Then... Then next time

Done.

He reached a claw toward the ingredients beside him, tore off a slice of fish, and slipped it into the Stone Pot.

The water inside was already boiling, little bubbles rising steadily. The pink fish turned white the instant it touched the boiling water in the Stone Pot.

It was missing a bit of color.

But judging from last time, it should still taste pretty good even without that color.

He slipped the blanched fish into his Dragon Jaws.

His Dragon Jaws worked as he chewed.

It tasted a little bland without the chili flavor from last time, but it was passable.

"How is it? How is it? Is it good?"

Chaos glanced at the little fairy Feeny, who sat in his claw with her small face tilted up toward him, then spread his Dragon Jaws in a grin.

"Of course. It tastes great. Want to try some?"

"Yes~"

Anticipation had already filled Feeny's eyes.

Seeing her eager look, Chaos spoke up.

"Wait a moment."

With that, he reached toward the ingredients again, sliced off a piece of fish with his claw, and put it into the Stone Pot.

The fish quickly turned white in the boiling water.

"Do you want it a little rarer or more well done?"

"I've never eaten anything before. Can you tell me the difference?"

Sitting on the edge of his claw, Feeny gazed curiously at the boiling Stone Pot. She had never eaten anything before, so she had no experience with food.

"Rarer fish tastes fresher. Well-done fish is softer and more tender." Chaos glanced at Feeny's little legs as she swung them leisurely. There was no longer any trace of the burns on them.

"Then I want it more well done."

"No problem."

This time, Chaos waited until the meat had turned completely white before withdrawing his claw from the pot.

He placed the steaming meat before Feeny.

Looking at the steaming meat before her, Feeny glanced at Chaos. After a moment's hesitation, she reached out a little hand and gently tore off a piece of fish, opened her cherry lips, and slowly put it into her mouth to chew.

After carefully chewing a couple of times, Feeny swallowed twice.

"It doesn't seem to taste like much."

Feeny gave her verdict, looking at Chaos before her.

She worried a little that saying this might make Chaos angry. According to her inherited knowledge, Chromatic Dragons all liked hearing flattering words.

Noticing Feeny's cautious gaze, Chaos spread his Dragon Jaws in an easy grin.

"Can't be helped. I don't have any seasonings right now. Once we leave this cavern and I get some, I'll treat you again."

"Mm-hmm."

Feeny smiled and nodded. As long as Chaos wasn't angry, everything was fine.

Knowing that the dish probably wasn't to Feeny's taste, Chaos asked no further questions and simply slipped the remaining meat in his claw into his Dragon Jaws.

He went back to blanching fish and eating it.

As he ate, Chaos began to feel that it really was rather tasteless without any seasoning at all.

He simply stopped blanching it and started munching on raw fish instead.

Seeing Chaos eating, Feeny fluttered the little wings on her back, flew to the top of his head, and lay down.

With no one taking up space in his claw anymore, Chaos reached out with both freed claws, picked up the ingredients, and started gnawing.

He stopped eating when he was about eighty percent full. Although it was only eighty percent, his belly was already satisfied. He left the remaining twenty percent for the work he would do later; if he ate too much, he wouldn't want to move.

Seeing Chaos stop eating, Feeny immediately asked, unable to wait any longer.

"Chaos, are you full?"

"Mm, burp~"

Chaos answered with a satisfied belch.

"Yeah, I'm full."

"Then does this count as us having eaten together?"

Fluttering her little wings, Feeny flew in front of his draconic head, her big eyes full of anticipation.

Uh...

A bad feeling rose in his heart.

"No."

"Huh? It doesn't count?"

"Nope. It definitely doesn't."

Chaos nodded quickly, looking at Feeny before him with a "sincere" gaze.

"Why not?"

Feeny grew anxious. If this didn't count, did that mean she couldn't form a contract with Chaos?

"Feeny, what do you think of me?" Chaos moved his head a little closer to Feeny and activated his "sincere" gaze.

Zero-frame startup. Casting interrupted.

Looking at Chaos before her, Feeny's little cheeks quickly flushed crimson.

Chaos was very gentle, nothing like the Chromatic Dragons in her inherited knowledge. He even thought of her feelings!

So...

"I... I like you."

Chaos: ???

Seriously, are fairies all this innocent? I haven't even started doing anything, and she already looks ready to give herself away.

Just... mixed feelings.

Sure enough, getting something too easily isn't so great either. There's no sense of accomplishment.

Seeing that Chaos wasn't saying anything, Feeny could only speak up herself.

"What's wrong, Chaos?"

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Feeny, do you trust me?"

"Yes!"

Her answer came without the slightest hesitation.

Chaos: ...

Looking at Feeny's innocent, guileless face, Chaos felt his conscience, still struggling on its deathbed, stab him once again.

"Then I think our first meal together should only count if we're both satisfied. Look, Feeny, you didn't like the food just now."

I-is that how it works?

Looking at Chaos's sincere gaze, Feeny began to feel a little regret.

If I'd known, I should have said it tasted good...

"That was my fault. So, to make up for it, I hope we can save our meal together for next time. I'll do my best to make something you'll enjoy, Feeny."

"Then... then next time."

Feeny lowered her little head, feeling a bit dejected.

Chaos had said they could only form a contract after eating together.

If this time didn't count, she could only wait until next time.

"Mm. Next time, I'll definitely make something you like, Feeny."

Done. His Dragon Jaws spread in a grin.

[Splash~]

A noise came from the pool.

One hatchling after another climbed onto the bank, each dragging a Kashi carcass clenched in their jaws.

As Kashi after Kashi was dragged ashore, it wasn't long before the prey formed a small mountain on the bank. A strong smell of blood spread through the surrounding air.

Agatha approached, reeking of blood. She glanced at the fairy lying atop Chaos's head, immediately lost interest, and turned her gaze to Chaos.

"The hunt's over. Is this enough?"

Chaos looked at the big little girl, sweeping his gaze over her. Although the smell of blood on her was strong, none of it smelled like dragon blood.

This big little girl really is strong.

Rather than answering immediately, Chaos looked at the pile of Kashi carcasses nearby.

He silently began calculating.

There were plenty of Kashi, and his mental calculations gave him a rough answer.

"It should be enough. If it isn't, we can just hunt some more then."

"All right. I'll go eat too."

With that, Agatha stepped forward and joined the hatchlings eating.

There were a great many Kashi in the pile.

But the hatchlings had big bellies too.

With a whole group of hatchlings feeding on them, the Kashi were soon reduced to fish bones and Magic Cores.

Twenty-three white Magic Cores were piled together.

After eating, the hatchlings lay on the ground with bulging bellies, none of them willing to move.

That was a common problem among hatchlings.

Chaos walked over to the crab shell and lay down to conserve his strength for the showdown.