Chapter 30

‘I have been to French restaurants a few times in the past, but….’

I looked around the inside of the restaurant once more.

‘They really nailed the concept here.’

As someone with more romance than fear, I was not deterred by the words, ‘this is a restaurant made from a dungeon where dozens of people died.’

‘Why should I be scared when delicious food is coming out?’

To me, this restaurant, ‘Istua,’ felt like even the air was sweet.

“…….”

“Do you like it here?”

“The atmosphere is nice.”

It was fun to appreciate.

It was chaotic yet clean, dreamlike yet neat.

The temperature of the colors, which felt cool yet affectionate, was likely the skill of a designer who had appropriately mixed white and pastel tones.

It was a design both bizarre and fantastical, as if it had given shape to a person's beautiful dream.

‘Although there's a high probability that the one who designed this building was not human….’

The complex and beautiful building, like a dream given form, and the sweet air that made my mouth water, as if a fantasy had been realized.

This unique experience, which I had never had in my life, made my heart flutter as if I had come to an amusement park.

Even in the past, there was something called immersive dining on Earth.

It referred to a restaurant where one could watch a performance in a theater designed with a single concept and have a meal that was assimilated with it.

Should I call it a participatory play where you can enjoy a meal?

‘Furthermore, this is a restaurant with a story related to a single dimension called a dungeon. Unlike a pure play, which can be called a lie, I am in a sense inside a story that really existed. He even said the chef here was the protagonist of that story.’

This restaurant was quite tall, but its center was open, so you could see the ceiling directly even from the first floor.

But it wasn't as if the center was wide open in a circle.

There was a round lobby without railings and stairs connected in layers.

Customers could have their meals there.

The people enjoying their meals sitting in the aerial lobby were placed in a good position to be seen, as if they had been chosen as the protagonists of this play.

“…….”

The seat Mr. Yu Seong-un and I sat at was on the edge of the 5th floor.

“…….”

“Um….”

Mr. Yu Seong-un asked with a look of doubt.

“Did you want to sit in the lobby, perhaps? It's a popular spot because it's where the dungeon's story took place.”

“No.”

“Ah, a quick answer. You kept looking at the aerial lobby, so I thought you might have preferred that side.”

“I was appreciating the structure of the building because I liked it. There is a joy in looking at it.”

I couldn't refuse strongly due to decorum, but I definitely did not want to eat in the aerial lobby.

‘To receive that much focused attention would be too harsh an experience for a soft-hearted person like me.’

Recalling immersive dining, that too could be called a part of the play, but I didn't want to eat in a space like that where the gazes of strangers I didn't even know reached so clearly. I was shy.

“I was simply appreciating it.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

At my neat yet firm tone, Mr. Yu Seong-un inwardly sighed in relief.

‘…I can't expose Jio to such a public place.’

I was still wearing the hood as he had wished, but that couldn't hide my physique and aura.

No matter how much I lowered my class to imitate a human, where would my essence go?

‘There are about 19 people watching… among them, 11 are Hunters. About 4 are feeling wary and preparing for a possible situation. There's 1 C-Class, 2 B-Class, and 1 A-Class.’

Istua was a unique restaurant that utilized the remains of a past dungeon, so most non-awakened civilians tended to refrain from entering.

The hurdle was high to just come and enjoy a meal casually.

The price was one thing, but above all, the fact that it was a place where a large number of people had died in the past was a deal-breaker.

‘There were many who said they'd have nightmares if they ate in a place like this.’

For Hunters, seeing people die was a part of daily life, so more than 70% of Istua's customers were Hunters.

But even among them, people's reactions were divided.

‘The influence of the remains is still present.’

The building of Istua could cause anything from hallucinations and auditory hallucinations to, in severe cases, schizophrenia.

It wasn't an easy thing to happen unless one caused a disturbance in the restaurant, but there were many customers who couldn't stand the subtle pressure emanating from the building itself.

“…….”

This Jio fellow.

‘If you're going to imitate a human, you should do it properly.’

If I looked around and enjoyed the restaurant so casually like this, wasn't it obvious that I would attract the customers' attention?

I was openly showing that I wasn't human in a space where the strangeness intensified the more you looked.

‘…Besides….’

Even without such a creepy atmosphere or behavior, there was something noble about me.

‘Maybe it's because he really looks like a nobleman that he fits in better with a French restaurant like this.’

Should I call it elegant, or should I call it imposing?

I didn't intend for it at all and was rather trying to lower myself, but there was a dignity that emanated from my every action.

‘In the past, we only talked while he was in the portrait, so I didn't feel it much, but now that he's outside, the noble atmosphere really comes alive. He also has a neat feeling, like the priests of a temple.’

Did he really think the words ‘ordinary person’ suited him while exuding this kind of atmosphere?

‘In the first place, there are few people like this even among humans….’

Although I had a high level of respect and understanding for humans, there were still clumsy spots here and there. Seeing the lack of detail, it seemed I really wasn't human.

“…….”

Of course, I had no such thoughts.

