Leveling Up Through Eating

PR: MattForgenti

“Waaaaaaaaaaah!”

“So cute!”

“Look at that flapping belly!”

“Ah, that arrogant expression. So cute!!!”

The people were clamoring as they looked at his small body the size of the fist together with his short legs and arms. His arrogant look and the huge sunglasses on his face looked perfect as he danced the Kangchon Style!

“Cu, cute……”

“Wow.”

Alicia and Lucia were both falling into a trance. Their cheeks burned brightly as they looked at the cute creature at the center of the stage.

‘I want to poke those plump and chubby cheeks with my fingers.’

‘I wonder if he will feel soft if I hug it?’

Lucia and Alicia were both cold and charismatic women but it seemed like something like this was also proof that they were girls.

Looking at their lovestruck expressions, Cain said……

“But who’s the owner of that baby piggy? Only player’s pets are allowed to vie for the position of the mascot, right?”

[Ah. Here’s the information. The baby pig that is currently dancing is a pet named ‘Kongie’. He is User Minhyuk’s pet. User Minhyuk was just registered as a nominated candidate for the Eat Quickly Contest today.]

[That’s strange. All of the information except the one submitted in Athenae are currently private. Is this even possible especially when we’re in a contest to select our country’s MVP?]

“D, did they say Minhyuk……?!”

“Minhyuk?!”

Both Alicia’s and Lucia’s eyes widened in shock.

***

A day before the launch of Athenae: Korean War, President Kang Taehoon couldn’t help but wonder.

‘I wonder if User Minhyuk is not participating?’

Just recently, User Minhyuk climbed the Hall of Kings. He was also given a ‘Athenae: Korean War ticket’ which was like a free pass in the competition. Everything was reviewed by Joy Co. Ltd. and the conditions were met by User Minhyuk.

But…… Why isn’t he coming?

At that moment, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“You may enter.”

The person who came inside the room was none other than Team Leader Park Minggyu. He looked like he was in an urgent situation with how flustered he looked.

“User Minhyuk has contacted me.”

“......It’s finally here!”

A small smile hung around Kang Taehoon’s lips. But before he could rejoice, Team Leader Park said……

“But there’s a problem.”

“A problem?”

“Yes?”

“What is it…...?”

“He said that it was possible to reveal his face in the virtual world but not in reality.”

“What are you……”

Kang Taehoon’s face crumpled.

You don’t want to reveal your face in a world-class competition?

This meant even their real information would be private. The condition in and on itself was something that did not even make sense. In addition, it was not allowed within the rules of the competition.

“He will not come to the waiting room that we have prepared for the players in real life.”

The waiting room that Joy Co. Ltd. had prepared was literally a place where the domestic players could gather and learn each other’s faces. In addition, a press conference for the competition would be held in the same venue under the sponsorship of Joy Co. Ltd.. It was also a place where he could promote friendship by learning the place of the Athenae users in reality.

But you’re telling me that he did not want that either?

“......That’s absurd! What kind of nonsense is that?!”

Kang Taehoon’s face flushed in anger. The Athenae: Korean War was not a joke.

So what if your numbers are not up to par, and why do you even need to hide your identity?

“Then if it’s like that, he doesn’t need to participate!”

No matter how high the chances of User Minhyuk being an MVP was, it was something that he could not allow.

“I already told him on the phone that he would not be allowed to participate with regards to this. But I got a call from his lawyer.”

Kang Taehoon snorted.

You’re messing with me and you even have the guts to have your lawyer call me? Was he a rich user?

Kang Taehoon was already on the verge of being disappointed by User Minhyuk. After all, he believed that he was someone who had regarded the Athenae Olympics as a joke. However, his eyes couldn’t help but widen when he heard the next words.

“The lawyer was none other than the head of the legal team under the Ilhwa Group’s Chairman.”

“S, so what you’re saying is… you…”

“Yes, what you’re thinking is correct.”

Team Leader Park nodded his head.

“User Minhyuk is Chairman Kang Minhoo’s only son. Of course, they are requesting that this information is to be kept private.”

“......!”

Kang Taehoon’s eyes widened in shock.

That’s the number one company in our country?! No, it wasn’t just our country. It’s a world-class enterprise. Of course, Joy Co. Ltd. can’t easily be pushed down by Ilhwa Group. But the father of the user that we always knew is Chairman Kang Minhoo?

“In addition, their legal team picked on exactly one part.”

“What is it?”

“The non-disclosure of the information in reality can be established due to a variety of reasons. Instead, they would allow us to open the Athenae game information.”

“......”

