It had to be said, food in the magic world just looked more enticing.
Perhaps it was because magic could make the cultivated ingredients more natural, harmless, and nutritious.
Or perhaps it was a more crude and direct visual effect applied to it.
The world was so big; maybe someone really was bored enough to enchant food with Shinny magic…
It was just a perfectly ordinary Strawberry Sundae.
The pink strawberry juice and white ice cream complemented each other, creating a fresh and elegant visual effect.
Coupled with the garnish of strawberry bits, even Edward, who didn’t particularly like sweets, couldn’t help but swallow his saliva.
“Kirl~”
If time could turn back,
It wouldn’t want to enter this shop that made Edward unhappy.
But the food was already right in front of it.
Kirlia couldn’t help but feel a bit greedy too.
Its small hand grabbed the little spoon and gently scooped a portion with one-third strawberry jam and ice cream.
Then, standing on its tiptoes and leaning forward, it stretched its slender arm out long.
The little spoon was delivered right to Edward’s lips.
“Kir-li-lu!”
“You silly child…”
Sensing the determination in Kirlia’s tone, Edward’s heart warmed.
He didn’t refuse Kirlia’s kindness, took the spoonful, and then said.
“You eat the rest; I don’t like things this sweet.”
“Kir…”
“Eh? Edward, you don’t like sweets?”
Kirlia’s words were interrupted by a female voice.
It recognized the person who had rushed Edward earlier, putting him in an awkward spot.
A blue light flared in its eyes!
But it quickly faded because…
“Er, Erza?!”
Looking at the newcomer with that signature red hair, Edward was quite surprised.
“Is this a new Pokémon? Hello there.”
Erza naturally sat down beside Edward.
And nodded a greeting to Kirlia across from her.
“Kirl…”
Kirlia gave a slight nod in response, then sat down and began to eat the sundae in silence.
“It is… No! Why are you here?”
“This shop’s Strawberry Sundae is very famous. Didn’t you guys come specifically to eat it?!”
While speaking, Erza had already put a large spoonful of sundae into her mouth.
Almost at the same moment, an expression of utter intoxication and happiness bloomed on her face, leaving Edward stunned.
Is it really that good…
wait.
Did you even taste it in that short time?!
The kind for a Korean audience!
Kirlia was equally stunned.
For the first time, she felt such pure happiness from a living being…
Just, just from eating this?
It looked down.
The sundae was crystalline, and the taste was indeed good, but it shouldn’t be to this extent…
“Oh, right, this is for you!”
Erza pushed a tray across.
A burger, fries, and a cola—it was exactly the single-person set meal Edward had hurriedly cancelled.
“For me?”
“Mhm-mhm.”
Erza was too busy eating the sundae to speak.
She only made an affirmative sound from her nose.
“I couldn’t possibly…”
To be honest,
Edward’s stomach was a bit hungry.
His original plan was to find a cheaper place after leaving this shop, or just go eat at the Guild.
Actually, if Edward had been calm enough to change the set meal, or just order a burger and cola, or even scrape together the coins in his pocket, it would have been enough.
Unfortunately, he had panicked at the time.
Thinking about it now, Erza was also somewhat responsible…
At this moment, the enticing aroma of the burger meat kept wafting into his nose.
Having only just started eating meat again yesterday, Edward found it hard to resist; he swallowed a large mouthful of saliva embarrassingly.
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? We’re comrades.”
“It’s only natural for comrades to Helping Hand each other, right?”
Erza said this as if it were an absolute truth.
“Is that so… Yeah, that’s right! Thank you!”
Consequently, Edward’s slightly doubtful tone immediately drew a fierce glare from Erza.
For some reason, he felt guilty and hurriedly changed his tune.
By the time he realized it, he had already peeled off the plastic wrapper of the burger and taken a large bite.
So delicious~
Edward wished he hadn’t been “corrupted” by social etiquette.
Otherwise, it’s just eating a burger, why would it need to be so complicated!
“That’s more like it~”
Erza hummed with satisfaction, seemingly eating the sundae with even more vigor.
And soon, because she used too much force, she clutched her head with a mask of pain.
Clearly, she had brain freeze…
An airheaded girl?
Thinking back to yesterday’s heroic and valiant female knight, who didn’t show even a hint of fear when facing a giant like Onix.
It really was quite a contrast.
He patted his slightly bulging belly with satisfaction.
Then he said to the equally satisfied Erza.
“Are you going back to the Guild?”
“No.”
Erza shook her head, her crimson hair swaying with the movement.
“I’m going straight to do a mission.”
“What mission? Uh, sorry, if it’s not convenient to say, pretend I didn’t ask.”
Edward also happened to have the idea of doing his first mission; after all, he was out of money.
So he asked without thinking.
But then he thought…
do missions and such need to be kept secret?
“There’s nothing inconvenient about it; it’s not S-class.”
Erza didn’t mind, and a name she blurted out made Edward take special notice.
S-class?
As expected, Mages are divided into ranks.
A, B, C, D, E, Iron, Bronze, Silver…
Such a setting is reasonable and more systematic.
But soon, this thought of Edward’s was dismissed.
Erza probably guessed the thoughts of this magic rookie, Edward.
Perhaps she had similar doubts back then, or maybe other newcomers like Natsu had consulted her on this issue over the past two years.
So she explained directly.
“Only S-class is special. I—I’m going to miss the Train! I’ll tell you more when I get back!”
Watching Erza dash away in a blur like a whirlwind.
Edward, who was ready to listen intently, looked at Kirlia in bewilderment, seemingly wanting some comfort from it.
Only to find that this little fellow was also staring blankly in the direction Erza had disappeared, making him wonder what it was thinking.
“What’s wrong?”
“Kirl~”
Kirlia shook its head.
When the happiness generated by the dessert faded, it sensed a deep sorrow within this girl.
That loneliness and despair, as if being on a deserted island in the middle of a vast ocean, made it feel somewhat empathetic.
What was the reason?
Kind-hearted by nature, it really wanted to soothe Erza’s wounds.
But it also felt that this personal desire of its own might bring trouble to Edward, just like the sundae this time.
So it chose not to speak.
“I see.”
Edward didn’t press further.
Standing up, he patted Kirlia’s small head and said.
“Let’s go, time to head to the Guild.”
“Kirl!”