NOVEL WEB Chapter 899
“Viktor was extremely polite and kind.”
He displayed a boisterous demeanor and exuded confidence in his hospitality.
Moreover, he went into detail about each dish, making sure his guests felt truly catered to.
“Have you ever tried shashlik? This capybara grilled dish is a bit of a twist on that. I marinated it with tomatoes and onions I lovingly grew at my dacha, along with fresh lemons and limes imported from Europe. Plus, I’ve mixed it with a golden ratio of my favorite brandy, so there should be no gamey odor at all!”
“This borscht also has vegetables from my dacha. I even included mushrooms that are local specialties from my hometown, so the aroma should be fantastic.”
“Check this out. Doesn’t it smell wonderful? I generously added truffles. Not just any cheap truffles or synthetic knock-offs, mind you. These were harvested using traditional methods with pigs!”
“And here we have carrot kimchi! And next to it is a blini filled with colorful mushrooms. Oh, and beside that is kvass! But simply drinking kvass is a bit bland, so I added a splash of vodka to spice it up!”
The various explanations pouring from Viktor’s mouth didn’t make the dishes look luxurious, but they hinted that each ingredient had been thoughtfully chosen.
“Oh, how grateful I am! To be treated so graciously by this humble hungulpapa… I’m truly overwhelmed…”
“How could I be negligent when a guest as noble as you arrives? But I know you aren’t fond of the flashy and extravagant, so I had no choice but to serve you with this level of care!”
Park Jinseong smiled warmly and sat down at the table.
Then he began to eat with Viktor.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
When Park Jinseong accepted some food at Viktor’s encouragement, countless insects began to wriggle and feast. They started to nourish his body intuitively.
His body became sturdier.
As he traveled to Lake Baikal, his lost form was restored, and the insects grew bigger, filling the void. The insects laid eggs, and their offspring bloomed, further defining Park Jinseong’s physique.
Park Jinseong smiled as he watched the increasing presence of insects with his meal, looking at Viktor.
Viktor remained pleased as he continued to offer him food.
It was as if he was thrilled about the meeting.
Yet, the eyes.
Viktor’s eyes weren’t smiling at all.
As Park Jinseong gazed into Viktor’s sightless eyes, he poured some of the larger insects onto the floor.
Then he moved the insects to a secluded spot and concentrated them to form a shape.
The shape was a hand.
It looked like a mosaic crafted from the pests.
Park Jinseong made the hand move.
Twist.
Look. As far away as that hand was, it moved just like the original would have. What was once connected may be detached, but they can still interact—the principle of magic. Thus, whatever that hand does is no different from what I do, which is the principle of contact magic.
Thump.
The detached hand snapped its fingers, and the sound echoed.
With that sound, small blue flames flickered and vanished.
Crackle.
Crackle.
Suddenly, noise began to seep from various corners of the bunker.
The spherical radio, which sat on the shelf like a decoration, abruptly powered on, spewing noise, while the TV remote flickered a couple of times as if someone was pressing it, then shut off. The clock stopped moving its second hand, and the microwave suddenly displayed numbers and beeped off.
Just now, Park Jinseong had used magic capable of breaking electronic devices.
Park Jinseong looked at Viktor amidst this bizarre phenomenon.
As if he had nothing to do with what was happening right now, or perhaps as if rebuking the absurdity, he wore that expression.
Yet, Park Jinseong’s eyes remained calm, completely unconnected to that expression.
Just like Viktor’s eyes, which still held no smile.
“Hmm. Is it because the bunker is old? I suppose I should’ve invited you to my dacha. It would have been nice to share meals and hunt together.”
Viktor lamented his insufficient hospitality, glancing around the bunker.
Quite naturally, too.
‘His head turns, yet his gaze is fixed on one spot.’
But in that moment, Park Jinseong saw it.
Viktor’s eyes were exhibiting movements that contradicted his actions.
No matter how much his head turned, his eyes remained fixed in one direction.
‘The light bulb?’
He was looking at the ceiling where the light bulb hung.
“Oh, how glorious that would have been. But I’m truly thankful just to hear those words. Granting me the space to invite family or close friends is more than anyone could ask for! Just hearing that washes away all my worries and fills me with joy.”
