For Alaster, walking back to The Forest’s Rest inn was much easier than expected.
Even though he had to march at a brisk pace for nearly twenty minutes under the afternoon sun, the imposing four-story structure towering ahead made the effort entirely worth it.
The building—a complex, sturdy combination of dark wood beams and carved stone foundations—loomed proudly over the neighboring structures. Its intricate roof of reddish tiles gave it a rustic yet stately presence.
At the entrance, a large wooden sign carved with the image of a beer mug and an iron key denoted its dual function as both an inn and a restaurant.
The atmosphere depended entirely on the hour you crossed the threshold. In the morning, it was a bright, tranquil restaurant filled with guests and regulars quietly eating breakfast. At night, it transformed into a boisterous tavern overflowing with thirsty adventurers.
It was just past 4:00 PM when Alaster pushed open the heavy double doors.
Entering the lobby, he found it bathed in the calm before the rush hour. The tables were almost entirely empty. The only person around was Jinneth.
The young woman seemed to have discarded her usual, modest maid's dress and apron. Instead, she wore light gray shorts and a pink halter top.
With purely masculine instinct, Alaster’s eyes automatically scanned the girl's long, shapely, uncovered legs.
Jinneth was curled up on a leather sofa, completely absorbed in a book, until the elf's footsteps broke the silence of the room.
Looking up, Jinneth caught her breath.
There he was. The most handsome elf she had ever seen in her entire life. He beat the second place on her list by a mile—a noble elf she had seen strolling through the central plaza two years ago. But this specimen possessed a vastly superior physique.
At least, that was what the sudden spike in her pulse dictated.
Her heart skipped a beat when Alaster, letting out a tired sigh, slumped onto the sofa right next to her.
Only four hours had passed since he left that morning, but having him close again was just as breathtaking as the first time. The "immunity" she thought she had built against the elf's sex appeal vanished in a blink.
Before she could utter a word, a small object dropped directly onto her bare thighs. Jinneth looked down, blinking in confusion. It was a square box made of light wood, slightly smaller than the book she was holding.
—What's this...? —she murmured, glancing at Alaster with faintly flushed cheeks.
The elf looked at her sideways, suppressing a grimace of pain.
—They're sweets —he said, trying to keep the agony out of his voice.
Thirty copper coins for that damn box, Joseph wept internally. That costs me as much as two full days of lodging without meals!
Glancing to his side, he noticed that less than an arm's length away, the beautiful blonde was hugging her bare legs, resting her chin on her knees while staring fixedly at him.
—H-how did it go? —the girl managed to ask timidly, forcing a small smile.
It struck Alaster that she was suddenly less cheerful or perhaps more nervous than usual, but he chose to ignore it. He sat up on the sofa, reached out, and grabbed the heavy stash of books he had brought from the Adventurers' Guild, showing them off proudly.
—Look, I got a bunch of real spellbooks.
Jinneth, however, barely paid attention to the grimoires.
Her gray eyes were locked onto the box of sweets, and a torrent of romantic thoughts flooded her mind: But... he didn't listen to me! This morning I told him to bring something sweet to the inn, meaning his lips... and the big dummy goes and brings me actual sweets!
Letting out a resigned sigh that mixed frustration with tenderness, Jinneth began to crawl forward on her knees across the sofa, dragging the box with her until she closed the distance to the elf.
Alaster had already buried his nose in a worn-covered book.
Kneeling like that, Jinneth’s silhouette sat slightly higher than his, giving her a perfect peripheral view of his upper profile... and his half-open shirt. Three unbuttoned fasteners revealed enough of the elf's firm chest to send a sudden, intense tingling straight to the young woman's lower abdomen.
—Al... —she called softly, pulling out a sweet shaped like a miniature donut, though completely unglazed—. Want one?
She brought the treat directly to Alaster’s lips.
Without taking his eyes off the pages of the grimoires, the elf opened his mouth and took a clean bite. As he chewed, his taste buds met a pasty filling. Sweet beans mixed with something else... honey, maybe? Joseph analyzed.
—Thanks... —Alaster said once he finished chewing, turning his face toward her.
Jinneth’s gray eyes met his from just inches away.
The girl offered him the sweetest smile in the world, paired with a feline gaze that threatened to melt his resolve. Her skin, sun-kissed from a trip to the southern beaches, gave her an exotic, irresistible glow when contrasted with her coppery, almost reddish-blonde hair.
There was no denying Jinneth was pretty. But at the same time, her curves made it clear she was no child. That round, firm bust and athletic silhouette practically screamed youth and sensuality.
