Chapter 32: A Cooking Disaster

Ryuto stretched as he stepped into the grand guild hall the next morning, trying to shake off the lingering exhaustion from the previous night's adventure. The bright sunlight streaming through the tall windows did little to ease the tension in his shoulders, but at least they had gotten a solid night's sleep. The Village of Shadows was behind them, and he was looking forward to a day with fewer ghostly wraiths trying to suck out his soul.

Unfortunately for Ryuto, a different kind of tension was building, one that he wasn't as adept at handling, Nina's increasing affection. He could sense it in the way she looked at him, how her teasing had escalated over the past few weeks, and how she always found an excuse to stick close to him. And today, it seemed, she had something extra planned.

Nina spotted Ryuto from across the guild hall, her eyes lighting up mischievously. With a playful grin, she waved and bounded over to him, her steps full of energy as usual.