Dry logs cracked, shooting orange sparks into the dark void. Heat licked at the dungeon's cold air, breathing warmth onto the huddled group. On the rough stone walls behind them, pitch-black shadows stretched and twisted, dancing to the fire's rhythmic pulse.
"Not bad, Lucas. Gathering firewood for the whole team yourself."
Jack slapped the boy's shoulder heavily. Lucas winced, rubbing the hip that was still sore from his earlier fall. His eyes glazed over, staring at the pitch-black cave ceiling.
"Just my luck to be the errand boy. I'm used to it."
As the sentence trailed off, he shot a sideways glance at the blonde girl sitting nearby. She slowly lifted her head, fingers interlaced, cracking her knuckles backward.
Crack.
The sound of bone grinding against bone rang out, dry and sharp in the silence. Her voice dropped, carrying a chill.
"Is that smart mouth itching for a beating?"
Lucas immediately turned away, pretending to be busy arranging the wood on the ground, avoiding that razor-sharp gaze.
"No, ma'am."
Lily shifted closer, her white robes stained with dust and dirt fluttering slightly. She reached out an index finger, poking the boy's bicep.
"Hey, still hurt? Did you hunt monsters and break their spears for firewood again?"
Lucas flinched, hissing as her finger inadvertently hit a tender spot. He glanced at the crackling fire, where broken timber was being devoured by flames, and curled his lip in a faint smile.
"Just some bruises courtesy of that purple-eyed lady. My bones are tough enough. Keep your mana, don't waste it on these scratches."
Lily gasped, covering her mouth. Her wide amber eyes scanned the boy from head to toe, searching for the familiar claw marks.
"Wow, strange. First time I've seen you come back from patrol without a drop of monster blood on you."
Lucas jerked his chin toward the dark corner where Lia was curled up in Long's arms. He tossed a broken stick into the fire, watching the ash rise with a bored expression.
"All thanks to those two deities over there. The path was paved with mashed Goblin corpses; I just took a stroll and scavenged this scrap."
Lily kept her eyes glued to the dark corner, her gaze oscillating between admiration and curiosity as she observed Long. Jack, silent until now, fumbled with the leather pouch on his hip, the brass buckle clicking.
His rough hand pulled out a block of dry baked dough wrapped tightly in coarse cloth.
"Fuel up. Anyone have spare rations? Pool them for our benefactors."
Jack extended his scarred, muscular arm, accepting two portions from Lucas and Lily. He held them out to Long and Lia, his voice gravelly but sincere.
"High-grade white bread. Take it. These lumps of dough are nothing compared to saving our lives, but fill your stomachs first. We'll settle the debt later."
Long accepted the rock-hard bread, nodding slightly in thanks. His other hand slipped into the pocket of the coat covering Lia, rummaged for a moment, and pulled out a package that reflected the firelight.
Inside the clear plastic, bright red sausages lay in neat, plump rows.
Chewing around the fire ceased instantly. Four pairs of eyes locked onto the vibrant red object in his hand.
Long turned to the black-haired boy beside him, tilting his head slightly, his voice calm.
"Lucas, mind lending me your knife?"
Lucas pulled the dagger from his hip and placed it in Long's hand. Opposite them, Arwen's eyes narrowed, every muscle in her body tensing as her gaze fixed on the sharp weapon that had just changed hands.
Long nonchalantly wiped the cold steel on his hem. The blade sliced decisively along the length of the dry bread; the crust shattered with a crisp sound, revealing the soft white crumb inside.
He tore the plastic, placing the bright red sausage into the slit, then ripped a small chili packet and drizzled it over the top. The dark red sauce flowed over the taut meat, releasing a spicy, pungent scent that stimulated the senses amidst the moldy air.
Finished, Long held the knife between his fingers and offered the sandwich to Lucas.
"Here, try it."
Lucas accepted the bread nonchalantly, raising it to his mouth despite Arwen's warning scream.
"Lucas! Stop! It might be poisoned—"
Crunch.
The sound of crisp crust shattering mixed with the soft pop of the sausage skin tearing under his canines. Lucas chewed ravenously twice, then suddenly froze. His head dropped, shoulders shaking, the arm holding the bread going limp.
Arwen's pupils contracted to pinpoints. She glared at Long.
"You bastard, you dared—"
Lucas's hand shot up, thumb extended, halting Arwen's erupting rage. The boy slowly lifted his face. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, his face flushed red from the spice, eyes wide behind his curly bangs, shining as if he had just found a treasure. He swallowed hard, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Spicy... Salty... Good. Deadly good."
Lucas barely finished his exclamation when a force slammed into his shoulder.
Thud!
Arwen's hard leather boot dug into his soft flesh, doubling the boy over, coughing.
"Shut up. Just eat, don't make those physical expressions." Arwen hissed, retracting her leg decisively.
Later, she turned away to hide her own expression after tasting it.
Lucas, nursing his aching ribs, eyed the pointed ear of the archer that was twitching incessantly. He dropped a dry comment, his tone flat.
"Scold me all you want, look at yourself. Your ear is betraying you."
Arwen's ear jerked once, then froze.
She turned her head. The movement of her neck muscles was slow and heavy, emitting a faint creak. Her blue eyes narrowed into a razor-thin slit, pinning Lucas in place.
The sweat glands along Lucas's spine activated instantly. He shoved the rest of the food down his throat, jaw muscles working at full capacity, chewing and swallowing whole as if a second's delay would cost him his head.
Jack smirked, the wrinkles around his eyes crinkling gently. He spoke leisurely, his warm voice breaking the tension.
"Come on, lay off the kid. Why so prickly with the new friend? Besides..."
Jack nodded toward the petite priestess.
"We have 'mobile blood bank' Lily sitting right next to Lucas. Even if that bread was laced with deadly poison, the kid's purification aura would burn it off before it hit his bloodstream."
Arwen's tense shoulders slumped slightly, but the vigilance in her eyes never fully extinguished. She didn't reply, simply turning her face away, hiding in the shifting shadows of the cave corner.
Unconsciously, Arwen's trembling fingers reached up, tracing the jagged tear on her left ear. Her chest heaved unevenly, breath becoming ragged and heavy, as if the air in the cave had suddenly thinned. Something about the presence of these strangers scratched at old wounds, causing her to shudder before sinking into silence.
Beside the fire, murmuring mixed with wet chewing sounds, a stark contrast to the heavy atmosphere in the corner.
"Thank you, Supreme Saintess Mathal, for bestowing this earthly blessing..."
Lily clasped her hands before her chest in reverence, though her cheeks were stuffed like a squirrel's with bread. She swallowed hard, closing her eyes in satisfied exclamation.
"...I vow to devote my entire life to serving You... and this divine flavor."
Lia, nestled in Long's arms, ground the bread mechanically. Her purple eyes narrowed, shooting a sharp, skeptical look at the praying Lily.
"Goddess my ass," she muttered through gritted teeth, low enough for only the two of them to hear. "Clearly Long's doing."
Mid-complaint, Lia's jaw froze.
The sensation in her mouth was wrong—too much meat, a rich flavor overwhelming the dry flour.
She frowned, pulling the bread apart to check. Nestled in the soft white crumb was not one, but two plump red sausages pressed together. Blatant favoritism.
Lia shot up, eyes wide, staring at Long's chin.
In response to her astonishment, Long gave a slight smirk. He slowly raised an index finger to his lips, signaling silence.
The annoyance in Lia's eyes evaporated like mist in the sun. She said nothing, simply bowing her head, burying her hot cheek deep into his sturdy chest, hiding a triumphant smile in the folds of his thick coat.