CHAPTER 170: CHAPTER 170 –FOOD

"Huh...?"

Carmilla’s eyes fluttered open in a daze. Every muscle in her body felt lazy, unmotivated, heavy. The soft bed beneath her and the thick quilt wrapped around her body felt like a seal, trapping her in warmth she never wanted to leave.

She hadn’t slept this soundly in over a year. The blonde girl had almost forgotten what it felt like to wake up rested and... comfortable.

Grrruu~~

Her stomach betrayed her bliss with a loud growl of hunger.

Carmilla wrinkled her delicate nose, her sleepy expression turning into one of mild frustration. Fine... fine. Food first.

Reluctantly, she pulled the quilt aside and pushed herself upright, her golden hair falling messily over her shoulders. Her eyes drifted to the next bunk, where the cat-eared girl was still fast asleep.

"Should I... wake her up?" Carmilla mumbled to herself, torn between hunger and politeness.

Before she could decide, a delicious aroma wafted through the air from somewhere outside. It was rich and savory, making her belly cry again in protest.

Just then, Mia stirred. Mia’s scarlet eyes blinked open, pupils narrowing slightly as they adjusted to the dim room. She saw the blonde girl standing by the window, one hand on her belly, staring blankly outside.

"Huh? You’re up already?" Carmilla turned, startled.

"Yeah," Mia yawned, stretching her arms. "Let’s get ready and go find something to eat."

"No need to prepare much. I’m ready to go." Carmilla gathered her long, twin-tailed hair and tied it back lazily, giving a little twirl.

"Then let’s go." Mia rubbed her eyes with a small hand and hopped lightly off the bed, already heading toward the door.

The two descended to the lobby on the first floor. Behind the counter sat the ordinary-looking woman who managed the inn — the so-called Variety Witch. She was halfway through her own meal when she noticed them.

"Going out to find food?" she asked, wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin.

"Yes," Mia replied coolly, her voice as calm as ever.

"Want me to recommend a place?"

"Sure." Mia nodded without hesitation.

"Head to the food shop down the main street," the woman said, gesturing casually with her spoon. "If it’s too pricey, don’t bother with the green vegetable set meal. You can order other dishes — plenty of choices."

She sighed to herself after saying that, shaking her head slightly. Some people only ever order those overpriced green dishes, as if nothing else exists on the menu.

"Thank you," Mia said with a polite nod.

"No need." The Variety Witch waved them off and returned to her meal, clearly content.

For all her complaints about Black Tortoise City, she couldn’t deny the comforts here — good food, good housing. The only thing she missed was her freedom.

Outside, Carmilla and Mia stepped into the street. The night air was crisp, and to Carmilla’s surprise, the surroundings were still bright.

"It’s so bright out here!" Carmilla’s golden eyes widened in wonder. "It’s night already, right?"

The light wasn’t from torches or burning oil. It was soft and steady, natural in a way that felt magical.

"Above," Mia said quietly, tilting her head upward.

Carmilla followed her gaze. On both sides of the commercial street stood tall wooden poles, three meters high. From their tops glowed gentle lights — steady as daylight, but without smoke or heat.

"I’ll fly up and take a look!" Carmilla said, curiosity sparkling in her eyes.

"Don’t expose yourself," Mia warned, pressing a clawed finger gently on the blonde girl’s head.

"Don’t touch my head! I’m not that short!" Carmilla puffed up her cheeks in protest, brushing Mia’s hand away.

Mia only chuckled faintly. The street was still lively; a few people moved about, their footsteps echoing in the open air.

"Let’s eat first," Mia said at last. "We can explore later."

"Fine." Carmilla’s stomach grumbled again, giving her no reason to argue.

They crossed the street to a large, warmly lit building opposite the Three-Star Pavilion — the famed Food Building.

Mia’s mind was already elsewhere. After dinner, she planned to sneak into Black Tortoise’s agricultural district, to see with her own eyes how this city managed to grow plants in such abundance.

Inside, the restaurant was calmer than it had been during the day. The rush was over, and the place felt cozy and quiet.

"Welcome," greeted a young woman in uniform, bowing politely. Her smile was gentle but practiced — Sophia, a maid-in-training temporarily assigned here by Lady Moon herself. Once her internship was complete, she would serve at the City Lord’s mansion.

"Would you like to dine in the lobby or a private box?" Sophia asked softly.

