The Artist Who Paints Dungeon-Chapter 92

‘This is why I eat stew.’

The natural acidity of the tomato brings out a deeper flavor when it’s warmed. It has a complex aroma like the sticky, sweet broth from long-simmered chicken feet, and the fleshy texture that softens on the tongue gives a refined sweetness.

“It goes well with carrots too.”

“That’s the good point of Edlen stew, isn’t it? No matter what you add, it always fits.”

“It’s a characteristic of tomato stew as well.”

The distinctive slightly bitter and sharp aroma of the carrot subtly blended into the stew.

It wasn’t overpowering enough to create any discomfort, but as it harmonized with the other ingredients, the carrot, soaked in the broth, brought out a unique texture.

“And... I think it was a good idea to add potatoes.”

You couldn’t forget potatoes when soaking up the broth.

“Iser recommended it, right?”

“We’ve always added it to our stew...”

“That’s right, it brings back old memories.”

“It’s cooked perfectly.”

“It’s thanks to Iser’s stirring. You can tell the heat spread evenly.”

In addition to the deep red flavor of the tomatoes, the potatoes, soaking up the juices of the vegetables, became so soft that they could be crushed with just the gums.

The texture of the potato, which broke down into tiny pieces, added weight to the stew’s lightness, perfectly complementing the sourness and sweetness.

‘Perhaps because the other ingredients have strong personalities, adding something more neutral like this really deepens the flavor of the stew. And there’s no ingredient that fits as well as potatoes for that.’

Moreover, potatoes weren’t just playing the role of a mere canvas.

“You can even taste the flavor of the ingredients just from the broth.”

The starch flowing from the potatoes served as a stepping stone, gently blending the vegetable juices and sublimating them into a smoother, more unified broth.

Gio smiled faintly as he looked at Iser.

“There must’ve been many ingredients to stir, so your arm must’ve hurt.”

“Ah... That’s embarrassing. I’m past the age where my arms should hurt over something like this.”

“Is that so? In my eyes, you still look so young, so this is a big issue.”

The cabbage that was subtly mixed in was also quite good.

“The cabbage is cooked really well.”

“Coo.”

“Yes, this kind of cabbage is my favorite too.”

The cabbage, soaked in the tomato-based broth, was stained with the color of the broth. As it was chewed, it gave a peculiar bounce, then quickly crumbled, releasing a delicate, fresh juice. The warm broth that spread throughout the mouth was different from the stew’s.

“Oh, right.”

Gio glanced at the fire where the clams were cooking.

“I think it’s about time to eat the clams.”

“You’ve got the qualities of a pig, don’t {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} you? Just wait a little longer.”

After gently patting Dana’s small round head, her cat-like triangular ears flopped back before returning. It was so cute that she lay her ears down even before he touched her.

‘I should cherish and serve her for life.’

The sensation of the small, precious skull in his hand made him feel full even without eating. His heart warmed and was fortified like a rich bone broth. This was how one raised their life satisfaction.

“Let’s see...”

Most of the clams were fully cooked, so Gio placed them on a tray and brought it to the table. The clamshells clinked against each other.

The ocean-scented aroma of the clams, flavored by the charcoal, mixed with the subtle spring breeze of the forest, creating a pleasant fragrance.

“They seem done.”

“Shall you open them for us?”

“No, they’re all grown now. We should open them ourselves.”

“The ones you opened for us were more delicious, though. That’s a bit disappointing.”

“Disappointing, huh... Ah, it’s hot.”

“Eh??”

Iser was taken aback.

“Is it hot?”

“Of course, it is hot.”

Ariana, naturally scolding her younger sibling, looked at Gio with disbelief.

“What a tantrum from the sun god.”

“It’s natural that the freshly grilled clams are hot. I didn’t mean to, really.”

“Even after being deified, you can’t shake off human tendencies...?”

“Maybe. Why are you asking me? It’s best to get rid of your prejudice.”

“Prejudice? It’s absurd. I’m reacting because this doesn’t make sense.”

“People should always live with an open mind.”

“Does living with an open mind really solve everything?”

“You shouldn’t have such narrow thoughts.”

Gio, who had broadened his student’s world, smiled with his usual noble and, to some, shameless expression as he began to open the clams. The clams, cooked just right, proudly showcased their white flesh and exuded the sweet, nutty fragrance typical of shellfish.

“It’s nice being the second sun god.”

“...Opening clams with bare hands?”

“I used to always feel bad about having to cool them down, so this is really great.”

“Is that really the proper use of divine power?”

“Why not?”

In an unexpected display of sacrilege, Gio and the teddy bear were having fun, while the mermaids seemed utterly dumbfounded. Their stomachs were still far from full, and there was plenty of room for more clams.

The teddy bear eagerly awaited the clam meat with a delighted expression. Gio, with steam rising from the freshly grilled shellfish, handed the clam meat, filled with rich juice like fresh sea urchin roe, to the teddy bear.

“Here you go, Father.”

“Coo.”

“How does it taste?”

“Coo-coo-coo-coo...”

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the clam’s taste.”

The teddy bear clapped its soft paws. Gio felt proud, and the mermaids looked utterly bewildered. Honey quietly snuck back to the stew pot, and Dana ate all her portion of the stew before lying flat on her back.

