Chapter 72: Naming - s is Hard 2

Terrified by the prospect of being kicked out and banned—even if her pride still refused to fully acknowledge the shop’s mystical nature—Si-Yeon decided not to push her luck.

Instead, she simply ordered one of every remaining food and drink item available to her.

"Are there... any other menu items I need to be cautious about?" Si-Yeon asked hesitatingly, still visibly traumatized by her experience with the Celestial Sparkle Sprite.

"Um... no, not at all! Everything else is completely safe to consume," Ga-Eun reassured her with a bright smile.

"Only the Celestial Sparkle Sprite has that unusual cleansing aftereffect—and that usually only happens the very first time you drink it. After that, the effect won’t trigger again unless your body accumulates too many toxic, unhealthy substances. What did Boss Alexander call it again? Right! He said that unless someone possesses... um... Internal Energy, maintaining a completely pure body condition naturally is almost impossible."

Ga-Eun shared this information comfortably, drawing from her own experience drinking the Sprite and combining it with the casual health tips Donape had given her about skin care and bodily toxins.

While Ga-Eun couldn’t personally track which items every customer had already consumed that day, she didn’t need to.

The moment someone tried to pay for a duplicate restricted item, the terminal would automatically reject the transaction. There was zero risk of anyone accidentally breaking the shop’s rules—a fact Donape had repeatedly emphasized alongside his endless boasts about the shop’s absolute power.

’Internal energy? How in the world did these people go so far as to pull off a ruse like this?! Such a thing is pure fiction. It isn’t real!’ Si-Yeon thought, though she wisely kept her mouth shut.

Before long, all the food and drinks she had ordered were prepared with the speed of a fast-food joint.

Butler Yoo stepped forward and picked up the tray, intending to carry everything to a vacant table near the window.

"Excuse me, dear customer," Ga-Eun called out softly, stopping him right before he could take a single step away from the counter. "Just a friendly reminder in case you forgot: food and beverages cannot be shared."

She pointed politely toward the large digital display hanging above the counter.

[SHOP RULES]

- Maximum playtime is strictly limited to 5 hours per customer, per day. Once time expires, the capsule will safely and automatically eject the user.

- All prices are fixed. No bartering, no discounts, and no tabs. All transactions must be paid upfront.

- Foods and beverages are strictly for individual consumption. Sharing or taking items outside the premises is strictly forbidden.

- Any mayhem, smoking, indecency, vandalism, or physical violence within the premises will result in immediate blacklisting and forceful eviction.

Si-Yeon and Butler Yoo froze, staring at the rule on the digital screen. They had been so focused on the menu items earlier that neither had bothered to read the fine print down at the end.

Si-Yeon then stared for a long second, her eyes twitching slightly before she seamlessly smoothed her expression back into a cool, unbothered mask.

"Alright," she said gracefully. She handed Butler Yoo her premium black card so he could order separately under his own name, taking her tray to a vacant table nearby.

Butler Yoo stiffened. Every instinct told him to refuse spending her funds on himself, but knowing better than to cause a scene inside the shop, he quietly obeyed.

He selected his own food and drink, deliberately skipping the Celestial Sparkle Sprite. The last thing he needed was the possibility of suffering that same foul-smelling detoxification process while on duty beside his Young Miss.

After paying at the terminal, he carried his tray over and joined Si-Yeon at her table.

"Young Miss... didn’t you order a bit too much? If needed, I can help finish whatever remains, or discreetly pocket some to take home," Butler Yoo offered in a low whisper.

In front of him sat only two items—a bowl of Spirit-Infused Noodles and a bottle of Origins Fountain Water. Si-Yeon, on the other hand, had a feast of seven different items spread across her table.

"Don’t make a fuss. It’s fine. I can handle it," Si-Yeon replied, her tone mild but absolute.

Ever since surviving the intense body-cleansing triggered by the Celestial Sparkle Sprite, she had been plagued by an insatiable, roaring hunger deep within her stomach.

During her earlier visit, a single Spicy Meat Bun had left her completely full. But now, her newly restored body was practically screaming for sustenance.

With another fresh Spicy Meat Bun sitting before her—the only item permitted to be ordered twice a day—she was eager to test whether it could satisfy her newfound appetite.

She took a bite, and the flavor was just as extraordinary as before—rich, delicious, and tasting as though she were experiencing it for the very first time. What differed, however, was that a single bun no longer left her feeling completely full.

