Peaceful Life System: I only need to live peacefully
Chapter 177: Chilling with the Gang (1)

Chapter 177: Chilling with the Gang (1)

A few days after the King’s departure, a comfortable and productive rhythm settled over Elowen.

The Lifewell Project was in full swing, a humming engine of construction and agriculture that promised a new future for the kingdom.

Riku stood on the porch of a newly constructed longhouse, watching it all. He saw the dwarves’ forges glowing day and night. He saw Rennan directing caravans loaded with supplies. He saw the twin churches rising, stone by stone.

Finally, he had what he wanted. Just a peaceful life. It was best to enjoy it for as long as he could.

He could start populating his world right away, but he held it off. This was due to the second reward from the system, which he wanted to unlock fast.

System Upgrade Level 3 - Requirement - 300,000 Goodwill Points

But with peace came a familiar, nostalgic ache. He missed the simple, complex flavors of his old world. Buns and chocolate were good, but he craved something more. Something savory. Something communal.

He decided it was time to introduce Elowen to some more of his world’s greatest culinary arts.

He immediately went out, looking for the girls.

He found them, for once, in their own domains.

Lila was happily directing a group of children in the new herb garden. Elara was helping her. In the nearly completed Church of Light, Lysaria stood directing workers as they polished the sunstone altar. A short distance away, inside the imposing new Temple of Shadows, Sherry was overseeing the placement of a black obsidian lectern.

Seraphina moved between the two structures, her expression a mixture of critical appraisal and grudging approval. For some reason, she had decided to stay in Elowen for some time.

"Ladies," Riku called out, clapping his hands to get their attention. "I have a proposal. A culinary one."

He gathered them in the large, newly expanded kitchen of the inn.

"Today," he announced with a grin, "we are going to make pizza."

"Pizza?" Lila asked, her eyes lighting up. "What’s that? Is it a kind of pie? Does it have meat?"

"It can," Riku said. "It’s a flat, baked bread, covered in a savory sauce, cheese, and any toppings you can imagine."

Sherry leaned against a counter, her arms crossed. "More strange food from your homeland? Is this one going to make us mmm like the chocolates?"

"A culinary art from another world?" Lysaria mused, her expression curious and proper. "I would be honored to learn."

Seraphina remained by the doorway, her expression aloof. "I will observe," she said, as if granting a great favor.

Riku smiled. "Alright. First, we need ingredients."

He sent Lila and Elara to a nearby farm, now thriving thanks to the Water Runes. "Get the freshest vegetables you can find. And ask the farmer for his hardest, sharpest cheese."

He turned to Lysaria and Sherry. "Go to the new market stall. I need flour and any savory herbs you can find."

As they left, Riku closed his eyes.

System, he thought, I need some specific ingredients for this. Things we can’t get in the village. Can you still manifest items for me?

A blue panel shimmered in his mind.

[Affirmative, Host. The Selective Manifestation function is online.]

Good, Riku thought, relieved. Then I need a few things. High-quality yeast, a specific spice blend for a tomato-based sauce, and a bottle of olive oil.

Selective Manifestation. [-50 Goodwill Points]

The items appeared silently in a kitchen cupboard.

Lila and Elara returned first, their baskets overflowing. Lila proudly placed a large, firm wheel of cheese on the table with a solid thud.

"Farmer Elric sends his thanks for the new business opportunities," Lila announced. "With the inflow of animal feed, he said his cows have never been happier. He gave us his best aged cheddar."

Elara carefully laid out an assortment of bright red peppers, plump onions, and dark, earthy mushrooms. "He had so many vegetables, Riku. It was hard to choose."

A few moments later, Sherry and Lysaria entered. Sherry placed a heavy sack of flour on the table. "The finest wheat flour they had," she said, her tone dry. "Apparently, it’s now considered ’Elowen’s Gold’."

Lysaria arranged a bundle of herbs neatly beside it. "We procured basil, pepper, and a wild garlic variant. I hope these are suitable for your... pizza."

Riku looked over the bounty. Fresh, local produce and high-quality staples. It was a perfect foundation.

"This is all perfect," he said, a genuine smile on his face. He looked at the simple ingredients—the flour, the cheese, the vegetables. "You all see this, right? Just simple food."

He paused, a mysterious glint in his eye. "But with a little work, a little heat, and a little magic... we’re going to transform this into something you’ve never tasted before. Something that will make you forget every other meal you’ve ever had."

"Now for the most important part," Riku said, placing a large wooden bowl on the table. "The dough."

He measured out a generous amount of flour into the bowl. He added a pinch of salt. Then he held up a small, unassuming packet of pale powder.

"This," he announced, "is yeast. It’s the secret. It’s a tiny, living thing that eats sugar and... well, it breathes out air. That air gets trapped in the dough and makes the bread light and fluffy."

Lila peered at the powder. "It’s alive? It doesn’t look alive."

"It’s sleeping," Riku explained. "We have to wake it up."

He mixed the yeast with warm water and a pinch of sugar. After a few minutes, the mixture began to foam and bubble slightly.

"See?" Riku said, pointing. "It’s waking up. Now we add it to the flour."

Sherry sniffed the air. "It smells... strange. Like sour ale."

"That’s the smell of bread being born," Riku said with a grin. He poured the yeast mixture into the flour. "Now, we just add water and mix. This will be the foundation for everything else."

Lila pushed up her sleeves, her face set with determination. "Let me do it! I want to learn."

"It’s all about the feel, Lila," Riku cautioned. "Don’t work it too hard."

Lila plunged her hands into the bowl. She mixed and kneaded with an enthusiastic vigor. The dough got sticky. She added more flour. It got tougher. She kneaded harder.

"Why is it becoming harder?"