As the campfire began to blaze with a steady warmth, Theord silently produced a magic pouch. He pulled out a pot, then rummaged through a different pouch. What he brought out next looked like a block of ice, it was frozen solid, likely preserved by a time-suspension spell.
Theord tipped the contents into the pot.
As the ice melted, steam billowed upward, and a savory, rich aroma drifted through the night air. The smell was so tantalizing that Amelia found her mouth watering instinctively.
When Amelia looked at him, Theord wordlessly handed her a bowl. She carefully ladled the soup into her dish and took a sip.
Amelia’s eyes widened instantly.
“This is…!”
She had definitely tasted this before.
It was the same food she had eaten at the inn they visited during the investigation into the unidentified corpse.
When she looked at him with startled eyes, the corners of Theord’s mouth lifted in a faint smile.
“It is a dish made by Shion, the owner of the inn on the Border.”
Amelia took a small, sharp breath inwardly.
‘The inn on the Border…?’
The place she had visited was certainly near the Border, but not on it. However, she soon nodded as she recalled the "inn" that had recently become the talk of the town. If that employee worked there, it made sense.
She didn't know if it was a branch or if the employee was actually the owner, but the taste alone was enough to completely captivate Amelia’s picky palate.
Yet, what was more surprising than the taste was Theord’s attitude, he had mentioned the innkeeper with such strange familiarity.
Though Amelia stole occasional glances at him, the two shared their meal in a comfortable silence.
The gukbap disappeared in no time.
When she first ate this food, Amelia had suppressed her naturally lazy personality to focus on her role as the "Saintess."
However, eating it now, after enduring so much hardship, the flavor was so heavenly that it nearly cracked her mask.
She barely managed to swallow back an exclamation of delight, finishing her bowl with her usual dignified poise.
Perhaps because she was eating warm food for the first time in a long while, her body began to relax and she felt a strange surge of energy.
Just then, Theord, who had finished his bowl first, bowed his head slightly.
“That was a good meal.”
“...!”
Theord’s lips, usually set in a flat line, curved softly like a spring breeze. In that fleeting moment, he didn't look like a silent wooden doll, but like a man who embodied the peace of a quiet afternoon.
Furthermore, seeing such a strikingly handsome man smile was as brief and brilliant as a forget-me-not blooming in the morning dew under the sunlight.
Feeling her cheeks flush, Amelia hurriedly looked away.
Her evaluation of Theord had shifted many times, but now it converged into a single conclusion.
‘He really, truly loves the food that person named Shion makes.’
Right.
He’s a total fanatic for that shop owner’s cooking.
That was the conclusion Amelia reached.
***
The next day.
Just as they were about to exit the forest after crossing the Border, a faint figure came running toward them.
Theord instinctively placed his hand on his sword hilt, while Amelia stepped behind him, manifesting a shield of holy power with one hand.
“Halt! Imperial soldiers on official duty up ahead.”
At the firm command, the figure skidded to a stop.
With labored gasps, the man slumped to his knees. When he finally looked up after catching his breath, his face was a mask of exhaustion.
He wore a tattered uniform and worn-out boots, and his neck was bruised a deep red.
It was Joel, the soldier who had recently been given a meal by Shion at the inn on the Border.
Joel staggered to his feet. He quickly straightened his posture and gave a trembling salute.
“I, I greet the Commander! I am Joel, a soldier in charge of public security in the remote Morco garrison! I have come to deliver a message directly under orders from the high command!”
His voice was a mix of fatigue and desperation. Theord’s expression hardened. "Morco" was the very region where the unidentified corpse had been moved for autopsy.
“Permission to report granted.”
Joel caught his breath and immediately began.
“The autopsy results have determined the cause of death to be poison. No signs of foul play, such as trauma or marks from monsters, were found. Accordingly, high command has concluded it was an accidental death by acute poisoning. However, that poison… was extremely toxic and possessed a unique property that allowed it to spread easily through the air.”
