Round 240

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Ashu was a rabbit. But not just any rabbit. Ashu was a very strong rabbit.

-Kekeke.

Today, Ashu was making herb porridge again. What’s herb porridge, you ask? It’s soup made entirely from plants.Don’t underestimate it just because it’s made of plants.

Herb porridge was a prestigious dish with a long history and tradition, a savior’s food that had saved countless impoverished lives. In fact, in another world, an entire religion had formed around herb porridge as its central doctrine.

But Ashu was not content with that. Settling here would be unbecoming of the “Gourmet God of Delights” clan, commonly known as the “Propagation Clan.”

-“A pinch of a special ingredient!”
 

She added a tiny root of a mandrake she had recently hunted. As a result, the bubbling porridge became even stranger. It resembled a witch’s cauldron.

Ashu gleefully stirred the now purple-glowing herb porridge, which emitted an odd, pungent smoke that quickly filled the burrow.

 -Beep!

 A fellow Propagation Clan rabbit entered Ashu’s burrow and recoiled at the smoky scene. The rabbit scolded Ashu with a gesture, as if saying, “Not this again.”

-Beep! Beep!

 -“It’ll work this time! Don’t worry, kekeke!”

The scolding rabbit shook its head, clearly accustomed to this kind of situation.

-Beep beep?

 -“Of course we’ll all eat it together. How could Ashu finish this alone?”

-Beep?!

 At Ashu’s words, the rabbit bolted out of the burrow in panic.

Ashu just laughed mischievously, already excited at the thought of sharing her food with everyone.

But that wasn’t the only problem.

All members of the Propagation Clan were chefs with overinflated egos.

Ashu was not the only one cooking.

Across various rabbit burrows, similar scenes played out, with each rabbit pouring their soul into their dishes.

-“This time, Ashu’s dish will be the best! Kekeke.”

Ashu smiled confidently.

But she had no intention of eating her own herb porridge.

In the past, she had captured dungeon intruders and forced them to eat her creations.
 

They called themselves “Awakened,” and Ashu remembered how they ate the Propagation Clan’s food with delight.

-“I wonder if they’ll come again? I’d love to treat them to Ashu’s food! Kekeke!”

She had even let the intruders go afterward, as a thank-you for enjoying her cooking.

However, a small crisis disrupted the routine of the cooking-obsessed Propagation Clan.

-Beep beep!

 -“What? There are no ingredients left to cook with?”

Ashu rushed to the storage burrow, only to find that it was indeed completely empty. Not a single blade of grass was left.

They had used up everything, even the once-abundant plants, to make herb porridge.

-“Is there nothing outside either?”

-Beep!

 -“Ashu will check for herself.”

Ashu stepped outside the burrow.

What met her eyes was a barren, lifeless land, completely devoid of greenery.

The ground had been dug up so thoroughly that no untouched soil remained.
 

With no plants, desertification was setting in.

The Propagation Clan didn’t consume much food themselves.

However, their love for cooking had led to the creation of excessive, uneaten dishes, wasting resources.

-“H…”

-“This is bad. What should we do?”

The once lush and vibrant dungeon had turned into a wasteland.

The cause wasn’t just the cooking habits of the Propagation Clan.

The clan had no knowledge of farming or replanting.

To them, seeds were merely ingredients, not something to sow back into the ground.

-“Ashu will find a solution!”

-Beep…?!

The skeptical gaze of a fellow rabbit bore into Ashu. Given Ashu’s reputation for mischief, trust was hard to come by.

But this time, Ashu was serious.

If things stayed as they were, she’d never be able to cook again.

-“No! That can’t happen! Ashu wants to cook forever!”

-Beep beep!

-Beeeeeep!

The Propagation Clan’s wails filled the dungeon.

***

I started the car with Ara in the passenger seat.

Our destination was Hanul’s family home, which was essentially his house.

Was this my first time visiting someone else’s home?

While I’d visited various places for guild-related matters, this felt like my first real housewarming visit.

Ah, I had been to Young-seong’s house before.

But since I’d known him for a long time, that had felt natural.

Technically, though, this was my first time visiting a guild member’s home.

“Are we going to eat with Hanul-hyung?”

“Yeah, with Hanul-hyung and his mom.”

“Hanul-hyung’s mom! That’s amazing!”

Ara’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the thought of meeting someone new.

Following the directions, we arrived at Hanul-hyung’s family home, a serene, cozy house.
 

It was located slightly away from the bustling city, where the sounds of insects and occasional birdsong added a rustic charm.

“Here! Over here!”

Hanul-hyung was waiting for us at the front of the house.
Ara immediately rolled down the window and waved at him.

“I have arrived, Hanul-hyung!”

“Hahaha! My successor has arrived! Welcome!”

“Yup!”

Listening to their lively exchange, I parked the car in the attached driveway.
 

As soon as the car came to a stop, Ara jumped out through the window with her usual enthusiasm.

Dodo-dodo!

“Hanul-hyung! Where’s your mom?”

“My mom? She’s inside! You want to meet her?”
 

“Yup!”

“Hahaha! Let’s go greet her together, Kyu-seong.”

“Oh! That sounds good!”

Ara dashed back to me, spreading her arms wide. I picked her up, and together we greeted Hanul-hyung.

