I'll Do It Too!

"I'll do it too!"

"Here."

"Do I shout 'fire'?"

"Just think it."

"Then why say 'fire'?"

"It's fun."

"Ah, got it."

"Try it."

"Fire!"

Ploof, ploof, ploof—

Bubble, bubble—

"Hehehe."

"Heeheehee."

"This is fun."

"Right?"

Hura and Molrangkau were having a blast by the lava stream.

While the two played excitedly, Besta quietly pulled Gold Sun and Tteok Sun-i aside.

"What is it, Lady Besta?"

Besta beckoned them closer, and Gold Sun and Tteok Sun-i obediently huddled in.

"...You two."

At Besta's low, serious tone, they leaned in even closer.

"How long has it been since you last saw Molrangkau?"

"This is my first time meeting her."

Tteok Sun-i answered.

"I saw her briefly once before."

Gold Sun replied.

"But it's been so long since then that I don't know what's happened in the meantime."

"...I see."

Besta nodded.

"Why do you ask?"

To Gold Sun's question, Besta whispered.

"It seems Molrangkau has a rival now."

"A rival?"

Tteok Sun-i's eyes went wide.

"Yes. And from what I heard, that rival is a fairy."

"...A fairy?"

Besta nodded.

"The mysterious beings said to maintain the world's balance—fairies. They say fairies only appear to those they permit."

"Ah!"

Gold Sun clapped lightly.

"What? Do you have some idea?"

"Come to think of it, Master often talked to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠someone invisible before."

"...An invisible being! It must be a fairy!"

Besta stroked her chin and continued.

"From what Molrangkau told me, she and Hura seem quite close."

"Pardon?"

"Really?"

Besta confided in a gravely serious voice.

"I heard they even went flower viewing together."

"Gasp!"

"...No way!"

Besta shook her head solemnly.

"We need a plan. What should we do?"

Tteok Sun-i shot her hand up.

"Tteok Sun-i. Speak."

"Yes. I heard that when bodies grow distant, hearts do too."

"Hm. Go on."

"Then, if bodies are close, hearts will grow close too, right?"

"Sound logic."

Besta fiddled with her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hair, organizing her thoughts.

"Hm... So, stick them together? As much time as possible?"

"Yes. Then feelings will naturally sprout between them."

Gold Sun nodded in agreement.

"Aren't they both wonderful people? Even strangers would call them a perfect match, brimming with masculine and feminine charms. They'll naturally grow close."

"...That's a good idea."

Besta smiled with a soft hmph~.

"Then how should we..."

Smiling as she pondered deeply, Besta suddenly perked up.

"Ah! I have a great idea."

Whisper, whisper—

* * *

Sploosh—

Sploosh—

Brrr—

"Hehehehe."

Molrangkau tugged at Hura's sleeve, who was grinning like an idiot.

"Hey. You've done plenty. My turn."

"One more round."

"Heeey~ Should I tell Lady Besta?"

"This is mine, I said."

"The lava's Lady Besta's."

"...Cheater. One more, then yours."

Then, a voice called from behind.

—Hura! Successor of Sulis!

"Hey, they're calling you."

"Huh? Me?"

—Come here a moment.

"Yeees..."

Molrangkau snatched the [Ice Devil's Left Horn] from Hura's sulky hand.

"Hehe~ Go on."

"......"

Hura glared at her, then walked over.

"...You called?"

Hura approached Besta with pursed lips.

"Yes. Sit here."

Hura obediently sat in the opposite chair as instructed.

A warm teapot steamed on the table.

"Ahem. Hura."

"Yes."

"You came here tracing Sulis's legacy, did you not?"

Besta poured tea into Hura's cup with a trickle.

"Yes."

"As you know, I can't just hand it over. You must pass a simple trial."

"Yes. I know."

"It's very simple, so no need to worry. Here."

"Okay."

Hura sipped the tea. The aroma was nice.

"This place, Harten, is a village with few people. Do you know?"

"Yes."

"Even if you cook, not many will come. At best, just the villagers."

"True."

Besta's eyes flashed red.

"But what if it's no ordinary dish?"

"...Pardon?"

"Truly delicious food spreads far and wide, even in remote places—or clear across the continent—by word of mouth. No matter how treacherous the path, people gladly endure it to seek it out. Like a needle in a pocket—it can't be hidden."

"Right."

Such things weren't rare in reality either. People braved inconveniences for famous eateries, even traveling to distant islands.

Where there's great food, customers always gather. Those who know the taste.

"If you're truly Sulis's rightful successor, you should make such dishes."

"Well said."

