Chapter 172: Rest, Reflection

(By the time you read this new chapter, it will likely be New Year's Eve. Regardless, I wish you all a happy new year, haha.)

"Tap, tap, tap." A rhythmic knocking sounded at Wang Yu's door. Wang Yu, who had been sitting at the dining table in the living room, rose to open it.

"Hi, we're here. Sorry to intrude," said Charles, standing at the front with a smile as he greeted Wang Yu. Beside him was Edward.

"Come on in," Wang Yu invited them inside.

"Right then. Here’s a little something, a decent dessert. You can try it later," Charles said, walking in while holding a rather exquisite gift box.

"Sure, we'll have it together in a bit. Avia should have everything about ready."

Wang Yu took the box from Charles and set it casually on the dining table.

"And here’s my contribution—some local specialties from the North. Oh, and this, too: some fruits from the Elven tribes. They just arrived in the Royal City recently."

Edward smiled and handed Wang Yu a small, airtight metal canister used for preservation.

"Nice. I’ve never actually had anything from the Elven tribes before."

Wang Yu was slightly surprised; elven goods were quite rare in the Royal City. Although they could be found, with the war between Alastair and Sewintan, Wang Yu hadn't bothered to go out of his way to source them.

"Haha, I still have a few channels," Edward said, scratching his head with a bashful look.

Just as Edward started to walk further inside, Wang Yu blocked his path with a palm, leaving Edward looking at him in confusion.

"Hey, I invited you, and I told you to remember to bring along the person you were supposed to bring. Did you forget something, you blockhead?"

Edward was baffled by this. He pointed toward Charles, who was already sitting at the table, looking uneasy because he had noticed the avatar of the Lady of the Night sitting across from him.

"You mean him? Uh, that’s fine, but I invited him too. Think harder—who else is missing?"

Edward pondered, trying to grasp Wang Yu's meaning, when suddenly a lightbulb went off. "Ah, the Professor and the Captain! Right, I forgot to notify them."

He reached into his pocket for his communication crystal, intending to message their superiors.

"Smack!" Wang Yu slapped Edward on the forehead, his expression one of exasperation.

"Do you think they’re as idle as we are? Don't bother those two busy people. I’m asking you: where is Miss Sufang? Huh? How could you manage to leave her behind, eh?"

"Ah? This... uh, how did you... I mean, well, it just didn't feel right."

Stung by the slap and the direct confrontation, Edward finally realized what Wang Yu was getting at. However, the knight, who was usually far more reliable than Charles, was now stammering, his face flushing with heat.

"You’re a grown man, what are you being shy for? Go on, her flower shop is right on this street. Go get her yourself, hurry up."

Wang Yu gave Edward a nudge, urging him to move. Honestly, sometimes the bystander sees more than the person involved; Wang Yu could see it clearly now—Edward was even more of a wooden block than he was when it came to matters of the heart.

"Right, right." Edward didn't dare argue further and scurried out the door.

It didn't take long for Edward to return. The cat-folk lady’s shop was on Red Maple Street, and for a formal knight like Edward, running over and bringing back the agile Sufang took no time at all.

"Sorry, I didn't have time to dress up. I’m still in my gardening clothes."

Sufang followed Edward into the house, still wearing the outfit she used for tending her flowers.

She had tidied up her face a bit, but with the cat-folk’s fur and ears, she hadn't managed a full grooming in such a short time. Still, she was naturally adorable, and it didn't detract from her charm at all.

"It’s fine, it’s fine. Just having you here is enough," Wang Yu said, waving it off.

"Edward, oh Edward..." Wang Yu shot a sidelong glance at him, silently interrogating him with his eyes.

Edward’s keen knightly senses made him acutely aware of the gaze, which only made him more awkward. He could only sit at the table and scratch his head frantically.

The cat-folk lady, however, didn't mind much. Her personality was similar to Wendy’s—optimistic and lively. After sitting down next to the other "lady" at the table, Darkness, she struck up a conversation.

She chatted happily with Edward across from her, occasionally exchanging words with Charles, who remained intimidated by the Lady of the Night, and even chatted with the Lady of the Night herself about this and that.

Though Charles was still cowed by the Lady of the Night, he managed to keep up a back-and-forth with Sufang. The Lady of the Night was surprisingly gracious; though her voice was slow and clearly languid, she responded to the cat-folk lady’s remarks.

Aside from the somewhat transcendent Lady of the Night, the cat-folk lady was the most relaxed, and the atmosphere at the table grew significantly more vibrant.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, it's all ready." Avia’s voice drifted from the kitchen. Today, the girl hadn't tied her hair in the practical single ponytail she wore when going out; instead, she let her golden, waterfall-like hair cascade down, held simply by a hairpin, and wore a cooking apron.

As soon as Avia stepped out, the aroma of the meal filled the air. It was a harmony of scents—not the ostentatious, spice-heavy luxury common in the Royal City, but a balanced, mouth-watering blend.

The charred scent of melting fat from the meat and the fresh fragrance of boiled greens mingled together, making everyone at the table swallow involuntarily.

Dish after dish was placed on the table. Though the girl could only carry one at a time, the several Mage Hands floating behind her made short work of the task.

"Wow, this smells incredible. It’s even more tempting than the food at the Echoing Cabin," Charles exclaimed, making no effort to hide his gluttony as he looked at the spread. While not vast in variety, the portions were generous, clearly accounting for the appetites of knights like Wang Yu and Edward.

"These are some special recipes from my hometown, different from what you find in the Royal City. I’m lucky Avia could recreate them; otherwise, I’d never get to taste them again."

