“That strange powder you had before, where did you get it?”
“That’s…”
My voice trailed off. I had lied to him, saying I’d made it before I lost my memory, but the truth was it had just appeared beside me when I woke up. As I stood there stammering, unable to come up with a better excuse, Gilbert gave the back of my head a playful swat.
“You never know. Maybe if you scour the place where you stayed before, more of it will turn up.”
I’m telling you, I didn't ‘find’ it, it was just there when I opened my eyes.
“Yeah… sure.”
I gave a sigh-like response and returned to the inn with nothing but more meat.
The evening business was even better than lunch. Customers lined up for their pots, and the soup sold so frantically that even the massive cauldron was scraped bone-dry in no time.
By the time the hectic day finally came to a close, I felt like my body was melting into a puddle. Every inch of my arms and legs ached, and my eyelids were so heavy they were halfway shut.
Collapsing onto my bed, I pulled the blanket up to my chin and muttered weakly.
“…It’s all great, but I really wish I had some peppers. If not, I guess I’ll have to make do with herbs or mustard.”
Those were my last words. Before my lips could even fully close, I drifted into a deep sleep.
***
The next morning, when I opened my eyes...
Just like the day the MSG first appeared, a large sack was sitting right in front of me.
It was packed with ripe red chili peppers and fresh green ones. To my surprise, another sack next to it contained finely ground red pepper flakes.
“Holy!”
I grabbed the sack, my breath hitching. The familiar, pungent spicy aroma pierced my nose, bringing tears to my eyes. The smell of chili peppers, which I hadn't encountered in ages, left me dazed.
No, more importantly, why?
What was the reason for these things suddenly appearing?
No matter how much I racked my brain, the only common thread was the memory of me muttering right before I fell asleep. First the MSG, and now these peppers. Whatever I offhandedly mentioned the night before would pop into existence by morning.
“…No way.”
Was the house itself enchanted? Come to think of it, an inn sitting right on the Border was unrealistic to begin with. It was creaky and old, yet it felt strangely eternal.
Or was it a hidden power in this body I’d possessed? But if that were the case, it should have sent me back home by now. I’d prayed countless times to be sent back to my original world. Instead, all I get is MSG and peppers?
Or... is there some kind of cooldown?
The deeper I dug, the more complicated it became. There were no clear answers, only a never-ending cycle of guesses. Eventually, I shook my head to clear the thoughts and muttered.
“For now…”
Let’s stop worrying. The important thing is that I have peppers in front of me right now.
Seeing the sun begin to rise, I hugged the sacks and headed straight for the kitchen. I poured the glowing red pepper flakes into a large bowl, followed by minced garlic and chopped green onions. I seasoned it with various spices and mixed it all together.
As the red flakes absorbed the moisture from the onions and garlic, the mixture became moist and a sharp, spicy scent filled the air. A nostalgic scent of home, one I’d long forgotten, brushed past my nose.
“Done.”
Now, once I put this dadegi (seasoning paste) into the hot gukbap, the broth in the pot would transform into something entirely different.
Next, I took out the radishes I’d salted earlier and tossed them in the seasoning, creating bright red kkakdugi. It would taste better once fermented, but it was good enough to serve right away.
Starting from the lunch rush that day, I began putting out the seasoning paste and the kkakdugi.
The customers' eyes wavered in unison when they saw the red paste atop their soup. The blood-red color, the intense garlic aroma, and the stinging spiciness diffused through the rising steam.
“What is this? Did you stir some blood into it?”
“It’s not poison, is it?”
Frowning, no one was willing to pick up a spoon. At most, they’d pick up a piece of kkakdugi with their chopsticks, only to put it back down while glancing at one another.
After a long silence, an adventurer finally seemed to make up his mind and gritted his teeth.
Crunch.
The sound of the firm radish being bitten echoed unusually loud. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to swallow it mechanically, but his eyes instantly flew wide open.
“…Kh!”
His face contorted, likely from the spice hitting his tongue. But he didn't stop. He immediately stirred the seasoning into his gukbap and took a large gulp of the hot broth.
“Haa…”
He caught his breath for a moment, then began moving his spoon like a man possessed.
The other customers looked at each other in surprise.
