Evading the Hero’s Party with Full Effort

Chapter 25

Ch.25 I Need to Cook Something Delicious Everyday for a while

“Haa… haa…”

Pushing through the sandstorm under the desert’s scorching sun.

“Master… is this really correct?”

“The carriage… puuh!”

I quickly ducked my head as a gust of sand blew into my mouth mid-sentence.

Spitting out the sand in my mouth, I calmed down the irritated Leah.

“The carriage is smashed to pieces. We have no choice.”

We’ve already been crossing the desert like this for two days, enduring its harsh climate.

“I really can’t survive this!”

-Pip… pip.

Even the immortal Phoenix, apparently disliking the sandstorm, hides inside Leah’s hood and whimpers softly.

Continuing to walk for a long while, relying solely on the compass.

Gradually, the sun sets, and the surroundings grow dim.

“Let’s set up camp soon.”

Leah collapsed onto the sand, clearly exhausted.

“Ah… I’m really going to die. What on earth is happening?”

Leah grumbles.

Honestly, I feel like dying too.

“I’m about to die too… can you get me some water?”

Leah, making a sullen face, gestures into the air and pulls a water bottle from her subspace.

“Here.”

-Thud.

She roughly tosses the bottle.

I catch it and gulp down the water.

“Krah. Seriously. It’s so refreshing.”

Seriously, not having an inventory is so inconvenient.

Normally, players are granted an inventory.

But here, since I’m apparently not treated as a player, I don’t even have the most basic status window, let alone an inventory.

Thankfully, there’s the subspace magic that substitutes for an inventory.

Otherwise, Leah and I would have died of thirst or starvation long ago.

“Haa. Seriously, why must I endure this? You said this was your hometown, right? Then you should’ve prepared for situations like this from the start!”

Leah speaks with resentment.

Perhaps because she’s been suffering nonstop lately, she used to at least pretend to be sweet and obedient in front of me, but now she’s practically lashing out recklessly.

“You’re not even stupid! If you knew the monster’s name, you must’ve known people live here too, yet you made zero preparations, got the expensive carriage smashed to pieces—I’m really going insane!”

“Haha… I just forgot because it’s been so long, that’s all.”

It’s already been eight years since I came here.

No matter who I am, it’s hard to perfectly remember everything after eight years.

I remember the important things, but recalling monsters like the Giant Deathworm is a bit much.

Besides, if we’d come riding horses instead of dragging a heavy carriage, we could’ve easily taken care of that creature.

I did have a diary where I’d occasionally jot down notes about the Destiny world and its story, anticipating situations like this, but it sank along with the ship last time.

“Haa… I really can’t survive this. I don’t even have the energy to get angry. I’ll go wash up, so Master, please prepare dinner.”

I spoke to Leah, who was using a long laundry pole bought from the last village and a large blanket pulled from an orc barrel retrieved from her subspace to set up a makeshift curtain.

“Get me the food bag.”

“Why don’t you use subspace magic, Master? Are you just going to keep using me all the time?”

It’s not that I don’t use it—I can’t use it.

The artifact I possess, the Sage’s Pendant, allows me to cast magic only up to the 4th circle.

Subspace magic is 5th circle, so naturally, I can’t cast it.

“Well…”

As I scratch my cheek with an awkward expression, Leah lets out a deep sigh.

“Haa. Here you go.”

Looking utterly fed up, as if she doesn’t want to talk to me any longer, she pulls the bag containing food and water from her subspace and goes off to bathe.

Only after Leah skillfully hangs the shower curtain and disappears do I finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Who cares if she’s a girl—putting up a curtain? Who would even sneak a peek at her bathing?

Sigh, I’ll just prepare dinner.

Thinking lately that Leah’s personality is gradually becoming fiercer, I start taking out food from the bag and preparing it.

This won’t do.

I definitely need to prepare thoroughly today.

By modern standards, the food here is subpar.

Because of that, my cooking skills honed through years of living alone shine brightly here.

A prime example is the pasta I’m making now.

Of course, something vaguely resembling pasta exists here too, but how to describe it?

It feels more like noodles stir-fried in oil, quite different in texture from modern cream pasta.

Fortunately, Leah loves cream pasta, so I hope eating this will help her mood improve.

“Haa, to think I’d live like this, bullied by my own disciple after becoming a master. Such is my fate…”

While stir-frying the cream sauce,

“Huh? Is it cream pasta today?”

Leah, somehow detecting the scent even while bathing.

Her mood seems slightly lifted just from the smell, so I deliberately reply in a bright voice.

“Yeah? It’s cream pasta, our Leah’s favorite. Take your time washing up.”

“Okay, I’ll be out soon.”

Guessing Leah will come out soon, I boiled the noodles.

Just as the noodles were nearly done,

“When are you coming out?”

-Splash.

“I’ll be out right away.”

-Pii…

Hearing Leah’s and Pipi’s lethargic voices, I began tossing the noodles in the sauce.

