6. Liyue Branch (6)
Gamwoo, whom I met after a long time, was still the same. It was beautiful and kind. As always, even working overtime was like that. And I still felt sad when I saw the slight fatigue in Sister Kamu’s eyes. Of course, Sister Kamu wouldn’t think so, but other people couldn’t help but think that Sister Kamu was overdoing it.
However, he was unable to tell Sister Gamwoo to take it easy. Sister Kamu was carrying out her own responsibilities. He engraved in his heart the promise he made with someone a long time ago, and still had the mindset he had back then. It was a beautiful thing. It was also one of the reasons why I respected Sister Gamwoo, so I decided to do only what I could.
Because we rented an entire restaurant, the kitchen was quiet. You might be wondering what to do in this place with no ingredients, but I had the ‘backpack’ and ‘cooking’ functions. My ‘backpack’ was always full of ingredients, so I didn’t have to worry about that. There was just one thing I was worried about.
What dish should I serve? It was always a problem that bothered me, but it was especially tricky when dealing with Sister Kamwoo. This was because Gamwoo was reluctant to eat meat. In other words, he could be said to be a vegetarian, so I almost never recommended that he eat meat.
Just as I would feel bad if a vegetarian forced me to eat vegetarian, I would feel bad if I forced a vegetarian to eat meat. It seemed as though Sister Gamwoo was secretly hoping so, but he decided to think it was an illusion. So, it was inevitable that today’s menu would also be vegetarian.
After thinking about it for a while, I soon made a decision. ‘Vegetarian abalone’, no matter how much one is a vegetarian, one does not dislike the taste of meat itself. Vegetarians, as their name suggests, have a lot of issues with their beliefs, and Ms. Kamwoo also belongs to that group. One of the recipes I recently learned was one that mimicked the taste of seafood using only plant-based ingredients, so I decided to try making it.
First, I took out the bunches. The top-quality pine mushrooms, which had not yet bloomed, were spreading a fragrant scent just by their presence. I scraped off the root of the bunch with a knife and quickly washed it in cold water. The longer the mushrooms are in contact with water, the softer they become and the less fragrant they become. It took only a moment for the pine mushrooms to wash off the dust and get on the cutting board.
Slice the pine mushrooms to an appropriate thickness. Not too thin, but thick enough to allow you to feel the texture. Then I placed the cut pine mushrooms on the pan and grilled them. As the water in the bunch sizzled, it began to turn a yellowish color. This was the fun part.
From Noble mtl dot com
The browned clusters give off the shine of grilled abalone. If you cut off the cap, which only mushrooms have, it would look puzzling from the outside. A well-grilled bunch is cut into slits to make it look like a cut abalone. And once you piled it in a circle on the plate, the main ingredients were ready.
What happened next was simple. Sprinkle the sweet yet savory sauce, and while waiting for the scent to blend well with the scent of the clusters, decorate the edges of the clusters arranged in a circle with herbs, including snapdragons. In this way, the scent of the pine mushrooms would mix with the sauce or herbs, creating a mysterious flavor that could not be immediately noticed.
[Completion]
[Delicious Vegetarian Abalone] X4
Gamwoo’s meal size was surprisingly large, so she did not forget to make generous portions. Same goes for Paimon and Kamwoo. There was a strangely realistic feeling to the fact that people who seemed likely to report the news ate the most.
Of course, there was a feeling that Paimon somehow transcended the laws of physics, but that could not be helped because it was Paimon. With that in mind, I picked up my plate and went out into the hall. Sister Kamu, who was waiting for me, immediately smiled faintly.
Although he looked tired, it was a smile that exuded a warmth that could not be hidden. Before I knew it, Sister Kamwoo would often smile whenever we were alone with her.
“Thank you always, little brother Siwoo.”
“Nothing much to say, I’ve grown up a bit now, but I’m basically a cook.”
At my joke, Sister Gamwoo let out a quiet laugh. And when I put down the plate, Sister Gamwoo naturally picked up her chopsticks.
In the past, she showed signs of refusal, but now that she has learned that such things don’t work for me, she no longer does that. Rather, perhaps my self-praise-like joke seemed to have worked, and he became less averse to eating in front of me.
At first, I was afraid of being told that I was eating a lot, so I was careful to eat it, but eventually I fell in love with the taste and ate it up in an instant. Anyway, I was glad to hear that Sister Kamwoo was good. I felt like we were finally becoming a bit more comfortable with each other. Recently, I felt like I had become much closer to Sister Kamwoo.
