Beside him, Lilith had been dropped unceremoniously to the ground by Freyr, but this time she didn't cry out in pain. Instead, she quickly sat up and, seeing Freyr's labored breathing, she suddenly sprang to her feet. Clumsily, she tore a large leaf from a nearby tree and sat down beside Freyr, waving it to create a cooling breeze.
Freyr panted for a while, then looked up at Lilith. "What are you doing?"
"I... I saw you looked really tired, so I... I'm fanning you," Lilith said earnestly, her wide eyes full of sincerity.
Freyr couldn't help but laugh. This girl, silly as she was, had a certain endearing charm. "Thanks... but don't you know it's early spring? It's still quite cold."
Gently taking the large leaf from Lilith's hand, Freyr smiled at her flushed face. "Alright, we need to build a fire. Otherwise, we'll freeze tonight. We have nothing with us, and getting sick now would be a big problem."
In truth, the cold at night wasn't too difficult to handle. They could simply sleep next to the dragon. After all, it was a fire dragon. But sleeping beside such a massive creature carried its own risks. If the dragon rolled over in its sleep, they could be crushed to death. Lilith might even become the first wizard in history to be squashed by her own magical pet.
Freyr gathered enough twigs and leaves, and Lilith used a small fireball spell to ignite them. This was the extent of her magical ability at the moment. With the twigs blazing, Lilith held a torch while Freyr carried more branches. They went to the beach and built a large bonfire, piling the branches high so the fire burned brightly.
In the darkness, the flames would be visible from a great distance. Freyr sighed; this was their only hope. If a passing ship saw the bonfire, they might send help. Then, perhaps, they could be rescued.
After completing these tasks, Freyr was utterly exhausted. He lay sprawled out on the beach, sighing deeply.
At that moment, a loud growl interrupted the quiet. Freyr paused, then heard it again.
He sat up and looked at Lilith with a bemused expression. "Sorry, my... my stomach," Lilith mumbled, embarrassed, her face illuminated by the firelight. "I'm hungry."
"So am I," Freyr sighed. "Unfortunately, we haven't found any animals on this island yet. Otherwise, we could catch a couple and have a barbecue right here."
"Then... what about wild fruits?" Hunger seemed to make Lilith's mind a bit sharper.
"Look around. Do you see any fruit trees? There aren't even any berry bushes. Just leaves and wild grass," Freyr sighed again. "Otherwise, would I need you to remind me?"
"Then... what about fish?" Lilith looked at Freyr pitifully. "There should be fish in the sea, right?"
Freyr shrugged. "Can you swim?"
Lilith shook her head.
"Neither can I," Freyr chuckled ruefully. "Like you, I'm a landlubber. I can't catch fish in the water. Besides, during the day, I searched the coast and only found some empty shells and conchs. Unless your stomach can digest hard shells?"
"But... but I'm really hungry," Lilith pouted, her eyes wide with desperation.
"I can't help that. We'll have to sleep through the night and figure it out tomorrow. When it's daylight, I'll try to find a long stick and see if I can catch some fish in the shallow waters. For now, we can't risk it. It's too dark, and neither of us can swim. If we drown, we're done for."
Lilith sighed and obediently sat down next to Freyr. Unintentionally, she sat very close to him.
"Let's talk. It might help us forget our hunger," Freyr suggested with a smile. "We haven't properly gotten to know each other yet. We might as well, since we're in this together now."
"What do you mean, get to know each other?"
"For instance..." Freyr thought for a moment, hugging his knees and looking up at the stars. "You seem quite young, not much older than me. How did you become a Great Wizard? That's quite an accomplishment."
"I... I don't know," Lilith said, mimicking Freyr's posture and hugging her knees. She sighed softly. "I've been with my teacher since I was little. I've never been out much. This is only my second time."
Freyr glanced at the naïve girl beside him and smiled. "Actually, your voice is quite nice, sweet and soft. If you didn't stutter, it would sound even better."
"S-sorry, I don't mean to," Lilith blushed. "I've always had trouble speaking."
"Actually, the more you speak, the better you'll get. Practice makes perfect," Freyr said encouragingly. "Alright, tell me more about yourself. How did you become an eight-level wizard? At your age, that's quite an achievement, probably unique in the entire empire."
"Huh?" Lilith looked confused.
Freyr sighed, smiling wryly. "Hey, I'm complimenting you. At least give me a reaction."
"Oh... s-sorry, I..." Lilith stammered, flustered.
"Silly girl," Freyr shook his head. "It seems like you don't know much besides magic, huh?"
Freyr patiently chatted with Lilith for a while. She struggled but managed to tell him a bit about herself.
She was Lilith Li. From a young age, she had been learning magic with her teacher.