The Last Cook, Louis, looked at Jinwoo’s snack food spread on his star.
His star was a kitchen filled with high-end utensils, and now, the sharp, spicy aroma of tteokbokki wafted through the air.
From the savory scent of freshly fried, golden-brown snacks to the distinct anchovy broth of the fish cakes, the smells alone were enough to make anyone’s stomach growl. He started by cleansing his palate with a fish cake. The broth was perfectly salty, bringing a rush of savory umami and richness.
Then came the texture — soft yet bouncy, vibrating with the strong, characteristic flavor of fish. As the taste and aroma of the fish cake slid down his throat, a warmth spread throughout his entire body. He followed it with a swallow of beer, which Jinwoo had provided like a side of cola with pizza.
“Kyaa — !!”
Louis was a man who had tasted countless luxury ingredients and high-end dishes. He had often cooked with buff-type ingredient items that enhanced flavor, even if they weren’t quite on the level of the Father of Crops’ products.
Naturally, he possessed buff-bestowing skills as well.
‘…The environment itself was different.’
Louis blamed his own home world. The B-rank food Jinwoo prepared for him tasted better than all the high-end cuisine he had spent his life making back home. He truly enjoyed this kind of food — rustic, addictive, and a perfect match for beer.
The food and culture of Earth were a revelation to him.
‘I should have been born in Korea…’
Especially when it came to Korean food. This sharp, addictive flavor profile felt like a wake-up call every time he ate it. Having been deeply impressed by Korea’s fermentation culture, Louis had recently been using ingredients from the Father of Crops to make his own fermented pastes.
He looked at the meju blocks, which emitted a rich, savory scent. Smiling with satisfaction at the blocks tied neatly with rope, he picked up his chopsticks again. This time, it was the tteokbokki.
As soon as he took a bite, he was shocked by the chewy texture of the rice cakes. He had experienced chewy textures many times before, but this was on a completely different level.
They clung to his teeth for a moment before snapping away, releasing a burst of sweetness. Before his palate could feel heavy, the spiciness and savory notes provided a perfect balance. When just a little sauce remained in his mouth, he took another sip of beer.
“Kyaa — !!”
As the cold beer slid smoothly down his throat, the remaining sauce was washed completely away.
Next, he dipped a piece of fried squid into the tteokbokki sauce. The signature savory oiliness of the fried batter spread through his mouth, paired with the squid’s perfect texture — not tough, yet not so soft that it crumbled.
“Hwaaa…”
A gasp escaped his lips involuntarily. Seeing the pile of fried snacks made him smile like Byeol looking at a stack of cash. Even at his age, seeing so much food brought a smile to his face. Perhaps everyone carries a little bit of Byeol’s spirit in their hearts.
For today, Louis had become a happy child who simply loved to eat.
“I should try the kimbap Byeol made as well.”
He hadn’t known Byeol for long, but Louis showered her with affection. In truth, it wasn’t just Louis; every constellation became a doting “internet father” the moment they saw her. Byeol was just that kind and cute.
Perhaps that was why the kimbap she had rolled herself felt even more precious. Even though there was plenty of it, he felt the urge to savor every bite.
Louis first sliced the kimbap with a knife.
The moment he ate a bite-sized piece, the rice, seasoned with sesame oil and salt, melted away alongside the unseasoned seaweed. The texture of the rice was perfect — neither too dry nor too mushy.
The nuttiness of the sesame oil and the powerful umami of the salt whetted his appetite. The pickled radish crunched satisfyingly, its tartness stimulating his salivary glands. The ham provided a burst of meaty flavor, while the eggs balanced everything with their mild taste.
Just as the flavors threatened to become simple, the spicy-salty punch of the tuna mayo and the addictive, creamy richness of the mayonnaise kicked in.
After clearing his palate with beer, he picked up an entire roll of tuna kimbap. He dipped it into the tteokbokki sauce and stuffed the whole thing into his mouth.
His mouth was full of kimbap, all the ingredients harmonizing as he chewed. No single flavor stood out too much; instead, they supported one another, achieving a perfect balance.
“Kuh…!!!”
It was the ultimate late-night snack. Louis felt like he wanted to reincarnate in his hometown immediately just to let everyone taste the food of Earth.
***
(Anonymous 1) : This… this is the real deal…
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : Tteokbokki sauce… is seriously insane.
(Father of Crops) : My ingredients can produce a taste like this?
(Water God of Cheongha) : Hmph, this is madness.
(Endless Waiting) : …I am shocked.
(Liberated Swordsman) : I want to mix rice into that tteokbokki sauce.
(The Last Cook) : Jinwoo’s food is truly… surprising every time. I can’t tell if it’s just that Korean food is good or if Jinwoo is a great cook. It’s likely both.
(Returnee of the Demon Realm) : I’ve forgotten what the tteokbokki from those old snack shops used to taste like. This is on another level. It doesn’t feel cheap at all, yet it has that rustic, delicious charm… It’s hard to put into words.
(The Last Blacksmith) : The moderately spicy tteokbokki is a real delicacy.
(Warrior Who Lives for Death) : Byeol’s kimbap was also truly delicious.
(Anonymous 1) : Ah, I agree with that. It was an insane flavor.
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : To think Byeol is already big enough to make kimbap… I’m truly… moved.
(Water God of Cheongha) : My thoughts exactly. The taste was also top-tier!
(Anonymous 1) : Wow, the pairing of this snack food with beer is incredible. I’m going crazy.
(Water God of Cheongha) : The alcohol is going down way too easily.
