Chapter 21 - A Taste That Shouldn’t Exist

Night settled quietly over Dhuraiya. The noise of the guild, the clashing of steel, the constant tension—it all faded into something softer. Riven sat on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees, staring at nothing in particular. The room was dim. Still. "…E-rank…" He muttered under his breath, rolling the small metal tag between his fingers. The day replayed in his mind. Every movement. Every hidden step. Every silent correction. "…Too easy." Not in a proud way. Not in a careless way. Just… factual. His eyes lowered slightly. "…If I keep this up… someone's going to notice." Especially her. Sova's gaze hadn't been normal. It wasn't suspicion yet—but it wasn't ignorance either. "…Tch…" He leaned back slightly, exhaling. Then—his stomach growled. Loud enough to break his thoughts completely. "…Yeah… right." He looked around the room. Nothing. No food. No supplies. No instant solutions. "…I could've bought something earlier…" A pause. "…Didn't think about it." He stood up slowly, stretching his arms. "…Guess I'll go out." The village at night felt different. Warmer. Softer. Lanterns lit the paths. Small groups of people talked quietly. Laughter echoed faintly in the distance. It didn't feel like a battlefield. It felt… alive. Riven walked without a clear direction at first. Just letting his feet move. His mind wasn't racing this time. It was… quiet. Until a faint smell reached him. Warm. Savory. Familiar in a way that didn't belong here. His steps slowed. "…Food…" He followed it instinctively. A small restaurant came into view. Nothing fancy. Wooden structure. Soft light spilling out. Voices inside. He paused for a second. Then stepped in. The warmth hit him instantly. Along with the smell. Something cooking. Something simple. But comforting. And then— He saw her. Lucy. She stood near the counter, carrying a tray, her hair slightly tied back this time. Cleaner. Neater. And somehow—different. Not just the girl from the inn. Something softer. Something… brighter. Riven froze for a fraction of a second. "…Oh…" His eyes lingered just a moment too long. And for the first time in a long while— He felt something unfamiliar. His expression shifted slightly. A faint heat rising to his face. "…What is this…" Lucy turned—and noticed him instantly. Her eyes lit up. "…Oh! You came!" Riven straightened slightly. "…Yeah…" She walked over quickly, a small smile already forming. "…Come in, sir, have a seat!" Her tone was playful. Light. Different from before. Riven blinked once. "…Sir…?" Lucy tilted her head slightly, teasing. "…What? You look cleaner now, so I have to upgrade your title." Riven let out a small breath. Not quite a laugh. But close. "…I see…" She pointed to a seat near the window. "…Sit. I'll take your order." Riven sat down slowly, still slightly… off-balance internally. Lucy stood in front of him, hands behind her back slightly. "…So, what are you gonna eat?" Riven didn't think much. The word came out naturally. "…Ramen." Silence. Lucy blinked. "…Ra…men?" Riven paused. Then realized. "…Ah…" He scratched the back of his head slightly. "…Sorry… habit." Lucy leaned forward slightly, curious. "…What is that?" Riven's eyes shifted for a second. Memories flickered. Instant noodles. Late nights. Cheap meals. Real life. "…Something… from where I'm from." Lucy's expression softened slightly. "…Oh…" Riven shook his head lightly. "…Can I see the menu?" "…Of course!" She handed it over quickly. Riven opened it casually— Then froze. His eyes widened slightly. "…What…?" There was barely anything. No variety. No options. Just one main item written clearly. Maggie Riven stared at it. "…You've got to be kidding me…" Lucy tilted her head again. "…Something wrong?" Riven looked up slowly. "…That's the only thing?" Lucy nodded proudly. "…Best in the village." A pause. Riven looked back at the menu. "…Maggie…" His expression shifted slightly. Something between disbelief and nostalgia. "…Seriously…?" He closed the menu slowly. "…I'll take it." Lucy smiled. "…Good choice!" She walked away toward the kitchen. Riven leaned back slightly, still processing. "…Maggie…" His eyes narrowed just a little. "…That's not from this world." It shouldn't be. It didn't make sense. Just like everything else. The cameos. The fragments. The names. And now—this. Something small. But impossible. His fingers tapped lightly against the table. "…This world is mixing things…" He muttered quietly. "…Or pulling them…" His thoughts were interrupted when Lucy returned, placing the bowl gently in front of him. "…Here you go." Steam rose softly. Warm. Inviting. Riven looked down. And for a moment— He didn't move. Because it looked… familiar. Not exactly the same. But close enough. Noodles. Broth. Simple toppings. Something between worlds. "…This…" His voice dropped slightly. Lucy watched his reaction carefully. "…Is it bad?" Riven shook his head slowly. "…No…" He picked up the utensil. Took a bite. And froze. Not from shock. But from recognition. "…This is…" Not perfect. Not exactly the same. But close. Close enough to feel like something he had lost. Something real. Something from… before. A small breath left him. "…It's good." Lucy's face lit up instantly. "…Told you!" Riven nodded slightly, continuing to eat. But his mind wasn't fully there. Because this wasn't just food. This was a connection. To a world that shouldn't exist here. To a place he wasn't sure he could return to. "…India…" The word formed silently in his mind. A real place. A real world. And yet—something from it was here. In this game-like reality. Riven's eyes lowered slightly as he took another bite. "…What are you…" He whispered quietly. "…What kind of world is this…?" Lucy sat across from him without asking, resting her chin on her hand. "…You're thinking too much again." Riven looked up slightly. "…Am I?" She smiled softly. "…Yeah. Just eat." A pause. Then she added— "…You look better when you're not fighting everything in your head." Riven didn't respond immediately. Then— "…Maybe." He took another bite. This time slower. Because for once— He wasn't fighting. He wasn't hiding. He wasn't calculating. He was just… sitting there. Eating something familiar. In a world that made no sense. With someone who somehow made it feel… normal. And for that moment— That was enough. 🔥