By mid-afternoon, the square had filled with the scent of grain and sweat, and the villagers gathered with bright eyes and flushed cheeks.
Chief Barou stood atop the well's edge, his voice booming with barely contained joy.
"My friends! My family! Look around you!"
He spread his arms wide toward the harvested stacks.
"Last month, this land was dry. This square was silent. We had no seeds, no tools, and no water. And now… look at us!"
Cheering erupted.
Barou grinned. "So I say — let us feast! Tomorrow night, under the stars, we shall hold Elowen's first Harvest Festival in over ten years!"
More cheers, louder this time. A few kids jumped up and down while the elders exchanged tearful nods.
"Light your lanterns, clean your kitchens, and polish your spoons!" Barou bellowed. "Tomorrow, we eat like kings!"
As the crowd began to disperse and people returned to their homes to begin preparation, Riku and Lila walked side by side down the village path, past the glowing orange of sunset-lit rice fields.
Lila was still smiling from the announcement, her eyes sparkling.
"A feast," she murmured. "It has been so long now that it feels like something out of a storybook."
Riku nodded, then leaned a little closer, arms tucked behind his head.
"I've got something special planned for you."
She raised an eyebrow. "For me?"
"Yup. A surprise treat. A real one."
"What kind of treat?"
Riku smirked. "If I told you now, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"
"Okay, I will hold you to your word then. Remember, if I do not like it, you shall face my wrath."
She laughed, and they walked on — warmth lingering in the air.
Soon, they came across the newly recovered adventurers — Eren, Marna, Donn, and Kel — who had gathered near the village edge.
They had spent the past week resting, recovering, and helping where they could… but the itch was growing.
Eren stood, sword sheathed at his hip. "We've got a feast coming up. If we can bring back fresh meat, fruits, or herbs, it'd mean something."
"Brother, are you headed out again? You should rest more. We have no shortage of food or water now." Lila tried to dissuade the party, still concerned about the previous attack.
"We cannot just keep doing nothing and expect others to feed us," Donn replied as he gripped his sword. "We are adventurers, and this is our job. Do not worry, 1 setback cannot hold us down."
Riku did not quite understand this feeling, but said nothing. After all, not everybody yearned for a peaceful life only.
That did not mean that he planned to join them. But at least, he could give them some insurance.
As the party prepared to head into the forest, Riku arrived, holding a small pouch.
"I figured you'd get restless," he said, tossing it to Eren.
Inside were four folded return parchments, enchanted with compact teleport formations.
Riku explained. "If you're in danger, snap them. You'll be sent back to the village gate. This might not be the most heroic, but at least you will survive."
Eren looked at him, solemn. "Thank you so much, savior. We will never forget this kindness."
"Just make sure you come back in one piece," Riku replied. "Everyone in the village is so happy right now, you do not want to dampen the mood again."
Kel gave him a two-fingered salute. "We'll bring something good. Promise."
And with that, the four adventurers vanished into the forest once more.
---------------------------
Soon, Riku arrived back at his room in the inn. From the open window, a breeze fluttered in, carrying the soft scents of straw, wood, and fresh harvest which the villagers had gathered in the morning
Inside, Riku stood barefoot in his room, sleeves rolled up, a flour-dusted bowl in front of him, and an eager spark in his eyes.
It is time to make bread!
He carefully arranged his ingredients on the low table:
A small ceramic jar of wild yeast starter — bubbling, sour, and alive
A bowl of finely ground wheat flour from the village's first harvest
A tiny pinch of salt
A cup of clear, well water
He pulled out a second clean bowl and began measuring roughly by hand.
"Alright. One part starter… three parts flour…"
He scooped a ladle of the bubbly starter into the new bowl, watching it swirl and sink into the fresh flour. A sprinkle of salt came next — just enough to season, not overpower.
He added water slowly, mixing with his fingers. The dough clung to his skin, sticky and stubborn at first, but Riku grinned through it.
"This is the part they never show in cooking videos. The ugly mess. But I never expected that my casual hobby of just watching those ASMR videos would prove to be so useful someday."
He folded the mixture in on itself, again and again, using the heel of his palm, kneading the dough until it started to take form — elastic, smooth, and slightly tacky.
"So far, so good"
Riku gently formed the dough into a ball and transferred it into a ceramic bowl. He draped a cloth over the top and set it beside the window, where the late-afternoon breeze offered a warm, steady temperature, along with the jar of wild yeast
"Now rise, my little carbohydrate miracle."
Riku channeled a bit of passive mana into the dough - just enough to speed up the fermentation process.
[Mana-assisted Proofing Active – Bonus: 20% rise speed]
Estimated rise time: 1 hour
He used the time to clean the room, set out plates, and prepare a tiny side dish of mashed boiled roots mixed with garlic salt.
One hour later, the dough had doubled in size, soft and puffy like a dream.
"Normally, I'd need an oven," Riku muttered. "But desperate times call for enchanted shortcuts."
He gently lifted the dough and shaped it into a small round ball, then placed it on a flat iron plate — one he'd cleaned and reinforced with a heating spell matrix etched beneath it.
Riku stood before the makeshift magic circle etched onto the floor with chalk and a steady hand, and pressed his palm to the activation rune.
[Spellcast: Enchanting Heat – Tier 2 Fire Elemental Channeling]
Object: Plate Surface Temperature
Control: Manual
Flames did not appear, but heat shimmered through the iron plate, radiating upward in a smooth, even warmth.
He rotated the dough every five minutes by hand, watching as the bottom crisped and the top slowly browned. After about 25 minutes, he tapped the bottom of the loaf.
Hollow. Perfect.
He set the golden loaf on a wooden slab near the window and let it cool. Steam rose gently from the cracks in the crust.
Cutting off one end, he exposed a beautiful, airy crumb inside — soft and chewy, with just the right spring.
He took a bite. It was warm and slightly sour. Not as good as the buns given by the system, but still deeply satisfying.
"Totally worth it," Riku muttered.
He smiled to himself, preparing to make more bread as he rolled up his sleeves.
"Tomorrow… this goes to Lila... and the others, of course! Definitely not only for Lila"