Wang Yu nodded with a smile. They were essentially home-cooked dishes from Earth, realized with similar ingredients from this world. With the girl’s culinary talent and a little magical assistance, they were arguably better than what some master chefs on Earth could produce.

Wang Yu didn't bother with formal table etiquette. He immediately invited everyone to dig in and explained how to use the chopsticks. For the extraordinary beings of this world, it was a trivial task.

"Wow, this is actually quite convenient," the cat-folk lady said, trying the two wooden sticks.

Her nimble fingers easily mastered the Earth utensils, plucking a piece of snow-white meat from a large fish—likely some kind of magical beast—that had been prepared with scallion oil.

"Mmm, so good!" As the meat hit her tongue, the tender, slightly springy texture combined with the heat-released fragrance of the scallions and the natural sweetness of the fish conquered her taste buds, which were already more sensitive than a human's.

"Woo... this is amazing, Miss Avia!" Sufang rubbed her fluffy tail against Avia while chewing vigorously.

"Indeed. This is my first time eating a dish prepared this way. It’s delicious. Your hometown must be a wonderful place, Wang Yu."

Edward was full of praise as he ate the red-braised pork, which was rich yet not greasy, the lean and fat parts perfectly complementing each other.

Most of the world’s cuisine was Western-style, and Avia’s Earth-inspired dishes—learned through Wang Yu’s descriptions—were far more refined than the high-end restaurants in the Royal City. Combined with the girl’s generous portions, she easily won over everyone present.

"Woo... so good..." Edward and Sufang were simply enjoying the meal, but Charles was stuffing his face incessantly, his mouth so full he couldn't even articulate what he wanted to say.

"Delicious." That was the verdict from Darkness. The avatar of the Lady of the Night had also joined in, and to Wang Yu’s surprise, she could actually taste the food. Seeing the goddess’s praise, it was clear that Avia was overjoyed.

After a moment’s thought, Wang Yu opened the gifts Edward and Charles had brought. With so many people, they might as well share them.

Charles’s box contained pastries from a famous Royal City bakery. They were high quality and expensive, though that meant little to those present.

Avia’s eyes narrowed as she chewed a perfectly baked cheesecake, letting the sweetness fill her mouth. A simple happiness, derived from the pleasure of a delicious dessert.

Watching the girl’s expression, Wang Yu felt a stir in his heart. She still loved sweets just as much as before. It occurred to him that it had been a long time since they had gone out to eat something he wanted, and he wondered if he had been too "busy" lately.

The container Edward brought held two things. One was a school of small, transparent fish, still alive, their internal organs invisible save for their dark, bead-like eyes, swimming nimbly in ice water.

The other was the elven fruit. The skin was bright red and smooth, slightly translucent, round and plump. It was clearly juicy, and a faint, sweet scent emanated from it. Wang Yu could even sense a trace of magical energy within.

"Eat them directly, you should like them," Edward said with a smile, plucking a small fish from the ice water and popping it into his mouth.

Wang Yu followed suit. The fish had no fishy smell; it was fresh and sweet, with a satisfying snap and a tender texture. It was cold and delicious.

By comparison, the elven fruit was even more stunning. The sweetness was perfect, with just a hint of tartness. A single bite flooded his mouth with juice.

As the juice and pulp slid down his throat, there was a faint, warm tingling sensation—not painful, but rather a unique, lingering sweetness.

After the warmth came a cooling aftertaste that left his throat feeling exceptionally refreshed; it was likely the effect of the trace magical components in the fruit.

Chewing the elven delicacy, Wang Yu felt a sense of satisfaction and fell into deep thought.

The atmosphere at the table was wonderful. Everyone ate, chatted, and shed their usual burdens, relaxing in the company of friends.

As the meal wound down, Edward and the others bid their farewells. The avatar of the Lady of the Night vanished as quietly as she had appeared, leaving only Wang Yu and Avia in the house. The girl’s magic began to clear the table, and Wang Yu sat down beside her.

"Thank you, Avia." Wang Yu thanked her sincerely. This simple gathering had forced him to confront some of his own issues.

He was a man who didn't get lost or discouraged, but occasionally, he could be a bit stubborn and narrow-minded. In short, he had been a little too obsessed.

Since arriving in the Royal City, Wang Yu had been sprinting headlong down the path of self-improvement, pouring his entire being into the pursuit, his mind occupied by little else but the question of how to grow stronger.

Though his ultimate goal remained the same—as he had once told the girl, the world was vast and he wished to see it all, his journey to the capital being but one step, and strength merely the means to secure that freedom.

Yet, there were times when Wang Yu would cast aside even the simplest of daily pleasures; when he first arrived, he had still sought out taverns to indulge in a decent meal.

But for a long while, caught between the affairs of the Night’s Edge and the Nightfall Church, or buried in his cultivation, he had long forgotten the most basic of joys: the savoring of good food.

While he was too thick-skinned to notice, the girl’s delicate sensibilities had captured every subtle shift in his demeanor.

Wang Yu truly disliked the version of himself that sacrificed everything for the sake of power; no matter how formidable he became, no matter what heights of strength he reached, he still cherished the man who could spend an entire afternoon content with nothing more than a bowl of well-made noodles from downstairs.

He pulled Avia into his embrace, rubbing his cheek against her soft, silken hair, pretending not to see her face, which had flushed the color of a ripened apple.

"It is fortunate that I have you; I am glad I am not alone."

"Mm..." Avia’s response was but a whisper, yet the quiet joy within it was absolute, and she closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of the moment.