Roxy Bell had her way as always.
"Zarek, for the last time, stop stepping on my crops!" She snapped at the big lizard, trying hard to avoid the soil.
Zarek froze, one massive foot hovering inches above the ground. He looked at Roxy, his golden eyes filled with a mix of adoration and utter bewilderment.
"I am guarding you," he rumbled, crossing his arms over his bare, muscular chest. "From the wolves and even my very own people. I must be close."
Roxy rolled her eyes. Can I also protect myself from you?
"You can guard me from the perimeter," Roxy replied, pointing at the edge of the field. "If you crush these plants, I am going to crush you. Now, back up."
Zarek huffed, but he obeyed. He retreated to the edge of the field, glaring at the treeline as if daring a squirrel to look at his mate the wrong way.
[TheMotheroftheWorld asks you why you treat him like that, don't you love him?]
Love? Desire is one thing, but when it comes to love, I don't think I am ready to use such emotion heavily when I don't know if this world is real or not.
[TheWorldbuildingGod laughs at you, and asks what it would take for her to believe it was real.]
A wake-up call.
[The gods are looking at you with a skeptical look.]
Roxy looks at Zarek, who lay on a rock near the ridge in his dragon form, and pressed her lips into a thin line.
How can I fall in love with a beast? What if I do? Have I never experienced loving multiple men? The system just wants me to be their breeding box. I haven't known my true purpose here, except for clearing my missions, avoiding death, and going back to earth.
I do not want to leave any lingering feelings.
[TheMotheroftheWorld sneers at you and asks, Do you think you can leave your children here?]
Roxy blanks out.
She stares at her protruding belly, and for the first time in her whole 26 years of living, she has nothing to say.
Roxy turned back to her work, wiping sweat from her forehead, deciding not to think about it. It had already been two months since the planting. The time she gave them was already long overdue, but that was because of Malcor and Lyra.
The Dragon tribe understood.
Her belly was now a prominent curve beneath her tiger-skin dress, forcing her to waddle slightly as she moved.
But she was glad her plan had worked, and finally, it was the time of harvest.
The System-enhanced seeds hadn't just grown; they had exploded. The potato plants were waist-high, lush and green. The wheat was already golden under the sun, signaling a heart-warming harvest.
Roxy was excited.
"Alright, ladies!" Roxy shouted to the female dragons. "Today is the day. Grab your shovels! It's treasure hunting time!"
Lyra, who had been working harder than anyone since she had her redemption, looked skeptical. "My Queen... But the crops don't look like they're ready."
Roxy rolled her eyes at her. With a snort, she had no choice but to reply.
"The leaves die because the nutrients are going into the roots," Roxy explained, jamming a space into the earth. "Trust the process."
She heaved on the space. The soil cracked.
With a grunt, Roxy pulled out the first plant.
Gasps erupted through the valley.
Clinging to the roots weren't tiny, shriveled tubers. There were massive, skinned potatoes the size of ostrich eggs. There were dozens of them on a single plant.
"Holy mother of carbs," Roxy whispered, picking one up. It was heavy, solid, and smelled like damp earth and life.
This gotta be the biggest potato I've ever seen in my life.
[The gods all agree with you.]
Zarek, seeing all the commotion, stomped over in his human form. He peered at the dirty lump in her hand.
"This is the treasure?" he asked, unimpressed. "It looks like a dirty rock."
Roxy scoffed. Of course, what did I expect from this big lizard?
With a huge grin on her face, she still replied. "This rock is going to save your species, Z," she tossed it at him, and he caught it with a terrifying reflex. "Now, don't just stand there looking pretty. Use those claws. Dig."
By sunset, the cave used for meetings was filled with piles of potatoes, baskets of radishes, and sheaves of wheat, which were stacked against the pillars.
The males of the Clan, who had returned from their hunt with a few measly deer, stared at the mountain of food with confusion. They sniffed it. It didn't smell like blood, so they lost interest immediately.
Malcor stood at the side with a grumpy expression, but Roxy didn't pay him any heed.
She turned to Zarek. "I need a big fire. And I need boar fat. All of it." Feeling this strong zeal to kick a large meal.
I don't always go into the kitchen to cook a large meal.
Zarek looked offended. "The fat? That is the best part."
"Trust me," Roxy said, winking. "I'm going to make it better."
Roxy immediately dived into work once Zarek returned with all she asked. She boiled the potatoes until they were very soft, then smashed them in using a clean rock she had told the females to wash at the streams. Then she rendered the boar fat down until it was liquid gold, mixing it into the mash with wild herbs she had found and a pinch of salt.
The result was a creamy, rich, and savory mash that smelled less like a vegetable and more like pure comfort.
Next, she took the radishes and roasted them in the dragon's fire until they were caramelized and sweet, losing their spicy bite.
The aroma began to fill the cavern. It was different from the scent of the roasted meat Roxy taught them to make. This was warm, earthy, and strangely filled just by smelling it in the air.
The males stopped polishing their weapons. Their nose, twitching.
Roxy ladled a massive portion of the boar-fat mashed potatoes onto a wooden platter, topped it with roasted steak, and garnished it with the caramelized radishes.
She walked up to the stone dais where Zarek sat.
"Dinner is served, Your Majesty," she teased, placing the platter on his lap..
Zarek looked at the white mush before looking up at Roxy. Through her smiling facade, Roxy was getting pissed.
Taste it, you fucking lizard.
"It looks like... paste," he noted suspiciously. Roxy rolled hr eyes. Her patience was wearing thin.
"It's called 'Mashed Potatoes," Roxy corrected, trying to sound as calm as possible. "Eat with the meat. Combine them."
Zarek hesitated. He scooped up a piece of steak, making sure to get a heavy dollop of the mash on it before taking a big bite.
Roxy watched him closely, her heart thumping in her chest. This was all a test after all, if Zarek rejected it, the clan would also reject it and refuse to do it.
Zarek chewed and then paused. His eyes widened.
The texture was new, soft, creamy, and melting in his mouth. But the flavor was intense, bursting in his cheeks. The boar fat carried the savory meat taste, but the potato added heaviness, a substance that meat alone lacked.
It felt... satisfying and absolutely delicious to him.
The first thing he thought was... My female is talented. I should keep her.
He swallowed and immediately went for a second bite. Then a third. Addicted to the taste.
"It fills the empty spaces in the belly," Zarek mumbled around a mouthful, and Roxy was grinning from ear to ear.
He stood up, holding the platter aloft.
"We will feast tonight!" Zarek roared, his voice booming through the hall.
[Ding! Task Update: 'The Humanity Solution'. Phase 2 Complete.]