The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

Ch. 90


Chapter 90

By the time the harvest was all done.

“……”

“Now, let’s go wash them.”

“Excuse me, Teacher, this is a bit….”

“There is no time.”

Jio and Iseur carried the harvested crops and headed to the stream.

“It’s convenient having a stream right in front of the house, isn’t it?”

“Ah, it’s freshwater… right?”

“There’s no way there would be seawater in the middle of a forest like this.”

“That is true, but I feel that common sense rarely applies here.”

“This is quite common-sensical.”

They washed the dirt off the crops.

A basket of tomatoes that would be the main ingredient, of course, as well as six firm onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes each, a head of cabbage, ten pea pods, one small pumpkin and three carrots.

“……”

“……”

Each one was large, and gathered together, they formed a small hill.

“…Was it a bit much?”

“I was about to tell you that this seemed a bit much.”

“You enjoyed it too.”

“That… that is true.”

Because it reminded him of the old days, Iseur only realized that something was going strangely much later.

And by the time he realized it, the hill was already nearing completion.

It was too late to regret.

Iseur laughed awkwardly.

“At this rate, we’ll get three large pots out of this.”

“You must be joking, it will be one pot at most, no matter how much there is.”

“……”

“…I feel like it might increase a bit while cooking….”

Since Jio enjoyed the type of cooking where he threw in various things by feel, rather than cooking thoroughly by measuring the exact amount of ingredients, the quantity often increased absurdly during the cooking process.

Aria used to see that and say, ‘The stew is multiplying.’

“…Hmm….”

I was unabashed.

“Once I make it, I can eat it over time or share it with the neighbors.”

“I’m not sure, but where are the neighbors here? Beyond this forest?”

“Iseur’s ‘Temple of the Deep Sea’ can also be called my neighbor.”

“The range of your neighborhood is truly wide. I am impressed by your inclusiveness.”

“You might not see them now, but if you go in front of the picture frame, sometimes neighbors will appear.”

“Ah, in that way….”

Iseur, who was nodding, froze for a moment.

“…Did you share it with humans?”

“Are you displeased?”

“I can’t say that’s not it, but to those weak humans who melt when they are put in seawater?”

“Is there a problem?”

“That is….”

After hesitating, Iseur said.

“…I think such a gift is too much for humans.”

“Do humans not even deserve to eat my cooking with me?”

“It sounds a bit strange if you put it that way, but wouldn't that be the case?”

“I told you that you shouldn’t discriminate against people with food, didn't I, Iseur?”

“…Of course, what you said is also right, but….”

Iseur stopped talking and mumbled his lips.

‘…Food made by a god can’t possibly be an ordinary gift to humans.’

Iseur still did not know exactly what kind of being Jio was.

However, he was the one who had inherited the divinity of the Sun God, the so-called 2nd Sun God, and even without that characteristic, he was a being of a remote dignity that seemed to be based on a ‘portrait.’

‘Can an ordinary dish come out when such a being cooks?’

Ordinary people would look at such things and call them holy relics.

Moreover, if it was an edible food, not just an ordinary object that could only be appreciated or touched… humans would call it a divine selection.

It was the making of Saints and Saintesses.

“……”

“Iseur?”

“…Well, since it is in the form of tomato stew, it would be ambiguous to say anything.”

“Stew is stew, is there anything more to it?”

“No, it is food, anyway. Everything you say is right, Teacher.”

Even when he was human, Giovanni often did things that transcended common sense and limits.

There was nothing strange about him now handing out tomato stew, which was close to a holy relic, to the people of Earth.

“But I am still jealous. The fact that humans receive such kindness from you, it twists my gut.”

“Is sharing some food something to get your gut twisted over?”

Giovanni shrugged.

“This kind of thing happened often when I lived in Edlen village.”

“Those evil ones who took that delicious food and ended up betraying you….”

“Have another tomato.”

As a mermaid who was bound to be a glutton due to his physical structure, Iseur did not refuse the food Jio gave him.

It was a truly delicious tomato.

“But it still seems like the amount will be a lot.”

“If there is anything left after sharing, shouldn't you all be the ones to take care of it?”

“Why… why should we take care of it?”

“……”

I looked at Iseur intently.

“……”

“…Excuse me….”

“You are indeed too skinny.”

“Teacher, most mermaids have this body type.”

“Seeing you so scrawny makes this teacher's heart feel unwell.”

“I am not scrawny.”

Giovanni couldn't stand to see people go hungry in the past, but for some reason, it seemed his big-heartedness had grown even bigger since he last saw him.

Iseur recalled Giovanni, who had smiled wistfully, saying, ‘I wish everyone would become a pig.’

‘How can a person not change this much? No, I think it’s gotten worse….’

Leaving Iseur to his thoughts, I began the next task.

“Now we must chop. Iseur, if you don't mind, could you check the state of the Club Trumpets now?”

“…Ah, yes. I will change the water once and then go to the kitchen.”

