The Heavenly Demon Goes Out to Play (6)
To cut straight to the conclusion, retrieving the spoils from the giant octopus I had hunted proved impossible. Dragging something up from the depths of that abyssal sea was no simple feat. Of course I could do it if I forced the issue, but then returning would become impossible. Still, it wasn't entirely without a solution. The giant octopus I had slain was a creature that revived at regular intervals.
So I returned with Pipi, met the beast again, and took its head. Last time I had played along to see what it might try; this time was different. Once I knew it was a petty coward that would flee into the deep the moment it gained the upper hand, there was no reason to grant it any breathing room. The instant it revealed itself, I split its skull in half and claimed its magic stone. As a bonus I took two of its legs. I had originally planned to haul the entire carcass, but its sheer size imposed physical limits. No matter how fiercely I summoned the wind, two legs were all I could manage to drag. In truth, that was already more than enough. If legs of this size existed in reality, one could throw an entire festival with them.
Having recovered the trophy I desired, I lashed the octopus legs to Wolfie's back and headed for the alchemist's workshop.
"Given your abilities, I figured you'd manage to bring it back, but already? You're a monster unto yourself."
"I'll take that as a compliment. More importantly, can you tell me how long the commission will take?"
"It's going to take a while. The process is rather complex."
"I see."
The alchemist seemed eager to explain that the delay wasn't due to his own incompetence and launched into a long, rambling lecture. Most of it was utterly incomprehensible to me. It was like explaining the profound mysteries of radish cultivation to a child who had never even seen one. So I cut him off. Understanding him wouldn't benefit my life in the slightest, so why should I bother listening?
"Enough chatter. I wish to purchase something."
"That wasn't chatter, it was an explanation of my magnificent alchemical—"
"I want to buy spices."
"...Spices? Why?"
"Because I need to cook, obviously."
It was a simple matter. There was simply too much octopus meat. Even by my standards, the quantity far exceeded reason. At first I had considered eating it raw, grilled, or steamed. But after seeing the two massive legs displayed before the castle, my thoughts changed. Their volume was enormous. No matter how excellent the base ingredient, there was a limit to how long one could enjoy only its natural flavor before growing tired of it. It wasn't a serious problem—if anything remained, I could simply feed it to Wolfie. Still, something about the situation felt vaguely unsatisfying. That was when Enry made her suggestion.
'As far as I know, there are several streamers on the server who specialize in VR cooking. Why don't we ask them to prepare the dishes for us?'
We had more than enough gold anyway. If we paid them properly, she was certain they would accept. When I first heard the idea I wondered whether it would actually work, but things proceeded far more smoothly than expected. Before long Enry had secured the cooperation of multiple professional chefs.
'There's no reason for them to refuse. We provide all the ingredients and pay them in gold. Plus it creates great content—cooking giant octopus dishes and serving them to other streamers.'
Because so many people volunteered, they had turned it into an impromptu cooking competition on the spot. The professionalism radiating from Enry as she explained this was almost unrecognizable from the clumsy fool she became the moment she entered VR. It was an impressive display of competence.
'Isn't that evaluation a little too harsh?!'
At any rate, since matters had developed this way, I had come to the alchemist both to commission the work and to purchase spices. All so I could taste the dishes made from the giant octopus.
"What kind of spices do you need?"
"All of them."
"Huh?"
"Just give me everything you've got."
There was no point in naming specifics when I wouldn't know the difference anyway. It was far simpler to take every spice and seasoning available, dump them on the chefs, and let them handle the rest. I wasn't exactly in a position where I needed to be frugal, so there was no reason to waste effort examining each one individually.
"...Uh. Right. Just a moment. I'll pack them up."
After purchasing the spices from the alchemist and returning to the gambling hall where the cooking competition would be held, I found a huge crowd already gathered. Enry had spread the news far and wide that something was happening here, so spectators had flocked to watch. It wasn't a bad thing. After all, it would have been impossible for us to finish all those octopus legs by ourselves. Holding a proper banquet wasn't a bad idea at all.
Perhaps because of the lively audience, Enry's face looked more energetic and cheerful than I had ever seen it.
This moment felt like the happiest since I had begun playing Thread. I had certainly put her through a lot. Not wanting to disturb her, I quietly set the spices down beside her and slipped away, approaching Pipi who was slicing off pieces of an octopus leg and grilling them.
"What are you doing?"
"This is delicious even if you just grill it plain. Cooking it properly would make it even better, but I wanted to taste the pure, unadulterated flavor first."
Pipi handed me a neatly cut square of octopus as she spoke. Without thinking I popped it into my mouth, and my eyes widened involuntarily. The exquisite balance of chewiness and tenderness. The subtle saltiness paired with a fleeting oceanic aroma. The rich, nutty aftertaste that bloomed with every bite.
"The basic flavor without any seasoning is this good?!"
"Incredible, right? I had the exact same reaction the first time I tried it."
Oh. How marvelous. This alone was worthy of being called a complete dish. As I sat there with raised eyebrows in admiration, someone approached from the side.
