Chapter 217 – Have You Eaten Yet?
TonU0Tonight, we were planning to stay near the Gate.jpWu
HVhroAmong the information we had extracted from the old elf, there was a possible location for the “fragment” near the Gehenna Gate.GYSmvnb
9JuSo unexpectedly, we were heading there tomorrow.Yuday
SOeXhzETraveling back and forth between Hawaii and Korea was exhausting, and there were rumors that an incident would soon occur at the Gate.ejZPSZ
nNYTHy‘They also said Fermush would appear at the Gate soon.’vjFBk
EQhyXThe Fourth Corps Commander, Fermush, was about to invade the human world through the Gehenna Gate.XJ993w
M505jbiI pressed the old elf for details, but he only shrugged.mOZAs
m1lEven when I held a sashimi knife to his throat, his answer remained the same he didn’t know, truly didn’t know!TKciWB2
wvFog18“Huff.”b69mqc
CGXI sighed heavily. My mind was spinning with worry.Eh8
DcL3aI didn’t even know when everything had started to go so wrong.wo5wCR
rz4LgpFAs I rubbed my face in frustration, I heard a cry of admiration.EGL
eNd“Uwaaaaah!”bzKvCQF
aT6A97BThis was the temporary base set up by the Hero Association. It was a three-person tent but well-equipped — mini fridge, folding table, folding chairs. Everything was mini or folding, but it served its purpose.Qz1n
z0ixAnd in front of the mini fridge, Horn was squatting like a little totem pole. The faint light from the fridge illuminated her face.FRJTaIw
xcYmj7That’s right. I ended up sharing a tent with Horn. Even though she had a human appearance, she was still a dragon — a demon.lRu1t
3VjZAVcEven if I reassured everyone, prejudices don’t disappear overnight.CITcHX
mBXesnJSo, as her so-called guardian, I took responsibility for her. Only then did Director Sung nod in relief, though he gave me a look asking for an explanation.HMR
OHEg‘If I start explaining about Horn, it gets way too complicated.’tYquBS
fa1JdI glanced at her from the corner of my eye. I had considered sending Horn back to Korea alone, but—Cqah
kuj1But I, Kang Geom-Ma, could no longer tolerate traveling by plane.Ta3jPrV
eKYSwOEven the private jets provided to the Seven Stars now felt like junk.MmlZrUh
VVA9‘Since Horn’s existence has already been revealed… why not use her as transportation instead of planes?’HcH
GbgDJust then, Horn pointed enthusiastically at the fridge.gEmzB
DysrP“Mr. Kang Geom-Ma! Look! There’s meat, meat, and more meat!”b6RPmZ
lgEAs expected. The corners of her lips were practically dripping with drool.6fNFB
6NFfACIt seemed like every liquid in her body was turning into saliva.Qyj
xIDigHorn grabbed a big, meaty beef rib and ran over to me. With an imploring look, she gazed up at me.McSOMO
VZU6ANW“Mr… Kang Geom-Ma, could you…?”sy4a
GEgfw2wHer eyes sparkled like stars.mUlzK0T
Uibrk0For a moment, the image of Shrek’s Puss in Boots flashed through my mind.t2MMgLq
HCZS3UT“Could you cook it for me…?”Kluj
VGwWIYOn the table was a portable stove.SzrM4S
9bdyGHorn, after living among humans for a month, knew exactly what it was for.Pvt
PD2SZzAsking me to cook it was her way of saying she wanted grilled meat made by me.DeqS
mm2lds5‘I’m a little tired… but Horn worked really hard today.’ai6t9g
