The morning air smelled like brine and seaweed as Ken climbed down the gentle slope leading to the rocky beach just an hour outside Brimholt. The coast stretched out before him in quiet serenity, waves lapping gently against the stone-strewn shore.
He gripped the wooden bucket tightly and stepped into the tide, letting cold ocean water swirl around his ankles. His modern mind lit up with excitement.
Salt. Real, usable salt. Not whatever root-crushed powder they've been using.
He filled the bucket until it was nearly sloshing over and then carefully climbed back up toward the village.
---
Back home, Ken stoked the hearth until the fire crackled, nestled his pot carefully on the clay stove, and poured in the seawater.
[Fire Control Lv. 1 – Activated]
Skill EXP +2%
The water hissed and began to boil slowly as Ken adjusted the heat with precision, feeding the fire with twigs and bark to keep it at a steady simmer. Steam coiled upward in shimmering ribbons.
For over two hours, he kept watch, fanning the coals, never letting the fire go out.
Eventually, the water was gone, and all that remained at the bottom of the pot was a thin, shimmering crust of salt.
Ken let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
Using the back of a spoon, he scraped the salt into a clay bowl, then crushed it down to a fine powder.
Primitive, but it'll do. This alone will change everything.
---
By midday, Ken was walking the forager's trail just past the southern edge of the village. Marked by cloth ties and carved wooden totems, the trail was deemed safe—enough for a child, even.
Armed with a basket and a growing memory of wild ingredients, he crouched under a thicket and found a bulb of garlic. Further up the path, near a narrow stream, green onions waved lazily in the breeze. Wild leeks. Chickweed. And near the roots of an ancient oak tree—bright orange mushrooms with thick, fleshy caps.
Chicken of the woods, Ken recognized immediately. Savory, rich, and packed with flavor.
A soft ding echoed in his head.
---
NEW SKILL UNLOCKED!
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1)
Skill EXP: 0%
---
By the time he returned home, Ken's basket was full of herbs and vegetables. He moved quickly in the kitchen, washing, sorting, and chopping ingredients with practiced care.
He sautéed garlic and green onions, stirred in wild root vegetables, and let the chicken of the woods mushrooms brown in a bit of leftover fat. The aroma filled the kitchen—earthy and comforting.
[Ingredient Prep EXP +6% → 16%]
[Fire Control EXP +4% → 6%]
[Ingredient Identification EXP +3%]
Just as the stew began to simmer, the front door opened and his mother stepped inside, cheeks pink from the sun and arms full of foraged greens.
"Mmm," she paused at the threshold, inhaling. "What in the world smells like heaven?"
Ken grinned from where he was stirring the pot. "Dinner. I found some wild herbs and mushrooms."
She set down her bundle and walked over to peer into the pot.
"That smells… better than anything I've cooked all week," she said, half-teasing, half-impressed. "You're really set on this whole cooking thing, aren't you?"
"Yeah," he replied simply. "I think I am."
She smiled and began pulling wooden bowls from the shelf.
"Alright, little chef. Let's set the table. Your father should be home soon."
Together, they laid out the table, filled cups with well water, and placed out wooden spoons and thick slices of yesterday's bread. The stew was nearly done by the time the sun dipped low in the sky.
Ken stood at the door, waiting.
As if on cue, his father pushed the door open with a grunt, brushing dirt and leaves off his cloak.
"No meat today," he said wearily, slipping off his boots. "Traps were sprung or empty. I'll head deeper into the forest tomorrow."
He paused as the aroma of the stew hit him.
His brows lifted. "You didn't say we had meat in the house."
"We don't," his wife said with a smile. "That's all Ken."
Ken stepped forward with a steaming bowl. "Try it."
His father took it, sniffed, and took a careful sip.
He froze.
"…What is this? This… this has flavor. Real flavor."
Ken's grin widened. "Mushrooms. Chicken of the woods. And a little garlic."
His father took another bite, slower this time.
"…This tastes better than rabbit stew."
Ken's mother sat down with her own bowl, eyes wide as she tasted it.
"By the gods, this is incredible, Ken."
As they ate together, a soft ding sounded once more:
---
QUEST COMPLETE: First Homemade Meal
+15 EXP, +5 Bonus EXP
"Seasoning Sense (Lv. 1)" Unlocked
Fire Control EXP +5% → 11%
Ingredient Prep EXP +8% → 24%
Ingredient Identification EXP +2% → 5%
---
Ken leaned back in his chair, warmth in his belly and pride in his chest.
He hadn't just made stew. He had made flavor. He had made a memory.
And this is only the beginning.
-------------------------------------------------------