Yu did not remain idle while waiting for the Cooking countdowns to finish.
Looking around the completed cabin, he approached one of the repaired wooden walls and touched its rough surface.
Under the [Eye of Omniscience], the wall’s information appeared again.
Beneath [HP: 10/10] was an option that had not been there before.
[Can Be Reinforced]
‘Oh?
I can reinforce it even after repairing it?’
Yu immediately examined the option.
[Reinforce: Eastern Wall]
[Requirements: Wooden Plank ×10]
[Effect: Greatly increases the wall’s structural strength and Defense.
Maximum HP increases to 50, resistance to physical attacks rises significantly, and thermal insulation improves slightly.]
“Ten Wooden Planks will increase its HP from ten to fifty while improving Defense and insulation…”
Yu quickly considered the benefits.
Reinforcing the walls was undoubtedly essential for improving the cabin’s overall safety before the Beast Tide.
He still had plenty of Wooden Planks left over from today’s logging.
Yu withdrew ten [Wooden Planks] from the Starter Core’s [Storage] and selected the eastern wall for reinforcement.
As with the repairs, a blue projection appeared over the wall after he confirmed the reinforcement and inserted the materials.
Yu picked up the [Crude Wooden Hammer] and struck the projection.
The process lasted only a dozen seconds.
When the light faded, the wall appeared noticeably thicker.
Its label had also changed.
[HP: 50/50]
Yu visited the western, southern, and northern walls in turn, repeating the reinforcement process.
Each wall required ten Wooden Planks, consuming forty in total.
Watching the number in [Storage] shrink so dramatically made Yu’s heart ache.
However, the improvement was worth the investment.
After reinforcing all four walls, he checked the interface again.
As expected, another reinforcement option had appeared.
[Reinforce: Eastern Wall]
[Requirements: Wooden Plank ×15, Stone ×10]
[Effect: Reinforces the wooden wall with Stone, greatly increasing its physical Defense and Durability.
Maximum HP increases to 150.]
[Additional Effect: Grants slight resistance to special damage such as fire and corrosion.
Soundproofing and thermal insulation improve significantly.]
[Warning: This reinforcement alters part of the wall’s material and may affect certain special construction options later.]
“Fifteen Wooden Planks and ten Stones…
for one wall.”
Yu quickly calculated the total.
“Four walls would require sixty Wooden Planks and forty Stones.
That does not even include reinforcing the roof.”
The required resources had risen sharply, while collecting Stone remained inefficient.
Further upgrading the cabin clearly could not be completed overnight.
At least Yu now knew the direction he needed to take.
He began considering tomorrow’s primary objective.
‘I should excavate the circled X…’
Exploring the marked location required a proper digging tool.
Yu returned to the [Simple Workbench], opened the [Crafting] interface, and found his target.
[Flint Shovel]
[Requirements: Stone ×1, Wooden Plank ×1, Rope ×2]
He possessed all the necessary materials, so he immediately began crafting.
Pale-blue light flickered across the Simple Workbench.
Before long, a crude stone shovel appeared in his hands.
Its head consisted of a Flint blade bound to a wooden shaft and reinforced with Vine Rope.
The [Eye of Omniscience] revealed its information.
[Flint Shovel]
[Use: A basic digging tool suitable for soil, sand, Clay, and other soft or moderately hard ground.
Its efficiency is low, and it performs extremely poorly against solid rock or frozen earth.]
[Durability: 30/30]
[Warning: Every successful excavation consumes 1 Durability.
The tool breaks and disappears when Durability reaches zero.]
[Striking hard objects or using the tool improperly may accelerate Durability loss.]
The shovel felt heavy in Yu’s hands, and its head appeared reasonably sturdy.
“One might not be enough.
It is inefficient and could break easily.”
Considering how deeply he might need to dig tomorrow, Yu decided to prepare several spares.
Seeing the four tools lined up against the wall gave him greater confidence in tomorrow’s expedition.
Just as he set down the final shovel, the countdowns beside the Fireplace finished.