“How is it?”
“If it were poison, he’d be dead by now. Look at his face.”
His face was scrunched up and his temples were slick with sweat. Yet, the spoon never stopped.
“It’s hot… but why do I keep wanting more?”
At those words, the other customers cautiously bit into their kkakdugi. Their faces turned red in an instant. They shivered at first, but soon they were dissolving the seasoning into their soup and shoveling it into their mouths.
“It feels like my tongue is on fire… but I can’t stop the spoon!”
“Damn, this is crazy. The more I eat, the more refreshed I feel inside!”
As the spiciness clawed at their mouths along with the hot broth, they looked like they were in pain and ecstasy at the same time. Their expressions were miserable, yet their movements grew faster and faster.
Standing in the kitchen, I nodded as I watched the customers sweating and inhaling the gukbap.
Spiciness is both pain and pleasure. They didn't know it yet, but all their stress was being washed away.
I gripped my ladle and smirked.
“Behold, the true power of Koreans.”
Just then, a customer wiping sweat from his brow asked.
“Owner, does this food have some kind of special medicinal effect?”
I thought for a second and then gave a casual answer.
“…Well, it probably releases endorphins and dopamine and stuff like that.”
“Ooh! I knew it had special properties!”
To think these people who first suspected it was poison were now devouring it like a pack of cats crazy for treats.
I was watching them with a satisfied grin when..
Ding~!
The bell rang. I reflexively put on a bright smile and shouted.
“Welcome! This is the Inn on the Border!”
A figure with a deep hood pulled over their head stepped over the threshold.
They weren't particularly tall, with a build that sat on the boundary between a boy and a man. Golden hair peeked out from under the robe, catching the light, and beneath slightly upturned eyes, golden irises shone with a depth like sunlight.
And I froze right there.
Because the person in front of me... was one of the Hero’s party members from the original novel.
He wasn't large, but a strangely overbearing aura tightened the air around him. The adventurers muttered in surprise, but he ignored the commotion, sat down quietly, and slowly surveyed the room. Finally, he spoke.
“One order of whatever you’re serving.”
“Ah, yes. Please, sit here.”
I replied dazed as I guided him to a seat. His golden eyes carefully inspected everything, the flimsy tables, the walls, and the kitchen. Then, he spoke meaningfully.
“I heard the Knight Commander headed straight here the moment the Imperial Meeting ended. I suppose there is something special here?”
“…….”
…I don't know. MSG? Or maybe the seasoning I just made today?
I forced a smile, hiding my internal panic. Because the person sitting in front of me was none other than the Crown Prince of the Empire.
Lionel Edgar Luce Chevalier.
The original novel described him like this.
> Golden hair shimmering in the sun, and golden eyes that sparkled with the same intensity. Lionel Edgar Luce Chevalier was the noble Crown Prince of the Chevalier Empire. Though he had only just reached adulthood, the Empire hailed him as a once-in-a-generation genius of alchemy. However, despite being in a position to look after the people, he always looked down on them with a cold, heartless gaze. Those eyes saw the world through a distorted lens, as if everything were merely a disposable tool.
> Amelia hadn't become a Saintess out of great faith, either. She was simply someone forced into the role because of her innate holy power. Yet even she couldn't help but sigh inwardly whenever she looked at Lionel.
> ‘Truly, a boy who does not suit that seat.’
> Yes, a man who was better described as a boy than a man. Amelia always judged him as an ‘Imperial who lived for his own ego.’
In short, he was your typical, insufferable royal full of elitism. I stole a glance at him and quickly brought out a bowl of gukbap. Steam billowed from the pot, and beside it sat the bright red seasoning I’d introduced today. Lionel looked back and forth between the soup and the paste and asked.
“What is this?”
“Ah, it’s a new seasoning I put out today. Should I take it away? Come to think of it, the Knight Commander hasn't tried this yet. I can bring something else if you prefer.”
At that, Lionel tilted his head slightly and let out a scoff. Wait, his expression was so visible, did he even need to hide his face with a hood?
“No need. I shall try it.”
Lionel confidently picked up his spoon and took a large heap of gukbap. The moment the broth, mixed with the seasoning, entered his mouth...
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