Chapter 17 - Flames & Warmth (Patreon)

I sat in the same chair as the day before, restless and bored. Waiting.

My parents let me take Tannin’s job, which wasn’t surprising. I was older now, competent, and had white eyes to boot. Besides, in a town like Sandy Branch, adventuring wasn’t just work—it was survival. They knew that. Coddling me wouldn’t be helpful, and they were already well aware of my antics in the Forest of Beginners. They knew I could take care of myself.

Staring at the stairs to the inn’s rooms, I felt the weight of that approval and my mission from Tannin weighing on me. I’d spent a good chunk of my life alone, except for when the Trailblazers were around. This was my first job in a team around my age and with a group that seemed more likely to hate me than love me.

At least, that was the impression I got yesterday. Today, I wanted to know more. I was at Beginner’s Rest long before Kardin said to be. I had my reasons. Watching how they came downstairs, interacted with each other, and handled the day would tell me a few things about this trio of “hopeful adventurers.”

A plate of food was suddenly dropped before me. Startled, I looked up to see Bruno. Before me were fried eggs, sausage, tomatoes, and toast. My mouth watered at the sight.

“I didn’t order this,” I said sadly, retracting my unwanted hunger.

“Gift from the boss,” joked Bruno. He jerked his head behind him to Tannin. She was working near the Guild board and gave me an appreciative thumbs-up.

“Thank you,” I acknowledged without hesitation. “You’re too kind.”

As I shoveled food into my mouth like a starving heathen, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kardin come downstairs. We locked eyes as a piece of sausage dangled limply from my lips.

I froze.

Kardin did nothing.

After a single solitary second of absolute embarrassment, he turned away from me, pretending like I didn’t even exist.

That just made it worse.

I quickly chewed and then swallowed my food as my eyes shot daggers after him. “Hey!”

Kardin completely ignored me as he walked away. Across the inn, he found an unoccupied table with his back to me. He sat, stretched lightly, and leaned forward on the table, tapping it with his fingertips.

Bruno was back at the bar. He looked between me and Kardin before pinching his brow. Like myself, he was gauging how the teamwork dynamics would go between me and Kardin’s band of merry bastards. And he was probably drawing the same conclusion as me: it would not go well.

I silently fumed as I stabbed at my food. Fine! Ignore me. See if I care. Don’t come crawling to me when you get hurt. I thought as I stabbed at the same egg four times, bursting the yolk. Tannin will forgive me. There’s always next time. No one’s perfect at their first job. So Kardin dies! Who cares, anyway? I doubt he has any friends. Not with that attitude. It wouldn’t surprise me if he were paying those other two to follow him around like puppies because no one likes him. I blushed with embarrassment. Asshole.

I heard thumping feet on the balcony above me, where the room doors were located. I glanced up and saw Gabby and Lars running. Their gazes scanned the entire lower floor of the inn until they spotted Kardin. They didn’t lock eyes with me once. Even as they came downstairs, they didn’t glance my way for a second.

What? Am I invisible now? I thought, only more pissed. At least it wasn’t intentional like Kardin…hopefully.

I was starting to regret even taking the job at that point.

I could tell from Lars and Gabby’s faces that they were pissed at Kardin. When they reached him, I could hear a bit of their conversation from across the room. Their words didn’t reach me, but I could feel their tone from their gestures and faces. Gabby looked visibly annoyed, and Lars wasn’t nearly as weak-looking in the way he held himself. There was a lot of pointing and whining. Gabby even got in Kardin’s face. It was a sight to see.

During the argument, which I was enthralled with, I saw Gabby pose a question to Kardin. He waved his hands about lazily, then pointed behind him in my general direction. Lars and Gabby quickly peered my way. I waved at them like an innocent bystander. Gabby crossed her arms over her chest and said something to Kardin. His demeanor didn’t change. He still reacted like a complete ass.