"Hello, Hwaryeong-nim."
"Nabi-rin. Yes, it's been a while."
"A while? Last time you sent me flying with one hit?!"
"Did I?"
Apparently she had been among the group of streamers who had come to defeat me. I felt a little sorry about it, but how could I possibly remember every single weed that sprouted in my path? I would appreciate it if she didn't overestimate my memory quite so dramatically.
"Well. Have you been well, at least?"
"Thanks to you, yes. After going through all that, I feel like I can endure pretty much anything now."
I have no idea how harshly I must have trained her for her to slander me so casually. Compared to the efforts I poured into Harin and Seol-ah's growth—no, never mind. It was nothing in comparison.
While we passed the time with various trivial topics, Nabi-rin suddenly brought up something from earlier.
"Hwaryeong-nim. Have you decided what game you'll play next?"
"Hm? Not particularly. I'll just do whatever catches my interest at the time."
Doing whatever I feel like in the moment is best. Indeed.
"How about content where you overcome defeat events?"
"Defeat events?"
"Yes!"
What Nabi-rin proposed had a similar flavor to the time I had crushed the Outer God in the distant past. The idea was for me to break through, one by one using my own power, challenges designed to force ordinary players to their knees.
"Normal people wouldn't even dare dream of attempting it, but if it's you, Hwaryeong-nim, it's totally possible!"
"Hmm. Not a bad idea."
The entities that appeared in such places were usually strong enough to impose defeat on others. Therefore, they also had a high chance of providing me with genuine enjoyment. They might even make my blood boil the way the Outer God or that vampire once had.
"The game I'd like to recommend is..."
While I listened to Nabi-rin's suggestions and gauged the viewers' reactions whenever a title was mentioned, Enry's voice rang out from afar. The cooking competition had finally begun.
Five cooking stations had been set up at some point. Watching the chefs display their skills before them made my mouth water. These were already delicious creatures to begin with. I wondered what flavors they would produce when reborn beneath the hands of true professionals.
And indeed, each chef possessed skill worthy of the title. It took them merely forty minutes to complete dishes using the giant octopus—and not single servings, but large-quantity meals meant for the entire crowd. That alone was astonishing.
The variety of dishes was impressive as well. One chef prepared a seasoned salad, explaining that because the octopus's natural flavor was already excellent, he had chosen a method that would highlight its inherent taste to the fullest. Another stir-fried the meat after lightly coating it in flour and frying it, proudly declaring that his dish offered both a crispy exterior and a moist interior at once. The other chefs presented their creations with similar explanations, and every dish looked mouthwateringly delicious.
Good. Time to taste them. Just as I licked my lips and started forward, I spotted the alchemist hurrying toward me from a distance. What now? The man who had claimed it would take a long time was approaching far too quickly. Had something gone wrong again? Honestly. All I wanted was to enjoy Wolfie's warm, fluffy fur. Why were there so many obstacles in my way?
"What is it this time?"
Certain he would claim he needed something else, I spoke first. The alchemist snorted.
Strange. His attitude was far too confident for someone delivering bad news. It was true he was shameless, but he wasn't the sort to forget basic human decency. For him to act like this...
"What do you mean, 'what is it'? I came to tell you that your request has been fulfilled."
"...You're serious?"
"Have I ever joked with you before?"
The alchemist pointed behind him toward Wolfie. Oh. Ooooh. Ooooooooooh!
Just from its appearance I could tell. Wolfie's fur had become incomparably soft, fluffy, downy, and velvety. Yes! This was it! This was my ideal form!
I was about to dash forward, utterly entranced, when I noticed the crowd greedily descending upon the food. Aah. They were devouring everything with frightening speed. No matter how many legs there were, they would disappear in no time! What should I do? Normally it would be correct to secure food first. Wolfie's fur could be enjoyed later, but the dishes could not. Yet the long wait I had endured for this very moment made it impossible to give up so easily. To think I would face such a dilemma!
As I stood there looking back and forth between the two temptations, Nabi-rin beside me let out a small laugh.
"I'll guard your portion of the food, Hwaryeong-nim. Go ahead."
"Truly?!"
"Yes."
"Then thank you! I'll be right back!"
With the dilemma resolved in an instant, I even employed my movement technique as I raced toward Wolfie, who was wagging its tail eagerly in the distance. Finally! Could I finally attain my long-sought ideal?!
I leaped high into the air, riding the wind, and buried myself beneath Wolfie's incomparably warm and fluffy coat...
"It was truly a blissful time. Aah. Even remembering it now brings a smile to my face. I want to experience it again immediately."
"Why exactly are you bragging about such things in front of this seat?"
"And the food I ate afterward was incredibly delicious as well. The base ingredient was excellent, of course, but..."
"I ask you once more. Why are you boasting in front of this seat? Are you trying to pick a fight?"
Baek Hwaryeong, who had been quietly listening to my story, could no longer hide her increasingly sour expression.