Perfect World [EN]: Chapter 452

454

“Are you sure this is edible?”

“Of course. Would you like to see?”

Beomseok used his chopsticks to pile up pork, aged kimchi, and fermented skate, shoving it all into his mouth at once. He savored the smell, chewing diligently. Soon, he swallowed with a satisfied expression, as if it were delicious. He piled up another bundle and held it out to her mouth.

“Here. Theresa, you should try some too.”

Theresa, her face pale, stared intently at the fermented skate. Unable to bring herself to open her mouth, she turned her head away. Seeing him eat it, she knew it must be food, but she couldn’t muster the courage. The unique smell of fermented skate was a considerable ordeal for someone who had never tried it before.

“Um, Beomseok. I’m sorry, but I really can’t eat it. The smell is strange.”

“Oh, it’s alright. It only smells that way; the taste is definitely there. People who like this can’t get enough of it.”

Theresa, swayed by his words, gazed at the skate *samhap* [a dish combining skate, pork, and kimchi]. Many high-end dishes had repulsive appearances or smells but boasted outstanding flavors. With a hopeful thought, she put the skate *samhap* Beomseok offered into her mouth and took a small bite.

Immediately, the refreshing scent of ammonia wafted up. Reminding her of an old toilet, she trembled.

“W-What on earth is this…”

“Heh, everyone’s like that at first. Take a deep breath, then close your mouth and exhale through your nose. Then you’ll taste it.”

Theresa trusted him and inhaled, then exhaled. Soon, the stinging sensation numbed her nose, and she shuddered. Briefly losing her composure, she glared at Beomseok with fiery eyes.

“B-Beomseok!”

“Hahaha. How is it? Delicious, right?”

At his innocent laughter, Theresa regained her composure. If she got angry now, her plans would be ruined. She needed to keep Beomseok in a good mood at all costs.

Barely suppressing her nausea, Theresa swallowed the skate *samhap* and smiled as if nothing had happened.

“D-Delicious. Now that I’ve eaten it, a very deep flavor emerges.”

“Yes, right? Then I’ll keep bringing out other dishes, so keep eating. Hmm. There are about 20 left, so Theresa should eat about 10. If you eat more, there won’t be any left for me. Got it?”

“Ah, okay.”

As Beomseok returned to the kitchen, Theresa stared at the plate of fermented skate with a pale gaze. She didn’t know how to deal with it. She desperately wanted to throw away her share, but Beomseok was constantly watching her as he cooked, so she couldn’t. Reluctantly, she squeezed out every last bit of patience and ate the *samhap* one by one.

‘Hoo? She eats well, though. It’s usually a real ordeal for foreigners… Well, it doesn’t really matter. There are still many steps left. And there’s also the ultimate weapon.’

He put the *sundaeguk* [Korean blood sausage soup], which had just finished boiling, and side dishes on a tray, along with a plate of sliced skate cartilage. He arranged the food, except for the skate cartilage, in front of me and Theresa, then sat down. The skate cartilage was the final blow, so he couldn’t reveal it yet.

“Alright. It’s ready.”

Theresa, looking at the dishes that came out this time, wore a much better expression than before. She thought the *ganjang gejang* [soy sauce marinated crab] looked edible since it seemed to be a crab dish, and the *sundaeguk* in front of her made her a little hungry because of its savory smell.

Relieved, she quickly picked up a spoon and took a sip of the soup. Immediately, Theresa jumped up from her seat as if her tongue was being cut with a knife by the spicy taste. With the addition of abundant allicin [a compound found in garlic and onions, known for its pungent flavor], it had transformed into a *sundaeguk* that even people who enjoyed spicy food couldn’t eat.

‘Huk huk. Just what is that guy’s real identity!’

Theresa, tears streaming down her face from the spiciness, stared at Beomseok, who was eating the *sundaeguk* deliciously, and was shocked. He was sweating profusely, but he was still mixing rice into the soup and eating it well. He didn’t seem human at all.

He called Theresa with a friendly expression.

“Theresa, come quickly. The soup will lose its flavor if it gets cold.”

Theresa, who was filling a plastic bottle with water from the purifier, shook her head. She felt like she couldn’t eat any more, no matter what. She walked back to Beomseok and opened her mouth with difficulty.

