Soul Bound

1         Soul Bound

1.1       Finding her Feet

1.1.2     An Immersive Experience

1.1.2.10  #CookingDance

Mary-Lynn had finished making the sheets and had prepared everything she needed for the jugged rabbits.

{System, can you give a copy of my recipe for Lapin à la moutarde to Mary-Lynn?}

[Yes. Do you wish to set a price for the trade offer?]

“Mary-Lynn, here’s a recipe as thanks. I’m sending it to you directly.”

{System, no return items required. Just accept her trade.}

“Ok, now let’s make baklava. I’ve got two trays. I’ll do one, and you copy what I do with the other. In fact, let’s use different nuts and cutting patterns, so there’s a little variety.”

She took out the butter and quickly melted it, then started building up layers of pastry, thinly brushed butter, pastry, thinly brushed butter. About a third of the way up she scattered a layer of chopped pistachio mixed with sugar and cinnamon, then carefully removed some and used chopped hazelnut to mark out a Mor rune. More wafer layers, followed by a Cov rune, and then some final layers. They took the trays over to Giada and asked her to bake them on a low shelf until light golden brown (about 1 hour, or maybe a bit less - check with a skewer that the dough in the middle isn’t undercooked.)

Next was the syrup. Honey, water, sugar, orange extract and clove. She set it to simmer, and showed Mary-Lynn how to use System to set a timer.

“Please simmer that for 25 minutes then let it cool, take out the cloves and add the lemon juice. I need to go get a gown fitted, but I’ll be back down to cast the magic, I hope. But, if I’m not there, pour the syrup over as soon as they come out of the oven, make pretty happy face patterns with it and think happy thoughts. You’ll do fine.”

[Level 4 acquired. You have unspent 4 stat points. You have 3 unspent skill points.]

She swept out of the room and followed a blue star trail upstairs to where she’d last met Mariella. The gown was laid out, with a profusion of emerald and sapphire jewelry. The maids stood practically at attention. It seemed that they had deemed the visit of Madame Kafana to be a Social Event, and one they must show off to the house’s best advantage.

She suffered being stripped, flannel bathed, and having her hair arranged lavishly, before the dress was ceremoniously placed upon her person, and then adorned. Finally they were satisfied with the effect and turned her to face a mirror.

“Mariella, your team are nothing short of miraculous. Are you sure you’re not mages? You are the true jewels of House Landi. I must thank Lady Sienna for your support when I meet her.”

[Skill “Sweet talk” acquired.]

She had a hard time looking away from the mirror.

[Message from Mary-Lynn: The baklava is about to be taken out of the oven.]

She shook her head to clear it, still astonished. {System, tell Mary-Lynn: I’m on my way.}

She held the dress free of the floor, and nearly danced down the stairs on her new slippers.

[Level 5 acquired. You have 8 unspent stat points. You have 4 unspent skill points.]

Wellington’s voice came on the chat channel: {Tomsk, wind it up there. Leave the warriors to carry on if they want, but we need you back here now to help out with the performance.}

Kafana reached Mary-Lynn’s side just as Giada brought the trays over to their work area. Mary-Lynn had thoughtfully split the syrup between two pouring jugs, and they now got artistic. Kafana sang a happy song quietly to herself as she decorated hers:

__lyrics to be included here, pending response from halleonard.com__

Her geese looked more like ducks, and only a very charitable critic would claim to be able to recognise the oval shape as being schnitzel with noodles, but in this case it really was the thought that counted. She visualised the guests being delighted with the feast and extravagantly praising their host to every friend they met back in the city. She didn’t realise, until she noticed that she was twirling in circles the tray held up over her head as she sang the final part of the song in a voice that rang among the rafters, just how carried away she’d gotten:

__lyrics to be included here, pending response from halleonard.com__

She blushed furiously, and hastily put the tray back down, trying to pretend that nothing had happened and it was all intended, and how dare they keep looking at her like that. Mary-Lynn giggled in delight at her expression, as she poured the last of the syrup onto her own tray in the shape of a big smiley face. And maybe giggles weren’t too bad an emotion to feed into the magic either. Ah well, so much for dignity.

Her mana bar dropped by 150 points, as a sensation hit her that wasn’t so much the mana flowing out of her, as exploding out of her. *Gulp*. She hoped she hadn’t over-done it.

{Wellington, does this game have a problem with balance? I mean, the magic I’ve been casting seems a little over powered for a new user on her first day to manage.}

{Kafana, the strength of different types of magic and combat skill varies, depending on where you are and which planets are in the sky. As far as Camillo knows, in this world order and water are stronger than average, and chaos and fire are weaker than average. For every type of magic, there is somewhere on one of the game’s worlds where that type is the strongest.}

“Mary-Lynn, thank you so much for all your help. It has been fun working with you. Please accept the jugged rabbits. I look forward to tasting your cooking in the future. I do hope you get a chance to watch my performance at the feast.”

“Count on it.”