The next morning, after breakfast, she returned to the kitchen. She took out her ingredients: roasted duskbeans, moonfruit, a tiny packet of white sugar crystals, and a mixing pot.
The moment she opened the bag of roasted duskbeans, a warm, nutty aroma rose into the air. After grinding the duskbeans, Lyria then measured them with precision, heated the water to the ideal temperature, then poured in the ground duskbeans, and gently stirred. A rich brown color swirled upward, releasing a scent that made her stomach flutter with nostalgia. Then she added a bit of moonfruit for acidity and a pinch of sugar, timing the drip to perfection.
She watched the rich, brown liquid swirl in the cup, releasing the warm, nutty aroma of coffee. Tentatively, she sipped, and a soft smile spread across her face. It wasn't Earth coffee, but it was deep, smooth, slightly fruity, and warm in a way that wrapped around her chest like a hug, a comforting blend of bitter and sweet.
Since she was done, she poured it into a silver circlet mug and set it aside.
Since today was voidrest, everyone was at home. Her brothers came to the kitchen when they perceived the aroma.
"Lyria, what is that smell?" Milo asked with curiosity in his eyes.
"It is coffee. Would you like to have some?" Lyria asked her brothers, whose ears were already perked up.
"Sure thing," Finn said.
Lyria served each of them a cup.
"Wow, this is good," Finn said, after which he gulped down the whole mug of coffee.
"Orion, take this to the dining table and give a cup to Mum and our Dads," Lyria said as she placed the last cup of coffee in a tray, which she handed to Orion.
"Lyria, can I get another cup of coffee?" Finn asked, regretting that he had chugged everything in a go.
"Nope, there is none left," Lyria replied, before she started cleaning the cabinet and the kitchenware she used.
After cleaning, she headed to the dining room where she heard her brothers telling and trying to convince their parents that it was very nice and delicious. Finn was saying, "If you don't like it, I am available, I will be a very suitable trash bin to dispose of the coffee," which earned a flick on his forehead from Cyris. "Ouch, Daddy Cyris, that hurts," Finn said with a pout and teary eyes, acting like a pitiful dog. But everyone ignored him.
Thorne didn't need convincing. He took the coffee mug, sniffed it, and his fox tail puffed.
"It smells strong… but sweet."
He took a sip.
Silence.
Then his eyes widened dramatically. He clutched the cup as if afraid it would vanish.
"WHAT IS THIS NECTAR OF THE ANCIENT SPIRITS?!" he shouted.
Lyria blinked. "It's… coffee."
"Wife, you should really try this, my baby is a genius," Thorne said.
"Our baby," Rowan corrected possessively before sipping his own mug.
His soul visibly left his body for a moment before returning.
Cyris and Selena weren't much better their eyes widened, their ears perked, their expressions melting into bliss.
Lyria was happy that they loved it, Her parents and brothers immediately promised to recommend it to friends, coworkers, and customers. Warmth filled her chest.
Days passed quickly.
The system countdown now read:
11 days, 13 hours, 40 minutes remaining.
Her Clawcom rang, signaling a call. When she picked up, she heard a voice she remembered so well: Pete, the sturdy craftsman, who informed her that her oven was ready and asked if she would like for it to be delivered to her house with a small fee of ₤7, which she gladly paid using her pocket money after leaving her address.
An hour later, a crisp ding–dong! echoed through the house.
Lyria's ears twitched, her tail giving a curious flick. She went toward the door. When she opened it, a uniformed delivery attendant stood there beside a large, securely packed crate.
"Good afternoon, miss," he said with a polite bow. "Delivery for Lyria Snowpelt. One premium beast-grade oven, as ordered."
Lyria's silver-blue eyes brightened instantly. "Finally, thank you! I've been waiting for this."
He wheeled the crate inside with practiced ease. "Please sign here," he added, handing her a claw-friendly digital slate.
After signing, Lyria crouched beside the crate, her hands tapping excitedly against the wood.
With the delivery complete, the attendant tipped his cap. "Enjoy your new oven, miss. Have a wonderful day."
The door closed with a soft thud, leaving Lyria beaming at her newest treasure. Lyria wasted no time. She opened the crate and gasped in delight.
It was perfect. Better than she expected. She immediately transferred the remaining ₤17 to Pete.
"This is exactly what I wanted," she messaged.
Pete replied instantly with a happy thumbs-up.
Her brothers and dads surrounded her to see the new thing she called an oven.
"Daddies, I will be needing your help to get this baby to the kitchen," said Lyria, who couldn't wait to bake for them to see.
This time around, since she had learned baking in her past life, it was quite easy for her.
For making the cupcake, Lyria mixed flour, sugar, starberry mash, milk, and eggs. Her movements were careful; everything felt both familiar and alien. The batter turned a soft pink hue, smelling faintly of berries and warmth.
Lyria then poured the batter into twelve tiny cups, which she placed into an already heated oven. As they baked, the scent filled the kitchen, sweet, cozy, nostalgic.
"Oh, this… this is dangerous," Lyria murmured, fanning the heavenly aroma toward her face.
When she pulled them out, the cupcakes were fluffy and glowing faintly pink under the warm light. She then added a simple whipped cream topping and sprinkled crushed frost mints.
"They actually look… perfect," Lyria said while staring at them.
After placing them to cool, she started making cookies. For the cookies, she mixed a thicker dough, adding small chunks of moonfruit chips. She then flattened the dough using rolling sticks before cutting them using a cookie cutter, after which she placed them on the oven plate and then into the heated oven.
Soon, the cookies crisped at the edges, soft and warm in the middle. Lyria took one bite.
The crunch melted into sweetness. She moaned, "Oh stars… they're good."Lyria grinned to herself.