Chapter 45
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 45
Gio was good at everything.
That’s why I’m also good at cooking, he thought, before a silent question from the Sun God poked at his one weak spot.
"Except for swimming."
At the unspoken jab, Giovanni shook his head, polite but firm. How could a bipedal human, born to breathe air, possibly be expected to excel at swimming?
Though, having said that, I am currently breathing underwater…
Was it because 'Giovanni' was already a deceased figure in this world? Or because his very essence was that of a 'Portrait,' even as he was now? Whatever the reason, Gio could breathe perfectly fine in the water-filled 'Breathing Sea'.
Is this because the water itself is designed to allow humans to breathe?
The Sun God offered a silent affirmation.
It truly has become a special sea. I suppose this should be considered one of Aria’s achievements as well.
Even so, a lingering sense of emptiness remained.
"I feel as though I’m no longer bound by the rules of this world. Is it because I am no longer a resident here? My current physical state doesn’t seem much different from when I was in the Picture Forest…"
The Sun God agreed.
"I see."
Giovanni wore his signature gentle, light smile. It was a neat, tidy smile, no different from before.
"I suppose you could say it feels like I’ve lost a hometown."
A shimmer of light conveyed the god’s silent sympathy.
"It’s a bit sad, but it will get better over time."
But now was the time for eating, not for such melancholy talk.
"Since you didn’t seem to enjoy spicy food either, Father, I’ve prepared mostly mild dishes. It would be upsetting if the food got wet, so please create a space for us this time as well."
His request to 'create a space' was a plea for a large air bubble in this water-filled world.
Although the Sun God had grown weak after losing all his believers except for Giovanni, he was still capable of granting such a minor miracle for a short while.
A silent pulse of power emanated from the god.
Using that miracle just to have a meal might seem absurd to an outsider.
"But still, a person has to eat to live. Is there a rule saying gods aren’t allowed to eat?"
A soft shimmer of light seemed to agree.
"If anyone complains about something like this, leave that foolish soul to this son of yours. I’ll give them a stern scolding."
Another pulse of light.
"Anyone who nags someone about eating is the strange one."
The Sun God was extremely happy. He was, without a doubt, a glutton of a god.
Can gods gain weight?
The thought crossed Gio’s mind, but he quickly shook his head. Expecting an intangible being who didn’t even have a voice, let alone a physical body, to gain weight just from eating a little food felt a bit too presumptuous.
In any case, the deity who had initially been so utterly disheartened and withered that he refused to eat was now eagerly setting up a dining table as if demanding food immediately. It made Gio feel incredibly pleased.
Giovanni smiled warmly with satisfaction. As a priest of the Sun, a warm light shimmered around him.
"Thanks to Honey’s hard work, today’s meal is very bountiful."
At Gio’s praise, Honey stepped inside the air bubble and puffed out his chest majestically. He looked as though he wanted praise not just from Gio, but from the Sun God as well.
"Kkoorooroorooroo," he gurgled happily.
A flicker of divine light responded.
"Kkoorook-kkoorook-kkoorook!" Honey trilled with delight.
Soon, his body glowed brightly for a brief moment.
"He praised you," Gio translated.
"Kkoorook," Honey chirped, satisfied.
That glow resembled sunlight.
Maybe because Honey is an animal that evolved after drinking Lulupu juice, but he really seems to adore the Sun God.
The Lulupu, which grew in the spring water of the Picture Forest, was a flower nurtured by both moonlight and sunlight. Strictly speaking, since Honey was born from the sun and the moon, it made sense that he was so fond of the Sun God.
He’s like a grandson acting cute in front of his grandfather.
Well, he was cute, so that was all that mattered.
Gio watched with amusement as Honey wiggled his butt and flapped his wings, following the shimmer of light that served as the Sun God’s touch. It was thanks to Honey’s particularly affectionate behavior that the Sun God’s wariness had so easily crumbled, allowing Gio to be accepted by him once again.
A silent wave of energy pulsed from the god.
Communication with the Sun God (1/1)
"Well then, shall I get the meal ready?"
Thanks to the Sun God evaporating some of the water with his heat, the food didn’t get wet when Gio brought it over.
Today, Gio had prepared assorted sashimi and sushi, a warm fish soup with matching white rice, and deep-fried fish to serve as a side dish. The fish was fried to a clean, light crisp, and he had prepared individual dipping sauces—one sweet and sour, one spicy—so he expected little resistance from the two spice-wimps.
"Let’s eat. Everything is ready."
"Kkooroorooroo!!"
Honey was the first to arrive, flying in aggressively while flapping wings that were as large as his own body. He landed right in front of the whole fried fish Gio had set aside for him, which was ten times Honey’s size.
