34 Braised basilisk (1/2)
Mandy let out a breath. August relied on her, Albus and Leum to figure out what to do with the future people. They were refugees according to Leum so it was likely they would be staying in this time.
”Was that house also August's domain?” Mandy asked as that might solve the first pressing problem - where would they sleep?
Albus and Leum nodded.
”Can we have them sleep there?” Mandy asked.
”Yes, that house has a lot of bedrooms, it used to be an elf guest house,” Albus said.
”What about food?” Mandy asked next.
”It grows things,” Albus said.
Hmm, that sounded interesting! Mandy wanted to see! ”Well, since we'll have them stay there, perhaps we can all go and take stock?” She looked over at Leum since it felt like Leum could move there.
”Sure,” Leum said, then looked over at the people gathered. ”I'll move you over to another house, don't panic.”
First, he took Mandy and Albus by their wrists and pulled them there, then quickly moved others over in the same way. Some kids yelped at the movement, some ended up stumbling and falling into the soft moss.
The room they arrived at was spacious - one wall was missing, making something like a natural window towards the lake, and a transparent orb-like spirit was floating by the missing wall leisurely. The charged fog was filling the space just the same way as it did with the apartment and some of it gushed over the edge but didn't go far off. There were many lounging chairs formed of elegantly grown branches and covered in soft moss. Flowers too were scattered around filling the space with a refreshing floral scent.
Mandy could now take a proper look and ah, so this is how a properly set up living space in dryad or elf style looked like. The apartment was a mess, way too wild, this place had logic in its design.
”What's that?” Mandy asked pointing at the floating orb.
”Wind elemental,” Leum replied. ”It keeps the house well ventilated, the right temperature and also bug-free.”
Hoh! That was one heck of a convenient pet to have.
”Okay,” Albus spoke up, then waved to attract attention. ”Safety first - you can walk wherever there's charged fog, don't go out for now. You can look around if you want or follow us along. Bedrooms are upstairs, don't disturb the family already staying there, otherwise feel free to occupy any free rooms you want.”
Everyone was looking, some were nodding.
Kiri, the kid with cat ears, raised up a hand. ”Is there a toilet here?”
”Yes,” Albus replied, ”go past the stairs, turn right.”
Two more kids joined in that - Claire and Mirose.
”Where's the kitchen?” Mandy asked. Might as well head there right away, the kids would probably find them.
Albus started walking rather than responding and everyone followed just like kids on an excursion would.
The kitchen was spacious just like the other room with a working table in the middle and all kinds of plants growing around, but it wasn't just that - there were also crystalline terrariums with wood pieces and other substrates where various shrooms were growing, also crystal jars with dried teas, fruits, berries and even, unexpected for elves - a sectioned off space with cured meats of game animals. There were oils, seeds, seasonings in peculiar crystal containers and carved wooden tableware. The pots were carved out of stone and knives were sharp crystals of some sort woven into tightly knotted branches.
As Mandy kept running around she also found various grains in crystal containers, a peculiar form of storing potatoes, carrots and other root plants in drawers inside the soil and with small plants/leaves on top to indicate what's where.
Mandy also found some wooden barrels with sauerkraut and various pickled veggies, also some mixes she hadn't seen before, they had a nice scent, even if unfamiliar. The one taking care of this place had set things up in a very thoughtful manner. It was true that on the first look it seemed like the house grew things (and it did), but there was also a caring hand present.
The only thing this place was missing was dairy, but this place did properly demonstrate how to set up a kitchen in spaces like this. Let plants be plants, tightly separate off the rest, don't rely on metal. There was a space for fire in the middle as well, Mandy could tell that the stone pots and pans went over the openings snuggly.
Two kids were kind of tailing Mandy as she snooped around - Alan and Ray. ”Let's make dinner?” Mandy asked those very same two. It was likely that these two were into cooking if they followed along like this.
Alan and Ray exchanged glances and nodded.
But first. ”Does anyone have alergies or strong dislikes, any vegans?”
By now the toilet people had all returned.
”Vegan,” Claire raised up a hand.
”No pickles, if possible,” Lai said. Now that Mandy took a more proper look... there was something similar to August in his looks, proportion? He was Asian and short for a male, but very cute looking.
”I don't like garlic,” Seraph chimed in.
”I can go hunt something, if needed,” Leum offered.
Oh! That sounded good, but Mandy felt like it might be better to keep things light, unless..”Are there any carnivores here?” She asked.
”Cumimi are typically omnivores, but some of us do like meat a lot,” Neo replied.
”Now that I think of it I have a half basilisk stored, this room is too small to take it out, though,” Leum said.
”Basilisk?” Mandy asked.
”A big snake,” Leum said. ”Tastes pretty good.”
Snake tasted kind of like fish, right? Then braising it might taste good. A menu started forming in Mandy's mind.
”Can you bring me a chunk about this big?” Mandy showed with her hands and Leum left for now.
”How about salad, puree soup, and braised basilisk?”
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No objections came and when Mandy asked who wanted to help Neo and Evelynn offered their hands as well. At this point, most people went upstairs to find a bedroom and some went to explore the house.
Mandy talked the recipe over with her helping hands and all of them went to get tools and ingredients.
”Maybe it would be good to ask the people who are staying here if they want some as well?” Mandy asked to Albus as Leum brought in the chunk of snake meat. It was thickly marbled and pink, looked like something between an extremely huge tuna and chicken, taste was-- good! This could be even eaten raw, but not many would go for it so braised it is.
And, good timing, the brown-haired girl came downstairs and curiously observed the animal eared people, then ran up to Albus.
”Hello again,” she said. ”More guests?”
”Yes, they will be staying for health reasons,” Albus said.
”Cool!” the girl said. ”Hey! I'm Stephanie,” the girl introduced herself to Mandy and Leum, who also named themselves in return.
”Good timing, should we make some extra food for you guys as well?” Mandy asked.
”What'cha making?” Stephanie asked as she watched the meat chunk Mandy was floatin next to her.
”Puree soup, salad, and braised basilisk,” Mandy said.
”Sounds good,” Stephanie said not even asking about the basilisk. ”I'll tell Marcus, mom, and dad. Thanks!”
Then an apparently sixteen-year-old youth with metallic silver hair and equally metallic colored eyes made a few steps down, he was dressed in a format outfit that would fit into a science fiction imperial army.
”Are they from the past or the future?” He asked Albus, as both Stephanie and Mandy cast curious looks at him.