"Really? All you got was some fruit and whatever that nasty, oozy thing is?" Guildmaster Arianne scrunched her nose up in disgust at the weeping sapmelon. Melina shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. It was understandable that the melon would be useless in her eyes, but for Melina, it was a treasure. She never expected that she'd be lucky enough to get actual sapmelons.

When she was an [Archmage], she had managed to get her hands on them only a few times. The fact that they grew only in places where corpses were left to rot meant that they could only be found on battlefields or in monster dens. Even as the most powerful [Archmage] she didn't make a habit of raiding monster dens.

It wasn't really worth it—the healing properties of the sap were diluted heavily in the liquid. There were other magical plants, like drakemint for example, that could provide the same effect but with less effort.

"It was nighttime and we got ambushed by a nightstalker. I don't believe that staying there longer would have been wise," Alistair objected. "Besides our main goal was to find feyfruit."

The Guildmaster sighed. "Of course, it was nighttime. Judging by the fact that a nightstalker had made a den comfortable enough to grow all of… those, then the night in this particular part of the Monster Realm lasts quite a while."

"Yes. Full two weeks, I suspect," Illitran nodded.

"I guess, I should be happy that nobody got seriously injured. Leave a few of these fruits for our researchers and take the rest," Guildmaster said, scowling at the oozing melon.

"We're giving all of them to Miss Melina?" Leon asked in surprise.

"What do you want to do with them?" Arianne narrowed her eyes skeptically.

"Sell them, maybe?" The mage asked cautiously.

"And have other towns and cities figure out that we have a passageway to the Monster Realm filled with valuable magical fruit? Not a chance! I assume that Miss Melina will be willing to donate a few of her creations to the Guild."

"If I manage to create a successful healing pastry, then absolutely," Melina nodded, looking at the large bags of fruit. To think that she'd get to keep all of them. She began to like the Guildmaster more and more.

"I'm sure that you and Gilbert will figure it out. You're free to go," Arianne said, and Melina bowed in thanks.

"I'll help Melina get these bags to the bakery," Alistair said.

"Report back as soon as you're done. I want to know every detail of what you saw in the Monster Realm, especially that nightstalker."

Alistair nodded, and grabbed the five bags, slinging them over his shoulder as if they were filled with hay. The bag filled with sapmelons dripped, leaving a trail after itself. Everyone they passed by stared at it in disgust, making sure to avoid stepping into the goo.

"I'm glad that this trip to the Monster Realm turned out to be fruitful," Alistair said casually.

"Pun intended?" Melina chuckled.

"Maybe a little," he admitted, a hint of mischief playing on his lips. Then his expression got more serious. "You seemed very… determined to get the weeping melons once you heard them. Did you know what they were?"

Melina's expression hardened. She might have relaxed too much around Alistair. He knew she was a System user and that was like a giant weight off her shoulders. However, she still carried a whole mountain of secrets that she couldn't tell him.

"Master Gilbert mentioned them once," Melina lied, looking up at the sky to avoid his gaze. "After I failed the healing rolls. When I heard the weeping, I had a strong suspicion that it was the fruit he was talking about."

It felt very wrong to lie to him of all people. She could lie to others without so much as batting an eyelid. But whenever she lied to Alistair, Melina couldn't help but feel disgusted with herself. She didn't want to lie to him. She wanted to be honest with him just like she was with Master Gilbert.

No, he shouldn't remember the past. It would only burden him. I wouldn't wish the pain I carry even on my worst enemy, not even to mention Alistair. He should live to his fullest and enjoy his life this time around.

At that moment, Melina remembered the letter Alistair should have received from "Gilbert's friend". It had completely slipped her mind with everything that was going on. Her initial concern was that Alistair might tell the Church about the Architect. However, after the recent events, Melina was sure that it wouldn't be hard to convince him to keep it a secret.

"I see. I suppose your new skill confirmed your suspicions," he said in a hushed tone. Not that there was anyone close enough to overhear them, but Melina appreciated that he was mindful of her secret.

"Indeed. Once I saw the description, I knew I had to get those melons home," she confirmed.

"What did it say?"

