Chapter 16: Their First Proper Dinner

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The aroma of soup gently filled the room. On the table, restored to its original shape by magic, sat steaming soup, a stew made with dried meat, and simple side dishes featuring plenty of mushrooms and wild vegetables. The dishes were polished ceramics that they had found, plain and unadorned, but compared to the meals they had eaten until now, it was a luxurious dinner.

The soup that Lusha had made was a stew of wild vegetables, dried meat, and root vegetables. Thanks to having slightly better cooking tools, she could now sauté the ingredients carefully and simmer them slowly in broth.

“Let us give thanks for today’s blessings. May the guidance of Lady Leafia be with us.”

Following their usual custom, they expressed their gratitude and began their meal together. Living with Lusha, Lloyd had naturally picked up this ritual. He might be more easily influenced than he realized. Perhaps it was because the “Saint” herself observed this ritual, and he felt that not doing so would somehow be disrespectful.

Lloyd took a sip and widened his eyes.

“Wow… This soup is amazing! It’s good before, but this is on a whole different level.”

An involuntary exclamation escaped him. The moment the soup touched his lips, a faint roasted aroma spread, followed by the sweetness of the root vegetables. The umami of the dried meat bound it all together, leaving a gentle warmth even after swallowing. Lusha smiled happily.

“Being able to cook properly in a proper environment makes such a difference. And Lloyd, thank you for finding the pots and pans. It really helped, but…”

Trailing off, her gaze shifted to the bags by the table. Almost all of their food supplies were gone. Over the past few days of travel, they had used up the ingredients borrowed from the Temple Knights.

Of course, Lusha had collected wild vegetables and herbs along the way to minimize the use of the main dried meat, but resources were limited. And the Temple Knights hadn’t had much food either. It had only just lasted for the three of them.

“I’m thinking of going to town tomorrow to buy more ingredients.”

“Town? Which town would that be?”

“Gluteridge. It should be a reasonably large town, so we can probably get most of what we need. We have some money, too.”

Lloyd took out a pouch of gold coins and showed it to Lusha. Fortunately, the Temple Knights had carried some money in addition to the food. With it, they should be able to purchase any missing furniture, cooking tools, bedding, and other daily necessities. But Lusha didn’t look convinced.

“Is it really safe for me to go…? In a big town, there might be several churches.”

“Ah…”

Right. I’d almost forgotten.

The past few days had been so relaxed that he had completely forgotten that Lusha was still a “False Saint” being pursued.

“Are there any influential high priests or central church officials in Gluteridge?”

“I don’t think so.”

“I see.”

Lloyd placed his hand on his chin and thought.

The story that Lusha Catomiar, the “White Saint,” was a fake was probably not something the church wanted widely known. Considering that only three pursuers were after her and no others had found her yet and that they had taken a route to avoid being seen. It seemed unlikely that a large-scale search had been organized.

For ordinary people and lower-ranking priests, the Saint was an object of worship, and she had the role of receiving divine messages. In terms of status, she was close to the Pope. If it became known that she was a fake, as with “that person” she was close to, it could cause people to doubt the church’s actions. Naturally, it would disrupt the church’s control.

So perhaps it was safe to assume that only the upper echelons knew.

“In that case… Maybe if you just wear a hood, it should be fine. I’ll be with you, and I’ll make sure no one notices. Plus… There’s a public bath there. I thought you might want to take a bath.”

Lusha’s eyes widened at those words.

“A public bath…? We can actually take a bath!?”

A delighted sound escaped her. Lloyd chuckled at the unexpected reaction.

The Saint really does care about cleanliness. She had been wiping herself every day during the journey. I guess she’s fastidious about hygiene.

“Yes. Most towns have public baths. Travelers can use them if they pay the fee. Our place here isn’t equipped yet, so I thought we’d go to public baths for now… Is that too risky?”

“Of course I want to take a bath…”

Lusha furrowed her brow, weighing her desire against the need for safety.

“Well, also… I don’t think I can gather everything we need on my own. Would you come with me? We should also buy some clothes.”

Hearing this, Lusha seemed to give in—well, give in to her desire—and smiled, slightly embarrassed.

“Alright… If you say so, I’d be happy to come.”

She blushed faintly, probably thrilled at the thought of bathing. Still, since they couldn’t monitor the church’s movements, it might be risky to take her to town every time for a bath.

Hmm… I should probably try to fix that bathhouse myself.

He remembered the small bathhouse near the well. As with the bed mattress, Lusha’s Repair Magic wasn’t perfect. If the material was completely ruined or if the stones had collapsed, the magic couldn’t restore it. Lloyd thought about what to do while savoring the soup and sending it down his stomach.

“Being here like this reminds me of my time at the monastery.”

Lusha murmured, glancing around their restored living space.

“Was the monastery this run-down?”

“Not exactly. But the emptiness, the small sounds of insects outside… Somehow it feels similar to back then.”

Looking out the window, she smiled softly, a nostalgic and slightly wistful expression.

Perhaps she wanted a simple, uneventful life, more than the grand role of being a Saint.

Lloyd asked.

“What was life at the monastery like?”

“In the morning, the bell woke us up. I was in charge of harvesting vegetables and tending the fields, working before the sun rose… Sometimes I went to the mountains to gather wild vegetables. That’s why I know so much now.”

She recounted the old days with unusual enthusiasm. Lloyd’s cheeks naturally relaxed into a smile.

“After lunch, we had prayers and lessons, then prepared dinner. The monastery had many rules and it was tough, but it was a place where everyone could live peacefully.”

“I see. Surprisingly, it’s kind of like this place.”

Lloyd said with a smile. Lusha widened her eyes, then smiled joyfully.

“Exactly. So I’m actually enjoying this a lot. Even though I’m being pursued, of course.”

Her shy smile was so endearing that Lloyd felt a tight squeeze in his chest. He quickly looked away.

“How about you, Lloyd?”

“Me?”

“Do you find a place like this boring?”

“No, not at all.”

He glanced down at the nearly finished soup and slowly shook his head.

I think… I might actually like this kind of time too.

The sunset sank slowly, casting an orange light through the window. Their shadows stretched long, leaning close together.

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