“Take your time.”

I shouldered the hill of numerous vegetables and entered the cabin.

“……”

“Oh, Aria. Have you been resting well?”

“…What on earth are you trying to make? Are you trying to donate stew for famine relief?”

“No, we are going to eat it.”

“Jio, I say this every time, but we are a race that cannot become pigs. A mermaid's body cannot change easily. It's difficult even with my research.”

“You must not be bound by your own limits like that.”

I, who had encouraged my old student who had returned to her adult form, placed all the vegetables on the kitchen table.

The amount of ingredients was so large that not a thud, but a rumbling sound echoed in the cabin.

Dana, who was being adored by the teddy bear, jumped onto the table.

“Jjonjjon?”

“You want to eat it now? It’s not cooked yet, you might get sick.”

“Jjonjjonjjonjjonjjom?”

“Ah wait a minute, no.”

“Mmgng.”

Dana ran away with a sweet potato in her mouth.

“…You have a clear sense of purpose, my daughter. You will grow up to be a fine hunter.”

Soon, Honey flew over and sat on his shoulder.

“Kkurururuk?”

“Did you come to steal ingredients too?”

“Kkung.”

“Right, it’s better to eat it cooked.”

I, who had nodded once, began to prepare the ingredients.

“First, it would be good to sauté the onions.”

The way to make stew varied from house to house.

Some houses would sauté the meat for the stew first, while others would start with onions to bring out the umami.

And some would reduce the tomatoes first to create a deep flavor, but I preferred to sauté the onions in butter first.

“That way, the umami of the onion is fully brought out.”

“Kuruk?”

“The meat? If you sauté the meat first, the fond sticks to the bottom of the pot and the flavor of the broth really comes alive, but I think it's similar if you just sear it in another pan and then add it… I put the onions in first.”

Especially in the case of a stainless steel pot, there were times when the bottom would burn before it reached a satisfactory state.

As I was not a professional chef, I was bound to make mistakes from time to time.

“The onion and butter combination is certainly the most stable.”

The same went for the tomatoes.

“Even if you don't reduce the tomatoes first, the moisture evaporates while boiling, and I'm going to add the tomatoes after the onions, so I don't see much of a difference.”

“Kururuk, kuruk.”

“Ah, of course, if you want the flavor of sautéed tomatoes, it would be more reasonable to put them in first. But you can always add that later if you have pre-made tomato paste.”

“Kkururu?”

“…I don’t have any pre-made paste right now.”

Tomato paste was, simply put, a sauce with a very strong tomato flavor.

Usually, you would make a thick and rich paste according to your family's taste and then dilute it for later use.

“……”

I nodded my head.

“I have more to make.”

“Kkuk.”

“When you have things like paste made, it feels like the pantry of your heart is full.”

Pickles and sauces were the more the merrier.

If you made them well just once, you would be plentiful for a year.

It was fine to chop the onions small just to bring out the essence of deliciousness, but it was also good to chop them a little larger to help with the texture.

Well-cooked onions in a stew had a fun texture that was soft and mashed smoothly.

I, who had chopped the onions to a suitable size, put butter in a large pot and melted it.

“The more butter you put in, the better.”

“Kkuk?”

“Should I call it a pig-rearing machine?”

The more butter and the more meat that went in, the more delicious the stew became, that was the law of stew.

Even those who liked it for being healthy said that it had to have something bad for the body to be delicious.

“And then add all the onions….”

Iseur, who had returned after changing the purging water, asked.

“Are you perhaps planning to make onion soup?”

“Onion soup is good too, but today, tomato stew is the main character.”

“Aha….”

“Please stir.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

I, who had entrusted the pot to Iseur, telling him to stir so that the onions wouldn't burn and would turn a delicious brown, continued preparing the ingredients.

Next, of course, was the tomato.

‘It’s certainly softer than the tomatoes on Earth.’

It felt strongly like an elastic jelly, or pudding.

When I pressed the blade down, it pressed in like cutting a large jelly, and then slowly and stickily split, hinting at its viscous texture.

“The chopped tomatoes are going in.”

“It feels like the pot is going to overflow already.”

“Then let’s add one more, a pot.”

“It will end up multiplying to three….”

“I will try to finish it with two.”

“I ask you.”

Iseur did not say any more and simply added one more pot.

“I believe in you.”

“I will repay your trust.”

“May it not overflow.”

When I offered a prayer with a short Sign of the Sun, the teddy bear that was playing with Dana in the living room flinched.

Naturally ignoring that sight, I continued with the preparation.

The potatoes were peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces.

Half of the pulled sweet potatoes were cut into long stick shapes, and the other half were washed well and placed on a sieve.

“I plan to roast these sweet potatoes over a bonfire later, isn't that nice?”

“Kkurururururururururururu.”

“You're like a fine pig, you are indeed worthy of being my son.”

I, who had nodded with the noble smile befitting a high priest, continued with the next preparation.

