*Sniff*
"Huh? What smells so good?" Rhean sat up as she rubbed her sleepy eyes open. She stood up groggily as she walked out of the room unconsciously in her sleeping wear. She followed the aromatic scent of cooked food as she went and opened the door.
She was then greeted by the full blow of various smells from dishes that Brad was preparing for breakfast. The smell also roused the sleeping trio from their sleep as they too sat up to look for the source of the smell. Rhean walked down to follow the ever growing scent of great food. She soon went to the living room then down to the underground tunnel where she stopped at the third door on the right.
There she could see Brad getting busy cooking with ingredients that she identified were quite expensive too. She stood there stunned as the sight of a young masculine guy wearing comfortable clothes and an apron made from the woven up wool Brad had made into yarn. Brad noticed the visitor so he looked towards the entrance and smiled.
"Great morning! Plates there sitting at shelf." Brad pointed out at the crude ceramic plates and the utensils in the rack.
"Fix food table, can Rhean make?" Brad asked in broken common tongue that was quite understandable.
"Uhh, yes! I'll set the table up!" Rhean blushed at the warm smile of Brad so she hurriedly went to take the plates and spoons made from wood. She then ran outside to go to the large table in the living room, there she saw Brendel going down too still looking sleepy.
"What's that smell Rhean?" Brendel asked as she yawned trying to look for the source of the smell. She wore a brown tunic and black breeches.
"It's Brad, he's cooking in somewhat a kitchen downstairs? Or down tunnel? Whatever, can you help me set up the table?" Rhean put down the plates and spoons then went back to the kitchen.
"Okay, *sniff* wow that smells great!" Brendel smiled as she arranged the chairs and the plates.
"What smells so good?" Ashea asked wearing a simple leather pants and white collared blouse.
"Yeah, that smells like heaven." Kent was wearing a white laced tunic with light brown breeches.
"Brad's making breakfast." Brendel then placed the plates on the table. She paid attention in making sure the plates on the lead seat is arranged neatly.
"Wow, he's a great hunter, strong warrior, smart too, has loads of treasures and now he could cook? You women have checked a lot of you requirements already haven't you?" Kent chuckled as he knew these three had seemed to have formed attraction towards their saviour.
"He already did went past over my expectations of men but he seemed to be very young. Would he like me if he knew my real age? Most of you humans avoid dating me because of that." Ashea smiled weakly as she too really found him really nice.
"Being strong alone made him very attractive to me, you know my race's preferences." Brendel coldy said.
"Yeah, I know. I'll help in the kitchen first." Kent then went to where the aroma was coming from and saw Rhean run outside blushing and smiling while carrying cups and bowls. He smiled seeing the young girl have a crush, he was like the kind big brother in their group and he care for these girls happiness but the must return to their kingdom first after they are ready to go.
"Hey, can I help?" Kent knocked at the door. Brad looked back and smiled to him, Brad then pointed at the bowl of washed fruit nearby. Kent understood and took it with him to the table, he looked at Brad and gesture if there are anything else. Brad saw that and pointed at a wooden door at the side.
Kent went to the door and opened it, it was a room with a large pool filled with sealed jars. This was how Brad ensured the wine would seemed a bit refrigerated. He still relied on the low temperatures of the cave to keep most of his food from going bad. Brad then pointed at a medium sized Jar that was near the entrance.
"That." Brad then turned back and put on his hand made mittens and carried the boiling pot of stew he had made. Kent picked up the sealed jar and wondered what was inside but he followed Brad back. They soon arrived at the living room and placed the food on the table. Brad then opened the pot that released the concentrated aroma of the various herbs he had mixed with the Ape meat.
"Whoa!! Berserkong stew?! This thing is more expensive than a mansion! Are we eating this?" Ashea was stunned when she realized what they were going to eat. But Brad turned an ran back to the kitchen to get something, soon he came back with a large hot piece of rock. The four was confused but Brad took a small hammer and cracked the rock.
Another burst of aroma assaulted the noses of everyone as the thing inside was revealed to be a bundle of leaves dripping with oil. Brad then unwrapped the leaves to show the real food inside, he had butchered a Dodo earlier the morning and made a disk similar to Beggar's Chicken.
"Holy smokes! This smells even better!" Rhean was already drooling at the sight, Brad smiled and took out a stone knife to carve the chicken. Soon the food was distributed to the group, Brad paused for a moment and opened the sealed jar. They were greeted with a month old fermented wine made from a grape like fruit that grew individually. He gathered enough to make five jars of wine that he just opened.
"Whoa! Is that wine? What's it made of?" A wild Drunk nun had appeared but she was blocked by the serious orc sister. Kent face-palmed at the sudden change of behavior of the little priestess.
"Calm down Rhean, we'll get to eat soon." Ashea gulped as she looked at the lavish breakfast they were going to eat. Brad felt proud seeing the shocked reactions of these people, he didn't watch most of the Master Chef series for nothing. He really wanted to thank Chef Ramsay's various tutorial videos too. Though he did quite a crude job in his opinion, the bunch of useful tips of do's and dont's helped a lot in his culinary learning.