Lands of Time

Whenever someone asks me how I come up with all my ideas for food, I tend to give them the same speech I give everyone. First thing to do in regards to anything is to know what it is you want in the first place. If you start your journey without knowing the destination, what if you head in the wrong direction? That seems like a huge waste of time to me.

So...first things first. Where am I? How did I get here? What the actual heck?

Well...I don't know where I am. I don't remember what happened after going to bed last night. Was I kidnapped? Did I pass away last night and reincarnate?

Hmm...I don't know so I guess I will try and find out. Right now, I am atop a grassy hill. Behind me lies an expanse of trees that extends in both directions. Behind them looms a massive mountain, but if I turn the other direction...

A city! Or...town? It looks rather...wooden. No, it looks more medieval than anything else. I see no people entering and leaving, but nothing else seems to reveal itself.

Well, except the demonic looking tower piercing the sky. I mean, besides that. It is kind of hard to miss that eyesore. I guess that is my destination.

Picking myself up, I begin walking towards the town. Surprisingly, it was much further than I originally thought. Thankfully, I made it to the border of the town before dark.

Tall, dark, stony walls stood there silently and I couldn't help but be a little intimidated. There wasn't a guard, though, so I just walked through the open wooden doors. How was I to know that the quiet surroundings would be thrown into chaos as a loud sound blared throughout the streets?

{A new player has entered Dungeon City Porsha!}

I thought people would come running, but...nothing happened. No, I actually noticed that something about me had changed.

I could see a small gray square floating off to the corner of my vision that seemed to disappear after a while. Focusing on it would bring it clearer into view. Attempting to poke it called up a floating...menu?

Was I in a game?

I still don't have the luxury to speculate right now, so I should just get as much information as possible. The menu didn't really display much, just a few options to select.

[Chat] | (Local) | Regional | Global |

[Inventory]

[Map]

[Status]

[Shop]

That is cool and all, but...everything except my Status was grayed out, meaning I was unable to select them in the first place.

So I selected the only thing I could.

[Ardin Luxe]

[Rank --]

[Newbie]

[Skill List]

[--]

How rude. But whatever. This makes things easier to understand. After all, a game-like setting means things won't stay this way. But most games have levels, which I don't see here. I guess my Rank indicates my general level of capability.

Seems rather realistic. Perhaps this way, even a newbie can take down a veteran if lucky? Or...skillful, though I am nowhere near skillful at fighting, much less have the hope to defeat a master.

Oh well. So I guess going into that tower will increase my Rank and I could get Skills from fighting or as a reward. But this means there should be other players besides me, right? There is a chat, so I can see how others are doing.

[Slime Killer] >> Another poor newbie.

[Bunny Slaughterer] >> I give them a week at most before they are like us.

[Goblin Hunter] >> Give it a rest. Just answer any questions they may have.

Seeing their depressive behavior, I couldn't help feeling a little distraught. Their attitude makes me believe that they are weak. But if they are weak, why are they upset? I can only assume that being weak is bad in this place. And the only reason to be strong is to fight in the Tower, or the Dungeon, huh? So...the likely result in failing to win in the Dungeon...

Death?!

Ahem...maybe I am just overreacting.

[Newbie] >> This is a game world? Do we stay dead or can we resurrect?

[Slime Killer] >> Hoh, this Newbie is smart. No. If we die, that is it.

Can I go home? I don't want to be here anymore. Ah, maybe that is it.

[Newbie] >> So I guess we can get whatever we want if we win?

[Bunny Slaughterer] >> Dang, we don't even have to answer his questions, he answers them himself.

I see. An impossible request with a miracle as a reward. We could go home if we win. But...

I don't want to risk my life. I guess...I need to get stronger? Wait, we learn Skills, right? Where can I learn them?

[Newbie] >> Where do I get Skills?

[Goblin Hunter] >> There is a building next to the Tower. Inside, head to the man at the far right. He has a list of people who are willing to pass down some Skills. Good luck.

[Newbie] >> Thanks.

[Slime Killer] >> Hey, where is our thanks?

[Bunny Slaughterer] >> Yeah!

[Goblin Hunter] >> You guys didn't really say much to be thanked for. Just shut up.

Alright, if I sit here and read this all day, nothing will happen. I need to get a Skill and get stronger.

Walking down the nearly empty streets, I was rather disheartened to find out theough the chat that only 15 players were in this town. 5 buildings had what the others called NPCs, and all they did was assist with things like Skills or Quests. One ran the General Store, but the players easily acquired better things than whatever the NPCs could get. Several worked at the Guild Hall, while another two ran the Inn. The last two buildings were the Bank and the Transfer Station.