"Is there a difference?" Carmilla asked warily, already suspecting the answer.

"The boxes require a minimum order of ten junior high-grade fierce beast spars," Sophia replied pleasantly.

Carmilla blinked, incredulous. Ten spars? For just sitting in a room?

"Then the lobby is fine," she said quickly. "Perfectly fine."

"Very well. Please, follow me."

Sophia led them to a small table by the window, poured two glasses of water, and handed over a thin booklet.

"This is the menu," she said. "Please take your time."

Carmilla and Mia exchanged a look.

"Menu?" Carmilla murmured, taking the booklet curiously.

It was laid out neatly, with colorful sketches beside each dish.

"Check the green vegetables," Mia said.

"Alright." Carmilla flipped toward the end and froze.

"Ten junior high-grade beast spars... for fried sweet potato leaves?!"

She flipped again.

"Ten spars for stir-fried cabbage? Ten for cold tomatoes?!"

Carmilla shut the menu and exhaled sharply. "Insane. Just insane."

Mia looked thoughtful. "Three hundred servings sold today," Sophia added quietly.

Mia’s scarlet eyes narrowed. "Three hundred?"

She was shocked — not by the price, but by the volume.

Three hundred servings of fresh vegetables... grown here? Impossible.

Even the Oasis, the most advanced farming district she knew, couldn’t produce that much in a single day.

"You’re not seriously thinking about ordering that, right?" Carmilla said, glancing at her companion.

Mia’s gaze sharpened. "I’ll take one stir-fried cabbage."

"What?!" Carmilla’s jaw dropped.

Mia ignored her and turned to Sophia. "I want to see what’s different about the produce grown here."

"Understood," Sophia said with a smile, jotting the order down. "Anything else?"

Mia looked at Carmilla. "You order something too."

Carmilla bit her lip. So expensive... but I can’t just sit here and do nothing.

"This... let’s have a fried meatloaf," she said finally, grinding her small fangs.

"Alright," Sophia nodded, taking the menu.

Carmilla held onto it for a second longer than necessary, reluctant to let go.

"Please wait a moment," Sophia said politely. "Your food will be ready soon."

When she walked away, Carmilla let out a long sigh, rubbing the small pouch at her waist.

"So many spars gone already..."

"Then eat less tomorrow," Mia said flatly.

Carmilla puffed out her cheeks again. "You’re so cruel!"

But her hunger quickly drowned her indignation.

It didn’t take long for the dishes to arrive. A fragrant plate of stir-fried cabbage and a golden-brown fried meatloaf were placed before them.

"Eat," Mia said simply.

She picked up her fork, speared a cabbage leaf, and took a bite. The flavor burst in her mouth — sweet, crisp, with a faint buttery aroma. Her eyes glimmered red for a brief second.

"Delicious," she admitted.

Carmilla quickly followed suit. The moment the taste hit her tongue, her golden eyes widened in delight.

"This is so good!" she exclaimed. "Even the best chefs in Orléans City couldn’t make vegetables taste like this!"

The two devoured the plate in less than half a minute. Only a bit of clear soup remained at the bottom.

"Nothing left?" Carmilla frowned, picking at the plate with her fork. Then she lifted it and drank the remaining broth directly.

"Ahh..." She licked her lips. "Even the soup is sweet!"

"Try the meatloaf," Mia said, already cutting into it. She took a bite — and froze.

The flavor was rich and juicy, the texture soft yet crisp on the edges.

Her crimson eyes lit up again.

Without a word, she cut another large piece and ate it.

"Hey! Leave some for me!" Carmilla snatched her fork and joined in.

She chewed, then blinked. "This isn’t ordinary beast meat... there’s something else in it. It’s so fragrant!"

She pounded the table lightly in excitement. "If the chefs in Orléans could cook like this, no one would even want to drink blood again!"

The two polished off the dish quickly, eyes bright with satisfaction.

"...Should we order another one?" Carmilla asked hopefully.

Mia looked at her. "You still have spars left?"

Carmilla hesitated, then grinned sheepishly. "Maybe just... one more plate?"

Mia sighed. "Fine. One more."

As Carmilla waved to call Sophia over, her face was glowing with excitement, her earlier reluctance forgotten completely.

For a pair who had been sealed away in darkness for so long, even a simple meal like this felt like rediscovering the light of the world.

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