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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Soul Food Bliss
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-Ughk ughk!
-Wagu wagu!
Glossy white rice.
Crispy, salty ham.
Perfectly golden sunny-side-up eggs.
Seaweed infused with the nutty aroma of sesame oil.
And...
Kimchi stew loaded with chunks of pork.
"Kraaa!!"
This wasn't the dying screech of a Lizardman.
It was the genuine, heartfelt cry of a man who'd returned after going completely berserk in the tower, utterly moved by this meal!
"This is too delicious!"
This was already his second tray.
Yet it kept going down endlessly.
I gulped down a perfectly soft-boiled sunny-side-up egg.
Then shoveled in rice topped with ham.
As they say, familiarity breeds craving— it was so good it brought tears to my eyes.
"Oh dear, you must have been starving..."
"Mmfph mffph!"
"Want anything else? I can make it for you."
The cook I'd gotten to know over the past three months at the Management Bureau.
Her face set with determination, she rolled up her sleeves as she looked at me.
"Oh my, no matter how I look at it, it's not enough."
"Huh?"
"Even so, you need some braised short ribs at least!"
"Pardon?"
"Let me see... braised short ribs and... yes! How about grilled eel?"
She was overflowing with enthusiasm.
"Stay right there. Got it?"
Before I could even try to stop her, she headed into the kitchen, leaving me to simply watch.
Th-the kimchi stew is already delicious...!!
It's packed with so much meat, it's seriously amazing...!!
-Gulp.
The problem was, when she asked what I wanted, I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
Well, no reason to turn down food she's offering to make.
Braised short ribs and grilled eel...
Just thinking about it made my mouth water.
Even after emptying two trays.
I filled another tray with rice, ham, egg, seaweed, and kimchi stew.
My appetite just wouldn't quit.
Is it because I burned so much energy in the tower?
I felt like I could empty ten more trays.
-Ughk ughk!
-Wagu wagu!
While waiting for the braised short ribs and grilled eel to finish.
I kept devouring the Korean soul food.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Looks like he's not actually berserk."
The two Enforcers were still keeping an eye on Lee Tae-pyeong.
Normally, once return processing was done, an Enforcer's job ended there.
But not this time.
"How can he be like that?"
The Enforcers handling Lee Tae-pyeong's return.
They were veterans who'd been working at the Management Bureau for years.
But this was a first for them.
A climber who showed up drenched in blood without being in a berserk state.
Most Tutorial returnees weren't in their right minds.
The terror of facing death for the first time wreaks havoc on the psyche.
They usually couldn't even eat— the moment the tension released, they'd collapse, unable to stand properly.
But Lee Tae-pyeong was different.
He walked, talked, and moved just fine.
Perfectly sane.
When asked how he was feeling, he replied, "I'm hungry."
Exhausted.
In pain.
Instead.
Drenched in blood.
"I'm hungry"?
His words left the two Enforcers—and the entire Management Bureau—in shock.
"His trait is Heavenly Murder Star, right?"
One Enforcer muttered while staring at Lee Tae-pyeong in disbelief.
"Isn't that from those wuxia novels?"
"The crazy killer type..."
"Yeah, the one who kills spectacularly."
"As if this were some novel..."
The Enforcer let out a hollow laugh.
The other shook his head slowly.
"Barely any injuries, huh?"
"None at all. He's in full condition, even."
"Full condition?"
"Yeah, the medical team said so."
"No way."
"He could head right back into a dungeon."
"Impressive..."
The cook passed by the admiring Enforcers, carrying a massive pot.
The sweet aroma of braised short ribs wafting along.
"Maybe we're witnessing history in the making."
"...History in the form of him shoveling braised short ribs?"
"Yep."
The two Enforcers watched Lee Tae-pyeong mercilessly emptying the braised short ribs.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Ahh, that hit the spot. So good..."
After polishing off the braised short ribs and grilled eel, my stomach felt like it might burst.
I wasn't sure I could eat it all.
But somehow, it all went down.
Feels like my stomach expanded.
Does leveling up affect this too?
"Yawwwn..."
Full stomach's making me sleepy.
I stretched with a big yawn and raised my hand.
The two Enforcers who'd been watching me from the start.
"Excuse me."
"Yes, Mr. Lee Tae-pyeong."
"Can I head back now?"
They exchanged glances.
Then one asked me seriously.
"May I ask why?"
Why?
Because I'm sleepy. Sleepy.
I barely held back another yawn and answered.
"I want to rest now."
"Ah..."
"I'm tired and sleepy..."
I can't just sit here in the cafeteria forever.
Only then did the Enforcers nod in understanding.
"I see."
What?
What did they think I meant?
"We'll escort you to your dorm."
"Pardon? I can go alone..."
"No, we'll guide you."
Their tone was strangely firm.
