Chapter 13

“…….”

The moment I woke up, I said.

“…Fruit tea….”

I want a warm, sweet fruit tea.

“Let’s make cheong.”

And so, today’s content was decided.

Making cheong wasn’t that difficult.

Tools sterilized with love, fruit grown with affection and an equal amount of sugar were enough.

‘Meaning, you need a whole lot of sugar, enough to make you think, ‘Ah, this is the amount that will give me diabetes’.’

And most fruits could be made into cheong.

As long as they paired well, it didn’t matter if two or more kinds of fruits were used.

“…….”

The first fruit I decided on was the Mangdung Fruit.

“But with just this, I think it will be only sweet.”

If there was a flavor needed to successfully make a fruit cheong—which is essentially sugar water infused with the flavor of fruit—the first was sourness, and the second was bitterness.

The sugar alone would already be sweet enough to make the tongue tingle, and if another sweet fruit was added, it would be nothing more than canned fruit.

I learned this fact after making cheong with overly ripe, sweet tangerines.

“That’s delicious in its own way, of course.”

But what I wanted right now was a fruit tea with a bitter taste, accompanied by sourness, based on a foundation of sweetness.

It wasn't a very difficult composition.

“I’ll need a sour and bitter fruit to go with the Mangdung Fruit.”

A combination I often made in reality was mainly strawberry and lemon.

Strawberries weren't entirely devoid of sourness, but they were generally soft and sweet.

In contrast, a lemon’s flesh was sour and its peel was bitter, which used to add depth to the one-dimensional sweetness of such strawberries.

It was similar this time.

“Although it has some sourness, the Mangdung Fruit is on the sweeter side.”

And since that sweetness was quite rich, I thought it would be good with a fruit that was sour like a lemon or astringent like a yuzu.

A fruit cheong with such a variety of flavors was especially satisfying when drunk as a warm tea.

“Honey.”

“Kururu.”

“Let's go.”

With the golden water bird on my shoulder, I boldly set off on an adventure.

I spoke to Honey, who had at some point moved into the basket.

“I could just draw and create something like a lemon or yuzu, but the foods created that way are all just so-so in taste… so it's better to harvest them directly like this.”

“Kururuk?”

“It’s better for my own satisfaction, and better for the fruit cheong that will be made. If possible, I want to try using a unique fruit from this forest rather than a fruit with a weak flavor.”

I could create food by drawing a picture.

But strangely, the ingredients and food made that way were all somewhat bland.

It was fine to eat when my mouth was just bored, but I didn't want to use it for a dish I was set on making.

Vowing on the honor of my grandmother, who had been a big shot in our village, I resolved to make a fantasy-like fruit cheong.

“Thinking about that, farming doesn’t seem like a bad choice either.”

“Guk.”

“As someone who is a sun-dried potato from Gangwon-do, I can see that the soil here is very suitable for farming. It’s always a mild spring weather, but it's not like the wind doesn't blow, and although it has never rained, the soil is always moist and there are streams everywhere. It’s a good environment for watering, too.”

“Kuuuuuk….”

“I don’t have any seeds or seedlings, but I think I can get help from Mr. Yu Seong-un for that part. To receive something from beyond the painting, I’ll have to give something in return, but I can give as much as needed….”

A human life where unlimited content was guaranteed had this kind of onion-like charm.

Even if it didn't seem like it, if you just squeezed, you could always find something to do.

“Nice.”

Excellent. Isn’t this kind of freedom the greatest happiness of an unemployed life?

“It would be hard for a crop grown with my own hands, full of the energy of Gangwon-do’s mountains, to not taste good. Right?”

“Kururururu.”

“It really feels like I’ve started a life in the countryside. I should have been living this peaceful and warm life long ago….”

Seo Jio recalled his hometown, where he could interact with all sorts of nature as a child.

“I liked helping with various tasks since I was young. Thanks to the elders setting up all sorts of things, I tried beekeeping, dug up wild ginseng, and even met a wild boar….”

“Gurk?”

“I’m not talking about poaching. I literally ran into it, and we parted ways well without anyone getting hurt or dying. I think I met it thanks to someone who was wandering the mountains collecting mushrooms and ginseng.”

