Chapter 43

Chapter 43: First Family Trip, the Lucky Charms' Combination

I began searching in earnest for a suitable plot to build the restaurant on.

I was thinking roughly a 20-minute walk west of the Rift house.

The plan was to build it as far from the Rift house as possible.

While walking Bell and scouting for a plot—

I discovered a zone of solid bedrock.

"This spot is good."

There was a lake nearby.

And the location was favorable, sitting on a low hill.

With terrain this solid, I could skip the foundation work entirely, just level the ground and start putting up the building right away.

"The foundation work was just too grueling...... I never want to do that again."

Doing foundation work by hand without heavy equipment had been a nightmare even for an Awakened.

"Aroo?"

Bell tilted her head at me.

"Ah, that was before you were around, Bell."

I made a mental note of this location as a candidate site.

I spent two more days scouting other locations, but none were as good as the bedrock zone.

'I will finalize the bedrock zone as the site. I will have to ask Ria to handle the leveling work.'

With the site decided, I began putting together a detailed plan.

For the building's interior and exterior design, I would use a scaled-down 40-pyeong version of the restaurant design I had planned before my Awakening.

I sent the design proposal to a modular housing company and exchanged details.

The modular building would consist of four 10-pyeong units.

They would be joined together in a square formation, top-bottom and left-right, as a single connected structure.

The cost, including the building and interior finishing, came to a clean 200 million won.

'Once I factor in tables, chairs, decorations, and other purchases, I should budget around 250 million.'

I had accumulated a fair amount of Magic Stones from Eriksson and Santos as meal payments.

And there was roughly 200 million won in Fruit Wine sales revenue coming in.

On top of that, I had 180 million won sitting in my bank account, so I had more than enough funds.

***

I had picked up a new hobby.

It was browsing random locations with the Gate skill.

I checked them out whenever I had mana to spare.

"This place is too dark and the atmosphere is eerie."

"Really. You would not be able to see a thing without a torch."

Beside me, Ria had come over for a break from the fieldwork and was peering into Acresia, which had transformed into its Gate portal form.

"The Monsters here probably look like ghosts."

"I know. Do not go to places like that."

"I absolutely will not."

I did not even enjoy watching horror movies. I certainly was not about to star in one myself.

I moved on to the next random location.

"This one looks fascinating."

"Places like this exist too."

It looked like it could be a dungeon-type Rift, or maybe an open field.

A faint mist hung in the air, and flowers were blooming everywhere.

There was a small lake as well.

The overall atmosphere felt like something out of a fairy tale.

"Want to go check it out? As a test of the random location Gate."

"Sure."

We had planned to make a quick trip, just the two of us.

But Rin, who had been playing with Bell, came over.

She must have come because she was worried we were going somewhere far again.

"Should we take Rin too?"

"I am not sure. Would it not be dangerous?"

"Then let us bring Bell along too. For safety."

If there were Monsters around, Bell would signal us.

"That should be fine then."

"Since we are going anyway, want to camp for a night and come back?"

"That sounds fun. Then this would be our first complete family trip."

And just like that, an impromptu family Rift excursion was decided.

There was hardly anything to prepare.

Everything was already stocked in Acresia.

Though Ria and Rin would need a change of clothes.

Ria went to the Sword Saint and told him they would be away for a day.

"Do not worry and enjoy yourselves. We will hold down the fort here."

"Thank you."

Ria then went to their room to pack clothes.

While she was away, I approached the Sword Saint.

"Sir, is there any way to have Ria naturalized as a Korean citizen?"

"Naturalization. It would not be difficult. There are two methods."

"What are they?"

I had assumed naturalization would be no simple matter.

Yet he said it would not be difficult.

The Sword Saint continued.

"The first is special naturalization."

"Special naturalization?"

"Yes. It is a naturalization method for individuals who have contributed to the nation or possess the ability to do so. One of my guild members, a B+-Rank Hunter, was naturalized into Korea through this route."

"Ah, I had no idea such an option existed."

If they granted it even for a B+-Rank Hunter, the bar seemed fairly lenient.

Or perhaps they had done it out of deference to the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint continued.

"The second method is marriage."

Marriage.......

"Even if we wanted to marry, would it not be difficult because there is no way to verify Ria's identity?"

"You can appoint a legal representative. Preferably someone prominent."

"Someone prominent......"

