Chapter 141: Soup For The First Time

[Host is finally using the pot!]

[(◕‿◕✿)]

[This system has been waiting for this moment]

Tera chuckled. ’I am sure you wish you could get a taste at the end of it.’

[No, thank you]

[Your actual cooking skills leave much to be desired]

[(𐙚˚ ^ ˚₊ა)]

Tera’s mouth fell open, but she was quickly distracted by the clan members who were bringing up the ingredients she had asked them to prepare earlier.

Small piles of shredded and ground herbs were arranged on a broad leaf, a basket held freshly peeled, washed and cut tubers, and a monstrous amount of shredded and torn meat chunks had been placed on a large silk leaf.

Now, with everything in place, she clapped her hands together.

"Alright! Let’s make soup!"

The clan members had never heard the word ’soup’ before, but they cheered anyway.

The wolves, despite being the most clueless of everyone else, also started to buzz with excitement. Faelynn stood up and waddled closer towards them, her curiosity greater than her fear of the flames.

Despite pouring water into the pot like Tera had instructed them to, some of them still bombarded her with questions.

"We are putting water in this thing over the fire?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It is for the soup."

"Oh..." they answered even though they truly didn’t understand a thing.

[Host should perhaps disclose that she has never actually made soup before]

[(·•᷄_•᷅ )]

’What?! Why does that even matter?’

[This system is merely noting that Host is about to attempt her first-ever soup in front of over a hundred beasts who believe she is an expert]

[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]

’That is exactly why YOU are going to guide me through every single step!’

[Oh?]

[NOW Host values this system’s expertise?]

[(¬‿¬)]

’I have always valued your expertise! I just don’t value your attitude!’

[This system will accept that]

[Step 1: Wait for the water to boil]

[Host will see small bubbles forming rapidly across the surface]

’Are you freaking kidding me?!’

Tera wanted to berate the system even further until she noticed it laughing.

Just because she didn’t know how to cook didn’t mean she was clueless when it came to boiling water!

’Omg! Get a life—’

Tera jumped and pointed. "What are you doing? The meat is burning!"

All the beasts had been so enamoured and curious about what Tera was about to do that they had momentarily forgotten about the meat they were roasting.

And a lot of them were indeed starting to burn.

[This system cannot believe Host was actually waiting for the water to boil before adding meat]

["( – ⌓ – )]

[This system really does have to dictate every single step Host makes so the food doesn’t turn into a nuclear disaster]

’OMG...’

Tera stood still, realisation dawning on her.

She wanted the ground to swallow her up now.

’Damn you!’

Tera started adding the meat piece by piece with the help of the nearby beasts, and the pot quickly filled with chunks of flesh bobbing in the warming water.

Then she added the herbs at the system’s suggestion.

[Good]

[Now the tubers]

[Cut them smaller]

[Smaller, Host]

[SMALLER]

’The fuck?! These ARE small already!’

[Those could knock someone unconscious if thrown]

[They are not small]

[(·•᷄_•᷅ )]

Tera grumbled and had two males cut the tubers into smaller pieces with hoes before adding them.

More heads turned as a rich, hearty smell started to rise with the steam.

Tera’s irritation at the system slowly disappeared as the meal started taking shape.

The broth swirled as the ingredients mingled. The meat was softening, the tubers were breaking down, and the combined fragrance of herbs, starch, and slow-cooked flesh was creating something that smelled better than anything she had produced in her former life.

Tera was stunned by something else.

’What the fuck? I couldn’t have been that bad of a cook...’

[(ᕼ✧ᴗ✧ᕼ)]

[This system wishes to have witnessed the downfall of Host’s meals in her past life]

’Oh, fuck no!’

No way she would have wanted this incessant pest ruining her old life.

The minutes stretched as the soup simmered and Tera followed the system’s instructions, adjusting the fire, stirring at the right intervals, and resisting the urge to add more of anything.

Xavi and Ermin hovered near Tera, the earnestness on their faces making them adorable distractions from time to time.

A lot of the beasts had taken their roasted meat off the fire, and had funnily enough, ignored it to gravitate towards the even better scent emanating from the pot.

[Host’s first soup is finally complete!]

Tera was very proud.

"It is done!" She announced, stepping back from the pot with a massive smile on her face.

[Is Host not forgetting something?]

Before Tera could react to the system, nearly the entire settlement surged forward.

They all stared at Tera, waiting.

And that was when it hit her.

Her smile froze.

She had nothing to serve the soup in.

’You idiot!’

Tera had been so focused on cooking that she had completely forgotten that the food needed to go from the pot into something else before it could reach anyone’s mouth.

[This system was wondering how long it would take Host to notice]

[It took the entire cooking session]

[(⊙_⊙)]

[A new record in oversight]

Tera’s cheek twitched.

The beasts were still staring at her. A few of them had started to lean toward the pot with the body language of creatures who were calculating whether they could just shove their faces in and drink directly.

Tera’s mind started sorting through options when a memory made her stop.

She rushed to the system shop and was met with the construction pan!

She remembered disregarding it due to it being too small and shallow to carry out any work.

It was exactly the right size for a serving of soup.

A laugh ripped out of Tera so suddenly and so loudly that several beasts flinched, then looked around for what was making her laugh.

Now it made sense why the system would mention how no item in the shop was useless. They were all basically just starter versions that needed to be upgraded.

She quickly purchased them and started bringing them out of the system space.

[=͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)]

[Host never ceases to shock this system]

[But that is not their intended purpose—]

’Duh! But, hey, you said every item is useful, so here we are!’

Tera lifted her hoe and looked out at the massive crowd of hungry beasts with a grin that was equal parts pride and relief.

"Who is hungry?"