When the System faded away, Kael stood inside his house, feeling oddly disoriented.
Even though time in reality froze whenever he entered a Life Simulation, he'd used Sensory Mode for the last two runs, which meant he'd actually lived through another stretch of time in another world.
Coming back to real life now gave him the strange illusion that ages had passed.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sudden sound at the door pulled him back.
When he opened it, Amber was standing there, her face red with embarrassment.
Right.
The moment he saw her, reality snapped back into focus. He remembered everything that had happened between them that morning.
Amber, blushing furiously, lifted the bag in her hands.
"Um… did you eat dinner yet? I picked up some ingredients on the way home from work… I could cook for you?"
Kael took the bag and ruffled her hair with a smile.
"You went to work today even after all that pain—"
"Kyaaah!"
Amber squeaked, her whole face turning scarlet. She immediately slapped her small hand over his mouth.
"Don't say that out loud!!!"
Kael chuckled, his breath warm against her palm.
Startled, Amber yanked her hand back like a frightened little animal.
Her reaction was so cute, he couldn't help but grin wider.
"Tell you what—let me cook tonight. I'll show you my skills."
Perfect timing—he'd just earned the "Head Chef" Talent from the last simulation. Now he could test how good it really was in reality. Maybe even good enough for a Master Chef Championship title.
Since his rented place upstairs didn't have a kitchen, the two of them moved down to the corner stove of the ground floor shop.
He opened the bag and found poultry, carrots, sugar, and a few other ingredients.
One glance and he knew what Amber had in mind.
Her favorite dish at Good Hunter. Had she gone out of her way to ask Sara for the recipe just to make it for him?
Kael tied the meat into shape with string, rubbed it evenly with salt and brown sugar, then seared it in a bit of oil until golden on each side. A touch of black pepper.
After brushing the seared meat with honey, he slid it into the oven.
Then he took the drippings from the roast, simmered them with chopped carrots until thick and glossy, and poured the sauce over the meat.
The moment the glaze hit the roast, the room filled with a rich, smoky sweetness.
All the while, Amber sat watching his back with starry eyes.
She'd thought Kael would always keep her at arm's length.
Just days ago, she couldn't have imagined being this happy.
And yet, somehow… this happiness felt familiar, like they'd lived through moments like this before. Sweet, simple, perfect.
The thought suddenly terrified her. What if this happiness slipped away again?
Kael set the finished dish in front of her. She just sat there, dazed, staring into space.
"What's wrong?"
Amber jolted, panic flashing across her face. She grabbed his arm tightly, her voice trembling.
"Kael… you're really here, right? I'm not dreaming, am I? You're not going to vanish on me, are you…?"
Kael's heart tightened.
He knew these feelings came from the Life Simulation—where, in their happiest moment, he'd died. And just earlier today, he'd been cold to her before he'd adjusted back to reality.
No wonder she felt so insecure.
Seeing the tears gathering in her eyes, he couldn't bear it.
He crouched down, meeting her gaze head-on.
"Don't worry. I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere."
Her eyes widened, a tear sliding free from her lashes. Then she broke into a smile so bright it outshone the sun.
"Mm!"
"Come on, try my cooking."
He set the knife and fork in her hands.
Amber cut off a big piece from the perfectly plated roast and popped it into her mouth.
The savory meat and sweet carrots burst across her tongue.
Her eyes went wide as she chewed frantically, talking through a full mouth.
"It's so, so, so good! Even better than Good Hunter!!!"
And it wasn't just love-blinded bias—his cooking really was that good.
Amber was floored.
Kael took a bite himself using her fork. His eyes lit up.
Sure enough, System Talents didn't disappoint. His food now tasted better than a professional chef's.
This really was champion-level cooking.
"Wow, what smells so good?!"
A cute girl with bright Blue hair styled into two little horn-like braids poked her head inside. She sniffed the air like an eager puppy.
"What are you guys cooking? Can I have a—"
Her words cut off the instant she saw Kael's face.
It was like her throat had been grabbed.
Wait… Xiangling?!
What was she doing in Mondstadt?!
She stared at him in shock.
"You… who are you?"