‘A peaceful mess.’

This was the true summary of life. It was satisfying and fulfilling. After all, he could do anything.

Gio picked up a fresh black clam. It had a shape similar to an abalone, but its shell was much darker and smoother, and the flesh inside, grilled over charcoal, was white and tender.

‘Compared to this, abalones are closer to yellow.’

The black clam had an intensely sharp contrast between the black shell and the white flesh that could make your eyes hurt if you stared at it for too long. The flesh was distinctly whiter than that of an abalone.

It also had a perfectly round edge, with no unevenness—another difference. But the taste and texture definitely reminded him of abalone.

“...”

Chew.

“Ah.”

The crazy chewiness hit Gio’s brain.

‘It’s nice to eat this after a long time.’

The insane umami triggered his salivary glands. It was truly like natural dashi stock.

The clam’s flesh, brimming with vitality, had a pleasant bounce, and the nutty taste that deepened with each chew was reminiscent of roasted nuts.

‘Maybe it’s because it wasn’t grilled for too long, but it’s so tender...’

The texture was so soft, it almost felt like silk. The flesh, once squeezed with teeth, effortlessly split and gave great pleasure in chewing.

The juice flowing from the clam felt like the clam soup one would drink on a winter day.

“...”

The clam meat wasn’t small, so it filled his mouth. Gio didn’t open his mouth until a while later.

“It’s so delicious.”

“...It seems so.”

“This is life.”

“I see your appetite has grown while I wasn’t looking.”

“You’re all gone now.”

“Haha...”

Iser smiled gently, a smile resembling Giovanni’s calm one.

“I don’t really need to eat it, so I don’t tend to.”

It wasn’t exactly just that.

Iser had eaten Gio when he was still alive. Perhaps because of that muscle still twitching in his mouth, he hadn’t put anything in his mouth since then, unless necessary.

“Still...”

“This is delicious, right?”

“...Yes, it’s delicious.”

For the first time in a long while, it felt like he was truly eating ‘food.’

“I feel good.”

It almost felt like becoming a person again.

“Sunshells... Are you going to use the shells, teacher?”

“I plan to grind them and make paint later.”

“I see.”

Giovanni used shells like these to paint, particularly liking to paint the sea. His paintings always smelled of the sea.

“I’ll have to collect them then.”

“Please do.”

Whether Iser was lost in contemplation or not, Gio now picked up another clam.

The clam had a round area, similar to a large scallop, and its shell was already cracked open halfway, revealing the flesh inside.

“...”

The shell was perfectly smooth, and Gio’s bite sank into the meat.

“...It’s really tender, well-done.”

“I grilled it.”

“Excellent, Ariana. You really do have a talent for cooking.”

While clams tend to get tough when overcooked, the Mungdoon or the ‘hammer shell,’ when prepared with the right temperature and time, provided the perfect tenderness.

The delicate texture melted in the mouth, even softer than sashimi from scallops.

‘To think I could feel this texture in a warm grilled clam.’

For Giovanni, this texture was easy to enjoy, but for Sergio, an Earthling, it was a strange and exciting sensation. Thinking back, the clams Giovanni loved the most were also Mungdoon shells.

“It’d be delicious if it were buttered...”

“We never made that kind of dish in Edlen village.”

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

Ariana chuckled softly.

“Butter wasn’t such a precious ingredient there.”

“Rather, it was something people avoided.”

Making butter was a hassle, and it had a strong association with milk residue. Additionally, it was hard to raise cows in a coastal village, so there weren’t many dishes using dairy products.

“But it would really taste great if we buttered them.”

“...We can try it next time.”

“Sounds good.”

The sun shells were a bit uncomfortable to eat with the shell still attached. You had to use a special skewer to twist and pull out the flesh, but the texture was very similar to the sea shells on Earth.

However, the sweetness was extraordinary.

“...”

The sweetness that deeply permeated the flesh and the bitter, herb-like fragrance gave it an oddly medicinal, warming effect. It was said that eating sun shells helped cure a cold.

‘...It makes sense that they’d be used in medicine...’

Perhaps because it was a sun god’s shell, it felt as if the seafood had received a bit of a blessing. With the spicy whelk salad, the sweet-salty taste would be perfect.

“Mermaids didn’t like spicy food, but how about now?”

“I’ve come too far for that to matter now. There’s nothing in the way of my eating anymore.”

Iser, who had been cutting up the Mungdoon shell’s flesh, continued.

“So I think I can eat anything now. A lot of my preferences have faded, and I’m not really the mermaid I was from that sea anymore...”

“So you can eat a bit of spicy food now?”

“I haven’t specifically sought it out, but yes. Are you planning on making something a little spicy next time?”

“It shouldn’t be that spicy...”

“Thinking about the experimental dishes you used to make, I’m not so sure.”

Saying that, Iser smiled.

“Will you let me taste it before we eat?”

“I’d be happy to offer such mercy. If you help me prepare the meal a little.”

“That sounds great.”

Iser murmured.

“...Really great.”

He couldn’t shake off a strange feeling and, like his sister, began to wonder.

Why was it so peaceful?