Putting Aside Nationalistic Bias, It’s Really Delicious

47 – Eating Bulgogi Sandwiches and Bulgogi Kimbap in the Air Full of Phytoncide

If someone asks if a sandwich is a Western dish?

Yes.

I could say that.

Baguette bread, mustard sauce used for sandwiches, and the cheese on top were all foods not commonly used in Korean cuisine.

I had never heard of anyone using mustard during the Joseon Dynasty.

But bulgogi sandwiches were a proud K-Food.

Why?

Because the main ingredient, bulgogi, is Korean cuisine.

That’s more than enough.

So, isn’t bulgogi pizza also Korean cuisine?

Well spotted!

Bulgogi pizza and bulgogi burgers are all proud K-Foods.

Making a bulgogi sandwich wasn’t difficult as long as the ingredients were well-prepared.

Well-grilled bulgogi and caramelized grilled onions.

Whether it’s a freshly made baguette or a loaf of bread, the type of bread doesn’t matter.

When a loaf of bread with a crispy outside and a soft, white inside full of holes is cut in half, the more the rich aroma of the grains fills the air, the more delicious the sandwich could be made.

With lettuce to add crispy texture, cheese for the savory taste, bulgogi sauce, mustard, and mayonnaise to add depth of flavor, and even a sauce mixed with a little bit of honey.

It was an easy-to-make dish with just these ingredients.

Spread the mustard and mayonnaise sauce on the sliced ​​baguette with a bread knife and stack the lettuce on top.

Next, place the steaming hot bulgogi and grilled onions on top and finally put a slice of cheese on it.

Swish!

Melt the cheese with flames to create an occasional charred texture, then cover with bread, and it’s done!

A bulgogi sandwich for a picnic is complete.

The real time-consuming dish was bulgogi kimbap.

Shred and sauté the carrots, blanch the spinach, mix with sesame oil, and carefully flip the thick egg pancakes on medium-low heat without losing shape.

Some people like to add cucumber, but is there really a need for that when there’s already crispy and refreshing pickled radish?

Slice the pickled radish, marinated in vinegar and sugar and colored with gardenia powder, into long and square strips, and roll them together.

Considering I woke up early in the morning just to make this…

“Sigh.”

I let out an involuntary sigh.

“Why are you sighing with food in front of you?”

“That’s right! Sighing with food in front of you is driving away blessings!”

Andrea fixed her gaze on the kimbap and sandwich, seemingly captivated by them, and spoke.

She picked up a sandwich before I could say anything.

“Bon appétit.”

“Bon appétit!”

An elf called out with his sandwich, and a human lifted their spoonful of bean paste soup.

“Mmm~. The taste of bulgogi fills my mouth… Haah.”

Andrea exhaled a gentle breath and closed her eyes tightly.

With her eyes closed, she savored the taste of the bulgogi sandwich, her cheeks puffing out adorably.

“It tastes even better eating it outside. It’s a bit of a shame it’s slightly cooled down…… But it’s still delicious.”

Andrea, who was continuously exclaiming in admiration, spoke with shining eyes.

I also followed her and ate a bulgogi sandwich.

My front teeth bit into the slightly crispy yet moist baguette bread that had been grilled to perfection.

Crunch!

Then, I could feel the crunchiness of the cabbage.

As I was feeling the texture of the vibrant cabbage, the taste of a sauce mixed with mayonnaise and mustard moistened my mouth.

After the warm-up, the bulgogi and onions resting atop the lettuce announced that they were the main characters.

Even the nuttiness of the baguette bread, assisting to neutralize the tender taste of the bulgogi and onions.

“Mm~.”

Delicious.

Really delicious.

It was incredibly tasty, even though I made it myself.

The pale yellow mustard & mayonnaise sauce paired really well.

“I should add this as a regular menu item later.”

I thought about testing it on the knights later as I picked up a kimbap with my fingers.

Even before I started eating, Andrea had already devoured three kimbap rolls.

“Shuzheng, thry thish.”

Her cheeks bulging with kimbap, she mumbled her words.

“I haven’t even had a bite yet……”

“Mmhm, mmphm.”

“I can’t understand a single word you’re saying.”

It was probably an excuse for eating first.

This time, I ate the bulgogi kimbap.

The kimbap was a bit disappointing compared to what I had eaten in the original world.