"It really is huge."
Honestly, it was a rather comical sight.
"Now, Father, please come down as well. It tastes best when it’s hot."
A silent pulse of light signaled agreement.
The Sun God’s power soon spread outward, and the warm shimmer of light touched a platinum-white teddy bear that had been sitting quietly near the frame serving as Gio’s entrance.
And soon, the teddy bear, slightly smaller than a young child, began to move.
A soft coo escaped it. "Kkoo-oo."
"Welcome."
The Sun God had descended.
Just to eat.
Gluttons.
It was adorable.
"Kkoo-oo, kkoo..." A series of soft mews followed.
"Shall I help you?"
"Kkoo."
Perhaps because it had been sitting in the water, the teddy bear couldn’t walk properly and flailed about. It seemed difficult for the worn, tattered teddy bear’s body to overcome the water pressure and resistance.
Gio readily slipped his hands under the teddy bear’s arms and lifted it up. Then, he placed the Sun God-infused teddy bear right in front of its bowl.
"Kkoo-oo."
"I’m glad you like it."
It was incredibly cute, but from the perspective of his son, Giovanni, it was also a bit pitiful.
His power has weakened so much that even inhabiting a mere doll is a struggle for him.
Of course, this wasn’t the Sun God’s full descent either; he had likely only channeled a portion of his power, just enough to eat. However, seeing how the Sun God’s consciousness was expressed through the teddy bear, the core of the god’s being must have inhabited the doll.
Even so, the doll didn’t burst, and the Sun God didn’t seem to feel any discomfort. Since Giovanni was his only remaining believer, it was inevitable that his power would be weak compared to his prime.
Still, the fact that the Sun God was avoiding fading away entirely with just Giovanni as his sole believer was a miracle in itself.
"Let’s eat, then."
"Kkoo-oo."
"Kkooroorooroorook."
One human, one waterbird, and one teddy bear began their meal in unison. The teddy bear, which should have been filled with nothing but cotton, opened its mouth wide and greedily stuffed a piece of fried fish inside.
Gio marveled anew.
How fascinating.
Even though he saw it all the time, he had no idea what kind of mechanism allowed the doll to taste and digest food.
"Honey, how does it taste? Is the fish cooked well?"
"Kkoorook."
"Good. Just make sure to avoid this sauce. It’ll be a bit too spicy for you."
He had placed the spicy sauce in the middle of the table just in case, but he was certain no one would touch it. In any case, this sauce had been made exclusively for Gio.
Let’s see.
Should I start with the sashimi?
Perhaps because Honey had already gorged himself on fresh entrails earlier, he targeted the fried fish first. Meanwhile, the Sun God, following the tastes of the humans who used to worship him, didn’t care much for raw food and was sipping the fish soup along with his white rice.
For some reason, Gio felt like diving into what the others weren’t touching.
Besides, sashimi tastes best when it’s fresh.
Gio immediately picked up a piece of sashimi.
"…Hmm…"
He had seen plenty of it while preparing it, but it really was a peculiar-looking fish.
It has the same color and tenderness as salmon, yet unlike salmon, the flesh has a distinct springiness to it. It’s truly fascinating. Thanks to that, even when fried, it isn’t as heavy as salmon.
Dipping it lightly in soy sauce, he felt the flesh chew with a pleasant bounce before melting away in his mouth.
"Delicious."
"Kkool," Honey gurgled.
"Kkoo," the teddy bear cooed.
Seeing everyone happily enjoying themselves made Gio feel good.
Perhaps because Honey had wanted to finish his hunt quickly and had scooped up an entire school of fish at once, the fish he brought back were all this 'halibut in salmon’s clothing.' However, the taste and texture were so unique that he didn’t grow tired of it.
It’s not like it lacks fat entirely, either.
The peculiar thing about this fish was that while it was fatty when eaten raw, applying heat—such as frying or boiling—caused all the oil to drain out. Thanks to this, even a fish soup made with very few ingredients could have a rich, deep flavor.
"How is the soup?"
"Kkoo-oo-ook," the teddy bear mewed happily.
"This priest is delighted that you like it."
Gio looked back at Honey.
"Honey, you..."
"Kkoo-oong."
"Yes, I see you’re eating well."
What a beautiful sight, you gluttons.
For now… I should finish the cold food first before moving on to the rest.
Thinking about having dessert later, he figured his stomach should be warm so he could enjoy the cold jelly. Gio decided to finish the sashimi and sushi he was currently eating before trying the other dishes.
The sashimi, with its moderate fat flowing out like juice, blended perfectly with the sushi rice without feeling separate.
