Gourmet Gaming

Chapter 1127

The young students were sitting on their chairs and waiting for the arrival of their new director.

Meanwhile, Rundalk was standing outside the classroom with his heart thumping wildly. From what I heard, most of the children in the classroom were ages five to eight, and the oldest child was no less than nine years old. Because of that, he prepared Beanie doll masks and balloons for them.

‘Fufufufu. The kids will like this event that I have prepared. Ah, what if they fight to get more balloons?’ Rundalk thought, imagining the scene as he wore a doll mask and entered the classroom.

“Oink! Oink, oink! Oiiiink!” Rundalk imitated the sound of a pig before saying, “I’m your new director, Rundalk! Oink!”

The classroom was filled with silence. The only boy and the oldest child in the class said, “Director, we don’t want to play with doll masks. This is the sacred time for learning.”

With an elegant wave, he grabbed a mug of cocoa and sipped.

“Ah. Oh. R-right.”

“We’re also showing courtesy to you by keeping quiet. So, please remove your mask and introduce yourself properly.”

“Ah. Oh. Yeah...” Embarrassed, Rundalk took off his Beanie doll mask. “Ah, how should I introduce myself?”

Rundalk was not quite used to these things because it had been a while since he had come out to the world.

“Haa...” The nine-year-old boy sighed.

Although he was just a child, his expression clearly shouted, ‘Do I have to tell you that too?’ as he crossed his legs, making him look like he was fifty-five.

“Since you’re the director of the great and noble Sprout Academy, it’s important that you tell us your name, age, and what kind of history you have had.”

The boy looked like an interviewer. At this moment, Rundalk recalled the words that Haze had told him.

–Sir Rundalk, kids these days mature very quickly.

The boy, who was elegantly chugging his cocoa, turned his palm over and gestured as if he were saying, ‘It’s fine; just tell us.’

Rundalk said, “My name is Rundalk. I’m 4,989 years old this year.”

The boy sighed when he heard his words. “Haaaa...”

“Phew...”

“Haa...”

“Hmm...”

“...?”

“Director, please don’t joke around with us.”

“...”

“We did not come to the Sprout Academy to play around.”

“...?”

“We are sitting in these seats to reach our most outstanding selves and continue the pride and greatness of His Majesty Minhyuk.”

‘No. Are kindergarteners usually like this? They don’t like playing...?’

This was not the case of maturing quickly at all. These children were already acting like old people. However, Rundalk was telling the truth, so he continued telling them his history.

“If we’re talking about history, then I was once hailed as the ‘Supreme.’” Rundalk then went on to tell them every single detail he knew.

But as he spoke, the reaction of the Sprout Academy children became even colder. Rundalk was confused.

The boy looked sharply at Rundalk and said, “So, Director. You’re saying that you’re the Supreme and a powerhouse comparable to Immortal Sorceress Helenia in power?”

“I have defeated dragons with my bare hands. I used to be someone who could become a Pillar, but I was too greedy. In the end, I failed to become one.”

‘Why would a person like that become a director for the children’s school in the first place?’

‘I have never seen someone called the Supreme in the books.’

Yes, the children of Sprout Academy did not believe a single word Rundalk said.

The boy, Brelin, gently shook his mug filled with cocoa and gave a blunt review of their new director. He said, “The cocoa tastes quite bitter today.”

“...” Rundalk was rendered speechless.

“Next time, please give us an informative and constructive education rather than a fun and playful introduction. Please don’t treat us as if we’re children. We’re already five, seven years old. We’re all grown up. Ha.”

Rundalk believed that it would be absurd to get angry at these cute little children. Nevertheless, he still found them cute, albeit they carried a different charm(?) from normal kids.

‘Of course, this isn’t what I wanted things to play out.’

To be honest, Rundalk had imagined it differently.

‘Director Rundaaaaaalk.’

‘Are you saying that our director is the Supreme?!’

‘For real? Woaaaaaaah!’

He thought they would gather around him like little rabbits, though this wasn’t so bad either.

Then, the bell rang. The children began to stand up and take their bags. When Rundalk saw the children carrying their own rabbit bags and turtle bags with serious looks on their faces, he almost laughed.

Brelin, the nine-year-old boy who had just criticized him, was carrying a cute Obren character-themed bag. Rundalk could not help but look at him with a fatherly smile as the cute bag completely contrasted with his grave look.

When Brelin saw him looking at him, he spoke dignifiedly and said, “Hmph. Are you looking at this?”

“...?”

“Only the chosen children can wear this bag. It symbolizes ‘wealth,’ ‘honor,’ and ‘knowledge’ among us.”

