After dishing out their portions, Pela and Venti enjoyed a quiet meal. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable—it was peaceful.
It wasn’t their first time eating food that wasn’t common in the higher district. Pela, having grown up with a famous adventurer as her mother, had always been exposed to exotic things from either the outside world or the lower district. Though her mother had passed away, her teachings had helped Pela grow into a mature adult, open-minded and accepting of new experiences.
As for Venti, his reason for being familiar with this type of food was a bit simpler—it involved a certain purple-haired woman from the lower district. His first meal of rock-grilled cave gecko had been her treat, a celebration of his “moving in” to the lower district. Venti still remembered her pained expression when she paid the bill; he wondered if she was managing to eat decently these days.
With a resolve to check in on his squad members in the coming days, Venti swallowed his last bite of gecko meat and was about to raise his hand to order a glass of chilled black rye beer. But before he could, Pela adjusted her glasses, casting a chilling glance despite the warm, dim lighting.
…Ah, she’d noticed.
Reluctantly, Venti lowered his hand and sipped on his soda instead. Seeing his childish reaction, Pela couldn’t help but smirk mischievously, like a cat that’d just found a tempting bit of fish.
“Hmm? Was there something you wanted to say?”
She asked, feigning innocence.
“Go ahead and order whatever you like, as long as it’s not wasteful.”
“Really, Pela?”
Thinking he’d gotten the green light, Venti perked up.
With a knowing smile at his eager expression, Pela added, “Of course—but no alcohol.”
“Aw, come on…”
Venti’s face fell.
“Why are you so obsessed with drinking anyway?” Pela asked. “You don’t even look old enough to drink.”
“It’s not the drinking, it’s that feeling of tipsiness—when the inspiration hits!”
“Plenty of writers who get themselves into trouble use that excuse.”
“Well, at least I won’t be committing any hit-and-run offenses, right?”
Venti blinked at her with honesty in his clear, lake-like eyes. “I mean, I don’t even have the money for a car. Sometimes I’m lucky if I even get to eat, thanks to kind souls like you.”
Pela gave him a sidelong glance, sighing in exasperation.
“Then save up. Don’t blow every bit of money the day you get it.”
“I’d hate to find you frozen next to a trash can one morning.”
Venti chuckled. “Surprises are nice, but I’ll keep my surprises pleasant, I promise.”
He was quietly grateful for her kindness, feeling a renewed warmth toward her.
“But, really…thank you for your concern.”
“…It’s nothing to thank me for,” Pela murmured, cheeks pink, turning her head away. “It’s just a hassle for the Silvermane Guards if you end up needing help.”
After their little back-and-forth, the atmosphere between them felt like honey drizzling over a warm pancake.
They continued talking, eventually discussing a book Venti had borrowed. Pela, however, refused to let him read the sequel right there, worrying it might get food stains. In every way, she was a true book lover.
Incidentally, due to her unusual memory, Pela often experienced a dual layer of insight after reading, which made every interpretation uniquely refreshing.
“…I would never have thought to interpret it that way,” Pela remarked, impressed. “It’s like you’ve met the author in person and watched him draft it.”
“Isn’t it natural for everyone to have a different take?”
Venti shrugged. Though he hadn’t met the talented writer, he had devoured a fair share of books himself—a seasoned reader, if nothing else.
“If we’re talking just feelings, then sure—everyone’s Gorgon’s Tears is going to be different. But…how to put it?”
Pela tapped her cheek in thought. “As Miss Anna in the book would say, ‘You see things from a completely different angle. Or maybe…you have a broader view?’”
After pondering a moment, she continued, “It’s not about who’s better or worse, but people without certain experiences lack that depth. They’ll naturally follow the thoughts of those who have seen the world, and that gives me an odd feeling, like…”
“Like you’re leaving the sheltering walls you grew up behind, stepping out into the distant, wondrous world you’d only read about.”
Venti was quiet, observing the mix of awe and trepidation on her face—a girl confined to a clock that had stopped ticking.
Maybe one day she’d step beyond those walls herself. But…
With Yarilo-VI locked in its eternal winter, there was little more than vast, unending snowfields beyond the city—a far cry from her dreams.
Pela tilted her head, sensing something in his expression.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something off?”
“No, not at all,” Venti quickly replied, “It’s only natural to think that way. But, uh…please don’t mention it to anyone. I don’t fancy waking up to the Silvermane Guards breaking down my door for a little heresy.”
Pela’s lips twitched at his dramatic expression.
“Oh, please. What do you think the Silvermane Guards are, minions of some storybook villain?”
“Besides,” she continued, “even if some books are restricted by policy, it’s only because our Guardian has a solid reason. No one’s going to charge you with a crime for dreaming about the world beyond.”
“Phew…for a moment there, I thought this was my last meal.”
Venti sighed, patting his chest in relief. The last thing he wanted was a one-way trip back to a dark cell—even if there was wine involved!
“If anyone’s suspicious, it’s you for even thinking of that! You haven’t been up to anything, have you? Just so you know, I’ll hold you accountable. Full disclosure means full leniency.”
Faced with her sudden intensity, Venti protested his innocence, eventually easing her suspicion. After that, they shared one last conversation as the meal wound to a close.
—
T/N: Idk if Gorgon’s Tears was the book they were talking about last chapter, if it is let me know and I’ll fix it!
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