The sink was filled with dishes and plates. Looking at the piled-up tableware, Park Yeon was lost in thought.

"If only this had existed, the maids wouldn’t have had to suffer so much..."

Park Yeon thought he had understood Earth to a certain extent. But he had been mistaken.

Earth, as a continent (?), was astonishing the more he learned about it. Unlike the continent where magic was advanced, this place had developed science to an extreme degree.

So much so that it could create things like this.

The name was—!

"Rubber gloves."

Park Yeon had often witnessed the maids of his estate struggling during the winter.

Feeling sorry for them, he had occasionally ordered magicians to heat the water and do the dishes, but there was a limit to that as well.

"But with these rubber gloves..."

What an amazing pair of gloves. Like the legendary dragon’s artifact, the Bloody Gauntlet.

To think you could do the dishes in cold water without your hands freezing...

Park Yeon made a resolution. If he ever had the chance to return to the continent, he would buy thousands of these rubber gloves to take back with him.

He would liberate the maids of the continent from their suffering (!) with these gloves!

"I should take this too."

His gaze shifted.

Dish soap.

Was that what it was called? This stuff was as remarkable an invention as the rubber gloves.

Just a few drops were enough to remove stubborn grime and grease from dishes.

It seemed he’d need to bring thousands of bottles of dish soap as well.

"To do that, I’ll need to save money."

Fortunately, the Demon King had agreed to give him an allowance of 600,000 won per month.

With rubber gloves costing 10,000 won per pair and dish soap also priced around 10,000 won, he could afford 30 of each per month.

"Hehe."

As Park Yeon chuckled quietly, his expression suddenly stiffened.

What about cola if he went back?

"......"

In the end, he sighed deeply and decided to think about it later. After all, he didn’t even have a way to return yet.

When he finished the dishes and left the kitchen, he saw the Demon King’s nephew dancing in front of the TV.

"Doo doo doo doo, under the sea! Mommy shark! Doo doo doo doo, daddy shark! Doo doo doo~!"

The one who had mocked the celestial beings, plundered the heavenly realm, and was revered as a demon god in the demon world.

The one who had descended to the human realm, slaughtered half-dragon deities for mere amusement, and disrupted the balance of the world.

The Demon God, Lee Seo-jun!

And his adorable nephew, Lee Seo-woo!

This could not be ignored.

This was the duty of a hero!

"Doo doo doo doo~"

Concealing his presence was nothing for Park Yeon. He approached stealthily.

Hmph. Still unaware of my presence, completely absorbed in his dancing.

Creeping closer, step by step...

And then—grab!

"Waaaaah!"

"So you were dancing."

"Yes! Can you give me a piggyback ride?"

How could the Demon King’s nephew be this cute... Muttering under his breath, Park Yeon hoisted Seo-woo onto his shoulders.

From atop his shoulders, Seo-woo continued dancing.

‘So cute...’

Park Yeon’s mouth stretched into a wide grin. Watching this from the kitchen, Seo-jun chuckled quietly.

He’s adapting better than I thought. Is it because he’s a hero? Or is he just naturally adaptable?

Whatever the reason, it’s a relief.

‘What should I make next?’

These days, Seo-jun was deeply immersed in the joy of cooking. More precisely, in the joy of eating.

In the demon world, he had no choice but to eat monsters to stave off hunger. But on Earth, ingredients for food were abundant.

Even if the prices were a bit steep.

After some thought, Seo-jun decided to make kimchi stew.

Just ten years ago, kimchi stew was a staple of humble Korean cuisine, much like soybean paste stew. But now, it wasn’t the same.

‘Cabbage has become as precious as gold.’

Just as pork belly had come to be called "gold belly," a single head of cabbage had become too expensive for ordinary people to afford.

Thirty thousand won for one cabbage.

Including the ingredients for the kimchi seasoning, it would cost at least fifty thousand won to make one batch of kimchi.

But Seo-jun really wanted to eat kimchi stew.

