Philos decided to meet the God of Cooking right after Ellie.
How did she do so? It was simple. She looked up at the sky and called out, “Grandma, God of Cooking...?” The God of Cooking appeared. The grandmother who appeared in front of her was very beautiful.
“What a cute little young lady.”
Arlene had given Minhyuk the greatest courtesy and respect when he hunted the Supreme Monarch in the past. Arlene had sworn to Minhyuk that she would extend her fullest support for him as the next generation Battle God.
Anyway, Arlene was one of the Absolute Gods. With her position, she knew how to draw and keep a line. Nevertheless, she wanted to do as much as possible as it was within that line. So, she served Philos with a lot of excellent dishes.
The two looked like the typical grandmother and granddaughter!
‘Oh my baby. Eat some more!’
Even if their grandchildren’s stomachs were about to burst, the grandmothers would continue serving them with tteoks, fruits, and many other snacks!
Right now, Arlene had the heart of a grandmother, who always felt like she was not providing enough, even though she fed her nonstop.
“My dear baby, eat some more oranges...”
Philos was different from ordinary granddaughters. Every time Arlene served a dish, they would disappear in the blink of an eye. It was as if she were afraid that others would take her food away from her.
“Grandma, I’m still hungry!”
“Oh, huh? A-alright.”
Stunned, Arlene kept feeding Philos.
After eating her fill, Philos said, “Grandma, I want to learn how to cook from you.”
“You want to learn to cook?”
“Yeeees~ I heard that grandma is the best chef in the world!”
“Hoho. Shall grandma and grandma’s dear baby cook something together?”
“Yes~!” Philos answered as she took out her prepared ingredients.
She took out the ingredients, which were the flat fish she had won from the competition. Arlene kindly taught Philos how to prepare the Flapping Flatfish.
In fact, she did not need to tell her. Philos had learned the Food God’s Cooking Skill. However, the skill would control her movements and cook for her when she pressed the start cooking button. In the end, Philos remained ignorant of the ways of cooking.
Of course, the Food God’s Cooking Skill was a system that helped those who did not know how to cook be able to cook. However, the dishes that came out of the skill would be slightly inferior to those that had been cooked personally without using the skill.
Philos sliced the flatfish into sashimi, one thin slice after another. Grandma Arlene smiled faintly as she observed the young girl move her tiny hands.
‘I want to protect this child’s innocence.’
So, Arlene bestowed her dish with an extraordinary power. On top of the girl’s power and effort, something came out...
[You have completed the Flatfish Sashimi and Spicy Stew.]
[The dish is God-grade.]
[You have acquired the Title: No, At This Level...?]
Arlene, who had just finished bestowing power upon her dish, was flustered.
‘Why... did a... God-grade...?’
She thought that Philos would only get legendary-grade at best. After a few moments, Arlene realized, ‘She had shown an unbelievable concentration beyond what a child could show.’
Philos was concentrating on what she was doing to the point that she could not even hear Arlene’s words. It seemed like she had activated a power similar to Minhyuk’s Extreme Trance.
‘It looks like she has some inherent talent for cooking. Not only that, she also has a love for the craft.’
The love and the heart for the craft seemed to be the key point. If one had it, they had a high chance of producing God-grade products.
Arlene checked the dish. Indeed, just as she expected, it was a God-grade dish. However, it was the most basic and ordinary, the lowest God-grade dishes. Nevertheless, this was still very astonishing.
Arlene asked, “Were you concentrating because you wanted to eat something delicious?”
Philos shook her head. “No. I was thinking about how to soothe some unnie’s sadness.”
“...Some unnie? Then, are you saying that the dish you’re making right now is not for you to eat?”
Arlene was shocked. In her eyes, children, especially ones as young as Philos, were usually not considerate of others and were always frank about what they wanted. Most would not even think of working hard for someone else’s sake. Right now, a child with a disease precisely like the one Minhyuk was suffering from was trying her best to cook for someone else.
The God of Cooking believed this should be the most basic knowledge a chef should have. After all, many of the chefs who did their best to create delicious dishes to make others happy were often the ones who became successful in life. Why? Because they continually strive to develop and grow further.
Watching the little girl named Philos cook, Arlene realized that the line she had promised to keep had already disappeared.
“Excellent, my dear granddaughter.”
[You have received the God of Cooking’s Blessings.]
[You have acquired the God of Cooking’s Kiddie All-Around Pot Set.]
[You have acquired the God of Cooking’s Kiddie Kitchen Knife.]
That was not the end.
[You have acquired ten ingredients from the God of Cooking.]
Philos smiled happily when the grandmother in front of her gave her a lot of ingredients.
“Grandma! I’m going now!”
With a kind and gentle smile, Arlene asked, “By the way, who are you giving the flatfish sashimi to?”