“Um, Beomseok…”

“Hahaha. Anyway, I’m glad. It seems like Theresa doesn’t have any particular food preferences. Actually, when I see people who are picky about food, I lose all affection for them, no matter how much I love them. Hahaha.”

Theresa squeezed her eyes shut and sat back down. Having heard those words, she had no other choice. She couldn’t stop her plan to draw out his carelessness here.

“Ah. Yes. I see.”

She placed the plastic bottle full of water next to her and began to mix rice into the *sundaeguk* and eat it. Except for the spiciness, it was somewhat edible, so she decided to endure it.

No, she had to endure it. But there’s a limit to what a human can do. After only a few spoonfuls, Theresa emptied the plastic bottle and turned her attention to the *ganjang gejang* this time.

It didn’t seem like a spicy dish.

“What is this?”

“It’s a type of crab dish. In my hometown, it’s known as a ‘rice thief’ because it’s so delicious. I’ll cut it for you, so try it.”

Theresa picked up half of the crab that Beomseok had cut with scissors, holding a glimmer of hope. After looking at it from side to side, she watched him crack the shell and scoop out the meat with a spoon, then followed suit. Immediately, a subtle fishy taste spread in her mouth. She blamed herself for having expectations and hung her head. This was no less difficult.

‘That guy. Is he trying to mess with me? But…’

Beomseok’s actions were certainly suspicious, but seeing him eat these foods so well made it impossible to doubt him. He showed no signs of disgust as he ate the rice ravenously.

Theresa frowned slightly as she picked up the *ojingeojeot* [seasoned squid] that he particularly enjoyed with a fork. This was the same. Reluctantly, she turned to the *sundaeguk*, which was relatively better. It was spicy, but she thought she would empty it since it seemed to be the main dish and then say she was full and stop.

And just as she was about halfway through, she lifted a particularly astringent-tasting piece of *geondeogi* [solid ingredients in a soup or stew] with her spoon and asked Beomseok. Judging from her experience so far, it looked like a formidable piece of meat.

“Beomseok? What kind of meat is this?”

“Ah. That’s hard to explain. Do you know what *foie gras* is?”

“*Foie gras*? You mean the dish made from goose liver, one of the world’s three major delicacies?”

“Yes. You can think of it as that.”

Theresa was somewhat relieved because she had eaten *foie gras* before. It didn’t suit her taste, but since the ingredients were the same, she thought she could eat it. However, she couldn’t understand why they were making soup with such high-end ingredients.

Theresa barely chewed and swallowed it, answering as if nothing was wrong.

“But the ingredient costs must have been high. Goose liver is known to be quite expensive. Do you usually eat like this?”

“Yes. It’s not that expensive because it’s beef liver.”

Theresa, her forehead muscles tensing, trembled. Well, she was a fool for having expectations. Just in case, she picked up a black *geondeogi*.

“W-What’s this?”

“That’s *sundae*. It’s a food made by filling intestines with cellophane noodles mixed with beef blood. You can just think of it as sausage.”

She quickly put it down and picked up a piece of meat with holes in it.

“W-What’s this?”

“Ah. That’s lung.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s nothing much. It’s beef brain. And those next to it are intestines, and that one in the corner is ear cartilage.”

Theresa, feeling like she was going to vomit, quickly got up from her seat. The food she had thought was the best so far was made from animal organs, so she was almost in a mental breakdown.

“I-I can’t eat any more.”

“Why not? Doesn’t the food suit your taste?”

“N-No, it’s not that, but I suddenly have indigestion. I think I need to go to the hospital. I’m really sorry.”

“Really? Then wait a moment and cover your nose. There’s a food that works amazingly well for indigestion.”

He quickly went back to the table and brought the plate with the skate cartilage. The final climax was left, so he couldn’t send Theresa away like this.

“Here. Eat this.”

Theresa frowned, looking at the plate with a strange gaze. It looked like *hoe* [raw fish], but she felt uneasy.

“W-What is this?”

“Ah. It’s a delicacy comparable to the fatty tuna belly. It’s so rare that it’s known as a high-end food that people can’t even serve to their children who have been wandering abroad for a long time. Moreover, just eating one piece will refresh your body, so there’s no better medicine for indigestion.

Originally, I was going to hide it and eat it myself, but since Theresa is sick, I’m giving it to you as a special treat.”

