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Chapter 9
The lead Clay Spirit beckoned one of the others standing behind him and whispered something.
At once, the Clay Spirits rushed over to the section where nothing had sprouted and surrounded it, carefully examining the field.
They dug into the soil, scooped up handfuls of dirt and tasted it…
For a while, they busied themselves noisily among one another.
Had they reached a conclusion?
One of the Clay Spirits ran back to the leader and whispered in his ear. After listening, the leader nodded and spoke.
“The soil fertility is sufficient. The magical energy supplied by the exalted being from a higher dimension is also more than adequate. The quality of the soil is excellent as well.”
“So then?”
“At present… the only thing we can say is that the seed simply does not wish to awaken.”
“Hmmm…”
“Occasionally, there are seeds like that.”
I knew it wasn’t an ordinary seed.
Perhaps there was some special condition required for germination.
But since there was no way to know what that condition was right now, I decided to leave it alone for the time being.
Instead, I put up a sign in front of it that read:
“Seed Planted Here. Do Not Touch.”
Just in case someone accidentally dug it up.
Anyway.
Looking at the healthy green vegetables made me hungry.
First things first—time to eat.
“What should I have?”
After eating sweet roasted sweet potatoes yesterday, I was craving something spicy today.
And when it came to spicy food, ramen was the obvious answer.
The problem was that I didn’t have any at home.
…
Ah.
I knew a place that sold ramen.
“Chief, could you watch Ror for a little while?”
“Understood. Go without worry.”
“Pyaa?! Take me with you!”
Ror immediately jumped to his feet and tried to cling to my ankle.
But—
“Catch him.”
“…Hyaah!”
His attention was instantly stolen by the Clay Spirits surrounding him and darting around with dazzling movements.
Name: Ror (Ashuphelor)
Race: Mythical Dimensional Dragon
Status: Playing Tag
Bond Level: ♥ (Lv.1)
Current Location: Vegetable Garden
Looks like he’s having fun.
While Ror played tag with the Clay Spirits, I grabbed my wallet and headed out.
After walking toward the entrance of the village for a bit, I spotted a small roadside shop facing the main road.
It was too tiny and shabby to be called a supermarket.
The single-story building sold snacks, drinks, cigarettes, and other miscellaneous goods.
The second floor appeared to be the owner’s residence, and a broken public telephone sat outside.
In an era where convenience stores reached even the most remote countryside villages, it was a rare sight.
Above the sliding door, faded paint spelled out:
Gyehwa General Store
But the villagers simply called it “the corner shop.”
I slid open the rattling door and stepped inside.
The shelves were stocked with cigarettes, makgeolli, snacks, and household goods.
Since the only customers were local villagers, the selection wasn’t particularly large.
“…Ah, there they are.”
Fortunately, a few varieties of instant ramen sat in one corner of a shelf.
I picked up two packs.
Just then, a voice came from behind me.
“That one tastes better!”
Turning around, I saw a boy who looked to be in the upper grades of elementary school.
The first time I’d visited, an elderly man had been minding the shop.
Perhaps this was his grandson visiting.
The boy pointed toward a packet of Fire Dragon Stir-Fried Noodles.
Ah, the one that had recently become famous for its extreme spiciness.
“And if you buy it, you get a Rainbow Monster sticker too!”
“Do you want the sticker?”
“…N-No!”
His words and expression didn’t match at all.
Unfortunately for him, what I wanted today was ordinary soup ramen.
Ignoring his recommendation, I carried my ramen toward the counter.
Though…
Was this place actually open?
There wasn’t anyone at the register.
As I stood there wondering what to do, the boy spoke again.
“You can just leave the money in that basket!”
“Then I’ll do that.”
Following his instructions, I took three thousand won from my wallet and dropped it into the basket.
“You’re new around here! Are you that lady who came from Seoul?”
“Yep, that’s me.”
I hadn’t even been here that long.
But news traveled fast in a rural village.
“Then are you a Hunter?”
That was the second time someone had asked me that.
Was there some village rule that everyone who came from Seoul had to be a Hunter?
The boy’s eyes sparkled.
He genuinely seemed to hope I was one.
Sorry to disappoint.
“I’m not a Hunter.”
“Aw, man.”
The boy’s shoulders drooped.
Apparently losing interest in me immediately, he flopped down in the room behind the counter and opened a book.
