"Amazing! Now I won't have to worry about turning into a monster!" Fors felt a wave of relief wash over her, but her excitement kept sleep at bay. After pacing her room several times, she couldn't resist rushing to Xio's door, eager to share the good news with her best friend. Her hand hovered over the door, hesitating as she wondered if she should wake Xio.
Maybe I should wait until tomorrow?
As Fors debated, the door swung open, revealing Xio, a head shorter, her expression a mix of sleepiness, confusion, and a touch of worry.
Yawning, Xio eyed her restless friend. "What's going on?"
"You're still awake!" Fors blurted out, her tone tinged with surprise.
"..."
Her grip on the doorframe tightened, and she ground her teeth, glaring at Fors. "Ever consider I was asleep until your racket woke me up?"
Xio had been sleeping soundly until noises from Fors' room, followed by her friend lurking outside her door, roused her, worried something was wrong.
Fors flushed with embarrassment, recalling how she'd been bouncing around her room in excitement. Her gaze darted around guiltily as she coughed. "Sorry! Uh, why don't you go back to sleep?"
"Tell me what's happening first. I'm awake now anyway." Xio said, not truly upset. She glanced out the window, her eyes returning to Fors with a hint of concern.
Xio knew about the full moon ravings and feared something had happened.
"Xio, listen! The full moon curse is gone. I can't hear the ravings anymore!" Fors eagerly shared the news.
Xio blinked, then broke into a smile at the good news. "Really?"
"Absolutely!" Fors nodded vigorously, her relief palpable. "I don't have to worry about turning into a monster anymore."
"Turning into a monster?" Xio's joy for her friend shifted to suspicion. She narrowed her eyes like a fox. "Didn't you say it wasn't that serious? How would it turn you into a monster…?"
Fors froze.
Oh no, I let it slip.
"Spill it. Honesty gets leniency; resistance gets trouble." Xio said sternly, exuding the authority of an Arbiter despite her petite 1.5-meter frame, radiating a commanding 2.8-meter presence.
…
Though her slip-up led to a thorough "interrogation." The end of the full moon ravings left Fors overjoyed.
Her newfound ease carried into the next day, prompting her to wake early and visit the market, where she bought a beautiful crystal ball from a stall.
The vendor claimed it was a family heirloom, but Fors didn't buy the sales pitch. She purchased it because Jack had mentioned that Sequence 7 of the Apprentice Pathway was Astrologer. Though she was only Sequence 8 with no clear path to advancement, she figured it was wise to plan ahead.
A crystal ball, like a Seer's pendulum, was a tool an Astrologer might need.
Of course, the real reason was the vendor's low price.
"You're up this early? Did the sun rise in the west?"
Back at the apartment, Xio, fresh from her morning workout and eating breakfast, stared in shock at Fors, who'd returned from the market.
Her friend was notorious for sleeping in, making this early rise a rare event.
"Can't I wake up early when I'm in a good mood? I don't always sleep late." Fors grumbled, but her spirits remained high. She plopped onto the sofa, toying with her new crystal ball.
"But why did the full moon ravings vanish? Is some deity actually watching over me…?" Fors mused while handling the crystal ball. After a moment, she clasped her hands and said earnestly, "O deity, please bless me with the Astrologer potion formula soon."
She chuckled at herself, muttering, "What am I thinking, praying for something like that…?"
Meanwhile, in a Backlund villa...
Klein, mid-breakfast, froze as an unfamiliar prayer echoed in his ears. Instinctively, he glanced at Alaric.
"What're you looking at? Breakfast not to your taste?" Alaric, casually stirring his porridge, grinned. "Honestly, I'm getting tired of it too. Hey, Red, how about switching things up tomorrow? Can you make some fried pastries?"
Medici, at the same table, shot Alaric a look. "All you do is eat. You've got no say."
He frowned. "Fried pastries? What are those?"
Alaric launched into an enthusiastic explanation, describing not just fried pastries but a range of breakfast dishes... steamed buns, and more... before clasping his hands earnestly. "Please, Medici, I'm begging for some variety."
He was genuinely tired of the same old Western breakfasts.
"Have some dignity, will you?" Medici's mouth twitched in annoyance.
"Dignity means nothing in the face of good food." Alaric replied solemnly, then added, "If you don't know how, I can teach you. It's easy."
"Jack, you can make those?" Klein, momentarily forgetting the mysterious prayer, looked at Alaric in surprise.
"Of course!" Alaric nodded. Before crossing over, he'd worn many hats, including that of a chef, and was particularly skilled at certain cuisines. But in this world, making those dishes was a hassle, and with his busy schedule, he hadn't bothered.
Now, with a ready chef in Medici, Alaric didn't mind passing on his skills to improve his daily life.
After a thought, he turned to Medici. "I'm also great with this dishes. Don't you want to learn the cuisine from the Sun God's home? Maybe you could cook for Sasrir someday!"
Medici raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Back in the Third Epoch, Sasrir had spoken of old-world dishes with nostalgia and regret in his eyes.
If Medici could recreate those dishes, would Sasrir be pleased?
***
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