#1198 Mom’s Cooking Tastes Bitter 

It’s me again. 
What follows is the little epilogue to the whole “Land Development Site, Adventurer‑Invasion Fiasco.” 

The gate‑crashing adventurers figured our development site and the pioneers living in it were a total pushover. They got stomped into the dirt so hard their pride snapped like twigs. 

Word on the street is every last one of them was an egomaniac, the type who loves picking fights with adventurers ranked lower than they are. 
Honestly, it was practically a hand‑picked collection of problem children. 

Not only did they get their spirits broken, they also caught a chewing‑out from the Guild afterward. 
A few of them had so many offenses piled up that their ranks were stripped or flat‑out demoted right there on the spot. 

That much only happened because I moved at lightning speed and dragged the Guildmaster, Silver Wolf, to the scene. 
Silver Wolf dropped to the ground in a full five‑point dogeza and apologized for everything. The poor guy’s got another migraine to add to the stack. 

And then there was Murshela, the S‑Rank who’d basically masterminded the stunt and was the highest‑ranked of the bunch. I assumed she’d get the harshest sentence, but… 

“I’ll stay here, too!” 

She blindsided us with that declaration. 

“Corey only powered up this much because of something in this land! If I want to push myself further, I need to live here and figure it out! If you need to call it ‘punishment,’ I’m fine with that!” 

She spun her own screw‑up into an excuse to camp in our settlement. 

Watching this, even Silver Wolf had to protest: 

“Look, having two S‑Rank adventurers here is way too lopsided a concentration of firepower…!” 

His face said one thing: Here we go again. 

So, thanks to all that, the pioneers are still happily doing the “Lifeless King Calisthenics” Sensei taught them every day. 

Meanwhile, back on the farm, there was one very thoughtful housewife nursing a brand‑new worry. 

*** 

One day my wife, Platy, came up to me. 

“I want to learn how to cook.” 

Huh? 
Where’d that come from? 

I mean, I handle the cooking around here, so the household’s doing just fine, right? 

Ever since I got isekai’d, I’ve been importing all sorts of Earth cuisine, conquering everyone’s stomachs. 

Cooking’s my hobby anyway, so me being Head Chef has never been an issue. 

And then, out of nowhere, she hits me with this sudden plot twist. 
What gives?  
Don’t tell me you’re finally sick of my food?! 

“No way! Your cooking is always amazing! Getting to eat your meals every day is pure happiness!!!” 

O‑Oh…! 
Hearing it that straight makes me blush a bit, y’know? 

“But if I let myself get comfy with the status quo, that’s the end! People with no drive to improve are fools, that’s a famous quote, right?” 

I think that’s a bit of an intense mindset... 
But it definitely sounds like Platy, the walking embodiment of scientific curiosity... 

“Especially now that the kids are growing up and eating real food every day, it hit me! You make those meals, not me!” 

Well, that’s true… 
What about it? 

“Usually, a mom cooks for her kids, gets thanked, and that warm memory becomes their ‘Mom’s cooking’ later on! In our house, you cook, so it’ll be ‘Dad’s cooking’ instead!” 

Dad’s cooking…?! 
Why does that phrase have such tragic vibes even though it means the same thing...?! 

“I finally realized how lazy I’ve been! By leaving all the cooking to you, I’m about to rob our children of the classic ‘Mom’s cooking’ in their childhood memories!” 

Isn’t that a bit dramatic? 

Sure, I do almost all the cooking and Platy keeps out of the kitchen…but she’s hardly neglecting the kids. 
If anything, she’s in full‑throttle Super‑Mom mode in her own specialty. 

As a potion alchemist, she grows a ton of medicinal herbs and brews enough medicine to stock a small hospital. 
It sounds shady written out, but I promise it’s 100% legal. 

Thanks to those potions, the kids’ health is top‑tier... When they grow up, they’ll definitely thank their mom for it. 

“No! Good medicine tastes bitter! Most of the stuff I brew is bitter! If things stay like this, the only thing they’ll remember as Mom’s flavor is nasty medicine!” 

Mom’s cooking tastes like cough syrup. 
…Yeah, that might be bad. 

But hey, she already gives them tasty food, too. 
Remember her specialty? 

Platy’s best dish is curry. 
Curry needs a spice blend, and spices are basically herbs. 
Or, if you squint, medicine. 

So, it’s right in her wheelhouse, and once a week (or every other week) her curry rules the dinner table. 

Junior and Norito adore it, and even baby Shotaro, still breastfeeding, will go crazy for it someday. 

No kid can resist curry. 

“True… They adore me the most on curry day…!” 

Any child would, really. 

“But flip it around, and you see my problem! All I have is curry! My hand is practically empty! It’ll never stick in their memories!” 

I don’t know about that. 
Curry’s a strong card. 

You can branch it: classic curry, katsu curry, seafood curry, curry udon, curry bread… 

“The kids’ll see through that cheap trick as soon as they’re older! That’s why I need a new weapon in my hand! Storm Access!” 

In other words, she wants more menu options. 

“Remember when you toured my herb garden for new dessert ideas? I was so inspired! I have to broaden what I can do for the kids!!!” 

Ah, the Great Mint War. 
My culinary ambition apparently set her heart ablaze, too...! 

“So, Dear! Hit me with one of your genius ideas! When it comes to food, I’ll always steal your brainpower!” 

She says, while tossing the whole job at me. 

Platy, you’re such a handful! 

Fine, let me think a bit… 
Enter Thinking Time. 
...When you say Mom’s cooking, the first thing that springs to mind is…nikujaga. 

Why are people so obsessed with nikujaga? 
It’s not only the poster child for Mom’s cooking, it’s also the #1 dish guys want their girlfriend to make. 

Humanity is starving for nikujaga. 

I mean, it’s an old‑school simmered dish, but it’s packed with potatoes and meat, the two undisputed kings of kid appeal. Of course it’s popular. 

You’d think I’d just hand Platy the nikujaga recipe, but… 
Nope. 

Because I already cook it all the time! 

It’s easy for a stew, the kids demolish it, and the potato‑meat combo is mega‑OP. 
It’s a direct hit to their tiny hearts every time. 

As for other simmered dishes... 
Stuff like taro or eggplant would probably scare the kids off.  
Real Mom’s cooking usually leans that way, but… 

On second thought, why not go for something the kids will absolutely love? 

There’s no hard rule for Mom’s cooking. 

Whatever you ate as a kid and remember fondly. That’s Mom’s flavor. 
As long as it sticks in their memory, even shark‑fin soup, surströmming, or salmiakki could qualify!!! 

If that’s the case, I can target Junior and Norito’s taste buds with sniper precision. 

And the idea that pops into my head is…!