She's an incredibly attractive blonde, no doubt about it, Alaster admitted to himself. But right now, I need to keep a cool head.
Having survived the imminent danger of enslavement or starvation, his absolute priority was learning real magic and becoming self-sufficient.
He held the volume of [Common Combat Spells] in his hands. His goal was to master at least two offensive incantations before the first mission Master LessFeruz warned him about materialized.
The plan is clear: learn combat magic and fend for myself, he repeated like a mantra, trying to ignore the girl's fruity scent. Besides, no matter how handsome Mila and Arya say I am, it doesn't change the fact that I have to work to survive like any other mortal.
Glancing slightly away from his book, he noticed the sheer intensity with which Jinneth was watching him.
Caught in the act, the girl instantly averted her gaze, her face flushing completely red. It was then that Alaster realized just how close her bare legs were. They were proportionate, smooth, and a tempting cinnamon hue that promised an incredibly pleasant tactile experience.
Driven by impulse, Alaster placed his free hand on the leather sofa and lazily slid it backward until, "coincidentally," his fingers brushed against the girl's small, delicate bare foot.
He remained still, waiting for her reaction.
Jinneth felt the sudden warm contact and looked down, her heart leaping into her throat.
There, right against her instep, was Alaster’s hand.
Instead of pulling away, the blonde hugged her knees even tighter, holding her breath. W-What is he doing? She followed the line of the elf's arm and saw he was still holding the book with his other hand, eyes fixed on the pages. Since they were sitting so close, the physical contact felt like a casual accident, as if he were simply leaning back and his hand had slipped.
Determined not to be outdone, Jinneth slightly lifted her foot, moved it timidly, and let it rest gently right on top of Alaster’s hand.
The elf didn't move or withdraw his fingers.
It seems he hasn't noticed... she thought with a mischievous smile.
Thus began a silent, dangerous game in the dim light of the common room—a game where the boldest initiatives came from the young woman, while the elf tried to rigorously concentrate on his magical formulas.
A few hours later, night fell over the settlement.
Alaster remained in the exact same position, absorbed in his studies, but Jinneth had disappeared a while ago. Suddenly, she reappeared carrying a heavy wooden tray with two steaming bowls and two large clay mugs.
As she set the tray on the low table, the aroma of beef stew and freshly baked bread flooded the room. Beside the food, a generous mug overflowing with frothy beer awaited the elf.
Jinneth, however, didn't wait. She grabbed her own mug and began drinking in large gulps, seeking to drown the nerves gnawing at her chest.
Dinner didn't last long. Alaster devoured the stew gratefully and resumed his reading immediately after.
It was barely 7:00 PM, and he felt he was making titanic strides in understanding mana. Jinneth, however, had her own plans for the evening.
Settled back on the sofa at a scant distance from the elf, the blonde's mind was a whirlwind due to the alcohol. Jin... you've already downed three mugs of beer. If you don't dare now, when will you? she rallied herself, contemplating Alaster’s perfect profile under the candlelight. Besides, it's his fault for being so handsome. I'm just a young, helpless victim of circumstance. Nobody will blame me... No woman in the world would reproach me for what I'm about to do!
Comforted by her own drunken logic, she put her plan into motion.
She let out an exaggeratedly loud yawn and, stretching her legs lazily, casually placed her delicate foot directly against the side of Alaster’s torso. It was a brazen, invasive movement, utterly devoid of subtlety—the trademark of someone who had overindulged in drink.
There was no violent reaction. Alaster felt the pressure of her foot against his ribs and thought: Uh... looks like this girl is a bit restless. She's so innocent she doesn't realize it's dangerous to get this close to a man... elf, I mean. Anyone could misinterpret her...
The elf stopped himself short. Or am I the one misinterpreting?
He recalled the insistence of the receptionist Mila earlier that afternoon, her purely carnal proposition, and the firmness with which she had called him "very handsome." He felt his masculine ego inflate a bit, but forced himself to maintain control.
He glanced at Jinneth. The girl's face reflected a mix of sweetness and apparent oblivion. This girl makes you want to eat her up with kisses... No! Concentrate, Joseph! Focus! Magic first, women later.
That ended up being the pattern for the next two days.
Jinneth grew progressively bolder, going so far as to slide her bare feet underneath Alaster’s shirt, deliberately seeking direct contact with his defined abdominal muscles.
Feeling the firm warmth of the elf's torso through the soles of her feet caused a wave of heat to shoot straight to her crotch, exploding into rushes of urgency that forced her, on more than one occasion, to bolt toward the stable for a cold water bath.
