Chapter 49

[Intermediate Cooking Level 1 Achieved! Select your Intermediate Achievement Bonus!]

[1. Buff Efficiency Increased by 25%]

[2. Your Cooking Becomes Even More Delicious]

Finally, I’ve reached Intermediate Cooking Level.

Cooking was particularly hard to level up compared to anything else.

So reaching this stage felt as rewarding as if I’d hit an advanced level.

Normally, choosing between these two options would be a piece of cake—if you’re thinking rationally, that is.

Of course, picking option 1 would be the more efficient choice in terms of future benefits.

“Hmm…”

“Your cooking becomes even more delicious.”

What exactly does that mean? How much more delicious could it possibly get?

That vague phrasing stirred something deeper—curiosity tugging at my emotions.

Buff efficiency might just mean slightly longer effect durations.

A Level 1 buff wouldn’t magically leap to Level 2 with only a 25% boost.

And since eating food refreshes buffs anyway, the efficiency gain wasn’t all that impressive.

So naturally, my hand drifted toward Option 2.

Curiosity often wins over cold calculations.

Maybe it’s just me rationalizing why I wanted the second option all along.

This was one of the toughest decisions I’d made so far.

Previously, I had always chosen based on pure efficiency without hesitation.

But when it came to cooking, I found myself looking beyond mere numbers.

After all, leveling up my cooking skill was about sharing joy with others.

That thought alone gave me pause.

Efficiency versus emotion.

Logic versus curiosity.

In the end, logic prevailed.

After calculating everything, I concluded that a 25% increase wouldn’t be enough to upgrade a Level 1 buff to Level 2—or even higher levels.

Slightly tastier meals every day…

More enjoyable breakfasts…

Even special occasions could feel even more special.

My finger hovered over “Your cooking becomes even more delicious,” and I clicked with a small smile.

The system message faded away like melting snow, confirming there was no turning back.

No regrets though—it was just a bonus after all.

I glanced through the System Window afterward.

First things first: buy seeds from the shop and stock up on Suri rice.

With some spare cash, I purchased materials and browsed various items.

Ores here, magical tools there…

Shopping in the system store was oddly satisfying, like window-shopping in a department store.

Eventually, my gaze landed on the Exploration Achievements section.

1. Ruins of the Dragon (Locked)

Achievement: Be Careful—You Only Have One Life! (Dungeon End) – Completed

Achievement: What’s It Like Living Underground? (Mine End) – Completed

Achievement: Did a Lizard Lay This? (Obtain Dragon Fruit)

Achievement: Toward the Mysteries of the Orient (Road to the East)

Reward: Activate Advanced Level 3+ Skills.

Triple experience gain for Advanced Levels.

Who knew such rewards existed?

Though I’ve technically cleared the game, its fusion with reality means new surprises keep popping up.

Right now, I’m still pretty clueless about how much of the system works.

Take leveling up, for example—why not offer triple XP events instead?

I silently vowed to complete these achievements someday.

Knowledge is power, after all.

Besides, unlocking Advanced Level 3 requires completing certain exploration tasks.

Are these newly added or what?

Another reminder that the game’s integration into reality has changed many things.

To obtain Dragon Fruit, maybe Gilbert knows something.

As for heading east, does marking a specific location count?

How far do I need to go before the achievement unlocks?

While pondering these questions, I lost myself in thought.

A new goal sparked excitement within me.

Further down, the list continued:

2. Forgotten Temple of the Gods (Locked)

Achievement: Do Dead Gods Still Have Followers? (Receive Blessing of the Death God)

Achievement: Beware White Things Always (Kill 1000 Skeletons)

Achievement: Don’t Eat It! (Kill 1000 Bats)

Achievement: Journey to Find Whiteness (Visit Sacred Grounds)

Reward: One Revival

7. Eternal Shadows (Locked)

Achievement: Do You Like Mirrors? (Perform Repetitive Actions 1 Million Times)

Achievement: Clocks Always Tick-Tick-Tick (Same Action Daily at Same Time x216)

Achievement: Does Shadow Exist at Night? (Avoid Seeing Shadows All Day)

Achiement: No Order in Departure (Witness Death) – Completed

Rewards: Shadow Clone, Spatiotemporal Magic

Among these, two stood out:

Revival—a word that will forever tempt anyone.

One extra chance at life.

And Shadow Clone—an additional labor force doubling productivity.

Both are enticing, though neither is immediately obtainable.

Still, I dreamt of claiming those rewards someday despite the cryptic requirements.

Lost in thought, I noticed my consciousness fading.

Time to drift off into deep slumber.

Darkness enveloped my vision as I floated upward, then gently sank into sleep.

—

Day 19 of Summer.

It feels great admiring my expanded home.

Especially since it’s mine.

Even better when it’s still fresh and unfamiliar.

