"How is it made?" Ishtar asked curiously.
"I added a bit of sea salt to the ice,"
Luo En revealed the secret without reservation.
Sea salt can enhance the flavor, and adding it appropriately can greatly enrich the taste of shaved ice.
"It tastes good. I’ll try it next time!"
After Ishtar finished speaking, she quickly devoured the shaved ice in her cup, and the coolness immediately washed away the morning’s drowsiness.
Arriving at the great hall.
The sandals that tread through the muddy mountains yesterday had been cleaned, placed outside the door, waiting to be worn; the clothes stained with sweat and magic beast blood were also freed of stains, now emitting a pleasant fragrance.
During washing up, the water in the copper basin was neither too cold nor too hot, sprinkled with petals on top.
Breakfast was also prepared in advance on the table, with soft and delicious bread and thick, juicy smoked meat.
Ishtar ate with great enjoyment, and before long, her belly was bulging.
After the meal, she had a few mint leaves for a fresh mouth to remove food crumbs and strips of meat stuck between her teeth, then chewed on several dried plums to fill her mouth with the fragrance of fruit.
After experiencing such a novel pleasure, Ishtar felt as if she was still dreaming, looking at Luo En with a trace of admiration in her gaze.
This is a person who truly understands life.
Food, drinks, clothing, and demeanor—all these domains attained perfection under his hand, elegantly and effortlessly.
As she walked out of the hall in a daze, a gentle reminder came from behind Ishtar:
"Come back early tonight, preferably with some of the magic beasts I mentioned, so we can try out a new dish together."
The goddess turned around, looking at the figure standing in the sunlight at the door, waving goodbye to her. She subconsciously nodded, feeling a curious sense of anticipation and impulse in her heart.
How she longed for the evening to come quickly...
In the blink of an eye, over ten days passed.
Some changes had unknowingly occurred in Ishtar’s original lifestyle.
Delicious food could be enjoyed every day;
New and unusual snacks could often be tasted;
The once cluttered temple had become tidy and organized;
She needed to think or do nothing extra, just focus on her battle skills, clearing the magic beasts of Abi Mountain and the escaped spirits from the Netherworld.
It was as if everything had returned to the days in Uruk when she was worshipped by the Sumerians and served by many priests and deacons.
No, it seemed even more comfortable and pleasant than back then.
What brought about this change?
Ishtar looked around the temple and spotted the figure teasing "Number Two" in the corner.
It seemed to have started after this guy came?
He is indeed knowledgeable.
He can cook delicious food, create novel desserts, organize the messy temple, and even give effective suggestions on how to purify Abi Mountain and repair the earth veins.
It seemed that any trouble, once in his hands, could be easily solved.
Of course, there were also some downsides.
She seemed to have become somewhat dull?
Ishtar stood at the door, scratching her head in confusion:
"Where are my sandals?"
"I washed them; they’re drying behind the temple."
"They feel a bit tight..."
"The buttons and straps on them were worn out, so I fixed them. It might feel a bit unfamiliar at first use."
"Oh, okay, then I’m off."
"That’s the wrong direction; it’s northwest. You’ve already dealt with most of the polluted areas in the past few days. Currently, only the northwest swamp remains."
"Alright, I’ll take care of the remaining trouble now!"
"It seems there’s a group of poison dragons in that swamp. I prepared an antidote for you; don’t forget to bring it."
"No need to bring ingredients this time; dealing with poison dragons is too troublesome, and the meat is dry and tough. Let’s use the demon pork from before tonight. Do you prefer it stewed, grilled, or braised?"
Ishtar replied, swallowing, full of anticipation for tonight’s feast.
Luo En watched as the Heavenly Goddess dizzily walked out the door, stumbled onto the Heavenly Ship Maanna, and hazily headed to the northwest swamp to clear the magical creatures, smiling wryly.
This goddess’s character is indeed as changeable as the rumors say;
Sometimes shrewd, sometimes careless;
Sometimes diligent, sometimes lazy;
Sometimes open to advice, sometimes stubborn;
Sometimes proud, sometimes unassuming...
She’s unpredictable and always seems unreliable.
While Luo En was quietly grousing, he also counted the other "offenses" of Ishtar through their time together.
First, this woman’s sleeping posture is terrible.
In this regard, the Heavenly Bull used as a pillow has the most to say. Several times, this unlucky little pet almost got strangled by its owner, or was hugged and rolled off the bed, suffering a night’s oppression.
Second, this woman likes to talk in her sleep and often grinds her teeth.
Even through the sound insulation technique, Luo En could hear her every night cursing her competitors such as Gilgamesh, Enki, Enlil, Marduk, and Anu in her dreams. This indicates that her relationship with the Pantheon of Gods in Babylon is not particularly good.
Third, this woman’s drinking capacity and behavior are poor; once drunk, she tends to let herself go.
Once, Ishtar got drunk, grabbed his hand, and proclaimed they should become sworn siblings. For the sake of his future happiness, Luo En naturally refused sternly, resulting in him being chased around by the drunk Ishtar wielding a dinner knife for most of the night.