episode_0023

A dungeon like any other.

The heart of a dungeon like any other.

But today, more than any other day, is an exciting one!

My steps were lighter than usual, and my expression was also excited.

There’s only one reason.

“Cockatrice~Chicken God~Half and half fried~”

I’m so serious about today’s dish that a rhythm automatically hums from my mouth.

The three who were watching me from behind each poured out their reactions.

“Yuan is coming with great excitement, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, it makes me want to bother him for no reason?”

“Is it the instinct of a demon? I, on the other hand, would like to be bothered.”

It seems they’re talking about me, but I pretended not to hear.

Especially since Arte seemed to say something strange, but anyway!

Because nothing can block my path forward.

Why, you ask?

Because today is the day I realize the great dish called ‘chicken’ in this world!

In my backpack are frying oil, breadcrumbs, cooking utensils, and even a pot I carefully bought with real money.

I came fully charged, even with a cook’s resolve.

Of course, that’s because this is somewhat my long-cherished project.

One of the most shocking points after reincarnating in this world.

“There’s no chicken? Don’t lie! Rather, it would be more believable that some art student with a mustache was resurrected!”

Roast chicken? It exists.

Chicken skewers? They somewhat have the form.

But chicken fried deliciously with breadcrumbs.

That great dish with moist meat hidden beneath a crispy skin.

That didn’t exist. Does this even make sense!

That’s why I strongly insisted we make the legendary monster ‘Cockatrice’ our target this time.

The form of a chicken, sharp claws, a dangerous existence that turns you into stone if you meet its eyes.

But if you fry it, isn’t it just valuable Grade 1 chicken?

“Eheheh~Tonight’s dinner is chicken!”

The moment I ran forward shouting daringly, a gentle hand was placed on my shoulder.

“Now now, I know you’re excited… but this is the heart of the dungeon. Calm down just a little, Yuan.”

It’s Miss Lilien.

As always, she has a calm and neat smile.

It also means she’s not hungry yet.

“But… it’s chicken! If you just take one bite, you’ll understand too, won’t you?”

When I retorted, pouting my lips, Lilien smiled slightly and nodded her head.

“A dish of chicken fried with breadcrumbs… The name itself sounds upscale. It must be a delicacy.”

“That’s right! Yuan said it was a dish from where he originally lived!”

Alice also chimed in from the side, her eyes sparkling.

“You’re heavy, can you get down, Alice. How did you jump up onto my bag.”

“I came with a spatial leap~ And saying I’m heavy! That’s rude to a lady, Yuan!”

“Lady (1xx years old). Aha, that means you’re aged, right?”

“Hey. Shall I let you age in sealing magic too?”

Oops, this chill I feel above my head…

Freezing magic that could turn me into a frozen human was about to unfold, so I immediately apologized.

“Anyway, there was even a national rule combination called chimaek (chicken and beer). If you pound beer with a crispy piece of chicken… Kya, this is ecstasy.”

“That expression, ‘ecstasy’, in exactly what context is it used?”

This time, Arte tilted her head.

“Last time, Lilien also used the same expression while eating samgyeopsal (pork belly).”

Uh… how should I explain this?

Should I say it just as the original text? I unnecessarily threw a glance at Lilien.

ㅡWhat should I do, Knight?

ㅡAre you pushing that onto me?

After a moment of exchanging glances, Lilien cleared her throat and began explaining in an elegant tone.

Decorating it somehow, twisting it, making it sound like something.

Carefully so that our GPT doesn’t learn strange things!

“Well, that is to say. It’s sort of an intense metaphor combined with an exclamation that contains emotion, unconsciously flowing out when the height of emotion is combined with taste?”

“Certainly. Then, it’s not a formal expression but an emotional interjection. I will store it in the data.”

Although it felt like I had imprinted another strange piece of knowledge onto Arte…

“Somehow… we got past it, right?”

“Isn’t that the case? Oof~ That was breathtaking, Yuan?”

“Exactly. Still, you handled it well, Lilien. Your linguistic expression was quite elegant, wasn’t it?”

“Hehe, I did receive quite the higher education, you know? And then—”

Suddenly, Lilien came very close to me.

The tip of her forehead got close enough to touch my collar.

What is it. What kind of prank are you trying to pull again.

Lilien, very cautiously, in a voice so low it wouldn’t be caught by Arte’s auditory sensor—

But to my ears, clearer than any words, she whispered mischievously.

“You see, I actually… like the ‘meaning’ too, you know? Any ‘food’ is fine as long as it’s with you. Hehe.”

“Hey hey hey hey… She must be crazy, really. Aren’t you ashamed even after saying that yourself?”

It didn’t even take 1 second to understand the meaning of that.

My face instantly flushed even before she finished speaking. It felt like fire was coming out of my ears from embarrassment.