For his part, Alaster had fallen into an obsessive spiral of study—a behavioral trait inherited from his former life as a computer programmer.
To him, spending hours analyzing runes and energy flows was as natural as breathing. Over those two days of voluntary confinement, he had become thoroughly accustomed to the constant, stimulating presence of the blonde.
On the afternoon of the third day, while Jinneth watched him from a wooden chair pulled right up to the sofa, Alaster raised his free hand.
After concentrating his mana, a long, sharp lance of ice began to materialize, hovering over his palm.
—Oh! —Jinneth exclaimed, her eyes widening—. It's almost completely transparent! And it looks incredibly hard... —she commented with a mix of excitement and timidity.
Seizing the moment, the girl dragged her chair a bit closer, repeating the movement that had already become familiar to both of them.
However, on this occasion, when she stretched out her foot searching for the elf's abdomen, she was met by the flat, freezing contact of the ice shard Alaster interposed in her path.
—Ah! —Jinneth retracted her foot with a sharp squeak of surprise.
After quickly examining the sole of her foot and confirming it was completely unharmed, she looked at the elf with a tender pout, her eyes slightly watery.
Alaster let out a clean laugh, but cut it short upon seeing the blonde's sour expression. That puckered look on her lips threatened to spiral into a monumental tantrum.
With a guilty smile, the elf reached out, caught the girl's small foot by the ankle, and pulled it toward him.
Immediately, he began to channel a subtle current of fire magic, releasing a faint, comforting warmth that enveloped Jinneth’s cold foot.
The young woman's face changed instantly, flashing a radiant smile. This girl is way too spoiled... Alaster thought with amusement.
—Al... —she said, slurring her words slightly with a faint blush—. You've been stuck in here studying for nearly three whole days... Don't you think you should go out and get some fresh air?
Alaster averted his gaze toward the wall clock in the common room, which marked a little past 4:00 PM. He closed the magic book and looked at her.
—Can you think of a place we could go?
Jinneth smiled excitedly, but before she could propose anything, the authoritative voice of Marly, her mother, resonated from the entrance of the communal kitchen:
—Don't you dare take him out for a stroll, young lady! You promised you'd help me test a new dish today. We need something that sells well, is cheap, and attracts more customers from the workshops.
Jinneth, who could still feel the elf's warm hand caressing her foot and slowly moving up her calf to warm it, experienced a sudden shiver. But it wasn't a shiver of fear; it was pleasant, electrifying.
—Sorry, Al —the blonde sighed, releasing her foot from the elf's grip with a degree of reluctance—. I have some work to do with Mom.
—What kind of dish do you have to prepare? —he asked, intrigued.
Jinneth tilted her head thoughtfully, pinning her gaze on the ceiling beams.
—Something that is extremely easy to prepare and doesn't cost too much money —Jinneth explained.
Sitting so close, the girl's position—with her legs bent and her feet resting on the edge of the sofa—left Joseph with a direct line of sight to the tempting expanse of her cinnamon thighs.
Taking advantage of the established playful boundaries between them, Alaster reached out and began to gently stroke from the young woman's ankle, moving leisurely up the smooth skin of her leg. Jinneth flushed completely red but continued to smile without offering the slightest resistance.
Wait... Joseph suddenly paused, freezing his fingers for a second. How old is she exactly? Eighteen?
Due to the intense May heat, Jinneth’s daily shorts left far too much skin exposed.
You have to control yourself, Joseph... Look at that innocent face. It's obvious she doesn't know what she's doing, she probably just thinks it's a game or wants attention to chat.
If Alaster could have read Jinneth’s mind at that precise moment, he would have been scandalized. The blonde's thoughts were the polar opposite of innocent: Come on, come on... just a tiny bit higher and I'll brush against that massive package with my toes...
The young woman's gray eyes, which seemed like the epitome of purity to Joseph, were filled with a worldly, burning desire.
Having recently turned nineteen, Jinneth was a hotbed of hormones trapped in a monotonous routine of baking bread and wiping tables. Being near the elf—and especially that perfect abdomen—had become her daily obsession.
Alaster, meanwhile, tore between giving in to the girl's obvious insinuations or focusing on his growth as a mage. However, he couldn't deny that he loved the attention.
In his past life on Earth, his days had been gray—an endless succession of lines of computer code, solitude, and cold microwave meals. Now, Jinneth filled his afternoons with hot tea, an untiring, sweet voice, and homemade dishes packed with an obvious effort to please him.
Right, I think it's time to return the favor, Alaster decided.
