"I finally realized just how tough a knight's body is. You can actually swallow that stuff!"
Mulan was still ladling himself more soup.
"The flavor does have a few shortcomings, but Chris wasn't exaggerating about its nutritional value. I can actually feel it nourishing my body. That sensation is every bit as satisfying as enjoying an indescribable delicacy."
Chris emerged from the bathroom a little while later. When she saw that Mulan was still eating, she was no longer merely happy-she was touched.
The siblings ate boiled eggs, bread, and braised chops, but neither touched another spoonful of soup, and neither tried to inflict it on the other. Mulan, meanwhile, ate bowl after bowl, only stopping after at least a dozen.
"Burrrrp..."
Mulan let out a long belch. Sitting opposite him, Matt didn't even dare breathe at that moment. He found the sight of Mulan downright frightening.
"Chris."
"Ah, yes!"
Mulan wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Thank you for the meal. If you could tone down a few of the slightly overpowering flavors, this would be an excellent dish. Though if balancing them proves too difficult, I'd rather you leave it as it is than sacrifice the soup's nourishing effects."
"Yes, yes!"
Chris nodded repeatedly, feeling immensely encouraged. Matt alone wailed inwardly:
My God, don't encourage her!
But Mulan genuinely meant to encourage Chris. The soup she had made today had surprised him greatly, and he even suspected that she had unconsciously applied some form of alchemical knowledge.
It seemed to combine invigorating and magic-restoring effects. Similar potions were considered fairly precious among alchemical awakening potions, and they came with all sorts of side effects.
By comparison, Chris's soup had practically no side effects beyond tasting awful, which hardly even counted as a side effect. Most importantly, it hadn't