Soup

A week had passed since the goblins, and I had toiled to craft countless clay bricks. The bricks having been laid out to dry in the sun, were now ready to be fired in the pit kiln. While waiting for the bricks to dry, the goblins, with their nimble hands and unique artistic flair, excitedly fashioned several clay dishes and jugs under Mackenzie's guidance. 

Using the clay bowls and jugs made by Mackinzie and the goblins, we had multiple test firings, while waiting. However, our initial attempts were met with mixed results. We arranged the bowls and cups inside the kiln without much thought, resulting in unfinished pieces covered in cracks. It was clear that we still had some stuff to work out.

With each trial, we gleaned valuable lessons. Discovering that proper spacing within the kiln was essential to ensure even heating. On our second attempt, while better spaced, suffered from rapid cooling, cracking. But we persisted.

Finally, on our third try, we achieved a satisfactory result. Carefully arranging the clay wares, allowing for proper spacing and using magic to cover the pit with earthen lid, allowing the kiln to slowly cool. The unglazed bowls and cups emerged intact.

Having had a successful firing and the bricks finally dry enough, with the help of the goblins, I carefully stack them in the kiln. Laying down a bed of charcoal, then laying the bricks on their sides with spaces between them, alternating their orientations with each successive layer and finally enveloped the entire pile in charcoal, conjuring a small flame in my hand I lit it with a flick of my wrist.

As the sun continued to rise, spitefully bearing down on me as I managed the fire, the goblins resumed their daily routines now that the kiln had been loaded and ignited. Mackenzie, however, occasionally took breaks from her tasks to check on me, her concern evident on her face.

"Hey, how much longer are you going to be at it?" she asked, handing me the water bottle filled from the nearby stream.

Using my shirt to whip away my sweat, leaving dark streaks behind, I replied, "I am almost done with the hard part."

With the charcoal burning down, I began gathering my mana, concentrating it on the dirt piled around the edge of the kiln. Sticking out my arms and concentrating, the soil began moving, forming a lid to cover the pit, before hardening in place.

Since the kiln would be cooling for the next several hours, me and Zarra went around checking the traps. While traveling through the forest, I noticed Zarra becoming nervous, something on her mind. Suddenly she grabbed my hand to stop me, and said," why we haven't mated since you found the clay?"

After debating for a moment, I decided to tell her about my system, leaving out the part about the mission that started our relationship and being transmigrated. I went on to explain how I earned points that could help me by sleeping with different people, letting her know that our first time together was how I got the magic book.

"I know this is a lot to process, but please believe me when I say that I like you regardless of the points," I said trying to earnestly convey my feelings that developed, surprising even me.

After being silent for a while she surprised me by replying, "you sleeping with others helps you, so you can mate with the other goblins? This is good, Nassa was worried about how our tribe was going to continue with no males."

---

One of the nights prior, while Adam was sleeping. The goblins gathered to discuss the future of their tribe, the guttural goblin language ringing out late into the night.

Nassa called out to the goblins gathered in the cave, "What are we going to do, we don't have any males left. If we don't figure out what to do our tribe will die out."

After a few minutes of murmured conversations, one of the girls called out, "We could try and find another tribe and see if they will send a male." Nassa replied, "even if we found another tribe, most tribes are either large, or lead by a higher ranking goblinoid. They would probably just enslave us and make us miss the days of the bugbear."

"What about capturing an animal and using it to mate?" another goblin calls out, being met with a few nods of approval, while most of the girls seemed dissatisfied with her suggestion.

"That might work, but it will be slow to conceive, and all the goblins born will be too animalistic and unlikely to help the tribe. I think that we should leave that as a last resort." Nassa, then looked towards Zarra, "what about the human you spend so much time with? Do you think he would be willing to mate with us?"

Zarra stiffened, before quietly replying, "Actually, we have already mated," a slight blush started to spread across her green cheeks. The other goblins becoming loud as they started talking and excitedly calling out to Zarra, before she continued, "But from what I have learned about human relationships, they tend to not accept multiple mating partners, focusing only on a few people who they like."

"Well, I think you should try and ask him what he thinks and see if he is willing. If he is only willing to mate with you then we can wait to see if your child is born male. Otherwise, we will have to figure something else out." Nassa finally declared, sending the goblins off to sleep.

---

Back to the present:

Staring slack jawed at what Zarra had just told me, I finally replied, "Well I can mate with the other girls, but having children is a big responsibility to humans. So, I don't really know how to feel, let me think about it."

Zarra nodded before turning to walk away, seemingly disappointed by my response. We finished handling the traps, before returning to the camp. I went back to working on bricks, trying to busy myself to avoid thinking about what Zarra had brought up.

Pushing off the soil cover, I started to pull out the finished bricks, inspecting them as I go. After a while I had a neat pile of nicely harden bricks. I started carrying some of the bricks to the cave and arranging them into a cylinder chute with a gap for a fire at the bottom, built a temporary stove.

Going around the camp, gathering various herbs, wild green, and some wild onions that I had collected during one of my walks with Zarra. Then I went to the goblin who was cleaning the game from the traps and taking some of the rabbit meat I returned to the stove I made.

Using one of the large clay jugs, with a wide mouth, as a pot, I started making some stew. Starting a fire almost instantly using magic, I added the meat to the pot with some water to simmer for a while. Next, after the meat had browned, I chopped the up the wild greens and added it to the pot, letting it cook as the sun set.

The scent of simmering rabbit stew wafted through the cave, and the goblins gathered around me, their anticipation palpable. I ladled out portions of the soup into the bowls and cups we had made over the last week. The goblins eyed the unfamiliar concoction with curiosity, their expressions a mixture of excitement and uncertainty.

As the first goblin cautiously sipped the stew and broke into a delighted grin, her rows of pointed teeth showing. The rest eagerly followed suit, their initial skepticism giving way to unabashed enjoyment. While the goblins reveled in the new flavors and spices, I couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the mild, somewhat bland taste, missing the seasonings I was accustomed to.

"If only I had some salt," I muttered under my breath, a small reminder of the world I had left behind.