WebNovels

Chapter 2 - The Taste of Happiness

The streets were quiet, sunlight pooling in broken glass along the curb.

Damian kicked open the door of a cheap bistro two blocks from Solstice Park."Bread. Beef. Beer. Large portions—now."

The waiter blinked at the scars on his knuckles, then at the credit chip he slapped on the counter.Ten thousand credits—enough to rent this shack for a month.The waiter didn't flinch. "Eat first, pay after."

Steam hit Damian's face.Crust cracked between his teeth, butter and salt filling his mouth.He tore into the potatoes, gravy dripping down his wrist.The beer burned cold going down. He wiped his mouth and laughed—a short, ugly sound that belonged to no one but him.

No one to feed. No one to apologize to.

For ten years he'd handed every scrap to Elian—now every bite was his alone.

He dropped the empty mug on the table with a heavy thud."Another."

The waiter hesitated, then poured.

One battle had changed everything.A mutated Psionic had unleashed the forbidden Absolute Death Domain, clashing with the Ashbournes.Half the pure lands withered overnight—fields turned to dust, rivers soured, food vanished.

After that, bread and meat became treasures. Hunger became the norm.Real food like this had become rarer than peace—and all of it had gone to Elian.

"You're useless," Elian had once said."Even eating a piece of bread costs me more than you earn. Jones next door had beef stew today—why can't we?"

Damian's hand tightened around the mug.He shoved the memory away."Another," he snarled, shoving the mug forward.

The mug hit the table. Foam spilled.He drank until the burn wiped everything clean.

Outside, cherry petals drifted past the window—pink snow that would be poisoned dust in a decade.Damian raised the mug toward the fading sky."To the end of the world—may it wait until I finish dinner."

He paid, wiped his mouth, and walked out without looking back.The plate was still warm.The beer still bitter on his tongue.For the first time since rebirth, he felt full.

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