At seven in the evening, the cozy sitting room was illuminated by the soft flickering candlelight. The aroma of delicious food suffused every corner.

Gone was the bone-chilling winter gale. Gone was the disheartening stench of muddy slush. The grueling battle had ceased, with swords no longer grinding. A tranquil warmth flowed gently.

Master and disciple sat across from each other at the spacious new dining table, silently savoring their scrumptious dinner.

After eating a while, Anna Seranthis spoke up softly.

"Alice has always been impetuous and unconstrained, like a wild mare galloping freely across meadows. As you can imagine, we often clashed violently in the beginning."

Pausing, a rosy blush slowly bloomed on Anna's face, yet her gaze remained focused and her entire demeanor radiated inviolable grace.

"In any case, it's all in the past now. But you must never neglect arcane training for the fleeting pleasures of the flesh!"

"Yes, Master," Rosen acquiesced respectfully.

In truth, he was relieved Anna did not seem angry.

Seeing her disciple tamed from recklessness into a docile lamb, Anna's expression softened considerably.

"You must be exhausted today. Here, have roasted quail to replenish your strength."

"You have my gratitude, Master."

Just as they relished the meal, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

'Tap tap tap tap~'

Only the knocking could be heard, with no introduction.

Anna savored the velvety caviar slowly. "Rosen, who do you think would come calling this late?"

Still battling the roasted quail, Rosen chuckled, "It must be Ms. Aurelia. Am I right, Ms. Aurelia?"

A gentle laugh emanated from outside. "Precisely, Ms. Aurelia O'Rhaeka."

The visitor had identified herself, so Rosen retreated into silence. Anna dabbed her mouth with a napkin and asked, "What brings you here so late, Ms. O’Rhaeka?"

"I was hoping to mooch a nice meal. May I?"

Anna glanced at Rosen. “Any food left in the kitchen?”

Rosen thought, “Still some ingredients, stove fire hasn't gone out yet. I can make 3 more dishes in 5 minutes. Also 3 wine bottles left.”

Anna smiled satisfied. “Very well, go prepare them.”

After taking two steps, Rosen heard Anna ask very softly, “What wine exactly?”

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Rosen replied just as softly, “One Moon Blossom vintage, one Deep Azure Garnet medium-grade, and decent apple cider.”

“The apple cider will do. Warm it slightly to remove the chill but not too much, or it’ll affect the flavor.”

She wasn’t going to waste the good stuff on a stranger.

Rosen nodded and strode into the kitchen.

His hands moved swiftly, delegating much work to his spectral hands spell.

By now, he could reliably do three-line operations, four-lines possible if pushed.

Soon the kitchen rang with sizzling and chopping. In just over four minutes, using leftovers and available ingredients, he produced a rich carrot and pork rib stew, smoked salmon slices, pan-fried lamb chop, and dipping sauces.

With fine wheat bread as base, it should fill Ms. O’Rhaeka’s stomach.

With the food ready, the warmed apple cider was also done.

Gleaming silver cutlery lined up neatly to be laden with the dishes before floating orderly around Rosen.

Once the plates were filled, he slowly walked out towards the table, levitating the food along.

At the table sat an unfamiliar woman with lustrous golden hair, ocean-blue eyes, and a bold yet feminine, beautiful face. Her practical but shapely studded armor made her look like a warrior maiden from a comic book.

Rosen placed the dishes before her one by one, bowing slightly. “Ms. O’Rhaeka, please enjoy your meal.”

However, O’Rhaeka did not respond. She simply picked up her knife and began cutting the lamb chops.

“Thanks to your darling disciple, I had to hide and run all afternoon without even water. Now I can finally indulge in this lovely food.”

She heartily dug in.

Rosen and Anna exchanged quick meaningful glances, puzzlement apparent in each other’s eyes.

Neither knew what this mysterious woman was up to.

But she seemed harmless, so Anna did not pry and resumed dining.

After an entire lamb chop, O’Rhaeka finally sighed satisfied.

“Rosen, I’m impressed that aside from painting, you’re also a culinary maestro. This is the most delicious lamb chop I've ever tasted.”

“You honor me with such praise.”

Of course Rosen did not really believe he was the world’s best cook.

O’Rhaeka sipped her wine, gazing between them.

“I’m sure you’re curious why I’m here. I won't obfuscate. My purpose is to convey information on the Winterless King and provide what little aid I can.”

Hearing ‘Winterless King’, Rosen and Anna became fully attentive.

O’Rhaeka did not keep them waiting.

“In brief, the ancient evil god who was slumbering has been accidentally awakened. Upon waking, realizing the foe who once gravely injured him is now unexpectedly feeble, this deity has decided to rise again and accomplish great deeds.”

Unable to restrain himself, Rosen asked, “An ancient evil god...are you speaking literally?”

Zealous followers often exaggerated their abominations as ‘king, emperor, god’.

“It is the truth.”

At this claim, Rosen and Anna exchanged glances, both perplexed and apprehensive.

The difference between evil spirit and evil god was like heaven and earth in power.

One was just concentrated filth manifesting sentience accidentally. The other was a transcendent being, far inferior to Sol but similar in essence.

Without O’Rhaeka’s information, charging blindly to capture Veronica tomorrow would have been extremely perilous, likely resulting in the grisly deaths of both master and disciple.

Yet this revelation was too shocking for Anna to fully believe.

“Ms. O’Rhaeka, you said something similar at the south market 21 days ago. You appear quite youthful, no older than 20. How did you come upon all this knowledge?”

Had the woman not behaved peculiarly, she would have thought it an elaborate prank.

O’Rhaeka just smiled cryptically, silent.

Just as the mystified pair were about to press further, a radiance slowly emerged within her ocean-blue eyes, shimmering as purely and profoundly as the most exquisite sapphire, but far more mesmerizing.

As Rosen gazed into her eyes, he felt his soul enthralled.

In an instant, everything faded until only boundless azure remained.

Just as he thought he might become lost in this azure sea, the vision vanished abruptly as it appeared, and everything returned to normal.

O’Rhaeka swirled her wine idly with a knowing smile.

“Because like you two, I am also superhuman. And I happen to know this Winterless King personally.”

Stunned silence descended on the cottage.