Ellie was rendered speechless. She thought Philos had already left, yet she returned and even gave her flatfish sashimi and spicy stew.
“Unnie. I’ll give you the first ever dish that I made.”
Ellie could not understand. She knew better than anybody else what kind of disease this girl had. She had been watching over Minhyuk for a long time and had witnessed firsthand how this eating addiction had affected the young man.
She knew that the patience and endurance of someone suffering from such a disease not to eat the food presented before them was not something to scoff at. And that weight was even heavier, especially for the first dish they made. But Philos gave her the first dish that she had completed to Ellie. It was even a God-grade dish.
When she was about to think about the reason again, Philos chimed happily, “Unnie! I hope that you will be happy after you eat this sashimi!”
According to the effects of flatfish sashimi, once consumed, the consumer's fatigue would disappear, and they would also experience an increase in vitality and energy for several weeks. It could also help reduce mental strain by clearing their heads once a certain pain level had been reached.
Ellie had been viewed as cold-blooded and iron-fisted by everyone around her. She had only ever shown kindness and love for Minhyuk. Even her closest aides in the Eivelis Empire could not hold a gentle and loving conversation with her. That was the kind of woman she was.
“From today on, you will be my daughter.” An unfamiliar notification rang in Philos’ ears. Meanwhile, Ellie ate the Flatfish Sashimi and Spicy Stew with relish.
After eating, she said, “I don’t want to see my dear daughter get beaten up. Aide.”
“Gather all of the elixirs in the empire.”
Philos devoured all of the delicious elixirs given to her.
“Come. I will teach you the Overlord’s Swordsmanship.”
[You have received the Hegemon King’s Blessings.]
[The Unwavering Hegemon King’s Power is protecting you.]
[The Hegemon King’s Growth has been activated.]
[The Hegemon King’s Growth has stimulated and accelerated your growth rate.]
“Now, now. Let’s start, daughter.”
But Philos did not want to.
‘I just want to eat delicious food!’
“You will get something delicious every time you finish swinging your sword a hundred times.”
Thus, Philos swung her sword with all her might.
[You have learned the Kiddie Overlord’s Swordsmanship.]
Ellie, who watched Philos leave only after four days of learning from her, was speechless.
‘She has Minhyuk-grade talent.’
Ellie dared not even imagine what kind of waves she would cause.
Meanwhile, the young Philos realized something yet again. She thought, ‘If I give others one dish, they will pay me back with ten!’
Philos felt this intensely during her interactions with Ellie. Then, she continued to travel the world to find the people listed in the family tree in her hands. The following person she met was the uncle named Overlord Raldo. The aloof ahjussi looked very moved when she cooked something delicious for him.
“Did you cook this for this ahjussi with your tiny hands?”
“Ah! I can’t bear to see or hear my daughter getting beaten up outside!”
[You have learned the Kiddie Overlord’s Technique.]
“Human child. I am Great Demon Gremory. I don’t like kids, especially the whining ones...”
Philos, who had also learned Create a Recipe, made her some of her favorite Chinese dishes. Gremory was beyond thrilled after eating her favorite tangsuyuk and jjajangmyeon.
“Is there anyone bullying you? If there is, then this unnie will definitely take all their organs and mutilate them for you.”
Philos’ newly-acquired unnie spoke harsh and cruel words with a kind smile.
[You have received Great Demon Gremory’s Demonic Energy Blessings.]
[A massive amount of demonic energy is swirling inside your body.]
In the land of the elves.
The great king, Argon, sat on his throne and stared at the young girl, who was covered in blood, in front of him. He, who looked very indifferent, said, “Sprout bibimbap...? Where did you get these precious sprouts and greens?”
It has to be known that Philos had the exact same mindset as Minhyuk. Although she had obtained the ingredients for the sprout bibimbap from Ellie, Philos raised a trembling finger and pointed in the distant mountains.
“Did you go to those mountains to get these sprouts and greens that you used to cook for me?”
Philos suddenly gasped, her brows furrowing as she said, “I went... to that mountain... for... the Elf King...”
When Philos opened her eyes...
“I, Argon the king of the elves, hereby declare that this young girl named Philos is a friend of the elves. And I also declare that I will pass on the Elven King’s Archery, a skill only inherited by the elven royal family, to this girl.”
[Elf King Argon has declared that you are a friend of the elves.]
[Nature and everything in it will cherish and love you.]
[You have learned Elf King Argon’s Archery.]
Next, Philos went to sea. She cooked the Dragon King some kimchi jjigae and received around a hundred kinds of seafood in return,, all of which were legendary-grade ingredients.
“Philos. You are a friend of our sea.”
[You have received the Dragon King’s Sea’s Blessings.]
[Your attack power will significantly increase when fighting against water-attributed monsters.]
[You have learned the Dragon King’s power to control the water.]
