Fairy tale: Little Red Riding Hood's wolf mentor

“Those foods, they really… refill themselves, and the drinks too.”

Lake Polo and the others watched the travelers eating, their faces filled with surprise.

As they watched, the aroma wafting from the food grew richer.

“Can you really eat food that appears out of nowhere?”

Lake asked, momentarily stunned.

But after countless hardships, they weren't about to eat just anything on the table.

“It should be okay, right? I've seen people come out of here, they ate the stuff here and lived to tell the tale, so… things from an angel shouldn't be a problem.”

The old soldier, Invi, thought for a moment, guessing.

Polo, on the other hand, kept his eyes glued to the travelers eating. Perhaps out of respect for the god who provided the food, they ate quickly but with a degree of decorum, not entirely abandoning their manners.

Each bite was savored.

Though the food seemed to exert an unusual pull on them, it was within normal limits, likely not a magical influence.

Lake and the others patiently watched a traveler finish his meal.

He patted his slightly bulging stomach, let out a satisfied burp, and leaned back in his chair—

His eyes were a little red-rimmed.

“Thank you, thank God.”

Polo raised his eyebrows in surprise. Given this world’s usual style, he’d expected these “free” infinite foods to have some sort of effect.

But the traveler wouldn’t have stopped so naturally if he were affected by… a possible curse in the food.

Wasn’t it supposed to use magic to stimulate appetite?

While the travelers were eating, Polo used a magical technique from the Queen's Notes to investigate. But either the magic in the food was too complex, or the reset food contained no magic.

In any case, Polo only sensed a magical fluctuation when the food reset.

Otherwise, nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

The traveler, having finished, looked at Lake and the others standing behind him. He sized up their clothes, and Lake’s fair skin, as if realizing something.

“Oh, you probably didn’t come here because you were hungry, did you?”

The traveler, realizing this, scratched his nose awkwardly. “Don’t laugh at me. I know some people come here because they’re starving, like me.

And some… are adventurers like you, looking for miracles, magic, or something.”

The traveler chuckled. Having eaten, he seemed fine, and with a full stomach, he became more talkative.

“I used to be a farmer, tilling the land. It was tiring, but I could eat my fill… But then, a guy with magic killed the king of my kingdom.”

The traveler shook his head. “After that, the taxes only got heavier, and those who only knew how to suck up to the nobles seized my land. It’s been…

…a long time since I’ve had such good food. I spent the rest of my fortune to come to this place.

Even if these meals were just ordinary bread, or stones and wood disguised as delicacies… I could still eat them.”

Polo and the others listened, thoughtfully.

The travelers who had eaten didn’t seem to have any problems either.

Perhaps he was overthinking things? Could these delicacies really be eaten?

But the old soldier hadn’t come to eat. He wanted to find the “angel” he spoke of, and Polo and Lake, thinking of the “Hansel and Gretel” story, still had some doubts about the “angel” the old soldier mentioned.

They still had enough food on them, so there was no need to eat this magically created food just yet.

With that thought, Polo took out a piece of the remaining jerky and took a small bite.

But before he could take a second bite, he froze—

The piece of jerky he’d bitten off was rapidly regenerating!

Just like… the endlessly resetting dishes on the table!

“Huh?”

Polo hesitated, then carefully tore off a small piece of the jerky and put it in his mouth.

The taste was exactly the same as before.

The texture in his mouth was unchanged, and the torn-off piece regenerated in seconds, but the piece in his mouth didn’t disappear.

Most magic has a “dose” problem.

This came from the Bishop’s 'Principles of Magical Potions,' and those who had more contact with magic often had higher magic resistance.

Which meant they could withstand higher doses of magic.

Many experienced casters could identify the ingredients in a drop of potion by its subtle scent or taste.

Polo thought for a moment and swallowed the jerky.

But even as the jerky went down his throat and into his stomach, under the impact of his own magic, he found no trace of any magic. Which meant…

…this reset jerky was ordinary, no different from the meat he ate every day!

“What’s wrong? Polo? Do you feel anything?”

Lake asked, curious, seeing Polo’s thoughtful expression.

“Lake, do you still have the wild fruit we picked up by the roadside this morning?”

“Wild fruit?”

