Leveling Up Through Eating

PR: MattForgenti

22 Ellie\'s Favorability

‘I’m so jealous…… How much luck did you receive when you were born……?’

Changwook thought of this as he continued to ask Minhyuk about what he received from winning the championship.

“Is that all? There’s nothing else?”

“I also received 10,000 achievement points.”

“T, ten thousand? I have only received 13,000 achievement points so far?!”

“Wow, hyung. You must really be bad at games.”

Changwook clenched his fist at Minhyuk when he heard his joking words. It wasn’t that he was bad at it, it was just Minhyuk that was too fraudulent. After all, achievement points couldn’t be received easily.

“That amount is already enough to get something really good. Well, everyone thought that all of the participants would just scatter around instead of killing the Minotaurus but… you killed it…”

“Ahem.”

Minhyuk shook his head as he searched through Athenae’s official homepage for more information.

‘Using achievement points to buy something delicious.’

[Go to the Chef’s Tower and use your achievement points to buy ingredients.]

[You can purchase ingredients with your achievement points in the Chef’s Tower.]

There were plenty of similar articles but all of them were filled with negative comments.

[Everyone, here’s a cool tip for you to avoid stepping on poop. It’s a stupid idea to buy ingredients from the Chef’s Tower using your achievement points.

fgjkadf31: Why is this a cool tip? If you’re not an idiot then you should know this, right?

Beanie’sDad: My house’s Beanie and the maltese, Kancho, next door also knows this.]

“Hmm?”

Minhyuk tilted his head in confusion.

Why is it stupid to buy ingredients using your achievement points?

He continuously checked additional information to help him understand things regarding the matter.

[Here are some of the reasons why you shouldn’t buy ingredients using your achievement points in the Chef’s Tower.

1) The special abilities that come with the ingredients are incredibly low compared to the achievement points needed to buy them. Furthermore, chefs do not have any other skills except for their buffing ability. Do we really need to buy a single consumable ingredient just for that?

2) Buying a chef’s hat, chef’s knife or a chef’s skill with your achievement points to increase your buffing ability is much better compared to buying ingredients, right?

These are the two main points. I have seen plenty of novice users buy ingredients without knowing anything to try and increase their cooking skills. They have failed miserably. Don’t do that.]

“Oho.”

Minhyuk rubbed his chin in thought.

“What are you going to buy with your achievement points?”

“Something delicious.”

“......With 10,000 points?”

“Yes.”

Minhyuk recalled that he received a quest from the coachman, Baran, about meeting with the blacksmith Ron. He would be somewhere near the towers so he could go and finish the quest on his way there.

“What delicious thing should I buy with my 10,000 points? Huhu……”

With 10,000 points, Changwook could already get quite a lot of rewards. But all of it would be exchanged with something delicious. A thought suddenly came to Changwook…

‘What kind of ingredient will you be able to get with 10,000 points?’

He was quite curious about what Minhyuk will get with all his points.

Minhyuk then checked his notification windows on his handphone. After he was warped to the awards ceremony, he was so obsessed about finding ways to leave the hall so he wasn’t able to listen properly to the notifications. It was fortunate that the users could check all of the notifications that they have heard in the game on their handphones.

[You have acquired 5.2 billion gold.]

[You have won the tournament.]

[You have gained 50 reputation points.]

[You have gained 5,000 achievement points.]

[You can now learn Ellie’s Swordsmanship.]

[You can request a small wish with Ellie.]

“5.2 billion gold? Does the Minotaurus really give this much gold?”

“No, I think it’s because it was an event monster this time. Just look at the achievement points.”

He had received a total of 15,000 achievement points. In addition, he was also given a chance to learn Ellie’s Swordsmanship, which was an epic skill.

“Wow. Ellie’s Swordsmanship. I’m so jealous…… I wish I could get an epic skill……”

Among all of Changwook’s skill, his strongest was only a unique skill. In fact, not many users could have epic skills even if they wanted to have one.

