Chapter 67: The First Bowl That Melted the North

“This spot looks good.”

My first day of business in the beastkin village.

Most of the beastkin were preoccupied with winter preparations, so the market was quiet, and thanks to that, I was able to secure a decent spot.

I brought over a communal table and placed it in front of the stall. 

I set up a simple brazier on top and lit a few pieces of charcoal.

“Now it’s a bit warmer.”

It wasn’t even winter yet, just autumn, but the northern chill was harsh for a human. 

It was hard to imagine how severe the winter would be.

After warming my frozen hands over the charcoal fire for a moment, I placed the prepared pot on the brazier.

Once I set out the bowls and forks, the preparations for business were pretty much complete.

Boogle boogle.

As the pot began to boil, a delicious aroma wafted out.

“It’s too quiet….”

There were hardly any people in the market. 

I started to worry that I might not make a single sale and have to go home empty-handed.

Sniff sniff. 

“What’s this smell?”

A fox beastkin passing by the stall was drawn by the scent and sniffed while looking my way.

“Good morn—”

Whoosh.

Before I could finish my greeting, the fox beastkin just walked away.

From observing the beastkin in this village, I’d noticed that each tribe had its own characteristics. 

For example, the fox beastkin were more wary than the others, and the wolf beastkin seemed to have a strong sense of pride.

“This isn’t the time to take it easy. Maybe I should offer free samples….”

If I didn’t come up with something, I might end up suffering in the cold for nothing and returning empty-handed. 

Today, I was determined to earn some money—no, some scales.

***

“…Ahem.”

Alek was hiding in the corner, secretly watching Fabir.

Knowing that Fabir would be opening his stall today, Alek couldn’t sit still—his body itched with restlessness. 

In the end, he bolted out of his room and headed straight to the market.

“As expected….”

The timing for starting his business wasn’t great. 

From now until spring, when winter preparations began, the market had fewer people than usual.

People already didn’t look kindly on a human wandering around the beastkin village, so who would willingly step up to eat food made by a human?

Sniff sniff.

‘This scent is…..’

A rich meaty aroma mingled with the wind. It was undoubtedly a meat dish.

As he smelled it, the su yuk he had eaten last time suddenly came to mind.

“It was really delicious…”

Slurp.

Alek wiped away the drool that had unconsciously escaped and narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

It seemed he had no choice but to step in himself. It definitely wasn’t because he wanted to eat the food.

“Captain?”

Flinch.

Turning around, he saw one of his subordinates staring blankly at him. 

The subordinate must have found Alek suspicious, hiding in the corner during a routine patrol, and approached.

“I was worried because you weren’t at morning training today, but you were here?”

“Ah, well….”

The wolf soldier’s gaze shifted beyond Alek.

“Ah, were you secretly monitoring the human merchant?”

“Y-yes. So keep this a secret.”

“Don’t worry. But the human merchant really opened a shop, huh?”

The wolf soldier clicked his tongue with a displeased expression.

“Even if the chief brought him here, I don’t like seeing him wandering around the beastkin village.”

“…Is that so?”

Alek couldn’t respond immediately. Until recently, he had felt the same way.

It hadn’t been easy for him to accept the human merchant without prejudice either.

But after hearing the chief’s true intentions, he’d done a lot of thinking and decided to quietly watch over him as he ran his shop here.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

“Pardon? Not yet.”

Perfect timing—it was still early for lunch.

“Good. Eat with me.”

“Ah, yes.”

The soldier looked bewildered but readily agreed.

“Follow me.”

The place Alek headed to was the human merchant’s stall.

***

“Mr. Alek. What brings you here?”

I was glad to see Alek appear suddenly, and my voice rose a notch.

“I stopped by on my way.”

But he wasn’t alone. 

The soldier following him looked confused and fidgety, unsure what to do.

He seemed quite flustered by the situation, clearly dragged along without knowing why.

Alek glanced at the pot and said,

“The food smells good?”

“Today, I boiled mu guk with one-horned buffalo. I added plenty of seasonal autumn radish. It’s perfect for this chilly weather.”

Boogle boogle.

The appetite-stimulating sound leaked out from the pot.

Gulp.

I saw Alek’s Adam’s apple bob slightly as he perked up his ears.

“I was just about to eat. Perfect timing. Two bowls, please.”

At Alek’s words, the wolf soldier’s eyes widened. 

He stared blankly at Alek as if to say, ‘What are you talking about?’

“Yes, coming right up.”

Since he’d come all this way, I should serve generously. 

I plunged the ladle deep into the pot and stirred.

The ingredients at the bottom surfaced. 

I filled the bowls with the clear broth simmered for a long time and plenty of solids.

“Here, give it a try.”

The expressions of the two who received the bowls were quite different.

Alek had a smile on his face, but the soldier was slightly frowning. 

