"How is that even possible? This is absolutely delicious! It's even better than yesterday's feast!" Vasida exclaimed, her face lighting up as she took another bite of the tender meat, followed by a spoonful of rice. Her eyes narrowed in pure delight, savoring every bit.
She chewed slowly, clearly relishing the moment. "Food this good deserves to be enjoyed thoroughly!" she added with a satisfied grin.
Lyra chuckled, shaking his head in amusement. "You, Vasida... Last night, you were so hungry you probably didn't even taste anything properly. Ms. Amisha's feast isn't just for appearances, you know!"
"But I swear, it's better than anything I've eaten since I was a kid!" Vasida insisted, her excitement palpable. "Especially this egg fried rice! I've never seen it prepared like this!"
Her enthusiasm didn't stop there. "Oh, Lyra, I've decided! I'm going to teach this egg fried rice recipe to the zombie chef at home! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone else."
Lyra's eyebrow shot up. "Wait, wait; what? Zombie chef? I feel like I just heard something… extraordinary." His voice trailed off, unsure if she was serious or just pulling his leg.
Vasida blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, I guess I should explain! Have you heard of the corpse clan? Over time, some immortal corpses develop spiritual intelligence and become part of the corpse tribe. They're quite rare."
"My father," she continued, "was a zombie king, raised by my mother. After gaining intelligence, he became part of the zombie clan. And you know, the zombies he trained? They became more... flexible."
Lyra's eyes widened in disbelief. "Your father? A zombie king?"
Vasida nodded earnestly. "Yeah, growing up, I was a bit of a glutton. But my mom wasn't much of a cook. So, I was raised on meals prepared by my dad's zombie chefs." She giggled at the memory. "He was worried I'd struggle with cooking after moving out, so he kept cooking day in and day out for me; until he, well... eventually starved to death."
"Hold on, what?" Lyra blinked, trying to wrap his head around what she just said.
Vasida waved a hand dismissively. "It's a long story! Anyway, before I left for school, he even taught me some techniques on how to maintain the zombies at home."
Lyra's mind raced. "So... witches can be born from the corpse tribe?" he murmured to himself. "Isn't a corpse still... you know, dead?"
Vasida laughed. "Well, the body might technically be dead, but with the right training, zombies can learn a thing or two. Not that they're great chefs, they mostly cook big, simple meals."
"Wait," Lyra interrupted, "you mean your zombie chefs can actually follow cooking recipes?"
"Exactly!" Vasida beamed. "My dad wasn't the best cook, and the zombies he trained are... well, equally bad. But they can follow clear, step-by-step instructions with practice. They're a bit more adaptable than puppets, I guess."
She puffed out her chest with pride. "Luckily, I inherited a bit of my dad's talent in training zombies. I'm sure I can teach them this egg fried rice recipe."
Lyra smirked. "Alright then, I'll help you out. I've got a few recipes that have strict instructions but still turn out decent. I'll share them with you."
Vasida's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Really? You'd do that? Thank you so much, Lyra!"
"Don't mention it. It's no trouble at all. Besides," he added, "I think Earth would be happy to spread its culinary traditions a little further."
As Vasida spoke more about her unusual family, Lyra found himself opening up as well. Perhaps it was her openness that drew him in, or maybe it was just the magic of good food shared between friends. Either way, for the first time, he felt comfortable sharing stories he'd never told anyone before.
"Earth?" Vasida's brows furrowed in confusion. "What's that?"
Lyra chuckled softly, setting down her chopsticks. "I'm a soul from another world, Vasida. Earth is the planet where I lived in my previous life. And this fried rice with egg; it's a delicacy from there."
Vasida's eyes widened with wonder. "A soul from another world?" she repeated, leaning in as if to make sure she heard right. "So you're not just Lyra... You're a soul from another world! No wonder you always seem so calm, so much wiser than everyone else!"
