After setting up the camp, we started getting ready to eat.

/CREAK/ /CRACK/

A fire that was cracking in the midst of cold weather.

A warm feeling flows from there to around.

Although it was not stormy while I was pursuing them, the weather was still cold thanks to the season being winter.

"Do you like meat?"

"….."

"I will take it as a yes."

"…. I am fine."

Now, there might be a misunderstanding that since Elves are close to nature, they won't eat animal meat and will be vegetarian.

This is something very stupid.

Because, if you are living a lifestyle close to nature, then you are also accepting the rule of predator and prey.

Here, I am not dissing the vegetarians or anything.

I am just saying, that nature itself will consume those animals that you are sparing.

Because this is how the world works.

In the wilderness, the strong eat the weak.

And if you are weak, you are bound to be consumed. 

So, for me, linking the action of eating animals to a massacre or something another is just ignoring this fact.

/CREAK/ /CREAK/

After piercing the fresh meat, I started grilling above the fire.

And then, it was time to start cooking the rice.

It was basically how I was living in this past year and a half. Because I was mostly alone and had enough money after some point, I started cooking on my own.

Since Aaron was living alone, he also cooked for himself most of the time, so I was already familiar with most of the concepts from Earth.

However, being in a magic world has its own charm.

'Because you can use magic while cooking.'

In the end, using the techniques from Earth will limit the taste of food, which is something I learned after eating delicious food prepared by professional chefs in this world.

'That meat I ate in Flaycaster City was something else. If I got the chance again, I swear I would eat it.'

That was the reason why I was also looking at the books related to cooking with magic, but finding those was a bit hard, to be honest.

Well, since it was a hobby, it was not that important anyway.

At that time, while Callius was immersed in his cooking, the girl with pointy ears was watching him in a daze.

Well, saying in a daze was a bit wrong.

She was just watching him without doing anything.

But inside her mind, a lot of thoughts were going on.

Her first impression of this guy in front of her was a bit different from a normal one.

'Strange Human.'

That was what he thought after he stopped her attack.

'He is really strange.'

Because after some point in her all life she was judged by her skills and compared to her sister, she distanced herself from others.

And they didn't care about that either, which resulted in her being ostracized from her environment.

'Why is he trying to talk to me?'

And she was used to being alone too.

No, she had to get used to being alone, and at some point, being alone was where she was comfortable.

That was the reason why she was not able to understand why this guy was trying to talk to her or help her.

'He is strong, stronger than both si- both Selanne and her big sisters.'

Just as she was about to call her sister in her mind, the hatred returned to her heart.

'She is no longer my sister nor I am no longer Flore Glyndon.'

That was what she was repeatedly telling herself in her mind.

To engrave that feeling deeper into her heart and use it.

However, the boy in front of her was strong.

Because he was able to beat that man who had killed the Knight Leader Faelen on his own.

Although that strange talking weapon was the reason why Faelen, the elven knight leader, lost, he didn't even force himself in that fight.

'Maybe, he can really grant me that strength.'

'No…. People don't do things for free…. I can't trust him.'

Although she knew she had slept on his shoulder, she also knew it was because she was tired.

'But… It is also true that I need to get stronger for now…. Because there is no way I can beat Selanne right now.'

'….. But I will really kill her at the end…. Those who abandoned me, I won't leave them alive….'

The moment she remembered the expression her si-, the elven princess Selanne had before she left with the teleportation, her blood started boiling again.

'She was smiling!'

/CLENCH/

With her hands clenched, her feeling started intensifying again.

"Here, dinner is ready."

"Huh?"

However, just as she was about to drown in the feeling of hatred, suddenly, a hot bowl touched her cheek.

"Hiss…."

/FLINCH/

And she exclaimed in surprise and flinched from the slight pain.

"Calm down; it is just a soup."

Glancing at the hateful guy in front of her as a response, she threw a quick gaze at the bowl in front of her eyes.

A bowl that contained a liquid with steam rising from its surface.

"Humph!"

Although she knew there was no reason to, she was annoyed because of this hateful guy in front of him who kept bothering her constantly.

With a harrumph, she turned her head to the side.

However, at that time, something entered her nose.

Something that made her nose twitch in response.

A very appetizing smell.

'What?'

It was a smell she had never felt before.

/GROWL/

And just as her nose was twitching, something else was twitching as well.

Just to destroy the front she put on….

"Heh…."

Seeing that hateful guy in front of him smirking in response, her cheeks started flushing from embarrassment.

"Just say it if you are hungry. Why bother with the useless front?"

And that annoying smirk was still there, which somehow made her mad more than usual.

"Shut up!"

Saying that she grabbed the bowl and turned back.

'Why is this guy annoying me so much?'

She thought in her head while smelling the soup…

Just like that, two of them started eating…..

--------------------------------A/N-----------------------------

Now, there are not many chapters left before the end of this volume. At most, ten chapters.

After that, the academy arc will start. But, I will release a couple of side chapters to show what others were doing since, from that point on, the main cast will be a huge part of the story, although the pace was a lot slower than I had expected, I also didn't want to pass a lot of details, since I think the story should at least have its details while introducing a heroine.

Stay intact since a mass release is on the way.