The medium-sized tents were finally completed. As dusk settled, Liriel and Jarek returned to the camp, bringing with them firewood and two deer for dinner. "We are back, sir," Liriel announced, her voice steady and assured.
Nikos nodded, "Go light the fire," he instructed them.
"Yes, Mashter," Jarek immediately executed the order.
Nikos began pulling out a variety of medieval cooking utensils from his inventory bag—pots, water, knives, and more. He turned to Liriel and Marielle, curiosity piqued. "Do either of you know how to cook?" he asked.
Liriel shook her head apologetically. "No sir, I only know some old dark-elf recipes, but those usually taste too bitter for humans."
Marielle raised her hand slightly. "I can cook. I know some recipes from my grandparents that many races enjoy."
A smile spread across Nikos's face as he handed some utensils to Marielle. "Then please, Marielle, cook for us. Just let us know how we can help."
"Yes, Master," Marielle nodded. She took a knife and began to prepare the ingredients. "Liriel, could you skin the deer, darling?" she asked kindly.
Liriel grabbed another knife. "Yes, I can do that," she replied, setting to work on skinning the deer. The two women together moved seamlessly, their hands skilled and efficient.
Nikos watched them for a moment, then asked, "Marielle, is there anything you need me to do?"
"No, Master. There's nothing left for you to do; you can sit and wait," she responded, focused on her task.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you," Nikos said as he took a seat, observing their diligent work. He then turned to Jarek. "Jarek, do you prefer to eat the meat in your own way?"
"No, Mashter. It iss fine for me to eat cooked meat. We lizard-men can eat meat in many statesss," Jarek answered, his tone matter-of-fact.
"I see," Nikos nodded, turning back to watch Marielle and Liriel at work. Before them, the two skinned deer lay on a large, clean leaf. Marielle's steady hands, supported by Liriel and Jarek, prepared their meal with meticulous care.
One of the deer was skewered on a long stick, from a broken spear, and placed over the crackling fire. Liriel slowly rotated the spit, ensuring the meat cooked evenly in the open flame.
Meanwhile, the cooking pot was positioned next to the grilling deer, ready for the stew.
With skillful precision, Marielle cut the second deer into small pieces for a hearty stew. She placed the meat into the pot, added water, various ingredients, and some aromatic herbs. As she stirred the mixture, the flavors melded, infusing the meat with a rich, savory essence.
After an hour, the pot bubbled with a luscious stew, tender chunks of deer meat mingling with root vegetables and fragrant herbs.
Her focused face was illuminated by the warm glow of the fire, a mature appearance showing gently on her, with the maternal charm of a kind, nurturing mother. Nikos's eyes had been fixed on her for who knows how long.
Finally, the cooking was finished.
Marielle poured the deer stew into a wooden bowl, "Master, the food is done," she informed him as she served it to him.
Nikos took the bowl, "Go ahead, everyone, fill your stomachs," he instructed them.
Marielle cut some meat from the grilled deer, placed it on a clean leaf they gathered, and put it next to Nikos. The rest waited, not daring to eat before their master.
Nikos glanced at them, "What are you all waiting for? Go eat. That's an order."
Following his command, the group grab a bite at their dinner.
Nikos then eat the stew. As the first scoop touched his tongues, his eyes widened. What, this taste so good. The rich broth, infused with the essence of wild herbs and hearty vegetables, enveloped Nikos senses in a savory warmth.
He grab took a bite to the grilling meat next to him. This one also delicious. The tender flesh, infused with the subtle sweetness of the jungle herbs, melted in his mouths, releasing a harmonious flavors that danced across the tongue.
I don't know it could be this good. Nikos turn to Marielle that eating next to him, "This is delicious, Marielle. I'm happy to have you in the team."
Marielle blushed, her cheeks glowing in the firelight. "Thank you for the compliment, Master," she replied softly.
Nikos looked around to see the others' reactions. Across the fire, Jarek tore into a piece of grilled meat, his rugged features relaxing into a look of pure contentment. The meat, seared to perfection with a hint of smokiness, brought a deep hum of satisfaction from him. His rough hands worked deftly, tearing at the meat with primal relish.
