Leveling Up through Eating

Translator: ChubbyCheeks

PR: MattForgenti

Inside Asan Medical Center’s inpatient ward.

As Hyemin laid down on the bed, she could hear a heavy sigh coming through the closed door.

“Haaa…… Do you mean that we have no choice but to wait until my child does not feel repulsed by the thought of food?”

“That’s right. Right now, Hyemin is still young so she thinks eating is ‘scary’ after what has happened. I think she would be able to accept food gradually as time goes by.”

“When exactly is this ‘gradually’ going to happen? My little girl is now so skinny…… Haa, sorry. I was just extremely vexed.”

“I understand.”

“It’s also hard for my poopy dad……”

Hyemin heaved a small sigh as she looked at her bony arms after hearing her father’s words.

Leukemia…

She might have won the battle against this disease but the problem was that Hyemin has been afraid of food ever since.

The door opened and her father, Lee Taemin, came inside.

“I’m sorry that daddy has been too busy to spend time with you.”

“It’s okay. Another poopy gave me a ride on his shoulders and played with me.”

“Another poopy?”

“Yep, the poopy is also a strange piggy! He could eat dozens of servings of samgyeopsal in a blink of an eye!”

“Hooo. So you made a piggy friend, Hyeminie?”

For a moment, Lee Taemin thought that the friend Hyemin made was a real ‘pig’ because that scenario was definitely impossible if that person is not a pig.

“But that poopy piggy, is it a person?”

“Huh?”

Taemin tilted his head in confusion. 

I can’t believe that there’s someone who could eat as much as Hyemin said! 

He was definitely both surprised and in disbelief. But soon, Hyemin dispelled his doubts.

“But the poopy pig is nice!” 

“So you really made a friend, that’s good to hear.” 

Taemin smiled at her.

His daughter had a timid personality however, her personality was changing ever since she fought and won the battle against her disease. The child even was able to make a friend.

“That’s why I want to go meet with the poopy pig right now!” 

“Right now? No way.”

“Hiiiing, but I want to play with poopy pig!”

Taemin, who was deeply troubled with their situation in the game, shook his head. He was really thankful to the blacksmith Ron for looking after Hyemin, and it was also a relief that Hyemin never left the area whenever he was gone.

“Then you should always be careful when you play.”

“Yep!”

Hyemin went inside the capsule that was specifically placed in her hospital ward.

His nickname was Hyemin’sDad.

His class was Hepas’ Descendant and he was able to become rich just by selling and auctioning his artifacts including the Dragon Sword. 

Perhaps it was also the reason why they could be in such a special ward in the hospital.

“I’m going to have to give them something in return for this.”

Leaving my child alone in the game… I’m a bad father.

This did not mean that Taemin was not afraid of leaving her alone. He wanted to travel the world to find something that could help cure her disease and learn more about it. However, whenever he tried to leave her to other people or just bring it up, Hyemin would say that she hated it and would not cooperate.

But strangely enough, she liked staying with the blacksmith Ron and Ron also liked her. So he felt much better leaving her with him.

And there was also that pig-like(?) friend that his daughter had made. He definitely wanted to do something for them.

‘What can I do for them?’

***

Hyemin, who just logged back in, watched Minhyuk as he finished cooking. She even watched him silently in her hiding place as he gobbled up the kimchi fried rice.

‘I’m sure…… Poopy pig is a pig that’s pretending to be a person!’

She was hiding to see if he was really a pig! Hyemin thought that he would suddenly turn into a pig and scream ‘Oink, oink, oink!’ like all the other pigs.

However, as she continued to watch Minhyuk eat, Hyemin was caught in fascination and was definitely mesmerized by the food.

‘Me too…… I also like…… Kimchi fried rice…..’

The kimchi fried rice that my dad made with his sloppy skills!

It was something that she once loved however she still hesitated.

‘No way! Hyemin will get sick if she eats!’

Even after she denied herself, she still continued to watch blankly as the poopy pig continued to eat his kimchi fried rice.

He was chewing as if it was the most delicious thing in the world, he was even equipped with a happy face and a bright smile.

“It’s really, really delicious~”

Hyemin gulped when she heard his words, she was even feeling a bit comfortable and at ease while she was watching him.

‘Hyeminie is, is feeling strange…… I, I feel comfy!’

This was the first time that she felt something like this. And the more she watched Minhyuk eat the food with his spoon the more nervous she was getting.

‘No! Stop eating! This piggy!’

She kept on gulping down as she watched him eat the fried rice. In the end, when she saw that there were only a few spoonfuls left, she couldn’t resist the temptation and ran out.

“This poopy!”

“Huh?”

The poopy piggy looked at her blankly as she stretched out her little hand. She looked like a little princess demanding something from her servants.

“Give me a spoonful too!”

“N, no way!”

