The Anomaly's Path

Chapter 250: Threads of Sweet and Bitter

[Seris’s POV]

The steady, rhythmic hiss of boiling water and the sharp sizzle of a hot pan echoed softly through the massive dining hall.

I sat at the long wooden table, my chin resting on my hands, my eyes fixed on Leo as he moved around the kitchen.

The warm light from the floating lamps caught his loose white hair, which had escaped his ponytail and now framed his face. The smell of rich spices began to rise from his cooking, covering up the burnt smell from my failed attempt.

I still didn’t understand where I went wrong.

My mind kept replaying the whole thing over and over. I had gathered all the ingredients. The recipe said I needed heat to cook the mixture. I just gave it a boost with my Lunar power to speed things up.

So why did it explode? Was my mixing wrong? Was the flour bad? It made no sense. When a spell fails, the mana just breaks apart cleanly. But cooking leaves a burnt, sticky mess that feels like it’s laughing at me.

Even more confusing was Leo himself.

I watched how he rolled up his sleeves without a care, ignoring the flour on the counter. Anyone else at the academy would have been scared or too respectful after I accidentally used my power. They would have thought the Primus was throwing a tantrum.

But Leo just sighed, took the spoon from my hand, and told me to sit down like I was a stubborn kid who couldn’t even work a stove.

Was my cooking really that bad? Did he really think I would destroy the kitchen? I tilted my head, watching the tension in his shoulders. He was standing over a hot stove just to make something for me.

He was a complete strange, unpredictable, and stubborn. But as the warmth from the kitchen filled the quiet hall, I realized the cold emptiness inside me didn’t feel as heavy when I was sitting here, watching his quiet chaos.

"How much longer?" I called out, my voice flat, slicing through the quiet of the hall.

Leo didn’t bother turning around, giving the pan a sharp, flick that made the spices pop. "Just a few minutes. The noodles are almost done, but your sweet stuff needs a little more time."

_

[Leo’s POV]

The stir-fry came together fast. The red spices coated the meat perfectly as the noodles softened. Baking a real cake at three in the morning would have taken forever, so I adapted.

I pulled out a small pan, melted sugar syrup, and threw together a quick batter of flour, eggs, and milk to make a thick pancake. Then I opened the storage charms and poured dark chocolate pudding over the top.

I was about to plate it when I felt it again. That sharp stare boring into the back of my neck. I paused and turned around, spatula still in hand. Seris was sitting in the same spot, her red eyes watching my every move with intense curiosity.

"If you keep staring like that, the food’s going to burn out of pure intimidation," I muttered, raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I am watching," she replied smoothly, her face completely expressionless. "When will it be ready to eat?"

"Right now. Stop rushing me," I sighed, pulling both pans off the heat.

I scooped my noodles into a large bowl, carefully slid her chocolate-covered dish onto a clean plate, and walked out of the open kitchen area. I stepped over to the long table and set the plate down directly in front of her with a soft click.

"Eat," I said, sliding into the chair on the opposite side. "The cake would have taken some time, so just eat this for now."

Seris looked down at the chocolate-covered pancake, her eyes widening just a little. She picked up her fork, cut a small piece, and put it in her mouth.

I watched her closely, worried I had messed up the sweetness. She was obsessed with sugary desserts, and if this tasted bad, she’d probably stare at me with silent judgment for the rest of the night.

Seris chewed slowly, her face giving nothing away. Then she gave a tiny nod of approval, her fork immediately cutting an even bigger piece.

"Is it okay?" I asked, leaning back slightly.

"...It is good," she said flatly, though the speed at which she was eating gave her away. "The texture is right. The chocolate is enough."

I let out a small breath of relief and picked up my own fork, diving into the noodles. The warmth spread through my body, reaching my empty stomach.

We ate in silence for a while, the only sound being the crackle of the fireplace. I watched her clean off another piece of the pancake, her black hair catching the dim light. The silence didn’t feel awkward anymore, but there was still something I needed to say.

I set my fork down against the rim of my bowl, clearing my throat to break the quiet. "Hey... Lady Seris."

She paused, her fork hovering right above the remaining chocolate, and tilted her head. "What?"

