Here’s a little snippet of trivia.
Baeksuk (白熟) originally refers not only to chicken soup but is a general term for dishes where meat or fish is boiled in water.
Sure, chicken baeksuk has become familiar to the public, but there’s also eel baeksuk, duck baeksuk, and even turkey baeksuk!
The dish I’m planning to make revolves around using fugu dove meat as the main ingredient, substituting ginseng with Elder Mandragora to create a broth, and adding nurungji and corn to enhance the texture and flavor.
By the way, I just learned that Small Olga, after watching my broadcast, sent me corn from Daesanrim!
“Not sure about corn in baeksuk, but it can’t hurt, right? Plus, it’s elf corn!”
“Ah, Menelapie? Can you add that corn too?”
“Uh, um? Is that even a question?”
“Yeah, since Olga sent it, I think we should add it all.”
“…….”
There’s actually corn soup, and Yeonseo Unnie added some corn earlier, but I think that won’t be enough.
I heard it’s common to add peas or mung beans to baeksuk, so corn is not a bad choice in terms of texture.
Since Small Olga sent it anyway, I think it’d be nice to eat it.
Using a large pot, I added a whole basket of garlic, chopped a similar amount of onion, and tossed in some green onion as well.
Although baeksuk normally calls for ingredients like astragalus, jujube, lacquer tree, and ginseng, thankfully, I had Elder Mandragora!
Nothing can compare to Elder Mandragora, no matter the herbal remedy.
“By the way, when I say a little, I mean about a basket’s worth.”
– heh-heh-EEEhh…
The Elder, adorned with onion and garlic like an accessory, sank grumble-ingly into the broth.
It seemed a bit troubled by the spiciness.
“What’s wrong? Any complaints?”
– No complaints… abnormal sexual desire…
Why do you keep saying I have some weird desire?!
Okay, I get it.
Elder Mandragora is working hard to create a tasty broth.
“However, they said to add colorless seasoning… Is it okay if I mix in a bit of doenjang?”
“They say people in some regions add a little doenjang to baeksuk.”
“Oh really?”
Then let’s add it.
Common sense dictates that the more seasoning and spices, the better, right?
But just as I was about to mix in the doenjang, Teresa grabbed my hand with a horrified face.
“Hey, hey! Is that really a little?!”
“It’s just a little, right? A ladle of doenjang is a small amount…”
“No, chew… wouldn’t that smell a whole lot if you add a ladle in?!”
“Is that so?”
Unlike me, it seems Teresa and Menelapie are more sensitive to the smell of fermented products since they come from different backgrounds.
Menelapie would probably eat anything I give her without complaint, even if it’s poison, but Teresa is… um… quite picky with her side dishes.
Sigh Teresa?
Isia is disappointed.
After living with me in Korea, you’re getting annoyed by a smell like that…?
This won’t do!
“…What’s that look for?”
“Nothing, just thinking.”
If the chance arises, I should have Teresa try a full course of fermented foods like kimchi, cheonggukjang, or fermented skate.
But that’s not something I can do now.
Anyway, they say you don’t need to add doenjang to baeksuk, so I should skip it this time.
Also, when making baeksuk, people generally use chicken skin and bones.
To extract the broth, of course.
But fugu dove isn’t chicken.
Though it has plump meat, it’s still a dove and a fugu.
Its bones and skin contain toxins that break down leather and fibers, and just the meat can provide a clear broth, and with Elder Mandragora, the broth won’t have any issues.
“Please let it be…”
– Kyu…?
As I gazed at Elder, her face, which was enjoying a hot spring bath, reacted in surprise.
Well, it should be fine, right?
Now that I’ve added all the ingredients, the smell is great.
Looking at the bubbling white broth, if it doesn’t taste good, it definitely points to a problem with the cook’s skills, right?
Hehe, it’s perfect!
“…Ah, I forgot about the broadcast.”
Though I had intentionally put the hologram chat window aside while fighting the Elder, the broadcast was still live.
I quickly signaled to the drone camera floating nearby and turned off stealth mode, triggering a wave of donates and chats that flooded in like a tsunami.
“Sorry, I forgot about you guys…”
[Mission Successful!]
[Mission Successful!]
[Mission Successful!]
[Donations have arrived!]
[Donations have arrived!]
[Emergency request from the Hunter Association completed!]
[Open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door open the door]
[Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom? Where is Mom?]
[Where am I? Who am I? Where am I? Who am I? Where am I? Who am I? Where am I? Who am I? Where am I?]
[Don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away don’t throw me away]
“Ugh…..”
