Chapter 1442

<Chapter 1442> 1442. Dark Moon

The chicken joint hit the jackpot.

After Fisher, a personal streamer, came and went, customers started flooding in. These customers also posted on SNS saying it was delicious. There were even quite a few who praised it as a revolution in chicken.

‘That guy Fisher has incredible influence.’

Later, I found out that Fisher, known as the “store hunter,” was infamous. He would visit stores, taste the food, and leave harsh criticisms. That was Fisher’s main content. However, occasionally, there were stores that Fisher praised, and those stores all reportedly flourished.

Fisher targeted Yuria Chicken for harsh criticism but ended up leaving with high praise instead.

Thanks to that, the 300 prepared chickens were all sold before evening.

‘Neo London has a high population density compared to its area. Everyone nearby who saw Fisher’s stream must have come.’

Even with the early rush, selling 300 chickens in 8 hours was beyond expectations—a super grand slam.

‘This is bad. We’re running out of chickens.’

I cure chicken at home with Yuria’s help. Since chicken can be delivered with just one order, that’s not an issue, but the problem lies with the curing and the sauce. With this level of sales, we can’t rely solely on Yuria.

‘But doing it at the store would be too complicated. Frying alone is already intense. I definitely need to use a factory.’

I packed the chicken into boxes, remembering to apply the heat retention magic, grabbed some beer, and headed to the X-zone labor office.

Just as Rose was preparing to leave, she saw me and smirked.

“Who’s this? The chicken shop owner, what brings you here?”

“I’ve brought the chicken like I mentioned before.”

“I didn’t think you’d actually bring it… Alright. Let’s see how good this famous Korean chicken is.”

“Is Korean chicken really that famous now?”

“It’s all over the internet. Word is spreading that boring chicken has turned into food from heaven. The recent peace in Neo London helped too. Congratulations, your shop is starting to succeed.”

She opened the chicken box and let out a small gasp. It was half-and-half.

“Definitely, the smell and the visuals are different from the chicken I know.”

Chik~ Snap!

As she popped open the beer can, she quickly took a sip and bit into the chicken. Calm Rose’s eyes widened.

“…Wow. This is amazing. This is the best thing I’ve eaten recently. Now I understand why Fisher raved about Korean chicken.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Perfect with beer. I might eat this 2-3 times a month. So, why are you really here? You didn’t come just to give me chicken, did you?”

“I need money.”

“Looking for a job?”

“No, no time for that.”

“If you need quick cash, you’re looking in the wrong place. Go to the bank. I don’t play money games with my clients.”

“The bank won’t work. It’s dangerous with my current identity.”

My identity was carefully crafted, but ultimately, it was forged. If the bank investigated thoroughly, there’s a chance it would be exposed. We’ve barely just started on the path to success…


It began. I didn’t want to take on such risky burdens.

“Sorry, can’t lend you money. If you need cash, take a commission job. There are a few simple ones you could finish in hours—why don’t you try those?”

“Wouldn’t you like to invest in Yuria Chicken?”

“Hmm…”

“To be honest, two wealthy investors came by my chicken joint today wanting to invest in Yuria Chicken.”

She stared pensively at the Korean chicken.

“…Indeed. At this level, it does seem worth investing in. Since you’ve come asking for funding, you must have a plan. Lay it out. If it impresses me, I might not refuse to invest.”

“My goal is franchising. For that, I’ll need a factory.”

As I explained the plan hashed out with Yuria, she listened intently.

“…So basically, the factory will receive chicken, cure it, produce large quantities of sauce daily, and supply it to franchises?”

“That’s right. The franchise stores only need to fry the chicken at precise times.”

“Simple and good. You understand the core of franchising. But do you really need to set up your own factory? Can’t you just contract an existing one?”

“In the short term, sure. But I’m thinking long-term. Moreover…the essence of Yuria Chicken lies in its curing and seasoning techniques. I want to keep that secret as much as possible.”

“Hmm. Alright. How much investment are you looking for?”

“20 million credits.”

“…That’s low. With that amount, you’d barely cover building the factory. What about machinery?”

“I’m a Grade 5 Mage.”

“Aha! Magical Engineering machines? Didn’t know you had expertise in that field.”

“…Not exactly great. I plan to buy discarded machines cheaply and modify them. Curing chicken and mixing sauces isn’t overly complex, so it should work fine.”

“Alright. Let’s draft the contract then. 20 million credits isn’t a huge sum; I can transfer it immediately.”

“And I’d also like to hire around three trustworthy workers.”

“For running the factory, right? Do you know where you are?”

X Labor Agency.

A place specializing in worker recruitment.

We established the factory in T District.

The machines inside were personally modified by me.

Magical Engineering.