"...Sylvia told me to talk to you," I said, my voice dropping into a more grounded, serious tone. "She told me I needed to apologize for what happened back during the tournament in the Gate."

Seris blankly chewed her food. "For what?"

"For being reckless," I said, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I pushed my power too far, and I didn’t think about what it would do to you. I made a cold decision and just told you to stab me through the chest without giving you a real choice. It was a desperate, crazy gamble, and it put a huge weight on you. So... I’m sorry."

Seris set her fork down against the plate. Her pale face remained entirely unreadable. "...Why are you apologizing? You asked for help. I am your observer. My duty was to prevent a disaster."

"Yeah, but normal observers don’t have to drive a blade through their charge’s chest," I muttered dryly. "You could have rejected it. Why did you actually do it?"

"Because you asked me to," Seris said, her voice holding that deep, unsettling stillness. "You trusted me to steady your core. If I had backed away, you would have died."

"..."

I stared at her, completely unable to argue. The way she saw things was so simple and direct that I had nothing to say.

She didn’t see it as a painful memory or an unfair ask. To her, it was just a choice made from trust. She had saved my life without any hesitation, and now she was just sitting across from me, quietly finishing the last crumbs of a late-night snack.

I let out a slow, tired sigh and pushed my empty bowl aside. The warmth from the spicy meal was settling in, making my eyelids feel heavy. I looked at her, and her deep crimson eyes were still fixed on me with that same quiet curiosity.

Suddenly, an incredibly annoying voice echoed sharply in my mind.

"A true apology is not found in the sweetness of sugar, but in the time carved from a busy soul. And remember, Leo, an older star burns with a wiser, more brilliant flame that guides the young traveler home. You should take her out to dinner!"

God dammit. Roan.

The elf’s stupid, self-centered advice came back to me clearly. I remembered how he had laughed like a madman, telling me I was moving too fast and joking about naming future kids. I cursed him in my head.

Women appreciate real effort. Just giving chocolate or a quick midnight snack didn’t erase the weight of what happened.

Roan had been pushing me to take her out for a proper dinner, and as much as I hated to admit it, he actually had a point. I barely knew anything about her outside of these short, strange moments. I needed to try harder.

I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck as my face warmed up. The question felt heavy and awkward to say out loud, going completely against my usual guarded nature. Damn it, I really am bad at this.

"Umm, well... I want to ask you," I stammered, trying to steady my voice as I leaned forward. "Will you... go out to—"

Before I could even say the word ’dinner’, a faint scraping sound from the far end of the hall caught my attention. My Spatial Awareness gave a sharp ripple in my mind. The space wasn’t moving, but I could feel several people crowded right behind the main doors.

I stopped and looked past Seris’s shoulder, my eyes narrowing.

The doors were cracked open just a tiny bit — barely an inch. And packed into that small gap was a ridiculous pile of familiar faces.

At the bottom, crouching on the floor, was Roan. His hair was messy, and his eyes were wide with mischief. Above him, leaning on his shoulders, was Alice, her wild hair sticking out everywhere as she squinted through the crack.

Above her, Riven was trying to look cold and serious while being squeezed against the wood by Caster, whose eyes looked nervous as he gripped the frame.

They were completely peeking through the room.

My face went entirely flat.

Seris, sensing the sudden drop in my aura, slowly turned her head to follow my gaze.

The moment her crimson eyes locked onto the door, a muffled, panicked whisper leaked through the gap.

"Hey... I think they have seen us," Alice’s hushed, aggressive voice echoed into the quiet hall.

"Shut up, Alice! Move your elbow, you’re crushing me," Riven whispered back loudly, his eyes crinkling with a massive grin.

"Didn’t I tell you?" Riven hissed from the middle of the stack, his voice dripping with pure annoyance. "I told you to keep your voice down, but you two idiots can’t even spy correctly."

"Guys, please," Caster stammered softly, his shoulders shaking. "Leo looks really, really mad right now. Like, the white hair is practically vibrating."

I sat there, a vein practically popping on my forehead. I raised my eyes and gave them all a death glare. My eyes narrowed, burning with cold intensity as I stared at the pile of idiots. They were trying to hide and whisper like I couldn’t see or hear them.

These bastards...