Chapter 221

Arisa put the soup Kurt brought into her mouth.

The moment it entered her mouth, she felt a refreshingly tangy taste.

Along with the tangy aroma, though not immediately noticeable, the soup wasn’t just tangy—it also had a perfectly balanced salty flavor, as if plenty of salt had been added.

That salty taste might have been overwhelming in an ordinary soup, but the tangy aroma of the broth made it feel light rather than heavy, balancing the flavor.

“Hmm……”

For Arisa, a tangy broth soup was somewhat unfamiliar, but as she ate, she realized the warm, tangy broth was surprisingly pleasant.

Moreover, the soup was perfect for the morning after drinking, as it was generously filled with vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onions.

Aside from the potatoes, the onions and carrots were rich in dietary fiber, making them easy to digest and gentle on the stomach.

And among them, the most fiber-rich was the cabbage.

Cabbage is one of the vegetables with the highest dietary fiber content, and the generous amount added to the broth gave it a light green hue, infusing the soup with not just vegetable juice but also fiber, soothing the stomach lining damaged by stomach acid.

Clearly, Kurt wasn’t lying when he said it was good for hangovers.

‘Ah, this is nice.’

Slurp.

Slurp.

The warm, vegetable-packed soup slid down gently without irritating her stomach, which had been wrecked by late-night drinking and acid reflux earlier. As she continued to eat, Arisa felt her energy recovering and, with a strange sense of comfort, kept savoring the soup.

‘Hmm…? What’s this?’

As she kept eating, Arisa suddenly realized the soup wasn’t just filled with carrots, onions, and cabbage.

It was the same green as the cabbage, so she hadn’t noticed it earlier, but there was another vegetable with a presence as strong as the cabbage.

It was cucumber.

Not just any cucumber, but a salt-pickled cucumber.

In other words, a cucumber pickle.

‘Hmm…? Cucumber… pickle? I don’t dislike pickles, but why are they in the soup?’

This left Arisa feeling bewildered.

Even if you like a certain food, there’s a common sense way to consume it.

For example, even if someone likes mint chocolate, most prefer it cold, as ice cream or a frappe.

Very few would enjoy mint chocolate in hot tea or mixed with rice.

Because the idea is that mint chocolate is best enjoyed as a cold dessert.

So, Arisa momentarily felt a sense of rejection at the warm, mushy texture of the pickle in her mouth.

‘Ugh… Even if it’s Kurt, putting pickles in soup is a bit…’

But contrary to her thoughts,

‘But why…’

Arisa’s spoon didn’t stop.

In fact, as if she liked the warm, mushy taste of the pickle, she unconsciously found her spoon moving toward it.

‘Huh, why? Why does this pickle taste… not bad?’

Cucumbers are over 90% water.

So, chewing on a fresh cucumber the morning after drinking can easily replenish lost fluids.

And conversely, consuming a lot of water activates diuresis, helping to expel alcohol from the body.

Plus, the vitamin C in cucumbers helps recover from hangover fatigue, making them excellent for hangovers.

Especially salt-pickled cucumbers, which replenish lost sodium, are used as hangover food in some regions, even the pickle brine itself.

And Arisa’s body instinctively realized this.

Though Arisa didn’t know, the dish Kurt made was a traditional Russian soup called rassolnik.

From another country’s perspective, hot pickles in soup might seem bizarre, but in Russia, it’s not just a hangover remedy—it’s a beloved traditional dish.

Thinking about it, in Kurt’s homeland, Korea, they make stew with salted cabbage, kimchi, which is even considered a national dish, so making soup with salted cucumbers isn’t strange.

And traditional dishes loved for a long time naturally have hidden depth.

The harmony of pickles in the soup, which would normally seem bizarre, had an addictive quality, especially the morning after drinking, making her want more with each bite.

‘Could it be that I drank too much and my taste buds are messed up?’

Arisa, bewildered by her own enjoyment, kept eating the soup as her body demanded.

The four at the table, including Arisa, silently immersed themselves in the healing taste of the soup, quietly continuing their meal.

Slurp.

Slurp.

The four silently ate the warm cabbage and pickle soup.

“….”

“….”

Breaking the silence, Daria spoke first.

“I, no. My village…”

“Daria…”

“My village was destroyed by a mage obsessed with an artifact of the Ancient Empire.”

“….”

“….”

At her words, Arisa and Liche stopped eating and looked at Daria.

Feeling their gaze, Daria continued.

“That mage was a descendant of the Ancient Empire, a witch. Officially, they’re called Wizards. He declared he would use the artifact to restore the Ancient Empire’s glory and create a world where they ruled over other races.”

“….”

“It was a foolish thought. No matter how powerful the artifact, changing the world’s structure with individual power is impossible.”

Daria chuckled as if telling a joke, but no one listening found it funny.

“That mage was quickly defeated by the Holy Kingdom’s knights. But his power, while insufficient to overturn the world, was enough to destroy a village. Everyone in my village died before the knights arrived, except for me and Aila.”

“Daria…”

Daria’s story wasn’t long, but even after she finished, Arisa and Liche couldn’t respond.

They had guessed some of her past from her drunken lamentations the previous night.

But guessing and hearing it directly were very different.

“That’s why I can’t let potential threats exist in this world. Even if the probability is low.”

“…But still, we…”

“I know. After hunting such beings for so long, the chance of you plotting something evil is slim. But we can’t compromise on this. It’s the oath I took when I became a Sister of the Holy Kingdom. So, we won’t stop suspecting you.”

“Daria. I…”

Arisa and Liche, disappointed at failing to find a compromise, couldn’t bring themselves to argue with Daria.

Hearing Daria’s life story made it hard to complain about her decision.

But what Daria said next shocked them.

“So, to ensure you’re not plotting anything evil, we’ll join your party and closely monitor you.”

“…What?”

Arisa, unsure if she heard correctly, asked again.

But Daria, avoiding eye contact, responded with another question.

“To do that, we need to register as adventurers first. So, Arisa, how do we register at the Adventurer Guild?”

“…That.”

Finally understanding, Arisa realized Daria’s earlier story was her way of apologizing for attacking them, and joining their party meant giving up on subduing them and making amends.

It was the best compromise Daria could offer.

Effectively, it was a surrender, acknowledging their innocence.

“D-Daria!”

“Ahem. No shouting during meals.”

“…If that’s your decision, Daria, I’ll follow.”

Daria, embarrassed, emphasized table manners, while Aila smiled warmly, pleased with her decision.

Watching them, Kurt smiled contentedly.

“Well, good food, drinks, and hangover meals can resolve most conflicts. I knew serving cocktails was a good idea.”

““That’s not it.””

The four, who had been holding back, finally retorted.

It was the second time their hearts aligned.

—

Soon, Mari woke up, holding her head as she came downstairs, followed by Karina, half-dead, vomiting noisily, and Serena, grumbling as she supported her.

Kurt offered them the cabbage and pickle soup, and as they gathered at the table, they ate the soup, nursing their hangovers.

It was a peaceful scene, a far cry from the deadly fight the previous night.