The title read:
Famous Figures Every Elementary Student Should Read About: Hunters Who Made Korea Shine – Baek Yuseong Edition
…So he’s a Hunter fan.
But of all people, Baek Yuseong.
Baek Yuseong.
The current guild master of the Baekam Guild.
And my former boss.
Never thought I’d see that name again in a place like this…
Then again, considering his outstanding abilities and handsome appearance, it wasn’t surprising he’d have books written about him.
Feeling strangely nostalgic, I left the shop and headed home.
Back home, I washed the dirt-covered Ror, who had apparently spent the entire time rolling around in the soil.
Then I harvested vegetables from the garden.
“Green onions and lettuce… this should be enough.”
I headed to the kitchen, filled a pot with water, and turned on the stove.
When the water boiled, I added the noodles and seasoning.
After letting it cook for a bit, I sliced up the freshly picked green onions and tossed them in.
The red broth bubbled enticingly.
My appetite was already growing.
[The Mythical Dimensional Dragon’s Blessing, “Blessing of Cooking,” has activated.]
While the ramen cooked, I tore the lettuce into bite-sized pieces and made a simple seasoned lettuce salad.
The sweet-and-sour seasoning would pair perfectly with ramen.
Once the noodles were cooked just right, I turned off the heat and set the ramen and lettuce salad on the table.
“Food?! Pyaa!”
Ror came running before I even called him.
Considering he’d spent all morning playing tag, this gluttonous dragon was definitely hungry.
“Pyaa…? What’s this?!”
Ah.
Ror had only ever eaten rice before.
Hopefully he’d like ramen too.
“It smells spicy!”
The ramen looked incredibly appetizing.
The rich aroma and bright red broth were enough to make me hungry all over again.
I picked up some noodles with my chopsticks and fed them to Ror.
Slurp!
Ror swallowed the noodles whole and quickly exhaled.
“Hoo! Ha! Hot! Spicy!”
Despite complaining, he continued chewing obediently.
Apparently he liked it.
“It’s so stimulating, but it makes me want more! More!”
This time, I fed him a bite of the lettuce salad.
“Mmm! Crunchy!”
[Cooking: Green Onion Ramen]
Ramen cooked with freshly harvested green onions.
Its rich broth and spicy flavor are exceptional!
Ror’s Gourmet Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Ror’s Review:
“Hot! Spicy! Delicious!”
[Cooking: Seasoned Lettuce Salad]
A salad made from freshly harvested lettuce.
Crunchy, sweet, and tangy.
Ror’s Gourmet Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥
Ror’s Review:
“Pyaa, it’s delicious…”
I closed the status windows that appeared and finally tasted the food myself.
“…!”
Delicious.
The springy noodles and rich broth were a perfect combination.
The firm noodles clung pleasantly to my mouth, while the savory hot soup warmed me from the inside out.
The chopped green onions added freshness and texture.
Next, I took a bite of the lettuce salad.
Crunch.
“Mmm…!”
This was delicious too.
Despite being dressed with seasoning, the lettuce remained crisp.
Its natural flavor blended perfectly with the sweet-and-sour sauce.
Who knew a simple lettuce salad could taste this good?
More surprisingly, the more I ate it, the less I seemed to notice the constant pain in my right hand.
…No way.
This wasn’t some miracle supplement advertisement claiming to cure every illness.
It had to be my imagination.
Damage to a mana circuit…
Wasn’t something that could be healed.
Swallowing my bitter smile, I continued eating.
The food was so good that I absentmindedly kept moving my chopsticks until the bowl was empty.
My stomach was already full, but after a brief moment of consideration, I made a suggestion.
“Want to mix rice into the ramen broth?”
“Pyaaa! That’s possible?! I approve! I approve!”
Ror clapped his front paws together enthusiastically.
I must have fallen asleep while playing with Ror.
The eastern sky was just beginning to brighten.
Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz.
I woke to the violent vibration of my phone.
“Ugh…”
Half-asleep, I picked it up.
A large notification filled the screen.
[Gate Monitoring Alert]
※ GATE WARNING ※
A sudden Gate has appeared in Deokcheon-myeon, Dancheong County.
Residents in the surrounding area are advised not to approach the danger zone until the warning is lifted and to exercise caution.
(Gate Management Agency)
…What?
To be continued…