In the demon world, he had eaten plenty of Krekseg pork belly and Arutus fried dishes, but not kimchi.

While there were crops that could replace cabbage in the demon world, there were no ingredients to make kimchi seasoning.

However!

—The pork belly was delicious. Grandma said she felt sorry for always causing trouble, so she wanted to give this as thanks.

Last night, Cha Jin-myung had visited with half a head of aged kimchi.

The price of fresh kimchi was already exorbitant, but aged kimchi would cost at least several hundred thousand won.

Seo-jun retrieved the kimchi from the fridge. The sharp aroma unique to aged kimchi filled his nostrils pleasantly.

He cut enough for the stew and returned the rest to a plastic container in the fridge.

Making kimchi stew may seem simple as a representative Korean dish, but it’s actually quite challenging.

The condition of the kimchi was crucial. Its ripeness and the state of the kimchi juice would determine the stew’s flavor.

The next important factor was the additional ingredients that would enhance the stew.

Debating between pork belly and pork shoulder, Seo-jun chose the latter.

While pork belly pairs perfectly with kimchi stew, it could turn the stew greasy if overused.

The moderate fat content of pork shoulder would better enhance the soup’s flavor.

‘Start by seasoning the meat.’

Even familiar dishes required care and effort. Seasoning the meat was part of that process.

Most people stir-fry the meat with sesame oil, but seasoning the meat beforehand adds extra flavor.

Sizzle!

Seo-jun threw the pork shoulder into the heated pot. The meat stuck relentlessly to the pot's surface, but he didn’t mind and kept stir-frying it.

Once the meat turned white, he added two spoonfuls of cooking wine. Then, he poured in a spoonful of detoxified hydra venom.

‘Smells good.’

Thanks to the seasoning, a savory aroma filled the air. Next came the broth.

He added anchovy and kelp stock, followed by kimchi juice.

The meat sizzled with a loud crackling sound, releasing a rich aroma as it browned and caramelized. At this moment, red pepper powder and finely chopped onions were added, with green onions as the final touch.

Gulp.

The bubbling kimchi stew was so enticing that it made one’s mouth water just looking at it.

Scooping up a spoonful of the broth, Seo-jun tasted it.

“Ah.”

It had a taste that called for a drink. While letting it simmer longer would deepen the flavor, making it even better, Seo-jun resisted the temptation.

If he allowed himself, he might end up drinking in the middle of the day.

‘Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.’

After all, it was just for the mood.

Turning the heat to medium, he let the stew bubble away.

Bubble bubble!

“Wow!”

Seo-woo, who had been playing with Park Yeon, darted into the kitchen. Park Yeon, dejected by the fact that Seo-woo had seemingly abandoned him for the stew, trudged in with a look of defeat.

“What is this?”

“Kimchi stew.”

“A soup with a strange aroma, I see.”

“It’s similar to the bone soup you had last time.”

“Hoho.”

Seo-jun set aside a portion in a separate pot for Yeon-jun, who had gone to the bank, and took a seat at the table with the rest.

“Uncle, is this kimchi stew?”

“Yes. Have you tried it before, Seo-woo?”

“Of course! My mom used to make it a long time ago.”

“Really?”

“Yeah! But Uncle.”

“Hm?”

“Do you know when my mom is coming back? Dad said she’d be back after a hundred nights, but she hasn’t come home yet.”

“Maybe it hasn’t been a hundred nights yet.”

“A hundred nights feels way too long. I really want to see Mom soon…”

Seo-jun felt a pang of sadness at Seo-woo’s dejected tone. He quickly changed the subject.

“Seo-woo, but can you handle spicy food?”

“Of course! I’m really good with spicy stuff.”

“Really?”

“Yup!”

Though he claimed to be good with spice, a child eating adult-level kimchi stew was bound to find it too spicy. Seo-jun diluted a portion in another bowl to make it milder.

“Can I eat it now?”

“Go ahead. Try it.”