He racked his brains searching through his culinary memory from Earth while reviewing the theory for [Fire Arrow] for the hundredth time—the most basic pyro-element spell, memorizing the visualization runes and applying physical combustion concepts to boost it.
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in his mind as he remembered a specific ingredient he had seen in the inn's storeroom.
He stood up abruptly from the sofa, causing Jinneth’s legs to drop onto the cushion. The girl looked at him with a furrowed brow, pouting in displeasure at the sudden loss of contact.
—I have the perfect idea for the dish —the elf announced with a confident smile.
—Eh? And what is it? —Jinneth asked, jumping from her chair like a spring, her curiosity overriding her annoyance—. Where are we going?
—To the storeroom. We're going to get the winter corn.
Jinneth wrinkled her nose, making a face of disgust.
—But Al, winter corn is what we feed the chickens. It tastes terrible and it's hard as stone —she complained, crossing her arms.
—Trust me —he replied with a wink.
Within a few minutes, both were installed in the inn's kitchen. It was a small but well-equipped room with several thick wooden counters around, sacks of provisions, and large stone hearths.
Lacking the necessary patience, Alaster quickly assembled a small structure of kindling with dry tinder in the center of the hearth. He tried using a splash of cooking oil to ease the process, but the wood resisted catching.
Losing his thread of patience, he concentrated a small shred of mana into the tip of his index finger, conjuring a thread of fire. He fed the flow of mana until it turned into a controlled mini-flamethrower.
The wood caught fire in a couple of seconds.
Alaster smiled smugly as he placed a stone lid on top, equipped with a central hole and a metal grate, which served as a support for the pot, keeping it separated from the direct fire at the exact distance. The cast-iron pot began to heat up at an impressive speed.
He poured a generous splash of oil into the bottom and then threw in a handful of the winter corn—that cheap, smooth, extremely hard grain stored for the birds because it didn't spoil with moisture.
—This should be enough —Alaster said, placing the heavy lid on the pot.
Jinneth watched him while leaning against the counter, still skeptical.
However, just a few moments later, a violent POP! echoed inside the cast iron, followed immediately by an incessant barrage of miniature explosions that made the lid vibrate.
—Ahhh! It's going to explode! —Jinneth shrieked, startled by the racket.
Without thinking, she leapt backward and clung tightly to Alaster’s arm, burying her face in the elf's shoulder.
Alaster let out a clean laugh, enjoying the girl's closeness and warmth.
—Calm down, it's not going to blow up the kitchen. It's just the grain opening up —he teased her, patting her back—. They're almost ready.
When the internal firefight ceased, Alaster removed the pot from the fire and lifted the lid, revealing a mountain of white, fluffy, steaming popcorn. Jinneth peeked over, marveled by the magical transformation of the hard chicken feed.
With agility, they scooped the cargo into a large wooden bowl and proceeded to separate it into three smaller portions using bowls.
To the first portion, they added melted butter; to the second, a generous pinch of fine salt. For the third, Alaster took a metal pan, threw in a good amount of sugar, and placed it over the remaining fire, stirring patiently until the white powder transformed into a thick, golden liquid caramel.
With extreme care, he poured the caramel over the remaining popcorn, stirring so it coated well.
—Try them —Alaster invited, offering her the caramel bowl.
Jinneth took a handful and brought it to her mouth.
Her gray eyes opened as wide as they could, and her cheeks puffed out as she chewed enthusiastically. The crunch followed by the explosion of sweetness made her hop up and down with joy.
—This is incredible! It's delicious, Al! —she exclaimed with a highly animated, expressive reaction—. I have to tell Mom right now!
The girl dashed out of the kitchen like a whirlwind and returned barely a minute later, dragging Marly by the hand, who wore a flour-stained apron and a skeptical expression.
—Let's see, what's all this fuss about chicken corn? —the woman asked.
Alaster handed her the bowl with the caramelized variety. Marly took a few pieces of popcorn, tasted them, and kept silent for exactly three seconds while savoring the texture.
Suddenly, her eyes lit up with the greed characteristic of an experienced merchant.
—By the gods... this is addictive —Marly sentenced, staring at the pot with fascination—. It's crunchy, light, and costs almost nothing to produce. The salt and butter ones will be a hit to accompany cheap beer, but these... these caramel ones... We'll sell them as a luxury item for merchants and high-ranking adventurers! It's going to leave us a tremendous profit.
Marly began making mental calculations at top speed.
—I have to get back to the main hall to serve the customers arriving from their workshops, but make more. This goes on the menu tonight! —the woman ordered, leaving the kitchen at a brisk pace, rubbing her hands with glee.