[Hey, the streamer realized now…]
[Please just open the door open the door open the door open the door]
[Huh, where is this?]
[The outside air is refreshing]
[Is there a streamer who abandoned their viewers to cook?!]
[Oink oink oink oink oink oink oink oink oink oink]
What in the world is this chaos?
Sure, forgetting my broadcast while making baeksuk is a mistake on my part, but for just a moment of turning away, the chat window seemed to be ablaze, and what unfolded looked like a scene from some kind of hell.
“Sorry, sorry. I forgot about you guys for a bit.”
[Why did you forget?]
[You’ve lost your initial spirit]
[Downfall]
[Down]
[Me]
[Downfall]
[Die with poison on you]
[Me]
[What does that guy think he is? LOL]
[Downfall downfall]
“Um, those shouting downfall said Yeonseo Unnie would really show the downfall…”
“Did you call for me, Shia?”
[Huh]
[Eh]
[WTF]
Did Yeonseo Unnie just pop up next to me, having heard what I said?
Seeing her holding corn in one hand, it seems she was in the middle of peeling it.
Usually, Yeonseo Unnie appears without any effect, but upon seeing the drone camera rolling, she dramatically entered through a shattered glass-like space to show off to the viewers.
[^^7]
[Service service]
[^^7]
[It’s truly a bright and healthy broadcast!]
[Huh]
[WTF, it was real]
[No, didn’t see you just now;]
[Ahhhh]
[Sorry, I really messed up.]
[Please spare me, I genuinely made a mistake.]
[From today, Isia will resolve her hostile relationship with you. Because from now on, it will turn into a love relationship…!]
[You crossed the line LOL]
[Wow, that’s quite a punch.]
[They’d allow that even in a collaboration]
[What crime did the streamer commit to become your love interest?! LOL]
“Shia? Would you like to do a collaboration content after a long time?”
[Please save me]
[WTF]
[Huh…]
“No. Doing collaborations occasionally is good for the viewers. But if we do it too often, the viewers might dislike it.”
[The gallery master is absolutely right; I feel as if my cartilage is breaking!]
[For real LOL]
[The gallery master’s wise decision has broken my head…]
[The gallery master suddenly became so attractive]
[The streamer was originally attractive]
Honestly, I didn’t want to do the collaboration.
If we actually went through with it, wouldn’t I have to share that fugu dove Elder Mandragora baeksuk with them?
“I made it in an impressively huge new model pot, but honestly, I could eat it all by myself…”
I’m genuinely looking forward to fugu dove baeksuk.
The ingredients are luxurious, and it would still be insufficient to share with Teresa, Menelapie, and Yeonseo Unnie.
Though Yeonseo Unnie’s collaboration content might be scary for the viewers, it’s surprisingly not a bad deal for them, since we usually give out monster dishes we made to the audience participating in the collaboration after a little scolding.
Saying it’s a custom might sound strange, but as a saint, it feels a little wrong to bring viewers into the real world without offering them anything and just sending them back.
Since we met, after scolding them a bit, I figure they should at least enjoy something delicious before going back. This monster-made dish is something that ordinary people couldn’t see.
Considering the price and the risk involved, it’s guaranteed to be far tastier and more stimulating than any regular food they usually eat.
“Last time, with the Bladed Centipede soup, the viewers were initially scared, but then later loved it.”
Sure, there have been viewers who fainted while eating, but…
“However, with baeksuk about done now, I don’t really have much to show…”
[That’s true.]
[No, no, but that Elder Mandragora fight was epic!]
[For real.]
“Oh, was it entertaining to watch?”
Thank goodness.
I’m fine regardless, but for the viewers, I’d imagine seeing me get stabbed all over by various thorns and vines must have given them a bit of a shock?
[‘KawaiiHorned’ donated 100,000 won!]
[That was a fun spectacle; I hit the mission completion button but saw something good so I donated again!]
[How do you pull yourself out with your whole body pierced? LOL]
[For real.]
[The first new viewer today was amazing.]
[Does he mix buffalo and black cow genetics? It seems he donates several hundred thousand each time he broadcasts.]
[Screaming in confusion… LOL]
[Wow, that’s quite a troll;]
“Sure, my chest is quite a spectacle for you…”
“Eh? What is this…? What a shocking sight!? Yeonseo Unnie! Oh gosh, the gallery master’s chest is…!”
“Be quiet!”
npch!
“Uh, um…”
[WTF LOL]
[Wow, I’m captivated.]
[Even if she hits me, I’d allow it!]
[He’s brave too, LOL]
[Feedback is instantaneous!]
