Although Greg had previously exposed Lilith's hidden feelings in public, his original intention was to encourage the sisters to be honest with each other. However, thinking about it calmly now, while that move might have been effective, it had certainly caused the tsundere girl to experience a social death in front of everyone.
Thinking this, Greg felt a strange twinge of guilt, realizing his methods might have been a bit too blunt and heavy-handed.
Since she had come here in disguise, Greg decided not to expose her for now, giving them both some room to maneuver.
"Oh, it's just you, Lily."
Greg released his grip and stood up, scratching his head with a slightly embarrassed expression. "I thought some reckless thief had snuck into my camp. Sorry, I might have been a bit too rough."
"I-it's fine..."
Lilith scrambled up from the ground, patting the dust off her cloak. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and her voice was much softer than before. Rarely, she didn't lose her temper, instead admitting awkwardly, "I-it was my fault... for not telling you I was coming today and sneaking around... I'm also to blame."
Nightmare, who had just reached the edge of the camp, sat elegantly on a flat rock, her emerald eyes watching the pair of youngsters and their subtle dynamic with great interest.
To her, this was far more entertaining than catching slippery fish in the underground river with her claws. The hesitant, awkward, and tentative interactions between humans were always a delight to observe.
"Uh... right!"
Greg cleared his throat, trying to break the strange atmosphere by picking the safest topic. "Anyway, do you want to grab a bite? I've been working on a few new flavors recently. The ingredients are fresh, and the taste should be... more interesting than the skewers last time."
"New dishes?!"
Sure enough, at the mention of food, Lilith's eyes lit up instantly. Her previous embarrassment and complicated thoughts seemed to fade significantly.
The simple skewers from last time had already opened a new door to gourmet food for her, and she was full of anticipation for these "more interesting" new dishes Greg mentioned.
Seeing her reaction, Greg breathed a secret sigh of relief. Fortunately, this Princess was not only a tsundere but also a foodie; otherwise, he really wouldn't have known how to steer the conversation away from that awkward incident.
"Okay, just wait a moment. I'll start preparing."
Greg walked toward the simple stove made of stones in the center of the camp and skillfully started a small campfire.
He took several prepared ingredients from a nearby cool grotto: a few pieces of tender meat from a type of underground lizard, pink in color with a delicate texture; several thick Parasol mushrooms gathered from the shadows of the second layer, emitting a faint fragrance; some shellfish found by the underground river, and a few eggs from an unknown bird.
The seasoning was his own blend of aromatic mosses and mineral salts.
Greg moved efficiently, first placing a thin, flat stone slab over the fire to preheat it and greasing it with a bit of animal fat. He quickly sliced the meat into even, thin pieces with his pocket knife. They sizzled on the hot stone, their edges curling slightly and releasing a mouth-watering aroma.
He placed the Parasol mushrooms directly by the fire to roast. Once they softened and released their juices, he sprinkled them with his special spices. He pried open the shellfish with a small pair of tongs, revealing the plump meat inside, and heated them directly on the stone with a pinch of salt. Finally, he cracked the bird eggs onto the stone, frying them into beautiful sunny-side-up eggs.
His movements were fluid and natural. His mastery over the heat was clearly well-practiced, not at all like the pampered former young master he once was.
Lilith sat on a stone covered with animal skin, her chin resting in her hands as she watched Greg's busy back without blinking. No matter how many times she saw it, she still found it somewhat unbelievable.
Greg Sass, who not long ago had been arrogant and domineering, was now so skilled at handling chores and preparing fragrant food in the most primitive way deep within this dangerous dungeon. If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she would never have believed it.
Now, he had shed his previous impetuousness and malice, looking almost like the sunny, cheerful older brother from her distant memories.
"But... just why did he change back into this person?"
"Is it really... for the sister he admires, Vivian?"
This thought wound around her heart like a cold thread. Lilith shook her head gently and looked away, unwilling to dwell on it further.
Her gaze fell on the cat lying lazily on the other side of the campfire—completely black with glowing emerald eyes.
A cat... in the dungeon? Did Greg keep it?
Although she didn't know where the black cat came from, fluffy little animals had a natural appeal to most girls. Lilith hesitated for a moment, then extended a slender finger and wiggled it toward the black cat, trying to get its attention.
However, the black cat only lazily lifted an eyelid, gave her an extremely indifferent glance with those emerald eyes that seemed to see through one's soul, and then nonchalantly lowered its head to continue licking its front paw, completely ignoring her advances.
Lilith: "..."
To think that in this dungeon, even a cat would dare to ignore her.
The corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, but then a strange sense of relaxation replaced that slight frustration.
Here, she wasn't the Second Princess burdened with the kingdom's expectations and royal responsibilities. She wasn't the genius magic girl who had to be perfect under everyone's gaze.
She could just be Lily—a normal girl who had temporarily escaped those halos and shackles, sitting by a campfire waiting for food. No etiquette to maintain, no gazes to mind, and for a moment... she didn't even have to think about the complicated sisterly relationship, family expectations, or her own awkward feelings.
She felt like she... might have started to like this place. This rare, undisturbed peace and freedom.
But this relaxation didn't last long. Her thoughts soon spiraled back uncontrollably.
"But... if Greg's change really is because of his admiration for Sister... then would my frequent visits to his camp be... a nuisance? After all, I..."
She unconsciously curled her legs, resting her chin on her knees and wrapping her arms around herself. The flickering firelight cast a long, lonely, swaying shadow behind her.
After a moment of silence, she spoke in a voice that was almost a whisper, carefully asking the question that had been circling in her mind for a long time:
"Um... Gre—cough, Senior. Um... Senior, do you really... like Lady Vivian? Because... I heard about what happened that morning..."
Rate on N.U.