There wasn't a single person who didn't have a vegetable garden, and there were also people who raised chickens, ducks, or quail on a small scale.

I had fond memories of making cheese with fresh milk from a farm of an acquaintance of an acquaintance, or simply enjoying it with a bit of honey.

I was a person who had done almost everything a human could do on land.

“There’s no way someone like me can’t handle a bit of farming.”

Grandma, please watch over me.

“I will prove my talent in the name of our village.”

“Grrrng?”

“I was taught not to bet my own name on things like this.”

It was my grandmother's firm belief that if you thought you couldn't do it, you should use an elder's name.

“Of course, I don’t think she meant for it to be used in situations like this.”

Interpretation was up to the individual.

“So what kind of seeds should I ask for….”

“Kuru?”

“…First, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn are an absolute must.”

My floodgates had opened.

“They aren’t representative staple crops around the world for nothing, so it’s good to grow them in case of an emergency. And I want to grow radishes too. It’s especially delicious when you pull out the tender radish sprouts, still like young shoots, and mix them with rice, soy paste, and oil.”

“Gurk, kururu.”

“Pumpkin? Pumpkin is great. Large, aged pumpkins are good for making porridge, small and sweet kabocha squashes are delicious simply boiled and drizzled with honey, and long and plump zucchinis, when added to soup, are moderately savory and fill you up. You know your stuff.”

There were many other things that came to mind.

“Like lettuce?”

“Gung-gung-gung….”

“It's surprisingly good. It’s easy to grow, and you can tear off a well-grown leaf, put it over rice with just some soy paste, and you’ve got a meal in a snap. Or something like bok choy is good when boiled in a clear broth.”

“Kururuk.”

“Green peas would be good too. Ah, cherry tomatoes… I like those too. Any proper vegetable garden must have at least one tomato plant growing.”

Having spoken that far, I looked down at the basket in my hand.

“…….”

“Kuru.”

“Aha.”

I saw Honey spread out inside the basket like a spilled liquid monster.

“Right.”

It’s cute, so it’s fine.

Honey was a bird that mainly held gems.

The gems filling the basket, where a golden liquid shimmered as if thick honey had spread, were quite a sight to behold. It seemed that it wouldn't be boring with it around.

As I chattered on about my future farming plans, I soon stopped in front of a certain tree.

“Ah….”

A pitch-black tree.

It was a tree made of obsidian.

“I found this first.”

Star Flower Tree

A living obsidian tree.

It grows by absorbing the starlight reflected on its body.

The flowers of the Star Flower Tree bloom every dawn from the absorbed light and obsidian residue, and the flowers of this tree are effective in treating burns and frostbite.

The tree’s sap and bark are mainly used as materials for works of art.

Elixir Recipe: The bud just before the flower blooms is good for frostbite, and the fully bloomed flower is good for burns. It can be used after boiling it in water until soft and then soaking it in the sap of a Dorongdorong Leaf for ten days. Be warned that consuming the flower without the above process will cause burns and frostbite.

“…….”

Staring at the automatically appearing description, I blinked twice.

“Did I use too much obsidian paint last time?”

A considerable amount of obsidian powder was consumed in the process of creating the water birds' habitat.

It was a frequently used material to create a transparent texture like water or glass and it would be good to collect some on this occasion.

I looked for the chisel and hammer in the basket. They were tools that didn't quite fit the word 'gathering', but for collecting from the Star Flower Tree, there were no better helpers.

“Wake up, son. Your lazy appearance is very cute, but Dad has to work.”

“Kurururuk.”

“This isn’t your kind of thing anyway. Give it here. That’s right.”

After gently coaxing Honey, who was playing with the tools, and retrieving them, I placed the basket on the ground and approached the obsidian tree.

I touched the branches of the obsidian tree, checking their temperature and moisture.

I felt a faint warmth, as if proving it was alive, and the sap flowing like blood between it.

“Perhaps….”

I looked for a dead branch among them.

“Is it this way.”

A branch with an unusually chilling aura, which sharply reflected light rather than sparkling and felt completely solid without a hint of moisture.

