Leveling Up through Eating

52 A Pleasant Meal

‘What’s this……?’ 

The condition for growth was extremely contrasting to Kongie’s cute and lovable appearance. Minhyuk quickly clicked on the detailed explanation of blood of your enemies to confirm.

[In order to unseal Gluttony’s Incarnation, you have to prove your strength and be recognized by him. The blood of your enemies meant hunting and successfully killing users, NPCs, or humanoid type monsters. The % increase will increase differently depending on the strength of your enemies. If your enemy’s strength is higher then the % will also increase. Once you have reached 100% then the Incarnation of Gluttony will awaken.]

In fact, Minhyuk had already recognized the fact that Kongie would awaken once the bar reaches 100% and that he wasn’t awakened up until this point. However, even without awakening, the current Kongie had already become a very powerful pet. A pet with almost 3,000 in their attack power was not common. In addition, even Kongie’s buff skills were extremely outstanding with both attack and power having an increase of 20%.

Right at that moment, a whisper came in.

[Genie: Minhyuk-ah, we’ve collected everything^^!]

It was a whisper from Genie. The whisper came just in time for his Dad’s birthday tomorrow. He was thinking of just treating them to a meal with whatever ingredients that he currently had if they were not able to collect all the ingredients within this time period but it seemed like he did not need to do that.

A small smile hung around Minhyuk’s mouth.

“Kaistra.” 

When his name was called, Kaistra turned to look at him albeit with a bit of curiosity.

“Would you like to come with me and see my Dad?”

“Yes!”

Kaistra nodded fiercely when he heard his words.

***

Park Munsoo had been in Ilhwa Group and beside Chairman Kang Minhoo for almost 35 years. 

When he was younger, a man had reached out his hands to him, a ten-year-old orphan that was just begging around the streets. And that man was Kang Minhoo. Back then, Chairman Kang Minhoo was still not a big name like he was right now. However, as time went by, Kang Minhoo gradually grew and grew. And Park Munsoo saw it with his own eyes beside him.

And right now, Park Munsoo was smiling softly at him.

“Chairman, are you really that happy?”

Kang Minhoo couldn’t stop himself from smiling today. Even when he was working, he would put down his pen and laugh softly with a ‘Hahaha’. Even when he was taking a break and drinking tea, he would smile while looking over the horizon with eyes that seemed to be filled with mist.

His figure was also a source of happiness for Park Munsoo.

“Of course it’s because I’m happy. Don’t you look happy too?”

“It’s because I’m looking forward to the Young Master’s meal.”

Park Munsoo smiled at him. He was also smiling because seeing Chairman Kang smiling happily could also bring him joy. He had promised to live his life for Kang Minhoo ever since that fateful day so he would feel happy for the person who had given him a new lease in life.

Then, the two of them went ahead and accessed the game.

“Wait. You have an Athenae ID, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

Park Munsoo had created an ID in the game because he wanted to support Kang Minhoo even in the game. However, they weren’t able to play the game together at all.

“What’s your ID?”

“It’s King God.”

Kang Minhoo smiled softly at him when he heard his words.

“You really have a great naming sense.”

“Really? Hahaha!”

In fact, Park Munsoo and Kang Minhoo already knew that IDs like Black Dragon were like some sort of joke to other people. However, Park Munsoo still chose the ID King God. His only reason was to share the same shame with the chairman.

Meanwhile, Kang Minhoo was currently receiving a call. The call was from an information collector that he had hired in Athenae. Not long after, Kang Minhoo couldn’t help but be surprised with what he had heard over the phone.

“Yeah. Keep going.”

Kang Minhoo was not looking for something simple. He was looking for excellent cooking ingredients.

Ingredients that can make my son happy!

[This information came from Callame’s Island. If you pass through the ‘Ice Cliffs’ in Callame Island, you will be able to see hundreds of icebergs that sprouted from the ground. And there’s only one iceberg there that is glowing with white light.]

“So what is that iceberg?”

Kang Minhoo’s voice was filled with excitement.

[If you dig up that iceberg, you will be able to receive a surprising ‘ice fragment’. However, this fragment tastes much better than the normal ‘Neolbing’ that you can find in the market.]

“……!”

Kang Minhoo’s eyes sparkled when he heard the information.

“I, is that true?”

Minhoo clearly remembered the words that his son had told him whenever it was summer.

‘I want to eat spoonful after spoonful of Neolbing bingsoo until my head goes blank with brain freeze……’

And every single time he heard it, Minhoo felt like his heart was breaking. He hated himself for being a father who couldn’t even put food in his child’s mouth. And it was even a common thing for others, asking their child ‘It’s so hot outside, shall we go to Neolbing?’ then sitting down in the cafe while eating bingsoo. However, they couldn’t even do it once.

