Night

Night fell.

The campfire crackled as Rhode cooked a pot of mushroom soup.

Serie sat nearby. With the campfire driving away many of the mosquitoes, she was able to remove her white gauze hood, her long golden hair gleaming in the firelight.

Behind her stood a small tent that could only fit one person.

"Here." Rhode ladled out a bowl of mushroom soup and handed it to her. "Give it a try."

Serie took the wooden bowl and immediately gulped from it, only to stick out her pink tongue after the scalding mushroom soup burned her.

"Careful, it's hot. Blow on it first," Rhode quickly reminded her.

Has this kid never had soup before? How does she not know something this basic?

Having learned her lesson, Serie carefully blew on it before taking a sip. "...It's good."

A simple assessment, but to Rhode, it was the finest praise.

Satisfied, he ladled himself a bowl, took a contented sip, and asked, "By the way, what do you elves usually eat?"

"All kinds of natural fruits, with the occasional edible plant mixed in." Serie gently blew along the rim of her bowl. "Not like you, researching these things all day."

She had wanted to call them strange foods, but they were so delicious that she did not feel strange was the right word for them.

"Delicacies beyond compare?" Rhode said with a smile.

The elves of the Elf Forest really had it rough. If it were him, he probably would not last even a day there.

Serie did not refute him. Instead, she asked, "Do all humans... live like this?"

"More or less. Though I might be considered an oddity even among humans. After all, none of them are as good at studying delicious food as I am."

Rhode was not boasting. By the standards of his previous life, humanity's living conditions in this era were probably at the level of 1000 BC.

This was an age where even an unseasoned meat patty counted as a delicacy beyond compare.

It could only be said that modern culinary knowledge was a crushing advantage over the food of this primitive era.

"An oddity too?" Serie smiled faintly, as though something had come to mind.

A light breeze drifted past, and the two fell into a brief silence.

Serie suddenly spoke. "Rhode, why do you want to teach humans magic?"

Rhode paused, his hand holding the soup bowl going still. "I simply don't want them to remain weak."

In this world, every race treasured its magical techniques immensely. They would never teach them to beings outside their own race.

He had only been lucky enough to meet Serie and use the magic he had created to pique her interest.

Otherwise, he would never have learned the Elf race's unique magic.

One could imagine that if he did not set this precedent and let history develop normally, who knew how long it would take humans to learn magic.

"Learning magic is not an easy thing."

Serie did not want to discourage Rhode, but he needed to know this.

Even among elves, who were born with magical talent, not everyone could become a powerful mage.

Many elves ultimately became warrior professions like martial monks instead.

"It's fine. Miracles will always happen. For races blessed with intelligence, miracles are bound to come."

"Intelligence and miracles?" Serie murmured thoughtfully.

"So believe in miracles. And believe in humans, Serie."

There was an indescribable meaning in Rhode's tone.

He could understand why Serie did not think highly of humans now. Once this race truly displayed its potential, she would completely overturn her current view.

With her long lifespan, she would surely live to see that day arrive!

Serie fell silent for a moment. "You have a lot of confidence in your own people."

"Of course." Rhode did not hesitate. "Though their lives are short, and they are frail and small, it is precisely because their lives are limited that they cherish every moment all the more. They strive to live out their brief lives and leave their achievements to future generations. Cycle after cycle, they will eventually build a glorious civilization."

"You speak as though you've already seen it."

Rhode laughed loudly. "Hahaha! That's right, I saw it in a dream."

After Serie finished her mushroom soup, Rhode cleaned up the dishes and added, "You can go into the tent. I'll keep watch a while longer."

Rhode had never been in the habit of sleeping early, even after coming to this world.

Compared to the vibrant nightlife of his previous life, though, his only hobby now was staring blankly into the campfire.

Serie first curiously looked inside the tent. It was pitch-black, so she cast a small Illumination Technique. The space inside was tiny, but for some reason, it gave her an indescribable sense of security. There was even a blanket spread across the ground.

Serie lay on the comfortable blanket, but for some reason, her heart felt a little restless, and she crawled back out of the tent.

"Then what will you do tonight?"

"Don't leave such a big gap. Be careful not to let mosquitoes fly in."

Rhode hurriedly warned her. If a few mosquitoes got inside, the warm tent would instantly turn into hell.

Serie hurried back into the tent, then opened a tiny gap and only poked her little head out.

"Aren't you coming in?"

"Uh, it'll be very cramped."

Rhode still had some reservations. After all, when he made this tent, he had never considered the possibility of two people using it.

He was not some superhuman with endless stamina. How could he carry an overly heavy pack? Naturally, he had kept everything as simple as possible.

"It's fine. I don't mind."

Looking at Serie's calm little face, Rhode knew that her words contained no other feelings. They came purely from concern for her adventuring companion.

There was nothing else to them.

"All right."

Rhode no longer refused. After extinguishing the campfire, he crawled into the tent as well. Because the space was so narrow, they were pressed directly against each other. He even felt that if he simply raised his arm, he could pull Serie into his embrace.

Should I give it a try?

Rhode felt as though he was walking down a path of self-destruction.

But everything had to be tried at least once.

So he cautiously reached out and wrapped an arm around Serie, even catching the natural fragrance from her body.

Serie frowned. "What are you doing? It's a little too cramped."

"Ahem, I feel a little cold."

"Do you?" Serie was somewhat puzzled. She did not think the weather was particularly cold at the moment. "It's too cramped. It's uncomfortable."

Seeing that Serie had said so, Rhode could only withdraw his hand.

Still, at least she was not angry. That was a good sign.

Serie's golden eyes glimmered faintly in the darkness. "Humans really are strange creatures." She turned over, facing her back toward Rhode. She could not quite understand what Rhode had just done.

Rhode smiled silently. Listening to the elf's steady breathing beside him, he suddenly felt that this kind of adventure was not bad either.