When I first heard the name “Human’s Corruption Porridge,” I thought, “This can’t possibly be made from human meat, right?”
Honestly, the name was quite suspicious. All the non-human folks around here were monsters or beings that preferred to munch on meat, including human flesh.
If human flesh were in this dish…
It might just be a bit hard for me to handle.
“Shia.”
“…Oh, Menelapie?”
“It’s fine.”
“What’s fine?”
“The food.”
“……”
Menelapie’s Golden Eye flashed as she nodded at me, as if to reassure me.
Teresa was already holding her spoon with a blank expression, so it seemed I had no reason to be anxious.
Right, if Menelapie said so, then she must be sure about it. Her Golden Eye’s insight is nothing short of extraordinary, so I should be good.
Cautiously, I scooped a spoonful and brought it to my mouth.
Hawup.
Fortunately, the moment I tasted the food, it wasn’t what I had imagined.
“It’s delicious…”
How do I know?
Well, I’ve had my experiences.
Like it or not, the taste of human flesh has left quite a strong mark on my life.
Based on that experience, this was definitely not human flesh.
To start, the appearance was similar to soup.
It felt like a mix of clear broth with rice porridge, and the initial taste was warm, with a rich flavor of meat spreading in my mouth.
And perhaps seasoned with dried shrimp, it had a savory depth. With the milk and crusty rice, the texture was incredibly smooth, something only long-simmered porridge could achieve.
“But Chef, why is this called ‘Human’s Corruption Porridge’?”
Teresa asked the Grasshopper Chef, who seemed to be pondering this.
“…The first… to tell me… about this… was a human… So, in honor of the human… who taught me… I named this dish… ‘Human’s Corruption Porridge’…”
“Oh….”
Wow, this place really knows what it’s doing…
I expected a dungeon treated like a Monstrous Realm of the Demon King, and yet the atmosphere was surprisingly decent.
“Huh?”
Then, at some point, I had polished off the Human’s Corruption Porridge.
It was so delicious that I’d finished it all without realizing…
Looking at Teresa and Menelapie, they seemed to be enjoying their food as well, nodding and chewing happily.
“For a dish made by Joo-in, this is surprisingly edible, huh?”
“It suits my palate as well. You’re skilled.”
“…I’ve been making this dish for… 17 years… No one… in Green City… can make porridge better than me…”
“Hoh, 17 years of experience, huh? What say you, Shia? Based on your taste, does it indeed seem like it has 17 years of expertise behind it?”
“…….Yeah. It tastes amazing.”
The way she cooked seemed pretty sloppy, but the taste was excellent.
The ‘Corruption Porridge’ was essentially soaked rice mixed with water, ground in a mill, strained to discard the dregs, boiled until it resembled white porridge, and then finished with milk.
However, it also had meat, milk, crusty rice, and shredded radish, and strangely enough, despite seeming like mismatched ingredients, each played its role wonderfully.
Especially with the milk, which would normally add a sweet flavor like pumpkin porridge that doesn’t seem to mix with meat, yet oddly, the faint saltiness from the unidentified meat harmonized beautifully with the unique sweetness of the corruption porridge, enhancing the overall flavor.
“One more bowl, please!”
“…Alright.”
Upon hearing my request, the Grasshopper Chef stirred a large pot and served me another bowl.
As soon as it was placed in front of me, I eagerly resumed devouring the food.
“It’s delicious.”
I savor it.
It’s warm.
It’s tasty.
Just plain delicious.
Even when I eat expensive dishes from high-end restaurants, I rarely feel the complete satisfaction or fullness, but with this seemingly simple porridge, I’m deeply moved.
Who would have thought the dish stirred by a casually waving Grasshopper Chef could be this tasty and provide such great satisfaction?
“Really delicious…”
Delicious.
Hot.
Delicious.
Deliciously hot.
In a meat soup simmered with radish, combined with crusted rice and milk plus dried shrimp, all making a delightful umami flavor.
It’s so delicious, I find myself savoring it a bit more.
However, savoring it ironically leads to wanting to eat even more.
When I look closely, it’s not just regular meat. It seems like something made from fish flesh, well-mixed with starch and coated as if it was fried or grilled, fitting the texture perfectly with the corruption porridge.
It wasn’t raw, but rather, it seemed like marinated meat had been fried.
It was fascinating how even one porridge could involve this much intricate skill.
Typically, my cooking attempts usually revolve around grilling or frying items or using strong ingredients and seasonings, relying on high-quality produce for flavor; this dish, however, is neither intense nor overwhelming but maximizes satisfaction and fullness in a true culinary experience.
It’s pure cooking skill and technique that’s outstanding.
I never would have imagined I’d find such exceptional food on the streets of this green city.