Lake took out a fruit that looked like an apple from the wagon’s cargo box and handed it to Polo. “What’s wrong, Polo?”

Polo took a bite of the apple and held it up to his eyes.

Like the jerky, the apple was also rapidly regenerating!

“I think all the food here may have the property of resetting.”

Lake and the old soldier saw the regenerating apple in Polo’s hand and were surprised.

“Which means…”

“The food on these tables may be ordinary food, but here, it’s been given…”

Polo recalled and said, “The ability to reset after being eaten, and the property of not rotting or getting dusty?”

With that thought, Polo walked to the table, looked at the food, picked up a small cake, put it to his mouth, and took a small bite.

Then, his eyes widened!

“What’s wrong? Polo?”

Lake asked worriedly, seeing Polo’s expression.

“I’m fine.”

Polo came back to his senses and swallowed the cake. “It’s just that this cake is really delicious.”

The moment the cake entered his mouth, he understood why the travelers were so attracted to the food.

Because… it really did taste good.

Far better than the food Polo and Lake had eaten at the taverns they’d passed on their journey!

Whoever made this cake was definitely a professional chef.

…

The wheat fields on both sides began to ripple.

They grew far better than Lake and the others had seen outside.

“Is it good?”

Polo looked at Lake, who was holding a pastry and taking small bites.

“It’s really good.”

The pastries on the table could regenerate after being taken.

After confirming that the food didn’t contain any direct magic, they had all tasted the food, and even the “welcome gift” meals were far better than anything outside.

Then… what about inside the town?

Lake and the others hadn’t come here to eat, so they wanted to head to the center of the Fertile Plains as soon as possible.

As for Hansel and Gretel, if they really wanted to live on this plain for a long time… it would be better for them to be in the town, with more people.

The road was smooth, and the carriage moved faster.

Before long, some gray buildings appeared at the end of the horizon. It was a small town, and they saw the people who lived on the Fertile Plains.

They looked a little chubby, most with rosy cheeks from being well-fed.

The aroma of food wafted out. Although Lake and the others weren’t too hungry yet, they felt their taste buds being stimulated by the rich aroma.

“Is that grilled meat? And some cake, it smells so good!”

Seeing Lake and the others approach, some of the townspeople waved with smiles. There were many tables and chairs in the town, filled with all sorts of food and dishes, emitting heat and aroma into the air.

“You’re from outside the plains, aren’t you?”

A chubby resident smiled, his eyes squeezed by the fat on his face.

He looked at Lake and the others cheerfully.

“Yes, sir.”

Lake nodded.

It was definitely obvious they were travelers. After all, most of the local residents looked rosy-cheeked and even overweight due to their diet.

And no one here carried swords, bows, or crossbows like Lake and Polo.

The carriage that Lake and the others were riding also indicated their status as travelers.

“We came here to find… the angel who brought you this miracle. Can you tell us how to see her?”

“The angel… oh, you mean the angel who saved us from hunger and suffering?”

The chubby townsperson nodded, realizing what they meant. “On the Fertile Plains, only those chosen as 'Saints' can see the angel.”

“Saints?”

Seeing that the townsperson wasn’t going to answer, Lake quickly took out a gold coin, intending to give it to him.

But the “gold coin,” which had always worked, was rejected this time.

“Hey, no need. Who needs money here on the Fertile Plains?”

The townsperson waved his hand, smiled, and continued, “Many people want to see the angel. There used to be pilgrims and such who wanted to see her, but they all failed—

But you’ve come at the right time. There will be a chance to see the angel soon!”

As he said that, a glint of cunning flashed in the townsperson’s eyes. “Help me with a small favor, and I’ll tell you how, okay?”

“A favor?”

Lake and the others were taken aback. “Of course, as long as it doesn’t take too much effort…”

“It won’t, of course it won’t!”

The chubby townsperson said, leading them a few steps to a house. In front of the house, a long wooden table was filled with a dazzling array of food.

Some food was placed at the back, and in front, there were several plates of pastries with shapes they had never seen before.

“You look like travelers who have been to many places. There aren’t many outsiders like you.”

The chubby townsperson said, looking at them, raising his head to reveal his double chin.

