NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4 - 004.
004.
[Request from Mana-Saem. Please give Mana-Saem a name. They say names hold special power. Who knows—Mana-Saem might even be touched.]
Suddenly?
A random text just pops into my head.
It isn’t difficult… and there’s no reason not to do it.
Even though I’m not really confident,
seeing Mana-Saem expecting an awesome name—well, I’m just not known for my flair, just like every guy, I guess…
“Chum-bok-i…”
I say it in a timid voice. Mana-Saem doesn’t reply, but its surface shudders as if in disapproval.
“Beon-jjeok-i…”
It flashes light in a dazzling display.
I added a lame explanation, but Mana-Saem responds…
[Burrrr….]
Ah, this isn’t working either.
“Saemi?”
[……!! Mana-Saem is astonished by your naming skills!]
[Mana-Saem is overjoyed, exclaiming that it shall now be called ‘Saemi’.]
It flashes and flickers with noisy bursts of light.
Though things are a bit chaotic, I kind of like it.
For some reason, just watching my beloved Mana-Saem makes a small smile tug at my lips.
[Mana-Saem feels you gave it a magnificent name! Mana-Saem now feels a special bond with you who named it.]
[With its new name, Mana-Saem regains some of the power it had lost.]
Mana-Saem “Saemi”’s resolve grows even stronger. A mysterious energy now fills Saemi’s space.
[Saemi bestows a special blessing upon you, whose wounds have been hurt!]
“W-wounds?”
I had always thought that meant an injury, though I’d never really considered it before.
Could it be that not only my body, but also my heart is wounded?
As Minseo ponders this new possibility—something he’s never really thought about—a warm, gentle beam of light softly settles over him.
With a dazed expression, Minseo watches as the light caresses his hair, then his face, his chest, gently brushing past and finally lingering for a moment at his solar plexus before being absorbed.
It was as if this light were healing both Minseo’s wounded heart and the broken Mana-Hall.
[Congratulations! In recognition of your master’s deep affection for Mana-Saem, you’ve been gifted a special “Trait”.]
[Saemi boldly asks if you’d like this special gift.]
“A Trait that suits me?”
What could that be?
[You have acquired the Trait “Gourmet Pursuit” – a trait that will heal your body and spirit!]
“Gourmet Pursuit?”
[Saemi boasts that it’s an amazing Mana-Saem indeed.]
[It uses its remaining power to announce that it’s drowsy now.]
“Hold on, what is this all about?”
[Saemi falls into a deep sleep.]
[…]
In the end, Saemi falls asleep without giving any further explanation.
“Jeez…”
With even the talking Mana-Saem leaving me clueless, I sit down heavily on my camping chair, resting my chin on my hand.
“A trait, huh… soon my status display is going to pop up like in a game.”
[Target Info]
Name: Lee Minseo
Title: Master of Mana-Saem
Basic Info:
Health: 89
Strength: 78
Agility: 90
Mana: 0
Physical abnormality. The state of the Mana Hall is irregular.
Trait: Gourmet Pursuit
Abilities: Unconventional chef, gourmet, magic touch, ingredient selection
Points: 0
“Look, it’s here?”
Minseo, unable to help himself, mumbles as he sees the status display appearing, almost as if it had been waiting for him.
It’s just like a video game.
Even though hunters cast spells with mana, and the Grey Tower is home to all sorts of miraculous resources and races, the reality we live in never had a status display.
Staring subconsciously at the words “Gourmet Pursuit”, Minseo recalls the explanation that comes with it.
[Gourmet Pursuit]
Beautiful and delicious food is the driving force of life!
The Gourmet Pursuit trait can make your life even more “joyful” and “healthy”!
Use only the “finest ingredients”, cook them yourself!
And enjoy every bite!
Surely, something extraordinary will happen!!
Your cooking skills, palate, manual dexterity, and ability to select ingredients will greatly increase.
So this trait is supposed to suit me? Unconventional chef?
I might consider myself a gourmet, after all.
Compared to those around me, I’m quite the foodie.
But a chef?… Well, no.
I love eating, but I’ve never actually cooked before.
I look at the cup-noodle bowl next to my tent with an exasperated expression.
