Rein dragged his exhausted body back to the room. He spotted a black bread on the table—left by who knows whom—and grabbed it to take a bite. He didn’t even remove the rag covering his face.

Rein was truly starving this time.

After expending massive Arcane Power and running non-stop, he felt his stomach—once full of roasted pork—was completely empty. He desperately needed something to fill it.

Nord’s self-made black bread was the obvious choice. It was incredibly hard—so hard that once, someone in the wild used it to beat a beast into severe disability. No exaggeration there. Crucially, when exposed to saliva, it softened and expanded. Despite its awful taste and texture, this property made it a border region staple.

One bite was usually enough to kill any desire for a second.

But Rein took another. Chewing, he detected a wheat aroma and a faint sweetness from starch reacting with saliva. That hint of sweetness made him keep eating.

Just then, a clash of metal sounded. Sophia flipped through the window, short sword in hand. She spotted Rein huddled in a bed corner, gnawing on the bread.

"Huh? Black bread? Perfect! Give me some too!"

Though unsure of her intentions, Rein tried with all his might to split the bread. Failing, he used his solidified Mental Force to cut it and tossed a piece to her.

"Huh? So much? Little Rein, you’re too generous!"

Sophia sat in another corner. She pulled a bottle from her pocket and drizzled milky-white liquid onto her bread.

"Little Rein, you want some? Here! Take it!"

She pushed the bottle across the floor. Rein didn’t hesitate—he scrambled out, grabbed it, and retreated to his corner.

Opening the cap, he smelled faint milk. But a closer sniff revealed a hint of plant aroma. This unique fragrance made the semi-solid milk richer, adding a touch of sweetness.

"This is condensed milk my dad made... Super delicious with bread!"

Sophia explained briefly, then ate her portion.

"Condensed milk..."

Rein drizzled some onto his bread. The black crust, deep yellow interior, and white topping looked unappetizing. But he bit right where the milk pooled.

The taste wasn’t great, but far better than plain bread. Rich milkiness, smooth texture, and wheat aroma created a symphony in his mouth. They fought to redeem the maligned black bread—not the food’s fault, but the preparation. A little extra could revive it.

"Little Rein..."

"Hmm?"

Chewing, Rein cautiously watched Sophia and her blood-stained sword stuck in the floor. Even in this danger, he never considered abandoning his tasty bite to flee. If he ran, he’d take the condensed milk too.

"Do you think I’m a good person?"

"Hmm."

Rein nodded. No reason—anyone who loves food and cooks well can’t be bad.

"Really? But I always feel like I’m doing bad things! Do you know how many Mages have died by my hand?"

"..."

Rein paused. The sound of chewing replaced his answer.

"None... at all! I was just scaring you, Little Rein!"

"..."

Rein wanted to smash Sophia’s skull with his bread to see what weird wiring was inside. Maybe he’d become a naturalist discovering a new species.

"Honestly, I have no hostility toward you Mages. You’re fun! Using magic for everything... Unlike me, cooking daily. Too bad I lack the talent for magic."

"Wrong!"

"What?"

"You’re wrong!"

"You mean talent isn’t important? I know that—"

"No! I mean... food tastes better when cooked by hand!"

Talent? Are you kidding? No profession values talent more than being a Mage. Without it, forget magic—just go home and farm sweet potatoes!