The moon had just crested over the treetops when Ken returned home with the last three Forest Wraps tucked into his basket. His parents met him at the door, eyes bright with pride as he handed the meals over like prized trophies.
"I sold out," he said, tired but beaming. "Well—almost."
His mother bit into the wrap and hummed with approval. "You're going to need to make more tomorrow."
Ken chuckled, pulling off his satchel and setting it beside the fireplace. "That's the problem. I don't know if I can—not without more prep."
He still had six fish left from the traps. Too many to waste.
So while his parents ate, Ken set to work.
He scaled and cleaned the fish one by one, then packed the fillets in layers of crushed wild mint and handmade salt—the last of which he scraped from the bottom of the clay jar he'd boiled down days ago.
He hung the fish over the low-burning hearth using a rack of tied twine and flat stones, slowly smoke-drying them overnight.
---
[Meal Preservation EXP +6% → 29%]
[Butchering EXP +4% → 25%]
[Fire Control EXP +5% → 67%]
---
As the fire crackled low and the scent of smoking fish drifted upward, Ken sat on the floor and opened his system interface.
---
Inventory Notice: SALT LEVEL – CRITICAL
Recommended Action: Boil new batch of seawater immediately
---
Ken sighed, already planning his next steps.
Tomorrow, more salt. No claypots. Too slow to produce and too few to scale. If I want to sell them again, I'll need to either charge for the pot or find a way to get them back.
An idea clicked: Offer a refund on the pot—if they return it clean.
---
Morning – Strategy and Prep
Ken rose before dawn and walked to the coast with two buckets, returning with seawater sloshing up to the brim. He started a boil over a wide pan, tending it slowly while prepping his second batch of meals.
---
Day 2 Menu – All Handheld Meals
1. Fish Flatwraps
Grilled river fish fillets with cress, wild parsley, and green onion
Wrapped in flatbread, tied in mint leaves
Quantity: 5
2. Forest Herb Wraps
Roasted rabbit with garlic, lemon balm, and crownroot mash
Wrapped in flatbread and packed in birch bark
Quantity: 5
3. Spiced Root & Chickweed Cakes
Pan-fried root and herb patties seasoned with wild wasabi and mint
Folded into leaves and tied with twine for easy carry
Quantity: 5
---
[Ingredient Prep EXP +7% → 90%]
[Fire Control EXP +6% → 73%]
[Food Packaging EXP +5% → 34%]
---
He loaded his cart and returned to the village square just after mid-morning, setting up the same small stand and using his now-familiar trick: a sizzling piece of fish on his portable fire grill, its aroma cutting through the morning chill like a banner in the wind.
This time, customers came early.
A group of fieldhands arrived first, each buying one of the flatwraps.
Next, two older women split a forest herb wrap and ordered another after just one bite.
The spiced root cakes—a last-minute addition—were a surprise hit with a few merchants who needed something light and easy while walking.
By noon, a small crowd formed, asking about the claypot stews from the day before.
"I'm not selling those today," Ken explained, "but I might bring them back. If you bring the pot back clean, I'll give a discount."
Several customers nodded, agreeing on the spot. "Bring it tomorrow?" one woman asked.
"If I can make enough pots," Ken promised.
By the end of the afternoon, his stall was empty.
Not even a garnish leaf remained.
---
[Sales Milestone: Full Day Sellout]
+15 EXP | Ken EXP: 50/80
[Ingredient Prep EXP +8% → 98%]
[Food Packaging EXP +6% → 40%]
[Meal Preservation EXP +3% → 32%]
---
KEN — STATUS
Level: 4
EXP: 50/80
Unspent Attribute Points: 5
SKILLS UNLOCKED:
Ingredient Prep (Lv. 1 – 98%)
Fire Control (Lv. 1 – 73%)
Seasoning Sense (Lv. 1 – 60%)
Ingredient Identification (Lv. 1 – 65%)
Basic Gardening (Lv. 1 – 33%)
Basic Trapping (Lv. 1 – 45%)
Butchering (Lv. 1 – 25%)
Meal Preservation (Lv. 1 – 32%)
Food Packaging (Lv. 1 – 40%)
---
That evening, Ken poured a fresh jar of finished salt into a clay container and sealed it with waxed leaves.
Three types of food. Three tiers of customers. No waste. No leftovers. And people are asking for more.
He sat down by the fire with a crust of bread and smiled into the flame.
Tomorrow? He'd raise his prices.
Just a little.
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