Chapter 13: Campfire under the Dark Sky

“Raki, here! this one’s ready,” Reimei said, handing me a freshly grilled fish.

“Thanks,” I replied, taking it carefully.

“It goes perfectly with fresh bread,” she added.

“And with some hot soup,” Lily chimed in, offering me and Reimei each a cup brimming with steaming broth.

“Bau… bau…” Janbo whined softly, his eyes sparkling as he waited expectantly for his share.

“I didn’t forget you,” Lily said with a smile, setting down a decent sized bowl of soup for him.

“And this is yours too,” Reimei added, placing three grilled fish, the skewers removed and placed on a wooden plate for him.

“Do you want some bread as well, Janbo?” I asked.

“Bow-wow!” Janbo barked happily in reply.

I tore off a large loaf of fresh bread and passed it to him.

He clamped down on it eagerly and padded off to his own little spot to eat.

Dipping my own bread into the soup, I caught Reimei and Lily smiling as they watched Janbo’s contented trot.

“So, how’s the fish, Raki?” Reimei asked.

“The texture’s nice and flaky, mild in flavor with a touch of sweetness.

The salt brings it out just enough to make it savory,” I answered.

Both of them giggled.

“That’s awfully descriptive for something as simple as grilled fish,” Reimei teased.

“So how does it compare to the fish from your old world?” she asked.

“Does Raki’s world even have fish to begin with?” Lily added curiously.

“My world has plenty of fish, tons of different species, actually,” I said with a smile.

“So…” Reimei leaned closer, clearly waiting for my verdict on the comparison.

“It’s honestly one of the tastiest fish I’ve ever had, both in my old world and here,” I said.

“Really!” Reimei’s face lit up with a bright smile.

Lily, on the other hand, just stared at me, her eyes expectant, silently pressing me for feedback on her soup.

“Lily’s soup tastes just like Aunt Iris’ cooking, doesn’t it, Reimei?” I said with a grin.

Reimei nodded. “It really does taste like Aunt Iris’.”

“I’ll take that as the highest compliment,” Lily said, her expression softening into a proud smile.

We lingered by the fire, enjoying our meal beneath the glow of the two moons, the warmth of the flames warding off the night chill.

“I’m stuffed,” I admitted, rubbing my stomach.

By then, I’d downed three grilled fish, three cups of soup, and nearly an entire loaf of bread.

The iron pot sat empty, only traces of broth clinging to its sides.

“Janbo, can you dig a bit, like you did last time?” Reimei asked, gathering the fish bones neatly onto a wooden plate.

“Woof!” Janbo barked and stomped the ground once in reply.

“You can dig right here,” Reimei instructed, pointing to a patch of soil near a fruit-bearing tree.

In the blink of an eye, Janbo had already dug a hole a couple of feet deep.

“That’s perfect,” Reimei said, dropping the bones into the pit before covering it.

Then she plucked a small green fruit from the tree and held it out. “Here, Janbo.”

The gray spirit wolf wagged his tail and happily accepted the gift.

Reimei then turned to me, handing me a similar fruit.

“Eat this. It helps with digestion”, Reimei said.

“Thanks,” I said, examining it. It looked exactly like a green apple.

“What’s it called?”, I asked.

“It’s called a shamsap,” Reimei replied.

“Here’s yours, Lily,” Reimei said, passing her a fruit.

“Bau?” Janbo barked, tilting his head, clearly asking for another.

“Is it okay to give him one more?” Reimei asked.

“Would it be bad if he ate too many?” I asked curiously.

“Yeah. For most people, one is the recommended amount,” Lily explained.

No wonder this tree is still heavy with fruit, I thought, glancing at the branches sagging with clusters of green shamsap.

“I’m sure Janbo will be fine,” Lily said with a smile.

“Spirit wolves are a lot tougher than we are”, Lily added.

“Woof!” Janbo barked again, tail wagging.

Reimei gave in and handed him another shamsap, which he devoured happily.

“Raki, why did you ask the name of the fruit? You usually don’t bother,” Reimei asked, studying me.

“Well… it reminded me of a fruit from my old world,” I admitted.

“Really? Does it taste the same?” Reimei pressed.

“Hmm. Pretty close. But this one’s sweeter and not as sour,” I replied after a moment.

“Do you miss your old world?” Reimei suddenly asked, her tone softening.

“A little,” I admitted.

“But I like this new experience, too. In my world’s terms, it’s like living inside a fantasy”, I added.

“We should start preparing to rest,” Lily said, glancing up.

“Myrra and Lyrra are already above us”, Lily added.

I followed her gaze.

The twin moons hung close together, bathing the clearing in silver and pale golden light.

Myrra, the larger of the two, gleamed with a steady glow, while the smaller Lyrra shimmered faintly beside her.

The sky glittered with countless stars, a vast tapestry of light against the darkness.

“I guess we should,” Reimei agreed.

“We’ll need to wake up early tomorrow if we want to reach our next stop with plenty of daylight.”

