Chapter 56: Beneath Her Calm
"What is this!?" I asked, staring at the still-twitching, snake-like monster on my plate.
"Oh, that’s not venomous," Lydia said casually. "It should be good to eat."
Nope. Never. Not happening.
"Umm... I think I’ll go with veggies today," I said, forcing a weak smile.
Damn it. I’m definitely joining the hunting team from tomorrow. That wiggly thing completely killed my appetite.
Lydia must’ve noticed the disgust on my face because she gestured for the orcs to take the tray away.
I was in Lydia’s cave... or rather, her section of the underground system. The three commanders each had their own caves to operate from, and their units lived there too. During the day, everyone was out handling their duties; by night, they all returned here. The hunting team was made up of orcs from all three caves, and the food they caught was divided among the groups based on their numbers.
Lydia had fewer soldiers than the other two commanders, but somehow, the food pile in front of her was still massive. Orc appetites really were on another level.
"Vegetables might not be enough for your training," she said, a hint of concern in her voice.
"I’ll manage," I replied, looking at the meager pile of greens in front of me.
The orcs didn’t have much access to vegetables. Only those like Tugnier or Lydia, who could disguise themselves and buy food from nearby towns, had any chance to get them.
Even then, it was risky to do it often.
I sighed.
"I’ll go hunt a monster or something," Lydia said, trying to stand up.
I reached out and caught her hand. "No need," I said firmly.
I shouldn’t be picky. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to eat forest food. After becoming a warlord, I’d grown too used to luxury.
It’s time I went back to basics.
Back to the days before I joined Cass.
"I’ll eat this," I said, swallowing hard as I stared down at the jiggly tail.
"Alright... let’s do this."
I cut a small piece from the tail and lifted it with my fork. The moment I bit into it, some weird liquid squirted into my mouth.
"This is... good," I said, forcing a smile as Lydia watched me closely.
This actually tastes like shit.
Lydia’s eyes softened. She caught my hand with a grin. "Glad to hear that," she said before throwing her arms around my neck.
My face brushed against her soft breasts as she lifted her mug of wine high.
"Cheers to our guest!" she shouted.
All the orcs in the chamber raised their jars in unison.
"Ohhhoo!" they roared, laughter booming around the cave.
I just smiled awkwardly, still chewing that cursed, slimy tail.
**********
"Good night," Lydia said softly, walking beside me until we reached the entrance of the guest quarters.
I nodded, matching her calm tone. "Good night to you too. Let’s meet tomorrow, I have some ideas about your combat style. I’ll teach you, if you’re up for it."
Her face brightened instantly, and she nodded twice, almost like a kid who’d just been promised a treat. "Then it’s a deal. See you tomorrow," she said with a small grin.
I smiled back and turned to head inside, but then.
Tug.
I felt a faint pull on my shirt. I turned around, confused at first, and saw her standing there, her fingers curled gently around the edge of my shirt.
Her head was lowered, hair partly covering her face as her eyes darted to the side.
For a second, I just stood there, waiting for her to speak.
"You... can sleep in my quarters, you know..." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. I could tell she was trying to sound casual, but her tone wavered slightly, betraying the emotion behind it.
I blinked, caught off guard.
For a brief moment, the idea almost sounded... tempting. The air between us felt warm even under the cool moonlight.
"...I think that would be inappropriate, though," I said, my voice coming out softer than I intended. Lydia was a commander, and her squad was mostly female. Staying there would be... awkward. And besides... Sera would be waiting for me tonight.
The thought of her steadied my resolve.
"I see..." Lydia murmured. The corners of her lips pulled into a small pout as the moonlight brushed against her face. For a moment, she looked so quiet.
Then she looked up, her expression shifting, bright again, like she didn’t want the moment to linger.
"Well then, let’s meet up tomorrow! Same spot!" she said, stepping backward with that familiar energy, her hands folded neatly behind her.
I nodded, smiling faintly. "Yes. Tomorrow."
She turned around and started walking away, her black hair shining under the faint glow of the night.
I stood there for a few seconds, watching her silhouette fade into the soft light of the torches, before finally heading into the guest chambers.
As the door closed behind me, I couldn’t help but smile a little.
**********
"Wh–what did I just say to him!?"
I froze the moment Rune disappeared into the guest quarters. The words replayed in my head again and again.
’You can sleep in my quarters, you know...’
My arms shot up to my face as I buried it in my hands.
"Ahhh what’s wrong with me!" My cheeks were burning despite the cold wind brushing against them.
I crouched behind a boulder near the entrance, curling up like I could somehow hide from my own embarrassment.
My mind’s clearly not stable!
I puffed out a deep breath and fanned my face with both hands, trying to cool down the heat that just wouldn’t leave.
Every time I thought about what I’d said, or the look in his eyes when he turned to me, my heart started beating faster again.
"But still..." I muttered under my breath, lowering my hands as a small smile crept onto my lips. "He ate the dish I made."
Just remembering that sight made me giggle quietly.
The way he’d looked at the plate, that twitch in his expression, he was clearly disgusted at first.
Well, humans don’t really like dishes that still have blood in them... and I had completely forgotten to drain it. I’ve always liked the taste of blood more than meat... it’s richer, warmer. But I guess that’s something I should keep in mind next time.
"I’ll dry the blood off before cooking tomorrow..." I mumbled to myself, determined to fix my mistake.
Then I remembered how he smiled after taking that first bite, trying his best to look calm while his face said this tastes terrible.
"He still said it tasted good," I said softly, my smile widening despite myself.
"Hehe~"
He was considerate. Even when he clearly hated it, he didn’t want to hurt my feelings. That small kindness made my chest feel strangely warm.
I stood up slowly, brushing the dust off my skirt. "Well... let’s sleep. I need to wake up early."
Tomorrow’s training, just me and Rune, the thought alone made my heart flutter. The cool air felt warmer now. My steps grew lighter as I walked back toward my cave.
When I entered, a few of my unit members were still up, cleaning dishes, putting things away. They looked up when I passed by... and froze.
Maybe because, for the first time, they saw me smiling.
I ignored their stunned faces and touched my lips lightly, still smiling to myself.
Tomorrow, I’ll see him again.