The group dynamics are quite different from yesterday. I noted. Gabby and Lars don’t really seem like teammates right now. More like caretakers dealing with a rebellious child. Maybe this job will be more interesting than I thought it’d be. I wonder what changed? Or are they usually like this, and yesterday was the anomaly?

Gabby pinched her brow, set her eyes on me, said one last thing to Kardin, and then walked in my direction.

Oh boy. Here it comes. The fun begins.

Gabby sat at my table. She deftly moved strands of chaotic blonde hair out of her eyes and behind her ears. She had prominent bags under her eyes, and her actions seemed a little lackluster.

“I know we met yesterday, but let’s start over,” began Gabby. Her tone was somewhat authoritative, though it dripped with exhaustion. “Gabby Harden.” She pointed at herself. “I asked around town about you. You’re Yennifer, the forest devil raised by humans.”

Oh? She did her homework. Good for her. I leaned forward with a smile and rested my head on my hand. “That’s riiiight,” I stressed like a songbird. “People usually just call me Yen. Glad to see I leave an impression or enough of one for you all to look into me.” I grinned with my eyes closed. “Well? What do you think? Wanna know more?”

“Tannin vouched for your strength, and you’re well-liked in town by those who matter. You don’t seem like a bad person, but you’re not a Guild member.”

“Technically true,” I admitted. “So you’d have to wonder, why would Tannin recommend me anyway if that’s the case?”

Gabby looked me up and down. “It means you’re strong. You’re hiding your eyes with a cloth, so they must be above or at violet.”

“Perhaps.”

“Or they’re brown, and you’re using the mystery to your advantage.”

I shrugged. “Guess we’ll have to see, won’t we?”

“What do you have to gain from this?” Gabby asked. She leaned forward. Her eyes hardened. She looked like she was searching for something lost in a deep well.

“Experience,” I said, somewhat telling the truth. “And for your preservation.”

“Meaning?”

“From the looks of your group, you need a fourth person,” I analyzed. “I need the experience and the money to leave this town someday and see the world,” I said, concocting a lie. “Based on how you and Lars look after missions, a little help wouldn’t hurt now, would it? Just thought slotting in would make your lives easier. Benefit both parties.”

With those words, a look of conflict crossed Gabby’s eyes. She shifted her gaze away from me momentarily before looking back at me, leaning forward as she did. “Kardin’s not going to be nice to you.”

“I figured. But hey, there’s not a lot of people near my age who’d let me into their party, so I’ve got to be aggressive,” I said, giving Gabby another reason for my interference in their work. “Assertive people get the opportunities those waiting in the wind fail to catch.”

“He didn’t mean what he said yesterday, by the way.”

“What part?”

“Where called you a slave and disgraced you,” explained Gabby. “He was trying to get you to go away, and that seemed like the fastest way. He’s not a bad person.”

“So he’ll be nicer to me than he was then?”

“Hopefully.”

“Good thing I have a thick skin.” I sighed. “Doesn’t matter. If we don’t click after this job, we never have to work together again.”

“Deal.” Gabby looked at me with new eyes. It was almost like she was impressed. “Regardless, for now, I’m looking forward to the help.”

“Glad to do it.”

“You done?” Kardin spoke over my shoulder. He sat beside me at one of the empty chairs while Lars took in one beside Gabby. “Thought you were going to gab all day.”

“Sorry. I think this seat might be a little too close to me.” I pointed to where Kardin was before. “Go back over there. We can yell across the room at each other. It’ll be fun.”

“Fuck off.”

“You’re so sweet to me. My body melts when you talk.”

Kardin ignored me. “Take out the quest.”

“Wow. Such a nice, loving tone. It makes me want to do stuff for you immediately out of the kindness of my heart,” I said sarcastically. Still, I agreed with his words’ intent, so I opened my codex, ripped out the request, and placed it in the middle of the table for all of us to crowd around. “Tier 2 request. Level 5 in difficulty. Outside your range, but I’m a Level 6, so we should be fine. Pays around 1,500 coins, not including what we can make selling parts,” I said, laying the contract in the middle of the table. “We’re after a lone Blighted-Tier Velocavious. Likely massive, eyes all over its body—hard to ambush.”

