Chapter 11
When I stepped outside, the garden was packed with rows of Mandragora heads sticking out of the soil.
They looked like ginseng, but with mouths—and the moment you pulled them out, they screamed loud enough to rupture an eardrum.
I’d harvested and eaten a few before, but their shrieking had nearly made me deaf.
Still, for the dish I wanted to make today, there was nothing better than Mandragora.
Mandragora has amplification effects… Usually used as stamina boosters for mages, but…
I crouched in front of the garden and picked the one with the healthiest-looking leaves. With a swift tug, I pulled it out.
The Mandragora opened its mouth wide to scream, but at that exact moment, I punched it.
“Kyaaaaaaaaa—urk!”
The Mandragora fainted.
Good. Next.
“Kieeeee—aaaugh!”
I knocked out all three and sprinted back to the kitchen.
By the time I returned, the water had just begun to boil.
I added the five chickens stuffed with glutinous rice, the Fire-Burst Fruit, and the three Mandragora roots into the pot. It began to bubble with a rich, savoury scent.
“Now all I have to do is wait.”
I sat down on the stone stool in the corner and watched the samgyetang simmer as my thoughts drifted.
To see the ending of Tales World, I had to defeat the Demon King.
But since Kaizen tore up the map leading to the Demon King’s castle, the easy route to the ending was effectively gone.
It was like switching from a semi-guided soft mode to a 100% open-world, ultra–super–mega hard mode.
Honestly, resetting would be the simple choice…
But once you start giving up, it becomes easier to give up the next time, too.
A promise was a promise—not just to Hamma, but to myself. Resetting now would be humiliating.
Hard didn’t mean impossible.
If anything, a path with no guide might be more fun.
By the time I finished pep-talking myself, the samgyetang was nearly done.
White steam drifted lazily from the slightly ajar lid.
“Almost there…”
I calmed my breathing, stared at the floating white chickens, and slowly parted my lips.
“Become obedient. Become obedient.”
Focusing as hard as I could, I chanted the spell. After a moment, a faint shimmer appeared around the chicken, then vanished.
“Yes… success!”
This batch of Obedience Cooking had one goal—get Kaizen to go where the map pointed.
Between the chief’s words and my own instincts, I was convinced something important was at that location.
But if I went alone, I’d probably end up cleaning up after Kaizen’s mess again—just like with Hamma.
So I had to take him with me.
Otherwise, he’ll never go willingly.
My plan for the next few days was to closely monitor his skull gauge while feeding him steady doses of Obedience Cuisine.
“One special meal every two days… I can work with that.”
I scooped two servings: two chickens in one bowl, one in the other.
At the end of the second-floor hallway, I found a surprisingly tidy room.
I hid a sly smile as I approached Kaizen.
“Dinner time, Kaizen!”
I unfolded the low table and set the bowls down. Kaizen raised a brow, eyeing the samgyetang.
“It looks like chicken, but the smell is unusual. What is this dish?”
“It’s called samgyetang. A special chicken recipe. I pulled out some real skill for this one.”
He took a spoonful of the milky broth. A moment later, his eyes snapped up in shock.
He looked between the bowl and me, then took another spoonful.
After a few more scoops, he simply lifted the bowl and drank straight from it.
“Tasty, right? How is it?”
“…How can it have such depth…?”
One glance showed he’d already finished an entire chicken.
I had a feeling one wouldn’t be enough, so I tore some meat from my bowl and dropped it into his.
He stared at me with trembling eyes.
“Eat plenty.”
It would only boost the obedience effect.
When I smiled at him kindly, his face flushed slightly, and he averted his gaze.
“Which region does this dish come from? I’ve never seen anything like it in the kingdom.”
“It exists—where I used to live. Far from here.”
Kaizen slowly set his spoon down and studied me.
“Come to think of it… I know nothing about you. With your black hair and black eyes, you’re clearly not from this kingdom. Are you from the East?”
“Well… it is the Land of Courteous Easterners.”
“Do many chefs like you come from there?”
“What? After eating this, you can still ask that? My cooking is special.”
I had certifications in Korean cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Western cuisine, Japanese cuisine, and baking.
There wasn’t much I couldn’t cook.
Where would you find another chef as skilled and brilliant as me?
“…I see. Honestly, when I first agreed to follow you, I doubted you. But now… that doubt is gone. It was truly delicious.”
His sincere praise warmed me more than I expected.
This guy became a hundred times gentler when he ate good food.
The moment he drained the last drop of broth, the skull icon finally gained an Obedient Icon beside it.
And the colour was noticeably darker than the one from two days ago.
Is it because he ate so much?
Or was it the Mandragora’s amplification effect?
As I pondered the icons, Kaizen cleared his throat.
“Thank you for the meal.”
I grinned and slid the table aside, clearing the space between us.
Time to test the obedience effect.
“Kaizen. Now that we’ve eaten… why don’t we have a deeper conversation?”
I scooted right up to him.
He flinched, retreating until his back hit the wall.
“Where are you going? Sit here.”
“This is… too close. Speak from there.”
“Come on. We have to talk face-to-face.”
“…Is it truly necessary to be this close?”
Grumbling under his breath, Kaizen slowly scooted toward me.
Proof that the obedience spell was working.
“You know what, earlier—inside the orc settlement—you tore the map.”
“You’re bringing that up again.”
“Of course. The more I think about it, the more outrageous it feels. I’m the one who found it. How could you just tear it?”
“So you’re scolding me now?”
His expression hardened sharply.
That was strange… His obedience icon was active, so why was his temperament still so harsh?
I sighed.
“No, that’s not it. I just regret that you tore something so valuable. So I want you to compensate me.”
He stared quietly, as if to say, Go on.
Unbelievable. Did he really think that intimidating look would stop me?
“Either restore the map—or go somewhere with me. Your choice.”
“I’m not a mage. I can’t restore something torn apart. If you want to go somewhere, just say so.”
I blinked.
This was… surprisingly easy.
Why is he agreeing so fast?
Was it the obedience effect?
Or would he have agreed anyway?
Either way, great for me.
“Then go with me to where the map fragment points.”
I pulled out the torn piece from my bundle. Just like earlier, the fragments wriggled and formed a little arrow.
“The chief said this place is a paradise.”
…Totally a lie.
“If you come with me to check it out, I’ll forgive you for tearing the map.”
“What exactly… is this?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I want to see it myself. Let’s leave tomorrow morning. Hamma’s busy with his research, so it’ll just be the two of us.”
“…Very well. I was the one who tore the map. I’ll follow you for now.”
I eyed him suspiciously, but before he could change his mind, I jumped to my feet.
“Great. See you tomorrow. And I’ll be taking this with me.”
I bent down to set the tray aside so I could open the door—but a large hand suddenly reached past me.
Click.
Kaizen slowly turned the doorknob.
His scent brushed over me in a sudden wave, and I froze.
“Pleasant dreams.”
“Oh? Uh—yeah. You too!”
The moment the door closed behind me, I let out a huge breath.
…What the heck was that?
My face felt burning hot.
He had been so close, I could’ve counted the strands of his eyelashes. He probably didn’t even notice.
He said close distance made him uncomfortable… so why would he do that?
I stared at the closed door for a long moment before clearing my throat and turning away.