“You ate all of my chocolate before!”

“……That’s true. Well. It can’t be helped then.”

The poopy piggy handed her a spoon with great hesitation. Then, Hyemin scooped half a spoonful of kimchi fried rice while Minhyuk placed a piece of the fried egg on top of it.

“This is how you should eat it.”

“He……”

Hyemin carefully brought the spoon towards her mouth.

I always feel sick whenever I eat. 

Whenever she ate food, she would get sick. Her hair even fell out and her body became weak and was filled with pain every day. That was why she did not eat. However, whenever the poopy piggy ate, he would look like he was really enjoying it so she thought that it was extremely strange. So Hyemin decided to bring out the last of her courage as she chomped bravely on the spoonful of kimchi fried rice.

The flavor of the kimchi fried rice spread in her tiny mouth. She didn’t even stop to savor the flavor as she just gulped it down.

“Huh? This is strange……”

“What’s strange?”

“I always get sick after eating but right now I’m feeling fine…… I even vomited and lost my hair before but now I feel good!”

“Of course! Delicious food is the best. Now follow me. Delicious food is the best!”

“Delicious food is the best!”

After Hyemin followed what Minhyuk said, she tried another spoonful of kimchi fried rice.

Then a second one, and a third one…

As they continued to eat, Minhyuk felt a presence coming towards their location. A middle-aged man wearing the beginner’s shabby attire came in the smithy.

The man suddenly burst into tears as he came inside the smithy. He even fell down as if his strength had left his legs. Then he approached Hyemin and hugged her tightly.

“You’re finally eating…… You finally ate! Hyemin-ah, you finally ate something! Sob, sob!”

He continuously shed tears. Then he turned towards the poopy pig, ah, he meant Minhyuk… and bowed his head.

“Thank you, thank you. Truly thank you. Sob!”

“……?”

***

“……?”

Minhyuk looked at him with astonishment. He couldn’t understand the turn of events.

Ron told him before that Hyemin couldn’t eat anything but she suddenly approached him and ate his kimchi fried rice. 

Why is this sloppily dressed and novice-like unknown user suddenly bowing his head towards me?

He couldn’t make heads or tails of the situation that he was in.

‘I was just enjoying my delicious kimchi fried rice, though?’

“This, this is enough!” 

Hyemin’s body continued to weaken even after her successful battle against leukemia. Of course, anyone would need to eat to recuperate their energy but Hyemin never gained any strength in her body since she wouldn’t eat. But he could now rest easy.

This may be the first spoonful but if she can start eating again from now on then she will start to get better!

“Ah, I’ve been rude.”

Hyemin’sDad was so happy that he did not realize that he was showing something unsightly to a complete stranger.

“I heard that my daughter was playing with a pig, ah, no, someone. That’s you, right?”

“Ah, yes. I played with her and let her ride on my shoulders last time.”

“I’m Hyemin’sDad.”

“That’s what it looks like to me too.”

“No, that’s my nickname.”

“I see.”

“I want to repay you for your kindness.”

“I didn’t do anything……”

Minhyuk tilted his head as he continued to be in confusion.

What did I do for him to repay me? I just ate and enjoyed my food!

His expression turned stranger by the second as Hyemin’s father explained to him their situation. The story about leukemia, their treatment and the subsequent events that happened.

Minhyuk listened to it all. And when he finally understood everything, he couldn’t help but empathize with her.

‘She couldn’t eat any food due to the after effects of her treatment……’

Minhyuk couldn’t eat food in reality due to bulimia and when he thought of Hyemin who couldn’t eat because she was scared of getting sick, he couldn’t help but empathize with her to some extent. And that made him quite sad.

‘I just ate well… I can’t believe that it turned in a good direction. That’s a relief.’

Hyemin’sDad smiled at him as he watched him deep in thought.

‘I’d like to tell him who I am.’

There was one rule for all of the members of the Legend Guild.

Don’t ever reveal who you are.

However, Hyemin’sDad felt like he could trust this man, Minhyuk, in front of him. Also, it was only natural for him to introduce himself properly before he could repay him. 

“I’m a blacksmith. I’m pretty famous too. Have you heard of the Dragon Sword?” 

“Ah, I’ve heard of that!” 

Minhyuk nodded his head enthusiastically.

Hyemin’sDad thought that he would be much more surprised when he heard that he was the one who made that artifact.

The Dragon Sword is the greatest artifact that has been auctioned off!

It also had the most powerful attack power and options that had never been seen before.

“I thought that the Dragon Sword would be a good artifact to use to cut a cow’s bones since other knives couldn’t cut it well!”

“……Eh?” 

Hyemin’sDad was suddenly confused.

The Dragon Sword, just like its name, was made with the intention to kill a dragon since dragon scales had the ability to bounce back attacks.

But… What did I just hear?

