What a Job Well Done
‘He’s got the makings of a full recipe encyclopedia soon.’
Perdikion glanced around curiously, his eyes sparkling with interest.
“This isn’t just some kitchen…… The mana here is so dense, it feels like a magic lab.”
Rune, who had laid out a cutting board and grabbed an oil jar and salt for the marinade, turned to Perdikion.
“Exactly. It’s not about infusing magic into the food after cooking. Every ingredient here is basically a magical reagent to begin with.”
Shuk!
Rune sliced into the meat with a knife carved from dragon bone.
“You know anything about alchemy, bro?”
“I’ve heard the stories. Turning stone to gold. Making the Philosopher’s Stone, Elixir of Life, that sort of thing.”
“Strictly speaking, it’s a bit different…… but close enough.”
In the end, both alchemy and cooking created effects through precise combinations of ingredients.
Perdikion’s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected topic, then he pressed a thumb to his lips thoughtfully.
“I see. Now that you mention it……”
He muttered to himself, then shot an intrigued gaze at the sliced meat and glittering salt.
“Let me give it a try. Hand over some ingredients.”
“You, bro?”
‘Well, he does wield the purest source of fire.’
With quiet anticipation, Rune pulled a trimmed chunk of minotaur meat from the fridge.
Flames roared fiercely from the kitchen hearth, the Fire Dragon’s blaze surging high.
Rune’s intrigued expression shifted to panic in an instant.
“Bro, the fire!”
He hadn’t expected to see a member of the fire-ruling clan botch the heat control for cooking. Raw bewilderment showed on Rune’s face.
Perdikion cleared his throat lightly at the sight and adjusted the flames.
“Ahem! Must’ve slipped up. I’ll tone it down.”
But as the fire shifted to a blue hue, Rune was left dumbfounded.
“You only lowered the intensity—the temperature’s even hotter now.”
“Never done this before. I’ll get the hang of it.”
‘A fire clan member who can’t control flames? What are you, some noble young master?’
It wasn’t incomprehensible.
They could make fires burn hotter and fiercer, sure—but dialing it back to perfectly cook ingredients was another matter.
Burning down a thatched house was easy; singeing a single beast hair while keeping its shape? Tricky.
Waiting for him to get used to it might end with the kitchen in ashes.
‘At this rate, we’ll be stuck here all day and still not get a decent meal. Can’t just tell him to stop now, though……’
Rune quickly chopped onions and carrots, then cubed the meat.
“Bro! I’ve got a super important job for you right now.”
“What is it?”
Rune pointed to the chopped ingredients and pulled a dozen small plates from the cabinet.
“For precise ratios, the amounts matter a ton. Weigh these on the scale and divide them into small plates at an 8:5:2 ratio.”
“……That’s the big important job?”
Rune flashed an innocent smile.
“Of course! It’s crucial, so double-check three times. Please?”
‘He’s not here for real training anyway. Better give him something he can handle. Wasting ingredients is one thing, but bad fire control is a dealbreaker.’
Fortunately, Perdikion nodded and headed to the cutting board piled with veggies and meat.
‘Perfect. I’ll finish cooking as fast as I can in the meantime.’
Before Perdikion wrapped up the task and came to help.
He had to beat Perdikion’s sharp eyes and steady hands with a proper dish first.
Rune’s passion ignited.
Tatata-tak!
With swift knife work and deft movements, Rune whipped up the dish in a flash.
Perdikion watched in admiration.
“Rune, you’ve trained hard.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
He mumbled while focused on cooking, but Perdikion gazed at his sworn brother with pride.
A spark of excitement lit his eyes as he smirked, one corner of his mouth lifting.
“I’ll step it up too. The potato chunks are a bit short—let me add more.”
‘Already?’
Perdikion spun the kitchen knife around his finger like a pro.
The blade seemed to cling perfectly to his hand.
He glanced at it with satisfaction.
“Not a bad knife.”
Shururak. Chak-chak-chak!
Potato peels spiraled off in curls, and the honed blade diced the flesh flawlessly.
His swordsmanship was so exquisite it seemed a waste for cooking—as carrots, onions, potatoes, and meat fell under its relentless precision.
Perdikion lined up the chopped ingredients and turned to Rune with a pleased look.
“How’s that?”
“Yeah, looks good.”
“If I put my mind to it, this is child’s play. What’s next?”
“Might be trickier—wanna try this?”
Rune taught him another technique, and Perdikion, buoyed by the praise, grabbed the knife again and started carving flower shapes into carrots.
The intricate work demanded focus, giving Rune a relaxed chance to cook.
That evening.
