episode_0002

Today, too, the dungeon!

Today, just like any other day, in the heart of the dungeon!

In such a chaotic place, I was diligently preparing to cook.

I placed a large backpack heavily on the floor with a thud!

Just in case, in the direction where the battle was happening.

This bag is a special backpack bestowed with Demon Lord Alice’s defense magic, so it can even be used as a makeshift barricade.

It’s like my lifeline, you could say.

“Okay, where did I put the cooking tools~”

I rummaged through the backpack, searching for what I needed.

“Ah, I shoved them all the way at the bottom.”

Then… I have to take everything out again.

Well, what of it. Let’s think about that when it’s time to tidy up again.

Today’s cooking menu is~

“Dragon Tail Steak!”

Honestly, I don’t know why I ended up here.

We came to this dungeon because Alice said, “I want to try eating a dragon!”

But isn’t the image of a dragon generally not for eating?

In a typical fantasy world, it’s common sense to only take materials like horns or wings after catching a dragon, right?

There’s even Siegfried, who became immortal by being drenched in a dragon’s blood.

Anyway, I’ve never really thought about eating one before.

Perhaps because the people I’ve met since coming to this world are the strongest in the world, my sense of values feels twisted.

But what can I do. Our eccentric party members want to eat it, so I have to make it for them.

“How long do you think it will take, Lilien?”

“Hmm~ 5 to 10 minutes? The hide is tougher than I thought~”

Lilien said nonchalantly while swinging her sword.

With a wave of her hand, the knight, multiple swords were projected in the air.

“Swordfall.”

With a short incantation, sky-blue swords flew towards the dragon, slicing through its hide and digging between its scales.

“Lilien, 5 minutes is too short. I would suggest about 7 minutes.”

A cool voice came from beside me.

Arte.

She assisted Lilien and swung her mechanical whip long.

The whip glowed, firmly binding the dragon’s leg.

“Securing complete. Will provide additional suppression.”

Simultaneously, a dimensional gate appeared behind her back, and she deployed a large machine gun onto her arm.

Drrrrrrrrrr!!

Mana bullets poured towards the dragon with a cold mechanical sound.

“It’s holding up better than expected. Truly befitting a top-tier monster.”

“Then let’s hit it harder.”

Lilien waved her hand again.

Instantly, more swords were generated in the air.

Several—no, dozens of swords.

“Bang.”

The swords drew sparkling trajectories and rained down on the dragon’s wings.

As Lilien’s attacks continued to barrage, the dragon finally roared in pain.

“Kuaaaaaaak!!”

Suddenly, the dragon opened its mouth wide, and flames flickered inside.

The dragon’s intense Flame Breath.

“Lilien, back.”

Arte reacted instantly.

She spread both hands, deploying an energy field.

A translucent blue light barrier unfolded in an instant.

Kwagwagwagwagwang—!!!

The intense flames struck the barrier.

A tremendous explosion echoed through the dungeon.

However, the barrier wasn’t easily broken through.

“Defense rate maintained at 87%… but it’s hot.”

But—

“Huh?”

A part of the breath grazed the barrier and shot towards my direction.

I tilted my head slightly and looked at the flying flames.

Why aren’t I running away, you ask?

“Hoo—”

The sound of breathing out.

And, in an instant, a huge wall of water soared up.

Flames and water collided violently, and a tremendous amount of steam rose from that spot.

“Got it~”

Turning back, I saw Alice nonchalantly lowering her finger.

“Thanks, Alice~ Oh right.”

“Lilien! Arte! Don’t make cuts on the tail side! You don’t want to eat a steak with bullets or swords stuck in it either!”

Okay. I’ve passed on the points to watch out for, so there shouldn’t be any problems.

I started moving my hands again.

I said it last time too, but I’m used to it now.

Whether a dragon flies at me or breathes fire, I do what I need to do.

Because my job is a porter slash chef.

So what’s important now is—

“What should the side menu be~”

Today’s main dish is Dragon Tail Steak.

Then what side dishes would go well with it?

Calmly, I checked the ingredients in the backpack again.

In front, the Knight and the Automaton were battling the dragon, but I, the chef here, remained unfazed today too.

First, since there are potatoes, Mashed Potatoes. Should I add mushrooms too?

No. Maybe it’s better to put the mushrooms in Mushroom Soup.

“Oh right. Alice? Should I leave out the garlic for yours?”

“Ugh… I hate that it’s spicy! And my mouth smells when I eat it! Argh, it’s flying at me again. Ice Wall!”

As a Korean, I can’t understand this, but…

I must respect the Demon Lord’s eating habits.

Let’s leave out the garlic and add asparagus.

Since the side dish is decided, shall I light the fire right away?

“Alice, since you’re here, could I ask you for a favor?”

“Hehe, you mean the flames? Leave it to me~ How strong should the fire be?”

“Since it’s a dragon, I think it’ll be really thick. Give it some strong heat.”

“Understood~ Gehenna.”

Instantly, a red magic circle unfolded from Alice’s fingertips.

As she lightly waved her hand—

Kwaaaaaaaaaang!!!

A pillar of crimson flames soared from the dungeon floor.

It was truly the flames of hell.

The heat was so strong that the dungeon ceiling turned red-hot.

Rocks on the walls were vaporized by the intense heat, and the air instantly became scorching hot.

“You made it too strong, Alice~”

“Uh… sorry.”

Alice scratched her head and slightly avoided my gaze.