Seo-woo blew on the steaming stew to cool it and took a careful bite. He then turned to Seo-jun with a triumphant expression, as if to say, See? I told you I could handle it!

Watching with an amused smile, Seo-jun headed to the refrigerator.

‘A soju and beer mix would be perfect.’

The days were getting warmer. Though he no longer felt heat or cold in his transformed body, he still recognized the sensation of a hot day. And nothing beat a cold drink on a warm day.

Seo-jun pulled out a bottle of soju and a can of beer.

“Park Yeon, are you in?”

Park Yeon, still keeping an eye on Seo-woo, nodded without hesitation.

“Refusing is not the virtue of a knight.”

Such a grand way to say “yes” to a drink.

Shaking his head, Seo-jun brought two glasses to the table and started preparing the drinks.

Seo-jun usually preferred a mix called ggulju, with a 1:1 ratio of soju to beer. He prepared the same mix, maintaining the golden ratio.

He gave it a final stir with his chopsticks.

‘Let’s have a taste.’

It was his first soju-beer mix since his return to Earth, so his expectations were high. Would it taste just as he remembered?

With anticipation, he took a sip.

“Ah!”

The exclamation came naturally.

The slight bitterness of the soju, combined with the fizzy richness of the beer, slid smoothly down his throat, creating a pleasant sensation.

Next, he turned his attention to the kimchi stew. Taking a generous spoonful from his bowl, he tasted it.

“Ah!”

Yes, this was it.

The taste that didn’t exist in the Demon Realm!

The kind of taste that demonic beings could never comprehend!

‘Come to think of it, maybe they are pitiable in a way.’

Suddenly, his loyal subordinates crossed his mind.

Barunk, who had served him since his human days.

Balral, the army commander who surrendered and joined him after admitting defeat.

Selektus, who fought by his side on countless battlefields, leading their army to unify the Demon Realm.

None of them had ever experienced the depth of flavor that alcohol brought.

While lost in these sentimental thoughts, Seo-jun noticed Park Yeon extending his glass.

“Me too…”

For Park Yeon, Seo-jun mixed a gentler ratio of 1:2, with more beer. Knowing Park Yeon’s fondness for cola, this mix seemed appropriate.

As expected, it hit the mark.

“Ohhh!”

“How is it?”

“My tongue… My tongue is dancing!”

“Is it better than cola?”

“It’s not as good as cola. Cola… is the devil’s drink. Once you fall for it, there’s no escape!”

“The devil’s drink, really?”

“That’s why…”

“Why?”

“When I go back, can you make me a spatial artifact?”

“You should be able to make one yourself.”

“I can, but as you know, there are capacity limits.”

“How big do you need it?”

“About…”

“About?”

“Big enough to fit tens of thousands of rubber gloves and bottles of dishwashing liquid. And a few tens of thousands of colas. Oh, and a couple of thousand refrigerators for good measure.”

“That’s not difficult. But have you figured out how to return?”

“Not yet.”

Dreams versus reality, as they say. It suited Park Yeon perfectly.

“When you figure out a way to return, we’ll talk about it again.”

“Does that mean you’ll do it?”

“It’s not a particularly hard request.”

Park Yeon was inwardly surprised. Though he had asked nonchalantly, he’d been quite nervous about the response.

It was a big ask.

But Seo-jun dismissed it as simple. Just how powerful was this Demon God?

‘Considering even the Celestials couldn’t handle him, he must be ridiculously strong…’

As Park Yeon’s thoughts trailed off in amazement, the sound of a bell chimed.

Ding-dong!

A middle-aged man with a plump, amiable appearance entered the shop.

“Excuse me… Oh, you’re here.”

“I’m sorry, but we’re not open for business yet.”

“Oh, I’m from the liquor company. Didn’t Mr. Lee Yeon-jun mention I might stop by?”

Recalling Yeon-jun’s words about a potential visit from their liquor supplier, Seo-jun stood up from his seat.