The Juttak Bestows Hangover Ramen and Kimchi (1)
Her vision was gradually fading. Her mind drifted further and further away.
"Hngh…."
Her name was Cecilia. The one and only saintess of the Holy Kingdom. The being who had ended a long war, saving the starving, the countless refugees, and those suffering from festering wounds. The world called her a goddess sent from the heavens. They even shouted to place her among the five great saints of the Typan Unified Continent.
—Goddess! Please take this flower!
—I made it all day just for you, Goddess! Hehe.
A child proudly offering a flower crown woven by hand.
—Thanks to you, Saintess, my son survived. It's not much, but this is bread we baked at home. Please enjoy it. Haha.
—Just that? You should've packed it fuller so the bishops could eat too.
—Aigoo, look at me. The bishops must be hungry too.
A baker couple handing over freshly baked, golden loaves in gratitude for healing their son.
—Thanks to your care, I was able to become a teacher. I will pass this grace on to my students for the rest of my life. Thank you, Saintess.
A young man who had become a scholar at an academy, funded by the Holy Kingdom's scholarships.
Everyone sought to repay her kindness in their own small ways. Cecilia took pride in those good deeds. Her actions reached out to help others, and that help rippled on to the next person. Wasn't that profoundly meaningful?
And so, on the night of the eve festival.
The streets were filled with crimson lanterns and throngs of smiling people.
—Your Holiness, why are you smiling like that? What's so amusing?
From atop the clock tower, she gazed down at the festive commoners and let out a soft chuckle.
—Bishop Melson, isn't it amazing? People who were barely clinging to life now look forward to tomorrow.
Bishop Melson stood beside her, sharing the view. A faint smile crept onto his lips.
—Indeed. The running children, the loving couples strolling hand in hand—they all look so joyful. It's all thanks to Your Holiness.
Cecilia shook her head with a smile.
—No such thing. I've received so much grace from everyone. Isn't it thanks to all of you?
—Haha, perhaps so.
—In that spirit! I think I'll go enjoy the festival a bit….
She started to head down naturally, but her shoulder was immediately grabbed.
—B-Bishop Melson…?
—You know that's not allowed. Let's head back. Everyone's waiting.
—Just a tiny bit…?
—No.
—How heartless….
But those words of hers now rang utterly hollow and miserable.
Crunch—
Crack—
—Hahk! Hahk…!
In the dark mountains thick with underbrush. She and Bishop Melson were being hunted by countless soldiers bearing torches.
Her divine power, the saintess's authority, had vanished. The Holy Kingdom no longer needed her.
The reason was simple. God had abandoned them all—corrupt to the core.
She was no longer a saintess, just a symbolic tool to maintain power. To the rotten elite, she had become an unnecessary enemy, a discarded instrument.
—Chase them!! They must be wounded—they can't have gone far!! Kill the man with her!! But capture the saintess alive!!
Bishop Melson had a deep arrow wound in his left side. His breaths came in ragged gasps; even moving seemed a struggle.
—B-Bishop Melson…! Just hold on a little longer! We're almost there…!
He had broken through the encirclement to protect her to the end. But sensing their doom, he halted.
—Hoo…. Your Holiness, go on ahead.
—B-But…!
Melson painfully pushed her forward.
—Urk… You must go. And take this….
What he handed her was none other than a square box with a red button.
—A treasure passed down through generations in the Holy Kingdom. I don't know what it does, but if you press this button… cough, cough… you'll surely survive…. Your Holiness, please….
Back to the present. Her drifting mind slowly began to clear.
"……."
The last words, cut off. Bishop Melson had smiled through bloodied teeth and said something at the end. But millions of years had passed since then, and she'd forgotten.
She'd hoped alcohol might jog the memory. But the important parts wouldn't come, only the painful ones.
She bit her lip hard and clenched her fists.
"Hoo… Hoo…."
As the nausea and dizziness dragged on, a message appeared in the air.
The administrator has sent trade items.
"……?"
Her eyes widened at the items before her. Steaming red broth in a bowl, with long noodles that looked made from flour.