[Haaaaaaaaaah!]
You know, I wonder if my chest is really that great…
Well, having a bigger chest isn’t a bad thing.
That said, Teresa’s reduction does make me feel quite sad and regrettable…
Although Yeonseo Unnie did jump in for a brief collaboration with the viewers after her little outburst earlier, she just handed over one corn afterward and called it a day.
I’m sure she wasn’t truly intending to force a collaboration on us.
She probably just wanted to warn those crossing the line…
cough There was a brief ruckus.
[Shht.]
[Shh-sh.]
[Nothing happened…!]
[Too many things have transpired.]
And while I jabbered with the viewers, the baeksuk was finally completed.
In the distance, Menelapie, wearing a broad and easy-going smile like a rice truck ahjumma, brought over the pot of baeksuk, and my heart began racing.
No, I had to secretly wipe the drool off by hand.
Hehe… It smells amazing.
First, I’ve got to fish out the Elder.
– Kyu…!
The Elder, who had been full of vigor like flowers blooming with vines earlier, now looked like a wet cat pulled from the broth.
Limply hanging with all limbs slack, it’s no surprise—it was trembling earlier, worried that I was about to eat her alive.
I didn’t intend to, but I guess that must have terrified her.
“…..Hmm.”
[Why does she look so pitiful? LOL]
[It can’t be helped; she’s a monster! LOL]
[Totally LOL.]
I grabbed the Elder from the broth using my tentacle.
– Hiii!
Suddenly gripped by the tentacle, the Elder’s eyes widened in surprise.
She seemed to be trembling, fearing for her life.
“Don’t worry, I just grabbed you with my tentacle to avoid getting broth on my hands.”
[b] [Miracle – Purification] [b]
– Hii….e?
The purification miracle cleansed the broth that was clinging to the Elder’s body in an instant.
The Elder gazed down at her body, perhaps not used to her body being dried so quickly.
In the meantime, I took a bowl from another pot and presented it to the Elder.
“Here, for the hardworking Elder, a bowl first.”
– Kyu…u…?
[Well, she did put in quite a bit of effort! LOL.]
Being a gracious host, I wanted to give her the first bowl since it’s broth she helped create.
The Elder looked back and forth between the bowl and me, as if uncertain if this was truly for her.
“Yep, go ahead and eat.”
– …… chomp!
gulp.
– …!
“How does the broth you made taste?”
– It tastes…!
[That sounds really strange!]
[LOL]
[Elder eats her own broth…]
[Wow! If it’s not good, that would be weird!]
[But it’s a dove; is it okay to eat?]
[Is the streamer not worried about her eating dove? LOL]
[Why’s it so funny seeing the Elder eat? LOL]
It seems it sounded a bit odd, as Teresa, Menelapie, and Yeonseo Unnie all wore somewhat scorching looks toward me, but since she said it was delicious…
“Alright then, let’s eat.”
With that, the broadcast came to a close.
And so, the fugu dove Elder Mandragora corn baeksuk was passed in order, from the Elder to Menelapie, Yeonseo, Shia, and finally to Teresa, who was stirring the baeksuk.
Since I turned off the broadcast, it finally became a proper eating time.
“Whoa, this… seems like the best food I’ve had since coming to Earth.”
gulp.
“I haven’t feasted like this in a while.”
gulp. chomp!
“Tasty… hehe..”
gulp, gulp.
So, the fugu dove Elder Mandragora corn baeksuk smoothly slid into the stomachs of Shia and the others.
Honestly, it was absolutely delicious.
It was refreshing like fugu soup, the plump meat more fatty and protein-rich than chicken, coupled with the rich broth made by soaking in Elder Mandragora, it was a soup that truly healed the soul.
In fact, judging from how even the Elder Mandragora was enjoying it, it seemed like an all-purpose food that appealed to even the monster’s taste buds.
WHOOSH!
“Cough!?”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“Yup?”
– Kyu?
If only flowers hadn’t suddenly bloomed from Teresa’s mouth!
“Ugh, UGH…”
“Teresa!?”
“What the hell is this nonsense?!”
It looked unpleasant, but it seemed Teresa wasn’t in pain; however, the sensation of a flower shooting out from her throat seemed grossly uncomfortable.
“What the hell… cough…!”
As she expelled the flower from her throat, Teresa frowned in distress.
Of course, as soon as she spat out one flower, another instantly bloomed.
Why in the world are flowers blooming from my throat…?
There’s no chance anyone attacked me…
Wait a moment…
“In fact, Teresa… is it you, Menelapie!?”
