Chapter 1: My Golden Finger is Actually Myself
Orario, the Dungeon City.
A massive metropolis built atop a sprawling underground labyrinth.
A place where adventurers and gods gather. Humans and demi-humans receive blessings from the gods, battling monsters in the dungeon to grow stronger.
In short, this is a Western medieval fantasy world.
And as for this world—Su Mo, a transmigrator, was quite familiar with it.
Yes.
He was a transmigrator.
With no apparent reason, he had suddenly been "whoosh"—thrown into this world.
"Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?"
He clearly remembered the name of this anime.
Back then, Su Mo had even mocked how these light novels and anime titles were getting ridiculously long.
He never imagined that one day, he would "have the honor" of transmigrating into this very world.
To this, he had only one response:
"Over my dead body—I'm not going into that dungeon!"
As he said this, his hands skillfully flipped and stir-fried a portion of Yangzhou fried rice.
Yes, Yangzhou fried rice.
The setting? Orario's bustling marketplace.
More specifically—a small food stall in the commercial district.
Su Mo deftly prepared the fried rice, adding an egg per the customer's request.
"…"
Standing before him was a beautiful young woman with elf-like ears, dressed in a guild uniform.
She was Eina Tulle, a half-elf and a member of the Guild, which managed the dungeon.
Her job was to guide and oversee adventurers, helping them grow.
And Su Mo happened to be one of the new adventurers under her supervision.
Hearing Su Mo's words, Eina was left speechless.
"I'm not forcing you to go adventuring."
After some thought, she carefully chose her words.
"Although I'm a member of the Guild, I'm well aware of the dangers of the dungeon."
She was a seasoned adventurer advisor, her knowledge of the dungeon rivaling even that of veteran adventurers.
"I always advise new adventurers to avoid delving into floors beyond their capabilities."
The deeper one ventured, the deadlier the monsters became.
Recklessly entering the lower levels could be fatal.
"That said… while safety is paramount, and while we often say adventurers shouldn't be reckless…"
Here, Eina hesitated, looking at Su Mo with a conflicted expression.
"But Su Mo, you've been registered as an adventurer for a month, and you haven't even set foot in the dungeon once… That's honestly quite rare."
She was being diplomatic.
The truth was, Su Mo's case was unheard of.
Even the most timid adventurers at least tried the first floor.
For reference, the monsters there were about as threatening as chickens, ducks, or geese.
Even a teenager could defeat them.
And if he really didn't want to fight—he could just run.
The monsters on the first floor were too slow to catch a human.
There was virtually no danger.
Most new adventurers hesitated for maybe two or three days.
A week at most.
But an entire month?
And judging by his attitude, he had zero intention of going anytime soon.
Eina had never seen anything like this.
It was downright bizarre.
She had even taken time out of her work schedule just to personally check on him.
"Do you have some kind of trauma keeping you from entering the dungeon?"
If so, she felt responsible for helping him overcome it.
Su Mo shook his head without hesitation.
"No trauma. My reason for not going to the dungeon is simple."
"What is it?" Eina asked, puzzled.
"Look."
Su Mo gestured toward the front of his stall.
"With so many customers, even just selling fried rice, I'm earning way more than the average adventurer."
"So tell me—why the hell should I risk my life in the dungeon when I can safely make money right here?"
Eina followed his gaze.
Then, she couldn't help but nod.
A long line of customers had formed in front of his stall.
Some were drawn by the mouthwatering aroma.
Others were repeat customers.
Many had heard of his reputation and came specifically to try his food.
Even though his stall had only been around for a month, it had already built up quite a following.
People lined up just to eat his fried rice.
Each portion cost 200 valis—a bit pricey, but customers kept coming.
Even after deducting the cost of ingredients, Su Mo's daily earnings surpassed what most beginner adventurers made.
If the stall remained this popular, his income might even rival Level 2 adventurers.
Selling fried rice—earning more than half of all adventurers.
While internally impressed by his business acumen, Eina facepalmed in frustration.
"So… the only reason you won't go to the dungeon is because selling fried rice is more profitable?"
Here she had been worrying over nothing, thinking it was some deep-seated trauma—
And it turned out to be this simple?!
"Yup."
Su Mo nodded casually, continuing to cook.
"Also, let's be real—the dungeon is dangerous."
Su Mo was very self-aware.
As a former shut-in with zero combat experience, he wasn't even sure if he could win a fight against a goose.
Sure, if he tried, he might gradually improve.
But when he could already earn a living safely, why gamble with his life?
Besides.
He had a loli goddess to take care of at home.
If he died—
Wouldn't his cute little goddess become a widow?
That was unacceptable.
"…Fine."
After a brief pause, Eina sighed and nodded.
She wasn't going to force him to enter the dungeon—she had no right to.
She had only come out of a sense of duty.
It was her job to guide new adventurers.
—Of course, the fact that Su Mo was handsome also played a role in why she cared so much.
"If this is your decision, I'll respect it."
"But if you ever change your mind, you can always come to me. I'll gladly provide dungeon guidance anytime."
She sounded a bit disappointed.
If Su Mo truly chose this path…
Then they might never cross paths again.