Night fell.
A giant silver moon hung in the velvet-like night sky.
The bright moonlight spilled across the snowfield, coating the frozen world in a dreamlike silver glow.
The Elven camp was brightly lit.
Squads of silver-armored guards patrolled the camp's perimeter, their footsteps silent. Only their armor reflected the cold, chilling light of the moon.
The entire camp was quiet and orderly, filled with the unique elegance and solemnity of the Elven race.
However, this tranquility was soon shattered by an overwhelmingly potent aroma.
It was a complex scent—a blend of sizzling fat, fragrant spices, and the earthy aroma of charcoal.
It carried a primal, wild allure, shamelessly invading everyone's nostrils, relentlessly teasing their taste buds, and awakening the ravenous beasts in their stomachs.
The source of the aroma was just outside Lin Qingyue's tent.
Lin Qingyue had somehow acquired a simple grill and now stood before it, looking every bit the seasoned chef.
With a brush in each hand, she expertly slathered a mysterious sauce onto rows of meat skewers sizzling and dripping with fat.
The ingredients—snow hares and a docile, roe deer-like creature—had been freshly hunted by Xia Lian from the nearby forest.
After Lin Qingyue's simple preparation and marination, the meat now sizzled under the licking flames of the charcoal, releasing an aroma so intense it could instantly evaporate one's sanity.
Lin Xiyue squatted by the grill, clutching a freshly roasted rabbit leg.
She hissed and gasped from the heat, yet eagerly shoved the meat into her mouth, her lips glistening with grease and her face radiating pure bliss.
"Mmm... delicious! So delicious!" she mumbled, her mouth full. "Sis, your cooking skills have improved again!"
Su Wan and Xia Lian sat on small stools nearby, each holding a skewer of roasted meat and taking small, delicate bites.
Su Wan's eating posture remained elegant, but the noticeably faster pace of her chewing betrayed her true feelings.
She had never imagined that food so crude and aesthetically unappealing could taste so... overpowering.
Growing up, she had only been exposed to exquisite, complex dishes, each a work of art. Beautiful, yes, but always feeling like something was missing.
Only now, as the aroma of charcoal, fat, and spices flooded her mouth, did she have a sudden realization—what those works of art lacked was this vibrant, lively flavor known as "the scent of smoke and fire."
Xia Lian's face was flushed red as she ate, making it hard to tell if it was from the heat of the charcoal fire or her own excitement.
As she ate, she gazed at Lin Qingyue with an expression bordering on worship.
In her mind, Sister Qingyue's image had been completely deified.
Her combat power was off the charts, her skills were strange yet powerful, and now even her cooking was maxed out!
What kind of all-powerful goddess is this?!
"Slow down, no one's going to steal it from you."
Lin Qingyue shook her head helplessly at her sister's ravenous eating and handed her another freshly grilled skewer.
"There's still soup simmering in the pot. Save some room."
Just then, the tent flap was pushed aside.
Aeldara's ice-cold face appeared in the doorway.
Her gaze immediately locked onto the sizzling, glistening meat skewers on the grill.
A barely perceptible crack seemed to appear on her usually expressionless face.
Moments later, the figure of Elf Queen Ilanier appeared behind her.
When the rich aroma washed over her, even Her Majesty the Queen, accustomed to the finest delicacies, couldn't help but pause. A deep curiosity flashed in her wine-red eyes.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Queen, Commander."
Seeing the newcomers, Su Wan and Xia Lian quickly put down their meat skewers, stood up, and bowed.
Lin Xiyue's mouth was stuffed with meat, so she could only manage a muffled "Mhm-mhm!" which served as her greeting.
"There's no need for formalities."
Ilanier waved her hand, gesturing for them to sit.
Her gaze, filled with curiosity, swept over the simple grill and the various jars of powders and sauces beside Lin Qingyue.
"It seems I've arrived at just the right time," she said with a smile, her voice sounding particularly pleasant in the cold night air.
Lin Qingyue glanced back at them, her expression unsurprised.
I knew it.
With this aroma, forget people—even the snow rats within a ten-li radius would be crying with envy. It'd be a miracle if Her Majesty could resist.
She raised a freshly grilled skewer, generously sprinkled with cumin and secret spices, and waved it toward the Queen, asking casually:
"Your Majesty, care for some barbecue? Fresh off the grill, the flavor's perfect."
The moment those words left her mouth, not only Su Wan and Xia Lian, but even the nearby Elven Guards on duty were so shocked they nearly dropped their spears.
Inviting Her Majesty the Queen to eat... this... this street-stall-like food?
Was this human girl being a little too bold?
However, Ilanier's reaction once again defied everyone's expectations.
Not only did she show no displeasure, but she actually walked over, stopping before the skewer of meat—grilled to a perfect crisp on the outside, tender within, and glistening with oil. She studied it for a moment.
"This is called... barbecue?"
"Yes, that's what we call it where I'm from," Lin Qingyue nodded. "It's a very popular commoner's delicacy."
"It does... look quite good."
Her Majesty the Queen actually reached out her hand.
