"Castorice! Dinner is ready!"
A voice roused Castorice from her contemplation. She started slightly, then looked up to see Nimue waving to her from the doorway of the large house.
"So soon?"
It hadn't even been five minutes since Nimue went inside. What kind of dish could be prepared that quickly? Nimue seemed to read her confusion; she walked light-footedly to her side and explained with a smile:
"Lunara arrived nearly half an hour before us. While I was showing you around, she was already busy working in the kitchen."
Hearing Nimue's words, Castorice recalled that the lively elven chef had indeed departed early. Seeing this, Castorice decided not to continue observing the Aura of Death here for now; it didn't have much to do with her anyway. Besides, the Aura of Death originated from the Moonlight within Crescent Lake, and since the lake wasn't going anywhere, there was no need to rush.
First things first: eating. In the grand scheme of things, a meal was of the utmost importance. With that thought, Castorice stood up and walked toward the large house.
"Alright, I'm coming."
She nodded slightly, rose, and followed Nimue into the large wooden building, from which bursts of fragrance were wafting.
As she stepped into the dining hall, a wave of warmth mixed with enticing aromas greeted her. The long wooden table was already laden with various delicacies, and exquisite silver utensils shimmered under the candlelight.
Perfectly roasted Lumifungi wild boar ribs exuded a tempting charred aroma, their surface coated in a layer of crystalline honey glaze. Windwhisper flower-braised venison rolls were as delicate as works of art, the tender pink meat gently wrapped in pale blue Windwhisper petals. Crystalline-crust pine nut crepes were stacked high, each layer thin as a cicada's wing with a pale golden sheen. There was also a bowl of shimmering Nocturne Moss stew, emitting a fresh and pleasant herbal fragrance.
"These are all Lunara's specialties." Nimue led Castorice to a wooden chair covered with soft cushions. "She insisted that you must taste the signature delicacies of the Moon-marked Clan."
Castorice nodded gently at Nimue's words, then carefully sliced a piece of the venison roll and put it in her mouth. Instantly, the delicious meat juices and the unique fragrance of the Windwhisper flowers blossomed on her tongue. It was an indescribable, wonderful flavor; the richness of the venison and the freshness of the petals blended perfectly, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
Next, she tried a sip of the stew. The warm broth, carrying the clear sweetness of moonlight, slid down her throat. The unique texture of the Nocturne Moss popped gently between her teeth, releasing even more layers of savory flavor.
"It is truly delicious..."
She praised softly, her previous prejudices regarding elven diets vanishing at this moment. It seemed the elves' diet was far richer than she had imagined. To be honest, she had thought elves didn't eat meat and had expected a purely vegetarian feast.
Wait.
Castorice tapped her head in minor frustration. She should have guessed when Lunara mentioned those Dark Cuisine experiments earlier. After all, if they were strictly vegetarian, why would strange ingredients like the eggs of Aphasia Toads even appear?
After the meal, Castorice walked slowly out of the large house and stood under the porch, lightly touching her still-flat abdomen. Although she had tasted many delicacies, as a body of a Demigod, her physique would not change simply because of food. The night breeze brushed her long hair, bringing with it the faint scent of strange flowers from a distant garden.
"By the way."
At this moment, Castorice remembered something. Looking around to confirm no one was there, she called out softly:
"Pollux, what do you think of this food?"
As soon as she spoke, a spatial crack burning with purple flames quietly opened beside her. If someone could peer inside the crack, they would be horrified to find a massive blue-purple dragon head peeking out curiously, its eyes flashing with the light of wisdom.
"Woo—"
A dragon's low cry, audible only to Castorice, came from the crack, carrying a trill of satisfaction. Seeing this, a gentle smile appeared on Castorice's face. She reached her hand into the spatial crack and tenderly stroked its snout.
"You think it's delicious too, right? Then next time I'll bring you more."
(At that moment, Lunara in the kitchen suddenly shuddered: Strange, why do I suddenly have an ominous premonition...)
"Roar—"
Hearing Castorice's words, the dragon head in the crack let out an even more excited low growl, its massive head leaning forward slightly as if in anticipation.
"Good, I'll remember to bring more wild boar ribs." As Castorice spoke, she suddenly turned her head as if sensing something; the kitchen curtains flickered slightly. "Nimue is coming out. You go back for now, we'll talk later."