By the time the dish was almost finished, Leah, already changed into fresh clothes, emerged with sparkling eyes.

“Waaah! It’s been so long since I’ve had cream pasta, right?”

Back when we lived together, I used to make it often.

As far as I remember, the last time was the day before she joined the Hero party.

“Yeah, probably quite a while since you joined the Hero party.”

I plated it appetizingly and handed it to her along with a fork.

-Pip?

Seeing Pipi show interest in the unfamiliar aroma, I served a small portion in a bowl, and it immediately buried its head to eat.

I’m not sure if birds can eat this, but surely, as a mythical Phoenix, it won’t die from eating cream pasta, right?

“Hehe, it’s so delicious.”

Watching Leah neatly twirl the pasta with her fork and eat, my mood brightened too.

“Mmm~ it’s delicious, even if I say so myself.”

I’m glad I spent my free time back then researching recipes while living alone.

Having finished dinner, Leah’s mood visibly improved, her voice now cheerful.

“I’ll do the dishes.”

Recently, Leah, who’d been acting ruder than an ant passing by, now volunteers to do the dishes.

“Okay, I appreciate that.”

I also quickly washed up, then barely managed to unfold the collapsing tent and laid out the blankets inside.

“Good night, Master.”

Her voice, wishing me sweet dreams, is lively, indicating her mood has completely lifted.

Kids really are simple, aren’t they?

Contrary to her nickname ‘Genius Mage’, Leah is surprisingly simple-minded.

Her anger dissipates just from tasty food. Maybe it’s actually good that she’s so easy to understand?

Thinking this, I begin to drift off to sleep when—

A rustling sound grates on my ears.

-Rustle… rustle.

Leah, who had been sleeping beside me, quietly creeps closer.

Huh? What? Why is she acting like this?

Suddenly, she hugs me tightly.

Instantly, goosebumps erupt all over my body as her hand sneaks between my side and abruptly pops out.

Why… why is this misandrist acting like this?

Does she think she has nothing left to learn from me and is planning to burn me alive?

Or is she planning to eat me (?) alive?

Tensing up, I reach toward ‘Equality’ when—

Leah’s arms suddenly wrap tightly around me, pinning me in place.

“What… mmph!”

I try to speak, but Leah covers my mouth and dangerously glints her violet eyes.

Then, she whispers hotly into my ear.

“Shh. Someone has surrounded us.”

What? Now? Weren’t you planning to burn me alive?

I quietly swallow a sigh of relief.

Phew… thank goodness. I thought I’d be roasted alive or eaten today.

I tap her hand covering my mouth with my fingers, and she releases it.

“How many are there?”

I whisper softly, and Leah whispers back into my ear.

“About ten?”

Her low, husky voice and breath feel slightly alluring, so I gently push her away.

“Yeah?”

Who would surround us in the middle of the desert late at night with good intentions?

This case is obvious—it’s definitely desert bandits.

They must be the ones who ambush caravans or travelers crossing the desert, or attack desert-dwelling elves.

My thoughts quickly settle, and I grip ‘Equality’ in my hand.

“Who else would come at this late hour?”

Leah nods slightly, raises both hands, and stretches her body.

“You keep resting, Master. I’ll take care of them and be right back.”

“Huh? Really?”

I’m practically moved to tears.

Ah… so cream pasta turns her into an angel like this. I’ll make cream pasta for her again tomorrow morning.

“Yeah, I’ve been a bit stressed lately, so I’ll use this to blow off steam. Hehe, I’ll be back.”

Her retreating back, stepping out of the tent with a bright smile, faintly exudes maturity.

A disciple stepping up so her master won’t be tired…

I really raised my disciple well.

Alright, I’ll just go back to sleep.

Lying down with my pillow…

-BOOOOM!

The ground shakes violently with a massive burst of light.

“Where are youuuu! Ambushing us at night! I’ll kill you all!”

And her shout, shaking the heavens,

-BOOOOM!

“A… a mage! Defensive magic!”

“How did she know?!”

The flustered voices of burly men,

“Waaah!”

“A… a monster!”

“Run away!”

Light brightly illuminating the dark desert floods even inside the tent.

By the time the painfully bright light fades…

-BOOOOM!

A massive explosion and light piercing through my eyelids make me think,

Well, there goes my sleep.

“I should’ve just said I’d handle it myself. Damn it…”

***

And the next day.

At the hour when a dim blue twilight slowly envelops everything.

I woke up from the chilly air.

Leah, beside me, sleeping tightly wrapped in blankets.

No wonder it felt cold.

“Uuu~ ugh!”

Stretching fully, I step out of the tent…

“Haha…”

Did a meteorite fall while I was asleep?

I’m confronted with a massive crater, melted sand, and dozens of indescribable, charred humanoid shapes.

Leah must’ve been really stressed. I don’t want to end up like that, so I’ll have to cook delicious meals for her every day for a while.

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