Yum!
Heungmi reached out and touched Verdin's body.
Or rather, she was confirming it.
She stuck her hand into his misty, fog-like form, then looked at Rune.
"Rune-nim. Your body is super transparent, and hands can pass right through it like this?"
Rune shook his head.
[That's not common. It's definitely not something you see every day.]
Heungmi let out an "Ooooh" upon hearing Rune's words, then repeatedly thrust her hand in and out of Verdin's foggy body a few more times.
"I see! That's so cool. Baekya, right?"
"Pii?"
Baekya looked up, blinking its eyes.
It stared at Verdin for a moment, then flapped its wings like it was hovering.
After circling around Verdin once, it flew straight to Rune.
"Pii!"
Letting out a sweet, song-like chirp, Baekya landed on top of Rune's smooth, glossy head.
Its gaze was fixed on Rune—and the food prepared on the tray.
"Kyuu."
[This guy's hungry. Guess we should head out.]
Hearing that, Heungmi raised one hand with an "Ah!"
"Right! We all agreed to gather at the table, so I came to tell you!"
She added apologetically that everyone must be hungry, and Rune grabbed the tray's handle.
[Everything's ready, so we just need to move it. A teleport spell will get us there in no time.]
Rune turned to Verdin.
"Kyuu."
[See you later.]
Verdin, the ghost infused into this place.
Leaving the kitchen might make him vanish.
Verdin, well aware of that, nodded.
-Understood. You're preparing lunch, yes?
At those words, Rune shared a sudden thought.
"Perdikion likes lemon flavor. Keep that in mind."
-Is that so? Whenever I asked, he always said everything was fine and ate heartily...
The ghost Verdin looked inwardly regretful at something he hadn't known in life.
Surprisingly, it was Heungmi who spoke up.
"It really was fine for him."
She giggled "Hee-hee" and continued.
"Heungmi actually likes strawberries the best. But anything Rune-nim makes for me feels so warm and delicious! Knowing it's made for Heungmi is so kind. That's why I like everything!"
Rune smirked inwardly and said.
"Kyuu."
[She says that's how it is. I feel the same way, of course.]
The ghost Verdin looked stunned for a moment, as if he hadn't expected that, then let out a hearty "Heh heh."
-To live until death without knowing such things. If only I'd learned sooner.
Verdin smiled, his eyes almost tearing up.
-Thank you both. I'll make lunch using lemons and strawberries—look forward to it.
"Kyuuu."
[We will.]
"Heungmi too!"
With farewells exchanged, Rune pulled the tray along, heading back to the dining area with Heungmi and Baekya.
At that moment, Baekya tilted its head curiously, glancing back and forth between Heungmi and Rune.
Heungmi said to it.
"You like butter-and-honey potato chips, right? But since you're a bird... you eat bugs too?"
Baekya shook its head and chirped.
"Peep!"
Anyone could tell it was a firm denial.
But Rune imagined it.
Baekya scratching the ground with its feet, then yanking out a wriggling earthworm with its beak and gobbling it down.
Not weird at all, surprisingly?
Far from weird, in Rune's imagination, Baekya was chewing the worm like dried squid legs—chewy and satisfying.
And it suited the little guy perfectly.
Well, its body was small, but that beak was incredibly strong—tough enough to rival a decent sword.
It could probably crunch through regular bugs or even monsters in one bite.
Rune recalled a proverb from his previous life.
The early bird gets the worm, after all.
But Baekya seemed to think differently.
"Peep! Peep! Piiiyaaak!"
The thoroughly annoyed bird stamped its slender feet and shook its plump, short head.
From Baekya's perspective, the joke probably sounded like "The early bird gets food it doesn't want."
Unable to resist a bit of mischief, Rune teased.
"Kyuuu."
[Anyway, aren't you a bird? By nature, it's gotta be possible, right?]
"PyaAAaak!"
Even its white fluff stood on end, so it was time to stop.
"Kyuu, kyuuu."
[Just kidding. No plans to feed you bugs, so relax.]
"Pii. Pirururu."
Only then did its ruffled white feathers settle, and it looked relieved—simple as ever.
"Kyuuu."
[Alright, let's move.]
"Yes! Grandpa Verdin, see you laaater!"
Right after Verdin bowed in farewell, the location shifted.
Rune, holding the food tray, turned toward the sensed presences.
Let's see. This way?)
Sure enough, Jed and Perdikion were seated together.
A continent map lay before them—they must have been discussing the task already.
Perdikion greeted first.
"Rune, you're here."
"Oh ho! Rune-nim, finally arrived?"
Rune took out his transformation golden bracelet, slipped it on, and greeted them.
"Sleep well?"
Rune sat naturally, and the food was set on the table.
Perdikion said.
"Let's talk over the meal."
Jed, Heungmi, and Baekya replied.
