Mythos Of Narcissus: Reborn As An NPC In A Horror VRMMO

I stood in the Landship's state-of-the-art kitchen, a place of sleek counters forged from polished Neuro Alloy and enchanted cooking implements that hummed with latent magic.

The warm glow of soft amber light illuminated the room, casting long shadows across ingredients spread out in precise, orderly arrangements.

Before me lay the raw materials for a feast that would transcend the boundaries of ordinary meals, with the majority of them possibly having the rarity of a mythical and legendary history behind them.

Courtesy of Kuzunoha's mansion.

I had already visualized the menu—a balance of elegance and creativity, dishes that would not only nourish the body but remind my crew that life, even amidst the horrors of Carcosa, could still hold beauty and comfort.

Each plate, I decided, would embody the philosophy of survival without compromise—a reflection of the ideals I held for our bastion.

In other words, it's time to cook a fine dining session.

The centerpiece of the first dish was the ethereal Eclipsera, with its silver leaves glowing faintly as I plucked them from their vine. Their faint hum resonated with the rhythm of the kitchen, as if anticipating their transformation into something sublime.

Yes, I'm about to narrate this whole cooking sequence in a pretentious voice to elevate the experience into a higher standard.

I began by simmering the Eclipsera leaves in a delicate reduction of white nectar extracted from Bloomcaps, balancing the sweetness with a dash of Moonspinach-infused oil. The resulting liquid shimmered like liquid starlight.

On this occasion, I'm going to make a pâté.

Pâté is a savory filling of meat and fat that is baked in a terrine and served hot or cold. Traditionally, paté was baked in pastry, aka paté en croute.

In its creation, I selected Frostwild Liver, a rare ingredient preserved within Kuzunoha's arcane storage since our restocking within her mansion. It came from a mythical creature known as the Frostwild Elk, and its liver was told to me to be famed for its buttery texture and subtle, cooling undertone.

I cooked the liver sous-vide with a blend of Flareberry glaze, Miragefern dust, and finely chopped Aegisroot for depth of flavor.

Once combined, the mixture was whipped into a velvety smooth pâté, its pale lavender hue as captivating as its rich, complex taste exuded an exotic fragrance. The final touch was a delicate drizzle of the Eclipsera essence, its faint melody now silenced, leaving only the harmony of flavor…

Okay, the word term 'harmony of flavor' was quite the less-than-efficient cliche, since it basically explains everything and nothing at the same time.

The dish was plated with precision and grandiose presentation, the pâté resting atop a thin, crisp shard of Verdantspire crystal bread, garnished with a single luminous Luminorchid petal, as I painted the empty space with floral art made from a lightly-bitter yet sweet-tasting wine I found in one of the cooking supply given to me by Kuzunoha.

I couldn't pronounce the name of the wine, so I shall leave it at that.

The next dish was a celebration of simplicity elevated to grandeur~!

I peeled the Sunroot Tubers, their rich, earthy aroma filling the kitchen as I sliced them into delicate rounds. These were coated in a marinade of Moonspinach oil, Flareberry essence, and crushed Verdantspire crystals before being slow-roasted to perfection.

For the crown of the dish, I took Spiregrass, with its metallic fibers glinting under the kitchen lights. After blanching it in a light broth of Luminorchid nectar, I shaped the pliable strands into a circular lattice, securing it with a touch of enchanted flame—which was a peculiar blaze formed from inducing a conceptual heat with extracted proteins from available meat-based ingredients for potential flavor.

If this cooking process sounds too fancy, then I have completed my minimum quota of fancy dining.

Once the Sunroot slices emerged from the oven, caramelized to a golden hue, they were stacked within the Spiregrass crown, creating a towering, edible sculpture. The dish was finished with a drizzle of Flareberry reduction and a sprinkle of finely ground Mystic Beans, adding a touch of umami.

Oh, if there was an ingredient name that that was suddenly mentioned out of nowhere, that was because I had only knew of its existence after finding out that Kuzunoha added more ingredients in our restocking session back then in her mansion, and I had only realized it now after I took them out from the universal MSU.

Now that the main course was done, it was time for the second main course, a meatier one at that!

From Kuzunoha's extensive meat collection that we brought to Carcosa, I retrieved a cut of Obsidian Wyvern Sirloin, a dark and luxurious meat that carried a hint of smoky flavor even before cooking. The marbling on this meat was impeccable, almost otherworldly in its appearance.

I seared the sirloin to lock in its juices, then wrapped it in Miragefern, its light-refracting properties creating an almost shimmering, invisible cloak around the meat. It was slow-cooked in a vacuum chamber, allowing the Miragefern's delicate essence to infuse the meat fully.

Don't ask how we got a vacuum chamber in this landship.

It was complicated.

The dish was plated on a bed of Moonspinach and Luminorchid risotto, each grain of rice shimmering faintly as if kissed by the moonlight. A single flake of Verdantspire crystal crowned the sirloin, catching the light like a shard of fallen starlight.

For the grand finale, which was the desert—I turned to the golden Celestial Maize, grinding its kernels into a fine flour to create a soufflé base. The batter was enriched with a touch of Bloomcap nectar and whipped Aegisroot puree, ensuring a light, airy texture.

