The carriage stopped at the riverbank at the foot of the mountain.
Farkas, the white-haired butler, led the snow-white purebred horse to the river to drink, gently stroking its silky mane with a calm expression.
Gray, as if on purpose, turned her head and glanced back at the hill they had just passed. With a cautious tone, she spoke:
"Yeats, I feel like something is following us."
Yeats, holding the petrified goat iron plate in his hands, carefully inspected it.
This iron plate was large and appeared to be from the chest of the petrified goat. It had a slight curve, making it perfect for grilling the remaining cockatrice meat over the fire.
At the sound of Gray's words, Yeats set the iron plate down and gave her a serious look.
Gray was a dragonborn, after all, with an animal-like intuition.
"You mean something followed us from that mountain all the way here?" Yeats asked, narrowing his eyes.
"I can't be sure… but I feel like it," Gray replied.
Yeats pondered for a moment, his mind already forming a plan. He nodded and said:
"We'll eat first. Let's cook the leftover cockatrice meat on the petrified goat iron plate."
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Gray sighed, clearly annoyed. "Why do we always have to eat these weird monster foods? Can't we just eat something normal?"
"You're an adventurer. You should understand the importance of field rations," Yeats explained, rationalizing. "This journey is long, and we may not find a supply station. We need to ration our food carefully."
Gray couldn't argue, though she still felt uneasy about eating monster meat.
"But monster meat shouldn't be consumed all the time, right? Who knows what kind of side effects it could have?" she asked, her voice filled with skepticism.
"I'm a Spirit of the Feast," Yeats said calmly. "I can assure you that my monster meals won't be harmful and will even provide beneficial effects."
Gray raised an eyebrow, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Don't you think, since yesterday, your stamina's been lower than usual?" Yeats asked, grinning. "That's the effect of the fried cockatrice leg!"
Gray paused, considering the possibility. After a moment, she muttered, "Could it be… because I used to walk everywhere, and now we're riding a carriage?"
Yeats gasped in mock surprise. "You figured it out! You see, this monster cuisine boosts intelligence!"
Gray: ...You've got to be kidding me.
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"Alright, fine, I'll eat monster food tonight." Gray sighed. "I guess the cockatrice kebab wasn't too bad yesterday."
"Who said tonight's petrified goat iron teppanyaki is for you?" Yeats teased.
"Wait, what?" Gray was confused.
"It's to lure out the thing that's been following us!" Yeats smirked and began preparing the meal, placing the petrified goat iron plate on the fire.
The iron plate began to glow red as the fire heated it up, like a miniature forge. Yeats carefully placed the cockatrice meat on the sizzling surface, the meat letting out a satisfying sizzle as it made contact with the heated plate. The scent of cooking meat was immediate—rich, savory, with hints of caramelized sweetness. The oil crackled and popped, the air thickening with an intoxicating aroma that seemed to wrap around them like a warm, fragrant blanket.
Yeats's smile widened as he looked at the cockatrice meat slowly turning golden brown, the skin crisping up beautifully. The meat had a crispy exterior and tender, juicy interior. He couldn't resist sprinkling a bit of wild herb powder—freshly ground—over the sizzling meat. The herbs added a fragrant floral note to the dish, heightening the flavors and making the air even more irresistible.
The sizzling sound was like music, the way the meat released its rich juices into the heat of the iron plate, mixing with the herbs and creating a tantalizing harmony of flavors in the making.
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Gray stared at the golden-brown cockatrice meat that was slowly crisping up on the iron plate, her mouth watering uncontrollably. The fragrance was impossible to ignore—her stomach grumbled loudly, protesting against her earlier resolve. She couldn't believe how good it smelled.
Her stomach growled again.
Oh no, my willpower is starting to crack!
Then, suddenly, Yeats added a new element: he carefully ground fresh wild herbs, their green, peppery scent filling the air as he sprinkled them onto the sizzling meat. The mixture of herbs with the crispy cockatrice meat sent a wave of savory, spicy fragrance wafting through the camp, even making Gray forget her reservations about eating monster food.
This was cheating! This was absolute cheating! Gray thought, her eyes wide. With this seasoning, even leather shoes would taste good!
Yeats glanced down at the floating information:
[Petrified Goat Iron Teppanyaki – ★1]A teppanyaki cooked using the iron plate from a petrified goat, grilled to perfection with crispy skin and tender meat. Provides a slight increase in defense for a short period of time.
Gray was practically drooling now, her throat working as she fought the urge to dig in.
