A Blessed Life
"I didn't plan on finding this many mushrooms."
Dojin smiled awkwardly as he looked at the mushrooms he had harvested from the mountain.
He had gathered a basketful of each variety, but seeing them all piled together, the sheer volume was staggering.
The real problem was that the mountain was still overflowing with unpicked mushrooms.
"If anyone saw this, they'd think I was running a mushroom farm."
It was far too much for Dojin and his household to consume on their own.
"I should bring some to the staff cafeteria. It'll be easier to finish them if everyone eats together. I can give the leftovers to the staff's families and the villagers."
If he also sent some to the orphanage, the director, and his former factory, they would probably manage to eat them all before they spoiled.
Of course, he first had to verify whether the mushrooms he found on the mountain were actually edible.
Having organized his thoughts, Dojin began sorting through the mushrooms.
He planned to dry them to make tea. Even though he only picked out the smaller ones for this purpose, the smallest among them was still larger than two finger joints.
"Making tea out of mushrooms this big... How luxurious."
While mushroom tea was famous for its health benefits, no one dried mushrooms of this size just to make tea.
It took too much time, and it felt like a waste of such high-quality mushrooms.
In terms of time, cost, and efficiency, it was far better to just buy pre-processed tea products.
Dojin, of course, knew that what he was doing was highly inefficient.
But still...
"Who cares if it's a bit luxurious? I have so many anyway."
The smallest was the size of two fingers.
Since there were plenty of mushrooms larger than two palms put together, surely he could indulge in this little luxury.
After sorting out the mushrooms for the tea by variety, Dojin piled the remaining ones in one place.
Since they were light despite their volume, he planned to move them all at once.
"We'll be eating mushroom side dishes until we're sick of them."
Despite his words, Dojin's face was visibly bright with excitement.
He was genuinely looking forward to the mushroom dishes to come.
Even to someone like him who knew little about cooking, the quality of the mushrooms was exceptional.
If ingredients of this caliber fell into the hands of experts...
He couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of culinary masterpieces would be created.
"I'm definitely going to overeat tonight, haha."
It was just as Dojin was happily moving the mushrooms.
A couple of creatures came charging toward the spot he had just left.
Pitter-patter, pitter-patter!
"Meow!"
"Woof!"
It was Bo-ri, who had ventured out for a walk after a long time, and Ttorang-i, who had been playing in the schoolyard.
As if they had been waiting for Dojin to step away, they rushed over and began devouring the remaining mushrooms.
They were the exact mushrooms Dojin had set aside to make tea.
Nom, nom, nom.
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
"B-Bo-ri!"
"Ttorang-i, you troublemaker!"
Seung-wan and Do-hee, who had run over looking for the suddenly vanished animals, gasped in horror at the sight.
Ever since they had seen the massive pile of insect carcasses in the playroom, they couldn't help but tense up whenever they saw the animals eating something on their own.
Especially when they were chewing on something they hadn't been given.
"B-Bo-ri, stop!"
"What are you eating now, you glutton!"
Seung-wan lifted Bo-ri up, while Do-hee grabbed and pulled Ttorang-i's leash, which she had let slip.
But it wasn't easy.
Though Bo-ri and Ttorang-i usually listened to them obediently, they were resisting fiercely now, as if possessed.
"Ugh!"
"Kyaah!"
Bo-ri squirmed and slipped out of Seung-wan's hands, while Ttorang-i dragged Do-hee along instead.
As the two resumed their feast, Seung-wan and Do-hee's expressions grew increasingly grim.
It was the first time either animal had behaved this way since moving into the Three Meals House.
Naturally, their eyes drifted to what the animals were eating.
"Mushrooms?"
"Why are these here?"
Fortunately, it wasn't as horrifying as they had feared.
However, they couldn't breathe a sigh of relief just yet.
Neither of them had ever seen a dog or a cat eat mushrooms, so they weren't sure if it was safe to let them continue.
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind them.
"Huh? What are you two doing here? More importantly... what are they eating?"
Freeze!
Stop!
The moment they heard Dojin's voice, Bo-ri and Ttorang-i, who had been devouring the mushrooms like starved beasts, froze instantly.