But before I reached the Guild Hall, I smelled some food and saw the Inn. I was hungry, I realized. The next thing I knew, I was walking in the door and looking to see who was cooking.

A portly woman stood behind a counter inside a cramped kitchen as she mixed meat and vegetables into a large metal pot. Certainly, just seeing food made me hungry, but I didn't miss the fact that there weren't any seasonings.

Spices are by far one of the most important things when considering taste.

When the lady was finally finished, she hobbled over to the counter and placed a bowl of the gruel down and yelled loudly.

"JIM!! YOUR FOOD IS READY!!"

My ears rung badly, but it seemed she finally noticed me.

"Eh? What do you want?"

"May I have some? Unfortunately, I do not have any money."

Please...I am hungry.

"Meh. Sure. Coming right up."

I don't know what happened, but I was relieved. I guess because she already made that large pot she had more than enou-

"Here you go."

"Ah..."

It looks gross. This soup stock is greasy, you can see the sheen as the light hits it. The meat is in large chunks, so it may have not cooked evenly. And the vegetables are soggy and over cooked.

It sucks. I can't lie. But perhaps it tastes better than it looks?

"Ack, ack!"

Right, no seasonings to cover up the poor cooking! Ugh! No amount of salt is going to fix this, but I can at least try to remake it...

If she will let me. I can't help but be afraid of this gruff middle aged lady.

"Ma'am? May I...borrow your kitchen?"

"Hmm? I guess."

Eh? No way, really?! Alright!

Let's get to work!

Alright, let's see what we have.

[Tomatoes]

[Potatoes]

[Lettuce]

[Onions]

[Garlic]

[Carrots]

[Hard Bread]

[Ham]

[Chicken]

[Eggs]

Whew...Just looking at all of this is making me hungry. Thankfully, I can see a good meal to make. However...it takes a while to cook. And...a lot of seasoning and spices. Drat.

Whatever. I guess I am making soup.

I don't want to waste too much of the land lady's food, so I take out the rest of the meat and chop it into smaller pieces. I also removed the vegetables and anything else in the pot, but...

What in the world was a rock doing in there?

Anyways, I peeled some potatoes, chopped them, some onions, and carrots and placed them in a separate pot. I planned on steaming these and then tossing them into the soup towards the end in order to absorb the flavor without becoming soggy or overcooked.

The smaller pieces also ensure the food is cooked a little more evenly, as there is more surface area to mass. Ah, that is a science thing. I wonder if this world has highly developed chemistry...whatever. I guess if not, I will just have to do with whatever meager info I remember from highschool.

The stock from the old soup can still be used, I guess, but it needs to be strained. I look around and see a thin rag big enough to cover the top of the pot. I place it over the top like a lid and then pour the liquid into another pot, leaving behind the excess grease.

Waste not, want not. I can use this later, so I will just leave this pot of grease over here.

I add some flour used for the bread into the watered down soup stock to thicken it up some more and then add the meat in to cook some more.

Noticing that the food should be just about done, I move over the vegetables and crush some garlic cloves to sprinkle over the whole thing. The smell of it all just washed over me and I can't help but start to drool.

And I guess the lady is, too. And now some guy is here, watching beside her. Jim, I'm guessing.

I think this is a simple meal, but good soup may need to simmer all day, and the stock for soup needs to be prepared prior to cooking. I don't know, it seems like not a lot of effort is really needed for this, but I am tired and sweaty just from this.

Not to mention that I haven't really eaten yet.

I grab several bowls and make some for the two observers and they take a few moments to take it all in. I guess they used to just put food together and cook it all at once. Even less effort than what I did. But gross.

"Mm, much better. Not bad."

"Oh hush, what do you know, Beth? Compared to yours, this is leagues better!"

"Why, you..."

I would rather not get blood in my food, so please move, no, please stop fighting. Anyways, this isn't bad, but if I had seasonings, things would be better. Well, I also would probably need to see how the stock was made and how the meat was preserved, too.

All sorts of things can mess with the taste of food, so if you want a specific taste, then when trying a new recipe, it is best to record everything, even where your food came from, down to the specific grocery store you bought it from.

Just like science, actually. Make sure the variables don't change. Then make small changes until you are satisfied with the result. And considering what I had at my disposal, I think I did well.

[You have learned the Cooking Skill!]

Ah...yay, I guess?