After bringing over the dried grass, Draven first lifted the double-handled iron pot off the hearth, filled it about two-thirds with clear water, and then placed it back over the fire with the practiced ease of a seasoned cook.

  He grabbed a few handfuls of dry grass and laid them beneath the hearth. A quick strike of the flint sent sparks flying—flames immediately licked up the grass, crackling softly as smoke began to curl upward.

  Liliana crouched beside him, wrinkling her nose curiously."Are you sure you know what you're doing? What's this pot of water for?"

  "Just wait and see," Draven replied with a smile, offering no further explanation.

  The dry grass burned quickly, and in no time, the fire had turned the bottom of the pot red-hot. The water inside began to bubble and steam vigorously.

  Draven turned around and asked Liliana to fetch a ceramic basin from inside the house. The girl went off grumbling under her breath about how the liar was acting all mysterious again.

  When she returned, Draven took a handful of plant ash from the corner of the hearth and carefully poured it into the clear water, then stirred it thoroughly with a wooden stick.

  The ash-infused water looked like murky sludge—thick and grey. Liliana curled her lip in disgust and stared at the basin."You're not actually going to eat that, are you?"

  "Of course not," Draven said calmly."But it's the key to success. Whether the Fairy Spirit Tofu turns out or not depends on this."

  Liliana looked completely baffled but didn't dare question him further. She sat down reluctantly to watch.

  By now, Sylvia and Martha had finished washing the leaves they'd gathered from the woods. Spread out in a bamboo basket, the leaves glistened with a rich green hue and gave off a faint herbal fragrance.

  Draven checked them over and nodded in satisfaction. He grabbed a handful and tossed them into the boiling water.

  Immediately, a greenish-blue steam rose from the pot, carrying the bitter, earthy scent of the leaves. Draven stirred gently with a spatula to make sure every leaf was fully immersed in the hot water.

  After a few minutes, he fished the leaves out, poured out the first batch of water, and refilled the pot with fresh water. This time, instead of waiting for it to boil, he tossed the blanched leaves back into the water and rolled up his sleeves.

  "You're really going in with your hands?" Liliana's eyes widened."Isn't that gross?"

  "Who's afraid of getting dirty when they cook?" Draven didn't even look up."Didn't you want to know how to make Fairy Spirit Tofu? Come help."

  Liliana gave a huff, but scooted over anyway. She began kneading the leaves with her hands. Her technique was awkward, and soon her arms were smeared with green juice, but her face shone with excitement.

  By the time they finished kneading, the water in the pot had turned into a thick, vibrant green soup with bubbles floating on the surface. Filtering it without cloth was tricky, but Draven had a solution.

  "Liliana, lay these two sticks across the rim of the pot. Don't move them."

  Though puzzled, she did as told.

  Draven gripped the pot handles and carefully tilted it, pouring the green liquid into another ceramic basin. The sticks acted as a barrier, catching most of the leaf debris. Though some residue still made it through, the bulk stayed in the pot.

  Then, using a spoon, he skimmed off the foam floating on top to clarify the liquid as much as possible. Once done, he brought over the earlier-prepared ash water.

  In the basin, the grey ash had settled at the bottom, leaving relatively clear liquid on top. Draven scooped a few ladles of the upper layer into the green juice and began to stir.

  "That's it?" Liliana eyed him suspiciously.

  "Not quite." Draven picked up the clean iron pot and placed it upside-down over the ceramic basin as a lid."Now we wait thirty minutes and let the magic happen."

  "What kind of magic is that?" she muttered, but stayed close anyway.

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  With the waiting time on hand, Draven began mixing dipping sauces. He pulled out several spices, a pinch of salt, some wild chili peppers, and a bit of vinegar he'd traded for in the village. These he used to make three dipping sauces: mild, medium, and extra spicy.

  As soon as Liliana saw the condiments, she rushed over to sample them all. After a single taste of the medium one, she started fanning her tongue and gasping,"It's so spicy! Are you trying to kill me?"

  "I thought you said you could handle anything," Draven teased with a wicked grin.

  Sylvia, Martha, Viola, and even Acorn Oak—who was peeking in through the doorway—all burst into laughter. The treant blinked its wooden eyes, seemingly amused too.

  In the midst of the laughter, half an hour flew by.

  Draven lifted the pot lid. A refreshing herbal aroma wafted out. Everyone gathered around—and fell silent the moment they saw the contents.

  Inside the basin was a shimmering green jelly-like substance, as smooth and translucent as jade.

  Liliana's eyes went wide."It actually turned into Fairy Spirit Tofu?"

  "Of course." Draven smiled mysteriously, then picked up a knife and carefully cut the tofu into palm-sized blocks. The surface wobbled like jelly and looked incredibly appetizing.

