At first, Leon thought the taste would be strange or just ordinary.

It wasn't because he underestimated Jasmine's cooking skills—but as far as he knew, the meat of turtle monsters wasn't known to be delicious.

It was usually fishy and somewhat bitter. He had never actually eaten it himself; all this information came from books he'd read in the past.

What he didn't expect, however, was how surprisingly delicious it turned out to be!

The meat was tender and soft, enriched by the deep flavor of perfectly absorbed spices. Without realizing it, he began eating with great enthusiasm, completely forgetting that Jasmine was sitting beside him.

Seeing how excited Leon was, Jasmine let out a soft chuckle. She didn't interrupt and simply allowed him to enjoy his meal.

A few minutes later, the soup was gone, and Leon felt completely full.

"That was amazing!" he said, giving her a thumbs up with his right hand. "Thank you for the meal."

Jasmine smiled gently and nodded. She took the empty bowl from his hand and handed him a glass of cold lemon water.

"You're welcome, Leon. I'm glad you liked it," she replied in a slightly embarrassed and awkward tone.

When she first met Leon, she had never felt anything like this.

But over the past few days, for some reason, she had often found herself feeling shy and nervous around him—especially during moments like this, when they were simply talking.

It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling, and she didn't know how to deal with it.

Leon, of course, had no idea about the whirlwind of emotions Jasmine was experiencing. He just smiled as he sipped his drink.

Once he finished, his gaze drifted toward the other tribe members, who were still laughing and chatting cheerfully.

It was a heartwarming sight—and one he might never see again.

After all, such a tribe was rare. Most humans lived on the mainland, in civilizations far more advanced than this one.

"By the way, Leon," Jasmine said, nervously linking her fingers. "Are you..."

Before she could finish her sentence, several young men suddenly approached with bright, eager smiles.

"Leon, don't just sit there! Come party with us!" one of them exclaimed.

"Yeah, come on! You're the star of the celebration—enjoy yourself!" another added.

The others chimed in enthusiastically, leaving Leon with little choice but to accept.

Although he wasn't especially close to them, he could sense the sincerity in their invitation.

Turning them down would've been rude.

"Alright, let's have some fun," he replied with a small smile, standing up.

"Haha, now that's a real man!" The first man cheered.

They pulled Leon toward the campfire, where the group had already started dancing with wild energy.

At first, Leon felt awkward and struggled to keep up with their rhythm.

But after a while, he relaxed—and eventually joined in, laughing and dancing along with them.

As Jasmine watched Leon's smiling face, she suddenly fell silent.

A soft smile formed on her lips as she murmured to herself, "He looks so handsome when he takes off his mask."

Whether it was just her imagination or not, she had always felt that Leon wore a mask—one that hid his true self from the world.

It showed in the way he kept his distance during conversations or how he avoided talking about his true identity.

To be honest, it made her heart ache—but she didn't have the courage to bring it up.

After all, there was nothing between them… other than friendship.

"It seems my granddaughter has found her true love," came a voice from behind.

Startled, Jasmine turned and saw a middle-aged woman with soft wrinkles lining her gentle face.

The woman approached with a warm smile.

Jasmine's expression instantly turned nervous. She avoided her gaze.

"Grandmother..." she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

The woman was her grandmother—her father's mother. They were very close, and Jasmine loved her just as deeply as she loved her parents.

Still, she hadn't expected her grandmother to appear so suddenly—and judging by the look on her face, it seemed she had heard Jasmine's subconscious murmur.

"Gosh... how embarrassing!" Jasmine groaned inwardly.

Her grandmother, who could naturally sense her granddaughter's thoughts, chose to remain silent to spare Jasmine further discomfort.

She sat where Leon had been moments earlier and asked gently, "Do you love him, my dear?"

Jasmine fell silent. A flicker of doubt flashed in her eyes as she drifted into thought.

She wasn't sure if what she felt for Leon was truly love—because she had never experienced such a strange and confusing emotion before. This trаnslаtiоn is pоwеrеd by thе rеаdеrs аt

Seeing that Jasmine didn't respond, the woman shifted her gaze toward Leon in the distance, then spoke in a calm, measured tone.

"If you don't love him, then just forget about him. Honestly, I truly hope you don't love him. There's a wall between you—one so high that it could never be crossed."

She paused for a moment, let out a soft sigh, and continued, "Your father told me stories about his strength. He killed Merzen with ease—and that alone proves he's no ordinary man. Falling for someone like that... is like inviting a curse into your life. That's why I hope you never develop feelings for him—not even a little. That's my advice to you, and I hope you'll understand."

As someone who had lived for decades, how could she not recognize her granddaughter's feelings for Leon?

Unfortunately, in this world, fate isn't fair. Some are born into hardship and misfortune, while others are burdened with greatness from the moment they're born.

Her granddaughter, Jasmine, was a fortunate child—born the daughter of a tribal chief, her life had always been secure and stable.

But compared to Leon, she was worlds apart—as distant as earth and sky.

Even without any special powers, the old woman could sense that Leon was different—something far beyond ordinary.

His fate was too great—too heavy. He was destined to shine among the stars.

For ordinary people like them, someone like him wasn't meant to be loved—only admired from afar.

As painful as it was, it was a reality they had no choice but to accept.

Hearing her grandmother's words, Jasmine fell silent. Her chest tightened, and tears began to gather in her eyes.

Only now did she truly realize that what she felt for Leon might really be... love.

But she also understood that her grandmother was absolutely right. Leon was someone born under a great and heavy fate—and loving him would only bring pain.

Clenching her teeth, she lowered her head and whispered hoarsely, "I understand, Grandmother. Don't worry… I'll never hold onto these feelings."

The woman felt a sharp ache in her chest. She wanted to reach out and comfort her but stopped herself.

With a soft sigh, she quietly replied, "That's good to hear…"