Was the taste of seaweed a bit too strong?

However, as the rice grains fell apart and the seaweed covered the carrots, spinach, pickled radish, and finally the bulgogi, the taste soon disappeared.

‘It’s delicious.’

But I thought it was delicious because it was bulgogi kimbap.

‘I guess seaweed needs a little more research.’

If only there was someone who could grow seaweed properly.

If I could make seaweed properly…

I could have made a perfect breakfast.

A perfect breakfast for busy modern people, with seaweed, kimchi, fried eggs, and ham.

The fragrant and salty smell when you spread sesame oil on the seaweed and sprinkle salt before grilling.

Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

It was a bit disappointing compared to that, but the fullness of the grass and the chirping of birds around us added to the taste.

What’s wrong with being a little disappointed?

Isn’t the charm of kimbap being able to eat it at a nice picnic spot?

Woosh.

The wind blew and scattered my hair, which was playing with the kimbap.

Of course, the hair of others eating with me also fluttered lightly.

The scent of trees, leaves, soil, and various microorganisms tickled my nose.

It felt like the stress I felt while working was washed away.

While sitting on a rock I found to eat, I looked at the scenery below the mountain.

I could see the Britten birch forest connected to the mountain.

I could not see the Lord’s castle, but I did see a soldier standing on the wall, nodding off.

If you know how to handle mana as a knight, you get a totally different perspective from ordinary people.

‘I saw that guy drinking late at our restaurant last night.’

Let’s just let this slide.

If it were for any other reason, I would have told Lancelot, but since they’re our regulars, I’ll let it go.

I can see the long road that starts from the barony.

On both sides of the road, farmlands and pastures belonging to farmers came into view.

I could see the pig farms where I buy the pork, the cattle ranch where I raise meat cows, and the poultry farm at the end.

Although they’re not big in scale, they were providing high-quality meat.

The forest where hunters mainly hunt was visible not far away, and I could also see the merchants traveling along the road.

Recently, the number of visits from merchants has been increasing.

After the recent trade between Camilla and Viscount of Britten, it seemed like the number of visits from the merchants had increased.

“It’s a good thing that the territory is developing.”

I just wish it wouldn’t spread to the capital.

It would be a problem if the princess were to come.

If it’s revealed that I’m not in my hometown but here…

“Ugh.”

I got goosebumps.

At that moment, the wind blew once again.

Sitting on the rock and eating my lunch while gazing at the faraway scenery, my mind became serene.

No wonder people come for forest therapy.

A sense of stability came to my mind.

Delicious food, delightful wind, and an amazing view.

Although it wasn’t extraordinary food, merely being in a special place made me feel good.

As I hummed a tune, I picked up another gimbap to eat.

“Ahem! Ahem!”

Andrea, who was greedy and stuffed her mouth full of gimbap, coughed while pounding on her chest.

I knew she was eating too much.

The case was presented properly.

“There’s soybean paste soup, so eat that….”

It was the moment she extended a bowl of spinach soybean paste soup to her.

“Uh-huh.”

A strange groaning sound came from beside her.

It was Veronia’s voice.

She, who had a peculiar and trembling voice, was shivering as she drank the soybean paste soup.

Contrary to saying the bulgogi looked delicious, she was delicately spooning only the soybean paste soup into her mouth, avoiding anything else.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“Uh, uh? H-hot! No, nothing!”

“Don’t tell me you finished the soybean paste soup?”

“Uh, uh? Well, I, I left some.”

“Give that to Andrea quickly. The kid might pass out.”

“Cough! Cough!”

“Is, is this what you call it? Th-that’s what I mean….”

After glancing at Andrea for a moment, Veronia bit her lip and lifted the lunch-sized soup bowl.

Swish!

Putting her mouth to the lunch-sized soup bowl, she drank it all in one go. With her face turning pale and her eyes becoming hazy, she exhaled a hot sigh while staring into the empty space.

“Haah, it was delicious.”

“Hey! If you drink all of that.”

“Cough! Cough!”

I took out a water bottle and handed it to the pale-faced Andrea.

Gulp! Gulp!

Andrea, desperately swallowing the water, finally relaxed her tense face.

Meanwhile, Veronia, seemingly absorbed in the aftertaste of the soybean paste soup, continued to chuckle, gazing at the air with moist eyes.