I hastily turned my head away to avoid her gaze.

Lilien still had a very calm expression, as if nothing had happened.

Just then, Alice came closer from the side, her eyes sparkling.

The Demon Lord leaning in and tilting her head.

“Huh? Yuan? Why are you so red? Don’t tell me~ you got teased by Lilien again?”

“Well, it’s like that. It’s like that…”

“What did she say to make you like that! I didn’t hear it?!”

Alice said to Lilien as if protesting triumphantly.

To the point where her expression revealed an unfairness like a child saying, ‘I hate being the only one who doesn’t know!’

However, Lilien merely lightly covered her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled very leisurely and gracefully.

“Hehe, that’s a story that’s still a bit early for Alice~?”

“I’ve lived long enough too! Tell me!”

“Didn’t you say that in human terms, you’re in your early teens?”

Arte corrected precisely, very mechanically.

“Don’t ignore my absolute age!”

“Just now you said you were a lady. You’re going back and forth, truly a tyrant.”

“It’s a basic requirement for a Demon Lord to be a tyrant!”

Alice speaking proudly with her arms crossed.

While the three in front continued their tit-for-tat, I was still quietly walking behind.

But Lilien’s words kept swirling in my mind.

“You see, I actually… like the ‘meaning’ too, you know?”

Truly… my lips curved up slightly without me noticing.

“Yeah… I like it too. Not just you, but Alice and Arte too. But how can I say this openly?”

To hide my burning cheeks, I pulled my hood down slightly and quietly exhaled.

As if nothing had happened.

But, holding a slightly deeper smile.

Just then, as we passed through the red-stained rock crevices of the dungeon—

“Prepare for combat. A complex reaction has appeared. Chicken and… snake?”

Arte, who was leading the way, stopped and declared in a calm voice.

Without changing her expression or tone at all.

“It seems to be a Cockatrice~ Now now, it’s a friend similar to a Basilisk, so you all know how to deal with it, right? Don’t accept its eye-flirting~”

“Yuan! Remember! Don’t get tempted by the Cockatrice!”

At Lilien’s words, Alice completely stood in front of me and even covered my eyes with her arms spread wide.

It’s cute how she’s flapping while standing on tiptoes with her very small height.

“Hey hey, anyone hearing this would think it has some kind of eye of fascination?”

“Well~ thinking about how you freeze up unable to do anything if you actually meet its gaze, it is similar though.”

Even before she finished speaking, a bizarre cry that seemed to tear the air echoed.

Kieeeeeeek—!!

The mist before our eyes split open, and a single colossal form towered towards us.

The form of a large chicken.

Scales were bristling on its nape, and a massive tail coiling like a snake slowly whipped around its back.

“Wait a minute. Is that really a Cockatrice? I definitely heard it was smaller than the dragon we caught last time? Isn’t it almost the same size? Why is the chicken so big?!”

“Oh my, Yuan. I told you Cockatrices are dragon-type birds~ They’re quite high-level species, you know?”

Really? But well, there’s even a saying that chicken is a dragon. That must be why.

At Lilien’s words, I cautiously avoided the chicken-head’s eyes, while also scanning it from bottom to top.

“Wow… wait a minute. Even if I only butcher the parts that are chicken, how many servings of chicken would that be…”

6 servings per chicken wing, chicken breast is at least 10…

No. I could almost throw a party at a pub with this, couldn’t I?

“Quickly quickly! Kids! Go defeat it for me without damaging the chicken parts!!”

I threw down the bag on my back and shook Alice’s shoulder roughly.

“Ugh?! Yuan, calm down!! I’m getting dizzyy!”

“Yuan, were you that eager to eat chicken? This reaction is fresh.”

“Exactly! At this point, I’m even curious about how delicious it is. Lilien, Arte! Let’s finish it quickly!”

Alice stretched out her arms and began raising her magic power.

“Understood! But—”

Lilien raised her hand brightly while unfolding a projection.

“Please leave the snake part a little bit~ I think it would be good to make snake wine with that and drink it, you know? Hehe.”

“Order confirmed. Shall we begin combat.”

Along with Arte’s short signal, our party simultaneously leaped forward all at once!

[Eyecatch!]

Today’s Monster ㅡ Cockatrice

A hybrid monster created by adding the head of a rooster, the sharp form of a dragon, and even the curse of a Basilisk!

They say if a snake or a toad warms an egg laid by a rooster by hatching it, a Cockatrice hatches?

Anyway, it seems like a creature without origins that God made after opening 3 bottles of alcohol with a red cap, but its strength is real!

Please be careful, as it’s even equipped with the curse of petrification that can turn you into stone the moment you meet its eyes.

“Variety of flavors too, fried, seasoned, seasoning, padak, garlic, popcorn chicken… Eheheheh.”

ㅡA certain cook who is already pouring beer into a glass recklessly