"I would consider myself a fairly prominent figure, would I not? Ha ha! If you need my help, just say the word. Whether it is special naturalization or simplified naturalization through marriage, I will mobilize every resource and connection I have to assist you."

I was genuinely moved.

"......Why would you go that far for us?"

"What would I not do for the person who saved my life?"

I think the reason I had grown so fond of the Sword Saint was that his character resembled Ria's.

The kind of person who, when they received help, always tried to repay it tenfold.

The Sword Saint continued.

"Besides, Ria is not just any foreigner — she is someone from another world. So if she applies for special naturalization, the process should not be difficult at all."

"That is a good point."

Ria, being from another world, held no citizenship in any country on Earth.

Therefore, there would be no diplomatic friction between nations, and whichever country offered citizenship first would gain the talent.

If I was going to bring Ria to my world, I wanted to give her a legitimate identity.

'If it were just a one-time sightseeing trip, she would not really need one. But there is so much I want to show her and do with her.'

While I was consulting with the Sword Saint, Ria came out having changed.

She was wearing a bright dress.

"That dress looks lovely. It suits you."

"Really? Thank you."

However, it seemed she could not give up equipping her sword even in a dress.

She had a sword belt strapped to her waist.

"Shall we go then?"

"Yes. Let us hold Rin's hand and go in together. Bell, follow behind me."

"Aroo!"

The three of them stepped into the Gate portal first.

A considerable amount of mana was consumed simultaneously.

"We will be off then."

"Enjoy the time with your family."

After bidding farewell to the Sword Saint, I stepped through the Gate portal as well.

After the transfer, before surveying the terrain, I checked Bell's state.

She did not appear to be on alert in any way.

There did not seem to be any Monsters nearby.

I then took in the surroundings.

"This looks like an open field, does it not?"

"Yes, it does not seem like a dungeon."

The sky was nothing but blue.

A clear sky without a single cloud.

We were in something like a basin, with a gentle mist hanging in the air.

Flowers bloomed in every direction, and there was a small lake.

Rin gazed at the flowers with a bright expression.

Watching her filled me with warmth.

"Seeing how much Rin likes it, I am glad we brought her."

"I know. She must love all the flowers."

"Shall we set up the camping gear by the lake?"

"Sure."

Unfortunately, we did not have a large tent.

The S-Rank trio was using it as their quarters.

But we did have a medium three-person tent.

Ria and I pitched the tent by the lake, and we lit a campfire outside.

Rin, who had been admiring the flowers, went to the lakeside with Bell and splashed around in the water.

Ria watched them with a contented smile.

"Rin and Bell are adorable."

"They play so well together. The lake looks clean — why not go join them for some water play, Ria?"

"Shall I? You come too, Seon-u."

"Alright."

Ria changed inside the tent.

She came out in a white shirt and short blue pants.

I should buy her a swimsuit soon.

Or maybe we could go pick one out together.

I changed into the Trail Shorts I had worn at the hot spring.

"Seon-u, your body looks even better than when we went to the hot spring."

Ria said, looking at my exposed upper body.

"It is probably because my Strength and Agility stats each went up by 10."

Before my Awakening, my build had been average, but as my stats gradually rose after Awakening, defined muscles had appeared all over my body and my shoulders had broadened.

I headed toward a relatively shallow area and splashed Ria with water.

"So you are attacking first?"

Ria unleashed a barrage of water at me.

I charged through the spray, scooped Ria up in my arms, and dunked her in the water.

"Kyaah!"

The white shirt Ria was wearing became see-through, revealing her undergarments and figure.

That had not been intentional......

Beautiful, in any case.

Ria did not seem to notice.

She then called out to Rin behind me.

"Rin, Seon-u threw me in the water! Get revenge for me!"

As if she understood Ria's words perfectly, Rin beamed an innocent smile and splashed water at me with her tiny hands.

"Rin, I thought you were on my side?"

Apparently, she was on Ria's side.

While we were enjoying the water play—

Bell's nostrils flared, and she climbed out of the lake and dashed toward the far side.

"Bell?"

What was she doing?

She looked back and barked at us as if telling us to follow.

"Let us go see."

"Okay."

I picked up Rin and headed to where Bell was, with Ria beside me.

Bell was standing in front of some kind of fruit-bearing plant, sniffing it with her tail wagging.

It looked like a ginseng berry.

"Did you come here because of this plant?"

