Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Chapter 2. I Bought Sundae Soup, But Why Can’t I Eat It
When I opened my eyes again, the first thing that came into view was a slightly yellowed ceiling.
A faint musty smell, a dim and flickering old fluorescent light, a simple wardrobe, and a single-sized bed. It was a shabby, pitiful room that smelled like a bachelor’s den, but to me right now, this place was nothing short of heaven.
No, compared to Achaia, it was heaven.
“U, wow...”
My chest swelled with emotion.
There weren’t any sharp stones on the floor, no dust floating around in the air. There weren’t any disgusting sticky lumps of who-knows-what, rotted mud or some decayed residue.
A flat floor, a blanket and pillow, a ceiling to keep out the rain, and walls to block the wind... So this is what having a house feels like.
“I’m back!”
I shot up from the bed and threw both arms up like I’d just won a war.
Then, like someone suffering from the midsummer heat who just found a cool mountain stream, I dove headfirst into the bed.
“Ugh...”
The sensation of my body bouncing on a springy mattress, the soft touch of the microfiber blanket wrapping around me, it all brought tears to my eyes without me realizing it.
“I made it! Damn it, I’m back!”
After a few minutes of basking in the cloud-like softness of the bedding...
“Food!”
The tears dried in my eyes, and saliva began to fill my mouth…
Ah, wait, the other way around.
The tears dried in my eyes, and saliva started to flow from my mouth.
“Sniff...”
Wiping away the tears and drool at the same time, I sprang up like a coiled spring.
And then, as if possessed, I flung open the refrigerator.
“Co, Cola, there’s Cola...”
The carbonated drink of my dreams. And it was even cold.
“Sob...”
Why was I crying over something like this?
Tears welled up again in my eyes, “Heh, hehehehe...”
And uncontrollable laughter spilled from my lips like a madman’s.
The moment that black liquid touched my tongue, it was like a bolt of lightning struck my brain.
“Ah, ahhh...”
Even when I got struck by lightning in another world, it wasn’t this exhilarating!
That familiar, tingly carbonated sensation spread through my entire body.
After 200 years, tasting that miraculous flavor again, it was like catching a glimpse of the staircase to heaven.
“Haa...”
I let out a long sigh and downed the entire can in one go.
The moment the soda hit my stomach, my appetite exploded like oil splattering in a hot pan.
I grabbed the Spam from the fridge and bit into it without even cutting it.
“Ah, Aaaaah...!”
So this is what bliss feels like!
That salty, greasy taste!
Once the fire of hunger was lit, there was no stopping me.
Three packs of ramen, one instant rice, one can of tuna, one block of Spam, a pack of stir-fried kimchi, five hot bars, and three cans of soda.
That was the battlefield that remained after my fierce eating spree.
“Ugh...”
Maybe it was the sudden overeating, but my stomach felt like it was about to revolt and send everything back up.
“N-no, no way!”
I instinctively covered my mouth.
To waste this sacred food by bringing it back up—never.
I’d rather die than spit it out.
That’s when it happened.
『Satiety has exceeded 100.』
The result of my 200-year-long struggle was right before my eyes.
‘Alright, let’s begin, shall we?’
There are still so many foods in this world waiting for me.
My new plan was simple: eat until my bank account was empty. Until there wasn’t a single won left, I would never stop!
“Trait, open crafting list.”
『Blacksmith (Lv1)』
『Skill level too low for independent crafting.』
『Current usable abilities』
『Form Alteration: Can change the shape of a target within a limited range.』
『Trait Enhancement: Can enhance the traits or material of a target.』
I couldn’t craft anything yet because of my low skill level, but...
‘That’s actually perfect.’
Eat until I’m about to throw up, use my skill to level up, then eat again until I’m about to throw up, a dream of perpetual motion right before my eyes.
‘Let’s make something.’
Excited, I grabbed a kitchen knife from beside the sink.
『Activating ability.』
『The kitchen knife becomes sturdier.』
『Satiety decreases by 30.』
As my satiety dropped, my stomach, which had felt like it was going to burst, instantly calmed down.
The side effect of this ability was also incredible.
‘It’s like a natural digestive aid.’
No more indigestion for the rest of my life.
I could eat endlessly without worry.
After finishing the enhancement, I took another kitchen knife and slammed the two blades together.
Clang!
Comparing the two knives afterward...
“Yes!”
The enhanced knife didn’t have a single scratch, while the regular one chipped instantly.
‘If I buy a few cheap knives from Daiso and enhance them, I could sell them like crazy!’
Perfect. This was like a magic cup noodle that turns into pork belly when you add hot water!
If I just keep eating and raising my skill level, I could become a ‘Gourmet Alchemist’ who defies the laws of equivalent exchange!
You think I’m exaggerating?
Sure, right now I can only enhance objects, but crafting skills gain all sorts of features as they level up.
