Garden Colony #2

 

Long-sleeved shirt

—Armor items

—Durability 8/10

-Increases physical defense when equipped

—A sky blue shirt perfect for spring and fall. It’s a versatile design that suits anyone, regardless of age or gender.

—Additional options: “Resize”

“shorts

—Armor items

—Durability 7/11

-Increases physical defense when equipped

—Shorts for healthy children who play outside. Of course, they can also be worn by smaller adults.

—Additional options: “Resize”

“Sturdy boots

—Armor items

—Durability 19(+12)/21(+12)

-Increases physical defense when equipped

—High-quality leather boots that provide complete foot protection.

—Additional options: “Enhanced durability” and “Adjust size”

—Endurance Enhancement: Increases durability by 12.

I hid in an alleyway out of sight of people and changed my clothes.

Oh—

I feel like my dignity as a human being has been restored.

Until now, I’ve been hiding my bare skin under my cloak like a Burberry girl.

Now I’m no longer an exhibitionist pervert.

I looked at myself in the broken mirror leaning against the wall.

‘oh?’

This is quite⋯

I tilt my head, change my posture, and check again.

‘You’re cute.’

They say clothes make the man.

His expression brightened up, unlike when he was wearing only rags.

The overall look is sporty. The combination of shorts and boots, in particular, evokes a lively, energetic vibe.

‘I remember that in big cities, they definitely sold a lot of female character clothes.’

I’ve never been interested in decorating female characters before.

Unless you are forced to develop a character like a jungle warrior or saint, the character’s gender is set to male from the beginning.

But then again, looking at it this way, maybe there’s some unexpected joy in raising female characters?

I was so captivated by my newly blossoming appearance.

What are you doing now?

Suddenly, a feeling of vertigo came over me.

Cute-is-shit.

This is not it.

Let’s say I was possessed by Estelle. It wasn’t my will.

But enjoying this situation is something else.

I’m scared that my fundamental identity will change.

I turned away from my reflection in the mirror and hurried my steps.

⋯I tried to urge you.

⋯

⋯

Just one last thing before that.

I returned to the mirror, stepping back like Michael Jackson.

Lift the ends of your cloak with both hands and slightly lift one foot back.

I looked around in that state.

“⋯.”

A variety of complex emotions that are difficult to express in words are boiling inside me.

My face in the mirror was bright red.

I pulled my hood up and quickly left the place.

***

I went to see two merchant NPCs I knew, but the timing wasn’t good.

The NPC in charge of leveling up the magic stone and the NPC in charge of handling the magic book were both absent at the time.

This is the problem for the merchants of the Garden Colony.

I only do business when I feel like it.

‘Surely he didn’t go somewhere and die?’

I had that thought for a moment.

‘If I wait, it will crawl out on its own.’

It wasn’t an urgent matter that required every second, so I decided not to be too anxious.

I changed my plans and moved on to the next business.

“Garden Adventurer’s Shelter”.

This is a rest area run by the empire.

Inside, several large square tents are set up, and haggard adventurers stagger around like zombies.

Judging by the atmosphere, it looks more like a refugee camp than an adventurer’s shelter…

The attractive feature is that you can get accommodation at a low cost.

For someone like me who doesn’t have much money, this place is like a drop of rain in a drought.

“500 gold per day. Includes one meal, prepaid.”

After checking in, I walked around the shelter and looked at the tents.

The inside of the tent, which could accommodate about ten people, was dark and damp.

—Big, big⋯.

Among them, there was a tent where loud snoring could be heard.

—Cococo⋯

—Ker, ker⋯

—Nose- Ker⋯ Nose- Ker⋯

As I listened, I heard someone else’s snoring join in, creating a harmony.

They’re causing trouble.

I absolutely must avoid this tent…

I looked for another tent that seemed okay, but I guess I can’t avoid the unpleasant smell of sweat no matter where I go.

‘In the game, you just enter the tent and the screen goes dark for a moment, then it’s the next morning.’

But now there’s no such thing as skipping. This is a realistic hardship when entering the game world.

Well, if I can sleep for a night and avoid the wind and rain for a little money, I guess I should put up with this arrangement.

