City Of Witches

Chapter 457: Trip (6)

0% 1.

Kimchi Stew.

It was Siwoo’s all-time favorite dish and a staple beloved by nearly every Korean.

Siwoo had a certain confidence in the dish, especially since even Sharon, a witch, and Odette and Odile, apprentice witches, had given it high praise.

Moreover, unlike most kimchi stew that use inexpensive cuts like pork leg, this place actually rolled up the pork belly.

The sight of those succulent pork belly slices, wrapped tightly in spicy, simmered kimchi, was enough to awaken even the dullest appetite.

Even the ride on the side was perfectly cooked, with each grain fluffy and light.

“I’ll serve you some.”

“No, I can do it...”

“This is your first time, isn’t it?”

Siwoo divided the meat and cooked the kimchi into bite-sized pieces, adding a little broth, and placed it in front of Amelia.

He figured it would be hard for her to tear the kimchi with a fork.

“Try eating the meat and kimchi together.”

“Alright.”

Amelia, holding the fork she had requested when ordering, stared at the plate Siwoo handed over.

So, this is Siwoo’s hometown cuisine.

There was a reason Amelia hadn’t been able to replicate it before.

While getting authentic ingredients had been a challenge, even if she managed to, making the dish itself would be beyond her.

After all, she had never even imagined that food this flavorful existed.

“Thank you for the food.”

“Let’s dig in.”

The two took a bite at the same time.

Immediately, Amelia felt it.

Salty.

Sour.

Stimulating.

Greasy.

And most of all...

So spicy...!

Amelia was the kind of witch who rarely ate outside of tea-time snacks.

When she did, it was usually delicate desserts like cakes and scones or simple meals like lightly seasoned bread and salad.

To Amelia whose idea of indulgence was the occasional slice of bacon, kimchi stew was the equivalent of a full-on assault.

With her tolerance for spiciness only reaching as far as black pepper, the broth containing red pepper flakes, garlic, chili pepper paste, and green chili felt like fiery lava poured from a bubbling cauldron of hell.

Each of her breath felt like she was exhaling flames.

Her tongue was numb, the tip tingling painfully.

For Amelia, known for her low spice tolerance, this stew was practically dancing on the edge of triggering her autonomous defense.

Yet, even as she trembled, she sipped her water calmly, keeping her usual composed look.

Trivia of the day.

The stuff responsible for spiciness was oil-based, meaning water won’t help the heat go away.

Just when she thought it was getting better, the tingling sensation returned, and her tongue tingled even more.

“Does it suit your taste?”

In contrast to Siwoo, who was struggling, Siwoo was enjoying his hometown food with a happy expression.

Watching him casually spoon up the bright red broth, Amelia thought he resembled a circus performer swallowing fire.

Nod nod.

In truth, it didn’t suit her taste at all.

She was half-tempted to ask whether this was food or some kind of truth serum.

However, she didn’t want to show any distaste or sign of discomfort in front of him, especially when he looked so happy eating the kimchi stew.

Considering that she was the one who had suggested this, it was even more so.

There was also the fact that he had always cleared his plate, even when the meals she cooked didn’t suit his taste.

“My mom used to make this a lot when she was alive.”

“...Oh.”

“It’s kind of a nostalgic dish for me.”

“...”

As Siwoo continued, Amelia sighed in relief.

Thank goodness.

I didn’t let my discomfort show.

“It’s not too spicy for you, right?”

Nod nod.

Amelia nodded, but when she heard his next words and saw what he did next...

“That’s a relief. Please eat more.”

Siwoo said as he added more bite-sized pieces of pork and kimchi to her plate.

Amelia didn’t even have time to protest with a, ‘Stop, stop! That’s enough’, when Siwoo continued.

“Gehenna’s ingredients are top-notch and the food is great, but the meals are usually so fancy, they feel like something royalties would eat. Sometimes, I crave for something simpler like this. I’m glad Ms. Amelia seems to enjoy it too.”

Amelia could only feel the weight of the spicy, sauce-soaked meat on her plate growing heavier with every addition.

Anything...! I-Is there anything else on the menu...?

M-Maybe I could order something less spicy and say, ‘This one is good too!’ while avoiding this....!

Desperate to escape, Amelia scanned the menu.

Kimchi Pork Belly Stew

(Large) W 45,000

(Medium) W 35,000

(Small) W 25,000

There were no other dishes below that, only rice, drinks, and other beverages.

Amelia barely moved her tongue, which felt like it was burning.

“Siwoo... I-Is this all they serve here?”

“Looks like it.”

“B-But isn’t this a restaurant...? How can they only have one dish...?”

“That just shows how confident they are. It’s like the chef’s signature dish, filled with their passion and pride. Usually, places like this have the best food.”

Amelia silently cursed the long-standing traditions of these historic eateries and their stubborn chefs.

“Right... I see...”

Resigned to her fate, Amelia reluctantly picked up her fork and spoon.

I really don’t want to eat this.

“Ugh...”

And as soon as she took another bite, her mouth erupted in fiery chaos.

The spiciness was so intense she couldn’t even taste the flavors anymore.

If she were still a child, she might’ve jumped up, screamed, and made a scene, but now, she couldn’t even think of acting that undignified.

With tears welling in her eyes, Amelia forced another spoonful past her trembling lips.

“Sniff... Hic...”

At that moment, Siwoo looked up, and immediately noticed something was off with Amelia.

