Birdsong marked the start of a new day. People began heading off to work. Merchants started selling their wares in the market. Adventurers hurried to the guild to pick up quests. But none of this applied to the guards at the eastern gate of Nuzantra’s capital.
Yawn
“Why did I have to be stationed here? So unlucky...” complained Guard 1, scratching his head.
“Isn’t it a good thing? We get a steady income without doing anything,” replied Guard 2.
“Yeah, that’s true. But why does this place even need guards? There’s nothing to the east except Dewata Lake. And that area belongs to Miss Rimaria, the greatest mage on the continent. Who would even dare mess with her?”
“Who knows? Maybe they’re worried someone might sneak through the forest and mountains.”
“Oh, right, speaking of Miss Rimaria, I heard she returned two days ago.”
“Yeah, I heard that too. That means her mission was a success.”
“Right. With Miss Rimaria around, I feel safe.”
“Same here.”
“...”
“Hey, look over there!”
“Isn’t that...”
The guards turned to look east. Two figures could be seen flying and landing not far from them—Luna and Lusserina.
They had flown from the direction of the lake and decided to walk the rest of the way to avoid startling the people in the capital.
“Good morning, Miss!” greeted both guards.
“G-Good morning,” Luna replied, startled by the sudden greeting.
(Who are they? Do they know me? But I don’t know them... Ah, whatever, no need to think about it too much.) thought Luna.
“She answered my greeting! I can brag about this to everyone! Hehehe.”
“Idiot, don’t get so worked up. She’s a nice person, of course she’d reply.”
[At the Adventurers’ Guild]
The atmosphere inside the guild was calm. Most adventurers had left earlier in the morning. Only a few remained—those who overslept and missed out on quests.
Luna and Lusserina entered the guild lobby. Because of the quiet atmosphere, Luna’s presence immediately drew attention.
“Good morning, Wynda.”
“Good morning to you, too, Miss Lunaria.”
“Just call me Luna.”
“Uh... Alright, Miss Luna. Here to pick up your ID card?”
“Yep, hehe.”
“If you hadn’t picked it up today, we were going to deliver it to your home.”
“Really? I just wasn’t feeling well yesterday. But I’m fine now,” Luna replied a little awkwardly.
“Oh? I’m glad to hear that. Here’s your card.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything else I can help with?”
“Not for now. I’ll be going then.”
“Thank you for visiting.”
After leaving the guild, they headed to the market district. It was about a 15-minute walk past several buildings to get there.
The sharp scent of spices—cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper—mingled with the smoke of grilled meat and the aroma of fresh-baked wheat bread.
Visitors seemed enthusiastic as they browsed baskets of produce: green apples, orange carrots, dried wheat, and neatly arranged vegetables.
Luna and Lusserina approached the merchants one by one.
The sun was now overhead, marking lunchtime. After finishing their shopping, they decided to find a place to eat.
I used to think shopping was boring and tiring. But now it feels fun. Is this because of my new body?
After walking around, they stopped at a tavern. The smell of aged pine wood and the creaking floor welcomed them.
It was fairly crowded with adventurers and regular townsfolk filling the space.
They chose an empty table in the corner and ordered food.
While waiting, three men suddenly approached their table.
“Hey, beautiful! Mind if we join you?”
“Why just you and your maid? Did you run away from home?”
“If you need a place to stay, I’ve got one. Free of charge—as long as you keep us company.”
“Yeah! Hahaha.”
Not just in Barqa, there are creeps like this here too... Luna thought, glancing at Lusserina.
Lusserina, who had been silent until now, suddenly emitted an intimidating aura. She glared at the man in the middle, who instantly turned pale, screamed, and fainted with foam at his mouth.
The tavern fell silent.
“Bro! What happened to you?!”
“What did you do to him?! Just you wait!”
They carried their friend out.
How dare they be so disrespectful to Madam, thought Lusserina.
“Miss, are you alright?” asked the tavern owner.
“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“That’s good. Those guys always cause trouble.”
“Really? Why doesn’t anyone stop them?”
“They’re C-rank adventurers. Even the city patrol avoids them.”
“Why not report them to the guild?”
“No one dares. If they find out, they’ll beat you up.”
“I see... Thanks for the advice.”
“You’re welcome. Please enjoy your meal.”
After eating, they returned home. Luna asked Lusserina what had happened, and Lusserina explained that she used a skill that induced fear. The man had fainted because his body couldn’t handle the effect.
Phew, I thought she killed him... Luna thought, relieved.
They heard the lake’s breeze as they arrived at the cottage. Both went straight to the kitchen and unpacked the groceries.
“Mm, did we overdo it?” Luna asked, looking at the nearly full kitchen.
