Night slowly fell over Gray Mist Forest.
In the clearing before the cabin, the campfire crackled. Its dancing flames dispelled the chill and dampness of the woods, casting flickering light and shadow across everyone's faces.
Trist crouched beside the fire, carefully tending a pot of bubbling stew.
He stirred the greenish-brown broth with a wooden spoon. Indescribable chunks of meat and twisted roots tumbled inside.
Once the stew was ready, he scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, savored its aroma, then warmly invited everyone to try it. "How about a taste? This is Gray Mist Forest specialty—goblin hind leg, slow-cooked with glowshrooms and thornroot. The flavor... is quite unique."
Before he could finish, Laila's face suddenly went pale. She turned sharply to the side, clapped a hand over her mouth, and let out a stifled gag, her shoulders trembling slightly.
Hulk expressionlessly gnawed on a hard Traveler's Bread, while Belt quickly patted Laila on the back.
Zoya hadn't heard Trist's invitation at all. She was busy shaving something with the dagger in her hand.
Bruce had the most direct reaction. He bared his teeth at the steaming spoon in Trist's hand. "Woof! Woof, woof! Get lost!"
The smile on Trist's face stiffened for a moment. Then he shrugged self-deprecatingly and began slurping down the stew on his own.
He mumbled indistinctly, "As expected. Deep-rooted impressions—even a bowl of hot soup is no exception."
Just as they had when clearing out the goblins, Dragon Fang Squad and Trist had agreed to attack the kobold cave the following day, once the fog had lifted.
The rule in Gray Mist Forest was to wait until visibility was at its best before undertaking any extermination operation.
After all, these monsters had lived here for years, and the fog affected them far less than