Chapter 292: Beautiful?

Atlas and Seraphiel could be seen sitting inside a small inn where only a few people were coming and going. Their table was positioned beside a large window, giving both of them a clear view of the scenery outside.

A small pond had been built beside the inn, with water continuously flowing down from a height above it. The entire structure had been carefully designed so that the falling water seemed to fit perfectly with the stone architecture surrounding the pond, creating a peaceful sight that Atlas found himself observing with genuine curiosity.

Seraphiel looked at Atlas’s face as he examined the small details of the structure outside. The curiosity in his eyes was obvious, and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly before speaking, "Fufu~ You seem to like the scenery. I suppose coming here was a good decision."

Atlas turned toward her and nodded calmly, "Yes, it was, except for fighting monsters inside ruins, I never really got to see things like these."

Just as they finished speaking, a maid approached their table with a gentle smile and asked, "What would you like to eat, dear guests?"

Seraphiel immediately turned toward her and began ordering without hesitation, "Two Lumerra Fillets, a bowl of Astralroot Cream, Moonleaf Crisps, and two Veyra Crystal Tarts for dessert. Oh, and bring us two glasses of Lunaris Dew as well." She then looked toward Atlas and smiled, "These should be enough for us."

Atlas listened to the order in silence, but the names of the dishes only left him more confused. He had no idea what any of those things were, and from the way Seraphiel had casually listed them, it seemed as though she expected him to already know.

The maid nodded politely before answering, "Alright, I will bring your order in a few minutes." She then turned around and walked away, leaving Atlas to look at Seraphiel with a questioning expression.

"Were those really food names?" Atlas asked. Seraphiel stared at his confused expression for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha! They were some of the best foods served on our Continent. I bet you haven’t tried any of these even at the Golden Inn where you were staying. They only serve the ’expensive’ stuff to their customers, but these are hidden gems that are even more flavorful than those dishes. You will be surprised!"

Atlas immediately raised an eyebrow as he watched her laugh. A faint smile appeared on his face as he continued looking at her, finding himself enjoying the sight of her happiness more than he expected. He didn’t say anything for a moment, simply watching her expression as her laughter gradually became softer.

’She is... beautiful?’

Atlas wasn’t completely sure whether that was the right word. He had never really thought about whether someone was beautiful or not, nor had he ever cared enough to find the words to describe such a thing. Yet, as he looked at Seraphiel now, that was the only word that came to his mind.

Her white hair had been loosened and allowed to fall naturally behind her, with a small red-and-blue ornament holding part of it together. The simple change in her hairstyle had altered her appearance more than he had expected. Her hair framed her face differently than usual, making her already refined features stand out even more.

Her face, which was already beautiful in his eyes, seemed even more striking now, and Atlas found himself staring at her for a long moment without looking elsewhere. He wasn’t consciously trying to stare at her, nor was he thinking about anything complicated. He was simply observing her and trying to understand why the sight in front of him had caught his attention so strongly.

’Yes... beautiful should be the right word.’

Seraphiel eventually noticed his gaze and stopped laughing, her hand remaining over her mouth as she looked at him with a slightly confused expression. She immediately spoke hurriedly, "W-Why are you staring at my face like that? Is there something on it?"

Atlas finally came out of his thoughts and calmly shook his head, "No, it’s nothing, actually. I was just thinking if ’beautiful’ was the right word to describe you."

Seraphiel immediately blushed, her cheeks turning deep red as her eyes widened. "W-What?!" She quickly covered her face with both hands, suddenly becoming aware of the lingering gazes of the few people who had been eating and talking nearby.

Atlas looked at her with a slightly puzzled expression as he saw her suddenly hiding the face he had been appreciating.

"Why are you covering your face? You shouldn’t worry about others," Atlas said calmly.

Seraphiel slowly lowered her hands, though her cheeks remained red. "Y-You are right, but still... you shouldn’t suddenly say things like that," she muttered in a low voice. Atlas looked at her for a moment, clearly not understanding why his words had affected her so strongly, but before he could ask anything else, the maid returned with the dishes on a trolley tray.

The food plates were arranged neatly across it, and the warm aroma immediately spread through the small inn.

"Here is your order, dear sir and ma’am," the maid said as she began placing the dishes on the table. Atlas’s attention shifted toward the food almost immediately, his eyes following each plate as it was placed in front of them.

Seraphiel also came out of her reverie and looked toward the dishes, but the moment she did, a sound suddenly came from beside her.

Grrrr...

Atlas instinctively placed a hand over his stomach as he stared at the food. He had been focused on everything else for so long that he hadn’t realized how hungry he had become. His other hand immediately reached for the spoon on the table, and without wasting another moment, he began digging into the first dish in front of him.

The sight left both Seraphiel and the maid staring at him for a moment before Seraphiel finally burst into laughter again. She quickly tried to suppress it, covering her mouth as her shoulders shook, while Atlas paid no attention to them and continued eating. He took another bite and nodded with clear satisfaction before speaking, "Mmm, it’s delicious, just as you said!"

Atlas continued eating bite after bite, his way of holding the spoon far from proper and his movements noticeably crude compared to how someone accustomed to formal dining would eat. He didn’t care about that at the moment.

The food was genuinely good, and after spending so much of his life fighting monsters and surviving inside ruins, he simply wanted to enjoy the meal with the person beside him.

Seraphiel watched him for a moment before a mischievous thought appeared in her mind, ’Hmm, I knew it. He’s holding the spoon like a child. Well, that gives me a reason to make physical contact with him. Fufu~’

She immediately stood up from her seat and moved beside Atlas before sitting down next to him. "You shouldn’t hold the spoon like that. Let me teach you." Atlas raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, clearly wondering what she was planning, but he didn’t stop her when she reached for his right hand.

The moment Seraphiel held the back of his hand, she noticed the strange black patterns carved into his flesh. They didn’t look like ordinary tattoos or markings placed on the surface of his skin. They seemed to have become part of his body itself, as though they had always existed there.

Seraphiel’s eyes lingered on them for a brief moment, but she didn’t ask about them. She knew there would be time to do so later, and she didn’t want to ruin the peaceful moment they were having together.

’I will ask about this when the time is right. For now, I should just enjoy "teaching" him. Hehe~’

She gently adjusted the position of Atlas’s hand and began showing him how to properly hold the spoon.