Usually, with halibut sushi, the rice grains and the fish feel disconnected.
It wasn’t that he disliked halibut sushi, but he felt that the overly chewy texture of the halibut flesh and the rolling grains of sushi rice were a bit too distinct from each other. Because of this, Seo Gio preferred salmon sushi, which was soft enough to slide down his throat with minimal chewing.
But this sushi was different. The rice, delicately packed with air, spread out like a net the moment it entered his mouth, and the sashimi on top melted smoothly after offering only a brief resistance to his teeth. The combination of the sweet-and-sour seasoned rice and the slightly fatty sashimi was magnificent.
"Mmh."
Gio finished his portion of sashimi and sushi. If the other members of his family left any leftovers, they would all go to Gio anyway.
Next is the fried fish.
Although the Sun God’s consideration kept the environment from getting humid, fried food still lost its crispiness easily. Gio chose the fried fish as his next target.
"...Since there was so much of it, I didn’t use any batter, fearing it might get too heavy. It’s already fried in oil, and the fish itself is quite plump..."
At Gio’s excuse-like explanation, Honey and the teddy bear shot him looks that seemed to say, Why are you talking nonsense when we’re busy eating? Gio, who had done the cooking, instantly felt his mind put at ease.
There’s truly nothing that warms my heart more than gluttons who eat well.
They looked like they would happily gulp down lye as long as it tasted good. As the cook, he couldn’t help but feel deeply satisfied.
"Sorry for interrupting. Let’s just eat."
"Kkoo-oo-oo."
"Kkoorook-kkoorook."
Come to think of it, did the teddy bear base its cries on Honey?
I’ve noticed this every time, but they sound remarkably similar.
He didn’t ponder any further because he was too hungry.
"Ah, hot."
Fortunately, the fried fish was still warm and crispy. This was thanks to the Sun God generously bestowing his solar blessing—though whether he did it just so he could enjoy his own meal was unclear, it was great either way.
Crunch!
"Oh."
As expected of the Sun God, he didn’t tolerate a single drop of moisture.
The combination of the crispy fried skin and the moist juices inside is exquisite.
Since cleaning all thirty-three fish individually would have been too tedious, he had fried them whole. Perhaps because of that, the inside was bursting with glistening juices. The oil that had been in the flesh had drained out completely and settled in the skin, making it taste almost like fried chicken.
Maybe because it’s fried, but the flesh is much chewier too.
It wasn’t an unpleasant chewiness, but a perfectly satisfying resistance. When he bit down without applying too much force, he could feel the texture of the flesh unraveling as smoothly as silk threads.
It’s delicious even without dipping it in the sauce.
Is it because the skin is salty?
This fish was particularly good at absorbing seawater through its skin. Once the moisture was removed, only the salt remained. Whatever the mechanism was, the seasoning turned out absolutely perfect after frying.
The inner flesh is so mild it’s almost sweet, yet rich in juices, while the skin is exceptionally fatty and crispy... They go incredibly well together.
Dipping it in the spicy sauce made it the perfect companion to wash down a bowl of white rice.
Slurp.
The fish soup, boiled like a simple soybean paste stew, was also excellent.
"...Since the fish is so fresh, I can even pull off something like this."
"Kkoorook."
"Yeah, this is better than I expected."
He hadn’t added any grand seasonings. He had simply dissolved some soybean paste in water, added the well-cleaned fish, and tossed in some radish and green onions. Despite that, the fish soup possessed a deep, savory umami flavor, tasting almost like a bone broth that had been simmered for hours.
If the fish had been even slightly fishy, I wouldn’t have been able to make it like this.
That was the reason why people usually thought of spicy fish stew when they thought of fish soup. Unless the fish was freshly caught, it was bound to have some fishiness. Boiling it into a soup tended to bring out that seafood odor even more, so people usually masked it with spicy flavors.
But Gio, who essentially had an entire sea inside his cabin, had no need for that. The freshly caught, flopping fish was incredibly clean and fresh, allowing him to complete a deeply flavorful soup with nothing but a bit of soybean paste.
"Hoo..."
His stomach felt so warm and cozy that he felt like he could fall asleep right now and not wake up until evening.
"This is nice."
"Kkoo-ook?" the teddy bear asked.
"Yes, I’m full."
Ah, right.
"I’m currently simmering some bone broth. I’ll come back once it’s finished."
"Kkoo-oo-oo-oo," the teddy bear cooed excitedly.
"Yes, this will probably be your first time having bone broth, right, Father? The flavor is much deeper than this fish soup..."
The classic trait of gluttons:
Talking about food while eating food.