Oh My, It's Spicy, So Spicy (1)
Ding-dong!
A faint notification sound rang.
Along with it, the result window of Bloodshot Eyes appeared.
[Bloodshot Eyes (Lv.2) skill is activated.]
[Target of observation: Combat Engineering Corps Commander Colonel Forkray.]
[You perceive Colonel Forkray's current state, mentality, and the changes in his mentality for the next 7 hours.]
[Colonel Forkray believes that humans are the most superior race in the world, and that other races, especially the demon race of the Abandoned Land, possess neither culture nor any reason to interact with. He also holds a harsh prejudice that demons have underdeveloped food cultures and cannot even handle spicy food properly.]
[Due to these prejudices, Colonel Forkray harbors great resentment toward his current situation where he must act under your orders.]
[Within the next 7 hours, he will resolve to only pretend to follow your orders on the surface, while in reality engaging in passive disobedience.]
'Hoooh? An enthusiastic racial supremacist?'
Kim Jangcheol quietly whistled to himself.
The type that truly hated and looked down upon demons.
Recently, he had only encountered people in the royal capital who lacked prejudice toward demons, so in a way, this felt refreshingly novel.
But Kim Jangcheol wasn't worried at all.
'Well, actually, this is better.'
Combat Engineering Corps Commander Forkray.
As he observed him, an appropriate special treatment came to mind.
It was at that moment.
"Commander. Here's your dinner."
"Mmm, thank you."
The commander accepted the tray from his adjutant. Yet, the dinner on that tray… was entirely red.
"As ordered, we sprinkled more chili powder than usual today. Is this sufficient?"
"Plenty. Good work."
"Yes, thank you. Please enjoy your meal."
"I shall. You too."
After a brief glance at his adjutant, the commander picked up his spoon and took a deep breath.
"Sniff."
Instantly, a sharp spicy aroma pierced his nose!
Perhaps he had sprinkled a bit too much today.
But that was fine.
It only deepened his sense of pride.
'After all, enjoying spicy food is a privilege of the civilized.'
That was Colonel Forkray's doctrine.
It was also a firm belief shared by the racial fundamentalists he associated with.
The dwarves of the Golden Mountain Range, the elves of the Eastern Mountain Range, and the federations of the Western Plains as well.
All knew how to appreciate their own varieties of spicy flavors. They were wealthy enough to cultivate diverse crops and access various spices. Their food cultures had developed accordingly.
But the demons of the Abandoned Land?
'They probably spent their entire lives cannibalizing each other, never even tasting proper crops. They must have never developed the palate to enjoy the sharp, deep flavors of chili, pepper, onion, or garlic.'
That made them no better than wild beasts. No dogs, pigs, or monkeys enjoyed spicy flavors.
Thus, those demons of the Abandoned Land were no different from dogs, pigs, or monkeys.
Holding that thought, Commander Forkray lifted the first spoonful of food.
But just then—
"Hey! Something smells weird!"
A thunderous voice boomed right in front of him.
Startled, the commander nearly dropped his spoon.
'W-what?'
Turning his head in alarm, he saw a towering demon standing firmly before him.
It was Baal.
"Commander's food! It's all red! Just smelling it makes my nose sting and my eyes tear up! Such an emotionally moving meal!"
"…I-Is that so?"
"It is!"
"...…"
What is this foolish, hulking demon trying to pull?
The commander felt a mix of slight bewilderment and, more than that, considerable displeasure as he looked up at Baal.
What a nuisance.
What an annoyance.
Then, suddenly, a good idea came to mind.
The commander spoke.
"You there, General Baal, was it?"
"That's right! Baal! I am Baal!"
"Are you perhaps interested in the food I'm eating?"
"Yes! This is the first time I've seen something like this!"
"Then, would you like to try a bite?"
"Ooooh! Really?"
"Of course. We are comrades now, after all."
Commander Forkray put on a deliberately friendly smile and readily offered the spoon he had been about to use to Baal.
"Here, don't be shy."
"Commander! You seem like a good person! Thank you!"
"Don't mention it."
Handing over the spoon, he smiled even more pleasantly. He was genuinely delighted. At the same time, he felt a sense of anticipation.
He could already foresee what was about to happen.
"Baal will eat well!"
Scoop!
Baal scooped up a large portion from the tray. The reddest food on the tray — the beef stew generously sprinkled with chili powder.
And in one bite…
"Nom!"
