Chapter 51 of 100
Chapter 51. Making Sweet Potato Soup
8 min read1,991 words
Chapter 51. Making Sweet Potato Soup
As Sejun pulled the sweet potato vine,
Crack.
Golden sun pumpkins followed the vine, pulling up one after another, illuminating the surroundings.
[You have harvested 15 Sun Pumpkins simultaneously.]
[Your job experience has increased slightly.]
[Your Harvesting Level 4 proficiency has increased slightly.]
[Due to the Level 1 proficiency increase effect, your Harvesting Level 4 proficiency has increased by an additional 5%.]
[You have gained 450 experience points.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have gained 1 bonus stat point.]
“Phew. It’s done.”
After harvesting the last Sun Pumpkins he planted, Sejun leveled up to level 19. He increased his mana for the bonus stat point, planning to continue raising his mana until he could unlock the sealed <Rain> and <Throw Lightning> skills of the Thunder skill.
After finishing all the harvesting, Sejun went to the fire to prepare dinner. The rabbits were already steaming and roasting the harvested potatoes and sweet potatoes while preparing other dishes.
"Let’s eat dinner now."
Squeak!
Squish!
The rabbits, who had been waiting for Sejun to finish his work, started busily serving the food.
At that moment,
Moo!
Moo!
A sorrowful cry from Kuengi was heard from outside the cave.
"Kuengi is fighting with her mother because she doesn’t want to go home."
Theo interpreted Kuengi’s words.
"Hasn’t she gone home yet?"
"She says she wants to eat the potatoes and sweet potatoes before going home."
It seemed Kuengi was throwing a tantrum because she wanted to eat the potatoes and sweet potatoes harvested inside the cave. Sejun filled a large basket made by the gray rabbit with potatoes and pumpkins and carried it up to the surface.
"Let’s eat this today and have more tomorrow. Got it?"
As Sejun handed the basket to Kuengi,
Moo!
Kuengi, having gotten what she wanted, nodded and quickly climbed onto her mother, the Crimson Giant Bear.
"Ah! Should I have told her not to eat the basket?"
Sejun realized too late that he hadn’t warned Kuengi about the basket, but by then her mother, the Crimson Giant Bear, had already gone too far to catch.
"Great Black Dragon. Should I go and tell her not to eat the basket?"
Elka approached Sejun and said.
"No, it’s fine. More importantly, are you hungry? Let’s eat."
While Sejun was preparing food for Kuengi, the rabbits brought up food for the wolves.
"Thank you, Great Black Dragon..."
"It’s too long. Just call me Sejun from now on."
"Understood. Sejun. Enjoy your meal."
Sejun and the rabbits, having taken care of Kuengi and the wolves’ meals, finally sat down in a circle around the fire to eat. In front of Sejun and the rabbits were plates and bowls made by the gray rabbits from woven parsley leaves, filled with food.
Crunch.
"I’m hungry."
Theo climbed onto Sejun’s lap as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Let’s eat."
As Sejun spoke, the rabbits began to eat the food in front of them.
And
"Here."
"Delicious!"
Sejun, while eating grilled fish, filleted it and fed a piece to Theo’s mouth.
At first, Sejun found it annoying when Theo climbed onto his lap, but now he naturally accepted the act of filleting the fish.
'Puhu. Just as planned!'
Day 213 of the shipwreck. Theo’s day passed peacefully.
***
Moo!
In the morning, Kuengi poked her head out of the cave.
"Ugh."
Sejun got up, added a mark to the wall, and started the 214th day of the shipwreck.
He quickly washed his face and had breakfast with the leftover roasted sweet potatoes from yesterday. Today was expected to be as busy, if not busier, than yesterday.
With the farmland now empty after the harvest, he needed to plant new crops.
After a quick breakfast, Sejun and the rabbits started the morning farming.
Sejun tried to assign tasks to Theo, but
"No way! Theo will go to develop his talent!"
Theo started packing the Magic Tomatoes and Strength Pumpkins into his backpack, preparing for the next trip. The potatoes were still in small quantities and wouldn’t be ready for the next harvest.
"Take a few Detox Leeks as well. There might be a hunter who wants them."
"Understood."
The Detox Leeks were overflowing because they could be divided and planted from the roots, so Sejun had Theo take 100 of them. Theo thought they wouldn’t sell but took them anyway because it was Sejun’s word, which was always true.
While Theo packed his backpack, Sejun quickly harvested the Magic Tomatoes and brought about 10,000 sweet potato sprouts to the surface to plant.
Moo!
Rumble.
When he reached the surface, Kuengi was playing with the wolves, finally finding a suitable playmate.
Next to them was the basket Kuengi had taken yesterday, still intact. Fortunately, she hadn’t eaten it and brought it back.
"Hey, can you help me?"
Sejun led Kuengi and the wolves to the empty field next to the leek field, which was covered with parsley leaves to prevent evaporation.
"Can you gather the parsley leaves?"
"Yes, Sejun."
The wolves gathered the parsley leaves with their mouths, and Kuengi, following their example, excitedly collected and stacked the leaves.
Since she always stacked parsley leaves in the leek field and ate honey, she thought this was the same task.
While the wolves and Kuengi gathered the parsley leaves, Sejun planted the sweet potato sprouts.
Plop.
He used a dagger to create a hole, planted the sweet potato sprout, and filled the hole.
[You have planted Sweet Potato Sprouts.]
[Due to the effect of Sowing Level 4, the probability of the Sweet Potato Sprouts taking root has increased.]
[Due to the effect of Sowing Level 4, the probability of being affected by pests has slightly decreased.]
[Your job experience has increased very slightly.]
[Your Sowing Level 4 proficiency has increased very slightly.]
