The Gourmet Innkeeper: Cooking Monsters in a Fantasy World-Chapter 279: Syl, Runes, and Gardening

Finn looked at her with wide eyes. "...you can make space runes already?"

"I should be able to," Syl said, straight-faced as always. "I have recently upgraded to the Blessed stage, therefore, I should be able to make runes. Sadly, the related books and references are all in the royal library back home..."

Remembering she could not go back there, her shoulders slumped. Finn lifted his hand and patted her head. "Don’t think about it, I may have a way."

He gave Pang a look. The bear stared at him, and then at Syl, and then nodded, confirming his supposition.

If—no, when—he met the requirements to build a Rune Workshop, then Syl could use it!

Of course, this meant he (Durgan and Haohao) had to do a lot of work first!

Fortunately, Milo and the other adventurers should be returning in a few days (he returned to Lotus Town, but seeing as the Traniels were already back there—which was faster than expected—he knew the rest would come soon as well).

As for the mines he found...he’d deal with that later. Anyway, they should have enough materials (the garden grew really well) for him to start experimenting with a few things.

Using his farming skill, he planted the vegetables and herbs, as well as the other plants he got in Level 2, and the borders of Level 1.

The Traniels soon left for the border of Level 1, decidedly limiting themselves there. Durgan asked to come with them, and he agreed, and Durgan promised his share of Toughened tier cores would go to him.

Finn wanted to reject it, but he really needed those cores, so he didn’t reject the halfing’s kindness.

He’d just cook them something for free to show his gratitude.

He spent a few hours gardening. Each plant seemed to have its own specific way of planting and growing. For example, one plant needed less water and was placed on the slight upslope part of the garden.

Another required its soil to be moist, so it had a bit of depression around it. Another required less sun, so it was planted next to a taller plant, and so on.

Syl was there with him too, as well as Athy. They found him after the Traniels left and offered a hand, insisting on it.

He felt guilty for letting royalty do things like this, but then she smiled, telling him that pureblood elves had a passive affinity with nature. Everything they touched would be a bit healthier than others.

It was also why the chances of producing essence food in Elf territory were much higher, disregarding the taste, because the quality of the ingredients there—especially the plants—was definitely far superior.

The one he was most excited to plant was the darkroot. He planted a few as soon as he arrived back then, and now he could get new seeds from those (the garden + sprite combo was glorious). Soon, he should get his coffee! Even if it was decaffeinated!

Not just the drinks, but the food he could make with it!

Anyway, he happily gardened, planted, and so on, along with them.

He would occasionally find his eyes gravitating towards the elf, though. She was wearing simpler clothes now, courtesy of Ranran. To temporarily hide their identity, she also drank a disguise potion that hid her ears and dyed her hair, but the rest was the same.

Ranran was amazing, by the way. Just one look at Syl, and she got her measurements, creating simple yet comfortable sets of clothing that was not too tight-fit, but followed and hinted at her curves well.

Finn pulled his eyes away from dangerous territory and focused on the task at hand.

...

After farming, they did their own thing. There were now several mats on the gazebos, and these could be used to meditate and absorb while feeling the fresh air outside.

Now that the [Rested Soul Bonus] function had been activated, there was a significant increase in recovery even outside of the rooms. There was also something very special about doing this with nature.

He also liked his view. He looked at the other gazebo, where Syl was. At this time, she was also absorbing cores, this time, fortified stage ones. Those things were on really different levels.

If the pinky-nail-sized awakened cores had energy of a gallon, the golf-ball-sized toughened crystal was an Olympic-sized pool, then the basketball-sized fortified stage core was probably a deep lake.

Finn didn’t bother with the awakened mob anymore because it didn’t help him much in terms of leveling. The goblins and Haurus, the awakeners, could deal with them.

This included Athie, who was definitely maximizing it.

He, along with the others, was having fun killing the awakened mob that was terrorizing the barrier.

At such a young age, his control of magic already matched Micc, who was said to be a fairly talented mage among the humans.

As expected of an elven prince.

That said, he also looked very good. He could tell he’d break hearts when he grew up. He shook his head in amusement, focusing on the task at hand.

At this time, he had no idea...that his own sister would fall for the kid’s charms as well.

...

It took about a day for Finn to finish his few toughened cores. In terms of number, he managed to finish very few.

He sighed. He knew that it’d be very difficult to upgrade from this point forward, unless he were a regular in the borders.

Which he should.

Perhaps he should start working on the mine as well while he did so. He already had an expansion there, anyway. Now that he had money and recovered the missing hearth points, he should be able to build the [Delivery Room] soon, as well as buy a few more expansion modules.

Thinking of this, he looked to the side to watch Syl again. She’d need to handle fortified-level monsters soon as well. Maybe they could go on a trip together?