At first glance, it sounds brain-meltingly complicated, but the crux is simply magic. It’s about combining magic with machines to sustain their operation.

“Creating intricate Magical Engineering machines is beyond me currently, but something basic? Definitely doable.”

Wash the chicken, add specified ingredients to cure it, toss in prepped materials to mix the sauce in set ratios. These three processes are straightforward. No need for complexity or precision here.

The key lies in the ratios, though, which are tricky to adjust. So I ordered custom machinery from a major corporation. Apparently, they’ve made similar items before because the machines arrived within three days.

“Big corporations never disappoint.”

The factory was completed and operational in ten days.

The factory cures 1,200 chickens per day. That’s more than enough for now.

The wildly successful chicken shop is incredibly busy.

Customers flood in like waves. We barely have time to rest. When Karrel, who manages the dining area, started complaining, we hired another part-timer. Fortunately, Karrel brought along a friend, so hiring the extra help was quick.

“The kitchen is all set.”

Ten deep fryers. Four additional auxiliary fryers purchased, making it fourteen total. Just run them all at full capacity.

Can one person handle that?

Well, maybe not others, but I can.

Because I have magic.

I use telekinesis. At my command, chicken emerges from the fridge and plunges into the sizzling fryers. The timer automatically activates. When the alarm sounds, I remove the fried chicken, plate it, and toss in the seasoning without fail. Even the dishes are cleaned using telekinesis.

With magic, I accomplish the workload of ten people.


I’ve managed to pull through.

Thanks to telekinesis, which consumes little mana, this was possible. Though it’s known to drain one’s spirit significantly, it didn’t quite resonate with me.

‘Still, I’m not entirely free of fatigue. I can keep doing this for now, but…’

Even I have my limits if I keep this up.

‘I need to hire someone for the kitchen.’

The chicken shop needs to run smoothly even without me. And gradually expand the franchise.

‘Ultimately, I’ll just sit in a high place and receive reports. That is the goal, though… there’s still a long way to go.’

No need to rush.

Business is going well. Just take steady steps upward.

The problem arose a few days later.

“Yuyu Chicken uses old oil.”

This rumor began to spread, and customers started to dwindle.

What a ridiculous claim. I change the cooking oil thoroughly every time I fry 50 chickens. And it’s not like I only use cheap oil; I also use ones that suit the chicken perfectly.

As soon as I noticed the rumor, I posted rebuttals online and inside the store. I kindly explained that I change the oil container every 50 chickens.

But rumors are hard to quash.

“There we go again.”

A regular customer said this while chewing on some spicy chicken. He was reading the explanation about the oil hung on the wall. Since he was the only customer at the moment, I could ask him.

“Sir, do you know anything? If you tell me in detail, I’ll give you a free can of beer.”

“Huh? You don’t know yet? That guy over there, that guy.”

He pointed his hand towards the opposite Fish and Chips shop.

“Three months ago, the nearby Fish and Chips place went out of business because of a similar rumor. That guy’s from around here, plus he has a delinquent background, so he has quite the network. They spread rumors through those connections.”

“But I don’t even sell Fish and Chips.”

“You’re both selling fried food, right? Would eating this chicken make you want to eat Fish and Chips? I don’t know everything, but their sales must’ve dropped by half.”

“……”

I saw the owner of the opposite shop recently. Just looking at him, he didn’t seem to have good character.

‘What should I do? Even if I go and say something, he won’t listen obviously… Should I secretly visit him at night, pretend to be a burglar, and kill him?’

“Mr. Owner, just ignore it. This shop won’t go under because of this rumor. People who know it’s fake will figure it out. Just because fewer customers come… does that mean it’ll collapse?”

“It collapsing… no, it won’t.”

Though the number of customers decreased, the revenue remained prosperous.

“People who want to come will continue to come. This shop has become a well-known local delicacy. Oh! A customer just arrived.”

This customer was unusual.

He was a butler dressed in a black suit. The neatly groomed man greeted us as soon as he entered the shop.

“Hello. I am Hyde, the butler from the Platt Baron family. Please pack one plain chicken and one spicy chicken.”

The butler carried himself with dignity.

Not only that, I sensed power from him. This butler possesses at least third-class strength.

I realize anew: in Neo London, butlers and maids are far from being lower-class citizens.

“I’ll prepare them right away.”

“It’s fortunate that I came when there’s no one else. Lucky timing.”

The butler read the explanation about the oil on the wall and smirked slightly, as if understanding what had happened.

“The jealousy and greed of people sometimes lead to foolish actions. It seems you’re in a difficult situation, sir.”

“Yes, it is troublesome.”

“Simply ignore it. There’s no need for someone of your caliber to intervene. Exaggerated rumors tend to fade away eventually.”

The butler’s attitude remained consistently polite.

I realized that the butler had noticed my level.