The innkeeper greeted Seong warmly, and he nodded in return.

    "Good day."

    "Meal? Lodging?"

    Straight to the point—just how he liked it.

    Since he was meeting Ashin here, it was for a meal, not lodging.

    "I’ll take a meal."

    "Puhehe! What’s on your menu?"

    "Hmm, potato stew and rye bread, please."

    "Got it! Sit anywhere you like and wait!"

    "Thank you."

    The friendly innkeeper shouted something into the kitchen as Seong moved to a seat further inside.

    The inn was empty.

    A fleeting concern about the quality of the food crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

    After all, he hadn’t come here to enjoy the food but to advance a quest.

    In Eternal World, even the taste of food was meticulously crafted, and culinary exploration had become a trend among players.

    Come to think of it, this was the first time Seong had eaten anything in Eternal World.

    As he sat there waiting, it wasn’t long before the steaming potato stew and rye bread were served.

    ‘Oh? It’s better than I expected.’

    The texture and flavor felt like real food. The potato stew was seasoned perfectly, salty but not overwhelming, and the rye bread was soft enough to dip into the stew.

    He finally understood why some players came to Eternal World just to indulge in gourmet experiences.

    Not long after finishing his meal, the inn’s door creaked open as someone entered.

    Due to the layout, the dining area was out of sight from the entrance, but Seong could hear the sounds clearly.

    The innkeeper’s warm voice followed the sound of the door.

    "Welcome—oh, it’s you, Philip?"

    The innkeeper’s tone quickly shifted to disappointment.

    The reaction piqued Seong’s curiosity.

    "Hey, hey! I’m still a paying customer, you know?"

    "What’ll you have today?"

    "Well, I’m here for an errand, but since I’m here, I’ll have some potato stew."

    "Your tone could use some work. Fine, sit tight. I’ll bring it to you."

    "Yeah, yeah."

    The sound of footsteps approached the tables, accompanied by the lazy, casual tone of the newcomer.

    When Seong turned his head, he saw a familiar face.

    "We meet again?"

    Although the name "Philip" was new, Seong recognized the face and voice.

    It was none other than the young apprentice blacksmith who had previously delivered a note for someone named Ashin.

    So, his name was Philip? Not that it mattered.

    "Looks like we do."

    "Ugh, if it weren’t for my debt, I wouldn’t have to run these errands. Debt, huh. What a pain."

    Grumbling, Philip sat down across from Seong without waiting for an invitation.

    Seong smirked subtly. Their objectives were the same anyway, so he didn’t mind the lack of courtesy.

    Philip chuckled and then asked, "So, did you really gather everything?"

    "Of course."

    Confidently, Seong opened his inventory and handed over 20 webbed feet from river trolls.

    Philip’s eyes widened in shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His expression was priceless.

    As Seong remained silent, Philip scratched his head awkwardly and muttered, "So that’s what they told you to get? Phew, that person must be out of their mind."

    A notification appeared before Seong’s eyes:

    [Hidden Quest: 『Treasure Goblin Kahku’s Assistant』 Cleared.]

    [Rewards Granted.]

    [You have gained Ashin’s trust.]

    [You have not yet received the note.]

    [The next quest will take some time to unlock.]

    It hadn’t been as difficult as expected. If anything, the chaos caused by meeting Plinky midway had been more troublesome.

    Still, he had gained a useful skill out of it, so there was no reason to complain.

    When Seong handed over the webbed feet, Philip pulled out a sack to wrap them up, muttering to himself.

    "How am I supposed to carry all this?"

    His grumbling earned a silent stare from Seong, as if asking, Aren’t you forgetting something?

    Philip’s expression shifted to realization, and he chuckled awkwardly.

    "Haha, almost forgot. Here’s the note for this round."

    Must possess 『Treasure Goblin Kahku’s Treasure Map』.Must have completed 『Treasure Goblin Kahku’s Assistant』.A key and a vital clue to the treasure map.Loss of both the key and the vital clue.

