearby, preparing for the performance, sighed and spoke.

“You’re really deep into internet broadcasts these days. Is that male streamer that good?”

“Hehe…”

“…No answer, huh? Crazy girl. What does he look like that you like him so much? Let me see.”

The curly-haired woman leaned in closer.

The red-haired woman hid her phone and snapped.

“Ah, get lost! I’m the only one who gets to see him!”

“Hey… What’s the harm in sharing?”

“If you want to see, search for his broadcast yourself. Do you know how hard it was for me to find it?”

“What’s the streamer’s name?”

“I’m not telling.”

“You’re really crazy…”

Aside from the curly-haired woman.

Other troupe members kept trying to peek at the red-haired woman’s phone, but each time, she glared at them as if to kill and hid her phone.

“What kind of broadcast is she watching?”

“Maybe a nudity broadcast? Otherwise, why hide it?”

“The more she hides it, the more curious I get.”

“Is it really a male streamer? She never showed interest in men before.”

“Last time, she accidentally played the broadcast without headphones, and a man’s voice came out.”

“At least she’s not a lesbian.”

“But what kind of broadcast is it?”

“Try sneaking a peek when she’s not paying attention.”

“She’s too quick to react. It won’t work.”

The troupe members never found out what broadcast she was watching.

***

The red-haired woman checked the time and frowned deeply.

‘It’s already this late…’

The woman got up from the sofa.

And left a comment on the broadcast she was watching.

【Se-hoon Defense Team】─The food there is generally tasty, so enjoy it slowly. LOL. I’m off to work! Bye!

The broadcast nickname was Se-hoon Defense Team.

Her real name was Han Yu-i.

She was a famous magician in the world’s top circus troupe, known by the stage name “Red Clown.”

‘Shall I head up now?’

Han Yu-i picked up her trademark long, pointed red hat.

And leisurely headed to the stage.

The moment she stepped onto the stage.

“Wow!!”

“Wooow!!!”

As if they had been waiting.

A massive cheer erupted from the audience.

The enthusiasm was even hotter than when other troupe members appeared.

It was only natural.

Most of the audience had come to witness Han Yu-i’s fantastical magic.

“Shh.”

Han Yu-i put her index finger to her lips, and the audience fell silent.

She scanned the audience’s gaze.

Then slowly raised both hands, palms facing upward.

At that moment, ice and fire began to erupt from her left and right hands, respectively.

The opening of a mysterious and fantastical magic show.

***

After the chat about going to work.

No more messages came from the Defense Team.

【Gyeongsaeng Guburi】─Defense Team, you b****. Pretending to work, huh? LOL.

【Handsome Licker】─For real, LOL.

【Maehwa Tree】─Why leave the broadcast on if you’re going to work?

【Qkrnfl892】─You did the same last time.

【Maehwa Tree】─LOL.

And I was still eating the greenish chunk.

【Jujijoa】─By the way, Se-hoon. How many plates are you eating?

It was already the fifth plate.

---