A man was watching a cafe located three minutes away from the dungeon gate of the Great Dungeon 《Abyss》.
He was in his early 40s. His vest, with multiple pockets, concealed a recorder and a camera. Inside his bag were a disposable phone and a fake ID.
His eyes were dark from frequent late-night work, and his chin was covered with stubble. A scar on his forehead was his only distinctive feature.
However, his eyes shone brightly as he surveyed his surroundings.
'This is it, no doubt about it.'
The man's name was Kim Tae-woon. He was 42 years old, single, and worked as a reporter for the weekly magazine <Hunter Scope>.
<Hunter Scope> was notorious for publishing stories about hunter paparazzi, baseless rumors, and trivial gossip. It was a weekly magazine that couldn't be called high-quality even if your mouth were to split.
Kim Tae-woon also earned money by investigating such trivial rumors. He would write articles as requested by his clients for money. He was a typical and exemplary "yellow journalist." He didn't consider journalistic ethics as long as the money was good.
However, a sinister rumor reached Kim Tae-woon's ears recently. It was about certain guilds secretly trading special monsters obtained from the dungeon.
At that moment, his journalistic instincts kicked in. This was a big story. If he investigated it thoroughly, he could shed the stigma of being a yellow journalist.
...Or, he could extort a substantial amount of money to keep quiet.
As he gradually investigated the rumors, he heard news of a new S-rank hunter.
Everyone was curious about this new S-rank hunter. Investigating was a race against time. Kim Tae-woon immediately began to investigate Choi E-chan 'by any means necessary.'
He discovered that Choi E-chan frequented the cafe in front of the dungeon gate every day. This was the result of his paparazzi work, or rather, on-site investigation.
'Hmm, it was worth following him.'
Anyway.
The fact that an S-rank hunter, who could earn more money doing almost anything else, was working part-time at a cafe was suspicious.
S-rank! An S-rank hunter, of which there were fewer than ten in Korea. They could earn more money doing almost anything else.
An S-rank hunter who didn't want money or power?
'There's no way. He must be doing something shady behind the scenes.'
Kim Tae-woon himself was an F-rank hunter. He had experienced the highs and lows of the hunter industry. His long career as a journalist had also made him cynical and skeptical of human nature.
His sharp journalistic instincts were now shining brightly.
Come to think of it, he had received a tip that the illegal trading group used cafes or shops as their hideouts. There was also information that a high-ranking hunter was behind it, making it difficult to investigate. He had even spotted a suspicious person while following Choi E-chan, though he unfortunately lost them.
Each piece of information seemed unrelated at first.
However, when put together, they pointed to one answer.
If it was something that would make an S-rank hunter move personally, it must be the illegal trade of the rare monster, the 'Long-Tailed Phoenix.'
Yes, that place was definitely the hideout of the illegal trading group.
So, Kim Tae-woon was currently conducting an undercover investigation near <Cafe Lee>.
Just as Choi E-chan entered the cafe, it was clear that something was happening there.
'Damn... I can't see what's going on inside.'
He had hidden his body in a precarious position, but the angle was such that he couldn't see Choi E-chan.
The secret camera and recorder, which were investigative artifacts, always failed at the most critical moments.
"......"
"......"
No news came from inside even after waiting for a long time.
Swallow.
Kim Tae-woon stood up.
To get an exclusive, he couldn't rely solely on these artifacts. A journalist was someone who had to get their hands dirty.
'That place is a cafe... so.'
Pretending to be a customer would be the most natural approach.
Kim Tae-woon approached the cafe, pretending to be an ordinary customer.
Ding. The bell on the door rang, announcing his arrival.
"......"
The moment he entered, an awkward silence fell. Cautious eyes swept over him.
'Bingo.'
Indeed. It was a fake, pretending to be an ordinary cafe. They were on guard because it was a space with a different purpose.
Sometimes, a lie can be more convincing than the truth. Kim Tae-woon had no idea that the owner, Lee, was simply moved by the fact that he was the first customer on the opening day.
He walked in naturally, opened the door, and scanned the menu.
"Ah, welcome!"
The cafe owner quickly approached the counter. She was a woman with a gentle appearance and an ordinary aura.
This person was involved in illegal monster trading? Kim Tae-woon's eyes sharpened.
"Would you like to order something?"
"Then, I'll have this."
Kim Tae-woon picked a random item from the menu.
The unusual thing was that the prices were listed in rubies. It might be some kind of code.
S-rank hunter Choi E-chan was sitting alone near the counter. Kim Tae-woon watched him closely, planning to investigate while pretending to be a regular customer.
He paid 2 rubies without a word and sat down. Soon, his order arrived: an iced Americano and a cookie.
