A Pleasant Dinner

"Has it already gotten this late without me noticing?" Goddess Evan said with a smile. "In that case, I should take my leave." With that, the goddess rose to head for the door.

"Won't you stay for a meal?" Fura asked, playfully trying to keep her. "Zhang Ruofeng, the boy who just joined our Familia, is going to cook for us personally."

"Isn't that just because your cooking is terrible?" Evan shook her head; judging by her expression, she seemed to have personally experienced the destructive power of Fura's culinary skills.

"That's right, Goddess, you might as well stay and eat with us. After all, I just received help from your Familia's leader, Permanselrus." Zhang Ruofeng bowed formally, and Xin Mu obediently followed suit.

"I see. I could tell from the moment I saw you that you carried a scent I was familiar with." The goddess smiled faintly, looking at Zhang Ruofeng. "To need that kind of medicine, your wounds must be quite severe. I heard you two only signed a contract with Fura today—did you really go exploring the Dungeon this afternoon?" She turned a questioning gaze toward Fura.

"What was I supposed to do?" Fura pouted, looking aggrieved. "My philosophy is to never hinder the children's decisions, but to support them with everything I have. I told you their situation; returning home is their primary wish, and I couldn't stop them if they wanted to test their luck in the Dungeon."

"You, oh you..." Evan poked Fura's forehead with a worried look. "Are you trying to see how many more scars your heart can take?"

"Anyway, if I get hurt, I'll just go to you and ask for potions..." Fura peeked at Evan, and upon seeing the goddess raise her fist in mock anger, she quickly hid behind Zhang Ruofeng in fear.

"Alright, alright, Goddess, please don't be angry. I don't know if you've ever had Chinese cuisine, but why not try my cooking today?" Zhang Ruofeng quickly stepped in to mediate. Although he knew the two goddesses were just joking due to their closeness, if they kept this up, everyone would end up going hungry, so he steered the conversation back to dinner.

"Ruofeng's cooking is very good." Xin Mu, who had been standing silently behind Zhang Ruofeng, offered her affirmation. Back in their original world, Zhang Ruofeng, Xin Mu, and a few friends had often cooked at a friend's house near their school, so Xin Mu knew exactly what his skills were like.

"Hahaha, well, my dad was a chef, after all. I grew up watching him, and since I've had to cook for myself since I was little, I wouldn't be able to stomach it if it tasted bad." Zhang Ruofeng said with a smile, but the others heard the underlying bitterness and helplessness in his words. To the two goddesses, living a hard life in a world overrun by monsters was normal, but Xin Mu didn't see it that way.

"Everyone, please wait a moment. It should take about an hour. I checked, and the kitchen is quite well-equipped." Zhang Ruofeng walked into the kitchen and began to cook. In truth, he quite enjoyed it; if he cooked well, he could eat happily, so over time, he had grown to love it. His home was filled with cookbooks, and he had observed his father closely, so his skills were actually quite impressive.

Zhang Ruofeng listened to the girls chatting outside; the two goddesses seemed to be asking Xin Mu all sorts of questions, but since his meat was about to hit the pan for frying, he didn't have time to listen. "Dinner is served!" Zhang Ruofeng brought out a steaming bowl of red-braised pork and a plate of smashed cucumber salad, setting them on the table. Xin Mu had already laid out the bowls. The only drawback was that in this world, nobody used chopsticks. Zhang Ruofeng had specifically asked around, and even in the eastern kingdoms, they didn't use them. Although he didn't particularly like eating rice with a spoon, he had no other choice.

"What is this dish? It's amazing!" Fura took a bite of the red-braised pork and was instantly intoxicated; the delicious flavor shocked even a deity.

"Indeed, this... Chinese cuisine, is it? It truly has a unique flavor. It's delicious." Evan had also taken a bite and offered her praise. The meal was finished in a wonderful atmosphere.

"Then I shall take my leave. Remember, while there is nothing wrong with adventuring, you must not be too reckless. Taking things step by step is what an adventurer should do." Before leaving, Evan gave them a stern reminder, then slowly vanished into the evening glow.

"Well then, the flower shop is closed for the night. Let's update your abilities now." Goddess Fura helped Xin Mu clean up, then patted her own chest.

"No problem." Neither Zhang Ruofeng nor Xin Mu had any objections. Zhang Ruofeng also wanted to know if his abilities had improved after the bitter battle he had experienced today. After all, this wasn't a game; ability growth could affect the body in many ways and wouldn't just pop up with a damage number to judge by, so knowing the extent of his growth would help him better grasp his own state.

"Alright, let's head upstairs." Xin Mu and Zhang Ruofeng followed the goddess upstairs. The second floor was even smaller than the first, consisting of only three small rooms. According to the goddess, two were bedrooms, and the smallest was a bathing room, though the hot water required a device heated by a Magic Stone. The place was a bit remote and truly cramped, but it was all they could afford at the time, and they had even borrowed some money from Evan's Familia.

"I'm sorry, but you two will have to sleep in the room on the left tonight. The room on the right is my small single room. Since the Familia has never had more than two people and never had mixed genders, I apologize!"

Fura turned back, looking both apologetic and mischievous, her pale red hair dancing in the air. Zhang Ruofeng's first instinct was that he had been deceived by the goddess. His first impression was that she was a goddess of extreme beauty and gentleness, but in reality, his patron deity had a playful, teasing side—much like a witch, as could be seen from the expression on the medical goddess Evan's face.

"This is my room." Zhang Ruofeng and Xin Mu walked into the goddess's room. Surprisingly, it was very clean and tidy, containing only a small bookshelf. Hanging above the bookshelf were seven wooden plaques, each carved with a name; the name of the original owner of the armguards Zhang Ruofeng was currently using was among them.

"Actually, after everyone dies, their souls return to the Divine Realm to wait for a chance to be reincarnated. As a god, I shouldn't dwell on these things. But I've only been in this mortal world for seven years, and I haven't adapted to the fleeting nature of the children's lives yet. I just feel like this keeps me close to them." Fura smiled sheepishly as she spoke.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. They are like family to you, and there's nothing wrong with that." Zhang Ruofeng said as gently as he could. It was clear Fura truly loved her Familia, and it was best not to touch upon her sorrows.

"Mm." Xin Mu nodded silently, gazing quietly at the seven small wooden plaques.

"Enough talk. Let's update your status now." Fura smiled slightly, drawing their attention back to her. "Ruofeng, take off your shirt and sit on the bed." Zhang Ruofeng complied and removed his shirt. Although his wounds had healed, a large patch of scratches remained on the inside of his right arm from his contact with the ground.

"Honestly, you're just like that muscle-head." Fura gently stroked Zhang Ruofeng's scars, chiding him softly. "You're too reckless; you have too many scars on your body."

"I can't help it. I didn't intend to go all out on the very first day." Zhang Ruofeng shrugged helplessly.

"Wait just a moment." The goddess pricked her thumb slightly and let a drop of blood fall onto Zhang Ruofeng's back. Zhang Ruofeng felt a slight warmth, and then his back seemed to shimmer with light. "Alright, I'll print the data onto paper." With that, the goddess took a sheet of parchment and pressed it against his back.

"Are you two really from another world? To gain a skill on your very first trip to the Dungeon..." The goddess said, her eyes sparkling.