- Hm? Aren’t you Goldie?
At Kasia’s words, I quickly turned my head.
Goldie has arrived?
But… aren’t chickens supposed to avoid eating nuts…?
!?
“Uh? Uh!? Goldie! You can’t eat that!”
I panicked, lunging to grab Goldie before he could eat the peanuts.
But Goldie swiftly dodged my hand and headed straight for the peanut shell bag.
- Ho? Such impressive movement. Now is definitely not the time to admire!
The moment Goldie’s beak struck the peanut shell bag sharply—
crack.
The hard shell of the peanut split cleanly in two.
It was the moment I discovered Goldie’s talent.
(I’ll help you, cluck. I think you can do well, cluck.)
- You’re a good kid. I’ll help too.
“Eh? Weren’t you about to eat the peanuts?”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, I lifted Goldie up and sensed his sulky mood.
I had completely forgotten that Goldie was smarter than the other chickens…
(This is something Kasia and I will handle. Owner, you should go do something else, cluck.)
- Interest
Following Kasia’s instructions, she pressed the peanut shell firmly between her thumb and forefinger, splitting it in half to reveal the raw peanut inside, which Goldie easily picked out with his beak.
At this point, I thought it was safe to leave the shell removal to them and go do other tasks.
“Phew… making ridges and furrows is hard work. Since we’ll be planting about 20cm apart… this should do.”
I worked hard, tilling the soil and piling up earth to create ridges for planting.
Wiping the sweat from my forehead as I returned, I found Kasia and Goldie already chatting away happily.
“I’m glad you two got along. Honestly, I was worried because there were so many peanuts, but thanks to you, it’s almost done. Thank you.”
Heh heh. You’re our benefactor, so of course we wanted to help.
(Next time, I’ll help with other things too, cluck. Of course, if you don’t doubt me, that is, cluck. Hmph.)
Goldie, already helped so much, suddenly turned away with a pout like a sulky child.
He wanted me to apologize and comfort him.
I quickly stroked him from head to tail feathers, and he shivered with joy.
Sometimes he really is like a kid.
“Then could you help a little more? Goldie, dig little holes about this far apart on the ridges,”
I showed about 20cm width with both hands.
“Then Kasia, as you walk by, drop one peanut into each hole.”
They all understood clearly and immediately started working.
Goldie was a natural-born farmer.
As soon as he grabbed the soil with his foot, he dug just the right amount in one go.
He stepped on his left foot and quickly dug with his right foot as he moved along.
By the middle, he was alternating feet and almost seemed to be flying as he dug furrows.
“Wow… Goldie is amazing…”
Watching him work was so impressive it naturally drew out my admiration.
Kasia, not wanting to lose, tossed peanuts on the ground and hurriedly followed Goldie.
“Kasia! You have to put them properly in the holes! How can you just throw them in carelessly!”
- I won’t lose to Goldie! You put them in properly!
“No, that’s your role. I’m supposed to cover them with soil.”
- I don’t care! I’ve done my part too!
Kasia was strangely competitive over something so trivial.
The cleanup was my job.
“Ugh…”
Sighing, I picked up the fallen peanuts, put them back in the holes, and covered them with soil.
As I planted each peanut, I gave them encouraging words.
“Grow, grow, peanut, peanut~”
“Hurry up and grow lots of peanuts.”
“Don’t get sick, grow healthy~”
Kasia, who had been staring at me with wide eyes, suddenly stood up.
I wondered what she was about to do as she quietly closed her eyes and began to chant something.
- Nature, the origin of all things. Water that creates everything. Spirits of water, help these crops sprout new life.
Invisible moisture in the air began to condense.
The moisture gathered as if drawn to Kasia, eventually forming large droplets, which instantly sprinkled down into the soil.
The sight of Kasia standing among the scattering water droplets was mystical.
- Seeing your sincere effort, I feel compelled to help. I hope this will be of assistance.
“Wow! I’m touched, Kasia. It will definitely help. Thank you!”
I was supposed to fetch water myself, but thanks to Kasia’s Spirit Arts, my workload had lessened.
Still, I was a little worried about finishing things just like this.
The free-range chickens might dig up the planted peanuts.
“Phew. Farming really makes your back stiff.”
I rubbed my back and called the scattered chickens over.
Of course, they didn’t come all at once, so Goldie had to flap his wings to get their attention, but eventually, they gathered in one place and listened carefully.
“Hey guys. I’ll give you plenty to eat, but don’t touch the peanuts planted over there, okay?”
(Understood, cluck~!)
