Chapter 06
“Why should I do that?”
Kaizen looked at me with his usual blank expression, his eyes sharp enough to feel cold.
I didn’t back down. Instead, I spoke boldly.
“I risked my life catching that pickpocket. What if he had put a knife to my throat? I could’ve died. So give me just one hour. I’ll make something and bring it to you.”
I waited, forcing patience, desperately watching for his answer.
After a moment of hesitation—and a very annoyed face—he let out a short sigh and gave a reluctant nod.
“I’ll give you thirty minutes.”
I jerked my head up. My heart thumped like crazy.
“R-really? Really?!”
“……”
For a split second, I thought I saw regret flash across his face, so I quickly grabbed his hand.
“A hero wouldn’t take back his word, right? You’re not the type to say ‘okay’ and then run away like a coward. I trust you.”
“…Haa. Just bring the food quickly.”
“Okay! Wait at the inn! I’ll be back in thirty minutes!”
I ran straight to the inn’s back door.
Before coming here with Hamma, I had already scouted the place. I knew there was a door leading from the back entrance straight into the kitchen.
Originally, I had checked because I planned to apply as the inn’s cook—but good thing I already knew.
I passed the storage room and shoved open the kitchen door. The chef, who had been chopping at high speed, jumped in shock.
“W-who are you?”
“Chef. I need to borrow your kitchen.”
“What nonsense is—!”
I pulled a few coins from the leather pouch I’d gotten after capturing Oakbrook Village.
His expression instantly brightened, and he hopped out of the way.
“Use it however you like!”
Now I had a kitchen.
All I needed was a dish that would completely capture Kaizen.
“What should I make…?”
He’d eaten chicken stew just a while ago, so something simple but irresistibly tasty—probably a dessert.
As I pondered, an idea suddenly struck me like lightning.
“Wait… it doesn’t matter what he eats, as long as I make him obedient, right?”
I’d never cooked something like that before, but somehow I felt like I could.
“Good. Let’s try it.”
I scanned the ingredients.
Flour, butter, sugar, eggs…
“Everything’s here.”
Seeing them sparked the idea instantly.
Something fast to make, delicious enough for dessert: snowflake churros.
“Heh. Kaizen, you’re already in the palm of my hand.”
I snickered wickedly and began mixing the dough.
The way I discovered my special cooking ability was nothing dramatic.
Around my 90th attempt, when I kept dying along with Kaizen, my motivation plummeted. I barely cooked enough to stay alive.
That day, everything felt miserable.
I missed Mom’s cooking so badly it hurt.
If only this were kimchi stew…
I mumbled hopelessly while eating a bowl of mush I had thrown together—and the next day, something unbelievable happened.
The leftover mush tasted exactly like kimchi stew.
After that, I experimented.
Food I made from scratch, fruit from trees, inn meals…
The conclusion was clear: only food I made had a strong, lasting effect. Food made by others or natural food had only very short durations.
So annoying… that’s why I have to cook every time.
Still, the method for making a “special-effect dish” was simple.
Focus a strong wish into the food—almost like brainwashing it by repeating the desire.
But it didn’t work with one or two bites. You had to eat it consistently every day for real changes.
That’s why I wanted to become the inn’s cook and feed Kaizen three meals a day…
“Well, since it’s come to this, I’ll make a dish that makes him obedient.”
One serving wouldn’t have a huge effect, but it was better than nothing.
I’d make him obedient first—then I could cure his burnout.
It was a perfect plan. Even I had to grin.
Squeeze. Squeeze. I pressed the dough into the oil.
Ssshhhhh. Crackle crackle. The churros floated to the surface, turning golden brown.
“Hehehe. Simple, but once you eat it, you can’t stop.”
I scooped them out and coated them in sugar until they became snowy-white.
Now for the final touch.
Staring intently at the churros, I chanted:
“Be obedient. Be obedient.”
Concentrating as hard as I could, I glared at them until a faint sparkle flashed and faded.
“Success!”
Before giving it to Kaizen, I figured a test run wouldn’t hurt.
Then I noticed the chef awkwardly standing in the corner.
“Chef. Try this.”
“W-what’s this?”
“Snowflake churros. Sugar-coated dessert. Tell me how it tastes.”
“Oh… looks unusual. I’ll try.”
He took a bite—and his eyes went wide.
Then, trembling, he stuffed the rest of the churros into his mouth in one go.
“H-how can anything taste like this…! Crispy, yet it melts… sweet and nutty…! P-please teach me this recipe!”
A new icon popped up over his head.
A model-student face with glasses—unlike the skull icon above Kaizen’s head, this one had no gauge.
That must be the obedience icon.
I stared at him and casually tested it:
“Chef. Clean up for me.”
“Yes! Leave it all to me! I love cleaning! Hahaha!”
Oh… the effect was better than expected.
Now I just needed to use it on Kaizen.
“Well then, I’m going! Thanks!”
I filled a paper bag with churros and rushed back to the inn. Kaizen was waiting at an outdoor table.
He hadn’t run away.
As expected of a hero.
“Hero! I’m back.”
“Twenty-seven minutes.”
“I’m not late, right?”
“Where is the food?”
I silently held out the paper bag of churros toward his chest.
He took it by reflex, raising an eyebrow.
“What is this? This shabby, unsanitary thing…? Don’t tell me this is the food you made.”
“Unsanitary? You have no idea how good those are.”
“You stuffed it into a dirty paper bag. How am I supposed to eat something like this?”
This guy… seriously.
Why was he so impossibly picky?
“Just try it. You won’t die from one bite. You promised.”
I planted my fists on my hips and glared down at him, trying to look intimidating.
“Haa…”
He rubbed his forehead like the whole situation exhausted him.
“I’ll take one bite. Only one.”
“Great.”
I laughed inside.
He said one bite, but I was sure he’d finish the entire bag.
Kaizen picked up a churro like it offended him and barely nibbled the end.
Crunch.
His lips twitched.
Then his mouth, which had moved slowly at first, began chewing rapidly.
“…Why… how does something taste like this…?”
He stared at his empty hand and swallowed hard.
Trying not to burst into laughter, I spoke quickly:
“Go ahead. They’re all for you.”
“……”
He cleared his throat, reached into the paper bag, and took another.
Crunch. Crunch.
A few minutes later, the man who insisted on “one bite” had eaten every single churro.
And at that moment, an obedience icon appeared above his head.
Hehehe. Finally…!
Kaizen had fallen.
My victory was complete.
“So. One more time—please. Eat my cooking for just one month. No more, no less.”
