CHAPTER 114: FIRST IMPRESSION & DELUSIONS OF FOOD

Walls, Gates, High buildings, corridors, walkways, arches, fountains, uniforms, books, seniors, noise or eledance. These were the thoughts Aramith and Mozrael had in mind.

This is what they would see at the academy. And maybe Lynnor would be there as she said.

But on the other side of the portal, the atmosphere was totally different.

It was a large camping ground, looking nothing more than an army of random people preparing for battle.

The only difference was the way most of them looked young.

The moment they stepped forward, the place became utterly silent, and everyone turned to look at them. All these had come to the academy from different locations.

Some were eating, others were sharpening weapons, some were checking their belongings, and some were even sleeping in their tents. But those who looked at them did so with calculating gazes. A few even had a predatory look in their eyes.

The diversity struck them odd.

Some had luxurious tents, others with cheap tents, some even wore torn, cheap clothes, and only a few in very luxurious clothes, but they all had one thing in common.

They looked like they’d been through a difficult place. Which was true if one travelled the path here.

Compared to the untouched Aramith and Mozrael, this place looked wrong for them to be in.

They were an odd trio and didn’t fail to draw attention from every eye.

The only ones who went about doing their things were those farther ahead.

Aramith ignored all the eyes and looked for an isolated spot.

Camping out in the open was no issue to them, as Lynnor had done so with them for so long now.

Upon finding a good spot, Aramith took the lead, gently pulling Mozrael along. He didn’t mind Aris following, but he thought the boy would go his own way when they reached the place.

With all eyes on them, they just sat on a dead log. Aramith got up and gathered rocks, arranging them in a circle.

Lynnor gave them two space bracelets.

One was filled with equipment and materials of different sorts. From within, he took out wood and arranged them.

Mozrael flicked a spark onto the wood, starting the fire.

Aris sat opposite them and just stared—just like every other person close by.

As a boy from a poor background, he’d never owned a space bracelet before, so this intrigued him. He came to understand why they had no luggage with them.

They were too rich to waste effort on luggage.

"Guess I’ll also get prepared." Aris took off his bag and took out his tent.

It was dusty and old, but that’s what he could afford.

He took his time setting it up, afraid to tear it if he pulled too hard at certain parts.

When he finished, it looked more like an old man’s underwear hung on a stick than a tent.

But still, he had a place to sleep.

Now, how about these guys?

He turned around, knowing Aramith and Mozrael would have a beautiful tent set up.

"Eh?"

Nothing.

They just sat there by the fire.

"Boss, aren’t you going to set up your tent?" Aris asked.

Aramith wanted to tell him off for calling him boss again, but he chose not to. From the way he behaved back then, he’d most likely make it worse if told to stop.

I feel like I’ve been in such a situation before... But he couldn’t figure out where or when he’d met such a person. [Too bad he lost memories ╯︿╰]

Aris stepped closer to the fire. "Boss? You don’t have a tent?"

Did we have a tent? He hadn’t even checked if Lynnor added a tent.

Reason?

Throughout their stay in the forest with Lynnor, they never used a tent, and it never rained. She only gave them what she called ’portable beds’.

"We don’t need a tent," Aramith answered Aris.

He looked at Mozrael and nodded. In such a new place, they didn’t plan on sleeping.

They planned to stay up that night, cultivating. Lynnor told them to do so with every free chance they got, for their entrance exam would be tough.

For knowledge, they were confident in their share of extensive reading, so that didn’t bother them. It was the physical test Lynnor mentioned that had them needing preparation.

Aris looked around and gulped. He crouched, using his hand to cover his mouth, and he whispered.

"Boss, many people are looking at you. I can’t tell exactly, but not all these people are good. Some of them may try to cause trouble when you sleep. Especially looking at how you both look."

He looked very worried, but Aramith smiled.

It was true that their appearance would draw attention, and even the worst kind of people could exist in this group. Just...

"I don’t think anyone here would be stupid enough to attack people like us. The thought could cross their mind, but I doubt they would try anything unless they knew our strength," Aramith replied smoothly.

Aris was taken aback by the assessment Aramith made. He didn’t know how strong they were, but he knew they were strong.

And for the moment, he couldn’t deny that they wouldn’t be attacked or disturbed.

Their appearance was one that drew attention, but even a pervert or thief would be smart about this.

"So you’ll sleep in the open?" Aris asked.

Aramith shook his head. "We don’t plan on sleeping."