“Whoa, our pig Seongnyeo is starting up, huh?”
“Hohoho, just leave her be. Isn’t she eating well?”
Slurp!
Gulp.
Phew.
“Hey, chef, one more bowl.”
“…….Alright…”
This time, I sprinkled some pepper.
Oh, it’s even tastier with this!
But it’s surprising they have pepper in Green City.
Gulp, gulp… Phew…
It certainly tastes better dipped in sauce.
“Do you perhaps sell just the meat separately?”
“…Additional fees will be charged…”
“Then give me three more plates of meat!”
“…Are you perhaps a pig beastman…?”
Puhuh!
Whoa!
Don’t attack me out of nowhere!
I unconsciously spat it out.
Getting mistaken for a pig beastman by residents of Green City…
Just to note, orcs and pig beastmen are different species.
“Hahaha!!! Our Shia looks splendidly plump like a pig! Sharp eyes you have, Grasshopper!”
“I’m… a grasshopper…”
Gasp!
You’re a grasshopper instead!?
Not a locust!
“Hohoho, Shia, I don’t mind if you’re a pig.”
“Please deny it a bit… Cough!”
No matter what country it is, getting teased as a pig makes me sad, you know?
Chomp chomp…
The meat is delicious.
The meat didn’t come dunked in the soup, rather, it was served separately; its surface looked like perfectly fried batter, crunchy outside and well-cooked inside, resembling deep-fried pork.
With seasoned fried meat on the left and Human’s Corruption Porridge on the right, I began alternately tasting each.
Gulp, Hawup, Munch.
The sounds of eating the porridge and the crunch of the meat blended together. The meat was slightly cold, but the porridge was very warm, so there were no problems.
It was a perfect match.
While the meat in the porridge was delicious, the slightly crunchy-textured meat also held its own flavor.
In a frenzy of eating, I’d polished off the four dishes of fried meat given by the Grasshopper… or rather, the Grasshopper Chef, along with all thirteen bowls of corruption porridge.
“You really eat well, no matter how many times I see.”
In Teresa’s lilac eyes, my reflection seemed to show me devouring more than ten bowls already.
Teresa appeared slightly weary, but faintly, within her, I could sense the tranquility and peace she was enjoying.
“That’s just one of Shia’s charms.”
“Hey, I was talking to Shia, why are you puffing up?”
Regardless, after that, our meal wrapped up smoothly.
“Ah, I ate well.”
Even if I ate less than usual, the feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction was astonishing.
Most importantly, I didn’t sense any malice from the food.
It surprised me that I could feel satisfied without sensing malice.
“However, Isia.”
“Yeah, Teresa?”
“Do you have any money?”
“Eh? Money?”
Of course I do.
I have a lot of money.
I earned plenty through donations from my Hunter streamer broadcast and had also completed bounties from the Hunter Association, tackling raider dungeons, handling the large-scale erosion incident in Mapo District, and fulfilling the elf’s naming request—so I’ve got a fair bit of cash.
Of course, considering my food expenses, it’s not that much….
“No, I meant the currency that’s accepted in this monster town! You do have it, right? Surely you’ve exchanged with the Hunter Association or something for it? Or got support from the orcs called Grakshar?”
“………”
“I know, right?”
“……..Ah.”
“Ah? You just said ‘Ah’ now?”
I blanked out…
“Hey!!! If Shia does that, Menelapie, you should have snapped to it!”
“Ah, Shia will find a way, as she always has…”
“Come on, you crazy girl!!”
Teresa’s expression was on the verge of twisting into a fierce scowl when I stood up from my seat.
“Don’t worry, Teresa.”
“What the hell…! The Hero and Seongnyeo are about to become meal thieves, you think I can not worry? I might as well be an accomplice with you lunatics!”
“Ah, Teresa, didn’t Shia tell you not to worry? How can you not trust our Seongnyeo… It seems your faith has shifted to the Witch of Dark Star.”
“You’re losing brain cells, huh? How did it get this far!? Or should I just beat up the chef like a bandit and run?”
“If that’s a method…”
“…Is this what an ex-Hero Emperor is like?”
However, considering I told her not to worry, I didn’t have a solid plan either.
I just got up because sitting felt wrong….
If this were Istanbul, Mongolia, or Mexico, or anywhere on Earth, it wouldn’t matter.
Hunter money is automatically exchanged via an international financial system linked to Hunter Assistant Drones and smartwatches, allowing me to pay in the local currency wherever I go thanks to automatic conversions.
This international cooperation financial system is designed to facilitate the international activities of hunters, and of course, given that I’ve exhausted my temporary Hunter ID, I would have access to that financial support.
But here, we’re in a dungeon.