“...?”

Rundalk watched as the children fell in line.

“Director, we’re going to the Luvien Empire today.”

“Oh. Are we going on a picnic?!”

A picnic?! The thought of running around with these children in the vast grasslands was enough to lift his spirits and cheer him up.

As a glimmer appeared in Rundalk’s eyes, Brelin said, “Please don’t get too excited. There is a reason why we’re going to the Luvien Empire. The excellent talents from all over the world will gather there and compete to show who’s greater. It’s a fierce battlefield. A very fierce and vicious one to boot.”

In other words, it was a competition where young children would gather and fight while shouting, ‘Hiyah! Yaah!’

The Luvien Empire and the Beyond the Heavens Empire have not bared their fangs at each other in recent years. This was because a new regime had taken root in the Luvien Empire, bringing peace to everyone.

“We are going there to demonstrate our talents and abilities and help elevate the status and influence of the Beyond the Heavens Empire.”

“Right, I see.”

Rundalk was far too excited to go on a picnic.

“We will lead the way; please stick by our side so you don’t get lost.”

“Alright! You have my thanks!”

At that moment, Rundalk finally realized that something was off.

‘What? Why do I feel like things have changed?’

It seemed like the director's and students' roles had been switched. Still, it did not matter. He felt happy that he was having a picnic with these cute children.

Then, Brelin’s voice rang in the ears of the overly excited Rundalk. He said, “You will get hurt if you run around like that.”

“Ah. Oh. R-right.”

Anyway, the director and the students of the Sprout Academy set out for an exciting picnic(?) while on their way to the Luvien Empire.

***

Minhyuk, who was developing his ingredient creation skill, could not think of any solution, no matter what.

“Briah’s River Water is worth 500,000 gold per liter. Using that, more than 90% of the Food God Ingredients produced will be normal-grade.”

The worst part? The value of normal-grade ingredients rarely exceeded 100,000 gold. That was why the idea of purchasing Briah’s River Water from the Luvien Empire to create the ingredients was quite absurd. The losses would be far too significant. After all, they would pay for river water that was only expensive and had no effects.

The story would change if the Beyond the Heavens Empire took ownership of Briah’s River.

“So, what about the Briah’s River Water sales these days? Are they still going steady?”

“From what I understand, their sales have become lower compared to the past. Compared to the past, when they could sell tens of thousands of bottles in a day, they’re having a hard time selling a few dozen bottles these days.”

“And they still won’t lower the price?”

“If the Luvien Empire lowers the price, then that would mean that they are denying the effects of the river water.”

“Well, that’s true.”

If they could only sell a few dozen bottles in a day, then the Briah’s River was now nothing but a mere river in the eyes of the Luvien Empire. Nonetheless, for Minhyuk, this river was akin to a goose that laid golden eggs.

“Maybe we can make a deal and make it possible?”

It was not as if there was no possibility of making it happen. Maybe Minhyuk could gain ownership of Briah’s River, which had already lost most of its worth, if he gave something from the Beyond the Heavens Empire up to them.

‘I have to keep the fact that I can make cooking ingredients a secret.’

He could strike a good deal for it if he did well in the discussions. Of course, he first finished organizing all of the things that he would need to create ingredients.

‘In exchange for this shockingly powerful skill, I must create limits and restrictions.’

Although it was quite heartbreaking, Minhyuk was fully aware that this skill would not be completed without limits and restrictions.

[The players and NPCs, except the creator and his vassals, can only acquire the ingredients through quests or monster hunts.]

One of the restrictions he had placed upon the skill was limiting the reckless and nonstop acquisition of the ingredient. What would happen if Minhyuk did not restrict this?

‘I’ll probably be able to release 10% of the ingredients worldwide, depending on my mood.’

If Minhyuk were in the mood, he would just say, ‘Today, we’re going to play and eat well!’ and distribute the ingredients just like that. But that was impossible. In the first place, it was impossible even for Athenae to distribute ingredients as she pleased.

[The ingredient’s grade will vary depending on the quest’s difficulty level and the monster hunted's level.]

Of course, this was also a given. Regardless, imposing something like this as a restriction would be a huge contradiction.

‘Wouldn’t I be the only one losing money if I distribute my ingredients like this?’

That was right. If things continued at this rate, Minhyuk would be the only one losing money, so he added another condition.

[The created ingredients can only be obtained from quests and monster hunts related to the Beyond the Heavens Empire.]

Migrants would flock to the empire for these quests, as well as to do other quests and hunt in the empire.

