Chapter 38 – Campfire Cooking with Another

It's now been several days since he allied with Nik, and things have been mostly uneventful for Rain. In the early afternoons, he spends his time in an Asphodel geography class. That's about as little fun as he expected, but he knows how important it will be once he gets dropped randomly into Asphodel. So, it's easy for him to stay motivated and focused.

In the late afternoons, he's in the training room learning combat. That time is split about fifty-fifty between the professor's varied lessons on martial arts and swordplay, and personal training sessions with Nik using a sword.

Nik was a little surprised to see how little sword prowess Rain was starting out with. However, he just told Nik that most of his combat experience pre-Marking was hand-to-hand, which Nik seemed to accept. He's not quite sure if it would be a bad move to tell Nik he's an orphan, but he's playing it safe for now. 

The combat training class has been interesting for another reason – Rain has gotten to watch Ronin's reputation grow. Or rather, his own reputation under the persona of Ronin. At first, it was just the students talking about her feat of strength. Of course, Rain made sure to break the news about Ronin's score to Nik, after their lunch alliance the other day, and the Legacy was...shaken, to say the least. 

To make matters worse for Ronin's ballooning reputation, a few of the professors were so impressed that they also tried their hand at the machine. Rain was surprised that, while some got very close, none of the professors managed to pass the 812 score. From what he's been able to gather, Fickle Strength must maintain his relative performance within a tier when it temporarily raises his Prestige. In other words, since his baseline strength is towards the top of Champions, the strength of his elevated strikes similarly stands out among the baseline strength of Paragons.

Paragons with physical enhancement Talents, and Demigods in general, are in high demand for heavy combat jobs. So, the Academy doesn't really have anyone that can easily top that score. It's not surprising in retrospect, but it certainly was when he first observed it. The student body seemed to agree, because Ronin's reputation only skyrocketed after the professors failed to beat her score. 

As for Ronin herself, Rain hasn't heard a single mention of her denying that the score is hers. He's not entirely sure why. Maybe she thinks it'd be futile, maybe she tried denying it and it actually was futile, or maybe she has another reason to actively pretend that the score is hers. Regardless, Rain considers it good news, and the student body has quit crowding around Ronin trying to ask about it. Apparently, she has developed a reputation for just walking away angrily if people bother her too much. 

However, as interesting as the developments with Rain-Ronin's score have been, he considers the most interesting development of the past few days to be his dynamic with Tessa. Chosen Sarge has continued placing a heavy emphasis on team exercises with the two of them, and Tessa has been...well, not pleasant, but...not unpleasant either. At the very least, she's been exceptionally cooperative, to the point that he'd actually be okay working with her in the Crucible, if necessary. 

They've even had some polite conversations while training together, and he's also slowly learning a bit more about her through passive observations. For example, she's...determined...scarily so. She didn't bat an eye when learning how to gut carcasses, and collect their meat and skins, even when the process made Rain a little queasy. Similarly, she was clearly terrified of their rock-climbing training, to the point that she drew blood biting her lip. But she never hesitated or complained, her face always a mask of intense focus. 

During one of their conversations, she shared that, in addition to her mind-control ability, she's able to sense what people desire, and when they're lying – she has the Desire Lineage. Fortunately, he seems to be an exception. It's actually the only reason she was willing to tell him about those abilities, according to her. She asked him about his own abilities, but he just joked that his Talent was charming beautiful women...she seemed rather annoyed by that answer. 

By far the most surprising observation he's made, though, is that she has forgone enchanting a harem of men to sit with her in the cafeteria. On two occasions after their survival class, he even saw her sitting completely alone with her lunch. He knows that he has zero reason to feel guilty about that, but he inexplicably does. That...brings him to his current situation. 

His survival class is about to end for the day, and he's walking over to Chosen Sarge as Tess finishes up her own knot tying exercises. That's their last assignment for the day, and Rain sped through to get a moment alone with the professor. Noticing his approach, Chosen Sarge's default, stern expression twists into one of curiosity. 

"Rain? Is there something you need? Help with a knot perhaps?"

Rain smiles politely and shakes his head. 

"No, I'm all finished, thanks. Actually, I was wondering if it'd be okay with you if Tess and I cook ourselves some lunch out here...survival style, you know? I was going to eat in the cafeteria anyway, and I figured at least this way I get extra practice with the cooking techniques you taught us. We'd just need some of the meat from that beast carcass we deconstructed, the pans, and the spice collection. What do you say?"

Surprise flashes across the burly Paragon's face, then he breaks out into a wide smile and claps Rain on the shoulder enthusiastically. 

"Ah hah! That's the spirit Rain, I like it! By all means, take whatever you need. If you need any help, I'll be just inside the building in my office."

Rain flashes an appreciative smile at Chosen Sarge in return and nods, responding as he walks back towards Tess. 

