Chapter 45: Healing Hands and Hidden Talents

The next day.

“Welcome, Fabir.”

“Have the employees started?”

“Yes. As expected from his sales experience, Baski adapted right away. Ellis is keeping up well too.”

“That’s a relief. Where’s Ellis now?”

“Go to the warehouse.”

I moved to the next shop.

“Hello”

Baski greeted me with a wide grin.

“We’re finally working together?”

He was smiling so much, as if working together was the best thing ever.

“Is that really so great?”

“Of course! I’m thrilled I can help you!”

“You’re still remembering that time? I told you not to dwell on it.”

“This is something I want to do, so don’t worry.”

Baski grinned.

He used to avoid people all the time. 

Now he enjoys dealing with customers.

It felt unfamiliar and surprising, but seeing him brighter than before made me smile.

“I’ll head to the warehouse. Ellis is waiting.”

I left and entered the warehouse.

“Fabir?”

As I stepped in, Ellis stood up abruptly.

“Oh, no need to stand.”

Ellis hesitated, then sat back down.  

I approached her and asked.

“We hastily set up a lab in the warehouse—is it too messy?”

“No! This is already amazing! I never dreamed you’d hire me.”

“Actually, we only planned to hire sales staff, but something came up where we really need your help.”

“My help?”

I nodded.

“Our herb shop differentiates itself with ‘healing.’”

“Healing?”

“Many who visit suffer from illnesses. We help them heal even a little.”

“Healing! You’re doing something truly necessary. That’s incredible!”

“I’m just eager, but I lack the ability to handle it alone. That’s why I need your help.”

I smiled faintly.

“I don’t know alchemy, but I’ll provide the necessary herbs and support as much as possible.”

“Herbs? Don’t tell me you supply all the herbs sold here?”

“Not all. I grow crops and herbs myself. I make and supply health foods with them.”

“No way? Even the vitality drink?”

“Yes. Haha.”

I laughed awkwardly.

Ellis’s face flushed slightly, her eyes sparkling. 

The conversation kept drifting there, making it embarrassing.

“Ahem. You said you want to deliver necessary medicine to customers—was that sincere?”

“Yes! Of course!”

“Good. Let’s make great products together from now on.”

“I’m overflowing with motivation! What should I start with?”

“A child is suffering from severe atopy. His mother came a long way to our herb shop.”

“Oh no. We need to find a way to soothe atopy.”

Ellis put a hand to her chin, deep in thought.  

Something caught my eye behind her.

“What’s that?”

A large cauldron.

“That’s my alchemy tool.”

“You make medicine in a cauldron instead of glass beakers? That’s interesting.”

Back to the main topic.

“I brought some crops and herbs I grew, hoping they might help. I heard alchemy can extract various components.”

“Thank you. I’ll definitely succeed!”

Ellis showed strong determination.

***

I returned to the main shop afterward.  

Bernard was organizing empty bottles and said.

“Did you meet Ellis?”

“She’s full of enthusiasm—great. But her alchemy tools were unique. Did you see them?”

“This morning, she struggled in with a cauldron and startled me. Seeing it, I immediately knew.”

“Knew what?”

“I told you Ellis seemed familiar? Turns out I saw her in the newspaper.”

“The newspaper?”

I tilted my head.

It’s rare for an ordinary person to appear in an article.

“It was an interview with Ellis. It said she passed as the youngest genius alchemist.”

“Genius?”

The youngest genius alchemist!

“Even more surprising—she’s from the Black Witch family.”

“Black Witch?”

“A prestigious family from the Demon Kingdom skilled in curses and poisons.”

Youngest genius alchemist! And from a prestigious Demon Kingdom family!  

Ellis’s background was overwhelming.

“But Ellis wanted to make healing medicine, not poison.”

“Huh? Didn’t her family oppose?”

It directly contradicts the family’s reputation.

“So Ellis studied solely on scholarships, without family support.”

“Ellis seems even more amazing.”

“It’s hard unless you truly love it.”

“Maybe her coming to our herb shop is fortunate.”

I’ve heard Black Witches bring death and misfortune.  

But the aura from Ellis was far from misfortune.

***

Busy with shop expansion for a while, ‘that time’ soon arrived.

“It’s Fabir hyung!”

Yumini ran out excitedly.

“Fabir’s here?”

“How have you been, Mother? I came to pick up the meju we dried last time.”

It was time for the meju fermentation to complete.

“I was waiting for you. Come in.”

Yujin’s mother brought the meju from the room.

“The beans were good—this batch turned out great.”

Microbes must have thrived; the surface was white.

“I’ll pack it in a sack for you.”

“Thank you.”

The sack was quite heavy.  

Enough to make plenty of doenjang, gochujang, and soy sauce.

“Were you grinding beans?”

Milky soybean liquid dripped from the millstone on the platform.

“I’m making soft tofu. Want to learn if you have time?”

“Yes!”

Finely ground beans went into a cloth, squeezed tightly—thick soybean milk flowed out. 

It went into the cauldron to boil.

+A moment later.

“It’s cooled a bit, so add the coagulant and wait about an hour.”

Mother carefully mixed the coagulant into the cauldron.

It’s a dish requiring much care.