For the cabbage, peel off the outermost leaf, then use the core inside.

If you turn the cabbage over and poke the knife into its root part, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoop, in a circle around the center, the core will pop right out.

“Once the core is removed, just quartering the cabbage is roughly a good size.”

Next, the peas.

“Sweet potatoes and peas are not often used on Earth, but Edlen stew is characterized by its variety of vegetables. Especially since the tomato we're using this time is quite sweet, it would be fine to add soft ingredients like this.”

Adding beans to a stew gave it a nice popping texture along with the broth.

Above all, wasn't the pea a crop that offered a mild sweetness and a deep, savory taste once cooked?

Seo Jio was particularly fond of peas among beans.

“And the pumpkin too.”

“Kuruk.”

“This one is also different in shape from the ones on Earth.”

The pumpkin he had harvested was an old pumpkin with low saturation and a yellowish color, commonly known on Earth, but its size was as small as an Old pumpkin squash.

It wouldn't be very sweet, but it would add the unique soft taste and texture of a pumpkin.

“I wonder if I can find a beehive if I wander around this forest.”

“What are you planning to make, Teacher?”

“The pumpkin from the vegetable patch isn't that sweet, but its soft and savory taste is excellent. It would be quite delicious if steamed well and eaten with honey and butter on top.”

“That sounds good, honey and butter….”

“A little sprinkle of salt will deepen the flavor even more.”

After replying to Iseur, I began to prepare the pumpkin.

The pumpkin, with its seeds scooped out and all its skin peeled, was also cut into suitable sizes.

It might be an unfamiliar combination to people from Earth, but surprisingly, pumpkin in a tomato-based broth tasted quite excellent.

“Peel the carrots and chop them too….”

The vegetables were prepared.

“Next will be the clams and sausage.”

“The Club Trumpets are still spitting out a little mud.”

“Ah, are they?”

“But I think they will be done purging in about 20 minutes.”

“Then shall we prepare the sausage and other clams first?”

I brought the ham and sausage made from the previous Tree-Horned Deer meat from the storage.

Some parts that had been cured whole had become excellent ham and the sausage that he often grilled boasted the same deep aroma as before.

“First, I need to remove the hard parts….”

The ham, with its hardened rind, had its entire outer layer cut off, and only the inner flesh, which had hardened to a bright red due to the curing, was cut into small cubes.

For the sausage, he decided to use the inner minced meat part after removing the tough intestine casing.

“…But since it takes a lot of work, it feels like a waste to throw away the casing too.”

“Kurukkururururururu.”

“The more you chew, the more savory the grilled small intestines ….”

In the end, he decided to cut the casing appropriately and add it to the stew as well.

It was a bit tough since it was dried, but after being boiled vigorously in the hot stew, it would quickly regain its chewiness.

This casing was exceptionally resilient.

“How is the stew coming along?”

“I think it will need some time for the vegetables to cook.”

The stew, boiled with various vegetables and the groundwater of Edlen village, was characterized by its thoroughly cooked texture.

It seemed it would need another hour, so I nodded.

“Then let’s add the prepared meat to one of the pots.”

“It seems the stew needs to be constantly watched so the bottom doesn't burn, should I just add the meat as it is?”

“I will sauté it, so please keep an eye on the pot.”

After quickly sautéing the cured meats to bring out their aroma, I put them all into one pot.

After being simmered for over an hour, he would be met with tender meat.

And in the remaining time, he prepared the clams.

“Sunshine Conches and Black Tray Clams are most delicious when grilled… so I’ll just scrape out the flesh of a few, and leave the rest as they are for now….”

Especially the Black Tray Clam cooked easily even on low heat, so one had to be careful with the heat control.

I called Aria, who was standing near the kitchen watching him cook, and asked for her help.

“Aria, could you help with the grilling preparations?”

“…Should I prepare a bonfire like before?”

“I would appreciate it if you could also build a wall to place the wire rack on.”

“Not difficult.”

Aria went outside the cabin with the teddy bear tucked under her arm.

“…? Why Father…?”

He had no idea why she had dragged the Sun God along, but it seemed like an interesting happening would occur, so he decided to ignore it for now.

I brought the purged Club Trumpet clams, washed them clean once, and split the shell, similar to a razor clam's, to take out the flesh.

The large, soft flesh, like a long adductor muscle, was revealed.

“……”

“Kkuk?”

“Nice.”

This was it.

“It's delicious even as sashimi.”

I cut away the chewy parts with a knife, and then sliced the flesh to a thickness of about 1 cm.

Putting the light yellow flesh, neither too thin nor too thick, into his mouth….

‘This is romance, this is Shangri-La.’

The sweet and springy taste that melted in his mouth was no joke.

“Ah….”

Can't I just eat this as sashimi?

A sweet slice of sashimi with a clean clear rice wine.

To Giovanni, a 30-something-year-old man who was officially dead, it was an unbearably strong temptation.

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