"Will do, professor! Thanks!"

As Rain approaches Tess back on the campground, he notices her spare him a glance briefly, before returning her focused gaze to the collection of knots in front of her. She's studying them intently. Without looking up at him, she speaks with a thoughtful tone while gesturing to one of the rope knots. 

"Hmm...Rain, what do you think of this one? I can't quite tell if it's the correct arrangement but not tight enough in some places, or just wrong altogether."

He glances at the knot in question, recalling his own struggles with it. 

"Ah, that one. I think that since our reference illustration is a drawing instead of a picture, the bulges of rope within the knot are shaped a bit unrealistically. As far as I can tell, you did this one correctly."

Glancing at the illustration again for a few moments, comparing it to her knot, her face relaxes into a satisfied smile and she nods. 

"Yeah, okay, I see what you mean. Thanks."

Without another glance at Rain, she begins undoing her knots to store the rope. He takes a seat on the log next to her and follows suit with his own. After a few seconds, he casts a glance at her and speaks up, trying to keep his tone nonchalant. 

"Hey, Tess...do you want to stay out here and help me cook a lunch for the two of us? I already cleared it with Chosen Sarge."

Her hands fumble with the knot she's trying to untie, and she blinks in confusion several times. Then, she slowly turns her head to direct a bewildered gaze at him. 

"Uhm...do I want to what?"

Giving her an amused smile, he makes sure to use a more emphatic tone. 

"Cook and then eat lunch...with me...out here."

She stares at him for several more seconds, her face maintaining its blank expression. Eventually, however, her eyes narrow, and she directs a suspicious glare at him. Her voice comes out slow and cautious. 

"...why...?"

'Jeez, what is her deal? Does she think I'm trying to poison her?'

His real reason is that he suspects that she's about to go eat in the cafeteria all alone again, and he feels irrationally responsible. There's no way he's going to say that to her, though. So, instead he just shrugs casually and gives her a puzzled but amused smile. 

"Uhm...I don't see why not? I'm hungry and it would be good campfire cooking practice. Plus, it's beautiful out here...peaceful and quiet, too."

Most of the outright suspicion in her eyes fades, but its confused basis remains visible in her expression. She glances away from him briefly as she responds, her voice a little less confident than before. 

"No...I mean, that makes sense...I guess. I'm just...uhm...why are you inviting me to stay with you? What about your...friends...wouldn't you rather eat with them?"

Rain purses his lips thoughtfully.

Since becoming official allies with Nik, the number of people he's been associating with has gradually grown. Some of them were his efforts, some were just consequences of hanging around Nik more at lunch, but none of them are people he'd consider friends. They're just strategic acquaintances. However, unlike Tess, he's rarely seen eating lunch alone, at least. So, he can understand where she's getting this impression from. 

He makes his best attempt at a puzzled expression, and directs it towards her. Then, he responds in an incredulous tone. 

"Uhm...maybe I'm embarrassing myself here, but...aren't we friends? I spend more of my day with you than anyone else. Plus, while I admit that we had a...err, rocky start...I think we've gotten along well since then. I mean we're kind of killing these team exercises that Chosen Sarge keeps giving us. Fact is, I enjoy your company, so why wouldn't I invite you to eat with me?"

He's not entirely sure he'd characterize them as friends under normal circumstances, but the Academy isn't a normal circumstance. Even if it was, Tess is certainly very high on the list of people he's comfortable with. Bright might be his only actual friend, Nik is a likable but distant second, and Tess is definitely at least third. Depending on the circumstances involved, he might even choose Tess's company over Nik's. 

'Now...that's something I didn't expect to happen...'

As he reflects on the fact that his statement, which was only intended to put her at ease, may actually be true, he watches as Tess's gaze snaps towards him and becomes flustered. 

"I mean...I...uhm...when you put it like that...well...maybe. I just...didn't realize that your opinion of me had changed...that's all. So...you want me to eat with you...just the two of us?"

Her emerald eyes are peeking out beneath the bangs of her wavy, dark brown hair, seeming to study his face uncertainly. Rain just rolls his eyes and gives her an exasperated nod. 

"Yes, Tess...me asking you to stay and have lunch with me means that it's my preference. So, are you going to join me, or do I need to go find a log to carve a friendly face into?"

The corner of Tess's mouth twitches upward, before eventually erupting into a full, dazzling smile. She leans her head on her hand, a glint of amusement in her eyes, and responds in a coy voice. 

"Hmm...I guess I can do you a favor and have lunch with you. I think this means you'll owe me one though."

Rain feels his eye twitch as he maintains a polite expression, then he sighs. 

"And what exactly will I owe you one of?"

Tess's expression morphs into a smirk, with a hint of mischief alight in her eyes. 

"Don't worry about it...I'll be nice and let you off easy."