Editor: Nets
——————————————————–
“Yes.”
Shadow Cat opened her eyes wide, smiling lightly. It was a curious, cat-like smile.
“Yes, I am. Do you know how to cook vegetables?”
Cheol-ho scratched his head as he thought.
“There’s not much I can do. Well, I do just happen to have a watermelon. Would you like some?”
“Watermelon!”
Shadow Cat laughed and nodded.
“I’d like some please.”
* * *
There were many delicious ways to eat watermelon. It tasted great when eaten in simple slices, when frozen, and even when blended. But today he was going to try a different method.
Cheol-ho, stepping back into the kitchen, cleaved one of his watermelons in half and began to skillfully carve out the flesh. He was careful to only scrape out the flesh so that the bottom shell of the watermelon remained.
Next, he cut the removed watermelon flesh into bite-size pieces, before returning it to the shell.
It’s best to put in as much as possible.
Then, the half-cut watermelon skin was mixed in with the cut watermelon flesh. The cider was poured into the shell. When the cider was poured to the point the bowl almost filled up, the cider’s peculiar scent mingled with the summery fragrance of the sweet watermelon to fill the air. You could also slice it up and add various fruits according to your preferences.
In Cheol-ho’s case he preferred to add additional strawberries and kiwifruit, preparing them by cutting them into small pieces and placing them in a bowl.
He took a square cut of the Mandragora so it would blend in with the other fruits, and also added it to the bowl.
For a finishing touch he added some ice.
Chae-yeon’s eyes glistened behind Cheol-ho, avidly watching him bring the watermelon bowl to the table and prepare to return to bring out the ice.
“Wow! It’s fruit salad, right?” Chae-yeon asked happily.
“Yes.”
At Cheol-ho’s affirmation she cheerfully drummed her fingers on the table, letting out a playful smile.
Oh!
Ice formed in the air, glittering drops of condensation rolling off of the perfect cubes. Once the small pieces of ice landed in the watermelon bowl the salad was completed.
“Oh, you’re awakened,” stated Cheol-ho in a slightly surprised tone. Ma Chang-sa answered him in between slurps of his Samgyetang soup.
“She’s the Ice Witch who protects Sinchon.”
“Aha. You are that guardian.”
“…I don’t like the name.”
Chae-yeon pouted her lips. In fact, she didn’t really like the ‘modifier’ put in front of her name. There were times when she heard it she cringed so badly her hands and feet cramped, and for one thing, it wasn’t a very nice nickname!
‘Witch’ !
She was given the code name of the ‘Ice Witch’ because of her performance in the annual tournament duel at Cypher School, named Battle Royale. It originated from the unforgettable time she froze her opponent completely solid and covered the entire arena in flurries of snow.
“The whole thing was a mistake.”
Cheol-ho laughed good-naturedly at her miserable expression.
For some reason , quite a few great people had come to visit today. Cheol-ho suddenly glanced at Shadow Cat.
He didn’t bother to ask who she was. She was definitely more than just a guardian.
Cheol-ho carried out the completed fruit salad to Shadow Cat, complete with a big spoon.
“Wow!”
She smiled broadly.
Cheol-ho couldn’t help but feel she looked pretty when she smiled.
Chae-yeon also had a cute look, but he thought the other girl was really pretty, with a sharp nose and sculpted appearance so flawless it wouldn’t have been replicable even for the advanced plastic surgery techniques of the past.
In other words, she was way too pretty.
Strange.
Cheol-ho felt an odd sense of alienation from her. After hesitating slightly he internally shrugged and mentally recited the command.
[Detect Eye]
“Thank you for the meal!”
Shadow Cat raised her spoon in cheers.
The pungent taste of cider, the sweetness of the watermelon, and the crunchy chewing sensation melded together pleasantly. It felt like the heat in the room had been sucked away by the ice.
In addition, it was very delicious when blended in with the texture of the sliced fruits. Shadow Cat tilted her head as she looked at the square, yet radish-like, addition. It was a sweet and crunchy addition that made the texture twice as good.