And now I realize it, but it’s been a while since I’ve washed up.

After looking around the tents, I headed to the cafeteria.

In fact, the cafeteria was the main reason I stopped by the shelter.

There are several ways to develop your character in the Garden Colony,

My most preferred and efficient route is to start by receiving a quest from the shelter.

As I opened the tent door and stepped inside, hot air blasted into my face.

“Please, could you give me just a little more—just one ladleful?”

“What are you talking about, you little brat? You ate everything I gave you!”

As soon as I entered, a loud noise greeted me.

Inside, a large chef is jumping around with a ladle in his hand.

The dirty apron wrapped around his body looked too small compared to his sturdy body.

It was as if a handkerchief was stuck to my stomach.

‘It’s that guy.’

Gordon, the chef in charge of the cafeteria at the Adventurer’s Shelter.

His nickname is ‘Gordon the Swearer’.

I took the soup in a dented tin bowl and returned to my seat.

The name is ‘Shelter Special Nutrition Soup’, but for Koreans, there is a name that comes to mind as soon as they see it.

‘This is a honey porridge.’

What on earth are the ingredients in this?

I squinted my eyes and looked carefully, but…

All I could tell was that it was overcooked, mushy, and had lost its shape.

I took a spoonful and tasted it.

The quest “The Cafeteria’s Dishonesty” begins with the player complaining about the poor taste of this food.

The story is that Gordon and the player end up having a cooking competition…

‘huh?’

I frowned.

Another spoonful.

‘Not bad.’

This soup was tastier than I expected.

It’s weird. I said it wasn’t that great in the game.

‘Is it because I’m hungry?’

There was even a saying that the market was the best side dish.

A bowl of hot, savory porridge to fill your hungry stomach after working hard outside. It’s surprisingly good.

When I came to my senses, I realized that I had already emptied the bowl a long time ago.

‘Oh shit.’

I should have complained that it was tasteless, but I ended up scraping it clean and emptying it all out.

My face is reflected in the bottom of the bowl.

Why did you make it taste so delicious? Gordon, you weren’t like that before.

I was in a strange mood, feeling angry after eating well.

“Say it again.”

Gordon’s cool voice was heard.

“What came out of the soup?”

Gordon was glaring at a girl with a murderous look in his eyes.

“Th,th-it looks like a cigarette butt⋯.”

“Cigarettes? Daambae?”

The girl, whose hair reached her shoulders, was struggling, unable to even look Gordon in the eye.

“But maybe not—I could have seen it wrong, but just in case—please check it out⋯”

“There’s a cigarette butt in my soup!”

Eek— The girl shrugged her shoulders.

It’s pitiful to see him trembling like a frightened squirrel.

“Oh, no. I’m, I’m sorry!”

That’s good.

I was wondering how to start the quest, but luckily, an opportunity came up.

I got up from my seat and threw the bowl of soup on the floor.

Ring ring ring—

A bowl rolling on the floor stops between Gordon and the girl.

All eyes in the cafeteria turned to me.

“No, it’s not. It’s some crappy dish.”

In this atmosphere, no one will notice that I’ve been tidying up my plate, contrary to what I said.

“What are you again?”

Gordon glares at me.

“Sorry to interrupt, but he’s right. You’re a trash cook who makes terrible food.”

“Uh- I didn’t say anything that harsh⋯.”

“You stay still.”

An atmosphere of impending danger hung in the cafeteria, as if it were about to explode at any moment.

“These guys… what do they know? They’re poor people, so they’ll just eat whatever’s given to them. What’s the cooking like? Is it bad?”

“But it’s true.”

There is no need to be polite.

Anyway, I came here to cause trouble from the beginning.

A thick vein twitched across Gordon’s forehead.

“Why would you? All the money the empire gave you went straight down your asshole, so how much worse must it be? Even if you were to put it in a pot, there’d be a single bean left over.”

For a moment, Gordon’s pupils dilate greatly.

Embezzlement of operating expenses.

It must be a fatal weakness that you want to hide no matter what.

“Kid. You’d better not talk nonsense with your mouth open.”

Unlike before, Gordon’s voice was much lower.

This means that for him, too, this commotion can no longer be passed over lightly.