’What is happening to me? I’ve never had an appetite this immense before... Is it because of the changes my body experienced?’

Shaking off the thought, Si-Yeon began to devour everything on her tray. Despite the sheer volume of food she was consuming, she maintained an impeccably civilized and distinguished demeanor, every motion polished and graceful.

Each item delivered its own distinct physical benefit, her body absorbing the nourishment effortlessly as if it had been starving for those exact nutrients.

Watching his Young Miss eat with such quiet gusto, Butler Yoo found his own appetite stoked. He picked up his chopsticks and took an eager bite of the Spirit-Infused Noodles.

Slurp!

His eyes widened the second the broth hit his tongue. An explosive, velvety richness—deeply savory, bursting with umami, and carrying a rich garlic-and-marrow finish—completely overwhelmed his senses.

The moment he swallowed, a comforting wave of gentle heat traveled down his throat, pooling directly into his lower abdomen.

Overwhelmed by the intense flavor, Butler Yoo instinctively reached for the bottle of Origins Fountain Water to steady himself. But as he took a gulp, the ultra-pure water didn’t dilute the taste; instead, it cleansed his palate and doubled the lingering savory notes, creating an indescribably exquisite combination.

Clatter!

His chopsticks slipped from his fingers and clattered onto the table, drawing momentary glances from a few nearby regulars.

"Forgive my appalling lack of manners, Young Miss," Butler Yoo whispered frantically, bowing his head in shame.

Si-Yeon merely offered a small wave, dismissing his apology. She understood his reaction all too well—she was currently far too busy savoring her own meal and enjoying the subtle physical vitality washing through her frame.

In her entire life of luxury and privilege, she had never encountered food and drink so transcendent, let alone consumables that possessed such extraordinary effects.

Though she hadn’t traveled to many countries, Si-Yeon was now utterly convinced of one thing: the offerings at Origins VR Cafe were truly one-of-a-kind in the world.

After finishing every last bite on the table, Si-Yeon felt brimming with physical energy and raw vitality. Satisfied, she decided it was time to try the VR games. She entered The Path of Heavenly Martial Arts alongside Butler Yoo.

With Ga-Eun’s gentle guidance, the two of them successfully initialized their accounts and synchronized their capsules to enter the same virtual session.

Once inside, Butler Yoo once again struggled to contain his sheer disbelief. The virtual world was so hyper-realistic that it felt entirely indistinguishable from reality—every gust of wind, blade of grass, and breath of air felt 100% genuine.

At last, he fully understood why Elder Si-Jin had been so desperate to acquire this establishment. The strategic value of these capsules for training family elites, honing martial techniques without real-world mortality risks, was immeasurably vast.

Yet, despite their noble lineage and martial foundation, both Si-Yeon and Butler Yoo were utter noobs when it came to gaming mechanics.

Unable to comprehend the user interface or quest tracking, the pair spent their initial hours aimlessly wandering the starter zone, completely ignoring the main storyline.

Meanwhile, Zerke and Jong-Kook emerged from their VR Capsules as their daily playtime came to an end.

Before taking their leave, the two sat at the counter to enjoy a quick meal of Spicy Meat Buns paired with bottles of Origins Fountain Water.

On their walk home, they chatted about the strange, lingering sensation that gripped them almost every time their gaming sessions ended.

"Sigh... Why is it that every time we play Counter-Injustice, we feel so energized and thrilled? Yet when we return home and practice at the shooting range, it feels utterly dull," Zerke lamented.

"I agree, sir. It’s a real shame we’re strictly capped at five hours a day," Jong-Kook added with a nod. "I just wish they had a game focused on full-scale modern warfare rather than small 3v3 or 5v5 skirmishes."

After a brief silence, Zerke’s eyes lit up as a sudden idea struck him.

"How about we challenge the other members at the shooting range and place a wager? One against many. Doesn’t that sound like fun? It would certainly spice things up."

Jong-Kook chuckled. "Haha! That doesn’t sound like a bad idea at all. Let’s do it, sir."

That small spark of an idea marked the beginning of a quiet shift. Traditional shooting ranges were about to become relics of the past, while VR shooters established themselves as the future.

Late that night, a private transport plane bearing the emblem of the Starfall Federation touched down at the Baek Empire International Airport.

Four figures stepped out from the arrival gate, radiating an aura of distinct elegance and sharp efficiency.

At the head of the group was Carla Mislaine, Chairwoman of the Babylon Mercenary Corporation—accompanied by her elite team of field investigators.