NOVPUB
Chapter 49: Oh Hero Of Knowledge
Zayn had just finished setting down the last plate when he heard the door open.
Heavy footsteps and tired sighs filled the room as his party returned, looking as exhausted as he’d expected.
Bran dragged himself in first, his broad shoulders slumped from fatigue. His tunic was stained with dirt, and he barely spared Zayn a glance as he trudged toward a chair.
Tobias followed close behind, adjusting his cracked glasses with a frown.
With a muttered spell, a golden glow wrapped around the frames, mending them instantly.
Kara and Elisse stumbled in after him, their faces flushed, sweat sticking strands of hair to their foreheads.
It looked like their mission had been a rough one.
But the moment the scent of Zayn’s cooking reached them, everything changed.
One by one, their heads lifted, their tired expressions shifting to something else — something almost primal.
Bran, who looked like he could collapse at any second, inhaled deeply and let out a low hum of appreciation.
Tobias adjusted his glasses again, blinking as if unsure whether he was imagining things.
Kara and Elisse, who had barely been keeping themselves upright, suddenly had a new spark of energy in their eyes.
Without a word, they all drifted toward the dining table, following the aroma like starving wolves.
Zayn arched a brow as he wiped his hands on a cloth, watching them gravitate toward the food like moths to a flame.
"I take it you guys had a rough time?" he asked, amused.
"Forget that," Bran muttered, already reaching for a seat. "What is that smell?"
Zayn grinned, folding his arms as he leaned against the table. "Tested out some ingredients," he said casually. "Figured I’d see what we got to offer in terms of spices and flavors."
He didn’t expect much of a reaction, but then Kara suddenly stepped closer, her eyes locked onto his face.
"You’ve got something here," she murmured, pointing to his cheek.
"Huh?" Zayn frowned, reaching up to wipe it off, but before he could, Kara leaned in — too close.
Her lips brushed against his cheek.
He froze.
For a second, his brain completely shut down as he registered what just happened. She had just licked him.
His face went red instantly.
Kara pulled back, licking her lips thoughtfully before flashing a smirk.
"Spicy," she said simply, tilting her head as if tasting the remnants of the black pepper she’d just stolen from his skin.
Zayn instinctively took a step back, touching his cheek as he stared at her in disbelief. "What the — did you just — what the hell was that?!"
Bran let out a sharp laugh, nearly choking on it, while Elisse covered her mouth, looking equally jealous and scandalized.
Tobias sighed, adjusting his glasses again.
"Why do I even ask questions anymore?" he muttered under his breath before pulling out a chair.
Zayn groaned, rubbing his face before shaking his head. He should’ve known better than to be surprised at this point.
"Whatever," he mumbled, sitting down as well. "Just eat before it gets cold."
The group didn’t need to be told twice. Within seconds, they dug into the food, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten.
The sounds of forks clinking against plates and satisfied hums filled the air.
Bran was the first to speak between bites. "Damn, Zayn. Didn’t know you could cook like this."
"Yeah," Elisse agreed, giving him a rare approving nod. "This is... really good."
Tobias, ever the analytical one, chewed thoughtfully before glancing at Zayn. "You adjusted the seasoning well, especially considering I haven’t seen you in the kitchen before."
Zayn smirked and scratched the back of his neck. "Well my dad was a chef so..."
The meal continued, filled with chatter and the occasional playful bickering between Kara and Bran over who got the last piece of roasted vegetables.
At some point, Zayn noticed Elisse shooting him a sharp look. A glare, really.
He blinked.
What the hell was that about? 𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑝𝘶𝘣.𝑐𝘰𝘮
But before he could think too much about it, Tobias was already setting down his fork and wiping his mouth.
Zayn took that as his cue and turned to him, eyes glinting with mischief.
He cleared his throat dramatically, picking up the bundle of light armor and dagger as well as clothes, the whole bag really, that he had bought earlier and holding it up.
"Oh, great Tobias," he started, voice dripping with exaggerated reverence. "Hero of Knowledge. The Bringer of Wisdom. The one whose head holds the infinite secrets of the universe — "
"Just get to the point," Tobias interrupted, already pinching the bridge of his nose.
Zayn grinned, holding the armor closer. "Refine this for me, dear hero."
Tobias sighed, but before he could say anything, Zayn’s expression shifted into his best attempt at puppy eyes.
Bran snorted. "That’s just pathetic."
"I dunno," Kara smirked, resting her chin on her hand. "It’s kind of cute."
Zayn ignored them both, focusing on Tobias. The mage sighed again, but this time, he raised a hand over the armor.
A soft golden light engulfed it, the magical energy seeping into the material. Within seconds, it improved... becoming the best versions of themselves.
"Done," Tobias muttered, dropping his hand.
Zayn grinned, testing the weight of the armor. It felt way better now. "Knew you’d come through, oh wise one."
Tobias shot him a glare. "Get out before I regret it."
Laughing, Zayn grabbed his things and pushed himself up from the table.
He was full, his gear was improved, and despite the weirdness of the day, he felt a lot better than before.
Stretching his arms above his head, he nodded at the others before heading for the stairs.
"I’m gonna crash for a bit," he announced.
"Try not to dream about me," Kara called after him.
Though something was confusing him, why was Kara so openly flirtatious?!
Zayn soon pushed his door open, stepping into his room with a sigh of relief.
He dropped the bag of newly refined goods onto the floor with a soft thud, rolling his shoulders to ease the stiffness in his muscles.
The day had been longer than expected, and after all the running, shopping, and that unexpected kiss from the witch princess, he definitely needed some rest.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, running a hand through his hair while thinking of the plans for the night.
He glanced at the window, the sun beginning its descent toward the horizon.
He figured he had a few hours before night fully set in.
That was perfect — he wanted to visit the Guild later, partly because he was curious about how it operated at night, but also because of the fact that there could be beautiful chicks there anyway.
