After a rather intense first session of monster-hunting, we took a break. After cleaning the entire first floor off monsters and then making a small temporary camp, I decided to cook some pasta. Thankfully I had some stored inside my Inventory, I had kind of predicted they would ask for this eventually.
I quickly boiled it, and made some pasta using some new meat, Wyvern Meat I got from our trip to the village. My father and the hunters had started hunting the Wyverns of the Mountain Range from time to time, now that they were much stronger, it had become a possibility.
Wyvern Meat is quite tough, but if I cut it into small chunks and smash them with a hammer, it'll become soft. Boiling it with tomato sauce and then some condiments should make it even tastier.
And then, add some parmesan cheese over it.
"And done! Simple Pasta with Wyvern Meat Tomato Sauce, with Wild Boar Meatballs." I said, serving the plates to my friends.
"U w a a a h! Looks so tastyyyy!" Erika smiled, beginning to drool over the food. "I love your food!"
"Wild Boar meatballs and wyvern meat in tomato sauce, that's new." Said Elizabeth. "Hmm, and it already smells so good! You're so good at seasoning food, dear- I mean, Blake."
"Hmm~ Right~? He's such a good husband- I mean Master!" Eleanora coughed a bit.
"Well then, looks like your group of cheerleaders are just as cheerful as usual over your cooking." Elfriedden sighed, cringing a bit over their overly exaggerated enthusiasm. "But I guess… I have to admit, your food is not so… well, normal. It is quite… flavorful I suppose." He was trying to hide how much he was enjoying it.
"Damn, these noodles never get old! They're so soft and chewy, and the sauce just goes so well with the cheese on top!" Chris said. "Man, I wish I could cook like you, dude…"
"Well you could, but you're adamant in not learning." I sighed.
"E-Eh?! Well, it's a bit boring, I prefer to just roast meat." Chris shrugged. "I'll leave the cooking to my future wife."
"And where's she?" Laughed Erdrich.
"H-Hey you bastard! Don't get cocky now just because you got a girlfriend!" Chris cried, containing his tears while gritting his teeth. "I-I'll get one soon! I am a good damn catch! I've noticed some girls looking at me."
"Hahaha, I wish the best for you then, Chris." Eric said with a gentle smile. "Here, my sweet bun, I've prepared you a delicious salad with yogurt sauce, enjoy it."
"Ahh, my meat bun!" Alberta smiled, kissing Eric lovingly. "Thank you! Here, I saved this apple pie slice from breakfast, you can have it for dessert."
"Oh no, I would never, keep it for you. I know how much you love sweets." Eric said, giving her a head pat.
"Y-You're too nice sometimes! You're going to make me feel bad now, geez…" Alberta blushed.
"U-Uuugghh… Y-You bastard… Eric! I never thought you would betray me …" Chris began murmuring to himself while eating pasta. "Why does everyone has girlfriends now…?"
"Not everyone has." Said Erdrich, pointing at Elfriedden.
"Hm? What?" Elfriedden wondered.
"R-Right! Elfriedden! I never thought we could become kindred spirits…" Chris sighed in relief. "It's nice to know there's someone equally as miserable."
"Hmm? Are you talking about girlfriends? I don't understand…" Elfriedden seemed just completely unaware. "Ah, but I do have a fiancée back home, she is the princess of a neighboring kingdom, a nice girl I know since we were children." He smiled faintly.
"G-GEH…?!" Chris looked like he was completely devastated. "E-Even the asshole of Elfriedden got engaged with a cute princess?!"
"Koon~ Koon!" Suddenly, Chris Blazing Fox Spirit started licking his cheek as he rested his face over the wooden table, the spirit was trying to cheer him up a bit.
"Gruooh! Gero!" And so was his blazing salamander doing the same thing.
"Hahh~ You guys… You're the only ones that understand me." He sighed, caressing them.
"Blake! Blake! Seconds!" Erika said, only three minutes after I served plates. "Pretty please! I'll give you lots of kisses afterwards!"
"Fine, you don't really need to pay me back." I sighed, serving her a bit more. "Though, I wouldn't mind it either way."
"Hehehe, I know you like them!" Erika giggled, blushing happily. Her smile healed my heart and made the slight stress I felt fade away instantly.
"Papa! More! I want more!" Saphira also started grabbing my clothes.
"Oh right, you want more, Saphira?" I wondered. "Very well… Here's a bit more." I served my adopted daughter some more.
"Thank you daddy!" Saphira flew to my side and gave me a kiss in my cheek as a thanks. Then, she glared at Erika with a… rather vicious smile. "Heh…"
"Eh?!" Erika felt shocked, as if Saphira was winning over her… "O-Oi not fair!"
"Anyways…" Elfriedden quickly interrupted our carefree lunch. "Enough nonsense. For now, I want to talk about what's our next move. Blake, I have heard this dungeon becomes even more dangerous on the second floor, and when we reach the third, it might even be compared to B- Rank Dungeons. Are you sure… we'll really be able to do this? The first floor was already hard enough."
"Oh? Are you chickening out now, Elfriedden?" Asked Chris with a giggle. "You seem to really not trust Blake yet, huh? Even after all the incredible stuff he does sometimes."
"Well, I think it is nice to doubt him, if we always agreed to everything he says and does, I don't know what would had happened to us…" Eric sighed. "But yeah, most of the time he's quite right on his predictions and plans."
"I asked Blake, not you two bootlickers." Elfriedden sighed, crossing his arms.
"B-Bootlicker?!" Eric was shocked. "I wouldn't put it that way…"
"Oi who the fuck do you think you are to call me that?!" Chris barked angrily.
"Enough." I sighed. "Well, Elfriedden…"