“………”
And as Menelapie dodged my gaze and clamped her mouth shut, Teresa reached her conclusion.
“Huh? What do you mean Menelapie!?”
“Hey Menelapie, is this really the case!?”
“Cough, it’s true…”
“Dammit, I had a feeling this would happen! Your Golden Eye wouldn’t be able to distinguish it from ‘Thy green hills’ or whatever!?”
In reality, Menelapie isn’t the type to rashly handle danger.
Indeed, Menelapie had confirmed with her Golden Eye that one of the plants from Small Olga’s corn parcel contained a -Spirit Nuke-.
Upon confirming it through her Golden Eye, it’s only natural she’d want to store it separately.
Yet….
“Hey Isia, back then I noticed Menelapie adding way less seasoning…”
Teresa, taking that as a sort of veiled attack on her, looked quite upset with Shia pointing it out, though she didn’t seem to harbor any actual malice.
I suppose it had to happen after all.
In the world we lived in, Teresa and Menelapie messing with each other was something that happened almost regularly around Shia.
Even if Menelapie has a big heart, she wouldn’t feel satisfied in this situation without any repayment.
Though it’s true Teresa is currently smaller and weaker, and can’t just smack her around like usual.
Thus, considering that, she surely hadn’t meant to add the -Spirit Nuke- into the baeksuk…
She would never go that far, even if she enjoyed teasing Teresa.
“Ah, Menelapie? Can you add the corn too?”
“Uh, um? Is that a request?”
“Yeah, it’s from Olga so I think it should be added all in.”
[…….]
What she didn’t anticipate, however, was that while holding that corn in her hand, Shia would toss the -Spirit Nuke- into the baeksuk.
“[…… it should be fine.]”
That wasn’t done out of malice, but just a playful tease.
However, Menelapie truly didn’t want to harm Teresa.
She merely thought this was to ‘boost’ Teresa’s health for fun.
In reality, a Spirit Nuke was merely a corn containing abundant life force and wouldn’t explode unless triggered by its controller, ‘Small Olga.’
The phenomenon of turning nature caustically through a Spirit Nuke wouldn’t happen either. It was simply a highly nutritious corn filled with ‘excessive life force, ’ and Menelapie had analyzed using her Golden Eye that as long as it didn’t explode, it would indeed be just delicious corn.
Moreover, Menelapie had eaten the baeksuk before confirming there were no issues to be concerned about.
Then, having seen Yeonseo, Shia, and Elder Mandragora already eating it without realizing anything out of the ordinary, she passed the baeksuk last of all to Teresa.
“Now I’ll give it to Teresa, and now that it became this way…!”
“Damn it, I knew it would end this way! How could you possibly eat that!? And Isia you dumb saint, why did you go and add anything?!”
“Eh, eh…”
“Oops, Teresa, sorry. I should have stopped you…”
“It’s gonna kill me❤!”
But the Spirit Nuke, after all, isn’t meant to be a weapon to kill people.
When introduced into the body, taking into account that Teresa was now a lifeless doll, though it conducted various bodily reactions that were human-like in essence, truly, it was still a high-performance puppet.
Ultimately, since a Spirit Nuke treated her inert body as a ‘hostage,’ the overwhelming life force it contained attempted to forcibly create the life that didn’t exist within Teresa’s being.
Fortunately, it just ‘felt’ like something and nothing further happened.
An undetonated Spirit Nuke is, after all, simply abundant living corn.
“Huh… UGH!”
“Teresa!?”
“Damn, what are you doing!? Is this going to kill her?”
“Don’t die you idiot!”
BH! What’s happening!?
In that moment, flowers began to sprout from Teresa’s throat and soon began spewing them out repeatedly, eliciting shock from everyone.
SPROUT!
“Ugh, ugh… what’s going on…? Why are flowers blooming from my throat…!!”
Teresa gagged and continued to spit out flowers one after the other as she tried to understand the strange phenomenon.
As things escalated, she quickly turned toward Menelapie with piercing eyes.
“Is this what happens?!”
“I don’t know!”
But as Menelapie firmly caught onto Teresa’s expression exploding with fury…
It all came crashing down as Teresa vomited completely.
“Are these flowers part of all this?! Ugh…!”
“Stop it, Teresa; I warned you it’d bloom here!”
“AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”
Everyone ended up accelerating into chaos as Teresa shouted, launching blooms splattering throughout their surroundings.
But in this mess, I could only think…
“Shall I…?”
And uncertain of what to do next, I held my breath and tried to manage the situation…
WHAM!
“Cough!!”
…What in the world was that?