Besta sipped her steaming tea, then set the cup down with a clink.

"Move many people with your cooking!"

"Uh, how many is 'many' exactly..."

To Hura's cautious question, Besta grinned and held up three fingers.

"...300 people? Whew... That's no small task. The population here seems under 100."

Hura sighed and drank his tea.

"No."

Besta slowly shook her head, smirking as if it were impossible.

"3,000."

"Pffft—"

Tea sprayed from Hura's mouth, dripping down Besta's face.

"...It's warm."

A beat later, a scream-like voice burst out.

"Whaaat?! 3,000 people?!"

* * *

"Log out."

Dahyun stretched her arms, cracking her joints with satisfying pops.

"Ahhh~ Worked hard today too!"

Having earned her class at the class change center today, Dahyun was immensely proud.

For 22 years, she'd unknowingly possessed a talent she discovered late—and graduated top of her class.

The instructor called her a once-in-four-years genius. A god-given gift.

She'd just basked in a flood of praise.

"Hehehehe."

Dahyun giggled foolishly, gently petting sleeping Sebastian by her bed.

"Sis is a genius. A super genius. Genius genius. Get it, Sebastian?"

"......"

"Your sis is this amazing. Brag to your doggy friends."

Awakened, Sebastian glanced at her, then closed his eyes again. His face said, 'What now...'

"Heehee."

Dahyun lay using him as a pillow and checked her phone.

"Saw up to part 4 last time... Wonder what new vids are up."

She opened the subscribed Tteokbokki Cult channel.

"...Huh? What's this."

Dozens of videos flooded her view.

"There were only 4 yesterday...?"

Just 4 the day before, now over 20. Not all shorts—most over 5 minutes, from 3 to 30.

Titles were insane.

"...What is all this."

Dahyun blinked blankly.

"...56 is real TMI."

Over 10 new vids in one day.

"What the heck happened..."

Impossible to tell if it was Hura FanTube or Tteokbokki Cult anymore.

"And views are high too?"

Fresh uploads already over 10k views each.

"There's demand for this?"

Dahyun clicked one at random.

...Surprisingly high quality. Clean editing, pleasant voiceover, even funny bits.

Problem: All about Hura.

She clicked another—the latest, [Hura Oppa I'm Dying T_T T_T T_T].

"......"

A bizarre vid plastering Hura footage with over-the-top praise. Like an idol fancam.

'Look at that smile! Heart attack! T_T', 'Too handsome for a human, right? T_T T_T', 'Kyaa! Flame charisma! I'm done T_T T_T' etc.

"Eww..."

Even Dahyun cringed at the intensity.

Others varied in fanaticism, but all dripped madness.

"Customer-nim probably doesn't know about this..."

Pent-up zeal exploding. True zealots. A fanatic hive.

"This needs a youth hazard rating..."

Dizzy from the unleashed frenzy, Dahyun hit unsubscribe.

* * *

"Does that even make sense?!"

Hura protested, veins bulging in his neck.

"3,000 in a mountain village with under 100 residents! Plus an ice wall outside!"

But Besta was firm.

"Eh~ That's not my problem! 3,000. No more, no less."

"Lady Besta!"

"No. Won't change. No plans to. Go home."

Besta sipped tea leisurely, an iron wall.

"This is nothing for Sulis."

"...True."

Hura grumbled aggrievedly.

"But I'm not a Demonic Chef yet! And I'm on the run, so I gotta hide my identity!"

"Tch. Just cook well."

"Ugh... Tell Sulis-nim to run an anonymous joint in a place like this! How many trek here?!"

"Ahem..."

Besta hid her face with her cup.

Hura eyed her sharply.

"Be honest. It wasn't originally 3,000."

"......"

Even 300 seemed tough—10x that? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Absurd difficulty.

Business meant consistent quality, not one dish. Spread word-of-mouth to draw crowds!

"What was it originally? Huh? 100? 200?"

Besta snapped.

"Wh-what! Ptah praised you so much, so I raised it! I had my own expectations!"

"......"

"Successor of Sulis, Hura! Will you betray my expectations without even trying?"

"...Well, put that way, I got nothing."

Still, Hura pressed.

"...Even so! Promise a reward to match!"

"What?"

"Obviously! Higher difficulty means better reward!"

"Ugh... Fine."

Besta conceded.

"Complete it, and I'll introduce a friend."

"...And?"

"A-and the finest ingredient. One money can't buy!"

"......"

Besta gauged Hura's reaction.

"...Enough?"

Hura nodded reluctantly.

"...Yeah. Fine, I'll try."