Chapter 15: Lieutenant Kim (Part 2)
“Hey, Young-joon! I’m glad you’re here. Listen to what I have to say!”
Last night.
Or, more accurately, the night when I was acknowledged as the leader of this unit.
All the unit members gathered for a meeting, and we had two main agendas.
One of them was none other than me.
To appoint Sergeant Shin Young-joon as the leader of our unit.
And the other agenda item was…
To get rid of Lieutenant Kim.
“A few days ago, out of nowhere, the soldiers stormed in and locked me up here! What’s the meaning of this!”
At the point when the agenda to appoint me as the leader was passed.
It was practically a given that the agenda to remove Lieutenant Kim was also approved.
Lieutenant Kim is strangely adept at politics.
If left unchecked, he could undermine our unit’s efforts and authority.
To avoid such a future.
Getting rid of Lieutenant Kim was essential.
“I oppose removing Lieutenant Kim.”
“Isn’t it a waste?”
I was the one who opposed it.
“I suggested removing Lieutenant Kim, and I was prepared to do it myself. Do you really have to intervene?”
At that time, it was me who opposed Min-jae hyung’s proposal and had replied
“I’ll handle that part. Just lend me a hand.”
It seems Min-jae hyung even considered directly removing Lieutenant Kim himself.
But in the end, he respected my opinion.
And agreed to cooperate.
That’s how Lieutenant Kim’s life was spared.
“Min-jae hyung came through with the request.”
Min-jae hyung’s electric magic.
Commonly known as the ‘Million Volts,’ knocked out Lieutenant Kim, making him the first prisoner here.
Min-jae hyung’s ability.
Perfect for subduing someone.
Back to my visit with Lieutenant Kim.
It went something like this.
“If the soldiers are upset with me for something, tell them I’ll apologize!”
“Huh?”
“Last time, I spilled coffee and blamed the duty soldier for it, and during inspection, I vented my frustrations on the soldiers for my mistakes!”
“….”
“And what else, during working hours, I dumped my work on the administrative soldier and rested in the warehouse! And…”
Coming to his senses in this trapped situation.
Lieutenant Kim seems to have thought a lot about why he ended up here.
Perhaps he concluded that it was due to resentment.
Apologizing while listing actions that could have caused resentment.
“But there seem to be quite a lot.”
Already notorious among the soldiers as a lazy officer.
There were many stories that I knew, but it seems Lieutenant Kim had committed many more lazy acts than I or the other soldiers knew.
“I see.”
“Yes! Young-joon, please help me. You get along well with the unit members.”
While I do get along with the unit members.
It’s not the same with you.
…I almost said it.
I held back and kept the words I had thought of.
“I tried to persuade them myself, but there are still too many opposing soldiers. There were more soldiers who resented Lieutenant Kim than I expected.”
“I-I see…”
Lieutenant Kim made a despairing expression.
He’s probably imagining examples of officers being killed by their soldiers in situations like this.
By the way.
I’ve heard stories of officers who excessively forced FM on their soldiers, and ended up being killed by them, but I’ve never heard of an overly lazy officer being isolated.
“Still, I’ll keep trying to persuade them, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh. Young-joon…”
“More importantly, please have some of this. It must have been tough being locked up here…”
In front of a tearful Lieutenant Kim.
I set down the tray I brought.
“Lieutenant Kim, you like pasta, don’t you? I made it with cream sauce.”
“Ah. Young-joon… Thank you so much!”
The prepared dishes were cream pasta paired with some beverage.
It was a dish that targeted Lieutenant Kim’s taste for pasta.
“It’s been a while since I made a dish without worrying about ingredients, so I think I made quite a decent dish.”
Given that it was a dish I was confident in.
The response was immediate.
“Mmm, delicious!”
“Is that so?”
“Slurp… But what’s this meat? I heard there weren’t many ingredients left in the unit…”
“…Ah, that? It’s just, um, what do you call it… chicken meat.”
“We had chicken meat left?”
“Uh, yeah. Something like that.”
Anyway, since the description said ‘similar taste to chicken meat,’
I didn’t think it was a wrong statement.
