Chapter 87: The Taste of Progress
Mirabelle puffed out her cheeks and slowly let the air escape.
"Males..." she muttered under her breath.
The eagle, who happened to hear her, barely managed to suppress an amused chuckle.
He had never spent much time around the young Duchess.
Until now, he hadn’t realized what an interesting character she was.
"What kind of tool are you looking for?" he tried again.
Mirabelle glanced toward the ovens.
"Let’s get the bread in first."
She had already ordered the ovens heated earlier.
Now the eagle helped her carefully place the flatbreads inside.
The problem was that she had absolutely no idea how long bread was supposed to bake.
As a result, she kept checking on it every few minutes while simultaneously trying to explain her missing tool to Lonan.
"And this whisk is made from metal?"
His expression was deeply confused.
Mirabelle nodded.
"Sorry. We don’t have anything like that."
He thought for a moment.
"Maybe we could make one? I think one of the soldiers has a metal affinity."
Immediately, Mirabelle lit up.
She had been fascinated watching the squirrel Beastman manipulate stone earlier.
The whole thing had felt completely unreal.
She desperately wanted to see more elemental abilities.
Owen, who had been patiently waiting outside the kitchen door, immediately set off.
A short while later he returned with a broad-shouldered young man.
One glance was enough to identify him as a soldier.
His arms and face were covered in scars.
Even in human form, two tusks protruded from his lower jaw.
His eyes were small but intelligent.
When the boar Beastman stopped in front of her, he immediately dropped to one knee.
"Duchess."
Slightly overwhelmed, Mirabelle hurried to wave him back up.
She wasn’t entirely sure how he would react to her request.
So she tried her best to phrase it carefully.
"I know you’re a soldier, and you use your affinity to protect Lynxstone."
She offered him an apologetic smile.
"But I was wondering whether you’d be willing to use your ability for a small favor instead."
The boar male immediately assured her it would be an honor.
And he meant it.
He was genuinely proud to serve a territory as remarkable as Lynxstone.
Smiling gratefully, Mirabelle described what a whisk looked like.
A few moments later, she watched in amazement.
The boar Beastman appeared to draw thin strands of metal directly from the air.
They twisted together.
Wove around one another.
Folded and curled into shape.
By the time he finished, several whisks of different sizes rested on the countertop.
Lonan immediately picked one up.
He turned it over in his hands, examining it with growing interest.
Already, he was imagining possible uses.
It was obvious even at a glance that the shape would be useful for incorporating air into liquids.
While the boar Beastman worked, another change gradually filled the room.
The scent of freshly baked bread.
Warm.
Rich.
Comforting.
Slowly but steadily, it spread throughout the kitchen.
And Mirabelle knew the exact moment it was finished.
Because—
DING!
Pebbles suddenly appeared beside her.
A System window materialized at the same time.
[Historical Achievement
The First Bread
You have transformed a wild agricultural resource into a stable food product. For the first time in recorded history, grain has been processed into bread.
Rewards:
+50,000 Legacy Points
+100,000 Development Points
Description:
A single flatbread may feed a family.
A reliable food source may feed a civilization.]
Mirabelle nearly choked on her own breath.
’Why am I getting twice as many Legacy Points as I did for acquiring my first Mate?
And one hundred thousand Development Points?’
Pebbles, who had curiously stuck his head inside the oven, pulled it back out and looked at her with large innocent eyes.
"But Host, you aren’t seriously suggesting that your choice of partner is more important than the agricultural development of this world?"
That shut her up.
Completely.
Almost sheepishly, she brushed a strand of hair from her face and turned toward Lonan, who was currently engaged in an animated discussion with the soldier.
"We can take the bread out now."
A short while later, she, the head chef, Owen, and the boar soldier stood around the steaming flatbreads resting on the large worktable in the center of the kitchen.
"So this is bread?"
Owen’s nose twitched with interest.
He was a carnivore. And yet his mouth was already watering.
"Yep."
Mirabelle picked up one of the flatbreads and tore off a piece.
KRUNCH!
The crackling sound of the crust breaking echoed through the kitchen.
Carefully, she blew away the steam.
Then she popped the piece into her mouth and chewed.
The flavor was simple.
Toasted grain.
A hint of salt.
A faint nuttiness.