It was common to be wary of unfamiliar food.

While the soldier hesitated, Alek dipped his spoon deep into the mu guk first. 

Then, without hesitation, he brought it straight to his mouth.

Slurp.

The broth sucked between his lips swirled in his mouth before being smoothly swallowed.

“Ah….”

A short exclamation escaped Alek’s lips immediately. 

His eyes seemed to tremble slightly.

“It’s really warm food. The broth isn’t stimulating but has a deep flavor that makes you feel the warmth.”

Alek seemed to quite like the beef mu guk.

Choosing a soup dish to capture the taste buds of beastkin, who mainly ate boiled meat, was an excellent decision.

“What do you think?”

When Alek asked, the soldier’s shoulders twitched. 

During the time Alek was eating, the soldier had just been stirring with his spoon.

“You haven’t eaten yet. Not interested?”

“Ah, well….”

The soldier licked his lips. 

Seeing his troubled expression made me feel sorry for him.

“Not every food suits everyone’s taste. You don’t have to force yourself.”

Even as he said that, Alek picked up his spoon and continued eating.

“Mmm~”

He let out a satisfied sound with every bite.

Watching this, the soldier’s eyes gradually changed. 

From eyes full of doubt and wariness to ones filled with curiosity and appetite.

“Captain. Is it really delicious?”

“Why ask that? Do you think I’m acting?”

“Ah, no. There’s no reason for you to do that.”

Alek let out a small laugh.

“Why not just try it yourself? Eating one meal won’t shatter your pride.”

“Ah… Y-yes, that’s right.”

As if struck to the core, the soldier’s eyes trembled.

He must have thought that eating food made by a human would hurt his pride. 

It was a typical mindset for a competitive wolf warrior.

The soldier stared intently at the bowl, then, as if making a decision, twitched his nose once and picked up his spoon.

After a long standoff(?), the mu guk finally entered the soldier’s mouth.

Slurp.

“…Mmm!”

As if struck by lightning, the soldier’s fur stood on end all over his body.

His eyes widened, and he froze with his mouth open for a while.

People usually reacted like this when shocked. And I was used to such reactions from people.

“What do you think?”

A meaningful smile spread across Alek’s face as he asked.

…That’s a face I’ve seen a lot somewhere.

Come to think of it, it was exactly the expression Bernard wore when expecting customers at the herb shop to be amazed after using the products.

“…Th-this is my first time having food like this. How do I even describe it….”

“You call this ‘delicious.’ A word we’ve forgotten for a long time.”

Alek said that to the soldier, who was shaking with uncontrollable emotion.

Delicious.

In their harsh environment, meals were merely a means to sustain life, and cooking was considered a luxury—an expression the beastkin had forgotten.

Only then did I understand why Alek had brought the soldier here.

“…It’s really delicious!”

The soldier began devouring the beef mu guk like he was possessed.

Who would believe this was the same person who had hesitated in front of the mu guk just moments ago?

“One more bowl here, please!”

Having emptied his bowl in no time, the soldier shouted for another without a hint of hesitation.

I ladled another full bowl of beef mu guk for him.

Slurp slurp.

Alek raised one corner of his mouth and resumed eating. Watching the two of them, a warm feeling welled up in my chest.

A sense of pride, perhaps.

“Ah, that was really good.”

The two finished their meals, emptying their bowls, with satisfaction evident on their faces.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“How do we pay?”

“Total of 2 scales.”

Alek handed me the Hydra’s scales.

“Thank you. Come again next time.”

“Of course we will!”

The soldier replied energetically. It was a response filled with firm determination to return.

After the two left, I placed the Hydra’s scales on my palm and looked at them. 

The scales sparkled with a transparent blue light.

“They’re pretty.”

Looking at my first scales, I felt so happy I could fly.

“Could I buy a carpet with this?”

Maybe I should prepare winter clothes too? 

And a warm blanket would be nice.

Fur clothes, fur boots, socks, gloves, fur hat, and so on. 

Now that I had money, there were so many things I wanted.

While lost in these pleasant dilemmas, I suddenly felt an unfamiliar gaze and turned my head.

“…Huh!”

Whoosh.

The fox beastkin across the way, who had met my eyes, hurriedly turned their head.

It was the owner of the carpet shop I’d encountered earlier in the market.

Until just now, they had been full of wariness and hadn’t glanced my way, but Alek’s visit must have piqued their curiosity.

It was a positive sign.

Along with the wolf soldier, the beastkin would gradually open their hearts.

Still, it didn’t seem like I’d get more customers today, but that was okay. I could take the remaining mu guk home and share it with the family.

“I’m starting to get hungry too.”

I ladled some mu guk into a bowl.

“Hoo, hoo.”

I blew on the steaming broth to cool it and brought it to my mouth.

Drinking the hot broth made my body, frozen from the cold, feel like it was melting from the inside out.