Everyone is Young Except for Me

Two days passed...

We were able to cross Windy Hill into Bahel Forest.

“Stronger!”

“I understand! Hehe!”

Solar was unleashing flames that were hard to get close to. The trees and plants near the heat died. I tried to extract a stronger heat by urging Solar. Finally, the desired window appeared.

Ttiring~

[Delicacy! Meatball of the Sun!]

[Great cooking is art, and every art is patience.

The Meatball of the Sun, created by the Weather Chef through his hot patience, will give people a taste of unmatched spiciness.

-Star Taste: ☆☆

-Expiration Date: Three days.

-Health Recovery: 100.

(Those with less than 50% fire resistance will receive sun damage.)

Efficacy: The person who eats this dish has a low probability of getting burns. There is a very low probability of gaining the ‘self-torture’ abnormal status.

Increases fire damage by 30% during the day.

Increases fire resistance by 20%.

Increases strength by 10%.

Increases defense by 30%.]

[Solar’s level has risen.]

[You can cook meat better with more careful fire control.]

[The Workmanship stat has increased by 4 points.]

[The Sensory stat has increased by 5 points.]

“Um... it isn’t as well-made as Zalmergus’s meatballs.” The Meatballs of the Sun that Zalmergus had created were a bit more intense and hot. If the meatballs at that time had felt like the real sun then... the ones I made now felt like fireballs. “I am lacking training.”

I handed the meatballs to Solar, who had struggled to make the dish. Solar was eating the Meatballs of the Sun like they weren’t hot. I couldn’t help smiling at the sight.

“Master, it is delicious! Have strength!”

"Yes, thank you. Keke.”

I stroked Solar’s warm head. It felt like a hand warmer in the middle of winter. I thought that I wouldn’t have to worry about heating in the future and unknowingly laughed. I immediately opened Solar’s information window.

[Sun Elemental - Lv. 25 Solar]

[The sun elemental that is responsible for the fire in Weather Cooking. It is only hot when cooking. Normally, it is warm and can be touched. However, be careful when touching it—if it hates you, you may get burns!

Magic Power Consumption: 20.

Cooldown Time: 1 hour. Duration: 30 minutes.

-You can also summon the sun elemental for combat by calling the name.

-The level of the sun elemental will increase every time you eat a sun dish.

-As the level increases, the sun elemental can use more attacks.

-Sun Ball: Use the mouth to blow out the energy of the sun and attack the enemies (400 sun damage).

-Sun’s Curse: Any enemies within 3 meters will receive sun damage every three seconds (100 sun damage).

-White Flame’s Wrath: Burn all of the sun energy and momentarily double your strength. Once all the power has dissipated, you can’t summon Solar for 24 hours.

-The following buffs will last as long as Solar is summoned in combat:

Strength +5%, defense +5%, fire damage +5%, fire resistance +5%.]

The damage had increased. I realized Solar’s importance last time when I fought against the Fire Dragons. It would be good in a group war if I raised it well. Solar laughed vigorously like it felt the energy. “Master, I seem to be pretty strong!”

“Yes, I think so too.”

Once again, Solar released flames. I was about to laugh when I heard a voice behind me. “Father, are you done now?”

“Yes, it’s over.”

“It is amazing. A chef who uses the weather... can I touch it once?” Kim Sujeong asked as she looked at Solar in a curious manner. Her eyes were bright like she had been holding back for a long time. If she had said it earlier then I would’ve summoned Solar more frequently.

“Touch it. Keke.”

Solar seemed to feel good at her touch and exuded a warm atmosphere. If a person it hates touches it, they would be burned... fortunately, Solar didn’t seem to hate her.

“Pretty woman!”

“Oh, am I pretty?”

“Yes. Pretty!”

“You are also pretty. So pretty.”

Kim Sujeong hugged Solar tightly to her chest. Then Solar snorted.

...This brat. It was definitely a man. It must be a man! A bad man! How did it do this to my prospective daughter-in-law?!

“Summoning release!”

There was a sound and Solar returned to the tattoo on my right hand. Sujeong glared at me but I pretended not to see it. “Cough, let’s go back to the carriage.”