Then, she glanced at me cautiously and smiled faintly.

“But still, this should be enough to cook the dragon, right?”

“That’s true, but.”

I patted Alice’s head, who was chuckling for no reason. She’s too passionate~

“Ehehehe…”

“Okay, now I need to cook the sides too.”

I quickly moved my hands.

The heat is already sufficient. It’s efficient to prepare the side dishes simultaneously.

I took out the boiled potatoes from the backpack.

While mashing them gently, I simultaneously added butter and cream.

The texture spread smoothly as soon as I put the spoon in.

And mixing it~

“Ta-da. Simply finished Mashed Potatoes. Next is the soup.”

“Just die already! You’re persistent!”

With Lilien’s shout as background music, I put the mushrooms that had been soaking in water into a small pot and boiled them.

Add a bit of herbs and salt here, and cream, voila.

Soft and smooth soup complete!

“The last one is grilled asparagus and whole garlic.”

Alice said she hates garlic, so let’s exclude it from her plate.

I melted butter in a pan, placed the whole garlic and asparagus, and grilled them until golden brown over a low heat.

The distinct aroma of garlic rose, and a delicious savory smell that whetted the appetite spread.

“Alice, no garlic, right?”

“Ugh, yeah! I’ll check!”

She inspected my plate with a serious face.

“Okay, pass! Thanks, Yuan!”

I let out a light sigh and tidied up the dishes.

Now just finishing the steak and we’re done.

“Yuan! I brought the meat~ Hmph hmph~”

Perfect timing~

Lilien proudly walked over, carrying an enormous piece of tail draped over one shoulder.

Behind her, the heart of the dungeon was thick with flames and dust,

And the silhouette of a dragon giving up the fight and running away was visible.

“It’s a pity. As soon as we cut off the tail, it immediately fled. Just like its lizard relatives, it resembles them in this aspect too.”

Arte mumbled regretfully, but since we secured the target tail, it’s OK.

“But we got the target tail, so that’s fine. Hand it over quickly.”

The tail Lilien handed over was incredibly massive just at the cross-section.

Why is it so big and heavy. Even though I’m not weak, it’s a bit of a heavy burden.

“Ugh. Will it even fit in the pan?”

It’s not a size I can just grill whole.

But the worry was brief.

Lilien lightly raised her hand.

—Projection.

Glowing swords were projected in the air, and instantly, they sliced the cross-section of the tail.

“Now it’s divided into just the right size, isn’t it? Meat! Meat! Quickly! Quickly!”

Perhaps it’s reaching its limit after using her strength.

“I’ll cook it quickly!”

I stabilized the huge pan on the dungeon floor.

It was already sufficiently heated thanks to the flames Alice summoned.

I moved my hands and sprinkled herb salt and pepper evenly over the meat.

“Okay, cook—!”

Chwaaaaaaaaaaak!!!

As soon as I placed the meat in the pan, a tremendous sizzling sound filled the pan with rich juices and oil.

“Thank goodness. With this much heat, it should cook properly, right?”

Filled with expectation and excitement, I skillfully flipped the meat.

As the surface became crispy, a subtle smoky aroma spread.

“Wow, the smell is killer~!”

Alice, licking her lips, sent me expectant eyes from beside me.

“Just a little more… just 5 minutes! I think it’ll be good if I cook it to medium!”

Hoping that our Knight and Demon Lord wouldn’t go berserk, I cooked the meat with a sizzle.

“Meat complete! Please enjoy!”

I confidently placed the Dragon Tail Steak onto a large plate.

The surface of the meat was grilled until golden brown and crispy, and the inside was a perfect medium-rare, holding juicy richness.

I served it with grilled asparagus, stir-fried whole garlic, and smoothly mashed potatoes.

The Mushroom Soup was also ready, warm with a suitable consistency.

“Woahhhh~!!!”

Alice’s eyes sparkled brightly as she rushed forward first.

“It doesn’t have garlic, right?”

She confirmed for sure until the end, then lifted her fork and put a piece of steak into her mouth.

Nyaam—

“…!!”

For a moment, her eyes widened.

“Uwaaa!! It’s delicioussss!!”

Pang—!

For a moment, I felt the surrounding magic power fluctuate.

The Demon Lord’s mana surging when she’s moved by delicious food, I’m used to it now.

“Hehe, as expected, Yuan’s cooking is reliable and worth eating.”

Lilien also elegantly lifted her fork and took a bite.

The rich juices that spread with each chew,

The herbs and butter that were seasoned just right, adding a savory depth.

She made a satisfied expression, then soon wore a pleasant smile and gave me a thumbs-up.

“Approved.”

“Thank you, Knight~ Arte, you try some too.”

“Then, I shall sample it.”

Arte calmly lifted her fork and quietly took a bite.

Hmm…

Her face was expressionless, but the corners of her mouth were subtly turned upwards.

“It’s good. Yuan’s cooking never fails to exceed expectations.”

“Hehe, I’m glad you’re enjoying it~”

Today too, I safely finished a meal in the dungeon!

[Eyecatch!]

Today’s Dish: Dragon Tail Steak

The ultimate steak completed beyond flames!

A special dish grilling the tough tail of a legendary dragon with the highest heat.

Characterized by its elastic texture, rich juices, and deep savory flavor spreading in the mouth.

A taste so fresh that a long aging process isn’t necessary.

However, as the meat has well-developed muscle fibers, proper rare cooking is essential!

P.S. Only challenge this if your party can catch a dragon.