Kang Taehoon’s expression turned solemn. The Athenae: Korean War was still currently a competition in the virtual world so the rules were still lax in comparison to the actual Olympics. However, it was still not a good reason for letting them hide their private information.

But they cited the ‘variety of reasons’. Did they meet one of them?

Those reasons were mostly nonsense and were just like a formality in reality.

“Their reason was ‘rare disease’.”

“Rare disease?”

President Kang Taehoon locked his fingers together as he looked at Team Leader Park seriously.

It was true that the ‘rare disease’ met one of the conditions. However, they still had to go through an extremely difficult process. Athenae’s competition might be held by Joy Co. Ltd. but it would still need the approval of the Organizing Committee. That was the reason why they needed to know exactly what the ‘rare disease’ was.

“That’s why they’re going to meet with us.”

Kang Taehoon nodded his head.

***

Today was the day of the competition.

Yesterday, Team Leader Park went and visited Minhyuk in his residence to confirm their claims. When he saw the doctor’s report that was handed to him, he couldn’t help but be left speechless.

‘Non-purging bulimia? There’s a disease like this?’

They were even given an explanation by Doctor Lee Jinhwan. They even mentioned that one in three people had died due to this disease a few years ago. Hearing the explanation, he had believed that it was more serious than what he had initially thought. And with that, the conditions for the non-disclosure of the information in the real world was somehow met.

Minhyuk had agreed and said that he would reveal his face, name and age in Athenae. But any of the other information that they needed to know? It was to be kept private.

In addition, there were plenty of reasons why they can persuade the organizing committee with the ‘rare disease’. Athenae was a game that was made for fun. However, there would definitely be an issue if they tried to forcefully clear up and show someone with a rare disease in reality.

How many users can handle the mental stress that will come with the issue?

‘What’s worse, he has a body like this……’

It was something that was impossible. Even if he said that he would let them show his information he would have let him stay under the private setting.

After giving a definite answer to President Kang Taehoon, Team Leader Park was given an order. And that was to stay right next to User Minhyuk until the end of the competition. The other players would follow the instructions of Joy Co. Ltd. in the waiting room but User Minhyuk would not be able to do so. That was why he was tasked to stay by his side.

And President Kang Taehoon told him……

‘Then, what’s left for me is to get approval from the committee.’

Of course, Joy Co. Ltd. could push ahead with their decision without any hesitation but there was a high probability that the public would not be ‘convinced’. After all, a user suddenly appeared and participated with everything behind closed doors. They were sure that the public would protest. That was why, the story would be different if the ‘organizing committee’ that was considered as the ‘representative’ of the public approved of this.

And Minhyuk… he was just eating cherry tomatoes.

“The president will try and let you participate in the Eat Quickly Contest today. But we have registered you as a nominated candidate for now. You have the ticket from the Hall of Kings so it won’t be a problem even if you registered today.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I think that you have given a lot of thought before you expressed your intention to participate in the Korean War. May I ask your reason?”

Minhyuk smiled silently. He had agonized over this fact over and over again after the announcement of the Eat Quickly Contest.

Delicious market food.

He could imagine the taste of the sweet red bean filling inside the chewy chapssal donut. And, what about the kkwabaegi that was covered with sugar? He could already imagine the sweet taste and the chewy texture of the bread. And that wasn’t all. The market also offered the huge whole market chicken that was always steaming hot as well as the bindae-tteok, kimchi buchimgae and all kinds of delicious jeons. Of course those were a part of his reason but it wasn’t just that.

“When I was young, I often went to the market with my late mother. That’s why I like market food.”

Minhyuk smiled wryly.

He definitely wanted to eat market food but he also had a lot of worries. He was sure that if he participated then his identity would be known to the world. At first, he had already decided to forfeit his participation. However, when his father learnt of it, he found a way to let him participate and confirmed it with his legal team.

That wasn’t all. Every night, Minhyuk dreamed of going to the market and eating the food there. He also thought of his mother who always went with him.

“It doesn’t suit you.”

The chaebol’s second generation and market food?

Team Leader Park let out a small smile. Then, Minhyuk said to him…

"Just imagine it. Team Leader.”

Minhyuk’s voice was serene and calm.

“You haven’t eaten a proper meal and you’re on your way home after a tiring and exhausting day. Team Leader, what kind of restaurant do you want to go to? A fancy restaurant that sells caviar? Or a place that cooks delicacies and foie gras?”

“It would be nice to go to the place where people drink soju and have some sundae rice soup. Then, add a bowl of rice and a shot of soju. I think that would be the best.”

“Isn’t it something like that?”

Team Leader Park nodded his head.

So it turned out to be something like that.