“Lately I haven’t had much of an appetite—some days I can barely manage one cup noodle… and now I’m told to pursue gourmet?”
It’s so ridiculous that I can’t help but laugh.
I feel nothing particularly stirring.
I decided to think of it as a gift from a friend—Mana-Saem gave it to me after all.
It’s not like you always get exactly what you want from your friends.
I’m grateful, but I really don’t need this gift.
The Next Day.
Sitting on my camping chair, lost in thought, Minseo contemplates quietly.
It’s peaceful and calm.
“How long have I been here now… three days?”
Living in Nabi-Gol turned out to be better than I expected.
Sure, some unexpected things have happened…
Like accidentally reviving a dead Mana-Saem, or receiving that weird gift from it.
Yet, the fact that no one in town seems to truly care or even glance in my direction makes life seem bearable.
No—in fact, that alone makes it worthwhile.
“Well then… I guess it’s really time to decide.”
Minseo, looking around his small tent, which he’s been living in for the past few days, thinks to himself.
I finally arrive at my mother’s place after a long time away, and my mom bursts out of the door in a flurry of excitement. Upon seeing my face, she scolds me.
“Oh my… Minseo, what on earth is that look? My goodness… Have you eaten?”
She doesn’t seem too happy.
Wondering why she’s like this, I glance at the mirror by the entrance…
“Yeah, I can see why I’d get a talking-to.”
I look disheveled, scruffy from sleeping rough, with a wild beard.
Even as I head inside to wash up, my mom’s nagging continues nonstop.
“I was so worried about you… I had to be there to take care of you. What were you doing in that sorry state… My goodness.”
Dodging her affectionate yet relentless scolding, I rush to the bathroom.
Taking a long, warm shower makes me feel like my mood is being washed away.
Strangely, I think to myself—it’s amazing how people can let even small things affect them, and so I shave off my bushy beard neatly.
After my shower, I pack my things.
I grab a change of clothes, underwear, and the rest of my essentials.
Since I haven’t unpacked the boxes from when I moved into Mom’s after retiring, I can just take them as they are.
Before retiring, I hardly used my apartment anyway—it was mostly just a place to sleep, so I didn’t accumulate much stuff.
“When are you leaving?”
Mrs. Kim Sun-ju, who had been silently watching me leaning by my door, asks.
“Later.”
“Stay over… Well, actually, you really should… Ugh. Never mind.”
Sun-ju swallows her words, looking at the lightless eyes of her son—not so long ago, I’d received permission by looking into those eyes, after all.
“It’s not about him… It’s just that Minseo needs a bit more time. If I can’t believe my own son, who else will?”
Just a little more time is all he needs.
My son is never a weakling.
Always reliable and dependable—my dear son who risks himself as a hunter to save others.
Even if he faces hardship now, time will heal everything.
That’s what I believe.
“Have a good dinner, and then come down.”
With a heavy sigh, Sun-ju decides to see me off with a hearty meal, heading off into the kitchen to cook a delicious dinner for her son.
I can’t help but think, “Am I really being such an ungrateful child?”
I gather my bags and the papers for my new address, scratching the back of my head.
The sizzle of something cooking and the rhythmic chopping on a cutting board fill the air.
As Mom bustles about in the kitchen, mouthwatering food aromas fill the room.
Yet, instead of feeling hungry, my appetite is strangely absent.
“…I just don’t feel like eating anything.”
I know if I don’t eat properly, Mom’s going to worry even more.
I don’t want to make her worry for no reason.
Hesitating a moment, I tell Sun-ju,
“Mom, if I eat too much, I get sleepy while driving. Pack some side dishes—I’ll eat once I get there.”
“What?? But you should at least eat a little…”
Her voice trails off apologetically, but I honestly can’t eat a thing.
“I promise I’ll eat well.”
“Still….”
After a bit of back-and-forth, I managed to board the car with a whole bunch of side dishes in hand.
“Sigh…”
Saemi bestows a special blessing upon you, whose wounds have been hurt!
Congratulations! In recognition of your master’s deep affection for Mana-Saem, you’ve been gifted a special “Trait”.
You have acquired the Trait “Gourmet Pursuit” – a trait that will heal your body and spirit!
Suddenly, I recall the Trait Saemi gifted me last night.