QzfMDuring the battle, Horn had protected humans with magic barriers, minimizing casualties.yeoL3N
gxWWShe even helped the Swordmaster.goyU6
UV1duShe had fulfilled her mission perfectly.WuMaQ
O5fAwKIn my heart, I wanted to buy her the highest quality A+++ beef.8gBEy
Sunco0AThe problem was it simply didn’t exist here.HT9
lfryI‘Forgive me, Horn. I’m fooling you with regular meat.’4o1Y
u6BQIBut if I couldn’t give her legendary beef, at least I could make it unforgettable by cooking it well.AzcpbPv
uYYe“Since you worked hard today, I’ll make something even better than just grilled meat.”SiWB
v3xQI opened my hands, and Horn handed me the rib like she was passing over a treasure.PwN
0BPI opened the fridge to check the ingredients. Green onions, garlic, white onion, soy sauce, and various other things. We weren’t missing much. I already had the menu in mind.lXgu6
Z3ybeNi“This will do.”TWWLa
w1qI heated a pan over the portable stove. I swirled the oil around the surface with a flick of my wrist.keG6l
wdCGUC9Sizzle.ELh2B
eXWaI threw the ribs onto the pan.Eldfw
OI8k9jThe sound was like heavy rain.r9G0qJ
iCuu1fsI seared the meat, browning only the outside, and quickly took it off.eiRc
fXv4SThe rain sound stopped. I stacked the browned ribs to keep the juices inside.1pY
EeG5VBb“You can’t eat it yet.”vnt7
odHOHy6I shot a warning look at Horn, who was sneaking closer like a thief.TFmFs
CtbjbnYShe flinched as if she’d been caught.tudN
YyO8j“Cold meat doesn’t taste good.”zwIXA
jtWY“Cold…? Why?”pinFoKl
nbOAD“This is just letting it rest. Plus, the inside is still bleeding.”ZVo52dM
iaILOq7“Resting it on purpose…? Why…?”8rDQYPy
vZVVtLI considered explaining about letting meat rest, but held back.4K4
b91Better to let her understand through taste.pLwpY
toxwhE‘Just like how I stopped seeing planes as anything special.’1LvE9
Grw8I quickly sautéed the vegetables in the leftover meat juices. Green onions, garlic, onions — the soul of Korean cooking all in one pan.Jypjlcz
tBp“Woooow…”ZWbGF9
LL7vdHorn sniffed the air, helping out with the vegetables. Her earlier frustration at not being able to eat instantly melted away. I poured a generous amount of soy sauce, corn syrup, and sugar.e46r
eLnAj3No need to measure — my hands were more accurate than any scale.MMBz1B8
tkDHtK“Horn, dragons breathe fire, right?”jGwJ1
0S0rqp“Yes, of course!”HTGNQ
Imfgo3It was time to show off.N16
GY1bCa6Honestly, I was a little excited too.4DGRW0r
Ghy4j“Well, humans can do that too.”l8lL9
TNh“Huh?!”Bqr8Y
4jSI uncorked a bottle of cooking wine with my teeth and spiraled it over the pan. The liquid swirled like a mini tornado and caught fire.gm2A5
fR6u3Fwoosh.7ajE
MYz6cThe flames whipped the air.0lKV
g94vThe fire danced on the pan.lgYA
Bpyh“Flambé.”VqBW
wakrHorn’s clear eyes reflected the dancing flames, awestruck like a child seeing magic for the first time.
I allowed a small smile and focused back on cooking.stEBQqL
k9k3oOAThe entire tent filled with a sweet and savory aroma.hwI4i
weIe23bPlop, plop.cYysX
ZvoxILI could hear Horn’s drool hitting the ground. Seriously, how did she even have that much saliva left?2xGN
5ir‘Though honestly, I can’t blame her.’eMFUy
zQQSweet and salty — the ultimate attack on the taste buds.