“Thank you for such valuable ingredients, Young-joon. When I get out of here, I’ll treat you very well.”
Lieutenant Kim, who was already known for his voracious appetite.
The carefully prepared dish targeted his palate perfectly.
Naturally.
The effect was tremendous.
“And probably, the effects I expected from this side will come soon.”
My thoughts were immediately confirmed.
Lieutenant Kim’s attitude had strangely changed.
“Hehe…”
Should I call it an attitude?
Lieutenant Kim was chuckling strangely.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Yeah… no, it’s just… probably because it’s been a while since I had something tasty… I feel good. Hehe…”
“It’s good to see you in a good mood.”
Actually.
I felt a sense of guilt for doing this to Lieutenant Kim.
He’s a bit…
Well, quite incompetent, and has committed many petty offenses.
But it’s not like he committed any major crimes.
“But it’s necessary.”
When the conversation about getting rid of Lieutenant Kim came up,
I was prepared to get my hands dirty.
Compared to that.
I could easily bear the guilt.
“It’s also something I have to endure.”
With that in mind, I watched Lieutenant Kim, who had finished his dinner.
I roughly tidied up the dishes and left the room.
And the next day.
I once again served Lieutenant Kim with a meticulously prepared dish.
“Darn it. Those guys… making me, an officer, like this…”
“Please calm down.”
“When I join the higher unit outside, they’ll all be court-martialed or sent to military trial. Young-joon, you’ll be spared.”
“Thank you.”
“S-So. Today’s menu is…”
“Today, it’s noodles.”
Forgetting about apologies or whatever he said earlier.
Lieutenant Kim muttered about being sent to a military trial if he leaves.
“It’s ridiculous, but it’s not worth bothering about at this point.”
I listened to such remarks with one ear and continued to feed him.
“Hehe… Huhuh… Heh…”
“…”
Every time the meal ended.
Lieutenant Kim chuckled strangely.
I silently watched him and left after roughly cleaning up the dishes.
Meals continued to be provided afterward.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Three meals a day.
Since eating only noodles might get boring,
I occasionally mixed in other dishes.
Lieutenant Kim, confined and dismissed by the unit members.
To that man who now had no authority whatsoever.
I still went to the trouble of cooking and serving him.
“Hehe… Young-joon, you’re here.”
“…Yes.”
And now.
Even though Lieutenant Kim didn’t eat, he was still chuckling strangely.
“What’s on the menu today…?”
“Today, it’s your favorite chicken pasta.”
“Hehe… Good, good… Heh…”
[Lizard Rosé Pasta filled with extreme happiness]
[Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta]
[A new recipe developed using ingredients never used before in human history. Experience points will be increased]
A smile that couldn’t be happier than this.
* * *
[Lizard’s Thigh Meat]
[Lizard meat a bipedal race of reptiles]
[Ingredient Identification – Tastes similar to chicken meat. Due to frequent exercise, it has less fat content, resulting in a bland taste]
Lizard meat.
Today, it was brought to the mess hall fresh from the creature that the unit members had hunted, just like any other lizard before it was burned.
“…This is the first time I’ve cooked with monster ingredients.”
Lizard meat.
It might not seem like a big deal just by words.
But these creatures are monsters that devour humans.
In the past.
Half of the unit members were killed by these monsters.
Their corpses became a meal for the lizards, severely damaged and disfigured.
“I can’t tell others to enjoy the meat of such a monster.”
It’s a dish that I have never prepared before.
More than that it’s a question of whether it’s acceptable to eat creatures that devour humans.
Until the unit members can accept lizards as food.
We couldn’t use lizard meat as an ingredient.
Thanks to that, we had to rely solely on the remaining ingredients in the mess, and our supply was quickly dwindling.
“But it’s necessary to know what it tastes like when used as food.”
Because when there’s nothing else to eat, even monsters have to be eaten.
It was a good opportunity for that experiment.
So, I immediately tried cooking the lizard meat…
And the results were astonishing.
[Lizard Rosé Pasta filled with extreme happiness]
[Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta]
[A small amount of mana is included. Enhances the overall taste and performance of the dish.]
