The following day, Kai woke with a dull ache in his bones. The overdraw from Ember Requiem still lingered—his Mana pool sluggish, his senses fuzzy at the edges. But something deeper pulsed beneath his skin.
A presence.
A hunger.
Not for food—but for understanding.
The System pinged softly behind his eyes, like a whisper through the ash.
[New Title Effect: Ashbearer – Ingredient Memory Echo Available]
Would you like to activate your daily insight?
> YES | NO
Kai didn't hesitate. Yes.
The world shifted.
Colors dulled. Sound faded. The warm Guild kitchen around him blurred, and in its place rose a vision: tall grasses bent by wind, torn banners fluttering, charred earth stretching endlessly beneath blood-orange skies.
And in the center—a single black herb, curling like a withered flame. It pulsed, and from it, sorrow bled into the ground.
Kai snapped back to reality.
His breath hitched. The vision left behind a single phrase in his mind:
"Black Sorrowleaf."
An herb that only grows where great suffering has occurred.
He turned to the pantry master.
"Do we have anything... black, curling, looks like flame? Probably stored in dark glass?"
The old woman blinked. "Ah. You mean the weeper leaf? Nobody uses that stuff. It makes dishes bitter."
Kai's lips parted. "Can I have it?"
"Take the whole jar. You're the only one mad enough."
The Memory Echo
Back in the test kitchen, Kai unscrewed the sealed black vial. A plume of air escaped—and for a moment, the scent of grief filled the room. Like wilted flowers and dried tears.
Kai activated Ingredient Recognition I.
[Ingredient Identified: Black Sorrowleaf (Tier 2+)]
Properties: Bitter, dense, unstable.
Memory Residue: High
Origin: Grows only near sites of emotional trauma.
Synergy Detected: Ember Requiem I → Compatible
Warning: May amplify sorrowful effects in consumers.
Kai considered the risk. This wasn't about flavor anymore.
This was about truth.
The Dish: Griefroot Stew
He began with a rich bone broth layered with seared root vegetables, smoked marrow, and a caramelized shallot base.
Then—just a sliver of the Sorrowleaf, scorched gently over the Heat Cloak effect to prevent full bitterness. It released a smell like wet letters never sent.
As he stirred, Ember Requiem I pulsed.
Mana: 12 → 0
[Ember Requiem I Activated]
He infused the entire stew with his memory of failure—his first dish scorched beyond saving, his mentor turning away in disappointment, the day he doubted he could cook again.
The stew simmered like an apology.
When complete, he ladled it into a clay bowl and brought it to the observation chamber, where instructors judged innovation and risk.
Judgment
Guildmaster Serane tasted first.
She said nothing at first.
Then, slowly, she placed the spoon down and leaned back. Her voice was quiet.
"I was ten when I burned my sister's favorite cake. She cried for days. I hadn't thought of that in thirty years."
Another judge dabbed their eyes. "Why am I remembering my father?"
Kai stood straight.
"It's the ingredient. It holds memory. Ember Requiem unlocks it."
Serane looked at him—eyes narrowed, calculating.
"Then you've made something dangerous. But honest."
She turned to the others.
"I vote approval. Let the Ashbearer cook as he sees fit."
System Update
[Quest Complete: Awaken the Ingredient's Past]
+80 XP
+Reputation +20
+New Ingredient Attunement Unlocked: Sorrowleaf
→ Future use of Sorrowleaf increases Ember Requiem's effect by 15%
→ May unlock new emotion-based skills with repeated use
XP: 420 + 80 = 500 / 600
[Ashbearer Trait Progression: 1% → 4%]
Kai Elgren
Level: 7
XP: 500 / 600
Reputation: 221
Guild Influence: 40
Mana: 0 / 12 (Overdraw recovery complete)
Stats:
Culinary Sense: 9
Knife Technique: 5
Heat Control: 6 (III)
Stamina: 7
Focus: 10
Mana: 12
Skills:
Ember Requiem I (Active, 25 MP)
Ingredient Recognition I
Heat Control III
Flame Artistry I
Heat Cloak I
Basic Knife Mastery
Flavor Sense I
Ember Savor I
Flame Net
Titles & Effects:
Ashbearer (NEW):
Dishes with emotional resonance restore 10% Mana
Once per day: Sense memory echoes in ingredients
Unique attunement effects with ingredients like Sorrowleaf
New Trait:
Ingredient Attunement: Sorrowleaf (Grief Synergy)