While the soufflé rose in the oven, I prepared a velvety cream using Frostcarrots, their natural cooling effect lending the dish a refreshing counterbalance to the soufflé's warmth.

The soufflé emerged golden and perfect, its top lightly dusted with crushed Mystic Beans for a hint of bitterness. The Frostcarrot cream was piped alongside it in elegant swirls, a final flourish to a meal that would linger in the memory of all who tasted it.

"I should start calling some of the bastioneers to carry these to the dining hall." I reminded myself with my chest puffed. "It will take quite a while for another cooking withdrawal."

Though in the end, I sensed that everyone was equally as busy, I decided to just carry all of these plates in a giant tray myself, going back and forth, and preparing the location of the feast to fit the dishes more.

"Father," Charis suddenly appeared in front of my vision, pointing to the trays, and then herself. "Me, help."

A chuckle slipped from my smile. "Take them away, my little angel~"

Charis ended up helping me amidst the preparation.

"Ah, it looks like the Ordeal is starting to slow down."

The bastioneers gathered in two shifts to enjoy the meal, while all of my confidantes were already present on their seats as they gazed at the veiled plates in front of them.

Their faces lit up as the plates were unveiled.

They ate in reverent silence and immense gratitude, their movements careful, as though afraid to disrupt the artistry of each plate. Each bite was met with quiet appreciation, their gazes lingering on the immaculate presentations as though committing them to memory.

Erika for one, was eating while tears were streaming down nonstop like a waterfall.

Among my confidantes, there was a more familiar, vibrant air.

Kuzunoha, seated with her customary poise and elegance, was the first to break the silence. She plucked a delicate slice of the Moonlit Pâté from its Verdantspire crystal bread with her fork, savoring it with a theatrical hum of delight. Her crimson eyes gleamed with something more than amusement as she turned her gaze toward me.

"Darling," she purred, her fan snapping open with a dramatic flourish, "You never cease to amaze me. Truly, you spoil us so shamelessly. One might even think you're trying to win my undying devotion~"

I gave her a sidelong glance, an amused smile tugging at my lips. "I thought I already had that. Since you know, you have proposed to me multiple times already."

"Ah, but you're making it impossible for me to feign even the slightest independence," she teased, her tone dripping with affection. "How cruel of you~ not only that you stole my heart, but you also stole my taste palate~"

Beside her, Verina leaned casually back in her chair, a mischievous glint in her eye as she toyed with a piece of roasted Sunroot. "You know," she began, taking a deliberate bite, "I've seen you achieve impossible feats, Narcissus—reshaping genetics, bending the concept of machinery to your will—but this humble side of yours, it makes me rethink many of my future plans." She gestured at her plate. Her face was still donning that eternal deadpan. "I'm conflicted about something."

"And that is?" I asked with my corporate smile, because she would definitely reply to this with something cheesy.

"On how much should enshrine you in my heart."

Yep, that was the cheesy line I was expecting.

Charis, seated beside Lupina, exuded a refined composure that contrasted with her childlike curiosity earlier in the kitchen. She delicately sampled the Wyvern Sirloin, her movements precise, as if she were evaluating each aspect of the dish.

"Father," she said, "This is truly extraordinary. Somehow, you've managed to surpass yourself. The balance of flavors, the layering of textures, even the presentation—it all carries your unique touch." She set her utensils down neatly, her white eyes meeting mine with a faint smile. "It's not just sustenance. It's an experience. I'm honored to partake in it."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Your speech would be as grandiose if you didn't utter them with a mouth full of food like a chipmunk."

Lupina, nestled comfortably in Charis' arms, grinned as she bit into a piece of Frostcarrot cream-dipped Celestial Maize Soufflé—assisted by one of Charis' floating shadow hands. "Food. Good. Me. Happy."

Now I have two chipmunks whose cheeks were bloating like a sack.

Viviane, ever composed, took a measured sip of the accompanying Verdantspire-infused wine before addressing me. "You've elevated dining into an art form," she said, her tone thoughtful and sincere. "Next time, prepare more of these to aid my drink."

"That's actually a high praise coming from you, my picky nymph," I replied, my smile softening. "I suppose I'll consider this meal a success, then."

As the feast came to an end, the bastioneers rotated their shifts. Those who had finished their meals returned to their posts, their expressions carrying a renewed sense of purpose, while the next group entered the dining hall with eager anticipation.

Through it all, Primus remained vigilant, her luminous eyes scanning the horizon as she stood guard atop the Landship. I could sense her wandering about the taste of the food that her fellow bastioneers feast inside the landship as she often checks into one of the security sensors of the landship inside the place where the fine dining was taken.

Since her vessel was that of a magical puppet, she didn't need any physical substance to remain active. Instead, she tapped into the magical reservoir that was created by Kuzunoha within this landship. Both Verina and Kuzunoha could also just transfer a good chunk of their arcane energy into Primus from afar if necessary.

Regardless, I decided to bring one of the main courses and bring it to her who was observing the surroundings on the deck.

With neural curiosity, she took a bite out of the wyvern sirloin and some bits of the risotto.

"Master, I don't have any data or reference to determine if this dish is good or not."

Though in the end, Primus chowed down on the food because she liked biting into the texture and the overall experience of consuming the food as a magical puppet.

The food that she consumed was processed into bio-energy, so it wasn't that much of a waste either.