The pride of Korean cuisine.LoG
k7mQuTHorn looked like she was floating from pure bliss.GblF
bkI36Q“Is it ready yet? Is it done? I made the rice too! Is it? Is it?”eGRmCS
XksxhHorn bounced excitedly.Zim
nUpmD“Five more minutes. In the meantime, wipe up the drool you left on the floor.”kVxqHf
pHdK“Okay…”uDyPdp
w8G1Final stage. I stirred the meat and vegetables carefully with a wooden spoon, making sure the sauce coated everything perfectly. I didn’t crush anything — gentle and deliberate.XTXEdnb
Ov1qPv“Wow… what’s this dish called?”n7PL
e0ZHorn asked as she finished cleaning. At least she used a mop properly.qOz09Ww
yAj“LA-style short ribs… no, better yet, let’s call it Hawaii-style ribs.”faF4x6K
UxNTHorn murmured dreamily.OVld2nx
1Zk“Hawaii… ribs… Hawaiian ribs… Hawaiian ribs…”2ff
6alAk3vShe was completely enchanted by the idea of Hawaiian ribs.PdimyqQ
V0k***FV60HA
sFl“Do you have a moment? There’s something I want to talk to you about. Hmm?”2DKj
VpVHSJThe Sword Master arrived at Kang Geom-Ma’s tent. At that moment, a sweet aroma was drifting through the air. A delicious smell.4aq
c43SpgThe Sword Master, as if hypnotized, pulled aside the tent curtain.OLHWur
rJl4rH“……?”dPuQ
2LPyWas her name Hon? That dragoness was slumped over in front of the table. On the other side, Kang Geom-Ma looked at her with a puzzled expression.2xXuiY
cikoThe Sword Master hastily reached for the hilt of his sword.CalmwG
YntU“What happened? Did the dragoness lose control of her nature and you defeated her?”6I4Uan
quDUYfJust as he said “you defeated her,” the dragoness’s closed eyes snapped open. She immediately stood up and began eating ferociously.ldG
udFjCPHorn let out cries of admiration and lament.uDbREc
85oInd“It’s delicious, too delicious! It’s so good I fainted! Aaaah…! My whole life has been meaningless! I, Horn Tail, swear from this moment on to dedicate my entire life to Master Kang Geom-Ma!”KKKKiyM
zkeJlSince she was chewing, her sentences came out broken. Kang Geom-Ma, with a somewhat annoyed look, served her more meat.OsSZQ
Ohj“Finish eating first, then talk. You’re spitting rice everywhere.”k32
mjzr7O“Yes!”Ym3RGJ
KSlKang Geom-Ma then turned to the Sword Master.O3BKe
JsC“Ah, Sword Master, you’ve arrived. Have you eaten yet?”MsXfjC
KlOJQzlThe Sword Master relaxed his hand from the hilt.9O1GWT
2TKP“No, I haven’t eaten yet… But what the hell just happened?”3Eyb7
XfODvY“I fed Horn a dish I prepared, and she screamed and fainted. Then she got up, and the rest is as you’ve seen.”P0t
4AMzeY“What…?”ClwFa2
rTuNAJA flavor so intense it made her pass out? That sounded like the exaggerated reactions you only see in the media.DbIZo2
5QRcHowever, seeing how she devoured the food, it didn’t seem like a lie. The Sword Master accepted the invitation to eat. Still with one hand on the hilt, he sat down at the side of the table.fcM
NGaMHorn didn’t seem to notice his presence. Or rather, she was too busy piling more Hawaiian ribs onto her plate.5RS
bgCHoH“You said you wanted to talk to me.”wms7O
wD72HSeKang Geom-Ma brought out a new plate. The Sword Master replied, still a bit dazed.RdLINKO
pzxj“I came to warn you about the ‘Temple of the Nephilim’ you plan to visit tomorrow.”efCwh
zgcnmpD“I see. Then please eat while we talk. The food tastes better hot. If you need more, let me know. I prepared food for fifteen people because of Horn.”tyXGe
RvRYRelAt those words, the Sword Master glanced sideways at Horn. She had a frail body, but she ate like an elephant.25QMMj
hrUAd7He then turned his gaze to the served plate. Beef ribs drenched in a reddish-brown sauce, the oil dripping temptingly, and an aroma that made his mouth water.Fr6
QZiV‘I’ve never seen a dish like this.’yDRg3E
k2MD05yBorn into the noble House of Nibelung, the Sword Master was a seasoned gourmet. He had tasted cuisines from all over the world and was extremely picky. Lately, nothing had impressed him.7mN
EAf‘And yet…’YDvG
8NHHe felt a lump in his throat. It was the first time in decades his mouth watered.PjgXPA
