The taste of every crop brought from Earth and grown here was astonishingly upgraded.
It was as if they had been enchanted with magic.
Sang-woong could hardly imagine how much tastier the crops, nourished by the land’s nutrients, would become in the future.
His face flushed with anticipation, as red as the cherry tomato he had just eaten.
Afterward, he transplanted the land’s plants and reclaimed all the remaining areas.
He pulled out weeds and moved large and small stones to create perfect fields.
“Wow, Master, the land has taken off its clothes!”
Aria exclaimed, looking at the bare soil with wonder.
Her unique expression brought a chuckle to Sang-woong’s lips.
“Hahaha, I’ll dress it up in new clothes soon enough.”
Sang-woong planted every available crop in the newly prepared fields.
He even planted a few fruit trees, and now all that was left was to await a bountiful harvest.
He put special effort into cultivating the land’s plants with unique effects.
These were the golden geese that would earn him the most points, so they needed to be grown with utmost care.
“Hmm…”
Gazing at the land’s plants, Sang-woong fell into deep thought.
Ordinary plants typically reproduced through seeds or by cutting roots or stems to create new individuals.
Some resilient weeds could regenerate from even a tiny fragment of root or stem, sprouting new life with astonishing vitality.
But with no information about the land’s plants, he wasn’t sure how to approach their cultivation.
“For now, I’ll collect seeds from the flowering types and try propagating the rest using roots or stems.”
With delicate hands, Sang-woong carefully gathered seeds and planted them with care.
For plants that didn’t flower, he gently uprooted them, divided them into pieces as if planting potatoes, and replanted them as if handling precious treasures.
“Please grow well. You’re like the hope of this land.”
He watered them, praying earnestly.
“Father, Mother, just a moment. It’s almost ready.”
Sang-woong called out to his parents as they entered the restaurant.
“Take your time, son.”
Lee Sun-im cautioned gently, worried he might hurt himself rushing.
“Yes, Mother.”
Sang-woong quickly set the table with steaming doenjang jjigae and a few side dishes, using a large brush to serve.
“It’s hot, so be careful.”
He first placed a bowl of steaming doenjang jjigae in front of his father.
Park Man-cheol carefully took a spoonful.
Suddenly, his eyes widened, round as full moons.
“Sang-woong! What kind of magic did you put in this food?”
Stunned by the flavor, Park Man-cheol froze with his spoon in hand before eagerly digging into his rice, letting out a stream of exclamations.
“The doenjang jjigae is beyond words, and the zucchini and leaf side dishes—every single thing sticks to my palate! I can’t put my spoon down!”
The table held only the steaming doenjang jjigae and a few side dishes.
It was a simple spread, but it hid an astonishing secret.
The vegetables in the jjigae and side dishes were all crops Sang-woong had painstakingly grown on his land, and he had added dried Umami plant powder to the jjigae to maximize its flavor.
Sang-woong suddenly recalled his foolish mistake of uprooting an entire Umami plant when he first discovered it.
It was far wiser to pick only the leaves needed, like with herbs or lettuce.
Though only four Umami plants remained on the land, he spared no expense for his parents’ table.
“Eat lots, Father. You too, Mother.”
Sang-woong served another helping of jjigae, smiling contentedly.
“Mmm, this doenjang jjigae has such a deep flavor. You’ll have to tell me how you made it later. I want to try cooking it at home.”
Lee Sun-im was utterly captivated by the rich taste of her son’s jjigae.
She couldn’t believe her son had surpassed the culinary expertise she had built over a lifetime as a homemaker.
When Sang-woong had quit being a hunter and built a restaurant in a desolate forest, Lee Sun-im couldn’t understand it.
Though the area was developing rapidly with the dungeon disease hospital, the location of Sang-woong’s restaurant was still remote and sparsely populated.
But she was relieved that he had left the dangerous hunter life behind.
She knew hunters earned a lot, but it was a job that staked their lives.
No parent could feel at ease watching their child face life-threatening battles daily.
Later, Sang-woong had completed the building with astonishing speed, as if wielding a magic wand.
The standalone building by the roadside was quite impressive.
Soon after, he opened the restaurant.
At first, there were no customers, and Lee Sun-im was worried.
But as time passed, more people came to eat, and she could finally relax.
Having tasted his food herself, she felt assured that her son wouldn’t starve on this new path.
Lee Sun-im’s face lit up with a happy smile.
“Try adding a bit of this when you cook.”
Sang-woong handed her a small glass jar filled with dried Umami plant powder.
“What’s this?”
Lee Sun-im examined the jar closely, asking.
“A friend gave it to me. It’s a natural seasoning, and it’s good for you.”
Sang-woong replied with a smile.
Recently, as Park Man-cheol began helping Sang-woong reclaim land and farm, he naturally started eating with his son more often.
He used to catch colds every season, but strangely, since eating with his son, he hadn’t been sick once.