He shoved it into his mouth.
He chewed.
He tried to savor the taste… but couldn't.
"…Kuh-hack!"
An intense cough burst out uncontrollably.
Baal's face instantly turned bright red.
"F-fire!"
His mouth was on fire.
No, it felt like it was on fire — burning, stinging, painful, tingling, searing!
"It hurts! It's hot!"
It was Baal's first time ever tasting chili. That only made it more shocking.
His mouth felt unbearably hot.
In desperation, he looked for water.
He gulped it down.
But the spiciness didn't subside. Tears welled up. It was hard to breathe. It was utterly agonizing.
"Kuh, kuh-hack! Baal is struggling…!"
Baal curled his massive body into a crouch and groaned in distress. Commander Forkray barely hid his delight as he watched. Then he spoke with feigned sympathy.
"Ah, dear me. It seems the dish was too spicy for you, General Baal. I completely forgot. Folks from the Abandoned Land aren't accustomed to spicy flavors yet."
The commander desperately held back his laughter.
To think he was shedding tears from just a single spoonful of stew.
This reaction exceeded his expectations.
It was hilarious.
At the same time, his contempt only deepened.
'Creatures that can't even handle this much dare to call themselves heroes? To seek formal diplomatic relations with the great human kingdoms? Ha. It's absurd no matter how many times I think about it.'
They were worse than barbarians.
Yet he had to accompany such beings to the primitive, uncivilized Abandoned Land. Worse, he had to follow their orders.
The more he thought about it, the more it disgusted him.
But just then—
"Baal? Are you okay?"
Their leader, Kim Jangcheol, approached.
Baal shook his head vigorously.
"Baal! Not okay! It's spicy! It stings! It's hot!"
"Tsk. You should've checked before eating. Alright, open your mouth and breathe. In, out, in, out."
"In! Out! In! Out!"
"Good. You're doing well. Keep going. Drink more cold water too. And you, Commander?"
Kim Jangcheol smiled gently as he turned to the commander.
Then he pointed at his tray.
"I hadn't noticed before, but now that I see it, your meal is rather unique. A red dish. Interesting."
In truth, it wasn't that interesting.
It was simply a dish with a bit of red chili powder added. To Kim Jangcheol, who was Korean to the bone, such food was entirely ordinary and commonplace.
But he pretended to find it interesting.
And pretended he was seeing it for the first time.
The oblivious commander of the Combat Engineering Corps took the bait, hook, line, and sinker.
"Is that so? I suppose such food is rare in the Abandoned Land."
"Indeed. It's a place where it's quite difficult to cultivate crops."
"I apologize for what happened with General Baal. Had I known he wasn't accustomed to spicy food, I would have given him fair warning."
"No need. It was careless of him to eat without caution. That said... may I also receive a serving of the Combat Engineering Corps' meal?"
"Pardon? Our food, you mean?"
"Yes. Since we've become companions, and it seems we'll be working together for quite a while, I thought it would also serve to build camaraderie. What do you say?"
"Ah, of course, that's fine."
The commander smiled broadly to himself.
And he thought,
'Our food? You? Can you even handle it?'
Surely not.
He'd end up just like Baal.
He'd step up boldly, thinking he was different, only to be flustered by the spicy taste that proved the superiority of human culture.
"......"
His heart pounded with excitement.
He already looked forward to the overwhelming sense of superiority he was about to feel.
With that anticipation, the commander signaled to his adjutant. The adjutant, realizing his intent, let out a quiet sigh and brought over a tray.
Like the commander's, it was a stew heavily sprinkled with chili powder.
"I apologize for offering such humble fare."
The commander smiled subtly as he spoke.
And he eagerly awaited the moment.
For Kim Jangcheol to mindlessly shovel the stew into his mouth, and for him to display a pitiful reaction.
As he waited, Kim Jangcheol picked up a spoon. He scooped up some stew. He brought it to his mouth.
And nom, nom, nom.
He savored the flavor.
'Now, let's see your reaction.'
The commander's eyes gleamed.
He waited for him to turn beet red, tear up, and cry out for water. To sweat profusely, shake his head, and be at a complete loss.
He waited…
"Huh?"
After the first bite, Kim Jangcheol furrowed his brow and looked at the commander with a bored expression.
Then he said something unexpected.
"This is a bit bland."
"…Pardon?"
Bland?
This?