Then there was the reward about requesting a small wish from Ellie. Changwook pondered over it deeply before telling Minhyuk his thoughts.

“I got a good idea!”

“......?”

“Ask for an epic artifact or a quest that will lead to an epic artifact. Kyaa! Isn’t your hyung smart?”

Minhyuk, who was listening seriously, suddenly stood up.

S, so there’s this method too!

“Yeah, you’re finally listening to your hyung!”

Changwook was besides himself with joy.

Minhyuk, who was going back into the capsule, turned around and told him.

“I’m going to ask Ellie for something delicious!”

“.......”

“......”

“......”

Changwook, along with the rest of the people monitoring him, stared blankly as he entered the capsule.

***

Ellie was reading through documents and handling official affairs in her office. She was currently reviewing the examination reports of the foreigners in the Eivelis Empire. As she was reading the reports, her expression slowly turned strange and she became curious.

“Black Dragon? He’s a great man.”

“That’s right. Your Majesty.”

Ruth, a person who has served Ellie since she was a child, bowed politely towards her.

“He’s not yet at Lv100 but he bought a merchant’s failing store and made about 1,200% of the original sales. I believe he’s a merchant with great capabilities. It would be good to recruit him if we can.”

“I have already tried to recruit him and offered him a job. But……”

Ruth had an expression of extreme regret on his face.

“Black Dragon said that ‘I will fight only for one person and that person is the only reason why I am here.’ and he also said that the reason that he wanted to reach the top was because he wanted to eliminate the obstacles for this person.”

“Ho.”

Ellie became interested in Black Dragon when she heard Ruth’s report. She rubbed her chin in thought.

I’m expanding my influence because I want to protect this person. Isn’t that sentiment extremely cool and majestic?

“However, I was extremely in awe of his talents so I continued to try and recruit him but he told me something with a straight face.”

Ellie’s interest was completely piqued.

He’s a man with a strong will. What did he say?

“My right hand will go crazy and unruly. If you continue to bother me then I won’t stop my right hand from going crazy. Was what he said, Your Majesty.”

“......”

“......”

Ellie turned silent for a moment and Ruth couldn’t help but let out a cough in embarrassment.

“He’s quite an unusual foreigner.”

“......Yes, you’re right. Your Majesty. Ah, it’s already time for you to eat.”

Ellie shook her head and stood up to leave the office and went towards the dining area.

She sat down on the dining table and looked at the sumptuous delicacies that were placed on the long table.

This is the wonderful meal that the chefs of the Imperial Palace have made!

It was a table of food that ordinary foreigners and citizens would want to taste just once in their lives. However, Ellie, who has eaten the same food for quite a long time, let out a ‘Hoo……’ and looked at the table despondently.

“I have no appetite.”

Ruth felt sad while he looked at her figure.

Len.

Ever since he left the Imperial Palace, she seemed to have lost her appetite.

Ruth also believed that Len’s dishes were overwhelmingly superior in taste and flavor compared to other dishes that even the Imperial chefs did not know what to do with this situation.

“Bring that over.”

“Yes!”

Right now, there was only one dish that could stimulate Ellie’s appetite. It was a food that originated from the foreigner’s world.

Not long after, the chefs brought over the requested dish.

Placed in front of the Empress was a well-made and piping hot carbonara and a can containing a dish called ‘Spam’.

“Spam. What a strange thing that it can even bring back someone’s lost appetite.”

Ruth smiled lightly when he heard her words. He saw her pick up her fork to first taste the carbonara that was soon followed by the salty spam.

The spam was truly delicious especially when it was cooked until it was crispy. Since it tasted salty, she unknowingly ate a lot more carbonara than what she wanted to eat.

“It’s delicious. It’s really great.”

“I see. It’s great that it’s delicious.”

