Chapter 7

Chapter 7
007. Second Awakening
When the meat on the grill had cooked to a certain degree, I removed the wood chips that had been soaking in water and tossed them onto the charcoal.
White smoke billowed up at once.
“Wow, so this is the effect of the smoking chips we made back then.”
They were made from the fruit tree that had stood where I was attacked by the harpy.
Once my injuries had somewhat healed, Ria and I had returned to that place. We gathered the fruit, cut the trunk into small pieces the size of smoking chips, and dried them.
“The scent is good, right?”
“Yes. It has a pleasant fiery aroma with a faint sweetness. Does that mask the gamey smell?”
“Exactly. It allows the fragrance to seep into the meat, covering any lingering odor while adding a smoky and subtly sweet note.”
I closed the lid of the brazier holding the grill.
The smoke would remain trapped inside, infusing the meat.
Meanwhile, I placed the miso soup over the fire to simmer and began arranging the table.
The main dish was charcoal-grilled Eonyang-style bulgogi.
The salad was seasoned dropwort dressed with Korean-style seasoning and sesame oil.
The soup was miso.
The rice was nutritious mixed rice.
For dessert, there was cinnamon punch, yakgwa, and fruit.
When all the dishes were complete, I set them on the table.
“Let us eat.”
“Yes!”
What chefs love most is watching their guests’ reactions.
Everyone’s palate is different.
Even if a dish is crafted according to the chef’s taste, guests might think it would have been better slightly less cooked, or thicker, or thinner.
Especially in fine dining.
If one reads detailed reviews, it is rare to find someone who was one hundred percent satisfied with every course.
Even the world’s most renowned restaurants face the same.
It is nearly impossible to satisfy every palate with eight to twelve dishes.
That is why fine-dining chefs must trust their own philosophy.
As I found my thoughts drifting—
“Seon-u, may I eat?”
Ria waited politely with fork and knife in hand.
“Oh, yes. Please.”
“Okay!”
She cut into the bulgogi, shaped like a thick patty, and brought a piece to her mouth.
After a few chews, her eyes widened.
“Oh…? The taste…”
Did something go wrong?
Of course not. I had seen this reaction countless times.
“How can this taste like this…?”
“What is it like?”
“Of all the dishes I have eaten in my life, this is the most delicious. It is heavenly.”
“You exaggerate.”
“I am serious.”
Her eyes grew moist.
“When my father and I trained deep in the mountains, he would cook wild game for me. It always smelled strong and tasted awful. He never drained the blood properly and simply roasted it whole. The outside burned while the inside remained raw. There was only salt.”
“That must have been difficult to eat.”
Was that too blunt?
“At the time, I was so exhausted from training that I ate just to survive. Looking back, that moment is the one I miss the most.”
“That is often how memories work.”
Sometimes it is not the taste one longs for, but the moment itself.
“This flavor warms my heart and brings those memories back.”
“Perhaps it is because I put care into it.”
“You did?”
“My friend is leaving on a dangerous journey. I could not send you off casually.”
“Seon-u… thank you.”
“Let us eat before it gets cold.”
“Yes.”
We began in earnest.
I took a bite.
“Hmm…?”
It was unlike beef or lamb.
The texture was firmer than beef, yet not dry—springy.
Marbling distributed throughout lent richness without greasiness.
Once the odor was removed, the drake loin surpassed high-grade beef.
“As you said, it is delicious.”
“It is even better because you cooked it. And the combination with the rice and dropwort is perfect.”
“I am glad it suits your palate.”
We finished four portions and enjoyed dessert.
“This cinnamon punch and yakgwa are new to me, but delicious. May I have more?”
“Of course. I will pack some for your journey. I will also make drake jerky.”
“Thank you. I will not starve as I did when we first met.”
***
After cleaning up, I marinated meat for jerky.
Then Ria called me into the tent.
“What is it?”
“This.”
She held up a highest-grade magic stone no larger than two finger joints.
“You should use it.”
“Use it?”
“Yes.”
Use something that expensive?
“If you are going to use it, why not give it to me to sell?”
“It belongs to you.”
“How so? You hunted the drake.”
“I promised to hunt it for you.”
Was that how ownership worked?
“I owe my life to you.”
That was an exaggeration.
“If something happens while I am gone, I would regret it.”
At that, I could not refuse.
‘If I had been less careless, I would not have nearly died.’
To survive, I needed strength.
Hunters could grow stronger in two ways.
First, by training the body to increase physical stats.
Second, by achieving a Second Awakening.
‘How much stronger will I become?’
Surely mana would increase.
What of the other stats?
I decided to trust her.
“Remove your shirt and sit with your back toward me.”
“All right.”
Her hands touched my back.
“Relax. Let me assess your capacity.”
I nodded.
Warm energy entered me, and it felt as though she controlled my body.
After a moment, she withdrew.
“Your capacity is lower than expected. Not all of the mana will be absorbed.”
“Then it would be wasteful.”
“You will still grow much stronger.”
“All right.”
She began purifying the stone’s mana.
Blue energy swirled around her.
Soon—
Drip.
Blood ran from her lips.
She spat out dark blood.
‘Is she all right?’
Then—
CRACK! CRACK!
The stone shattered.
She wiped her mouth.
“Do not worry. It was necessary to filter the impurities.”
“Understood.”
“Let us begin.”
I sat straight and focused.
Mana surged into me like a tidal wave.
I endured.
Then a system message appeared.
[The Mana stat has exceeded 100.]
Heat gathered around my heart.
It felt as though it were burning.
Then the heat subsided, leaving warmth.
[Second Awakening successful. Mana Hall has been opened.]
[The Dexterity stat has exceeded 100. As a reward, a new skill has been acquired.]
[The Mana stat has exceeded 100. The skill Arkresia has advanced in rank.]
I… achieved a Second Awakening?
Warm energy pooled in my heart.
My vision dimmed.
“Mana gathered at your heart—unexpected. Our worlds differ greatly in how mana is used. Congratulations, Seon-u.”
I wanted to answer, but could not.
“I will return. Wait for me.”
I must not faint.
I have not finished the jerky.
What if she starves?
With that final thought, I lost consciousness.