“Healing wounds…”
How exactly is that supposed to cure me?
I wish someone would explain it.
With a deep sigh, my car heads toward Nabi-Gol.
Listening to my favorite music as I drive, I soon arrive at the edge of town.
[Nabi-Gol]
On the way, I stopped by the community center in town to file my residency and apply for water and electricity…
I couldn’t help but feel that stepping into this town was a fresh start compared to the day I first arrived.
As I slowly enter the town, I notice a group of grandmothers gathered on the stoop in front of the local supermarket, watching me with curious expressions.
[“Super Market” pronounced in an old-fashioned way.]
It seems the “t” in “market” has dropped away, lost or vanished with time.
I can feel the passage of time.
But… those grandmothers are staring right at me.
“Eyes.”
Multiple pairs of eyes fix on me as if scrutinizing every detail.
My heart starts pounding.
Just as I try to ignore their stares and hurry past, one grandmother gives me a signal to roll down my window.
Her hand flutters gently.
What should I do? Cold sweat starts trickling down my face.
After a moment’s hesitation, she tilts her head with a simple, innocent look.
“It’s alright. It’s okay. They’re just grandmothers.”
I take a deep breath and roll down the window, ducking my head to avoid their gaze.
Then suddenly, she shouts.
“Who are you?!”
“Ah…?”
What’s going on? And why did she demand that I roll down my window? I’m completely baffled.
Sneaking a glance, I see her tightly curled hair, bright pink lipstick, and a pair of intimidating blue, seagull-like tattooed eyebrows.
The fierce-looking, tattooed-eyebrow grandmother asks again,
“Who the heck are you?!”
“Uh— I heard that the blue-roofed house at the foot of the mountain has a grandson coming. That must be it.”
A savior appears.
Unable to answer, I just nod as the kind, bobbed-haired grandmother speaks.
“Thank you.”
Then the tattooed-eyebrow grandmother shouts again,
“Are you that Omija grandson?!”
“Y-yes…”
“Take care on your way.”
With that, she coolly turns and plops down on the stoop in front of the supermarket.
I quickly roll up the window and make my escape.
My palms are drenched in sweat.
That was really scary. It seems the real power in Nabi-Gol lies with these grandmothers.
I decide to avoid them as much as possible.
After passing through some quiet neighborhood streets, I turn onto a mountain road and soon see that familiar blue roof.
It’s an old, run-down farmhouse overgrown with weeds and dust, holding countless memories of my past.
I park the car, open the creaky old gate, and step inside…
[The sobbing Saemi sees you return and shrieks!]
[It screams as if it thought you had disappeared again, weeping uncontrollably.]
[It shouts that when it woke up, you were gone!]
“Ah…”
Had I just woken up from a nap?
Mana-Saem, quivering uncontrollably and yelling wildly, seems to be in a state of panic.
Was I missing, and did it panic in its sleep?
“Sorry…”
I ended up having to listen to Saemi’s scolding for quite a while afterward.
Now, whenever it goes somewhere, Saemi insists on getting a promise—a finger signal—that I’ll let it know before I leave, only then does it calm down.
[By the way, does the Trait Saemi, specially gifted to you, appeal to you?]
Well, about that Trait…
“Of course I’m grateful, but… how exactly is this going to help me?”
[In response to your clueless question, Saemi gapes in astonishment.]
[Saemi then asks if you aren’t “hurt” right now.]
It felt like I’d just been hit with an extremely rude remark.
Feigning ignorance, I ask again, and Saemi, acting all superior, explains,
[Of course, “hurt” means that you’re not well—you should eat plenty of delicious food to heal, right?]
[It proudly adds that a lovingly prepared meal using quality ingredients is known as “medicine”.]
“Does that mean food is medicine…?”
Not exactly a lie, but I still can’t quite understand, and I cock my head in confusion as Saemi flashes a gentle light.
[Saemi expresses its gratitude for being revived by you.]
[This time, it thumps its chest and announces that it’s now your turn to help you out.]
As I gaze at the clear, sparkling water of Saemi overflowing with light, a thought suddenly strikes me.
“Could it be…?”
Could it really be…? Almost entranced, I reach for the lid on the side dish container my mom prepared.