Thats what she told him

The soft glow of dawn spilled into Rice's tent, the light brushing against his face and dragging him reluctantly from sleep. He groaned, stretching his arms above his head and yawning loudly. "Another day of awesomeness," he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of his makeshift bed.

His tent was cluttered but comfortable, with baskets of dried herbs, cooking tools, and a few scattered seeds he had collected during his travels. He grabbed his vest and slipped it on lazily before stepping out into the brisk morning air.

The camp was already alive with activity. Around him, tribespeople from various groups bustled about their morning routines. Shadow Tail hunters sharpened their blades in the corner of the clearing, their fox spirits lounging nearby. Thunder Striders were tending to their horses, their powerful steeds munching on hay and pawing at the ground. Members of the Storm Scale tribe were discussing strategy near a small pile of weapons they had forged.

Rice scratched the back of his head, yawning again as he strolled through the camp, his eyes scanning the busy scene. "Another day, another pot of soup," he mumbled, heading toward the communal firepit he had claimed as his own.

Rice's movements were slow and unhurried as he gathered ingredients from the baskets near the fire. With practiced ease, he began tossing dried herbs, chunks of vegetables, and strips of meat into a large pot of water. The aroma quickly wafted through the air, catching the attention of nearby tribespeople.

One by one, they began to gather around the fire, their faces lighting up with anticipation. "Gimme a few," Rice said through another yawn, stirring the pot. "I should have enough for all of you."

The crowd grew, their excitement palpable as Rice's reputation for making the best meals in the camp had spread far and wide. Despite his exhaustion, he worked efficiently, seasoning the soup to perfection.

As Rice added the final ingredients, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Just beyond the edge of the crowd, Lucy was crouched near a small cluster of trees, her head tilted as she spoke softly to something. Curious, Rice leaned closer and realized she was talking to a horse spirit from the Thunder Strider tribe.

"Hey," he called over his shoulder to one of the cooks he had trained personally, a young member of the root binder tribe named Arlen. "Watch the food for me, will ya?"

Arlen's eyes widened with pride. "Yes, Rice! I won't let you down!" He practically saluted before taking the ladle, holding it as though it were a sacred artifact.

Rice chuckled and walked over to where Lucy was engrossed in her conversation.

"Talking to it, huh?" Rice asked, his voice quiet enough not to startle the spirit but loud enough to make Lucy jump.

She spun around, clutching her chest. "Rice! You scared me!"

"Sorry, sorry," he said, raising his hands in mock surrender. His gaze shifted to the horse spirit, which regarded him with calm, intelligent eyes. "But seriously—can you talk to it?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I can… feel it. Its emotions, its energy. I can see it all, like threads connecting everything."

Rice tilted his head, intrigued. "But you haven't contracted with it, right? That's something only the contractor should be able to do."

Lucy shook her head. "No contracts."

She opened her hand, her palm trembling slightly. A small spark of electricity crackled to life, dancing across her fingertips. The horse spirit shifted, its eyes gleaming with recognition, as if acknowledging Lucy's display of power.

Rice blinked, his mouth slightly open. "Whoa… no contracts, right?"

Lucy nodded again, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.

Rice's face lit up with excitement. "Lucy… you might be a jackpot!"

"Jackpot?" she echoed, tilting her head.

Rice laughed, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Yeah, like something really, really good! Practice that skill, okay? See what else you can do with spirit powers."

Lucy nodded slowly, still unsure what he meant. "Okay…"

Before she could ask more, Rice spun on his heel and practically skipped away, a grin plastered across his face. He made a beeline for the other two as they groggily emerged from their tents.