"Hehe, this is the food that this ice queen hunted and dismantled, and the honey-glazed pork chops that I specially grilled, plus the scallion-flavored meat skewers that our little cutie prepared. I guarantee everyone will be satisfied!"
Annie, standing to the side with her hands on her hips, looked quite smug, indicating that she had indeed put in a lot of effort.
I was a little surprised: "I didn't expect that you, who couldn't take care of yourself at all, could actually grill meat? Is it some kind of culinary disaster?"
"Hey! Take that back!"
Anne jumped up and down: "Although I didn't understand many things at first, it's just a simple barbecue, how could such a small thing be difficult for me!"
“Yes, Mr. Yumi.” It was rare to see Hikari chime in for someone else. “Although Annie isn’t that skilled at everything else, she’s quite good at this grilled meat!”
"...I feel like I've been insulted."
Well, since even Hikari said so, perhaps I really am generalizing when judging people.
I shrugged. Since everyone around was an acquaintance, I didn't care if it would embarrass me. I apologized to her as sincerely as possible: "I apologize, Annie. And thank you for grilling the steaks for everyone; at least they looked delicious."
Raising an eyebrow, Annie repeatedly turned her head to look at me and Hikari, then suddenly shook her head and forked the nearest piece of steak to eat: "I can't be bothered with you guys. I'd rather eat something. At least I won't fill my stomach with gas."
With this signal, the remaining food was instantly divided up.
The one who ate the most was Miyuki, which was both unexpected and reasonable. Overall, she had indeed put in a lot of effort today. Although she suffered mostly internal injuries, they were not easy to heal. Even after drinking [Liquid Life] and with Hikari's treatment, it still took her quite a while to regain her ability to walk in the cave.
As the main attacker, responsible for both holding the line and dealing damage, it's normal for a swordsman to have a higher energy requirement due to their physical exertion.
The second biggest eater was Anne Fines, which surprised most of the people at the table.
Putting aside her body, which is the second smallest among our group, it's really a question of where all that meat went.
To this, I can only say: "You look like someone who has never eaten before."
"So what if I've never eaten it before!"
An embarrassed and angry Anne stormed off the table, only to realize at the door that the purpose of the gathering hadn't even been discussed yet. She froze halfway there, until Hikari kindly called her back. Only then did she reluctantly move her bottom and sit in a seat diagonally opposite me, some distance away.
The poor child, who knows what kind of hardship he went through.
The remaining portion went to me, Hikari, and Aian.
Although I also enjoy this kind of meat, I suddenly lost my appetite today, probably because I was too tired during the day. I only ate a small portion of what I usually eat. Hikari was busy taking care of the short-armed Aian, spending most of her time rushing back and forth between the kitchen and the dining table. She said she was going to add some snacks and drinks to cleanse her palate, but she didn't eat much. In the end, I broke off the half-eaten steak piled on her plate and ate it in small bites.
I had no idea why she blushed. Was it because she was too hot from running around?
After most of the people had finished eating and there was a brief silence, Hikari, who had been the main initiator of the conversation, raised her hand first: "Well then, how about we discuss where we should go on an adventure tomorrow?"
"I'm fine with anything, I can go anywhere." Miyuki crossed her arms and leaned back against the chair. "Swords can only show their true sharpness in sufficiently dangerous environments. As long as they are not broken, they can go forward without fear."
She started again.
I shook my head, then noticed Annie suddenly leaping onto a chair across from me: "Why don't we go find the legendary dragon's nest! I've heard it's filled with treasures and precious things, even the ground is covered in gold, and maybe even the legendary holy sword! Pulling it out will make us a hero who saves the world!"
"You've been reading too many novels, haven't you?" I couldn't help but tease. "There are plenty of books in the library, but that doesn't mean you should spend all your time reading novels."
"I just like it! Maybe one day I'll meet my Prince Charming!"
"There are no royal families or nobles anymore... and if you want to find your Prince Charming, just take the Pegasus outside for a couple of laps, and you might just find him," I reminded him, and unsurprisingly, I got a glare from him.
Ai An, who had been quietly observing the atmosphere, suddenly raised his hand. After receiving a signal, he whispered, "If possible, I would like to see the place where the Sword Saint who once saved this world and his companions went into seclusion. I heard it's somewhere nearby."
A savior swordsman?
I frantically searched my memory for any scattered information about this term, but before I could find it, Hikari blinked a few times and suddenly looked enlightened: "You mean those guys? The ones who rushed to the front lines during the Black Tide and blocked the first wave of the crisis. Didn't we hear about them at the Sacred Tree Barrier before?"
Miyuki responded thoughtfully, "The savior swordsman, the radiant mage, the unerring elven archer, the resurrected saintess, the swordsman who annihilates everything... Did those predecessors actually retire to the mountains in the end?"
It seems that this is indeed the case.
“If it’s not too far, it would be nice to go and pay a visit,” I said. “But I imagine there aren’t many things left there. Most of them have probably been taken away by the academic community or the faction at the Sacred Tree Barrier, right? There are plenty of antiquities on display.”
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