On Nikos's left, Liriel cautiously sipped the stew. Her brow furrowed in concentration before a smile spread across her face.
Each spoonful seemed to soften her expression, evoking memories of cozy hearths and familial dinners. She glanced appreciatively at Marielle, her eyes sparkling with unspoken gratitude.
The group continued their dinner, the night sky above them and the warm fire creating a cozy atmosphere. After they finished eating, they gathered around the fire, sharing warm conversations until it was time to rest.
"It's late enough; now we should rest. We'll take turns keeping watch, each for two hours. Marielle will take the first watch, Jarek the second, Liriel the third, and I'll be last. Any suggestions?" Nikos outlined the plan.
"That's a good arrangement, sir. Jarek, being the strongest, should watch during the most dangerous hours of midnight. I agree," Liriel said.
Jarek and Marielle nodded in agreement with the order.
"Alright, Marielle, you take the first watch," Nikos instructed as he headed towards the tents to sleep.
The medium-sized tent was large enough for three people. Nikos lay in the middle, while Liriel, still uncomfortable sleeping next to a man, settled a bit farther away in the corner.
Meanwhile, Jarek chose to sleep against a tree outside. Nikos, noticing this, called out to him, "Jarek, why not sleep inside?"
"No, Mashter. I'm usshed to sleeping outside on the ground. Lizard-men are not ussed to sleeping on shoft surfaces," Jarek explained.
"Alright, if that suits you," Nikos nodded, respecting his cultural preference. He closed his eyes and eventually drifted off to sleep.
Hours passed through the night as each party member took their turn keeping watch. The guard shifts went smoothly, and the camp remained safe. As Liriel's shift ended, she went back to the tent to wake Nikos. She crouched and gently shook him. "Sir, it's your turn."
Nikos stirred awake. "Right," he said groggily as he exited the tent to take his watch. After a few minutes, the sleepiness began to fade. He leaned against the rough bark of an ancient tree and opened his system.
Since I'm free, let's create some new potions. He pulling out the ingredients the group had collected and starting to craft new potions.
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2. Production & Crafting
> Extract Blueprint: 0/0
> Experiment: 0/0
v Craft Product: 50/50
- Health Potion (15) — 1%
- Mana Potion (15) — 1%
- Agility Potion (10) — 1%
- Antidote Potion (10) — 1%
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— Instant Crafting
As with many previous attempts, the crafting process was completed immediately, producing the items.
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!Finish
Health Potion x10 – Medium Purity
Health Potion x5 – High Purity
Mana Potion x8 – Medium Purity
Mana Potion x7 – High Purity
Speed Potion x8 – Medium Purity
Speed Potion x2 – High Purity
Antidote Potion x10 –Medium Purity
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While waiting for the 'Instant Crafting' skill to complete, Nikos decided to craft the same product through the normal process.
The first hour passed uneventfully, with Nikos keeping watch while learning more about the system. In the second hour, he began to hear subtle, strange noises from the jungle. What is that? Nikos closing the system and carefully approaching the source of the sound, moving deeper into the jungle.
Reaching close enough to the sources.
Peeking from behind a tree, Nikos saw a pack of small monsters—a mix of slimes, horned rabbits, big ants in cat-sized, and goblins—interacting with each other in their peculiar ways. They were moving toward Nikos's camp.
This area has been safe so far; why are they coming here? And why are they together, despite being different types? Nikos thought, shaking his head as he immediately returned to the tents.
He woke up Jarek, "Wake up, Jarek, a pack of monsters is coming."
Jarek immediately woke up, gripping his greataxe. "Yesss, Mashter," he responded.
Nikos then quickly woke Liriel and Marielle inside the tent. "Wake up, girls. Monsters are coming."
The two, hearing the word 'monsters', snapped awake, instantly alert. They swiftly prepared themselves for action.
Now the whole group was awake, standing in front of Nikos and awaiting his orders. "Focus. This is what we're going to do," Nikos began to brief them on the plan.
However, the sounds of the approaching monsters grew louder, cutting him off. Indicating they were already close.