‘It's been a while since I've been to a restaurant like this.’

That was the extent of my thoughts, for a moment, as Giovanni.

In fact, the dignity and whatnot that I had shown so far all came from ‘Giovanni,’ who was a nobleman, a doctor and a priest.

I just hadn't been aware of the habits and atmosphere that came out naturally.

“Appetizer bread.”

“Thank you.”

My heart pounded.

‘Bread.’

I couldn't believe how happy I was to see a lump of flour after such a long time.

The memory of the meal I had shared with my disciples when I was living as Giovanni came to mind, making my heart feel even better.

Mr. Yu Seong-un also seemed to have guessed how I was feeling.

“Do you like bread?”

“Do not worry, there is nothing I do not eat, and I am not a picky eater.”

“You really do like to eat….”

“I do.”

I tore off a small piece of the bread and placed it on my side plate.

‘It’s small and round.’

Then, instead of eating it all at once, I broke it into small pieces to eat.

At my, Giovanni's, action, Mr. Yu Seong-un stared at me.

“…….”

Mr. Yu Seong-un was inwardly convinced.

‘A nobleman… or maybe he belonged to a class equivalent to that.’

Judging by the etiquette he showed, paying attention to every little thing he ate.

‘It wasn't very noticeable at the baekban restaurant. Did he have a connection with France? Or, separate from that, maybe there was something related to Western-style food….’

Leaving the pondering Mr. Yu Seong-un, I continued my meal.

“The bread is delicious.”

“Is it? The aroma is certainly nice.”

“It is plain and savory.”

The crust of the bread was dry to the point of being brittle, but it wasn't hard or tough like poorly made bread.

Inside the crust, which crumbled crisply like a pastry layer, was a fluffy flesh from which steam was rising.

‘It's definitely not like white bread or a morning roll, and if I had to find the most similar thing, it would be ciabatta, I guess. But even for that, it's unbelievably fluffy, a little different from what I know….’

A delicate chewiness could be felt between the fluffiness, as if the texture was made by puffing up meringue.

The crisp crust provided one variation, the soft and fluffy texture another, and the gently seeping chewiness a third, making it fun to chew.

The plain and savory taste of the bread itself, which brought out the natural aroma of the grains, and the subtle woody scent from the stone oven were also excellent.

‘It's not excessive and is harmonious overall.’

I want to kidnap the person who made this.

“The aroma of this oil is nice, too.”

“Ah, right? It's an oil made from a mix of olives and mushrooms.”

“Olives and mushrooms?”

“Both are improved varieties from a dungeon. Maybe this will be more to your taste.”

“It is certainly a unique attempt, so I like it. I think it is good.”

Usually, the oil used for dipping appetizer bread like this was often served with balsamic.

Balsamic, which could be called a sticky grape vinegar, was excellent for its sour and deep flavor, but unusually, this oil had salt in it instead.

‘It’s also like eating sashimi.’

I was suddenly reminded of the navy-haired mermaid.

She was a proud and sensitive child.

‘…Aria particularly disliked strong flavors and liked to dip her bread in oil without vinegar, it would have been fine if I had added salt like this… I didn't think of it back then.’

Then again, salt was expensive back then, so it was difficult to keep a large stock of it. Even though they lived in a seaside village, salt was a precious ingredient.

“…….”

It really is like sashimi.

The bread, with its remarkably vivid and tender texture.

Just like eating a fatty tuna belly, with its fine marbling of fat, dipped in a salt and oil sauce, this lively bread also gave a similar impression.

‘…Perhaps because the oil and salt are in it together, the aroma is amplified, and the sweetness of the grains is further highlighted. It's certainly an attempt that goes well with the texture of freshly baked bread.’

As I was nibbling on the bread, the second dish came out.

“Onion soup with three types of cheese on top.”

Unlike the creamy soup that most people think of, it was a brown, transparent soup that relied solely on the sweetness and umami of onions.

“…….”

The deep yellow and orange cheese, spread so wide that the inside of the soup was not visible, was melted to just the right color.

I gently spooned the soup.

‘The cheese isn't that thick.’

Unlike the crisply baked surface of the cheese, the inside was delicate and soft.

Perhaps because it was the side touching the onion soup, it was stained with the deep umami characteristic of well-sautéed onions.

‘The texture of the onion is also well-preserved. To think that the original shape of the onion is this visible even though it's cooked enough to be mashed with the tongue means that the soup was made very meticulously. It must have taken quite a lot of time.’

Cheese on top of onion soup.

It was an obvious combination, if anything, but I didn't particularly like it when the cheese on top was thick. It was a personal preference, but I didn't care for cheese that became rubbery and tough as the soup and bowl cooled.

‘Some might say that it's like the radish or meat in a beef and radish soup, or that it enriches the texture… but that's not me. I want to eat the soup.’

But the bowl of this soup maintained its warm temperature, and the cheese, while not very thin, was not thick either, making it very good for spooning up.

Thanks to that, the original taste of the onion also seemed to be highlighted better.