"Woo hoo! We'll partake gratefully!"
"Thanks for the food!"
"Peep!"
Clink.
The sound of utensils clinking rang out naturally.
Rustic bread, french fries, sausages.
Perdikion took a sauced fry first and said.
"Familiar, yet masterfully done. Second time, but still oddly intriguing."
"Got some help, actually."
Perdikion's eyes widened at that.
"Help from whom?"
"Verdin."
Pause.
Perdikion, not expecting that name, froze with his fork mid-air.
But soon, he finished cutting his steak and brought it to his mouth.
"Verdin—the one I know?"
"Yeah. That's him."
Perdikion furrowed his brow and set his fork down on the plate.
"...Rune, even as a joke, you shouldn't say that. He's been dead a long time."
"Hard to believe, but it's true."
Heungmi, cheeks puffed with food, chimed in.
"It's real! Heungmi just saw him! *Cough cough*!"
Thanks for backing me up, but she'd choked rushing her sausage bread.
Rune poured water into a cup and handed it over.
"Here. Drink this and eat."
Heungmi took the cup and thanked him first, even then.
"Ow! Ow! *Cough*. Th-thank you, Rune-nim...."
"Water first. Little sips, no choking."
Rushing water chokes you too.
Following Rune's advice, Heungmi sipped like a bird and sighed in relief.
"All good now!"
"Glad to hear it."
With the crisis past, Jed asked.
"Wait, how did Verdin-nim come back? He's not like Dullahan, and never became an ego weapon like me."
Rune took the empty cup from Heungmi and answered.
"Strictly speaking, not the real Verdin. He's a 'ghost.'"
Rune explained Verdin's nature.
"It's a residual image formed from the energy and lingering wishes Verdin left behind in the kitchen corners when he was alive."
Only after the full explanation did everyone understand the ghost Verdin.
Perdikion still looked skeptical.
"Fascinating. What principle allows that?"
Can't say it's because of a Word of Power.
Rune offered a fitting excuse instead.
"Don't know the details myself... but he mostly used the knives and tools he handled in life."
Rune's gaze turned to Jed, who was stuffing meat pie and spaghetti into his mouth.
"Different case, but maybe like you, Jed? Soul infused through cooking with knives, rolling pins, cutting boards, that sort of thing."
"? *Cough cough*!"
Suddenly called out, Jed choked on his big bite.
But he swallowed forcefully and burst with curiosity.
"Ohooo! If true, I must meet him myself!"
Rune glanced at the baffled Perdikion and added.
"Do that. But first, let's talk about your task, brother. That's more urgent, right?"
Perdikion looked at Rune approvingly.
"Thanks for thinking of it, Rune."
"Just what's natural."
By priority, Perdikion's task came first.
"My task: 'Obtain the awe of a nation.' Need more continent intel for that."
Rune smiled inwardly.
Knew you'd say that.
If not, Rune would have brought it up.
Rune said.
"Grace is coming soon anyway. Then we can use the Fairy's Path to make a direct gate to the continent."
Before Rune finished, Jed, gnawing a mutton rib fiercely, shook the bone and shouted.
"Oho! Helping those darkness-handling Gaetong-pa dwarves was for that?"
"Exactly."
As Rune confirmed, Jed grinned, eyes gleaming.
"This is no small feat! Sometimes, Rune-nim, you seem to have a thousand-year-old fox's wits inside."
Surprisingly accurate, but Rune feigned innocence.
"Just a random thought. Figured dwarves could use an easy path."
Rune glanced at Perdikion with mock casualness.
"Wanted to help you, brother—what would be good? Didn't expect it to work out this well."
On the surface, Rune's face looked utterly pure.
Good excuse.
Rune was satisfied inwardly.
Once started, couldn't hide it.
But a young hatchling accidentally finding a great path while helping his sworn brother? Plausible enough.
That's why he'd run around, drag Heungmi along, persuade dwarves himself.
Fits a hundred-year hatchling's methods—no suspicion.
All results perfect? Suspicious maybe.
But Rune knew Perdikion's standards.
This was plenty possible.
Now, he'll praise like always, and I'll play it off.
But it stayed quiet.
"?"
Rune glanced at Perdikion, puzzled.
What's up?
Meeting Rune's eyes, Perdikion scowled like he was angry.
"Everything okay, brother?"
Rune asked, and Perdikion spoke with a strange expression.
"Rune. The results you've achieved—even if I lived another two hundred years, I couldn't match them."
"...And?"
Perdikion, brow furrowed, spoke between conviction and doubt.
"Honestly... it bothers me a bit."
Uncertain tone.
Rune read the intent there.
As expected.
Too good for a century-old hatchling.
No mistakes even.
Rune looked mildly at Perdikion.
And everyone gathered there.
"Brother, actually..."
The first words laced with doubt.
All eyes focused on Rune.