"Yes. It's much blander than I expected. If I were to compare it... hmm, about the level of spicy noodles."
"Spicy noodles…. what's that?"
"Ah, kind of like a symbol of the weakest spicy level. Something like that."
"......."
The weakest spicy level?
The stew he just ate?
That's how it felt to him?
'That's impossible.'
The commander was speechless.
Naturally so.
The stew he had served was quite spicy, even by ordinary standards. On top of that, under his instructions, it had been made even spicier than usual.
To showcase his superiority to the demon race.
To demonstrate that he could gracefully consume such heat as a sign of his highly civilized nature.
That's why he'd doubled the chili powder. He'd even simmered it slightly to make it spicier.
'And that's... bland?'
He couldn't believe it.
'Could the cooks have made a mistake?'
He picked up his own spoon.
He scooped up the stew from his tray and tasted it.
'…Hup!'
He felt the heat — it was indeed rather excessive. He almost reached for water. But he couldn't let his face betray him. The commander maintained a calm smile as he spoke.
"Ah, as Sir Kim Jangcheol says, it seems the stew is a bit blander than usual. Perhaps the cooks slipped up today."
"Right? I thought so."
"...…"
"By the way, do you have any more chili powder?"
"What?"
"I think it'd be perfect if it were just a bit spicier. So, could I have some more chili powder? Preferably something properly spicy."
"Y-you… truly mean it?"
"Yes. Do you perhaps have tango or Cheongyang chili peppers?"
"What are those...?"
"Tsk. They'd be perfect if you had them. That's a shame."
"If it's spiciness you're after, we do have some Mekisosan peppers."
"Oh, excellent. Could you bring some, please?"
"........"
The commander was dumbfounded.
The stew was already punishingly spicy.
And he wanted Mekisosan peppers on top of that?
Those peppers — so potent that even the most refined gourmets needed ample preparation and resolve before consuming even a single sliver. Peppers that were virtually toxic in strength.
'Yes, it must just be bluster.'
A demon from the Abandoned Land, a primitive, uncivilized race, there's no way they could truly eat such heat.
So this man must be posturing. He was probably already suffering from the stew's spiciness, which would be the normal reaction.
He was just barely holding it in, trying not to show it, pretending.
'Let's make him pay for his primitive bravado.'
Crack!
The commander made up his mind.
He called for the cook.
"Bring him some Mekisosan peppers."
"Pardon? But… that's a bit..."
"Ahem. That's an order. The gentleman has requested it."
"..."
The cook's eyes wavered.
It was as if he wanted to ask whether it was really acceptable to do such a thing to a hero of the royal capital.
But the commander was firm.
Before his imposing will, the cook lowered his head. Then, with a half-resigned look, he brought several Mekisosan peppers.
Seeing them, Kim Jangcheol's face lit up brightly.
"Oh? These are tango chili peppers! Wow, they've ripened perfectly!"
"I-is that so?"
"Yes. Commander, would you like to have some too?"
"…Uh, uh?"
"Come now, don't hold back."
"..."
W-wait a moment.
That's not the kind of food you eat raw.
You might not know, being from a primitive race, but Mekisosan peppers are meant to be sliced in minuscule amounts and diluted into dishes before they're safe for human consumption—
Crunch!
"Oh my, look at that juicy snap. Whew, now this feels just right."
"......"
Am I really seeing this?
Is this really not a lie?
The commander felt his mind go blank as he watched Kim Jangcheol munch on the raw Mekisosan chili pepper.
But it didn't stop there.
"Still, it's a bit mild. Do you happen to have any gochujang sauce?"
"Eh?"
"Gochujang sauce, you know. If not, any thick chili-based sauce will do."
"That's... why...?"
"Why? To dip them, of course."
"..."
F***, I don't even know anymore.
The commander nodded in utter confusion. The cook brought over some chili sauce. Kim Jangcheol's face blossomed into a truly happy, sincere smile.
"Oh? You have it, you do! Wow, this is just right! As expected, tango chili pepper is best when dipped in sauce."
Plop! Crunch!
Thus, that day, the commander experienced something unforgettable.
He even thought of his fellow humans.
The terror of a man who chewed raw Mekisosan chili pepper.
The humiliation of being overwhelmed by someone who even dipped those peppers into chili sauce.
"......."
It was the moment when the deep-rooted racial fundamentalism that had made the commander firmly believe that enjoying spicy food was proof of being civilized was thoroughly and completely cured.
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