I became a food developer

I Got Hit by a Truck and Reincarnated in Another World

At first, everything seemed great.

In my previous life, I was a bum who achieved nothing, but here, I was born into nobility.

And that wasn't all.

"This child will undoubtedly become a great mage in the future."

Even the Tower Master personally came to scout me as his apprentice, recognizing my talent for magic.

A noble reincarnation and the apprentice of a Tower Master?

My life in this world was smooth sailing from the very beginning.

There wasn't even room for complaints.

However, I soon realized the fatal flaw of this world.

I'm not talking about the lack of the internet or smartphones.

Those things were inconvenient at first, but over time, I adapted to life without them. Hygiene was manageable thanks to magic.

But there was one thing I simply could not get used to.

"This tastes absolutely disgusting."

That's right.

Food in this world was absolutely disgusting.

It was either completely bland or unbearably salty—there was no in-between. The few dishes that were somewhat edible were drowning in spices.

It's not like I was some kind of gourmet demanding exquisite cuisine.

Back in my old world, I was perfectly happy locking myself in my room and living off processed foods.

I wasn't picky—I'd eat just about anything.

And yet, even with my tolerance, the food here was unbearable.

People in this world thought dumping salt on everything made it taste good. Their sense of taste was utterly ruined.

Sure, there were a few decent dishes, but they were expensive and didn't suit my palate.

And even if something was good, I'd eventually get sick of it.

But worst of all…

"Damn it, I want a Coke."

This world had no Coke.

---

Strictly speaking, what I craved wasn't food itself but processed foods—instant meals, snacks, soft drinks…

But in a world where even basic science was nonexistent, expecting to find processed foods—the pinnacle of modern chemistry—was impossible.

It didn't matter that I was the Tower Master's apprentice or that I had memories of my past life. It was simply out of reach.

"Should I just try making it myself?"

That thought crossed my mind for a moment, but I quickly dismissed it.

I had only ever eaten these foods—I had no idea how to make them. Processed foods didn't come with a simple recipe.

Even if I remembered the taste, that didn't mean I could recreate it.

And even if I did know how to make them, there was another problem.

Most processed foods require secondary or even tertiary processing—but this world lacked the technology to achieve that.

Processed foods simply couldn't exist without modern technology.

At least… that's what I thought.

"Wait a second."

"'Bring it into reality'...?"

I jumped to my feet.

"How did I not think of this before?"

This world had magic that could turn imagination into reality.

It was an impractical and limited branch of magic, so it was often dismissed as useless…

But maybe…

"It's worth a shot."

If it doesn't exist, I'll just have to make it. Who else is going to?

From that moment, I locked myself in the Tower's archives for days, researching the feasibility of my idea.

And eventually, I reached a conclusion.

"...This might actually work."

---

"No way!"

A girl with snow-white hair and amber eyes firmly rejected my idea.

"Why not?"

"Yuri, you already know—we're broke."

Rania McDowell.

"If we don't show results this year, the royal family is going to cut our funding."

This girl, who shrank under financial pressure, was the Master of the White Tower—the magic tower I belonged to.

Of course, I understood why she was so concerned.

'It's not like our tower develops profitable magic.'

The White Tower focused on researching and developing practical magic for everyday life.

But practical magic was often either useless or too trivial to be valuable.

As a result, funding was scarce, and the tower was always struggling financially.

"And now you want to start developing food? What are you even talking about?"

"This is our chance to make some real money. We need results, don't we?"

"But Yuri… you can't even handle a knife properly!"

Oof. That was a painful memory.

There was a time I tried cooking and ended up slicing my fingers so badly that for weeks, people called me "The Red Sea of the White Tower."

Given that history, it was no surprise Rania didn't trust me.

But this time, I was confident.

This wasn't just a good idea—it was a game-changer.

It was a product that couldn't fail.

It would revolutionize this world's food culture in an instant.

"Just trust me. I'll make us rich."

"It's not that I don't trust you, but… our budget…"

Rania hesitated, unable to agree so easily.

So, I pulled out my trump card.

"If this doesn't work, I'll finally learn the magic you've been wanting me to study."

"Really…!?"

For a moment, her amber eyes sparkled like stars.

If she had a tail, I was sure it would be wagging.

That was how much Rania took pride in her magic.

Known as "The White Sage," she was a grand mage who had mastered manifestation magic.

But her magic was so complex that even within the White Tower, no one wanted to learn it.

Not even me—her own apprentice.

But now, seeing me confidently bet on it, she tilted her head in curiosity.

"So… what exactly are you planning to make?"

"Coke."

"Coke…?"

"Yep."

I nodded confidently.

From the 20th century to the 21st, a drink that had conquered the hearts of people across the world.

That was going to be my first processed product.