An old restaurant in Glewood, a small city of Halflings.
Inside the kitchen, where Finch was preparing for the evening rush, a deafening roar suddenly erupted. The air literally tore open, and a black crack manifested in the space.
“A-Agh! What is that?”
“Is it a monster?”
“Should we call the guard, Chef?”
However, what emerged from the rift was not a monster, but a small rocket spewing black smoke.
The rocket, which had been falling at a rapid speed, deployed a small parachute with a fluttering sound. It slowed down and landed quietly on the kitchen counter.
The sides of the box were wrapped in layers of tape with the words HANDLE WITH CARE printed in massive letters.
One of the employees asked Finch in a trembling voice.
“Chef… W-what on earth is that? It says ‘Handle with Care’…”
Finch was equally surprised by the box that had suddenly dropped from the sky, but he had a hunch.
“It seems to be the item I ordered from the shop. It said it was a shop from another world, and they certainly send things in a loud manner. I didn’t expect them to send this much, though…”
The box was enormous, nearly as tall as a Halfling.
He had requested exciting dishes to solve the “taste slump” of his regulars, but he never dreamed he would receive a box this large, delivered by a rocket through the ceiling.
“Chef! It’s dangerous!”
“It’s fine.”
Despite the employees’ concerns, Finch brought over a ladder and carefully opened the lid of the box.
“Ugh! My nose is rotting!”
“What is this smell?”
In an instant, a powerful and unfamiliar stench filled the cabin, piercing their nostrils.
The employees screamed and scrambled backward.
They finally realized the meaning of the “Handle with Care” warning.
However, driven by intense curiosity, Finch ignored the smell and peered inside the box.
Contrasting perfectly with the terrible odor, the box was filled with strange ingredients and dishes from another world.
Even for Finch, who had cooked his entire life, the variety of food was enough to make him lose his composure.
“My goodness…”
Finch murmured in a voice thick with emotion.
He felt his culinary curiosity exploding.
Finch immediately shouted toward his employees.
“Close the restaurant today! Gather the regulars who are suffering from the taste slump and let’s throw a party! We’re going to prepare the greatest feast for them using dishes and ingredients from another world!”
“What? Yes! Yes, Chef!”
The stunned employees began to move busily, caught up in Finch’s energy.
In an instant, the kitchen of the small restaurant was filled with heat and rare dishes never seen before.
***
As evening fell, Finch’s invited regulars arrived one by one.
Among the regulars were Rody, the local brewery owner with a keen eye for gastronomy; Elena, a vegetable shop owner famous for her picky palate; and Gaston, an explorer who never shied away from any adventure if it involved fine dining.
“Finch, is there really food from another world?”
“I’m really looking forward to it. I hope today finally gives my tongue a proper shock to end this boring slump.”
“This smell… Hmm, interesting. It’s a scent I’ve never smelled before. What on earth did you prepare?”
Finch puffed out his chest and spoke confidently to the expectant regulars.
“Don’t worry! Tonight, I’m going to completely reset your palates!”
Finch served the food immediately.
The first things he brought out were spicy dishes, including Kimchi.
Rody took a bite and squeezed his eyes shut.
“It’s hot! This food called ‘ramen’ with a bird drawn on it has a spice that stings the tongue. But strangely, it’s addictive.”
Elena nodded after tasting the Mapo Tofu.
“My tongue is tingling, but it doesn’t feel like the balance of flavor is broken. Rather, it feels like it’s showing me a new world of taste.”
Next, sweet and sour foods were served in succession.
“This dessert called Baklava is incredibly sweet. It could rival sweet potato pie.”
“These things called Yeot and Yakgwa are delicious too. Is there any more?”
“This fruit called lemon is very sour, but I keep reaching for it. It would be great made into juice!”
While the other regulars were enjoying themselves, saying their taste slump would be over in a few days at this rate, Gaston the explorer sat in the corner with a dull expression.
He was famous for seeking out the most extreme flavors.
“There’s even a rumor that he sprinkles monster venom like seasoning. If it’s Gaston, it might be true.”
As Finch was subtly watching his reaction, Gaston put down his fork and spoke.