I cleared my throat and turned to see Drain quickly sewing. His hands were busy making clothes.

...His dexterity was great. Drain felt my gaze and spoke, “Wow, Brother. Are you done with your fantastic cooking training?”

“Yes. It’s finished well.”

“Wow, Brother, you have tireless passion. Really respectu! I respectu you.”

Drain and I had a relaxed relationship. He was nine years younger than me and said he would take me as an older brother. Nine years didn’t matter but I couldn’t say no because he was a friend. He was a stubborn guy. It might be due to this stubbornness that he became the best in the world. The troll leather in his hand was in tatters. He grumbled that the leather made from the trolls of Bahel Forest were so strong that the needles kept breaking. Then he became passionate when he saw Solar. In any case, he started making it since yesterday but it hadn’t been completed yet.

“I will go hunting again.”

“Be careful, Brother, Miss Kim.”

We exchanged greetings with him and approached Kerenos, who was napping atop the carriage. “You. You aren’t going hunting?”

“I won’t go. Won’t go. Um...” Kerenos sat down and took a nap again. What a lazy fellow. We had become close enough that I felt comfortable talking to him, but I didn’t like his attitude.

I clicked my tongue. “Tsk tsk, then guard the carriage!”

“I understand, Old Man. Um...”

I left the carriage in Kerenos’ hands and Kim Sujeong and I searched nearby for monsters. Then Kim Sujeong asked me, “Father, why are you just leaving Kerenos?”

As expected, the two people quickly became less formal with each other. Indeed, they were the same age so there was no reason to use honorifics. After all, young people were really quick to make decisions these days. I thought it would be nice to answer her question. “It is because of goodwill.”

“Goodwill?”

I remembered when Kerenos joined two days ago. I was driving the carriage toward Windia. We were crossing the Windy Hill when a giant troll appeared. It was at least level 25. It was much more powerful than the gnolls.

...It looked strong. Where should I try it out? I checked that no one was walking around and quickly activated Rising Sun. Then I started the massacre.

[Experience has been acquired.] 

[Experience has been acquired.]

[Experience has been acquired.]

[Troll Leather has been acquired.]

[Troll Blood has been acquired.]

[Rotten Troll Meat has been acquired.]

“It is so easy.” My stats were approaching level 80 so it was literally a piece of cake. I felt a strange feeling at the sight of the trolls falling down just by kicking them with my feet. It wasn’t that my experience didn’t go up. It was just so easy that it wasn’t fun to hunt.

“I have to find stronger ones.”

Thus, I went deeper into the forest where I faced a giant ogre.

“Ohu.”

[Lv. 45 [Champion] Bahel Forest Ogre]

The ogre didn’t respond even with I got closer. It wasn’t an aggressive monster. Maybe it was too tall to see me. How interesting. I had to fight this guy. I touched the ogre with the shoes that Drain made. There was a big explosion even though I hit it lightly. The ogre held its shin and started to complain of pain. “Kuooooh!”

The moment it fell down, I spun 540 degrees and kicked it in the face.

[You have dealt a critical hit!]  

[The target is in a ‘burned’ state.]

“Kuoohh!”

The ogre was angry and started waving the club around with a scream. The powerful attacks caused the ground to cave in and dust flew. The ogre kept continuing to attack but its attack speed was so slow that it wasn’t my opponent.

“Kneel down. This guy.”

I quickly appeared at the opposite leg and started to intensively attack its shin.

[A deadly strike! The ogre has suffered second degree burns.]

[The burn damage is increased.]

[It can’t use its right leg anymore.]

The attacks were so powerful that it already had less than 5% health left. Its legs were already covered in blood. Thus, once it fell to its knees, I relentlessly struck at its head.

[Experience has been acquired.]

[Your level has risen!]

[Your level has risen!]

[Ogre’s Blue Blood has been acquired.]

[Giant Ogre Meat has been acquired.]

[Ogre Leather has been acquired.]

[Ogre’s Wooden Club has been acquired.]

“This guy is a bit better.” It was weak but the beating felt good. I had only caught one and my level had gone up by two, but I was very satisfied. I was flying toward level 24. “I will have to look for these guys in the future.”