The chickens gave a half-hearted reply and began to scatter again.
I hope I can trust them.
A sudden wave of unease rushed over me as I looked down at Goldie beside me.
“Goldie.”
(I know what the owner is saying, cluck.)
“Please take care of it.”
(Just trust me.)
There had been a slight misunderstanding earlier, but today, Goldie was as reliable as ever.
Before I knew it, it was lunchtime.
I filled the coop with plenty of feed and went inside with Kasia.
“What should we have for lunch today?”
Choosing the menu is always the hardest part.
“Oh, right. Kasia, you said you wanted to go to the Market together? Let’s eat lunch there too.”
- Oh! Finally going, huh? You said you wanted to buy and sell things, but now you can have meals there too.
“Yeah, yeah. Then let’s go now.”
- Departure~
As soon as I said it, I realized something.
Kasia is an Elf.
Because the Government and the Association haven’t revealed her identity yet, few people know about other races.
She has striking beauty, but the bigger issue is those pointed ears.
Can I really take her there…?
Noticing my gaze, Kasia smiled confidently.
- Hmph. You thought the ears were a problem? This is an easy matter for me.
With a confident flick of her hand through the air, her ears transformed into human ears.
Well, that’s how it appeared.
“Whoa?! How did you do that? Your ears changed!”
- I cast a Wind Spirit Barrier around my ears to distort their shape. Does this mean I can go to the Market now?
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
That definitely changes things.
I met her gaze and nodded.
- Yay~! This place is full of exciting things to see! Earth is truly a wonderful place!
She was kind of cute.
I packed the eggs to give to the Market merchants.
Thanks to their kindness every time I came, I managed to hold out in Chilcheon-ri without much difficulty, so I wanted to repay them in a small way.
‘Let’s see if Mr. Kim is here today.’
ring ring
ring ring
“Hello! Sir, it’s Minho. Are you coming to the Market today? Yes. Nothing special, just wanted to show you something. Haha, yes. Alright, see you later. Okay~!”
Mr. Kim’s rustic dialect always made me smile.
The Market sells all kinds of things.
Simple snacks, meals, various ingredients… and daily necessities.
Though fewer people visit now due to supermarkets, the Market still has its loyal customers.
One big part of its charm is the warmth of the people.
“Hey! Minho, you’re here! Try this!”
“Who’s the pretty lady beside you? Have a bite too!”
“Yeah, she’s so beautiful and sweet.”
I was worried Kasia’s ears might be noticed, but judging by their reactions, the barrier was working fine.
The merchants eagerly offered bites.
Of course, not everyone is kind in the Market, and not every rural town is so warm.
I was just lucky to settle in such a village.
‘One day I came to the Market around lunchtime and ended up so full from tasting all the food they gave me, I skipped both lunch and dinner that day.’
Still makes me laugh to think about it.
I wondered if Kasia could feel the Market’s warmth too.
Then I looked over—and Kasia was nowhere to be seen!?
“Wow, she doesn’t seem like the type to eat Market food, but she’s eating so well!”
“Right? Hahaha.”
“Try this too! It’s nice seeing you enjoy it!”
While lost in thought, Kasia had slipped into the crowd of merchants and was happily eating.
‘She made friends with Goldie just like yesterday. Such good social skills.’
It was a good moment to discover another of Kasia’s strengths.
“But she’s eating well but not speaking? Is she shy?”
Kasia doesn’t speak Korean.
- Everything is delicious! Is it really okay to eat without paying? Markets are such wonderful places!
“Oh my, what language is that?”
Unexpected words.
To avoid being discovered as another race, she even hid her ears, yet she spoke her native tongue.
Kasia, caught up in her excitement, looked at me anxiously, unsure what to do.
I was also taken aback but had a prepared explanation.
“Kasia says it’s really delicious. Thanks. She’s a friend from overseas and can’t speak Korean, haha.”
“Oh~ is that so? Yeah, she doesn’t look like one of us.”
“I knew it right away. Her hair isn’t natural black. It’s blonde.”
“Oh yeah, yeah. I’ve seen that on TV.”
Thankfully, her exotic looks didn’t raise much suspicion.
The worried Kasia brightened again and started asking all sorts of questions as we walked.
- What’s that? And that? That one too, I’m curious.
Most of what Kasia pointed to was reddish in color.
Probably because she enjoyed the beef so much.
“Tteokbokki. It’s spicy, so it might be hot for you. Want to try some?”
- Tteokbokki? I want to try all the food here!