Perhaps because it used monster meat.
Mana was included, enhancing the taste and performance of the dish.
That alone had a tremendous effect, but…
[Using ingredients never used in human history, a new recipe has been developed.]
[Experience gained from consuming this dish significantly increases.]
[Achievement – Oh, this taste!]
[As a chef, you have created a dish using monsters for the first time.]
[Those who make history all possess an uncanny spirit of challenge!]
[For opening a new path in the culinary world, you are rewarded with an achievement.]
[Title – Pioneer]
[Given to individuals who pioneer entirely new areas in their field.]
[The effect of job-related skills and characteristics increases by 50%]
Getting this achievement.
And receiving the title as a reward.
“It’s excellent.”
A 50% increase in the effects of all skills and characteristics.
It was an immense effect.
It’s probably because opening up a new path in that field is considered remarkable.
“If that’s the case, it’s not bad.”
With that, I approached Lieutenant Kim with the dish.
It was the first day I brought my cooking to Lieutenant Kim.
* * *
A few days passed, and today.
It’s the third day I’ve brought food to Lieutenant Kim.
“Hehe… Heh… Young-joon… You’re here?”
Now, even though he didn’t eat the food, Lieutenant Kim was still chuckling strangely and drooling.
I watched him and confirmed that it was time to move on to the next stage.
“Yes.”
“So… What’s for breakfast today?”
Today as well, Lieutenant Kim believed that I would provide a delicious meal.
But I had no intention of meeting his expectations.
“I’m sorry, but today it’s just combat rations.”
“…What?”
Lieutenant Kim made a face as if he misheard something.
‘Sorry, but you heard me right.’
I looked down at the item I brought to Lieutenant Kim instead of the dish.
A square, yellow box.
It was the standard-issue combat ration of the Republic of Korea Army.
“Even so, I chose pork flavor, which you like, from the combat rations. You know how to prepare it, right? Here, pull this plastic strap…”
“W-Wait a minute! What’s this all about? Are you saying there’s no other meal today except this?”
“Yes. That’s what I said.”
Lieutenant Kim, angry at the fact that it wasn’t the high-quality meals he had been receiving every day, I explained the reason.
Of course, it wasn’t the real reason, but…
“Because there aren’t many ingredients left in the unit. It might be difficult to provide meals like last time in the future.”
“What? Then what am I supposed to eat…”
“What to eat? There you go, aren’t there combat rations?”
When I think of combat rations, I often imagine a dreadful taste. However, the combat rations that are available nowadays have undergone considerable improvement in their own way.
They’re deemed decent enough for soldiers with generous appetites to eat without much complaint.
“I’ve been cooking for you out of consideration, Lieutenant Kim. You know that, don’t you?”
“Uh… I…”
“From now on, it seems we’ll have to make do with this.”
Thinking rationally, it’s not a significant problem. It’s just a matter of meals being a bit less tasty for a while. After all, the combat rations are still edible.
“But for Lieutenant Kim, who has already developed a taste for my food, not being able to eat it has become a major issue.”
“Not good, Young-joon. Is this how you’re going to treat me?”
“…”
“I was planning to speak favorably of you even after joining the higher-ups. But it seems there’s nothing good about it for you!”
“Ah, Lieutenant Kim. I told you there were reasons.”
“That’s not my concern! Just hurry up and cook something!”
Now he was shouting.
Ignoring him, I left the storeroom after leaving the combat rations there. It was a relief knowing I didn’t have to clean up afterward.
“You! How ungrateful can you be?”
“Do you really think you can treat me like this? I have my dignity too!”
Even though I left the room, I could still hear Lieutenant Kim yelling. But I didn’t pay any attention to it.
He’s not in a state to think rationally right now.
“Hmm, as I expected…”
He probably won’t be able to stomach even one meal.
And, my prediction was correct.
“Ugh… Ughhh…”
“…”
“This… This isn’t the taste… This isn’t the feeling…”
As soon as the next mealtime came around, this was the sight that greeted me.
Lieutenant Kim was sobbing in a corner of the narrow storeroom.
Cold combat rations were scattered on the floor.