“Hmm, is this why I haven’t caught a cold lately?”
Park Man-cheol muttered, tilting his head.
“If it’s this good, we should use it sparingly.”
Lee Sun-im carefully tucked the jar into her pocket.
“By the way, when are you going to start taking tenants?”
Sang-woong had built a five-story building to secure stable income.
Even if the restaurant’s revenue was low, rental income would ensure financial stability.
At his father’s question, Sang-woong nodded.
“I just got a new tenant for 501.”
“501? Isn’t that a two-room unit?”
Park Man-cheol asked.
“Yes, a family of three is moving in.”
“That’s great.”
Lee Sun-im asked with a relieved expression.
“What do they do?”
A hint of worry flashed in her eyes, concerned about undesirable tenants.
“They’re regulars at our restaurant. The wife is a nurse at the dungeon disease hospital. Her husband recently quit his job and got hired at the same hospital. Since they’ll both be working there, they decided to move here permanently.”
“If their workplace is nearby, living here is perfect.”
Park Man-cheol laughed heartily, adding,
“They can even walk to work. That’s great. We should clean the place before they move in.”
“No need. I’ve already cleaned it thoroughly, so don’t worry.”
Sang-woong firmly stopped his mother, not wanting her to trouble herself.
After a pleasant meal, Park Man-cheol grabbed farming tools and headed to the fields, while Lee Sun-im returned home.
Sang-woong locked the restaurant and headed to the dungeon with familiar steps.
As soon as he passed through the dungeon gate, a message appeared.
It was experience points and points from monsters the Wood Golems had defeated.
“Master, welcome back!”
As always, Aria greeted him with a bright smile, waving her hands.
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation, clearly wondering what snack he had brought this time, given his habit of bringing new treats.
“Ta-da!”
Sang-woong pulled a small cake from his inventory.
It was a strawberry cake he’d bought in town for Aria.
“Wow! Wow!”
Aria jumped excitedly, thrilled by the sight of the appetizing strawberries on the cake.
Seeing her joy with every snack made Sang-woong’s heart swell with pride and happiness.
“Thank you!”
Aria carefully took the strawberry cake, cautious not to drop it.
Come to think of it, it had already been a full month since he met Aria.
During that time, perhaps because of the spirit food and daily snacks, Aria’s complexion had improved, and she had even grown taller.
Just as Aria had grown, the well-maintained land was flourishing with abundant crops.
“Wow, it’s amazing every time I see it. How do they grow so well?”
The crops stood out with vivid colors and impressive sizes.
The cherry tomatoes were nearly twice their original size.
Using the Appraisal Skill, he confirmed that low-grade crops had upgraded to mid-grade.
Sang-woong planned to sell the crops harvested today.
As he pulled up sweet potato vines, revealing the dense soil, plump sweet potatoes came up in clusters.
“Wow!”
Aria, seeing the sweet potato harvest for the first time, couldn’t contain her amazement.
“Sweet potatoes are delicious roasted or boiled. I’ll cook some for you after the harvest.”
At Sang-woong’s words, Aria swallowed hard in anticipation.
He carefully picked lettuce leaves, stacking them neatly in a prepared box, and uprooted green onions.
As he gathered cherry tomatoes, the fresh scent of the crops lifted his spirits.
It wasn’t hard work, but harvesting alone took quite a bit of time.
After finishing, Sang-woong sold everything except what he needed.
“‘A penny saved is a penny earned.’ I made a surprising amount of points.”
He earned a total of 5,000 points from selling the crops.
The quality upgrade from low-grade to mid-grade had paid off.
“Sorry for making you wait so long.”
“It’s okay. Watching was fun!”
Looking into Aria’s clear eyes, Sang-woong spoke gently.
“How is our Aria so good with words? I’ll boil some delicious sweet potatoes for you.”
He gathered dry branches from the surroundings and started a bonfire.
Once the flames stabilized, he skillfully wove sturdy branches into a makeshift but functional steaming rack.
He placed the rack in a pot with a shallow layer of water and carefully added a large sweet potato.
It was big enough for both of them with some to spare.
The sweet potato slowly cooked in the warmth of the bonfire.
As time passed, the skin slightly charred, releasing a savory, sweet aroma.
Drawn by the delicious smell, Aria’s small nose twitched, her eyes glued to the pot.
Her starry eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Sang-woong carefully lifted the pot lid and poked the thickest part of the sweet potato with a fork.
Pop! The fork slid in smoothly without resistance.
“Alright, it’s done. Let’s eat.”
He moved the steaming pot to a wooden table he had crafted.
The table and surrounding round stools were made from tree trunks he had cut and shaped himself.
Though rough, they blended with the bonfire’s warm glow, creating a natural ambiance.
As he opened the pot, white steam billowed out.
Attracted by the aroma, Aria peered into the pot with curious eyes, only to jump back in surprise as the hot steam hit her face.