“Ha, this is good! This too….”

Struggling to swallow the gimbap that had been blocking her throat, Andrea glared at Beronia with narrowed eyes.

“Hey! What will you do if you eat all of that by yourself!”

“…Oh, you mean this?”

Beronia looked at Andrea with hazy eyes, as if she was drunk on something.

“Ha, haha! I’m sorry. Hahaha! It was really good, or rather, is it right to say it was delicious? That was delicious too! Um, yes, it was tasty! It was delicious food!”

Her ramblings made her seem truly intoxicated, with her mind completely gone.

“…..”

Seeing her suddenly strange appearance, it brought back memories from the past.

-Hehehe, this is nice.

-Ah, I feel so relaxed.

-Is this what they call food? This isn’t food, it’s a blessing…..

The Suins who ate the manufactured soybean paste soup.

Their bodies had become languid and limp, with their strength apparently failing to come forth, as they swayed heavily from side to side. The scene was clear in memory.

-I’m sorry. It was rude of us.

At the time, the Suiin who was a mercenary captain apologized to me for taking such girls away.

It appeared to be a similar phenomenon to that of those girls.

‘The mercenary captain didn’t tell me the reason to the end.’

If I had known the reason, I would have found a solution.

The only thing I remembered was that after that day, those Suins avoided not only our kitchen but also meeting my eyes.

It was as if they were avoiding someone they had caused trouble to while drunk the night before.

‘Could it be a similar effect to alcohol?’

I looked at Beronia.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh, huh? Oh, of course! It’s fine! I am Lillian, the greatest warrior! I’m not one to stagger under the influence of such pheromones!”

With a swift motion, she stood firmly on her two legs.

No, she seemed to think so herself.

“Oh dear!”

I immediately supported her as she fell.

“Boss, let’s just leave that one and go down by ourselves later.”

“How can we do that? She helped us in her own way.”

Veronia, leaning against my body, sniffed at my chest after burying her nose.

Sniff, sniff.

“The scent of a male… is nice.”

“Hey, what are you trying to touch!”

Andrea quickly pulled away the hands that were trying to touch my body.

“I’ll support this perverted drunkard!”

“Hmm? An elf! Haha! Pointed ears! How amusing! How can ears be so pointed!”

Then, her gaze turned back to me.

“Hurry and take me next to the human male! I want to be next to him!”

“You’re coming down with me!”

“I don’t want to! I want to go with the human male! Hurry and take me…”

Even with a drunkard added to the mix, I guess I’ll just have to go down.

***

“Kkuuueeuung….”

Veronia, holding her seemingly splitting head, got up.

A unfamiliar space.

In a space filled with a savory smell and the sweet scent of honey, she looked around while pressing her throbbing head with her hand.

The air was saturated with the aroma of boiling oil and the sweet fragrance of honey.

“Are you awake?”

She looked in the direction of the voice.

There, she saw the human male she had met earlier, wearing an apron and doing something.

He was in a space that humans called a kitchen.

She had heard that kitchens were originally mysterious places that were not open to anyone.

No, rather than that.

As soon as she saw the face of the human male, Lukas, she remembered what she had done before losing consciousness.

Her behavior was like that of a person who had been drunk and causing a scene.

As a Langine, she knew that it was not alcohol that made her intoxicated.

It was.

She was intoxicated by the pheromone-like scent that only the male seemed to produce.

Like a female entering the heat period.

Veronia, who had devoted her entire Lang life to fighting, had never met a male other than her brother.

The pheromone-like scent of soybean paste soup from such a her was too strong.

She thought he was a strong male and even committed to marrying him…

Only to find out that the scent was actually coming from food!

She couldn’t regain her senses after drinking the soybean paste soup, entranced by such food.

It was an extremely embarrassing and shameful experience.

‘Did I… not make a mistake…?’

She looked at Lukas.

As their eyes met while Lukas was rummaging for something, she felt her face getting hot.

She unknowingly avoided his gaze as she recalled what happened yesterday.

It was like meeting a real Langine male.

“I’m preparing something sweet for you since you seem to like sweets, so wait a bit.”

“Sweets…?”

Come to think of it, there was a smell of honey.

Her tail wagged involuntarily from side to side at the sweet scent of honey.

Softly swaying.