It was the same as when people crave ramyeon at one in the morning instead of steak. Being rich did not mean that they would have different tastes and cravings as other people.

Team Leader Park looked at him as he spoke…

“In a way, food is amazing. It has the power to make everyone happy regardless if they are rich or poor.”

Minhyuk smiled silently when he heard his words. Not long after, Team Leader Park looked at his watch.

“Let’s enter now. I’ll be next to you. Although it’s not the same as the players’ waiting room in real life, I’ll still take you to the players’ waiting room in the game.”

“Yes.”

The two of them stood up and accessed Athenae together.

***

Minhyuk and Team Leader Park were walking towards the players’ waiting room after accessing the game.

At that moment…

[Athenae Olympics! The search for the best dancer ‘Pet’ begins now!]

After hearing loud cheers from the crowd, Team Leader Park and Minhyuk both stopped walking. Then, one part caught Minhyuk’s attention.

‘3- 3,000-year-old eel?!’

Grilled eel. He could imagine slicing the grilled eel that was on top of charcoal fire as he placed the golden brown and steaming piece of meat on top of some lettuce. Strangely enough, the restaurants that sold grilled eel offered plenty of instant rice but never a bowl of rice. So he would put some rice on top of the lettuce and grilled eel. Then, add some sliced garlic and ginger as well as some ssamjjang.

What will happen if I place that in my mouth? Will the light yet powerful flavor of the eel bring a smile to my face?

Then, at that moment……

[Kongie is requesting for a summons.]

Kongie appeared after requesting a summons from the summoning room. Then, once he settled on Minhyuk’s shoulders, Kongie looked at him with a ‘solemn’ expression.

“Oink!”

The solemn-faced Kongie seemed to tell him ‘Trust me!’ as he pointed at the sunglasses that were hanging on Team Leader Park’s pocket.

“Oink, oink!”

“Huh?”

Team Leader Park handed his sunglasses over in a daze. Then, Kongie proudly stepped forward and began to dance.

It was Kongie’s elaborate and flashy horse dance!

This guy had danced the horse dance quite a few times. Athenae had a ‘Listen to Music’ function. Whenever Minhyuk would listen to music, Kongie would always twitch his hips and ride the rhythm. There was also a time when Minhyuk showed him Psyn’s horse dance.

“Waaaaaaaaaaah!”

“So cute!”

“Look at his tummy, it’s like mochi, mochi!”

The audience were enjoying themselves. However, the commentators were expressing their doubts.

[Ah. Here’s the information. The baby pig that is currently dancing is a pet named ‘Kongie’. He is User Minhyuk’s pet. User Minhyuk was just registered as a nominated candidate for the Eat Quickly Contest today.]

[That’s strange. All of the information except the one submitted in Athenae are currently private. Is this even possible especially when we’re in a contest to select our country’s MVP?]

Not long after, the commentators said……

[We have confirmed that he is still a ‘Nominated Candidate’. We have been informed that they are still reviewing whether he will be allowed to participate in the competition. The reason why all of their information is currently private is because they have applied for a ‘Participation with Information Protection’. Once he gets approval, he can officially participate in the competition.]

[Can they participate in the mascot event even if they’re still a nominated candidate?]

[Yes, they can. As long as they become a player then they can join the mascot event. In addition, the fact that a ‘Nominated Candidate’ is a player still remains true. It’s just that they’re not sure whether they will participate or not.]

After finishing his dance, the baby pig, Kongie, ran towards Minhyuk.

Kongie was running innocently with his sunglasses!

The commentators had different reactions towards him.

[Ah, look at those waddling legs!]

[Kgghk! He’s really cute!]

[He’s really a cute pet that I want to own!]

[Ah, I think he would be warm if I hug him to sleep. And he even has that chubby and plump butt!!! I feel like touching that will make me feel better!!]

Then, Kongie came to Minhyuk’s arms. Once the audience saw Kongie’s owner, they couldn’t help but create a fuss.

“Wh, what?”

“So handsome……”

“Wow.”

“Look at his height…… I think he’s about 185cm? His legs are really long too……!”

“Look at that proportion. Kyak! Oppa! Look here!”

“......I think he’s about 20 years old. When did he become your oppa?”

“All handsome men are oppas! Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”

It was because of his handsome face and dreamy proportions.

***

Disclaimer

Once again, I would like to reiterate this. Minhyuk\'s rare disease can be translated literally to binge-eating deficiency disorder. The description closely resembled that of non-purging bulimia so we used bulimia as his disease in the translation.

TL’s corner!

All handsome men are oppas. Amen. I live by this motto now.

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