Chapter 38: Chuseok Guest

There is no Chuseok for a graduate student.

And in graduate school, things that didn’t exist can appear with just a word from the professor.

This year, Chuseok appeared.

‘Honestly, it’d be better if it didn’t.’

The graduate student sat curled up in a corner.

Relatives she barely saw once a year. Even more awkward than friends.

Just because you’re related doesn’t mean you’re close.

She’d always done well in school since she was young and got accepted to a well-known university in Korea.

For her cousins, she was the one their parents always compared them to.

Even if she’d done nothing wrong, the emotional distance between them could only grow.

Maybe things would’ve been different if she were more outgoing, but she wasn’t.

She thought about passing the time by reading a paper on her smartphone, since it felt like a waste to just sit here meaninglessly.

But then they’d start gossiping behind her back again.

If they were total strangers, she’d just ignore them, but since they were family, it got to her.

Like it or not, these ties would continue for decades to come.

Just then, her phone pinged with a notification.

She didn’t subscribe to many channels.

‘Live broadcast?’

To her surprise, SLimelove had started a live broadcast.

[Chuseok Special-Songpyeon Making]

She loved listening to the sounds Lime made while eating, but she wasn’t that interested in cooking shows.

She often sped up the video or skipped ahead using the arrow keys.

If it had been posted on another day, she would’ve waited for the full video to go up, then just watched the eating part or checked out the Shorts.

But today, she wanted to escape anywhere.

On screen, Lime started spinning the dough.

Just like when making pizza dough.

The graduate student blinked a few times and checked the title again.

[Chuseok Special-Songpyeon Making]

In that short moment. Maybe one wasn’t enough for Lime, so she started spinning two balls of dough, one in each hand. She tossed them in the air, spun them behind her back, it was chaos.

‘Songpyeon?’

The chat window was flooded with ???.

Lime didn’t react to any of the chat, as if she had no intention of interacting.

Once the dough got big enough, Lime threw it onto a wide board and stacked it up.

She rolled it out flat with a rolling pin, combined the two together, and started cutting the dough with a round cookie cutter.

‘Is this… efficient?’

She’d only made songpyeon once or twice as a kid, so she couldn’t tell how efficient this method was.

At least it was definitely fun to watch.

Next, it was time to fill them.

Lime prepared a bowl full of red bean paste.

She grabbed a spoon in each hand and plunged them into the paste.

With just a flick of her wrists, she started tossing bean paste.

The flying bean paste landed perfectly in the center of the dough.

‘Is she doing this all unedited?’

The spectacle didn’t end there.

Once the bean paste was portioned out, Lime opened her hands.

She placed the filling on different pieces of dough, then in no time at all, the songpyeon were finished.

Some people can’t even make them look nice with both hands.

As soon as her hand hovered over the dough, a beautiful songpyeon would be complete.

-PengRhyme is so cute. PengRhyme is so cute. PengRhyme is so cute. PengRhyme is so cute. Peng-

-Our Lime is going to get married so well.

-I’m a rice cake shop owner. If you’re interested, please contact me here. 010-xxxx-xxxx.

While the perfectly shaped songpyeon were steaming in a basket lined with pine needles,

Lime started making the next batch.

Maybe she took her time at first to show off, but now she spun the dough a few times and it stretched right out.

This time, she stacked doughs of different colors.

Made this way, the outside and inside would be different colors, so it’d be a fun surprise when you bit in.

She made some with a filling of honey and sesame seeds.

She made some with honey and beans.

She coated whole steamed chestnuts in honey and put them in.

She even put in sweet potato.

‘Wait. Chocolate?’

The ingredients just got weirder and weirder.

‘Custard cream?’

In the end, she even added fillings made with chicken stock and capsaicin mixed with soybean powder.

Maybe she was planning to meet some annoying relatives.

The graduate student almost turned away, but kept watching.

This time, she cut the dough into big rectangles, put in all sorts of things, and rolled it up.

It looked like a roll cake.

‘Songpyeon? What even is songpyeon?’

The graduate student looked up the definition of songpyeon.

[A rice cake made by kneading glutinous rice flour, adding filling, shaping it into a half-moon or shell, and steaming it.]

‘By that definition, I guess that counts as songpyeon too?’

The shapes vary by region, and these days there are all sorts of cute shapes for photos.

By definition, it’s still songpyeon.

After putting the roll cake-shaped dough into the steamer, Lime waved and ended the broadcast.

Looks like she had no plans to do the eating part live.

‘Now I want songpyeon.’

The graduate student came out to the living room. While looking for songpyeon, she made eye contact with Grandma. Grandma smiled brightly and asked,

“What’s my baby looking for?”

“Is there any songpyeon, by chance?”

“Of course~.”

Grandma stuck a fork into some songpyeon and handed it over.