Heungmi gasped at the lavish table spread.
“Whoa! Are we celebrating today? It’s amazing!”
Luxurious dishes filled the table.
Buttery mashed potatoes, rich and creamy.
Beef steak garnished with chanterelle mushrooms.
And the pork main, Pogeruta.
“Carrot roses! And that’s a bunny!”
“……That’s a dog, not a bunny.”
“Oh, really? Eek! So cute!”
Heungmi’s eyes sparkled with delight at Perdikion’s correction.
Even Rai and Baekya approached, twinkling with interest at the carrot and apple carvings.
[O_O?]
“Peep?”
Heungmi plopped down at the table, seating Baekya beside her, and gulped eagerly.
Rune signaled the start of the meal with a simple greeting, eyeing her eager hands.
“You all worked hard against the Water Clan. Dig in.”
“Heehee! Eat up too, Master Rune! Itadakimasu!”
Heungmi sliced into crispy-skinned meat, blew on the steaming inside, and stuffed her mouth full.
“Mmmph! Crispy crust, juicy inside—so good!”
The young girl’s black fox ears perked up as ecstasy filled her eyes, her exclamations nonstop.
Excited by her joy, Baekya tilted its head at Rai from the next seat.
Heungmi dipped heartily into parsley sauce laced with lemon zest, her hands never stopping.
Rune chimed in.
“Bro helped a lot. He put extra care into that potato bird and carrot fox.”
“Huh? So that’s me and Baekya? Heehee, thank you!”
“Ahem, it’s nothing.”
His face stayed stoic, but his tone softened noticeably.
He clearly relished Heungmi’s grateful smile.
‘Man…… this turned into quite the feast.’
It rivaled a royal banquet.
Seafood soup rich with shellfish umami, served course-style.
Chocolate strawberry cake topped with edible flowers.
Lemon mousse cake with milk cream and gold chips for dessert.
Perdikion methodically savored his lemon mousse, while Baekya pecked curiously at the white edible flower before nibbling it.
When the strawberry chocolate parfait arrived, topped with viola ice shards, Heungmi stared in awe instead of eating.
“Wow! Never seen anything like this. It’s so pretty!”
Overjoyed, she burst into happy laughter.
‘This should be reward enough for everyone.’
Rune savored the cloud-soft panna cotta, deeply satisfied.
He’d prepared plenty, even extra for Perdikion—and it vanished in moments.
Mana-restoring dishes, stamina healers, vitality boosters—all absorbed perfectly into their weary bodies from battling the Water Clan.
“Ahh…… so full and sleepy……”
Heungmi, eyes drowsy, hugged the nodding Baekya as her ears twitched lazily.
“Go rest first. I’ll clean up.”
Her half-closed eyes snapped open as she shot up her hand.
“Master Rune! Can I help with the trash?”
“You?”
She nodded and touched her brooch.
“Come out, everyone.”
Shuk!
Shuk!
Shuk!
Shuk!
Shuk!
Red salamanders—fire lizards in the shape of ‘salamanders’—emerged from Heungmi’s crimson brooch.
They’d grown a bit larger, their red skin tougher, bodies more robust.
Standing in a neat line with tails held high, they looked like well-drilled soldiers.
“Eat all these food scraps!”
Whoosh!
Flames flickered as their tails swayed.
The five fire lizards leaped onto plates, devouring oily bones and bread crumbs.
“Master Rune, they say it’s delicious!”
Rune replied calmly to the beaming Heungmi.
“Mana cooking’s nourishing for spirits.”
Perdikion, eyeing them closely, added,
“I agree. Especially for spirits growing this fast.”
Rune asked at his impressed tone,
“They’re usually much slower?”
“Of course. Dragons and elves sometimes have high spirit affinity from birth, but even they don’t grow this quick.”
“……I see.”
Rune nodded, and Perdikion continued naturally.
“Looks like Heungmi has real spirit summoner talent—drawing growth from them. She might even win the love of fire spirits without formal contracts.”
‘Like that dolphin spirit from the deep sea?’
Rune recalled it and smiled faintly.
“That’d be great.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. True growth defies limits—not easy.”
As they spoke, the spirits finished incinerating the scraps and nuzzled Heungmi’s cheeks and shoulders affectionately.
“That tickles, you guys! How’d I do, Master Rune?”
“You’ve raised them well. How’d you train them so obediently?”
Heungmi pondered, then answered.
“Hmm, when I like something, I just wanna do it! When I’m down, yummy food or pretty flowers cheer me up. So I found out what they like!”
“……?”
Training through things that made them happy? Rune couldn’t quite grasp it.