CHAPTER 36: THE FIRST DEFENSIVE MEAL

Marron frowned.

Thirty minutes? Fine. I’ll just double the recipe or...something. Does that mean I can’t bake anything for half an hour?

Her system pinged in her head.

[Cooking debuff is applied when you bake or cook within the timeframe. The stats affecting this is attack. When angered, defensive dishes will have increased buffs.]

Ah, I see! So it’s fine to cook defense-related things. Should take note of this.

She wrote down the conditions in her notebook, and then grabbed the ingredients she needed.

+

The scent of roasted garlic and warm herbs still lingered in the bakery’s rafters. Marron leaned on the counter, staring at the tray of rolls like they might vanish. Then she grabbed a pot and threw in six eggs to boil.

"For some added protein."

The apprentices whispered excitedly among themselves. One thumped his chest with a grin. "I feel like I could carry three planks at once!"

Another snorted. "You could barely carry one this morning."

"Yeah, but now I could."

Their laughter filled the half-finished room. It wasn’t mocking—it was relief. Relief that they had something in their hands that made them feel less breakable.

Like an edible pep talk.

Marron wasn’t laughing. She rubbed her palms together, still anxious. Food isn’t supposed to do this. Or maybe... here, it is.

Charity’s voice echoed in her head: You’ve made food that can protect people. That’s no small thing.

+

That night, she didn’t rest. She pulled out her copper bowls, her knives, her spices. Mokko caught her in the act and frowned.

"You’ve barely slept since yesterday."

"I know," Marron said, slicing pork into strips. "But if bread can defend... then something heartier should strengthen attack. I need to try."

Mokko watched, concerned, but didn’t stop her. He only fetched a pan, letting her cook. The meat sizzled as she folded it into fluffy dough, sealing the buns with a neat twist.

When the tray came out, golden and fragrant, the system chimed:

[Swordsman’s Fried Meat Buns created.]

Effect: ATK +6, minor speed boost (30 mins).

Marron almost dropped the tray. It worked.

Lucy immediately grabbed a bun, oozing around the edges before stuffing half of it inside herself. Her eyes went starry. "Wow! Spicy and strong!"

Mokko tried one more carefully. He chewed, thoughtful, then rolled his shoulders. "...My arms feel lighter. Stronger." He flexed his hand and gave Marron a small smile. "You did it again."

Marron let out a shaky laugh. "It’s not... tricks. It’s just food."

Mokko set his bun down, meeting her eyes. "It used to be just food. Now it gives us buffs. That’s not a small thing."

+

The apprentice carpenters were excited about Marron’s fried meat buns. They ate two each (for +12 attack and a minor speed boost for 60 minutes) and then nervously gripped spare planks like practice swords.

One of the apprentices was a wolfkin who swung experimentally and nearly overbalanced himself. "Whoa! Did you see that? It totally cut the air!"

The snakekin boy from before held his plank tighter. "You made me believe I could build. And now you’re making me believe I can protect what we build, too."

Marron felt her cheeks heat. She wanted to protest, say she wasn’t a hero, but the words stuck. She turned back to the oven instead and focused on what she was going to make next.

+

Later, when the apprentices left, Marron sat alone by the cooling embers. She pulled her knees up, whispering:

"I’m not a seasoned professional or anything, but I am making a difference here."

The system chimed softly, as though in response:

[Personal Milestone Reached: Hearthbound Resolve.]

Acceptance of role grants stability against debuffs. Impostor Syndrome effects reduced.

Her throat tightened, but this time with relief. Maybe now the small niggling voice inside her head would quiet down.

"I started just wanting to sell food from a stall, and now I’m considered a chef. Maybe taking the title won’t be so bad after all."

+

The next morning, while Marron scrubbed bowls, a knock rattled the bakery’s frame.

A tall foxkin adventurer ducked inside, carrying a woven basket brimming with berries. His armor was dented, his cloak singed, but his smile was warm.

"Are you the chef from the Feast?" he asked, tail swishing.

Marron blinked. "Um. Yes. Marron."

He set the basket down carefully. "I heard you made fruit sodas that kept people moving for hours. I just came back from the marshes, and, well..." He lifted his hands sheepishly. "I could use one of those. In trade, fresh wild berries. Best I could bring."

Lucy bounced with excitement. "Oh! Berries! Soda time, soda time~"

Marron touched the basket, the fruit still cool with morning dew. An adventurer walked into the bakery, instead of just the carpenter apprentices. And she received her first special request!

Her stomach fluttered nervously. "All right. Let’s make a soda."

+

After Mokko washed the berries, he crushed them with his gloved paws. Meanwhile, Lucy grabbed some sparkling water from an enchanted barrel. Marron got the crushed berries, added a bit of sugar, and mixed it up with the sparkling water in a glass she found in the food cart.

I thought I’d seen every kind of equipment this thing had to offer, but it still continues surprising me.

Well...maybe that isn’t accurate. I never really checked in every single drawer or container it had.

The mix fizzed pink and gold.

She didn’t have any straws, but the adventurer didn’t care. The adventurer drank in a single long pull, eyes widening.

He thumped his chest. "That’s it. That’s the spark I needed. Thank you, Chef Marron."

The system pinged again:

[Traveler’s Berry Fizz created.]

Effect: Restores stamina, grants minor regeneration over time.

The adventurer grinned, shouldered his gear, and headed out. "Word’s spreading, you know. Meadowbrook’s waking up again."

When the door shut behind him, Marron sat heavily on a stool. Her heart pounded, caught between pride and fear.

People were coming. And with them, both hope and danger.

She hoped she’d be ready when the danger part decided to darken her doorway.