Philos was thrilled. Why? Because she only cooked one dish for each person she met, and somehow she received more ingredients and dishes in return.
All the people who had met Philos gathered in one place. The reason was simple.
“How’s our Philos doing?”
They wanted to know if Philos was doing well, and they knew they could find out about it through Minhyuk.
Minhyuk opened Philos’ status window nervously under the gazes of all his vassals and Philos’ newly acquired adoptive mother, father, big brothers, and younger brothers.
Class: Food God, Gods’ Child
HP: 15,301 MP: 10,044
STR: 651 AGI: 787 STM: 793
Demonic Energy: 8,250
Skills in Possession:
•Active Skill: Kiddie Absolute Pinnacle Spear
•Active Skill: Kiddie Mercenary’s Pinnacle Swordsmanship.
•Active Skill: Kiddie Great Demon’s Swordsmanship
•Active Skill: Kiddie Overlord’s Swordsmanship
•Active Skill: Kiddie Elven King’s Archery
•Active Skill: Kiddie Overlord’s Technique
•Passive Skill: Food God’s Cooking Skill
•Passive Skill: Food God’s True Worth
•Active Skill: Ingredient Tracking
•Passive Skill: Gods’ Protection
•Active Skill: My Gods
•Passive Skill: Gods’ Talent
•Passive Skill: Heart Thief
•Passive Skill: Their Story
Special Effects in Possession:
•Sword God’s Blessings
•Great Demon’s Praise
•Supreme Divine Beast’s Protection
•God of Snakes’ Absolute Blessings
•Guardian God’s Absolute Protection
•Guardian God’s I Will Protect You
•Hegemon King’s Protection
•Great Demon Gremory’s Blessings
•Dragon King’s Sea’s Protection
•Sword Saint’s Descendant. Position: Ingredient Hunter
•Child of Lightning. Position: Lightning Barbeque Griller
The girl was only at Level 64, but she could easily beat a Level 300 player.
Ben, seeing Minhyuk’s sad look, asked, “Hoho. Your Majesty, are you still concerned about Philos getting stronger?”
Minhyuk shook his head in response.
A bitter smile appeared on his face.
“I know that you know this. But flies will always try to stick to the strong.”
Everyone present knew this. But the strong had to bear and carry this weight.
At that moment, a flash of pity appeared on Minhyuk’s face as he said, “I feel sorry for those flies...”
Athenae had established a new ranking system.
Previously, there were three types of rankings: country, class, and global. After complaints and reports about novice and mid-level players feeling left out and alienated surfaced, a new ranking system was introduced.
The new system determined ranking by level groups. There were rankings for Level 1~100, Level 101~200, Level 201~300, and so on.
Player Molsen was currently ranked first in the global Level 301~400 rankings. He was an assassin-class player and was known for his outstanding intelligence network. But that was not all. He was also the head of Bensen, a guild acting as an intelligence agency. His guild members were the strongest players at Level 301~400.
Molsen had brought hundreds of the Bensen Guild’s members to raid a dungeon. He wanted to kill and clear the dungeon boss to get his hands on the outstanding ingredients hidden within. Alas, the boss monster was already hunted and killed when they arrived. The only person nearby was a young girl sitting on the ground, eating something. She was none other than Philos.
Minhyuk had taught Philos not to talk to others much. Her oppa told her she should only speak with the people she knew. Of course, that was not the only reason she kept to herself. It was because she was still very shy and introverted.
Molsen approached the little girl. He asked, “Kid, did you see who cleared the dungeon?”
The girl was just about to eat her ramyeon when Molsen approached, so she shook her head in answer.
“Kid, when an adult is talking to you, you should answer properly.”
But Philos just shook her head.
As the person ranked first in the Level 301~400 rankings, Molsen’s head could be said to be filled with arrogance. It was only natural. He firmly believed that he would be one of the top 100 rankers in the future.
When Molsen saw the little girl not respond to him, he thought that he was being ignored and mocked by the little girl in front of his guild members. So, he kicked the pot of freshly made ramyeon in anger.
“When an adult is talking to you...”
One thing was unique about Molsen. He actually had this power, the Opponent Meter, that allowed him to measure his opponents and check their buffs and various body changes.
[The Overlord’s Force is raging.]
Molsen was taken aback by the notification.
[The Spear God’s Force is raging.]
“I haven’t had the time to take a single bite out of it yet...”
[The Fallen Wretched Emperor’s Force is raging.]
[The Dragon King’s Force is raging.]
[The Sword God’s Force is raging.]
[The Great Demon’s Power is raging.]
[The Six Monster Gods’ Power is raging.]
[The Elven King’s Force is raging.]
[The God of Cooking’s Power is raging.]
“MY RAMYEOOOOON!!!” the girl roared.
[The air starts to vibrate.]
In front of Molsen’s eyes, the ground started to shake and tremble.