"Put me down!"
Slung over Ur's shoulder, Jelka's face flushed crimson. The awkward position filled her with a strange sense of shame, and she squirmed in protest.
Ur ignored her completely.
Without slowing, he sprinted away from Moya City, carrying her like a sack of grain.
Half an hour later, he finally felt his arms and shoulders reaching their limit. He stopped, exhaled, and casually dropped Jelka onto the ground with a heavy thud.
Rolling his sore shoulder, he glanced down at her and frowned. "You should lose some weight."
Jelka: "..."
[(#｀皿)!!!]
She had already been aching from being tossed down like luggage. But hearing that, she nearly leapt up to strangle him on the spot.
She swore this bastard had never had a girlfriend in his life. If by some miracle he did, that poor girl must've been blind.
Turning back, Ur glanced toward Moya City.
Half an hour of running. For someone with his stamina, carrying another person that distance wasn't exactly far, but it wasn't short either. The city was still visible in the distance, but by now they were outside the danger zone.
The battle inside Moya still raged on. From here, the faint distortions in the sky above the city betrayed the clash of two guild masters locked in combat.
"You stay here for a while," Ur told her. Without waiting for a reply, he darted off, vanishing into the underbrush.
Moments later, he returned with two plump gray rabbits dangling by their ears.
Jelka's eyes lit up instantly. "Where did you catch those? They're so cu—"
Crack!
Ur snapped both rabbits' necks without hesitation.
Only then did he look up, blinking as if finally hearing her voice. "What were you saying just now?"
"Uuuh…" Jelka's expression froze, her words stuck in her throat. She bit her lip, eyes welling with tears as she watched the limp bodies dangle from his hands. Her face twisted pitifully, as though she might burst into sobs at any moment.
Ur: "???"
Was this woman made of water or something?
Why was she always crying? Did tears cost her nothing?
Scratching his head in bewilderment, he turned back to dressing the rabbits, his movements practiced and efficient.
Before long, a campfire crackled to life.
The rabbits turned slowly on spits, their skins turning golden-brown. The air was enveloped with the irresistible aroma of roasting meat.
Jelka's silent tears faltered. Her nose twitched.
Then, Ur pulled a small glass vial from his pocket and sprinkled its contents over the roasting meat. The fragrance multiplied instantly, filling the clearing with a mouthwatering perfume.
Whatever defiance Jerca had clung to crumbled instantly.
"(╯▽╰) It smells amazing~!" She sighed dreamily, and in the same breath, a string of drool escaped the corner of her mouth.
Ur: "..."
Watching her openly drool at the sight of roast meat, he was struck speechless.
Don't tell me every so-called goddess in this world is like this.
He couldn't help thinking of other so-called beauties—Erza, Mirajane… yes, their looks might earn them the title of "goddess," but their personalities?
Erza might look proper and composed, but inside, she was as much of an airhead as a wide-eyed little girl. Mirajane, on the other hand, might smile sweetly like a gentle lady, but deep down, she was pure mischief.
Women, Ur thought with a sigh, were all born performers.
"This one's yours." Before he could finish, the rabbit skewer vanished from his hand.
Jelka was already devouring it, all elegance gone, chewing greedily with oil smeared on her lips. "Delicious! So good! I've never tasted anything like this before!" she mumbled between mouthfuls.
"This isn't my cooking," Ur corrected, biting into his own share. He shook his head.
He knew perfectly well where his skill level was: competent enough not to char or undercook the meat, but nothing beyond that. The secret lay in the spice mixture—prepared especially for him by Grandma Isse.
Still, he thought, even with that, it wasn't like this was gourmet cuisine.
He glanced at Jelka, who was gnawing away with greasy lips and sparkling eyes. "What do you normally eat, anyway?"
"Mmmph… fruits, wild greens, monster meat…" she mumbled around a mouthful.
Ur: "..."
...Alright, that explains it.
Maybe life in Fiore wasn't quite as cushy as he thought.
Once the meal was over, Ur rose to his feet. He had no intention of sticking around with her any longer. As long as Jelka remained drained of magic, she posed no threat. But once she recovered, who knew if she might try to snatch his spoils?
"Where are you going?" Jelka asked instinctively as she saw him rise.
"Leaving," he answered curtly.
"Then I'll go with you!" She hurried to stand, clearly unwilling to let him slip away.
But Ur only pointed back toward Moya City.
"You sure you don't want to rejoin your guild? The war's nearly over."