The Legendary Moonlight Frying Pan

This wonderful frying pan, bathed in the soft glow of mysterious moonlight. This elegant legendary-grade frying pan came with a cheat-like option: no food would ever burn on it.

"Nice."

Without hesitation, he immediately gave it a try. He processed Desert Rose into rice, soaked it briefly in water, and placed it in the frying pan. He substituted a lid from another pot. No need to adjust the heat—he cranked it to maximum.

Sizzle—

Steam billowed up in thick clouds, and the savory, comforting aroma of rice began to fill the air.

"Done!"

"Oh…!"

Real ingredients were just broken. Sure, the process had been tough, but getting two stars just for cooking rice? Haha! Delicate heat control my ass—this was all thanks to the item. And from the note about it being especially sensitive to fire, Nature's Rice must be a notoriously tricky ingredient.

"Tch…"

Maybe he should've just used carrots or onions. But success was success—no complaints there. As expected of two stars, the rice gleamed with a glossy sheen. Time for a bite.

"……!"

The fluffy grains melted on his tongue the moment they touched it. Who knew plain rice could taste this good?

"Sniff sniff. No burnt smell?"

"Sniff sniff. Fragrant rice aroma."

"Oh! Success?"

The three Middle Eastern tycoons approached, noses twitching. Hura nodded with a grin. His seventh attempt at rice had finally paid off. But he couldn't stop here.

"Is the crab meat ready?"

"Yes!"

"Bring it over, then."

He finely chopped green onions and cracked several eggs, whisking them vigorously. He scooped the rice to one side and placed the frying pan over the fire.

"Heh, no worries about burning this either."

He tossed in a pat of butter to coat the heated pan. Into the butter-slicked surface went the chopped green onions.

Chiii—

After stir-frying until the onions softened and their oil released, he added the eggs, scrambling them in. Then the crab meat and rice. Oyster sauce and soy sauce in a 2:1 ratio. Perfect.

Sizzle—

Now just stir-fry it all ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠together. Whoosh—

"Whoa!"

"Wow!"

The intense heat set the fried rice ablaze. The three tycoons clapped in delight. Hura smirked and gave the pan a wrist snap, shaking it with flair. Flames licked like ocean waves.

"Woooow!"

Fan service over. He extinguished the fire and added a drizzle of sesame oil. Into rice bowls, flipped onto shallow plates for that perfect dome shape. A sprinkle of the essential "white powder" to finish.

The nutty fried rice aroma filled the cave.

"Finally…!"

Three stars at last! The three stars he'd strained for in vain now appeared effortlessly.

"Haha!"

What a moving moment. How would three stars taste? He scooped a bite of the finished crab fried rice.

"……!"

The chewy texture of the sand crab meat. The eggs melted silkily in his mouth. Each butter-kissed grain burst with nutty flavor. He closed his eyes, savoring it. A shiver raced through his body.

"Success?"

He opened his eyes to find the three drooling as they stared. Silently, he flipped three more bowls and served them confidently.

"Dig in!"

Geum Taeyang and Tteoksoon-i took a bite, eyes widening comically before they tunneled in like drills.

"Sniff… ugh. Mi-ok! Kwon Mi-ok! Hngh… Sorry, my dear wife… Miiioookaaaah!!"

Baek Bal Baek Jung burst into tears again, wailing for Mi-ok. Who the hell is Mi-ok, anyway?

Hura gathered the leftovers and brought them to Gapsu.

"No way… you succeeded already?"

His ridiculous sunglasses hid his eyes, but the tremor in his voice betrayed his shock.

"See for yourself."

Hura fed him a spoonful. Gapsu chewed slowly, savoring every bite.

"……."

A single tear traced down beneath the sunglasses.

"How is it?"

Gapsu looked up slowly.

"…Delicious."

Hura grinned.

"Told ya."

The quest window flooded with completions, clearing the backlog at once.

"Told you, Gapsu. I'd finish it in a week."

"……."

Gapsu nodded dumbly.

* * *

Southwest of Nimal Village. The boundary between the sand desert and rocky desert regions.

"It should be around here…"

A blonde woman in heavy armor wiped sweat from her brow and muttered. Rocks and sand stretched endlessly in every direction.

"Hmm… this has to be the spot…"

Rank 11 high ranker Napaladin squinted against the blazing sun.

She shook a potion bottle filled with blue energy from the Twin Crystals. She'd secretly collected the energy when Hura shattered them. She'd guide Baek Bal Baek Jung straight to it. And indeed, it had led her here.

But the damn thing had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠suddenly broken. The blue energy clung stubbornly to the bottle's bottom, refusing to move.

"Hey, what's your deal?"

Shaking it wildly did nothing; it settled back down.

"…Tch."

