"Greetings," said Gracefell calmly, maintaining his composure in a situation where anyone else would have been embarrassed.
No one knew how to respond to the awkward situation. Even Edward hid his face in his palm, seemingly reflecting on the life choices that had led him to this moment.
Sarah, however, was the exception. She marched over to Mirai, her voice full with anger as she yelled, "Why did you bring him here, and why the hell are you holding him like a cat?"
The entire camp nodded in agreement, likely curious to the answer of Sarah's latter question.
"Well," Mirai spoke, as if stating the obvious, "he was going to stay alone, so I brought him to join us on breakfast and introduce him to you all. He and Alex could be great friends after that amazing duel."
A vein throbbed on Sarah's forehead as she shouted even louder, "What kind of logic is that? And there's no way he'll eat what I cook after what he did to Alex and me yesterday!"
Mirai stood speechless for a moment before asking in a hoarse voice, "You're cooking?"
"Yes, is there a problem with that?" Sarah replied, her eyes narrowing.
"On second thought, maybe bringing him today was a bad idea. Don't bother cooking for me; I'll go hunting with him," Mirai said, avoiding eye contact. Gracefell's calm face seemed momentarily delighted as Mirai made his way out, still carrying him. But this satisfaction was short-lived as Edward intervened.
"Mirai, don't you think it's rude to bring such an esteemed guest all the way here just to make him hunt for his food with you? Gracefell, Mirai, come here. There are two vacant places you can take," Edward spoke sincerely, masking his true thoughts [If we're going to suffer through Sarah's cooking, then you better join us in this hell, as our leader. This includes you too, esteemed guest Gracefell.]
If looks could kill, Edward would have been dead a hundred times over from the glares of Mirai and Gracefell. An idea suddenly flashed in Mirai's mind as he spoke with feigned regret, "Sorry, Ed, but if we sit there, will there still be a place for Sarah, the one who is cooking? We don't want to be a bother."
"Don't worry about that; I'll give you my seat. As our leader, you deserve it more," Edward insisted.
Before Mirai could find another excuse, a betrayal came from the closest person to him—literally. Gracefell, the one he was carrying, spoke up.
"Worry not, Edward. I can craft mine own chair."
And just like that, there was no one fortunate enough to escape that hell. Even gracefell knew that, but walking on that path along mirai that he dragged down with him didn't seem that bad
—————–——————————
Edward, Mirai, Gracefell, and Alex sat in a row, not uttering a single word. The scene was excruciatingly awkward,
These legendary beings sat together in solace. The Black Death, a terrifying monster from the east, was on one side. Next to him was Edward, a high elf and the younger sibling of the Saint of Life. Both he and Mirai had played crucial roles in the Hundred Years' War, their tales taught in history books.
Beside them sat Gracefell, a breathtaking silver fairy seated on a chair made of flowers. Not only was he a fairy, but he was also one of the Ancients. Finally, there was Alex, who, while not as powerful as the others, was a prodigy and the youngest member ever to join the Inquisitors. His potential was so great that he could eventually surpass them all.
But why were such formidable beings on edge? The answer was simple: they were all staring down at the bowls of porridge Sarah had given them. They couldn't fathom how someone could mess up such a simple dish so badly.
Edward made the first move. He began to eat, his expression remaining unchanged. For elves, survival was paramount, and as long as food was edible, they consumed it without complaint. After finishing, he looked at Sarah, who was anxiously awaiting his response. "Thanks for the meal. Your cooking has improved a lot since last time," he said, and he wasn't lying.
Mirai, however, was determined not to torture himself unnecessarily. With each spoonful he brought to his mouth, he used his fire magic with great efficiency to burn the food to ashes inside his mouth, leaving no trace. [At least ashes taste familiar,] he thought. "Great job, Sarah," Mirai said cheerfully, glancing at Gracefell, who was eating without any change in expression. He decided to tease him. "What do you think of the food?"