    Seong’s agreement seemed to ease Philip’s nerves.

    Not that Seong had any intention of causing trouble, but with Philip’s friendship with a goblin now out in the open, it was natural for him to feel a bit uneasy.

    Seong wasn’t particularly bothered, though.

    ‘Guess I’ll have to come back tomorrow morning.’

    As Seong thought that to himself, Philip spoke again.

    "I’ll leave the key here at the inn in the early morning. The innkeeper is trustworthy."

    "Got it. Thanks for letting me know."

    "I’ll do my best to make it perfect," Philip said, bowing slightly.

    Seong replied with a nod and left the inn naturally.

    Normally, he would have paid for his meal, but Philip insisted on covering it, so he walked out without a second thought.

    With the quest complete and nothing pressing until tomorrow morning, Seong considered hunting to pass the time.

    Just as he was about to head out, a voice came from outside the capsule.

    [You have a voice message from the external system.]

    [Seong, come eat dinner~]

    It seemed his time in Eternal World was up for the day.

    [Eternal World will be waiting for you.]

    Logging out, Seong found himself back in reality.

    As he stepped out of the capsule, the enticing aroma of food filled the house, making his mouth water.

    "Whoo."

    It had been hours since lunch, and his stomach responded instantly.

    Judging by the smell, tonight’s dinner was bulgogi.

    The mingling scents suggested a lavish feast was prepared.

    Drawn by the smell, Seong wandered into the living room, where his father, Yoo Gwang-jin, was unusually early and helping his mother, Lee Na-gyeong, set the table.

    "Oh, Seong, you’re out."

    "Welcome home, Dad."

    "Yeah, work ended early today, so I came home early," Yoo Gwang-jin replied, looking slightly awkward under Seong’s gaze.

    Seong chuckled, and Yoo Gwang-jin, realizing it, cleared his throat and resumed helping Lee Na-gyeong.

    Noticing her son, Na-gyeong smiled.

    "Oh, Seong, you’re out already? Go wash your hands—it’s almost ready."

    "Got it," Seong replied, considering helping but deciding against it since his father was already assisting.

    Instead, he headed to the bathroom to wash up.

    By the time he returned, his sister, Yu Mina, had also emerged from her capsule, yawning widely. Spotting their father, her eyes lit up—not because he was home early, but with a mischievous gleam.

    "Hey, Dad! Did you hear? Seong—"

    Her tone left no doubt she was about to tease him.

    Seong tried to stop her, but Yoo Gwang-jin beat her to it.

    "I heard. First place, huh? Impressive. Well done."

    "Uh... thank you," Seong replied, slightly embarrassed by the rare praise.

    It was awkward, as father-son compliments often are, but it didn’t feel bad.

    Mina, however, was visibly disappointed that her plan had been thwarted.

    "Go wash your hands," Seong said, glaring at her.

    "Yeah, yeah," she muttered, heading to the bathroom.

    "Hurry up! Everything’s ready!" Na-gyeong called after her.

    "Okay, I’m going!" Mina replied.

    The family gathered for dinner, which felt oddly like a reunion despite having eaten together after Seong’s military discharge not long ago.

    The conversation was lighthearted, touching on Seong’s gaming experience, Gwang-jin’s work, and Mina’s raid preparations.

    At some point, Na-gyeong mentioned something more dramatic:

    "Did you hear? Jimin’s husband ran off with another woman in a nighttime elopement."

    Well, maybe that was important, too.

    As the chatter continued, Na-gyeong suddenly turned to Seong, curiosity in her eyes.

    "Now that you’re discharged, aren’t you meeting any friends?"

    It seemed like a polite question, but Seong happened to have plans.

    "Actually, I do have plans to meet some friends tomorrow."

    "Oh, I see," Na-gyeong said, nodding.

    Mina, catching on, smirked.

    "Oh, you mean that girl, right?"

    At her words, both Na-gyeong and Gwang-jin’s eyes sparkled with interest as they turned to Seong.