Oven

The dining hall was vast, more like a cathedral than any cafeteria he knew back home on Earth, which made sense. Arched beams of dark oak stretched overhead, their carvings depicting beasts, robed men and women bathed in glory, and other blobs and shapes of creatures Haruki could not recognize.

Rows of long wooden tables gleamed with candlelight, and a faint mist of steam hung in the air from the endless tide of food being prepared.

At the center of it all was the chef. Or rather, the oven.

A massive, stone furnace with a chimney that puffed cheerfully like a nose, its “face” was a pair of glowing embers for eyes and a jagged crack for a mouth. When hungry students approached, the oven rumbled, then with a quick belch – trays upon trays of steaming food were placed onto the counter. And despite the horrid sound…

Haruki himself could not help but drool at the mere sight of the gleaming skin on the roast pork, the deep red of the grilled chicken, among piles and piles of crunchy bread and vegetable stews that smelled like they had been simmering for hours. A chorus of students cheered every time the ‘chef’ spat out something extravagant.

Kiera nudged Haruki toward the line.

“Don’t stare too long. That’s an Ovenmaster. They don’t like it when you stare.”

“Ovenmaster? You’re telling me that’s an actual person?”

“Of course. Some people are like that here,” Kiera explained as she slid a plate toward the oven’s waiting mouth. “Bound to objects. Or they are objects? I honestly don’t really know. I’ve never really had to explain this before. These guys just kind of… are.”

The oven groaned and produced two bowls of stew, thick and steaming. Haruki accepted his with both hands, still staring in bemused wonder.

“Oh yeah, this will be good with our Hunter’s bread,” Kiera said. “Come on.”

They carried their food across the hall, aiming for an empty stretch of bench. But before they could sit, a shadow fell across their path.

It was that guy from earlier – the one with the crackling firework Echo. His smirk was wide and smug, blocking them as surely as a wall.

“Well, well,” the bully drawled, leaning just close enough for Haruki to smell the faint singe of sparkle on his clothes. “Look who’s still in one piece. Tell me, how’d you manage to walk away from the physical exam without a scratch? Hm? There’s no way some worm like you can just do that. Did you cheat?”

The bully’s smirk widened when his two lackeys flanked him, boxing Haruki and Kiera in against the press of tables. Students further down the row glanced over, but no one moved to interfere.

“Leave us alone,” Kiera said flatly, her palms already searing with fire.

“Or what?” the firework guy said, “I’ll gladly take you on right n…”

Haruki noticed his expression changed, shifting from confidence now to sudden horror. And there he was:

Kaelos of Hjelkir.

The elf appeared behind Haruki with the unhurried ease of someone who had never once been denied anything in his life. His steps were silent, his smile eerily serene. And his eyes refused to blink. He said nothing at all. And yet, the bully froze. His goons exchanged uncertain glances, then without a word, the trio drifted backward into the crowd, vanishing as quickly as they had come.

When Haruki turned around, he realized Kaelos’s smile never left his face. It wasn’t warm. Surely, it was the smile of a wolf humoring lesser predators who had wandered too close to his kill.

Slowly, he leaned forward, so close Haruki could see the pale shimmer of his eyes. He inhaled. Actually inhaled, which Haruki thought was absurd. A deliberate, audible sniff.

“What are you?” Kaelos whispered.

Which instantly made Haruki wonder: does he actually know?

Haruki opened his mouth, but Kaelos raised a hand, palm outward. The command was quiet and absolute.

“Do not speak.”

And then the elf straightened himself, turned, and walked away without another word. Haruki was completely baffled. It was almost like that guy was in his own world. And that Haruki was some kind of puzzle to him, not even human.

Trailing behind Kaelos was Thessa – that tree young woman from earlier. She paused long enough to glance at Haruki. Her leafy hair rustled faintly as she gave a playful but respectful smile:

“Don’t worry. He’s more bark than bite.”

Then she, too, followed Kaelos into the crowd.