Amelia’s brow furrowed slightly, and Theord silently locked eyes with her. Having seen the traces in the cabin within the Monster Forest, Joel’s report didn't quite add up.
Lost in thought, Theord stared at Joel for a moment before asking in a low voice, “If the poison is a lethal toxin that spreads through the air, the autopsy team should have suffered immense damage. Were there no other casualties?”
At those words, Joel’s eyes wavered violently.
The casualties of the investigation team were not included in the official report. However, because Joel desperately wanted to convey the truth, he had briefly added the properties of the poison at the end.
And Theord did not miss that subtle discrepancy.
Feeling a lump in his throat, Joel continued his report.
“...That is correct. Every member of the autopsy and investigation team… except for me, has died.”
A heavy silence fell. While Theord and Amelia’s faces were grim, Joel’s expression was actually relieved. This was the one truth he had wanted to convey from the beginning.
“And their bodies?”
“Due to the toxicity, we could not return them to their families. They were buried together in a nearby cemetery.”
“I will visit them.”
His voice was resolute. Amelia turned to him in surprise. After all, they were on a grave mission, and their priority should have been completing their report. But there was no hesitation in Theord’s eyes.
Soldiers who couldn't even return to their families. Young men who had fulfilled their duty to the very end. He could not allow their deaths to remain as mere numbers in a record.
Amelia locked eyes with him and eventually bowed her head, respecting his decision.
Joel’s eyes turned bloodshot as he bowed repeatedly.
“Thank… Thank you, Commander.”
“It is the rightful respect due to those who have dedicated themselves to the Empire.”
“...Understood!”
Joel couldn't hold back his tears. If he hadn't deserted his post and come here, his comrades would have been forgotten without a name or a headstone.
Thinking of this, the face of the innkeeper kept flashing in his mind.
Though his eyes had been hidden by shaggy chestnut hair, Joel could tell from his straight nose and smooth jawline that he was quite handsome.
If it hadn't been for that steaming bowl of gukbap he offered, Joel might have made an irreversible choice. After catching his breath to swallow his sobs, Joel spoke cautiously.
“Commander… I have delivered all the reporting matters, but may I offer one more personal observation?”
Theord gave a short nod.
“The appearance of the corpse was not that of a normal human. At first, I thought it was damaged by a monster attack, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to have been malformed since birth.”
At that, Theord and Amelia’s gazes met. Both thought of the same thing at once.
The cabin.
And the nameless graves.
...Could it be that those who were imprisoned made an irreversible choice?
Was that unidentified corpse the remnant of such a tragedy?
Amelia’s fingertips trembled at the thought of such an ugly, tragic story. A fierce light flared in Theord’s blue eyes as well.
Sensing the atmosphere, Joel bowed deeply.
“This concludes my report.”
A heavy silence lingered for a moment.
But soon, everyone gathered themselves, and Joel stepped forward, offering to carry the Saintess’s luggage. Exhausted, Amelia gave a short nod and accepted the gesture.
Though fatigue remained on Joel’s face, a bright light shone in his eyes, unlike before.
“I will guide you. I grew up nearby and am familiar with the terrain. I know of a nearby inn, and I have prepared food we can use if we have to camp out.”
As Joel held up a magic pouch from his cloak, a tiny tremor shook Theord’s gaze.
“Did you meet him?”
At the quiet question, Amelia realized that the shabby pouch Joel was holding and the one Theord had pulled out the night before came from the same person.
Joel’s eyes widened for a moment, and then his face turned red.
Memories of his past actions flashed through his mind, barging into the inn secretly, and eventually bursting into tears in front of a bowl of gukbap.
After a moment of hesitation, he cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment and spoke carefully.
“I do not know who you are referring to… but I met a benefactor on my way. Though young, he knew the meaning of compassion, and he was someone who gave food to the hungry without a moment’s hesitation.”
It was Shion. There was no doubt he had met him.
Comments Box