Chapter 51: Making Mat-Tang
TL: Hanguk
As Sejun pulled on the sweet potato stem
Squeak.
Following the sweet potato stem, Golden Sweet Potatoes emerged, lighting up the surroundings.
[You have simultaneously harvested 15 Golden Sweet Potatoes.]
[Your job experience has increased slightly.]Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
[Your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 4 has increased slightly.]
[Due to the effect of Proficiency Increase Lv. 1, your proficiency in Harvesting Lv. 4 has increased by an additional 5%.]
[You have gained 450 experience points.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have acquired 1 bonus stat.]
“Phew. It’s done.”
Sejun, who had finished harvesting all the sweet potatoes including the Golden Sweet Potatoes that he planted last, leveled up to level 19.
He increased his magic power from the bonus stat. His plan was to increase magic power until he unsealed the <Rainfall> and <Throw Thunder> of the Rain Thunder skill.
After all the harvesting was done, Sejun went to the kitchen where he was preparing dinner. The rabbits were already boiling and roasting the harvested potatoes and sweet potatoes while preparing other dishes.
“Let’s have dinner now.”
Squeak!
Yawn!
The rabbits, who had been waiting for Sejun’s work to finish, started to busily serve food.
Just then,
Kwaaang! Kwaaang!
A sorrowful cry of Cuengi came from outside the cave.
“Cuengi is fighting with his mom because he doesn’t want to go home, meow.”
Theo interpreted Cuengi’s words.
“He still hasn’t gone home?”
“He said he would eat the potatoes and sweet potatoes and then leave, meow.”
It seemed that Cuengi, having seen the harvested potatoes and sweet potatoes in the cave, was throwing a tantrum to eat them before leaving. Sejun filled the large basket made by the grey rabbits with potatoes and Golden Sweet Potatoes and brought them up to the surface.
“Eat this today and we’ll eat again tomorrow. Got it?”
When Sejun handed the basket to Cuengi,
Growl!
Having gotten what he wanted, Cuengi nodded at Sejun’s words and quickly climbed onto his mom, the Crimson Giant Bear’s, head.
“Ah! Should I have told him not to eat the basket?”
Sejun belatedly realized he hadn’t warned Cuengi about the basket, but by that time, the mom, Crimson Giant Bear, had gone too far to be caught.
“Great Black Dragon. Should I go tell him not to eat the basket?”
Elka approached Sejun and spoke.
“No, it’s okay. Are you hungry? Let’s eat quickly.”
While Sejun was preparing food for Cuengi, the rabbits brought food for the wolves.
“Thank you. Great Black Dragon…”
“It’s too long. Just call me Sejun from now on.”
“Understood. Sejun. I will enjoy the dinner.”
After Sejun and the rabbits prepared meals for Cuengi and the wolves, finally everyone sat around the kitchen area in a circle for dinner.
In front of Sejun and the rabbits were dishes and bowls made by the grey rabbits from woven green onion leaves, filled with food.
They originally ate with food placed on top of green onion leaves, but this felt different. Even though it was just made by weaving green onion leaves, it seemed completely different.
Snap.
“I’m hungry, meow.”
Theo naturally climbed onto Sejun’s lap.
“Let’s eat.”
With Sejun’s words, the rabbits began to eat the food in front of them.
And then,
“Here.”
“This is delicious, meow!”
Sejun fed Theo, pulling apart grilled fish and putting it in his mouth.
At first, Sejun was annoyed when Theo climbed onto his lap. But now, he naturally accepted feeding him grilled fish.
‘Puhuhut. Everything is going according to plan, meow!’
On the 213th day of being stranded, Theo’s day passed peacefully.
***
Kkoo-ung!
As morning came, Cuengi stuck his head into the cave.
“Alright!”
Sejun got up, added one more stroke to the wall, and started the morning of the 214th day.
He quickly washed his face, and breakfast was leftover sweet potatoes from yesterday. Today was going to be as busy as yesterday, if not busier.
Because the land was empty after harvesting the crops, new crops had to be planted.
So, Sejun and the rabbits had a simple breakfast and started morning farming.
Sejun tried to give Theo work again today, but
“I can’t, meow! Representative Theo is going to utilize his talent, meow!”