(Returnee of the Demon Realm) : Ah, this is great. It reminds me of the kimbap my mother used to pack for school trips. It makes me realize how powerful food can be. Memories stored in food come back so vividly even after hundreds of years.
The constellations were, of course, full of praise.
“…I want to spread the gospel of tteokbokki to the Murim immediately.”
“…Snack food is truly great.”
“Brother, can you give me the recipe in detail? I want to sell this in the Demon Realm. It is truly, truly a fantastic taste!”
“Hehe, it’s yummy! The kimbap I made is yummy too!”
“You’re right, Byeol, your kimbap was really tasty.”
“Indeed, Byeol’s kimbap had a surprising flavor. You cook better than the chefs of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Byeol.”
“Byeol, you’re really good at cooking. It’s so delicious.”
“Hehe, thank you!”
It seemed the summons and Byeol enjoyed it as well. Byeol’s gaze followed me, and I smiled, patting her head.
“It was really delicious, Byeol.”
“Hehe, right? I’m good at cooking, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, I was really surprised. You’re amazing, Byeol!”
“Hehe.”
“It looks like you put a lot of effort into it. I can taste the sincerity.”
“Hehe, you’re right.”
Byeol had been sweating as she rolled those kimbap rolls. As her father, I recognized her hard work, and she expressed her joy with a bright smile.
― Sister, the kimbap is so good!
― It’s totally delicious!
― It’s the best! The greatest!
― Totally the best, totally awesome, totally amazing!
I clinked beer glasses with Eric, Baekcheon, and Alton. After a day of playing and cooking hard, beer paired with delicious food was truly the best.
“Dad! Where are we going tomorrow?”
“Hmm…”
I had actually thought today would be the last day of the Busan trip.
“How about we stay in Busan for about two more days?”
“I’d love that! But why?”
While taking a break from cooking earlier, I had booked a cruise from Busan Port to Jeju Island for two days from now. Ships from Busan to Jeju aren’t very frequent and are quite hard to book, so I was lucky to snag a spot.
When going to Jeju, flying is much faster. Taking the boat from Busan takes nearly 6 hours. However, there are many advantages to it.
A good cruise has plenty to see, and most importantly, you can bring your car. Since my camping car is my home, being able to bring it to an island like Jeju is a huge plus.
That’s right. On a whim, our next destination was decided: Jeju Island. I’m not really a planner. If it were a trip I only took once or twice a year, I’d make a dense itinerary to avoid regrets, but since I travel every day, I prefer to go with the flow.
A person met by chance, a food eaten by chance, a cafe visited by chance. I like those things. Since I’m always traveling, I find that memories built on these coincidences are the best.
(Anonymous 1) : Jeju Island is great.
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : How do you know about Jeju Island? You’re not from Earth.
(Anonymous 1) : Haa… Yuto, do you really want to get hit?
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : ???
(Anonymous 1) : Who am I? Just say it. Who am I?
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : …The Earth Expert?
(Anonymous 1) : Yes, exactly. Specifically, a Korea Expert.
‘Wait, are there really that many constellations from Earth, specifically Korea?’
(Anonymous 1) : There are many parallel worlds. Though, they aren’t that common. There were a few constellations about 500 years ago, but they aren’t seen much lately. So my knowledge is built on what I learned in the community 500 years ago.
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : …How do you remember all that?
(Anonymous 1) : Seriously! How many times do I have to tell you? I’m an Earth Expert. The Earth dimension was quite interesting, so I took notes and studied everything. I’m a guy who does his homework.
(Water God of Cheongha) : ….
(Father of Crops) : You must have been incredibly bored as a constellation. Have you been taking notes and reviewing your memories of Earth for 500 years just so you wouldn’t forget?
(Anonymous 1) : Just call it the life of a diligent constellation.
(Endless Waiting) : …I’m going crazy.
(Liberated Swordsman) : He’s a total nutcase.
(Warrior Who Lives for Death) : It’s admirable.
(The Last Cook) : Hmph…
(God of Rain and Sunlight) : He’s just a crazy bastard.
(The Last Blacksmith) : Agreed, that’s a crazy bastard right there.
I chuckled at Anonymous’s madness. I had temporarily shared my screen with Eric, and Eric looked slightly shocked by the sheer insanity of his friend.
.
.
.
The next day.
I went to Gwangalli. Since I had only seen it briefly the night before, I planned to enjoy it properly today. Come to think of it, I hadn’t done much sightseeing in Busan. I had lost a lot of time after suddenly awakening as an S-rank Hunter and meeting the association branch manager.
“Tonight—! I feel like a fateful encounter, is bound to begin—!”
I hummed a song that was perfect for Busan as I strolled along the sands of Gwangalli Beach. Even though it was autumn, the weather was as bright as yesterday. Perhaps because of that, the very song I was humming was playing from the nearby shops.
Byeol must have liked the song too, because she hummed along beside me.
“Haeundae! Gwangalli!”
Chuckling at how cute she was, we headed to a nearby cafe. We ordered a strawberry smoothie for Byeol and an iced Americano for me, then watched the waves of Gwangalli. Staring blankly at the crashing waves made me feel drowsy. Just as I decided to enjoy this lethargy while looking out the window…
*Boom!*
A wave surged upward. No, the sea itself began to move.
“Kyaaaak—!!”
Screams erupted from all directions. The ground began to shake as if an earthquake had struck.
‘…It’s a monster.’
It seemed like we were having seafood for dinner tonight. I picked up Byeol and walked out of the cafe.