Napaladin scanned the area. Several hidden shadows. Others searching openly like her.

"……."

All exuded dangerous auras. Mostly high rankers. They'd tracked here through their own methods.

"Sigh… the competition's no joke."

Napaladin sighed deeply.

* * *

Deep underground, in a secret cave beneath the desert.

"Tasty?"

Hura fed Gapsu another spoonful of crab fried rice.

"Yes."

Gapsu scarfed it down eagerly.

"Better than Sulis's cooking?"

"No."

"……."

Gapsu replied with stone-cold seriousness. Hura pouted.

Tch… getting all formal about it? Fine, fine. Sulis is the best. No wonder Cooking Charm didn't faze him.

"Gapsu."

"Yes."

Hura fed him another bite.

"Got some questions. Mind if I ask?"

"Yes. I'll answer anything within the permitted limits."

Even while chewing, Gapsu replied clearly.

"Is Sulis strong?"

"You mean our master?"

"Yeah. You're insanely strong yourself."

Gapsu shook his head.

"Master isn't particularly strong. We must protect him."

"Hmm…"

Next question—the one burning since he first saw Gapsu.

"Why are you bound like a heinous criminal? Sulis's orders?"

"…No."

Gapsu's voice carried sorrow.

"It's a punishment I imposed on myself."

"…Punishment? For what?"

"I couldn't serve master to the end."

Gapsu bowed his head.

"…I couldn't be with him at the end."

Each word dripped with deep regret.

"I wanted to stay by master's side until the last, but I failed. I blamed myself endlessly. I hated myself."

"……."

"That regret lingers. I should have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠died with him…"

The dense grief left Hura speechless for a moment. He silently fed him more fried rice. Even in sorrow, Gapsu accepted every bite.

After a pause, Hura ventured carefully.

"…Did the Demon King get him?"

"I don't know."

Gapsu shook his head.

"Don't know?"

"Yes. Before vanishing, master gave each of us a mission and sent us out into the world. Then he disappeared without a trace."

"……."

"I wanted to follow, but the mission prevented it."

"What mission?"

"To await successors who would follow in your footsteps until another Demonic Chef arose. For hundreds, thousands of years, I assuaged this sinful heart with self-imposed punishment, unable to die."

Hura eyed the thick chains anew. Gapsu followed his gaze to his bound limbs, then smiled faintly.

"But now, it's fine."

Claaang—!!

The scraping of metal on stone echoed as chains ripped from the wall.

Dust and pebbles rained down.

"Thanks to you, Hura, I realized."

Claaang—!!

The other arm's chain tore free.

"…Realized what?"

Hura asked, stunned by the spectacle.

"Step back!"

The three who'd been eating blocked Hura, shouting. He waved them off reassuringly and asked again.

"What did you realize?"

Crunch—

Chains thick enough for an elephant shattered and fell.

"Your cooking is truly warm."

Gapsu smiled softly, ripping the leg chains.

Krunch—!

With that, all chains binding his sturdy limbs snapped. Finally free, Gapsu smiled at Hura.

"Your crab fried rice brought back memories of time with master. Precious recollections lost to the depths."

The moment he ate Hura's fried rice, Sulis's voice replayed in his mind. A voice so long faded it felt distant, yet achingly familiar.

'Gapsu.'

'Yes, master.'

'Tasty fried rice?'

'Master's cooking is always delicious.'

'Of course.'

'…….'

'Gapsu.'

'Yes, master.'

'What do you want to do?'

'…? What do you mean?'

'Just that. You know my time is short.'

'…….'

'You've only followed me until now. Is there something you want besides that?'

'…I only follow you, master.'

'…….'

Sigh— Sulis sighed.

'Death is a blessing.'

'…….'

'The most wondrous gift from the gods.'

'…….'

Sulis smiled silently at the speechless Gapsu.

'Someday, I'll set you free.'

'…Pardon?'

'My death will free you.'

Incomprehensible words. He hadn't wanted to understand. But now…

'Ahh— master.'

Tears welled unbidden, tracing his cheek.

'Your cooking… I miss it so today.'

Sulis's calm words hammered his foolish, unworthy heart. Guilt shattered the chains he'd wrapped himself in.

"I understand master's true intent now."

Gapsu gazed anew at the crystal-lit cave. A prison for millennia, now breathtakingly beautiful. Where else was there such a lovely jail?

"It's time to leave this cave."

Gapsu knelt on one knee before Hura, head bowed deeply.

"My deepest thanks. True successor of Sulis, second Demonic Chef."

Demonic Chef. A reverent title for the pinnacle chef. Overwhelmed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and unworthy, Hura stammered.

"Uh… I'm not a Demonic Chef yet?"

Still just a Dark Chef, Hura waved his hands frantically. Gapsu smiled gently.

"To me, you are."