Chapter 17

Ripper's order arrived, and Genji's plate held an assortment of meat. Though he couldn't identify the type of meat, it looked appetizing enough. Ripper's meal, on the other hand, consisted mainly of vegetables. Some of them looked familiar, reminiscent of the ones Genji had encountered in his old world, while others were entirely foreign to him. The vibrant colors and unique shapes only added to the intrigue, and he wondered how they might taste.

Genji hesitated for a moment, not entirely sure how to eat the unfamiliar food, but he observed Ripper and followed his lead. As they began to eat, Genji could tell that the food was delicious, even if he couldn't identify its origins. He found himself enjoying the flavors and the company, gradually easing the awkwardness that had settled over him earlier.

"So why do you want to kill Copperhand?" Pip suddenly asked Genji, her eyes filled with genuine curiosity. Genji paused, swallowing some of his food before mustering a response, "I...I don't really know anymore."

Pip tilted her head slightly, her brow furrowing in thought as she put her finger on her lips, contemplating his words. With a reassuring smile on her face, she finally spoke, "Don't worry, sometimes you feel like you have to do something without knowing why you want to do it. It's okay not to have all the answers right now."

Genji heard Pip's words, and though he knew what she said was sensible, it felt different to someone like him. Someone who had been brought to this world and had already experienced death three times carried a unique burden. *Is it okay?* he wondered, feeling the weight of his experiences settling on his heart.

The journey he had been thrust into was so uncertain, and the purpose behind it remained elusive. *I don't even know why I'm here,* he lamented inwardly, a sense of sadness creeping into his thoughts. *Is there a reason for my existence in this world?*

But Genji knew he couldn't burden his newfound friends with his inner turmoil. He didn't want to spoil the good mood they were in right now, so he decided to keep his thoughts to himself, mustering a small smile as he continued to share the meal with Pip and Ripper.

Ripper, with a mischievous grin, asked Genji with a mouthful of food, "So, how's the grub, mate?" Genji wiped his mouth and replied, "It's a bit unusual, but it tastes good. What kind of meat is this?" He had never experienced this particular flavor before. Ripper, in a deadpan manner, replied, "Oh, it's human meat, obviously."

Genji's eyes widened in shock, and he dropped his cutlery with a gasp. "Wh-what?" he stammered, feeling a mix of horror and disbelief. Both Pip and Ripper burst into laughter, and Ripper wiped a tear from his eye, saying, "Gotcha! I'm just messing with ya!" He hit the table in amusement, and Genji felt thoroughly embarrassed, realizing he had fallen for the prank.

As Ripper struggled to catch his breath from the laughter, he managed to ask with a playful grin, "I mean, do you guys from Aeruna think we're a bunch of wild savages or something?" Genji quickly responded, "No, it's just the way you said it that caught me off guard!" He defended himself, not actually knowing for certain how people from Aeruna perceived Ironhelm, given that he is not actually from that country.

Pip's eyes suddenly lit up, and she asked with excitement, "If you're from Aeruna, then you can use magic, right?" Despite knowing that if he got past inspection, he wouldn't have any magical abilities, she couldn't help but wonder about his potential magical abilities.

Meanwhile, Genji's mind was racing with surprise. *There's magic in this world?* he thought, never having encountered it before. While he was aware of his own strange power, he had no idea of the existence of traditional magic. Despite this, he politely replied, "No, I can't, sorry." Pip's face fell slightly, but she understood that this would likely be his answer.

Ripper, being the observant one, had already deduced that Genji couldn't use magic, considering he didn't display any magical abilities during the fight. "Come on, Pip, you had to see that coming?" Ripper chuckled, knowing Genji's response before he even said it.

Pip nodded with a playful smile and said, "I just want to see some magic, you know? It must be amazing if you're from Aeruna!" Her eyes lit up with excitement as she asked again, "Then you had to have seen some magic, right?" Hoping for a fascinating tale from Genji's alleged homeland.

Genji, seeing the look of excitement on Pip's face, couldn't tell her the truth *So I'll just lie to her* he thought. He began to say, "Sure I have. I've seen people control fire, water, ice, wind, and even the very earth itself!" he said, drawing upon whatever knowledge he had of fiction. He continued, "People can fly, turn invisible, and even teleport!" Both Pip and Ripper were now fully engrossed in Genji's magical tale.

Curious, Pip asked, "What's teleport?" Genji paused for a moment, realizing that they might want him to explain magic to them *They will probably want me to explain magic to them*, but he knew he couldn't reveal the truth about not being from Aeruna, so he kept his explanation vague. "Like I said, I can't do magic, so I can't really explain it. But that's what one of them called it," he replied, hoping they wouldn't press for more details.

As time passed, both Ripper and Pip bombarded Genji with questions about magic, and he answered them as vaguely as he could without revealing the truth. They seemed satisfied with his responses, and the conversation flowed easily between the three of them. Meanwhile, Gin observed the interaction from the side, a knowing look on her face. *He's lying for sure,* she thought, and then she glanced towards Ripper, *You know it too, don't you.*