“Give me a bag of rice. I want… the best you have,” Vivian shouted haughtily as she stood before a grain stall.
With money in her pocket, Vivian felt much more energetic. Buying ingredients at the market now gave her a sense of confidence.
“Right away, please wait a moment.”
The stall owner didn’t dare slack off. He quickly turned around and jogged into a small warehouse behind the stall.
In this world, the staple food for most commoners consisted of grain products like wheat or rye. Rice was only produced in damp, warm southern regions like the Valorion Kingdom. If one traveled even a little further north, the land became unsuitable for growing paddy rice.
“Fifteen pounds, 300 copper coins,” the stall owner said, panting as he walked over carrying a burlap sack.
Vivian counted out the exact amount of copper coins and placed them on the counter.
“Beautiful young lady, would you like me to have someone deliver this to your door?” the stall owner asked.
“No need.”
She waved off the owner’s kindness. Taking the sack with one hand, she lifted it as easily as if she were picking up a small chick.
Now that she had the staple food, next was the meat and vegetables. Just a moment ago on the road, Vivian had flipped through her newly acquired cookbook and glanced over the recipes recorded within. After spending a long time on it, she had finally settled on what to make for dinner tonight.
It was a dish with simple, easy-to-find ingredients. It wasn’t difficult at all, making it perfect for a beginner like her.
It was — Pilaf!
According to the cookbook, this was a commoner’s food from another continent across the sea to the southwest.
‘Rice, mutton, and carrots, all thrown into one pot…’
‘Then add a few dried fruits at the end…’
‘This is way too simple! With me, Vivian, on the job, it’ll be a piece of cake.’
Vivian’s heart was full of joy as she walked excitedly toward the other side of the market, stopping in front of Uncle Ethan’s meat stall.
“Long time no see, Miss Vivian.”
“Where have you been lately? I haven’t seen hide nor hair of you for days.”
“The hunters have been so worried they’re growing wrinkles. They look like abandoned widows. If you hadn’t come back soon, that old man Derek would have squeezed their pockets dry!”
Uncle Ethan still spoke with his usual exaggerated tone. As long as he was talking, he couldn’t keep his hands or feet still, immediately gesticulating wildly. Vivian had always felt that he would definitely be suited for street dancing…
“Hello, Uncle Ethan,” she greeted him with a smile. “I had nothing to do these past few days, so I went for a stroll outside the city. I only got back last night.”
“Oh my god, by Ileos!” Ethan covered his mouth, exclaiming in surprise. “Do you have any idea that a giant Demon showed up outside the city?”
“I heard that if it opens its mouth, it can swallow an entire hill. When it stomps its feet, it causes an earthquake. When it opens its eyes, no one within a hundred miles survives. Miss Vivian, you actually dared to leave the city at a time like this? You’re lucky to be alive!”
Ethan’s face was filled with shock and disbelief.
“I didn’t run into it,” Vivian shook her head, unconcerned. “Alright, let’s not talk about that. Uncle, do you have any mutton for sale?”
“Ah, I happen to have some,” Ethan said. “I haven’t dared to go out hunting these past few days, so I went to the nearby villages and bought a few big-horned sheep to slaughter.”
As he spoke, he took down half a side of mutton hanging in front of the stall. “How much do you want?”
“Two pounds of mutton chops,” Vivian said, pointing at the meat.
“Anything else?” Ethan asked, lowering his head to process the mutton.
“Uh… I also need onions, but you don’t have any here,” Vivian said hesitantly.
“Hey, Shiro! Toss me an onion!” Ethan suddenly looked up and shouted toward the neighboring stall.
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of something cutting through the air echoed.
*Thwack!*
A round onion flew through the air and smacked Ethan right in the face. He didn’t get angry, however, nimbly catching the falling onion. He placed the onion and the sliced mutton chops together, packed them all into a linen bag, tied the opening with a string, and handed it to Vivian.
“Thanks.”
She offered her thanks, paid the fee, and prepared to head home. Since she already had carrots and dried fruit at home, there was no need to buy more.
Vivian held her umbrella in one hand and grabbed the two sacks with the other. Just as she turned around and before she could get a firm grip on the bags —
*Clop, clop, clop!*
A series of rapid hoofbeats, like the beating of drums, suddenly approached from the distance. Before Vivian could even look up, a warhorse rushed toward her, bringing a gust of wind with it. She hurriedly jumped back, narrowly avoiding the horse.
“What’s the big idea?” Vivian’s face darkened as she spoke with dissatisfaction.
She looked annoyed at the knight in iron armor and a gray cloak in the distance. In the blink of an eye, the knight had already passed through the market entrance, leaving behind only the startled cries of pedestrians and a cloud of dust.
Ethan, who had ducked behind his stall, slowly poked his head out and explained to Vivian, “That’s the Lord’s messenger.”
“I hope he brings some kind of good news…” Ethan lowered his head in prayer.
Vivian, on the other hand, glared fiercely in the direction where the messenger had disappeared.
“Better if he breaks a leg in a moment…” she muttered under her breath.
‘Forget it,’ Vivian thought, ‘I’ll just go home and cook. What does a messenger have to do with me? It’s not like he’s announcing that the Demons are attacking… Hahaha, that’s not funny at all.’
Vivian let out a light chuckle and turned to walk home.
***
Vivian’s small cottage.
*Bang!*
The front door was pushed open so forcefully that the entire cottage shook.
“I’m back!”
Vivian strode into the house and placed the two burlap sacks in her hand next to the stove.
“Welcome home, Vivian.”
Nolan was sitting at a small wooden table, diligently maintaining his armor. Seeing Vivian return, he set down his work and greeted her with a smile.
“The feast I promised you is happening tonight!” Vivian pulled out a copy of *Gold Medal Chef* from her coat and slammed it onto the table in front of Nolan.
“Alright, alright. I’ve been looking forward to this for 5.5 hours. Do you need my help?” Nolan asked.
“No need! A gold medal chef doesn’t need an assistant! Just sit there like a good boy and wait for the food to be served.”
Vivian patted her flat chest with total confidence. Then, she jogged to the window, opened it, and shouted, “Zaphira, come back and start the fire!”
A streak of red light flew out from the pit behind the house and landed in front of Vivian.
“Vivian, I thought you didn’t want me anymore… Waaaah!”
Zaphira’s pathetic sobbing echoed from the statue. She was truly afraid that Vivian had abandoned her because shortly after Vivian had thrown her out, that wicked old priest had jumped out from some corner. He kept saying he wanted to take her to the church and hand her over to their Pope for safekeeping.
That had scared the wits out of Zaphira! Their eldest sister had been defeated by that evil church. After being turned into a statue, she was kept in their cathedral. She heard that their poor eldest sister was so hungry she had to survive on mosquitoes and flies. Zaphira didn’t want that kind of miserable life!
In a moment of desperation, Zaphira had lied and claimed Vivian had sent her there to purify filth and that she would return in the evening. Only then did the wicked priest leave reluctantly.
“You’d better make sure you’re clean…” Vivian said to the statue floating in mid-air.
“My flames have long since purified all filth! I swear it on my sisters’ souls!” The Zaphira statue shook, and a ball of fire ignited around it.
“Fine.”
Vivian grabbed the statue and stuffed it under the stove. Then, her expression became exceptionally serious. As if she were making a solemn vow before a divine statue in a cathedral, she whispered:
“Commence cooking!”
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