Chapter 19: Questions and Laughter
The warmth stayed in the Moonlit Tea Room.
Tea continued to be poured.
The lanterns glowed softly.
And for the first time in what felt like forever…
Fenrir was smiling.
A small smile.
But real.
Unfortunately—
"Question!"
A hand shot into the air.
Fenrir's smile vanished.
"...Why do I feel like I'm in danger?"
"Because you are."
"Thank you for your honesty."
A sly grin spread across the fox spirit's face.
"We know almost nothing about you."
"We know your name," Adrian said.
"We know you like sweets," Kael added.
"And apparently, your weapon of choice is a frying pan," Borin said solemnly.
The other two dwarves nodded seriously.
Fenrir looked tired.
"We've known each other for less than three hours."
"Exactly!" Yuna said.
"That means we need to know more."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"...That's not a reason."
"It's a fantastic reason."
A few people laughed.
---
Yuna clapped her hands together.
"Everyone gets one question."
Fenrir blinked.
"...Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Too late."
Fenrir looked toward Aetherion.
"Please help me."
The old man calmly sipped his tea.
"I think this sounds entertaining."
"...Traitor."
Aetherion chuckled.
---
"Me first!"
Yuna leaned forward.
"What is your favorite dessert?"
Fenrir stared at her.
"That's your question?"
"Of course."
"...Chocolate cake."
The fox spirit gasped.
Her long white hair swayed behind her, and her fluffy white fox ears twitched excitedly. All nine of her white tails immediately began wagging.
"We have the same favorite dessert!"
"Congratulations?"
She looked absurdly happy.
"We're friends now."
Fenrir blinked.
"...That's all it takes?"
"Yes."
"Making friends sounds surprisingly easy."
"It is."
Kael snorted.
"It really isn't."
---
"My turn."
Everyone looked toward Adrian.
The handsome vampire folded his hands.
"What kind of music do you enjoy?"
Fenrir thought for a moment.
"Phonk. Orchestral hard beats. Hip-hop."
Silence.
Adrian blinked.
"That… actually suits you."
Fenrir frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"You look like someone who walks away from explosions without turning around."
"...I've never done that."
"Not yet."
Kael nodded.
"I can see it."
"You too?"
"Definitely."
Yuna tilted her head.
"I thought you'd listen to calm piano music."
"Why?"
"Because you read books."
"...I don't think those two things are related."
"Everything is related somehow."
"That sounds made up."
"It probably is."
Laughter filled the room.
---
"My turn!"
One of the dwarves nearly jumped out of his chair.
"Can you cook?"
Fenrir looked slightly embarrassed.
"A little."
"What does that mean?"
"I can make eggs."
"And?"
"...More eggs."
Silence.
"That's all?" Elena asked.
"I can also burn toast."
Yuna looked horrified.
"You're helpless."
"I'm trying my best."
"No, this is serious."
She suddenly looked determined.
"I'll teach you."
"What?"
"Cooking."
"Why?"
"Because if I don't, you'll starve someday."
"I don't think that's how that works."
"It absolutely is."
She looked completely serious.
Even Raphael seemed amused.
---
"My turn."
Kael crossed his arms.
"What do you do for fun?"
"Read."
"No."
"Read."
"No normal person reads this much."
"I also play games."
"What kind?"
"Role-playing games."
Silence.
"...You look like you'd play horror games."
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know."
"Then why say it?"
"Because it feels correct."
Fenrir sighed.
---
Then—
Elena spoke.
The dragon woman had been quiet for most of the evening.
"What is your favorite place?"
Everyone looked at her.
She blinked.
"...What?"
Yuna's grin slowly widened.
"Oh…"
"What?"
"Nothing."
"It is clearly something."
The fox spirit looked far too pleased with herself.
---
Fenrir thought for a moment.
Then a small smile appeared.
"Home."
Silence.
"I liked being home."
His eyes softened.
"Reading on the couch."
"Making coffee."
"Listening to the rain."
The smile became smaller.
"I thought it was boring."
Silence.
"But now…"
He looked down at his teacup.
"I think I miss it."
The room became quiet.
Because everyone understood.
He wasn't talking about a place.
He was talking about the life he had lost.
---
Then—
"You'll have one again."
Fenrir looked up.
Elena was watching him.
Her golden eyes were gentle.
"A place like that."
Silence.
"You'll have one again."
For some reason…
His chest tightened.
Again.
He smiled softly.
"...Maybe."
The dragon woman shook her head.
"No."
A small smile appeared on her beautiful face.
"Definitely."
---
"Enough serious questions!" Yuna declared.
The atmosphere instantly brightened.
"I have another one."
"You already had one."
"I've decided the rules don't apply to me."
"...Of course."
She pointed at him.
"What are you afraid of?"
Fenrir answered immediately.
"Spiders."
Silence.
"What?" Kael asked.
"Spiders."
"You're joking."
"I'm not."
"You fought werewolves."
"Unfortunately."
"You're the Last God Devourer."
"...Apparently."
"But you're scared of spiders?"
"They have too many legs."
Silence.
Then—
The entire room exploded with laughter.
Even Raphael laughed.
Even Aetherion.
Fenrir looked betrayed.
"None of you are taking this seriously."
"We're trying," Adrian said.
"No, you're not."
---
The questions continued.
Favorite season?
Winter.
Favorite color?
Blue.
Favorite animal?
Wolves.
Why wolves?
"...I don't know."
The irony was not lost on anyone.
---
Then Selene smiled.
"I have one."
Fenrir suddenly felt nervous.
"What is it?"
"What makes you happy?"
Silence.
A simple question.
Yet…
Fenrir didn't answer immediately.
He thought.
And thought.
Then—
"This."
Silence.
Everyone blinked.
Fenrir looked around the room.
At the tea.
At the laughter.
At the smiling faces.
At the strange warmth in the air.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Something like this."
Nobody spoke.
"I haven't laughed this much in a long time."
Silence.
"And…"
He hesitated.
Then finished quietly.
"I think I missed it."
The room became completely silent.
Then—
Yuna smiled.
A bright, beautiful smile.
"We should do this again."
Kael nodded.
"Not a bad idea."
"I agree," Raphael said.
The dwarves immediately approved.
Even Adrian smiled.
Elena looked at him.
"Would you come?"
Fenrir blinked.
He looked around the room.
At the people waiting for his answer.
Then…
He smiled.
A genuine smile.
"I'd like that."
For some reason…
Everyone looked happy.
Even him.
---
"Oh!"
Yuna suddenly raised her hand again.
"We forgot the most important question!"
Fenrir looked horrified.
"There's more?"
"How old are you?"
"...Twenty."
Silence.
Then everyone looked relieved.
"Thank goodness," Adrian said.
Fenrir blinked.
"Why are you all relieved?!"
"You look older sometimes," Kael admitted.
"Much older," Selene agreed.
"At certain moments, I thought you were secretly a hundred years old," Yuna said.
"I'm twenty!"
The room erupted with laughter again.
Even Fenrir couldn't stop himself from smiling.
---
Aetherion quietly watched the scene.
Then he smiled.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Because tonight…
This was no longer a gathering of representatives.
No longer a meeting between powerful factions.
No longer a discussion about the Last God Devourer.
Somewhere along the way…
It had become a room full of people simply enjoying each other's company.
And perhaps…
Without realizing it…
Fenrir Endarth had just made his first friends in the hidden world.