Chapter 16 ：Herb

Larkin smiled and shrugged. "Honestly, a simple roast over the fire would do just fine. The fish's natural flavor is already delicious. Of course, if you want, you can add some spices to enhance it a bit."

At that moment, the system's voice echoed once again in Perry's mind: **"I suggest the host try using the surrounding plants. You might trigger a new quest!"**

Perry's eyes lit up with excitement. "Alright, I'll give it a try!" he exclaimed.

Even though he wasn't completely familiar with the local flora, he remembered seeing notes on some spices while researching the "Sleeping Mushroom" earlier. The notes described various local plants, particularly herbs that could be used for seasoning.

He decided to retrace his memory to find one of the mentioned spices. Passing through the dense forest, Perry soon found himself in a small clearing filled with red-leaved grass. According to the notes, this was called "Lanla Grass." The notes detailed that this plant added a mildly spicy, fresh flavor with a hint of sweetness, similar to rosemary on Earth but with an extra spicy aroma.

Perry plucked a few leaves, bringing them close to his nose. "Smells great!" he remarked, smiling with satisfaction. He was certain this would be the perfect choice to enhance the roasted fish. With a handful of Lanla Grass, he quickly made his way back to the camp.

Upon returning, Larkin was still sorting through the fish they had caught. He looked up as Perry arrived and smiled. "Already done? That was quicker than I expected."

Perry shrugged casually. "I've had some experience cleaning fish before, and maybe the system skills are helping me speed things up too. Everything feels a lot faster now," he said, having filleted the fish with such precision that Larkin couldn't help but glance at him in surprise.

At that moment, Toto approached, reaching out to take one of the prepared fish from Perry's hands. "Let me help grill these. I haven't done much so far," he offered.

"Sure, just a heads-up," Perry said, handing over the fish. "That one wrapped in leaves—grill it last. I added some Lanla Grass to it." He was glad to have some help, imagining they'd soon enjoy the fragrant roasted fish together.

"Lanla Grass?" Toto narrowed his eyes curiously at Perry. "Are you familiar with spices? Are you a chef or something?"

Perry froze for a moment, feeling a surge of nervousness. Right, in this world's setting, not everyone could freely cook for others, especially using plants with certain properties. He hurried to explain, "Uh, no, I'm not a chef! The Lanla Grass was just mentioned in a note I found earlier. It was nearby, so I figured I'd try a little bit. But don't worry, I only used a small amount."

Larkin flipped through the notes to confirm. "Yeah, it's listed here. Lanla Grass is just a regular seasoning—no special attributes. We're safe."

Hearing this, Perry sighed in relief, the tension in his chest finally easing. He knew he couldn't go around using unknown ingredients carelessly. If he had mistakenly added something dangerous, the consequences could have been disastrous.

Toto relaxed too, chuckling. "I see! For a moment, I thought… never mind. Now I'm really looking forward to this fish with Lanla Grass!" He said, adjusting the branches over the fire to keep the flames steady.

As the fish roasted slowly over the fire, the rich aroma began to fill the entire cave. The savory scent of grilled fish was irresistible, and before long, all three of their stomachs began to growl in unison.

The trio exchanged amused glances, bursting into laughter.

"Guess we're really hungry," Toto said, laughing.

"Yeah," Perry agreed, nodding. "The smell is just too tempting."

Larkin glanced towards the cave entrance, frowning slightly. "I think I'll go check on Rufus. He's been gone for a while now." Standing up, he walked to the entrance and gazed at the darkening sky, noticing the clouds gathering overhead. "Looks like it's going to rain. Where did Rufus run off to?"

"It's a hassle if it rains in the forest," Perry added, his concern growing. "Especially if we haven't found that Mushcat yet. That'll make things even harder."

"Definitely," Toto said as he flipped the fish again. "And since you're leaving tomorrow, it'll be tough without the Mushcat."

Perry nodded, but he hadn't yet figured out his next steps.

"Don't worry," Toto said warmly, "we'll help you find it. After all, you helped us with the injuries. It's only fair."

"…Thank you," Perry replied, grateful, though he knew it was really Henry who had done the healing. Still, finding the Mushcat was partly his responsibility.

"Hey, Henry! Be careful, your fish is about to burn!" Toto warned.

Perry quickly turned the fish over, just in time to hear voices from the cave entrance—Larkin and Rufus were back, and it seemed Rufus was explaining why he'd been gone for so long while Larkin teased him.

"Haha, you couldn't even catch a fish?" Larkin laughed.

"It wasn't my fault! I saw some weird creatures!" Rufus defended himself. "They were small, but super fast. I chased them for a while, but they disappeared near a cliff. I'm guessing they were Mushcats."

"Really?" Larkin's interest piqued. "But why would they go to the cliffs? Don't they prefer caves?"

The two continued chatting as they walked back inside, drawn by the smell of the fish. Rufus rubbed his stomach, grinning. "Wow, what smells so good? You guys grilled fish?"

"Yeah, courtesy of my catch!" Larkin boasted.

"Come and eat," Perry called out. "Two of them are ready, so dig in and refuel."

Larkin and Rufus sat down eagerly, grabbing the roasted fish and biting in with gusto. Watching them enjoy it so much, Perry and Toto anxiously waited for their own fish to finish cooking.

"This is delicious!" Rufus exclaimed.

"Yeah, really good!" Larkin echoed, thoroughly satisfied.

Perry took a bite of his fish as well, and the tender meat melted in his mouth. The delicate texture combined with a subtle saltiness and the fresh aroma of Lanla Grass made for the perfect flavor.

"Delicious!" Perry said, fully content.

Just then, Rufus's attention shifted to the fish wrapped in leaves. "What's that one?" he asked.

Larkin grinned. "That's the fish with Lanla Grass—Perry found it in the notes as a seasoning."

"Henry, you really are a genius," Rufus teased with a laugh.