The spatial crack closed rapidly, the purple flames dissipating in the air the instant Nimue stepped out of the large house, holding a thin cloak.
"Was Your Excellency Castorice satisfied with the meal?" Nimue asked with concern, handing her the cloak. "The evenings in Shadow-fold Valley can get a bit cold; be careful to stay warm."
"It was very delicious, thank you for your hospitality." Castorice nodded sincerely, taking the cloak and draping it lightly over her shoulders. The soft fabric carried the warmth of being dried in the sun, providing her with a sense of comfort.
"That's good! Elder Maria has already arranged your dwelling; I'll take you there now."
As Nimue spoke, she instinctively reached out to take Castorice's hand but suddenly remembered something halfway through. She withdrew her hand with slight awkwardness and instead made a "please" gesture.
"I'll just follow you," Castorice said gently. She had wanted to explain that she could control the power of death and wouldn't let others be harmed by her touch, but thinking that the enthusiastic elves might take it as an invitation to approach her even more recklessly, she swallowed the words. Sometimes, maintaining a proper distance was best for everyone.
...
Led by Nimue, the two walked slowly along a winding forest path. The fluorescent mushrooms by the road emitted a soft blue light, illuminating the way ahead, and occasionally a few Nocturne Butterflies rose from the grass, tracing graceful arcs of light in the air.
"Your Excellency Castorice, this is the dwelling Elder Maria prepared for you."
Nimue pointed to an exquisite treehouse built upon a tall tree trunk. The treehouse was cleverly integrated into the branches of an ancient tree, adorned with glowing vines on the outside. "The Elder specifically chose a relatively secluded spot, some distance from the other treehouses, so no one should disturb your rest."
Then, she led Castorice onto a wooden board connected to vines and gently pulled a hanging vine to the side. Immediately, the vines began to retract slowly, sending them steadily up to the platform outside the treehouse. The ascent was exceptionally smooth, with almost no shaking.
"No other elves live in this area yet, so it's usually very quiet. You should be able to get a good rest..."
Before Nimue could finish, a lively voice came from beneath the tree, breaking the silence of the night.
"Sister Nimue! Why didn't you call me when you brought Your Excellency Castorice over!"
At this, Nimue's expression turned somewhat stiff. She lowered her head and added with a hint of embarrassment:
"Of course, provided someone doesn't come looking for you specifically..."
After speaking, she leaned over to look down and saw Shalin standing beneath the tree, holding a glowing lantern. Seeing this, Nimue spoke with a bit of irritation:
"Shalin! Can't you see I'm introducing the dwelling to Your Excellency Castorice? How did you find us?"
"I followed your footsteps."
As Shalin spoke, she also took another vine elevator up to the platform. Currently, she was holding a box of exquisite elven pastries; each pastry in the box was shaped like a star, emitting the sweet aroma of honey and nectar.
"Your Excellency Castorice, you left in a hurry and didn't get to taste these after-dinner desserts. These are Stardew Cakes made with moonlight nectar and Silver-vale wheat flour. They're delicious!"
"Thank you, Shalin."
Seeing this, Castorice gave a sincere smile, took the pastries, and casually stored them in her System Inventory. Seeing Castorice accept the treats, Shalin winked happily. Nimue shook her head helplessly, then led Castorice into the interior of the treehouse.
The space inside was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside, cleverly utilizing the natural curvature of the tree trunk to separate the bedroom, living room, kitchen, and storage room. Moonstones were embedded in the walls, their soft light illuminating the entire space. Aside from the lack of a separate bathroom, it had everything one could need.
Walking into the kitchen, the shelves were filled with various spices and ingredients commonly used by elves, as well as a uniquely styled copper kettle.
However...
"There's actually a kitchen here?"
Castorice couldn't help but feel surprised when she saw the complete stove and the neatly piled firewood in the kitchen.
"What is it?" Nimue asked back in confusion. She walked to the stove and lightly touched the smooth stone countertop. "The tribespeople can't always go to the cafeteria to eat; sometimes they want to cook for themselves. That's why every treehouse is equipped with a kitchen. Besides, cooking for oneself is a very interesting thing, isn't it?"
