When I opened my eyes, my stomach felt heavy. It felt like a boulder had been placed on top of me, I honestly thought I was receiving some kind of divine punishment like in Greek mythology.
Gasping for air, I managed to lift my eyelids, only to find Damian draped over me, sleeping.
"You're awake."
"……"
The man is clearly devoid of a conscience. How can he sleep on top of someone who probably weighs less than half of what he does?! At least Happy was smaller than me!
I wanted to scream at him to get off immediately and scowl, but my survival instinct forced a bright smile onto my face instead. Damian flinched and shook his head.
He probably thought I was seducing him again.
This is exactly why they say you shouldn't take in "beasts with black hair." All they do is harbor wicked thoughts. While I was internally raining curses down on my past self, I went numb as I saw what was in Damian's hand.
"…What is that?"
"I woke to a strange presence and found this manifesting out of thin air."
"Wh-What did?"
"This."
In Damian's hand was a piece of black cloth. Or rather, it was a bandana.
Wait... that bandana appeared out of thin air?
...Hold on.
"……!"
That’s it.
The MSG, and then the chili peppers. Just like when those things suddenly appeared, this time it was a bandana.
Realization struck my head like a lightning bolt. As I sat up, Damian moved aside naturally, as if he had predicted my reaction. Ignoring him, I reached straight for the bandana.
"…Just why?"
My voice trembled as the words escaped.
Exactly. Just why? Could it be because of what I muttered before falling asleep last night? 'I at least need a bandana to cover that damn horn...'
"No, that's impossible."
But the problem was that it was possible.
It wasn't like I had been spending my time peacefully just simmering soup. I had been suddenly transmigrated here, on the first day, MSG appeared "poof" in an empty inn, and then it was chili peppers.
Honestly, isn't it creepy? The day after I muttered, "I wish I had some peppers," actual peppers appeared. And not just any peppers. Vibrant, glossy green peppers and even chili powder.
Actually, around that point, I figured there might be some strange power in this inn or within myself. So, the next day, I prayed using the exact same tone and sentence structure.
'Let me go back.'
'Please, just let me return to my original world.'
I repeated those words for days. Of course, I occasionally forgot because the inn got busy, but how could I truly forget something like that?
The result?
I didn't go back.
I just ended up settling here as an innkeeper selling gukbap. At this rate, I’m about to register the place on a map as a "Must-Visit Soup Spot."
So, I eventually concluded it was all a coincidence. But this was different.
Once is suspicious, but you can let it slide.
Twice... is unsettling, but I tried to move past it since there was nothing I could do. But three times?
By the third time, you have to admit it. Whether you like it or not, something is happening.
I was staring blankly at the bandana in my hand, unaware that Damian had leaned in close.
"Human, what is wrong?"
"……"
"Human."
"……!"
Gah!
Because Damian had shoved his face right in front of mine, my entire field of vision was filled with him. It was like a nightmare zoomed in to 4K resolution.
"Ugh... why is your face so..."
As I grumbled while trying to soothe my racing heart, the horn caught my eye. As if possessed, I wrapped the bandana around Damian’s head.
"…Huh?"
In an instant, something unbelievable happened. That massive horn simply vanished. It was gone completely, as if it had never been there to threaten to pierce through the fabric.
"...How is this possible?"
Seriously, how? Is this a magic item?
Damian toyed with the piece of cloth on his head for a moment, then immediately slammed it onto the floor.
"My dignity has been obscured."
Look, your dignity is less important than hiding that horn right now.
However, knowing I couldn't say that out loud, I kept my mouth shut. You know what they say, a soft answer turns away wrath (and avoids a beating). So, I just curled my lips into the most harmless smile possible.
"Well, sometimes a subtle hint is more attractive. Like how 'partially clothed' can be more alluring than 'naked'."
At that, Damian glanced at me and tightened his collar with a strangely serious expression.
"...What."
What? No! I didn't mean it like that!
This monster is ridiculously good at misunderstanding. No, "good" doesn't cover it, he clearly thought I was giving him some kind of lewd look.
Far from being lecherous, I’m just trying to survive! Why does he keep taking it that way?
