Peaceful days inside the Sanctum were over. The terror overlord finally returned.
Even from above, I could hear the noises from the first floor. Someone was thrashing in the kitchen. I should just stay in my room, but my stomach was grumbling.
How else would my injured arm heal quickly if I didn't eat properly?
Right.
I should say that as an excuse.
Descending the stairs, I glimpsed Claude stocking up the fridge with a deadly aura. I turned around and began climbing up the stairs again, stealthily. But who was I in the face of a higher rank Seeker?
Probably a zit he couldn't just ignore.
"Get back here."
And he was the first person I heard who wished their pimple to come back.
Swallowing the forming lump of nervousness in my throat, I carefully walked in. Even without meeting his eyes, I could tell he was mad.
Who wouldn't?
All his stocks were gone. Shouldn't he be grateful, though? I ate them before they expired!
"I need to eat a lot to gain some fat and muscle."
Jade, where's your pride? You almost slapped him when he called you skinny!
"I only received my allowance the other day, so I have no money to buy my food. But don't worry, I'll pay you. How much do you think—"
"Three months' worth of your allowance."
"Isn't that too much?!"
Claude picked up a piece of meat on a clear plastic tray and showed it to me.
"I only buy the highest quality."
I gulped. No wonder it tasted so different.
"You were gone, so I had no choice but to eat them; otherwise, they would have expired."
He gave me a doubtful look for a minute, but soon continued organizing the stocks again. I noticed his eyes glanced briefly at my arm cast.
Did he feel guilty? Nah, there was no way.
My stomach grumbled loudly. Claude paused. My stomach thundered again. I bit my lower lip to suppress my laugh. It wasn't like I was doing it on purpose, but the way he flinched after was funny.
"Do you have canned food at least? I don't think I can cook with my arm like this."
"I don't buy trashy food."
"Wow. But you eat them."
You snacked on my Spam before!
"Only that time. The taste is addicting, so I must stay away from it."
"Can't I have something to eat then? I'm really hungry. I didn't get to eat dinner yesterday because I fell asleep as soon as I lay on the bed," I said, pathetically, though I prepared myself for a blunt rejection.
However, the unexpected happened. He threw a banana at me.
"Munch on it, while I cook something."
I was stunned for a while, just watching him move. I was just speaking nonsense to Noir when I said their captain was kind, but I now thought there was some truth in it.
He saved lives with a hopeful, bright face before, so maybe the kindness he had forgotten was still buried there.
I just need to dig it up.
Come to think of it, this man didn't know that we had met before. Well, he asked, but I denied it. I thought there was nothing good that would come out of getting involved with a dangerous guy, but now the situation was different.
"Captain, Lexie told me about the second version of UAO. Why was that crucial information omitted from the public?" I asked as I ate the banana.
Claude paused. He was just cutting a radish, but he looked like he was ready to murder someone. I looked away when his eyes shifted to me.
"That group's fighting for their own beliefs and principles. They believed that vortexes would lead humanity to a new world and a new era. So, instead of closing it, they want to explore it, bring people inside, and let them multiply to create another civilization, another world."
Similar to that billionaire's attempt to create life on Mars. It sounded impossible when I read about it, but with the right resources, who knew what they could do?
"But vortexes are inhabited by monsters. It's a foolish idea if they don't kill them before building another human civilization."
Claude turned away.
I was about to point out the water spilling out of the boiling casserole when I glimpsed his darkened face. Oops, did I say something wrong?
"That's why they weren't recognized. Their twisted desires will only create confusion for people. They believe that if they don't kill the boss monster, the vortex won't close. Then, they will build their kingdoms. They are already calling themselves overlords. How laughable."
He poured the sliced vegetables into the pot. The boiling subsided, the steam wafted to my nose, and I smelled that extremely sour scent. I almost choked on the last bite of my banana. Just how much tamarind seasoning powder did he put on it?!
"And who's to say that vortexes aren't inhabited by human beings already?"
"What did you say?"
I was scrunching my nose and imagining how sour that viand would be when I heard him whisper something. I didn't catch it, so I asked again, but Claude just walked away after pouring the rest of the sliced veggies.
He disappeared into the corner, so I thought he wasn't going to eat with me. I felt grateful that he cooked my favorite dish despite not knowing it, but I would have appreciated him a little bit more if he hadn't poured three packs of sour seasoning.
Who the hell could eat this? Still, I tasted it.
Ack, so sour!
"Pwe!"
I grabbed a bowl and started scooping the soup. Then, I began filling the casserole with another bowl of water and let it boil again. The vegetables would be overcooked, but at least the dish would be edible.
With only one working hand, I did my best to scoop the overly brown soup until it was half the pot. I screamed silently in success when I finished, but just as I was about to turn around to get a bowl of water, my shoulders bumped into something hard behind me.
That something hard was someone's chest.
"What are you trying to do?"
I gulped nervously.
"I'm…making it edible?"
Claude frowned. He leaned forward and scooped a spoonful of the soup, tasting it like it was nothing. His expression didn't even change while my face distorted, and my mouth watered from the sourness, unwillingly.
"It's fine. It's done."
He turned off the range.
I moved away and furtively reached for the bowl full of the removed soup, but another hand grabbed it, poured it back into the pot, and walked away.
I seethed inside, but I planned to add water as soon as he left. However, he sat at the dining table and looked at me.
"Since I cooked, go and prepare the table."
He played on his phone after that, ignoring me and waiting impatiently.
I took a few deep breaths before moving. With only one hand, I had to take several trips to bring everything. I placed a small plate of rice with a slice of meat on top in the center, separate from my food.
Claude raised his brow and asked, "What's that for?"
"Memorial food."
"What? For whom?"
"For your dead taste buds."
I poured hot water into my bowl and stirred it until the soup's color lightened. I ate in silence despite the prickling gaze after I got the taste right.