Chapter 24: Roulette of Doom: Spicy Fate and Bitter Truths

1.

『Salt Bread』 『Lemon』 『Cucumber Pepper』 『Dark Chocolate』

The roulette wheel displayed ingredients representing various flavors.

Most were common items you could find at any mart.

– lol

– What’s this?

– That roulette lineup is brutal???

– A total gift set lololol

『Capsaicin』 『Anchovy Fish Sauce』 『Vinegar』 『Ginseng Tea』

But there were also items you’d never think to buy—or even see—at a mart.

“What is this?”

“It’s a roulette with carefully selected ingredients to vividly experience each flavor. You spin and taste whatever comes up. How’s that?”

“…No wonder Noir-nim freaked out. It all makes sense now.”

Elena’s expression darkened.

Noona, beside her, looked equally grim.

“Do we really need to experience it this way? Couldn’t we just do a normal taste test…?”

“We could, but this is way more fun.”

– She’s got a point…

– For real lol

– This is more entertaining lololol

💸 [Nickname: Anonymous] donated

🪙 5,000G!

💬 Why are you doing this? Why? Because it’s fun…

Viewers cheered my reasoning. Seeing this, Elena reluctantly nodded.

“…Fine. As long as I don’t get the bad ones.”

“Noona, you cool with it?”

“U-Uh…”

Noir answered hesitantly. She really didn’t want to do this.

“Who’s spinning first?”

“They say it’s better to take the hit early. I’ll go.”

Elena raised her hand and stepped forward.

I nodded and adjusted the roulette settings.

『Salty』

“We’ll start with salty. 50% chance—salt bread or anchovy fish sauce. Spin it!”

Elena swallowed hard and cautiously pressed the button.

Click—

The roulette spun rapidly, its colorful segments whizzing by, accompanied by the rhythmic clatter of the wheel.

As it slowed, the pointer ticked past each slot.

Salt bread, fish sauce, back to salt bread—tension built.

The wheel crawled, the pointer trembling between slots. It seemed to stop on fish sauce but—

『Salt Bread』

It barely landed on salt bread.

“Yesss!!!”

Elena, gripping her hands tightly, shouted in triumph.

– Ugh…

– So boring…

– Booooo~~~~

– Her luck’s insane bb

– Freaking rigged, I swear

– Something’s off with that roulette. Void it!

“Boring? Nah, it’s fun~ Super fun~ Mega fun~”

I chuckled as Elena teased the viewers.

I summoned a salt bread, plated it, and slid it toward her.

“Lucky you.”

“I’ve always been pretty lucky.”

She grinned, popping the salt bread in her mouth. Her eyes widened.

“Wow… this salt bread is amazing! Crispy outside, chewy inside!”

She chewed a few more times before continuing.

“The buttery flavor is unreal. So savory and salty… Best salt bread I’ve ever had.”

– Didn’t Elena once say she didn’t get why people eat salt bread???

– Yup ㅇㅇ

– Changing her taste buds ㄷㄷ

– Sounds like it’s actually salty

“Glad you like it.”

I smiled. Covering her mouth, she asked cautiously.

“Did you… make this yourself?”

“Yes. The store’s salt bread was lackluster, so I kneaded and baked it myself.”

Bread-making’s tricky due to fermentation, but in VR, you can fast-forward time, so no waiting.

Even in reality, I could’ve done it with mana and holy power.

“Want to compare?”

“Sure, I’m curious.”

I bought a store salt bread and handed it to her. She tore into it.

“Hmm… bland. Just floury with a hint of salt.”

“After this, I’m really looking forward to Noir-nim’s cooking.”

“You won’t be disappointed.”

Since Elena spun, it was Noona’s turn.

“Now it’s Noona’s turn, but doing the same flavor’s boring. Let’s switch it up.”

I changed the settings.

『Bitter』

“Bitter!”

Noona’s face brightened. Better than spicy or sour, at least.

“50% chance—sweet-bitter dark chocolate or ultra-bitter ginseng tea! Spin it!”

Noir swallowed hard, pressing the button repeatedly. The roulette spun fast.

Click click—

The pointer trembled with each slot. The wheel slowed.

『Ginseng Tea』

No trace of blue. The pointer landed dead-center on red. No doubt about it.

“Hieeeeek…!!!”

Noir screamed—not in joy like Elena, but pure despair.

I pulled out the steaming ginseng tea I’d stored in my inventory.

