Chapter 42
"Sh, should we? I mean, we did clear a dungeon far above my current rank...."
"Yeah. I also feel like I might qualify for another reevaluation. Since we're already here, let's do it."
"Whoa... today seriously feels unreal!"
"Money first."
The transaction was completed quickly.
Five hundred million won was deposited into Hong Man-gi's account.
The Gold Mana Stone was transferred into the Association's special storage facility.
"Whoa!"
Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han left the VIP consultation room feeling as though they were walking on clouds.
In an instant, Hong Man-gi had become someone with hundreds of millions of won.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi... this really feels like a dream."
Lee Yu-han still could not hide his excitement.
"It hasn't really sunk in for me either."
Hong Man-gi chuckled.
"Now that we have plenty of money, you know what we need to do, right?"
"R, rank reevaluation?"
"Yeah, that too. But first, something I remembered."
"Ah! The restaurant! We need to find our restaurant!"
Lee Yu-han shouted with sparkling eyes.
* * *
The two immediately headed toward a real estate agency specializing in properties for Hunters near the Association.
Hong Man-gi's goal was to find a small shop near the dungeon entrance where the food cart had operated.
A place with plenty of foot traffic and easy access for other Hunters.
It was the first time in his life that Hong Man-gi had entered a real estate office looking for commercial property.
At first, the agent looked confused when a D-rank Hunter appeared with several hundred million won available.
But after seeing Hong Man-gi's serious attitude and Lee Yu-han's excitement, he began kindly introducing available properties.
"With your budget, there's a good commercial property not too far from the dungeon entrance. It's on the first floor and large enough to run a restaurant comfortably. There's no premium fee, and the rent is below market price because the owner wants a quick tenant."
"Hmm...."
Hong Man-gi had considered purchasing a building.
However, he knew almost nothing about investing, and he did not think there was any need to rush that far yet.
No premium fee.
Rent below market price.
The security deposit was no longer a serious amount of money for Hong Man-gi.
There was little reason to reject the place without seeing it.
"Can we take a look?"
"Let me show you the photos first."
The shop in the photographs was small but clean.
More than anything, Hong Man-gi liked the location.
It was perfect for Hunters leaving a dungeon after fighting or those wanting a quick meal before entering one.
"Looks good. Let's go see it."
* * *
Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han followed the agent with slightly excited steps.
Five hundred million won from selling the Gold Mana Stone.
That money meant more than simple currency.
It felt like a seed of hope that could grow into a completely new future.
The place was a first-floor shop located in a relatively quiet alley, about five minutes on foot from the dungeon entrance.
There were no flashy neon signs or loud workers trying to attract customers.
Strangely, Hong Man-gi liked it even more because of that.
It had a cozy atmosphere perfect for Hunters who wanted to step away from the noise and rest for a while.
The outside of the shop was old but welcoming.
The faded wooden sign still carried traces of the previous business's name.
Through the large glass window, they could vaguely see the modest interior.
"This is the place. As you can see, it used to be a small cafe, so the basic water and electrical facilities are already installed. The biggest advantage is that there is no premium fee."
The area that could become the kitchen was not particularly large, but it seemed more than enough for the two of them.
Looking outside from inside, the sunlight coming through the large glass window made the shop unexpectedly bright and warm.
"Oh... this is even better than I expected."
Lee Yu-han exclaimed while looking around.
Shelves from the previous cafe remained along one wall.
The floor was made of old but clean wood.
Simple track lighting hung from the high ceiling.
Hong Man-gi silently inspected every corner.
A picture of how he could use the space was already forming in his mind.
'A small bar table by the window for customers who come alone. Then three or four four-person tables farther inside. That could make it cozy and efficient....'
The kitchen was also large enough for the basic cooking equipment.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi, this place is seriously great! It feels like exactly the kind of restaurant we imagined! Hunter Kang Jae-min will probably love it too!"
Lee Yu-han grabbed Hong Man-gi's arm excitedly like a child.
His eyes were filled with excitement about the new restaurant.
Hong Man-gi smiled faintly at him.
He felt the same way.
In this small space, he wanted to serve warm food and comfort to more people.
Not only lost souls.
He also wanted it to become a resting place for living Hunters exhausted by harsh reality.
If that was greed, then it was the kind of greed he was willing to accept.
"I don't think we need to change the interior that much."
Hong Man-gi looked around again.
