Chapter 402: Chapter 402

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ apologizes.]

“Save your breath. You think an apology fixes a wrongdoing? What if I just terminate my contract with you and then apologize? Would that be alright?”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ has become sullen.]

“Don’t pretend to be sad! I won’t let it go this time,” huffed Han Seha, scolding the hound constellation.

Their relationship was quite different from other constellations and their household members. Firstly, Han Seha was more dominant and authoritative than the constellation she was serving.

The Hound of Instinct and Liberation wasn’t a particularly strong constellation, and it didn’t like having household members or minions either. But thanks to that, they were quite close to each other, making for a rather unique dynamic between a constellation and its servant.

But at this moment...

Han Seha was quite upset at the hound constellation because it hadn’t reported what had happened in the Abyss in time.

“You should’ve contacted me right away if something like that happened. Tsk! Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ says it didn’t care much because the situation had nothing to do with you...]

“What do you mean it had nothing to do with me?! Both my sister and Choi Yeonseung were involved! How many more people that I know participated?!”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ apologizes once again.]

“Forget it... Is it the chef this time? I’ll make a good example out of him, so help me out as much as you can.”

Han Seha was very determined and pulled out an artifact. It was considered a national treasure of South Korea, so its grandeur was evident.

“...Wait. Is this the realm of the chef constellation?”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ nods affirmatively.]

Han Seha was taken aback by the scenery. She had heard that the realms in the Abyss were incredibly diverse, but this...?

***

“...Is this a food court?”

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that the chef constellation might become angry if he hears you.]

‘But it does look like a food court.’

Choi Yeonseung stepped into the realm of the chef constellation and couldn’t help being surprised. Unlike the harsh and unwelcoming lands of the Abyss, there was a boulevard with unique and sophisticated restaurants lined up on both sides.

As a former human from Earth, Choi Yeonseung couldn’t help thinking that this realm looked like a large food court or an alley filled with food stores.

-He made it well. As expected, he’s a powerful constellation.

-...This?

Choi Yeonseung was taken aback by the goddess of sloth’s favorable review. But it wasn’t just her; the other constellations also thought well of this realm.

-Think carefully. He broke the Abyss’ environment with his own power and made it unique like this.

-I guess... But it’s still ridiculous.

“Choi Yeonseung, give me a chance!” Golodat growled from next to him. After being humiliated so many times, Golodat was thirsty for revenge.

Of course, Kalasnegen was just baffled.

“Excuse me, but... Why is the household member of the Endless Gourmet Seeker following us? Isn’t it better to move separately?”

“I didn’t follow you. I followed Choi Yeonseung so I can repay his grace of saving me!”

“Then why don’t you repay his favor from somewhere else? The other constellations’ household members are also moving in this realm. Why us...?”

Anyone who showed weakness in the Abyss would be pounced on. The moment the chef constellation stepped back, the constellations who had already suffered at his hand stepped up.

Thus, there had to be other household members in this realm besides Choi Yeonseung and Kalasnegen.

“I said I would repay the favor!” Golodat insisted.

“I don’t think this is the way to do it...”

“Do you have any complaints?”

“Not particularly. It’s just that I have some doubts about your abilities...” Kalasnegen spoke his mind in a cautious tone.

Golodat cried out in anger, “Then let’s see who can help more!”

“I won’t decline this challenge,” Kalasnegen replied confidently.

“...”

Choi Yeonseung wanted to stop them but he was so tired that he couldn’t be bothered.

Illingars added something from the side.

-For now, I don’t think either of them will help much...

-That is what I think as well.

“Come on!”

Golodat jumped in to subdue Kalasnegen at once. He wanted to instantly overpower the naga before he could enchant him with magic or skills.

However, Kalasnegen was one step faster. He blurred Golodat’s vision with the power of a dance. Then he slithered and wrapped around Golodat, constricting his body instantly.

“Gh... Ghah!”

Golodat struggled to somehow shake off the naga, but Kalasnegen didn’t let up one bit.

However, Choi Yeonseung merely ignored them and kept moving forward.

‘By the way... Shouldn’t the realm of a constellation have some defensive measures to stop intruders?’

He couldn’t dispel that question from his mind.

The realm of a constellation was like a kingdom, and while the ruler lived and ordered his subordinates from there, they also had to defend it against invaders.

Currently, Choi Yeonseung’s huge farm seemed peaceful from the outside, but the orcs were ready to defend the realm in case of an invasion.

But this place...?

Choi Yeonseung looked around skeptically as he kept walking, and he suddenly heard someone call out to him from a store.

“Hello, customer.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve received your order!”

“!”

Along with those words, the shopkeeper launched an attack!

Choi Yeonseung tilted his head to avoid the ladle, which flew with enough momentum to crack open someone’s skull.

However, the shopkeeper’s attack had only just begun. Hot oil flowed from the open kitchen toward Choi Yeonseung as though it was a living spirit.

Choi Yeonseung used footwork to get some distance and struck the hot oil with a series of Origin of the Celestial Finger.

The oil spirit hesitated and fell back with a dull splashing sound. Then it soon came at him again with a loud hiss.

“Go, ingredients! Bite the intruders!”

The ingredients on the cutting board moved the second the chef shouted. The chunks of meat morphed into beasts and lunged at Choi Yeonseung.

-Elementalism and black magic?!

The goddess of sloth was shocked as she realized that the burning oil was being fueled by elemental magic. On top of that, black magic animated the ingredients and transformed them into ferocious beasts.

