Chapter 484 – Moss Bisque

“Of course they exist! It’s just that those are legendary treasures—exceedingly rare in Valen and incomparably precious,” Aramir said.

If he had a spatial treasure that could store plants, he would probably have returned to the Elven Woods long ago.

Among the Elves, he was far from powerful. He hadn’t even set foot in the Well of the Sky—where would he ever obtain such a treasure?

“They’re really that rare?” Greta murmured softly.

If she remembered correctly, the 《Dawn Society Resource Catalog》 listed a type of card that could be used to transplant plants!

The price was admittedly steep, but no matter how expensive it was, it only cost Gem Coins!

And those could be exchanged for with Magic energy.

“What did you say?” Aramir hadn’t caught what she said.

“Nothing,” Greta said.

She now knew exactly what the Elf gentleman’s predicament was, and how to resolve it.

But telling him right now would seem too deliberate.

She needed to think carefully about how to give the {Dawn Society Invitation} to the Elf gentleman while also letting him know that the Dawn Society had what he was looking for.

That way, he would surely accept the invitation.

Greta chatted with the Elf gentleman for a while longer, only excusing herself when a colleague at the inn called her over for help.

It looked as though she had simply dropped by on a whim to exchange a few words with the Elf gentleman.

On the Second Floor of the Oak Inn, in the sun-facing little suite.

Mo Lan, Lilith, Vasida, and Sylph all stood by the window watching the scene.

“Greta’s headed back to the Gold Globe Flower Inn. It’s getting late—let’s go across the street for dinner!” Vasida said.

“Let’s order light for now and see how Greta’s doing, then come back and eat at our own tent later,” Lilith said.

“I’ll just have some vegetable soup or other vegetarian dishes later. Vegetarian dishes are harder to mess up,” Sylph said.

Their last meal at the Silver Globe Flower Inn was still fresh in everyone’s memory.

“Let’s go!” Mo Lan turned and headed for the door.

*

Gold Globe Flower Inn.

“Welcome~”

“There are still empty seats over here. Please come this way.”

“What would you like to eat?”

Greta wore a warm smile as she greeted the four customers who had just walked in.

For some reason, though, these customers’ gazes lingered on her face a little too long.

If these weren’t four lady mages, she might have thought they had some kind of designs on her.

Mo Lan flipped through the menu. “Honey-roasted suckling pig, moss bisque, salt-cured herring, agave-braised deer heart, peacock berry pie—that’ll be all!”

“Right away!” Greta jotted down the dishes and hurried off to the kitchen.

“Her face looks a bit rounder. She must be doing pretty well lately,” Sylph whispered.

Everyone knew who she was talking about and nodded in agreement.

Mo Lan, having read Greta’s memories before, felt it even more deeply.

Bustling through the inn’s dining room, serving tea and pouring water—Greta didn’t look much like a mage. Her life was far more modest than it had been in the Temple’s Preparatory Acolyte training program, yet she seemed more spirited, more full of life.

“Instructor, didn’t we order a bit too much today?” Vasida’s tongue had gone slightly numb after hearing Mo Lan rattle off that string of dish names.

Sylph and Lilith also looked somewhat uneasy.

Mo Lan was secretly amused. She reminded them:

“These are all signature dishes of the Gold Globe Flower Inn. I hear they’re from recipes developed by that witch Marquis of the Duchy of Lance—you can’t find them anywhere else.”

After complaining about the Silver Globe Flower Inn’s food in her last letter to Grandma Dayla, the old woman had recommended these dishes. Mo Lan had come specifically to try them today.

“What? A witch’s cuisine?” The group’s hearts settled back into place.

A witch’s cooking would at least be generous with spices, and the ingredient preparation would be meticulous.

Looking around the dining room, it was full of mages.

The mage apprentices were all quite young, while the slightly older patrons were at minimum Beginner mages.

Judging by their attire, they were all doing very well financially.

Wealthy mages valued their comforts. In a city as large as Lance City, the fact that they chose to dine here spoke to this being a rather upscale restaurant.

Vasida and the others felt even more reassured.

It took roughly half an hour before all the dishes were served.

Every dish looked quite impressive.

Everyone’s attention was drawn to the moss bisque and the peacock berry pie.

Vasida stared at the bowl of bright green soup that seemed to glow, her expression skeptical. “This is a bisque, not poison?”

“You jest.” Greta had just finished setting the dishes down. Hearing this, she explained, “This bisque is made with luminescent moss from the underground world, which is why it has this color. The color fades as the temperature drops—when it turns the same shade of green as the bowl, that’s the ideal time to taste it.”

“Really? What’s the texture like?” Vasida asked curiously.

“Very refreshing and smooth,” Greta said. “According to some customers, this dish even has a slight invigorating effect.”

“Luminescent moss is pretty common in the underground world, isn’t it? I’ve never heard of it having any special properties!” Lilith said doubtfully.

“You’ll understand once you try it,” Greta said.

“And what about this peacock berry pie?” Sylph asked. “Won’t combining berries and poultry in a pie be a bit… mismatched?”

No matter how she tried, she simply couldn’t imagine what sweet berry pie paired with poultry would taste like.

“The poultry in this dish is from three-month-old Dodo Birds. The meat is extremely tender, and paired with berries, it has a unique flavor all its own!”

Greta answered without a moment’s hesitation.

Though she herself didn’t entirely understand this way of eating either, introducing and recommending dishes was part of her job.

Mo Lan, trusting in Grandma Dayla’s judgment, was the first to dig in.

The gamey smell had been properly dealt with, and the seasoning was well-balanced.

It was just that the flavors were very… distinctive.

The moss bisque was cool and refreshing, like mint soup.

The agave-braised deer heart was rich with the aroma of liquor.

The Dodo Bird meat in the peacock berry pie was as smooth and silky as pudding.

Only the salt-cured herring and honey-roasted suckling pig tasted roughly as they had imagined.

Sylph loved the moss bisque. Lilith loved the agave-braised deer heart. Vasida loved the peacock berry pie. Mo Lan loved the honey-roasted suckling pig.

“A witch’s cuisine truly lives up to its reputation!” Lilith exclaimed. “Instructor, when are we coming back?”

Sylph and Vasida perked up their ears as well.

Mo Lan smiled. “This time is my treat. Next time, it’s on you.”

Lilith grabbed the menu and checked the prices. “I suddenly feel like the food isn’t all that good after all.”

Vasida leaned over for a peek, then silently shrank back. Even the cheapest dish cost a gold coin.

Sylph, still in character for today’s act, said: “1,200 bowls of moss bisque would be enough to buy the Oak Inn—that’s outrageously expensive!”

Mo Lan: “…”

She wasn’t sure whether to be glad her companions were such talented actresses, or to lament that after this meal, there wouldn’t be a next time.