“And it’s holed up in the outer ring of the forest,” Kardin added, tracing the map on his codex that he pulled out while I was talking. “Request says it’s middling around weaker territories. Preying on small fry to recover from injuries from an earlier quest higher tier adventurers took some weeks back.”

Lars glanced at Kardin, then back at his own map in his codex. “We can move northwest outside the forest and camp just outside the miasma layer. If we don’t find the monster before nightfall, we can fall back into the safe zone whenever we want if we pick a good spot.” He glanced for a moment before laying down his finger on one specific area. “Here’s perfect.”

Gabby nodded. “Makes sense. Better than rushing into a fight in the dark.”

I stared at them, their confident tone and seamless planning at odds with what I’d seen before. They moved and spoke like a competent team.

So why did Gabby and Lars look so beaten up yesterday? Why did Tannin think they’d need me?

There was something I wasn’t seeing.

After observing the group dynamics, I decided that interfering too much would lead to chaos. They clearly had their own system, and I didn’t want to interfere in that. Instead, I mentally decided to let Kardin take charge and only offer my support when strictly necessary. It wouldn’t help them if I just took over; plus, and I hated to admit it, they had more experience working officially in a group. If there were things I could learn from them, I wanted to do so.

“Then let’s do a supplies check and head out in an hour,” said Kardin. He glanced at me. “Don’t be late.”

“Yes, sir,” I mocked.

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•

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We headed north out of town, with Kardin in the lead. I lazily whistled to myself while he and his trio discussed their little plans. My eyes followed them as I took in their demeanor and working styles, now that we were officially on the job.

Kardin seemed competent. He stayed ahead of the group, notified us of changes in the environment, and kept everyone in the loop with any changes or observations he had. All in all, he was competent. It was surprising with the little context I had beforehand.

Lars and Gabby also monitored their surroundings well. They covered each other’s and Kardin’s blind spots. Even though I was an outsider, they kept me aware of their actions, even Kardin. They worked like an experienced unit of fighters who had been together for years, honing their skills.

After a while, we arrived at the edge of the Forest of Beginners. The concentration of corrupted and pure mana poured out in waves and thickened the air. Lars and Gabby shuddered at the feeling. Kardin tensed, but he didn’t let emotions show on his face. I barely felt the stuff since I was so used to the area.

Once, I was so in tune with my abilities and on the cusp of becoming a Warring Expert that I stayed there by myself for a week and a half. I achieved what I wanted and could flow wind mana internally to my arms and legs at a consistent rate, but Quintin and Amalia bitched at me so much for staying out so long without telling them that it almost felt like it wasn’t worth it.

Suffice it to say, the forest was basically my second home.

“We’ll have to dip into the outskirts if we want to make it to the camping area I pointed out before it gets dark,” said Lars as he stared into the forest.

“Let’s go then.” Kardin stamped forward. “Time’s wasting.”

Ah, there might be a problem. I picked it up instantly. Your teammates are clearly cautious. Are you encouraging them forward or forcing them? I suppose we’ll see.

Kardin looked back at me as if he could hear my thoughts. “You have any complaints?”

“I’ll defer to your insight for this quest,” I said resolutely. “It’s your team. I know I joined, but you’re the leader for a reason. I’ll respect that, so order me at will. That’s what I’m here for.” I winked. “Boss.”

“Oh good.” Kardin turned away and walked into the forest. “That makes you significantly less annoying.”

I immediately wanted to spit at the back of his head.

We moved through the forest at a cautious but fast pace. The trio were dead silent the entire time, and it started to piss me off. Even when I was out alone, I talked to myself. With actual people here, I felt like I needed to speak—that we should all say something, at least. What was the point?!

