Garrett kicked his legs in the water, tilting his head back to watch the silver dragon take flight. He cast a spell to amplify his voice, shouting against the strong wind rushing at him:

"Don’t pick fights with anything too powerful!"

"Got it—!"

The voice of the silver dragon faded into the distance. Garrett then dove into his spatial bag to check on his provisions:

- Barbecue grills, three in total; two small ones for individual meals, and a large one capable of roasting a whole sheep.

- A plethora of skewers, varying in size, the largest still smelling faintly of fish – perhaps previously used by barbarians as a whaling spear.

- As for charcoal, enough was prepared to require the felling of two trees by the barbarians.

- The seasonings were all but exhausted, with only a last reserve left after emptying the rest.

Garrett wondered what Seraina would bring back... A single roasted sheep, at most two, was manageable with his cooking skills. But what if she returned with ten or eight all at once? Surely not. Seraina could only carry one sheep in each claw. Surely she wouldn’t have the patience to weave a basket for them?

Slipping further into the hot spring, Garrett poured himself a glass of mixed fruit juice. The drink was refreshing, albeit a bit too tart; a little sugar would have made it perfect. Alas, all his sugar had gone into the desserts...

Lounging in the hot spring, Garrett enjoyed his chilled juice and fruits, occasionally reaching for a sweet treat. These desserts, crafted by his own design, involved seaweed brought by mountain eagles, boiled and refined into agar, then mixed with sugar and chopped fruits to freeze into blocks. Transparent and visually appealing, though they did little to satiate hunger. Fortunately, the barbarians had also made thick sugar cookies, almost as big as a face...

As the sun neared its zenith, the clear sky amplified the UV rays. Remembering the increased risk of skin damage from prolonged soaking in mineral-rich waters, Garrett covered his head and face with a towel, recalling how easily his skin reacted at the beach. Where had Seraina gone, he wondered?

Time passed, and just as he was lost in thought, the sky above darkened. Not a sign of bad weather, but something large flying overhead!

Garrett sat upright, removing the towel. Looking up, squinting against the bright light, the sound of heavy winds descended rapidly. With a loud thump, something massive landed nearby, accompanied by Seraina’s joyful shout:

"Garrett, I’m back!"

The smell of the sea was overwhelming. Seraina did a loop in the air before diving into the lake, likely to wash off. Resigned, Garrett stood up and immediately spotted Seraina’s catch:

A fish.

A massive fish, as long as two men.

A spindle-shaped fish, with a silvery-blue back and a silvery-white belly, thrashing around.

...Great, how am I supposed to kill this? Physical attacks likely won’t cut it. Using [Dragon’s Breath] might work, but doesn’t seem like a good idea...

After a moment of silence, Garrett retreated back into the hot spring, watching the fish from afar. Fortunately, the Silver Dragon Lady soon returned, fresh from her swim. With a single punch, she knocked the fish out, then effortlessly ripped open its gills and removed a chunk of its flesh along with its scales.

"Garrett! Come here! — Eat this fish brain!"

...What?

"Hurry! The brain of this fish aids in mental growth. It wasn’t easy to catch!"

Garrett was momentarily stunned. Wait, I brought the grill, skewers, and charcoal, but no pot! Fish brains are more delicate than tofu; how am I supposed to cook this? On a griddle?

Pressured by Seraina’s insistence, he reluctantly summoned a floating disk, scooping out the jelly-like brain. Thinking carefully, he conjured a small fireball for gentle heating.

"Why are you cooking it? Just eat it!"

Seraina stomped her foot in frustration. Garrett, realizing his oversight, promptly began preparing slides for microscopic examination:

"You didn’t mention parasites. Let’s check for them. If it’s clear, it’s safe to eat raw. Just give me a moment to prepare a slide..."

Seraina, at a loss for words, took over controlling the fireball, curiously watching Garrett work. This was something new for her; catching more fish was easy, but this scientific process was fascinating.

Following standard procedure, Garrett prepared three slides from different parts of the brain, carefully examining each under the microscope:

"Looks like... normal tissue here... and here... No signs of eggs or larvae... Let me check another slide..."

Concerned about parasites, Garrett meticulously reviewed each slide. Once convinced of their

absence, he sighed in relief:

"Looks safe to eat raw. Let’s dig in!"

"What do you mean? It’s already cooked!"

Embarrassed, Garrett quickly applied a freezing spell to the cooked fish brain and devoured it. Without salt, soy sauce, or even mustard, he didn’t even consider using the spices he had.

The meal, lacking in flavor, was consumed hastily. A fish this size offered a substantial amount of brain matter. Feeling full, Garrett eagerly took on the role of chef:

"Seraina, you’ve done enough. Let me handle the cooking..."

With a huff, Seraina skillfully removed the fish skin and scales. Garrett, wielding his prepared cleaver, began expertly dissecting the fish meat. Just a few pieces in, a surge of heat erupted from his stomach!

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