Kang Minhoo trembled. He would make sure to get it without fail. Then, he would feed his son all the strawberry bingsoo, melon bingsoo, choco bingsoo, and all of the bingsoo that he wanted to eat.

[However, an ice witch resides in the place so you have to be careful.]

“Thanks.”

He hung up the phone. He decided to put the promise behind for the moment and do what he could do right now.

“Let’s connect.”

“Yes.”

Both Kang Minhoo and Park Munsoo accessed Athenae through their office capsules. Then, Black Dragon went to the beginner's village where King God was currently located.

When they met in the game, King God couldn’t help but be surprised with the chairman’s presence. He was riding a 6m long creature that was covered with black, impregnable scales.

“She’s one of the legendary dragons that you could hear in the world of Athenae here and there. Her name is Britney.”

“I see.”

As expected of the Chairman, he really is great.

This was what went through King God’s head as he climbed on top of the dragon. Then, the black dragon, Britney, flapped her wings strongly and soared in the air.

“May I know how you got her?”

“It was a strange event. One day, I found out that other people laugh and giggle when they heard the name ‘Black Dragon’. But strangely enough, I didn’t feel ashamed at all.”

King God nodded his head when he heard his words.

“That’s why when someone asks me, I feel confident telling them this name. I also brought judgment to the people who made fun of my name.” 

Park Munsoo knew that Kang Minhoo was a man who did what he wanted to do. He was also a man who could make others smile with just his merits alone.

“So I just played like that when I suddenly heard a hidden piece notification.”

“A hidden piece?”

“Yeah. That hidden piece……”

He recalled a vague piece of memory as he continued his words.

“A person who possesses the quality to have a true second-grade disease. Or something like that.”

King God nodded at him in awe.

‘As expected of the chairman, he does his best in whatever he does. But what does second grade disease (jungibyeong) mean? Ah……! I’m sure it’s short for ‘Important Foreigner (jungyohan ibangin)’ so what does the last syllable ‘byeong’ mean? Hmm…… Anyway, I’m sure that he’s one of the best people with second grade disease in the world!’

And just like expected, Park Munsoo thought that he was someone that was respected all over the world.

Before they knew it, Britney was already arriving at their rendezvous point.

***

Minhyuk and Kaistra together with General, the diet manager Hyejin, with her ID AmazingHyejin, and the others were all sitting in the restaurant that he had rented out. They were all currently waiting for the chairman and his secretary to come.

Meanwhile, Minhyuk was looking at the cake in front of him with a pleased smile.

Dad likes the sweet potato cake.

Next to the cake was the gigantic Dragon King’s snow crab. The snow crabs were well-boiled with its legs, claws, torso and shell skillfully separated from each other. Generally, the Dragon King’s snow crabs were all two times larger than regular snow crabs so they were really huge. And placed next to them was the japchae and braised pork ribs that his Dad liked. Of course, all of the ingredients that he had used were special ingredients.

Just in time, Black Dragon and King God came inside the restaurant. The two of them looked like they were just novices who had just entered the game. They hid their levels because Black Dragon wanted to surprise his son. He wanted to hide it until he found the ice fragment and showed it to him.

As soon as he came inside, Kaistra immediately bowed down.

“Ch, chairman-nim. Hello!”

“Boy, you must be Kaistra?”

Kaistra was at a loss for words. This was his idol, the idol that he had wanted to meet for quite a long time.

Black Dragon had already heard his story from Minhyuk beforehand so he was aware of his identity. King God smiled happily as he looked at Kaistra.

‘He’s the African boy from back then……’

He was the boy who had inquired about Chairman Kang Minhoo for him. The boy who wanted to repay his kindness. Black Dragon was this kind of person, he had the ability to attract people to his side. But it seemed like it was also passed on to his son, Kang Minhyuk.

Meanwhile, Kaistra felt something strange in his restlessness. This was because he could feel a powerful presence wriggling in Chairman Kang Minhoo’s left hand. Kaistra and Black Dragon’s eyes met. It seemed like Black Dragon had realized that he noticed it so he shook his head while smiling slightly at him. Britney, who was resting in his left arm, had signalled that she had felt the power of Kaistra’s Penrus.

‘The chairman is really playing the game just like what the rumors said, but it seems like he’s hiding the reason why.’

Kaistra was shocked beyond belief after realizing this fact.

‘His son, Minhyuk-nim, is an Envoy of Incarnation…… And, the chairman is also powerful…… plus they’re really rich……’

Kaistra nodded his head slightly as if to say that he was keeping his secret. At the same time, Minhyuk hurriedly approached Black Dragon and guided him to his seat.

“Dad, you have to sit in this seat today!”

“Hahaha. Punk.”