“Auntie, one serving of tteokbokki soup, please.”
A classic Korean street snack.
The spicy scent and thick, rich red sauce made my mouth water.
“It might be spicy, so just a little at first…”
Before I could finish, Kasia grabbed a rice cake and stuffed it in her mouth, her eyes wildly shaking.
She covered her mouth with her hands, not knowing what to do.
I handed her a tissue to spit it out, but she shook her head and chewed and swallowed the spicy rice cake.
Tears welled up in her eyes—she clearly found it very spicy.
- Ssshh! Hah! This is… quite torturous.
She exhaled roughly and fanned her mouth.
Gone was the dignified look from earlier.
In fact, this was more endearing and pleasant.
“See? I told you it’s spicy. Haha. Don’t drink water—try this, fishcake soup.”
- Spicy food is such painful torture! First time experiencing this kind of pain. Hoo. Oh… but this is savory and delicious.
Kasia liked the fishcake soup so much she kept sipping it, which made me laugh.
After finishing the tteokbokki, we ordered assorted fritters and one serving of sundae (Korean blood sausage), plus one fishcake skewer each.
The salty and savory fishcake soup soothed the spicy tongue.
The fishcakes, softened and soaked in the soup, skewered in layers, had a chewy texture.
This was delicious too!
Assorted fritters vary by region, but usually include Gimmari (seaweed-wrapped glass noodles), sweet potato fritters, and vegetable fritters.
Especially Gimmari!
Crispy on the outside with glass noodles inside—such a great texture.
Dipping it in the tteokbokki sauce is amazing.
Everything was so good! Earth really is heaven!
Kasia devoured the street food with continuous amazement.
It felt like too little food to fill her up, so I stopped her from eating more.
Instead, I ate what she didn’t finish.
“Still delicious as always. Kasia, stop eating. You should try something else.”
There are other foods?
Kasia looked at the displayed snacks with a disappointed expression, then got up with a heavy step.
This was why I was so confident—
Because now we were going to eat Chicken Gangjeong.
“When you come to the Market, you have to eat Chicken Gangjeong. It’s really delicious.”
- Chicken Gangjeong? Chicken? Gangjeong? I don’t know what that is, but lead the way!
Kasia stomped her feet excitedly.
The Chicken Gangjeong shop was not far from the snack stall.
We ordered a mild-flavored boneless chicken.
- Is that the thing they’re mixing back there? It sure looks glossy. But it just looks like a red lump…?
“If you try it, you’ll think differently. It’s so tasty!”
- What exactly is Chicken Gangjeong? From looking at it, I can’t guess anything.
“It’s a dish made from chicken, a popular ingredient among Koreans. Goldie is also a chicken.”
‘You call him a friend but want to eat him…’ Kasia’s expression looked shocked.
“Oh! Of course, Goldie is our friend, and the chicken used for cooking is raised separately for food. Don’t look at it like that.”
- Is that so? But since you said Goldie, it feels a bit awkward to eat…
Kasia hesitated in front of the steaming, seasoned Chicken Gangjeong.
I regretted mentioning Goldie’s species.
But once she had one bite, her mind would change!
I picked up a piece with a long toothpick and put it in my mouth.
The crispy, sweet outside and tender meat inside.
It was so good that I couldn’t help but smile broadly.
- Is it really that delicious? Then give me a piece!
Though a bit big to eat in one bite, Kasia followed my example and stuffed a whole piece in her mouth.
- Hoo… This piece holds so many flavors and textures!
Kasia’s chewing speed quickened, and she soon swallowed, picking up the next piece eagerly.
“Hahaha, you seem to like it. You might not know, but this Chicken Gangjeong is made from boneless chicken legs, so it’s even more tender.”
- Mmm. It’s really delicious. Yum yum yum.
Kasia devoured the Chicken Gangjeong like a storm.
She ate until she was full and couldn’t eat any more.
Kasia patted her round belly and looked regretfully at the remaining chicken.
- Even after eating so much, half is left… It’s so delicious, but it’ll get cold and hard. Such a shame.
“That’s not true. I purposely ordered a whole chicken instead of half. Actually, Chicken Gangjeong has its own charm even when cold. You’ll understand why when you eat it later tonight or tomorrow.”
- Okay. I’ll look forward to that too. …By the way, benefactor, didn’t you come here to buy something too?
Ah, right.
I wasn’t here just for a food binge.
Watching Kasia eat so happily made me forget my original purpose.
“Oh, right. Let’s go.”
Feeling full, we moved deeper into the Market to look for what I came for.