“Hmm, Finch. This level of stimulation is too ordinary for me. It’s not much different from what I usually eat.”
“Wait just a moment.”
Finch smiled slightly at Gaston’s reaction and went into the kitchen.
He came out holding a parcel he had kept in the deepest corner.
Inside were fermented foods like Stinky Tofu, Hákarl, Surströmming, and Kimchi.
“Gaston, I knew you wouldn’t be satisfied. I prepared this especially for you.”
As Finch opened the parcel, the other regulars around him covered their noses and screamed.
Elena cried out in horror.
“Finch! What are you doing! That smell is going to ruin the other dishes!”
But Gaston’s eyes sparkled as he accepted the food.
He sniffed the air, taking in the scent.
“This… this is incredible! I’ve never smelled anything this intense and unique before!”
Gaston took a bite of the Kimchi and Surströmming, and a look of deep emotion crossed his face.
“This is the taste I’ve been looking for!”
He ran to Finch, grabbed his hand, and shook it.
“Finch! You are the savior of my palate! This is the ultimate flavor I’ve been searching for!”
“I get it, so open the window first! And burn some incense!”
The other regulars suffered because of the smell, but Gaston continued to empty the dishes with a look of pure happiness.
“It’s a success.”
That night.
Finch’s restaurant was chaotic, but it was more vibrant than ever as Rody, the brewery owner, even brought in booze.
After the party ended and the regulars had all gone home, Finch remained alone in the kitchen, reflecting on the night’s success.
He was certain that dealing with the Rocket Store would not only expand his own culinary world but also breathe new life into his restaurant.
Finch didn’t forget to leave a review.
Naturally, he gave it five stars.
He also didn’t forget to request a regular trading relationship with the Rocket Store.
Finch sent the message with trembling hands.
A moment later, a new hologram appeared before his eyes.
[Dispatch Duty Proposal: Halfling Chef Finch]
Content: Rocket Store proposes a dispatch assignment for you to provide a catering buffet service to those challenging The Tower. If you accept this proposal favorably, a related contract will arrive.
Finch stared at the screen blankly for a moment.
“Dispatch duty…”
It was a proposal he could never have imagined, having cooked in one spot his entire life.
But when he thought of his old, humble shop, Finch’s heart already leaned toward the positive.
If he accepted this offer, he could not only showcase his cooking to more people but also broaden his horizons in other worlds.
[A dispatch contract has arrived.]
Finch’s eyes sparkled as he read the contract thoroughly.
The contract specified details regarding the chef’s catering service, profit sharing, and a clause stating that the contract could be terminated at any time.
Reassured by that clause, Finch signed the contract without hesitation.
***
After successfully completing Finch’s request, a new system message appeared before my eyes.
[Halfling Chef Finch has signed the dispatch contract.]
[From now on, ‘Halfling Chef Finch’s Catering Buffet Service’ has been registered in the Rocket Store Dispatch category.]
I nodded in satisfaction.
“Snake Scale Potions aren’t selling as well as I thought, but this alone is a pretty big achievement for today.”
Now, I thought I should water the World Tree, look around the community, and call it a night.
I headed to the bathroom to fill the watering can.
The sound of water pouring from the faucet echoed loudly.
“Well, that’s because there’s no one else here.”
It was a moment where the reality of being alone in the house hit home.
“It’s nice to see you again!”
Through the sound of the water, I heard a small, soft whisper.
“Have I gone crazy after being trapped for just two days?”
I was in the middle of denying that I could be such a weakling.
“Are you okay? Is the Guardian treating you well?”
At the sound of that vivid voice again, I turned off the faucet and listened.
“…The water seems sufficient, but there’s no mana mixed into the soil at all?”
I set down the watering can as if possessed and walked toward the source of the sound.
“That’s why you couldn’t grow much.”
With every step, the voice became clearer.
As I thought, I wasn’t crazy.
“A gnat…?”
Where I stopped was in front of the World Tree sprout.
A tiny being was sitting on the sprout, chattering away.
At that moment, the “gnat” instantly flew over my head and began to circle around.
“A gnat! I am not a bug! I am Aria, the spirit of the World Tree!”
The spirit of the World Tree, who introduced herself as Aria, hovered over my head before lightly landing on my shoulder.