I fiddled with its boundary to confirm, then brought the chisel and hammer close.

And then, tap, tap.

“…….”

Ching…!

“Got it.”

The obsidian branch came off easily with a clear sound.

A branch that was still alive couldn't be removed as easily as this.

It was excessively hard and the sticky sap inside was entangled, so it wouldn't break easily even if I tried to smash it.

‘And obsidian that hard is inconvenient when making paint, too.’

A living branch with gooey sap flowing from it was also difficult to make into a clean powder.

Unless the purpose was to make sharp knives or arrowheads or to extract sap, it was best to pick out the dead branches as much as possible.

“That would be better for the tree, too.”

Although it was an obsidian tree with a glassy texture like this, it was still alive.

It was a tree that even bloomed flowers that would become excellent medicinal ingredients, so removing the dead branches would be a relief for the tree as well.

I was careful not to let the weakened dead branch shatter into pieces, and broke the long branch into several pieces.

The obsidian fragments, holding the chilling energy of the stars in the night sky, all went into Honey’s stomach inside the basket.

“Are you going to carry it?”

“Kurururururu!”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

It seemed like it was saving up for its independence fund in advance, but anyway, it was a bird that was truly fond of gems.

A true incarnation of greed, unbefitting of this clear and pure face.

‘It can’t resist a shiny pebble.’

It’ll be a doer, not a victim. I raised my head again and looked at the Star Flower Tree.

“…….”

The tree was a deep black that clearly reflected the sunlight, just like a mirror.

The chilling black obsidian, which looked like it should be seen on a snowy mountain where snow falls, blended well with the spring environment where flowers and grass bloomed vividly, perhaps because it was alive.

Occasionally, a forest butterfly, a being of light, would land on it.

After admiring the sharp and hard tree for a long time, I started moving again.

“…I need to find a fruit.”

“Kyuruk.”

“I hope there’s a good one.”

Fortunately, it wasn't long before I found a fruit that I really liked.

Drought Pot

A tangerine-like fruit with a light brown peel, cracked like a drought-stricken field.

It does not rot for nearly a year even after being harvested, so it is used as a preserved food during droughts.

It becomes sweet as honey if exposed to fire or left under the hot sun for 3 days, but it is sour and bitter when eaten raw.

It is rich in nutrients and canned food or soup made from it becomes an excellent nutritional supplement that can save a person on the verge of starvation.

Elixir Recipe: Process the Drought Pot into an edible form and consume.

“A nutritional supplement, huh.”

That part is also very interesting, but.

“…Sour and bitter?”

I was drawn to this point more than anything.

‘There’s no mention of poison, so it seems there’s no problem eating it raw, but just how sour and bitter is it for them to provide a separate method to eat it sweetly.’

I bravely picked the fruit.

Its size was just like a Korean tangerine, and its peel was a little harder, but the shape was similar anyway.

The flesh inside was also the same as a tangerine, except for the fact that it was a deep yellow like honey.

Sniff, sniff, after smelling the sour scent, I chewed one of the fruits without hesitation.

“…….”

Gulp.

I calmly swallowed the fruit.

“…….”

“Ku, kuru… kururu….”

“Right.”

In response to Honey’s nervous reaction, I nodded with my characteristic expressionless face.

My facial muscles, which had long since degenerated, did not succumb to this level of hardship and trial that occurred on my tongue.

“It's sour and bitter.”

It was a taste that made me understand why the Elixir Recipe was merely ‘Process into an edible form and consume.’

‘Perhaps even the historical Sanyak was sweeter than this.’

It was a shocking stimulus, enough to make my mind go dizzy.

Barely holding onto my fading reason, I learned that the texture was firmer than a tangerine and it had less juice, but compared to its incredible taste, it wasn't a particularly bothersome point.

I took deep breaths for a while.

“…….”

Why was it that I didn't hate it? I gained confidence.

“With this, it won’t lose to the sweetness of the Mangdung Fruit.”

Honey, who was in the same basket, came out, disgusted.

It seemed the taste was too shocking for the sweet Honey to handle.

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