Chit chat

I raise an eyebrow as Isabella forms an enormous fireball and hurls it at a pack of horned wolves. The earth shakes, debris falls from the ceiling, and I can't help but groan inwardly. Oh for fuck's sake, Isabella. I get that we're going to be teleported soon, but seriously, why are you like this?

Luna, who's been the epitome of calm throughout our journey, lets out an uncharacteristic sigh. "Hey V... Do you have any more of that food you made?" she asks, as if the question physically pained her.

I chuckle and glance at Lysandra, who's busy licking pasta sauce from her fingers, completely oblivious. "Unfortunately, she ate it all."

Haha, look at Luna. It must really hurt you to ask for something, huh? Can't blame you.

I reach into my bag and pull out a plate wrapped in cloth. "I always keep extra food for the food goblins I constantly feed," I say, shooting a wry look at Lysandra, who seems undeterred by my jab.

Unwrapping the plate, I offer it to Luna. "It's not the same dish, but it's just as good."

Luna nods appreciatively and takes the plate. She begins eating, and her eyes widen slightly—probably didn't expect the "extra" food to actually be good.

Rai stretches his arms and beams. "Hehe~ We're almost out of this place~ This was rather easy for the participation points we're getting at the academy."

Arin chimes in. "Yeah, honestly, I thought it was going to be harder. I mean, we already managed to get 45 sigils after fighting non-stop."

"Alright, let's just wait here. We should already be in the top three," I say, folding my arms across my chest. "There's no point in looking for any more monsters. We're going to be teleported out of here in a short while anyway."

And besides, I'd rather not give Isabella another opportunity to bring down the whole ruin on us.

I give a slight sigh, stretching my back as I slide the last shimmering sigil into my pouch. Hmmm... no frustrating questions. As soon as we're teleported out, I'm heading straight back to the academy. I'll let Isabella and the others soak up the glory. This event's been good for everyone; Isabella got what she needs for growth down the line, and I secured the artificial core that caused a huge scene. Hehehe, It'll take a while before I can use it but it will be worth it. 

Flames crackle beneath the pan as I spoon the hot, buttered oil over the sizzling steaks. I hum to myself, lost for a moment in the culinary zen. My mind snaps back to the scene around me: Rai and Arin are engrossed in a conversation that, judging by Arin's expression, revolves around some ill-advised strategy to win Luna's attention. I'm genuinely surprised he's still tolerating that Idiot. Rai isn't as stupid as he's been acting recently. The issue is that Luna is here; when she's around he does stupid shit, which is why I brought them both here. I need Rai to regain some brain cells while he's around Luna. 

Isabella's nose is in a book, as usual, but Luna... Luna's gaze is on me. It's unsettling, honestly. Her eyes aren't just on the food, they're on my every move—gauging, assessing, filing away. It's like being under a microscope. Does she want to learn how to cook? 

On my other side, Lysandra is practically salivating as she watches the steak cook, her lips bitten in anticipation. Ah, this damn lizard. How the hell does she even fit all that food inside her?

Finally, the steaks are done. I pass them around, lingering for a moment when I hand one to Luna. Her eyes meet mine, unreadable as ever, before shifting to the food. I dump a pile of about twenty steaks in front of Lysandra. The look of bewilderment on everyone's faces is almost worth the grocery bill I'm inevitably racking up. Ugh, dammit Lysandra, at this rate, I might as well buy a damn grocery store to keep you fed.

"Dude, I gotta give it to you," Rai chimes in, taking a bite of his steak. "Your food is fire, seriously."

Arin nods, savoring a mouthful. "Yeah man, this is good. Ever worked in a restaurant before?"

I can't help but grin. "Nah, it's just something I picked up growing up."

Arin's about to say something else when suddenly there's a warping sensation around us, the familiar tingle of teleportation magic. "Looks like we're heading back," Isabella murmurs, closing her book.

The lights are blinding as we reappear in the tent. "Ugh, fuck," I mumble under my breath. "From dark ruins to this...feels like my eyeballs are being sautéed." Uuugh, I forgot how it feels to be in the light, I got used to that strength bonus. 

Finally, my eyes adjust. Raelle is there, tapping away on her tablet. She looks up and her light purple eye catches the overhead light. "I'm glad you guys are safe," she smiles, maintaining her distance as we each make a beeline for the shower stalls.

Oh, the water feels heavenly. "Mmm, washing away the grime of both the dungeon and my decisions," I muse to myself as I lather up. Raelle's voice rings out over the patter of water. "You guys did amazing! You ended up in second place!"

A holographic screen appears above us, showing some kind of leaderboard. "While you were gallivanting around, there was chaos on the other side of the ruins. Teams fighting each other, total mayhem."

"Of course," I sigh as I dry myself off. "In an environment ripe for third-partying, what else is to be expected?"

Raelle continues, "We were able to watch most of it happen except for a few moments here and there. The artifacts you've gathered are yours to keep. No one will take them from you. But if you're willing—"

We exit the shower stalls, freshly changed. Isabella, her hair still wet, flicks her fingers and dries both her own and Luna's locks in an instant. "Don't ask stupid questions," she cuts off Raelle. "No sane person would share their findings."

"Thank you for inviting me to this competition, Student Body President," Luna says, showing her respect. Luna joins the student council in the future so I guess she wants to leave a good impression. 

