A wave of heat brushed against her face, carrying with it the aroma of roasted spice, simmered broth, and a hint of something wild and ancient.
Her eyes widened.
For a heartbeat, Kafla's mind went blank.
'Wha... what is this aroma!?' she thought.
The spicy fragrance coiled around her senses like a living dragon, slipping past her guard and igniting her nerves. It was bold, untamed, and yet perfectly balanced, like every wisp of aroma tugging at a hidden hunger buried deep within her soul.
In her mind's eye, she saw it... a colossal dragon soaring across a sea of flame, its scales shimmering like molten gold, letting out a roar that made her very heart tremble.
While all this was happening, Tiana sat opposite her, observing the entire process with curiosity. The moment the rich aroma saturated the air, her breathing hitched as well, and for a brief moment, she lost herself in the scent.
Gulp!
They both swallowed audibly at the same time.
They sensed the lingering mana within the cup, causing their eyes to widen once more.
'Mana... How is this possible?! I didn't sense anything within it before!' Kafla's thoughts spun wildly, searching for an explanation for what was unfolding.
At the same time, Tiana felt it too, the same surge of mana. The same disbelieving thought flooded her mind.
Kafla's trembling chopsticks sank into the noodles as she slowly stirred them. The aroma intensified, sweeping through the air like a storm. The strands glistened under the light, bathed in a crimson broth that shimmered with flickering sparks, as if tiny flames danced upon the surface.
A faint hiss rose as she lifted the noodles from the cup.
Kafla glanced at them nervously before taking her first bite. The moment the noodles touched her tongue, her eyes widened.
BOOM!
A tidal wave of flavour bursting across her tongue, surging through her senses like an unstoppable flood. The spicy, savoury, and slightly smoky broth clung to the noodles in perfect harmony, yet beneath it all, each strand carried a trace of ancient vitality, as though she were tasting the breath of a mythical beast itself.
Her mana flared uncontrollably, intertwining with the burning energy flowing through her Life Veins, which had long been tempered by the cold essence of the Ice Phoenix techniques she practised as an Inner Disciple of the Ice Phoenix Sect.
'Wha… what's happening? My mana… It's acting on its own!'
In her mind's eye, Kafla found herself standing upon a scorched battlefield of endless flame. The colossal dragon roared into the heavens, its golden eyes locking onto her soul. Each beat of its wings sent shockwaves rippling through her body, and then it dove.
The dragon's fiery breath rushed into her chest. Yet instead of agony, she felt a pure and intoxicating warmth. Her mana surged through her Life Veins even more fiercely, refined as though a thousand mana fire cores had ignited within her.
Meanwhile, Tiana could only watch in disbelief as her junior sister's body trembled, her aura climbing higher and higher.
Kafla gasped, then let out an involuntary moan of pure satisfaction. "It's… hot… fierce… aaahhh!"
Every bite sent tingling sensations racing down her spine. Each strand of noodle seemed to carry the ancient essence of a primordial dragon's breath, searing itself into her being. She couldn't stop eating.
By the time she swallowed the last bite, she slumped back in her chair, with her eyes closed. Her chest heaved as her aura continued to rise uncontrollably. The once cold energy of the Ice Phoenix was now infused with a faint, blazing hue.
'Did she just faint?' Jonathan thought, staring at the unconscious Kafla. He hadn't expected her to collapse after finishing her meal.
'Was this part of the extraordinary effects of the Spicy Dragon Flavour Instant Noodles?'
Although he was irritated that he couldn't experience those effects himself despite having eaten the same instant noodles countless times, there was nothing he could do about it, so he decided to let the matter rest.
"Junior sister, are you alright?" Tiana asked, reaching across the table to gently tap her. But no matter how hard she tried, there was no response.
Not only that, her mana was still circulating rapidly, aura rising sharply.
Tiana turned toward Jonathan, who stood beside them observing the situation, and asked, "What did you do to my junior sister?" Her sharp gaze also darted toward the empty instant noodle cup, realising that it had to be the cause of her sister's current state.
"You're mistaken," Jonathan replied calmly. "I didn't do anything. I'm not certain about why she fainted, but it'll take some time for her to wake up." He paused, then added, "Nonetheless, this is the first time this has happened, so I can't say for sure when she'll regain consciousness."
He crouched slightly, scrutinising Kafla from head to toe. Her chest rose and fell steadily, indicating that at least she was still breathing.
Tiana glanced at Kafla, then at the empty noodle cup again, before focusing back on Jonathan. She doubted his words, yet she couldn't dismiss them entirely.
After witnessing everything firsthand, she would have noticed if Jonathan had done anything suspicious. But he hadn't moved from his spot since the very beginning.
"…Alright," she said finally, her tone was cold. "I'll wait for some time. But if anything happens to my sister, I promise you, neither you nor this store will escape the wrath of the Ice Phoenix Sect."
Jonathan didn't respond. He simply sighed tiredly. He had a store to run; he couldn't afford to waste time standing there. He turned around and walked back to the counter.
"Where are you going?" Tiana asked sharply.
"I've got work to do," Jonathan replied without looking back. "If there's anything you wish to purchase, just let me know."
Tiana gritted her teeth but forced herself to stay calm. She tore her gaze away from Jonathan and focused entirely on Kafla, refusing to look away even for an instant.