There she was, face flushed, tears streaming down as she was eating the kimchi stew.

“Ms. Amelia... .”

Seeing this, a thought crossed Siwoo’s mind.

It’s a good restaurant, yeah, but...

Is it really that good that she’d cry like this?

Once again, Siwoo’s thoughts drifted to his age regression, now a distant memory.

Back when he casually mentioned wanting to try kimchi stew, and Amelia had gone out of her way to cook it for him.

But when he was enjoying the authentic flavor of the dish from his homeland, she probably realized that his praise of ‘tasty’ back then was a white lie, and she was moved by it.

Seeing how Amelia took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears made Siwoo feel a pang in his heart.

He even thought he might start tearing up himself.

This stew...is all I can offer her right now.

Trying to lighten the mood, he used his chopsticks to shred some meat and kimchi and added more to her plate.

“Here, Ms. Amelia... Have a bit more.”

“I’m stuffed! I can’t eat another bite!”

“Really?”

That was, without a doubt, the loudest Siwoo had ever heard Amelia’s voice.

2.

After their meal, they followed a classic date routine.

First, they grabbed some ice cream at a nearby shop, then headed straight for the amusement park.

To be more exact, it was a massive complex with an amusement park, a department store, an aquarium, and even a water park in it; a place too big to cover in a single day.

So, they decided to stick to the indoor theme park and aquarium for now.

The huge glass dome let in natural sunlight, and various attractions were scattered throughout the space.

This was the same amusement park that Siwoo had visited a couple of times with his parents back when he was a grade schooler and hadn’t visited since. Somehow, it was much smaller than he remembered.

But of course, it wasn’t the park that was actually small.

With its oval-shaped central area featuring an ice rink, it was actually one of the largest indoor amusement parks in the world.

It just seemed much bigger when he was a kid, almost like stepping into another world.

Thanks to the off-peak timing on a weekday morning, they got their tickets without waiting in any lines.

Siwoo stepped closer to Amelia.

Earlier, the meal seemed to have drained her, but now, she was looking around at the vibrant park with wide-eyed wonder.

Seeing her reaction, Siwoo felt relieved that he had brought her here.

A world of dreams and joy, sparking childlike excitement in people of all ages and deepening the love of couples.

There couldn’t be a better place to show Amelia the soul of Seoul—

-Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

Suddenly, as he was smiling contentedly, a scream rang out.

“S-Siwoo... T-That...”

Amelia opened her mouth wide and pointed toward the source of the scream with her fingertips.

From her eyes, it seemed like she was asking him to explain what was going on.

At the end of her finger was a roller coaster, zipping along its tracks  with passengers screaming loudly, clearly enjoying the ride.

It was one of the park’s signature attractions; a roller coaster that wove through the indoor space.

This was supposedly a joyful sight, but for Amelia, it wasn’t the case at all.

“T-Those people on the train... Shouldn’t we rescue them...?”

“Oh, that’s just how the ride works. Look closer, they’re all having fun.”

Amelia turned to Siwoo in shock, as if she had just encountered a psychopath who couldn’t tell joy from pain.

Siwoo hurried to explain further.

“Y-You see, it’s a roller coaster, a ride designed to move quickly along those tracks so people could experience the thrill of riding it. Rides like this are called thrill rides, and roller coasters are one of the most popular ones. Want to give it a try?”

Amelia shook her head firmly, making it clear she wanted nothing to do with it.

-Kyaaaaaaah!!!

This time, another scream echoed from a different direction. Amelia hurriedly turned to look.

There, a ship, carrying people, swinging back and forth, lifting the bow to the sky, was visible.

“Siwoo... That thing... Shouldn’t we stop that...?”

“That one’s called the Viking. It swings back and forth to give people a sense of freefall. It’s another thrill ride.”

Despite his explanation, Amelia’s face was filled with disbelief.

Her expression grew even more incredulous when she spotted a small boat floating gently along a waterway.

“Do people in the Modern World really enjoy this kind of thing?”

She muttered.

“You too?”

“I used to like them a lot when I was a kid.”

Hearing his answer, Amelia nodded.

He specifically added ‘when I was a kid’ because he wasn’t sure if he’d still find them fun now.

After all, rides were meant to give people a rush by throwing their bodies around at unnatural speeds, simulating drops and rises.

But now, Siwoo could easily move at nearly supersonic speeds on his own.

Amelia probably could do the same too.

“I think it’d be worth trying at least one, just for the experience. See anything that interests you?”

“Let’s see...”

Amelia pointed with a slender finger at a ride.

It was one of the park’s oldest attractions, situated right in the center and known as its most popular photo spot.

The carousel.

A merry music accompanied it as it slowly rotated like an organ.

The gently bobbing horses and carriages were probably the most familiar things to her in this unfamiliar place..

“Shall we ride it together?”

“...Okay.”

And so, they boarded the carousel.

The ride was spacious to begin with, and today, as if heaven was helping them, there were fewer people than before, so they were able to get on right away without waiting in line.

It wasn’t exactly exciting, but for Siwoo, the simple act of riding it stirred fond memories of his childhood.

At first, Amelia was all tense, but as the ride began to spin her wide eyes sparkled with delight.

Even though she was a witch, she wasn’t so different from any ordinary person.

As she spun around and around, tightly gripping the bar, her eyes sparkled with the same excitement he had seen in her childhood memories.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Amelia