“It sure is something, isn’t it?” I noted, breaking the silence. I visibly saw the three of them flinch at the sudden onset of noise, but I pushed on. “Lived just outside it my whole life. Crazy to think that a few hours away, there are monsters everywhere. Good place to find resources. Keeps our town economically viable. Still, just nuts.” I glanced at the group. “What made you all want to do this kind of work? My father’s a guide for high-ranking adventurers, so I was kind of born into this life, but it’s not for most people. Oh, I guess I don’t know where you’re all from either. From a town like this? Are yah?”

“Gods, do you ever stop talking?” complained Kardin. “You’re like a baby bird chirping for attention.”

“Aww, you think I’m a cute baby bird?”

Kardin reeled on me with a confused expression. “I didn’t say cute.”

“Oh?” I cocked my head to the side. “So you don’t think birds are cute?”

Kardin appeared flustered. He sighed and turned away. “Cute but loud.”

“Heh heh,” I giggled like a psycho. Compliments have had a profound impact on me since the Turk incident. “What can I say? The ears work on me.”

“Shut the fuck up,” hissed Kardin.

“Yes, sir.”

“Please, stop calling me, sir.”

“Yes, master.”

“…just don’t talk to me.”

We continued onward in silence, much to my chagrin.

Seeking something to do, I decided to focus on Lars. I had a good opinion of Kardin, and Gabby talked with me earlier at the inn. The only person I had no real perception of was Lars. That needed to change, I felt.

“Yo!” I whispered to Lars as I nudged his shoulder. “Cute, annoying bird here. What’s your story? Haven’t talked to you yet one-on-one.”

Lars seemed stunned by my sudden intrusion. He immediately stepped away and put his hands up defensively between us. “U-Uh, nothing spectacular. Just…friends…with them.”

Geez, that sounded so suspicious.

“Oh? Friends? Nothing more?” I sauntered closer as my group continued through the forest. “No pining? No group dynamics I should know before we’re killed or something?”

“Stop messing with the weak one,” uttered Kardin.

“Weak one?” groaned Lars.

“When it comes to girls? Yes.”

“Cute girls,” I added. “Like baby birds.”

Kardin sighed. Gabby chuckled, though, which made me feel better about how pushy I was being.

Suddenly, Kardin stopped. He turned to me and closed the distance until he was staring down at me. “What is wrong with you?”

“Whaaaat?” I complained, pouting. “I’m boooored! Talk to me!”

“We’re in a forest full of monsters that could attack us at any moment,” griped Kardin. He flicked my forehead as if I were some brat he was reprimanding. “Does that not mean anything to you? Can you not get that through your thick skull? Most devils know their place.”

“Cute devils.”

“You—”

Movement flicked in the treetops behind Kardin—small shapes shifting as though the branches themselves were alive. I squinted, my eyes tracking the shadows. Birds. Dozens of them, all different species, perched together unnaturally close. Feathers, shapes sizes—it was like they were stitched together into one mismatched family.

And then I saw their eyes.

Red, burning orbs replaced what were once normal eyes. As my gaze drifted over their bodies, I saw that their feathers were molting, there were signs of decay, and the portions of the birds were starting to become more uniform as they soaked in the miasma of this forest.

Velocavious. These were Feral Tier, meaning they’d just started mutating into more potent versions of themselves. They weren’t the Blighted-Tier creature we were looking for, but in the grand scheme of the Guild’s monster categorization, they were part of the same family.

No. Those aren’t Velocavious. Their eyes are too weird.

Normally, the eyes and size of a creature were a giveaway of what Tier they were. In the first three tiers—Feral, Savage, and Blighted—they more-or-less looked like heavily mutated versions of what they changed from. If an eagle of some sort got infected by the miasma, it’d still be distinguishable even with the disfiguration.

In the Feral Tier, most creatures looked like they were starting to rot. Their skin began to decay, parts fell off, and their demeanors became more predatory and hostile to humans.

Savage Tier is when the monsters start to morph physically. They grew more eyes on their head, their bodies started to morph, and they gained special abilities inherent in their species. For a Hexcervus, which consisted of mutated stags, deer, and related creatures, their horns morphed into something that could be fired at unsuspecting prey.