“It looks delicious.”
Chae-yeon and Kim Sang-hu nodded together.
“Give us some, too!”
* * *
After the three guests had gone, Khan remained silent for a while with his arms crossed.
Cheol-ho did the same.
“Cheol-ho.”
“What?”
“That woman who just left is pretty.”
Cheol-ho laughed.
“Yep.”
“She’s too pretty to be human.”
Khan’s tone was serious. Cheol-ho nodded lightly.
“Yes. Yes, I don’t think she’s a human being. You are right.”
Khan was startled. Cheol-ho continued to speak.
“That woman is an elf.”
“An elf?”
Khan flopped into a chair and shook his head from side to side.
“Despite my suspicion I thought she was still human. But doesn’t an elf have long ears?”
“Hmm.”
Cheol-ho pondered the dilemma with his arms crossed. Was this restaurant a good place to live? Or was it bad? All the visitors were unique.
Well, Cheol-ho didn’t think that was bad.
“Did they recognize us?”
“No. I didn’t have the ability to recognize magic.”
Cheol-ho shrugged his shoulders and recalled the results of his ability, [Detect Eye].
– Morality: Neutral
– Class: Ghost race + (hidden class)
– Class Achievement: Master
– Learning Aptitude: Awarded
She was a neutral elf.
How did he know?
Only elves could own the class ‘ghost race’. That means that she had already mastered the first class ‘ghost race’, and picked a hidden class.
Seeing that the second class had only one achievement it appeared she had mastered it quite a long time ago.
‘That’s the level of awakening that’s classified as the first class in this world?’
She was better than he thought. Now he was thinking that perhaps , they might need to keep an eye on her.
‘I suppose I’ll see you again next time.’
By the way.
There were three watermelons left. He could cut the other two up and eat them in a fun way.
Cheol-ho stretched like a cat and headed for the kitchen.
“Khan!”
“Huh?”
“I’ll let you eat something unique.”
“Oh!”
Khan jumped to his feet excitedly.
“What can I do for you?”
“Hmm…….”
Cheol-ho thought for a moment before answering.
“Go out and clean up the front of the house.”
* * *
Once Cheol-ho could hear the steady sweeps of the broom , he laid the watermelon on the chopping board, hovering a cleaver over it.
First, cut off the head of the watermelon slightly.
Then he began to spoon out the slightly exposed flesh.
It was convenient to only think that the inside of the watermelon was turned into a bowl, but it was something that needed a lot of work. The more time you spend, the better the results .
Once you stirred the inside of the watermelon moderately, pour soju into it. One watermelon could contain around two bottles of soju. Once you’re done pouring the soju you can add a drink of your preference.
A fruit-flavored drink could damage the taste, so he picked up the cider and poured it in.
Then stir well. Finally, fill it up with ice and store it for 20 minutes in the freezer.
It was called ‘watermelon soju’.
* * *
There were three people trudging out of the Temple Mercenary Corps building.
“Oh well, it was pointless after all.”
Shadow Cat nodded to Chae-yeon’s words.
Leaning against the wall, Kim Sang-hu gave a deep sigh.
“Hey, old lady, if it’s gone without a trace wouldn’t it be safe to say that there’s a new biological phenomenon that makes it naturally disappear?”
“Who is this little boy calling an old lady?” Shadow Cat retorted. “And I’m busy, too. And there’s no clues. No witnesses, no victims. Let’s pretend someone pulled out all the Mandragora. Does that make sense? There’s no way there’s anyone in this country could pull them out without at least a few people knowing about it.”
In the end, nothing had come of Shadow Cat’s investigation. The reason she was a first-class awakener was because her lone power was equal to the power of thousands of ordinary people. It was very unexpected that her investigation had not produced a normal result.
“Well… come to think of it, you’re right.”
Under the constant monitoring of three shifts, Chae-yeon’s team had closely guarded the Mandragora area, and the kilometer around it. If someone had stolen the plant there would have been casualties….but there were none.