“Lieutenant Kim.”
“Y-Yes, Young-joon!”
Seemingly unaware that I had come, Lieutenant Kim, who had been sobbing relentlessly, responded to my voice and looked up.
“Have you changed your mind? Is lunch going to be a proper meal?”
“…”
“Well, considering the circumstances of the unit, it might be difficult. We can manage with combat rations for one meal a day. I used to skip breakfast anyway! So, for lunch…”
“It’s here.”
I said, offering what I had. This time, it was bulgogi-flavored combat rations.
“This… This is…”
“I thought you didn’t like pork flavor, so I brought a different one.”
Naturally, Lieutenant Kim’s expression twisted noticeably.
“Sergeant Shin Young-joon…”
“Yes. Sergeant Shin Young-joon.”
“This is… This is an order from the top commander of this unit… Bring me a proper meal right now!”
Now, he’s using his rank to give orders.
“Ugh… That’s not it, is it, Lieutenant Kim?”
“What?”
“If you really want to eat a proper meal, your attitude is wrong. In this world. Giving orders like this out of the blue…”
“Uh… This is an order as an officer! Are you mocking my orders?”
Despite his flushed face, Lieutenant Kim’s attempt at intimidation felt feeble.
“I’ll come back at dinner time. By then… think about what attitude would be appropriate.”
There was a five-hour gap between breakfast and lunchtime.
Meanwhile, there’s a seven-hour gap between lunch and dinner. He’ll have plenty of time to think, and plenty of time to struggle.
[Contained within extreme happiness]
This was the reason why Lieutenant Kim was lamenting so inadequately.
It’s because of the buffs attached to every dish I served him.
“The emotional changes brought about by cooking may be temporary. But…”
The repercussions of those emotional changes linger on.
A prime example is Private Jeon Gwang-il and other soldiers who couldn’t awaken their courage.
When they were fed a dish symbolizing “courage.”
Those who gained courage would rampage like berserkers, slaying lizards, but the next day, they’d return to their original selves without a trace of the courage they had shown.
“That doesn’t mean those changes were meaningless.”
Those who once gained courage.
When they fought the lizards after awakening, they showed no signs of fear.
It wasn’t because the courage from the dish still lingered.
It was because they had faced monsters with courage and conquered their fear.
While the emotional change itself may be temporary.
The experiences and memories left by those emotions continue to influence us afterward.
Lieutenant Kim’s feeling of happiness after eating the food was no different.
‘Excessive happiness…’
When that happiness ends,
It hits even harder.
‘That’s why I fed him dishes that maximized the effect, three meals a day, for more than two days.’
As soon as Gwang-il ate the dish that enhanced courage, he became a berserker.
The effect was that strong even with just one meal.
And if he had it for a few days…
The emptiness… when that happiness isn’t felt, perhaps…
“Please… I beg you…”
“Hmm.”
“This… It’s not enough. No matter how much I eat, it’s not filling… Please, I’ll do anything…”
Just one day.
From lunch, barely holding on with willpower, to dinner, seven hours later.
The time it took for Lieutenant Kim to surrender.
“Fine. I’ll cook. But there’s a condition.”
“Anything, anything…”
Actually, there might not have been a need to cater to Lieutenant Kim like this.
In fact, some suggested just confining and neglecting him would suffice.
Yet, the reason I made Lieutenant Kim surrender like this was…
“You’ll obey my every command without question.”
“Yes, yes. I understand!”
“Then, here’s the first order. Follow me.”
Judging by the tendencies of awakened individuals in their acquired professions…
Lieutenant Kim could be a lottery.
Taking Lieutenant Kim with me, we left the underground mess hall and headed toward the defensive line where soldiers were on guard.
At that moment a lizard attacking our unit was being subdued.
“You just need to kill that monster.”
Lieutenant Kim obeyed my command and killed the monster.
And…
[Novice Commander]
[Specialty: Novice Command]
[Abilities of soldiers under command increase by 10%.]
‘A 10% increase…!’
I scratched off the lottery ticket just in case.
And it turned out to be a winning ticket.
