Hisako soon joined them, and the four boarded the car heading back to Tōtsuki.
Throughout the journey, Erina sat with her legs crossed, staring out the window with a blank expression. She was silent, her usual presence subdued.
Sui, too, remained unusually quiet.
"Hey, why is everyone so quiet?" Sōma asked, trying to break the tension. "How about a game of poker?"
He pulled out a deck of cards, hoping to lift the mood.
But Erina turned her head slowly, fixing him with her cold, violet eyes. The intimidating aura of Queen Tōtsuki radiated from her, making Soma swallow nervously.
'What's going on?' he thought, puzzled. Normally, Erina would refuse to play, but then sit eagerly waiting for the cards to be dealt. Something was definitely off today.
He glanced at Sui, whose expression gave away little, and wondered if the two had quarreled. Hisako, sitting nearby, also seemed confused. She had little experience with relationships and couldn't decipher what was happening between them.
As the car ride continued, Erina remained fixated on the passing scenery, her icy demeanor enveloping the entire vehicle. The tense atmosphere made both Soma and Hisako feel deeply uncomfortable.
Soma began to regret joining them. If he had known things would be this awkward, he would've left earlier.
Finally, they arrived at Tōtsuki.
"Well, I'll be going," Soma said hesitantly, eyeing Erina nervously. "If you two had a fight…"
Erina shot him a wordless, icy glance that sent shivers down his spine. Without another word, Soma quickly turned and left.
Hisako also hurriedly said her goodbyes and departed, feeling equally uncomfortable.
"Erina, let's head back," Sui said softly, but Erina walked away in silence, heading toward the mansion.
As soon as they arrived, the pokémon, including Miltank, eagerly surrounded them, happy to see Sui and Erina again after several days of absence. Despite being left alone, the Pokémon had taken good care of themselves, thanks to Sui's prior arrangements.
Just then, Combees flew over, presenting a large jar of fresh honey to Sui.
"Oh? Is this the honey you've been making?" Sui's eyes brightened as he took the jar from them.
The bees buzzed around him happily.
Opening the jar, Sui inhaled the rich aroma of the honey. It was far superior to anything you could find on the market.
At that moment, Shuckle tugged at his arm and led him toward the kitchen. When Sui opened the refrigerator, he found it stocked with bottles of juice.
"Did you make all of this?" Sui asked.
Shuckle nodded enthusiastically.
Sui grabbed a bottle, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip. Immediately, a wave of sweetness flooded his senses, unlike anything he'd ever tasted before.
"This is incredible! It's the best juice I've ever had," Sui exclaimed.
He briefly considered inviting Erina to join him, but when he went to find her, she had already gone upstairs. Clearly, she hadn't yet recovered from the events of the previous night.
Sui understood. After all, Erina was only fifteen, and what had transpired would've been a lot for anyone her age to process.
At that moment, the system's voice echoed in Sui's mind. "Host, the task has been completed. Would you like to receive your reward?"
Sui had almost forgotten about the rewards from the Rapport Training Camp mission. "Receive," he commanded.
"Host has received a random silver-level recipe gift pack. Upon opening, the recipe for Stir-Fried Pork with Garlic has been obtained."
"Host has also received a random ingredient gift pack. Upon opening, the ingredient 'Red-Haired Pig' has been obtained," the system announced.
Curious, Sui opened the description.
Stir-Fried Pork with Garlic
'Recipe Level': Silver
'Effect': Replenishes energy.
'Effect Description': Even those completely exhausted will feel fully revitalized after consuming this dish.
Red-Haired Pig
'Ingredient Level': B
'Description': A massive pig with red hair and a fierce temperament. Its meat is exceptionally tender and juicy. A simple roast brings out its natural flavor, making it a top-tier ingredient.
'Origin': Gourmet Captivity.
Though there weren't any ultra-high-end ingredients this time, Sui noted that the Red-Haired Pig weighed several tons. If priced solely by weight, it was worth more than many Class A ingredients.
Sui briefly considered summoning the pig, but after imagining the chaos it would cause in the kitchen, he decided against it.
Returning to his room, Sui was immediately ambushed by a small figure that tackled him to the ground.
"Sui, I want magic fried rice!" Kanna demanded, clutching him tightly.
Sui sighed in exasperation.
Moments later, Tohru appeared, her face lighting up as she saw Sui. "Welcome back, Sui!" she greeted warmly.
Sui smiled as he stood up, though Kanna refused to let go of his legs.
"Alright, alright. I'll cook for you," Sui said with a helpless grin.
He headed to the kitchen and quickly whipped up two large plates of Sinangag Fried Rice. Kanna finally released him, contentedly munching on her meal. After finishing, she quietly went off to play video games.
Suddenly, a thought struck Sui, and he rushed to open the apartment door. To his relief, the scene outside was the bustling cityscape he had expected—no sign of apocalyptic destruction.
Sui let out a sigh. He had feared that in his absence, the two dragons might have caused some catastrophic damage to the world.
At that moment, the TV in the background was broadcasting the news.
"In response to the multiple earthquakes over the past few days, the National Earthquake Detection Agency has stated that these are purely natural phenomena and are 'not' signs of the end of the world. Please remain calm."
"Wait, there have been that many earthquakes?" Sui blinked in surprise.
"It seems so," Tohru said, nodding. "This world is more dangerous than it appears."
Had the government known the truth, they might have clung to Sui, begging him not to leave.
After all, if he didn't come back, the world might just be destroyed.