“You never know,” Kim Sang-hu added, sniffling. “What if someone ate it all up? It’s quite chilly tonight, even though it is summer.”
Shadow Cat shook her head.
Since there was not a clue left, it was most reasonable to say that the Mandragora had disappeared naturally.
After thinking for a long time she nodded decisively.
First of all, report to the superiors. With the additional data the researchers might suggest a new hypothesis regarding the attack.
But she felt something strange. It was an instinctive feeling.
‘Something’s suspicious.’
There was no evidence, no victims .
“Something’s going on in this city,” she mumbled.
The three of them split up for the night.
Shadow Cat tilted her head up at the cloudless night sky as she swept through the streets. It was a cool summer night.
‘The restaurant.’
Strangely, she remembered the restaurant.
‘Why is it stuck in my head? Is it because I enjoyed one of the most delicious meals in a long time?’
Hmm…
A strange intuition kept her thinking about the restaurant. But when she thought of the workers , they were plain, no matter how much she examined her memories of them.
‘I don’t know.’
By the way.
‘I want to go again. Is it because it’s a good restaurant?’
Strange thoughts came and went like the flickering moonlight, and her body gradually disappeared as she melded into the shadow cast by the city buildings.
* * *
Cheol-ho took the watermelon out of the freezer.
He could feel the weight of the cold liquid within it.
He punched a hole in the body of the watermelon, red soju cascading out of the leak. After emptying two bottles of the beer from the watermelon he briefly took a step back, to appreciate the sight.
The finishing touch was to finely slice the last remaining Mandragora, and float it on the surface of the glass.
With that, all the radish has been consumed. There was quite a lot of sliced radish kimchi. It would get better and better day by day.
“Wow.”
Khan opened his mouth wide in appreciation.
The chicken soup was good, and watermelon soju was also good. Everything was delicious in summer.
But–
“In summer, watermelon soju is best.”
Cheol-ho raised his glass with a chuckle. Khan, too, raised his glass, and both drinks met with a satisfying clink.
The two drinkers chewed the last of the mandragora and gulped the soju down.
Editor: Nets
——————————————————–
“Yes.”
Shadow Cat opened her eyes wide, smiling lightly. It was a curious, cat-like smile.
“Yes, I am. Do you know how to cook vegetables?”
Cheol-ho scratched his head as he thought.
“There’s not much I can do. Well, I do just happen to have a watermelon. Would you like some?”
“Watermelon!”
Shadow Cat laughed and nodded.
“I’d like some please.”
* * *
There were many delicious ways to eat watermelon. It tasted great when eaten in simple slices, when frozen, and even when blended. But today he was going to try a different method.
Cheol-ho, stepping back into the kitchen, cleaved one of his watermelons in half and began to skillfully carve out the flesh. He was careful to only scrape out the flesh so that the bottom shell of the watermelon remained.
Next, he cut the removed watermelon flesh into bite-size pieces, before returning it to the shell.
It’s best to put in as much as possible.
Then, the half-cut watermelon skin was mixed in with the cut watermelon flesh. The cider was poured into the shell. When the cider was poured to the point the bowl almost filled up, the cider’s peculiar scent mingled with the summery fragrance of the sweet watermelon to fill the air. You could also slice it up and add various fruits according to your preferences.
In Cheol-ho’s case he preferred to add additional strawberries and kiwifruit, preparing them by cutting them into small pieces and placing them in a bowl.
He took a square cut of the Mandragora so it would blend in with the other fruits, and also added it to the bowl.
For a finishing touch he added some ice.
Chae-yeon’s eyes glistened behind Cheol-ho, avidly watching him bring the watermelon bowl to the table and prepare to return to bring out the ice.
“Wow! It’s fruit salad, right?” Chae-yeon asked happily.
“Yes.”
At Cheol-ho’s affirmation she cheerfully drummed her fingers on the table, letting out a playful smile.
Oh!
Ice formed in the air, glittering drops of condensation rolling off of the perfect cubes. Once the small pieces of ice landed in the watermelon bowl the salad was completed.
