Chapter 235: Hunger Can Heal Emotional Wounds

Three days had passed since the Monsterphilia.

Lefiya, who had narrowly escaped death during the incident, had finally regained her composure. But it had taken her two full days just to pull herself back from the brink.

Even now, every time she closed her eyes, the events of that day played out again and again. That was the biggest reason why her mental state hadn't recovered.

"Sigh..."

She let out a weary sigh. If only she'd been able to hold onto her courage, she wouldn't have ended up struggling like this for so long.

Leaning against the wall, she stepped out of her room. The fear of death had completely crushed her appetite these past two days. It wasn't that she didn't want to eat—she simply couldn't. Her body had no desire for food.

But that couldn't last forever. Eventually, hunger became impossible to ignore. Her stomach hurt from how empty it was. That's when her survival instincts took over.

And just like that, Lefiya's appetite returned. The fear of death lost out to the far more immediate pain of an empty stomach.

"Grgrgrgrgr~~"

A thunderous growl erupted from her belly, and Lefiya flushed red, still leaning against the wall.

"Ugh..."

She couldn't help but cringe. How many elves out there were forced to snap out of near-death trauma just because they were too hungry to keep sulking? Probably only her.

Right now, she felt utterly humiliated.

Still clutching the wall for balance, she dashed toward the cafeteria.

It was early morning, and the Familia's mess hall was already bustling. Dozens of people were seated and eating breakfast.

"Auntie! Fried noodles, roast beef, vegetable salad, your special grilled fish, and a big bucket of milk—make it quick!"

At the counter, the elf girl who usually picked at small, delicate meals shocked the entire cafeteria by ordering a breakfast that could only be described as lethal.

Everyone in the Familia knew her. Lefiya—part of the second unit but treated like a first-tier member. Everyone knew she was the next in line to succeed the "Nine Hell."

Hadn't she been bedridden the past few days? And now she was suddenly devouring a death-sized breakfast?

With a massive tray in hand, Lefiya sat down at the nearest open seat.

"Grgrgrgr~~"

The growling from her stomach continued, and she blushed furiously again, quickly bowing her head and diving into her food.

Her usual restraint was nowhere to be found. Without hesitation, she began shoveling food into her mouth.

All the greasy dishes she would normally never touch in the morning suddenly tasted amazing.

Elegance? Gone. Dignity? Gone. In the face of real hunger, all of it had been torn to shreds.

She jabbed her fork into a slice of beef and took a huge bite.

'Whoa! Eating meat like this feels incredible!'

The unfamiliar but overwhelming satisfaction lit up her expression.

As she chewed, the rich flavor of the meat spread through her mouth, and by the time she swallowed, the ache in her stomach had vanished completely—replaced by a deep, primal craving for more.

Beef alone made her feel a little choked, so she grabbed the milk bucket and chugged it down. The creamy richness of it sent waves of joy through every cell in her body.

This was probably what anyone who hadn't eaten for three days would feel.

Now that she'd tasted real satisfaction, Lefiya couldn't stop. Her appetite surged, and she tore through her breakfast at full speed.

So good. So, so good.

She could feel all the stunned gazes on her, but she didn't care. Right now, the only thing that mattered was dealing with the hunger gnawing at her.

"Lefiya."

Still chewing, Lefiya quickly looked up—and saw Ais standing across from her with a tray in her hands.

"Good morning, Ais."

Lefiya hurriedly slurped the remaining fried noodles into her mouth, chewed quickly, swallowed, and jumped up from her seat.

"Morning."

Ais glanced down at Lefiya's tray. The large bucket of milk was already half-empty, and aside from a few strands of fried noodles, every plate was completely clean.

"Lefiya, are you alright now?"

"Yeah, I've completely recovered. Sorry for making you worry, Ais."

"As long as you're okay."

Ais didn't comment on her eating. Seeing Lefiya's bright complexion, it was clear she looked much better than when she first returned.

Being able to eat was far better than not being able to.

Lefiya's appetite returning meant her body was no longer under heavy strain.

More importantly, Ais didn't notice any signs of Lefiya forcing herself or putting up a front. That alone proved she was truly on the mend.

Lefiya grinned sheepishly at Ais—until she noticed what Ais had on her tray: just a piece of buttered bread and a glass of milk. That wasn't anywhere near Ais's usual portion.

A flicker of concern passed over Lefiya's face.

"Ais, why are you eating so little today? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Mm... it's not my health."

Ais looked down at her tray and sighed slightly.

"I'm trying to cut expenses. Right now, I'm 40 million Valis in debt."

"I still owe for weapon repairs too."

Her main weapon, the Desperate, had needed heavy repairs after the last expedition. The repair costs alone had drained nearly all her savings.

And then there was the sword she broke during Monsterphilia.

Even if it wasn't an indestructible weapon, it was still first-class gear—meaning she was responsible for compensating its full value: another 40 million Valis.

All of it had left Ais buried under a mountain of debt.

If she didn't resolve it soon, she wouldn't even be able to afford future weapon maintenance.

That's why she'd been cutting corners lately, saving every coin she could. But even so, it was clear she needed to start finding ways to earn money again—or she'd never be able to build her funds back up.

"I see..."

Lefiya suddenly remembered that the sword Ais used during Monsterphilia had been completely ruined. Of course she'd have to pay for it too.

"Lefiya, you're up and about!"

A voice called from behind before Lefiya could say another word—and a face immediately leaned in close.

"Ah—don't get so close, Tiona!"

"What's the problem? I haven't hugged you in three days!"

The fluffy, yuri-esque scene was actually kind of sweet. But to everyone around them, it was just another normal morning.

Lefiya could feel the warmth and sincerity in Tiona's gesture—but she still couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed when Tiona got that close.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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