At first, Katrina ate with elegance and decorum.
Before long, she was swiftly moving around the buffet, helping herself here and there.
‘I’d only heard rumors, but I never imagined it would be this incredible…’
In truth, she had reviewed the details of Kyu-seong’s crops several times.
They were unprecedented food items with effects akin to magical artifacts.
The fact that Awakeners could artificially create such food…
And the fact that it could be mass-produced drew the attention not only of the U.S. but also several other countries.
Moreover, those who had experienced it unanimously described its taste as not of this world but heavenly.
As someone who had enjoyed all manner of luxuries, Katrina had dismissed such praise.
Her arrogance stemmed from believing she had already experienced every food and flavor imaginable.
However, her confidence was backed by the fact that she had indeed tried everything worth trying.
Yet, even she…
“Is it delicious?”
“Ah, it is.”
Katrina, diligently eating, nodded her head.
It was fortunate that she still had the presence of mind to respond.
Even the others dining with her found themselves observing Katrina in amazement.
But she didn’t pay any attention to their gazes and remained focused on her meal.
How much time had passed like that?
Having consumed a rather substantial amount for one person, Katrina calmly dabbed her mouth with a handkerchief as if nothing had happened.
“Not bad.”
Not bad?
The expressions of the people around her turned even stranger at her comment.
Sensing their reactions, Katrina cleared her throat a few times and corrected herself.
“Ahem, I mean, it was quite excellent.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
Before anyone noticed, Jae-seong had come out from the kitchen, smiling warmly.
“Hello, I’m Chef Lee Jae-seong.”
“Oh, so you’re Lee Kyu-seong’s younger brother? I heard you used to work at Ino Junichi’s restaurant before returning.”
“Ah, yes, you’re well-informed.”
Katrina abruptly extended her hand.
Jae-seong, momentarily stunned, realized she was offering a handshake and took her hand.
“It was delicious.”
“Next time, I’ll serve you a full-course meal. Today’s gathering was more informal, so the dishes might have been a bit simplistic.”
“Gulp.”
Even after all that food, Katrina seemed to suppress her lingering appetite.
“Jae-seong, do you happen to have dessert ready?”
“Ah, it’s just finished! Everyone, the dessert is now ready. Please come and help yourselves.”
At Jae-seong’s announcement, everyone’s eyes lit up with anticipation as they watched the chefs wheel out carts.
On the carts were small, bite-sized pastries and scoops of ice cream neatly arranged.
“Dessert!”
“Sister! It’s dessert!”
Ara and Cheong, true to their youthful enthusiasm, became excited at the sight of sweets.
The adults, amused, stepped aside to let the children have their turn first.
“Shall Ara and Cheong try the dessert first?”
“Oh! You’re letting us go first? Thank you!”
Ara and Cheong quickly returned with their share of dessert, their faces beaming.
The rich aroma of vanilla wafted from the desserts, tantalizing the senses.
“Gulp.”
“Do you want some? Let’s share.”
At Ara’s words, Katrina’s eyes wavered.
Just then, Cheong brought over an additional serving for Katrina.
“Let’s eat together, sister.”
“Y-yes.”
Dessert.
A word that resonates with women everywhere.
Katrina loved sweets as well.
However, she always kept a low profile, quietly enjoying them without drawing attention.
However, having already tasted the flavors of Kyu-seong’s food during the meal, Katrina couldn’t help but have high expectations for the dessert as well.
First were the bite-sized pastries.
From chocolates to cookies, there was a wide variety.
“Nom nom.”
The children were the first to start eating.
Only then did the others begin to pick out their desired desserts.
“Gulp.”
Katrina cautiously swallowed her saliva and chose a chocolate first.
As she put it in her mouth, the outer layer was slightly firm, but the inside melted moistly, offering a sublime flavor.
‘Ah!’
In addition, there was an aromatic scent mixed in—a scent incomprehensible even to Katrina.
‘What kind of spice is this?’
Even as someone who had experienced countless spices, she couldn’t identify the addictive aroma.
It was nothing of this earth.
Perhaps it was a spice obtained from a dungeon.
Even as she moved on to other chocolates and cookies, not a single one disappointed her.
If possible, she wanted to pack everything and take it home.