It was a sudden shift, as if they had been hit by a stun gun.
But that only lasted a moment.
As Dojin continued speaking, their heads began to shrink back into their shoulders.
"W-what? Did you guys seriously eat the mushrooms I left here?"
"Me...ow..."
"Whine..."
Knowing they were in trouble, they looked up at Dojin, trying to look as pitiful as possible.
Seung-wan and Do-hee found the display absurd, but that wasn't the priority right now.
They immediately asked the most pressing question.
"Oppa, what are these mushrooms? You brought them, right?"
"What kind of mushrooms are they? I recognize the shiitake, but I don't know the others. They aren't poisonous, are they?"
There are foods that are dangerous for animals to consume.
Chocolate and dairy products were well-known hazards, but there were plenty of other lesser-known things that could be life-threatening.
Since both of them were always on guard about such things while raising the pets, their faces were more serious than ever.
They hadn't heard of mushrooms being dangerous to dogs or cats, but there was no guarantee they were safe either.
Overwhelmed by their intense gaze, Dojin recited the names of the mushrooms he had looked up earlier.
"Uh... I think they're hen-of-the-woods, lion's mane, and meshima mushrooms?"
"You think? What does that mean? Didn't you buy them, Oppa?"
"..."
Do-hee cried out in surprise at Dojin's uncertain answer.
Meanwhile, Seung-wan was already taking photos of the mushrooms with her phone.
Just like Dojin had done, she was trying to identify the mushrooms using image search.
"I don't know for sure either. I went up the mountain to pick mushrooms, and I found a colony of these growing next to the cultivated ones. I did a preliminary image search, but I was planning to go down to the town later to double-check."
It took about a thirty-minute drive from the Three Meals House to reach the downtown area.
There was a large oriental medicine clinic and a herbalist shop there, which was where he had planned to take the mushrooms.
But before he could verify them, the two animals had eaten them.
"This won't do. Let's go to the clinic first. You two, please get Bo-ri and Ttorang-i ready to go out."
"What about you, Oppa?"
"I need to pack those up to get them identified. The vet will need to know exactly what they ate to run the proper tests."
"Ah, got it!"
"I'll bring Samsaek-i and the others too. It's time for their regular checkup anyway, and Bo-ri might get anxious if we only take her."
"Okay."
With that, the three of them split up.
Do-hee and Seung-wan got Ttorang-i and the cats ready, while Dojin gathered the leftover mushrooms they had chewed on and brought the car around.
It would have been too difficult for the two women to carry all the carriers to the parking lot by themselves.
"Yes. Hen-of-the-woods, lion's mane, and meshima—they are indeed all correct. Where on earth did you harvest these? They are all in excellent condition."
"Whew..."
The mushrooms Dojin had brought from the mountain were exactly what the image search had indicated.
Only then could the group, who had been worried they might be look-alike poisonous mushrooms, breathe a sigh of relief.
However, it wasn't time to relax completely just yet.
Just because they were edible for humans didn't guarantee they were safe for pets.
"They'll be fine."
"..."
At the Good Doctor Veterinary Clinic director's words, the group's expressions turned peculiar.
His expression was far too calm.
When Dojin and the others—who were now regulars—first walked into the clinic, the director had been quite tense himself.
This was because the group carrying the pet carriers had looked incredibly grave.
But as he listened to the explanation, he gradually calmed down, eventually becoming completely serene.
In fact, he looked almost a bit indifferent.
"...Is it really okay? I've never heard of a dog or a cat eating raw mushrooms before," Seung-wan asked, gently stroking Bo-ri.
She cared for all the cats, but she was particularly attentive to Bo-ri.
It was because of the memories of rescuing her from the playground.
Actually, it wasn't just Seung-wan.
Seeing Bo-ri care for her kittens even when she herself was on the verge of death had turned many viewers of their videos into fans of the cat.
Perhaps sensing Seung-wan's affection, Bo-ri followed her the most, second only to Dojin.
"Meow."
"Well, while feeding them raw isn't very common, giving mushrooms to pets is actually quite normal. Especially for dogs and cats."
