"I’ll make sothing special today," she said softly, tying her hair back as she stepped into the kitchen.
The kitchen soon filled with life.
Fresh vegetables were washed one by one, crisp cabbages, bright carrots, firm potatoes, juicy tomatoes, and fragrant herbs. The water running over them carried a faint earthy scent, clean and refreshing.
For the hotpot, Ivy prepared two broths.
One was spicy, rich red in color, filled with chili, garlic, and oil that shimred on the surface. The other was mild, clear, warm, and soothing, made with herbs and slow-cooked vegetables.
She sliced tofu into soft cubes, cut vegetables into bite-sized pieces, and arranged everything neatly on large trays.
As the broth began to boil, the aroma slowly spread... It was... different.
Deeper. Richer. The fragrance wasn’t just appetizing, it felt alive.
The spicy broth carried a sharp, mouth-watering heat, but beneath it was a natural sweetness from the vegetables. The mild broth slled comforting, yet unusually refreshing, as if it could clear one’s mind just by breathing it in.
Even before tasting it... It already slled far more delicious than any ordinary hotpot.
Soon, everyone gathered.
Laughter and chatter filled the room as the steaming pot was placed at the center. The mont the lid was lifted, a wave of fragrant steam rose into the air.
"That slls amazing..." Ember murmured, her eyes lighting up.
Alice didn’t wait any longer. "I’m starting first," she declared with a grin.
She picked up a piece of tofu, dipped it into the spicy sauce, letting it soak fully before bringing it to her lips.
The mont she bit into it... Her eyes widened instantly.
"Mmm!"
A soft squeal escaped her as the flavor burst across her tongue. "It’s so good!"
The spice hit first, bold and sharp, followed by a deep, rich taste that spread warmth through her entire body.
One by one, the others began eating.
Helena, Victor, Ember, Kael, Talia, Asher, Dante, Jay and even Ivy joined them.
As they tasted the food, a subtle silence fell over the group. Sothing... was different.
The vegetables...they weren’t ordinary.
"They taste... fresher," Helena murmured, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Not just fresh," Victor added, taking another bite. "It’s like... they’re alive."
There was a unique crispness, a natural sweetness that lingered longer than usual.
And then... They felt it.
A gentle warmth spreading through their bodies. It wasn’t overwhelming. It was subtle. Comforting.
Like a slow current flowing beneath their skin. For a mont, no one spoke. They couldn’t quite describe it.
Asher suddenly looked at Ivy and raised his thumb with a grin.
"I’ve eaten all kinds of delicacies before the apocalypse," he said. "But nothing compares to this."
Amber quickly nodded, unwilling to be outdone.
"Even the Michelin five-star restaurants I went to before..." she added, her tone filled with disbelief, "they can’t match this."
Talia chuckled lightly, resting her chin on her hand. "Maybe it’s because these vegetables are of supre quality," she said casually.
The mont she said that... Jay paused mid-bite.
His expression changed. He lowered his chopsticks slightly and stared at the vegetables in the pot with a thoughtful gaze.
He wasn’t the only one. Helena. Victor. Alice.
All of them were now looking at the food... differently.
Not as diners... But as researchers. Curiosity flickered in their eyes.
Ivy noticed imdiately. ’Of course... this was bound to happen.’
She let out a quiet sigh. After the al ended, just as she expected...they approached her.
"Ivy..." Helena began, her tone unusually serious.
"Can we get a sample of these vegetables?" Victor added.
Jay adjusted his glasses slightly. "We want to run so tests."
Even Alice nodded eagerly. "There’s definitely sothing unusual about them."
Ivy didn’t refuse. "Alright," she said simply.
She handed them samples, watching as they carefully took them away like precious specins.
Once everything settled, Ivy returned to her room. Tonight... She felt unusually sleepy.
A soft heaviness wrapped around her body, not uncomfortable, but soothing.
’That’s... new.’
Normally, it took her a long ti to fall asleep.
But this ti... The mont she lay down, her consciousness drifted away almost instantly.
When she opened her eyes again... Morning light had already filled the room.
Her body felt light. Her mind was clearer. Even her mood felt brighter than usual. All the irritation she had carried before...had disappeared.
Ivy sat up slowly, a thoughtful expression forming on her face.
’This... is because of the vegetables, isn’t it?’
She called out softly, "Temporal Storage... is that true?"
There was a brief silence. Then...
[It... appears so.]
Ivy chuckled faintly. "You’re not even sure?"
Silence followed again. She smiled slightly, shaking her head.
’That’s strange...’
If the Temporal Storage had existed for so long, with many hosts before her... then surely, soone must have tried growing vegetables before.
So why didn’t it know about their effects?
When she questioned it further, the answer surprised her.
"There have been many hosts," it replied slowly, "but almost none who were capable of growing vegetables in such conditions."
Ivy’s eyes widened slightly. "...So you do know about superior beings?"
[I have already told you as much as I can.]
Ivy paused, her gaze turning thoughtful.
"Sotis," she said slowly, "it feels like you don’t want superior beings to decline... but at the sa ti, you resent them."
The silence that followed was heavier this ti. Then... "Your intelligence... surpasses most superior beings from other worlds."
Ivy let out a small laugh. "I won’t take that as a complint."
The topic shifted soon after, and she didn’t press further. Days passed.
Ivy continued eating the vegetables regularly, carefully observing their effects.
At the sa ti, she focused on her power, steadily approaching another breakthrough.
And then... She began to notice sothing.
Her family... They were changing. In a good way. They looked healthier. Stronger. More vibrant.
Helena, who had previously gained weight, now appeared slimr. Victor and Dante looked more energetic than ever.
And Ember... Ivy’s gaze softened slightly.
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