In a place called Night of Green City, where humanity isn’t even recognized, can the money I have as a Hunter still apply?
“The Hunter Association told us to just use force if conflicts arise with Green City residents…”
In fact, they even encouraged it.
It seemed news circulated that some hunters and parties were already adapting to the violence of Green City, treating it more as a form of entertainment.
Survival of the fittest.
If you’re weak, being pressed down is just the basic rule and truth of this city filled with monsters.
“But if the Seongnyeo turns into a meal thief, that’s just a bit…”
“A bowl costs… 7000 won… You three ordered 15 bowls. Fried fish cake meat… costs 12,000 won… for 4 bowls. Pepper… a bottle costs 1,000 won… The total…”
Even though I was absolutely in love with the food, I dream of being a Seongnyeo, striving for that title.
I can’t repay the kindness shown by the Grasshopper… I mean, the Grasshopper Chef, by paying her back with animosity.
That’s a last resort. If something I have could replace it…
“All… total, 154,000 won…”
“Sorry, but I wasn’t expecting… what do you mean 154,000 ‘won’?”
“It is… so… Is there a problem…? If there’s no cash… credit card or a Visa… MasterCard… Hunter Pay is also possible…”
Seriously, that’s a whole lot of problems!
We’re in Green City!!!
This is a dungeon!
Then why in the world do they accept no currency except ‘won’?
And then what’s up with the credit card and Hunter Pay???
Even granting that they accept human currency, this place is at the utmost north of North Korea while bordering China and is also near Russia’s Harbin.
“Why, why would you accept such a currency when you could use Yuan or Rubles from China or Russia?”
“Because… you have to go to the closest country, Korea, to buy ingredients. I… do.”
“Eh…?”
With a befuddled look, I looked at the Grasshopper Chef, and sensing my gaze, she scratched her neck as she laughed at me.
“The non-humans on the Chinese side will be shot on sight… Even the elves are now targets. And regarding Russia… the ingredients are just awful…”
“……”
Now, that was utterly ridiculous.
In a place like Green City that’s not even acknowledged as a place inhabited by sentient beings, to have Hunter Pay use Korean won?
“Wow, what a perfect coincidence! I was honestly considering offering a finger or limb as payment!”
“Daak! Most Green City… residents pay that way. You could do the same… one finger is ten thousand… I don’t know about other districts, but here won is acceptable… Taak!”
“…I’ll pay in won…”
“…Alright. 154,000 won, received.”
I felt a bit dizzy…
While the fact that won is used here is good news for both me and other hunters, I can see why the Hunter Association didn’t mention anything about currency when coming to Green City.
Well, at least the acceptance of the won was good news for me; it didn’t spell disaster.
As the Grasshopper Chef mentioned, at least in this part of the alley and restaurants, it’s very likely that transactions could be managed with won.
Besides, if Human’s Corruption Porridge is priced at just 7,000 won a bowl, that seems quite cheap.
Surely as the Grasshopper Chef said, if residents of Green City struggle to engage with both Chinese and Russian sides and there are smuggling operators from Korea supplying goods here, it suggests some economic activity is indeed viable.
“When you think about it, the cultural standards here aren’t so low?”
“Hmm, it’s soaked in violence and madness, but amidst that, it seems they’ve established their own order and structure.”
In this place tainted with violence and drugs, it appears they certainly have their own economic activities and culture.
“Daak! And you…”
“Me?”
“…..I’m watching…”
Huh? Watching what?
“You… do broadcasts well… Mangja Seongnyeo…”
“……What?”
What did that Grasshopper Chef just say…?
“Daak! Daak! But, why have you stopped broadcasting lately… Here, the internet… is very… expensive. Hurry… and start streaming…!”
“………”
What the hell, are you a fan!?
I pray today as well.
The act of praying begins from a desire for that fervent wish to come true and arises from the emotions and desires; however, regrettably, my prayers have never been fulfilled.
Well, that’s understandable, as no one listens to our prayers.
We didn’t have anyone to pray to, no gods to believe in, and no hopes to yearn for.
Always tearing, biting, and killing.
Hunting for the weak.
Revering the strong but getting eaten by another stronger.
Our essence is simply that alone.
Greedy, ever greedy.
For the monster with no salvation, such an eternal hell would seem fitting…
[Thus, today, I pray as well.]
Though no one would listen…
Even if the prayer cannot come true…
Even if it’s just my prayer…
I pray today.
“Let us weep for our miserable fate.
Let our cries be heard.
Wipe our tears away.
Do not take from us the right to sorrow.
Even if we’re monsters, do not take away our freedom to shed tears…”
Under this unredeemable green sun, I pray today.
[If someone is listening to this prayer, please have pity on us.]