Before Gracefell could answer, Alex spoke up. "It tastes really good, and it looks even more appetizing."
This time, Gracefell's expression changed to one of surprise.
"Methinks 'tis just me, but this food doth taste dreadful. For a moment, I feared 'twas an attempt on my life, but 'twas clear no poison lay within. Mayhaps Sarah aimed to spite us all by making thee suffer with me. Or perchance my taste buds have been muddled due to long time. Still, I thank thee for the meal"
The camp fell into an even more awkward silence. Alex and Edward exchanged looks that conveyed their mutual desire to strangle Mirai for making an already bad situation worse. Yet, what was truly terrifying was Sarah's apparent calmness. She didn't seem angry at all—at least, not at first glance. But if one looked closer, they would notice the veins popping on her forehead, betraying her true feelings.
"Hmm, Mister Gracefell, if you think my cooking is that bad, why don't you give cooking a try and make your own?" she said with deceptive calmness. Gracefell, however, seemed completely unfazed.
"Verily,"he replied nonchalantly.
Gracefell made his way to the campfire and asked Sarah to provide him with a pan and certain ingredients. Fortunately, the supplies they had brought, due to the high position of the person the inquisitors were escorting, included a variety of ingredients.
In a large bowl, Gracefell began to mix flour, eggs, and milk etc….together. After thoroughly whisking the ingredients, he set the bowl aside to rest. While the batter rested, he prepared a sweet cream and sliced strawberries. Once everything was ready, he heated a pan over medium heat, melted some butter in it, and then poured in the batter, tilting the pan in a circular motion to coat it evenly. After cooking the batter on both sides until it was golden brown, he placed it on a plate and filled it with the cream and strawberries.
The sweet aroma filled the air, captivating everyone in the camp. Gracefell repeated the process until everyone had a plate of the delicious dish.
Sarah stood dumbfounded as Gracefell handed her the plate with a gentle smile, like an older sibling taking care of the youngest. As everyone began eating, they were left mesmerized by the sweet taste, having never tried such food before.
Mirai shamelessly asked for a second plate, while Edward nudged Alex to ask on his behalf. Amidst the bustling enjoyment, Gracefell stood calmly by the fire, his silver eyes flickering with a deep sense of sorrow. Yet, as soon as he sensed Sarah approaching, his expression returned to one of serene calmness. He asked gently,"Dost thou need something?"
Sarah coughed, embarrassed. "It's just, your cooking is really delicious. Can you, by any chance, give me the recipe or teach me how to make it?" Her voice lowered with each word due to embarrassment. She knew Gracefell might refuse due to her past treatment of him, but Alex enjoyed the food so much that she wanted to learn to make it for him.
To her surprise, Gracefell's face warmed with a gentle smile as he replied, "Verily,"
Gracefell was patient and never got angry, even when Sarah messed up repeatedly. He calmly corrected her mistakes, offering advice along the way. After about an hour of this process, Sarah realized she didn't even know the name of the dish she was preparing. When she asked, he responded as if he'd been waiting for her to inquire.
"'Tis known as a crepe."he said. Sarah, still curious, decided to ask another question, sensing this might be her best chance.
"Why did you agree to teach me how to cook, even after how I treated you before?"
Gracefell's voice softened, a mixture of longing and tenderness in his tone."Thou dost remind me of my sister. Each eve when wearied I returned home, she did strive to aid with her cooking, though oft 'twas naught but foul. Yet, in its lack, 'twas still dear to me. The dessert I cooked now was her cherished delight. If gratitude be sought, then give thanks to her."
Finally, after many tries, Sarah managed to cook a presentable crepe. She filled it with strawberries and cream, adding some jelly on top. She hurried over to Alex and handed it to him. After tasting it, he gave her a thumbs up, this time a genuine compliment.
As everyone chatted and had fun, Gracefell stood alone once again. He took a bite of his crepe and whispered to himself, "pure delights."