“It’s been a while since I last saw you after work.”

“Haha! We used to see each other even in the evenings, but lately, it’s been so busy. You must’ve had a hard time dealing with recent events, Kyu-seong.”
 

“Not as much as others, honestly. It’s been manageable for me.”

And it was true.

During the previous raid incident, I’d been dragged around for questioning, but this time, things were surprisingly calm.

‘Isn’t this event even bigger, though?’

Maybe that’s why.

In any case, I was grateful others were handling it.

I followed Hanul-hyung into the house, where a white-haired elderly lady sat on the sofa.

“Hello!”

“Greetings, it’s me!”

When we greeted her, she gave us a curious look, tilting her head.

“Who are you?”

Having been informed of her condition by Hanul-hyung beforehand, I wasn’t fazed.

“I’m an acquaintance of Hanul-hyung. He’s helped me a lot.”

“I am Hanul-hyung’s true successor! I am Ara!”

Ara hopped forward and proudly declared herself to the elderly woman, whose eyes widened. She reached out her hands.

“So cute.”

“I am cute!”

Ara eagerly approached and snuggled into her embrace. 

The woman smiled broadly, as if she’d found a long-lost granddaughter. Ara seemed content with the affectionate touch, quietly letting herself be held.

“I’ll prepare the food quickly.”

“I’ll help, Kyu-seong.”

“No need, hyung. Please keep an eye on Ara.”

I headed straight to the kitchen and began cooking.

Since most of the preparation was done in the dungeon, all I had to do was add water and cook.

As the soybean paste stew simmered, I set the rice to cook as well.

Soon, the savory and slightly spicy aroma of the broth, soybean paste, and gochujang filled the house.

The enticing smell must have drawn the elderly lady, who suddenly got up from the sofa, holding Ara’s hand, and approached me.

“Who are you?”

“Ah, I’m an acquaintance of Hanul-hyung. Just a younger friend.”

“Then why’re you cooking in our house?”

“I’m a great cook. I wanted to treat you to a meal.”

“Is that so?”

Despite her words, her eyes never left the bubbling stew.

I noticed Ara staring at it the same way, her gaze fixed on the pot.

“Gulp.“

Startled, I turned to see Hanul-hyung right next to me.

“This is the ultimate soybean paste stew made by Kyu-seong.”

“I guarantee the taste. It’s even better than the stew I made last time.”

“That sounds promising!”

“Oh, by the way, I brought some soybean paste, gochujang, and soy sauce for you. I’ll share a bit. There’s enough to last you a few months. Let me know if you need more later.”

“Oh, no, that’s too much to accept…”

“It’s fine. We have plenty at home, and I just brought a little to share. Plus, it’s easy to make more.”

Hanul-hyung’s eyes darted nervously at the unexpected gift, unsure how to respond.

Meanwhile, the rice was ready.

With the rice done, the stew was good to go, so I served a big mound of rice for everyone.

“Hehehe.”

Ara helped me carry the dishes and rice to the table. Seeing this, the grandmother exclaimed in admiration.

“What a good child.”

“I am a good child.”
 

“Except for that odd way of talking.”

And so, the humble meal of rice, soybean paste stew, and kimchi was complete.

“It’s simple, but I hope you enjoy it.”

“Simple? If anyone who’s tasted your cooking heard that, they’d be shocked. This is practically a feast!”

Smiling at Hanul-hyung’s reaction, I first served the grandmother.

“Grandma, please give it a try. I hope it suits your taste.”
 

“Hm.”

Her expression was cautious, though her mouth was already watering.

“I’ll eat well!”

Ara cheerfully chimed in and attended to the grandmother.
 

“Grandma, ahhh!”
 

“Ahhh.”

Ara dipped a spoonful of rice into the soybean paste stew, added a piece of potato on top, and brought it to the grandmother.

Hanul-hyung watched the scene in silence, a rare sight for someone who loved food so much.

“Nom.”

 The spoon entered the grandmother’s mouth, and her eyes widened as she enthusiastically chewed.

Gulp.

 After swallowing, she began eating on her own. There were no verbal compliments, just the sight of her diligently enjoying the meal.

“Hoo.”

Watching her eat, Hanul-hyung wiped at his eyes before picking up his spoon. The tenderness of the moment moved even me to quietly start eating.

“Is it good?”

But our Ara wasn’t done. She tilted her head and demanded a review from the grandmother.

Finally, the grandmother reacted.

She smiled, a bright, lively grin.

“It reminds me of the old days. It’s delicious.”

“It’s delicious!” Ara beamed.

The grandmother laughed warmly and pinched Ara’s cheeks affectionately.

“Thank you.”

“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”

The grandmother suddenly addressed me with gratitude before turning to Hanul-hyung. Her smile became wistful.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

“Mom?”

Hanul-hyung stared at her, startled.

But the fleeting sentiment quickly faded, and she resumed eating.

Even so, Hanul-hyung’s gaze lingered on her, his reddened eyes holding a gentle smile.

“Thank you, Kyu-seong.”

“…It’s nothing.”

It felt as if the grandmother had momentarily regained clarity.

I wasn’t sure what had happened, but…

It was a meal that left an impression.

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