It was better than catching several mobs. Perhaps it was only a matter of course. I was getting more and more immersed in the world of Arkstar. At this moment, I heard a scream. “Kyaaak!”

It was a familiar scream. It was Sujeong’s scream. I started rushing toward the carriage. Five minutes later, I arrived and saw an absurd scene. “Huh??”

Nothing happened...? Sujeong looked calm.

I cocked my head and asked her, “Sujeong, your scream earlier...”

“Ah, I’m fine. Kerenos saved me.”

“Kerenos?”

“Yes, a monster called Bahel Forest Ogre appeared.”

Bahel Forest Ogre? It was the name of the monster I just caught.

“I was playing with Grandfather Drain when it suddenly showed up. I screamed and Kerenos suddenly stood up and threw a spear at the ogre’s chest. It was instantly handled.”

Huh? I needed to hit it five times but he killed it in one blow. I looked back at Kerenos with a look of surprise. By the way... he was still taking a nap. This bad guy was still taking a nap when an adult was here.

“Drain?”

“He tried to use Capture Knot when the ogre showed up but he ran away because it didn’t work.”

“......”

I once again recalled that Drain was timid. Indeed, he was so afraid of Solar that he couldn’t even touch it. Still, it was okay to use the Capture Knot on an ogre.

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is presenting you with Insight.]

...Huh? Insight? What was this?

I was surprised by his gift while a window appeared in front of me.

[Insight (Active)]

[Rating: Legend

Magic Power Consumption: 10. 

Cooldown Time: 3 minutes.

You can see through the essence of a subject. You can’t know much yet because of the low level.]

Why was he suddenly giving me this? This jerk. Did he eat something bad?

[The first apostle, ‘Prometheus,’ is telling you to use it on Kerenos.]

Use it on Kerenos? I didn’t understand but decided to listen to him first.

“Insight.”

[Apostle Skill: Insight has been used.]

[Most of the information isn’t yet known.]

Most of it is unknown...? This jerk, why did he give this to me? A curse word almost emerged from my mouth. However, I suppressed it. It was because Sujeong was looking at me with bright eyes. Then an information window popped up.

[Insight Information]

[Name: Kerenos

Level: ?

Class: ?

Heavenly Star: Monarch of Cold Mercy

Stats: ?

Skills: ?

Weaknesses: Can’t resist tickles.

* Currently taking a nap. Hates annoying things.

-Current goodwill: 20% (can be recruited as a companion at 100%)]

Shit. I gained another useless skill. This person’s heavenly star was Monarch of Cold Mercy. The weakness was a useless tickle. Was it an illusion that I suddenly felt pain in the back of the head? By the way, there was something else.

“Goodwill?”

Next to it, I noticed the words ‘can be recruited as a companion.’ I thought of him as a companion but it wasn’t the case. This bad guy. I felt like I had to make him a companion. I didn’t know how to raise goodwill but I was certain I had to do it well.

“Thank you Kerenos. Can I leave the carriage to you like this?”

Kerenos replied with a snort. “Snooore- snoore, snore! Snooore! Snore!”

“......”

He was still snoring. 

I came back from my memories.

Sujeong exclaimed, “I see! It is reassuring to be with Kerenos.”

“I think so as well.”

Then she pointed somewhere. “There are people over there.”

“People?”

I looked up and saw some people. I could see an entrance to a large cave and two soldiers guarding it. The tight security seemed like they were protecting something very important.

“What is this?

“Let’s see... I don’t know.”

It was at this moment.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

I saw a boy riding on a donkey and holding a small branch as he rushed toward the cave. The soldiers looked absurd as they caught the little boy and donkey trying to enter the cave.

“Let me go! I'm going to kill that monster! Let me go!”

Tough words popped out of the boy’s mouth. We watched with interest.

“I told you not to come here because it is dangerous. This boy!”

“Yes. It isn’t a place where a little one like you can enter!”

“Shut up. You cowards! Why should my sister be sacrificed because of such a monster? Can you call yourself a man? These small fries!”

"Groan."

“This guy!”

The boy’s words offended the soldiers. A soldier was raising his hand toward the boy. The moment I was moving forward with the thought of stopping it.

“No!” Someone suddenly appeared.