“Eat lots.”

“Thank you.”

“Eat lots.”

As the graduate student ate the songpyeon, she saw Grandma swallow hard.

She remembered that Grandma wasn’t supposed to eat things like songpyeon because of her diabetes.

‘Is she okay?’

The graduate student thought of the <Random Jelly Slime> she’d brought as a snack.

Last time, she tried to make do with just that for dinner, but got too hungry and ate a meal, then looked up some info.

She thought she’d seen somewhere that eating it wouldn’t raise blood sugar.

“Just a moment.”

She checked again to see if diabetics could eat it.

She wasn’t sure how much to trust what she read online, but for some reason, she trusted the things Lime made.

She took the <Random Jelly Slime> out of her bag and brought it to Grandma.

“Sigh. Granny shouldn’t eat such sweet things.”

“It’s fine. It won’t raise your blood sugar.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Grandma opened the <Jelly Slime> and took a bite of half of it.

A satisfied smile spread across her face.

“It’s tasty. Do they sell it at the department store up ahead?”

“No. It’s sold at specific places, but I’ll try my best to get some and send them to you.”

“You’re so busy, my dear. You shouldn’t do that. Just tell Mr. Kim where you got it.”

Things were still distant with my cousins.

But it was a Chuseok where I got a bit closer to Grandma.

***

[SSS-Rank Hunter: I’m on my way.

SSS-Rank Hunter: I’m bringing expensive liquor.

SSS-Rank Hunter: Prepare some expensive snacks.]

I was planning to film a Mukbang right after making songpyeon, but stopped because of Gisu’s message.

Does my medieval knight-like friend not have the concept of making plans in advance?

If you’re going to do this, just tie a letter to an arrow, shoot it, and then come running.

Well, it’s about time for him to show up anyway.

The guild Gisu belongs to returns home together for Lunar New Year and Chuseok.

Spending time with his mother at home and then coming over with liquor is Gisu’s usual pattern.

It’s a rare day when our Gisu, who only thinks about killing monsters, actually loosens up.

“Still looking like that, huh.”

“Yeah. Good to see you.”

“I don’t want to look at you, so change your clothes. You’ve got over a million subscribers, haven’t you?”

“Is this better?”

He showed off his fashion terrorist outfit.

“Is that you?”

“It’s me.”

“Was your sense of style always this bad?”

“This is the fashion that’ll soon be trending in Korea. You fashion-ignorant fool.”

“Really?”

“As if. Anyway, this outfit is more comfortable than just wearing underwear, so leave me alone.”

“It really looks awful, though.”

“I’m in my own house and I’ll dress however I want. Why do you have so many complaints?”

“Tch. Nice house, though.”

“It’s a house that’d stay intact even if a missile hit it.”

“But what’s with the inside looking like this?”

Gisu clicked his tongue at the sight of the house filled with Slimes.

“Prototypes. Crafting jobs have struggles that ignorant brutes who swing swords don’t understand.”

“I heard you’re doing well. Your items even made it to America, right?”

“I earn more in a week than an average person makes in their lifetime.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“What problem?”

“Why do you look so off, then?”

“…What, are you playing the owner of a holy profession or something?”

You can’t even see my expression, so how do you notice these things?

Makina’s the same. Why are my friends so sharp?

Or am I just that easy to read?

“Lately, nothing I do feels satisfying.”

“Is that so.”

“No matter what results I achieve, it feels like something’s missing by about 2%.”

“Is that so.”

“Is ‘Is that so’ all you’ve got to say?”

“Let’s just drink.”

“Is that supposed to be comforting?”

“Do you need help?”

“No.”

“Then what do you want me to say?”

Gisu placed two bottles of whiskey on the table and sat down.

He opened one bottle and drank straight from it.

“Ignorant brute.”

“Bring the snacks.”

“It’s songpyeon.”

“Hey! Songpyeon with whiskey? Seriously?”

“Shut up and eat it.”

Gisu really shut up and started tossing songpyeon into his mouth.

“Ah, damn. Chocolate songpyeon? Are you out of your mind?”

“You’ll appreciate it once you try the mint chocolate songpyeon and come to your senses.”

Grumbling, he stopped tossing songpyeon into his mouth.

“Do you really have that?”

“No, so just eat.”

“Ah, damn, Gochujang!”

“What’s wrong with Gochujang!”

“This one’s not bad, at least.”

Gisu calculated what kind of songpyeon he just ate.

Marmite.

“Gochujang isn’t okay, but this is fine? You white-haired native Korean!”

“Gochujang in songpyeon just isn’t right.”

“It’s delicious when you dip garaetteok in Gochujang, isn’t it!”

“That’s different from this.”

“The ingredients are the same, you American-tongued Korean!”

“This one’s not bad either.”

