Ding.
The oven timer rang, and Lloyd pulled out the loaves with gloved hands. Steam rose in soft swirls, carrying the rich smell of freshly baked bread. The scent filled the kitchen, warm enough to almost chase away the winter cold on its own. He placed the rye and wheat loaves on the table, letting them cool, the golden crust cracking faintly under the change in temperature.
It had been years since he'd tasted bread made by his own hands, and never had it smelled this good. The stats flashed as he observed the baked goods:
Rye Bread – Stamina +50
Wheat Bread – Dexterity +50
He sliced them evenly, placing a small dish of butter to the side. A taste test would have to wait.
His stats had climbed a lot these past weeks.
Stats
Health: 200
Strength: 120
Precision: 150
Agility: 0
Dexterity: 0
Stamina: 0
Mana: 250/250
Rank: F-
The effects were obvious in his body. Movements felt lighter, his senses sharper, muscles more responsive. Yet he still lacked crops to boost agility or mana. The bread solved stamina and dexterity, but baking it was a long process, and there was no way he could finish two whole loaves alone. So those stats would increase pretty slowly.
To test his new strength, he went hunting. This time, no rifle as he had only a few bullets left. Just knives strapped to his belt.
The forest greeted him with its biting air. His eyes cut through the shadows as if the dark itself had thinned for him. He spotted movement. A boar, thick and bristling, rooting under the snow.
He crouched low, knife in hand. The distance was perfect. With a flick of his wrist, the blade sailed through the air. It struck the boar's hind leg, slicing through with brutal ease. The animal shrieked, blood spraying across the snow, before it bolted in panic. Its escape was short-lived. It collapsed, thrashing weakly.
Lloyd approached calmly, knife poised.
"Sorry, fella. Survival of the fittest."
One clean thrust to the skull, and it was over.
Carrying the carcass felt almost effortless. The strength bonus from spinach really did wonders. He hauled it to the barn and got to work. He dismembered the animal piece by piece with ease.
_______________________________________
"Nora, don't you ever get bored?" Sylvara's fingers moved skillfully through the girl's hair, weaving soft strands into neat braids.
"Mhm." The little rabbit nodded with a pout.
"I can only play trains here," she mumbled.
"There are dolls too. And bunny, right?" Sylvara tilted her head with a teasing smile.
"Played too much," Nora huffed.
"Brother won't let me go outside 'cause it's cold. But he never plays with me anymore. He's always working."
Sylvara's eyes softened. She leaned closer, pinching the girl's cheeks gently.
"Aww, Lloyd is such a bad guy. How dare he not play with our baby?"
"…Brother is not a bad guy. Brother takes good care of Nora!" Her little cheeks puffed like an angry hamster.
Sylvara failed to hold back a laugh.
"Pfft, hah! Okay, okay. Lloyd is a good guy. Big sister is the bad one, alright?"
"No! Pretty sister is good too!" Nora argued with all her might.
Before Sylvara could reply, a knock sounded on the door.
"Can I come in?" Lloyd's voice came from the other side.
"Of course," Sylvara answered.
The door opened, and Lloyd stepped in.
"What are you two laughing about?" he asked, sitting at the edge of the bed.
Nora whispered something into Sylvara's ear. The goddess winked, pressing a finger to her lips.
"Girl stuff. You wouldn't get it."
The two shared a secret giggle while Lloyd blinked, dumbfounded. "Hey! I've danced to 'I'm a Barbie girl in a Barbie world~' one too many times to not be allowed in girly activities."
He shuddered at the memory. The ridiculous song. The ridiculous dance. The ridiculous tiara he wore just to make Nora smile. At least it wasn't baby shark.
Sylvara tilted her head, confused.
"What's that?"
"The song. 'Come on Barbie, let's go party,'" Lloyd said, pointing at the doll in the corner.
"I know the doll. I didn't know there was a song to it."
"Brother," Nora's eyes sparkled mischievously.
"No. Never again." Lloyd stepped back, hands raised.
Sylvara tugged gently on his sleeve, her voice soft. "Lloyd, please?"
His shoulders slumped as he resided himself to his fate. "…Fine."
They followed him to his mother's room. The goddess and the little girl watched as he rummaged through drawers. No makeup because it was expired. The old Barbie dress was far too small to fit him. He sighed and settled on a clean dress shirt. From another drawer, he pulled out a small tiara, wiping away the dust.
With the tiara perched on his head, he stood in the center of the room, holding an old hairbrush like a microphone. The music played only in his head, but the performance was flawless.
[Redacted to maintain his little amounts of pride]
Sylvara covered her mouth to stifle a laugh while Nora clapped along, squealing with delight.
Encore after encore, he sang and danced, his face burning red but his heart light.
By the time he flopped down on the bed, the tiara slipping sideways, he was smiling despite his unwillingness. The embarrassment was worth it. For those two, he'd do it a thousand times over.