[Weeping Sapmelon: Fruit that thrives on the soil where corpses and death linger. When connected to the plant, it'll produce a weeping sound and ooze yellow liquid. Weeping will stop once removed from the stem, but oozing will continue for several months.

Effect: Sap contains strong healing and regenerative properties.

Caution: Toxic in its raw form.]

"It is toxic!?" Alistair asked in shock and took a look back at the oozy trail behind them.

"I don't think anyone would actually try to eat that," Melina soothed him. He took another long look back and seeing how the townspeople deliberately avoided the path they had taken, it was clear that she was right.

"Probably not. Odd that all the good things in the Monster Realm are toxic while raw."

Melina wanted to note that it was true for most healing plants but realized that she shouldn't be bragging about that knowledge. The rest of the way to the bakery was oddly silent—almost awkwardly so—as both of them were deep in their thoughts.

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The very same evening, Melina began her experiments with sapmelons, ignoring the various curses that came from Master Gilbert when she brought a few of them inside the bakery. The bag with the rest of the melons was left outside, for obvious reasons, but even a few of them were enough to get the nasty goop all over the floors.

"I swear, if I find even a single thread of slime in the kitchen once morning comes, I am burning those devilfruits!" Gilbert raged from the kitchen entrance, not daring to step in the melon ooze.

"It's not slime and it'll be clean by the time morning comes! I promise," Melina assured him. She did have to admit that they needed to find a better way to store these fruits. A large leakproof container that could hold all the ooze would be ideal. Perhaps a large water barrel would do the trick. She was certain she saw a few old ones in the depths of the shed. But for the time being she focused on making the shortcrust pastry.

Gilbert scoffed at her but didn't complain any longer. She suspected he might have cursed her more, but it was already getting late and the man was likely tired. He had been waiting for Melina's return by sitting on the old bench in the backyard. The relief in his expression, when she and Alistair returned mostly unhurt, was obvious.

Once he left, Melina returned her attention to her experiment. Her first attempt would be simple—she'd add the ooze from the melon to the pastry cream while the green citrus-like pulp would be used for decoration. She was convinced that it would fail, but it was a good starting point to gauge exactly how hard she'd fail.

The problems began the moment Melina tried adding the ooze to the pastry cream. She wasn't sure at which point to add it so initially she tried combining it with the ready pastry cream. It turned out that melon ooze and pastry cream didn't mix. No matter how much she stirred, they always separated in the end.

Realizing that this wouldn't work, Melina put the ooze in the pot first and then slowly made pastry cream out of it. The result was interesting… a green, gloopy pastry cream that smelled like week-old socks.

"I don't think this is going to work either," Melina muttered to Sienna, but the wyrm smelling the nasty odor, scurried upstairs. "Coward!"

Nonetheless, she persisted, making a small tartlet out of the oozy cream and green innards of the melons. Melina decided that for this attempt, she wouldn't add any other fruit—they would likely get wasted.

[You've made <Oozy Dish – Rank F>. You've gained + 1 exp.]

"It can't be that bad. It still should be a tart, no?" Melina argued against the System and looked in the oven. Much to her horror, the pastry was covered in a dark green gloop while the melon pieces on top had turned into a weird brown color. Calling it unappetizing was a compliment.

Melina stared at the… thing, trying to identify something edible in it. But the smell coming from it was even more horrendous than before. She wouldn't eat it even on the verge of starvation–it was likely poisonous anyway.

"Nope! I am not trying that," she said and threw the <Oozy Dish> in the bag which she promptly took outside. Melina suspected that she'd have to burn it later so the smell wouldn't spread through their garden.

It's no use wasting cooking ingredients on failed pastries. First, I need to understand how to neutralize the poison in the ooze and make it edible.

Melina began by trying to incorporate it into the dough and then cooking it in the oven. But the unruly ooze stuck to her hands like glue. The process was so incredibly messy, that in the end, she abandoned the attempt. She couldn't waste that much time each morning fighting with dough.

After that, she tried more tested methods. She put the melon ooze in a pot and boiled it with the bare minimum amount of water. The resulting substance wasn't as sticky and much easier to work with. The smell had also become, not quite pleasant, but at least tolerable.