Yeats snapped her back to attention. "We're about to draw out that stalker."
"But—" Gray glanced back at the cooking meat. "It's about to burn. Let's eat it quickly."
She thought to herself: I'm not trying to eat it. It's just shameful to waste food.
"Idiot, this meat is bait. Hurry up and drink this." Yeats handed her a small vial of potion.
"What is this?" Gray asked, eyeing the potion suspiciously.
"Breath Suppression Potion," Yeats explained. "My exclusive formula. Drink it, and it will hide your presence."
"You make potions too?!" Gray was taken aback. This guy seems to know more than any adventurer I've met. It's ridiculous.
"Stop talking, just hide."
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The camp by the river was quiet, with the sizzling petrified goat iron teppanyaki sending plumes of savory smoke into the air, creating an almost hypnotic atmosphere. The crispy scent of grilled meat mixed with the subtle bitterness of wild herbs—it was a feast for the senses.
In the dim forest, a pair of glowing yellow eyes fixed on the sizzling meat.
Then, the owner of those yellow eyes emerged from the shadows: a round-headed, snow-white owl, its wings marked with black spots, a haughty expression on its face, and an undeniable aura of cuteness.
The snow owl watched the teppanyaki for a moment, then slowly squinted its eyes, as if preparing to dive for its prey.
Hoo!
With the sound of an eagle diving for its prey, the snow owl suddenly swooped down, spreading its wide wings and aiming for the sizzling cockatrice meat!
Perhaps it was because the iron plate resembled the petrified goat, causing the snow owl to mistake the object for something else.
As its claws made contact with the hot meat, the owl's eyes went wide, and it opened its beak in surprise.
Hot! So hot!
The snow owl landed on the ground, stomping its feet frantically from the heat.
Swish!
A fishing net dropped from the sky, trapping the bird inside.
The trio emerged from the shadows, their movements deliberate.
"Well, look at that, it's a snow owl," Gray exclaimed, surprised.
"Oh? Seems like our luck is quite good," Farkas said, equally amazed.
It looked like they might be able to tame a magic pet after all. It seemed that the heavens were smiling down on the growing Yeats, a good omen indeed.
"Can we… eat it?" Yeats hesitated.
Sure, they could eat it, but this was a magic pet. It would be such a waste to eat it.
Just yesterday, Yeats had been wondering about magic pets, and now—surprise, surprise—they had one right in front of them!
Yeats felt a strange sense of joy, but at the same time, he reminded himself not to let his guard down.
After all, the snow owl, cute as it was, was still a predator. It had followed them for a reason—perhaps to hunt?
Yeats pondered this thought.
Maybe it was just hunting for food.
The food supply in the mineral-rich hill wasn't abundant, and it made sense that the owl had seen their carriage and followed them to scavenge.
"So, it seems the little guy has been following us after all," Yeats said.
Gray poked the owl's round head through the net, laughing. "Aww, it's still mad!"
The snow owl was a creature native to icy regions, known for learning ice and wind-based magic.
In "Phantom Wings", the snow owl was a popular and cute magic pet.
It had potential, as magical aptitude was always a great advantage.
"Could it be a potential mage?" Yeats thought, musing.
It wasn't an owl chick, so taming it was likely to be difficult.
But as a life skills player, Yeats couldn't resist trying to tame it in his own way.
"Do you want some of this?" Yeats waved a plate of petrified goat iron teppanyaki in front of the owl.
The snow owl stared, meeting Yeats's gaze, then arrogantly turned its head away.
The motion was ridiculously cute.
Yeats smiled, placing the teppanyaki in front of the owl.
"Watch it. Gray, I'm going to make some snacks."
Gray crouched down, supporting her chin, happily watching the owl.
Adventurers were constantly surrounded by bizarre and dangerous creatures, but this little cutie was a rare sight.
Her smile didn't last long, though, as she looked at Yeats, who was now holding up the black, gelatinous remains of the Black Pudding Slime.
Her voice trembled. "You… You're making snacks with the Black Pudding Slime?!"
Yeats shook the gelatinous substance in his hand. "This stuff is protein, perfect for helping desserts set. It's perfect for making pudding."
"You know gelatin, right? Oh, wait, you probably don't, but you'll learn soon enough. Haha."
Yeats walked over to the cooking equipment, leaving behind a cheerful laugh.
Gray sighed, her face weary. "Haha."
This is insane. The Black Pudding Slime can be turned into pudding?!
The snow owl jumped inside the net again, each motion capturing an adorable expression, as if protesting.
You despicable humans, let me out!