“Okay, let’s check the ledger.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Why should I do as you say?”

“Why, you seem to have a lot of things to hide? If you’re honest, why don’t you just show me the ledger?”

“Because this kid is going to show me.”

Actually, Gordon is right.

My claim has no evidence yet. Gordon will just ignore my provocations and hold out until the very end.

So, give him a sweet bait.

“You’re making such crappy food. Even if I make it myself, it’ll be better than this.”

A mouth-watering piece of bait that you can’t help but bite into.

Okay, what are you doing?

Even a cook working in a junk food restaurant would have some pride.

Can you stand it?

“Kid, are you sure you won’t go back on what you just said?”

The corners of Gordon’s mouth went up.

Snap—

You got caught.

***

This is how the “Cafeteria’s Injustice” quest began in earnest.

The content is simple.

Each person prepares dinner and the one who makes the tastiest dish wins.

After the adventurers taste the dishes, they vote for their favorite, and whoever gets the most votes ultimately wins.

If I win, I can investigate Gordon’s ledgers and all the other irregularities I want.

What if I lose?

Then it’s fucked up.

Gordon, a cantankerous man, is determined to make the bratty brat pay.

I will work as an unpaid slave for 10 years.

In addition, you must wear a sign around your neck labeling you a liar and walk around the village naked for a hundred times.

“Excuse me, is that okay?”

The girl looked at me with a worried expression.

Somehow, this guy and I ended up being in the same boat and ended up participating in this match together.

“You don’t have to do this because of me-”

I didn’t do it specifically because of you.

“Don’t worry about it. I did it because I wanted to. But instead, help me prepare the ingredients.”

“Oh, yes!”

The girl ran and dragged a sack of clothes.

Looking at the ingredients in the bag, a bitter smile comes to my face.

“It’s too much⋯.”

The girl had a sad look on her face.

Potatoes, carrots, and onions just before they go bad. A few pieces of leftover meat.

The condition of the ingredients Gordon provided was the worst.

“You want me to compete with these materials? It’s unfair! I’m sure I’ll lose.”

Is that really true?

That’s not the case either.

Clearly, Gordon had a fatal flaw.

He must have monopolized the fresh ingredients.

However, if your “Cooking” skill is high, you can defeat Gordon fairly even with poor ingredients.

With these ingredients, it’s possible to make a royal cuisine meal that will make Gordon’s mouth drop open.

How can you make such a grand dish with just potatoes and carrots?

I don’t know either.

The max level “Cooking” skill is like alchemy. Anyway, it works in the game.

“What is your name?”

“Me, me? It’s Flora.”

“Flora, take this first.”

Flora was given gloves and a kitchen knife.

“Now, let’s prepare the ingredients. Peel and wash everything, slice it, and put it here. Can you do it?”

“Okay, I’m not very good at it, but I’ll try my best. Just leave it to me!”

Flora’s help wasn’t originally included in the plan, but I guess I shouldn’t refuse her offer.

After leaving the material preparation to Flora.

I went into the warehouse.

‘That’s what I said, but Gordon’s porridge was edible.’

If you were able to achieve that level of flavor with poor ingredients, it’s likely because the “Cooking” skill was adjusted.

On the other hand, I haven’t learned the “cooking” skill yet.

If you play honestly without any trump card, you will definitely lose.

‘Of course, I have absolutely no intention of fighting like that.’

Why would you volunteer for a fight without any basis for trust?

There is a hidden strategy for the “Cafeteria’s Dishonesty” quest that allows you to win even without the “Cooking” skill.

That’s understandable, since a player who just started out in the western Garden frontier wouldn’t be training their “Cooking” skill to death.

Why would you start over from scratch? This isn’t a game about raising a wandering chef, so who would?

Potatoes, carrots, onions⋯

The hints are already given from the materials.

While rummaging through the warehouse.

‘Found it.’

In a box covered in dust under a shelf, I finally found what I was looking for.

Gordon probably had no idea that such materials were hidden in the warehouse.

Curry powder

—Food ingredient items

“A powder made by mixing foreign spices with additives and lard, then drying them into a solid form. Its bright yellow color is beautiful.”

Cheat code found.

Got left behind.