“…….”

“You like it?”

“It feels like my body is warming up, so it is good.”

“Onion soup definitely has a bit of a restorative food feel to it.”

“I think so, too.”

The process of sautéing pristine white, firm onions until they turn a deep caramel color.

That process is the biggest key to onion soup, and if the onions are burned or under-sautéed at this stage, you'll end up with bland onion water instead of umami.

But this soup, which had squeezed out every last drop of all the sweetness, umami, and flavor of the onions, was worthy of being called a restorative food.

It would be impossible to draw out all the flavor of the onions to this extent with ordinary effort and time.

‘Kidnap.’

Let's kidnap the chef.

“Cheese Flower salad with Amra purée.”

At the new dish that came out soon after and the unfamiliar word, I naturally looked back at Mr. Yu Seong-un.

A salad of beautiful appearance, with a light yellow sauce drizzled over it, cheese in the shape of flowers sprinkled on top, and clean, trimmed flower petals surrounding it.

“…….”

“…….”

An explanation was needed.

“…….”

“Ah… are you curious about the ingredients?”

“If you do not mind, may I ask what Amra is?”

“It's one of the representative fruits that was brought from a dungeon and successfully improved. Do you know what an avocado is?”

“I do.”

“It has a soft flesh similar to that, but it's a fruit with a strong savory aroma like a nut. The amount of oil contained in the flesh is enormous, and I know that such oil doesn't burn at ordinary temperatures, so it's often used in Chinese cuisine.”

“Then the flesh itself….”

“You're right, this is the first time I've seen a place use Amra as a purée. In the first place, they had a fruit salad just last season. The menu at Istua changes every four months, so it's fun to seek it out.”

“I see.”

The fruit called Amra had a lighter yellow color than a chick.

‘…The savoriness is on a similar level to peanuts or walnuts.’

But it didn't immediately bring nuts to mind.

If anything, it resembled the savoriness and sweetness felt when chewing on rice for a long time.

Then, at the end, a deep sweetness like honey and the unique sourness of a fruit would hit, giving a variation to the taste.

‘It's certainly very oily, too. It's also like the marbling of beef….’

This sweet oiliness, somehow reminiscent of bone broth, went very well with the refreshingly spread flower petals.

My gaze naturally fell upon the Cheese Flower, which had a shape similar to an azalea.

“…….”

When I gently split the Cheese Flower, I could see that this was a ‘flower’ that had grown this way from the beginning.

“…The Cheese Flower….”

“Are you interested? Should I get you a seedling later?”

“I would appreciate that.”

“Alright then. I'll buy one for you on our way back after the trip is over.”

“Thank you.”

A flower that grows from cheese, it was a story that made my heart flutter, gathering all the childhood innocence I had and didn't have.

Wasn't it an existence that would only appear in the fairy tale books I read as a child?

‘Considering the cumbersome process of humans making cheese, it's a very attractive flower.’

What is cheese in the first place?

Isn't it a symbol of effort, where you can only obtain a meager amount after roasting and rolling milk until you can't anymore?

So I couldn't help but be surprised that such a processed product was coming out as a flower.

The petals were thin and as beautiful as a work of art.

‘What's the principle? The taste itself seems similar to Tête de Moine….’

A semi-hard cheese that maintained its shape but would crumble at a touch.

It was a cheese that boasted a soft and savory taste characteristic of milk, but also a strong nutty aroma and a sharp spiciness.

The Cheese Flower had a slightly stronger spiciness on the tip of the tongue, but it wasn't to the point of being unpleasant.

Should I say it was at a level that could refresh the oily taste of the Amra purée and the unique richness of the cheese?

‘The harmony is a work of art, is the chef perhaps an Intangible Cultural Heritage?’

Above all, the Cheese Flower, which had double the sweetness and savoriness of Tête de Moine, also had a hint of honey flavor.

It was a delicate sweetness like the one you can taste when you turn an azalea flower over and suck on it.

It went frighteningly well with this flower salad.

I was excited at the thought of planting this flower when I returned to the cabin.

“You look really happy.”

“Yes.”

What an obvious thing to say.

“Humans are happiest when they eat.”

“Uh… really?”

“At least, I am.”

It's been that way since I was picking up and eating potatoes my grandmother roasted for me in the furnace. I couldn't escape from this extremely primal pleasure.

After that, a fantastic course continued.

A gratin with a deep truffle aroma and French fries with a little cheese on top.

Brisket that was slowly roasted at a low temperature and then infused with the scent of wood, and garlic that was made into crispy chips and placed on top.

For French cuisine, which is famous for being oily, it was a course with exquisite harmony that didn't get tiresome.

“Was it decent enough?”

“It was not decent, it was very good.”

“I'm glad you seem to have enjoyed it….”

If you're going to imitate a human, how about pretending to care about your surroundings?

‘Humans are more social creatures than you think….’

Mr. Yu Seong-un, who had been enduring the ‘what on earth is that’ gazes on my behalf all this time, smiled bitterly.

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