The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 126

From ancient times, meat that was either cooked with alcohol or steamed was always considered delicious.

"The sharp scent of alcohol removes the gamey smell of the meat, and the gentle heat softens the tough texture."

Just the right ingredients were available.

"So..."

Sugar-catcher tree.

A tree with a bulbous base that swells up like candy. It has both male and female parts, with the leaves growing outside, but the fruit grows inside the swollen trunk. If the fruit, which has a sweet and bitter taste, isn't harvested on time, it begins to rot inside. Depending on various conditions, this fruit mixes with the tree's sap to become vinegar, juice, or fruit wine.

"Yes, this."

Gio pulled out a small porcelain from the basket that Dana had bitten. Dana, who had just run an errand to the ice storage, spat out the basket, and Arjio placed a piece of meat from the Golden Steppe Lamb in her mouth.

The omnivorous cat, who didn’t discriminate, didn’t refuse the raw meat. Unlike regular cats, Dana, an anti-cat with densely lined teeth, enjoyed the meat firmly.

"Impressive."

Lately, it's been growing bigger every day, and I hope it grows like a pig. Then, we’ll have to do at least five rounds of abdominal massages. Gio smiled contentedly.

"The good thing about the sugar-catcher tree is that each tree is aged differently. Maybe that’s why the taste varies a bit. This one... has a definitely stronger scent of the tree."

The distinctive heaviness of alcohol, which instantly heats the tongue, and the unique bitterness of the plant rolled around in the mouth. The fragrance of the sugar-catcher tree itself added a smoky feeling.

Indeed, this alcohol tasted great even just drinking it. People who enjoy alcohol would probably find it hard to understand using it in cooking.

"Liquor made in nature wasn’t found in the Abilas Forest."

"......."

"Honey, would you like to try a taste?"

"Guurr."

"Seeing how well the kids eat, it's pleasing. They’ll grow fast."

Gio tried to pour the fruit wine into a small dish, but Honey, undeterred, squeezed into the narrow porcelain opening. Watching quietly, Gio saw Honey's soft face poke out from the opening not long after.

"......"

"......"

The bird sitting on the edge of the opening tilted its head.

"Bkkung?"

"Oh dear."

"...Bkkung bkkung..."

"It seems it didn’t taste good, huh?"

"Guurr."

"Some people are just not suited for alcohol. Maybe it’s still too early for you, child."

"Bkkung..."

"Do you want to enjoy it?"

Arjio, who enjoyed both battle and alcohol, kindly offered advice.

"There are a few ways to enjoy fruit wine. You can hold it in your mouth and feel its weight and texture, analyze the bitterness typical of plants, or appreciate the fragrance the fruit itself carries, or even the scent afterward."

"Guuruk."

"You, like a child, might find it hard to enjoy liquor just yet. As for me, I’ve enjoyed these sensations and fragrances since I was young, and kept liquor close, but if it’s not for you, you could use it in cooking. Fortunately, we have just the right one here."

Whether it was Dana’s choice, guided by her sharp sense of smell, or just what she grabbed because it was the most visible, she brought the one fruit wine among all the ones she had collected that paired best with meat.

"Normally, alcohol used in cooking loses its scent and flavor during the boiling and frying process, but the liquor here is special, so that won't happen. The stew we’ll make with this meat will definitely taste great."

Gio, who always felt it was a shame that the flavors and scents of alcohol would mostly dissipate during cooking, was pleased. But the things from this forest never easily disappeared.

"They truly have strong vitality, don’t they?"

"Guurr?"

"Yes, just like you."

Gio, gently rubbing the child perched on his shoulder, then turned to look at the teddy bear.

"So..."

"......"

"Why is my father staying so far away?"

"Guuu..."

"Is the new son really that unfamiliar?"

Gio's hair, once a deep wine red, faded, turning platinum blonde.

"So how about now?"

"...Gu."

"Yes, it's the same person. No change at all."

"Gu-gu-gu."

The traditional god who once ruled a dimension clapped his hands and laughed. It wasn’t really a situation that called for applause, but no one here pointed that out.

