The cooking part was fun.
Lith saw many new colors on Sylvia. Her slightly flushed face, her slightly confused face, her slightly amused face, her mildly inconvenienced face, and her slightly happy face.
Every emotion was just in slight amounts. This girl was destined to be a kuudere in future, if she ever awoke feelings for Lith.
Nonetheless, at least her neutral face had some change to it.
Lith sat down with her on a rock by a river. They gazed at the many fishes leaping and going upstream.
Lith blew on a hot spoonful of curry rice and fed it to Sylvia, who ate it without any resistance.
He turned his gaze to the fishes and with a smile, asked, "Do you know the story of the carp leaping through the dragon gate?"
Sylvia, chewing on the curry rice cutely, shook her head. There was no time in her life to go through fairy tales.
"Well, long long ago, there was once a carp…"
Lith began reciting the famous tale of the carp while feeding Sylvia curry rice.
She fed it to him too, so they both were having alternate bites of food from the same plate. It was an awkward yet romantic atmosphere.
The food was eventually finished, but the story did not end.
Sylvia was invested in the story with how her ears perked up during crucial moments of the story.
Despite being belittled by its peers for going against the current, despite being pushed down by the gushing force of the water, and despite being wounded by its fall, the carp persisted and never gave up.
Initially, Sylvia was indifferent to the story, but then Lith recited on how the carp never gave up and swam on and on and on.
Her brows furrowed in annoyance as she thought of how stupid the carp was, for continuously going against the stream. It could lead a good life even without it, so why bother? Why give yourself additional troubles?
Lith hadn't stated her the reason for the carp's motivation for swimming against the current. He kept it as a surprise for later.
He just told her that it one day decided to go against the current, that's it.
This was bound to annoy Sylvia, and that was what he wanted to achieve.
Eventually, Sylvia's frustration peaked, but the sweet, slightly tart, and creamy cheesecake soothed her emotions.
By the time the food was finished, the story had come to its final climax.
Lith put aside the plates and wrapped his arm around Sylvia's waist, pulling her closer.
For reasons she couldn't figure out, Sylvia found herself complying and even unknowingly putting her head on Lith's shoulder.
'I shouldn't do this…'
Lith was her Master. She shouldn't be putting her head on his shoulder like that. But then…
'It feels warm.'
Lith's body was cold. He was a Vampire, it was bound to be that way, but as of this moment, Sylvia felt a comforting warmth.
Maybe it was her own body heating up to warm up Lith's cold body, or maybe Lith was doing something to make her feel this. Sylvia didn't know, and she wasn't interested in knowing the details.
What mattered was the warmth, and the story he was saying.
'The carp is annoying…'
Indeed. It was annoying, yet she could relate with it.
Countless years have been spent trying to survive. She could give up anytime and kill herself, ending it once and for all, but just like the dumb carp, Sylvia too persisted and continued to live.
Everyday was hell. The curse on her was really strong.
Plus, there was a being that tried to absorb her.
A face half-covered in a veil, wearing purple robes and a big pointy hat.
Sylvia vividly remembered her blood red lips curved into a threatening glow.
That figure, she used to lick her lips and say:
"Darling, you have no idea how much I'm longing for you."
These words were not of love or longing, but of a threat.
This figure wanted to devour Sylvia, take up her entire essence, and ascend to greater heights.
To her, Sylvia was just a delicious piece of meat.
"Get lost!" Sylvia's hoarse voice would echo in the surroundings.
She barely ever spoke, and the words were usually only said out loud when she saw this being.
"Oh darling, just come to mother's loving embrace. I promise you'll always be treated right." The figure would try to entice her.
"Get… lost…!"
Sylvia would used to send out a powerful attack after shouting again, then escape from the place.
The figure couldn't do anything about it or stop her. Sylvia was powerful and a Supreme Rank at that. Finding her was difficult.
However, she would always find her in some or the other way.
The only reason she did not go all out and attack Sylvia was…
"Heh heh… I'll wait for you to weaken fully, then devour you. It's not that I'll lose to you in your current state, but once you're completely weak, absorbing your helpless self and watching you scream would bring a great melody to my ears. I want to see you struggle…"