In Athenae, everything would be “taxed” at the end. Since they would receive quests from the empire, they would have to go into a dungeon under their control. This meant they had to surrender some of what they had hunted as tax. This tax would be Minhyuk’s income.

Then, there was the most important thing.

‘My ingredients have to be incredible.’

This was the most important part. After all, if the ingredients were similar to those they could acquire outside, what was the merit of going to the Beyond the Heavens Empire to obtain such ingredients? There would be no merit.

‘What if it’s far more special than other normal-grade ingredients? What if it’s more special compared to other rare-grade ingredients? What if it’s much better than other epic-grade ingredients?’

Then, the story would be completely different. The people would yearn to have these ingredients. He has to figure out a way to make this happen.

“The creator will go through a certain process to create ingredients that are better than others at the same grade.”

Like doing quests or creating dishes that are better than others of the same grade, Minhyuk decided to borrow the system's power to find a method for doing this.

[The conditions to be fulfilled to create ingredients better than others at the same grade will be revealed later after the skill has been made.]

This completed all of the preparations. Minhyuk, with his heart in his throat, clicked the “yes” button under the question, ‘Do you want to complete the skill now?’

[The Supreme Skill Creation Scroll is attempting to create a skill based on the conditions set by the item user.]

[The Supreme Skill Creation Scroll adjusts the parameters of the skill on its own.]

Ring!

[You have acquired the Supreme Skill: Ingredient Creator.]

It was a success! Minhyuk immediately checked the skill’s information.

(Ingredient Creator)

Supreme

Level: 1

Mana Required: 30,000

Penalty for Use

: None.

Cooldown: 24 hours.

Effects:

•The Food God’s Ingredients can be supplied all over Athenae. They can account for 4% of all the ingredients supplied in the world.

•You have to meet all the conditions required by various ingredients to create ingredients.

•The Food God’s Ingredients can be obtained from quests related to the Beyond the Heavens Empire or from dungeons, fields, and hunting grounds that belong to the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

•The skill creator can only use the Food God’s Ingredient once every four months.

•The skill creator’s vassals can only use the Food God’s Ingredient once every six months.

•The skill creator has to complete something to create ingredients with better effects than other ingredients of the same grade.

•The skill will level up once you successfully finish distributing the first supply of the ingredients.

•Sealed.

•Sealed.

Excitement coursed through Minhyuk’s veins when he saw the completion of the skill. Although he could only supply 4% of the ingredients worldwide daily, it was still fine. The fact that there was a “level” in the information meant that there was a chance that the amount of ingredients that he was allowed to supply to the world could still increase.

Now, there was only one thing that he needed.

“Haze, it’s a success.”

“...!” Haze found it very unbelievable.

‘My god! He likes eating so much that he created things to eat...?’

What was that term that others used for this? Was it Successful Otaku or something?

Leaving that aside, Minhyuk still had one more important thing to do.

“I’m going to the Luvien Empire.”

***

At the same time.

Rundalk and the Sprout Academy cuties headed to the Luvien Empire before stopping at a grassy meadow at Berlin’s command.

Berlin said, “Here. Let’s have our meal here.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

The soldiers who escorted them brought their lunch boxes and distributed them to everyone.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Brelin said. He laughed at the stacked lunch boxes while holding onto his cute Obren bag.

“I can’t wait.”

The boy looked very excited.

“This is a lunch box made from the ingredients harvested from the place called the Beyond the Heavens’ God’s Field and the noblest and divinely-grown livestock,” Brelin said excitedly, a small smile on his face.

“This meal was prepared by Beyond the Heavens’ Emperor Minhyuk for us. I haven’t opened it yet, but I can already feel how great it is.”

Brelin sat down and finally opened the lid of his lunch box. Then, a look of admiration flashed on his face.

“As expected...” Brelin was in a trance. He excitedly said, “This lunch box is like an art. His Majesty, the greatest chef in the world, has truly shown how much he cares about us. The food is decorated beautifully. It’s too beautiful; I don’t think I can eat it.”

Brelin held the bridge of his nose and shook his head, saying, ‘Goodness.’

Meanwhile, Rundalk also opened the lunch box that was distributed to him.

“...?”

Inside the lunch box were Vietnamese sausages cut in the shape of octopuses and delicious, mouth-watering gimbap. There was also a fried egg in the center, where Minhyuk drew a heart with catsup.

“I can’t believe I’m allowed to eat this lunch box comparable to art. I’m truly very grateful.”

“...?”

‘What a very peculiar kid,’ Rundalk thought as he looked at Brelin.