With fingers as fair, slender, and flawless as a perfect work of art, she elegantly pinched the end of the bamboo skewer and took the piping-hot meat.
Then, under everyone's stunned gazes, she mimicked Lin Xiyue and took a small, delicate bite.
The slightly charred crust of the meat made an almost imperceptible crunch.
The next moment, the Queen's eyes suddenly lit up.
Those wine-red eyes, usually filled with wisdom and composure, now clearly reflected a brilliant light named "Surprise."
The rich spices, mingled with the meat's natural savory flavor, exploded on her taste buds.
This direct, almost crude, yet perfectly balanced deliciousness was a completely new sensation she had never experienced in her long life.
She took another bite.
This time, her movement was noticeably larger, no longer so reserved. She bit off a whole piece of meat and chewed it elegantly.
The satisfied expression on her face bore a striking resemblance to Lin Xiyue's wolfish grin as she'd devoured her own skewer earlier.
"Delicious!"
She offered her praise without hesitation, then turned to Aeldara, who stood beside her, utterly dumbfounded.
"Aeldara, you must try some. The flavor is truly unique."
Aeldara: "..."
She glanced at the greasy skewer in the Queen's hand, then at the one Lin Qingyue was offering her, and fell into a brief, stunned silence.
As Captain of the Knights, she had undergone the strictest noble etiquette training.
Eating in public by grabbing food with one's bare hands, with no regard for decorum, was absolutely forbidden.
But... an order from Her Majesty the Queen could not be disobeyed.
And besides, the aroma... it was simply irresistible.
Finally, caught between the Queen's encouraging eyes and Lin Qingyue's amused stare, Aeldara accepted the skewer with a deadpan expression and took a stiff, mechanical bite.
Then, she too froze.
On her ice-sculpture-like face, her crimson eyes widened uncontrollably.
"How is it?" Her Majesty the Queen asked with a smile.
Aeldara remained silent for a moment before delivering her verdict in a tone as serious as a military report:
"Very good."
With that, she silently took another large bite.
Lin Qingyue watched the dramatic scene unfold, nearly bursting into laughter.
The stoic Captain's persona is crumbling completely in the face of good food.
See? There's no problem a barbecue can't solve. If there is, just have two.
With the Queen and the Captain of the Knights leading the way, the atmosphere instantly relaxed.
Ilanier simply sat down next to Lin Xiyue, shedding all royal pretense as she joined them for this simple yet delicious dinner.
As she ate, she curiously peppered Lin Qingyue with questions about "barbecue."
From the exotic spices and precise heat control to the art of pairing different meats with various sauces.
Lin Qingyue was happy to chat, taking the opportunity to educate the Queen on profound concepts like "the art of skewers," the delicacy known as "kidneys," and the esoteric philosophy—incomprehensible to natives of this world—that "beer and barbecue are the soul of a summer night."
The Queen nodded repeatedly, her expression clearly saying, I'm learning so much!
Meanwhile, Aeldara sat silently on the other side, her hands moving relentlessly. She devoured skewer after skewer, eating faster than anyone else.
Su Wan watched Her Majesty mingling so naturally with them, her heart filled with emotion.
She had never imagined that the divine and majestic Elven Monarch, ruler of her people, could be so approachable in private.
This didn't feel like a monarch among subjects; it felt more like... a gathering of friends.
Perhaps, just as Qingyue had said, even the noblest of beings couldn't resist the allure of good food.
A single barbecue had successfully bridged the distance between them all.
The atmosphere inside the tent was no longer so formal, replaced by a rare sense of ease and comfort.
Once everyone had eaten their fill, Lin Qingyue ladled out several bowls of steaming hot meat broth from the pot and passed them around.
Ilanier cupped the warm bowl of soup and took a sip. The savory flavor made her narrow her eyes in pleasure.
"Today has been unexpectedly delightful," she murmured, her gaze softening as she looked at Lin Qingyue.
"Thank you for your hospitality, young Priestess. This might be the most delicious meal I've had in the last two hundred years."
"If you like it, I'd be happy to make it for you again when we have the chance," Lin Qingyue replied with a smile.
"You have my word," Her Majesty the Queen smiled back. Bathed in the mingled light of the moon and the campfire, her beauty was breathtaking.
Just as this warm atmosphere settled over them, Aeldara suddenly spoke.
She looked at Lin Qingyue's group of four, a hint of confusion in her crimson eyes.
"There's something I'm curious about."
"Why are the four of you so clean?" she asked. "We all just survived a fierce battle and escaped an avalanche. Logically, you should be in worse shape than us knights."
Her question made everyone realize she was right.
The knights of the Silent Watch, including Aeldara herself, still bore the marks of battle on their armor, stained with mud from the melted snow.
But Lin Qingyue's group of four was spotless and fresh. Not a single strand of hair was out of place, as if they had just bathed.
Lin Xiyue immediately puffed out her chest with pride. "Of course! We have my sister's exclusive secret technique!"
"Exclusive secret technique?" Her Majesty the Queen's interest was piqued.
"That's right!" Lin Qingyue snapped her fingers, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.
"It's time to show you what a true 'Cleanse Spell' looks like!"