<Episode 88>
“An effect overlap?”
I stared blankly at the red flashing system window. I hadn’t added any skill to the cream-filled fish-shaped pastry yet.
‘Could it be… because of the special effect?’
Come to think of it, the cream-filled bungeoppang already had the special effect “Sleepy Drowsiness,” which reduced fatigue by 50%. It was the very effect that had saved Hunter Ria from her terrible insomnia. Stroking my chin with a serious expression, I thought it over.
‘Looks like I can’t overwrite a food item that already has an effect fused into it with a new skill.’
That left only one option.
Among all the countless menu items I had created so far, there was only one that had never gained any special effect.
The founding hero of our shop.
Red bean bungeoppang.
It wasn’t as though I had intentionally avoided fusing special effects into the red bean bungeoppang. Even after collecting ingredients in gates and obtaining various special effects, every attempt to fuse one into the red bean version had failed.
I’d thought it was a system error.
‘So it wasn’t an error after all!’
Perhaps the system had anticipated that I would someday undergo a reawakening and obtain the skill “Blessing Touch.”
My eyes sparkled as I turned toward Hanyang.
“Hanyang! Was I right? Is that really how it works?”
“What are you suddenly talking about, nya?”
I hugged the bewildered Hanyang tightly and spun around the kitchen.
At last, our red bean bungeoppang was finally going to have an amazing effect!
“Th-The world is spinning round and round, nya…”
After setting the dizzy Hanyang down on the dining table, I gave Hunter Lee Hyunwoo a thumbs-up.
“I think I’ve figured out the solution. Hunter, please wait just a moment!”
“Huh? What exactly are you–”
Instead of answering, I dashed toward the fish-shaped pastry mold.
Pouring batter into the properly heated mold and generously filling it with chunky red bean paste,
Sssizzle
A savory aroma quickly filled the room.
My heart pounded.
When the red bean bungeoppang was finally almost finished, I carefully activated “Blessing Touch (SS)” on it.
Flash!
Golden particles poured from my fingertips and settled onto the pastry.
Then, at last, the notification window I had been hoping for appeared.
—
Perfect Success! Blessed SS-Rank Red Bean Bungeoppang has been completed!
—
“Waaah…”
A gasp escaped me.
The red bean bungeoppang looked somewhat different from the version I knew. The glossy sheen covering its surface sparkled brilliantly, as if it had been coated in molten gold.
“The bungeoppang is shining like a jewel, nya!”
Even Hanyang swallowed hard in admiration.
I placed the pastry onto a plate and set it on the table.
“Hunter, would you like to try it?”
Examining the pastry, he let out a small exclamation.
“This truly is a ‘golden bungeoppang.’”
“When I applied the skill I just obtained, its appearance turned golden. Though… I really hope it works on you too, Hunter…”
I couldn’t help feeling anxious.
More than once, my food had worked wonders on other hunters but failed to have any effect on Lee Hyunwoo.
‘Please. Please let it work.’
Seeing the tension on my face, Lee Hyunwoo carefully picked up the steaming pastry.
Then he took a bite.
Crunch.
Silence fell.
Holding my breath, I watched only his mouth.
A moment later, his chewing stopped.
“……!”
Lee Hyunwoo slowly raised his head and looked at me.
Then, in a dazed voice, he murmured,
“…I can taste it.”
“Wow, really?”
Meeting my gaze, he slowly nodded.
“Not only that. The ringing in my ears and even my headache have completely disappeared. So this is what it means to neutralize mana collision…”
He stared at the pastry in his hand in disbelief before letting out a somewhat hollow smile.
“I think I finally understand why the other hunters cried after eating your food.”
“…Don’t tell me you’re touched too, Hunter?”
At my teasing question, he smiled.
“If I were a few years younger, I might very well have burst into tears.”
Unfortunately, his eyes were perfectly dry.
I had secretly wanted to see him cry tears of gratitude for finally being freed from the side effects.
‘Still, thank goodness the skill worked.’
Watching him already take a third bite of the pastry, fascinated by the sensation of taste he hadn’t experienced in so long, naturally made the corners of my mouth rise.
Yet one question still lingered.
‘By the way… his memories haven’t returned?’
The moment I learned that my skill could eliminate hunters’ side effects, there was one result I had been hoping for.
That Lee Hyunwoo’s memories might return.
After all, memory loss was also a type of side effect.
But the expression on his face as he ate the pastry was far too calm for someone whose lost memories that had suddenly resurfaced.
“…Nothing else comes to mind? Like old memories, for example?”
“Memories?”
After pondering briefly, Lee Hyunwoo slowly shook his head.
“Other than being able to taste again, there are no particular changes.”
“Ah… I see. It would’ve been nice if your memories returned too.”
When my disappointment showed, he gently rubbed the back of my hand with his rough palm.
“It’s alright, Hunter Haneul. Being able to taste again is already a miracle to me. The memories will probably return little by little someday.”
His voice was warm and reassuring, as if he truly believed that was enough.
The one who had failed to recover his memories was Lee Hyunwoo, yet somehow I was the one being comforted.
‘Seriously, he’s too kind.’
With a bitter smile, I nodded.
Still, I really wanted to help him recover his memories…
Then suddenly, I remembered the rewards list I had seen earlier for reaching SS-Rank.
It had definitely said:
“SS-Rank Request Available.”
‘So that’s why it suddenly mentioned requests!’
Without hesitation, I opened the request board.
Ignoring countless delivery requests, I scrolled downward.
At last, I found the request I had been looking for.
—
Please restore the sleeping memories of an S-Rank Hunter.
Client: Lee Hyunwoo
Completion Condition: Consume blessed food for 30 days (1/30)
Reward: Complete restoration of memories
—
“Yessss!!”
The moment I leapt to my feet and shouted, Lee Hyunwoo reflexively entered a combat stance.
“What happened!?”
“I found it! A way to restore your memories!”
“…A way to restore my memories?”
Excitedly waving my arms around, I rapid-fired everything the request board had revealed.
“It wasn’t something that could be fixed with just one serving! If you eat blessed bungeoppang consistently for thirty days, your mana collision will completely disappear, and all your memories will return!”
I knew there had to be a way!
Unable to contain my joy, I bounced on my feet.
Hanyang shook his head as though watching some bizarre spectacle, but I couldn’t suppress my excitement.
“After just thirty days, all of your memories will come back completely! Isn’t that wonderful?”
Now everything was solved.
Naturally, I expected Lee Hyunwoo to be just as thrilled.
I looked toward him.
But…
“…Hunter Lee Hyunwoo?”
Something was wrong with his expression.
Instead of happiness, his face had darkened, as though he had just received a death sentence.
“Thirty days, you say.”
He muttered quietly.
“After that… all of my memories will return?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Lee Hyunwoo nodded as though he understood.
Yet an inexplicable anxiety still lingered on his face.
“…Aren’t you happy? You’ll finally be able to recover the memories you’ve wanted so badly.”
At my question, he pressed his lips together.
He silently stared at the bungeoppang on the table.
Then, before I could say anything more, he quietly rose from his seat.
“I’m suddenly feeling tired. I’m sorry, but I’ll head in first.”
It was the first time Lee Hyunwoo had left me behind and withdrawn from a conversation.
Unable to react at all, I could only stare blankly in the direction he disappeared.
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