Minhoo happily sat in the middle of the table where a cake and a hearty meal was located.

“You have to blow the candles!”

Minhyuk clapped his hands and started singing, which prompted the rest to start singing too.

“Happy birthday to you~ happy birthday to you~ Beloved Dad, happy birthday to you~”

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Hoho. I feel a bit embarrassed.”

“Dad should make a wish and blow the candles!”

Kang Minhoo closed his eyes and made a wish before blowing on the candles with a simple ‘Hoo!’.

‘I hope that my son’s illness will be cured someday……  so we can sit down and eat a meal like this in real life.’ 

This was his dream.

After he blew the candles, the meal finally started.

Black Dragon first picked one of the legs of the snow crab before stretching it out.

“It’s really big.”

He was in awe of the food in front of him. The snow crab legs in his hands were at least two to three times larger than the legs of a regular snow crab. It was because he loved snow crabs so much that he was forced to lose weight after eating so much.

When Minhyuk saw his Dad starting to eat, he also began to eat happily. He brought a strange-looking crab fork and used it on the snow crab leg.

“Wow. It’s really plump……!”

It was surprisingly plump and overflowing with meat. It looked like a crab meat stick with how plump it was. Minhyuk, quickly brought the plump meat into his mouth. The warm and rich flavor of the snow crabs brought a smile to his face. Some would say that the meat tasted exactly like crab meat stick but the flavor of this crab was much more luxurious and rich than that.

After swallowing down the meat, he quickly tore off another leg but this time, he dipped it in the crab sauce. The savory taste of the snow crab sauce and the slightly bland yet sweet flavor of the meat met and created a harmony that could unconsciously bring a smile to one’s face.

This time, he picked up the claws. Minhyuk had prepared crab tongs beforehand so that they could take the meat off of the claws easily. He quietly held the claw with one hand while pulling the meat out with the tongs on the other. As soon as he pulled the tongs out, a plump and jiggling flesh popped out and greeted him. When he took it to his mouth, he could feel the chewier texture and lighter flavor of the meat from the claws.

Minhyuk smiled pleasantly at the food. The next thing that he picked up was the body of the crab.

Crunch, crunch━

The crab fork easily separated the shell and the meat. Then, he placed the separated meat on a plate that was already starting to be filled with meat before taking a spoon and eating a spoonful of it.

“Kghhk……” 

The flavor of the meat bursted out in his mouth as soon as he chewed on it. He couldn’t help but let out a burst of admiration at the flavor. Then, he picked some japchae and ate it just like that.

“Sluuuuuurp.”

The salty and savory japchae was filled with rich flavors coming from the various ingredients that he had added in it.

Crunch, crunch━

The taste of the spinach, mushrooms, onions and pork combined to create a flavor that was to his satisfaction. The more he chewed the more flavorful the taste in his mouth became.

Then, he turned his attention towards the braised pork ribs. He believed that the braised pork ribs would taste better if it could easily be pried apart. And as soon as he took the short ribs into his mouth, the meat and the bone separated easily.

‘Wow, it’s melting.’ 

The meat and the bones separating from each other clearly demonstrated how well-cooked the dish was. And once he chewed on it, the sweet juices of the meat spread in his mouth.

And just as they ate the food that was set up and served on the table.

“I’m full.”

His Dad spoke to him. But Minhyuk just shook his head at him.

“Eyy. Dad, you can’t be full yet!”

“Hmm?”

Black Dragon tilted his head at him as Minhyuk smiled at him proudly.

“There’s still snow crab fried rice and snow crab ramyeon!”

***

Footnotes

[널빙] Neolbing – I believe this is a parody for 설빙 a store that sells bingsoo.

[중이병] jungibyeong – second grade disease. Means an immature person who is narcissistic, overestimates himself and usually do violence. I think it’s also their version of chuunibyou. So basically, he has the qualities of being a chunnibyou.

Notes

Britney: So, I know that we use HE for most creatures and figures that are not specified with a gender but I can’t. Lol. Britney… sounds like a queen so… that’s a she for me. I would have used They/them but I’m still new to that and I don’t know when to use it so I’m still confined to he/she.

Park Munsoo’s monologue about the second grade disease. So 중이병 has three syllables, KRs usually use the first syllables of the words to make abbreviations so he misunderstood the word as an abbreviation. The important foreigner is literally ‘중요한 이방인’ which has the syllables 중 and 이 as their first syllables. Lol it’s so funny. I think he also misunderstood it since it’s a slang that younger people use and not people their age. You won’t hear any middle aged people saying chuuni after all. 

TL’s corner!

Strangely enough, I cried when I was translating the part where our dear Father-nim made his wish. I actually typed this to stop crying. Lol. I am strangely emotional these days. T_T