Chapter 2: The Hunt for the Great Flavor

Sally stirred, groaning as she slowly opened her eyes. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the room, and for a brief moment, the fear from the goblin attack still lingered in her expression. I, however, had more pressing concerns."I'm hungry!" I declared. Sally blinked at me, her exhaustion quickly replaced by exasperation. "Young Master Audi… you almost died."But I didn't," I pointed out, rubbing my stomach. "So, food?"Despite herself, she let out a weak chuckle. "Fine, fine. I'll get you something."She tried to sit up, but I gently pushed her back down. "Rest. You were attacked. I'll have the other servants handle it."She hesitated, then smiled—soft, but undeniably surprised. "You really are different, Young Master."I wasn't sure what she meant, but if it got me food faster, I didn't care.

Adjusting to Noble Life

Living as a noble was... frustrating. The fancy clothes? Uncomfortable. The beds? Too soft. But worst of all—the manners."Young Master, please don't eat with your hands!"You must chew slowly and with grace!"NO BITING THE MEAT DIRECTLY!"I growled, baring my teeth at the etiquette tutor. "Then how else am I supposed to eat it?!" Apparently, tearing into food like a wild animal wasn't considered "proper noble conduct." Who knew? But table manners weren't the only issue. There were expectations—lessons in politics, history, and magic theory. Endless greetings with high-class guests. Worst of all...My family was back.

The Return of Jazz, Ford, and Prius

"Audi, you're alive!"

A girl with fiery red hair, her charred mage robe barely holding together, burst into my room and flung her arms around me.

"Gah—who?!"

She pulled back, smirking. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you forgot your amazing big sister already."

Jazz. My older sister. A mage with a dangerous love for explosions.

Behind her stood my brothers—Ford, a battle-worn warrior with a greatsword strapped to his back, and Prius, the ever-serious priest, gripping his staff like he was already preparing a lecture.

"We just got back from a nightmare of a quest," Ford groaned, rolling his shoulders. "Barely made it out of the Tower's 20th floor alive."

"It was brutal," Jazz added. "We almost got wiped out. But that wasn't even the worst part."

Prius' expression darkened. "On the way home… we encountered something that shouldn't exist."

I raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. Goblin?"

The room fell quiet.

Jazz let out a dry laugh. "Close. But not quite. It wasn't just a goblin."

"It was something else," Ford muttered. "A hybrid, maybe. Undead, but... wrong."

Sally, still sitting up in bed, hesitated before speaking. "There was one goblin that attacked me, but thanks to Audi, I was saved."

Jazz grinned. "Good work, Audi."

She reached into a leather pouch and tossed something onto my table with a thud.

"Here. Your reward."

I picked it up—a thick, marbled slab of meat, slightly darker than beef but with a rich, smoky scent that made my mouth water.

"A werewolf's meat," Jazz said, smirking. "Fresh from the Tower. You have to try it."

I didn't hesitate. I bit straight into it.

The flavor hit me instantly—rich, gamey, and packed with power. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"This... this is amazing!" I said between bites. "Where did you get this?!"

Ford smirked. "Stupid, you should at least cook it first."

I blinked. "But it's already warm?"

Jazz chuckled. "Yeah, that's my fault. A little fire magic made sure it wasn't raw."

Ford shook his head. "Still, if you really want more, you should think about becoming an adventurer, Audi. That way, you can hunt your own food."

I swallowed, already considering it. Rare meat. Stronger creatures. More flavors.

Ford clapped his hands. "Anyway, we better pack up and report this to the Adventurer's Guild."

As they prepared to leave, I stared at the remaining piece of werewolf meat.

Maybe being an adventurer wasn't such a bad idea.

The Aftermath of the Goblin Attack

Word of the attack spread fast. The mansion's guards were on high alert, their armor clanking as they patrolled the halls. Servants whispered of monsters lurking in the shadows, and even the head steward—normally a composed man—wore a deep frown."Young Master," he said gravely, "we need to investigate how that goblin got so close. If one breached the estate's perimeter, others might follow."I wasn't particularly concerned. I was still thinking about the taste. That goblin had been... delicious. Sally, however, was shaken. She flinched at small noises, her hands trembling as she poured tea."I'll kill the next one before it can touch you," I told her. She looked up, startled. Then, after a moment, she smiled. "I'll hold you to that."

The Adventurers Report to the Guild

Meanwhile, my siblings wasted no time. Jazz slammed her hands on the Guild's meeting table. "Listen up! This is serious!"The Guild officials, seated in a large circular chamber, exchanged skeptical glances."A zombie goblin?" one of them scoffed. "That's impossible. The Great Zombie Extermination ended a thousand years ago."Ford crossed his arms. "Well, it's back. And it nearly killed us."Silence filled the room. The Guildmaster, an older man with a sharp gaze, leaned forward. "If what you're saying is true… this is bad. We need to send a team to investigate immediately."Prius nodded. "This might be just the beginning."

Audi's Hunger Evolves

Back at the mansion, I stared at my reflection in the polished silver mirror. Something was different.Stronger.The hunger that had always lurked beneath the surface wasn't fading. If anything, it was growing. My body remembered something—some instinct from my past as a zombie. I needed more. Stronger meat. Rarer creatures. I ran my tongue over my teeth, a thought creeping into my mind."What happens if I bite something stronger?"There was only one way to find out. And so, my hunt for the world's greatest flavors began.

End of Chapter 2