When Rein came to, the first thing she saw was black walls bathed in golden firelight. They looked rough and uneven—clearly a natural cave, not man-made.
This cave was much larger than her old house. In the center burned a fire. Leaning against a nearby rock stood a black coffin, as tall as a person, marked with a white cross. Armor pieces lay on the rock, glinting gold in the flames.
"Headache..."
Rein tried to recall why she was here, but her memories stopped underwater. She touched her lips, unsure if that forced kiss had been real. As a man, she’d never lost her first kiss despite years alone. Yet as a girl, she’d given it away within hours—to another girl.
This felt like a dream. But a trace of cold air snapped her back.
"So cold..." Even with the fire nearby, chill spread from her skin. Goosebumps rose, useless against the freeze.
"No clothes..." She realized her clothes had been removed. Of course—after swimming, they needed drying. Dampness could give her young body a deadly cold here.
Rein pushed aside the dry straw covering her. She picked up the tattered clothes by the fire, glancing at her flat, boyish frame.
"I wonder how this body will develop..." She preferred staying flat-chested. Other female Mages said big breasts ruined battle balance and drew attention. Rein hated being the center of attention.
She slipped the clothes over her small body. Following the light, she reached the cave entrance. Crimson clouds blazed across the sky. Snow-covered trees and ground reflected the sunset’s glow, as if heaven and earth merged.
Rein stood mesmerized. As a Mage, she’d ignored scenery. Now, the world seemed more beautiful than she’d imagined.
"Huh? Little girl? You’re awake?"
The voice belonged to Sophia, who’d rescued her. She wore light leather armor now, not her usual set. In her hand hung a dead snow rabbit, white fur stained with crimson spots.
"Mm..." Rein nodded, a faint blush on her cheeks. Hidden by the red sunset.
***
Sophia carefully skinned the rabbit. Hard to imagine someone so sisterly doing such rough work. Rein stayed silent, hugging her knees as she watched.
She propped the meat over the fire. Then Sophia took bottles from her coffin. They held powder, but Rein couldn’t identify it from afar. Alchemical powders didn’t look like this in her memory.
Sophia sprinkled the powder on the meat. It sizzled under the flames, reacting with the fat. Rich aroma filled the air. The bloody, unappetizing rabbit transformed into something incredibly tempting.
"What’s that?" Rein asked cautiously, unable to hold back.
"Huh? This? Just my homemade seasoning! Smells good, right?" Sophia shook the bottle and tossed it back into the coffin.
"Mm..." Rein nodded.
So this gave food magical flavor! She’d never cooked—as a noble Mage, it felt beneath her. But now, cooking seemed like magic: transforming bland food into wonder.
The golden crust looked honey-sweet. Rein swallowed hard. She glanced shyly at Sophia, big watery eyes silently begging to eat.
"Mm, done! You can eat now!" Sophia sliced a perfect piece with her short sword. Beneath the crust lay white meat tinged yellow, glistening with juices.
Rein grabbed it and stuffed it into her mouth like a child guarding her food.
"Hot... so hot..." Her mouth burned, but she refused to spit it out. It tasted like the world’s most delicious thing.
After wrestling it down, her face lit with childlike joy. Then she stared longingly at the remaining meat, calculating how much was left. All thoughts of being a genius Mage vanished. Right now, delicious food was the most precious thing in the world.