Above them in the Blighted Tier, the eyes of the creature spread across its body. Its body changed more drastically; it could use its abilities more effectively, and whatever abilities it gained during the Savage Tier enhanced.

Beyond that Tier and into the final three, these creatures became singular entities of myth, worthy of their own names, either locally or nationally, depending on their age and lethality.

And then there were the exceptions: Abberants.

The Velocavious in the tree—their eyes were literally on fire. Flames licked the gaps of their features and fizzled out the sides of their beaks.

Ignivis. Velocavious mutated and molded by the fire element.

The Ignivis were all looking at us. They clicked their beaks to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth and little red embers sparked inside. They clamped their beaks around the sparks, opened them, and aimed in our direction.

Small fireballs linger on their beaks for a second before jettisoning in our direction—specifically, at the back of Kardin’s head.

I grabbed Kardin’s shoulder and pulled him behind me.

In my open palm, my codex was already formed and opened. I dunked my hand inside the nearest page and pulled my sword out.

The flames were seconds away.

Water energy flowed through my body and connected to my sword. White particles stuck to the blade like fireflies.

The nearest fireball was a breath away from my face.

I slashed my sword into it.

The fire melted into particles of white mana, soft as snow, and drifted harmlessly into the air.

My body blurred as I jabbed and slashed at the array of fireballs vomited our way. Each one harmlessly drifted into mana at the mere touch of my sword.

Heavenly Experts are the best.

Over my shoulder, wind spells and pointed arrows soared in the direction of the Ignivis in quick succession. The monsters were hit and knocked off their branches before they could generate a second volley of flames.

A blur of movement caught my eye—Kardin, charging past me with his sword already drawn. He made quick work of the remaining birds, his blade flashing in precise arcs as their bodies crumpled to the ground.

For a moment, all was still except for the crackle of fire sizzling on the Ignivis’ flesh. I lowered my sword, glancing at the others. “That was efficient,” I murmured, watching Kardin wipe his blade clean with practiced ease.

I glanced over my shoulder at Gabby and Lars. They were rushing to Kardin’s side. I didn’t hear them give an order, nor did I tell them to do anything, yet they fought back mere seconds after I started moving. Why do these people keep getting injured?! They don’t even need me. Wait. The Ignivis’d have hit them if I hadn’t done anything, right? Maybe they’re just not good at defense and ambushes.

“Crude crystals,” grumbled Kardin as he harvested one of the Ignivis’s corpses. “You’d think they’d be rare or something.”

“The parts are,” said Gabby. “They’re attuned to fire, so a skilled alchemist could make resistance potions, or a smith could put it into a good Arcwork,” she mulled. “They’re weak, so the effects won’t be as strong, but it’s worth it just to take the corpses.”

“It’s a nice little bonus for us,” I said.

Gabby glanced at me. She seemed apprehensive. All three of them did, actually. It was strange. It was almost as if their perception of me had suddenly changed.

They must be in awe of my fighting prowess. I am awesome, so it’s completely understandable. I told myself. They saw my Heavenly style in action and couldn’t help but—

I froze.

I was wearing a blindfold, and my hands were covered, but the mana on my sword would reflect the color of my eyes.

Did they see it?

“Good to know you’re not a complete dunce,” said Kardin, breaking me from my troubled thoughts. “Heavenly style, huh? You’re an Expert?”

“Y-Yeah,” I stammered. “What about it?”

Kardin scratched the side of his face. “Honestly, we’re missing some defense in our line-up, so that was…ugh…helpful. Thanks.” He turned away. “Keep it up! And start picking through the corpses. Idle hands and all that.”

Did they not see the color of my sword? I glanced between Lars and Gabby. They were jabbing with each other as they put our spoils in their codexes. Things were moving too fast. They were probably caught up in the action and didn’t notice it. I shut off the energy as soon as I cut through the spells. I got lucky, I guess. I tapped the side of my head. Think, Yen. Be more careful. White eyes will only cause trouble. Don’t need people looking into you or knowing more about you than they should.