"I like the wooden floor, and we can use those shelves. Rather than making it flashy or expensive-looking, I think this comfortable and simple feeling suits us better."
Lee Yu-han nodded.
Neither of them wanted a glittering luxury restaurant.
They wanted something familiar and warm.
A place where customers could comfortably visit, fill their stomachs, share their worries, and receive a little comfort.
"Yes, I agree. I think keeping this atmosphere will be better than changing everything. If we add a few tables and chairs and replace the lights with warmer ones, it'll look amazing!"
The two talked inside the empty shop while imagining their future.
A lonely Hunter sitting alone at the window bar with a drink.
A party laughing together at an inner table while sharing food.
And themselves watching those scenes warmly while serving dishes.
"Hmm... we can make Poming's personal kitchen over there."
Hong Man-gi pointed toward one corner.
"An open kitchen where customers can see a little of the cooking might be good too."
The real estate agent watched the two with a pleased smile.
"I'm glad you both like it. It's difficult to find a place in this location with conditions this good. It'll probably be rented quickly. So, would you like to sign the contract?"
Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han exchanged glances.
There was no reason to hesitate.
"We'll take it."
The agent's face immediately brightened.
The contract process went smoothly.
Thanks to the enormous amount of money from the Gold Mana Stone, Hong Man-gi could pay the security deposit and several months of rent in advance while still keeping plenty of operating funds.
The formal paperwork would be completed at the office, but there was practically no chance of a problem.
Now all that remained was choosing the restaurant's name, buying equipment, and developing new menu items.
"Sir, we'll sign everything, but could you head back to the office first? We'd like to look around a little longer."
"Of course! Here, take the key. Just lock the door when you leave."
After receiving the key, Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han looked around the empty shop once more.
'This really is nice....'
The space was still empty and cold.
But in their eyes, they could already see a future filled with customers, delicious aromas, and warm laughter.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi, what should we call our restaurant?"
Lee Yu-han asked excitedly.
Hong Man-gi looked out the window.
He watched the exhausted steps of Hunters heading toward the dungeon.
He thought about the weight of life pressing down on their shoulders.
He wanted a name that could warmly embrace all of that.
"Hmm. 'Midnight Restaurant' is too common. 'Healing Restaurant' is already our concept, but it feels a little weak as a name. 'Resting Place of Souls' is too embarrassing...."
After thinking for a moment, a name suddenly came to him.
Hong Man-gi smiled faintly.
"How about 'Full Moon Restaurant'?"
"Full Moon Restaurant?"
"Yeah. Like a bright full moon lighting up a dark night sky, I want it to be a place where exhausted people can come anytime, receive comfort, and find the strength to move forward again."
Lee Yu-han quietly repeated the name.
Full Moon Restaurant.
It sounded warm, mysterious, and comforting.
"I love it, Hunter Hong Man-gi! Full Moon Restaurant! That's a great name!"
The two looked at each other and smiled brightly.
* * *
After completing the contract,
there was still one mission remaining.
Rank reevaluation.
* * *
Before the excitement of starting anew with the name "Full Moon Restaurant" had even faded, Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han once again stood in front of the Hunter Association building.
Immediately after signing the shop contract, they headed toward the Rank Reevaluation Center.
After achieving the incredible feat of clearing the BX-0 Dungeon, they needed to receive ranks worthy of that achievement.
For Lee Yu-han especially, this was the perfect chance to finally remove the label of F-rank.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi... do you really think I'll be okay? What if they give me F-rank again?"
Lee Yu-han asked nervously inside the elevator.
His face was clearly tense.
Perhaps because he had remained F-rank even after clearing BX-01, he seemed more afraid than excited about another reevaluation.
Hong Man-gi lightly patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Yu-han. This time will be different. You survived the BX-0 Dungeon, and you even landed an important attack against the mid-boss Golem Howler. That should easily be worth at least D-rank."
"But... I still don't really know what I actually contributed...."
"The results will prove it. Don't overthink it. Just do what you normally do."
Lee Yu-han forced himself to nod.
Still, he could not completely remove his anxiety.
Since Hong Man-gi had already gone through the process before, the two moved naturally through the examination.
The reevaluation followed procedures similar to last time.
Basic physical ability scan.
Mana measurement.
Recent dungeon activity analysis.
Hong Man-gi remained relatively calm because he already knew the process.
Lee Yu-han, however, could not relax for even a moment.
Once everything was finished, the two were guided to a small meeting room to receive the results.
