Chapter 56: Bread is Not to My Liking

When the elves come to learn farming, I plan to feed them plenty of meat before sending them back.

After all, they’ll be helping me cultivate the land from now on.

“We should head back now.”

• A-Are we not having beef?

Kasia’s face, urgently tugging at my sleeve, was filled with the shock of possibly missing out on meat.

“I’ve set aside ours separately. Let’s eat it at home.”

• Whew. What a relief. I wanted to have some too.

“Ayy~ Stop worrying. Of course I saved some for you, Kasia.”

• Hehe. Oh, right, didn’t you ask before about how to handle Spirits?

Back in Eliya, when the elves suffered during the Monster Wave, I had asked about Spirits.

It seemed Kasia remembered that now and brought it up.

It was nice, since the walk home was getting a bit dull.

“That’s right. You remembered?”

• Ask me anything you want. Back then, I was so out of it I couldn’t answer you at all.

“Hmm. Could you start by explaining about Spirits?”

On the day I went to mine Porti to help the elves.

The Spirits only appeared to help me then, and afterward, I couldn’t see or feel them at all.

• Spirits are, by nature, beings born from the natural world. Fire, Water, Earth, Wind. They’re classified into these four elements.

So, I must have met the Earth and Wind spirits among those four elements that time.

“When do Spirits appear?”

Maybe Kasia didn’t understand my question, as she tilted her head.

• Spirits are always nearby.

“Even right now, at this very moment?”

• Of course.

As Kasia waved her hand, a refreshing breeze tickled my nose and passed by.

“Actually, I met Spirits in Eliya. And thanks to them, I was able to procure all those Portis.”

• You met Spirits? Amazing. Spirits don’t show themselves to just anyone. And you even handled them.

Elves who love nature can see and feel Spirits from the moment they are born.

But being able to handle them is a different matter.

Most elves only handle one element of Spirit, and only a rare few can manage several.

Yet here I was, not even an elf living in nature, who not only saw Spirits but even handled them—Kasia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I wouldn’t say I handled them—it’s more accurate to say the Spirits helped me first.”

• Even so, I’ve never heard of Spirits appearing before someone other than an elf. They’re easily frightened, you see.

Thinking it over, I realized why the Spirits had appeared and helped me.

“I think it was thanks to you.”

• Me? As you know, I had no energy to pay attention to anything else back then.

“That’s not it—it’s because we had Sympathy.”

My unique skill, ‘Sympathy.’

And even the Communication-Sharing had activated.

I hadn’t opened my Status Window in a while, since I’d just been farming, but now I did.

Among the tabs, [ Communication–Elf (+) ] was flashing, asking to be pressed, so I clicked it.

[ Communication–Elf (+) ]

Allows conversation with the elf race.

*Active Skill: Spirit Communication

*Passive Skills: (1) Love of Nature’s Benefactor, (2) A Friend’s Friend is a Friend

• Spirit Communication

: Allows you to commune with Spirits and ask them for favors.

• Love of Nature’s Benefactor

: Even if an elf uses the power of Spirits for Dominho’s sake, the Spirits will not refuse.

• A Friend’s Friend is a Friend

: Dominho, who has become a true friend of the elves. Spirits, who are the elves’ true friends, also consider Dominho a friend.

The previously inactive active and passive skills had now been activated.

‘These newly activated skills were really useful.’

In Eliya, because the Spirits were friends of the elves and now saw me as a friend, they had appeared before me and helped via Spirit Communication.

But whether due to their timidity or for some other reason, they hadn’t appeared again since.

“Why don’t they show up now?”

• You need to become even closer to nature.

“For a modern person, I’d say I’m pretty close to nature. I water the crops every day, speak kindly to them. I even have Guardians!”

• Of course, farming does connect you to nature, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re close to nature. The real natural world is in places untouched by human hands.

That’s unfair.

If you go somewhere untouched by human hands, doesn’t it then become touched?

And I do communicate with the crops, so what more am I supposed to do?

• On Earth, you said there are mountain hikers and wild ginseng diggers, right? Haven’t you heard any strange stories from them?

“Strange stories?”

Thinking it over, I recalled tales I’d heard from the people of Chilcheon-ri.

Someone released a wild animal caught in a trap and then miraculously avoided a landslide, or a notorious troublemaker died from a fall despite safety barriers.

I’d even experienced it myself.

Once, I fainted while running from a wild boar, and when I woke up, there was a huge, thick wild ginseng right before my eyes.

• Judging by your face, you’ve heard some. Spirits can distinguish the good-hearted. There are more Spirits in the mountains than in the cities. They’re timid and usually hide, but sometimes show themselves on a whim.

“But I’m friends with the Spirits too….”

• Even among friends, you can’t meet every single day, can you? Unless you live together.

Living together with nature.

The easiest way would be to go to Elysium—currently the elves’ home—and stay with the elves.

Since the elves are already there, and Spirits are gathering around them, it should be much easier to sense Spirits than elsewhere.

“I’ll have to think about it some more.”

Lost in conversation, we soon arrived home.

But my unresolved worries left a lingering sense of unease.

‘It’s not urgent, so I’ll take my time to think it through.’

As I brushed off my concerns, my stomach growled right on cue to announce it was mealtime.

“Kasia! Let’s eat bread!”

Since coming to Earth, Kasia had been eating well, and she’d already gained back her health.

Even now, the mention of bread made her dash over and take a seat at the table.

‘She’s definitely been eating better since coming back from Eliya.’

Seeing how excited she was made me feel cheerful too.

• I’ve never had bread before. I was wondering when I’d get to try it.

