From Hero to Her: Cale's Quirky Adventure

Chapter 1: The Apple Pie Incident

Cale Henituse was tired. Not the usual "let's lay down and nap for a few hours" kind of tired, but the "I need to sleep for three days straight and still might not recover" kind of tired. He slouched in his chair in the Henituse mansion's dining room, arms crossed, looking as though even the slightest gust of wind would knock him over. Raon, his round black dragon companion, watched him intently with wide, curious eyes.

"Human," Raon announced in his deep, echoing voice that, given his small stature, always seemed a bit too grand for him. "You look as if you might fall asleep at any moment."

"That's because I just might," Cale muttered, barely lifting his head. His eyes were half-closed, and he wore the exhausted expression of someone who'd spent far too many days throwing himself into battle after battle. Which, in his defense, he absolutely had.

"Good!" Raon replied, hopping onto the table with a little flourish. "That means it's time for you to relax and rest like a proper slacker! I have heard humans who rest well live longer!"

Cale's mouth twitched up at the corner as he gave the little dragon a sidelong glance. "Relaxation sounds good," he said, as if he were already convinced but needed an excuse to give in to it. "But I'm not sure if there's anything here to help me relax."

Raon, however, was prepared. With a flourish that could rival any seasoned butler, he pulled a plate closer, revealing a neatly baked, steaming apple pie that had been sitting near the edge of the table.

"Ta-da!" Raon declared, as if he'd presented Cale with the greatest treasure in the world.

Cale squinted at it, taking in the golden-brown crust that glistened under the dining room lights. It was... well, it looked fantastic, actually. "Where did you get this?"

"Mary baked it!" Raon announced proudly. "I asked her to make you something delicious to help you recover your energy, Human!"

"Mary?" Cale raised an eyebrow, glancing around to see if their necromancer companion was nearby. She wasn't, but he could almost picture her smiling shyly as she handed over the pie. Ever since they'd returned from their recent mission, she'd been surprisingly thoughtful about looking after everyone, even attempting to bake. Cale felt a bit of warmth at the thought, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Raon leaned forward, looking utterly pleased with himself. "You must eat it, Human. Mary put a lot of effort into it."

"Fine, fine," Cale grumbled, though a faint smile played at his lips. It did look delicious, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten something as warm and comforting as a freshly baked pie. Besides, with Raon looking at him with those round, expectant eyes, he didn't have much choice.

He reached out, cut a small piece, and brought it to his mouth. The second the pie hit his taste buds, Cale's eyes widened. It was... incredible. Sweet, with just the right amount of tartness from the apples, and the crust was buttery and flaky. It melted in his mouth in the way only the best pies could.

"Alright, alright, it's good," he mumbled, trying to sound indifferent. But he reached for a second piece immediately.

Raon's tail swished in excitement. "Yes! You look happier already!"

On and Hong, who'd been quietly watching the scene from under the table, popped their heads out, their eyes glinting with curiosity.

"Cale-nim, may we have a taste too?" On asked in her usual calm tone, though her tail was flicking back and forth eagerly.

"Just one bite," Cale said, handing her a piece. "There's not much here, so don't go eating it all."

On took the piece delicately in her mouth, her eyes lighting up with quiet delight. Hong, however, was less restrained and took his piece in one big chomp, letting out an appreciative hum that was more like a purr. Raon, who could easily have stolen the whole pie with his strength, waited patiently for Cale's permission, which came with an eye-roll but a fond smile.

They all sat together, sharing the warm pie, laughing quietly at each other's expressions, and letting the rare moment of calmness settle around them.

But as Cale took his last bite, he felt something... odd. It was a fleeting sensation, almost like the faintest tickle at the back of his mind, something he couldn't quite place. He blinked, feeling a strange weight settling over him.

"Human?" Raon asked, tilting his head. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Cale murmured, though his vision started to blur at the edges. "Must be the exhaustion catching up..."

"See? The pie is helping you relax already!" Raon cheered. "You'll feel better after a good rest, Human. Slacker life is the best life!"

Cale's last thought, before the world went completely fuzzy, was something along the lines of, "It really was good pie..."

And then, with a final sigh, he slumped over, completely out cold.

Some time later, Ron entered the dining room, having heard the unmistakable sound of Raon declaring something or other with enthusiasm. He took in the scene: Cale, face down on the table, completely unconscious; Raon hovering nearby, his eyes wide with concern; and On and Hong both pawing at Cale's sleeve, as if trying to wake him.

"Is he... dead?" Hong asked, his voice small and apprehensive.

"No, silly!" Raon said firmly. "He's just very relaxed, that's all! I told you, a good pie helps humans relax!"

Ron raised an eyebrow, looking at the empty plate and the faint remnants of crumbs. "Did he eat the whole thing?"

Raon nodded proudly. "Of course! It was a gift from Mary! A good slacker must always enjoy food and rest whenever possible."

"Mm." Ron gave a slight nod, though his sharp eyes took in the scene with just a hint of suspicion. "I'm sure he'll wake up... eventually."

At that moment, Cale made a faint noise, a kind of groan that told them he was at least alive and somewhat aware, though still very much in the grip of whatever had knocked him out. He shifted slightly, his head rolling to one side, and mumbled something about "pies" and "mischievous gods" in his sleep.

Ron's eyes narrowed, and he moved closer to inspect Cale, though the young master was still very much unconscious.

Meanwhile, Raon gave Ron a hopeful look. "Will he be alright?"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be just fine," Ron replied, though he sounded faintly amused. "Though we might need to keep an eye on him for the next few days. Just in case."

"Why?" Raon tilted his head, innocent and curious.

Ron's mouth twitched up at one corner, barely noticeable. "Oh, no reason. It just wouldn't do for our young master to eat any more... unusual pies, wouldn't you agree?"

Raon nodded solemnly. "Yes! From now on, I shall personally inspect all pies! None shall pass my guard!"

Ron nodded, satisfied with that arrangement, though he cast another glance at the still-snoozing Cale. There was a strange energy lingering around the room, a subtle feeling of mischief that Ron didn't entirely like.

But Cale, completely oblivious to this, only shifted in his sleep, murmuring faintly as his dreams filled with images of laughter, the warmth of friends, and... a faint, pinkish glow that seemed to cling to him.

"Rest well, Young Master," Ron muttered, thoughthere was a glint of humor in his gaze. "You're going to need it."