Gamwoo’s eyes, with food in front of her, showed an anticipation that could not be hidden. Her tired eyes were sparkling and shining. I thought that was cute so I suppressed my laughter. If I burst out laughing, my face will blush again because I’m embarrassed.
Gamwoo picked up the first piece of ‘Vegetarian Abalone’ with an excited face. A fragrant scent tickles the tip of her nose. The sauce was sweet and had the faint scent of star anise, and the smell alone irritated my tongue. Sister Kamwoo looked at me with slightly surprised eyes.
“Well, Siwoo’s younger brother… Is this abalone? … ?”
I smiled meaningfully. Sister Kamwoo’s gaze was shaking. You could tell just by the scent. As satisfying as this food would taste, her sister-in-law’s beliefs were holding her back.
She was thinking of relieving her hesitation, but instead she said something mischievous.
“Just trust me, Sister Gamwoo.”
What are you asking us to believe? It was tempting to ask that question, but Sister Kamu just looked at me and her vegetarian abalone back and forth. However, her sister-in-law’s worries did not last long. She soon seemed to have made up her mind and moved her vegetarian abalone into her mouth with a solemn look in her eyes.
And after a while, Sister Kamu’s eyes opened wide. The first thing that hits you is the scent. No matter how hard I tried to cover up the deep, fragrant scent of pine pine, it could not be erased. And then there’s the sweet, sweet sauce that complements the lack of umami of the pine mushrooms, and the juicy juice that bursts out every time you bite into the thick mushrooms. The unique curly texture of grilled mushrooms added to the fun of eating them, but also made it difficult to tell whether they were pine mushrooms or abalone.
It was an interesting dish. This was especially true when making ‘vegetarian abalone’, especially with the ingredients kept secret. Sister Gamwoo’s young face was filled with happiness as the feast of smells and tastes hit her tongue. Sister Kamu, who was enjoying the taste of her vegetarian abalone with her relaxed face, suddenly came to her senses as if she had realized something about her.
And then Sister Kamu put on her tearful face and glared at me. His eyes were filled with resentment.
“After all, it’s abalone… ….”
In the end, I couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. To Sister Kamu, who was still looking at me with resentment in her eyes, I spoke in a voice that still had the lingering traces of her laughter.
“Sister Gamwoo, think about the texture again. “When abalone is grilled, the outside doesn’t get that crispy.”
Of course, it is only a slight difference. However, no matter how well ‘vegetarian abalone’ tried to imitate abalone, it was unable to even imitate the essential differences in the ingredients. Sister Kamu opened her eyes round at my words. Then he tilted his head, then picked up a piece again and began to savor its taste.
If you eat it without knowing it, you will be able to tell the difference if you are conscious and focus on the texture. ‘Vegetarian abalone’ is definitely subtle, but has a crispy exterior. Sister Kamu must have realized that fact and opened her eyes again. She opened her mouth with a puzzled look on her face.
“This…” “Is it a mushroom?”
“Yes, it’s a dish called ‘vegetarian abalone.’ It’s a dish that imitates abalone with pine mushrooms. “This is a recipe given to me by Mr. Berg Gaudette of Manseo Guesthouse. It’s quite interesting, isn’t it?”
At those words, Sister Kamwoo blushed and lowered her head, perhaps feeling a little embarrassed. She spoke hesitantly.
“Well, I didn’t even know that… “I’m sorry, little brother Siwoo.”
Gamwoo was, after all, a pure person. I was the one who made the joke, but she ended up getting an apology. That may also be her charm. I thought like that and joked.
“It’s just a joke on my part. And if Ms. Gamwoo mistakes it for abalone, she must be good at cooking. Fortunately, the.”
After that, the meal continued. As expected, Sister Gamwoo quickly ate the amount of food that I thought was ample. Then, as always, she was sucking her chopsticks with regret. How much food would it take for Sister Gamwoo to say that she couldn’t eat any more? I wanted to experiment someday, but Sister Gamwoo was shy and said, ‘Oh, you’re being mischievous…’ ….’, So she decided to leave it to her imagination.
After that, she chatted as usual. From cliche greetings such as “How are you doing these days” To advanced information such as recent trends in Liyue’s commercial world? Of course, I had a lot to talk about today. This was because there had been a lot of changes in my daily life since I last came to Liyue.