Then, she extended a small hand and pointed at me.
“Anyway, thanks to the Guardian sprouting the World Tree, I woke up from a deep sleep. I’m truly grateful for that. What is the Guardian’s name?”
Aria’s voice was full of gratitude.
“Guardian? If you mean me, I’m Baek Tae-jun.”
However, the gratitude was short-lived.
Aria immediately began a barrage of nagging.
“Guardian Baek Tae-jun! Aside from being grateful, you haven’t been doing your job properly as the Guardian of the World Tree!”
“What job? I bought a pot, put in potting soil, and I’ve been watering it twice a day just like the Dryad advised.”
“The water is fine! But the most important thing, the soil, has no mana! If there’s a lack of mana, the World Tree can’t grow properly!”
I was flustered by the fierce nagging that contradicted her cute appearance, but since it was Aria, the spirit of the World Tree, speaking, I figured her advice was correct.
I immediately checked my inventory and pulled out a Grade 9 mana stone.
“Originally, I received this as payment for a request from a low-level blacksmith, but it ended up in my inventory because I used a Reroll.”
I ground the mana stone into powder and mixed it evenly into the soil.
“Is this okay?”
Contrary to my expectations, Aria looked far from satisfied.
“For now, yes. But this is nowhere near enough! I can’t afford to lose the World Tree a second time, so I’ll be taking full charge of its management from now on.”
A look of grim determination filled Aria’s eyes.
Then, she collected some dew from the World Tree in her small hands and handed it to me.
“This is very precious. Many people want it. Managing the World Tree requires a lot of things, so use this to help with the expenses.”
“Oh, okay.”
I grabbed a random empty potion bottle and put the dew inside.
Aria then asked for my understanding.
“I haven’t been awake for long, so I can’t go far. However, I’ll go to Terra, the world where the Dryads live, and bring back the things we need right away.”
“Right now?”
“Yes!”
As Aria touched a leaf of the World Tree, her body scattered into light and vanished in the blink of an eye.
“What? Did she just teleport?”
I can’t even take a single step out of this house.
I felt a surge of envy at the fact that Aria could freely move to other worlds.
Not long after, Aria arrived carrying an armful of something.
But there was something more urgent, so I asked Aria.
“Aria, is there any way I can leave this house too?”
Aria shook her head.
“It’s impossible. I am the spirit of the World Tree, so I move through dimensions using the World Tree as a medium. I can feel the barrier placed around this house. That’s why even I can only go to specific places. I don’t have the power to take anyone else with me.”
“I see.”
However, Aria gave me hope as I felt disappointed.
“Who knows? Once the World Tree grows into a massive tree, I might recover my strength and make it possible.”
“How am I supposed to grow a massive tree in this house…”
“We can do it! I brought the things the World Tree needs, so please help.”
“No… if that happens, the house my parents left me will be destroyed…”
Aria looked so serious that I couldn’t say it out loud.
Aria said that since the mana-infused soil was too heavy to carry, she had asked a Dryad for sap instead.
“The sap is a kind of nutrient. It’s not as good as mana-infused soil, but it will have the effect of stimulating the World Tree’s growth!”
I took the sap Aria gave me and poured it evenly over the World Tree.
“I might be imagining it, but it seems like it really likes it.”
“It’s not an imagination! The World Tree is feeling good. You should be able to feel the World Tree’s mood to some extent too. Since you’re the Guardian.”
“What’s with this ‘Guardian’ thing you’ve been saying? I never said I’d be one.”
“Since the World Tree has sprouted, you are the Guardian.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No.”
Aria smiled brightly as if teasing me.
Just then, a system message appeared before my eyes.
[Finch’s first dispatch mission has been scheduled!]
The schedule was early tomorrow morning.
I couldn’t miss such a great sight.
“Aria, I’m going to sleep now.”
“Why so early?”
“Because I have to see something good tomorrow morning.”
“Pardon?”
“If you’re curious, you should sleep too.”
“Pardon?”
Aria, who didn’t understand, kept tilting her head and asking questions, but I didn’t tell her the reason as payback for teasing me.
You’ll find out tomorrow morning anyway, so just be patient.