Chapter 123: Ah, Right. There Was That? (1) Clatter, clatter.
Kedius, the representative of Veraul, ran across the plains with all his strength.
After hearing that Princess Angelica Crudian had fallen into danger during the monster subjugation, he had already dispatched troops twice. Even so, he could not remain at ease. In the end, he personally led additional reinforcements.
With large wagons brought along to carry the wounded, they had been racing across the plains for an hour straight.
At last, dense brush appeared in his field of vision, breaking the endless stretch of open grassland.
"I see the Food Truck! It must be over there!"
At the shout of the envoy in the lead, Kedius accelerated even further.
He hoped the entire subjugation force was safe, but realistically, he knew that was unlikely. At the very least, he prayed that Angelica Crudian had survived.
And what Kedius saw upon arriving in haste was—
"…Your Highness?"
"Oh, you're here?"
Slurp.
Angelica Crudian's lips were stained black as she enthusiastically devoured Jjajang Ramyeon.
She was sitting in a circle with her subordinates and the soldiers Kedius had sent earlier, thoroughly enjoying an assortment of bunsik.
His soldiers hurriedly tried to stand when they noticed him, but Kedius gestured that it was fine and had them sit back down.
"I rushed here after receiving reports that Your Highness was in danger…"
"Be at ease. The monster that attacked me has already been defeated."
Angelica Crudian pointed at the corpse of the Emperor Mammoth with her chopsticks.
"Congratulations! No—more importantly, are you injured anywhere?"
"Thanks to the power granted by the God of another continent through that cleric, I have been completely healed."
She tapped her fully restored thigh—without even a scar—then picked up the packet of Jjajang Ramyeon again.
"But… is something the matter?"
As Kedius continued staring at her with a bewildered expression, Angelica Crudian tapped her temple thoughtfully.
"As you can see, none of the soldiers you sent are injured, so rest assured. Though they did not participate directly in battle, I commend them for coming such a long distance out of concern for me… Ah."
She slightly grimaced.
"I should have sent word that the subjugation force was safe. That was my oversight."
"It is no issue. Now that we know you are safe, that is enough."
"Originally, I intended to dispatch an envoy to Veraul the moment we defeated that monster. But after tasting the food from that peculiar carriage called the Food Truck, I found myself sitting here longer than intended."
"Ah… I understand."
Kedius nodded, recalling the taste of the Food Truck's bunsik.
Though eating is vital to all living beings, it does not always take priority above all else.
But when confronted with flavors so overwhelming they make one's head spin—that changes everything.
And that was precisely the case with the Food Truck's food.
In any case, relieved that matters had been resolved, Kedius found Angelica Crudian suddenly thrusting a ramyeon packet toward him.
"By the way, this black noodle dish is remarkably delicious. Have you tried it?"
"N-No, I have not. It is my first time seeing this bunsik as well."
"Jinseo, what was the name of this noodle again?"
"It is called Jjajang Ramyeon, Your Highness. It has not yet been introduced to the Crudian Continent. Among the Centaurs, Your Highness is the first to taste it."
"Is that so? I see!"
Pleased to be the first Centaur to taste Jjajang Ramyeon, Angelica Crudian happily slurped up the dark, sauce-coated noodles.
Originally, properly boiled Jjajang Ramyeon had been planned. But it was Angelica Crudian herself who had chosen the ppogeuri method—cooking it directly in the packet.
After the battle, Lee Jinseo had hurriedly brought out snacks and begun preparing various dishes.
Wanting to lighten his burden even slightly, Hayward had made himself some ppogeuri. Seeing that, Angelica Crudian tried it as well—and the taste had been extraordinary.
Between bites of Jjajang Ramyeon, she ate gimbap and refreshed her throat with udon broth, her expression one of pure bliss.
"It is delicious."
"Thank you."
While frying tempura, Lee Jinseo nodded.
Though Angelica Crudian still spoke with the tone of someone addressing subordinates, her expressions and gestures while eating bunsik were unmistakably those of a girl her age.
"This sour vegetable pairs wonderfully with Jjajang Ramyeon."
"Your Highness truly knows how to enjoy it! Jjajang Ramyeon must be eaten with danmuji. Ah, you can also make ppogeuri with other packet ramyeon as well—please try it later."
Having grown closer to Angelica Crudian by introducing ppogeuri, Hayward slurped down his Neoguri ppogeuri.
Fedora Artran, watching the two with a gentle smile, narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Your Highness, you have Jjajang sauce on your face."
"Hmm? Where? Here?"
"Over here. Please turn your head slightly to the right."
Unable to watch any longer, Fedora Artran took out a wet wipe and personally cleaned the sauce from Angelica Crudian's cheek.
"Phew, I've eaten well."
After finishing three packets of Jjajang Ramyeon ppogeuri and two rolls of gimbap in one sitting, Angelica Crudian looked at Lee Jinseo with a solemn gaze while sipping udon broth from a paper cup.