Of course, it was impossible to say things like that the drunken bard was actually the god Barbatos, or that the war of nerves between Mona and Lumine was extreme. But even apart from that, there was a lot to talk about. In particular, the story of the confrontation with Signora was also interesting to Kamwoo, as evidenced by the reactions of Tartaglia and Mr. Palm.
Gamwoo, who had been quietly listening to my story for a while, soon smiled with a relieved expression on her face.
“I’m glad. Siwoo’s younger brother. Actually, I’ve been worried a lot since I last heard the story. The Wooindan is not an easy opponent. But not only was he safe from dealing with the Woindan, but he even chased away that Signora…….”
Gamwoo’s gentle gaze turned towards me. Should I say it’s amazing or proud? The eyes were filled with such complex emotions. I felt embarrassed for no reason and cleared my throat.
“…… “You’re amazing, little brother Siwoo.”
“No, well…” I was lucky. “Signora was caught off guard.”
When Gamwoo saw me looking embarrassed, she chuckled and let out a small laugh. The way I showed humility seemed to be quite impressive to Sister Gamwoo.
“But that doesn’t change the fact that Siwoo’s younger brother is amazing. Even when an opportunity comes, most people hesitate and miss it. Siwoo’s younger brother, maybe he will become even more powerful than he is now.”
I sighed deeply at those words. It was bigger than it was now, so in fact, it was difficult for my abilities to even handle what was happening. If it weren’t for Mona’s help, the plan to create a Liyue branch would have suffered a major setback.
“What kind of tycoon is this? My current job is too much for me. These days, I’ve been trying to expand my business to Liyue, but there’s so much to do…….”
Gamwoo’s eyes widened at my words. The term ‘Liyue Branch’ seemed to be a bit harsh.
“Brother Siu, do you mean ‘Liyue Branch’?”
Ah, only then did I realize that I had not told Sister Gamwoo about the plans for the ‘Liyue Branch’. Come to think of it, the only people who knew about my plan were my colleagues including Lumine, Mond’s acquaintances, Tartaglia, and Palm Seed. Other than that, it’s just the employees at the top or each office. However, the upper-level staff must be careful about what they say because it is still only a vague plan, and each office was not one to go around and spread other people’s stories.
If you were a busy person like Gamwoo, it would be rare for you to have the opportunity to encounter a story like this whose chances of becoming a reality are unknown. Even without that, Sister Kamu had a mountain of problems.
“Oh, it’s still in the planning stage, but… I plan to establish a branch in Liwol and establish myself there. Of course, the headquarters will continue to be in Mond, but I also plan to stay in Liyue for a while. Then, I will be able to see you often, Sister Gamwoo.”
Those words seemed to remind Sister Kamu of something, so she closed her eyes for a moment and tilted her head. Then, as if she had realized something, she let out an exclamation and opened her eyes.
“Then, the merchant from Mond whom Mr. Okhyeong met recently is…… ?”
‘Old man in prison’, it was a term used to honor each office. Since Gam-woo was Li Yue Chil-seong’s secretary, he would naturally know the schedule. I nodded at her.
“Yes, it’s me.”
Gamwoo seemed surprised by those words. She froze for a moment, then tilted her head, then looked a little worried.
Just as I was wondering why I was doing that, Sister Gamwoo opened her mouth. It was a cautious voice.
“Well, Siwoo’s younger brother… “What do you think of Mr. Ok?”
At this point, I noticed the relationship between Sister Kamu and each of her friends. At least they weren’t best friends. While something was awkward, there was only one reason that could be said.
“Um… You are an ambitious person. Since such a person is also needed in Liyue, wouldn’t the Lord Emperor also use Gakcheong with great importance?”
“Is that so…? ….”
Gamwoo looked a little downcast at my answer, which could be said to be standard. I swallowed and said, “Hmm.” I think there’s something I want to say.
I took out a drinking glass and dandelion wine from my ‘backpack’. And I asked Sister Gamwoo.
“Sister Gamwoo, would you like to have a drink?”
Gamwoo seemed a little hesitant about my suggestion. She turned her gaze this way, then that, and then she bit her lip. Sister Gamwoo sighed deeply.
“…… “Okay, just one drink then.”
