Erin's sister clapped her hands lightly. "Well then, now that things have calmed down—why don't we all have dinner together? It's been one heck of a day for the village. What do you say, Mister Knight, Miss… flame girl?"
Nora straightened up, placing her hands on her hips. "It's Nora. And yes—finally, something to eat." She rubbed her stomach just as it growled loudly, echoing in the quiet room. A faint blush spread across her cheeks. "Ah… all this tension made me forget about my friend down there."
Erin's sister giggled, pressing her fingers to her lips. "Aw, well aren't you a cutie."
Darrion exhaled through his nose, then slid his sword back into its sheath with a sharp clink. He stepped forward and gave a stiff bow. "My name is Darrion, knight of the Union. I apologize for the trouble I've caused."
Erina shook her head gently. "Be at ease, Sir Darrion, it's alright. You can just call me Erina. And this—" she placed a hand on the boy's shoulder "—is my little brother, Erin."
"Um… h-hi…" Erin's fingers fidgeted nervously at his sides. "Thank you both for saving the village. So, please… don't fight anymore, okay?"
"Well, to be honest, I have no intention of that," Nora replied with a gentle smile.
Darrion crossed his arms with a quiet scoff. The movement alone was enough to irritate Nora, though she forced her lips into a strained smile.
Erina clapped once. "Okay then! I'll prepare the food. You can all wait around the table."
"I'll help you, Miss Erina," Darrion said in his usual calm, level tone. "If I stay here with this witch, I might not be able to contain my urge to kill her. Besides, I'm fairly confident in my cooking."
Erina puffed her cheeks. "Thank you, but just 'Erina' is fine. I'm not an old lady, you know."
"…Whatever you say." Darrion exhaled through his nose.
"Okay, I'll start cutting the vegetables. You can get the bowls and cups ready, right?" Erina asked, pulling a wooden cutting board toward her.
Darrion raised an eyebrow. "You know, when I said I'd help, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."
"Oh, don't feel too bad. You'll get your chance to prove yourself." The steady chop of her knife echoed through the small kitchen.
Suddenly, the blade slipped. "Ah—!" She winced, pulling her finger back as a thin line of red welled up. "Ouch… that hurts."
"Let me see." Darrion stepped closer without hesitation. He held out his hand until she reluctantly offered hers. Guiding her finger under the basin water, he rinsed away the blood. The sound of running water filled the brief silence before he wrapped the cut carefully with a strip of cloth from his pouch.
"T-thank you," Erina murmured, her cheeks warming as she glanced up at him. "You know… under that cold knight exterior, you're actually a decent guy."
"Should I take that as an insult?" His tone was flat, though his eyes flicked to hers for just a moment.
She let out a soft laugh. "Lighten up a little, won't you? But you're right—it depends on how you view it."
"I'll take care of the cooking." Darrion set the knife firmly in his own hand.
"You sure?" Erina tilted her head, doubtful.
"Yes. Besides, you cut the vegetables too big. That ruins the flavor." His blade moved swiftly, the sharp chopping echoing rhythmically against the board.
"Now you're the one insulting me." Erina chuckled, leaning back slightly as she watched.
Her eyes widened as she followed his precise movements. "Whoa… you really know what you're doing, Darrion."
"This is nothing," he replied simply, not slowing his pace.
A playful smile spread across her face. "You know… if you ever thought about leaving knighthood behind and settling down, you'd make a great husband. You could live here with me and Erin, and we'd live happily ever after. What do you say?"
"I'll pass," Darrion answered bluntly, not missing a beat with the knife.
Erina's shoulders shook with laughter. "Well, it was worth a shot."
Darrion finally glanced at her. "I thought the saying was that the closest way to a man's heart is through his stomach, not the other way around."
Erina pressed a hand to her lips, trying to stifle another laugh. "Who said you had a dry sense of humor? You're not so bad, Sir Knight."
Moments later, Erina placed steaming bowls of food on the table. The aroma of curry mixed with fresh vegetables wafted through the air.
"Wah… it smells so good!" Nora said, her mouth watering as she leaned over slightly.
"This aroma… it can't be my sister's cooking," Erin muttered, sniffing the air with suspicion.
"What was that, Erin?" Erina asked, narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms.
"No… nothing," Erin mumbled quickly, his face flushing as sweat beaded at his temple. He looked away, fiddling with his fingers.
"Well… he isn't wrong," Erina admitted with a small laugh. "In the end, Sir Darrion cooked everything. I just watched him." She smiled, motioning toward the steaming curry.
"Really? That knight is that good at cooking… and curry, no less?" Nora leaned forward, eyes wide. She sniffed again and hesitated. "Wait a minute… this isn't poison, is it?"
"We're all eating this, moron. Of course it's not," Darrion said flatly, his voice calm but firm. He shifted slightly, the metal of his armor faintly clinking. "If I wanted to kill you, a simple, underhanded tactic while you slept would have sufficed. But I gave my word—not to attack, not to kill you tonight."
"Now, now," Erina said, clapping her hands together lightly. "Let's just dig in, everyone."
Nora grabbed a spoon and took a tentative bite. Her eyes widened. "Oh my… this is so delicious. Even better than Master Morgana's cooking," she muttered to herself, excitement creeping into her voice.