Chapter 15: Lieutenant Kim (Part 2)
“Hey, Young-joon! I’m glad you’re here. Listen to what I have to say!”
Last night.
Or, more accurately, the night when I was acknowledged as the leader of this unit.
All the unit members gathered for a meeting, and we had two main agendas.
One of them was none other than me.
To appoint Sergeant Shin Young-joon as the leader of our unit.
And the other agenda item was…
To get rid of Lieutenant Kim.
“A few days ago, out of nowhere, the soldiers stormed in and locked me up here! What’s the meaning of this!”
At the point when the agenda to appoint me as the leader was passed.
It was practically a given that the agenda to remove Lieutenant Kim was also approved.
Lieutenant Kim is strangely adept at politics.
If left unchecked, he could undermine our unit’s efforts and authority.
To avoid such a future.
Getting rid of Lieutenant Kim was essential.
“I oppose removing Lieutenant Kim.”
“Isn’t it a waste?”
I was the one who opposed it.
“I suggested removing Lieutenant Kim, and I was prepared to do it myself. Do you really have to intervene?”
At that time, it was me who opposed Min-jae hyung’s proposal and had replied
“I’ll handle that part. Just lend me a hand.”
It seems Min-jae hyung even considered directly removing Lieutenant Kim himself.
But in the end, he respected my opinion.
And agreed to cooperate.
That’s how Lieutenant Kim’s life was spared.
“Min-jae hyung came through with the request.”
Min-jae hyung’s electric magic.
Commonly known as the ‘Million Volts,’ knocked out Lieutenant Kim, making him the first prisoner here.
Min-jae hyung’s ability.
Perfect for subduing someone.
Back to my visit with Lieutenant Kim.
It went something like this.
“If the soldiers are upset with me for something, tell them I’ll apologize!”
“Huh?”
“Last time, I spilled coffee and blamed the duty soldier for it, and during inspection, I vented my frustrations on the soldiers for my mistakes!”
“….”
“And what else, during working hours, I dumped my work on the administrative soldier and rested in the warehouse! And…”
Coming to his senses in this trapped situation.
Lieutenant Kim seems to have thought a lot about why he ended up here.
Perhaps he concluded that it was due to resentment.
Apologizing while listing actions that could have caused resentment.
“But there seem to be quite a lot.”
Already notorious among the soldiers as a lazy officer.
There were many stories that I knew, but it seems Lieutenant Kim had committed many more lazy acts than I or the other soldiers knew.
“I see.”
“Yes! Young-joon, please help me. You get along well with the unit members.”
While I do get along with the unit members.
It’s not the same with you.
…I almost said it.
I held back and kept the words I had thought of.
“I tried to persuade them myself, but there are still too many opposing soldiers. There were more soldiers who resented Lieutenant Kim than I expected.”
“I-I see…”
Lieutenant Kim made a despairing expression.
He’s probably imagining examples of officers being killed by their soldiers in situations like this.
By the way.
I’ve heard stories of officers who excessively forced FM on their soldiers, and ended up being killed by them, but I’ve never heard of an overly lazy officer being isolated.
“Still, I’ll keep trying to persuade them, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh. Young-joon…”
“More importantly, please have some of this. It must have been tough being locked up here…”
In front of a tearful Lieutenant Kim.
I set down the tray I brought.
“Lieutenant Kim, you like pasta, don’t you? I made it with cream sauce.”
“Ah. Young-joon… Thank you so much!”
The prepared dishes were cream pasta paired with some beverage.
It was a dish that targeted Lieutenant Kim’s taste for pasta.
“It’s been a while since I made a dish without worrying about ingredients, so I think I made quite a decent dish.”
Given that it was a dish I was confident in.
The response was immediate.
“Mmm, delicious!”
“Is that so?”
“Slurp… But what’s this meat? I heard there weren’t many ingredients left in the unit…”
“…Ah, that? It’s just, um, what do you call it… chicken meat.”
“We had chicken meat left?”
“Uh, yeah. Something like that.”
Anyway, since the description said ‘similar taste to chicken meat,’
I didn’t think it was a wrong statement.