[Due to the Level 1 proficiency increase effect, your Sowing Level 4 proficiency has increased by an additional 5%.]
While Sejun was diligently planting the sweet potato sprouts,
Moo!
Kuengi, having finished her task, brought a glass bottle.
"Got it."
Sejun poured a bottle of honey for Kuengi and looked around to see the wolves scratching the ground and looking elsewhere.
"Come here, too."
"No... We’re fine."
The wolves shook their heads in refusal.
But they couldn’t fool Sejun. Their tails were wagging wildly, answering for them.
"Come on, quickly."
When Sejun spoke firmly,
"Yes."
The wolves pretended to give in and quickly ran over.
"Here."
Sejun poured honey onto a parsley leaf and gave it to the wolves.
Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.
The wolves, excited by the taste of honey, started eating frantically.
At that moment,
Moo!
Kuengi, who had already finished her honey, pushed her head between the wolves to try to steal their honey.
"Kuengi, no!"
When Sejun strongly stopped her,
Moo...
Kuengi turned her body and pouted. But it was all within the palm of Sejun’s hand.
"We’ll have something even better than honey potatoes for lunch."
Moo?!
At Sejun’s words, Kuengi’s body turned 30 degrees in response. Something better than honey potatoes?!
"But this is a bad bear who steals others’ food. If she eats it, it will be a disaster. It’s a waste, but Kuengi can’t have it."
Moo! Moo!
At Sejun’s shocking words, Kuengi quickly turned her body and waved her front paws in denial. Kuengi is not a bad bear! She doesn’t steal others’ food!!!
"Got it. I thought Kuengi was a bad bear who steals others’ food. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. In return, I’ll give Kuengi five times more for lunch."
Since Kuengi already ate more than ten times what the rabbits ate, it wasn’t a big difference.
Moo!
Kuengi, feeling better at Sejun’s words, went back to collecting parsley leaves.
"I need to go prepare lunch."
Originally, he planned to eat a quick meal, but he had to make something better than honey potatoes because of what he said to Kuengi.
"What could be bad about it?"
Sejun had been wanting to make this dish since he harvested the sweet potatoes. It was sweet potato soup.
He couldn’t make it before due to a lack of ingredients and tools, but now he had the perfect conditions to make a perfect sweet potato soup.
Sejun decided to add potatoes to create a new dish.
"Let’s call it Potato Sweet Potato Soup."
Sejun went down to the cave, washed the potatoes and sweet potatoes, and started boiling them in three pots.
While he was taking out the boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes,
"President Park, what are you doing?"
Theo, who had finished packing his backpack, approached Sejun.
"Ah! President Theo, you came just in time."
"Puhu. Am I that welcome?"
"Of course, I’m glad. Can you cut these with your claws?"
Sejun pointed to the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
"Puhu. That’s nothing for President Theo!"
The strongest in the cave was showing off his abilities.
But
"Are you just going to cut them?"
"Yes. What’s the problem?"
"You need to wash your claws first."
Sejun’s hygiene check caught him.
"Got it!"
Theo quickly washed his claws in the pond and started cutting the potatoes and sweet potatoes, showing off his skills.
"President Park! Watch my amazing front paws!"
While Theo worked hard, Sejun started heating the pot.
Sizzle.
The fire was strong, so the pot heated up quickly.
"Good."
When the pot was hot, Sejun placed a chunk of fat from a giant electric eel into the pot.
Sizzle.
The fat melted, turning into a liquid and emitting a fragrant smell.
Sizzle.
Sejun put the potatoes and sweet potatoes into the pot and started frying them. Sweet potato soup has a crispy and slightly sticky texture, which required frying the surface.
He moved the fried potatoes and sweet potatoes to a leaf plate on the side. After frying, he added honey to the pot and simmered it.
As the honey caramelized and turned brown, he added the potatoes and sweet potatoes, stirring to coat them.
The surface of the potatoes and sweet potatoes started to shine as they were coated with honey.
"Done."
As Sejun finished the dish and let the potatoes and sweet potatoes cool,
[You have achieved the feat of recreating the forgotten dish Sweet Potato Soup in the tower.]
[You have achieved the feat of recreating the forgotten dish Potato Soup in the tower.]
[The recipe for Sweet Potato Soup has been registered in Cooking Level 1.]
[The recipe for Potato Soup has been registered in Cooking Level 1.]
[Your Cooking Level 1 proficiency has increased significantly.]
[Your Cooking Level 1 proficiency has filled up, and your level has increased.]
Sejun’s cooking skill level increased with the achievement. However, the tower did not recognize the Potato Sweet Potato Soup he created.
While Sejun was making the Potato Sweet Potato Soup again,
"Can you fry this fish for me?"
Theo brought a piranha and pointed to the oil left from frying the potatoes and sweet potatoes. Fish lovers instinctively know the combination of fish and oil.
"Sure."
Sizzle.
"Here you go."
The strong fire quickly heated the pot, and Sejun fried the piranha in the remaining oil and gave it to Theo.
"Delicious!"
After tasting the piranha fried in eel oil, Theo decided to receive his weekly salary in fish fries.
A short while later, lunch was ready.
"Let’s eat!"
At Sejun’s call, the rabbits rushed over and carried the Potato Sweet Potato Soup in baskets to the surface.
Moo! Moo!
Kuengi, excited about the food better than honey potatoes, drooled and eagerly pulled the basket up.
And during lunch,
Moo!
As Sejun said, Kuengi, who tasted the Potato Sweet Potato Soup, which was better than honey potatoes, reportedly didn’t steal others’ food afterward.
Day 214 of the shipwreck. Kuengi learned that she should ask for food instead of stealing it. However, she understood it a bit differently from Sejun’s intention.