God, I'm going crazy. Truly.
Anyway, let's set aside that delusional monster for a second. There was something else more important.
I shook my head and picked up the bandana Damian had tossed to the floor. Although it looked ordinary, this was undoubtedly a magic item. it had dropped from the air, and it felt strangely vivid to the touch.
Moreover, that thin piece of cloth completely hid the horn. It was a phenomenon that felt as though the laws of physics had briefly looked the other way.
"But how?"
Why did this happen? Even if such a cloth existed in this world, does it make sense for it to drop next to my bed just because I said a few words? The logic and principles were beyond explanation.
Of course, even if I pondered it, I was ultimately just a lowly gukbap restaurant owner. How could I possibly understand magic or paranormal phenomena?
In the end, I ruffled my hair again. My thick curls got tangled around my fingertips once more, it seemed like booking a hair salon was a more pressing issue than solving this mystery.
"In times like this, I should be using my brain while drinking an iced Americano full of ice... huh?"
It was at that moment.
The second the words left my mouth, a low vibration hummed in the air. Involuntarily, I looked up and witnessed an incredible sight.
A glass of iced Americano, with ice cubes bobbing inside, dropped onto the table without spilling a single drop.
"...What?"
Cold condensation misted the surface of the cup. The ice shone transparently as if freshly added, and there was even a straw in it. While I stood frozen at the bizarre sight, Damian also tilted his head slightly.
"What is this black substance?"
"It's an America, no, that's not what's important! This was just summoned from thin air!"
Damian must have seen it. In the same space, at the same time, witnessing the same phenomenon. Yet, he merely tilted his head and said nonchalantly.
"Did you not create it?"
"If I could summon coffee, would I be selling soup here? I’d have opened a franchise cafe."
"Franchise?"
Forget it.
I gave up the argument and looked at the cup. The familiar black liquid shimmered, emitting a savory aroma. Hesitantly, I gripped it, I could hear the clinking of the ice.
"...Seriously, what is this?"
It was cold. A very realistic chill. The sensation of the glass against my fingertips, the frigid temperature, and the subtle scent of coffee wafting to my nose.
It was no longer a mere coincidence or a stroke of playful luck.
There was undeniably something unexplainable that turned my spoken words into reality. Until now, I thought things I muttered before bed just appeared in the morning. But what if it actually applies the moment I speak?
Maybe I just didn't know the conditions were different?
My heart began to thud in an irregular rhythm. The pulse in my chest was so loud it felt like it was vibrating in my throat. My mouth felt parched, I moistened my dry lips with my tongue and carefully opened my mouth.
"…A stack of cash?"
Nothing happened.
"……"
Typical.
Just my luck. This is exactly why I ended up as a gukbap shop owner after being transmigrated.
Half-sighing, half-resigning. Still, I couldn't suppress my curiosity. I tried a few more experiments after that. Fortunately, a reaction occurred immediately, confirming that items were summoned right after I spoke.
The results were surprisingly clear.
Actual existing items or things I had once owned could be summoned. For example, rolls of toilet paper or boxes of tissues. Despite being items from another world, they could miraculously be summoned.
However, abstract concepts yielded no response. Things like stacks of cash, jewels, or "luck" didn't work at all.
And even stranger, certain processed items wouldn't react. If I said, "I want to eat kimchi," there was total silence. But if I thought of cabbage and chili powder separately, they each dropped in front of me with a thud.
Because of this, a smartphone obviously couldn't be summoned, which made me wonder why MSG was possible. Logically, shouldn't toilet paper have to be summoned as a tree?
But the most absurd part was something else.
I couldn't summon the same thing twice in a row. Thinking it might interfere with business, I tried to summon peppers again, and fortunately, they appeared. It seemed there was a "cooldown" for summoning the same item.
In fact, at first, I thought, 'Wouldn't it be a hit if I summoned items from the other world and sold them?' But as if reading my mind, that path was thoroughly blocked.
What kind of nonsensical logic is this? What is the criteria?
"I can't directly call for substances related to money, but raw ingredients for cooking are possible..."
I scratched my head, muttering to myself.
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