Chapter 104: Adorable Foodie

Lukan noticed that Tisha still hadn’t left.

His silver-gray eyes swept over her with nothing more than a brief, indifferent glance before returning to Sora.

That single look struck Tisha harder than any insult.

Her heart tightened painfully.

She knew that expression all too well.

Whenever one of the persistent beastmen in the Snow Tiger Tribe refused to take the hint and continued pestering her, she would look at them exactly like that—cold, impatient, as though they were an annoyance that simply refused to disappear.

Now...

That same expression was being directed at her.

Her lips trembled.

Had...

Had she actually been rejected?

Not by an ordinary beastman.

But by the very werewolf she had fallen in love with at first sight.

The realization was like a sharp thorn piercing her pride.

Tisha had always believed there wasn’t a beastman in the world who could refuse her.

Yet today...

Reality had slapped her across the face repeatedly.

Her eyes reddened.

She covered her face with both hands before turning and running away, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Watching the arrogant beauty flee in embarrassment, Sora blinked in confusion.

She had been paying attention to the entire exchange despite Lukan’s gentle kiss.

"..."

"That was... quite the reaction."

She looked toward the direction Tisha had disappeared before scratching her cheek awkwardly.

"Was it really necessary?"

"It was only a kiss."

A few minutes earlier, that girl had been confidently stealing her raspberries and calling her ugly.

Now she had burst into tears because the man she fancied kissed someone else.

Sora couldn’t help clicking her tongue.

"Tsk."

"So the fastest way to defeat an arrogant rival..."

"...is apparently just one kiss."

Beside her, Lukan watched until Tisha’s figure completely vanished into the forest.

Only then did he quietly release Sora.

The moment his arm left her waist, both of them instinctively took half a step backward.

Neither dared meet the other’s eyes.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward.

Sora lowered her head.

Heat slowly crept across her cheeks.

Back in the apocalypse...

Her daily routine had consisted of killing zombies, collecting supplies, and trying to survive until the next sunrise.

Romance?

Dating?

Holding hands?

Those things belonged to another world.

Now...

Just one innocent kiss from Lukan made her feel as though spring flowers had bloomed throughout her heart.

Although she knew perfectly well that he had only kissed her to get rid of Tisha...

The fact that such a reserved, gentle beastman had willingly lowered his head and kissed her still made her heart flutter uncontrollably.

Lukan quietly steadied his breathing before remembering the ceramic bowl still carefully protected in his hands.

He held it out toward her.

"I found the milk."

Sora looked down.

Inside the smooth clay bowl rested fresh white milk, still slightly warm.

Her eyes instantly sparkled.

"You really found it!"

She looked up at him in disbelief.

"Lukan, you’re incredible!"

"I can actually make milk tea now!"

The excitement on her face made Lukan smile unconsciously.

"I simply happened to see a herd of wild yaks nearby."

His gaze shifted toward the wooden stick she was still holding.

"What brought you over here?"

Sora pointed toward the nearby spring.

"I came to wash the vegetables."

"Then I noticed a mountain spring and wanted to look for some wild honey."

"I didn’t expect to run into... all that."

Thinking about Tisha’s dramatic confession, she couldn’t help laughing softly.

Lukan followed the direction she pointed.

Sure enough...

High above an ancient tree hung an enormous honeycomb dripping with golden honey.

"I’ll get it."

Before Sora could stop him—

His figure disappeared.

Almost like teleportation, he leaped effortlessly onto the towering tree.

The bees hadn’t even reacted before the entire honeycomb was already safely in his hands.

When the swarm finally realized what had happened...

The thief was already standing safely beside Sora again.

"..."

Sora stared blankly.

"So overpowered."

Lukan tilted his head slightly.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She smiled.

"I was just thinking how reassuring it is traveling with you."

The corners of Lukan’s lips curved upward ever so slightly.

Together, they carried the honey and vegetables back to the clearing where they had camped.

