Chapter 16: Shiitake Mushrooms

Since eating with Minky, Ji-an no longer found Sang-woong intimidating.

Now, after school, she stopped by the restaurant before heading home.

Waiting for Minky while enjoying delicious rice became the happiest part of her day.

Perhaps thanks to the tasty food, she felt energized and in better spirits.

School life didn’t feel as tough anymore.

Though still adjusting to her new school, she felt she’d soon make friends.

Noticing Sang-woong’s mood, she spoke up, but he quickly masked his expression, acting casual.

“No worries here.”

“No way, you’re definitely troubled,” Ji-an said, narrowing her eyes, but he brushed it off with a sly grin.

This was a worry he couldn’t share with anyone.

“Oh, look, Minky’s here,” Sang-woong said, pointing outside.

“Where?” Ji-an jumped up, peering out, but Minky was nowhere in sight.

“Just kidding, haha!”

“Hey, mean uncle! You know how much I love Minky! You brought it up to change the subject, didn’t you?”

Realizing his attempt to shift the mood, Ji-an pressed harder.

Just then, like a savior, Minky’s meow echoed.

“It’s Minky!”

Ji-an dropped her fork, ran to the door, then hurriedly grabbed her bag.

She opened the door and pulled out a Churu she’d prepared for Minky.

“Minky, wait! I’ve got something tasty for you!”

She offered the Churu with an expectant look, but Minky ignored her, focusing on Sang-woong.

“That guy’s loyal like me,” Sang-woong said, smiling contentedly as he grabbed a can of wet food and stepped outside.

“Hey, that’s cheating! Now Minky won’t warm up to me!” Ji-an protested.

“Minky’s as smart as its name suggests. It’ll like you soon. See how it doesn’t run when you’re near? It usually avoids strangers.”

“Really?” Ji-an’s face lit up, showing her white teeth in a bright smile.

Sang-woong handed her the can. “Here, try feeding it. Minky’s sweet, it’ll eat.”

Ji-an carefully opened the can, and the savory aroma made Minky’s ears perk up.

It shifted its gaze from Sang-woong to the can in her hand.

Ji-an, filled with anticipation, brought it closer.

Minky sniffed, then began lapping at the contents.

“Wow!” Ji-an’s face glowed with a radiant smile. “It’s eating! Minky’s eating!”

Sang-woong watched her fondly, smiling.

After finishing the can, Ji-an offered the Churu, which Minky ate without hesitation.

“See, told you,” Sang-woong said.

“It really likes me!” Ji-an beamed.

Watching Minky eat from her hand felt like an invisible bond forming.

Sang-woong, pleased, thought, As expected, Minky’s smart. It sees Ji-an’s sincerity.

He returned to the restaurant, hopeful they’d grow close soon.

The countryside night arrived early.

By 7 p.m., darkness fell, and the streets were nearly empty of cars.

Only one customer table remained in the restaurant.

“Once they leave, I’ll clean up,” Sang-woong muttered.

Soon, the satisfied customer thanked him and left.

Sang-woong cleared the dishes, hung the “Closed” sign, and began cleaning.

He placed chairs on tables and started the vacuum cleaner.

Its small eyes lit up, and with a powerful motor hum, it rolled out from its station, cleaning the hall.

“The world’s gotten so convenient. This takes care of the hall.”

He loaded pre-rinsed dishes into the dishwasher.

After wiping the counter and sink, he mopped the floor with water and detergent.

Soon, the kitchen sparkled.

“Time to head to my sanctuary.”

Lately, going to the land felt like returning home.

With good friends and warm connections, it felt even more so.

“I need to expand the land soon so the Afua can have proper homes.”

Lost in thought, he arrived at the land quickly, as the dungeon gate was so close.

Aria greeted him with Afua children in tow.

“Master, you’re here!”

Before she finished, the kids chimed in.

“Master’s here, hua!”

“Master, I want chocolate, hua!”

“I want peanuts, hua!”

Aria crossed her arms, sternly saying, “Greet Master properly first.”

The kids quickly bowed.

“Master, nice to see you, hua!”

“You’re here, hua?”

“Hello, hua!”

Their greetings brought a wide smile to Sang-woong’s face.

