Downstairs, I find that Alice is still wearing her silver armor, but she is wearing a bright pink apron over the armor. It does look weird, but she looks like she does not care, and she looks happy.
She is humming a soft, melodic tune. During the humming, the scent of the cooking floated around the whole house. At that moment, the aroma hit me, and my stomach started to growl quietly.
My attention is still kept in her weird fashion. I sigh that I can't believe there is a blithesome person who would wear this type of outfit like that.
*Haha... What a weird fashion...*
I said inside my thought, slowly and quietly, getting a seat.
While cooking, Alice speaks up.
"It's almost done. Did you check your room?"
She asked, not even turning back, and kept cooking.
"Oh, I checked it... Thanks for letting me stay."
I responded diffidently to her sudden question, haven't talked much with others before.
After I said, I sat down on a wooden chair, looking at her cooking while waiting for food.
*Damn it, Zin, why do you have to be this awkward...*
I thought to myself again, now with a long, heavy sigh.
Alice already takes off the apron and puts it aside, comes toward the table, and places down two wooden bowls of soup, two plates of steak, and a bundle of silverware. The food on the dishes looks very delicious; the aroma of it comes through my nose, making me very hungry right now. I'm trying my best to be polite.
She looks at me with a smile and sits down opposite me to eat.
"Oh. You... took your glasses off. You look good. I mean... you look good without them."
She said with awkwardness and hesitation, prepared to start eating.
"Haha... Thanks..."
I laughed, awkwardly.
"They are for dinner, hope you enjoy them."
She said, grabbing a fork and a knife to dig into the steak.
"Oh, thanks for the meal."
I said, grabbing the spoon and tasting the soup.
I freeze the moment I take my first sip of the soup. It is incredible. It does not look fancy or taste like a five-star restaurant's meal, but in a way that I hardly know how to find words to describe the deliciousness of the soup. The broth is rich and warm, with tender chunks of meat and perfectly cooked vegetables like carrots supporting the taste of the soup.
I quickly finish the soup and taste the steak. The steak was cooked perfectly. It's juicy as I use a fork and poke it. I grab a knife and cut a piece of the steak, and slowly put the piece in my mouth. The piece is slowly melting inside my mouth as I taste it.
I look happy while tasting the food, feel like flying through the melting of that food. But from Alice's point of view, I look normal, with a slightly flinching emotion while eating.
While we're eating, silence between us, both of us focus on our own meal.
*I have nothing to talk to him... What should I do...*
Alice thought, also eating her dish, a little faster now.
"Um… how is it? Do you like it?"
She asked, Finally, have the courage to ask.
"Oh... It's good..."
I said, and we went to silence again.
The system pops up from nowhere, with an ellipsis, feeling like it is speechless at this dinner. Looks like the system witnessed this the whole time, I can feel the "Helpless look" through those ellipses.
«You sure are an introvert.»
I stay quiet, not answering the system's comment.
*Just shut up and leave, system.*
I thought, pissed off when the system appeared after I told it not to.
As we continue our dinner, a loud banging suddenly appears at the door.
I'm in the middle of dinner when the sudden bang from the door makes me jolt upright. My soup is nearly slopping over the edge of the bowl. My heart's racing so fast as I was caught off guard by the noise.
Alice, however, is only mildly surprised, nothing like my reaction. It's as if she's been in this moment all before.
"Who is that?"
I asked, turn my head and look at the door.
Alice falls silent, her eyes fixing on the door. She stands up slowly from her seat and approaches the door. As she grips the handle and pulls the door open, a gust of cold air comes inside, instantly destroying the cozy warmth of the house. A figure stands there, breathing heavily. It's Arthur.
"L-leader?!"
A small gasp came out from Alice, confused that Arthur appeared at night.
"W-WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!"
He said, paused to take a breath, and continued.
"The Monster Raid... It's about to appear again!"
"WHAT?!"
She was surprised and took a step back.
The atmosphere between their conversation is growing so tense that they both seem to forget I am still even here.
*Monster Raid...?!*
I thought, surprised at their conversation.
"Yes, but with the undead too, so they need our guild help."
He said, with a little anxiousness on his face.
Alice stands there, close her eyes to think for a second before deciding to do something.
" Okay, I get it. When does the raid start?"
Arthur pensives for a while before answering.
"A few more hours before it starts."
Alice, after getting the answer she wanted, turns her attention to me. With a stern and firm voice.
"Zin, I know it will be rude, but this is for your safety. Please come to your room and lock the door; you will be safe tonight if you do that."
She said, no room for argument.
"I-I understand..."
I said, getting up from my chair and walking toward the staircase.
I continue walking until I finally round the corner, out of Alice's sight. With me gone, she turned her attention back to Arthur.
"Let's go!"
Arthur nods, and they both run toward outside, heading to the Kingdom in the middle of the night.
I, who was supposed to be inside the room, am standing in the second-floor hallway, struggling to process everything that had just happened.
*Monster Raid? Do those raids appear in novels or anime?*
I thought, while I'm putting my hand on my chin, and I think.
The system appears, trying to communicate with me.
«Are you going to investigate and join them?»
The system suggested a bold suggestion.
"WHAT? NO!"
I said, dismaying the system suggested.
"I won't risk my life early in the story."
I added, more dismaying the suggestion.
«I feel bad for the kingdom for summoning a timid and fearful person like you.»
I am silent, my face darkens, as I look at an empty space.
"They are nice, but I'm sorry..."
I said, walking toward my room.
The system, following me, does not respond to my reply, as if it knows what I am thinking right now.
*A useless teenager that no one liked... Saving the world? What a delusion...*
I thought, standing in front of my room door.
I gripped the door handle, hesitating for a moment as the system's request stuck inside my mind before I pulled it open.
The moment I pull the door open, a bolt of lightning goes through my head. A bizarre, hollow feeling. I feel like my soul is slowly escaping, separating from my body. I fall and hit the floor hard. I collapse. The system rushes toward me, worried.
«ZIN!!!»