Chapter 425: New Winds Rise from the Humble Beginnings

The 3rd-circle 【Steam Wave】 effect was very effective; before long, the air was filled with a very familiar wheat aroma. Unlike the smell of bread, it carried a moist, gentle scent that refreshed Xia Duo. He dispelled the Force Tube, and the steamed bun, now cooked, plopped onto the workbench. It wobbled like a water-filled balloon; although it didn't bounce in the end, its elasticity was evident.

At this moment, ignoring the fact that the bun was still steaming, Xia Duo couldn't wait to reach out and grab it. It was indeed a bit hot, but not enough to scald him; however, the feeling in his hand was very different from the buns in his memories.

The skin was very sticky. Sniffing this familiar aroma, Xia Duo tried taking a bite. Hmm, the taste wasn't much different, but the texture felt wrong.

Xia Duo hurriedly broke the bun open. The center wasn't fully cooked through; this might have been related to the size of the bun, or perhaps to his steaming method.

Simply using a burst of Steam Wave for a period might cook the outside, but the inside was still slightly lacking.

"It seems I still need a steamer!"

Xia Duo wasn't discouraged. After all, this was only his first attempt, and the so-called Cooking Magic was still very imperfect. However, if ordinary residents were to make it, they could just use a steamer and steam it for a while longer.

Thinking this, Xia Duo had already begun his next attempt. This time, he took a little less flour, and the resulting dough was only half the size of a normal person's fist.

However, if one accounted for the expansion after steaming, this would be the size of a normal bun in Xia Duo's memories.

For the second attempt, Xia Duo maintained the Steam Wave for a longer time. Even after the Force Tube disappeared, he didn't stop, which nearly blew the bun away; fortunately, he used Mage Hand to control it in time.

This bun was much more normal. The skin was soft, and although it was still a bit sticky, it was much better than the first one. Breaking it open, the inside was completely cooked through.

Success!

As a relatively common staple food from his hometown, the bun itself wasn't very difficult to make. Generally speaking, that was just how dough turned out when steamed. Local tastes might differ slightly, but that was of no great consequence.

"Kuke, come and have a taste, see how it tastes?"

As he spoke, Xia Duo turned and handed half of the second steamed bun to Kuke, while he tasted the other half himself. The texture was different from the first one; it was fluffier and tasted even better.

Kuke took the white, slightly yellowish new type of food that the Lord had personally created using Magic, his hands trembling slightly. "M-my Lord?"

"Have a taste!"

"Yes, yes!"

Being able to eat food made by the Lord himself, Kuke was so excited he was about to cry. He scrambled to stuff the bun into his mouth, making "ah-woo, ah-woo" sounds.

"How does it taste?"

"Soft, a little sweet, very delicious!" Kuke said indistinctly with his mouth full.

It was his first time eating such a delicacy, and it completely overturned all his imagination. Just a piece of dough, and it ended up being so delicious! Could this be the magic of Magic?

After Kuke finished eating, Xia Duo asked again, "Do you think the residents will like this kind of food?"

"They will, absolutely! But my Lord, I don't know Magic!" Thinking that he might not be able to eat such a delicacy in the future, Kuke felt a bit restless.

"You don't need Magic. I already taught you how to make the dough before, and now I am teaching you this final step. Once you learn it, you can teach the other residents who come for rotation."

This final step required steaming, but Netheril had not yet developed the cooking method of "steaming." Generally, there was only roasting and boiling. Steaming required not only imagination but also tools.

Such as a steamer.

Next, Xia Duo had Kuke take a pot to the Woodworking Workshop, which was currently managed by Kaide, the resident who had been the first to be assigned a house.

Although he was already a foreman above the Working Group, Kaide still worked like an ordinary resident, even more diligently. Discovering Xia Duo's arrival, he hurriedly put down his woodworking tools and stepped forward to salute: "My Lord, what are your orders?"

"I want you to make something." As he spoke, Xia Duo displayed the general appearance of a multi-layered steamer in the form of a Projection. It was square, like a lidless box, with grooves on the top and bottom to allow the multi-layered steamer to be fixed in place.

Of course, a lid was essential, as well as a wooden board slightly larger than the pot opening with a hole in the middle for the bottom.

After seeing the projected image, Kaide frowned, "My Lord, this is very complicated. Only Carpenter here can make it."

"Then have him make it! Make one first and give it to Kuke for a trial, then modify it based on the actual situation. If this is done well, I will have Laidun record a Small Merit for him."

Xia Duo drew a big picture without hesitation. Something like a steamer was important if you said it was important, and unimportant if you said it was unimportant; the key was who was using it.

Changing the dietary habits of the Territory was one of Xia Duo's goals, and diet was related to culture. If he could lay a foundation while the Territory was being pioneered, that would be for the best.

On the other hand, for a Slave with a skill like Carpenter, he had actually wanted to liberate him for a long time. It was just that due to realistic reasons, he couldn't do so, but he certainly gave him plenty of opportunities.

Whether it was Carpenter, Black at the brick kiln, or other Slaves, as long as they worked hard and actively contributed to the Territory, they would soon be able to shed their Slave status.

After briefly explaining the points to note about the steamer, Xia Duo put the matter aside for now. He just needed to wait for the result; this was the benefit of being a superior.

Before returning to the small tent, Xia Duo stopped by to check on his Lord's Villa.

Currently, the construction here was nearing its end. It was truly worthy of a craftsman team that had been to Kangnifeila; it was estimated that it wouldn't take long to be completed. However, the decoration issue would require extra time, but Xia Duo wasn't in a hurry.

After sending a Sending to Laidun to add manpower to the kitchen, Xia Duo returned to the small tent to study. Cooking Magic wasn't urgent for now; he would follow his existing plan step by step.

Netheril River, on the deck of an ordinary cargo ship.

Two men who looked like foremen were standing at the bow. The cold wind of early winter blew in their faces, making them rub their hands involuntarily. The wind was biting, but colder than the wind was the bleakness of their future.

"Sears, do you think we will be rewarded or punished when we go back this time?"

"Hard to say. It depends on how much those barbarians in the cargo hold are valued by that Daxia Territory Lord." Watching the flowing river water, Sears also revealed a bit of confusion.

"Sigh, that damn Baron. The Chamber of Commerce paid for him to become a Mage, but I didn't expect him to slip away without a word! If he wants to leave, let him leave, but don't drag us down with you!"

As he spoke, this foreman sighed again.

Just then, Sears suddenly pushed him and pointed to the water not far ahead, exclaiming: "Stop sighing, Boen! Look quickly, is that a person?"

Boen looked in the direction Sears was pointing. A dark, long object was floating on the water, occasionally sinking and rising with the current.

Looking closely, it really did look like a person floating on the water.

Soon, the distance between the cargo ship and the person was close enough to see the tattered clothes on the person's body.

(End of chapter)