I followed the two Enforcers to the dorm.
"Thank you for seeing me back."
Even as I entered, I was stifling a yawn.
Whoa, seeing the bed right there makes me even sleepier.
"So, can I sleep now?"
"Of course. Rest well."
The Enforcers bowed slightly and stepped out.
But I didn't hear them walking away from the door.
'They're planning to stand guard the whole time...?'
I felt no signs of rampage.
Just overwhelming sleepiness.
Guarding outside would be pointless...
"Whatever."
Not my problem anyway.
I collapsed onto the bed.
"Zzz..."
Sleep crashed over me.
I closed my eyes just like that.
-Target has fallen asleep.
-Situation clear.
I heard voices outside, but.
I didn't want to move a muscle.
-Snore...
-Puhah...
Safely returned from the Tutorial.
No more worries.
All debts cleared.
-Snore...
It's been forever since I could sleep without a care.
Bliss.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The next day.
Thanks to my established routine, my eyes opened on their own.
I bolted up, washed my face, and was brushing my teeth when.
-Knock knock knock.
A knock at the door.
Enforcers?
-Creak.
I opened the door with a toothbrush in my mouth.
Not the Enforcers from yesterday.
New faces.
A man and woman who looked every bit the bureaucrats.
"Hello, Mr. Lee Tae-pyeong."
"Uh, hello..."
"We're from the Talent Management Team at the Babel Tower Climber Management Bureau."
"Ah..."
"Congratulations on safely returning from the Tutorial."
"Yes..."
"We'd like to talk. Is now a good time?"
"But I'm in the middle of brushing my teeth..."
"We'll wait."
"No, no. Come in and wait."
I held the door open and dashed to the bathroom.
Rinsed my mouth and came out to find the bureaucrats still politely standing by the door.
"Ah, you could have sat down!"
I hurriedly guided them into the room.
They sat on the small sofa in one corner.
I dragged over a chair from the tiny table and sat across from them.
The moment we sat, the smiling woman pulled documents from her bag.
"Once again, congratulations on returning from the Tutorial."
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
The spread-out papers looked like some kind of contract.
But my name wasn't on them yet.
"Having returned from the Tutorial, you are now an official climber of South Korea."
That's right.
Clear the Tutorial, become an official climber.
An official climber bearing the 'nationality' of the Babel Tower you entered.
I entered Korea's Babel Tower with Korean nationality.
So naturally, I'm an official Korean climber.
The system window says as much.
[Affiliation: South Korea]
I don't know the mechanism, but nationality applies inside Babel Towers.
Not that strange.
Phone numbers, resident IDs— all leaked ages ago.
Not just me.
The whole nation got hit.
In that context, the tower knowing my nationality?
Nothing surprising.
Anyway.
This nationality matters a lot.
Every time you clear a floor in your affiliated tower.
You rack up 'Merit Points.'
Merit Points.
Basically from clearing Babel Tower floors.
All the way to achievements and titles.
Various ways to build them up.
And these Merit Points protect the nation's territory.
That's why every country desperately recruits Hunters.
If Merit Points drop below a threshold, horrors happen.
Demonization.
Every nation knows what Demonization brings.
North Korea's precedent proves it.
Fortunately, Korea's Merit Points were ample now.
Maintaining them is key, but stockpiling is too.
Higher Merit Points mean 'buffs.'
Disaster prevention.
National vitality boost.
Increased talent emergence.
And more.
America milked that national vitality buff for all it was worth.
Not just that.
Hunters can use Merit Points personally too.
Buy special items.
Export tower goods outside.
Obviously, tower items are invaluable.
From Panacea freeing you of all diseases.
To Electric Stones generating power like a plant.
Endless varieties and uses.
Export them? Money pours in.
Some can't even be priced.
Hunter-exclusive weapons, items.
The world covets them for climbing.
Get a good rank, become a billionaire.
Many Hunters sold tower items and lived luxuriously off the proceeds.
Enough to idle forever.
Keep climbing, amass insane wealth...
But they quit after making enough.
'Death.'
Money can't buy that off.
Even surviving luck unscathed, injuries aren't trivial.
So most cash out and bow out.
"Do you follow so far?"
I listened to the rundown on the contract.
Clearing Tutorial yields no money or Merit Points.
Just debt forgiveness.
Grateful for that alone...
"We see tremendous talent in you, Mr. Lee."
The man's voice trembled with barely contained excitement.
"Talent unlike anything we've ever seen!"
Hmm, not quite that much.
Just barely cleared the Tutorial.
Feeling awkward, I scratched the back of my head.
"Please, consider it positively!"
The two bureaucrats bowed deeply in plea.
What to do?
Can't decide on the spot.
Lots to think over.
"Um..."
"Yes!"
"I'll think about it for now."