The dining hall went still.
Everyone froze the mont that heavy voice rolled across the room. The laughter from Emili and Max, loud and reckless just a second ago, evaporated.
Even Sezel stopped mid-way, palms still pressed to the velvet table.
In silence, he carefully lowered himself back into his chair like nothing had happened.
Then the voice spoke again, cheerful and friendly this ti.
"Okay the food's here."
Sezel squinted, finally the long awaited al. That actually sounded… wonderful.
A figure erged, pushing a large serving trolley with the elegance of a seasoned butler. Four bowls clinked faintly atop it, steam curling lazily from the als within.
That was the supre delicacy of the Spirit Realm - Monster at.
Sezel's lips twisted. Ugh. That again.
Monster at wasn't bad, technically. In fact, it was the only reliable food source here.
Surprisingly rich in nutrients, ridiculously high in protein, and versatile enough to keep people alive without flavoring their lives with starvation.
If you wanted to survive in the Spirit Realm—or worse, survive peacefully—you either learned how to cook monster at a hundred different ways… or you died being chewed down by one.
Still. Knowing where it ca from didn't exactly make chewing through it enjoyable.
Sezel tried—really tried—not to look at the one pushing the trolley. His neck went rigid, eyes glued to so invisible point on the far wall.
He followed the invisible law of If I don't look, maybe nothing awkward happens.
It worked for a total of thirty seconds.
The figure circled the table, placing the steaming bowls carefully in front of each person. His steps were unhurried. The faint aroma of sothing roasted filled the air, earthy and surprisingly savory.
First Emili. Then Max. Then Alex reached Sezel.
A bowl landed before him with gentle precision. Sezel stared at the rising steam and muttered a silent thanks, all while refusing—stubbornly—to glance up.
He wasn't touching that trap of a face, not with Max and Emili sitting just there. He knew where the conversation would go.
Then finally satisfied, Alex wheeled the cart aside and pulled out a chair for himself, settling at the table with the others.
The four spoke in unison, the chant of shared survival:
"Thanks for the food."
And just like that, breakfast comnced.
Sezel took his spoon and dipped it into the thick monster at stew, tasting faint traces of herbs that Alex sohow managed to scavenge.
He chewed, letting the flavors sink in. Not bad. Honestly good, if you forgot that the at had likely been snarling at you just so ti ago.
Eventually and inevitably, his gaze flickered against his will.
Alex sat serenely across Emili, long azure hair spilling like water down his shoulders and framing a face that could have been painted.
His eyes were dark, black wells of quiet, drawing attention without asking for it. Every feature was smooth and refined—an image of tragic beauty in the middle of a slaughterhouse world.
Alex's beauty was… unfair. Comparable even to the Ice Queen herself.
Sezel's chest twisted uncomfortably. He jerked his gaze away, chewing furiously.
No. No no. What the actual hell, Sezel. Don't go down the rabbit hole.
He ntally slapped himself across the face.
That's a man. Do you hear ? A damn man. Beautiful hair, flawless features, vibes of so storybook princess. But he is a male. End of story.
The man wasn't just good looking—he could cook. How unfair.
He stuffed another spoonful of stew into his mouth, punishing himself with heat and grease.
The al continued in tense silence, the occasional scrape of bowls echoing along the massive hall like church bells.
For a brief, miraculous mont, there was peace.
Then, of course, Max decided peace was boring. "The food storage will run out in so days."
The words dropped like the crack of a whip. Sezel froze.
Emili set her empty bowl aside, her smirk thinning. Alex looked down briefly, black eyes reflecting thought.
"We need to go hunting today," Max announced. His smooth, angelic voice carried no joy at the matter of fact.
Sezel's stomach dropped. The ruined city was not a kind place to hunt. Yes, it was filled with beasts—but not the dumb, easy kind.
Every monster roaming these streets was at least Rank-3. Rank-freaking-3 and above.
Most of the Beasts here were either of Enhanced category of worse even Elite beasts. All of them strong enough to battle Rank-4 Slayers on their own.
And sowhere out there, crawling under collapsed towers, god-knew-what other nightmares waited in the dark.
The worst part?
Max and Emili were Rank-4. Alex was a Rank-3.
And Sezel? Pathetic. He was nothing more than Rank-1.
A bug in comparison.
They wouldn't take him outside for the hunt. They never even asked.
And frankly, Sezel wasn't volunteering when volunteering ant death by digestion.
"So," Max said firmly, locking eyes across the table. "Emili, Alex—we're leaving after breakfast."
Emili stretched leisurely, cracking her knuckles, a grin tugging at her lips. If you would ask Sezel, she was the strongest of them all, a true nightmare for the beasts.
Alex simply nodded with grace, blue hair sliding over his shoulder.
And Sezel. His head sank further into his shoulders, trying to fade away unnoticed.
Of course, Emili didn't let him.
As Sezel grudgingly shoveled another spoonful of monster at stew into his mouth, the silence was abruptly broken by Emili's lazy smirk as she leaned across the table.
"You're eating so fast, Sezel," she drawled, propping her chin on her palm. "Don't tell you always finish early? Must be disappointing for the ladies."
Sezel blinked mid-bite, genuinely confused.
"…What's that supposed to an?" he asked, dead serious.
Max nearly choked on his stew, and even serene Alex's lips twitched with restrained amusent.
Emili's grin turned sly, "You know… finishing early, finishing late… depends on the stamina, doesn't it?"
Sezel frowned, spoon hovering mid-air as his brain did slow cartwheels. "...So you an—like… I don't chew enough?"
Emili slamd the table and burst out laughing, tipping back in her chair.
It took Sezel a mont, but as Max's laughter grew louder and Emili winked at him, a slow realization dawned.
His face went tomato-red. "Wait—what are you even talking about?"
But then, like watching a delayed landslide, realization finally caught up with Sezel's brain.
"Y-YOU—YOU DISGUSTING WOMAN!"
Emili clutched her stomach, tears forming in her eyes as she laughed. "Hahaha! The way you said it—'I don't chew enough'—Priceless!"
Max shook his head, chuckling under his breath. "So innocent…"
Then Emili blew him a kiss, eyes sparkling, totally unapologetic. "Hey, Sezel, if you ever want so practice. I'm right down the hall."
Sezel sputtered, gripping his spoon with a death grip, he clutched at his face as embarrassnt ignited his skin.
Max just whistled low. "Guess you need to work on your technique, Sezel."
Emili laughed, bright and carefree. "If you ever want a private lesson, you know where to find !
This is hell. I'm living in actual hell.
_
-
-
After finishing the al, Max, Emili and Alex left the gleaming building, out in the ruined city, into the mouth of beasts and blood.
Leaving Sezel behind.
Alone, in silence.
Exactly the way he Liked it.
"Let's wait for the sun to go down." He muttered standing in the balcony of his room.
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