“C, cut a cow’s bones……?”

“Yes. My attack power is not enough to cut through a cow’s bones without any help from a machine. If you cut a cow’s bone and cook it, I think it will be fun to eat. When I heard about that, I thought that it’s the best thing that I can use to cut the cow’s bones.”

“Ah, yes…… Is, is that so?”

Oh my god! Someone thought of using the Dragon Sword to cut through a cow’s bones!

Hyemin’sDad thought that it was something incomprehensible.

He then tried to calm himself down before speaking again.

“I’m the one who made the Dragon Sword. I have the God class, Hepas’ Descendant.”

“I see.”

“……You look calmer than what I thought you would be.”

“That’s not it, I’m reaaaaaaaally surprised!”

Minhyuk was really interested. He was extremely interested since this was the first time that he met another user with the God class like himself.

Then he heard Hyemin’sDad say…

“I want to make an artifact that you want. You can just say anything that you want.”

Hyemin’sDad smiled softly at him.

Right now, he had the Spirit of Gryphon in his hands. This was a priceless material for artifact making. And using a variety of other things together with his superb skill, he would definitely make a special artifact just for him.

‘Will he ask for a sword? Or maybe an armor?’

All of the users were the same. If they had a sword with good options and higher attack power then they would definitely like it. The same goes for armor or any other weapons or protective artifact that the users wanted.

Especially with the artifacts that he, Hepas’ Descendant, has made. All of his artifacts had a ‘Hepas’ something’ attached in front of it. That alone would prove his tremendous branding value. Even their lives would not be enough to pay for any of the artifacts that he would produce.

Well, what will he ask me to make…

“C, can I really ask you to make me anything I want?” 

Minhyuk looked extremely excited.

Hyemin’sDad nodded his head in agreement. He would definitely give his all to produce whatever artifact he would ask him to make. After all, he was their benefactor.

Hyemin’sDad was a man without much of a greed for anything else. He only wanted his daughter to grow up healthy and brimming with energy.

He was really thankful for what Minhyuk has done for him so he would do anything that he asked of him.

“Yes. I’ll do anything for you.”

“I, is that so. Even if it’s something that’s extremely amazing and hard to make?” 

“It’s fine. Please feel free to tell me what you like.”

Hyemin’sDad focused his attention on his mouth. Minhyuk had an expression that screams ‘Can I really ask you something like this?’ so he carefully watched him open his mouth to speak.

“Please make me…… a pan.”

“……Yes?” 

At that moment, Hyemin’sDad doubted his hearing.

No. He wanted to deny what he had heard.

“Please make me a frying pan that can help me make a well-seasoned stir fried pork! Ah, was it too difficult……? I mean, it’s something really amazing after all!”

“……”

Hyemin’sDad was left speechless for a moment. However, Minhyuk thought that he was lost for words because the thing that he asked of him was something really amazing.

‘Well, it’s a frying pan that can help me season stir fried pork and ribs well whenever I cook! I think it’s not that easy to make something like that since it’s something extraordinary! Was it a really difficult request?’ 

Then, Hyemin’s father suddenly spoke…

“You don’t even want something like… no, no. Not even a sword, or an armor, or a cane? Hoo. You really just want a frying pan?”

“Yeeees!”

“Are you sure?”

Nod, nod━

“Really?”

Nod, nod━

“You don’t want something that can increase your attack or magic power, not even something that can increase your recovery. But something that can help you make a much more delicious stir fried pork?”

Nod, nod━

Then Minhyuk added…

“Ah, if possible. When I make vegetable pancakes, it will be great if there’s a function where the ends will turn brownish and crispy when I fry or grill them.”

Hyemin’sDad looked at him blankly as he muttered to himself.

“Should I slap him with a frying pan……?”

“Yes?”

“No, nothing. Hooo…… I understand. A frying pan…… that could help you boil dow better…. the stir fried pork…… and…… make the ends of the vegetable pancakes crispy and golden brown……”

He spoke mechanically, like he was reading a Korean language book.

“Wow. Something this amazing is really possible! Can you really make something this amazing?”

“Yes, yes. Will you really give something like this to me?”

“Yes, I don’t like the idea of making something so weird but I’ll do it for you.”

Hyemin’sDad scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

“Thank you. Really, thank you so much!”

When he heard his words of affirmation, Minhyuk jumped up in joy as if he saved his whole world. However, Hyemin’sDad was staring blankly into space.

‘I’m…… going to make a frying pan…… my pride……. as Hepas’ Descendant…..’

He stood up weakly to start and make a frying pan.

***

TL’s corner!!!

Lol. He’s completely helpless. The proud descendant of Hepas is going to make a frying pan. LOL!

PR’s corner!

Awwww!!!! This is why I absolutely adore Minhyuk. His sincere love of food is so infectious it can overcome trauma. 

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