Then, he raised his chubby finger and pointed to the dishes of food at the front of the table. “These are the latest dishes I’ve made. Can you taste them and give me a review?”

“Ah… of course.”

Lake and the others were stunned for a moment. Then, Lake picked up a spoon and gently scooped a bit of a red pastry, putting it in her mouth.

Suddenly, a light shone in her azure eyes.

“Delicious!”

“Anything else? Can you be a little more specific about your feelings?”

The chubby townsperson asked expectantly, his eyes lighting up.

“Uh, more specific?”

Lake thought for a moment and said, “It tastes like strawberries, with a moist, soft texture, and it’s cool and refreshing.”

“Anything else?”

The townsperson continued to press.

“Anything… else?”

Lake was taken aback, thought for a moment, but finally gave up and shook her head. “It’s really delicious, but I don’t know how to describe it.”

“It’s okay, how does it compare to the pastries you’ve eaten before?”

The chubby townsperson continued to ask.

“Sorry, I haven’t eaten much of this stuff before, but what you’ve made is already one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten!”

Lake said after thinking for a moment.

“Okay, I thought maybe you were a noble lady or something, looking at your skin…”

The chubby townsperson shook his head in disappointment, but his expression quickly cleared, and he pointed to the various delicacies on the table in front of his house.

“It’s okay, food is made for people to eat. How about this, you try my other food first, and then I’ll tell you about it.”

So Lake and the others sat down at the table in front of the chubby townsperson and began to eat.

“Sir, are you a chef?”

Lake tried another pastry, which had another sweet blueberry flavor.

“A chef? Haha, everyone can be a chef on this plain. Our food won’t run out, the ingredients are endless, and the most delicious dishes are what everyone can really eat.

In that case, who would eat those tasteless black breads?

Don’t look at me like this, I used to be…

…just an ordinary baker, making black bread, but now that I’m here, maybe I have a chance to become a 'Saint'!”

The chubby townsperson said with a smile.

“A Saint?”

Lake and the others had heard the chubby townsperson say this word for the second time. “So what exactly is a Saint? It sounds like a cleric?”

“Ah, sorry, I forgot to explain it to you.”

The chubby townsperson slapped his head and explained, “Saints, here, are the most respected, because…

…they are chefs recognized by the angel!”

“Chefs? Just… chefs?”

Hearing this answer, Lake and the others widened their eyes.

"Don't underestimate chefs! Here, only chefs can provide everyone with a more enjoyable experience. Moreover, every chef is bestowed with divine magic by the angels!"

"Divine magic? Is it powerful?"

"This isn't the kind of divine magic you see outside, all about killing and fighting. You've traveled this far, and haven't seen anyone farming, right? Can you guess where the ingredients for our new foods come from?"

"Uh, you're right, we haven't. Are they transported from outside?"

"Of course not. They are created through divine magic by the chosen saints of the angels."

"Created? Out of thin air?"

"Not exactly. These materials come from those… foods that no one enjoys because of their poor taste."

The plump townsperson said, "The saints reassemble these substandard foods into ingredients!"

"That's amazing!"

"If you become saints, you'll also gain such divine magic."

The plump townsperson smiled, then scratched his head. "Oh, right, the opportunity to see a 'saint' I mentioned earlier is also related to this.

In the next few days, the selection of saints will begin again in the City of Miracles.

If you can become saints through your culinary skills, you'll have the chance to see the angels…"

"Ah?"

Lake and the others simultaneously widened their eyes, as if they had suddenly entered a world with a different art style.

"It's okay, even though you… haven't even eaten pastries before, you might become saints if you stay here long enough, right?"

The plump townsperson, remembering what Lake had said earlier, quickly added, "After all, everyone can become a chef."

"Alright, thank you for the information, sir."

...

The plump townsperson watched Lake and the others leave, smiled, and then sniffed the dishes he had made on the table. With a determined look, he took out a few plates and threw them into a bag.

"I'll wait for the saints to come and decompose these failed works…

By the way, who is coming to town as a saint this time?

Never mind, that's not important. It just feels like… the saints are being replaced faster and faster lately, and the City of Miracles is selecting more and more saints.

But the updated food is getting more and more delicious, the new saints are indeed becoming more and more powerful!

This is truly a good thing!"