"No, that's not what I meant." Castorice waved her hand quickly and pointed out the window at the connected treehouses below. "I was worried that starting a fire for cooking in a treehouse... wouldn't these wooden structures catch fire very easily?"
Looking out, the treehouses in the entire forest were built of wood and vines, connected to each other by vine bridges to form a massive aerial community. Once a fire started, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"They won't." Nimue shook her head with a smile and pulled a vine from a nearby tree. "These trees have undergone the baptism of Moonlight energy; they are no longer ordinary wood."
After speaking, she chanted a spell in a low voice that Castorice didn't understand, and a ball of blazing fire condensed in her palm.
"Look."
As she spoke, she pressed the fireball directly against the vine. The flame burned for over ten seconds, yet the vine not only failed to ignite, but didn't even leave a single scorch mark. After Nimue retracted the fireball, Castorice curiously reached out to touch the section of vine and found it was still ice-cold, as if the flame just now had been a mere illusion.
"It truly is miraculous," Castorice praised sincerely.
"Right!" Shalin raised her chin proudly, jumping to the side and patting the vines wrapped around the wall. "The Moon-marked Clan has many miraculous things! These vines are not only strong but can glow at night. Also..."
"Alright, Shalin. Let's show Your Excellency Castorice the other rooms first."
Seeing this, Nimue timely interrupted Shalin's non-stop momentum and gave her a look.
Accompanied by the two, Castorice carefully inspected the bedroom and storage room. The bedroom window faced Crescent Lake; at night, one should be able to enjoy the moonlight reflected on the lake's surface. A soft wooden bed was covered with bedding made of silk, looking very comfortable. The storage room contained some basic daily necessities and several exquisite elven outfits, clearly prepared with great care.
After returning to the doorway of the treehouse, Nimue asked with some anticipation:
"What does Your Excellency Castorice think of this place? Are you satisfied?"
"I like it very much. Thank you for your hard work in preparing it."
Castorice nodded with a smile, responding to their expectations. Then, she opened her System Inventory and took out some SoulGlad, nougat, and Dried Small Fish, handing them to Nimue and the other.
"These are some snacks I kept in my spatial storage; you can try them."
Upon seeing them, the two happily accepted.
"Thank you, Your Excellency Castorice."
"Thank you~"
The two each offered their thanks. After confirming that Castorice had no further needs for the moment, they left behind a leaf that could be used for communication and then departed.
Watching their figures disappear into the woods, Castorice gently closed the door and returned inside. The soft light emitted by the vines filled the entire space, making her feel a long-lost tranquility.
At this moment, the purple flames ignited once again, and a spatial crack opened silently in the room, the flickering flames casting a clear shadow on the wall.
"Woo?" Pollux let out a confused low cry, its massive dragon eye blinking behind the crack, not understanding why Castorice had suddenly summoned it.
"Pollux, try breathing a little fire and see if you can ignite this."
As she spoke, Castorice held the section of vine Nimue had used in her demonstration up to the crack. Pollux stared at the vine, which wasn't even as thick as its claw-tip, and remained silent for a moment, seemingly expressing confusion at the request.
"Hoo—"
After a short while, it still blew out a very gentle breath. A wisp of fine purple flame drifted from the crack and landed on the vine.
Boom—!
The branch that had remained unharmed under Nimue's fireball turned to ash in Castorice's hand in an instant, leaving only a wisp of blue smoke slowly dissipating in the air.
"Hmm... it seems I still need to be exceptionally careful with fire in the house."
Castorice murmured to herself, brushing the ash from her hands.
"If I accidentally ignite the Styx fire, the entire forest might suffer."
"Woo?" Pollux let out an inquiring low cry, wanting to know if there was anything else.
"No, you go back for now." Castorice shook her head, indicating nothing was wrong.
"Roar." At this, Pollux let out another low growl, signaling its departure.
"Wait."
Suddenly, Castorice remembered the pastries Shalin had brought over, so she called Pollux back. She took all the Stardew Cakes stored in her System Inventory and placed them directly into the spatial crack.
"Eat these snacks. I remember you like sweets."
"Roar!"
Upon seeing the pastries, Pollux let out a cheerful dragon's cry, then carefully took the treats—which were tiny to it—with its dragon claws and retracted into the crack with satisfaction.