Chapter 109: Sister-in-law?

Lukan didn’t say anything. Instead, he simply adjusted the basket on his back and walked in the direction Sora had pointed.

The morning sun filtered through the towering trees atop the Divine Mountain, scattering golden patches of light across the forest floor. Before long, the crimson patch Sora had spotted came into view. Clusters upon clusters of ripe wild raspberries covered the thorny bushes, their jewel-like fruits glistening with fresh dew.

A gentle smile appeared on Lukan’s usually indifferent face.

"If you wanted these wild fruits," he said softly, "you only had to tell me. I could have picked them for you. You don’t have to eat them for breakfast."

In his eyes, wild fruits were merely snacks.

Delicious, yes—but they could never replace a proper meal.

Yesterday had been exhausting. They had climbed nearly the entire Divine Mountain, gathered food, cooked, and slept on the cold stone floor of the temple. Today, he wanted Sora to eat something filling.

Sora looked back at him and smiled mysteriously.

"I don’t plan on eating them directly."

"Oh?"

"I’m making something else."

Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"You go find some eggs. I’ll make something delicious for you."

Lukan knew that whenever Sora wore that expression, another incredible dish was about to be born.

Without asking further, he nodded obediently.

"Wait here."

His figure disappeared into the forest almost instantly.

Sora crouched beside the raspberry bushes and happily began picking the plump fruits.

Each berry was bright red, sweet, and perfectly ripe.

She carefully avoided crushing them, placing them one by one into a woven leaf basket.

"If only there were an oven..."

She sighed softly.

"I could make raspberry cake."

Unfortunately, this primitive world lacked baking equipment.

Still...

Raspberry pastries were more than enough.

The sweet-tart filling paired with fragrant honey would make an excellent dessert.

As she picked berries, she suddenly noticed movement among the nearby bushes.

Rustle...

Rustle...

The leaves trembled ever so slightly.

Sora’s lips curved upward.

"Tisha..."

She chuckled inwardly.

"You’re really becoming interesting."

Ever since yesterday’s milk tea, the once-arrogant beauty had somehow transformed into an enthusiastic little foodie.

She pretended not to notice and continued gathering berries.

Sure enough...

The bushes rustled again.

Someone was secretly watching.

Meanwhile...

Lukan moved swiftly through the forest.

Finding wild chicken nests was second nature to an experienced hunter.

Within minutes, he had collected several fresh eggs without disturbing the mother birds.

By the time he returned, Sora had already filled her basket with raspberries.

"I found six."

He handed the eggs over.

Sora nodded approvingly.

"Perfect."

She immediately fetched her clay pot and poured in fresh spring water.

"The eggs need to start in cold water."

Lukan watched quietly.

Every time Sora cooked, it felt like witnessing magic.

She added a small spoonful of salt into the pot before placing it over the fire.

Once the water reached a rolling boil, she carefully removed the eggs and transferred them into another bowl filled with cool spring water.

Lukan blinked.

"Why cool them?"

"So they’ll peel more easily."

She smiled.

"And today, I’m making tea eggs."

Tea...

Eggs?

Lukan had never heard those two words placed together.

Once the eggs had cooled enough to handle, Sora gently tapped each shell with a ceramic spoon.

Crack.

Crack.

Tiny spiderweb fractures spread across every shell.

Without removing the shells completely, she placed the eggs back into the pot.

Next came her precious ingredients.

She reached into the leather pouch she always carried.

Lukan watched curiously as she took out several dried spices.

Star anise.

Cinnamon bark.

Bay leaves.

These were all ingredients Sora had collected earlier during their journey.

She had recognized them immediately and stored them carefully, knowing they would eventually become useful.

Now was exactly that moment.

She tossed the spices into the simmering water before adding a handful of the tea leaves they had gathered yesterday.

Almost immediately...

A rich fragrance filled the air.

It wasn’t simply the smell of tea.

Nor was it only the scent of herbs.

The aromas blended together into something warm, comforting, and impossible to ignore.

Lukan inhaled deeply.

"It smells wonderful."

"It’ll smell even better later."

While the tea eggs slowly absorbed the flavorful broth, Sora moved on to the raspberry pastries.

She washed every raspberry carefully before chopping them into tiny pieces using her stone knife.

The vibrant crimson pulp quickly filled another clay pot.

Next...

She scooped a spoonful of fragrant lard into the heated pot.

The fat melted into shimmering liquid.

