Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 63: Primitive Cooking

Lavayla nodded as she weighed the pot and spoon in her hands, gently turning them over. Mirek was right. They were far easier to carry than she had expected, light enough that her arms did not feel strained at all. Though still heavier than ceramic from her old world, and considering that this was only a small pot, it added to the reason for its light weight.

They’re really light. Much lighter than I imagined.

As the thought settled, something else he had said surfaced in her mind.

Soft-Core stone.

Places where liquid fire erupts.

Her brows drew together slightly.

Liquid fire sounded a lot like lava. Volcanic regions. But if Soft-Core stone was found in places like that, then it could not simply be hardened lava. Maybe in this world, stones formed in extreme environments sometimes developed properties that opposed their surroundings instead of mirroring them.

She looked up at Mirek, confusion clear in her eyes, then lowered her gaze and carefully accepted the bone knife as well.

Seeing her expression and misunderstanding the reason behind it, Mirek spoke again, assuming she was concerned about the blade.

"The Ironback Ridgebeast is a powerful beast," he explained calmly. "But this one was separated from its herd. They rely heavily on numbers, and alone, they are not very clever. That made it easier to kill."

He paused briefly before continuing, "And you were right. We both seem to be lucky today. Its bones are among the best materials for making bone tools."

Lavayla’s confusion faded at his words, replaced by a pleased smile. "I told you, didn’t I?"

"Yes," he replied, nodding once.

He then stepped back. "Once I finish the larger stone pot, I will bring it back. It will take longer. I still need to smooth and even out the body."

"Alright. Be careful," she said.

With that, he turned and left, his figure disappearing along the familiar path.

Lavayla looked down at the items in her hands for a moment before turning toward Vai, her steps light as she crossed the short distance to him. Her smile widened as she carefully placed the bone knife on the ground, far out of his reach.

"Hey you," she said warmly, lifting the pot and spoon. "Look what we have here."

She waved them slightly, immediately catching his attention. "We’re finally going to prepare your world’s food. Real baby food."

Vai’s eyes followed the movement intently, his head tilting as he tracked the pot and spoon. Lavayla chuckled and moved them closer, then pulled them back just as his hands reached out.

She did it again.

And again.

Soft sounds escaped him as excitement built, his fingers stretching forward, grasping at the air.

Lavayla laughed, enjoying his reaction, until his patience finally ran out.

Unable to grab what he wanted, Vai latched onto the fabric of her trousers instead, tugging with surprising strength.

Lavayla burst into laughter.

But the moment stretched a little too long.

Vai’s expression suddenly crumpled. His lips trembled, brows knitting together as a small, broken sound escaped his throat.

"Hh... nnnh..."

A quiet whimper followed, breath hitching unevenly. His grip tightened as his frustration tipped over.

"Oh no," Lavayla said quickly, her smile vanishing. "No, no, no."

She scooped him up into her arms at once, holding him close to her chest.

"It’s okay," she soothed softly, rocking him gently. "It’s okay, baby."

His small sounds turned into soft cries, uneven and breathy, his face pressing against her shoulder as his body trembled.

Lavayla rubbed his back slowly, her voice low and steady. "I’m sorry. That was my fault. I shouldn’t have teased you."

Gradually, the cries softened into quiet sniffles, his body relaxing as her gentle rocking continued.

"There we go," she murmured. "I’ve got you."

She adjusted her hold on Vai and walked back inside, bending down briefly to pick up the folded fur cloth before stepping past the curtain of water. The steady sound of the waterfall faded as she moved deeper into the cave, the air growing cooler and calmer with each step.

When she reached the inner section they used for resting, Lavayla spread the fur cloth carefully on the ground. She lowered Vai onto it with practiced care, one hand resting lightly on his back. She patted him gently, slow and rhythmic, rocking him just enough to lull him further into comfort.

His breathing gradually evened out.