Giovanni smiled and hugged his father before standing again.

"Hmm."

His hair turned back to its deep red.

"But now I’m worried about how our mermaid siblings will react."

"Guuu?"

"Yes, it’s about time they come too. Well..."

Arjio chuckled.

"It’ll be fun."

It was going to be a very enjoyable meal.

"......"

"Our princess has arrived."

"Damn."

The mermaid princess Aria poked her two eyes.

"My Gio has been tainted."

Aria, with blood dripping from her eyes, pouted. It looked just like a crying child, and Arjio burst into laughter. He teased as he led the still-standing Aria down to the table.

"If you’re talking about tainting, surely my heart would be hurt by that."

"How did someone like Giovanni end up with such a personality? Didn’t only people with similar ‘Gio’ qualities gather?"

"My dear student. My disciple. In the end, we’re all the same Gio, don’t you know?"

"I know."

Aria, now with her eyes recovered, clicked her tongue and gazed at Arjio’s sharp golden eyes. It reminded her more of a cold golden lump stained with blood than the calm, sunlit sea.

But in those eyes, there was familiar affection. A love she could never forget, unmistakable.

"...That look can't be imitated."

"How honest of you."

"You know, in the end, you’re my teacher."

That wasn’t a lie.

"I wasn’t surprised by this at all."

This ‘Gio’ in the portrait was varied. In fact, ‘Seojio’ and ‘Giovanni’ were already very different.

They had different ages, different builds (though hidden by their clothes), different skeletal structures, different colors, and even different expressions they could make. So, it wasn’t strange for such a bright red Gio to appear now.

Her mentor asked.

"So?"

"......"

Before sitting at the table, Aria carefully took Giovanni’s hand, which had escorted her.

"Gio."

Her voice was gentle.

"I want to eat with you."

"...I feel the same."

Giovanni also gave his usual smile.

"This time, I’ve come up with a pretty good recipe. I’d like to brag about it."

"Then why were you making that face if you were just going to brag about the recipe?"

"I guess I didn’t like Arjio’s face, so I felt I should explain..."

"...Ha..."

Aria sighed softly as she watched Giovanni’s awkward smile and said,

"Can’t you explain it with words?"

"But is there any explanation more certain than showing it?"

"You're quite shameless."

Only then did Aria sit in the spot Giovanni had guided her to.

"Is this the one you made recently?"

"Yes. Doesn’t it smell wonderful?"

"At first, it smells like alcohol, but it seems like it will be a treat."

"I don’t think it’ll be bad."

Giovanni, now with black hair again, sat across from her. Honey and Dana, as if familiar, climbed onto the table, and the sun god, in the form of a teddy bear, took his seat as well. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

And....

"......"

Aria looked around.

"What are those birds?"

"They're just watching to see if they might get something."

"Why would they get anything?"

"It’s probably because of the golden fur they took earlier from the lamb."

"Golden fur?"

"The fur that the meat in front of you is offering."

"Ah..."

Aria nodded, looking at the birds peering in from the window.

"Now we even have golden lambs. What next?"

"We didn’t have such creatures back in our homeland."

"If such a thing existed, humans might have turned their attention to them."

"That fur was beautiful enough that anyone would have a hard time resisting greed."

"So, it’s best not to show it outside. Well, that’s just my personal selfish desire."

The mermaid still couldn’t trust humans.

"You, teacher, have no wariness in strange places. I’m worried."

"Aria, you’ve truly grown into a wonderful adult."

Gio admired his disciple for looking after him. Even in his current form as the black-haired Seojio, he naturally smiled as Giovanni. They had fully synchronized.

"Used to be so prickly and hot-headed."

"Wow... how long ago are you talking about?"

But Aria admitted that part.

"I know there was a lot lacking in me back then."

When Aria was newly born, she was sensitive and prickly. She doubted everything that approached her, found it hard to recognize anyone, and felt irritation and disgust toward anything that interrupted her.

"When compared to those days, I’ve softened quite a bit."

"Honestly, I don’t think you’re much different even now."

