After a polite greeting, Beryl couldn't help but hug Unas's arm and say in a coquettish tone, "Brother Unas, I heard from Sister Wendy that you're not leaving anymore, is that true?"
"Let's leave it at that for now, but who knows what will happen in the future..."
"Yay! That's great!" Beryl shook his arm, almost jumping for joy.
Unas was secretly delighted. This was the benefit of being a hero and rescuing a damsel in distress. Since his transmigration, the only people he truly cared about were Gordon and this Night Elf girl who harbored some affection for him. "How have you been these past few days? Master Oakleaf and Nightmoon treating you well?"
"Excellent! My teacher said I'm now an Apprentice Druid!" Beryl's silver eyes shone brightly. "Oh, and by the way, my teacher would like to invite you to lunch."
"Really?" Unas hesitated. He had originally planned to eat some dry rations for lunch, as there were still several places to inspect, and he also wanted to take a stroll in the valley near the stronghold. His time was very tight today.
"You absolutely must go! Let me know in advance, I'll have some good news for you!" The little girl kept everyone in suspense.
What good news could that old man have? Unas's curiosity was piqued, and he nodded, saying, "Let's go."
Unas waved his hand to dismiss the group following him, leaving only Raphael. After all, this kid was Erigor's cousin, and could be treated as such. It would be a good opportunity to have a meal together and deepen their relationship.
Throughout the journey, he kept Beryl on his arm, deliberately maintaining this intimate posture, intending to silently send a signal to everyone in the stronghold—the new Warden's friendliness towards alien races was unprecedented.
After walking along several rugged paths clinging to the mountainside, the Druid's hut came into view. Unlike the previous two times, there were no crowds queuing for treatment outside the hut, only a slender, tall figure in purple.
Wendy Nightmoon stepped forward with light, cat-like steps, first glaring at the girl clinging to Unas, "Beryl! Have you forgotten all the manners I taught you?"
Beryl pouted and released Unas's arm, then snuggled into the Elf's arms, acting coquettishly. Nightmoon patted the girl's head helplessly, then nodded slightly to Unas and Raphael, "May Elune be with you, Lord Unas. Please come in; Master Oakleaf awaits you."
Seeing how doting the woman was on Beryl, Unas felt much of the small grudge he had with her before dissipate, and he led Raphael into the hut first.
As soon as he entered, a tall figure with a full head and face of green fur greeted him, Druid's booming voice rang out, "Welcome back, Mr. Unas."
"I've heard you have some good news, Master, and I can't wait to hear it."
"Hahaha," the Druid laughed, "Didn't Beryl tell you? What a willful child."
Unas smiled, and then Nightmoon and Beryl entered the house. Oakleaf waved, and the five of them passed through several doors to the small reception room.
The round table in the center of the room was already filled with covered dishes, which looked quite sumptuous. After the group sat down, Nightmoon temporarily acted as a waitress and first uncovered the largest dish in the center of the table.
A whole golden-brown roasted lamb leg appeared on the plate, its aroma a tantalizing blend of meat and fruit. Nightmoon used a knife to cut open the crispy skin, and tender juices flowed out, making one's mouth water.
"This is a Vale Antelope that I hunted with great difficulty, and I roasted it with freshly squeezed apple juice. It took me a long time to make it..." Nightmoon explained, or perhaps complained, as she cut the lamb leg.
"I've heard that Druids forbid killing, how come you..." Unas swallowed hard, noticing that Master Oakleaf was also staring at the mutton with shining eyes. Was this guy a gluttonous Druid?
Nightmoon quickly retorted, "Who said Druids don't kill? Besides, I'm not Druid."
"You're not Druid? You're an apprentice of Master Oakleaf, what else could you be but Druid?" Unas immediately noticed the inconsistency.
"No, I misspoke," a flicker of panic crossed Nightmoon's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. "I meant I'm not a formal Druid yet."
"Don't try to fool me. You just let it slip. "Unas sensed a hint of deception, but he didn't press the issue too much. Everyone has their own little secrets, after all.
"Haha, that's a misunderstanding people have about us Druids," Master Oakleaf laughed, tugging at his collar. "This coat of mine is made of several different animal hides, all from beasts I hunted myself."
"No wonder it looks like a beggar's outfit," Unas thought to himself, but complimented aloud, "These all look like the pelts of wild beasts. I didn't expect the master to be such a skilled hunter."
"Haha, we Druids follow the laws of nature and safeguard its balance. We are not ascetic monks who abstain from killing and meat. Plants and animals are equal lives. Abstaining from meat and eating vegetables is meaningless to us. We will hunt animals and gather plants for clothing and food. Just like the Nightsaber will hunt elk to fill its stomach, we will not stop the Nightsaber to save the elk's life, because this is part of the laws of nature."
"But if someone recklessly disrupts the balance of nature, like the infamous Nesingwary Expedition and Venture Company, who indiscriminately kill animals and cut down Forests for profit, severely damaging the balance of nature, we Druids must stand up and stop them."
"Everyone else is just trying to make money," Unas said dismissively to the Druid's words. He recalled that when he played the game, the quests given by Nesingwary were always good, with plenty of experience points, essential for leveling up.
But he wouldn't argue with Oakleaf, casually replying in a bureaucratic tone, "This is a great and arduous undertaking; it is a great blessing that you protect the nature of Azeroth."
Oakleaf laughed again. The topic had gone a bit off track, and after talking for a while, they still hadn't gotten to the point. Oakleaf seemed to sense Unas's anxiety and gestured for Nightmoon to uncover the remaining plates one by one.
Mushrooms, mushrooms, and more mushrooms! At least three different types of mushrooms were prepared in various ways to make different dishes, filling the living room with a wonderful aroma.
"Miss Nightmoon's skills are extraordinary," Unas said, seeing so many mushrooms. He suppressed his surprise and turned to the Elf girl. "I remember Beryl is very good at growing mushrooms. Did you grow all of these?"
"It was something my teacher and I figured out together. Pretty impressive, right?" Beryl proudly raised her chin.
"Can it be planted on a large scale? What is the growth cycle?" Unas immediately asked Oakleaf the core question.
"Mushrooms need a moist and warm environment to grow. If there are enough caves and wood, they can be cultivated on a large scale. The ones on the table were grown using magic. Under normal growth conditions, it takes two to three months from sowing to maturity."
This was truly fantastic news. Unas almost jumped for joy. Mushrooms were highly nutritious and could be a substitute for staple foods. The outpost had no arable land, but plenty of caves. If large-scale cultivation could be achieved, the famine problem could be largely solved.
Unas was getting angry that the Druids were still leisurely hosting a dinner party despite having such good news. He slammed his fist on the table, making a loud noise, "What are we waiting for?!"
Oakleaf smiled wryly, "This matter is not as simple as I make it out to be. We searched the Canyon for many days before finding these few suitable varieties, and only managed to cultivate them successfully the day before yesterday. Moreover, it is now the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the temperature is barely enough to sustain the mushrooms' growth, but it will only get colder and colder in the future, and the mushrooms may very well freeze to death during their growth."
"Don't you have methods to ripen crops quickly?"
"Small-scale cultivation is possible, but I don't have the capacity to accelerate the ripening of all plants for large-scale cultivation."
Unas was speechless for a moment, his heart sinking further. He sighed and sat back down in his chair. "It seems this matter really needs careful consideration."