Nexus Awakened (An Isekai LitRPG Gender Bender Story)-Chapter 1153. Who Let Jury Cook?

Jury set Frost aside, hoping she would use this opportunity to rest.

Instead, Frost wrapped her arms around Jury’s waist and followed her around the chamber. She was glued to her back, and no amount of wiggling could loosen her grip. In fact, this only caused Frost to ride up Jury’s back until she was piggybacked.

Jury found this romantic. Unfortunately for her, they resembled a baby gorilla riding the back of its mother, rather than lovers.

“Paprika?” Frost murmured.

“This isn’t salt?” Jury was shocked to find that the jar of red salt she plucked from a cabinet was not salt at all.

“Salt isn’t red.”

“Aren’t spices all the same? Ber uses all-purpose spices. It looks just like this. It has salt too.”

“Well, I can’t blame you since you eat more than you cook.”

“Thank you~”

“It wasn’t a compliment… But you’re welcome.”

“How rude! You should always be nice to your wife! Even if she makes mistakes!”

“Happy wife, happy life?”

“That’s the saying~!”

Frost giggled, eventually mellowing out to a faint, breathy sigh.

“… I’m always happy anyway. Are you happy?”

“Of course, I am.”

*Pat*

Jury’s tail coiled up Frost’s leg, the tip patting her lower back.

“Waking up to you every day has been a dream come true.”

“… Me too… Hm… *Sniffle*”

This damned bunny manifestation crap is making me so emotionally unstable. Get a hold of yourself, Frost! You’re hungry. You’re… Whatever…

“Are you crying?”

“It’s the onions…” She lied.

“I’m not cutting any onions.” Jury held an onion out, tilting her head. “Not yet.”

“I’m just happy is all. What are you making?”

“Vegetables and meat.”

The dish didn’t even have name, nor did Jury have an idea about how she was going to cook it. There was a stovetop, a wood-fired oven, and a plethora of pots. She had observed Frost and Ber cook enough times to have an idea of how to cook, but she didn’t know why certain things were done in the kitchen.

For example, why was it necessary to peel the skin of an onion if they could just eat it? What’s garbage for humans wasn’t garbage for them. Plus, Jury quite liked onion skins. They were crinkly but often got stuck between her teeth.

She hacked the onion with a claw without a second thought. Moments later, her face contorted, and she began furiously wiping her eyes.

*Sniffle*

“… Jury? What’s wrong?”

“… Onions…”

* * *

A vegetable and meat stew was the best Jury could come up with. The alternative were skewers, but that was too basic. The meal had zero coherency and was an unfortunate attempt at cooking. Even Joy could come up with a better dish.

However, Frost ate without complaint, as did Joy. Food was food. It also had Frost’s favorite ingredient: love.

Besides, how could she tell Jury it was an abomination?

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< Fret not Frost. I have your back >

Hey, hey, hey!

“You don’t want me to?”

Nav, please read the room!

“… Read the room? Humans and their idioms. How is one supposed to read what is intangible?”

Nav must have read a page out of Cer’s book, because she had become better at soliciting reactions out of people. There was no universe where Frost would tell Jury her cooking was horrible. Her wife was also proud of her creation, and she didn’t want her to lose that smile… even if Jury knew it wasn’t that good to begin with.

That being said, Jury stared at Frost throughout their meal. They sat at a granite table with Joy seated on Frost’s lap. For some reason, Jury was far more interested in Frost than the food itself.

Rare for her to watch me eat when there’s food on the table. Would she rather not eat it at all? It’s not that bad. I should tell her that, at least.

“You should eat as well–”

“Does it still bother you that you can’t chew?”

“… Where did that come from?” Frost laughed. “Sort of, yeah.”

“Sort of means a lot for you.” Jury’s stare intensified. “I couldn’t imagine that. Texture is half the fun. Without it, isn’t it the same as blending your food?”

“Very different. I can mash food by grinding my tongue against the roof of my mouth.”

While Frost found humor in this, Jury’s eyes became downcast. She didn’t think it was funny. Not at all. Even if Frost could laugh at her misery, Jury could never bring herself to.

“I was thinking… Actually…” Jury’s voice wavered, trickling away as she held onto the thought. “Maybe.”

“Yes? Maybe?”

“It’s nothing. Nothing at all.”

Now I’m curious. I won’t pry since I get the feeling that she’s not going to budge. Sounds like a surprise. Either that, or she’s thinking about something lewd. Maybe I was the meal all along.

“Frost, you’re not wearing the bunny ears.”

I’m just making an observation.

Once they were finished with their meals, Frost quickly resumed her work. Over the course of the next few days (day thirty), she finalized the Telekinetic Manipulation Module and the Resurrection Module.

Telekinetic Manipulation Module

< Aspect of Technology | The Head >

< Here here, there there >

< EFFECT: Teleport inorganic material within a 20-meter radius into the palm of your hands. May also teleport material from your hands to anywhere within a 20-meter radius. Line of sight must not be obstructed. Momentum is preserved >

It was an emerald stone shaped like a teardrop. Running through it were animated bolts of golden lightning.

Then there was the final Module.

Resurrection Module

< Aspect of Technology | The Head >

< Blessed by the kiss of an Angel >

< EFFECT: HP may not drop below 1. May only activate once every 24 hours (UT) >

These two were among the most powerful Modules. The latter of which would no doubt also be converted into Aspects of Technology for her Moons and Stars, as well as her companions.

The Resurrection Module was no more than a white and black feather. She designed with the memory of the moment Frost and Jury came up with the insignia of Time Reverberation. The black feather represented herself, and the white feather was for Jury.

But Frost did not stop at these Modules. There were still seventy days left, and she had not yet created the Modules for her Sanguine Doves, nor new Aspects of Technology. Moreover, she was waiting for the captured Beholder to be delivered here so she could harvest her Gift.

Indeed, she planned to incorporate the power that formed the basis of Infusion S into an Aspect of Technology, and perhaps a Module if possible.

From days thirty to thirty-eight: as Frost created the Sanguine versions of the Modules: she noticed that Jury had been acting strangely. She constantly asked Frost to bite into a piece of stone. The mold left behind by her teeth would then be stowed away. She didn’t try to question Jury, since she trusted her enough to not do anything suspicious with the mold of her maw…

… then again, this was Jury she was talking about.

In any case, once the Sanguine versions were completed, she received a message from Nav.

< I heard you were unsatisfied with Jury’s cooking >

< Good news. Desert has arrived >

< The delivery is here >

< The Fallen Beholder Arata awaits her execution >

< Her Gift From a Star is the Aching Departure >

GIFT FROM A STAR: Aching Departure

< Gone before we knew it. The weight of responsibility hangs high. That price will be paid in full >

< A cowardly Gift. Her one perfect book was none other than the power to flee >

< Harvest it and claim Serum S as your own >

< May speed never limit you again >