Then came the raspberries.

Sizzle—

The sweet aroma exploded instantly.

Lukan swallowed unconsciously.

Sora stirred continuously until the berries softened into a thick crimson jam.

She added several spoonfuls of wild honey.

The bubbling mixture became even glossier.

Finally...

She sprinkled in a little cornstarch she had brought from home.

As the mixture thickened, she stirred patiently until most of the moisture evaporated.

Soon...

The raspberry filling became soft yet firm enough to hold its shape.

She poured it onto a smooth stone slab and allowed it to cool slightly before cutting it into neat little squares.

Tiny raspberry pastries.

Each piece glowed like polished rubies.

At the same time...

The tea eggs had finished simmering.

Their cracked shells had turned beautiful shades of brown.

The rich fragrance of tea, herbs, and spices drifted through the forest.

Even the breeze seemed scented.

Not far away...

The bushes shook violently.

Sora laughed.

"You can come out now."

"If you keep hiding, there won’t be anything left."

Silence.

A moment later...

Tisha slowly stepped out from behind the bushes.

Her cheeks were slightly red.

Being caught spying for the third time today was rather embarrassing.

Still...

The smell was simply too tempting.

She couldn’t resist.

"Can..."

She hesitated.

"...can I eat some?"

Sora deliberately shook her head.

"No."

Instantly...

Tisha’s expression collapsed.

Her bright eyes dimmed.

Her shoulders drooped pitifully.

"No food?"

"Then why did you call me over?"

Her disappointment was written plainly across her beautiful face.

Sora almost burst into laughter.

This girl truly wore every emotion on her sleeve.

Unable to tease her any longer, Sora placed several raspberry pastries into her hands.

"You can have these."

Tisha’s eyes lit up immediately.

Sora continued smiling as she pointed toward the clay pot.

"As for the tea eggs..."

"I boiled plenty."

"You can take them yourself."

She leaned closer and whispered playfully,

"After secretly watching me cook for so long, you’ve earned them."

Tisha’s face instantly turned bright red.

"I-I wasn’t watching!"

"Oh?"

Sora raised an eyebrow.

"So the bushes were moving by themselves?"

"..."

Caught.

Completely caught.

Unable to argue, Tisha immediately stuffed an entire raspberry pastry into her mouth.

The moment she bit down...

Her pupils widened dramatically.

The crisp outer layer gave way to soft, fragrant raspberry filling.

Sweet.

Tangy.

Silky.

Every bite burst with fruity flavor.

"Oh!"

She covered her mouth in shock.

"Kaelira!"

"This is amazing!"

"I’ve never eaten anything this delicious before!"

She finished the first piece almost instantly before reaching for another.

Within moments...

The pastries were gone.

Even the tea eggs amazed her.

The shells peeled away beautifully, revealing marbled patterns beneath.

One bite...

The rich aroma of tea blended perfectly with the savory egg.

She nearly cried from happiness.

"So delicious..."

"Everything you make is delicious..."

Looking at Sora with sparkling eyes, Tisha suddenly grabbed both of her hands.

"Kaelira!"

"Come back with me to Cedar Mountain!"

Sora blinked.

"Cedar Mountain?"

Tisha nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes!"

"You should come!"

She glanced proudly toward Lukan before lowering her voice conspiratorially.

"I’ll introduce you to my older brother."

Sora nearly laughed.

"Oh?"

"You mean replace Lukan?"

She deliberately looked toward Lukan with an innocent expression.

Tisha didn’t seem embarrassed in the slightest.

"Of course!"

"There are many beastmen in the world."

"But only one Kaelira."

She spoke with absolute sincerity.

"My brother is incredibly handsome."

She folded her arms proudly.

"He isn’t any less handsome than this wolf beside you."

Then, after thinking for another second, she corrected herself confidently.

"No."

"My brother is even more handsome."

The forest suddenly became strangely quiet.

Lukan, who had been quietly peeling another tea egg beside the fire, slowly lifted his head.

His silver eyes settled expressionlessly on Tisha.

He didn’t say a single word.

Yet somehow...

That calm, unreadable stare carried far more pressure than any angry outburst.

Tisha stiffened.

The smile on her face froze.

For some inexplicable reason...

She suddenly felt as though the temperature around her had dropped several degrees.

Sora bit her lip, desperately trying not to laugh.

Lukan might remain silent...

But his blank stare alone was enough to make anyone question every word they had just said.