“Thank you for such valuable ingredients, Young-joon. When I get out of here, I’ll treat you very well.”
Lieutenant Kim, who was already known for his voracious appetite.
The carefully prepared dish targeted his palate perfectly.
Naturally.
The effect was tremendous.
“And probably, the effects I expected from this side will come soon.”
My thoughts were immediately confirmed.
Lieutenant Kim’s attitude had strangely changed.
“Hehe…”
Should I call it an attitude?
Lieutenant Kim was chuckling strangely.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Yeah… no, it’s just… probably because it’s been a while since I had something tasty… I feel good. Hehe…”
“It’s good to see you in a good mood.”
Actually.
I felt a sense of guilt for doing this to Lieutenant Kim.
He’s a bit…
Well, quite incompetent, and has committed many petty offenses.
But it’s not like he committed any major crimes.
“But it’s necessary.”
When the conversation about getting rid of Lieutenant Kim came up,
I was prepared to get my hands dirty.
Compared to that.
I could easily bear the guilt.
“It’s also something I have to endure.”
With that in mind, I watched Lieutenant Kim, who had finished his dinner.
I roughly tidied up the dishes and left the room.
And the next day.
I once again served Lieutenant Kim with a meticulously prepared dish.
“Darn it. Those guys… making me, an officer, like this…”
“Please calm down.”
“When I join the higher unit outside, they’ll all be court-martialed or sent to military trial. Young-joon, you’ll be spared.”
“Thank you.”
“S-So. Today’s menu is…”
“Today, it’s noodles.”
Forgetting about apologies or whatever he said earlier.
Lieutenant Kim muttered about being sent to a military trial if he leaves.
“It’s ridiculous, but it’s not worth bothering about at this point.”
I listened to such remarks with one ear and continued to feed him.
“Hehe… Huhuh… Heh…”
“…”
Every time the meal ended.
Lieutenant Kim chuckled strangely.
I silently watched him and left after roughly cleaning up the dishes.
Meals continued to be provided afterward.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Three meals a day.
Since eating only noodles might get boring,
I occasionally mixed in other dishes.
Lieutenant Kim, confined and dismissed by the unit members.
To that man who now had no authority whatsoever.
I still went to the trouble of cooking and serving him.
“Hehe… Young-joon, you’re here.”
“…Yes.”
And now.
Even though Lieutenant Kim didn’t eat, he was still chuckling strangely.
“What’s on the menu today…?”
“Today, it’s your favorite chicken pasta.”
“Hehe… Good, good… Heh…”
[Lizard Rosé Pasta filled with extreme happiness]
[Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta]
[A new recipe developed using ingredients never used before in human history. Experience points will be increased]
A smile that couldn’t be happier than this.
* * *
[Lizard’s Thigh Meat]
[Lizard meat a bipedal race of reptiles]
[Ingredient Identification – Tastes similar to chicken meat. Due to frequent exercise, it has less fat content, resulting in a bland taste]
Lizard meat.
Today, it was brought to the mess hall fresh from the creature that the unit members had hunted, just like any other lizard before it was burned.
“…This is the first time I’ve cooked with monster ingredients.”
Lizard meat.
It might not seem like a big deal just by words.
But these creatures are monsters that devour humans.
In the past.
Half of the unit members were killed by these monsters.
Their corpses became a meal for the lizards, severely damaged and disfigured.
“I can’t tell others to enjoy the meat of such a monster.”
It’s a dish that I have never prepared before.
More than that it’s a question of whether it’s acceptable to eat creatures that devour humans.
Until the unit members can accept lizards as food.
We couldn’t use lizard meat as an ingredient.
Thanks to that, we had to rely solely on the remaining ingredients in the mess, and our supply was quickly dwindling.
“But it’s necessary to know what it tastes like when used as food.”
Because when there’s nothing else to eat, even monsters have to be eaten.
It was a good opportunity for that experiment.
So, I immediately tried cooking the lizard meat…
And the results were astonishing.
[Lizard Rosé Pasta filled with extreme happiness]
[Forgetting all pain and worry, only happiness remains with this pasta]
[A small amount of mana is included. Enhances the overall taste and performance of the dish.]