Soon...

The familiar sounds of cooking echoed through the forest once again.

Fresh spring water filled the ceramic pot.

Sora carefully lowered the tiny bird eggs into the water.

When they floated to the surface after boiling, she scooped them out one by one.

"Lukan."

"Can you peel these for me?"

He nodded obediently.

"Alright."

Watching the handsome wolf quietly sitting beside her peeling tiny bird eggs with remarkable patience somehow felt incredibly heartwarming.

Meanwhile...

Sora poured out the boiling water before adding a generous spoonful of fragrant lard into the heated pot.

The fat melted almost immediately.

A rich aroma drifted into the air.

She tossed in the sliced porcini mushrooms.

Sizzle—

The mushrooms instantly absorbed the hot oil.

Their earthy fragrance bloomed throughout the forest.

Not far away...

Behind a cluster of bushes...

Tisha had actually returned.

She sat on the grass while repeatedly examining herself.

Her hands moved over her chest.

Then her waist.

Then her hips.

She frowned deeply.

"...It’s only because she’s fat."

She muttered to herself.

"If I gained a little weight..."

"My figure would definitely become just as good."

"My skin is fairer."

"My face is prettier."

"My features are more delicate."

"That’s all she has."

Finally convincing herself, Tisha’s confidence gradually returned.

Just then—

A rich fragrance drifted toward her.

"..."

She sniffed.

Again.

Then again.

Her stomach growled loudly.

Unable to resist, she followed the aroma.

Pushing aside a few branches, she secretly peeked through the bushes.

There...

She saw Sora standing beside a bright red clay pot, stirring something with a wooden spoon.

Steam curled into the sky.

The delicious fragrance almost seemed visible.

Only then did Tisha remember Lukan’s earlier words.

"She can cook."

At the time...

She had dismissed them completely.

Cooking?

Please.

Only ordinary females who lacked beauty needed cooking skills to attract beast husbands.

A truly beautiful female never needed to lower herself like that.

Just standing there was enough for countless beastmen to pursue her.

That had always been Tisha’s belief.

Yet...

This ugly female’s cooking...

Really smelled unbelievably delicious.

First came the rich scent of fried mushrooms.

Then the fragrance of eggs.

She frowned.

"Eggs..."

"Can’t they just be boiled?"

Why would anyone peel them, chop them into tiny cubes, and fry them again?

Curiosity quietly overcame her pride.

Without realizing it...

She crouched lower behind the bushes.

Her golden eyes followed every movement of Sora’s hands.

The way she cooked...

Was completely different from every female in the Snow Tiger Tribe.

Even the respected older women in her tribe had never prepared food like this.

Soon...

Golden pieces of fried bird eggs mixed with mushrooms were scooped into a ceramic bowl.

They glistened beautifully under the sunlight.

Each piece looked evenly cooked.

Not burnt.

Not soggy.

Perfect.

Tisha unconsciously swallowed.

"Gulp."

Her aunt had once cooked mushrooms before.

They had been black.

Bitter.

Soft.

Completely inedible.

But these...

These mushrooms looked dry, springy, and incredibly appetizing.

What did they taste like?

Were they crispy?

Chewy?

Or soft?

Without realizing it...

Her mouth had already begun watering.

She continued staring fixedly at the steaming dishes.

At this moment, the proud daughter of the Snow Tiger Tribe no longer resembled the arrogant beauty from earlier.

Instead...

She looked exactly like a greedy little kitten secretly peeking into someone else’s kitchen.

Meanwhile, Sora remained completely unaware that the same female who had mocked her only moments ago was now hiding behind the bushes, staring longingly at every dish she prepared.

If Sora had turned around right then...

She would probably have burst out laughing.

Because Tisha’s expression looked less like someone spying on an enemy...

And more like an adorable foodie desperately trying to resist the temptation of delicious cooking while her stomach loudly betrayed her.