He didn't really feel like eating, but he could feel the owner's gaze.
"......!"
He turned his head away when their eyes met. It was clear that she was suspicious of him. If he didn't eat, it would raise more suspicion.
"Hmm......"
Kim Tae-woon picked up the butter cookie first. The sweet smell of sugar and butter made his stomach growl. He realized he had skipped lunch. Drawn by the smell, he took a bite of the cookie.
Crunch.
The cookie, rich with sugar and butter, crumbled softly in his mouth.
Once he started, he couldn't stop. When the sweetness filled his mouth, he took a sip of the iced Americano. Although he didn't usually like coffee, it went well with the cookie.
A bite of the cookie, then a sip of coffee.
His empty stomach was filled, and his mind calmed down. The migraine that had been bothering him for a while had subsided. Feeling a bit disappointed as the cookie plate emptied, he looked up.
"......!"
Choi E-chan was gone. He had left without a sound, as expected of someone meticulous.
'Tch, did I lose him?'
Feeling a sense of defeat, Kim Tae-woon thought.
I'll have to come back tomorrow.
He wasn't sure whether the disappointment of failing or the joy of being able to eat the cookie again was greater.
* * *
On the first day of <Cafe Lee>, something very pleasant happened.
A customer came.
Not someone I knew, but a 'real customer.'
It was a man in his 40s, wearing a fishing vest and a jacket. He looked like someone who had passed by and thought, 'Oh, there's a cafe here? I'll stop in for a bit.'
Indeed, the sign had made the cafe noticeable.
Excited by the thought of the first customer, I welcomed him.
"Why are you so surprised (you said you didn't plan to work hard)?"
'That's one thing, this is another.'
I didn't plan to work hard, but it was a bit... lonely to have no customers at all in a newly opened shop.
Seeing the customer enter, Choi E-chan quietly got up and sat in a corner. His attempt to avoid attention made me feel a bit sorry for him.
Anyway, this historic first customer ordered an 'iced Americano and butter cookie set' with a stern expression.
Yes, it has a stress-reducing combo effect, making it perfect for tired people.
I quickly made the order and handed it to the customer. Then, with a nervous heart, I watched him eat.
"......!"
Ah, our eyes met. Feeling embarrassed, I quickly looked away. I was curious about his reaction, but staring too intently would be rude.
The customer came back the next day.
And the day after that... and the day after that...
[Cumulative Sales: 12 rubies]
Thanks to him, sales were steadily accumulating.
I was happy to have a regular customer, but it didn't last long.
"Ugh......"
"Meow, what's wrong?"
"Ugh......"
I had a new worry. It was about that regular customer.
"That man definitely has another purpose. Meow."
"Meow!"
Miyum's sudden comment was echoed by Rhyme's agreement.
"Meow, coming at the same time every day and ordering the same menu is suspicious!"
"Meow, he could just really like the butter cookies."
"Meow!"
Punch.
Miyum raised her front paws and punched me. Ha ha, but now I can dodge without even looking. Miyum, who missed, continued.
"Would someone come to a cafe in front of a dungeon gate every day just because they like butter cookies, meow? He must have another reason."
That's true, but...
"What other reason?"
"That man is definitely part of the dungeon black market, meow! He chose this place to conduct transactions away from prying eyes. But the person he was supposed to meet has already betrayed him. He comes here every day, every day, without knowing, meow..."
"What's your evidence?"
"My instincts, meow!"
...I shouldn't have asked.
No wonder she was up late last night watching 'Midnight Mystery Drama: The Disappearance of the Hunter.' It was a plot from the drama.
I thought I should limit this imaginative cat's drama viewing as I opened the oven. A sweet and savory smell filled the air. Just as I was transferring the freshly baked butter cookies to a plate...
Ding, the door opened. Speak of the devil.
"Ah, welcome!"
"I'll have this."
As usual, the customer came at the same time, ordered the same menu, and sat in the same spot.
Choi E-chan had left after breaking a cup and saying he needed to rest. The customer glanced at Choi E-chan's usual spot but accepted the iced Americano and butter cookie without comment.
When the customer took a bite of the cookie and a sip of coffee, a glowing bar appeared above his head.
The bar filled with light and... stopped.
'This is my problem...'
The bar above the customer's head, indicating his satisfaction, was about 60% full, give or take. It stopped at a similar level every day.
In other words, the customer was not completely satisfied with the menu.
Could the coffee taste bad?
No, that's not possible.
I had a moment of doubt, but it was unlikely. The iced Americano and butter cookie were made perfectly as usual.
Then, what about the menu was unsatisfactory?
The customer had an intimidating aura and a 'don't talk to me' expression, but today I decided to be brave.