“Oh, you’re awakened,” stated Cheol-ho in a slightly surprised tone. Ma Chang-sa answered him in between slurps of his Samgyetang soup.
“She’s the Ice Witch who protects Sinchon.”
“Aha. You are that guardian.”
“…I don’t like the name.”
Chae-yeon pouted her lips. In fact, she didn’t really like the ‘modifier’ put in front of her name. There were times when she heard it she cringed so badly her hands and feet cramped, and for one thing, it wasn’t a very nice nickname!
‘Witch’ !
She was given the code name of the ‘Ice Witch’ because of her performance in the annual tournament duel at Cypher School, named Battle Royale. It originated from the unforgettable time she froze her opponent completely solid and covered the entire arena in flurries of snow.
“The whole thing was a mistake.”
Cheol-ho laughed good-naturedly at her miserable expression.
For some reason , quite a few great people had come to visit today. Cheol-ho suddenly glanced at Shadow Cat.
He didn’t bother to ask who she was. She was definitely more than just a guardian.
Cheol-ho carried out the completed fruit salad to Shadow Cat, complete with a big spoon.
“Wow!”
She smiled broadly.
Cheol-ho couldn’t help but feel she looked pretty when she smiled.
Chae-yeon also had a cute look, but he thought the other girl was really pretty, with a sharp nose and sculpted appearance so flawless it wouldn’t have been replicable even for the advanced plastic surgery techniques of the past.
In other words, she was way too pretty.
Strange.
Cheol-ho felt an odd sense of alienation from her. After hesitating slightly he internally shrugged and mentally recited the command.
[Detect Eye]
“Thank you for the meal!”
Shadow Cat raised her spoon in cheers.
The pungent taste of cider, the sweetness of the watermelon, and the crunchy chewing sensation melded together pleasantly. It felt like the heat in the room had been sucked away by the ice.
In addition, it was very delicious when blended in with the texture of the sliced fruits. Shadow Cat tilted her head as she looked at the square, yet radish-like, addition. It was a sweet and crunchy addition that made the texture twice as good.
“It looks delicious.”
Chae-yeon and Kim Sang-hu nodded together.
“Give us some, too!”
* * *
After the three guests had gone, Khan remained silent for a while with his arms crossed.
Cheol-ho did the same.
“Cheol-ho.”
“What?”
“That woman who just left is pretty.”
Cheol-ho laughed.
“Yep.”
“She’s too pretty to be human.”
Khan’s tone was serious. Cheol-ho nodded lightly.
“Yes. Yes, I don’t think she’s a human being. You are right.”
Khan was startled. Cheol-ho continued to speak.
“That woman is an elf.”
“An elf?”
Khan flopped into a chair and shook his head from side to side.
“Despite my suspicion I thought she was still human. But doesn’t an elf have long ears?”
“Hmm.”
Cheol-ho pondered the dilemma with his arms crossed. Was this restaurant a good place to live? Or was it bad? All the visitors were unique.
Well, Cheol-ho didn’t think that was bad.
“Did they recognize us?”
“No. I didn’t have the ability to recognize magic.”
Cheol-ho shrugged his shoulders and recalled the results of his ability, [Detect Eye].
– Morality: Neutral
– Class: Ghost race + (hidden class)
– Class Achievement: Master
– Learning Aptitude: Awarded
She was a neutral elf.
How did he know?
Only elves could own the class ‘ghost race’. That means that she had already mastered the first class ‘ghost race’, and picked a hidden class.
Seeing that the second class had only one achievement it appeared she had mastered it quite a long time ago.
‘That’s the level of awakening that’s classified as the first class in this world?’
She was better than he thought. Now he was thinking that perhaps , they might need to keep an eye on her.
‘I suppose I’ll see you again next time.’
By the way.
There were three watermelons left. He could cut the other two up and eat them in a fun way.
Cheol-ho stretched like a cat and headed for the kitchen.
“Khan!”
“Huh?”
“I’ll let you eat something unique.”
“Oh!”
Khan jumped to his feet excitedly.
“What can I do for you?”
