“What are you doing?”

Muen was spacing out, staring into his cup of water, when Ailuka’s voice suddenly sounded behind him.

He flinched so hard he almost smashed the cup into her face.

Close call.

“Did I scare you?” Ailuka asked, genuinely curious.

“You just walk like a ghost. No footsteps at all,” Muen muttered, still recovering.

“Well, I don’t really have a choice. In my house, if you drag your feet when you walk, you get smacked.”

She smiled.

“Same here. My family was the same way. I guess every household’s got those little rules. Like no slurping at the table.”

“Exactly.”

She shrugged and turned back into the kitchen.

A few minutes later, she returned—arms a bit strained—carrying a massive platter of roast lamb.

“Dinner’s ready!”

“That fast?!”

Muen jumped to his feet to help. “It’s only been an hour. Is it actually cooked?”

“It was done already.”

Ailuka winked playfully. “I left it in the oven on low heat before I left. All I had to do was add the spices when we got back. The reason I waited this long... was to let you get even hungrier.”

“You monster!”

“Ha ha, just kidding. You still need to roast it a bit after adding spices to let the aroma soak in.”

She handed Muen a knife and fork.

“Help yourself. I’m not cutting it for you.”

“Thanks.”

Muen took the utensils, ready to dig in—but then paused. He turned and looked directly at her.

“Um... why don’t you go first?”

“Huh?”

Ailuka raised an eyebrow, looking at him skeptically.

“You think I poisoned it?”

“No, no!” Muen waved his hands frantically and laughed awkwardly. “It’s just, I’m the one who barged in out of nowhere, freeloading off your food. It doesn’t feel right if I don’t let the host enjoy it first.”

“Is that so?”

She stared at him for a long moment. Then her brow arched slightly, and she smirked.

“Sure, I’ll take that at face value.”

She grabbed the silver knife, expertly sliced a crispy piece of lamb skin, and popped it into her mouth.

The crackle of her bite was crisp and rich—just the sound of it made Muen’s stomach growl louder.

“All right, I’m diving in.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Muen attacked the roast lamb with his knife and fork, channeling his [Dagger Combat Technique LV5] into the art of meat carving.

The moment the dense, juicy meat touched his tongue, a burst of spice hit his nose. No gamey odor—just pure, mouthwatering flavor. This was on par with the ducal estate’s chefs.

“Well?”

“Sho goood,” Muen said, cheeks puffed like a squirrel, giving her a thumbs-up.

“Glad to hear it.”

Ailuka smiled, lips barely moving.

But after taking that one bite, she didn’t go in for more.

Instead, she carefully carved thin slices off the roast, arranging them delicately on a plate, layering the slices with surprising care.

Was she... prepping a plate for her husband?

Muen naturally assumed so, and once again found himself admiring their relationship.

Then he remembered he had no home to return to, was on the run from a psycho yandere, and currently only had a beast-hide skirt to his name.

His soul ached.

So he stuffed his grief deep into his stomach and continued his one-man battle with the roast lamb.

—

Woof!

In the middle of a bite, Muen froze at the sudden bark.

He instinctively turned toward the sound.

Huh? That came from... inside the house?

“My dog,” Ailuka explained. “He’s usually really quiet. He’s probably hungry.”

“You have a dog?” Muen’s eyes lit up.

“Can I see it? I love dogs.”

In his last life, he’d always wanted a golden retriever, but time, money, and life never allowed for it. In the end, he’d only ever snuck a few pets at the local pet store before dying.

Now that a chance to cuddle a dog had appeared—no way he was letting it slip by.

“Sorry. No.”

Ailuka refused without hesitation.

“My dog’s really skittish around strangers. That’s why he’s hiding in the bedroom and not coming out.”

“Oh...”

Muen sighed, disappointed.

“Guess it can’t be helped.”

Seemed like fate had cursed him to never own a pet—only to be treated as one by others.

So annoying.

“Well, you enjoy your food. I’m going to go feed my puppy.”

Carrying the thin slices she had carefully prepared, Ailuka hummed a little tune as she turned down the hallway and disappeared into the farthest room.

Woof woof, woof woof woof woof.

“There, there. Good boy. I brought your dinner.”

Woof, woof, woof...

She closed the door behind her.

The barking became muffled, but Muen could still hear... excitement?

“Sounds like she really loves that dog.”

Muen sighed again, both envious and moved.

Then he dove into the second half of the roast.

“Huh?”

Halfway through, he froze.

“Wait... all that carefully sliced meat... was for the dog?!”

—

“Ahhh, I’m stuffed.”

Having devoured nearly half the roast, Muen leaned back in his chair and rubbed his bloated stomach, overwhelmed with satisfaction.

What’s better than gorging on delicious food after starving for an entire day?

“Honestly... I could die right now and not even regret it.”

“Done eating?”

Ailuka emerged from the room, holding an empty plate.

“You look wiped. Want to rest a bit? The guest room’s empty.”

“Wait, seriously?”

Muen hesitated. “I already mooched dinner, and now I’m crashing here too?”

“Come on—if you’re going to mooch food and drink, might as well mooch a bed too,” she said with a smile.

“...Fair point.”

Muen nodded, dropping any pretense. “Guess I’ll impose just a little longer.”

“No problem. First room on the left.”

“Thanks.”

Muen stepped into the guest room.

It was clearly not prepared for guests—barebones and plain, the bed didn’t even have blankets.

But for Muen, it was more than enough.

The moment he lay down, all the exhaustion of the past two days came crashing down like a wave.

He fell asleep instantly.

Outside the window, the full moon bathed the village in silver light.

Silence blanketed everything.

—

I love you.

—

“Shit!”

In the dead of night, Muen’s eyes flew open, his face contorted in dread.

As if faced with an imminent life-or-death crisis.

“I have to pee.”

He’d eaten too much.

His stomach was acting up.

“Should’ve known better than to pig out like that...”

He carefully got out of bed, opened the door as silently as he could, and stepped into the hallway.

“Crap... I forgot to ask where the bathroom is.”

“Ugh. It’s the middle of the night... Ailuka’s probably asleep. Waking her would be rude.”

At the end of the hallway stood °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° three doors, each closed.

“Three doors. One in three chance. Not bad odds.”

He placed his hand on the doorknob of the far-right room and slowly turned it.

The door creaked open, just a crack—

Woof.

A single bark slipped through the opening.

“...This is...”

Muen blinked.

Right. This was the room where Ailuka kept the dog.

“Not the bathroom.”

He sighed and was about to quietly close the door when—

“...Wait.”

A glimmer of light flashed in Muen’s eyes.

“Well... I’m already here. Wouldn’t hurt to take a peek, right?”

He really did love dogs.

Just one look.

That should be fine.

With that justification firmly in his mind, Muen crouched down and slowly leaned in, peeking through the crack in the door.