That basically meant using the Heavenly style was off the table when fighting with groups of people I didn’t fully trust. I registered that in my head as a “rule” and continued forth to help with the Ignivis harvest. I’d already decided to wear gloves to cover up the marks on my hands, but I couldn’t do the same with the particles on my sword.

We quickly collected the corpses, stored them, and agreed to split the total loot when our quest was complete. There were a few hours left in our journey, so we continued forth with haste.

Along the way, we encounter a trio of Savage-Tier Hexcervus. Once again, the team was competent, though the scenario was different because we were the ones attacking now. Kardin devised a plan. We dispatched the Hexcervus with almost laughable ease. Our execution was flawless, and there were no injuries among us.

Watching the trio work, I couldn’t deny their competency. Kardin’s commands were sharp, Lars moved precisely, and Gabby’s spells hit like a hammer. They moved like a team that had been together for years.

So why the injuries?

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•

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“Finally made it,” said Lars, exhausted. “Just outside the forest but close enough to return in only a little time. Cheers, everyone.”

“Cheers,” we all groaned, exhausted, though mine was forced. I had the stamina to spend, but the others were weaker than me, and I didn’t want to feel like the odd one out. I just pretended to feel how they felt. It was easier that way.

There was a cluster of rocks around the location Lars had marked on his map. We scoured through them until we found a mostly enclosed section with a large overhead cover to keep out the elements. We took it for ourselves and set up our camp in relative silence.

I watched them work with curiosity. They were in tune with each other’s wants and needs, operating efficiently to make camp. Lars and Kardin moved seamlessly, setting up the tents and clearing debris with practiced efficiency. Gabby, meanwhile, grabbed potion bottles and slipped into the shadows beyond the firelight.

Watching them, I realized how in sync they were, even if they didn’t include me. It wasn’t malice—just routine. I shrugged and pushed the slight feelings of jealousy out of my mind.

A good distance from camp, I witnessed Gabby pour her potions into some brush and on the tree. She held the bottle out in front of her, being careful not to get any of it on her skin. A whiff of it drifted my way. The concoction was pungent, like weeks-old piss.

“Is that some sort of repellant?” I asked Gabby as I walked up behind her.

Gabby shivered for a moment. The stream of the liquid she was spilling trembled. “Y-Yes,” she said. Her tone was what I remembered from our first meeting: weak and uncertain. “It’s a concentration of Blighted Tier monster feces, glands, and reproductive parts. It gives off a territorial scent. I know we’re not in range of the forest, but monsters and demons aren’t confined to miasma-filled areas. It’s best to keep cautious. And it’ll ward off regular animals, too.”

“And attract another Blight-Tier monster if we’re unlucky,” I said with a chuckle.

“Or stronger,” agreed Gabby. “Hopefully, that won’t happen.”

I examined her hands. She had a second bottle ready to pour; the first one was still mostly full. “Can I help?”

Gabby paused. “Sure.” She handed the second bottle to me. “Don’t spill it on yourself. The smell will never go away.”

“Noted.”

I poured some of the concoction onto rocks or trees every few paces, and Gabby did the same. We continued until a good circle formed around where we were camping.

“Hey, so where are you guys from?” I asked. “What made you all want to become adventurers?”

Gabby seemed startled by the sudden conversation. I watched her eyes dart as she sought out an answer. “We’re from Camden.”

“Oh? That’s where the university is, isn’t it?” I wondered out loud. “You related to it at all?”

“I didn’t think you’d know about that place,” admitted Gabby.

“I’ve had tutors. I read,” I said. “Is that a yes, then?”

“My father is a professor there, actually.”

“Are all three of you related to the university?” I poured more of the potion onto some brush next to a pile of rocks. Gabby was to my right doing the same to a patch of grass.

“No, Lar’s family worked in the castle’s village.”

My eyes perked up. “The what?”