"Aroo!"

Judging by her reaction, yes.

Then Rin squirmed, wanting to be put down so she could get a closer look at the plant.

When I set her down, she studied the plant carefully.

She conjured emerald mana in both hands, grabbed the stem, and pulled with all her might.

She seemed intent on uprooting it.

Out came the plant's root.

It was a plant with a thick root that resembled ginseng, or perhaps an ugly misshapen radish.

"Seon-u."

Rin held the uprooted plant out to me.

"You are giving it to me? Thank you."

When I took it, a message appeared.

[Mandragora]

[Rarity: A+-Rank]

Mandragora?

The rarity grade was extremely high.

Upon closer inspection, the root had a shape that resembled a human face.

Ria looked flustered when she saw it.

"That looks like a Screaming Root......"

"Screaming Root?"

That must have been the name for Mandragora in the world Ria had lived in.

"It is a plant that emits a scream when pulled, deafening anyone who hears it."

"So it is a Monster?"

"No, it is not a Monster. It is an extremely rare mystical herb. Consuming it is said to increase one's mana. This is the first time I have seen one in person."

"A mystical herb...... But why did it not scream when Rin pulled it? Is it because of the earth mana she wrapped around her hands?"

"Most likely."

Rin went on to pull three more Mandragora roots growing nearby.

There had been four roots of this rare mystical herb.

"No one but Rin could pull these safely."

"Right. It is extremely dangerous. There is a story about a Hero-class knight in a certain kingdom who pulled a Screaming Root while protecting his ears with mana, and he still went deaf."

"......That is an incredibly dangerous plant."

"As dangerous as it is, the effects of consuming it are said to be excellent, and it supposedly tastes good too. Good enough that people would give up their hearing to eat it."

"Is that so......?"

According to Ria, when a Mandragora was found, it was common practice to have expendable slaves pull it.

As a result, the Mandragora had become a negative symbol of social inequality.

'Every world has its share of monsters in human form.'

In any case, we had obtained four roots of an extremely rare mystical herb.

'I could eat the roots and try planting the berries in the field.'

If it worked, they would become a crop as valuable as Applecherries or Glace Mushrooms.

With Rin's help, it seemed entirely possible.

***

I began preparing the meal.

The main ingredient was the Mandragora that Bell and Rin had found as a team.

I sampled a thin root of the washed Mandragora. It tasted somewhat like winter-season radish at its peak.

A mildly sweet and refreshing flavor.

A far superior version of radish in every way.

While deciding on the menu, I asked Ria.

"Ria, should I braise meat with the Mandragora, or fish?"

"Hmm, you decide, Seon-u."

"Fish would taste better, honestly."

To maximize the braised flavor of radish, nothing beats mackerel or saury.

"Then fish, please."

"Got it."

I started the rice first, then prepared the seasoning sauce.

Using one tablespoon of Soybean Paste as the base, I mixed in dark Soy Sauce, plum extract, corn syrup, Red Pepper Powder, minced garlic, a touch of ginger, rice wine, and pepper.

I lined the bottom of a wide pot with Mandragora cut into 1-centimeter pieces instead of radish, added water, and brought it to a boil.

Because the Mandragora was harder than radish, I needed to pre-cook it.

After a while, I tasted the broth made from Mandragora alone.

'This is an otherworldly level of refreshing flavor.'

I had not added a single other ingredient, just boiled the Mandragora by itself, and it was already delicious.

An incredible depth of refreshing flavor and umami.

I then placed fresh mackerel fillets on top — ones I had bought directly from the boats coming in at the East Sea and stored in Acresia.

The mackerel was so fresh it could have been served as sashimi, with no fishy smell whatsoever.

I laid the seasoning sauce over the mackerel, then braised it together with red chili peppers and sliced onions.

When it was nearly done, I added diagonally sliced green onions and braised it a little longer to finish.

A system message appeared.

[Master's Mackerel Mandragora Braise]

[Blessing of Dexterity effect: Mana +2, Stamina +1]

[B-Rank Vegetable effect: Mana +0.1]

My first stat dish using a non-Monster-meat ingredient.

And the stats totaled a whopping 3.

'Unbelievable.'

If I managed to successfully cultivate Mandragora, I could add mackerel Mandragora braise to the restaurant menu, or perhaps a beef Mandragora soup in place of the usual beef radish soup.