“Cleanse,” Lily intoned softly, tapping Reimei’s shoulder with her staff.

“Raki, Janbo, line up here,” Lily commanded.

“Cleanse…

Cleanse…

Cleanse,” Lily murmured, her staff glowing faintly as she tapped it near each of us in turn.

“What’s that spell for?” I asked.

“It’s one of the basic spells every adventurer learns for traveling,” Lily replied.

“It cleans both our bodies and our clothes, so we don’t need to wash up or bathe every day”, Lily explained.

“That’s… actually really useful. Can you teach me tomorrow?” I asked.

“Sure,” Lily said, though she tilted her head slightly as if surprised I’d ask.

“Thanks,” I replied, already imagining how convenient it would be.

I’d be stupid not to learn something this practical.

I should also ask about the fire spell she used earlier… and maybe that magic rope trick too, I thought.

“What are you two waiting for? We’re going to sleep,” Reimei called, giving me and Janbo a pointed look.

“I’ll stay outside with Janbo,” I suggested.

“We can keep watch through the night”, I stated.

“No,” Reimei said firmly. “Both of you are sleeping inside the tent.”

“There’s no need for a lookout anyway,” Lily added.

“Remember, I placed a barrier around the camp. It’ll alert us immediately if anything crosses it”, Lily explained.

“…Alright,” I said, giving in. I ducked inside the tent with Janbo crouching in beside me.

“You and Janbo will sleep on that side,” Reimei directed, pointing across the tent. “Lily and I will take this side.”

“Fair enough. But is it normal to sleep with armor on?” I asked as I settled down.

“Of course,” Reimei replied without hesitation.

“We never know when something might attack us. Besides, once you get used to it, it’s more comfortable than you’d think if you’re outside the town or city.”

“You’ve got a point. Still… you’re sure it’s fine for me to sleep here? I mean, I am a guy,” I said awkwardly.

“Just sleep already, we’re moving early tomorrow,” Reimei shot back, ending the discussion.

Janbo circled his spot once before plopping down with a contented huff.

I followed his lead, resting my head against the pillow, my eyelids already heavy.

The blanket beneath me was thick and pleasantly warm, and the pillow had just the right softness, perfect for me.

“Raki, take this one. It’ll get cold later,” Reimei said, handing me another heavy blanket.

“I’m turning off the lamp. Goodnight,” she added, pulling the divider shut before snuffing out the soft glow of the magic lamp.

“Goodnight, Raki. Goodnight, Janbo,” Lily murmured.

“Bau,” Janbo barked drowsily.

I thought Reimei might’ve been exaggerating, but as the air cooled sharply, I quickly pulled the blanket over myself.

The warmth was comforting.

Janbo shuffled closer, pressing his furry body against my side, and with that cozy heat, sleep took me almost instantly.

“Raki, morning already,” Reimei’s voice nudged me awake.

“We’ve still got a long road before we reach the next settlement.”

Groggy, I opened my eyes. Janbo was already up, tail flicking lazily, while the crackle of firewood drifted through the camp.

“Reimei, tell Raki to grab some mushrooms and vegetables!” Lily’s voice called out from the fire.

I groaned inwardly.

I’m really not a morning person, I thought as I sat up.

“Lily, where do you want these?” I asked, holding a small bundle of mushrooms and greens.

“Just put them on the empty plates there,” she answered without looking up.

As I was about to set them down, Reimei raised her hand and spoke a command.

“Revoke.”

In an instant, the medium-sized tent unraveled itself, folding back into a compact, unassembled form.

“Raki, can you store this away?” Reimei asked as I finished placing the vegetables on the plates.

“The soup will be ready in a few minutes,” Lily announced, her knife moving quickly as she chopped the ingredients.

“So… where are we headed today?” I asked, rubbing the last of sleep from my eyes.

“We’re heading to Ethra,” Reimei said.

“It’s a settlement deep within the Great Forest of Estir, a place where adventurers usually set up camp”, Reimei added.

“There’s also a small church there,” she continued. “They usually keep at least one or two priests stationed, so hopefully we’ll find a decent one.”

“I thought you two didn't get past the Blue Swamp,” I asked, puzzled.

“That’s true,” Reimei admitted. “But heading to Ethra was actually Guildmaster Rion’s suggestion.”

“I just hope the priest we find will agree to come with us,” I muttered.

Reimei smiled faintly and lifted a blue pendant for me to see. “I’m certain they will. With this, they won’t refuse.”

I leaned closer. “What is that?”

“This is Guildmaster Rion’s pendant. Anyone who carries it holds authority second only to him within the entire Seres region,” she explained.

My brows shot up. “So… you’re saying Guildmaster Rion basically rules the Seres region?”

Reimei’s expression turned serious. “Guildmaster Rion Skyfrost, also known to many as the Ice Demon, is indeed the master of Seres.”

“Ehh?!” The words slipped out of me before I could stop myself.

Before I could ask more, Lily’s voice rang out from the fire. “The mushroom soup is ready!”