“The ice cream is melting,” Ara reminded her.
Katrina snapped out of her daze.
Fortunately, the ice cream was surrounded by dry ice decoratively placed, preventing it from melting.
Thinking even the ice cream looked unique, she scooped up a spoonful.
Soft.
‘Soft?’
How could an ice cream have this texture?
The luxurious vanilla flavor enveloped her tongue, accompanied by a subtle honey aroma and rich cocoa notes.
It was undoubtedly the best ice cream she had ever tasted.
Of course, some might prefer the chewy texture of gelato or the melting sherbet sensation,
But no one could dismiss this ice cream as anything less than exceptional.
“How is it?”
Katrina, who had been blankly savoring the ice cream, came back to her senses.
It seemed she had lost herself in thought several times today.
“Hmm, it’s delicious.”
“You should come visit often. There’s plenty of delicious food here.”
“I’ll consider it.”
Ara smiled brightly as she continued eating her ice cream.
Watching Ara, Katrina couldn’t help but let out a laugh.
“Is it good?”
“Yes! There’s more, so eat as much as you want!”
How long had it been since she felt this kind of emotion?
Though she took great joy in admiring works of art, it wasn’t quite the same as this feeling.
After earning the title of the Great Witch,
After becoming a Level 9 Awakener,
And after being named the strongest figure representing the United States,
She had lost more than she had anticipated.
Some might say it was the lament of someone who already had everything, but in life, everyone bore their own burdens in their own way.
The weight varied, but it was always there.
The Great Witch Katrina had maintained a precarious balance all this time.
At some point, she stopped eating and looked around.
Everyone was laughing and chatting, enjoying themselves.
It was a sight unimaginable elsewhere.
Whenever she appeared, people would usually become cautious and wary.
Her eyes met Kyu-seong’s, who was smiling and chatting nearby. He soon approached her.
“Did the food suit your taste?”
“Yes, it was delicious.”
“I’m glad to hear that. There’s still more food and dessert, so please enjoy to your heart’s content.”
“Lee Kyu-seong.”
“Yes?”
Katrina hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.
“Thank you for inviting me to this meal.”
“Oh! Not at all. If you ever visit Korea again, please let me know anytime. I’d love to treat you to another meal.”
“Would tomorrow work as well?”
“Of course. So, you’ll still be in Korea tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ve just changed my schedule.”
“…Pardon?”
Originally, she had planned to take a flight back to the U.S. tonight.
But after experiencing such a meal, how could she leave so soon?
She decided to extend her stay and said, “Would it be possible to have dinner prepared every evening while I’m here? I’ll compensate you generously.”
“Oh, yes, of course.”
“And only if Ara and Cheong can join us as well.”
“Our kids are adorable, aren’t they? Alright.”
As Kyu-seong smiled warmly and agreed, Katrina realized she had grown fond of him.
Unlike those who either feared her or sought to use her, he exuded pure goodwill.
‘Now I understand why Kyler was concerned.’
Even she would have issued a similar warning.
“Katrina! I’m going to eat more ice cream! Will you have some too?”
“Uh.”
“I’ll bring some for you!”
Ara, holding an empty plate, skipped off excitedly, with Cheong hurriedly following behind.
Watching their round little figures from behind, Katrina couldn’t help but smile.
For once, her unguarded smile suited her perfectly.
***
Korea was still abuzz with excitement over Katrina’s visit.
Over the following days, she appeared on various media outlets and broadcasts, showcasing her charisma as a celebrity.
“What do I do? What do I do!”
Thanks to her visit, Seon-ah was in a frenzy.
“Katrina’s coming over?! What should I wear? Is there anything I need to prepare?”
“There’s no need for that. She said she’s fine as she is.”
“Of course she’d say that! But I can’t just leave it at that!”
Ah, here we go again.
Leaving the flustered Seon-ah to her own devices, I stepped outside, noticing the hints of winter slowly fading.
Katrina, who had spent several days in Korea, would finally be returning to the U.S. on an early morning flight tomorrow.
She mentioned that she could use her powers to travel instantly, but she seemed to take pride in refraining from doing so.
Since it was her last day here, we decided to invite her over. As Seon-ah suggested, we thought it’d be nice to add a touch of festivity before winter fully ended.