Nothing remarkable.
It wasn’t sweet or heavily seasoned.
It was bread.
And yet Mirabelle immediately wanted another bite.
Then another.
And another.
Simple. Yet somehow comforting in a way she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.
Her eyes curved into happy crescents.
She swallowed.
"Now..." Her voice paused dramatically. "You may try it."
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Lonan reached for a piece. The eagle Beastman studied it first. He turned it over in his fingers. Pressed lightly against the crust.
Listened to the faint crackle.
Only then did he tear off a bite and place it in his mouth.
The room fell silent.
Lonan chewed slowly.
His pale eyes widened ever so slightly.
Not much. Just enough for Mirabelle to notice.
The kitchen chef swallowed. Then immediately reached for another piece.
His mind was already racing.
Bread with honey.
Bread with roasted meat.
Bread with herb butter.
Bread filled with berries.
Bread served beside stew.
Bread.
Bread.
Bread.
An entire category of food had just appeared out of nowhere.
Lonan stared at the flatbread:
"...I need more flour."
Owen was next.
The wolf Beastman looked deeply suspicious.As though he expected the bread to bite him somehow.
"It smells good," he admitted.
Then he bit into it.
His ears twitched.
He took another bite.
Then another.
The skepticism vanished from his face.
Slowly, almost against his will, his tail began wagging behind him.
Mirabelle grinned.
The boar soldier was last.
He still looked uncertain. As though he wasn’t entirely convinced he was allowed to be here. Or allowed to eat something prepared by the Duchess herself.
Carefully, he accepted the offered piece.
Then took a bite.
His eyes softened.
The expression surprised even him.
Slowly he chewed.
The warm grain.
The roasted crust.
The earthy flavor.
Something about it felt familiar.
Not because he had tasted bread before.
He hadn’t.
But because it reminded him of home.
Of forests after rain.
Of warm soil beneath his feet.
Of evenings around a campfire after long patrols.
Simple things. Good things.
He swallowed.
Then lowered his gaze respectfully.
"Duchess..."
His voice was rough. He looked at the bread in his hand.
"I don’t know how to explain it.
It tastes like something people should have always had."
Silence followed.
Even Lonan stopped planning new recipes for a moment.
_____
The family sat together in the dining hall.
As always, the Duchess occupied the seat at the head of the table. Mirabelle sat at her right. Beside her was Kaelith, her First Mate, followed by Leontis.
On the left side sat Silas, while Lucien had claimed Kaelith’s former seat. The remaining husbands and their brothers occupied the far end of the long table.
Every single one of them was examining the flatbread with open curiosity.
They pressed it between their fingers.
Listened to the crunch of the crust.
Inhaled the unfamiliar scent.
Yet nobody took a bite.
They were all waiting for the Duchess’s judgment.
Her mother looked at Mirabelle with an unreadable expression. Then she tore off a piece of the still-warm flatbread and placed it into her mouth.
The soft texture and warm, slightly nutty flavor surprised her. Her tail twitched in anticipation. A smile appeared on her lips.
"This is good." Her gaze shifted to Mirabelle. "Your discovery will feed many Beastmen."
Of course, she knew perfectly well where the knowledge had truly come from.
Ahem. Beast Goddess...*cough*
But both of them had agreed not to make that public information.
The moment the Duchess gave her approval, everyone else eagerly sampled the new food.
"It’s warm."
"Why is it chewy?"
"I like the chewy part."
"Oh."
"This would be good with stew."
"How many more are there?"
Mirabelle held a piece out toward Kaelith. A sparkle appeared in the hyena’s eyes. Carefully, he accepted it from her fingers.
Then, just before pulling away, he playfully nipped her fingertip.
Immediately, a shiver shot up her arm. Heat rushed through her body. A blush spread beneath the golden tone of her skin.
When Silas and Lucien noticed, both males paused almost simultaneously. The pieces of bread they’d been about to eat remained forgotten in their hands.
Lucien looked at Mirabelle with wide eyes.
Somehow, he even managed to make them appear slightly glossy.
’A fox with puppy eyes,’ Mirabelle thought, amused.
Silas, however, was not the type to use puppy eyes. He gave her a predator’s look instead.
Then she suddenly felt something curl around her ankles.