Minutes passed quietly. The tension in his small body melted away, his fingers loosening their grip on her clothes. By the time nearly fifteen minutes had gone by, he was fully asleep, cheeks relaxed and lashes resting softly against his skin.

Lavayla waited a little longer, just to be sure.

Only then did she straighten and step away.

She moved quietly back toward the cave entrance and emerged outside, where the sound of rushing water returned. The pot, spoon, and bone knife still lay where she had set them earlier. She gathered all three and carried them to the water’s edge.

First, she washed them thoroughly with soap, working carefully over every surface. Once she was satisfied, she stored the soap back inside her space vault and rinsed the items clean, letting the water run clear over stone and bone alike.

When she finished, she placed them on a flat rock to dry.

Next came the fire.

Lavayla moved away from the cave entrance and began gathering wood from the surrounding area. She chose dry branches and fallen pieces that snapped cleanly under pressure, avoiding anything damp from the spray of the waterfall. One by one, she stacked the wood in her arms, returning to place it near the cave entrance where it would be easy to reach.

By the time she finished, a small pile had formed.

She wiped her hands together lightly and glanced back toward the cave, listening for any sound from inside.

Everything was quiet.

Only then did Lavayla allow herself a small breath of relief as she started to prepare the ingredients.

First, she took out the Purple-Tusk tuber along with one of the vegetables she had gathered earlier. She planned to prepare a simple porridge for Vai. The tuber carried a natural sweetness, so there was no need to add anything else, especially since this meal was meant for a baby.

Lavayla wanted to do this properly.

Not with shortcuts, not with system conveniences, but the way someone in this world would have to do it, using only what she had on hand.

She stepped outside again and gathered several broad leaves, the same kind they had used earlier for wrapping and carrying items. After washing them thoroughly in the flowing water, she laid one flat on a smooth stone surface and placed the Purple-Tusk tuber on top.

Then she picked up the bone knife.

She pressed the blade down and sliced into the tuber.

It went through cleanly.

Lavayla blinked, then tried again, cutting a thicker section this time. The resistance was minimal, the blade gliding through the dense flesh with ease.

Her eyes lit up.

"This is amazing," she murmured, holding the knife up for a brief moment. It worked just as well as the metal knives she had used before, perhaps even better in some ways.

Satisfied, she continued.

She cut through about half of the tuber, then set the remaining portion aside. With steady movements, she peeled the skin away and began slicing the flesh into smaller pieces, careful to keep the sizes consistent. Once finished, she gathered the pieces together, rinsed them thoroughly in the water, and placed them into the stone pot.

Next came the fire.

Lavayla returned to the spot she had prepared earlier and built a simple raised platform using stones, arranging them so the pot could sit securely above the flames. She ignited the fire and waited until it burned steadily, then carefully placed the stone pot on top, adjusting its position until it felt stable.

While the tuber began to cook, she went back outside to prepare the vegetables.

She laid another leaf flat and began dicing them into fine pieces. The bone knife moved smoothly, cutting through the vegetables with almost no effort. Each slice was clean and precise, making the process far quicker than she had expected.

So fast, in fact, that she had to replace the leaf beneath the vegetables several times as it became worn from repeated cuts.

By the time she finished, the pot behind her was already beginning to release a faint, sweet aroma into the air.

Lavayla glanced at the neat pile of diced vegetables, then at the bone knife resting in her hand.

"...Mirek really outdid himself," she said quietly, a small smile forming as she carried the vegetables and turned back toward the fire. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

As the content in the stone pot warmed, a faint sweetness rose into the air. She stirred occasionally with the stone spoon, keeping the pieces from settling at the bottom. The tuber softened steadily, its edges rounding and breaking down as the heat worked through it.

When she pressed one piece against the side of the pot and it collapsed with almost no resistance, she nodded.

That was enough.

She carefully poured the tuber and its cooking water into a spare pot she had taken from her space vault, setting it aside to rest. The liquid had turned slightly cloudy, thickened with starch, warm and fragrant. She did not waste a single drop.

Next came the vegetables.