“Squawk!”

At the sound of Suri chirping, I sat up groggily.

She fluttered onto my shoulder, fully capable of flight now.

“Ah?”

Not long ago, she’d waddle around cutely asking to be carried.

Now she flies gracefully and lands precisely on my shoulder.

Her rapid growth amazed me anew.

Gently stroking her sleek gray feathers brought pride—but also a touch of sadness knowing she won’t stay little forever.

Stretching, I stepped outside.

Humid heat greeted me instantly.

Picking up my hoe, I noticed two figures approaching from the horizon.

Red hair shimmering under sunlight.

Short, elegant locks framing refined features.

Graceful strides exuding calm authority.

And beside her, holding hands tightly, walked a young boy.

Evangelin and Jack.

“Evangelin?”

“You’re already awake. We arrived earlier than expected.”

“Oh. Starting breakfast prep today?”

“Yes, Jack wanted to see Minho—and so did I.”

Her words warmed my heart.

Setting aside the hoe, I welcomed them inside.

“Uwaaah!”

“Say hello to Suri?”

“Aww!”

“Pii!”

Jack giggled happily spotting Suri.

Their innocent interaction filled the room with warmth.

The cool air conditioning seemed to brighten everyone’s mood further.

“Your kitchen looks amazing!”

“I put some effort into it.”

“Are ingredients in the fridge?”

“Yes.”

“Woah…you stocked up quite a bit!”

“They’re all yours to use.”

I’d transferred supplies from my bag into the fridge for convenience.

“Kanapki for breakfast sound good?”

“What’s Kanapki?”

“It’s an open-faced sandwich. Cheese, ham, sausage, eggs, butter, jam, tomatoes—all layered together. Since mornings can be tough, I thought this hearty option would work well.”

“Sounds great. Can I ask you to make it?”

“Yes. Please step closer…”

“Huh?”

“To learn cooking—you agreed yesterday, right?”

Realization dawned on me.

Embarrassed but smiling, I moved next to her.

Close enough our sleeves brushed occasionally.

Her crisp winter-flower scent lingered faintly.

“Let’s start with prep work?”

“Okay.”

“Grasp the knife like this…”

Our hands touched as she guided me.

How to hold a knife properly.

Techniques for slicing ingredients safely.

Layered fingers pressed against steel, cutting methodically through vegetables.

“Your knife skills are impressive.”

“I’ve done some cooking myself.”

“Great fundamentals.”

Compliments flowed effortlessly from Evangelin.

Even after guiding me, her hand remained intertwined with mine.

Would she continue teaching like this until we finished?

I didn’t mind either.

This close proximity felt natural somehow.

Slowly but steadily, we chopped ingredients together.

If every morning involved cooking like this, feelings might blossom unexpectedly.

Such thoughts crossed my mind briefly.

Tomatoes diced finely.

Butter, ham, sausages fried gently.

Bread toasted golden brown, topped with melted cheese.

A dollop of jam completed our open-faced sandwiches.

[Kanapki]

[Duration: 06:00:00]

[Effect: +1 Health]

Rich flavors burst across my palate.

Crunchy yet soft textures delighted both tongue and roof of mouth.

We devoured multiple pieces greedily.

Even Jack and Suri nibbled on bits of ham and sausage.

[Kanapki Buff Activated.]

Perfect energy boost from morning till lunch.

“Delicious!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Watching her beam contentedly, I prepared to leave.

“Off to work?”

“Yes, time to hustle.”

Evangelin hesitated, fidgeting slightly.

“Since I plan to prepare lunch too…it’s summer, so coming and going might be hot, right?”

She moved closer to Jack, continuing softly.

“Jack gets warm easily, and your house is so cool. If it’s not too much trouble…”

“Of course not. Feel free to stay.”

“Really? That’s okay?”

“Absolutely. Relax and enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you. So we can stay until dinner?”

“Of course.”

Guess they’ll be commuting daily then.

Though we originally agreed to meet during meal times, adjustments led us to settle on one shared meal per day.

Will working this early and leaving late tire them out?

Yet neither showed signs of discomfort—Jack played gleefully with Suri, while Evangelin smiled warmly.

If they’re happy, then happiness it is.

Leaving with that thought, Suri flitted onto my shoulder once more.

Surprisingly, Jack tagged along closely, followed by Evangelin who insisted on accompanying us as guardian.

Despite offering them a cool place to rest, they preferred being outdoors.

Jack wanted to see Suri more.

Evangelin claimed she needed to watch over him.

Thus began another routine morning task.

Planting seeds felt easier today somehow.

Perhaps due to breakfast.

Evangelin sat nearby watching quietly, her short red hair swaying gently in the breeze.

An ordinary morning transformed into something extraordinary.

Just another day beginning uniquely special.

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