  He picked one up, finding some residue at the bottom. No big deal—just shaved it off.

  Holding the green tofu block in one hand and using the other to slice, he quickly filled several ceramic bowls with gleaming tofu cubes.

  "Here, Acorn Oak. One bowl for you." He handed it over with a smile.

  The treant accepted the bowl, blinking as it studied the strange new food.

  Draven took a cube for himself, added a spoonful of medium sauce, stirred, and popped it into his mouth.

  "That's the taste!" he closed his eyes in satisfaction, a blissful smile spreading across his face.

  Everyone else stared in stunned silence, momentarily forgetting to dig in.

  "Well? What are you all waiting for? Add your own sauce and eat!" he called out.

  At last, the group eagerly joined in.

  Only Acorn Oak stood outside the door, staring helplessly at the ceramic bowl in his hands. At four or five meters tall, the treant's enormous frame made the bowl look like a toy—pitifully tiny in comparison.

  But he wasn't planning to eat much; he just wanted a taste.

  Draven poured the specially prepared spicy sauce over the tofu and stirred it well. Without hesitation, Acorn Oak tilted the bowl directly into his mouth, letting the tofu drop clumsily into his belly with a few loud gulps.

  Watching his awkward manner, Draven couldn't help but laugh, caught somewhere between amusement and exasperation.

  Just as he was about to serve another bowl, Draven glanced back into the room and realized that most of the large basin of Fairy Spirit Tofu had already been devoured.

  The atmosphere inside was unusually lively.

  Liliana was eating enthusiastically, letting out sharp hissing sounds as she shoveled in mouthfuls of tofu. Her face was dripping with sweat, and her hair stuck to her cheeks from the heat. She was so focused on eating that she had completely forgotten her usual poise and elegance.

  Even Sylvia, normally calm and graceful, had lost her composure. Chili sauce was smeared across her face, and a few drops of sauce trailed from the corner of her mouth—but she didn't care. Instead, she seemed genuine and relaxed.

  Viola was busy wiping the sweat from Liliana's forehead and cheeks, her hands moving quickly yet tenderly.

  But what surprised Draven the most was Martha. The deer-girl had boldly chosen the spiciest sauce without a second thought.

  Looking at her bright red lips, inflamed from the heat, Draven unconsciously licked his own lips. The spiciness was beginning to stir his appetite too.

  Martha noticed his gaze and shot him a provocative glance.

  Draven's heart skipped a beat. He stepped forward a few paces and came to stand beside Liliana.

  "Now, who was it that bet against me earlier?" he asked half-jokingly.

  Liliana was busy stuffing Fairy Spirit Tofu into her mouth when she heard him. Her body stiffened, a few cubes of tofu fell from her mouth, and she leaned against Viola's shoulder.

  "Wah! Big meanie's bullying me again!" she cried out, pouting like a child.

  Viola gave Draven a scolding glare, but quickly set down her bowl and chopsticks to pull Liliana into a tight hug.

  Resting in the embrace of her foxy older sister, Liliana wore a smug grin, as if she had finally found a safe haven.

  Draven rolled his eyes. He had known she'd pull something like this. A full belly always led to a bit of bratty mischief—it was just in her nature.

  At that moment, Draven called out to Acorn Oak, who was preparing to leave."Take the other treants and plant the Boneflower seedlings around the village."

  In the summer, these plants could be used as vegetables or even as staple food—they would be a good supplement to the villagers' diet.

  Acorn Oak nodded, hoisted several seedlings over his shoulder, and left with a few fellow treants.

  Viola had already sent the maidservants to gather more leaves. She planned to promote this novel dish and teach others how to make it.

  This small change had begun to stir new energy in village life.

  Sylvia originally wanted to go with them to gather leaves outside the village. But just as she reached the gate, she was stopped by Titus, following Draven's instructions.

  "Miss Sylvia," he said."The chieftain said you're not allowed to leave the village."

  Hearing that, Sylvia's steps halted. The smile on her face disappeared instantly. Her expression turned complicated—disappointment flickered in her eyes, heavy and unspoken.

  Meanwhile, Draven and Liliana were standing face to face, not speaking, a bit of awkwardness hanging between them. From where he stood, Draven could clearly see Sylvia's lonely figure near the gate.

  He reached out and patted Liliana's head."Look, Sylvia's upset. Go cheer her up."

  Startled, Liliana glanced at Sylvia, then immediately dashed over and grabbed her arm.

  Furrowing her delicate brows, she asked with concern,"Sylvia, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

  Sylvia forced a faint smile and gently brushed aside Liliana's messy hair, her voice as calm as she could make it."I have to leave, Liliana. You have to be a good girl from now on."

  Liliana gasped, her eyes suddenly welling with tears.