Weren’t they tired?

Aris didn’t understand them, but he knew they were special. He had to stick with them. It was something he felt.

"Okay, boss. I understand." Aris stood up and went back to his old man’s underwe— I mean tent.

He took his bag and removed some dried meat. It was embarrassing, so he decided to eat in there.

They tasted so bland, almost like sandpaper, but what choice did he have?

Because of his constant chewing of these dried things, he’d developed a well-defined jawline.

As he worked out his jaw, he lay on his back, raised the meat, and looked at it with a bitter smile.

"You don’t even look like food or taste like food." He brought it to his nose for a sniff and—

"What?!" He immediately sat up. The meat smelled like the best food he could ever imagine.

It was...

"heavenly..."

He brought it to his nose again and took a deep breath. "What miracle is this? Am I dreaming?"

All of a sudden, he felt satisfied. If this miracle existed, he wasn’t going to eat this meat. It had to stay with him. He lay down, feeling like a king with the meat on his nose, and his eyes closed. He would sniff this miracle till it died out.

In his head, he could picture himself eating food from another world. He was at a table in a large mansion, surrounded by beautiful maids who served him. His stomach growled both in hunger and in satisfaction.

I want to stay like this for—

"Aris." A voice called

Who’s calling me? Let me enjoy my paradise.

"Aris." The voice called again.

No, I’m in paradise.

"Aris," the voice called again.

Boss? He opened an eye and looked out. Aramith stood at the entrance to his tent.

Aris got to his feet, gripping the meat like a treasure as he rushed out.

"I thought you were asleep," Aramith said.

Aris shook his head. "What do you need me for, boss?" He asked.

Aramith sighed. How I wish he would stop calling me that.

"You helped us find our way here, so if you’re not full, you could join us for a meal," Aramith said.

Aris smiled politely and shook his head. "I have—" Wait.

He looked in his hand. The meat was still gripped tightly in his hand.

But I can smell it.

He sniffed the air. It’s even better now.

He took a single deep breath, and there he saw it. Beside Mozrael, by the fire. The scent he’d been hallucinating with wasn’t the dried sandpaper meat he held, but rather that.

He fell to his knees, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

Aramith reached out to hold his shoulder.

"Are you alright? You haven’t eaten, have you?"

Aris looked at him, tears streaming down his face. He looked down at the meat he held.

"I have been deceived. You were never the one I was dreaming of." The meat he gripped now looked pathetic. He took another deep inhale, savoring the heavenly scent from the food Aramith was so generously offering him.

"Come on, let’s eat," Aramith helped him up.

Aris looked at him with teary eyes. "You would allow me to dine with you, boss? Thank you for saving me from my delusions."

"Delusions?" What is he talking about?

"Of course, dried protein like you could never grant me such dreams. It had to be from boss."

Aris wiped his tears. "I am honoured to eat with you, boss."

The whole scene confused Mozrael to the deepest part of her brain. In the back of her mind, she accepted something. Aris has mental problems.

After sitting down, Aris was handed a bowl, but that wasn’t all. There was more if he finished his bowl.

He looked at the steaming food and wondered how Aramith could have gotten such delicacies in such condition. It had to be from an artifact. And he wasn’t wrong. This was the other bracelet Lynnor gave them.

It wasn’t the usual space bracelet, and they didn’t understand it themselves. All they knew was that it could provide food when used. Lynnor showed them how to use it back in the forest. But as for what it was, she never explained.

Aris vowed never to ask how the food appeared, lest he jinx it.

Aramith was impressed with Aris once again. The boy looked very hungry and deprived of good food, but even when given food, he controlled himself and ate gently. He ate with the same elegance as they.

Aris decided he wouldn’t appear as a fool in front of his boss. There was no way he’d embarrass his boss like that.

But one thing didn’t make sense!

How is she eating so fast and gently like that?!

He didn’t stare, but he saw how quickly Mozrale was able to finish her food and go for another bowl. It was graceful, yet scary at the same time.

Meanwhile, a large radius of the camp was assaulted by the heavenly fragrance of their food.

Some drooled, and others got up to approach, but thought better of it. A few found the act audacious and despised them for such an act.

Quite a number of them had come close to them, looking on with watering mouths, and some of them cursing them, while others wished to be there with them.

Like Aris, some closed their eyes and dreamed of eating with them.

For a first impression, they had caused an uproar, even making enemies of a number of them.