Chapter 481

[This was a victory for all of us. The mature citizens of the world know what truly endangers us. They also know how to contribute to their wars. Our enemy was not outside.

Yes, we are currently living in an era of turmoil. However, we are no longer afraid because we have the Awakened from the World Awakened Association, united with a strong determination for world peace, led by the Guardian, King of Hell.

I dare not and am not qualified to represent the entire mankind. I am just one of the billions of humans who are assured of their daily lives. But at this moment, you and I probably share the same thoughts. Taking this opportunity, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Guardian, King of Hell...]

Mature citizens.

Jonathan didn't even laugh.

The reason the world seemed stable even in times like this was that the flow of capital had long been controlled. It was because a single apex, wielding absolute power, was using it for a benevolent purpose. Humanity was blessed.

Jonathan turned off the television and turned his head. He saw Seon-Hu, who had fallen asleep with his body slumped to one side on the opposite couch. He was the one who had reached divinity. Although he could not match Doom Kaos and Old One at the moment, it was certain that he was in the same realm as them.

People called such beings as gods, and it was strikingly contradictory to see one of them drunkenly asleep close to Jonathan. It also felt amusing.

However, Jonathan's face suddenly darkened with an ominous feeling that came out of nowhere. He was concerned that Seon-Hu might never wake up from his sleep.

"Sun."

Jonathan softly called his friend's name. Only when Seon-Hu tossed and turned before opening his eyes, was Jonathan able to relax and get up.

"Nothing. Sorry for waking you up."

Seon-Hu's eyes closed again. His face was in peace, but Jonathan couldn't take his eyes off his face. It was neither just because of Sun's death that the Old One had planned, or Seon-Hu's unstable position, where he had to somehow gain confidence and push on.

One undeniable fact, regardless of any assumption, was that another god had been born in a remote area of the universe. Now there were three: Sun, Old One, Doom Kaos. The ultimate winner in the fight between these three gods, battling for uniqueness, would exist as a true deity.

It was a matter of a world far beyond imagination...

You must win, Sun.

Then, Jonathan decided to completely abandon the thoughts he had been carrying. He had been thinking that a small planet like Earth was holding the Sun back, and even imagined the day when the mainland would disappear.

However, what Sun needed now was unwavering determination.

***

Morning had arrived. When the presence of an uninvited guest intruded through my sensory network, I was already awake. Moments later, Jonathan's rebuke toward the villa's caretaker began at the front door.

"Why did you do something I didn't ask for?"

This place wasn't Saint Dragorin, yet Jonathan's authoritative demeanor and the villa caretaker's submissive attitude clearly displayed their difference in status. The villa caretaker probably just wanted to serve Jonathan a splendid breakfast.

However, the breakfast in the villa that had been vacant for a while after Jonathan had disappeared after slaying the orcs, pointed inevitably to Jonathan's whereabouts. While I wondered what reporters would dare to barge in without permission, the villa caretaker's phone never stopped vibrating.

Jonathan sternly ordered that no one should be allowed in. I waited for him to return and said, "I was going to go back anyway."

However, the sight of the prepared breakfast was irresistible, even for me. I had not smelled such food in a long time. I couldn't recall the last time when I had tasted this as it was not something worth keeping in the place of memory. The smell of the spicy food made me salivate in the corner of my mouth.

It was soft tofu soup with thinly sliced green onions and garlic infused with a hearty aroma. Open-mouthed clams and the red soup were all contained in the earthen pot. There was steamed rice with steam rising, a side dish of dried anchovies, and kimchi next to the pot.

It was simple, but nothing could have been better than this meal. It was quite a distance from the villa to the city, so I appreciated the effort the caretaker must have made to bring this breakfast here.

I swallowed a mouth full of saliva. Yes, the excitement at that moment was indescribable. It was comparable to the moment when I had the Great Silver in my hand.

Suddenly, I felt Jonathan's gaze, so I looked up. He was trying to change his expression hurriedly, but an insurmountable difference in my life here and his life was obvious. He was looking at me with sorrow.

With a stern face, he pushed a tray toward me.

"...I should have given him a reward," Jonathan said, and he was talking about the villa caretaker. He moved the tray to the dining table, then went outside to the porch.

"Wait a minute. The choice was excellent though. What is your name? I will remember it."

"It is Evans, Sir Guardian."

While Jonathan was encouraging the villa caretaker, I moved the dishes from the tray to the dining table and waited for him. Back in the old days when Jonathan stayed in Seoul, he also enjoyed this soup.

"What are you waiting for? There is only one anyway. Go ahead and enjoy," Jonathan said after coming back.

I asked, "You must have come here frequently?"

"Yes, I used to. After the training got intense, I ordered that first. It seems like the caretaker remembered that. I didn't expect it, but he is an impressive fellow."

I was ready to relish the joy. As if I was manipulating the realm of the System Administrator, I cautiously scooped up the red soup and soft tofu and placed some clams on top of them.

