After Ide trained outside for an hour, Ur finished making dinner.
The taste wasn't anything to write home about, but Ide wasn't picky. He considered it a good meal.
He devoured his food in ten minutes flat, then went straight back outside to resume his training.
[Current Total MP: 10]
Yes, after eating, he trained for another four hours, boosting his total MP to 10.
When he was done, he looked up at the moon high in the sky, then obediently walked back into Ur's wooden cottage. He stared at her in silence, giving her a look like a lost puppy.
"What is it?"
Ur's eye twitched slightly at his "innocent" expression.
"Where do I sleep tonight?" Ide asked honestly.
"The floor."
Ur pointed a slender, jade-like finger at the cold stone floor without hesitation.
"No way."
"I'm still a patient. I can't sleep somewhere so cold and hard," Ide said, shaking his head after glancing at the floor.
"Funny, you don't look like a patient to me."
Ur raised an eyebrow, eyeing him suspiciously, her gaze full of scrutiny.
"Cough, cough."
"I have severe internal injuries."
Ide coughed twice and awkwardly squeezed out a few crocodile tears, trying to look frail.
"Fine."
"You win."
"You take the bed. I'll take the floor."
Seeing him act like he was about to cough up a lung, Ur gave in immediately and let him have the bed.
"Deal."
Ide happily accepted her offer and lay down on her wooden bed.
"Sigh."
Ur let out a long sigh. She had brought him home, so she was stuck with him. Even if I have to grit my teeth, I'll see this through.
Internally, she scolded herself: Ur, listen to me! No more random acts of kindness starting tomorrow!
Lights out. Sleep time.
Ide lay on the bed, while Ur lay on the floor on a makeshift pallet.
But not long after, Ur felt warm breath on the back of her neck. A shiver ran down her spine, and her face went rigid. "Ide, I gave you the bed. What are you doing?!"
"Ur, the bed is too cold."
"I need to be somewhere warmer so my body can recover faster."
Ide smoothly wrapped his arm around her waist, acting completely "sincere."
"Get your hand off me. One more word and you're sleeping outside in the snow."
Ur suppressed her "anger," her voice low and dangerous.
"Cough."
"I saved your best friend. I saved the town. And I'm a patient."
Ide played his trump card: the "Three-Piece Set" of excuses he had prepared beforehand.
"Pfft."
"Fine."
"Sleep wherever you want!"
Ur's body trembled slightly, then she fell silent.
"Ur, you really are a good person."
Satisfied, Ide hugged her close and drifted off to sleep.
Inhale... Exhale...
Soon, his breathing evened out as he fell into a deep sleep.
"This is bad."
"My heart is beating so fast."
"I'm so hot."
"I can't sleep at all."
Ur, on the other hand, lay frozen in his arms, her face as red as a ripe apple. She didn't dare move a muscle. For the first time in her life, she had insomnia.
---
The Next Morning.
"Mmm..."
When Ur woke up, she found herself lying in the bed, the blankets tucked neatly around her. Her head throbbed slightly; she had no idea when she had finally fallen asleep last night.
"Oh no!"
After a moment of confusion, she shot up. "I need to make breakfast!"
Click.
Just then, the door opened. Ide walked in carrying breakfast. He stopped, locking eyes with Ur, who was standing barefoot on the floor.
Grrrr~
At that exact moment, Ur's stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl.
"Uhh."
Ur froze completely, wishing the floor would open up and swallow her whole.
"Heh."
"Let's eat first."
Ide chuckled, watching her turn beet red from her toes to her neck.
"Okay."
Ur nodded meekly like a little quail and sat down obediently at the table.
"Here."
"I made this myself."
"Tell me what you think."
Ide placed a pot of stew in front of her and lifted the lid.
Whoosh!
Hot steam carrying a delicious aroma billowed out. Ur, who was practically starving, felt her eyes light up.
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!
She didn't wait for him to explain. She grabbed the pot, filled a bowl with the hearty stew, and started wolfing it down.
"Delicious!"
"Another bowl, please!"
She finished the first bowl in record time and held it out to Ide.
"Sure."
Ide refilled her bowl like he was feeding a child.
"Ide, you're really good at cooking?"
Ur suddenly realized that this man was full of secrets.
"Yeah."
"If I couldn't cook, I would have starved to death a long time ago."
Ide recalled the harsh days when he first transmigrated, the corner of his mouth twitching at the memory.
"You've had a hard life too."
Ur looked at him, sensing the weight of his memories. She didn't pry; she trusted that he would tell her when he was ready.
"I'll leave the stew here. I already ate. If it's not enough, help yourself. Put the bowl in the sink when you're done; I'll wash it after I finish training."
Ide told her.
As for where the food came from? The meat was from a magical beast on the mountain, the vegetables were wild greens he foraged, and the spices and cookware were Ur's. It took him about an hour to prep and cook everything.
Taking care of Ur felt like the right thing to do. She had saved his life, after all, and he was currently living under her roof and eating her food (technically).
"Back to training."
Ide went back outside, stripped off his shirt to reveal his muscular build, and started his daily grind.
"So fit."
Sitting inside, Ur ate her stew while watching Ide through the window. Her cheeks flushed again. How did I not notice how ripped he was yesterday?
Was it just too dark?
[Current Total MP: 20]
Ide had slept for eight hours, gaining 8 passive MP. Then he spent an hour hunting and cooking, earning another 2 MP. Added to the 10 MP from the previous day, he now had 20 points.
Still not enough to level up his magic to Level 2.