“There’s a town underneath the King’s castle,” said Gabby. “The castle is perched atop a tall mountain. The middle was hollowed out, and there is a giant village at the base where the families of soldiers and craftsmen working for the castle stay.”

“How does that work? Do they get sunlight? Are there a lot of people? How much compared to the rest of Camden?” My eyes sparkled as the new information dazzled me. “Did you live there, too?”

“No,” Gabby answered abruptly. “I lived in the city. And I don’t know the size of the village, but there are a lot more people than in your town. We call it the Basement.”

“The Basement?” I posed. “Seems rude.”

“Doesn’t it?” Gabby emptied her bottle. “Well, I’m done. Ready to head back?”

“Sure, sure.” My bottle was empty as well. “How much did these cost?”

“They were very diluted, so only about 160 coins a piece.”

“Only,” I scoffed. “So expensive to be an adventurer if you want the right tools.”

“Makes sense,” replied Gabby. “You have to kill monsters to make most of the stuff we use.”

“High risk, high reward,” I agreed.

We headed back to the camp.

“If you and Lars grew up in such important families, why are you all the way out here?” I asked.

Gabby hesitated, her gaze fixed on the ground. “Awakening with brown eyes…it’s a disgrace where we come from,” she admitted softly, her voice tinged with bitterness. “But Kardin didn’t care. He saw value in us when no one else did. So we stick with him. We owe him that much.”

Ohhhh! Finally! Juicy gossip!

I waited, expecting her to elaborate, but she fell silent. Her gaze stayed fixed on the ground, and the walls around her seemed to go back up.

As we approached the campfire’s glow, I decided to let it go. Pushing her would only make things worse.

They feel like they owe him. I thought. They’re all from Camden, their families are embarrassed by them, and Kardin gave them a chance. Feels like I got a few more of the puzzle pieces needed to solve this group’s problem, whatever that may be.

“What are we feeling for dinner tonight?” asked Lars. His voice filled my ears as we approached a blossoming fire in the middle of the camp.

Tents were out, sleeping bags were ready, and seats were waiting for us to use. Having codexes made camping an easy experience. I couldn’t even imagine having to carry all that crap on my back.

“Meat,” I said, alerting the two men to our presence. “Lots of meat.”

“Seems like you were born the wrong kind of devil,” scoffed Kardin. “Your words would make sense if you had a fluffy tail and ears. Don’t you prefer fruits and vegetables?”

“Gross. No. Meat.” My eyes sparkled. “I can cook it if you want.”

“Are you good?” asked Lars. “Usually, I do all the cooking, so I’m fine with a change of pace, honestly.”

“Leave it to me!”

As it turned out, I was not good at cooking. But I already knew that, I just got overzealous trying to prove myself some more.

Like many times in the past, I thought I would “remember” how to cook as I began the process, but that didn’t happen. Amalia had tried to teach me to cook a few times, but I never quite got the hang of it. It boggled me that my past self never knew how to cook, if that were the case.

Add that to the list of things I need to do when I get home. I noted while staring at the horrified faces of the traveling trio.

“How do you mess up this so badly?” Kardin deadpanned, holding his skewer as though it were a cursed artifact. He dropped it unceremoniously into the flames before us.

“It’s like eating a campfire,” Gabby complained, giving up on her own and setting it aside with a grimace.

“It’s definitely…unique,” said Lars, the kindest of them all. “How about I make a second batch?” he suggested while peering at me.

I looked away, cheeks red and ashamed. “Th-That sounds like a plan.”

My sudden bursts of “memory” had not been happening as much as I got older. If I had to guess, I was reaching a point where there were fewer and fewer new stimuli to help me “remember” things. That or I wasn’t stimulated enough by the interactions I had. Either way, I looked like an incompetent idiot. The “why” didn’t really matter at that point.

Lars took over with a quiet efficiency that made my earlier attempt feel even more embarrassing. He added spices, kept turning the meat just enough to trap the juices, and handled the skewers with the care of an artisan sculpting marble.

