The forest was damp and quiet after a light morning rain. Leaves dripped overhead and the earth was soft beneath Ken's boots as he walked the winding forager's trail, senses sharp and system humming.
[Seasoning Sense – Searching...]
He had set out early again, basket in hand, determined to find something new for tonight's bird dish. He planned to roast the other half of the tree hen his father had caught and preserved the night before—but wanted to elevate it.
Ken knelt near a moss-covered stump, brushing aside dew-heavy leaves to reveal a patch of wild parsley pushing up through the soil. He plucked a few sprigs and dropped them into his basket alongside some curled sorrel leaves and a few delicate stalks of wild chives he had found near a creek bed. The forest was generous today, even if the pickings were modest. He moved further into the shade of a thick oak grove, eyes scanning the ground for anything unusual.
As he reached a shaded grove beneath a cluster of ancient oaks, his senses pulsed hard.
A golden shimmer erupted at the edge of his vision. Not the usual soft flicker, but a concentrated glow—rich, dense, buried beneath the ground.
That's when he saw it—a rise in the soil, subtle and round. At first glance it looked like nothing more than a dark, lumpy stone tucked into the roots of an old tree. Ken dropped to his knees, pushing aside leaves and moss. The soil here was darker, richer, and smelled faintly musky. Digging carefully with a flat stick, he struck something firm, knobby, and irregularly shaped.
His heart skipped.
No way.
He dug it out, cradling the lumpy black object in his hands. It looked like a fist-sized chunk of soil—but he knew better. One sniff confirmed it.
A sharp, earthy aroma. Deep. Nutty. Almost magical.
[You've discovered: Black Truffle (Unknown – Unique)]
An ultra-rare subterranean fungus known for its intense aroma and flavor. Unknown to this world. Incredibly valuable.
Seasoning Sense EXP +14% → 35%
Ingredient Identification EXP +12% → 29%
Flavor Discovery Bonus: +2x EXP for Proper Usage
+20 EXP
---
Ken just stood there, speechless, cradling the treasure.
Black truffle. In this world? And nobody knows what it is?
His fingers tingled.
Back home, he washed the truffle gently and cut a sliver from the edge. The rich scent intensified immediately. In the old world, chefs would pay hundreds—sometimes thousands—for a chunk of this size.
He poured a small clay jar with the cleanest cooking oil he had and shaved in a few thin pieces of truffle, sealing it tightly.
---
[New Preservation Method Learned: Truffle Infusion]
Cooking Technique EXP +10% (Unranked)
---
With the rest of the truffle, he turned his attention to dinner.
He took the remaining bird meat and rubbed it down with herbs, salt, and a little of the truffle-infused oil. Then, using a flat stone over flame, he began slow-roasting the meat with slices of Crownroot and garlic. Once it was golden and glistening, he shaved the truffle thinly and laid the slices gently across the sizzling meat as it finished cooking.
The aroma was intoxicating—earthy, savory, wild. It filled the house like a spell.
---
[Ingredient Prep EXP +6% → 41%]
[Fire Control EXP +5% → 23%]
[Seasoning Sense EXP +11% → 46%]
Bonus EXP: +15 (x2 for rare ingredient)
Ken: Level 2 (35/40 EXP)
---
His mother entered first, wide-eyed.
"Ken… what is that smell?" she asked. "It's unlike anything I've ever… it smells expensive."
Ken smiled and handed her a plate. "You'll see."
As they sat down, the door creaked open—and then again, but not all the way. A figure stood in the doorway, sniffing loudly.
It was old Mr. Pell from two cottages over—a wiry man with a nose like a hawk's beak and a personality to match.
"I smelled something strange," he said, peeking in like a cat who'd caught wind of cream. "Smells like roasted heaven."
Ken's father, just arriving, raised an eyebrow. "Pell? You knock now?"
"Didn't want to interrupt! Just curious. What are you cooking, lad?"
Ken stiffened. This is how it starts. But he forced a smile.
"Just some wild mushrooms and the rest of yesterday's bird."
Pell's eyes narrowed, unconvinced. "Mushrooms, eh? Smells richer than anything I've had at the tavern this year."
He stepped inside without waiting for permission and leaned close to the plate on the table.
"Mind if I stay for a bite?"
Ken's parents looked to him.
He hesitated, then offered a small wooden dish and spoon. "A taste. Just a taste."
Pell dug in.
The moment the truffle touched his tongue, the old man froze mid-bite.
"…What in the—what is that?"
Ken calmly took a sip of water. "Just a forest mushroom. Hard to find."
Pell's eyes were wide with suspicion, wonder, and maybe a little jealousy. "Well, if you ever sell food, you've got my coin, lad."
He shuffled out, still muttering.
Ken turned back to his parents, who were both now watching him with a mix of admiration and surprise.
"I might have to start taking you hunting, that way you can start including more meat in your meals." his father said with a grin.
---
LEVEL UP!
Ken is now Level 3
EXP Reset: 10/60
+1 Dexterity, +1 Intelligence
---
Ken smiled faintly to himself as he sealed the rest of the truffle oil away in the cellar.
I won't just feed my family. I'll change how people here think about food.
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