“Don’t worry, Madam. If it’s too much, we can store it,” Lusserina replied.
“Oh, right, you’re right.”
For some reason, I feel like making mie kocok. I never used to enjoy cooking, but now... it feels different. There’s a certain joy in mixing flour, blending spices, and smelling the broth begin to boil in a pot.
Since there was no beef, I modified the recipe using pork. I cut the meat and simmered it until the broth was rich. While waiting, I prepared homemade noodles—mixing flour, salt, eggs, and a bit of oil, kneading until smooth, then rolling and slicing them into thin strips.
In the warm and fragrant kitchen, Lusserina prepared other dishes. We worked side by side in comfortable silence. Occasionally, she glanced my way to make sure I wasn’t making mistakes, then refocused.
Once the noodles and broth were ready, I put everything together—yellow noodles, bean sprouts, meat slices, hot broth, topped with fried shallots and a squeeze of lime. The taste... reminded me of home. Not sure which home. But it felt warm.
Before they knew it, the sky turned orange. After cooking, Lusserina told Luna to leave the cleaning to her. Luna went to bathe and was later helped into her clothes by Lusserina.
Hmm... I just wanted to wear something casual for dinner, but Lusserina got mad. As usual, she’s the one who handles clothing.
Creak creak creak...
The sound of wood creaking followed Luna as she came down the stairs and saw Lusserina still cleaning the kitchen.
The pile of dirty dishes was nearly gone. Lusserina truly was a skilled maid.
Suddenly, the bell and a knock at the front door were heard.
“I’ll get it.”
Luna went to the front door and opened it.
“Good evening!”
“Ah, good evening to you too...”
The greeters were Rania, accompanied by a silver-haired elf man, a brown-haired dwarf, and a black-haired man with glasses. They looked neat, like they had come from a formal event.
“Were you at an important meeting or something?”
“No, why?” Rania asked.
“You all look so fancy.”
“That’s because the important person is standing right in front of us,” Rania said with a smile.
“Mm! Agreed!” nodded Radhimar.
“Aye!” added Bartasz.
For some reason, I feel happy, and my heart is pounding.
“Oh, right, this is Elrik.”
Hoo... Is he Rania’s boyfriend...?
“Nice to meet you, Elrik. I’m Lunaria. But just call me Luna.”
“Ah, nice to meet you too, Miss Luna.”
“This is my mom, and Mom, this is Elrik—my husband,” said Rania with a laugh.
Husband?!
Luna’s eyes widened. Her body froze.
“EHH!!” Luna and Elrik exclaimed together.
“Sigh... Sis... sis,” said Bartasz, shaking his head.
She’s married! Don’t tell me she has kids, too? Am I a grandma now? But I don’t see any little kids... Wait—what if her kids are already grown?!
“...”
Then again... it makes sense. I’ve been gone for over 200 years.
Luna turned to Radhimar and Bartasz.
Are they married too?
As if reading her mind...
“I’m still single, Ma.”
“I’m not married either. Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t get married unless you’re at my wedding,” said Radhimar.
Unconsciously, Luna used telepathy with them.
“Oh, right, come on in.”
Luna invited them in and led them to the dining table, where Lusserina was setting the dishes.
“Good evening, Lu-chan!”
“Good evening, Lusserina!”
“Good evening to you, too, young master and miss!”
“Wow, looks delicious!”
“Can’t wait to taste Mom’s cooking!”
“Aye, agreed.”
“Let’s sit.”
They sat down. Luna sat in the middle. To her right were Radhimar and Bartasz, to her left were Rania, Elrik, and Lusserina.
“Alright, let’s pray.”
Luna led the prayer.
“To the Almighty Creator and the One Who Makes All, thank you for the blessing of this meal. May this food be a blessing to us.”
“Let’s eat.”
After finishing the main course, Lusserina served dessert. Rania and Radhimar fought over the sweets until Elrik and Bartasz had to intervene.
This reminds me of my old friends. We used to eat together, laugh, and argue—but always trusted one another.
Tears welled up in Luna’s eyes.
“M-Mom! Why are you crying?!”
“Mom!”
Why am I suddenly crying...?
Rania and Radhimar immediately knelt beside her.
“Mom, please don’t cry. We promise not to fight anymore.”
“Yeah, Mom, I promise I won’t—”
“Don’t finish that sentence. I was wrong too,” Bartasz interrupted, swinging his axe menacingly.
Radhimar froze, his face pale and sweating.
“...”
“No, I’m not angry. I just... remembered my old friends when I saw this scene.”
Rania and Radhimar looked at each other, then hugged Luna. She stroked their heads. Bartasz gave a small smile and shook his head at his older siblings.
Since it was late, Rania and the others took their leave. Luna and Lusserina saw them off at the door.