She hadn’t expected a mere subordinate in a random realm to flawlessly use such powers. Perhaps the power of the chef constellation allowed them to do that.

Just as the orcs under Choi Yeonseung had abandoned their ferocious nature and found a way to train through farming, the subordinates under the chef constellation...

-Now is not the time to worry about that!

Of course, Choi Yeonseung thought there was a more pressing matter at hand...

It wasn’t as easy as he had thought. Before he could finish off the fight, he heard the shutters of the store next door going up and someone taking out some utensils.

He could smell the delicious aroma of baking dough, and soon, a different creature emerged from the store.

...It was a cookie monster.

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is surprised by the cuteness!]

Even though the monster looked cute at first glance, the magic power it exuded was nothing short of terrifying.

Bang!

With one punch, the monster obliterated the ground, and debris flew everywhere. In response, Choi Yeonseung quickly got close to the cookie monster, broke its balance, and attacked its leg with Origin of the Celestial Kick.

With a loud crack, huge shards of the cookie flew in the air, and Choi Yeonseung grabbed a piece to block the flying oil.

‘Origin of the Celestial Fist!’

His next punch was as fast as a bullet. Choi Yeonseung used the art of swiftness, punching at the speed of sound, thus causing the actual sound of the punch to follow belatedly.

However, the chef managed to block his attack with large plates. The punch had smashed the plates, but the chef himself was fine.

-He’s even enchanting objects...!

The chef looked at the stores next to him and shouted fiercely, “It looks like many customers are hungry! Everyone, come out!”

“I think you’re the only one running a restaurant in the Abyss!” Choi Yeonseung shouted while rushing in. During his time in the Abyss, he had fought multiple enemies by himself so many times that it was as easy as breathing to him.

Choi Yeonseung quickly finished them off one by one. He swung the cookie dough, smashed the counter, and ran inside. He then grabbed the chef by the collar and threw him into a pot.

The chef had managed to endure a few blows, but he ultimately couldn’t resist against Choi Yeonseung’s internal energy attack. Moreover, Choi Yeonseung had used his martial art moves to throw him off balance and use his own attacks against him.

“Didn’t you learn from the chef constellation not to mess around with food?!”

The moment the chef flew into the pot, the oil elementals and the food creatures collapsed.

The cookie monster emerged from the store next door and attacked ferociously, seemingly wanting to destroy the counter, but Choi Yeonseung grabbed the kitchen knife next to him and cut the monster into neat pieces.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Cookies piled up on the counter.

“This is more difficult than I thought...”

Choi Yeonseung was surprised. Despite the almost goofy appearance of this realm, its defense was no joke.

Each shop was like a fortress of sorts. Every time they passed by a store, the minions in charge of it ambushed them.

As Choi Yeonseung was smashing the surrounding stores, Golodat and Kalasnegen seemed to have finished their respective fights.

After destroying a store that served the Abyssal sea monster rice bowl, Golodat was gasping and drooling. He had grown hungry from having consumed so much magic power.

“Wait. Choi Yeonseung, can we eat this? It’s the victor’s reward, isn’t it?”

“Are you serious??”

“Don’t touch it. I’ll cook it for you later.”

Choi Yeonseung extended his arm and stopped Golodat. The dish looked fine at first glance, but they had to be careful when it came to other people’s cooking in a foreign territory.

“You mean it?”

“Okay, I’ll also give you the liquor I received from my master,” offered Kalasnegen.

However, Golodat shook his head and said, “I don’t want it. I refuse.”

“Well, have it your way. Hunter Choi Yeonseung, you’ve had the most difficult fight, so take a sip. This drink cleanses the body of fatigue and recharges the magic power.”

Choi Yeonseung received the white porcelain bottle held out by Kalasnegen and paused as he was about to drink it.

“What’s wrong?”

“If it’s that effective, I’d rather gift it to someone else than use it myself.”

“...I’ll give you another bottle. Just drink it.”

Kalasnegen looked resigned as he pulled out another bottle.

***

“Gasp... Gasp...”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ says you should never eat it!]

“I won’t eat it. You think I’m an idiot?”

Han Seha grabbed her sword and blew away the dishes on the counter. If she had left them there, she would’ve been tempted to try them.

She had heard there were many bizarre areas in the Abyss, but it was truly astonishing to see dishes like Pad Thai and papaya salad being animated and fighting for their lives.

“Uh... Uuhh! Aaahhh!

“!”

A hunter groaned from hunger in front of a store on the other side. He was a B-grade hunter from the United States whom Han Seha had seen before. It seemed he was participating in the hunt for the chef constellation as the household member of another constellation.

“...Aaargh!” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Perhaps the hunter couldn’t stand it any longer, but he grabbed the dish on the counter with both hands and ravenously stuffed the food in his mouth.

Han Seha shook her head. No matter how hungry he was, it was stupid to do something like that.

[The power of the ‘Chef of Endless Gluttony’ is activated!]

“No... No!” the hunter screamed as he noticed something strange while stuffing himself with food. Unfortunately, the law of the realm had already taken effect.

The hunter vanished as though he had been sucked into a void.

“So that’s how it is.”

Han Seha frowned. She preferred fights that relied on raw strength. Labyrinths with traps like this were tricky and bothersome.

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ says there are other household members in front of you.]

Han Seha looked up.

She couldn’t see them from her position, but she could hear other people eating inside the restaurant. She realized that they were in deep trouble.

“Foolishly eating the food of this realm... NO! What are you doing?!?!” Han Seha screamed in horror.

The ones eating inside were Choi Yeonseung and the Abyssal race.