I never thought that my first drinking party with Sister Kamwoo would be today. If I had known this would happen, I would have prepared a better drink, but I poured the drink into my glass with not so bitter thoughts. A refreshing scent that spreads with a crunching sound.
It had the scent of Mond’s famous wine, ‘Dandelion Wine.’ Ta-da, the sound of glasses clinking together was heard, and then a glass of alcohol was poured.
Only when Sister Kamu finished her glass of dandelion liquor did she carefully begin to tell the story. It was a story fueled by alcohol.
“Actually, I don’t understand her.”
“In what way?”
I asked as I poured alcohol into an empty glass. Sister Gamwoo looked at her as if she was thinking about it, and then she began to speak once again.
“That’s the attitude you have towards the King of Darkness. Emperor Amwang protected Liyue for thousands of years and made it prosper. Liyue is not just a country for humans. At first, the Dark King quelled the rampaging demons, and subsequent crises were overcome through the sacrifices of countless good people who followed the Dark King. “That is the power and tradition that has supported Liyue for thousands of years.”
At the same time, Sister Gamwoo lifted the refilled glass and took a sip. He said he would ‘just have one drink’, but he never said anything more unbelievable than that when he was drinking. Sister Gamwoo concluded her speech in a slightly gloomy mood.
“But she…” I don’t respect that. At least that’s how I feel. However, her dark king uses her greatly, so she probably has a deeper meaning of her own that I don’t know about. In the end, it’s all my fault…….”
After saying that, Sister Kamu cast her gaze to the ground. I thought for a moment. It was a difficult problem. Is Liyue a country of good people, or is it a country of humans? Of course, it was clear that the majority of the population that made up Liyue were humans. Right now, even the Seven Stars of Liyue are made up of only humans, and good people do not get involved in the secular world unless there is something special to do.
However, the shadows of ancestors, including Emperor Amwang, were clearly cast in the traditions that Li Yue had accumulated over thousands of years. Even the system called ‘Liyue Chilseong’ was not free from it. So, as Sister Gamwoo, who protects the traditions and order of Liyue, she might not like someone like Gakcheong.
Actually, I wasn’t very interested in Li Yue’s situation. My roots were already in Mond. What happened to Li Yue was none of my business. However, this is where Lumine will be active in the future, and people who are close to me, such as Sister Kamu and Mr. Jongryeo, were also living in Liyue.
In the end, it was not an issue that needed to be decided right away. I said in a fake cheerful voice.
“Gamwoo, you also have a human side.”
“…… ?”
Gamwoo’s eyes turned to me again. He looked like he didn’t know what he was talking about. I looked at that and spoke in a mischievous voice.
“When I see you swearing at your boss, you see that you also have a humane side.”
Sister Kamu was startled by those words and raised her head. She seemed very embarrassed. She held up her hand and denied it.
“Well, well, it’s not like that…” So, what I mean is… ….”
I eventually couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing. I spoke to Gamwoo, who was feeling restless.
“That could be possible, well. Sister Kamwoo is a human being. A human being with beliefs. So he can hate someone, he can hate someone. “If you just keep it in, you have a problem.”
“This is a human…… ?”
Gamwoo seemed to have a strange fascination with the word ‘human’ again. I nodded, wondering if there was any reason.
“Yes, all people are like that. How can we see everything as equal? “That’s something only gods and noble men can do.”
Gamwoo looked blank for a moment at my words. Then she looked away for a moment, tried to say something, and finally sighed.
She leaned her upper body against her dining table. She was lying face down, looking very relaxed for someone like Kamwoo.
“It’s strange… Why do I keep saying all these things in front of Siwoo’s younger brother? I usually never do this…….”
“Isn’t that how close it is? “Good is good.”
Sister Gamwoo gave me a somewhat puzzled look at my casual answer, but then her smile faded.
As if she had no choice, she raised her upper body again and opened her mouth.
“…… Siwoo’s younger brother.”
I sipped my drink without saying anything. I meant to say it. Sister Kamwoo’s mysterious purple eyes were looking at me. It was something I always felt, but Sister Kamu was truly beautiful. Not only on the outside, but also on the inside.
“Can I give you one piece of advice?”
“Of course.”
At the answer without any hesitation, Sister Gamwoo burst into laughter. And he continued speaking in a soft voice.
“Little brother Siu, please respect Liyue’s history and traditions.”