I could eventually make tools twice as light yet twice as durable as regular ones, and ultimately, I’d be able to create dream materials as light and thin as aluminum cans but unbreakable even under a sledgehammer, all by eating a few pieces of meat!
“Hahahaha!”
Overwhelmed by excitement, I started pulling out every pair of scissors and tool in sight to enhance them all.
After using my ability for a while, a rumble echoed from my stomach.
‘Ugh, no energy left.’
Once my satiety hit 0, it felt like my whole body went limp, as if I hadn’t eaten in days.
『Satiety has reached 0.』
『Entering hunger state.』
『All abilities drastically weakened during hunger state.』
『If hunger reaches 100, death will occur.』
Reading the message in the status window, I started laughing like a lunatic again.
This was Earth. There’s no shortage of food here. This wasn’t a weakness, it was a blessing.
I grabbed my wallet and phone, threw on whatever clothes were nearby, slipped my feet into mismatched slippers, and rushed out the door.
* * *
Everything was ready.
‘Gukbap!’
Satiety: 0. My entire body under the domination of extreme hunger.
Right now, my tongue could taste every grain of salt perfectly.
It was the ideal state. But then, an unexpected problem appeared.
‘Which way was the gukbap restaurant again?’
It seemed I’d forgotten the neighborhood’s layout after 200 years.
Still, I started walking. Like someone revisiting their childhood home after a lifetime away.
Watching people pass by filled me with a strange sense of relief. There were no zombies rushing at me, no monsters devouring humans, no crazed infected tearing through the streets.
‘Peace is such a wonderful thing.’
Enjoying the peace of this world’s scenery, I walked for about ten minutes... until finally, I found the sanctuary from my faded memories.
Bathed in the clear early-winter sunlight, the rising steam looked like cotton clouds, and the savory aroma riding the cold breeze made me sigh in awe.
“Ah, ahhh...”
Forcing my trembling, starving legs to move, I stumbled into the restaurant. And looking straight into the owner lady’s eyes, I spoke the line I’d been waiting centuries to say.
“Auntie! Sundae with head meat, small set, and...”
“The soup, special with lots of intestines, right?”
The lady chuckled softly and finished the sentence for me. Even after 200 years, she remembered my usual order. That alone was enough to make me feel blessed.
“But··· did something happen?”
Then she asked me in a familiar, motherly tone.
“Huh?”
“I mean, your hair looks like a bird’s nest... your slippers don’t match... and your face looks kinda out of it.”
When I glanced down, I realized my slippers were indeed two different colors.
“Ah...”
And looking in the mirror, my hair was sticking up like a wild bird’s nest.
A flood of embarrassment rushed over me, making my face flush bright red.
“Good grief, at least fix your hair a bit. I’ll bring your food out in a moment.”
She smiled and went back into the kitchen. But soon enough, all that embarrassment melted away like it never existed.
“Ah...”
The savory scent of sundae, the greasy aroma of head meat, the spicy tang of the dipping sauce, and the sharp, pungent smell of the radish kimchi filled the air, making my head spin.
After a hundred years, breathing in the smell of real food again brought tears to my eyes. My nose stung, and my vision blurred.
“Here you go, your food’s ready.”
While I was lost in emotion, the lady returned from the kitchen carrying a tray.
‘I-I’m going to lose my mind.’
Then she placed before me a steaming bowl of gukbap, along with sundae and head meat.
“Thank you for the meal!”
With tears brimming in my eyes, I gave a powerful, heartfelt bow. The lady tilted her head, puzzled.
I opened the rice lid like a starving man who hadn’t eaten in days and picked up my spoon.
My trembling hand stirred in the sauce, added the head meat, sundae, and leeks into the soup bowl.
Then, with clumsy hands, I picked up some sundae and head meat and placed them over my rice bowl.
My hands were shaking too much from excitement and joy to even pick up the kimchi properly.
Finally, the perfect bite, sundae, head meat, radish kimchi, and a touch of seasoned squid, entered my mouth...
“Haa...”
A deep sigh escaped along with a moan of satisfaction.
The distinctive flavor of sundae, the rich fattiness of the head meat, the spicy yet savory broth… All the pain and suffering of the past 200 years vanished in that single mouthful.
My hands trembled so much in awe that I could hardly pick up another piece of meat.
“Sob...”
Wiping away my tears, I reached shakily with my chopsticks for the second bite of meat…
Crash!
A loud breaking sound echoed from one corner of the peaceful restaurant. But I didn’t care. I ignored it and took my second spoonful.
“Mmm...”
Whether it was a drunken man arguing after work, or someone starting a fistfight, whatever it was, it had nothing to do with me.
Right now, in this sacred space, there was only me and my bowl of gukbap.
No one could disturb this holy meal.
That’s when it happened.
“Kyyaaaaahhh!”
A piercing scream ripped through the air and reached my ears.
Unlike before, this one was impossible to ignore.