I feel like Koko could hunt a bear or something, but I don’t think I could manage that.

So, does that mean no meat for a while?

Since I can’t figure it out by thinking, I’ll just make what I can for now.

“First, I’ll make bread, and then I think I can make vegetable soup. Seasoning with all-purpose spice? What’s this?”

“You need to add that when cooking, or else it won’t have any flavor.”

I wondered if there was such a thing in the kitchen, so I opened the cupboard, but it was empty.

“Maybe the all-purpose seasoning is growing in the garden?”

“…Huh?”

“You should ask Koko.”

When I went back to the garden, the sky had turned a reddish hue without me noticing.

It seems a lot of time had passed while I was absorbed in alchemy.

“Koko! Where’s the all-purpose seasoning?”

When the weasel shouted loudly, Koko flapped in from somewhere.

…Can chickens even fly?

“Koko, Koko”

Following Koko, who seemed to be pointing, I found a small tree about my height behind the house, with gourds hanging from it.

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

“Gourds?”

“Yeah. Try picking one.”

When I picked a gourd as instructed, it made a rustling sound. It seemed like something was inside.

“If you cut open the middle, it will have the all-purpose seasoning.”

“If I cut the top, maybe I can use it directly. I’d like a cork or something, but I guess it’ll be fine without. I’ll try using it anyway.”

I harvested other vegetables that caught my eye and returned home.

Then I put the all-purpose seasoning in the alchemy pot along with the vegetables, stirred with the mixing stick, and mixed it all together!

“Phew… It’s done!”

Even though I didn’t heat it, the vegetable soup was somehow steaming hot!

I transferred it to a plate…

“All done♪”

I jumped with joy, and the weasel clapped for me.

“I made enough for both you and Koko. I’ll put it on the plate…”

I ladled the soup into the plate.

When I divided it into three portions, the alchemy pot glowed and became clean.

It’s handy not having to wash it.

I placed Koko’s soup plate on the floor.

“Now, eat up~”

When I said that, both the weasel and Koko were drinking the soup, blowing on it as they did.

…Can chickens blow on things? Or maybe Koko is just special.

I’ll try some too.

I wonder what the all-purpose seasoning tastes like.

The soup smelled delicious from the plate.

It had a gentle, pleasant aroma.

My stomach growled in response.

“Time to dig in!”

When I scooped up a spoonful and tasted it—

“Yum. So good.”

Ah. What a gentle flavor.

It’s quite comforting.

Speaking of which, there were different qualities in the basket, but do dishes also have rankings?

“Hey, Weasel. Is there a quality level for cooking too?”

When I asked, the weasel answered while chewing.

“Yes. This soup is just average.”

“Does an exquisite dish come with any effects?”

It would be handy if it didn’t spoil.

“With good luck, it might have effects like recovering stamina or magical power.”

I see…

Then I need to work on making exquisite dishes.

“The bread is fluffy and delicious. It’s hard to believe it was made with just two stalks of wheat and water.”

I munched on the bread and soup.

“Even though meat is out of the question, I’d at least like some milk. And eggs. But since Koko is a rooster, no eggs… how unfortunate.”

“Cock-a-doodle-doo”

Koko glared at me with a three-eyed stare as if to say, “What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Whoa, whoa, it was just a joke, a joke.”

Even though Koko is a chicken, it’s quite intimidating!

Were birds’ ancestors dinosaurs? …I guess that makes sense.

“Ahh. Just bread and soup are enough to fill me up.”

“Mei, it was delicious. Thank you.”

“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”

Looking outside, it was already completely dark.

“Where will you and Koko sleep?”

“Hmm. I’d be fine sleeping in that basket Mei made earlier.”

“Eh, this?”

It’s actually a basket for harvesting vegetables, so it’s not really suitable for animals…

“If the Weasel is okay with it, would you like to sleep together in the bed?”

It’s starting to get a bit chilly now that the sun has set. If the Weasel is around, it would be warm and fluffy.

“That’s fine… but there’s no bedding.”

“Ah!”

Come to think of it, the bed was set up by the Weasel, but there’s no bedding or sheets. And no pajamas either!

“That’s why Koko was persistently making noise by the cotton tree earlier…”

When I went to gather dinner ingredients, Koko had stopped and wouldn’t move.

So I harvested a lot of cotton…

“Thank you, Koko!”

I tried to hug Koko in excitement, but Koko flapped and flew away.

And then, Koko opened the door and went outside.

“…How did Koko open the door?”

“Yeah…”

The Weasel and I tilted our heads and stared at the door Koko had exited through.