She also tried experimenting with the pulp. First, she made it into a jam, but just like in the tart, it turned a nasty brown color and began to smell horrible. That promptly went to the trash pile which was steadily growing bigger. It was already dark outside and Melina knew that she should go to sleep to be ready for work the next day.

But her curiosity wouldn't allow her to sleep. She tried to mash the pulp with sugar, using a potato masher. It didn't look bad and smelled fine, so Melina inspected it with her skill.

[Weeping Sapmelon Mush: Smashed pulp of weeping sapmelon combined with sugar. While it might taste sweet, it'll be the last thing you'll ever eat.

Effect: Highly toxic]

Melina threw it out and glared at one of the sapmelons sitting in a bowl. It turned nasty when it was cooked but in its raw form, it was highly toxic. There might be something that could neutralize the poison, but Melina suspected that it was something she couldn't find in the Human Realm or likely cost a fortune.

She turned her attention to the clear ooze that she cooked off earlier and inspected it with <Ingredient Appraisal>.

[Weeping Sapmelon Juice: Ooze from the weeping sapmelon that has been cooked with water. It has a mildly bitter flavor.

Effect: Can restore users' health a little and heal minor wounds.]

[Your skill <Ingredient Appraisal> has ranked up. It is now Rank E.]

"Oh, some good news at least. But the ooze has lost much of its healing potency just like in a potion. Maybe I should try cooking it without water?" She pondered and did just that. However, Melina quickly regretted that as without water, the ooze began burning almost instantly, producing nasty-smelling smoke. It was yet another thing to join the trash pile.

"Ugh! Why is this so difficult? What else can I even do with these?" Melina growled. She was almost ready to throw in the towel for the day, when Sienna scurried downstairs, chirping at her.

"You want a snack before night?" She asked, and Sienna ran up to the cupboard where they kept chili nuts. Melina sighed and pulled out a few nuts for the wyrm to enjoy. She charred them ever so slightly—not enough to burn, but enough to toast them.

"Wait… that's it!" Melina exclaimed, remembering an old technique used by mages to preserve and dry food and alchemical ingredients. "Sienna, lend me a bit of your power."

The wyrm cocked her head quizzically but opened up to their link, allowing the mana between them to flow freely. Melina took a metal spoon and scooped a bit of ooze into it. She then positioned her other hand over it and began to gently apply heat.

She did it slowly, having already witnessed what happened when too much heat made direct contact with the ooze. For a minute it felt like nothing was happening, but then the ooze began to bubble. It bubbled too much, threatening to splatter over the edge of the spoon.

"Bit more mana, Sienna," Melina asked and the wyrm perked up, allowing Melina to take more mana. She guided it into the ooze to contain the bubbling. Although there wasn't a lot of it, the process required a lot of concentration as it was trying to bubble rather intensely from the heat. Not to mention, that it had been a good while since she had to do such delicate mana manipulation.

However, eventually, the ooze calmed and began to… crystalize. The nasty smell surrounding it began to mellow out. Eventually, it smelled vaguely of fresh herbs. As the glow from her magic danced across the surface of the ooze, it solidified into a little ball. She certainly hadn't expected that.

"What do I do with this?" Melina asked aloud, peeved by the result. She activated <Ingredient Appraisal> to check the effect it had.

[Crystallized Ooze of Weeping Sapmelon – Rank A: hard residue that results from the ooze of weeping sapmelon when it is slowly heated.

Effect: Heals major injuries and applies a mild regenerative effect.]

"Sienna, it worked! This little thing can be used to heal people!" Melina cheered, taking the hard ball into her hands. Sienna however didn't appear impressed, instead letting out an annoyed sort of chitter and returning to her chili nut.

Melina then realized something. "Wait… How do I eat this?"

She put the ball in her mouth, tentatively biting into it. However, it was hard as a rock, impossible to chew. A little bit of it dissolved in her mouth and the flavor wasn't too bad, just mildly bitter. On the bright side, she felt the bruises on her body heal instantly.

Healing is one thing, but turning this into an actually enjoyable pastry is another.

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