Chapter 4: Koreans Run on Rice (3)

Do you know which of the five human senses is most closely tied to memory?

It’s the sense of smell.

There’s no particularly deep reason behind it—

Simply put, the olfactory system is the most directly connected to the brain.

That’s why memories triggered by smell tend to linger far longer than those from sight or sound.

In fact, smell is also tightly interlinked with taste.

And that can only mean one thing:

No matter how many lifetimes Uriel had lived— three and counting— her Korean roots remained unchanged.

She began by frying green onions and garlic in oil, then added kimchi.

If there was any kind of meat available, it could be tossed in too. 

Once the fat had rendered enough, she would splash in a seasoning like soy sauce and stir-fry the kimchi thoroughly.

The truth was, in kimchi fried rice, the kimchi itself was the most important ingredient.

In that sense, using a “branded kimchi” with consistent flavor and minimal controversy was a winning move.

Though she was missing some seaweed flakes, a fried egg on top made this kimchi fried rice a certified Korean soul food.

And so—

With her senses sharpened by mana, the returning Uriel’s nose picked up the scent of that perfect kimchi fried rice.

And it shattered her resolve to remain silent and simply enjoy her break.

“What’s that?”

“This?”

“Yeah.”

“Kimchi fried rice.”

“W-Where did you get that?”

“Whoa, you scared me!”

Tailo gave off a startled vibe, clearly spooked by the woman who had suddenly approached him.

Normally, he might’ve offered an apology, but his attention was entirely consumed by something far more important, seeing kimchi fried rice for the first time since being reincarnated into this world.

“Speak slowly.”

“…?”

Uriel was the one caught off guard by his bold tone.

This was a man she had never met, responding to her in a way she had never experienced.

She had arrived at the academy bearing the title of Hero.

In other words, no one at the academy should have known who she was.

Her appearance, her name— those were no secrets.

“I said, speak slowly.”

“…Where did you get that?”

“Like I said, I made it myself.”

“How?”

“Trade secret.”

Once again, Uriel was left speechless by such a ridiculous excuse.

She looked down at the man seated on the bench.

Usually, when she stared at men like this, most would shrink back in fear— it was practically cliché.

Wasn’t that only natural?

They were in a confined space, not quite cramped but still limited.

Only a select few had access here, and even fewer came by, with Uriel herself being one of the rarest.

Was he… not scared?

Setting aside their jobs as priest and saint, he was a man and she was a woman.

Even if he tried to resist, he wouldn’t stand a chance if she chose to overpower him physically.

Not that Uriel would ever do such a thing, of course.

And so, she decided to take a different approach.

“I know that dish too.”

“You’re from the East?”

“The East…”

Uriel trailed off.

The “East,” sure but more specifically, she was from South Korea.

She wasn’t even originally from this world.

She had never once mentioned this to anyone before.

Maybe that’s why…

Her curiosity toward this man only deepened.

“Yeah. I’m from the East. You too?”

“I… My dad’s from there, I think. I’m mixed.”

‘I think’?

That vague reply suggested even he wasn’t entirely sure of his roots.

Uriel hesitated to probe further— it felt too much like an interrogation.

“My dad taught me the recipe. I don’t even remember his face anymore.”

“……”

“Have you eaten yet?”

[Have you eaten?]

It was the same question the Saint had asked her before.

Yet somehow, coming from this priest who had no divine backing, but held a simple plate of kimchi fried rice it felt far more sincere and charming than when it had come from the beautiful, high-ranking Saint.

“Ah… no, not yet.”

“Then want to share?”

Click.

With a touch to one side of his lunchbox, a hidden compartment popped open.

Another portion of kimchi fried rice was revealed.

“I’ll let you have it. Just this once.”

“Uh… thanks.”

Tailo handed her a set of utensils.

Uriel accepted them as if in a trance, her expression turning serious.

A lunchbox with two servings by default?

And he even carries an extra set of utensils?

Even though this was Uriel’s fourth regression, she had already memorized all the key figures at the academy.

Which is exactly why she found Tailo even more suspicious.

Noticing her skeptical gaze, Tailo spoke in a slightly annoyed tone.

“If you’re going to doubt me, then don’t eat.”

“N-No, it’s not that.”

“Anyone would think I poisoned it or something.”

“I’m eating it, okay?”

I’m not giving this up.

Uriel clung to her lunchbox.

She still didn’t have any answers, but she chose to focus on the kimchi fried rice instead.

