"It's starting to smell good, Master."

Veia commented from the side. It was mouth-watering, and the dish was still not even cooked yet.

"Wait till I add the other seasoning and spices."

Rant Valo flashed her a grin as he continued mixing the pot of mushrooms.

"Disciple, you're very good at cooking."

Floriana Sabina praised as she sniffed the aroma wafting in the air.

"Hehehe, it's nothing. I only learned them casually."

Rant Valo embarrassedly said with a smile as he continued cooking.

Meanwhile, Nale Narene was looking at the wooden board intently. He was sure now, something weird was going on. He didn't see that wooden board and cooking pot before, and he was sure of it.

"Now, I'll add thyme. This will make it smell even more aromatic."

Rant Valo sprinkled some thyme inside the pot and continued stirring.

"Then we deglaze it using some rice wine."

Rant Valo opened a small bottle of rice wine and poured it into the pot. The bits stuck and caramelized on the bottom of the pot started to dissolve and join the ingredients inside the pot.

"Is this an important step, Master?"

Veia asked Rant Valo in curiosity. She couldn't wrap her head around why he had to do it.

"Yes. Those parts stuck at the bottom of the pot has the most flavor. If I didn't deglaze it, the Cream of Mushroom Soup would be less flavorful."

Rant Valo explained to her as he scrubbed the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon, removing any stuck pieces.

"That makes sense."

Veia nodded her head in understanding.

"Yes, now I just have to stir this for a little bit longer."

Rant Valo continued stirring the pot for at least five minutes before he stopped and grabbed another ingredient.

"Now, we flavor it with salt and pepper."

Rant Valo opened a small jar and picked up a dash of salt before sprinkling it inside the pot. Then he used a pepper mill to add some pepper inside.

"I can imagine the taste now, Master."

Veia exclaimed from the side. Together with the smell and seeing the salt and pepper added, Veia could imagine the taste, albeit not that accurately.

"Now, for the second good part."

Rant Valo grinned excitedly when he thought of the next step.

"We add broth! Beef broth, to be exact."

Rant Valo opened a large sealed jar and poured its liquid contents into the simmering pot. This was something a store owner gave them after he knew that they were gonna cook Mushroom Stew. He was very nice and happy that Rant Valo gave him a lot of mushrooms.

"Ohhh!"

Veia exclaimed in amazement as she watched the broth pour into the pot. Rant Valo mixed it, and the thick consistency of the unfinished mushroom stew inside was lowered, making it more watery.

"It doesn't look that appetizing yet."

Rant Valo looked at the dark-looking mixture of mushroom and spices. The final ingredient was still not added, which would finally make it a Cream of Mushroom Soup.

"But it smells really delicious, Master."

Veia sniffed a good amount of the aroma and she started drooling uncontrollably.

A few minutes later, the stew was already hot enough as the broth Rant Valo poured in was cold.

"Lastly, we add the cream which is the best part of this recipe."

Rant Valo popped open a jar filled with thick milk cream. He poured it into the pot with excitement. It was the best and most delicious part of the cooking.

Rant Valo mixed it all in thoroughly before adding a touch of herbs to top it off.

The creamy and savory smell of the Cream of Mushroom soup assaulted Rant Valo's senses. Veia gulped hard when she smelled it. It was so delicious smelling that ever her picky taste buds were sure that it would be delicious when she tasted it.

"Disciple, pour me some already."

Floriana Sabina extended her hand towards Rant Valo, which had a bowl in it. Her eyes were glancing at the pot in an obvious excitement to finally taste it.

"Rant, I'm impressed by you. You deserve to be a chef."

Nale Narene praised from the side. Even he who was a noble would surely hire Rant Valo just to taste this Cream of Mushroom Soup every day.

"Really? This wasn't anything special back in my village."

Rant Valo shrugged his shoulders at him. He thought nothing of this because he knew that at least 90% of the people in the village could cook one, and it would taste very delicious. That's how eating Cream of Mushroom Soup had become a tradition inside their village whenever there is a special event.

"Your village must be a very nice place then."

Nale Narene praised with a smile.

"Ah, I think so?"

Rant Valo wasn't really sure, but he stopped seeing the good side of the village. It may have started after he was ostracized, or it could be after he lived alone for quite a while. The only thing that he could think that was good was that Zaria-chan was there.

"Hm?"

Nale Narene tilted his head in puzzlement. He thought that his words would make Rant Valo happy, but it somehow gave an opposite effect.

"Nothing, just eat up. There's a bowl over there."

Rant Valo covered up his frown with a smile. He pointed at the grassy part where empty bowls were stacked on top of each other.

"If you say so."

Nale Narene looked at Rant Valo one last time before getting a bowl of his own.

Veia also got her own bowl, and Rant Valo poured them each a serving of their own.

Floriana Sabina put the soup inside her mouth without caring whether it was hot or not. She munched on the mushroom, and her eyes glowed brightly as the delicious taste burst inside her mouth each time she chewed.

"This is really delicious, Disciple! You should cook this every day."

Floriana Sabina exclaimed in amazement. This was really good that she thinks that she could eat it for days.

"Every day would be too much. How about once a week?"

Rant Valo scratched the back of his head awkwardly. He didn't think that he would enjoy just eating mushrooms every day.