Lyra smiled, slightly embarrassed by the praise. Despite having memories of Earth, she still felt like a newborn here in Valen, just another witch learning her way. "I wouldn't say I know more than anyone else," she said humbly. "But yes, I come from a different world."
Her curiosity only deepened. "What does Earth look like? Are there witches there too?" she asked, eyes wide with excitement. To meet a soul from another world; it was beyond her wildest dreams!
"Earth..." Lyra's expression softened, and her eyes took on a faraway look as she thought about her home. "It's a beautiful place, but fragile too. There's no magic, no witches, just... people, relying on technology instead of spells."
Vasida was spellbound. "What a gentle planet," she murmured, as if trying to picture it. "It sounds so different from here."
Lyra nodded, but her smile faded, a shadow of worry crossing her face as she thought of Earth. Despite its beauty, it faced its own dangers, conflicts, environmental crises, things that could destroy it if left unchecked. "Yeah," she whispered. "It needs help, and I'm not sure how to give it."
Noticing Lyra's sudden change in mood, Vasida placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Lyra, don't worry!" she declared with fierce determination. "You're a witch, a saint witch with limitless potential! If you keep growing stronger, one day, you'll have the power to protect Earth, to save it!"
Her voice was filled with conviction as she continued, "And you won't be alone! You've got me, Sylph, Senior Lilith; we're a team, right? Look at Lady Tracy and the other witches. They defeated all the tribes of Valen. If they can do that, we can definitely save your world! Even if it doesn't have magic!"
Lyra blinked, taken aback by Vasida's bold confidence. But her words were like a ray of sunlight cutting through the fog of doubt in her heart. With a renewed sense of hope, she smiled and said firmly, "I will go back. I'll do whatever it takes to save Earth."
Vasida grinned, pumping her fist in the air. "That's the spirit, Lyra! We've got this!"
"Right!" Lyra replied, her resolve strengthened.
Their conversation had flowed so naturally that they didn't even notice how much food they'd eaten. Before she knew it, Lyra had polished off a piece of steak, a full bowl of egg fried rice, and even a small dish of salad. It was far more than she usually ate, and now her belly was uncomfortably full.
Leaning back in her chair, she let out a sigh. "I'm stuffed, Vasida. I'll leave the rest to you!" she groaned, rubbing her full stomach.
Vasida glanced at Lyra's round belly and chuckled. Seeing that her friend was well and truly done, she wasted no time digging into her own meal with renewed speed. Though her pace was much quicker now, she still chewed each bite thoughtfully, savoring the flavors, unlike the night before when she had wolfed down her food without a second thought.
Lyra couldn't help but smile as she watched Vasida eat. For all her speed, there was an art to the way she enjoyed every bite. It was as if she had mastered the skill of savoring food at lightning speed. It was far beyond what Lyra had imagined.
"Why was I so slow before?" Lyra thought, chuckling inwardly. Maybe she had been too worried that Vasida wouldn't get enough to eat.
Once Vasida had finished her meal, she jumped to her feet and started clearing the dishes. Lyra, feeling a little guilty, tried to help, but Vasida pushed her back into her chair with a grin. "No way! I'm your chef apprentice now, Lyra! How could I let my master lift a finger?"
Lyra raised an eyebrow, amused. "Master? All I promised was to write down a recipe for your zombie chefs to follow. I didn't say I'd teach you personally. What kind of mentor am I supposed to be?"
Vasida puffed out her chest in mock seriousness. "Passing down a recipe counts as teaching! And if there's anything in the recipe I don't understand, would you really refuse to guide me, Lyra? Would you have the heart?"
Lyra sighed, shaking her head with a smile. "You! Go wash the dishes, already. I never realized you were this good at twisting people's words!"
Her words were playful, but it was clear she had already agreed to help. With a cheerful hum, Vasida happily skipped off to clean up the dishes, clearly pleased with herself.
Lyra leaned back in her chair, watching Vasida's carefree movements. She couldn't help but feel grateful for her friend's infectious energy. With allies like Vasida by her side, she felt that even the impossible might be within reach.