Acheron, dressed in an apron with her hair tied in a ponytail that revealed the nape of her neck, turned her head to look at Sylvia, her gentle demeanor shining through effortlessly.
"Welcome back, though why so early? I was just thinking of making something for myself for a change—would you like to try it?"
Holding a kitchen knife, she gestured toward the half-prepared dish.
"…Sure."
Sylvia had to admit, in that moment, she nearly blurted out 'Raiden Mei.' After all, who knew what Acheron's real name actually was?
"Perfect timing—we can have some sweet soup too."
Sylvia held up what she was carrying and smiled at Acheron.
--+--
After quickly changing, she squeezed into the kitchen and stood beside Acheron.
Recalling the steps she had observed from Master Diviner Fu Xuan earlier that day, she got to work.
Making herbal tea was relatively straightforward, though, and as Sylvia moved through the steps, her gaze drifted unconsciously toward Acheron.
Watching her somewhat clumsy grip on the knife, her handling of the kitchen tools, and yet the impeccably prepared ingredients…
For a moment, Sylvia couldn't tell whether Acheron actually knew how to cook or not.
"Acheron, you… can cook?"
"…Mhm, I learned a long time ago. I still remember bits of it."
Acheron paused. In truth, she couldn't even recall when or from whom she had learned—only a vague sense of the steps and how to adjust the flavors.
For a long time, her only requirement for food had been that it was cooked through.
Flavor? What was that? She couldn't really taste it anyway.
So Acheron hadn't originally planned on cooking herself.
Earlier, Sylvia had sent her a message saying she'd ordered dessert for her and wanted to make her some tasty herbal tea.
Whether the flavors matched or not wasn't the point—the act of making something by hand carried its own special meaning.
To do something personally, whether to please someone or simply to share a particular dish…
And Sylvia had so naturally wanted to share what she enjoyed with Acheron.
That sincerity was what had quietly moved Acheron.
So, feeling a little clumsy in this regard and unsure how else to respond, Acheron decided to follow Sylvia's lead and try making something herself.
And because it had been so long since she'd seriously seasoned anything, she figured she ought to taste it first.
At least she was self-aware—Acheron could eat just about anything, but Sylvia's tastes were closer to those of the Xianzhou natives.
Of course, she hadn't expected Sylvia to return earlier than planned.
Sylvia watched Acheron's movements carefully from the side.
The process went smoothly overall, but when it came to seasoning, Acheron's motions grew noticeably hesitant.
"Just how long ago is 'a long time ago'? What made you want to cook all of a sudden?"
Sylvia smiled as she watched Acheron cautiously testing the flavors.
Without turning her head, Acheron replied, "I don't remember. Time is… hard for me to grasp through memory. As for why I wanted to cook… I just wanted to return the gesture."
"Return the gesture?"
Sylvia was taken aback, then glanced down at the half-finished herbal tea in her hands.
They say sincerity is the ultimate weapon, don't they?
She had simply wanted to share something sweet and pleasant with Acheron—no hidden intentions, no overthinking.
Had Acheron really taken it so seriously?
Even preparing a return gift…
For a moment, Sylvia wasn't sure whether to feel flattered or weighed down by the depth of Acheron's feelings.
"Well then, I'll look forward to it."
Sylvia smiled as she responded, but Acheron shook her head.
"It's better not to expect too much from this one."
--+--
What Acheron ended up making looked quite presentable.
It was just that the flavor was… noticeably off.
She ate it without changing her expression, but only when Sylvia took a bite did she realize just how Acheron had seasoned it.
Fortunately, Sylvia's herbal tea turned out well.
In the end, Sylvia took care of what Acheron had made.
Though Acheron herself didn't seem bothered at all—in fact, she ate two large mouthfuls without hesitation.
But Sylvia knew this woman was merely tasting *a* flavor, not savoring something delicious.
"Even though I said I'd explore more flavors with you… you don't have to force yourself to eat something that doesn't bring you joy."
Sylvia placed the plate in the sink, looking at Acheron with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
Acheron stood nearby, holding her cup of sweet soup, her eyes lingering on the discarded food in the trash with something almost like regret.
"Don't look at it like that. If you really want to try again, you can always make it next time."
Hearing Sylvia's reassurance, Acheron nodded and took a sip of the sweet soup.
It wasn't the dish she regretted—just that her cooking skills seemed much further off than she'd expected.
It would likely take more than a little effort to make something Sylvia would truly enjoy.
After all, Acheron knew full well her sense of taste was still in the 'can eat anything' phase.
She'd just have to keep trying.
--+--
Thinking this, Acheron finished the tea in her cup and looked toward Sylvia, who had just finished washing the plate.
Her hand lifted lightly, and a massive blade slid into her grip.
Sylvia had just put the plate away when she turned and startled at the sight.
"What are you doing…?"
She watched Acheron, now holding her blade, with a growing sense of unease.
The pleasant cooking moment had almost made her forget—this woman probably had something else planned.
Acheron didn't speak, only gently tightened her grip on the hilt.
Shing—
The blade was drawn halfway.
A surge of pressure stole Sylvia's breath before swiftly receding.
Before her eyes, Acheron's hair rapidly faded to ash-gray.
A bleached, colorless world slowly enveloped Sylvia.
And within this washed-out realm, a pair of crimson eyes filled her vision, swiftly overwhelming her awareness.
Compared to her usual self, this Acheron seemed calmer, yet tinged with sorrow.
Those crimson eyes overflowed with a deep, profound loneliness.
The power of Nihility seeped into Sylvia's being as Acheron drew closer.
Drip—
A tear of blood trailed from the corner of Acheron's eye and landed at the edge of Sylvia's lips.
"It's not that I don't wish to tell you… but that black sun has pierced through all that I am. Are you certain you want to understand?"
Acheron lowered her gaze, leaning in gently, her tongue quietly catching the bloody tear on Sylvia's cheek.
Her free arm blocked Sylvia's escape, trapping her in the narrow space between them.
"Of course… I wasn't pleased, seeing you grow close to someone else."
A dangerous, intimate tension unfolded from Acheron's faint smile, slowly consuming Sylvia bit by bit.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.