The sauce soaked in the soup seemed to be made by mixing a ratio of three tablespoons of cooking oil, one tablespoon of chili oil, and one tablespoon of sesame oil. It also seemed that minced beef was fried there. Garlic and ginger had been added in a ratio of three to one, and soy sauce and salt in a six to two ratio, along with red pepper powder and black pepper.

Every sensation dancing on my tongue began to touch my heart.

Jonathan threw in a comment as he had been watching me closely, "World-class chefs wouldn't stand a chance in front of you, Sun."

Then, he openly laughed as if he wanted to frame the situation in a fun way.

The soft tofu stew was magnificent. It was made in the style of my beloved homeland, Korea. After tasting the soup, I put in half a serving of rice and mixed it. Jonathan smiled at me again, remarking that my taste had not changed.

"I was wondering before as well. Why do you keep half a serving of rice separate?"

"If I put it all in at once, the soup would become overloaded."

"Ah, that makes sense. How is it?"

"Amazing. It is not a skill that can be expected from an American."

"There must be a Korean community nearby."

We put aside all the matters regarding the Seven Demon Kings and Doom Kaos for a moment and strove not to break our ordinary conversation. It was a time as enjoyable as the soup, and the time was slowly coming to an end. I finally scraped the grains of rice stuck to the bowl.

"I know the way to deliver the greatest insult to Koreans. You might deny it, but most Koreans would agree."

I decided to play along with the atmosphere he was trying to create.

"What is it?"

When I asked back, Jonathan shrugged as if to say 'guess.'

I said, "Insulting the family? Especially the parents."

"You are wrong."

"Then, what is it?"

"Think about what kind of education ordinary Koreans receive. That is my only hint."

Then, Jonathan pointed at the empty bowl with his chin. However, I was still unable to figure it out, so I asked him how there could be any insult worse than mocking someone's parents. Jonathan only smiled and didn't seem to want to tell me the answer.

"Are you not going to tell me?"

"I know something that an entity in the realm of the sacred does not know. Haha."

I was thankful to Jonathan. The stew was not what he intended, but at least this ordinary atmosphere was the result of his efforts. It could be a regular meal for someone and a commonplace joke for them, but this was exactly what I needed right now. This reminded me of what I wanted to protect and achieve once again.

Doom Kaos probably became an entity with nothing but greed because he couldn't have a friend like this by his side. I needed to not forget myself during the process of gaining and wielding power.

"Shall we get up if you are done eating? Take this too."

As he said this, space wavered above his palm that he stretched out. To be precise, it was a flow that started in his subspace and connected to it. Jonathan flickered what he had summoned.

[Half of the Great Red's Heart (Item)]

Apart from the insufficient powers, there was something new I felt.

***

「Why Did the Guardian, King of Hell, Move to North Carolina Immediately After Ending the Battle? Korean Food, Soft Tofu Stew―Sundubu jjigae.

An emergency arose as an attack phenomenon had occurred at Jonathan Hunter's Texas mansion. Many expressed serious concern over the situation, which lasted over thirty-six hours.

However, he dispelled public worries by stating, "Today, humanity has grasped another victory, so the enemies will not dare to challenge us anymore." He showed his robust presence and confidence as a Guardian.

In fact, Jonathan Hunter's extraordinary abilities are beyond what could be captured by the cameras of the media on the scene. Regarding this, Lee Tae-Han, the chairman of the World Awakened Association, also explained that the Awakened defeated an attack composed of over ten thousand supernatural forces, which was an extremely encouraging event for all of humanity.

Afterward, opinions mainly speculated that he moved to a new defensive structure, but his whereabouts were soon found at one of his mansions in North Carolina. However, considering that he had been residing in defensive structures in preparation for attacks, his move to a mansion in North Carolina was unexpected.

Apart from the destroyed defensive structure in this attack, it is known that there are as many as twenty-four structures that are under construction or have been completed. Nonetheless, his North Carolina mansion is not a fortified place, and it is in a location where it is difficult to quickly coordinate with the association, Jonathan Investment Finance Group, and Washington D.C.

◇ Then why did he move to the mansion in North Carolina immediately after the battle?

We were able to answer this question through the whereabouts of the mansion's caretaker, Evans (51). At the time when Jonathan Hunter's whereabouts were unclear, Evans was spotted in Pittsboro, North Carolina. He ordered a Korean dish called 'soft tofu stew - sundubu jjigae' from Kim Eun-Sil, who operates a Korean mart, and this was served to Jonathan Hunter.

During the interview, Kim said, "I knew that Evans is the caretaker of the Guardian's villa. But I just thought Evans liked Korean food. It is really thrilling and an honorable thing. Can you believe that the Guardian ate my dish?"

Jonathan Hunter recalled his time in Seoul and mentioned that he enjoyed eating 'Korean soft tofu stew - sundubu jjigae' in his book [Nothing Ventured Nothing Have] during the section about Russian Guardian Knights. Keeping that in mind, the dish was for Jonathan Hunter.

The mansion's caretaker Evans later visited Kim one more time and ordered the same dish.

◇ The dish that Jonathan Hunter sought immediately after finishing the war. The dish he showed affection for by ordering it twice. What kind of dish is Korean soft tofu stew - sundubu jjigae...」