Perhaps because it used monster meat.
Mana was included, enhancing the taste and performance of the dish.
That alone had a tremendous effect, but…
[Using ingredients never used in human history, a new recipe has been developed.]
[Experience gained from consuming this dish significantly increases.]
[Achievement – Oh, this taste!]
[As a chef, you have created a dish using monsters for the first time.]
[Those who make history all possess an uncanny spirit of challenge!]
[For opening a new path in the culinary world, you are rewarded with an achievement.]
[Title – Pioneer]
[Given to individuals who pioneer entirely new areas in their field.]
[The effect of job-related skills and characteristics increases by 50%]
Getting this achievement.
And receiving the title as a reward.
“It’s excellent.”
A 50% increase in the effects of all skills and characteristics.
It was an immense effect.
It’s probably because opening up a new path in that field is considered remarkable.
“If that’s the case, it’s not bad.”
With that, I approached Lieutenant Kim with the dish.
It was the first day I brought my cooking to Lieutenant Kim.
* * *
A few days passed, and today.
It’s the third day I’ve brought food to Lieutenant Kim.
“Hehe… Heh… Young-joon… You’re here?”
Now, even though he didn’t eat the food, Lieutenant Kim was still chuckling strangely and drooling.
I watched him and confirmed that it was time to move on to the next stage.
“Yes.”
“So… What’s for breakfast today?”
Today as well, Lieutenant Kim believed that I would provide a delicious meal.
But I had no intention of meeting his expectations.
“I’m sorry, but today it’s just combat rations.”
“…What?”
Lieutenant Kim made a face as if he misheard something.
‘Sorry, but you heard me right.’
I looked down at the item I brought to Lieutenant Kim instead of the dish.
A square, yellow box.
It was the standard-issue combat ration of the Republic of Korea Army.
“Even so, I chose pork flavor, which you like, from the combat rations. You know how to prepare it, right? Here, pull this plastic strap…”
“W-Wait a minute! What’s this all about? Are you saying there’s no other meal today except this?”
“Yes. That’s what I said.”
Lieutenant Kim, angry at the fact that it wasn’t the high-quality meals he had been receiving every day, I explained the reason.
Of course, it wasn’t the real reason, but…
“Because there aren’t many ingredients left in the unit. It might be difficult to provide meals like last time in the future.”
“What? Then what am I supposed to eat…”
“What to eat? There you go, aren’t there combat rations?”
When I think of combat rations, I often imagine a dreadful taste. However, the combat rations that are available nowadays have undergone considerable improvement in their own way.
They’re deemed decent enough for soldiers with generous appetites to eat without much complaint.
“I’ve been cooking for you out of consideration, Lieutenant Kim. You know that, don’t you?”
“Uh… I…”
“From now on, it seems we’ll have to make do with this.”
Thinking rationally, it’s not a significant problem. It’s just a matter of meals being a bit less tasty for a while. After all, the combat rations are still edible.
“But for Lieutenant Kim, who has already developed a taste for my food, not being able to eat it has become a major issue.”
“Not good, Young-joon. Is this how you’re going to treat me?”
“…”
“I was planning to speak favorably of you even after joining the higher-ups. But it seems there’s nothing good about it for you!”
“Ah, Lieutenant Kim. I told you there were reasons.”
“That’s not my concern! Just hurry up and cook something!”
Now he was shouting.
Ignoring him, I left the storeroom after leaving the combat rations there. It was a relief knowing I didn’t have to clean up afterward.
“You! How ungrateful can you be?”
“Do you really think you can treat me like this? I have my dignity too!”
Even though I left the room, I could still hear Lieutenant Kim yelling. But I didn’t pay any attention to it.
He’s not in a state to think rationally right now.
“Hmm, as I expected…”
He probably won’t be able to stomach even one meal.
And, my prediction was correct.
“Ugh… Ughhh…”
“…”
“This… This isn’t the taste… This isn’t the feeling…”
As soon as the next mealtime came around, this was the sight that greeted me.
Lieutenant Kim was sobbing in a corner of the narrow storeroom.