Just as Marly crossed the threshold to leave, the slender, familiar figure of Arya entered the kitchen.
The elven archer halted her steps, wrinkling her refined nose as she sniffed the air permeated with the scent of butter and toasted sugar.
—What is this sickeningly sweet smell? —Arya asked, pinning her blue eyes on Alaster with disdain—. I see you're still wasting time on nonsense instead of training your spells.
Without breaking his smile, Alaster extended his left hand to the side.
Without uttering a single word of a chant, he rapidly channeled his mana and created a small [Ice Lance], the exact size of his palm, hovering with perfect stability before dissipating it into the air with a subtle hiss.
Arya narrowed her eyes. Externally, she confined herself to letting out a cold:
—Well... it seems you at least know how to summon it.
However, inside, the elf's mind was a chaos of incredulity and bewilderment: This doesn't make any common sense! An ordinary mage would have taken months of study and daily practice just to achieve the form of that spell... How is it possible that this fool has mastered [Ice Lance] and [Fire Arrow] in just two days? It's exactly what the Guildmaster warned about... Is this idiot some kind of monstrous prodigy for magic?
Trying to deflect attention from her own amazement, Arya fixed her gaze on the wooden bowls crowding the counter.
—Well? What is that you're eating? —she asked, trying to sound indifferent.
—Alaster and I made them —Jinneth replied proudly, stepping forward—. They're called popcorn. You can try them if you want!
Arya didn't need to be asked twice.
Without a trace of the refined manners she usually feigned, she stretched out her gloved hand, took a large handful from the caramel bowl, and began eating without the slightest hesitation, causing loud crunches to fill the room.
While chewing with her cheeks puffed out like a cute hamster, she turned toward Alaster.
—By the way... —Arya said, her voice slightly muffled by the food—. The Guildmaster already assigned you your first official mission. You have to go collect six samples of medicinal plants called [Moon Herb]. They grow in the northern sector, right in the horned rabbit habitat. It's an F-Rank mission, extremely simple.
Alaster arched an eyebrow, interested at last.
—And how much does it pay?
—Between thirty and thirty-five copper coins —the elf replied, finally swallowing.
The elf made a face of deep disgust. That barely covers the cost of the sweets I bought for Jinneth! he thought bitterly.
—Don't make that face —Arya reprimanded him, taking another handful of popcorn—. It's a rookie mission. It should only take you a couple of hours at most if you don't get distracted by the scenery. Besides, who said you're going alone?
Jinneth, listening intently, interlaced her hands with genuine concern on her face.
—Wait, Arya... The horned rabbit habitat? But those are level 5 monsters. Isn't it too dangerous for Alaster?
Arya let out a mocking laugh, wiping a trace of caramel from the corner of her lips.
—Please, Jinneth. Horned rabbits are the most cowardly creatures in the entire forest. They only attack if you corner them in their burrows or if you stupidly surprise them from behind. With this fool's basic magic, it'll be more than enough to scare them off.
The elf dusted off her hands with indifference, bringing the conversation to a close.
—Well, I've done my part by notifying you. I'm leaving.
However, before she could take a single step toward the exit, Jinneth interposed herself in her path.
The blonde looked at the wooden bowl Arya had been holding, and seeing it was completely empty, she let out a cry of frustration, making a massive pout.
—Hey! You ate them all! —Jinneth exclaimed, visibly sulking and crossing her arms—. They were ours!
Arya rolled her eyes in annoyance.
She reached into the leather pouch at her belt, pulled out two shiny silver coins, and held them out to the girl.
—Such a fuss over a bit of sweet grain... Keep the change —the archer sentenced, turning around and walking out of the kitchen while waving her hand in the air as a farewell.
Jinneth’s eyes shone with the reflection of the silver.
She grabbed the coins at lightning speed, treasuring them against her chest with a radiant smile. This girl really loves money, Alaster thought, a drop of sweat sliding down the back of his neck.
Within a few minutes, Marly walked back into the kitchen to drop off some clean dishes. Meanwhile, Alaster and Jinneth were already preparing a new batch of popcorn over the hearth.
—This time we'll eat them while reading on the sofa —Jinneth proposed enthusiastically, adjusting her shorts—. You study your grimoire and I'll get through my romance novel.
Both prepared to gather the utensils, planning a quiet evening of shared reading.
However, before they could take their first step out of the kitchen, a violent crash resonated from the inn's main hall.
It was the dull sound of something heavy falling and shattering against the floor, followed immediately by a bloodcurdling scream that froze the blood of everyone present.