Chapter 46: The Culinary Crisis and the Roadside Picnic

The road from Mondstadt to the new city was coming along beautifully, but with each new day came a new set of surprises and challenges. Today was no different. Satoshi woke up to what he thought would be a normal day of construction, but little did he know that something truly unexpected was about to happen—something that involved a lot of food and an even greater amount of chaos.

The construction crew was already hard at work by the time Satoshi arrived. Workers were smoothing out the road, while Noelle was moving heavy stones to the side with her incredible strength. Albedo and Sucrose were working together to test soil samples to make sure the foundation was sturdy. Everything seemed to be going smoothly… until Satoshi noticed a group of people gathering near one of the makeshift supply tents, and they didn't seem to be working.

Satoshi frowned, walking over to see what the commotion was about. He was surprised to see that it was Kaeya, Venti, and, to his surprise, Diluc, standing around a table full of ingredients—eggs, flour, vegetables, and an assortment of spices. Amber was there too, looking slightly stressed as she held a large spoon and a cooking pot.

"Uh, what's going on here?" Satoshi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Amber looked up, her face lighting up with relief when she saw Satoshi. "Oh, Satoshi! Thank Archons, you're here. We have a bit of a problem."

Kaeya smirked, leaning lazily against the table. "You could call it a crisis, really. A culinary crisis."

Diluc crossed his arms, his expression as stoic as ever. "The workers are hungry, and apparently, the usual lunch delivery didn't make it today. We have a lot of ingredients, but no one to cook them."

Satoshi blinked, looking at the pile of food in front of him. "Wait, so you're telling me the whole construction crew is waiting for lunch, and there's no one to cook it?"

Venti strummed his lyre, a mischievous smile on his lips. "Exactly! Which is why we thought… why not make it a team effort? A little roadside picnic for everyone. Surely we can manage something simple, right?"

Amber nodded, though her expression looked less confident. "I mean, I've cooked before, but not for this many people. And definitely not while trying to keep Kaeya and Venti from adding random ingredients to the pot."

Kaeya feigned offense, placing a hand over his heart. "I'll have you know, Amber, that my culinary skills are unmatched."

"Unmatched in causing food poisoning, perhaps," Diluc muttered, shaking his head.

Satoshi sighed, but he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. "Alright, alright. Let's figure this out together. We can't have the workers going hungry—especially not after all the hard work they've put in today."

---

The "roadside cooking team" quickly assembled, each person taking on a different task. Noelle and Amber were in charge of preparing the vegetables, slicing them up and adding them to a large pot that they had set up over a small fire. Kaeya and Venti were tasked with stirring the pot—mainly to keep them away from anything that involved sharp objects or open flames.

Meanwhile, Diluc had taken over the grilling of meat, his precise and methodical movements ensuring that everything was cooked to perfection. Satoshi, who had very little experience with cooking, found himself in charge of cracking eggs and mixing them into a batter for what Amber was calling "road-builder omelettes."

As they worked, the banter flowed freely, keeping everyone's spirits high. Sucrose, who had come over to see what was going on, was soon pulled into the cooking chaos by Venti, who insisted that they needed her "alchemical expertise" to get the flavors just right.

"Venti, I'm not sure alchemy works that way," Sucrose said hesitantly, though she couldn't help but smile as she added a pinch of salt to the pot.

"Oh, nonsense," Venti replied, waving a spoon in the air. "Alchemy is about transformation, is it not? And what is cooking if not the transformation of simple ingredients into something divine?"

Diluc rolled his eyes, flipping a piece of meat with practiced ease. "Venti, you do realize that if this turns out to be inedible, we're going to be the ones blamed, right?"

Venti grinned, winking at Sucrose. "Ah, but that's a risk I'm willing to take."

---

By midday, the cooking was finally complete. The workers, who had been watching the impromptu cooking show with a mix of amusement and hunger, gathered around as the food was served. It was a simple meal—grilled meat, omelettes, vegetable stew, and some bread that Noelle had somehow managed to bake in a portable oven she had brought along.

Satoshi watched as the workers dug in, their faces lighting up as they tasted the food. Despite the chaos, the meal had turned out surprisingly well. He let out a sigh of relief, smiling as he took a bite of the omelette Amber had made.

"Hey, this is actually pretty good," Satoshi said, giving Amber a thumbs-up.

Amber beamed, clearly pleased. "Thanks, Satoshi! I think it's the teamwork that made it taste so good."

Kaeya, who was sitting nearby, raised his glass of water in a mock toast. "To teamwork, and to not accidentally poisoning the entire construction crew. I'd say that's a success."

Noelle giggled, shaking her head. "Kaeya, you have such a way with words."

Venti, never one to miss an opportunity for a performance, stood up and began strumming his lyre, singing a playful tune about the "great culinary adventure" they had just experienced. The workers laughed, clapping along with the music, and for a moment, all the worries about construction and challenges seemed to melt away.

"You know," Jean said, sitting down beside Satoshi, "this might not have been part of the plan, but I think it was exactly what everyone needed. A moment to relax and enjoy each other's company."

Satoshi nodded, his gaze drifting over the workers, who were now sitting in groups, eating and chatting. "Yeah. Sometimes it's not just about the work—it's about the people. And I think today reminded us of that."

Jean smiled, her eyes softening. "You're right. And with this team, I have no doubt we'll succeed in building this road and the new city."

---

After lunch, the team got back to work, their energy renewed by the impromptu picnic. Klee, who had been napping in the shade after eating her fill, suddenly jumped up, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Satoshi! Satoshi!" she called, running over to him. "Can we use Dodoco to help make the road smoother? I promise I'll be super careful!"

Satoshi chuckled, patting Klee on the head. "Alright, Klee. But only the tiniest Dodoco bombs, okay? We just need to break up some of the hard ground, not create a crater."

Klee saluted, her face serious. "Yes, sir! Dodoco and I will be extra careful!"

Amber and Noelle joined Klee, helping her set up the small bombs in areas where the ground was particularly tough. Jean watched from a distance, her expression a mix of concern and amusement.

"Do you ever get the feeling that Klee's version of 'careful' is different from everyone else's?" Jean asked, glancing at Satoshi.

Satoshi laughed, nodding. "Absolutely. But I think that's what makes her so special. She brings a kind of energy that no one else can match."

Jean smiled, her gaze softening as she watched Klee work. "You're right. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

---

As the day drew to a close, the team gathered once again, this time to admire the progress they had made. The road was beginning to take shape, the foundation was solid, and the path was clear. It was still a long way from being finished, but it was getting there—one step at a time.

Venti, sitting on a nearby rock, began to play a soft tune on his lyre, his voice gentle as he sang:

*The road we build, with laughter and cheer,* 

*A path to the future, bright and clear.* 

*With friends by our side, and hearts full of light,* 

*We'll build a city that shines through the night.* 

The workers clapped, their faces glowing in the fading light of the setting sun. Satoshi looked around at his friends—Jean, Diluc, Kaeya, Amber, Noelle, Sucrose, Albedo, Venti, and, of course, Klee—and felt a deep sense of gratitude. They were more than just a team; they were a family, each one contributing something unique and irreplaceable.

"To the road ahead," Satoshi said, raising a glass of water in a toast. "May it be filled with laughter, adventure, and good friends."

The team cheered, their voices echoing across the hills. And as the stars began to twinkle above, they knew that they were not just building a road or a city—they were building a future, one filled with hope, dreams, and the promise of tomorrow.