“Peanut butter songpyeon is okay? Did your tongue get cursed or something?”

“Why are you complaining about something you made yourself?”

“It’s for broadcasting! And for teasing my younger sibling!”

We bickered while eating songpyeon and drinking whiskey.

Laughing, chatting, eating, and drinking.

The enjoyable time passed quickly.

By the time the bottles were empty, Gisu’s face was only slightly red.

Being a Slime, I naturally didn’t feel drunk.

“You leaving?”

“Yeah.”

When Gisu returns to Korea, he always sleeps at home no matter what, so I don’t ask him to stay over.

“I was going to nag you if you hadn’t prepared anything while selling so many items in America, but with a house like this, you pass. As long as you lock up properly, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“So, you think I’ll still get attacked?”

“When a money-making machine fits into a single carrier, who wouldn’t be tempted? If you need help, make sure to tell me. I’ll come as fast as I can.”

“You too. If you need help, let me know. Even with alchemy stuff.”

“….”

“I know you don’t like Slimes, but these things are really versatile.”

“Yeah…. I’ll keep that in mind.”

After Gisu left, I looked at my face in the mirror.

Compared to this morning, the corners of my mouth were turned up.

We didn’t even talk about anything significant, but I feel a bit more at ease.

[Makina: Are you having a good day?]

Makina’s message has arrived.

A friend is a 1+1 deal!

What day is it today?

It’s Chuseok!

[Me: It was good.

Me: Thanks to you, it got even better.]

There’s a reason for the saying, ‘May every day be like the Harvest Moon Festival.’

***

“Lululululu.”

While humming a tune and making <Random Jelly Slime (Mild Flavor)>, I detected something unusual.

Huh?

A thief?

Really?

I was happy to have a lot of visitors, but I don’t need any nighttime guests.

I picked up the phone.

Not to call 112.

I called Counselor Park Taeyang.

-What’s the matter?

Counselor Park Taeyang’s voice sounded hoarse on the phone.

4 a.m.

A time when there’s no reason to be awake unless you’re elderly.

“A thief broke in.”

-Are you okay?

“I’m fine.”

-That’s a relief.

“I’m fine, but I think Counselor Park Taeyang won’t be okay soon.”

-What on earth happened?

“I have a way to detect if something happens to Gongsooni and Gongdori, you see? Right now, I can hear unfamiliar voices inside the workshop.”

The thieves didn’t come to my house.

If they had any common sense, they wouldn’t target this fortress.

Shouldn’t expect common sense from thieves?

Don’t they at least have eyes and survival instincts?

What they’re targeting is the Seoul Central Alchemy Center.

Three uninvited guests have come to the workshop where Gongdori and Gongsooni tirelessly make <Slime>.

It’s true that our Gongdori and Gongsooni have remarkable abilities, but they don’t have X-ray vision. So, I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but I can hear unfamiliar language.

“It sounds like Chinese.”

Stealing on Chuseok, of all days?

They really have no consideration for other cultures.

Well, I admit it’s a good day to target.

Normally, the Alchemy Center is bustling with far more people, but it’s quite empty during the Chuseok holiday.

“Ah, they’re dismantling the machine covering Gongsooni right now.”

I can hear the sound of metal plates being forcibly removed.

Information about Gongdori and Gongsooni must have leaked.

If they didn’t know that the exterior isn’t important, they wouldn’t act so recklessly.

“They must have disabled the security system since no alarm is going off. Ah, they got through.”

“Hold on a moment. There. Huh? They dodged it? Then I’ll just shoot again. There we go. I’ve got them restrained now, so send someone quickly.”

-Restrained? What do you mean?

“<Explosive Web Slime>. My Slimes can be produced if needed. Of course, I can launch them too.”

-We’ll handle it immediately.

“You don’t need to call me until the response plan is complete.”

Click.

The staff at Seoul Central Alchemy Center are in for a rough time.

It’s no longer a time to enjoy the holiday.

<Special Explosive Web Slime>

-A Slime that wraps around the target upon impact after the safety strap is removed. It drains the target’s body heat and disintegrates after 30 minutes.

Since it’s a special version, I significantly extended its duration.

They seem to have immense strength, as expected of Awakened, but if one isn’t enough, I’ll throw two. If two aren’t enough, I’ll throw three.

Moreover, the effect of the [Convert] skill is applied, draining the opponent’s body heat. It’s only natural that movements slow down when body temperature drops. Even if they struggle to break free now, they won’t be able to move soon.

How can such a good item not sell?

Still, who knows? If the performance of this <Special Explosive Web Slime> spreads widely, demand might explode!

***

[Eating this will drastically lower your blood sugar.]

[If you struggle with blood sugar management, you must see this.]

[15 things you didn’t know about <Random Jelly Slime>.]

A delayed attack?