Crispy Outside, Soft Inside
A tiny sprout of the Seondo peeking out.
I examined it closely.
Maybe because it had just sprouted.
Still only Lv1.
But one thing was certain—this was definitely a Seondo.
It had pierced through the insanely low cultivation success rate.
Our Popo had done it!
"Popo really does such a great job!"
"Popo!"
A cry of joy burst out naturally.
As I stroked Popo's head, it hopped around with its signature ∩_∩ grin.
It glanced at the Seondo sprout.
Then at me.
And spun in circles on the spot.
As if saying, Did I do good? Praise me!
"Aigoo, yeah. Our Popo is the best!"
"Popo!"
I hugged Popo tight and patted it affectionately.
Please keep up the good work from now on, Popo!
Kkyu-ung! Me too, me too!
Were we looking too affectionate?
Dania suddenly started sulking.
"Yeah, our Dania is the best too!"
"Popo!"
I hugged Dania from the front.
And from behind, Popo hugged Dania.
Kkyuuung! Hehe. Feels good!
Dania's face bloomed into a big smile too.
The lair overflowed with happiness and laughter.
We stayed like that for a moment, sharing each other's warmth.
Grrrooowl!
Then, a loud rumble came from my stomach.
"Popo!"
Kkyu-ung! Seojun, tummy grumble? Dania tummy grumble too. Feed me!
Ah, right.
We were about to eat originally.
Everyone must be hungry.
Dania's tail had definitely gotten a bit bigger.
And Popo seemed to have a huge appetite anyway.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen it say it's full yet.
"Popo!"
As I moved to make Taeumyangjeong, Popo approached with a +_+ expression.
It glanced at the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Then at me.
"Popo!"
Hopping with a grin.
"You want potatoes and sweet potatoes?"
"Popo!"
Yeah, Popo hadn't properly tasted them yet.
Then...
Should I try a simple dish using the recipe from Neighborhood Gourmet?
"Wait just a sec."
"Popo!"
I left Popo and Dania behind and moved to an empty space.
Then logged straight into the Superhuman Net.
I searched for what I needed.
Oven search.
An oven usable in dungeons.
Not cheap at all.
What kind of B-rank oven costs 100,000 coins?
That's 1 billion won.
But there's a good reason.
It's dwarf-made.
Humans can't make ovens usable in dungeons yet.
In this reality, only dwarves from the Abyss Tower can craft them.
And meeting dwarves isn't easy.
They're generally hostile to humans.
So dwarf-made items are sky-high priced.
Especially ovens, which require custom orders, making them even pricier than usual items.
But people still buy them.
Where there's demand, there's supply.
Mostly rich superhumans from wealthy families.
They buy them.
Why?
When delving into dungeons or climbing towers, you sometimes camp for days.
For a warm meal then, ovens are in demand.
Coins are plenty anyway.
Purchased <[B] Mana Oven>.
Purchased <[A] Sunset Dagger>.
Purchased <[A] Dungeon Salt>.
Mana Oven: 100,000 coins.
Sunset Dagger: 150,000 coins.
Dungeon Salt: 1,000 coins.
Why the Sunset Dagger?
To slice potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Someone might say, using a top-tier dagger for levels below 30 to cook?
But Neighborhood Gourmet said it's secretly great for cooking.
Because of its Mana Purification option, apparently.
Anyway, if the master chef recommends it, I follow.
I started slicing potatoes right away.
Diced style.
Slice, slice!
Cuts perfectly.
Next, seasoning!
Sprinkle, sprinkle!
I dusted on the freshly bought dungeon salt and straight into the oven.
How does it work without electricity?
No worries. It runs on manastones.
I'd installed the ones I bought in advance, so at least 100 hours of use no problem.
Vroooom!
The mana oven hummed to life, spreading a delicious aroma.
"Popo!"
Kkyuuung! Yummy smell!
The kids reacted instantly.
So cute, like baby birds waiting for food.
Then let's prep sweet potatoes too.
Today's menu: oven-roasted potatoes and sweet potato fries.
Sliced the sweet potatoes thin and prepped them for the oven too.
Some might ask, is this even cooking? Learned from a Michelin 3-star and that's it?
That's knowing one thing and not the other.
Why?
Even this simple dish has Neighborhood Gourmet's finely tuned recipe.
Slicing method, salt sprinkling, exact timing and temp for baking.
Those tiny optimized differences make the unique flavor.
Plus, my potatoes and sweet potatoes aren't ordinary dungeon ones.
Way tastier.
Pssshhh!
After a short wait, done.
Golden oven-roasted potatoes and sweet potato fries.
Kuh. The smell is heavenly.
How's the taste?
First, a bite of potato.
Crunch.
"...!"
Crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside.
Salted just right, salty with the potato's natural sweetness in harmony.
Slightly crispy surface yet moist texture, nutty flavor filling the mouth with every chew.
"Kya."
Rich potato savoriness flooding my mouth.
This is it!
"Popo!"
Kkyuuung! Me too, me too!
Seeing me eat, Popo and Dania clamored.
First, whole potato to Popo.
"Popo-!!"
It burst into cheers after one gulp.
Eyes sparkling ☆_☆.
Now Dania.
Can't eat solid, sadly.
Mashed and mixed into mana potion, glug glug glug.
Poured over her egg.
Kkyuuuung. Tasty. Happy!!
Dania let out a happy cry too.
Good.
Everyone loves it!