I took out each kind and lined them up on the table.

I chose Pizza Bread, Choux Cream Bread, Glutinous Rice Donut, Salad Bread, and Red Bean Paste Bread.

Kasia picked Apple Cinnamon Roll Bread, Peach Tart, and Blueberry Danish.

Pouring Milk into glasses next to the bread, the ultimate combination was complete.

• All the breads you picked look so plain.

“These are the tasty ones! You’ll see once you try them.”

Unlike me, who picked bread for the taste I remembered from childhood, Kasia chose purely based on looks.

I tore off one section from the four-part Red Bean Paste Bread and handed it to Kasia.

• Hmm… Oh! It’s delicious. It’s soft, and the inside is sweet!

“It’s bread made with sweetened red bean paste. The paste is made with sugar and syrup, so it can’t not be tasty.”

• More! Recommend me another bread!

“Then, hmm, want to try Pizza Bread?”

• Pizza Bread? I’ve had pizza before. Recommend something else.

Pizza is always tasty, no matter how often you eat it, but I guess it’s not for Kasia.

Still, Pizza Bread is different!

“You’ll see once you try it! But first, let’s cut everything up with scissors and share. Then just eat whatever you like best.”

• Got it. Cut it up!

She really doesn’t lift a finger… but, well, she’s an elf, so I’ll let it go.

Once everything was cut, it didn’t look as nice, but it was much easier to eat.

“All right, it’s done. Let’s eat!”

• I’ll eat well.

Unlike me, who ate the familiar flavors in order of preference, Kasia seemed to savor each new taste slowly.

• Ugh. The ones I picked are all too sweet. Especially this purple one!

“That’s Blueberry Jam. It’s made by simmering fruit with sugar.”

• Everything with sugar in it is too sweet for me.

Maybe because she grew up eating only plants, her palate is more mature than she looks.

‘She’d probably love a hearty bowl of rice soup. I’ll have to try giving her some next time.’

While I was making such sneaky plans, Kasia, childlike and full of curiosity, kept asking about different breads.

• What’s this one? nom nom It’s really chewy!

“That’s a Glutinous Rice Donut. It’s chewy because it’s made from glutinous rice.”

After trying a bite of each, Kasia put her fork down.

“Why aren’t you eating any more?”

• It’s not really to my taste. Everything’s too sweet and greasy; I can’t eat anymore.

“Then try this. It’ll be totally different.”

• Just looking at it, I can see the oil glistening. I don’t want it.

“Oh, come on. This one’s different! There’s salad inside, so I think you’ll like it.”

After much persuasion, Kasia reluctantly took a bite of Salad Bread.

• Hmm, not bad. The outside is greasy, just as I thought… but the salad and ketchup inside cut through the richness.

“Right?”

• But I can’t eat any more. I’m done!

I bought so much…

I couldn’t throw away the leftover bread, so in the end, I had to eat all the rest by myself.

‘Phew. I can’t remember the last time I ate this much bread. Still, it was delicious for a change.’

There wasn’t even any need to do dishes—just toss the plastic wrappers and I was done. Super convenient.

I could have had Kasia do the dishes, but she wasn’t used to it yet, so I didn’t ask.

‘Just you wait till you’re used to things. I’ll make you do everything.’

Ttiririri~

“Oh, Jinsu.”

I’d left Jinsu behind, and I’d thought he’d call soon, but since he hadn’t, I was just wondering about it when the call came in.

“What? You were sleeping until now?”

It had been nearly a whole day since we came back to Chilcheon-ri from Seoul.

He must have been exhausted, sleeping all day.

“Huh? You’re coming now?”

If you leave Seoul for here now, it’ll be evening by the time you arrive.

You should rest more and come tomorrow.

“Just come tomorrow. Your disciple, Little Pepper, is here, after all.”

There’s nothing urgent for tomorrow.

From now on, I plan to take it easy and just farm.

Maybe because I’ve been unexpectedly busy lately, this kind of day off feels really nice.

Watching TV, stroking the black cat baking herself on the sofa armrest—so pleasant.

She still acts a bit wary, but seeing me every day seems to have softened her, and she doesn’t mind a gentle pat on the head anymore.

‘Guess our emotional bond has finally grown.’

Still, you can’t pet her too long.

You have to stop at the right point or—

Kyaong-!

Or she’ll scratch the back of your hand and go somewhere else.

• When are you going to have Sympathy with the cat? Your wounds keep increasing.

“I know, right? I treat her so well, but she’s still so feisty.”

As I carefully rubbed my stinging, scratched hand, there was a knock at the door.

Bang bang!

No, it sounded more like someone trying to break it down.

“W-What the—!”

• Is someone attacking us?

Kasia, startled, was getting ready to cast a spell.

But since the Guardians outside were quiet, it must be someone we know.

I calmed Kasia, held my breath, and tiptoed to the door.

“Hey!”

Bang bang bang!

A deep, threatening voice.

But peeking through the peephole, I saw it was Jinsu.

‘This little punk…’

Looks like he planned to surprise me with an unexpected visit.

Careful not to make a sound, I quietly unlocked the door.

Then, I threw the door wide open and shouted.

“Wak!”

“Whoa—!”

Jinsu must have let his guard down, as he jumped in surprise and fell on his butt.

“Ah, ugh… Hyung, how did you know?”

Jinsu was seriously startled and took a deep breath.

• So it was Jinsu! Welcome!

“Haha, come on in.”

Jinsu, looking embarrassed, scratched the back of his head and came inside.

“Hello~”

He even greeted us like an awkward kid visiting a friend’s house.