Chapter 65: Delinquent and night camping!

Paul poured a juicy mixture of herbs and spices into several metal trays. This taste removed the strong taste and brought a pleasant scent that filled the cave.

"The meat smells so good. Look at the texture. I haven't seen such an amazing balance of fat and meat!"

Paul wore an apron and a small white hat. His eyes almost shone while he used a tool to distribute the mixture. It seemed he enjoyed cooking far more than Ryuji realised, using several runes stored with cooking oils and different ingredients.

"It smells a touch sweet, like honey,"

Erika looked at her tray with a smile. Paul seasoned each person's tray slightly differently according to his choices. If he could cook this well, he seemed to be quite an awesome husband.

Ryuji and the male's food seemed more salty, with a slightly spicy kick. Erika's scent was more refined and sweet, similar to Sheila's and Alicia's. While Yumiko's smelt thick, with few seasonings and more meat, with thick cuts of fat sizzling away.

"Yay~ meat, such fine meat~ I want more meat." Yumiko sat beside Ryuji, her tail swishing across his hand.

"Are you really okay with just salt for seasoning, Yumi?"

Ryuji liked his try because of how deep the flavour smelt. A flavour close to adding a light soy and teriyaki-style marinade.

"Sorry. I think it's because we have different tastes. Would you like to try some of my meat, too?"

"Ryuji, it's because beastkin have sensitive senses, including their taste. If they eat, it usually uses fewer ingredients due to them tasting the meat in a way we can't."

'Paul's face seems a little annoying when he cooks.'

When Paul explained what to do, Ryuji was a little irritated. However, the meat was tasty, so he let it pass. Paul's love for cooking surpassed his love for magic. That is how far Ryuji interpreted Paul's motives.

"Paul, enough with the aggressive chef appeal! Hurry and serve the meat!" Simon called out, holding a small mug of beer. He already seemed quite intoxicated.

"Simon, please have some patience. Our meal is not yet done. Why don't you start with an appetiser while I cook."

Paul looked at Simon with a calm face. There was no hint of irritation as he turned back to cooking the meat. It felt like this exchange was something the pair did often because a sudden plate of poached fruits appeared in front of everyone except Yumiko. Her meat looked a little red, but Paul piled it onto a plate, with his ladle spooning gravy atop the meat.

"Enjoy, Miss Yumiko."

Paul was acting like a master chef, a side that Ryuji had never seen before. Erika looked on with a smile while eating her fruit. The ripe and succulent flavours filled Ryuji's mouth with a hint of sweetness from the apples and a tart, sour taste from the pears. Paul even made a refreshing juice from peach and mangos mixed with iced water.

The party shared a small feast of wine, fruits, and meat. As the atmosphere calmed, Paul and Simon began sharing tales from their youth.

Sheila's words were calm and gentle, but the hand grabbing Alicia's neck told a different story. She used brute strength to drag the half-drunk girl, whose eyes remained in a state of half-sleep and then threw her back into the back cave where the others were.

"Sorry about that, Ryuji, Yumiko." Sheila appeared in front of them with a soft smile. She sat down on a stool beside them and started eating the leftover fruit.

"I have a feeling the drink is going to become a problem."

Ryuji sighed as he poured himself a cup of tea and Yumiko another mug of mead. Yumiko nodded her head rapidly. Her tail swished across the floor in front of Ryuji, rubbing against his feet as it tried to wrap around his leg.

"Hiccup~ Hiccup~"

"It seems Ryuji and Yumiko will be quite tired in the morning," Sheila joked before leaving, swaying her hips while Ryuji watched her leave. "Goodnight, Ryuji~ have a nice evening."

An hour later, the flames crackled—Simon and Paul sat outside for guard duty, though there was a magic ward. The knights were old-fashioned and still wanted to have someone watching. Ryuji sat against the wall inside the cave with his eyes closed. He was pretending to be asleep.

While he rested, Yumiko, who had not stopped drinking for at least the past hour, appeared in front of Ryuji. She stumbled forward and fell against his chest.

"Shorry," Yumiko whispered.

Her hands slipped across his thin tunic, slipping under his top as her ears tickled his face. They emitted a faint fragrance alluring to his nose. The touch of her fur against his face caused him to stir a little.

"Shorry, are you slee'ing?" Yumiko mumbled as her voice faded in and out. Her breathing slowed and increased, growing deeper as she unfastened his tunic's buttons with unsteady hands.

"I need your mark~" Yumiko rubbed her face against his chest. The soft sensation of her smooth cheeks and soft ears across his bare skin sent chills down his spine.

"Do it~ I'm yours... master~" Yumiko's body pulled his open shirt down, exposing his skin as she began licking his neck.

Her tongue was soft and wet as it glided across his bare skin. Her teeth sank into his shoulder, nipping at his flesh. Her hand grasped his, pushing it against her warm, squishy breasts.

"Mark me, Ryuji, make me yours forever."

Yumiko's bright blue eyes seemed to glow as they gazed into his face. Her beautiful face's fiery gaze became hypnotic as he peeked from narrow eyes. He could feel his heart racing, his body tensing up as he continued to fight the urge to do anything.

"Please~ Ryuji, my mate, my love. Let's have sex."

Yumiko's sweet whispers grew into an emotional cry. Her tail stroked his groin. She continued to whisper to him with an expression filled with longing and desire. Ryuji, who had finally resisted enough, Yumiko flipped his switch.

He grasped her shoulders and pushed her down with a thud, her eyes opening wide as he pulled off her loose clothes. The distant moonlight only lightning their cheeks and faces.

"I'll mark you until you beg me to stop."