“Should we build a snowman?”
“That’s a great idea!”
Ara, freshly back from an adventure, exclaimed with excitement.
“It’s time for the 2nd Annual Snowman-Building Competition!”
“Perfect, and now that our group has grown, it’ll be even more lively.”
I gathered the children to kick off the snowman-building competition.
Ras and Ashu seemed puzzled at first by the concept, but after watching the others, they quickly caught on.
“I shall display my supreme skills!”
“Ashu is confident!”
Before long, slimes, goblins, Gnolls, and even the Alfheim joined in, turning the snowman-building competition into a grand event.
Snow sculptures were being created everywhere.
Some participants even climbed onto rooftops to craft something extraordinary.
The whole village took on a charming, whimsical atmosphere.
It seemed chaotic, but it was a delightful kind of chaos that brought everything together.
“Can I have a quick interview?”
“Huh? Me?”
“What are you making, Cheong?”
“Uh, um… I’m making Dad and Sister.”
“Wonderful! Are you planning to make one of yourself too?”
“Oh! I forgot! I’ll make one now.”
“Thank you for the interview.”
I watched Cheong as he carefully worked on his snow figures and checked out the other children’s creations.
While they were called snowmen, many of them resembled intricate snow sculptures.
The Alfheim, in particular, crafted small, delicate figures all around, which blended beautifully with the village.
“What’s going on? All the kids are busy making something.”
Seon-ah, who had been choosing clothes for a while, stepped out of her room, surprised.
“It’s a snowman-building competition.”
“A what?”
“Why don’t you join in? Get along with the kids.”
“Alright, sounds fun.”
“Hey, I told you to build a snowman, so why are you grabbing a camera instead?”
Before I knew it, Seon-ah had taken over, baton in hand, and started interviewing the kids in my place.
While everyone was busy in the village, crafting something out of snow, I decided it might be a good time to head out and greet our guest in advance.
Jae-seong was in the kitchen with Orie, so I figured I’d quickly handle it alone.
As I stepped outside, there were still about 30 minutes left until the agreed meeting time.
The night air carried a slightly humid feel, likely because it was early summer.
‘Feels completely different from inside the dungeon.’
Over there, it’s cool and wintery.
At that moment, something flickered brightly before my eyes.
“What the—?”
Startled, I instinctively prepared to retreat into the dungeon when a voice stopped me.
“It’s me. Sorry for scaring you.”
“Oh, Katrina! It’s you.”
“I used teleportation.”
Katrina suddenly appeared before me.
This must be magic—how impressive.
Apparently, she could teleport all the way to the U.S. in one go with this ability. A clear demonstration of a Level 9 Awakener’s power.
“So, this is your dungeon?”
“Yes. Would you like to go inside?”
Honestly, I expected Katrina to arrive right on time. Yet, here she was, 30 minutes early.
Perhaps she had even arrived earlier, waiting for me to step out before making her appearance.
‘Was she… excited?’
I entertained the thought alone as I led her into the dungeon.
Inside, the slime dungeon’s dining area was slowly taking shape as groundwork continued.
“And this is?”
“Oh, this will eventually become a restaurant that my brother plans to operate.”
“A restaurant sounds like a good idea. With his skills, I doubt there’ll ever be a lack of customers.”
“Ha-ha.”
I laughed awkwardly and continued showing her around.
Katrina’s expression was as if daring me to try and impress her, yet there was a glimmer of expectation in her gaze.
‘Well, let’s see.’
Could I truly surprise someone like her?
Surely, as the Great Witch, she’d seen every type of dungeon. Or maybe… she hadn’t? Could she have been too lazy to explore many of them?
Either way, I opened the door leading to the Dungeon of Gluttony.
“This is my home. Welcome.”
“Hmm?”
Katrina tilted her head curiously as she stepped inside.
The moment she did, a cool breeze greeted her.
Despite the wintry environment, it didn’t feel cold. Instead, it was refreshingly crisp and invigorating.
Finally, having entered the true depths of the dungeon, Katrina stood still, blankly staring at the scenery.
“It’s cool, isn’t it? Outside is a bit warm.”
“……”
Katrina didn’t respond.
It seemed I had successfully managed to surprise her.
Cliche Novel 