Next, sweet potato.
Munch!
A big bite.
"...!"
Sweet potato too—crispy outside, soft inside.
Especially baked, caramelized sweetness deepens, bursting rich natural sweetness with each chew.
Kya!
Dopamine charging taste!
Yes, this is it!
Slightly crunchy outside, but super soft and moist inside with chewy texture.
The thick sweetness and crunch harmony felt like dessert satisfaction.
Kuhuhu. Enlightenment.
The spiritual herbs and elixirs I always ate.
Tasty, filling, but never quite satisfied the mental hunger.
But these oven potatoes and fries filled that void instantly.
Probably closer to worldly flavors.
"Popo!"
Seeing me tremble in rapture, Popo whined for some beside me.
One bite for it.
"Po-Popo!!"
Spinning in delight.
Popo prefers sweet potatoes?
Kkyu-ung! Me too, me too!
Mixed into mana potion for whining Dania, glug glug!
Kkyuuyuum. So tasty! Sweet potato tasty!
Dania cried out in happiness again.
This is happiness.
Only regret?
If I could get cream and cheese.
Could make even tastier dishes.
Cheese potato & sweet potato gratin, potato cream soup, mashed potato & sweet potato, cheese potato casserole, sweet potato cream soup, sweet potato cheese muffins, etc.
Wanna eat.
Too bad, no dungeon versions of cream or cheese.
Unavailable in dungeons.
So add to bucket list for when I leave the lair.
Hmm.
I smacked my lips at the remaining oven potatoes and fries.
Wanna eat more.
But hold back for leveling.
Heavenly taste, but sadly no level up.
Over Lv20, potatoes and sweet potatoes won't cut it anymore.
But fine.
I have Taeumyangjeong and Cheonji Hoesaeng Soup.
And Seondo seems to grow soon.
While we ate, it grew another finger joint taller.
Tomorrow morning, fully grown?
Growing like bamboo shoots.
Thanks to my Spiritual Medicine Master trait skill, but mostly Popo tilling the soil well?
"Popo!"
"Yeah, yeah. Eat more, our Popo."
As Popo begged for more, I gave it all the rest.
"Popo!"
Nom!
"Popo-!"
Nom nom.
"Popo!"
Nom!
Eats so well.
Prepped potatoes and fries gone in a flash.
Insane appetite.
Eats great too, Popo!
Now, meal done—time to brew Taeumyangjeong and prep level up.
—I thought, when.
"Popo! Popo!"
"Huh?"
Popo hopped, pointing at remaining potato and sweet potato fields.
"More?"
"Popo!"
"...How much more do you need to eat?"
"Popo! Popo!"
Popo hopped to the halfway point of the remaining potatoes and sweet potatoes.
Total remaining: 100.
Meaning.
"50 more?"
"Popo!"
Popo made a >_< shy face and fidgeted.
"Haha."
Popo, you're a big eater.
Fine.
Our hardworking Popo.
Eat your fill.
Gotta plant potatoes and sweet potatoes harder from now on.
Calculate daily for Popo's meals.
Lucky crops and herbs grow in a day, so no shortage.
"Pull and eat as many as you want."
"Popo!"
I chuckled at the thrilled Popo.
Good it likes them, almost deprived it.
"Alright then."
Now really time for Taeumyangjeong.
Straight to the Mixing Furnace, tossed in Gongcheong Oil and Baekyang Herb, started fusion.
Vrooooom!
Congratulations. <Gongcheong Oil> and <Baekyang Herb> have successfully fused.
Taeumyangjeong, Lv99
Grand success again!
Downed a gulp without delay.
Gulp, gulp!
Cool and warm sensation spread from my throat.
Mana capacity greatly increased.
Level up!
Level up!
Level jumped two stages at once.
Now at.
Lv25.
I moved my feather-light body to the first and second passages.
Alright, anything new unlocked this time!
Hong Seolhwa.
She was in high spirits right now.
Because she'd communicated, even briefly, with Madoje—her lifelong benefactor.
Madoje has no idea how grateful I am.
She who'd been consumed by the swamp of agony.
Her world dyed in darkness.
Madoje had given her new life.
So.
I want to meet in person and thank him.
Truly, thank you for letting me live anew.
Soon as schedule clears, send a private message.
Returning to the superhuman world in splendor as one of the Twelve Heavens.
Killer schedule from groups and people seeking her.
But.
She'd make time somehow to thank Madoje.
Wonder what he's like in person?
No idea of age or looks, but she felt oddly excited.
She began mentally composing the heartfelt message for Madoje, word by careful word.
That same time.
"Fuuuuh."
The frigid Forbidden Zone of the northern hemisphere.
A man with muscles honed to perfection sat cross-legged.
Deep in trance, circulating mana via training method.
"Fuuuuh."
With each exhale.
The air began freezing.
Crack, craaack.
Each breath from the man thickened the ice around him.
Until finally.
Craaaack!!
A massive ice mountain formed centered on the man.
That man's name was.
Alexei Volkov.
Guardian deity of the north, known as Taesan.
Thud!
Insufficient level for this passage.
"Second passage still no."
Aw. Thought Lv25 might open it.
Guess wait till Lv30.
Then...
Guardian Room left.
But a worry it might need Lv30 too.
Entered with expectations overshadowed by doubt.
"Oh!"
I saw it.
Among the massive stone slabs in the center.
One stone slab alone emitting bright light. The only one.