Theo started to pack his bag with magical cherry tomatoes and power sweet potatoes in preparation for the next business trip. Since there were still a few potatoes, it seemed like the amount of harvest that could be sold would come out at the next harvest.
“Take some detoxifying green onion too. There might be hunters who want it.”
“Got it, meow.”
Since the detoxifying green onion was overgrown every time the root was divided and replanted, Sejun told him to take 100 detoxifying green onions.
Theo didn’t think detoxifying green onions would sell, but he packed it anyway because it was Sejun’s word. Because Sejun’s words were the truth.
While Theo was packing, Sejun quickly harvested the cherry tomatoes and took about 10,000 sweet potato stems to plant on the surface.
Kooeng!
Cre-eak.
When he got to the surface, Cuengi was playing with the wolves. It seemed like he finally found opponents of his level.
And next to him was the basket that Cuengi had carried yesterday. It was there intact. Thankfully, he didn’t eat the basket and brought it as it was.
“Guys. Help me.”
Sejun, with Cuengi and the wolves, went to an empty field next to the green onion field, which was covered with green onion leaves to prevent moisture evaporation.
“Please remove the green onion leaves.”
“Yes, Sejun sir.”
As the wolves removed the green onion leaves out of the way, Cuengi also excitedly followed the wolves, picking up green onion leaves and stacking them neatly.
Since he always collected green onion leaves from the green onion field and got to eat honey, he thought it was the same this time.
So while the wolves and Cuengi were removing the green onion leaves, Sejun planted the sweet potato stems.
Thuk.
After poking a hole with his dagger to make room for the sweet potato stem, all he had to do was put in the sweet potato stem and cover the hole.
[You have planted sweet potato sprouts.]
[Due to the effect of Sowing Lv. 4, the probability that the sweet potato sprouts will take root increases slightly.]
[Due to the effect of Sowing Lv. 4, the probability of pest damage decreases slightly.]
[Your job experience has increased slightly.]
[Your proficiency of Sowing Lv. 4 slightly increases.]
[Due to the effect of Proficiency Increase Lv. 1, your proficiency Sowing Lv. 4 has increased by an additional 5%.]
While Sejun was busy planting the sweet potato sprouts,
Koo-eung!
Having finished his work, Cuengi came over with a glass jar.
“I got it.”
He poured 1 dollop of honey for Cuengi and looked around to see the wolves scratching the ground and looking elsewhere.
“Come here too.”
“Um…we’re fine.”
The wolves shook their heads in denial.
But they couldn’t fool Sejun. Their tails were wagging vigorously in response.
“Come quickly.”
Upon Sejun’s firm words,
“Yes.”
The wolves came running pretending to be helpless.
“Here.”
Sejun poured honey onto the fallen green onion leaves and gave it to the wolves.
Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.
Excited by the taste of honey for the first time, the wolves began to eat without thinking.
Then,
Koo-eung.
Cuengi, who had finished his honey, tried to steal the wolves’ honey by pushing his head in between them.
“Cuengi, no!”
When Sejun strongly stopped Cuengi,
Koo-eung…
Cuengi turned away in frustration. But it was just a tantrum in Sejun’s eyes.
“We’re going to eat something even tastier than honey potatoes for lunch.”
Koo-eung?!
At Sejun’s murmuring, Cuengi responded by turning about 30 degrees. Something tastier than honey potatoes?!
“But this is a food that causes trouble if a bad bear who steals other people’s food eats it. It’s a pity, but Cuengi can’t eat it.”
Koo-eung! Koo-eung!
At Sejun’s shocking words, Cuengi turned around hastily and shook his front paws in denial. Cuengi is not a bad bear! I didn’t steal anyone else’s food!!!
“I got it. I thought our Cuengi was a bad bear who steals others’ food. I’m sorry for misunderstanding. Instead, I’ll give you 5 times more than the others at lunch.”
Since Cuengi already ate more than 10 times as much as the rabbits, there wasn’t much difference.
Koo-eung!
Cuengi, who was quickly pleased by Sejun’s words, went back to picking up the green onion leaves energetically.
“I should go cook.”
He originally planned to eat something simple, but since he told Cuengi, he had to make something tastier than honey potatoes.
