Roaring Heroes Battle the Overlord (Ainz)

Chapter 40: Awakening from the Dream

The crescent moon, curved like a hook, gradually rose high into the sky. A layer of transparent gray clouds faintly veiled the moonlight, creating a mist-like effect over the fields. After the clouds drifted away, the fields were bathed in a clear light, washing over the gentle autumn night like water.

The valley wind carried a strong chill, driving the white mist down the mountainside. The shadows of the peaks quickly enveloped the village, becoming denser and merging with the night. Soon, however, the moonlight turned them a silvery gray.

After being expelled from Sheep Horn by the angry old village chief, the adventurer team "The Last Defender of the Way" chose to camp in the wilderness outside the village.

They set up makeshift tents and a stove, lighting a fire to cook a meal.

The warm flames licked the blackened soup pot, where chunks of lamb, sliced potatoes, and turnips simmered, bubbling up with a soft "gurgle". Barrett chopped some green onion and sprinkled it into the pot, enhancing the tantalizing aroma that reached the hungry campers nearby.

A wooden spoon scooped up a bit of the boiling soup, and after blowing on it gently, Stella took a small sip. The soup was rich, tender, and delicious. Stella had to admit that Barrett, a mithril-level adventurer in his thirties, not only excelled in combat and had more adventure experience than she did but was also a better cook.

On the other side, EeDeChi grabbed a black pottery bowl, snatched the wooden spoon from Stella, and began ladling the boiling lamb soup and meat chunks into the bowl.

She then bit off a large piece of oatmeal bread, took a big gulp of the scalding hot soup, and started chewing vigorously, her cheeks bulging as she exclaimed, "Delicious! Delicious!"

Sean and Stella, standing around the campfire, were both stunned. Barrett, the cook of the lamb soup, stood frozen with a bundle of green onions in his hand.

The fragrant lamb soup had just finished cooking, and its temperature was probably close to boiling water. The plan was to reduce the fire and wait until the soup was cool enough to eat slowly. Anyone else eating like EeDeChi would have had a mouth full of blisters by now.

Barrett cautiously glanced at EeDeChi gulping down the boiling soup and, seeing she was unharmed, heaved a sigh of relief. He waved a hand at Stella, who was about to cast a healing spell, saying, "Don't worry, it seems the captain's flame resistance is as high as a lava monster's."

Sean used a piece of pine wood to poke the dancing flames smaller, picked up four pottery bowls, and distributed them to Stella, Barrett, and the pair of twins who Barrett considered "dead weight."

Each of the five took a bowl of the meat soup, scooping up chunks of meat and potato slices, and paired it with thick slices of bread smeared with butter, eating slowly and savoring the meal.

The soup pot was empty. Stella grilled eight skewers of beef slices over the campfire, brushing them with a dark marinade and sprinkling them with spices. The group feasted heartily and finally felt full.

After cleaning up the dishes and cooking utensils, everyone sat around the warm campfire. Sean and Barrett chatted and bragged, while Stella, with her arms around the well-behaved twin sisters, listened quietly to their stories, occasionally chiming in.

The three talked about everything from the magical power of adult black dragons to the legends of the Eight Greed Kings from ancient times. Eventually, the conversation drifted back to Sheep Horn, located near their campsite.

"Are all the people in the Re-Estize Kingdom this unfriendly? Or did they just pick up on our Baharuth Empire accent?" Sean wondered aloud, looking at the distant lights of the village across the hills.