That said, it had just struck me that toasting cheese on a skewer was rather difficult. I searched the memories of the ghost Teiren, who would whisper in my ear at every opportunity she got. There, I found...that I could just as well have used a frying pan! My past self was insisting that grilled cheese sandwiches needed the cheese to be grilled on a skewer, and I felt unbearably smug as I shoved her words into one corner of my mind. Then, I ordered a frying pan that claimed to have a long-lasting nonstick coating on it.
Goodness me! I wish Teiren had told me that there was a much easier way!
She might have preferred an adventurous method, but I preferred a convenient one! I then prepared the same meal with the frying pan and made it completely without incident! Without incident! And I certainly didn’t get impatient and almost burn myself in the process! Not. At. All. And I certainly didn’t touch the pan’s edge accidentally, leading me to require an exasperated Alk to use healing magic on me. How could I make such mistakes when I had Teiren’s memories to rely on?
Or so I thought. But as it turned out, there was quite a difference between having a memory of something and trying it for oneself.
Salamander jumped up onto my shoulder and nuzzled his head against my cheek to comfort me. “No one gets it right their first time! I think ya did pretty well!”
I had to hang my head at that and sighed. “I hoped that I wouldn’t be quite so clumsy. I really did!”
“There must be some disconnect between your memories and your physical body. I suppose you will just have to keep practicing,” Alk said.
I must have seemed miserable indeed as both Salamander and Alk were quick in their attempts to lift my spirits...but that only made me feel worse! Nevertheless, Alk was right—I would just have to work to gradually bridge the gap between my memories and my physical skills. I was managing just fine for now, but there was no telling what I might have to do next...
Also, among Teiren’s memories was something she called a “kitchen garden.” It seemed rather interesting! Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to grow food yourself?
I had lots to do and tons to tackle, but I was enjoying myself immensely! I slapped my cheeks to top up my motivation and then gazed at the altar, which was still acting as our table.
The first thing I had to deal with was our waste disposal problem.
“I wonder what we should do with these empty glass bottles?” I wondered out loud.
There were bottles from the two sets of cold brew tea I’d ordered and a smaller olive oil bottle from the carpaccio set. I didn’t think that Salamander could use them for mana in the same way he could use paper-based packaging. Burying them would mean they’d be there forever, but melting them with Salamander’s flames might not have been a better solution either. I supposed my only choice might have been to sacrifice some space in my infinitory to store them.
“M’lady. Are ya wantin’ to get rid of those?”
“Indeed, but I am unsure of the best way to do so.”
Salamander seemed to have detected the improvement in my mood. He hopped off of my shoulder to the altar and sniffed the bottles before turning his vermilion eyes back to me. Exposed to his flames, the colored glass cast dark, flickering shadows. They were rather pretty.
I considered breaking the bottles and making mosaic tiles with the pieces, but I wasn’t sure where I’d procure the so-called “cement” that I’d need. It wasn’t used for culinary purposes, so I couldn’t order it. Another memory I found suggested that I could remove the bottoms and repurpose them as flowerpots, but I didn’t know how one was supposed to cut glass either.
Salamander looked between me and the bottles before he suddenly hummed a tune. “I think the hermit likes this sorta stuff. Want me to call him?”
“The hermit?” I asked.
Alk grunted, looking as fed up as I was puzzled. “Oh, he’s far too fussy, though.”
Oh dear. And just when breakfast had put him in a much better mood too... I wonder what relationship he has with this “hermit.”
Alk’s grumblings aside, it sounded as though this person might be able to help with our bottle situation. I thought it was worth hearing him out, at the very least.
While I was still mulling things over, Salamander hopped off the altar and slapped the ground with his front feet. He wasn’t drawing a magic circle, and the ground before the altar looked completely unremarkable. I wasn’t sure what he was doing, so I was confused.
“Hermit! I know you’re there!” Salamander cried out. His voice and the slapping of his feet resounded through the shrine.
The sight of a lizard as large as he was shouting and striking the ground was... Well, it seemed rather perilous, to say the least. However, as he continued, I could see magic twisting and gathering at his feet.
Was he summoning something? And without the use of a circle or anything?! I brought my hands up to my mouth in amazement but kept my eyes peeled. I didn’t want to miss seeing this!
Then, there was a poof, and a thick cloud of dust materialized.
“Can’t you keep your voice down, Salamander? You’re disturbing your neighbors.” This new person’s voice was deeper and gentler than I had expected.
“Wait, who...? That silhouette looks human...”
The dust settled to reveal a young man with a meek-looking face adorned with a monocle with a golden chain. His dark, classical attire and his monocle truly suited him! He was about half as tall as I was. He didn’t seem to be a dwarf, however.
The man lifted his monocle, and his hazel eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Alk. He didn’t seem the slightest bit intimidated by him, however, despite the fact that he was not even half as tall as the dragon.