Yu immediately walked over.
All three Progress Bars on the [Cooking Interface] had reached their ends, and the completed items inside their corresponding slots gave off a faint glow.
Yu first removed the [Wooden Bowl] from the first slot.
The cloudy brine had vanished, leaving only a thin layer of pale-yellow crystals at the bottom.
The grains varied in size and were not pure white like refined salt.
They appeared to contain a small amount of sand or soil.
[Coarse Salt]
[Description: Crude salt extracted from Saline Soil through simple evaporation.
It contains minor impurities and tastes salty with a faint bitterness.]
[Use: Seasons food, preserves ingredients, and replenishes a small quantity of electrolytes.]
Yu touched a little with his fingertip and placed it on his tongue.
“Mm!”
An intense saltiness exploded across his tongue, accompanied by a faint earthy taste and slight bitterness.
Even so, there was no doubt that it was salt.
Despite its poor quality, this thin layer of pale-yellow crystals was now as valuable as gold.
“Not bad.
It is definitely salt.”
Yu nodded in satisfaction and set the bowl aside.
Salt would greatly improve the flavor of their food.
If they could secure a stable supply, they could also begin preserving meat.
He removed the [Wooden Bowl] from the second slot.
The water inside had cooled, and two intact Waterbird Eggs rested quietly at the bottom.
[Boiled Waterbird Egg (Common)]
[Description: A simply boiled wild bird egg.
Its shell may contain minor cracks.]
[Use: Can be eaten to restore a small amount of Satiety and stamina while providing high-quality protein.]
Finally, Yu checked the third slot.
The Silver-Scaled Fish that had been skewered on a branch had become a roasted fish with lightly charred skin.
Fat had seeped out during roasting, forming tiny bubbles across the skin.
The flesh beneath appeared white and firm.
[Roasted Silver-Scaled Fish (Common)]
[Description: A simply roasted Silver-Scaled Fish with crisp skin, tender flesh, and its natural freshness preserved.]
[Use: Can be eaten to restore a small amount of Satiety and stamina while providing high-quality protein and a little fat.]
The aroma of food mingled with the scent of burning wood and spread throughout the cabin.
Marin had already become restless from the smell.
When she saw the roasted fish and eggs, her eyes shone brilliantly as she repeatedly swallowed her saliva.
“Everything is ready.
Let us eat.”
Yu carried the roasted fish and the bowl of eggs to a dry spot beside the Fireplace, then retrieved the remaining Rye Bread.
The meal was simple, but it was the most proper dinner they had enjoyed since arriving in this world.
Marin knelt down completely naked opposite Yu.
She seemed completely accustomed to this mode of interaction, where they faced each other with such candid openness.
Or perhaps, in her mind, since they were already in the closest possible relationship, whether she wore clothes or not was utterly irrelevant.
She even felt that being warmed by the cozy fireplace was far more comfortable than wearing damp, cold clothes.
Yu sat cross-legged, trying his best to focus on the food in front of him.
The boiled bird eggs, rye bread, and that golden-brown, fragrant roasted Silver-Scaled Fish looked like a feast from the heavens after a long day of labor.
However, his gaze kept being drawn to the dazzlingly white body across from him, glowing in the firelight.
Especially when she knelt down and leaned forward, her full, perky breasts, completely unconstrained, defied gravity and stood proud.
Their tender pink tips looked vivid and succulent in the fire’s glow.
Compared to the food on the plate, this vivid and fragrant beauty before his eyes seemed to awaken a different kind of “appetite.”
“Ahem.”
Yu quickly averted his gaze and coughed twice to cover his embarrassment.
He picked up a piece of hard rye bread and took a forceful bite, swallowing his untimely thoughts along with it.
“Itadakimasu!”
Marin remained completely unaware of Yu’s struggle.
She pressed her palms together and cheerfully spoke before picking up a Boiled Waterbird Egg.
The egg was roughly the size of her palm, with a blue-gray shell.
Marin carefully peeled it, revealing the smooth white egg beneath.