The director smiled as he watched Bo-ri enjoying the strokes on Seung-wan's lap.
When he had first seen Bo-ri, he had worried about many things.
Her condition had been critical, but above all, he had been concerned about what would happen to her after treatment.
But now, those worries were a thing of the past.
It was obvious at a glance how attached Bo-ri was to Dojin and the others.
It was hard to believe she had once been a stray.
"Many pet foods on the market these days actually contain mushrooms. Depending on the variety, they can be highly beneficial for them."
The director pointed to the mushrooms Dojin had brought out.
"You said Ttorang-i ate the lion's mane and meshima mushrooms, right?"
"Yes."
"Lion's mane is excellent for older dogs. It aids in cell activation, boosts immunity, slows down aging, and reduces inflammation. Ttorang-i is still young, but since she suffered a major injury in the past, it will be especially helpful for her."
Shifting his finger to the hen-of-the-woods, he continued his explanation.
"Hen-of-the-woods is actually widely used as a health supplement for pets these days. It's outstanding for boosting immunity and reducing inflammation. On top of that, it has antibacterial, diuretic, and liver-supporting properties, and it helps with anemia and has a calming effect. It's the perfect food for a mother cat like Bo-ri."
"..."
"Meshima mushrooms are great for the digestive system and excellent for detoxification, which is probably why they ate them together. After all, eating them raw must still be a bit heavy on their stomachs."
"Does that mean..."
Dojin managed to speak after listening to the director's explanation.
His face had grown quite complex, showing a mixture of absurdity and bewilderment.
The problem was, he wasn't the only one with that expression.
Do-hee and Seung-wan's faces were just as complicated as Dojin's.
Finding their reactions amusing, the director twitched his lips to hold back a laugh before wrapping up.
"It means they sought out and ate exactly what they needed. At this rate, these guys could practically be doctors. They're doing everything from self-diagnosis to self-prescribing their own medicine."
"..."
At the director's words, the group's gaze shifted back to Bo-ri and Ttorang-i.
"Meow?"
"Woof?"
Feeling the sudden weight of everyone's eyes on them, Bo-ri and Ttorang-i looked back and forth between the three humans, acting cautious.
"Actually, this works out well. I was debating whether to prescribe them medicine since their conditions seemed to be improving."
"Medicine?"
Dojin asked, puzzled by the director's words.
Why would he be hesitant to prescribe medicine if they were getting better?
Sensing Dojin's confusion, the director gave a bitter smile.
"Unlike human medicine, pet medications aren't very diverse. The types and dosages are mostly standardized. While there are medications where we can adjust the dosage ourselves, unfortunately, we don't carry many of those at our clinic."
"..."
Dojin nodded in understanding.
Although it was decent in size, the Good Doctor Veterinary Clinic was not a major animal hospital.
On top of that, it was located in the countryside.
Naturally, there was a gap in scale and facilities compared to large urban hospitals.
Although Dojin and his companions had been visiting frequently lately, before that, the clinic often saw fewer than one or two patients a day.
"Up until now, we've been cutting up standard pills to use, but that doesn't suit Ttorang-i and Bo-ri very well. While it treats inflammation and bacteria, the high antibiotic content can drain their immunity and physical strength."
Having said that, the director began tapping away on his keyboard.
He was writing up a new prescription.
After finishing the prescription in no time, the director took a bag of pet food from the shelf.
"This is a therapeutic supplement. Add it to their regular food. Normally, we would still have to prescribe medicine alongside this, but in your case, you don't really need to."
"Are we replacing the medicine with the mushrooms?"
When Dojin caught his drift and asked, the director smiled.
"Calling it a replacement for medicine might be a bit much; it's more accurate to say we're adding necessary nutritional food. Mix this supplement into Ttorang-i and Bo-ri's food, and add the mushrooms they were eating. Oh, but don't feed them raw. Blanch them first, then chop them up finely."
With those words, Ttorang-i and Bo-ri's new prescription was decided.
And so, the mushrooms from Dojin's mountain found their way onto the pets' dining table long before they ever reached a human's.