Then.

“Huh? It’s Fabir hyung!”

Yumini appeared, running over and hugging my leg tightly.

Yujin followed behind.

“Where were you coming from?”

“We went to the beach!”

“Hyung! Look! It’s red snapper!”

Yujin held a large fish.

They must have gone fishing.

“I caught a lot too!”

Yumini proudly held out a basket full of seaweed and crabs.

“Wow. You caught so much. Our Yumini is amazing?”

I stroked Yumini’s head; he giggled happily.

Yujin placed the snapper on the platform and said.

“Hyung. We’re going to slice this for hoe—eat with us. Freshly caught fish as hoe is incredibly delicious.”

“Hoe?”

“It means eating raw fish slices.”

“You eat raw fish too?”

Well, in the western continent, they eat raw oysters.  

It’s even considered a delicacy.

“Sure. Let’s do it.”

Yujin skillfully filleted the fish.  

Translucent slices were cut bite-sized.

“Hoe needs to be dipped in sauce.”

Yujin brought three sauces from the kitchen.

“This is chojang, this is soy sauce, and this is ssamjang. Try it.”

“I’ll eat well.”

I dipped a slice in chojang and put it in my mouth.

“Mmm! Delicious!”

The fish was chewy and firm; the spicy-sour chojang perfectly masked any fishiness.

“Freshly caught, so the flesh is firm and chewy, right?”

“Super fresh!”

Especially, chojang enhanced the fish’s savoriness.  

Sauces really go with anything.

I was amazed by the sauces again.  

Motivation to make my own surged.

Then Mother came from the kitchen with something.

“Eat this too.”

The bowl held soft, fluffy white tofu.

“Add a little sauce and try.”

“Thank you.”

Slurp.

“Wow! Soft like cream cheese, melting in the mouth!”

Beans can be eaten like this.  

What a creative recipe! Plus various seafood dishes.

Korean food—learn and learn, new flavors keep exploding.

Slurp slurp.

So soft, it went down easily.  

I finished the soft tofu in no time.

If I bring soft tofu, the elves will love it.  

Definitely a hit.

Thinking of raking in saffron made me smile.

The next day.

***

As usual, I packed ingredients and headed to the Elf Forest.

“Here he comes.”

“What’s he making today?”

I spread the ingredients at the stall; waiting customers peeked out, examining each one.

Bubble bubble.

“Today’s menu is warm soft tofu! Freshly made, the fluffy texture is art! Everyone, have warm soft tofu for breakfast!”

“Oh! The smell is killer!”

“Can’t resist this!”

Elves waiting for the dish to finish swarmed for soft tofu.

“With sauce, it’s perfectly salty!”

“The savoriness is exquisite! Who imagined eating East Continent cuisine in the Elf Forest?”

As expected, the elves were very satisfied with soft tofu.  

The pot emptied quickly.

Then.

“Hey, Fabir.”

Gail called me.  

Mary stood beside him, pouting.

“Oh, am I late?”

“No, I set aside Gail’s portion separately.”

“Thanks. Oh, and Mary has something to say to you. Right, Mary?”

She was clearly dragged here by Gail.  

Mary hesitated, then spoke in a tiny voice.

“…Sorry. I forgot to pay.”

“Ahem. Before apologizing, pay properly first.”

I gestured to the glass jar; Mary filled it with saffron to the brim.

“Good. I’ll accept the apology. But you owe me now!”

I accepted coolly.  

I was in a good mood from collecting lots of saffron today.  

For Gail’s sake, ending it here was fine.

“So, with this, everything’s settled amicably?”

Gail clapped, easing the awkward atmosphere.  

He peeked into the pot and asked.

“What’s today’s dish?”

“Soft tofu.”

I scooped a generous bowl and handed it over.

“Add sauce in front as you like.”

“This is soft tofu? Looks delicious.”

“You eating too?”

Mary’s eyes widened; she nodded.

“Don’t forget to pay again.”

Mary smiled brightly at the soft tofu like it was a honey pot.

Then someone approached the stall.

“Fabir.”

“Chief Sharin?!”

“The delicious smell—I couldn’t pass by.”

“Perfect timing!”

I quickly scooped the last soft tofu and gave it to her.

“I’ve wanted to try your cooking for a while—finally.”

Sharin elegantly scooped soft tofu and brought it to her mouth.

Chew chew.

Her mouth moved.

I held my breath watching her reaction.  

Please let it be delicious.

Even after her jaw stopped, she was silent, savoring deeply, then slowly spoke.

“…It’s truly delicious.”

“I’m glad it suits your taste.”

“This is the first time I’ve tasted such delicious food.”

“High praise.”

The chief smiled deeply, savored another bite, then spoke as if decided.

“I have a request.”

“A request?”

“An important guest is visiting the Elf Forest soon. I’d like you to cook that day.”

“Me cooking for such an important occasion?”

“You’re more than qualified. You’ve already captured our elven hearts, including mine.”

“But…”

“Please. I’d love for your cooking to shine at this important event. Of course, compensation will be generous.”

“Compensation?”

It was the first time Sharin asked like this.

With compensation offered, no reason to refuse.

“Alright. I’ll prepare my best, though I may fall short.”