“Hmm…….”
Cheol-ho thought for a moment before answering.
“Go out and clean up the front of the house.”
* * *
Once Cheol-ho could hear the steady sweeps of the broom , he laid the watermelon on the chopping board, hovering a cleaver over it.
First, cut off the head of the watermelon slightly.
Then he began to spoon out the slightly exposed flesh.
It was convenient to only think that the inside of the watermelon was turned into a bowl, but it was something that needed a lot of work. The more time you spend, the better the results .
Once you stirred the inside of the watermelon moderately, pour soju into it. One watermelon could contain around two bottles of soju. Once you’re done pouring the soju you can add a drink of your preference.
A fruit-flavored drink could damage the taste, so he picked up the cider and poured it in.
Then stir well. Finally, fill it up with ice and store it for 20 minutes in the freezer.
It was called ‘watermelon soju’.
* * *
There were three people trudging out of the Temple Mercenary Corps building.
“Oh well, it was pointless after all.”
Shadow Cat nodded to Chae-yeon’s words.
Leaning against the wall, Kim Sang-hu gave a deep sigh.
“Hey, old lady, if it’s gone without a trace wouldn’t it be safe to say that there’s a new biological phenomenon that makes it naturally disappear?”
“Who is this little boy calling an old lady?” Shadow Cat retorted. “And I’m busy, too. And there’s no clues. No witnesses, no victims. Let’s pretend someone pulled out all the Mandragora. Does that make sense? There’s no way there’s anyone in this country could pull them out without at least a few people knowing about it.”
In the end, nothing had come of Shadow Cat’s investigation. The reason she was a first-class awakener was because her lone power was equal to the power of thousands of ordinary people. It was very unexpected that her investigation had not produced a normal result.
“Well… come to think of it, you’re right.”
Under the constant monitoring of three shifts, Chae-yeon’s team had closely guarded the Mandragora area, and the kilometer around it. If someone had stolen the plant there would have been casualties….but there were none.
“You never know,” Kim Sang-hu added, sniffling. “What if someone ate it all up? It’s quite chilly tonight, even though it is summer.”
Shadow Cat shook her head.
Since there was not a clue left, it was most reasonable to say that the Mandragora had disappeared naturally.
After thinking for a long time she nodded decisively.
First of all, report to the superiors. With the additional data the researchers might suggest a new hypothesis regarding the attack.
But she felt something strange. It was an instinctive feeling.
‘Something’s suspicious.’
There was no evidence, no victims .
“Something’s going on in this city,” she mumbled.
The three of them split up for the night.
Shadow Cat tilted her head up at the cloudless night sky as she swept through the streets. It was a cool summer night.
‘The restaurant.’
Strangely, she remembered the restaurant.
‘Why is it stuck in my head? Is it because I enjoyed one of the most delicious meals in a long time?’
Hmm…
A strange intuition kept her thinking about the restaurant. But when she thought of the workers , they were plain, no matter how much she examined her memories of them.
‘I don’t know.’
By the way.
‘I want to go again. Is it because it’s a good restaurant?’
Strange thoughts came and went like the flickering moonlight, and her body gradually disappeared as she melded into the shadow cast by the city buildings.
* * *
Cheol-ho took the watermelon out of the freezer.
He could feel the weight of the cold liquid within it.
He punched a hole in the body of the watermelon, red soju cascading out of the leak. After emptying two bottles of the beer from the watermelon he briefly took a step back, to appreciate the sight.
The finishing touch was to finely slice the last remaining Mandragora, and float it on the surface of the glass.
With that, all the radish has been consumed. There was quite a lot of sliced radish kimchi. It would get better and better day by day.
“Wow.”
Khan opened his mouth wide in appreciation.
The chicken soup was good, and watermelon soju was also good. Everything was delicious in summer.
But–
“In summer, watermelon soju is best.”
Cheol-ho raised his glass with a chuckle. Khan, too, raised his glass, and both drinks met with a satisfying clink.
The two drinkers chewed the last of the mandragora and gulped the soju down.
