They both arrived home together, the quiet of the evening settling gently around them. Nyxara was already gulping down the chocolate bars Junyeok had bought on the way back, completely unbothered by appearances. Her cheeks puffed slightly as she chewed, eyes shining with pure satisfaction.
Junyeok watched her from the side, a faint smile forming before he could stop it. Moments like this—simple and peaceful—made everything feel worth it.
The next morning, sunlight poured into Junyeok's house, bathing the kitchen in a warm, comforting glow. The faint clatter of utensils echoed softly as Junyeok tied a plain white apron around his waist. His movements were calm and confident, as if the kitchen was a place he truly belonged.
He turned toward Nyxara and handed her a much smaller apron.
It was bright yellow, clearly made for a child, with a tiny chick printed right at the center.
Nyxara blinked, then slowly put it on.
The moment she did, Junyeok froze.
She looked absurdly adorable.
Nyxara glanced down at herself, then looked back up at him. "Don't you have any other aprons for me? Besides this one?"
Junyeok cleared his throat and looked away. "That's… the only one that fits your size."
"Oh." Nyxara nodded once. "Then it can't be helped."
She made an okay gesture casually, completely unaware of the internal struggle she had caused.
Junyeok forced a stiff smile.
The other aprons that fit her are even worse…
A bittersweet expression crossed his face.
His mother had always wanted a daughter. Because of that, the house used to be filled with small dresses, frilly clothes, and pastel-colored aprons.
And since there was no daughter—
She made me try all of them.
The memory struck him vividly.
He remembered being sent outside to play while dressed in clothes meant for a little girl. His wardrobe back then had more skirts than shorts. The stares, the whispers, the burning embarrassment—it all came rushing back.
Junyeok shivered slightly.
Those days were full of embarrassment, he thought with a bitter smile.
And yet… I never had a reason to refuse.
Whenever his mother dressed him up like that, she would smile—truly smile. Seeing her happy had always been enough. That warmth had outweighed every awkward glance and every moment of shame.
The image of her overlapped perfectly with how she looked now, unchanged by time.
Without realizing it, Junyeok smiled brightly.
Nyxara watched him closely, curiosity filling her gaze.
What is he thinking about? He keeps making strange faces… but he looks happy.
"Alright," Junyeok said suddenly, clapping his hands together. His voice was filled with excitement. "Let's begin."
Nyxara mirrored his energy instantly. "Let's begin."
A moment later, she blinked. "But… what are we making?"
Junyeok's lips curved into a knowing grin. "Something very special. My own recipe."
He turned toward the counter and began taking out the items they had bought.
"Remember those ingredients from the shop?" he said brightly. "We're going to use them to make something special."
Nyxara stiffened.
A chill ran down her spine.
She laughed nervously. "You're joking… right? This is a joke, right? We're not actually going to eat those things."
Junyeok smiled without hesitation. "Absolutely. We are."
Nyxara screamed internally.
"No, no, no—" she shouted, trying to flee at full speed. "I'd rather starve than eat that!"
Before she could take more than a step, Junyeok caught her effortlessly.
"You're not going anywhere," he said calmly, his smile turning slightly dangerous. "You're helping me cook. And you're eating it with me."
Nyxara froze.
"Unless," Junyeok added casually, "you want to lose your chocolate privileges for the next month."
Her resistance collapsed instantly.
"Fine! Fine, I'll help! I'll eat it!" Nyxara said through tears. "Just don't take away my chocolate."
Junyeok nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now let's really begin."
He started with the black slime remains.
Junyeok placed them into boiling water at extremely high temperature and left them there for thirty minutes. Slowly, the foul stench disappeared. The dark, ominous aura faded, leaving behind a clean, translucent substance. The water itself turned pitch-black.
He discarded the water and set the slime aside.
Next, he took the fruits of the man-eating plant and ground them down. The texture became thick, like mashed potatoes, but the color was a deep, unsettling red. He heated oil in a pan, added the paste, seasoned it lightly, and fried it until its sharp scent mellowed.
He then mixed the fried paste into the black slime.
The result looked like a pale red jelly, slightly sticky, gradually thickening into something resembling dough.
Junyeok then turned to Nyxara. "Scrape the great silver wolf fang until it turns into powder."
Nyxara stared at him in disbelief. "Why do I always get the hardest job?"
Junyeok lifted the giant larva with a calm expression. "Want to switch?"
Nyxara immediately shook her head. "No. This is fine."
Junyeok handled the larva himself, suppressing his discomfort. He sliced it open, removed the inner parts, and washed it thoroughly in ice-cold water. Afterward, he seasoned it with spices, added curd, and marinated it with chili powder.
The texture gradually changed, becoming closer to meat.
He filled it with mixed vegetables and finely chopped mandrake root, then rolled it carefully.
Nyxara handed him the powdered fang.
Junyeok mixed it into the dough, which began to shimmer faintly.
He stretched the dough, shaping it into small portions, and wrapped each piece around the larva filling. After sealing them perfectly, he placed them into the oven.
One hour later, he took them out.
What emerged looked like luxurious bread—golden and crisp on the outside, faintly glowing, with a rich aroma.
Junyeok exhaled deeply. "Finally. It's done."
Nyxara stared in shock. "You made that… from those ingredients?"
Junyeok handed her one piece and took one himself. "Eat it before it gets cold."
They took a bite.
The crust was crisp, the inside soft and rich. The filling was flavorful, spicy yet balanced, with a depth that lingered.
Nyxara's eyes widened. "Can I have more?"
Junyeok nodded. "Of course."
They split another piece, eating until they were completely full.
Then—
Energy surged through their bodies.
Nyxara gasped. "Junyeok… something's happening. I feel stronger."
"I know," Junyeok replied calmly.
He explained how certain monster ingredients, when combined properly, released special energy—known as a Monstrous Buff-Eat. In his past life, he had discovered this recipe during a rare competition.
This bread was among the top-tier buff foods.
His cultivation speed would increase nearly fourfold for three days.
Nyxara smiled brightly. "I've never felt this energetic before."
Later that day, Junyeok handed her a chocolate bar.
She accepted it without hesitation.
As she chewed, she frowned slightly. "It tastes a bit crunchy."
Junyeok smiled. "New flavor."
She nodded. "I like it. Give me more next time."
Junyeok turned away, relieved.
She doesn't even know what she ate.
Junyeok thought with a faint smirk, I mixed in the scale I got from defeating the Ground Behemoth—after reading its description last night. It accelerates the bond growth between contractor and contract when the effects resonate faster than usual… and since I knew she'd never eat it if I told her directly, I just blended it into the chocolate bar and called it a "new flavor." Heh.
That night, Junyeok trained relentlessly for three days.
On the fourth day, he finally exhaled.
"It's time to check my stats," he said quietly. "They should have gone up… at least a little."