As he walked to the field, Zepha, the new chief from the water-drinking contest, approached with a proud stance.

Before becoming chief, Zepha was the most carefree Afua, making Sang-woong chuckle unwittingly.

“Sang-woong, you’re here, hua!” Zepha said.

“You’ve gotten quite dignified, Zepha.”

“The chief represents the Afua, so it’s only natural, hua!” Zepha replied grandly, like a general.

Sang-woong headed to the storage shed built for ingredients.

He couldn’t help but laugh every time he saw it.

He had asked Zepha to build a shed for food storage.

The shed, constructed with great effort by the Afua, looked like it might collapse any moment, as if weathered by decades of neglect.

Amusingly, the Afua beamed with pride over their rickety creation.

Sang-woong burst out laughing.

He had suspected from their cooking, but the Afua were hopeless at anything but farming.

He unpacked ingredients from his inventory, stacking them neatly in the shed.

“Sang-woong, what’s that black stuff, hua?” Zepha asked, tilting his head at a cola bottle.

“It’s called cola. I thought you’d like it, so I brought some. Drink it when you’re thirsty from farming.”

“C-cola? To drink, hua?” Zepha’s voice trembled with apprehension.

“Haha, spooked by the color? I guess to the Afua, used to clear water, it looks scary.”

Sang-woong opened a bottle, the hiss of carbonation releasing a refreshing aroma.

“Huaaa!” Zepha’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar scent.

The sweet yet sharp smell was delightful.

He couldn’t look away as bubbles rose like magic when the bottle opened.

“How’s the smell?”

“Hua! Hua!” Zepha, entranced, nodded like a bobblehead, forgetting his chief’s dignity.

“Want a taste?”

Zepha flinched.

The aroma was tempting, but the dark liquid looked ominous.

“Scared now that you’re chief?” Sang-woong teased, clicking his tongue.

“Chief Zepha is brave, hua!” Zepha shouted, puffing up.

“Then take the challenge.”

Sang-woong poured cola into a bowl from the shed.

Zepha’s face showed deep hesitation as he watched the dark liquid fill it.

“You won the water-drinking contest, so this should be easy, right?”

Sang-woong had planned to taste it first to prove its safety, but Zepha’s reaction was too fun to resist teasing.

Zepha, taking the large bowl, frowned and pursed his lips, hesitating.

But he mustered courage, grabbed it, closed his eyes, and took a sip.

His eyes widened instantly.

“Hahaha, hua!”

Zepha downed the cola in one go and politely held out the empty bowl.

“So good! More, hua!”

But Sang-woong shook his head.

“That’s enough. We need to share with everyone.”

With cola brought for all, he had to refuse Zepha’s request.

Despite Zepha’s disappointed look, Sang-woong stayed firm.

“Alright, everyone gets one cup, then back to work.”

Before he finished, Zepha ran outside.

The gathered Afua’s eyes sparkled like stars, likely because Zepha had raved about the taste.

All eyes focused on Sang-woong.

He set bowls on the table and began pouring cola.

As the fragrant aroma spread, smacking lips echoed around.

“Line up from the front.”

At his permission, ten Afua grabbed their bowls.

They stared at the rising bubbles, then downed them in one gulp.

The sweet, fizzy taste and refreshing sensation spread through their bodies.

“Kaa! Hua!”

“Mmm! Haa, hua!”

“Amazing, hua!”

“Sang-woong, more, hua!”

As if rehearsed, they held out their bowls, begging for more.

But Sang-woong was firm. “I’ll bring more next time. Those who drank, step aside.”

The Afua reluctantly set down their bowls and made way.

The next ten stood before the bowls, eyes blazing with anticipation, excited by the previous group’s reactions.

Sang-woong laughed at their enthusiasm.

Thanks to his experience pouring hundreds of water cups, he filled the bowls swiftly and skillfully.

At their intense gazes, he nodded, signaling permission.

“Hahaha, huaaaa!”

The ten Afua who tasted the cola let out ecstatic cheers.

Didn’t expect them to love cola this much. I need to make more money.

The cola was a huge hit.

After pouring for everyone, Sang-woong sold the Afua’s crops at the shop as usual.

Checking on the crops’ growth, his eyes caught the shiitake mushrooms.

His eyes widened in shock.