Grilled Fish

Chaos Era, Year 1814.

By the campfire, four figures sat cross-legged on the ground.

Liyana poked at the potatoes and sweet potatoes roasting in the flames with a stick, the blackened embers occasionally sparking.

"Hey, Moke, can you hurry up and get married already?" Liyana suddenly asked the boy beside her.

Moke looked puzzled. "I don’t even have a girlfriend yet… Why are you asking something like that?"

"Well, look at you—you’re so cute, so your daughter, or your descendants, would definitely be adorable too, right?" Liyana wiped a bit of drool from the corner of her mouth. "We’re good buddies, so why not do me a favor—"

"Drop dead, you pervert!" Moke cursed and smacked Liyana on the back, making her yelp in pain.

"Ugh, you look so cute… but you’re a guy." Liyana sighed in frustration, then suddenly brightened. "Oh, right! I heard some witches can brew potions to change genders. Interested?"

"You’re the one who should change, you horny elf…" Moke clicked his tongue but then fell silent.

Liyana blinked. Moke’s reaction was milder than she expected. She’d assumed he’d fly into a rage and start wrestling with her.

Across the fire, Xia Lun and Aina sat opposite them, with Aina keeping a distance of about two body lengths from Xia Lun.

"Want some?" Xia Lun offered Aina a freshly grilled fish skewer.

"No," Aina replied flatly, her tone laced with disdain.

She was a high-ranking vampire, after all—she didn’t even need blood anymore, let alone engage in something as primitive as eating.

"You should try something. I’m pretty good at this," Xia Lun insisted, his face mostly hidden under his hood, only his sharp chin visible as he stared intently at her.

"I said no," Aina repeated, her impatience now obvious.

"I’ve never seen you eat anything," Xia Lun sighed. "Normal people don’t do that."

Liyana thought back—she really hadn’t seen Aina eat before. Even at taverns, Aina would just order a glass of fruit wine and sip it quietly.

Aina hesitated for a moment, but to avoid suspicion, she reluctantly took the skewer from Xia Lun. "You’re such a nuisance."

Not wanting to dirty her clothes, Aina slowly pulled back her hood, revealing a face so beautiful it outshone even the moon elves.

"Wow… Aina, you’re stunning," Moke murmured in awe, seeing her true appearance for the first time.

"Like she’d ever be interested in you," Liyana teased, poking Moke’s side.

"Huh? What’s that supposed to mean? Obviously, I know Aina has eyes for Captain Xia Lun…" Moke abruptly cut himself off.

He caught the mischievous and slightly regretful glint in Liyana’s eyes.

This scheming little—

Moke wasn’t about to let Liyana use him as a pawn to provoke the team’s mage.

Aina ignored the two across from her, instead glaring at the fish in her hand as if locked in an internal battle.

Honestly, the fish didn’t look appetizing. Roasted over an open flame, its skin was charred black in places, and its bulging eyes gave it a grotesque, lifeless stare.

But if she didn’t eat it… that overly cautious hero might grow suspicious. If he figured out she was a vampire, her plans could be ruined.

Damn this hero… Was this all part of his scheme?

"Uh…" Xia Lun watched Aina’s intense stare and couldn’t help but say, "If you really don’t want to eat it, you don’t have to—"

"I’ll eat it!"

Aina viciously bit into the fish.

For some reason, watching her eat made Xia Lun gulp, as if he could feel the fish’s suffering himself.

It had been ages since Aina last consumed anything.

The corpse of another creature, heated and processed, crushed between teeth, swallowed, and assimilated into her own body…

It actually wasn’t bad?

The look of grim determination on Aina’s face slowly faded as she chewed the tender fish.

Before she knew it, only the skewer remained, which she tossed into the fire.

"Want another?" Xia Lun smiled, offering her a second fish.

Hmph. Still testing her, was he? She wouldn’t slip up so easily.

Aina smirked coldly and took the fish. Soon, it met the same fate as the first.

After finishing both, she dabbed her lips elegantly with a handkerchief.

Surely, he wouldn’t doubt her now.

"How was it?" Xia Lun asked, eyes hopeful.

"Passable," Aina replied indifferently.

A hint of joy flickered across Xia Lun’s face.

Four whole words—that meant the mage lady was quite satisfied.

If it had truly been awful, Aina would’ve mercilessly dismissed it as "garbage" or "disgusting."

No… she probably would’ve thrown it into the fire halfway through.

"Eww—Xia Lun, that smile of yours is creepy," Liyana grimaced. "Like some kind of perverted stalker… Have you developed weird tastes from Aina’s constant cold treatment?"

"Watch your mouth. Not everyone’s as impure as you," Moke scoffed, siding with Xia Lun. "Captain Xia Lun is kind to everyone. He’ll definitely become the greatest hero one day."

Oh? So he’s kind to everyone, is he?

For some reason, Aina felt a pang of irritation.

Hah. An idealist like him, still naive about the world’s cruelty, must’ve been born under the goddess’s favor—blessed with power, standing above the masses without even trying…

How unfair.

"It’s getting late. Time to rest," Xia Lun said, extinguishing the fire. "Aina, could you set up a barrier?"

Aina pulled her hood back up and nodded. A vast magic circle soon enveloped the campsite.

"Oh, Xia Lun, one more thing," Liyana called out.

"What is it?"

"You wake up way too early!"

"My schedule’s perfectly normal. Keeping good habits ensures energy for the day… You’re the one who sleeps in because you stay up too late," Xia Lun countered. "What are you even doing in your tent every night?"

"Oh?" Moke smirked suggestively.

"Maintaining my arrows, obviously!" Liyana glared at him. "Want me to test a poisoned one on your backside?"

Moke shrugged, pretending to be scared.

"Xia Lun, can you practice your swordplay farther away next time?" Liyana complained. "The whooshing sounds of your swings wake me up every morning!"

Xia Lun sighed helplessly. "Fine, I’ll try."