"Th-This is…."
Beside it, in a small dish, red-sauced vegetables slathered thickly. The scent was tangy and sweet.
Gulp.
Just looking made her mouth water. Her jaw tingled like it was electrified. Her stomach growled louder, the nausea worsening.
Slide.
With trembling hands, she unfolded the accompanying note.
From left: ramen and kimchi. Figured your stomach's probably killing you right now, so here's some. Tastes great together. (...)
The note explained how to eat it, the order, and even asked after her hangover. Her message must have gotten through.
"Hoo… F-First, the broth…."
Her lips twitched spasmodically. With shaking hands, she lifted the bowl to her mouth.
Slurp—
Hot broth flowed down her throat. The warmth spread deep inside, the spicy kick easing her raw stomach.
She slurped for a while, then thunk! set the bowl down.
"Ahhh…! So good…. Hep!"
A guttural groan escaped unbidden. Flushing, she frantically looked around.
"Phew… N-No one heard. G-Good…."
Realizing she was alone, she sighed in relief.
She eyed the ramen and kimchi again, recalling the note and picking up the chopsticks.
"Sh-Should try the noodles first…?"
She carefully lifted some with chopsticks. Dripping red broth, the chewy strands glistened.
Sniff.
Just the sight made her swallow hard. She slowly drew the noodles to her mouth and slurped.
Slurrrp—!
"……!!!"
An accidental faceful of noodles. But that wasn't the issue.
Chewy texture soaked in spicy, umami broth. Swallowing with more broth, she felt her stomach settling.
A taste you didn't want to swallow, wanting to savor it forever.
"F-Food like this… I've never had in my life…. How can something this good exist…? The cola too—it defies belief."
It made her devour noodles and broth uncontrollably. What was the Juttak's true nature? A divine being, as most gallery users claimed?
"…Oh right. Brother Juttak said to eat this kimchi too."
Even just noodles were this good—what about kimchi? Her expectations soared.
Slide.
She piled kimchi atop noodles, grabbed a big bite with chopsticks, and ate.
Slurp— Crunch—
The moment they hit her tongue together, her eyes widened again. She was too shocked to speak for a bit.
"Th-This is too delicious…!! What are these veggies to have such depth…!!"
She polished off the entire bowl of ramen. Even she was startled by her gluttony.
"Come to think of it, others drank too…."
Several gallery users had received ramen and kimchi.
This ramen stuff is insanely good, eyong!!!!!
(Photo of steaming ramen topped with kimchi.jpg)
So delicious, eyong!! Especially with this kimchi—pure heaven, eyong! My hands won't stop, eyooong! Oh, and yesterday's booze was nothing, zero hangover, but Juttak begged so I ate it, eyong. No misunderstandings, please. Conclusion: Juttak isn't some jokgan—he's a god, eyong!
This food from Juttak is truly delicious.
(Photo of Cheonma sticking out her tongue, fanning her mouth from the spice.jpg)
Even this one couldn't stop eating—it's that good, and it clears the stomach right up. But just a tiny bit, really tiny bit spicy. Especially the kimchi's crunch and unique umami—exquisite. Perfectly to this one's taste. Juttak, this precious food you've given—this one will finish every bite.
Everyone was united in praising the ramen and kimchi.
Cecilia smiled warmly.
"Everyone's so kind."
Not just the food. It made everyone happy, sharing the joy. The old dark days felt gone.
All thanks to one person's good deed—the Juttak.
—Don't forget.
She flinched. A memory she'd forgotten resurfaced.
—You're a saintess not because of your divine power, but because of that warm heart for others. So survive, no matter what. That's all. Haha….
"……."
A memory alcohol couldn't bring back, but ramen and kimchi did. Other long-forgotten faces and bonds flooded in vividly.
Being here, she'd forgotten so much.
Tears streamed down Cecilia's cheeks unbidden, a gentle smile on her face.
"…Thank you, Brother Juttak. It was a truly heartwarming meal for me too. I will… definitely repay this grace."