XF9TUL0He stuck a fork into a rib, examined it carefully, and cautiously brought it to his mouth.grjeEa
t3WG2qa“…Uh… uh.”2t8aGN
vXrTwo soft groans.CK5J
w18NeThe Sword Master fell backward.kTl
G15Do***363
o2b1UtIt was absurd. The Sword Master, who had come to warn him about the Temple of the Nephilim, ended up focusing only on eating. He forgot all about the dignity of a noble, grabbing the ribs with his hands and devouring them.tqa2O
aEIHorn was even worse. She had mixed rice into the sauce to clean up every last drop, without anyone teaching her. An impressive learning curve, at least in terms of eating.owk6Gc
y6gDnThe chaotic dinner ended. The abundant Hawaiian ribs were reduced to mere bones.IwS
D5sdmI stepped out of the tent to breathe in the fresh night air, trying to get the smell of meat out of my clothes. At that moment, the Sword Master also stepped outside.SVk
4mSIAex“Ahem.”ihx0t
ssxxycHe coughed awkwardly. His ears were red with embarrassment. But somehow, he managed to open his mouth.JLv
5JlYjV“It was an incredible flavor… In my seventy years, I’ve never tasted anything like it.”3GC
RNw“I’m glad you liked it.”judXI
fWoKvvSilence fell again. Several minutes passed without a word until the Sword Master suddenly asked.Ft8t
WVXrbDc“Do you know what Nephilim means?”pnJtV0
1eZ“I briefly heard about it in class. Beings born between angels and demons.”gcr5
dpN“Oh, so you do pay attention in class.”0EnvyE6
XZA6cmY“Final exams for the second semester are coming up.”H4wZJ
6Wem“Hahaha. Anyway, if you know what Nephilim are, you’ll understand quickly. The ‘Temple of the Nephilim’ is a sanctuary shared by humans and demons.”Jsa76
ajBpThe Sword Master brought out two folding chairs. We sat down and continued talking.hJFHG2X
ivl6“Did you know? Humans and demons worship the same god. Even though the paths differ, the root is the same.”7x2lY
f04“The same god? Didn’t they all go extinct during the mythical era?”IhDaH
yHvOwpI“I’m not talking about those lesser gods.”kHS
zsSThe Sword Master shook his head. For a moment, the Milky Way shimmered dangerously in the night sky.1ZL9Aij
sE3“There is only one true god. You should know that if you’ve been paying attention in class.”xe78DhG
NNi31How could I not know, when it was that god who granted me power?wTX
e3dgr“The Temple of the Nephilim is a sanctuary dedicated to ‘that god.’ Both humans and demons visit it. Although nowadays, mostly demons.”wbO
mDlThe Sword Master looked at me seriously.p1G6nr
OCSS1cQ“I have only one warning no matter what happens, do not draw your knife there. If you do, it could turn into a disaster.”FWvOqA6
B7ahFY“Ah… Understood. Thank you.”ZxnF
ssusHis eyes reflected concern, but he finally stood up. As if remembering something, he added.yRXZg
penrrw“Ah, one more thing. You and that dragoness… do you have some kind of relationship?”ocoPf
U3kI was taken aback. That dragoness? Was he referring to Horn? I shook my head vigorously.E5Ftu
ib3eRt“Not at all! No way! Besides, we’re different species!”U0V
tBrt“I just told you humans were born between angels and demons.”2ZJnJ
MzFljS“That has nothing to do with it!”A1IEJX7
0cv9Mj“Humans and demons can reproduce. It’s just that there aren’t many recorded cases.”QXXgBZH
O3n9oGood grief.nmZN
52aZUvi“Well, if there’s nothing strange, I’m relieved. Anyway, thanks for dinner.”F6q
CEAPH7wThe Sword Master left in a hurry. Right then, Horn came out of the tent, rubbing her sleepy eyes.Zvx
plQ“Mr. Kang Geom-Ma, aren’t you going to sleep?”YwiYx92
VzTSc“…I’ll come in soon. You go ahead and sleep first.”UwgU
LEr7mnpHorn nodded and returned inside the tent. I watched her back as she walked away.lb7qE6
vhJY‘A temple visited by both humans and demons…’uUX
FzCR9Originally, I planned to go alone.b5ge
LAHBut it seems I’ll have to adjust my plans.u6AA
VXJeEMy instinct tells me I’ll have to take Horn with me. And I trust my instincts.m4dMLt
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaJust swordmaster said “that god”
Santiago. Bernal
MortalXd el maestro ya andaba sospechando cosas raras