Rather than eating it herself, she held the peeled egg before Yu’s mouth.
“Yu-kun, say ahh!
I will feed you.
You worked all day, so you need to eat more and recover your strength!”
He lowered his head and bit into the tender egg while it was still in her hand.
His teeth accidentally brushed against the fingers holding it.
“How is it?
Delicious, right?”
Marin paid no attention to the contact and asked excitedly.
Yu nodded and quickly chewed and swallowed the entire egg.
Its flavor was simple—the smooth texture of the egg white and the distinct richness of the yolk.
It was lightly flavored but extremely fresh.
The food soothed his hungry stomach and left him feeling considerably better.
“Yeah, it is good.
You should eat yours.”
Marin happily nodded and began peeling the second egg.
She ate it in small bites, narrowing her eyes in satisfaction.
The two quietly ate their Rye Bread and eggs while the fire crackled inside the Fireplace.
Before long, only the roasted fish remained.
Its crisp, fragrant skin and rich aroma tempted them both.
They stopped almost simultaneously, stared at the Roasted Silver-Scaled Fish, then looked at each other.
“Marin, you eat it.”
Yu spoke first and pushed the fish toward her.
Although Marin had not chopped many trees, she had collected Stone and Clay, followed him all day, and expended plenty of stamina in other ways.
“No, no!”
Marin immediately shook her head and pushed the fish back.
“There is only one fish, and you worked the hardest today, Yu-kun!
You chopped trees, repaired the cabin, caught fish, and found the eggs and salt.
You should eat it!”
“You do not need to—”
“I mean it!”
Marin suddenly became emotional.
She placed both hands on the floor and leaned closer.
Her ample chest swayed violently with her motion, nearly brushing against his knees.
Marin looked up into Yu’s eyes.
“I know I have been holding you back.
I cannot chop trees, I do not know how to catch fish, I am always hungry, and I keep causing you trouble.”
Her voice grew more emotional.
“You are always the one protecting me and figuring out how we can survive.”
“There will definitely be more work tomorrow.
We need more Wood and Stone, and we still have to prepare for that Beast Tide.”
“You need your strength more than I do, Yu-kun.
That is why you should eat this fish!”
Her breathing grew heavier as she continued.
“If you really feel bad about it, then work even harder tomorrow and catch more fish!
We can eat those together, so you do not need to hold back tonight!”
Yu felt something stir within him as he stared into her completely sincere eyes.
Compared to the roasted fish on the plate, the girl before him, who relied on him wholeheartedly, seemed even more “appetizing.” The heat he had just managed to suppress in his chest threatened to flare up again.
After Marin had said so much, continuing to refuse would only dismiss her feelings.
“All right.”
Yu stopped arguing and picked up the Roasted Silver-Scaled Fish.
“Then I will accept it.”
He took the small bowl containing [Coarse Salt], pinched a few pale-yellow grains between his fingers, and evenly sprinkled them across the browned skin.
The aroma seemed to grow even richer.
Yu opened his mouth and bit into the thickest part of the fish’s belly.
Crunch!
The perfectly roasted skin broke between his teeth with a pleasant sound.
Beneath it was firm, white flesh that remained tender and juicy.
The salt brought out the fish’s natural sweetness, while its fat melted across his tongue and mingled with the simple roasted flavor.
There were no other seasonings, yet after a day of hunger and physical exertion, the pure flavor of the ingredients tasted like the finest delicacy in the world.
Yu chewed with satisfaction and swallowed the delicious fish.
He carefully sucked every scrap of meat from the tiny bones, unwilling to waste even the slightest bit of flavor or nutrition.
The fish was not particularly large.
Before long, nothing remained but a clean and complete skeleton.
Marin sat opposite him with her chin resting in both hands, watching him eat without blinking.
She repeatedly swallowed her saliva while observing his satisfied expression, almost as if she could share the flavor through his enjoyment.
Once Yu swallowed the final bite and set down the clean fish bones, Marin eagerly asked,
“Well, Yu-kun?
Was it good?”
…
It encourages me!