“Well, this can’t be not delicious.”
The dish Sejun wanted to make since he harvested the sweet potatoes for lunch was Mat-Tang¹.
He couldn’t eat it due to the lack of ingredients and tools, but now he had the conditions to make perfect Mat-Tang.
Sejun decided to make a new dish by adding potatoes to it.
“I’ll name it Potato Mat-Tang.”
Sejun went down to the cave, washed potatoes and sweet potatoes, and started boiling them with three pots.
And as he was taking out the boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes,
“Representative Park, what are you doing?”
Theo, who had finished packing goods, approached Sejun.
“Oh! Welcome, Representative Theo.”
“Puhuhut. Am I that welcome, meow?”
“Of course, you are. Can you cut these with your claws?”
Sejun pointed to the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
“Puhuhut. That’s nothing to Representative Theo, meow!”
The strongest in the cave was ready to show off his abilities.
However,
“You’re just going to cut it?”
“Yes, what’s the problem, meow?”
“You have to wash your claws.”
Sejun caught him in the act of poor hygiene.
“Understood, meow!”
Theo quickly washed his claws in the pond and showed off his skills by cutting the potatoes and sweet potatoes.
“President Park! Look at my brilliant front paw skill, meow!”
While Theo was busy working, Sejun started heating up the pots.
Whoosh.
The fire was so strong that the pot quickly heated up.
“Good.”
As soon as the pot was heated, Sejun put a chunk of fat from a giant electric eel that he had set aside into the pot.
Sizzle.
The fat melted into a liquid, giving off a delicious sound and a savory aroma.
Rumble.
Sejun started frying the potatoes and sweet potatoes in the pot. It tastes crispy and slightly gooey when you eat fried potatoes. To create that texture, you have to fry the outside.
The fried potatoes and sweet potatoes were moved to a leaf plate. And as soon as the frying was done, honey was put in the pot and boiled.
And as the honey caramelized and turned brown, the potatoes and sweet potatoes were put back in and stirred as if they were being coated.
Gradually, honey coated the surface of the potatoes and sweet potatoes, making them glisten.
“Done.”
As Sejun finished the dish by cooling down the potatoes and sweet potatoes,
[Achievement Unlocked: Reproducing the Forgotten Dish – Potato Mat-Tang in the Tower.]
[Achievement Unlocked: Reproducing the Forgotten Dish – Mat-Tang in the Tower.]
[The recipe for the Potato Mat-Tang dish will be registered in Cooking Lv. 1.]
[The recipe for the Mat-Tang dish will be registered in Cooking Lv. 1.]
[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 1 greatly increases.]
[The proficiency of Cooking Lv. 1 is filled, and your level rises.]
His cooking skill level increased as he achieved achievements. However, unfortunately, the Potato Mat-Tang dish that Sejun developed was not recognized by the tower.
When Sejun was making the Potato Mat-Tang dish again,
“Can I fry some fish here too, meow!”
Theo came with a piranha and pointed to the oil that was still being used to fry potatoes and sweet potatoes. Fish lovers instinctively know it. The combination of fish and oil.
“Alright.”
Sizzle.
“Here you go.”
As the fire was strong, Sejun quickly fried the piranha in the hot oil and handed the fried fish to Theo.
“It’s delicious, meow!”
After tasting the piranha fried in eel oil, Theo decided to take his weekly salary in fried fish.
A while later, when lunch preparation was finished,
“Let’s have lunch!”
At Sejun’s call, the rabbits rushed over and jumped up to the surface with potato and sweet potato dishes in their baskets.
Koo! Ehng! Koo! Ehng!
Excited at the thought of eating something more delicious than honey potatoes, Cuengi eagerly pulled up the basket, drooling.
And then it was lunchtime.
Kooehng!
After tasting the potato and sweet potato dish, which was even more delicious than honey potatoes as Sejun said, Cuengi did not casually snatch other people’s food afterwards.
On the 214th day of being stranded, Cuengi learned that he should wait to be offered food, not snatch it away. It was a slightly different understanding from Sejun’s intention.
*****
TL notes:
Mat-Tang – Korean sweet potato dish
Potato Mat-Tang – created by adding normal potatoes in Mat-tang
1 more chapter incoming….