"You are both a splendid warrior and a chef. The sight of you shattering that massive monster's tusk in a single strike was truly magnificent. But the dishes you prepare are even more astonishing."
"You flatter me."
"Of course, all who came with you rendered great service. I shall not forget your contributions. However…"
While praising Lee Jinseo's party, Angelica Crudian absently rubbed her stomach, already feeling hunger creeping back.
Her eyes lingered regretfully on Fedora Artran's cup of tteokbokki.
"The red bunsik you are eating has an intriguing flavor, but it is too spicy for me."
"In that case, I shall prepare tempura. Please wait a moment."
Lee Jinseo began frying a three-item tempura set, and Angelica Crudian sniffed appreciatively at the savory aroma spreading through the air.
Meanwhile—
"Hm, these are undoubtedly rune characters…"
Painfolt Artran stood by the corpse of the Emperor Mammoth, examining the rune inscription etched on its left hind leg with a grave expression.
"It is not a full magic circle, but the combination of these runes was intended to…"
"…Suppress the power of this massive monster."
"So you think the same."
At Julien's response, Painfolt Artran stroked his beard and leaned closer.
As far as he knew, none of the current generation of Centaurs could use magic.
That meant whoever inscribed the runes was unlikely to be a Centaur—more likely someone from another continent, like themselves.
"Judging by the residual mana, it appears to have been drawn roughly twenty years… no, not that long—perhaps around ten years ago."
His twin brother naturally came to mind.
But Painfolt Artran shook his head, rejecting the thought.
A mage capable of defeating any monster alone would have had no need to seal its power.
"Still… we must find further clues. This is troublesome."
He took out a scroll from his subspace storage and began recording the runes used in the seal.
After rescuing Princess Angelica Crudian, the joint human–dwarf delegation traveled with the subjugation force to the capital of the Crudian Kingdom, Valdis.¹
News of the defeat of the massive monster had already reached the capital through a dispatched envoy, and citizens crowded the streets to welcome the returning force.
Along the central avenue stretching straight to the royal palace, countless Centaurs gathered, unable to hide their awe.
"Good heavens, it's enormous."
"If the tusks alone are that large, how massive was the monster itself?"
Led by Angelica Crudian, the subjugation force entered the capital proudly bearing the Emperor Mammoth's massive pair of tusks.
It had been a long time since a royal-led annual subjugation had yielded such an achievement.
The citizens firmly believed that the hero behind this feat was Princess Angelica Crudian, arriving alongside a strange-looking carriage.
"It's Princess Angelica Crudian! Still as valiant as ever—wait, what is she eating?"
"And what is she wearing? I've never seen that pattern before."
Amid the cheers came puzzled murmurs.
Angelica Crudian walked forward while eating tteokbokki specially prepared by Lee Jinseo with reduced spice.
Instead of her usual ponytail, she wore her hair clipped back with a hairpin Lee Jinseo had given her. She waved a toothpick in her right hand in response to the cheers.
She wore a black T-shirt with a bear printed on it, and her short nails were painted red.
To the Centaurs, the sight was strikingly exotic.
"Ohhh! My daughter!"
A booming voice rang out from the opposite side, accompanied by thunderous hoofbeats.
"Father!"
Handing her cup of tteokbokki to a subordinate, Angelica Crudian rushed toward the owner of the voice.
Amid the citizens' cheers, the two Centaurs embraced fiercely.
"I have heard the tale! You defeated a colossal monster and upheld the royal family's prestige—well done!"
King Lloyd V patted his daughter's head.
"Though… you seem somewhat changed since I last saw you."
He looked at her decorated hair and painted nails with a subtle expression.
"Father! No—Your Majesty! In Korea, girls my age dress like this!"
"Korea? Where is that?"
"I was told there are other human nations besides the one that sent the delegation!"
Lloyd V pondered briefly, then broke into a broad smile at the sparkle in his daughter's eyes.
"I see. Well, no matter what, you are still beautiful and splendid—there is nothing strange about it!"
He patted her shoulder and looked toward the approaching delegation and Lee Jinseo.
"Angelica, do you only see your father? Are we invisible?"
"That hurts."
Two identical Centaur youths approached behind Lloyd V.
Angelica Crudian opened her arms wide.
"Brothers! It's been so long!"
The Crown Prince Shane and Second Prince Dane of the Crudian Kingdom were twin brothers.
As robust as their father, they tousled their sister's hair before turning their gaze toward the delegation.
"Oh? Among the humans, there are those comparable to us."
"Indeed."
They looked Craid up and down with admiration.
Then their gazes shifted to the other humans.
"…Huh?"
"…What?"
As they studied Painfolt Artran's face carefully, the twins looked at each other.
"That person… isn't it him?"
"You think so too?"
Nodding simultaneously, Shane—the elder twin—stepped toward Painfolt Artran.
"Are you perhaps… Lord Rainfolt?"
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