Park Jinseong smiled and nodded slowly.
As if overwhelmed by Viktor’s words, it was like saying he felt no rudeness in the current hospitality and was deeply grateful.
But both men understood.
That nod indicated an understanding was reached.
“You see, Viktor, how can I remain still after being treated so generously? If I only accept without giving in return as a guest, that would be disgraceful. Therefore, as little as I can, I must use my talents to enrich my host. This mirrors how you have treated me with your heart, and I wish to reciprocate that, so please do not refuse.”
Park Jinseong spoke slowly to Viktor.
It wasn’t anything strange—it was simply an expression of wanting to do something for Viktor.
However, there was something peculiar in his tone.
When he mentioned Viktor’s name, he placed an accent on the first syllable. The ‘Vik’ part had a slightly aspirated sound blended with a hint of friction that mixed ‘p’ and ‘h’ pronunciations, while ‘tor’ echoed with an odd regional dialect vibe.
Viktor’s eyes widened momentarily, as if surprised by Park Jinseong’s pronunciation, but soon he laughed as if he had realized something.
Then he replied,
“Did you bring a pumpkin lantern or some herbs?”
“Oh, I didn’t have time to grab those in my rush here. But surely there are herbs in this beautiful Lake Baikal? The goddess of Baikal, Bajgel Hatan, would surely bless us with quality herbs to aid our endeavor. That’s what I believe.”
Hahaha—!
Hahaha—!
Compliments flowed between them.
As Viktor and Park Jinseong finished their meal in a light-hearted atmosphere.
“The meal’s finished, so it’s time to digest and move about. By the way, I have something planned for us, so it’ll be good to stroll along Lake Baikal while preparing.”
“I don’t know much about herbs—is that okay?”
“That’s fine. I’m not looking for rare herbs that witches might know about; I’m just seeking common culinary herbs. What’s so difficult about that? Seeing how you’ve hosted me like this suggests you have some knowledge of cooking, so you can certainly help me.”
“Hmm.”
“Isn’t it a fortuitous coincidence? The Bible says the hardworking farmer deserves the first share of the crops. So how could you not cherish those who work hard to help you? The diligent are blessed while the lazy come to harm; this is just how it is. Whether it’s the Great One who exists uniquely or the goddess of Lake Baikal, Bajgel Hatan, there’s only enough space for admiration, indeed.”
Viktor shook his head at Park Jinseong’s words.
It seemed he was saying that the shaman kind truly has a knack for convoluted speech.
Then he tagged along with Park Jinseong, stating that it wasn’t a virtue of the host to leave alone the guest, and they headed outside the bunker.
After following behind Park Jinseong for a while, they reached a forest where it felt like a bear might jump out at any moment, and Park Jinseong stopped walking.
“While collecting herbs, if any hair falls off, it might lead to defilement, so Viktor, you must wear my hood to cover your head.”
He said this out of the blue, pulling a piece of fabric from his inner pocket and placing it on Viktor’s head.
What seemed like a trivial act was far from it—Park Jinseong had no clothes that could be truly called garments at that moment.
Not a single strand of hair nor thread.
Everything shaping Park Jinseong’s exterior was insects.
Indeed.
Park Jinseong had poured the cluster of insects forming the fabric onto Viktor’s head.
It didn’t stop there; he even tied it off.
So that it completely concealed Viktor’s hair and ears.
Then he walked away as if satisfied, gradually shifting the form of the cloth on Viktor’s head.
From the outside, it still looked like a hood.
And on the inside, where it brushed against Viktor’s ear, a tiny mouth was formed.
Through that tiny created mouth, sufficient whispers for Viktor with his heightened senses were spoken.
“There was a teleman-ι listening device in the ceiling, wasn’t there?”
Viktor did not respond.
“And there must have been devices for listening to all sounds?”
Viktor remained silent once more.
“Were there laser listening devices or light bulb vibration sensors?”
He similarly avoided answering.
“What about remote viewing?”
“How about psychometry in real-time synchronization?”
“Remote eavesdropping utilizing warrior senses?”
Viktor remained quiet for all the questions.
Every silence was, in fact, an answer.