With all three fish fully prepped, Loviki dipped her hands into the clean water and washed them repeatedly. She brought them up to her nose to sniff, her brow furrowing slightly.
“There's still a fishy smell.” She held her fingers out in front of Chen Mian.
Chen Mian glanced down at her fair fingers, having no intention of actually smelling them. He rummaged through Flora's backpack, pulled out a bottle of spices, and poured a bit onto her hands. “Just wash them with spiced water again and you'll be fine.”
“That's too much! Here, have some. You scraped fish scales too.” As she spoke, she rubbed some of the liquid spice onto Chen Mian's hand. Then, as if suddenly realizing what she had done, she quickly pulled her hands back and continued washing them in the clean water, her ears flushing red.
After a moment, as if finding the silence too quiet, she began to softly hum an unfamiliar tune.
Nearby, Flora had already set up a simple stove using stones.
Magic-generated flames danced in the gaps between the stones. Atop them sat a small iron pot filled with the fresh water they had just gathered from the stream, to which she added a few aromatic leaves and a small spoonful of salt.
Once the water came to a boil, Flora selected three pieces from the halved fish and gently placed them into the pot.
The moment the fish hit the water, the clear broth turned a light, milky white, and the fresh aroma of the herbs mingled with the savory scent of the fish, rising into the air.
She sliced open the fruit, squeezed the pale purple juice into the pot, and scattered a small handful of chopped aromatic leaves over the top.
“Is the juice of this fruit sour?” Loviki leaned in, her nose twitching.
“Yes, it's slightly tart, which helps bring out the freshness.” Flora gently stirred the soup with a wooden spoon, took a small sip, and narrowed her eyes. “Delicious.”
She took out several wooden bowls from her backpack and ladled the fish soup into them, serving half a fish in each bowl. The broth was milky white, flecked with green bits of chopped herbs, and carried a fragrance that blended fruitiness with the savory aroma of fresh fish.
Loviki picked up her bowl and took a sip of the broth first, her eyes crinkling. “A fish soup with a fruity and floral aroma, but it's incredibly tasty. The different flavors blend together without clashing at all.”
Flora didn't stop there. She poured the remaining soup into a nearby basin, rinsed the pot with clean water, dried it over the heat, and tossed in a small pat of butter.
She was going to pan-fry the remaining fish. This time, she used a homemade seasoning blend made from the chili peppers back at the apartment. Before long, she served three pieces of pan-fried fish, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and sprinkled with a light dusting of spices.
It smelled even richer than the fish soup. Loviki picked up a piece of the fried fish with her utensils and took a small bite. “So fragrant! And there are no bones.”
“Hey, friend... what are you guys eating? How does it smell so good?”
Holding his bowl, Chen Mian looked toward the doorway. Unbeknownst to them, four adventurers had gathered there.
The speaker was an adventurer clad in heavy armor, who looked to be around forty years old.
“Fish.”
“Fish can taste this good?”
“Our chef is amazing,” Chen Mian said casually.
The corners of Flora's mouth curled up slightly.
The adventurers' gazes shifted in unison to Flora, who was wearing her hood. The heavily armored man scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. “Then... could we trouble this chef to make a portion for us too? We'll pay, and the price is highly negotiable.”
Chen Mian shook his head and took a sip of his soup. “She just finished cooking.”
The armored man smiled sheepishly, though his eyes still couldn't help but drift toward the pot.
Flora placed two more pieces of fried fish into Chen Mian's and Loviki's bowls, then began sipping her own soup.
The four adventurers remained standing where they were, showing no signs of leaving.
The armored man fished out a piece of rock-hard dry rations from his pack, took a bite, and chewed with a loud crunch, a subtle expression on his face.
The young female fencer behind him squatted on the ground, holding a canteen in both hands as she drank water, her eyes never straying from Flora's pot.
Holding her bowl, Flora looked at the group, her lips twitching slightly. “Are you very hungry?”
The young female fencer holding the canteen looked utterly weary of life. “Yes, we've been gnawing on dry rations for nearly a month.”
Flora looked at the remaining half-basin of broth, which had no fish left in it but was enough for three or four people. “There's no meat left, but if you want some broth, bring your bowls over.”
The armored man froze for a moment before grinning. He fished several wooden bowls out of his backpack, his movements far too nimble for someone clad in heavy armor.
“Thank you!” he thanked her as he ladled the soup. His teammates crowded around, and the young female fencer's hands trembled slightly with excitement as she took her bowl.