It was an unexpected statement. No, maybe it was just an extension of the conversation we had just before. Since Gamwoo’s demeanor was quite serious when she said that, I also adjusted my posture and sat down.
“The traditions that Liyue has built up over thousands of years cannot be ignored. So, if Brother Siu does business in Liyue, I hope he will keep this in mind.”
Then, Sister Gamwoo placed her hand on his chest. It was sincere advice without any hint of selfishness.
“…… Otherwise, you will turn all of Liyue into enemies. “I don’t want Siwoo’s younger brother to experience something like that.”
It was advice filled with a hint of concern. She seemed worried that I might follow the path of each office. Of course, the chances of me doing that were small. First of all, I was holding a high-ranking foreign position as financial advisor to the Knights of Pebonius. No matter how much I look like a Liyue person, my roots are as a foreigner. I don’t know what each office is thinking when they keep making recommendations to me, but I don’t know.
At least for now, I had no intention of getting involved in such a complicated situation. So, I decided to gladly accept Sister Kamu’s pure heart. I smiled and said.
“…… “I will listen carefully.”
A few more drinks were exchanged that night. Kamwoo’s older sister, who was intoxicated by alcohol, showed even richer reactions and was very cute. If it were me in the past, I might have just confessed it. Of course it would have been a car. I was fortunate to have grown enough to not create dark history.
**
The work in Liyue was roughly being completed. Although there was a warehouse issue, I decided to look into it a little more later since I could use my ‘backpack’ function for now. Until the branch was officially established, the temporary warehouse for regular commercial traffic currently in operation would be sufficient.
Of course, no matter how much the ‘backpack’ function was, I couldn’t feel safe. In the end, the ‘backpack’ function was of no help without me. I couldn’t act as a warehouse all day long, and not having a warehouse also affected the creditworthiness of the transaction.
It wasn’t strange that he was kicked out after being scolded for saying that he was talking nonsense, saying that he had goods even though he didn’t have a warehouse. To me, there is something mysterious called a ‘backpack’, and I have signed contracts in Liyue several times in the past, but there were limits to moving on to temporary measures. Unless the origin of the ‘backpack’ function could be clearly identified, ultimately, a warehouse had to be found.
But there was nothing that could be done right now. All that’s left is to finish the chores, return to Mond, and begin advancing into Liyue in earnest. Since there was not much time left until the Cheongsin Ceremony, it would not be long before I returned to Liyue.
Now the only thing left in my mind was what to buy on the way back. I was thinking of giving at least a small gift to Lumine, Paimon, and Mona. Should I leave a gift to Daun Winery, which I am always indebted to? Now that I think about it, my thoughts also reached out to the item that Mr. Dairuk asked for last time.
‘Frost Flower’ was an item that I could not understand why Down Winery needed such a quantity. I’m just trying to develop a new product. It wasn’t my place to interfere. However, since this was conveyed in secret by Mr. Dairuk, I decided to keep quiet about it.
It was around this time that I was sorting out some of the remaining matters in Liyue.
“Well, my servant…” … ?”
I turned my attention to the voice calling me cautiously. There was a cute and pretty girl with golden hair and emerald eyes. She was hesitating as if she had something to say, and a crow was hovering behind her.
It was Fissle and Oz. Oz also had a nervous look in his eyes. It was around this time that I was looking at Fissul blankly, wondering what he was trying to say.
“Oh, the promise to grant your ‘wish’ is still valid, right?”
Oh, that’s right. Only then did I realize why Fissle was hesitant. “What a great favor to ask,” I answered with a smile.
“Then, of course. “Is there something you wish for?”
“Well, then… ….”
Fissle closed her eyes tightly, as if she had made up her mind. And she said.
“Well, so…” Until dusk falls and dawn rises tomorrow, won’t you observe the fateful hour with the princess?!”
What do you mean? It’s been a while since I heard Piseul, so it seemed like it took a little time to interpret. In the end, my eyes naturally turned to Oz. Oz immediately lived up to my expectations.
“The lady said, ‘Would you like to spend the night alone tomorrow?'”
Hmm, I see. And then my eyes turned to Fissle. Fissle was lowering her head with her face bright red. There was an optical illusion of steam rising from her head.
I closed my eyes for a moment and seemed to think about it, but then I had no choice but to ask.
“…… I’m serious?”
With just a few days left before I had to return to Mond, an unexpected crisis was approaching me.