My Creations Followed Me to Another World-Chapter 27: Hana Stew Again

Shivvy’s tiny nod still hung in the air like a verdict.

Dante held her for a long moment, pride and guilt crashing inside him. He was relieved, yes, they had a plan. But the relief tasted like betrayal.

Hana watched silently as he tucked the girl back under the thin blanket.

Shivvy’s breath steadied. Her fingers curled around the [Gray Rabbit].

They’re my children.

The thought burned in Hana’s chest.

"We move at midnight," Dante said, standing stiffly. "47 and I need intel. Gear. The Adept’s schedule. We can’t risk guessing."

"Go," Hana said. Her voice was flat stone. She didn’t look at him.

"I’ll stay. She needs quiet. And warmth. And someone who doesn’t see her as a [Lockpick]."

Dante winced. He didn’t argue. There was nothing he could say that Hana would accept.

He nodded once, an apology in the gesture, then turned to 47.

"47. With me."

[AFFIRMATIVE. EXECUTING SURVIVAL PRIORITY.]

The door shut behind them with a heavy thud.

Only when the echoes died did Hana move.

She sank to the stone floor beside Shivvy’s cot and brushed a hand over the girl’s hair.

She had passed the test. But that was practice.

In the real vault, fear would be real. Pressure would be real. And fear was still intent.

If Shivvy’s survival instinct screamed I need this to live, that alone could trigger the Rune and kill her where she stood.

Hana’s jaw tightened.

’I cannot rely on obedience. I must control her mind-state.’

Hana’s hands curled slowly into fists. If Dante was the Creator, she was the Protector. The Crafter. The one who made the impossible manageable.

’Then I’ll craft the impossible.’

She stood with new purpose. Her tools were warmth, food, and focus. Her weapon was [Gourmet Meal].

She grabbed the purse of gold from Corva.

It was dirty money. But all fuel is dirty when you’re burning it for a child.

***

Hana left a note:

DO NOT WAKE HER. I AM AT THE SPRING.

Then stepped back into the Hollow.

The Spring was a narrow stone shop lit by low lanterns.

Metal, herbs, and strange reagents scented the cool air.

The quartermaster — a scarred gnome in thick leather — squinted up at Hana.

"What’s your order, Associate?"

Hana’s eyes didn’t drift to knives or tools.

Only ingredients.

"I need items that help with psychic balance and mental stability," Hana said. "The rare ones."

The gnome raised a brow.

"A cook, huh? Fine. We have Cloud-Moss, helps shield the mind from Divination Wards. Ten gold."

A jar of pale, feather-light moss hit the counter.

"Moon-Root Essence. Stops panic. Assassins swear by it. Fifteen."

Hana took them both.

"And this," she said, lifting a small sachet of purple powder. "Night-Calm Spice?"

The gnome grunted.

"Black market. Suppresses greed, panic, impulse. Used by master forgers. Twenty gold."

"I’ll take it," Hana said. No hesitation. "And a deep pot fit for quiet simmering."

Gold changed hands. Hana’s purse emptied. Her mission began.

Back in Hollow-7, Hana built the fire low and steady.

She set the deep pot over it and began to work.

Cloud-Moss, chopped with perfect precision. Moon-Root, simmered until the steam smelled like quiet nights and cool soil.

This wasn’t just a meal. It was an antidote.

A shield against the Rune. Against panic. Against intent.

Hours passed. And steam filled the room, warm and calming.

Finally, when the timing felt right, she added the Night-Calm Spice.

The purple powder dissolved, releasing a soft scent like mountain wind.

A faint notification shimmered in her mind.

[Gourmet Meal: Focus-Stew]

Effect (Self): +10 Stamina. [Intent Nullification] for 3 hours.

Effect (Others): +5 Stamina. [Clarity of Purpose] for 3 hours.

Hana filled three bowls and placed them neatly on the table.

She sat. And waited.

***

The iron door scraped open.

Dante rushed in, eyes bright with the electric shine of a gamer who’d cracked the dungeon.

"Hana, listen, the Adept has a mandatory tea break at midnight. Exactly fifteen minutes. We found a maintenance hatch leading right to the sub-level stairway. If we hit it clean, we can do everything in under ten—"

He stopped.

Three bowls. Steam. The calm scent,,.

"What... is this?"

"Dinner," Hana said. "Eat it. You need clarity."

Dante didn’t argue. He dropped into a chair.

47 sat opposite him. They ate in silence.

The stew was rich, grounding, heavy with focus.

Dante exhaled slowly.

"Hana... this is perfect."

Hana finally sat in the fourth chair. She didn’t touch her own bowl yet.

"The plan is good, Dear," she said. Her voice was steady, sharpened by resolve.

"But there’s one condition before we move."

Dante nodded, calm under the stew’s effect.

"What is it?"

"Shivvy is not going alone," Hana said.

"Hana, no. You can’t go into the vault. The wards—"

"I’m not going to the vault," she said, cutting him off. "I’m going to the maintenance hatch."

Dante blinked.

"...What?"

"You need someone holding the exit," Hana said. "If the Adept returns early. If alarms trigger. If anything goes wrong, you need someone to shut that door. Someone who will kill anything that follows."

She gestured to the gear Dante carried.

"I have no magic to trigger wards. But I have a knife. And I have intent."

She leaned forward, eyes burning.

"If Shivvy comes out, we run. If she doesn’t come out within ten minutes... I go in."

Dante froze.

Hana went on, voice quiet but deadly firm:

"The Rune of Judgment punishes theft. I won’t be going in to steal. I’ll be going in to retrieve my child."

She held Dante’s gaze, unblinking.

"You are the Creator. I am the Rear Guard. This is not a request, Dante. This is the condition I set before you left. This is my vow."

Dante stared at her.

He knew she was right. He knew he couldn’t win this argument. And he knew, in his bones, that without her... they would fail.

He bowed his head.

"Agreed... Rear Guard."

He slid her bowl toward her.

"Eat. You need the focus. We move in three hours." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Hana finally lifted the spoon.

The stew tasted like cold iron and necessity. And as the Night-Calm Spice settled in her chest, her fear faded.

Her intent sharpened to a single blade.

The mission starts now.