"Ha, it’s only because I can be comfortable in front of you, teacher."

"Suddenly telling such an emotional story?"

"I didn’t mean to make you feel emotional."

Aria, not looking at the food, fiddled with a glass of water.

"Who else could I be so honest with? Not even with my younger brother Iser, because I had to lead him, you see."

"......"

"I’ve become quite seasoned. Skilled, and I can smile in front of anyone, regardless of my likes or dislikes. Just as you taught me, this has been very helpful in connecting with others."

She looked at Gio with her pearly eyes.

"Is this ‘growth’ you’re fond of?"

"It might be, it might not be. What matters is that it’s not about what I like."

"You’re still a vague person."

Aria sighed exaggeratedly, and Gio laughed softly. It was a small, gentle smile toward his cute disciple.

"So, are you not going to eat?"

"I just think I’m going to get sick from eating food made by some unknown creature."

"That unknown creature might just be your teacher."

"It’s even stranger because it’s definitely my teacher. Just like this, in an instant..."

It felt truly strange.

"......"

But it wasn’t that she wanted to reject it, just that she couldn’t quite adjust.

"...As I said before, the fragrance is good."

"Thanks to the fragrance from the new liquor ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ I made."

"The meat is very tender."

"I boiled it first, then roasted it, and finally added the sauce."

"Cooking, I don’t understand how it can be this complicated."

And as complicated as it was, it was delicious.

"You said you added the sauce separately, so it’s a little different from making stew?"

"It’s definitely different. Thanks to that, the flavor of the meat is more pronounced."

"Wasn’t it golden lamb meat? Yes, truly a rare treat."

The meat, dark as if covered in squid ink, was soft when chewed, and tore neatly when pulled apart. But the bouncy, soft texture added a chewy bite, giving a satisfying experience.

Especially the scent from the meat itself was remarkable. The sharp aroma rising from the tongue was like spices such as garlic or onion. The rich, savory flavor and fat that came from the meat’s juice were beyond description.

"Strangely, being around you, teacher, makes me feel like I’ve become a gourmet by accident."

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

"It makes me think while eating, doesn’t it?"

"That was a compliment, right?"

"There's no one quite like you when it comes to thinking whatever you want."

The sauce was also quite good.

"My tongue is a bit tingly."

"We didn’t add spicy spices, but I think it’s because the liquor used this time was strong."

"Doesn’t the alcohol usually evaporate during cooking?"

"While a lot of the alcohol itself has dissipated, I think the fragrance has remained intact."

"I can’t understand how just the fragrance can be so strong."

"Mermaids especially can't eat anything too stimulating."

"No...."

Aria muttered quietly to herself.

‘Isn’t it a miracle that I, someone like me, can feel this?’

Aria, who had built power almost to the level of a demon god, couldn’t be like a regular mermaid after all those years of ‘growth.’

And yet, she was able to enjoy Gio's cooking like an ordinary person.

‘Did he adjust the cooking to match my level?’

Or perhaps...

‘Is it that anyone can enjoy Gio’s cooking, just as he intended?’

Aria thought it was probably the latter. Even the sun god, who had no appetite, had been made to wait eagerly for Gio’s cooking. Truly, an extraordinary ability.

He simply wanted to share his cooking with everyone, whether the recipient was a monster that surpassed a mermaid’s limits or a teddy bear who had once been a god.

"......"

Aria asked.

"...Aren’t there any bread to go with this?"

"I’ve already prepared some. Would you like it?"

"The sauce is so good, I’d love to dip it."

"Then I’ll bake some right now."

Gio stood up and put the pre-baked bread into the oven.

The golden waterfowl, wondering if there was anything it wanted, flew and sat on the shoulder of the Black Cloak. The waterfowl perched by the window also fluttered, making splashing sounds as they approached, and the giant human hands petted the little ones.

"Yes, the scent of roasting is pleasant, isn’t it?"

"Guurr."

"Just a little longer."

The sound of the firewood crackling and the smell of the already baked bread turning even crispier, with the warmth spreading and the clatter of the teddy bear's dishes...

"......"

Aria took it all in.