Cold combat rations were scattered on the floor.
“Lieutenant Kim.”
“Y-Yes, Young-joon!”
Seemingly unaware that I had come, Lieutenant Kim, who had been sobbing relentlessly, responded to my voice and looked up.
“Have you changed your mind? Is lunch going to be a proper meal?”
“…”
“Well, considering the circumstances of the unit, it might be difficult. We can manage with combat rations for one meal a day. I used to skip breakfast anyway! So, for lunch…”
“It’s here.”
I said, offering what I had. This time, it was bulgogi-flavored combat rations.
“This… This is…”
“I thought you didn’t like pork flavor, so I brought a different one.”
Naturally, Lieutenant Kim’s expression twisted noticeably.
“Sergeant Shin Young-joon…”
“Yes. Sergeant Shin Young-joon.”
“This is… This is an order from the top commander of this unit… Bring me a proper meal right now!”
Now, he’s using his rank to give orders.
“Ugh… That’s not it, is it, Lieutenant Kim?”
“What?”
“If you really want to eat a proper meal, your attitude is wrong. In this world. Giving orders like this out of the blue…”
“Uh… This is an order as an officer! Are you mocking my orders?”
Despite his flushed face, Lieutenant Kim’s attempt at intimidation felt feeble.
“I’ll come back at dinner time. By then… think about what attitude would be appropriate.”
There was a five-hour gap between breakfast and lunchtime.
Meanwhile, there’s a seven-hour gap between lunch and dinner. He’ll have plenty of time to think, and plenty of time to struggle.
[Contained within extreme happiness]
This was the reason why Lieutenant Kim was lamenting so inadequately.
It’s because of the buffs attached to every dish I served him.
“The emotional changes brought about by cooking may be temporary. But…”
The repercussions of those emotional changes linger on.
A prime example is Private Jeon Gwang-il and other soldiers who couldn’t awaken their courage.
When they were fed a dish symbolizing “courage.”
Those who gained courage would rampage like berserkers, slaying lizards, but the next day, they’d return to their original selves without a trace of the courage they had shown.
“That doesn’t mean those changes were meaningless.”
Those who once gained courage.
When they fought the lizards after awakening, they showed no signs of fear.
It wasn’t because the courage from the dish still lingered.
It was because they had faced monsters with courage and conquered their fear.
While the emotional change itself may be temporary.
The experiences and memories left by those emotions continue to influence us afterward.
Lieutenant Kim’s feeling of happiness after eating the food was no different.
‘Excessive happiness…’
When that happiness ends,
It hits even harder.
‘That’s why I fed him dishes that maximized the effect, three meals a day, for more than two days.’
As soon as Gwang-il ate the dish that enhanced courage, he became a berserker.
The effect was that strong even with just one meal.
And if he had it for a few days…
The emptiness… when that happiness isn’t felt, perhaps…
“Please… I beg you…”
“Hmm.”
“This… It’s not enough. No matter how much I eat, it’s not filling… Please, I’ll do anything…”
Just one day.
From lunch, barely holding on with willpower, to dinner, seven hours later.
The time it took for Lieutenant Kim to surrender.
“Fine. I’ll cook. But there’s a condition.”
“Anything, anything…”
Actually, there might not have been a need to cater to Lieutenant Kim like this.
In fact, some suggested just confining and neglecting him would suffice.
Yet, the reason I made Lieutenant Kim surrender like this was…
“You’ll obey my every command without question.”
“Yes, yes. I understand!”
“Then, here’s the first order. Follow me.”
Judging by the tendencies of awakened individuals in their acquired professions…
Lieutenant Kim could be a lottery.
Taking Lieutenant Kim with me, we left the underground mess hall and headed toward the defensive line where soldiers were on guard.
At that moment a lizard attacking our unit was being subdued.
“You just need to kill that monster.”
Lieutenant Kim obeyed my command and killed the monster.
And…
[Novice Commander]
[Specialty: Novice Command]
[Abilities of soldiers under command increase by 10%.]
‘A 10% increase…!’
I scratched off the lottery ticket just in case.
And it turned out to be a winning ticket.
