The Magical Food God of Hogwarts

Chapter 11 Dinner in the Forest

"That's not enough. But look what I found!"

Lucas held up two plants with his back to Ellie, but unfortunately he couldn't turn around, otherwise Ellie would have seen his excited smile.

There were several bent tubers and a large bunch of leaves.

"Wild ginger! Right by the stream. And sorrel leaves! Nature is full of treasures, it just depends on whether you know how to use them..."

While muttering to himself, Lucas placed the large pieces of dried venison on the washed stone, then used another stone to smash it hard, loosening the meat and breaking down the fibers. He then crushed the wild ginger, spread the ginger juice evenly on the dried meat, and placed it next to the fire.

"Hmm, the temperature here is nice."

Ellie couldn't close her mouth at all: "What are you doing?"

"Use the protease in ginger juice to break down the fibrous protein in the jerky, making it soften quickly, and the right temperature can act as a good catalyst..." Lucas said without looking up, "While we're waiting, I'll process the bread."

Ellie stared blankly. Wait, was Lucas speaking English? I can't understand any of those words!

"It's a pity today was so sudden, I didn't bring my kitchen utensil bag. Can I borrow your knife, Ellie?"

"Thank you, Merlin, I finally understood that sentence," Ellie said, hurriedly handing over the silver-handled knife.

Lucas took the knife and instinctively twirled it a few times. The blade gleamed smoothly between his fingers, and he nodded in satisfaction.

"Well maintained, a very good meat cleaver."

Ellie stared at him blankly. Why did Lucas seem so different after taking the knife?

He had only just come into contact with that small knife, but in just a few moves, he had completely mastered it, as if he had been using it for many years, like an extension of his arm...

Lucas picked up the two dry, hard loaves of bread, cut them open from the side without severing them completely, creating a pocket. He then scooped out a piece of butter and stuffed it inside, and spread butter on the surface of the bread as well.

The butter melted slightly in the heat of the campfire, seeping into the rough pores of the bread.

He then built a makeshift grill with some branches, placed the bread open-side up next to the fire, and let it bake slowly. The bread gradually turned golden and crispy, and the aroma of butter and the wheat of the bread filled the air at the same time.

Ellie's stomach growled even louder, and her mouth was watering. To hide her embarrassment, she quickly asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lucas was making some leaf containers, like bowls: "Logically, we shouldn't let the guests do it. But now—"

He glanced at the state of the dried meat: "We'll need a lot of stones to keep the soup boiling, so please gather some firewood and roast some more small stones."

soup?

Ellie could hardly believe her ears. Did I really hear that right?

But she worked quickly, and soon the flames burned even more fiercely, and a large pile of stones made a slight crackling sound.

Lucas put the pebbles back into the cloak's water pouch, and the water quickly boiled. He then poured some out, carefully controlling the amount of water, and put the softened jerky into it.

Ellie crouched to the side and behind, and she could clearly see Lucas's profile under the campfire: his high nose, his focused, fire-lit hazel eyes, and his fiery red hair.

Lucas kept a close eye on the small bowl of soup, observing the boiling of the noodles and adding new pebbles as needed. Then, he began to season it, his wrist flicking gently—a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of black pepper, dried thyme and rosemary from the herb bag...

Ellie watched quietly, finding his movements fluid and graceful, possessing a unique beauty, and she couldn't help but be mesmerized.

Sizzling and bubbling, as a twig stirred the mixture, the rich, creamy aroma of meat and spices blended together, slowly spreading outwards. Lucas, watching the heat perfectly, sprinkled in a handful of sorrel leaves, and instantly, a refreshing flavor wafted out, further enhancing the aroma of the meat.

Ellie's stomach growled again. She blushed and pressed her stomach, wanting to ask Lucas if he was done yet, but afraid of disturbing his cooking.

Ugh, that Lucas is really awful.

Lucas used a large leaf as a lid, covered it up, and silently counted down. When he finally lifted the lid, fragrant steam immediately billowed out.

"It's done!"

Ellie swore that it was the most beautiful word she had ever heard.

A steaming bowl of meat broth is served in a leaf-shaped bowl, along with a golden, crispy, and fragrant bread.

"Slow down, be careful not to burn yourself."

Ellie gave a vague reply, already shoveling a mouthful of broth into her mouth.

Her eyes widened instantly.

The broth, simmered in a small amount of water, is rich and flavorful. The taste of the venison is perfectly balanced by herbs, while the freshness of sorrel removes any trace of gaminess. Best of all, the ginger juice not only removes the venison's gamey smell and makes the jerky tender, but also provides a mild and incredibly satisfying spiciness.

It smells so good! It tastes so good! I can't stop drinking it!

She drank several large gulps before reluctantly putting down the soup bowl and taking a big bite of bread.

Merlin, the once dry and hard round bread, soaked in butter and slowly baked over the campfire, has become crispy and crumbly on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside. Is this really the bread I brought?

"How about we try soaking the bread in the soup again?" Lucas asked, his back to her, holding his own soup bowl.

Ellie did as she was told, breaking the crispy bread into small pieces and dropping them into the soup.

Then, the broth is infused with the aroma of wheat and milk, and the bread soaked in the broth is full of juice, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making every bite a great satisfaction.

She didn't have time to say a word; only the sound of her wolfing down her food echoed through the forest.

Lucas listened contentedly to the swallowing sounds behind him, took a sip of soup, then frowned and sighed.

"It's still not quite right. Relying solely on the pebbles for heat control is completely unacceptable. And the dust on these pebbles is really ruining the flavor."

"What nonsense are you talking about!" Ellie slammed down the soup bowl behind her, finishing it completely. "This is the best broth I've ever had!"

"Merlin's underwear! It smells so good, I wish I could swallow my tongue!"

"Lucas, you're a super chef! I'm so impressed!"

"There's still some left in the pot, please help yourself." Lucas smiled. "Thank you for the compliment, my guest."

"That's just because you're starving, so everything tastes good. I know it can't compare to real magical food. If you're really satisfied, as a reward, could you treat me to some magical food after we're free?"

"What is... Glug... Magical Food?" Ellie asked, her face full of confusion as she scraped the last bit of broth from the soup.

Lucas paused for a moment, then said, "Uh, maybe I used the wrong word. It's the magical world—"

Ellie's expression suddenly hardened!

Her bright purple pupils widened suddenly in the firelight. She dropped the leaf bowl in her hand, quickly gestured for Lucas to be quiet, then pulled a burning log from the campfire and listened intently to the sounds in the darkness.

A very faint rustling sound came from the woods, as if something was cautiously approaching through the dense foliage not far away.

A flash of fire!

Ellie hurled the torch in her hand toward the direction from which the sound came, the burning piece of firewood drawing a bright orange arc in the air.

At the same instant, a beam of bright white light shot out from Lucas's hand, illuminating the area.

In the light, both of them could see clearly.

A delicate young girl's face flashed past from behind the bushes. Then, the leaves rustled, the figure disappeared, and all was silent.