"Delicious!"
Bright red pork, marbled with muscle fibers, was neatly cut into almost equal palm-sized thin squares. The pieces were folded and skewered onto water-soaked branches, then passed repeatedly through the flames.
With a sizzling crackle, the meat took on a tantalizing reddish-brown color, bubbles of hot fat seeping and popping from within.
Allen's hair still glistened with droplets of water on his forehead as he focused intently on grilling the meat.
The sound of admiration came from Lochis' lips.
She watched Allen sprinkle some strange powder over the meat, resting her cheek on one hand, her mouth stuffed with grilled pork like a squirrel, a satisfied expression lighting her face.
"I've never had seasoning like this before."
Allen explained, "It's ground seeds of the Batil's flower. They have a very mild toxicity that causes a tingling sensation on the tongue, but the seeds themselves are sweet — a natural sweet-and-spicy flavoring. It's said the Miglud tribe likes sweets. Looks like that's true."
Lochis nodded with interest.
Allen finished grilling all the meat and laid it out on some freshly picked leaves in front of Lochis. He stretched lazily and stood up.
Though his swordsman's outfit was still tattered, he had taken it off earlier and asked Lochis to wash and dry it. Though wrinkled, it looked far better than the bloodstained mess from before.
At least the lining didn't get stained with blood. Good—I still have clothes to wear when exchanging laundry.
Lochis, however, kept her back turned with a serious expression as she carried out the washing tasks. She even waited until Allen was dressed again before washing his hair.
How shy.
She was a far cry from the anime's tutor who would stealthily spy on Paul Senice at night, drenched in sweat.
Participation rating for "Jobless Reincarnation" major event increased.
Current stage: Childhood. Total participation rating: 25 points.
Pending task: Gain Rudys' favor.
Rudys: Countdown: 87:02:37
Allen glanced at the words floating before him. Suddenly, a sharp beam of light pierced through the gaps between the letters and illuminated Lochis' face. Her eyelashes fluttered as she looked up at Allen.
Dawn had come.
The morning light spilled over the horizon, casting a soft glow between the trees, enveloping the two.
Lochis' smile bloomed in the radiance.
—
Because they were deep in the forest, Allen had no idea that less than two kilometers to the south lay a road.
When Lochis finally led him out, he felt somewhat dazed.
Beneath the sunlight, rotting wooden fences occasionally lined the sides of the road. Beyond the fences stretched an endless expanse of untamed grasslands, dotted here and there with scattered trees.
Allen instinctively pulled out a map and checked their location.
"We're currently at—"
A pale hand reached out from his side and pointed southwest of the Fitoya region on the map, just a fingernail's width from the red-circled Buena Village.
Allen turned his head but was poked in the face by a stubborn strand of hair standing upright.
Lochis tilted her face up to look at him.
Last night's poor lighting had masked their height difference, but now under the sun, Allen's 15-centimeter height advantage was undeniable.
This was a Yordle god who didn't need to look up at anyone.
The goddess spoke.
"With your physical condition, if you hurry, you should be able to reach the village tonight. S-sorry for delaying your journey."
Allen twisted his aching wrist with some helplessness.
Lochis was burdened with large and small bundles of grilled meat wrapped in leaves, and she clutched the jar of Batil flower seed powder Allen had given her.
A large boar's thigh, tenderloin, and the tastier parts of the ribs—all roasted and hanging on Lochis—had taken Allen a full hour to prepare.
"Do you think you can eat that much? If it gets cold, it won't taste good. You could have just cooked it fresh."
Lochis shook her head and murmured, staring at the sheath at Allen's waist.
"My knife skills aren't good enough to cut such thin slices like you did. This way, when I get hungry, I can reheat it with fire magic. Thanks for cooking and for the seasoning."
"True."
An awkward silence settled between them.
After a moment, Allen looked up at the sky.
"Alright then. I should get going and head to the village."
But unexpectedly, Lochis interrupted him with a sudden glance.
"Maybe you could travel with me. Since you're fleeing to the countryside anyway, wouldn't it be better to get out of the Asra Kingdom entirely and keep your movements secret? With your skills, you can easily be a solo adventurer. After a year or so, if you make a name for yourself, you could return to Asra Kingdom with honor."
Allen was taken aback and looked at Lochis.
Her cheeks flushed slightly, but it was clear she was earnestly offering the suggestion.
Logically, her reasoning wasn't wrong. In the world of "Jobless Reincarnation," plenty of eccentric kids left home alone to adventure at around ten years old.
The closest one was this fierce person right in front of her — at fourteen, she had run away from home to become an adventurer and never returned. Her elderly parents didn't even know if she was alive or dead.
A bit farther away was Paul Zhixiang's older brother, who completed his adulthood rite at ten. He quickly unlocked the "Noble Multi-Party Action" achievement at the noble academy. But unexpectedly, he was reported by a victim to his family, had a huge fight with his father, and left without a word. Then...
Wait a minute, is this story unfolding because Lochis suspects me the same way? They're all nobles from the Asra Kingdom and share the same surname.
Hiss. It probably wouldn't come to that, right? After all, I'm a proper—
"And by then, that girl will probably have given up on you. Maybe by the time you return from your travels, she'll have a new sweetheart, and your family will let you off the hook."
"???"
Proper Allen was dumbfounded, staring at Lochis as she spoke confidently.
He instinctively shot back,
"No, you just want to kidnap a free cook, and a free child laborer at that."
"Not true!"
Lochis pursed her lips.
"You don't look very old, but you should be over ten by now. How can you call yourself child labor?"
Allen blinked.
"I'm nine this year."
Lochis froze, eyes wide as she stared at Allen.
"Nine?"
Allen saw her dazed expression and furrowed his brows, pondering.
This butterfly effect is coming way too fast... I just made contact with the first major character — just one night — and already received an intriguing offer from a god. Whether it affects future story development is another question, but at this rate, my rating might be in trouble.
Just as he was about to think of how to politely refuse Lochis, she spoke first.
"At nine, you're still too young. I think you should lay low for a while, then study swordsmanship for two years at the Water God Dojo in the Asra Kingdom's capital before going out to train. Um... since you're a noble, isn't it about time you start inheriting the family business?"
Lochis lowered her eyelids.
"Maybe after this occasional meeting, we might never see each other again. Rudys too, and you as well."
"We will meet."
Lochis raised her head.
Under the sunlight, Allen smiled brightly.
"We will meet again. Not just me, but Rudys too."
Lochis blinked in surprise and nodded.
"Hmm, it's getting late. I should go now. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't reach the village before nightfall."
"...Alright."
Allen turned around but paused after a few steps. He suddenly looked back at Lochis.
"No matter where life takes us, as long as we walk the right path, we will meet again."
He turned back, waving casually as if it didn't matter.
Then he broke into a run, disappearing down the road in a flash.
Whether it was just her imagination or not, Lochis felt his retreating figure seemed a bit like a hurried escape.
She watched Allen's silhouette grow smaller, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.
"No matter where life takes us..."
Lochis smiled softly and strode off toward the distance.