114. The Missing Part

Mira lifted the third piece of meat from the Blackstone Cooking Slab. The red and blue light stayed around it for several seconds before fading.

She placed it on a clean plate away from the other two samples.

"Nobody eats anything yet," she said.

Carlos had not moved toward the plate, but he stepped back anyway.

Cosmic remained beside the kitchen door with both arms folded. The two Hearthkeepers stood across from Mira and watched the three pieces carefully.

The first piece had only ordinary salt. Its surface was dark from the heat, but there was no light inside it.

The second piece had Mana-binding Salt. Red lines remained beneath the cooked surface.

The third had the same salt and one drop of juice from the Water-affinity Silverwood Fruit. Its red lines were weaker, while a pale blue colour had gathered along one edge.

"Hmm... This is ordinary meat. I need to test them before I put either one on the Emberhorn Meat."