"You're not kidding—this is the best food I've tasted in five years," Erin said, grinning without thinking.
Erina froze, the smile fading from her face. Her eyes narrowed. "I heard that, Erin." Her voice carried a sharp edge. "Just so you know, Darrion won't be here forever. You're going to have to start cooking for yourself… since apparently my food never counted."
Erin blinked, caught off guard. "But I didn't mean—" He winced, shoulders tensing as if her words had struck him harder than he expected.
Darrion leaned slightly closer to Erina, lowering his voice to a near whisper. "Miss Erina… may I ask you a few questions in private before we eat? I won't be long."
"Sure," she said, tilting her head curiously.
"Nora, Erin… I'm just stepping out for a bit. I'll be right back, okay? You can continue without us."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Nora said with a grin, already digging into her bowl again.
"Sure, sis," Erin replied, eyes focused on his plate but still aware of their departure.
Once the door closed, Erina turned to Darrion. "So… what did you want to ask?" Her hands played behind her back as she leaned forward slightly, eyes bright with curiosity.
"Well… I only want to ask two questions," Darrion said, his tone low and serious.
"I'm listening," Erina said, tilting her head, folding her hands in front of her.
Darrion inhaled sharply. "I was in a fight with an unknown fiend—one overwhelmingly powerful. I won't go into all the details of the battle, but I was badly injured. Fractured shoulder, broken ribs… at least a few, and a large wound on my arm. So… tell me why I woke up suddenly, fully healed, as if nothing had happened." His fists clenched slightly at his sides, armor shifting with the movement.
Erina paused, then held out a small bottle of red liquid. "Do you want the honest truth… or half the truth?"
"Down to every last detail," Darrion said firmly.
"Well, first off, my brother and Nora were the ones who carried you here, since the both of us were unconscious," she explained. "My brother also informed me that your injuries were severe—beyond natural recovery. So… he used this." She held the bottle a little higher, letting the liquid catch the light.
Darrion frowned. "What exactly is that?"
"Can't you tell? It's a healing potion." She tilted her head, as if the answer were obvious.
"I see… so what herbs did you mix in to make it so powerful? Might be useful for fighting fiends," he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly, voice calm but probing.
Erina shook her head. "There weren't any herbs involved."
"What do you mean? Then… what was it made from?" Darrion leaned in, the shadows of the room crossing his features.
"The only material used is expensive… but when sold, it makes enough money for me and my brother to get by."
"That's not what I asked," Darrion's tone sharpened. "Stop circling—out with it already."
Erina hesitated, then sighed. "Well… it's not something we share with villagers. But since you insist… this mixture was made using the essence stone of a fiend, broken down into a fine powder. Typically… their core."
Darrion's eyes went wide. He stepped forward, grabbing the fabric at her shoulders and lifting her slightly off the ground. "What did you say? You and your brother made me drink the essence of a fiend? Do you have any idea what you've done?!" His grip tightened, a faint scrape of cloth against his armor echoing in the quiet room.
"Yes… and if we hadn't, you'd be dead—or crippled. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." She held his gaze firmly, despite being suspended off the floor.
"Who gave you the right to make that choice for me?" Darrion's voice rose, anger vibrating through every word. "I would have chosen death over drinking that! How dare the both of you commit such a crime? You cursed me with fiend essence running freely in my body!"
Erina exhaled slowly, remaining calm. "Call it what you like… or report to the Union if it helps you sleep at night. But the fact remains: this concoction saved your life and maintained your purpose as a knight. It has saved countless people—from this village and others within a hundred miles. It's cured diseases, illnesses, even cancer. Calling this a curse… is a horrible thing to say."
Darrion's hands loosened slightly, but his eyes burned. "You're saying the core of creatures that caused mass annihilation decades ago is… a blessing? What the hell is wrong with you?"
"There's no other explanation," Erina said firmly. "Oh, and for the record… it doesn't affect the user. I tested it on myself. Once its work is done, it leaves the body completely."
Darrion hesitated, then released her shoulders. Erina touched the tender part of her neck where he had bruised her skin. "Well… that answers your first question."
Darrion rubbed his jaw, taking a step back. "And the second?"
"Why do you and my brother don't seem surprised or frightened by a witch's existence?" Darrion's voice carried a hint of incredulity.
"Why should we be?" Erina replied easily, arms crossed lightly.
"Why shouldn't you? Don't you know how dangerous they are? How destructive if they lose all humanity to despair or emotion?"
Erina's expression hardened. "If you're speaking about Nora… let me say this. She saved this entire village, saved me and my brother—the only family I have left—and also you. All while risking her life, and exposing that she's a half-blood to you and the Union. If that isn't proof she's human… then I don't know what is."
Her eyes softened slightly, though her tone remained firm. "She has a heart purer than anyone I've met. Yes, she can be childish, but she's kind. Is that what defines dangerous?"
Darrion clenched his fists at his sides, the tension in his armor audible.
Erina stepped past him, brushing her hands together lightly. "Listen… let's forget we ever had this conversation. Come on—back to dinner." She walked toward the doorway, leaving Darrion standing, silent, his chest rising and falling steadily as he watched her go.