Someone always has to clean up the mess in Tomb of Qianshan…
but not right now.
After several battles, everyone needed a good rest.
The Necromancer Valse was dead, and the resurrected Draugr and skeletons had been dealt with; there wouldn’t be any further threats for a while.
Gordir and his aunt Agna warmly invited the two to their home as guests—if Sio and Kaye hadn’t stepped in to help in time, the two of them alone could never have stood against Valse.
How could Sio refuse such kindness?
She had been dizzily dropped into this world and woke up inside a cell; after rescuing Kaye from the prison and escaping together, they hadn’t found a place to settle down and rest.
Rather than spending a night in a tomb, she much preferred sitting by a warm hearth…!
And so, the group walked out of the family tomb and stepped into the family’s small cottage.
The furnishings inside were simple yet warm.
Perhaps their family had once been quite large, but now most of their kin were in other regions of Tamriel, leaving only the two of them here to guard the tomb.
“Lass, just sit down, don’t trouble yourself!” “The wounded should just focus on recovering~ Miss Sio is a knowledgeable and talented girl~” Sio took the initiative to handle the cooking.
It wasn’t that she was particularly industrious; she just didn’t quite trust the Nord…
er, culinary skills.
It would be a pity to treat these fresh ingredients with such wild methods!
She had always wanted to try wild game!
These were flavors she hadn’t experienced much before!
Leeks, onions, rye, mutton…
Sio liked reading books and researching various recipes; she happened to have learned how to make Western-style stews.
Even without many spices, as long as the ingredients were fresh enough, the taste should be good, right?
“What is your relationship?” Watching Sio vigorously stirring with a ladle in front of the cooking pot, Gordir couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.
A Nord’s adolescence…
is very short.
After all, they quickly grow into strong men or Shield-maidens.
Without a robust physique, it’s hard to survive in this bitter, cold land.
So, even if Gordir looked older than his years, he was still just a young man and would be curious about such things.
Sio, Kaye…
no matter how you looked at them, they weren’t Nords.
Even if the Sons of Skyrim were usually conservative in their views on other races, they showed exceptional respect and hospitality toward their benefactors.
“…Partners?” Kaye replied after a moment’s thought.
They had known each other for less than a day, so these two words were the most fitting.
“Uh, I thought you were relatives or lovers.
You look quite close, right?” Gordir scratched his head.
The way the two of them interacted was indeed more intimate than typical traveling companions.
“We’ve known each other for less than a day.” “Oh, then she really is a lively lass!” While the two were chatting, Kaye was also silently watching Sio.
He could see Sio’s skin suddenly flash with a translucent pale blue light, which made it hard for Kaye to suppress a smile.
…Using a special ability like Crystallized Skin to deal with hot oil splashing from the pot?
At least one had to admit, ordinary people wouldn’t have such whimsical ideas.
“Come, try Miss Sio’s cooking!” Before long, Sio had finished the dinner and brought it to the table.
The meticulously simmered mutton stew glistened with oil, emitting a rich, warm aroma.
As expected, in the cold province of Skyrim, nothing beats a bowl of hot soup for comfort.
Sio’s cooking was surprisingly good—if one overlooked the fact that she used too much seasoning.
But Sio kept muttering something about how “you need extra seasoning for a kick on cold days.” Everyone could only smile and humor the young girl’s whims.
After eating and washing up, Agna had prepared a room for the two of them.
Unfortunately, the wooden cabin wasn’t large, so they had to be arranged to share a room for now.
If this were High Rock, where etiquette is highly valued, a man and a woman staying in the same room alone would have created a somewhat delicate atmosphere.
But this was Skyrim, where the folk are simple and straightforward!
This was a minor matter.
Sitting on the bed, Sio had already taken off her boots and was gently kneading her ankles by the hearth to soothe her fatigue, while Kaye was sharpening his sword with a whetstone.
For a moment, both were focused on their own tasks, but the silence made Sio feel restless.
She pressed her hand against her throat, cleared her throat, and spoke.
“Kaye.” She turned her head to look at him.
“Want to chat?” “What would you like to talk about, lass?” Kaye put down his sword, showing respect to the petite girl before him, his gaze remaining fixed on her.
“Hmm…
actually, I’m quite curious about your name.
Does it have any meaning?” Although Sio was the one who initiated the conversation, coming up with a topic proved difficult; it took her a moment to think of one.
“My adoptive father said that the name Kaye (Kaidan) roughly translates to [Strange Tale], but I never much cared for those fantasy stories.
What about you?” “Uh, well…” Kaye’s answer was quite straightforward, and he asked Sio the same question.
But this caused the usually outgoing girl’s eyes to dart around awkwardly.
It wasn’t that she didn’t know the meaning of her name, but she was worried she’d be laughed at if she said it!
“Promise me first, don’t laugh when you hear it!” Sio fidgeted slightly, tapping her fingers together as she stole a glance at Kaye’s reaction.
“Of course.
I’m all ears.” With Kaye’s promise, Sio took a deep breath and whispered it.
“Sio (Chiot), it means…
puppy.” “It’s very cute, and it suits you.
After all…
you look quite fluffy too, don’t you?” Kaye thought for a moment and used a lighthearted tease to dispel her shyness.
Sio, with her fluffy short hair, did indeed look quite round—well, her head was very round.
“Agh…
honestly!
Don’t make fun of me!” Sio covered her cheeks with both hands, the tips of her ears turning slightly red through the strands of hair on the sides of her head.
How could she show such a shy and fidgety side!
It wasn’t cool or perfect at all!
Girls’ feelings really are troublesome!
The heat she had felt when she intended to leave the prison surged into her lower abdomen again, making her heart race a few beats faster.
Not good!
This is really bad, isn’t it?
My body is starting to feel strange!
But how could she distract herself…
or alleviate this feeling?
She couldn’t just kick him out, could she?
Sio’s face was as red as a ripe guava.
Perhaps…
as long as it didn’t go too far, it would be okay?
She slapped her cheeks hard, putting on the arrogance befitting a captain, and stood on the bed, pointing a finger at Kaye.
“You promised to…
to repay my kindness, right!
Miss Sio needs you now!” Even though her words sounded like a command, her flushed, pretty face couldn’t hide her panic; she had no dignity at all.
“T-Tonight…
you have to-to-to listen to me!” She was even becoming incoherent.
What exactly did “listen to me” mean?
Clearly, Little Dog couldn’t explain it right now.