That meal was far too precious to waste on speculation.

“Itadakimasu,” Tailo finally said, though he still hadn’t taken his first bite thanks to a certain someone.

Hearing those familiar Korean table manners for the first time in a long while, Uriel’s eyes wavered slightly.

She swallowed hard and stared at the steaming kimchi fried rice as though it were enchanted.

“Itadakimasu,” she echoed.

“Enjoy,” Tailo replied.

Uriel glanced at him and there he was, shoveling a big mouthful of kimchi fried rice into his mouth.

Cute.

The moment that thought crossed her mind, she quickly looked away and scooped up a large spoonful for herself, almost in panic.

A neatly cut slice of fried egg sat perfectly atop the rice.

She couldn’t hold back anymore.

The spoon went straight into her mouth.

The rice was perfectly fluffy, the nostalgic scent of kimchi hitting her first.

Then came the rich taste of sesame oil, the savory fat of the meat, all harmonizing with the tangy sourness of the kimchi filling her mouth with joy.

How long had it been?

Had she ever had Korean food here at all?

Until now, Uriel had lived without giving food much thought.

It wasn’t like she had any other hobbies either.

There was no real joy in her life, only the desperate struggle to survive.

Part of it was due to bias and past experience.

Was there anyone at the academy who even had kimchi?

Did anyone even know what bulgogi was?

Other Korean dishes? 

Not a chance.

Everything was just Western-style breakfasts and meals.

Uriel didn’t cry.

Her emotions were too worn down to let something like this bring her to tears.

But her gaze never left the kimchi fried rice.

She simply chewed— slowly, deliberately and brought another spoonful to her mouth again and again.

She wouldn’t realize it now, but she’d come to understand it later.

That Tailo had shown her his own kind of consideration.

Saying nothing as they ate, quietly staring out into the garden—

That, too, was his way of caring.

Just for her.

***

“Thank you for the meal.”

“Thanks for the meal!”

“Where are you going?”

“…The second test?”

Click.

Tailo, having cleaned up the lunchbox, took off for a run.

If it came down to physical ability, Uriel could easily catch up in a second but what intrigued her was how he hadn’t asked a single question about her, even while they ate.

He was a mysterious man.

That was the only impression Uriel had.

She stood up, watching his figure grow smaller in the distance.

There was no other reason.

Or at least, she told herself there wasn’t.

The faint stirrings in her heart felt too unfamiliar.

A regressor knows many things.

Someone who has repeated the same time period three times starts with more knowledge and composure than those facing it all for the first time.

And that’s exactly what made it all the more unsettling.

She felt a deep fear toward anything outside her understanding—

Even if that ‘thing’ was her own emotions.

“His name.”

Yes.

She was following him because she didn’t know his name.

Not because she wanted to get close to a man or anything like that.

Wasn’t it simply shameful to not even know the name of the person who had treated you to a meal?

Just basic manners. 

Nothing more, nothing less.

That was the resolution Uriel clung to.

How long had she wandered?

The Mana Garden had so many entry points, it was structured so that one would always exit through the path they entered.

Which meant she had to check each entrance one by one.

A tedious search.

Surely that man wouldn’t stay put either, but she knew there was still some time left before the second exam.

However—

The fluttering of wings from what seemed like a mere background character…

Was already stirring the winds.

[In a short while, there will be a sparring match between Priest Tailo and Saint Rodin.]

The voice spread across the grounds via amplifying magic.

It was unmistakably the examiner’s.

And she knew exactly where it would be held.

This was her third time taking the entrance exam.

She had hidden her strength before, and also revealed it all before.

But except for the first round, she had never once shown interest in someone else’s test.

“Wow… so pretty.”

“The Saint…”

“So benevolent…”

The way people looked was strange.

At least, Uriel thought so.

Sure, a person’s background could make their appearance seem different.

Still, whether it was just flattery or not,

Everyone’s mouths were full of praise for the Saint’s looks.

But why?

To Uriel, that Saint— who wore a mask of virtue— seemed repulsive.

In contrast, the man who expressed his feelings honestly…

It looked cuter and more beautiful.

She meant, only in terms of appearance, of course.

Uriel blended into the crowd, gazing at the wide sparring arena.

And then—

A growing unease began creeping up inside her.

A priest against a Saint?

Wasn’t that too large a gap?

In an entrance exam, of all things—

A place that was supposed to be fair—

Something utterly wrong was about to unfold.