“Finally, something edible,” Kardin declared, his tone lighter than usual as he bit into the perfectly cooked meat.

Gabby smirked. “So food can taste good. Who knew?”

I buried my face in my hands as their laughter filled the camp.

“Then again, it’s not like Kardin can do any better,” muttered Gabby under her breath, slyly changing the conversation.

“Excuse me?” said Kardin.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just remembering the raw chicken fiasco and how sick it made us.” Gabby glanced at me. “Quick question: can you eat chicken if there’s any pink in it?”

“No. You shouldn’t. You’ll get sick.”

“Ha!” Gabby turned with a sneer and pointed at Kardin. “Even she knew that.”

“That hurt my feelings a little bit,” I muttered jokingly.

Kardin started fighting back against the story, but Lars jumped in and backed Gabby up. All of a sudden, the three of them were trading stories, laughing, and reflecting on the good-ole-days when they first started working together.

They obviously trusted and respected each other. Based on their interactions, I’d call them friends.

It was my first time in a group of people my age like that. Sure, I spent time with Nigel and talked with people around the town, but I’d never felt this level of friendship and bonding. Well, witnessed. I mostly nodded and asked questions. It was hard to jump in on such an established relationship.

I didn’t hate it.

After a few hours, night fully fell into swing. Everyone was starting to look exhausted.

“I think we’ll call it,” said Kardin. “We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Hmmm,” I mulled by myself and rocked my head back and forth like a song was playing.

Kardin sighed. “What’s wrong?” He’d somewhat warmed up to me over dinner. At the very least, he wasn’t being as pissy to me, and his attitude was more neutral.

“It’s kind of hard to respond when I’m not being called my nickname,” I said. “General orders are annoying. Be specific.”

“You’re nickname?”

“Cute.”

Kardin closed his eyes. “No one ever called you that.”

“You kind of did. Cute but annoying were your words,” I said with a grin. Teasing him steadily became my favorite pastime since his reactions were so deadened.

“Can you stop bringing that up?” asked Kardin. “I didn’t mean it.”

I frowned. “I know you didn’t mean it. No one’s ever called me cute or attractive and meant it in my entire life. It’s usually ‘slave’ or ‘devil bitch.’ Creative stuff like that. Cute? Never.”

The trio looked startled.

“Even you called me that when we first met,” I said while pointing a finger at Kardin. “What can I say? I’m used to it.” I sighed. “Cute felt so much better, by the way. Totally prefer that.”

Suddenly, Gabby, drunk on the atmosphere, hugged me from the side. “I think you’re absolutely adorable!” She peered at the two men. “Men suck. Don’t listen to them.”

A lot of women have insulted me, too, but I’ll keep that to myself. Hugs are nice. Don’t want to ruin the mood any more than I already have.

Kardin stood up abruptly, scratching the back of his head like he was trying to physically shake the moment away. “You’re not…um…looking at you isn’t unpleasant…”

My grin widened. “So I am cute?!”

He turned on his heel, muttering something about taking the last shift and disappearing into his tent. I could still catch the faint red on the tips of his ears.

Left with just Gabby and Lars, I rocked my head from side to side, still glowing. Maybe this group wasn’t as bad as I thought.

“I’ll go first,” I offered. A permanent smile stuck to my lips. “I’m not that tired yet, so I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” asked Lars.

My eyes were closed, and my head rocked softly without answering. I was too happy to care.

Lars decided to take the third watch, so Gabby took the second. After saying “bye” to me, they descended into their own tents while I watched the fire.

I poked at the orange and red flames, watching the embers float lazily into the night. “I like them,” I murmured. “They’re kind of nice.” I paused, the words lingering in the night. “I don’t know everything about them—there’s still plenty they’re not saying—but it’s enough for now.”

My gaze drifted to my hand, then my legs, then over my entire body. “I’m cute,” I muttered, the words feeling strange but warm on my tongue.

My shift went smoothly. When I woke Gabby for hers, I was ready to pass out and promptly did.

Thus, I ended my first day of adventuring with a party.