Ruth loved watching Ellie eat. However, ever since Len left, she looked like she didn’t enjoy the food anymore. He sighed sadly.

‘I haven’t seen her smile ever since that day.’

Ever since he left, the Empress has only focused on doing her work as an Empress that she has already become an Empress that wouldn’t bleed even if she got stabbed.

Right at that moment, he saw the leader of the Phoenix Knights, Cass, walk inside.

“Sir, didn’t I tell you not to disturb Her Majesty while she’s eating?”

“I know. But Her Majesty also told us to bring the foreigner who won the tournament right away. Isn’t that right?”

Ellie’s fork stopped moving when she heard what he said as she nodded her head in agreement.

“Did he come?”

“Yes.”

Ellie’s eyes sparkled in excitement.

“Let him enter.”

“Yes!”

Cass turned around and quickly moved to get the foreigner.

Ellie was quite curious about him. He was someone that Len acknowledged. He even gave him the kitchen knife that she has bestowed upon him. And he was also a person with outstanding skill as what was seen when he won the tournament.

Not long after the leader of the Phoenix Knights left, they came back with the foreigner in tow. She saw him bow his head at her.

“You’re the foreigner, Minhyuk.”

“That’s right, Your Majesty.”

“Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

“No, no. I’m alright.”

His body was continuously twitching.

“You might have heard of this already but I will say it again. You will be able to learn swordsmanship from me.”

“Yes, thank you. Your Majesty.”

Ellie looked at him strangely.

‘He doesn’t sound happy or excited?’

There were plenty of people who covet her swordsmanship. They would do anything for a chance to learn it but he sounded indifferent when he heard about it.

Then, she heard the foreigner say…

“Your Majesty. I heard that if I win the tournament then I could ask Your Majesty for a small wish?”

“......That’s right.”

Ellie grinned darkly when she heard his words.

‘They’re all the same. Len.”

The foreigner that received Len’s kitchen knife… she thought that he would be a bit special.

Len was someone who cared and loved her. He was a very pure man that he even did everything for her even if he had no sense of taste. He even did his best to increase his dexterity just so he could make a dish that could make her happy.

I thought that he would be just like him.

But he was not.

He was someone who desires something. There were many things that he could ask the Empress for with just that small wish.

“What do you want? A place where you could find a special treasure? Or do you want to take a few things from my treasure trove? Or do you want a title? Or hundreds of billions of gold? Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”

She became interested in him because he went and ate beef, but now her interest has disappeared. He was just a regular, greedy foreigner. The strangers were always like this.

They’re all the same.

The foreigner raised his head and looked at her with shining eyes.

He sounded sullen and indifferent when Ellie told him that she would teach him swordsmanship but now his eyes were shining with excitement. His voice was even filled with excitement.

“Your Majesty. It’s a difficult request, will it still be okay?”

“Tell me. I’m the Empress of the Eivelis Empire, Ellie. I will grant you your wish to the best of my abilities.”

The man was having a hard time hiding the smile on his face.

“Please give me the honor to eat spam!”

Ellie was left speechless when she heard his request. Even Ruth, who was staying at the sidelines, couldn’t help but turn speechless.

She asked him again, just to make sure.

“Spam……? You mean this ham?”

“Yeeees!”

He gulped as he nodded wildly.

The moment she heard his confirmation…

Grin━

She smiled and chuckled lightly.

Ruth suddenly turned his head to look at her.

She’s smiling, Her Majesty is smiling.

He did not know how long it had been since he saw her smile.

Then…

“Puhahahahaha!”

She hugged her stomach as she laughed loudly.

***

TL’s Corner!!!

Changwook… When will you ever learn? Lol. Minhyuk’s priority list is like this:

1 - Food; 2 - Food; 100 - Food.

You get me? LOLOL.

PR’s corner!

Black Dragon strikes again! I’d almost forgotten about Minhyuk’s dad. Good to know he’s still playing the game.

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