“Be careful not to burn yourself,” Flora cautioned from the side.
The young female fencer took a sip, and her eyes lit up instantly. “I've finally returned to the land of the living! I think I'm going to throw up the next time I even look at dry rations.”
“This fish soup is so delicious!” She took several more gulps before looking up with a face of pure bliss.
“Of course!” Loviki looked up, a trace of pride she didn't even realize she had creeping into her tone. “After all, Flora made it.”
“But I heard there are plenty of crops on the fourth floor. Surely you didn't have to limit yourselves to dry rations?” Loviki asked, somewhat puzzled.
The young female fencer replied rather helplessly, “There are indeed plenty, but most of the known edible ones around the outer edges of the sea of trees have already been picked. We don't dare to eat the rest blindly... Some people really have poisoned themselves silly by eating random things in there.”
The four adventurers drank the soup very slowly, taking a bite of their dry rations with every sip of broth. They truly seemed starved.
After a few sips, the armored man set his bowl down and looked up. “You guys haven't been in the dungeon for very long, have you?”
“No.”
“In that case, when you reach the second floor, just follow the map. The walls on that floor have a bit of a twisted sense of humor, but the pattern is fixed and has already been figured out.”
“A twisted sense of humor?”
“You'll understand once you go in.” The armored man paused, his expression turning much more serious as he continued, “But when you reach the third floor, you must be extremely careful. If you aren't absolutely sure, do not easily search the rooms inside.”
“Because of the dungeon traps?” Loviki recalled the information Leila had given them.
“Yes. During our month or so in the dungeon, we've already witnessed several adventuring parties vanish in the trap rooms,” he said, his expression grave.
“Vanish? The information we got outside was that the trap rooms trap people inside a barrier filled with magical beasts.”
“There's more than one kind of trap room. Aside from the monster trap that got the Cold Front Team, there are other trap rooms that slam shut instantly, blocking all outside view. By the time they open again, the people inside have already vanished. There are also various other traps, though most aren't fatal.” The large man explained seriously, “But no one has ever successfully made it out of the first two types. So, don't enter the rooms on the third floor lightly. The plants on the fourth floor are annoying, but as long as you don't go too deep, it's actually much safer, and it's easier to find resources.”
“Thanks for the warning.”
“Don't mention it!”
The armored man picked up his bowl again, downed the last sip, stood up, and walked over to Chen Mian, extending his hand. “Thanks for the treat! My name is Raylin. If you ever visit the Royal Capital of Hella in the future, you can look us up at the Adventurer's Guild. We can at least help out with minor things.”
“Chen Mian. Hope to see you around.” Chen Mian nodded and shook his hand.
Having said his piece, Raylin nodded to the three of them, turned, and led his teammates toward the dungeon exit.
The young female fencer walked at the rear. After a few steps, she turned back and waved at Flora. “Thank you, big sister!”
Flora smiled and waved back.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded, and silence returned to the room.
After finishing lunch, the three of them packed away the pot and bowls. Flora wrapped the fruit pits and spice seeds in a damp cloth and put them in her backpack.
“How do we get to the next floor?” Loviki asked, backpack on her shoulders, as she stood in the dungeon corridor.
Chen Mian unfurled the parchment map, looking at the highly convoluted route marked on it. “Go straight first, then turn left at the first intersection...”
...
Deep within the Forest of Death.
The afternoon sun was a bit glaring.
The grape trellises beside the apartment were already hung with clusters of purple fruit, shimmering with a faint magical luster in the sunlight. Several demi-human girls carrying bamboo baskets were picking grapes beneath the trellises, chatting and laughing.
“Sister Tina, what were Uncle Sari and the others doing walking back and forth around the outer edges of the forest this morning?” Luolin's basket was already full of grapes.
“Looking for oakwood,” Tina said with a smile as she plucked a cluster of grapes and placed them in her own basket. “Fruit wine aged in oak barrels develops a much richer aroma.”
“What about the containers for fermentation?”
“I already asked Melo to buy them on her way when she went to sell our crops.” Tina reached out and rubbed Luolin's cat ears. “Don't worry, little housekeeper.”
Luolin smiled shyly, looking down at the basket brimming with grapes as her voice softened. “Mr. Chen Mian and the others have helped us so much... When they get back, we must make sure they drink the most delicious fruit wine.”
“Yes.” Tina looked up toward the teleportation array, the corners of her mouth curving upward. “They definitely will!”
Rate on N.U.
