Slabs of beef sizzled on the iron cast pan the next morning. Cooking breakfast, Kagami mulled over the events of last night. Was it truly a coincidence that a woman had the same face as his wife’s? She was definitely different in many ways. She was part wolf, and had black hair instead of the golden hair that his wife had. She also had a black sword unlike his wife’s pure white one.

After several minutes, Kagami flipped the beef then turned his attention to the eggs. He added milk, cheese, salt, and pepper, and then whisked the mixture for a minute as he watched the beef pop. He poured the mixture in a separate pan when he heard the familiar stomps of his roommate.

“Damn!” Walnut stepped into the kitchen with a smile of the morning sun. He held his nose high, taking a whiff of the beef. “That smells great.”

Kagami had lived with him for a little over a year. No matter how much he drank, the man never looked had a hangover the morning after. He snatched one of the strips of beef placing it in his mouth. He closed his eyes as if what he just ate was divine, hot steam puffed from his mouth as he spoke.

“So, delicious!”

Kagami looked down at the sizzling beef and then to Walnut.

“How are you not burned?”

“You could say, heat does nothing to me.” Walnut snatched another strip just as someone knocked on the door.

The bandit left the kitchen. A moment later the three from last night came in. Kagami caught a glance of them, seeing Yoru stare at him intensely as they passed by. Walnut poked his head in the small kitchen.

“Do we have enough for three more people?” Walnut asked him.

“Only if you don’t seconds and stop stealing off the skillet,” Kagami said.

“No second breakfast…” He looked conflicted hemming and hawing, looking back and forth between what he desired and being polite. “Fine.”

Kagami snorted. Politeness usually won in the end for him. He would have expected him to act more in his self-interest like a bandit should, but he did the opposite instead. He was a councilman after all. The community on the ring did vote on who to ascend to the Council.

Kagami plated the beef and eggs, balancing the five plates: two on each of his arm, and the fifth on top of his head, taking them to the den.

Kagami watched each of their reaction as he set the plate in front of them. Walnut rubbed his hands together, drool forming in the corner of his lips. The winged woman had a vacant stare with her mouth sagging open. Kenichi nodded in gratitude. Since he stepped into view, all Yoru did was stare intensely at him enough to drill a hole through him.

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He took his place next to Kenichi, sitting cross legged on a thin pillow. Just as he was about to dig in, the door knocked again.

Walnut was already half way down shoveling his meal. He dropped his plate, a displeased look on his face, and went to the door. A moment later, he came back with an opened letter.

“Kagami, I’m going need you to go help with the supplies today.”

“What? Seriously?” Kagami didn’t like that at all. Supply drops from the surface took all day.

“Luke won’t be able to do it. He has a broken sternum. He’s not in any condition to handle a supply drop. So, you take his place.”

“Ah.” Kagami thought about last night. He hadn’t fought well. That didn’t stop Luke from wiping the floor with him. “I wonder what kind of monster he was up against to get injured like that?”

For some reason, Walnut leveled a deadpan stare at him. “Really? You don’t know why he was like that?”

“No. Should I?”

“Well, your ignorance astounds me. You’ll take his place, since it’s partially your fault.”

Kagami made a disgruntled voice.

#

After breakfast, Cedar left. That left the three of them alone with the Bandit King. He placed the ever infinite flask on the table and leaned forward, crossing his fingers together like a net.

“So.” He looked at each and every one of them with those green eyes. “You mentioned you wanted to see the Warden?”

“Yes,” Yoru said. “The guide you mentioned-”

“It is him.” Walnut answered her frankly.

She swore under her breath. “Is there anyone else?”

“Unless you know how to talk to dead people?” Walnut chuckled. “No. Everyone that has faced the Warden is dead. The only one still alive is our little amnesia immortal princling that you tried to kill.”

“I did.” She growled. “He just didn’t stay dead.”

“That’s a plus isn’t it?”

“You, know he’s Cedar Oswell. Why do you pretend he’s someone else?”

The bandit leaned back, scratching his beard. A grin spread. “Why shouldn’t I? If I told him what he said is bullshit, wouldn’t it be harder to control him? Going along with his delusion is better for me? Look at this place. He cooks, he cleans, he hunts. The only thing that could be better if he was a woman with big tits.” The bandit gestured around his chest to emphasize the size of breasts he wanted in his woman. “He’s easier to deal with if he trusts you.”

She snorted derisively. “You’re scum.”

“At least I’m not the dog that allowed her lover to die.” He sneered.

To that, she almost pounced at him. Kenichi caught her shoulder and the bandit had stood up ready to defend himself. His cracked his knuckles.

“It’s good that you have your Guardian to stop you.” He nodded to Kenichi. “That’s what your cult calls you right?”

“We’re not a cult.” There was a soft anger in Kenichi’s tone.

Walnut leaned back in his seat, taking a swig of his flask. He blew a sigh. “Just use him like I am. You don’t need to pretend to like him. He’s a good naive boy right now. Not anything like the prideful prick he was. Plus, you have his wife’s face.” He snickered at his last statement.

If Kenichi wasn’t holding her back, she would have killed the man where he stood. But he had a point. She could get what she wanted…if she teamed up with Elm’s murderer. The thought of teaming up with Cedar Oswell churned her stomach like rotten milk.

The Goddess must be relishing in her suffering.

Because she knew she would to work with him to get what she wanted.