So, when she first spotted the fruit here, the mory ca back, and curiosity got the better of her. She had already picked half a basket when Veer ca blundering along, insisting on helping. Which he did... by stabbing his bare hand right into the thorns.
And now, here she was, sighing over the injured idiot while trying not to regret wanting to taste this mystery snack.
Shaking her head, Kaya set the fruit on the flat stone table, washed them carefully, then scored each with a cross-shaped cut—just like she rembered from the videos. She heated the pot, poured in a little coconut oil, tossed in a pinch of the rock salt the vultures stored away (since her own stock was nearly gone), and dropped the seeds in.
They sizzled and swelled beautifully, releasing a nutty aroma that filled the small house. When the oil cald, she added a splash of water, quickly covered the pot, and let it steam. After twenty minutes, the sharp raw sll was gone, replaced with a mouthwatering fragrance.
Kaya lifted the lid, steam curling against her face, and her lips twitched in reluctant satisfaction. "At least it looks edible."
She served the seeds onto a plate, the golden-brown pieces gleaming with a light sheen of oil. Then, without looking at Veer—who was still sulking dramatically with his hand bandaged—she walked straight over to the little sparrow perched nearby.
She placed the plate in front of him.
"Here. Try it."
The little sparrow tilted his head at the plate as if Kaya had just put poison in front of him. His beady eyes darted from her to the steaming fruit pieces and back.
"Chirp?" he asked suspiciously, hopping a step closer but not daring to touch.
Kaya folded her arms, slightly impatient.
"What chirp? I cooked it for you, idiot. Try it."
Behind her, Veer groaned loudly, his bandaged hand raised dramatically.
"Wifey, you made sothing new and first you give it to that feathered rat? What about ? Look at my injuries! Do I not deserve the first bite?"
Kaya shot him a side glance.
"You injured yourself picking them up. You don’t get rewarded for stupidity."
Veer’s jaw dropped. "Unbelievable... my own wife... heartless!"
anwhile, the sparrow puffed his chest proudly at her words, chirped sharply at Veer like mocking laughter, then finally took a cautious peck at the food. His eyes blinked rapidly, and after a mont he chirped again—this ti high-pitched and eager. He hopped in place and shoved his beak into another piece, his wings fluttering like he couldn’t eat fast enough.
Kaya raised a brow. "So it is edible, huh? And tasty too."
Veer, sulking even more, sat cross-legged on the floor, muttering,
"First she calls an idiot, then feeds my rival... I’m going to die of heartbreak before the thorns even heal."
Ignoring Veer completely, Kaya fixed her gaze on the sparrow. She watched him for what she guessed was about ten minutes straight. The little thing was sprawled on the ground, chirping softly, his tiny wings patting his round belly in satisfaction.
Kaya narrowed her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Oh... so it’s not poisonous."
The sparrow froze. His eyes went wide in disbelief, and he shot upright so fast it looked like he’d been struck by lightning. He stared at Kaya with pure shock, beak half-open as though he couldn’t believe what he just heard.
Even Veer, who had been sulking all this ti, turned toward her. A grin spread across his face, and he raised his hand with a bright thumbs-up.
"Nice, sweetheart."
Kaya rose from the table, ignoring the sparrow’s wide-eyed stare. She bent down, gathering more of the thorny fruits scattered on the ground. The sparrow was still frozen in shock, like his soul had just left his tiny body.
As Kaya stood up with the fruits in her hands, the sparrow suddenly burst out, chirping frantically—
"Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp! How could you do this to ?"
But one sharp glare from Kaya was enough. Her amber eyes swept over him, and his wings instantly stiffened. Trembling, he snapped his beak shut. She’s not a woman, he thought in horror, his feathers puffing in fear. Forget devil... this one is the demon king itself.
Kaya turned away as if nothing had happened, carrying the fruits into the kitchen. Twenty minutes later, she ca back, a plate in her hand. The rich, savory aroma filled the air, and she calmly sat down at the table.
On her plate lay the golden-fried fruits, steaming gently, each piece glistening with a homade sauce she had whipped together—coriander, chili, rock salt, and garlic all mashed into a fiery blend.
She took her chopsticks and began to eat. The sparrow blinked, expectant, waiting for his share. But his plate? Empty.
Not a single drop of sauce.
Not even a seed.
.
.
.
Kaya started to go out more with Veer, wandering beyond their usual paths. She was tired of eating the sa food again and again, and with her spices long finished, the als felt dull on her tongue. So, she wanted to see if she could find sothing useful—anything that could bring back so taste.
Her trips were not in vain.
On one of their walks, Kaya crouched low, brushing aside the dried grass, her eyes catching the faint bulbs of garlic peeking through the soil. She dug gently with her fingers, pulling them free one by one. It surprised her. Garlic—at this ti? The season was already long gone. But perhaps these were different, wild ones that had learned to survive here in this strange world. They were not small or weak; instead, they were plump, already ripe, as if waiting for her hand.
A smile flickered over her lips. "Good," she whispered, turning the bulbs in her palm, dirt still clinging to them. "These will last at least a year if I store them well."
Veer, standing nearby, tilted his head and raised a brow. "A year? Just with these?"
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