Rai looks me up and down. "Yo, you're decked out in all black, even got a mask. I have to say, man, you look way better with that mask on, is that a new clothing style? Looks dope."

I groan inwardly. He just said I look better hiding my face. God, this idiot. I slip on black shades, hiding my irritation as much as my face.

Raelle starts to make her exit. "People are waiting for you outside. I have to go, I need to catch up on some late work."

"We need to talk, Raelle," I catch her shoulder, my voice turning icy.

Arin looks back at us, "You two not coming?"

I exhale a frustrated sigh. "Nah. Go out there, and it'll either be a laugh riot or I'll get yelled at for not taking things seriously 'cause of the cooking."

Raelle tries to slink away, but I grip her shoulder tighter. "Where do you think you're going? We need to have a long chat."

She turns around, her light purple eye meeting my shaded gaze. The room goes silent for a moment. Oh, you got some apologizing to do.

I tighten my grip on Raelle's shoulder as I lead her out through the back exit of the tent, Lysandra following behind like a spectator at a live drama. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Raelle. I expected better from you.

We arrive at the portal gate without me saying a single word. I can see Isabella far away, practically a magnet for a gaggle of star-struck followers. Raelle waves her hand at the mage attending the gate. The portal shifts, and we see the familiar surroundings of the academy on the other side. We step through. I let out a sigh, already mentally preparing myself for whatever bullshit she's going to offer as an excuse.

The tension between us is thick enough to cut with a knife. I finally take off my mask and shades, my gaze boring into her as I store them back into my pouch.

Raelle fidgets, gnawing at her inner cheek. "You see... I thought that maybe you might decline... Soooo, I didn't tell you anything and hoped you wouldn't notice."

"Stop acting all worried. I don't plan to nullify our agreement due to this."

She exhales, relief washing over her features. "Thank the goddess of light."

From behind us, Lysandra clicks her tongue in disappointment, as if the soap opera she'd been hoping for has been canceled. Well, too bad for you, Lysandra. Sometimes life doesn't give you the drama you're craving.

I turn my attention back to Raelle. "I already knew someone was after us—"

She interrupts, "I'm sorry! Okay, I get it. It was wrong for me to do that, even if you knew."

Ignoring her outburst, I continue. "You should know that I'm not stupid. Don't try hiding anything from me again. And for crying out loud, I'm not going to nullify the agreement, so get those idiotic thoughts out of your head."

Her face turns a shade paler, and I can't help but think, This girl is going to lose her mind if she keeps behaving like this.

Raelle stops, "Oh I need to introduce you to someone."

I raise my eyebrow in confusion. "I don't have time for that—"

"Please, V," she interrupts, her hands pressed together like she's begging some sort of deity. "He's from the student council, but he's thinking of leaving. He saw you cooking during the competition and started laughing. I told him you're on the council too. If I don't bring you along, he's going to think we've lost control over our members."

As if to sweeten the deal, she pulls out a bag filled with mana stones from her own bag. Her voice trembles. "I-I can give you a couple."

I scrutinize her. "Is he really worth making you suffer this much?" Just which member is it? Tsk, I need to have a chat with Elith about Raelle's behavior, she needs to stop begging. She's the damn president for crying out loud, I know she's stressed but she shouldn't be this desperate. 

Raelle swallows hard. "His name's Caspian and he's not just smart and easygoing—he's strong and has a reputation."

I hear Lysandra's stomach growl like some sort of neglected pet. I point at her. "Caspian, huh? Fine, but you're buying her lunch." This is going to be fun, since he's a martial artist I wonder if he'd be willing to go a few rounds. 

Raelle's smile blossoms like she just dodged a firing squad, and the mana stones disappear back into her bag faster than you can say 'bribery.' "Yeah, sure~ No problem~"

As we walk, Raelle's voice chimes in again. "Oh, by the way, Seraphina asked me to tell you to look for her at her dorm when you have time. Something about feeling sick? She wanted to ask you something."

That's unusual. Seraphina doesn't get sick. "Hmm, alright. I'll check it out later."

★  ★

By the time we reach the student council office, the tension has eased a bit. But I still can't shake the feeling that Raelle's hiding something. Ah well, let's meet Caspian, he should be pretty chill but I never described his appearance as he was a side character so I wonder what he looks like. 

We walk in, and there he is—Caspian. Unsurprisingly normal-looking for someone supposedly 'extraordinary' according to Raelle. He looks up from his tablet and his eyes narrow in what seems to be perpetual skepticism.

"Ah, so you're the gourmet warrior," he smirks.

Oh, for fuck's sake. Is this what I've been reduced to?

"Nice to meet you, Caspian. I'm V," I respond, keeping my voice level. I glance at Raelle, who's almost hopping in place like an excited schoolgirl. If she starts to sing, I'm out.

Caspian studies me, no doubt trying to gauge if I'm as useless as he's presumed. "I have to admit, Raelle's been singing your praises. Well, not literally. But close. Ah, thank you for telling these idiots to organize their collected info. Since I'm always busy I don't have time to do it myself."

From behind me, Lysandra's stomach emits another growl. It's loud enough to function as a backing track for an action movie.

Caspian glances at Lysandra, then back at me. "Ah the girl that ate it all, she's your friend?"

"You could say she's my spirit animal," I quip.

Raelle jumps in. "I promised Lysandra lunch! How about we all go?"

Caspian grins and smiles. "Sure, I can eat. But no pasta; I've had my lifetime supply."