The Feast

"I'm surprised you didn't stop him from doing that for your younger siblings. Usually, people would panic when strangers approach their family," said the black hair to Elfi.

They were now outside, keeping the fire burning while cooking some meat given by the grey hair who had said they would have a feast tonight to celebrate the recovery of his younger siblings.

"Maybe this will sound arrogant, especially coming from the mouth of a young child who is less experienced with the world compared to you," he pushed in some firewood. "I feel like I'm good at judging others. Like, I can easily tell whether someone is dangerous or not, and both of you don't emit any dangerous aura at all.

You both have indeed taken someone's life, it can be seen clearly from your eyes which are always full of disappointment towards the world- Ah, what am I saying? Just consider it the ramblings of a young child who wants to feel proud of themselves."

The black hair fell silent for a moment, then gently stroked Elfi's head, who was both surprised and confused as to why he were receiving such treatment. "It's alright, you deserve to feel proud of yourself. Besides, what you said is indeed true, you have captivating eyes. So, don't feel low and have confidence because what you said to us is true."

He let out a sigh as he flipped the meat that was now being cooked on the grill. "Both of us, to be honest, almost gave up on our world because we have witnessed too much corruption every day, making our hearts feel suffocated.

We've tried various ways, from gentle to rough, to change our world that will never be free from suffering. From the outside, the world of Murim may appear grand, beautiful, and intriguing.

But the more you search, the more you'll discover the dark side of that world, which may traumatize you, so it's better for me not to tell you." He paused for a moment, then the black hair continued, "What about him? The white-haired one with red eyes?"

Elfi observed the young man who was currently playing with his two siblings, accompanied by laughter and joy that sounded so heartwarming. "Him... I can't sense anything from him," Elfi's answer startled the black hair, almost causing him to drop the meat. "I'm sorry, I-"

"It's okay. I'm just not ready to hear that answer," he quickly responded to prevent Elfi from feeling guilty, while returning the meat to its original position. "What do you mean you can't sense anything?" he asked again.

"There's nothing, empty. That's what I feel from him. It's as if he's just a soulless doll, something that is alive yet not alive," Elfi suddenly held his head as his legs felt weak, almost falling, luckily caught by the black hair. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I feel dizzy.

I may have pushed myself too hard, gathering funds to treat my two younger siblings. Ah, thank you once again. I will repay your kindness, I promise!" Elfi exclaimed confidently.

The black hair shook his head gently.

A warm smile appeared on his face. "You don't need to do that, Elfi. Haven't we already said that it's a gift from us because you've provided us comfort in your home?"

The young elf shook his head in disagreement. "That's why I express my gratitude. I understand that our home is not the best. However, you still wanted to come in and accompany us, even giving us a gift that we don't know how to repay. That's why I'm grateful. At least let me repay it someday, so I have the motivation to keep moving forward."

The black hair could only shake his head gently while smiling warmly, not expecting to be rendered speechless by a young child. "Alright. But please don't push yourself too hard. Your younger siblings still need you, not only to take care of them but also as their older sibling." The black hair was satisfied to see Elfi nod in agreement.

He then turned his gaze towards Zent, who was now playing chase with the twins, wondering if they had found the wrong person. Because it was impossible for the soul of a hero to feel empty and hollow.

Shouldn't it be filled with grandeur and warmth?

Those thoughts instantly disappeared with the arrival of his best friend, who suddenly appeared from the air and landed gently on the ground, causing the twins to run around them while bombarding him with questions like, "How did you do it? Can I do it too? Is it difficult?"

The arrival of the gray hair signaled that dinner was about to begin. We didn't know what he had been doing before. He simply mentioned that he had something to take care of beforehand and suddenly returned with a rumbling stomach, as if a storm was happening inside.

The twins laughed upon hearing it and held his hand, inviting them to join in the feast with the meat that had been prepared not only by the black hair but also by the elder sibling.

The grilled meat tasted delicious, with juicy fats and a coarse texture from the charring, giving it a certain touch that made the meat feel luxurious and expensive.

I'm sure that once you try this, you'll get addicted. That's a guarantee.

Who would have thought that the seemingly bookish black hair was actually skilled in cooking.

"Hey, your cooking skills have improved once again. I think you would be much more suited to be a chef. You could easily become wealthy if you sold the meat you cook for us free of charge," remarked the gray hair, praising the black hair dishes that felt like a stolen pleasure if not paid for.

The black hair cleared their throat a few times, adding some freshly cooked pieces to the twins, urging them to wait or blow on it to cool it down before eating.

Then he turned their attention back to his companion, who was elegantly enjoying the meat as if they were in a luxurious restaurant. "I don't understand how you can savor your food with such a refined manner.

We're in the middle of the forest, not in a restaurant. Eat like a forest dweller, not like a noble," he remarked, a sentiment that was agreed upon by the twins with nods of their heads.

Of course, he would refuse.

Considering his behavior and eating habits over the past six days, it was unlikely for him to change his ways so easily-

As he crushed the chopsticks with his left hand, he lifted the meat with their right hand and began devouring it as if he were starving. Ignoring the oily residue on his face, it elicited loud laughter from the twins.

The black hair themselves never expected his companion to do such a thing.

Throughout their lifelong friendship, he had never once seen the gray hair eat without using chopsticks. Everything had to be eaten with utensils. It was as if the two of them were inseparable partners.

He never expected his friend to willingly let go of his habits in order to bring joy to the two little elves in front of them.

"It seems like you're slowly changing, Zhao Feng," the black hair thought to themselves, feeling happy for the man in front of them who had been his friend since childhood. He were a figure who never left his side, even when everyone considered him cursed.

"What's the matter? Are you reminiscing about your memories with Zhou Mei? That annoying smile of yours makes me wonder why you could fall in love with someone who only relies on fists as a way out."

"Oh, come on. Don't disparage her like that. She may seem rough on the outside, but inside, she's as gentle as silk," the black hair defended his lover.

Zhao Feng shook his head in incomprehension and continued eating the meat, unaware that the twins were now looking confused by their conversation.