“You made this too?”

“Yes. Washed and dried ginseng roots, boiled them thoroughly. I paused time, so it’s piping hot.”

I tilted the kettle, pouring a murky brown liquid into a cup.

“Ugh, the smell… like water spilled in a herbal shop and left to rot?”

– lol

– That smell metaphor wtf lol, Spilled water on the floor???

– The smell’s legit bad tho;

“Just smelling it feels healthy.”

“It’s great for you—anti-inflammatory, fever-reducing, good for skin, liver, and stomach.”

“But this is VR.”

“Right. So it’s just extremely bitter water.”

Noir’s face fell.

“Have you tried it, Carrier-nim?”

“Yes. Everything on the roulette, I tasted first. Want me to drink with you?”

“Uh, well…”

– Go go go go go go

– Making your long-lost sister drink alone ain’t cool ㅇㅇ

– Let’s go~~~~~~~

Elena hesitated, but viewers jumped in. They wanted shared suffering.

“Since the viewers want it, I’ll drink with Noona.”

I grabbed another cup and poured ginseng tea.

“Come on, Noona, stop stalling. Let’s drink.”

“U-Uh…”

Despite the Courage blessing, she’d been deflated since the roulette appeared.

She really didn’t want this.

“Here I go.”

I downed the ginseng tea.

A sharp bitterness coated my tongue, like someone rubbed tree bark on it.

“Not tasty, right?”

“Not tasty, but not worth freaking out over.”

I’d eaten worse in the other world.

Plus, ginseng tea was familiar—Noona made it a lot during my exam prep days.

‘Her hesitation’s probably from those memories.’

I grinned at Noir. She’d brought the cup to her lips but hadn’t drunk.

“Come on, Noona, drink up.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and chugged.

“Ugh…!”

Noir lurched forward, covering her mouth. Her eyes shot open, body twisting wildly.

– lol

– That reaction—must be super bitter?

– Thought it was fine since Carrier was chill, but guess not;

– Evil sister lol

“Noir-nim, you okay?”

Elena was concerned by the intense reaction.

Tears in her eyes, Noona swallowed and answered.

“I-I’m fine…”

“If you’re fine, great, but how bad is it…?”

“Bitter, astringent… weird smell… It’s awful…”

She shivered, shaking her head in disgust.

“That’s Noona’s turn. Now, Elena-nim, your spin.”

Gulp—

Having seen Noona’s punishment, Elena tensed.

“As our guest, you get a choice. Spicy or sour?”

– Death’s binary choice ON lol

– Gotta be spicy ㅇㅇ

– No, sour, you idiot

– Both seem awful…

After a moment, she chose spicy.

“Why spicy?”

“I handle spicy food well. I eat it when stressed, so I’ve got tolerance.”

“Even if you handle spicy food, capsaicin’s different, no?”

“Maybe, but it’s better than sour. Honestly, I’d be fine either way—I won’t get the bad one.”

“You trust your luck?”

“Yup.”

“Let’s see if Elena-nim’s luck holds! Spin!”

She spun the roulette.

『Capsaicin』

“No way!!!”

And spectacularly crashed.

—

“Ughhh…”

Two women slumped over the table, groaning. The capsaicin and lemon they’d just tasted were a shock.

– Is this a hospital or a kitchen lol

– lol

– Poor Noir, lol, Finally got a good one with sour, but lemon, wtf lol

– Better than vinegar, have a drink lol

– For real lol

“…Hey, Carrier-nim.”

“Yes, Elena-nim.”

Our eyes met as she barely lifted her head. Lips pursed, she tapped the table.

“I came here because you said you’d treat me to delicious food. So why am I eating capsaicin?”

“Because it came up on the roulette?”

“That’s what’s weird!”

Elena slammed the table, voice full of frustration.

“All I’ve done is spin the roulette and eat weird stuff!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Noona chimed in.

“Sorry. We’ve put you through a bit much.”

“A bit? A bit?”

She narrowed her eyes.

“My mouth’s still burning! This is hospitality!?”

“Of course not. The real hospitality starts now.”

I stood up.

“…Finally cooking? Can I trust you? Really?”

Elena crossed her arms, skeptical. I grinned.

“Absolutely. You can count on it.”

So far was just tasting. Now, the real show begins.

“Trust me.”

The cooking that charmed a hero, swordmaster, tower master, and saintess—I’d show it now.

“You won’t regret it.”