Beomseok looked at the skate cartilage with a regretful expression. As if he were sending away a lover, Theresa was momentarily embarrassed. She was going to have to eat it no matter what.

“T-Then I’ll decline. It seems like a very precious food.”

“No. How can I not treat you this much when Theresa is sick? Come on, open your mouth.”

“P-Please. Can’t I not eat it?”

“You shouldn’t act like a child going to the hospital when you’re a grown adult. Come on, hurry up. Ah~”

Theresa, tears welling up in her eyes, finally opened her mouth. Thinking it was the last time, courage she didn’t have before welled up. Soon, the skate cartilage that entered her mouth unleashed the ammonia that had been aged, and began to paralyze her mind.

Theresa, clutching her head and collapsing in her seat, trembled. The special action of ammonia and anger at Beomseok were gradually breaking down her reason. The skate cartilage she had just eaten was emitting a strong ammonia scent that was incomparable to the skate *samhap* she had forcibly tasted before.

But a woman’s vengeance was terrifying. Before long, Theresa, who had calmed her resentful heart, was still facing him with a high level of acting.

“Ah. As Beomseok said, it feels like my stomach is clearing out. I feel like my indigestion is going down.”

“Hehe. Of course. The old saying is never wrong. Then come and continue eating. There are still many dishes to serve.”

Theresa waved her hands wildly. Nausea was already rising in her throat, so she couldn’t eat any more food. And thinking about what kind of food would come out next, she was deeply afraid.

“Ah, no. I think I should go now.”

“Why not?”

“I haven’t been feeling well lately. I don’t have any energy, I often have headaches, and sometimes I get dizzy.”

“Really? Then you’ve got heatstroke. Theresa, you seem to be quite weak. It’s not even summer yet.”

Theresa nodded wildly, thinking she was right. He had unexpectedly given her an excuse.

“Yes. I’m very susceptible to heat. So, even in late spring, I often feel sluggish.”

“Oh dear, oh dear. How unfortunate… How about we meet again tomorrow?”

Theresa, looking at him with a fearful gaze, barely opened her mouth.

“Ah, no. Why?”

“I know a food that will blow away the heat in one shot. Just one bite will make your energy soar.”

“W-What kind of dish is it this time?”

“There is such a thing. You’ll fall in love with it at first taste, so let’s meet tomorrow and go together. I’ll take you to a really amazing place.”

Feeling uneasy at Beomseok’s assurance, she took a slight step back.

“What are the ingredients this time?”

“Well. Meat with various seasonings including chili powder. And taro, sesame leaves, green onions, chives, and other vegetables. It’s a very common soup dish.”

That wasn’t bad. If it was meat and vegetables, there was nothing she couldn’t eat. It would be a bit of a problem if it was spicy, but she thought it would be much better than the dishes he had served today.

“O-Okay. Then let’s meet again tomorrow.”

“Hehe. Good. But you have to come with a proper disguise.”

“Disguise? We’re celebrities, but do we have to disguise ourselves to go to a restaurant?”

“Yes. That’s right. Actually, the food itself is illegal.”

“Illegal? How can a dish with meat and vegetables be illegal? Is there marijuana in the vegetables?”

“No. There’s no problem with the vegetables, but there’s a bit of a problem with the meat. Hahaha.”

“W-What kind of meat is it?”

“Dog. Commonly called dog or doggy. Hahaha. If we get caught eating that and someone takes a picture, we’ll be attacked by animal lovers. Of course, we have to come with a thorough disguise, even to the level of transformation. Hahaha.”

Theresa, her mouth wide open, turned red and blue. 해피메리쫑 [Happy Merry Jjong, likely referring to her pet], whom she had been raising with care, was flashing through her mind. In fact, the animal lover that Beomseok was expressing fear about was her. Having been alienated by Angela since she was young, she had lived giving a lot of affection to her dogs.

“I’m going now! I’m sick and I have a lot of work to do. Goodbye!”

In the end, she shouted as if she was throwing a tantrum, having reached the limit of her patience, and stormed out the door. She had heard that there were some people of Asian descent who secretly enjoyed eating dog meat, but she didn’t know that Beomseok was one of them. She really didn’t want to associate with him again.

============================ Author’s Notes ============================

I’m uploading this as a reservation because I have something to do today. It’s about 12K, so please understand if there are any problems. I’ll come and fix it.

Then everyone have a nice day. I’ll see you again tomorrow.