Chapter 607 You Collect These
Without hesitation, Archer plunged into the feast. He grabbed a chunk of perfectly grilled meat with his fingers, savoring the smoky flavor as he started eating.
The juices dripped down his chin, but he didn't care about anyone as he was completely absorbed in the ecstasy of the first bite. Teuila chuckled, shaking her head. "I swear, darling, you eat like you've been starving for days."
Archer mumbled through a mouthful of food, "Just appreciating good cooking, Teu."
He moved on to the mashed potatoes, piling them onto his plate in generous piles and savoring the creamy, buttery richness he loved when he took a mouthful. The others exchanged amused glances, occasionally laughing at his sheer enthusiasm for the meal.
With a mischievous grin, Nala pushed a bowl of curry toward him. "Try this, it's a bit spicy."
Archer accepted the challenge, scooping a generous portion with a piece of bread. His eyes widened, and a satisfied groan escaped his lips as the flavors exploded on his tongue. He loved the blend of spices, the meat's tenderness, and the sauce's richness.
Halime leaned over, teasing him, "You know, there are other people at this table who might want some too."
Archer chuckled, but his focus remained on the food. "Plenty to go around, Hali. Help yourselves."
As he continued to devour the food, the others joined in, sampling the different dishes and enjoying the company of the meal. The dining room echoed with laughter and the clinking of cutlery, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere.
Despite the abundance of food disappearing before him, Archer's appetite seemed insatiable. He reached for another grilled meat skewer, his eyes gleaming with sheer greed.
The others exchanged amused glances, realizing that trying to match his eating prowess was futile. Ella, Teuila, Nala, Halime, and Lyniel laughed at his behavior as they all knew he loved his food.
Lioran commented while he was eating plate after plate. ''Arch. You should be fat due to the amount you eat.''
At first, he didn't answer as he was finishing a bowl of what looked like soup, but it was spicy. Once Archer was done, he looked at Lioran with a grin. ''Ask Nala if there is any fat on me. But everyone knows I love food, and it's been like this since waking up from the incident.''
Nala looked down as her cheeks reddened when she heard Archer's comment. The nights of pleasure returned in detail, causing the lion girl to become shy.
When seeing her reaction, he smiled before using his tail to touch hers. Nala calmed down and smiled at him as Nalika asked in a curious voice. ''Incident?''
The five girls went silent, but Archer chuckled. ''El. Tell the story. You're better than me at telling it.''
Ella confirmed with a nod and turned her gaze toward their friends, starting the story. After an hour, she was done. The three sat there in silence before Leonora spoke. ''Why haven't you killed them? I would have if I were treated like that.''
Lioran and Nalika agreed. Archer sighed before explaining his reason for not killing the Ashguards. ''What would killing them get me?''
''Revenge?''
''Peace?''
Archer shifted to make space for Aeris, who took a seat, and when he did, he introduced the boy. ''Everyone, this is Aeris. I met him yesterday while I was wandering around the ship.''
As the black-haired boy settled into the seat, Nala couldn't help but blurt out, ''You know, Aeris, you kinda look like a girl.''
Aeris raised an eyebrow before answering. ''What? No way!''
Laughter erupted around the table. Teuila, Halime, and Ella couldn't contain their amusement. Even Lioran, who had just returned from the toilet, joined in on the laughter.
''Come on, Nala, give the guy a break,'' Archer teased, trying to ease the situation.
Nala, however, wasn't convinced. She squinted at Aeris, studying him as if trying to uncover some hidden truth. ''I'm not so sure about that. We might need a second opinion.''
The lion girl turned to Nalika and Leonora. ''You two. Tell me your opinion.''
When the twins heard Nala, they bowed and spoke in unison. ''Yes, princess.''
Leonora was the one to speak. ''Yes, he does look like a girl. He has feminine features, but that isn't unusual nowadays. Even in The Lionheart Kingdom, there are men like this.''
Archer started chuckling but noticed the uncomfortable look on Aeris face and changed the subject. ''How long until we arrive at your kingdom, Llyniel?''
The wood elf came two after zoning out and answered. ''About a week, Arch. A storm is hitting the kingdom right now. The mana ships had to fly around the Eastern coast.''
''Are there normally storms over Oakheart?'' He inquired.
''Yes. In Frostwinter, they are really bad and cut off most of the roads into the kingdom. But the mother has been working on it and has kept most open this year.''
Archer smiled at her explanation. After that, Lioran and the two lion girls said they would attend a training session that Professor Grayleaf had organized.''
As he spoke, Teuila said, "Yes, Sera, Talila, Nala, and I are taking it too. The other girls are attending the Battle Magic Class taught by Professor Silvercrest."
''Whose going there?'' Archer asked the blue-haired girl.
''Nefertiti, Hemera, Ella, Llyniel, Halime and Leira.''
''So all of you then.'' He responded in an amused voice.
Teuila nodded. ''Yes. We want to train for the tournament. We're not overpowered like you.''
[If there are any mistakes, point them out, and I'll edit it. Thanks]
